blue skies

Blue skies in the poolshiny morning: I'm wearing a  Lesley Evers dress with Marc Jacobs clogs and white plastic sunglasses, found in Tallulah's toy box.

 Blue backgrounds at night:  no time to change, Lesley Evers stays on. Shoes are Linea Paolo and  lucite R.J. Graziano necklace is a birthday gift from friends Amber and Rachel. Painting is "Lemons and Yellow Sunflower" by Argentinian artist, Roberto Azank. Don't try the dodgy hair bun thing at home, didn't realise how boomfy it looked.

 Blue gardens: Francisco and me in Kenny'n' Mike's backyard, holding goodies from Francisco's garden and fishing trips. (oops, way too many pics of me, sorry)

Blue skies forever: the evening view from Kenny'n'Mikes'

Boys in blue: Kenny'n'Mike

Finally, a bright blue sunny day, over Memorial Weekend. Friend Anne invites us to their country club, very civilised. Denim and cargo shorts are not allowed at the club, so opt for another of my Lesley Evers dresses,  perf for this!
The kids swim for five straight  hours and Anne and I solve the world's problems.
Funny how simple it is to correct the entire planet's issues when you're basking in poolshine, sipping limey margaritas.
The kids swim for five hours straight and we stay so long, there's no time to change for dinner at Kenny'n'Mikes' in the Oakland Hills. They  have loads of parents visiting.  The Lesley Evers dress stays on, try and bun up my hair with a band and one clip that I find lying on Tallulah's bedroom floor.
Most everyone is wearing blue  (for once I got the memo) and the backyard walls are now painted blue. It used to be a pinky terracota. Two kinds of  blue has made it so fresh and contemporary looking. Do try this one at home for a quick housedoctor.
One of the parents visiting, Francisco, a former principal (we would him "headmaster" in New Zealand and England, much more commanding, don't you think?) has driven up from San Diego. He bought  us all yellowfin tuna, from one of his 10-day deep-sea fishing trips. He bottles it in oil and japapenos. Also  avocado and grapefruit from his backyard, which smells like childhood.


 Francisco's Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers:
 Ingredients: "Embassa" Whole Jalapenos (canned, found in most grocery stores) scallions, onions or shallots, 1/8 diced, about 2 tbs.  Celery and carrot. each 1/8" dice. Salt  and mayonnaise (any kind) also to taste.  Tuna; if you don't know Francisco, then use any kind of canned tuna.

Slice open one side of the  the pepper, scrape out seeds and membrane. Stuff with all of the above. Garnish with chopped parsley, sliced radish, and thin slices of lemon. You can add sweet relish and lemon instead of salt or garlic and sweet pickles, fresh ginger or  diced jicama, though Francisco says jicama is a pain  to peel and dice.

I am making them this Friday at my dinner party and will post them then.

Blue skies from now on?