Dackel Princess

Memories

I had an idea to look for some of the kids that were in The Sound of Music with me. I couldn’t fine them, but, I found the brother of one of the girls. I wrote to him, hoping to be able to send his sister copies of the slides.

He wrote right back to me to let me know that she had passed away a couple of years ago in an automobile accident. But, he would love to see the pictures!

I sat right down and sent them off. You see it dawned on me that if someone contacted me and offered me pictures of Katie, I would be desperate to see them!

I think that’s the hardest thing after you lose a loved one. The pictures stop.

I hope today, that I was able to bring some happiness and peace to her brother.

You see, pictures do bring back all the love in our hearts and the good memories that we have.

What I Did This Past Weekend

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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I’m still working on the scanning, but I have good news! Yesterday I could not find the slides from the community theater’s production of The Sound of Music that both Mel and I were in! I was almost flipping out, but Janet told me to chill, and that she knew they would turn up.

This morning, about the time I had totally given up, I moved a box and there they were! Oh, Mom will be so thrilled to see them!

So I spent all day scanning slides, and working to organize them. Tonight (Sunday) I want to crop, and clean them up.

Here are a few to look at just so you can see how cute Mel and I were back in 1966.

That’s me. The little one on the left. I was the youngest cast member in the play. I played Gretel. I had just started first grade and my Mom helped me learn all my lines by reading them to me and having me memorize them. Songs were easy. In that way, I was like a little parrot!

Here I am singing a solo! I look back and I wonder how I was ever brave enough to sing in front of all of those people! I don’t remember being frightened, it was all a great adventure!

This is me with the woman who played Maria. Jane, (her real name) was a wonderful lady. She was friends with my family and always took time out with us kids. We all loved her!

Here is Melodie playing Louisa. She was in the second cast of kids. In the line at the far left, the young boy was named Timmy. He was my sister’s good friend and mine as well. Shortly after the Sound of Music, Timmy was ice skating at a pond in back of his house, when he fell through. His mother saw him and tried to help, but sadly, they both perished. My sister named her youngest son after him.

Dear Melodie, and Burke (who played Captain Von Trapp)

Well,hope everyone has a good Monday. It’s back to scanning for me!

Mom continues to get worse. I feel like I am under the gun to get this slide show done for her to see when Janet and I go down on Friday.

Lobstah & Steamahs

I was sitting around scanning in old slides, when my cousin sent me a message. What was I doing? Nothing much.

The next thing I knew we were planning an adventure. A summer dinner of Lobster, steamers, corn on the cob, potato salad, and my Moon Glow Pickles.

I was busy cooking, but Janet managed these pictures of our wonderful meal!

All lined up!

All set, with melted butter!

Waiting for theirs.

Even dackels need their lobster!

This was a nice, relaxed visit, and the food sure was great! Thank you Janet & Dave! As is with most good things, their visit was too short, but on Friday Janet and I are going off on an adventure!

All for now. It’s late and this girl had better get to bed! Happy Sunday, everyone!

Memories

I had a thought today. In the middle of all the craziness of canning pickles, washing clothes, making meals and cleaning. Here’s the thought.

I’m going to scan in as many of our old family slides as I can, so I can make a slide show for my Mom.

You see next weekend we’re going down for a visit and I want to show her all the pictures. Sort of a ‘This is your wonderful life’.

Look at this. My Mom, about the same age as me. She was young and beautiful and I bet she had no idea. In the picture is my Mom, my sister Mel, and Janet’s Grandmother, Tilly.

It amazes me to see these long forgotten pictures! Here is another. It’s of my grandmother, Mom’s Mom, Janet’s mother, Betty and Janet and her Dad, George.

Oh my much love Grandmother, Aunt and Uncle. And of course, Janet. She has always been so close that I have felt like she is another sister!

Oh how I miss these people. Except of course, Janet. She is part of my link to the past!

So I’ll be scanning in more pictures over the weekend. I know I was at this picnic, but so far, I haven’t found the pictorial proof of it!

Meanwhile, I am enjoying seeing those wonderful old faces that have been gone from me for so long.

Greta Going On 10

I wonder when this happened?

Years ago, when I brought Greta home from Germany, she was a fiercely independent little dog, and pretty much her own pup. She liked us well enough, but did not snuggle with us and kept to herself.

She’s always enjoyed running and chasing chipmunks, and being a wild beast!

I loved her, but I knew where I stood and somehow, over the years, I made my peace with it.

Then it happened. Out of the blue, really. One day I noticed that Greta was snuggling and cuddling with me all the time. She’d become my sweet little girl!

It’s as though, in her elder years (she is 9 and a half), she has become an entirely different dog!

She goes outside now, and lies under the fruit trees and sits. She doesn’t take off, and she is able to be trusted as she enjoys the days.

There is something to be said about dogs getting older and more mature.

Back On The Wagon

Wednesday found me at my Weight Watcher’s class. During the spring and all the surgeries, I really let my sensible eating plans go by the wayside. I knew i had to do something drastic soon, as the weatherman reminded us this morning that in approximately six weeks we will have our first frost and I have just two pairs of pants that fit. Neither one of them has a zipper.

That alone should tell you that life (and my pants size) have spread out!

