Mobile Home Park

This is a sign in my mobile home park in FL. If you can't see it, the bottom two lines say, "Seniors at Play Strictly Enforced." I ride my bike and Kipper runs with me through the park every day. I stopped to take the picture and Kipper thought he better check to see what other dogs had been by. There are lots of dogs, and some cats, too in my park. Many of the other mobile home parks don't allow dogs at all. My park has only about 300 homes so is one of the smallest ones. There are 600 mobile home parks in this county and most would have many more homes than mine. Most, like mine, are senior (over age 55) parks.

It has been cold here. Okay, nothing like up north. I've sure been happy I came south when I did. Here is Kipper curled up to keep warm. He always wakes up when I get the camera out but was so comfortable that he only opened his eyes this time.

It has been good soup weather. I made squash soup. Roast a butternut squash and remove the flesh. Boil some potatoes and onions in chicken broth. You can boil the squash with the potatoes and onions but I like the roasted flavor better. I beat the potato/onion/chicken broth mixture with an electric mixer, add the squash and then put it in the blender. Put back in the pan and add milk. I think you are suppose to use cream but I use whole milk. Since I drink skim milk this tastes like cream to me. Season to taste. I use seasoning salt, butter and bits of cooked bacon. For a large squash and a couple potatoes, I use two cups of milk. Really good the next day and the day after that too.

I have finished making 12 hot pads for my younger grandchildren to give teachers and other people for gifts. I bought that insulated batting and made the first three by adding a second layer of plain cotton batting. Then I decided the second layer make them too thick to use in your hand to grab something hot from the oven. The two layers make a nice pad to set a hot dish on.