Retirement

 I haven't posted to this blog in almost 7 years.  Thought I may give it a try again.

I bought a house in McClellanville, SC July 24, 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.  I was still employed by AIG at the time however no travel, just working from home.  In April 2021 AIG eliminated my position effectively ending an almost 40 year career in the insurance business.  I bought a dog, goldendoodle, named Jolene to give me something to do to keep active in what is now an early retirement.  I will be posting more about our adventures.  

More from Chuck Town

This week started off interesting - Frank's Sunday flight home was cancelled so we got to start our week together.  Pretty cool.  Then back to reality and work, work, work, and prep for big NAILBA meeting coming up next week.  And, upon return from that meeting I will have first family stay over guests at my new home :0 )  Sister Sue and joint "MIL" Joanne are coming to stay for a few days.  Woohoo - getting the house, yard, and recipes ready.  Also we'll have guests joining us for Gina's upcoming baby shower but more about that later.

So just lots of work and prep, prep and work, work and prep all week long same thing.  Oh yeah, also had a minor cold sniff sniff  which added a little drama but nothing serious.  I just don't want to be worn down for upcoming marathon of meetings and parties.  I'm still enjoying those Farmer Market vegetables and interesting finds, so I'm trying to Up my healthy eating game (darn that leftover Halloween chocolate), and along with regular exercise at the gym stick to a healthy lifestyle.  

I can feel year end starting to sneak up on me.  Is it really only 6 weeks until Christmas and 2 weeks until Thanksgiving?  Speaking of Thanksgiving my sweet neighbor Chris invited me to her Thanksgiving dinner she was making this week.  Early, but with her 3 children spread out across the country this was the only week she was able to get one of them (her eldest son and his wife) to make the trek to Charleston.  It was a fantastic dinner.  Thibaut and Jessica also came over too and T made some fantastic just pulled from the water shrimp.  They've had their house on the market for a couple months and now are set to close early December.  We will miss them in the 'hood.

 

T and Jessica and Chris's son DJ and his wife Pri who had just run a 1/2 marathon that morning.

 

DJ and Chris

 

I feel so incredibly lucky to have Chris as my neighbor.  I don't feel lonely with her right next door (we can see each other from our kitchen windows) and it's good to have a friend with so many things in common.  Below is just a sampling of the dinner she put on.

 

The next day Gabby shared with me the most adorable picture of Naomi smiling up at her Daddy

I'm looking forward to seeing how much she's grown in a couple of weeks.  I can't seem to stop smiling these days.  I think I just need more sleep for now. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 

Another week in Chuck Town

My first election in Charleston.  We were electing Charleston's first new mayor in 40 years replacing the beloved, by many, Joseph "Joe" P Riley.  Day after election it was still unofficial and down to a runoff between John Tecklenburg and Leon Stavrinakis.  Charleston it seems like many cities and towns in the south tends to be conservative and hold tight to some good ole boy politics.  It should be interesting to follow.

So, what to do with Farmer's Market purchases?  Here was my lunch one day.  I've never tasted lettuce this fresh. 

I also have a butternut squash from the Market.  Having never cooked this before I had to look up some recipes.  Here's one I found that I plan to make, looks simple and really good.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Kale and Almond Pecan Parmesan

Yield 4 servings (as a side)

Ingredients:

• 0.9 kg - 1.13 kg (2 - 2.5 pounds) butternut squash
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 - 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1 cup de-stemmed and roughly chopped Lacinato kale

Ingredients for the Almond Pecan Parmesan "cheese"

• 1/4 cup almonds*
• 1/4 cup pecans*
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (what keeps this recipe vegan)
• 1/8th teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1.  Preheat oven to 400F and lightly grease a casserole dish with oil

2.  Peel the squash.  Thinly slice off the bottom and top and then slice through the middle lengthwise to make two halves.  Remove seeds and guts.  Chop two halves into 1-inch chunks and place into casserole dish.

3.  Add minced garlic, parsley, oil, and salt into casserole dish and stir until well combined with the squash.  Do not add the kale yet. 

4.  Cover casserole dish with a lid (or tin foil with a few holes poked) and bake for 45 minutes

5.  Meanwhile, process the parmesan ingredients together until chunky (or just chop by hand and mix in a bowl).  Make sure to leave lots of nut pieces for texture. 

6.  Remove squash from oven (or when it is just fork tender), and reduce heat to 350F.  Stir in the chopped kale and sprinkle the parmesan all over the squash.  Bake for another 5 - 8 minutes until the nuts are lightly toasted.  Watch closely so you don't burn them.  Remove & serve.

* Or you can use sesame seeds instead of nuts if you prefer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gem made her first visit to Palmetto Veterinary Hospital which is where her new local Vet Dr Hinkney practices.

They whole staff were super nice although it looks like Gem may have to have a couple of teeth pulled at some point (and an apple a day won't keep this doctor away), I think we'll like coming here any way.

Finally, a quick visit from Jake and Gina who brought along Jonathan Gillis which was so fun to catch up with that crew.  And what I've been waiting for all week, A visit from Frank! which also brought Anne Gray and Will by.  Really good week.

