of getaways & chicken salad.

"After all," Anne had said to Marilla once, "I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string."
~L.M.Montgomery

the past month or more has been challenging on a number of levels. from my father's passing, to the unexpected passing of a very dear friend who the hubs was especially close to, to one of my aunts passing, then the mother of a young man who works for my husband. four deaths in a month's time.

i've needed a bit of time to sift through emotions, a terrible head cold, and plan out spring cleaning that didn't happen in spring, continued downsizing, and readying ourselves for my husband's early retirement come october and the many considerations therein including determining (researching and plodding and such) where we'll relocate. no final decisions made on the latter front but we've ruled out a number of places - places we thought were sure bets but alas no.

simply lots going on... called life.

sometimes adventures done on a whim are sweeter than the ones planned days or weeks in advance. such was the case last friday. we spent independence day on the home front and in conversation made the decision to get away the next day. that night i put together a picnic and come morning we set off for the cooler temps of the sierra. breathing deep from the pine filled forest we made our way to a little lake not heavily visited. with happy pups swimming and splashing, catching sticks and balls in the water, and fellow visitors taking a spin in their kayaks and canoes, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the closest picnic table then set off in our jeep to explore yet more. iced coffee in a darling little town and good conversation .. we stopped for dinner, finally arriving home at 8pm. both of us tired, we put things away, prepped the coffee pot for the next morning, then slipped into jammies and into bed .. for a bit of light reading then Zzzzzzzz...

a simple getaway coddiwomple day.

i prepared chicken salad the night before..
chicken breast, scallion, carrot, pistachios,
mayo & dijon, pepper, & apple ..
alongside pickled zukes & shallots
made 2 days prior.
i removed the crust from my bread slice..
i'm not a crusty girl. the hubs left his on..
cuz he's a crusty girl. snicker.

this morning i deep cleaned the guest bathroom..
do you find satisfaction in a pristine clean room?
so clean you could eat off the floor but you wouldn't
because that'd just be wonky...? that's my bathroom
right now and no one's allowed to use it for
any reason. wink.

hoping your day is swell..

sherry ♥

p.s. pickled zuke & shallot sammies are delish.
no meat. just the veggies. yUm.