July is over half gone!

Just an update. Sloane came down 2 weeks ago for a short visit. It was great to see her. She came to have some dental work done and to also have a treatment performed on her planter's wart. We hope both are successful. She also got her NM drivers license renewed so we know for at least that reason the trip was a success. While here she and I did some baking. We made a Chocolate Pound Cake that had great body and flavor except of the fact I used some rancid vegetable shortening which gave it an off flavor of paint. How stupid to do that! The can had been in our pantry for quite some time and the top was kind of yellowish and I just scooped up that poison and put it in our mixture. We did discuss that shortening was all kind of like Vaseline anyway so we figured it wouldn't make too much difference. Dumb! After a couple of pieces we had to throw the whole thing out before we made ourselves sick.

To make up for that fiasco we did make a carrot cake. Lochlan and I had just finished reading a book called Eat Cake about a lady that provides for her family after her husband loses his job by making cakes. The book gave recipes in the back and so we made her carrot cake recipe. It was very good. We also decided to make some pie, after studying some recipes we decided on a strawberry-rhubarb pie. We didn't want to bother with the crust and so just used the refrigerated dough you can buy in sheets at the store. It was pretty good except we did not cook it long enough and so the crust on the bottom was too doughy. Well 1 out of 3 is not bad when you have never tried the recipe before.

I bought some fresh shortening so I can make another attempt at the Chocolate pound cake but Heather says I need to wait since she doesn't want the kitchen heated up by baking until the weather cools down.

It has been in the mid and even upper 90's this past couple of weeks in July after a very mild June.

I ordered a new topband for my tennis court net. I have been sewing it up trying to extend it's life but a new topband is now in order. It arrived 3 days ago. I should get it woven on in the next couple of days.

Lochlan decided she wanted her High School graduation present early so we helped pay for part of a laptop computer which she will be able to use her Senior year of HS and then later at college. After much research we decided on the Acer Timeline model due to its exceptional battery life and also light weight. It should arrive in the next couple of days. We hope she likes it.

Attended a very special Stake Priesthood meeting last night. Instead of the typical format the stake president just opened the time up for members to share their testimonies about Fathers and their Sons. Several Father and Sons shared their love and appreciation for one another and their testimonies of the gospel. It was great when you knew the story behind some of those relationships.