Happy Birthday To Me!

Today I am 54! I’ve never been one of those women who refuses to tell her age. It is, what it is. Actually, considering the rather strange life I have led, the fact that I still roam the earth is a miracle in itself!

This past year I welcomed my first granddaughter! Sweet Savannah Rose! A little Angel!

Despite the bad weather, we did have a crop of peaches, and I made some peach jam. I also made grape jelly, and my first batch ever of Dill Pickles!

Hubby and I are both in fairly good health and enjoying our home and our pets. All four dogs, Fritz, Greta, Arnie and Anneliese continue to give us far more love and comfort, then we could ever give to them!

Yes, turning 54 is not such a bad thing! Now please, sit back and enjoy this short montage of me and my loved ones from birth until now!

Friday Fill-Ins

Friday Fill Ins

1. If you sit back and just enjoy the beauty of the life all around you, you will find that happiness is bound to follow!

2. I used to go around singing la la la

3. I have to ask you why is it that some people really freak out admitting to their age? Tomorrow I will be 54.

4. I got rid of one of my worst vices; smoking, as well as biting my nails which was a bad habit.

5. I didn’t have time to enjoy life when I was young. I am so happy that I have discovered happiness in my middle years, and taken the time to enjoy it!

6. Savannah Rose is something I love beyond all reason.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to finishing the final decorating for my birthday party on Saturday, tomorrow my plans include yay! It’s my birthday and I get to eat cake and Sunday, I want to finish cleaning up after the party and plan for act 2…Thanksgiving!

Thursday Thirteen

Scav Sat

  1. In two more days it will be my birthday. # 54!
  2. I’m planning a low key family and friends party.
  3. The menu includes a little of this and a little of that!
  4. One of the nice treats is Hubby’s clam dip!
  5. Another is Janet & Dave’s Seafood Lasagna!
  6. I am making my own birthday cake.
  7. All I want is double chocolate cake with butter cream frosting!
  8. I found a great punch recipe made with orange juice, orange sherbet and sprite!
  9. I think I will make an ice ring with lime and orange slices and maraschino cherries.
  10. My sweet Savannah will be coming up with her mommy!
  11. A year from now, when I turn 55, Savannah will actually be able to eat cake and ice cream!
  12. I’ve got a great new shirt to wear! It’s a wild red pattern.
  13. I love parties!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What rule of life should never be broken?

No one should ever take the life of another person. Of course there are exceptions. For instance, if someone is trying to kill you or your family, all bets are off.

I also believe that people should always treat children and animals in a kind and gentle way.

My grandmother told me once to be gentle and compassionate to everyone and everything who are not as smart or have the advantages that I had.

2. What’s your favorite family recipe?

It’s got to be the Sauerbraten Recipe, which can be found HERE. It is one of the best I have ever had.

3. Is the media manipulative?

I have tended not to believe this was true here in the USA, until this past election cycle. A good friend of mine was running for reelection to her State office. She is as honest as the day is long! Well, not only did her opponent lie about her record, the media, which also leaned toward her opponents political side, favor him, but actually spread the untruths! I was so upset and then I realized that we all really cannot trust the news media to report the facts!

4. Hubs and I saw Skyfall last weekend…are you a fan of the Bond films? If so, who’s your favorite Bond?

Not a huge Bond fan, but I like Brosnan, and Connery. Not fond of Daniel Craig. He looks too much like Vladimir Putin!

5. What is one thing you hope people never say about you?

That I was unkind.

2012
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys

6. What’s a nearby tourist attraction you’d like to see, but haven’t gotten around to visiting?

There is a gourmet dinner train that runs in the summer. The chef prepares the meals right there on board, and they serve fine wines to compliment the meal. I think I’m putting it on my Bucket List for next summer.

7. Where’s your favorite tree?

There is a tree on the way to town that literally lights up each October. It’s leaves turn bright coral, and they are just splendid for several weeks.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I went to a church fair last weekend. I remember all those wonderful Christmas fairs at church when I was a child. The church women got together all year long, making items with a Christmas theme. They also baked a ton of Christmas cookies and cakes and it was wonderful! The fair last weekend was odd. No, it was beyond odd! They had some baked goods, but not too much, and then the rest of the hall was filled with tables “rented” by professional artisans, to sell their stuff! Now in the spring and fall, we have street fairs and these same artisans rent booths in the street to sell their wares. I really missed the old fashioned Christmas Fair. It was like growing up all over again and leaving behind something that actually made me smile.

Tell me, would you rather go to a church fair that featured homemade items by the church women, that were sold at a reasonable price, or go to a fair where you are buying from artisans, some of which had items on their tables made in China?

Greta & The Dish

My little Greta is quite a character. She started this when she was a pup, and has continued to do this. Yes, she picks up her dish and carries it around. Some days we come home and find her with Fritz, Arnie, and Anneliese’s dishes in her bed, along with her own.

Today I decided to get at least a little movie of her doing this. Here is what I found. I tossed her bowl into the kitchen, and she chased it like it was a ball! It was the cutest thing!

