Night with the Moms

So another night with the 30+ year post-partum support group: The Moms aka My Best Friends

The Menu

Drinks: Beeritas. Like margaritas only with beer mixed in. Very limey! When they ran out, we fell back to wine: 3 of us prefer red; the other two white
Apps: Bruscchetti
Salad: Caprese with multicolored heirloom tomatoes
Dinner: Gazpacho with avocado; ginger-lemon grass barramunda
Dessert: Peaches stuffed with marsala-infused brutti with some ersatz mascarpone sauce on side

Name on the brutti package: Brutti  ma bellissimi! Ugly but very beautiful. Should have been titled: Dura come una roccia. Had to smash with a hammer to convert to desired crumbs as it threatened to seize up coffee grinder.
Gazpacho: Especially tasty. I read a review today of a movie in which a chef goes berserk when a diner insists on hot gazpacho. None of us insisted on this so there was no one going berserk.
Ersatz mascarpone: Well not as bad as ersatz apple pie with Ritz crackers substituting for apples but a low fat version made with 'yogurt cheese'
Barramunda: A new fish for most of us from Down Under.

Setting: Out under a pergola surrounded by flowers and a hummingbird. Very nice summer evening!
Invited guests: Naomi and her family. Some of the moms had not met Maya yet. She was passed around and admired until she became crabby.
Uninvited guests: Mosquitoes! Driving us inside after a while
Conversation: Fun. Details about the 60 mile Cancer Walk; a brother's wedding, an upcoming wedding, someones new condo, various trips we've had since meeting, house projects, kids, life, friendship...the usual but nice, very nice.

Last cool day for awhile so I ran a long time to make up for not running yesterday. One problem with long runs is that I am susceptible to chafing. Usually this stuff called 'body butter' smelling of cucumbers does the trick but it wore off prematurely today so OW!
Wildlife seen on run: One adolescent snapping turtle.As it was approaching the busy road, I should have helped it to safety but it was gone by the time I returned.
Wildlife seen while chillaxin'on my patio: I have 2 hummingbird moths now along with my flock o'hummingbirds (of at least 2).
Bad Karma experience: A van tried to run me off the road in the heavily wooded, scenic section. A customer of my ex-neighbor, a vet.
Things to do:  Many but most immediate. Look up tax laws concerning investment property. By-laws say we need a lease submitted to them for our renters. Inspection this week. Unit looks like it is in great shape but looks can be deceiving. One concern: financial state of the association, how to find out? Numerous appts for Naomi and Maya between check-ups for her and Maya, her guinea pig study, her nurse visit and my dental work.

Really sad news: My mom's younger sister has breast cancer. Results of the biopsy are not in. Hopefully she has my mom's type (no chemo needed) vs my type. Too much cancer. Hate it.