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Yesterday was “Girls Day“. My cousin, Janet was already here, and we were joined by the “Divine” Megan. She arrived as we were finishing up picking Blueberries for Janet’s attempt at Blueberry cordial, and after we got done picking, we played with my friends new chocolate Lab puppy, Lucy, and took pictures of their beautiful horses,

we stopped at the house to drop off a few things, and then Hubby dropped us off up town for the Annual Arts Festival here in town.
There were so many Artisans, with their pottery, paintings, pictures, blown glass, etc. We checked out every single booth and talked to many of the Artisans. Janet got something new, but I will let her tell everyone about that, and I got a Christmas gift for AM which I can’t write about, lest I spoil the surprise!
We shared a piece of fried bread dough, we shared a hot dog, and we shared a diet coke, before stopping at Ben & Jerry’s, where we each got something yummy! And No, we didn’t share!
We walked back to my house, as it’s only about a mile, and chatted the entire way. The weather was perfect, sunny, in the 80’s and we were just having the best time.
Once we got in, and were greeted by the doggies, we each drank and drank and drank to rehydrate our slightly dehydrated bodies. Had some snacks and some corn chowder and started “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”.
About that time, Hubby came in and suggested we go for a walk with the dogs. Personally, I thought he was nuts. We’d just gotten in from walking all over the place, but Meg and Janet thought this was a great idea, so off we went to the park with the three dogs. The dogs, of course, were all for this.
Absolutely no one was there! So once we got away from the parking lot I was able to let the dogs loose to run through the woods. Half way through the walk is the lake, and the dogs all went in for swims.
When we arrived back, my bar-tending Hubby made drinks for everyone and I got out the vegetables and meat to put together Shish Kebabs. I’d never done them on my rotisserie and I had found this great marinade recipe online, so I got out the marinated meat and fed it all onto the spits and got it going.

Cooked some corn on the cob, and set the table on the screen porch.
So as the sunset over our lake, we sat down to eat. Mmmmmmmmmm! It was so good! I will definitely make this again.
After dinner we watched the end of Harry Potter, and had some fresh donuts with a little Heavenly Jam for a sweet dessert treat!
Once the girls left, I sat, exhausted in my chair with three, equally exhausted dogs around me. By 9:30 the dogs and I were longing for the comfort of our pillows and me and my three Amigo’s headed off to the comfort of blanket’s sheets and a soft bed!

When Janet arrived yesterday, the two dachshunds showered her with love and kisses. Shubi remembered her immediately and went crazy with happiness, and Greta loves people and she has adopted Janet as one of her own.
Fritz sniffed her, smelled the evil Shiba and backed away. He ran off, circled her sniffed again and ran off. He did this several times before he decided that the evil Shiba wasn’t with Janet and it was safe to be around her. Then he was his usual sweet self.
As I have previously mentioned, Fritz is not your typical German Shepherd. He is a sweet natured and very gentle boy. Very timid. One must always understand his sensitivity.
So, Hubby made Janet a Dirty Martini, and we went for a walk around the yard, while they sipped their drinks. We examined all the fruit trees, and the fruit in various stages of growth.
Then, because I worry about Friday night being too busy at restaurants locally, we headed out to Canoe for our dinner.
We had Sweet and Sour Calamari

and Maple and Champagne Scallops for our appetizers and we all got chop sticks and shared. Everything was divine! Mmmmmmm! And I didn’t mind the fact that at the end of the appetizers I had several sticky drips down the front of my shirt.
Then Janet and I decided to share an order of SEAFOOD FRA DIAVOLO
Lobster, Shrimp, Scallops, Fresh Fish, Spicy Red Sauce

It was so good. Most especially the scallops. Hubby had Prime RIb.

After fully stuffing ourselves we came home, checked our e-mail and then watch the second Harry Potter movie so Janet could get her “Snape” fix. The dogs played, frolicked and amused us until I was falling asleep on the couch. So we said goodnight.
I was instantly asleep when I lay down.
Shubi woke me at 6 because she is so happy that Janet is here. I wouldn’t let her wake Jan so early, so I took the dogs to Dunkin’ Donuts and got a half a dozen plain donuts to eat with the Heavenly Jam for breakfast. The coffee is made, and the donuts are ready, all I need now is for Hubby and Janet to awaken and get this party going!

Continue reading “Friday Questions…”

News From The UK
Our younger daughter, JC, and her Hubby will be moving from the UK to California. He has a new position out there developing computer gaming programs! I am so pleased. It’s much easier to get flights to LA then to the UK and if I can get her on the Verizon Nationwide Plan then we can talk on our cell phones anytime for free. How good is that? She’s been in the UK for several years and I really have missed her.

So good news from both of our daughters in one week! Yea! I love it when that happens!!