I hope you get a kick out of watching this short video, of my Greta…a dachshund/ham!

Greta & Her Dish from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

What I Did This Past Weekend

Miss Marple 2

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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This past weekend was a catch up weekend for me. I did tons of laundry, cleaned out the fridge, and went to a Christmas festival, at a local church. Usually I love these fairs because they are full of things the church women have made. This year they had baked goods, but the rest were “professional artisans” who had rented tables, and were selling their work.

Now I love the artisans, really. In the summer when we have our fairs then I have no problem buying from them, but somehow the sanctity of the church felt rather odd.

I did go around and buy Christmas cookies to bring to an elderly shut in neighbor of ours, and then drop them at his home on my way back.

I am still watching a lot of movies. Especially movies I know. This way I can do my work, and listen to the words.

The coming week finds we sprucing up the house for my birthday party on Saturday! I also need to make my cake! Double Chocolate Cake with Butter Creme Frosting!

Have a great week Everyone!

Computers

Saturday I woke to my laptop not connecting into my wireless system. Why was this? Seemed to me I recall that Microsoft has automatically updated me before, and kicked off something that shut off my wireless connection.

I worked on it for two hours before Hubby got up and wanted breakfast. So I stopped, cooked the meal, and all the while I was going over the connections in my head. Which, if you know me and how scatterbrained I am, is a real challenge!

We ate breakfast, and I was looking and looking at all the settings, and just as I finished my meal, I had a thought. Hmm.

So I put the laptop on my knees and went into my Network Connections and saw that a box was not checked. That box allowed me to select the wireless system to use!

Click! Yay!

And it worked! Hubby quickly told me to write down what I had done, so next time I will know. After all, this is one of those little glitches that Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 has and since I don’t see myself getting a new computer for some time (knock on wood), I need to be able to take care of these little problems myself!

Then my daughter sent me a text that she was still not able to use my pictures in a project she was working on. So I went online and I was finally able to unlock them for her.

Click! Yay!

So, I am feeling like a computer wanna be nerd. At least I was able to get these things done. I just keep telling myself that I can do it!

I know what it is…it’s watching all those episodes of “The Big Bang Theory”. The show about 4 geniuses! It’s rubbing off on me!

LOL!

Savannah Aged 5 Months

The best days of my life right now are the Fridays I go south to spend the day with Mandy and Savannah. I don’t even mind the driving! Or the getting up early to make the trip down and return before dark.

On Friday I woke at 6 AM. Brutal. I really dislike getting up so early, but then I think that I sometimes hear my grandmother laughing in the wind, as she used to tease me about sleeping until noon as a teen! I have not slept that late in 35 years, but since I have the four dogs, it is seldom that I can sleep past 8 o’clock!

Anyway, I got down there really early, and I didn’t want to wake Mandy if she and Savannah were asleep, so I sat in the car resetting my seat. I have one of those automatic seats which somehow got reset incorrectly when it was in the shop. I finally got it on my third attempt!

Then I got out and rang Mandy’s buzzer and then…there they were! My girls! Mandy and Savannah!

Nov 9 007

Savannah has discovered her tongue. She loves to stick it out and loves it when you do the same to her! Then she laughs and smiles and has a good old time!

Nov 9 005

We played at the apartment for a while before heading out to get a little shopping done. Savannah is already a great little shopper!

After lunch we went back to the apartment and Mandy was getting Savannah changed. That child just loves having those diapers changed. On top of that she is a real ham!

Nov 9 011
What a blessing and a joy she is in our lives!!!

Friday Fill-Ins

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1. One time, I threw caution to the wind, and rode my bicycle up to the Bourne Bridge with my cousin, Janet. We rode our ten speeds over the bridge and realized half way over how much the wind was blowing us around. We were so scared, but knew we needed to go back home, or risk telling our parents we were stuck on the other side. I don’t think they ever did find out.
2.Babies and their new parents is something that makes me smile.
3. Seven words I love: I love you, for always and forever!
4. Soon it will snow; that will make Hubby very happy.
5. I looked out the window today and saw ice falling. This scared me, as I had an important doctors appointment. My sweet Hubby drove me.
6. I have finally decided that life is never really what you think it will be, and that’s saying something!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to an early bed time, tomorrow my plans include laundry and ironing and Sunday, I want to have a day of rest, sort of like the Lord. I feel i have been just as busy lately!

Kathleen Alynne

November 8, 1978 – June 19, 1985

If tears could build a stairway,

And memories were a lane,

I would walk right up to Heaven

To bring you home again.

No farewell’s were spoken,

No time for goodbye,

You were gone before I knew it,

And only God knows why.

My heart still aches in sadness,

And secret tears will flow,

What is meant to me to lose you,

No one will ever know.

Author Unknown

You can read all about Katie and what happened to her HERE. Today would have been her 34th birthday. It doesn’t matter how long it has been. You never forget, and the pain never really does go away.

Happy Birthday to my sweet Angel in Heaven!