But just jumping on the program is not that easy. I found myself fighting with myself today about what to have for lunch. I had no time to go home between class and my hair stylist’s appointment. Should I get a plain salad, a Southwestern salad at McDonald’s or something else?

I finally opted to stop at the grocery store and get some seafood salad. That and a nice iced lite cappuccino, made a good lunch.

Then dinner tonight found me fighting with myself again. I wanted something like spaghetti, but opted for some more noble, like bay scallops, rice and a wonderful stir-fry with my garden vegetables.

But I wanted something more. Sugar. More starch! Sweet anything. And it was a battle.

I know the first week of being on plan is the toughest. Once I get my body back to accepting the low calorie, low fat diet, I know it won’t be so tough. But right now….

Well, it will be worth it in the end right? You know, when I can once again zip up my jeans without pliers!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Share one way you think the world has changed for the better since you were a kid?

Communications. The Internet, cell phones, etc. The fact that I can talk to friends and family daily, makes my world so much better!

2. How ’bout one way it’s changed for the worse?

I think world politics is very bad. I also think that our country is in a depression, even if no one wants to use those words!

3. Starlight, starfish, starling, Starbucks…your favorite ‘star’?

Starfish in a mystical way and Starbucks in a coffee sort of way!

4. Name a song that’s overplayed, but you love it anyway.

Auld Lang Syne

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

5. When did you last have home made ice cream? Your latest favorite flavor?

There is a place close by that makes their own ice cream. I think we were there two weeks ago. It was sooooo good! My new favorite…Rum Raisin!

6. What do you think is the best way to inspire or motivate people?

With a whip! lol! No I think when you can show kids or older people the possibilities then they will want to achieve as well. The other day with Savannah, she was fascinated with everything I was doing, and I encouraged her to watch and try too.

7. When was the last time you were without power?

Oh, a few months back. We’re actually fairly lucky as we are on the same power grid as the Fire Station and the electric company gets them up first after a power loss.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

We’ve been having such odd weather this summer, but one things for sure, along with this weird weather we have had the most awesome sunsets! So here is a sunset taken the other day from my front door!

Mixed Pickles

Because we have so much produce coming out of our garden, we decided to make mixed pickles, which we can use in the winter as a mixed salad. I hope it works well, as we have never done this before!

Mixed Pickles

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds 3 to 4-inch cucumbers, cut into 1 -inch slices
2 cups 1-1/2-inch pared carrot slices
2 cups 1-1/2-inch celery slices
Onions 2 Cup
1 sweet red peppers, cut into wide strips
1 sweet green pepper, cut into wide strips
Cauliflowerets 3 Cup
2 hot red peppers, seeded and cut into rings
Canning salt 1 Cup
Water 4 Quart

Sugar 2 Cup
Mustard seed 1/4 Cup
Celery seed 2 Tablespoon
Vinegar 6-1/2 Cup

Directions:

Dissolve salt in cold water.
Pour over prepared vegetables.
Let stand 12 to 18 hours in a cool place.
Drain thoroughly.

Add spices and sugar to vinegar; boil 3 minutes.
Add vegetables; simmer for 5 minutes.
Pack hot into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space.
Remove air bubbles.
Adjust caps.
Process 15 minutes in boiling water bath.

What I Did This Weekend

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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Sunday was a crazy day. I did some more bean freezing, and I also have been looking at ideas for the 6 pounds of pickling cucumbers that I have standing by. I am thinking of making a pickle, cauliflower, carrot, and onion salad that I will, can for the winter.

I also settled in, watched a half a movie here or there, watered the garden and prepared our meals.

Typical, normal, stuff.

Our neighbors came by around four o’clock and we had beer and/or wine on the patio. We sat talking for an hour or so, and it was very nice.

I talked to my Mom for a while today and for the first time ever I felt almost shy with her. I wanted to tell her how I was feeling, but it would only be a burden to her now and it would be wrong. So I just talked about nothing much, and this seemed to make her happy. How do you talk to someone who is slowly leaving your life?

I got a little infection going on the incision line on my nose. Nothing big, but thankfully, I knew what to do. I got it drained and cleaned and it is looking great tonight. All in all, my nose is healing quite nicely!

And how was your weekend?

Beauty, In The Eye Of The Beholder

I worked at the annual Greek Festival yesterday. I watched people come through the baked goods line, and listened as they talked to each other.

I saw young families, old married couples, and single people. I witnessed life. The very basics of this crazy world we live in.

I think the thing that made the biggest impression was how people love. Families coming by me, smiling, asking each other if they wanted this or that, husbands that snuck in a lemon bar or two, and the way these people related to each other

It was love. Everyone was happy today. I suppose it was the splendid weather we had, but in any case, there were no grouchy customers.

I saw several old friends, one family specifically, that made me feel so elated to see them. It had been about two years since I saw them, and it just made my day.

Hubby got his usual lamb shanks for lunch with rice, salad, roll and spanakopita. I decided to get a little of this and a little of that, enjoying the Pastitsio, the stuffed grape leaves, Greek salad, and the spanakopita as well.

I saw faces of love, beautiful faces. They were not Hollywood beautiful, yet these people loved each other, saw the beauty in the face of their loved one.

Suddenly, I felt beautiful too. Despite my scars, I am loved by my family. I am beautiful!