BIG surprise

We have been looking for a car for Shanna for a while now. She has been wanting an older Firebird for a long time, but she understood that probably wasn't going to happen. Well, while she was gone, Ange found the very car, and had it hiding in the backyard, where you could not see it from the front of the house. I had the camera ready when she went to let the dog out, but I couldn't catch her face because she took off running. I can't describe how happy she was but her reaction was 100% teenage excitement of screaming jumping and generally moving too much for me to get good pics:

She saw the car and took off running:

yeah, a coconut!

Still can't find the camera, and this would be so much better with pictures.... Angie bought a coconut this morning. And when I took it out of the bag, Snickers was so very interested. He has never seen a coconut before. So we gave it to him. He was so happy. He knows there is something good in there...he worked all day trying to open it. No luck, but he is happy.

a good trip

I went to Homestead to see a very dear friend. We had such a nice time. She is a very special person to me, and one of the nicest people you could ever meet.

lentil soup

This is my new favorite.
Ingredients:
1 large soup pot
1 onion
2-3 cloves garlic
2 cans tomato paste
2 lbs carrots-sliced
1 large bunch celery with leaves - sliced
1 bag lentils- rinsed and drained
1-2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt-free seasoning
Greens: 1 bag spinach chopped OR 1 bunch kale rinsed and chopped, OR 1 bunch escarole rinsed and chopped
1/2 to 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
sliced yellow squash- optional

Using non stick spray, saute the onion, carrots, and celery until the onion is clear
add no salt seasoning and cook for a few minutes
add tomato paste and mix
add lentils, bay leaves, and water to fill the pot
cover and simmer until lentils are soft
add yellow squash, if using, and simmer until tender
turn off heat, add greens, and cover
let sit a few minutes until leaves are wilted
stir in liquid smoke

my pot is probably 10 qt to 12qt so this make lots of soup to freeze for later