2021 Life Logs, Day 301: Slowly Getting Back to Normal
Date: Thursday, October 28, 2021
Weather: Overcast and Cooler; High Temp 51, Low Temp 44 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
The rain and strong winds have moved on and things are slowly getting back to normal. There will still be no school tomorrow, but my neighborhood had power restored today at 4:30 pm. Jonah and I had stopped at my house to pick up Shadow to go with us to Jonah’s soccer practice. Just as I closed the front door, I heard the aquarium filter kick in. I reopened the door and turned on the porch light. Voilà! Let there be light . . . and heat. I was very happy. Sleeping in a 58 degree house is just fine, but it is not comfortable during the day. Things in the freezer were starting to thaw and the fish in the aquarium had stopped heating. Tropical fish don’t like 58 degrees F. But tonight, the fish seem happy and things in the freezer are saved. I had moved frozen seafood and a few other things to Heather’s freezer this morning, but I think what I left in the freezer is fine.
I spent the morning with Shadow and headed to Heather and Jed’s before noon. Heather and Jed both had busy work days and I thought I might be helpful in keeping the boys in control. Not sure I was successful at that, but I did get started on cleaning up the mess of leaves and sticks in the yard from the storm. Finally, the boys joined me, and they did a great job. When it dries out, they can mow to pick up the remaining leaves in the yard.
Sam prepared dinner tonight for a Scout cooking merit badge. 
He pan fried ribeye steak that he finished in a butter and herb sauce. He roasted fingerling potatoes and prepared a salad. It really was delicious, and the steak was perfectly done. After dinner, he and Heather made a poppyseed cake in the cake pan I gave Heather and Jed on their anniversary.
I didn’t stay for dessert, but Heather sent a photo. I love the result of a cake baked in the spiral shaped pan.
The wild weather this week complicated the return home of friend Jane Woodin after her total knee-replacement surgery. She was sent home from the hospital yesterday, but because their house had no power, she spent last night at a friend’s home. Then this morning, when Karen and Peter Baranowski headed to Boston for Peter’s brain surgery tomorrow, they invited Bruce and Jane to move into their house. The Baranowski’s had a whole house generator installed this summer, so they have power when the rest of us do not. Jane is doing great, but hopefully she will get to return to her own home soon to rehab from the surgery. There’s no place like home.