Continue reading “Friday Thoughts and Ramblings”

I haven’t written much about my daughter, AM. Mostly because I want to respect her privacy. I’m weird and strange and choose to write each day in my blog about everything from my dogs to my air conditioners, but I feel that her life is her own.
However, today I am throwing that rule to the wind as I am so excited, happy and proud of her. AM is buying her first home!
It’s a great condo in a small town in New Hampshire where we raised her and her sister when they were little girls. I love that town, and sometimes think that when I am an old lady I will move back there and buy my own little place.
Anyway, AM is buying a 2 bedroom condo, with an attached garage, a cute patio area and a separate laundry room. The kitchen has a ton of cabinets, and it seems very bright and airy.
I think the thing I am most proud of, is that she has done all the hard work herself. She has saved the money, worked hard at her job and made a good life for herself.
Her life has not been the easiest, but she has not let that stop her. She threw the negativity out the window, and has become one of the most positive people I know.
(Brag, brag, brag!!!!)
So my hat is off to my daughter today! Here’s to you, Sweetie!!!

I was up bright and early to go and have my blood drawn at the hospital. I will be so happy when I am stabilized on this new medication and only have to have this done every six months! Right now I have to go every 10 days, and I am starting to feel like the victim in a Vampire movie!
I was, in fact, up so early that I did not need my sunglasses, but did need several cups of coffee. No one was out on the roads, except the farmers and a few confused chickens.
I signed into the hospital lab area and sat down to wait. Waiting here can mean anything from a half an hour to a two hour wait. I usually bring a book, but today I just didn’t care and brought nothing but the coffee. Before sitting down, I did mention that this was a 12 hour timed test and that I needed it done by 8 o’clock at the latest. After that, I have to forget it and do it all again the next day. Not something I relish.
So there I sat, dozing, with the coffee firmly gripped in my hand, when the Vampire woman came out and said my name! I was the first patient of the day! I almost fell out of my seat!
She was nervous. A new woman. I met her last time as she was training. I told her not to worry, I am a good stick!
Guess what? I wasn’t. Poor thing. I had to talk her through it. Imagine that.
“OK, Dracula, it’s like this, you just bend me back, and breathe heavily on my neck a few times licking the spot you want and then with a quick crunch, bite”
She got the blood and taped me up and off I went. I hope the little Vampire’s day gets better.

For the last few days I have been telling Hubby that the air-conditioner in our bedroom isn’t working correctly. This machine was built by Fred Flintstone, so you understand how long it has been around.
Two nights ago, it started making noises in the night and the dogs woke me up barking. I shut off the machine and went back to bed, but I was pretty sure that it was breathing it’s last breaths.
I mentioned all this to Hubby, who said that it was probably fine.

Our bedroom tends to be hot. We have three hot blooded dogs and two hot blooded people, (one of which is having hot flashes every night lately) all sleeping in this room. The one fault of this room is the lack of air flow. We tend to use an air-conditioner from April until October, just so we can all breath.

Last night I turned on the darn thing when I went to bed. Nothing terribly cold was coming out, but who I am to say anything?
In the early morning hours, Hubby got up because it was “too hot” in the bedroom and came out in the familyroom to sleep. Can we finally get rid of this hunk of junk and get a new air-conditioner? It’s just a cheapo window one I want. $100.00!
I will keep you posted.

In the late afternoon I cleaned myself up, and took the time to do my make-up. (as seen below) Then I dressed casually in white pants and a white top that I’d gotten in Mexico years ago and is embroidered on the front. Hubby said I looked great and he dressed in khaki’s and an oxford shirt.
Off we went to meet up with Lou and Bobbie at the restaurant. It’s a relatively small place in the area called Canoe, and it was mobbed! We put our name on the list and went down to the bar to wait.
The place was so pretty. Very New Hampshire, woodsy. We chatted about our fruit trees. We of course have the peach tree that has so far produced 120 pounds of peaches, and they have a very large orchard of various apples. They are also the kind people that had us up to pick blueberries a while back.
We waited about 20 minutes before they called us up stairs to the dining room and seated us. The menu was large and varied. Everything from Seared Tuna to Fried Bologna sandwiches.
Bobbie ordered New England Clam Chowder, (The bowl was huge, it could be an entire meal) and Sweet and Sour Calamari, (this was so tender and sweet!) Lou ordered a Mixed salad with Grilled Chicken and for dinner, Seared Tuna, Jack had Gazpacho and then Maple Scallops. I had (and this was not a diet meal) Fried Oysters for the appetizer and a Lobster Salad Roll for my meal. The Lobster Roll came with fries that were great and we all shared those.
We talked about college experiences. Of course I didn’t go to college, so I just listened and laughed at the funny stories. Does anyone go to college and actually study? It seems most of the stories are about parties and drinking and dates?
We talked about the fact that I grew up in what they all thought of as “Paradise” (Cape Cod) but how I really prefer New Hampshire.
And then we spoke about the Airlines, and the current fuel problems that could lead to the bankruptcy of a few of them.
By the end of the meal we all agreed that we enjoyed doing this and will do it again. We’d brought with us some of the Heavenly Jam and Peach Chutney and of course a bunch of peaches for them.
Then we drove home and I breathed. I made it through.

I’m a litle nervous, but here we go. At least if I do something terribly embarrassing, I will know at least, I got my make-up on right.