Category Archives: Utah

Margie called today to give us an update on her grandson, our nephew who is doing just fine. While my second batch of pizza dough turned out perfect, she told me not to try to make whole dried beans up in this rarified atmosphere. Apparently one can cook beans all day and they will not soften. Split peas et al are OK but not pinto beans or anything like that.

It makes one think! I know a lot about cooking but not at high altitudes. I don’t bake so don’t need to learn those modifications. It takes forever for the kettle to boil water for tea, and for the oven to heat to 400 degrees. I used company “cash” that Jim gets for parking in a lot far from the office, for an electric tea kettle hoping it’ll boil water faster and will not leak because the one here is driving me nuts leaving puddles on the gorgeous gas stove that I’m constantly wiping. We’ll see if it works any faster. I loved the ones we had in the UK that heated water in under 90 seconds.

It’s been eighty degrees the last two days but the grass froze solid at night and there was frost on the car. Today we started out in the thirties and it’s only going to sixty today and we’re supposed to have thunderstorms. They must use the Girl Scout motto for the weather here, Be Prepared!

We’re looking forward to a quiet weekend. I still need to vacuum “Zoe’s rug” one more time because her sable and white fur really shows up on “her” burgundy rug. Hey, if I had no hips I’d lie in the comfiest space possible as well. All for now, Dee

It’s been a somewhat busy weekend but lovely weather. We were able to open up for a few hours each day and hear the bugs and frogs and birds. Sure beats traffic on I-45 two hundred feet away!

As to sights, Jim wanted cheap binoculars so we could see the birds and other wildlife in the preserve next door. For $25 we got a decent set for what we needed. This afternoon I stood out on the deck and looked at some ducks. I put them down around my neck and looked out and saw “our” hawk, at least 1/4 mile away. I put up the binocs and it looked like he was headed straight for me and 50′ away! Wild!

Other than that we had a quiet day. Jim rested for a couple of hours upstairs with Zoe (she got us up at five this morning with bad poops) and after a bath she is still struggling a bit but doing better. I ran errands and cooked dinner (ribs with my own rub, finished on the grill with Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ sauce. Frozen fries and a salad.

Instead of going out to a movie, we’re staying in and I’m introducing Jim to the movie Stanley and Iris, with Robert DeNiro and Jane Fonda, that I loved the first time I saw it years ago. It’s great to have the power back on! Hope you had a great weekend. I’m looking at plants now and find we’re in Zone 6. Next weekend I’ll get a couple of pots for outdoors and plant a few herbs. Cheers! Dee

I’ve never lived 1/2 mile from an outlet mall before. It sure came in handy. On a strict budget since early January, we had a serious purchase to make.

Jim is used to wearing dress shirts, slacks and shoes to work and I’m used to having one of his two pair of expensive golf shoes (no he doesn’t wear cleats, they’re dress shoes) in the shoe hospital being resoled, reheeled and reconditioned rather than spend $250 for a new pair.

In Utah all but the clothing we bought for Utah three years ago (jeans, khakis and long-sleeved casual cotton shirts) were unsuitable. Last week in the midst of rain and snow every day, Jim’s Timberland shoes cracked on the bottom, nearly three inches long, so his feet were getting wet every day. These are his “Utah formal” work shoes so it was critical to get him a new pair as these ones have served him well for three years now.

At the Bass outlet we found a pair of waterproof casual shoes at a good pricem under $50 with discounts. At Eddie Bauer they had no shoes but we got Jim two “Utah formal” work shirts for $4.99 apiece. Can’t beat that for one cotton button-down and one lined curduroy Black Watch plaid shirt. And XL Longs take a lot of material! That’s why I don’t wash and iron them. Washing is OK and I let them hang dry, but it takes me 20 minutes to iron each shirt.

We went to a local restaurant for lunch where I had insalata caprese (mozzarella and tomatoes with balsamic vinaigrette and fresh basil, and he got a Philly cheesesteak. They ran the bill and Jim went to pay it and the power went out. Over a large area and for over four hours. I hope this doesn’t happen often. I’d planned to make homemade pizza for dinner but didn’t have an oven. I drove a couple of miles down the highway to a grocery that had a generator.

Looks like everything is OK in the frig and freezer here. I only opened the frig once briefly to add the veggies I picked up for the pizza, and yeast. It only came back on after five so I had no time to make dough and let it rest so instead tried out a different store and I actually like their meat. Two ribeyes on the grill, french fries and cuke salad. Yum.

Gotta go. Cheers! Dee

Jim and I have spent some time in corporate housing and extended stay hotels. I know what I want in these places and most corporate places are not very nice to live in for more than a week.

It was me cooking on two burners and a microwave two weeks ago at the Mariott Residence Inn. Hey, I’m a cook. I figured out my strengths and weaknesses and came up with spaghetti and meatballs.

With what I know from experience there’s either a book in the works or an idea that may lead to a business. So, here goes.

I looked at many places in our area in the eight days we were at the hotel. But let’s back up to the search. We’re in a unique environment as to rent for six months in Salt Lake City one has a student apartment for $700/mo. or a five bedroom home that may be gorgeous or a frat house atmosphere with a troll living in the locked basement (I’m not kidding, been there).

What we have is a ski resort area. We were coming in end-of-season so taking the burden off an owner who would normally have no tenants in the summer months. I say summer as if it is imminent. We haven’t even hit spring yet. More snow later this week.

After visiting a number of places, we walked into this one two weeks ago during a blizzard, parking in the courtyard as there was no indication of parking spaces across the street because of the snow. We entered a knotty alder door, at least 9′ high into a flagstone hallway and were met by the property manager.

Things I Like:

The setting and views, looking at the mountains and being right next to a nature preserve. We’ve changed sounds from motor vehicle traffic to birds and frogs.

Having more open space and a guest room, in case we have weekend visitors.

The kitchen is fantastic. Plates are really too big to fit in the dishwasher but everything is nicely done with granite countertops and Moen faucets and Maytag and Jenn-Air appliances.

A fireplace. When we walked in the thermostat was set at 65 degrees. I try to keep it at 68 degrees and sometimes light the fireplace for 15-20 minutes when I’m working.

The furnishings and pictures on the walls are very nice. The only thing wrong with them is they’re not ours. This is not our home and we know it. I brought one photo with us, a small framed wedding photo in a frame given to me by my mother-in-law on my first visit to them. Even then, first gal Jim ever brought to the farm, she wanted me to preserve our memories. Jim’s father showed up at the airport with two dozen red roses. So, as you can see we’ve made the place our own with just one 5″X5″ photo on an end table. That will tell you how homey this place is!

Even though it’s a one car garage we get to break down our boxes and store them, as well as buy larger amounts of paper products without bringing them inside.

There is an attention to detail here. Beautiful flooring and cabinets, wall colors, and everything else that comes with a furnished home.

The coolest thing here is the Sandhill cranes that are only here in the spring. I saw four of them fly off this morning, and when I took ballet classes for numerous years I never looked nearly that beautiful flying through the air.

The Downside:

A path about eight feet away. I don’t mind runners, walkers, kite-flyers, dogs et al passing by but Zoe feels the need to protect and herd. Our solution, since her airline and house crates are in storage, is to get another crate, bed and water bowl and enforce the regular rules that include a treat. That makes all three of us comfortable and I like not having to drive her everywhere with me.

That’s it for now. After another downpour the sun is trying to come out and birds are back and I’m going to get our mail and groceries. Cheers! Dee