River Trails and Deconstructed Tacos

 The delicious thing about Oxford - and living in the center of Oxford - is that you can set out in virtually any direction for a walk, and find magnificent scenery.  We struck out this afternoon, walking 3 or 4 blocks on a familiar road.  We passed a park and headed out across a beautiful outrageously green field of grass, lined on either side by tall stately trees and tangled woods.

Within five minutes we were on a river-side trail, along with a few other pedestrians and bicyclists.  We walked for an hour, and I just kept snapping photos.  It was incredibly beautiful.  I told SK we ought to buy a summer home here.  😂

The view of the river was gorgeous, but I really don't know how to take a selfie!

Mohana...You Ugly!

I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and was dismayed that the pumpkin flavor was almost non-existent.  It must have been the can of pumpkin....I don't know.  I baked a pan full, then baked another pan but put walnuts in with extra sugar and added extra seasoning.....but I overbaked them.  They tasted OK but they were a little crispy.  Finally I tried a third cookie pan full with pecans.  Not bad....but just not wonderful.  Then I threw the rest of the cookie dough away!

The young women loved them, and took all the rest home.  I wish I hadn't thrown the rest away.

We were expecting three for dinner and for planning meeting.  They are our three reps.  This afternoon, Harry called to say that he is in isolation until he hears what his roommate's COVID test results are.  If they are positive, he will be in isolation for another two weeks.  If it is negative, then he is good to be out.  He won't know until Saturday.  

We went ahead with just the two others and after we ate, we called Harry to include him in the planning meeting.  But actually, it was three others.  One of the young women brought her friend.  They were together in town today and veer knew it would be alright to bring her.  It was wonderful.  We had plenty of food.  I had made an old taco soup kind of dish that I made when our children were little.  Taco-seasoned  ground beef with black beans and sweet corn.  We layered lettuce, corn chips, then the meat-bean mixture, and topped it with cheese and sour cream.  Nothing fancy, but it was filling and they seemed to enjoy it.

I once again explained (as I have with other things I have made) that it didn't really have a name....there are several nondescript dishes I cooked when the children were little that we never properly named.  I told one of the young women tonight that it is simply taco pile-ups.  She calmly stated that it needed a more posh name:  "Deconstructed Tacos."  There you have it....forevermore it shall be known as Deconstructed Tacos.

We had a great planning hour, and I think everyone is looking forward to what we will do together in the coming months.  We talked about doing something special in the church in early December where we can all meet together.  We talked about a service project for the older ward members who live alone and who can't have company because of the virus, and we talked especially about planning a temple trip in the spring, and getting everyone involved in being ready to participate, even if it is to simply go to the temple grounds and spend time there.

I'm looking forward to that too.  SK and I are expecting a few miracles., foremost among them is the idea that we'll be here until next fall.