The Last Vestiges of Summer

In one final hurrah for summer, we headed out for the weekend to Big Bear to spend the weekend with our neighbors at their mountain cabin.

But not before discovering that the cats had fleas. Actually, that would be the cat Diego who had a bad case of fleas while Roshke only had a few, and so in between washing dishes, doing laundry, getting angry at JT for asking "Can we leave now?" every five seconds, running into the corner of the table and getting a huge bruise, etc., he and I also took the cat to the vet.

Speaking of cats, a neighborhood cat keeps visiting us and has now taken to coming into our house. Last night I awoke to a screech and hiss and howl as Diego decided he did not like that skinny, white, male cat in our house. Apparently the cat has figured out the cat door. So now we will look our cats in at night and that one out.

Anyways, back to summer...

Almost all summer I looked for an ice cream maker each time we visited the thrift store around the corner, and one day we finally had success. I would love to get an old-fashioned crank one that needs ice and salt, invite the neighborhood over and have everyone take turns cranking, but for now, this will do. We made vanilla with chocolate chips (we tried a simple recipe with milk, cream and sugar) once and when grandma visited, we tried a cookies-and-cream recipe with a custard base.

This weekend, in the garage of the cabin, JT made a discovery - a small Hummer. While this toy is not my favorite (I would prefer he ride a tricycle or play an imaginative game - toys that promote somewhat different cultural values), I couldn't deny him a ride, and I was glad to see that after a couple times up and down the street he was ready to park it and find something else to do.

And of course, as soon as we arrived home, he had to get out "the big trains." Oh, how he loves vehicles. Interestingly, he also has an interest in his dolls - today one came along in the wagon to the grocery store and had to have 2 extra diapers along, just in case.

This afternoon he helped me make cookies for back-to-school. The mixer my sister sent (a while ago) is just perfect and he loved that we both could lick the "lollipops" (beaters) afterwords, although he said he only liked the dough "sort of."

We made our standard banana-chocolate chip cookies. It is your standard recipe made a tad bit healthier (but not much):

1/2 stick butter

2 eggs

3/4 cup each brown and white sugar (I usually use less of both since the fruit is sweet)

a very ripe banana - one or two depending on size (and today we threw in a very ripe peach, too)

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 and 1/4 cup white flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt and

about 3/4 of a bag of chocolate chips, since you need some leftover for munching on other days.

I use parchment paper and bake the cookies at 375 for 9-11 minutes.

PS. About the hair: her mom was putting a ponytail in, so JT wanted 2 ponytails. This is the 2nd time he has asked for this style, but the first time he wore it in public. For months he has been telling me that "ponytails are for girls," but apparently his desire for a new hairdo was stronger on this day.