Halloween and other events in Charleston

So the big news this week is I finally acquired a Washer and Dryer.  Good Bye to the "Wash & Fold" Laundromat and hello beauties: 

This week neighbor Thibaut's documentary "Overalls and Aprons" debuted at the Charleston Music Hall.  The music hall was built @ 1848 as a passenger station of the SC Railroad.  It was Gothic Revival Style and originally had a three story tower (designed to resemble a Medieval castle) and a dramatic main entrance large enough to admit a train.  The building transformed many times over the years becoming a bag manufacturing company following the Civil War, and then after the Charleston earthquake of August 1886 destroyed the tower, most of the building was torn down with the rest used for storage. The Bagging Company closed during the Great Depression in the 1930s, and then the building passed into private hands where it sat vacant and derelict for sixty years.  In 1995 it was bought again and this time transformed into an amazing arts venue.

"Overalls and Aprons", a documentary

 

Charleston has such an amazing reputation as a food town with James Beard winners and Conde' Nast giving it extraordinary ratings.  One of the reasons is some of the top chefs in the city are committed to the LOCAL farm to market style.  There is a real dedication to the local farmers,  fisherman, bread makers and food artisans in general.  This documentary highlighted many of the issues they face and how they are able to collaborate with local chefs to create award winning experiences.  I was inspired to go to the downtown Farmers Market the next day and meet some of the growers personally.  Another neighbor that Chris introduced me to is Kat who went with me.  I wanted to see if I could buy enough food from the market to sustain me for a week. I don't think I exactly accomplished that, but it's a goal.   I was surprised to try raw milk and really like it.  As a matter of fact it was so good I used it in my hot chocolate mix I made Halloween night. 

 

 

Gem tried a bite of the gorgeous bread and of course loved it.

 

 

 

Then Halloween.  Turns out I ended up buying a TV this week too (a real bonanza due to finally renting the house in Houston).  I didn't realize how much I had missed TV, especially those goofy Hallmark made-for-TV movies that are on this time of year.  Thank you Jake and Gina for installing it for me.  

 

I played dress up with Delilah and Gem while they were working on it.

And carved the pumpkin. 

 

 

Gem later that night helping to add fun to the trick-or-treaters, most I've seen in 20+ years.

 

McLean, VA

Leaving Wilmington, DE and arriving in McLean, VA Sunday morning last week, Frank surprised me with an early birthday present, tickets to see Beautiful, The Carole King Musical at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. 

Getting to go to the John F Kennedy Center was a treat itself

but getting to see this show was perfect.  It was SO good.

I could relate to the lyrics in the songs, they touch deeply.

1.  So Far Away

2. Some Kind of Wonderful

3. Take Good Care of My Baby

4. Will you Love me Tomorrow

5. You've Got a Friend

6. Pleasant Valley Sunday

7. Up on the Roof

8. Natural Woman

9. Sweet Seasons

10. We Gotta Get out of this Place

and so many more

The actors were incredibly talented and the story was interesting as I was a pre-teen in 1971 when Carole was at the peak of her fame with the release of Tapestry . . . but I sure remember the album, and that we played it over and over.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8SJ_3tACA0&index=8&list=PLG0W27j3Wle3UPTQfPJeys9K2h5q0gUJQ

The next day I took a trip to the Enoch Pratt Free Library in downtown Baltimore to check out their genealogy department.

 As part of the family history research I've done I've made a possible connection to Baltimore in the early 1930's relative to my Father Bob Taylor and his Mother Thelma Hassley, so I was able to pull some books and do a bit more research on that, and some of the history of the area in general.

And then I had a great lunch near the library and back to McLean.

 

Then the last day of my vacation and a great way to end it at Great Falls National Park in Virginia.

I had no idea it would be so spectacular. 

The Potomac River builds up speed and force, then as it falls over a series of steep jagged rocks it flows through the narrow Mather Gorge. 

As with most national parks it can get really crowded but we went early one morning and it felt like we had discovered the place, we had it nearly to ourselves.

Few ventures were dearer to George Washington than his plan to make the Potomac River navigable as far as the Ohio River Valley. In the uncertain period after the Revolutionary War, Washington believed that better transportation and trade would draw lands west of the Allegheny Mountains into the United States and "...bind those people to us by a chain which never can be broken."

In front of the Patowmack Canal

Beautiful place I look forward to exploring it more some day.

Chicago Again then Wilmington, DE

 The Charleston International Airport has been going through an upgrade over the past couple of years and is starting to take shape.  Gone is much of the old brown carpet and low ceilings.  New terminals and baggage claim shoots are opening up and I'm looking forward to the finish.  They will actually have TSA Pre-check lanes and seating area with power charging stations.

Taking off for Chicago

 

Flying over the Arthur Ravenel Bridge

Then leaving Chicago and headed to Wilmington, DE for the start of vacation!!  It took six cities in one day to get there; Chicago, Atlanta, Charleston, Charlotte, Philadelphia and then Wilmington, DE but all worth it to see Tyler, Gabrielle and Mimi who was prepped for my visit in her "What Happens at Grandma's" shirt.

 

So first night I got to re-experience what it's like to have an eight day old baby who has the ability to sleep only 1 to 2 hours at a time, but oh so precious.

 

Then one of Gabby's friends came over with her daughter so we got to step outside and experience some of the lovely autumn air.

 

Next day - ahhhh

 

And getting ready for bath time

 


 

Then taking a walk one afternoon I came upon an old golf course that still has some of the remnants of the tee boxes, fairways and greens.  The fall colors are gorgeous in this part of the country.

A family shot . . . Proud Parents

 

But boy are they are so tired

 

Wonderful Father

 

Thank you Tyler and Gabby for having me stay with you and meet my Granddaughter Naomi.  She is lovely, alert and I think will be quite wise.  I am looking forward to watching her grow and seeing what terrific parents you both will be.