Despite all the things we needed and wanted accomplish, high on the list was getting together with friends and family. Dining out was not forgotten either. 🙂 We tried a few new places; all looked to be a success though we won’t need to return to one. Enjoyed a few old favs but timing and weather kept us away from Lobster Landing. Their version of take-out came in handy though and it’s called ordering a lobster roll “in parts”. All the components are provided, wrapped individually, tucked in a bag along with an instruction card. Wouldn’t expect any less from the top hot lobster roll place in the USA.
Halloween meant we’d head to David’s for our first trick-or-treats “at home” in years. Showers  kept away the hordes and all we heard about was the best costume, George Washington, who arrived before we got there! Well, I made the most of it.

During the summer months our favorite go-to wine emporium regularly offers Saturday tastings on the deck with evening events during the week. Lucky if we get to one. Fall and winter means a kicked-up schedule that includes tasting events of the non-vino variety. Yep, always looking for the bright side to the cold weather. One event we jumped at (you need to reserve space) was a tasting of Saxtons River Distillery’s small-batch, craft-made maple-based liquors aged in American oak. Talk about high quality, unique and tasty.

 

My friend Linda had been pressed into plant caretaker service this summer before we left for Maine. The collection looks better than ever. Now if it can withstand the cold for just a few more weeks…… brrrr.

 

Remember Micky Dolenz? The Monkees- right? Well he was starring in “Comedy is Hard” at the Ivoryton Playhouse with Joyce Dewitt so couldn’t pass up a girls’ night out to see that. While there we saw the house manager, a former co-worker who promptly signed up Cathy and I to usher in Nov at the Chester Meeting House for “Becky’s New Car”.

 

 

The cold weather continues to encourage hot meals using cookware I rescued from storage. Eggplant meatballs, a Frugal Gourmet recipe, is an easy dish that results in moist and flavorful meatballs. A copper casserole that I inherited from my parents was the perfect size. Alone or with pasta and a side salad, delicious!!

Local Channel 8 (ABC) weather for the shoreline and inland, one phone set to Clinton and the other to Killingworth (north), we tried (more for fun than anything else) to determine if we were still shoreline or had crossed up to inland with its colder temps and greater likelihood of SNOW.  On Nov 14 you can see we got our answer as the green was rain all day and the blue was (at least that time) sleety, slushy snow-like precipitation.

By the third week of November, “put up wall photos” made its way onto the list; I thought it was never going to happen. Our lounge (that’s what the light switch says) and galley areas have minimal wall space so we grabbed a few small prints, some sea fans and left the rest in storage.

Our venture into New Haven brought us to Miya’s Sushi where owner Bun Lai has created “sushi for the masses”- as well as a mind-boggling array of sushi for those who can spend just a bit more. This is not the type of restaurant we’d ever set foot in if not for someone holding our hand. So thank you to Cathy and PJ and kudos to Russ for bravely ordering and eating sushi. The chopsticks were another story. 🙂

Romping: whole wheat tempura-fried tilapia, papaya, goat cheese, and African spices
Invented by Maasai chefs of Kenyan sushi bars.

California Roll Royale:
Maryland blue crab meat and sliced avocado, drizzled with curry sauce

The sake was cold which surprised me as I thought sake was usually served warm. Each couple shared a bottle and while I can’t recall the exact name, one was something along the lines of “Emerald Witches Lips”.

Now if we could just muster up a bit of black magic to make the white magic (snooooooow) vanish before dumping on us Wednesday (sorry kids), this mom would be greatly relieved. Can a broom be used in lieu of a shovel? it worked as a rake. Maybe we could shuffle it off to Buffalo. 🙂