Category: My Life

1. Would you rather host a party or simply attend a party?

Oh I love giving parties! I love the preparation, the cooking, the fellowship! Yes, I love giving parties!

2. Tell us about the most memorable party you’ve been to.

I think last year’s 4th of July. I hosted the party and I had all four of Anneliese’s 10 week old puppies running around.  It was so great!

3. What is one thing you hope for in the after-life?

I hope the be reunited with my daughter and have the time with her in Heaven that I did not have with her here on earth. I also hope that one can eat anything and everything and not gain weight!

4. What do you enjoy most about sunshine?

The warmth, the happiness, and the promise of another wonderful day!

5. When you attend a bridal/baby shower, do you prefer to bring your own gift or chip in with others to buy a larger gift?

I love to try to buy a unique gift. If it is a bridal shower, I try to find something handmade from my area, like pottery or glassware. Something special, that the bride and groom might not buy for themselves. For a baby shower I love to buy clothes in assorted sizes, diapers and toys and put it all in a decorated wicker laundry basket. This does, of course vary at times.

6. Would you rather have a FREE week of having your house cleaned or all of your meals cooked for you and your family?

Any one who knows me, knows I would take the free cleaning in a heart beat! Since I love to cook, but hate to clean, that makes perfect sense.

7. What song describes your mood today?

Mother Nature’s Son (daughter)

Born a poor young country boy–Mother Nature’s son
All day long I’m sitting singing songs for everyone.

Sit beside a mountain stream–see her waters rise
Listen to the pretty sound of music as she flies.

Find me in my field of grass–Mother Nature’s son
Swaying daises sing a lazy song beneath the sun.

Mother Nature’s son.

8. What is something you received for your own bridal shower/wedding that you still own or use? (If you are not married, feel free to sub a gift you received a long time ago.)

Hmmmm. First marriage ended in divorce, and I have nothing left from that. So nothing there. I got a great set of beer mugs for my second wedding present and I still have those and we use them occasionally because you can put them in the freezer and then have a real frosty brew!

9. Your favorite flavor of ice cream is?

Vanilla, with big chunks of dark chocolate, and dark chocolate syrup on top!

10. When was the last time you felt “tested?”

Tuesday morning when I had to drive my husbands big, standard shift truck to the repair shop! I did just fine, but that truck is a bear and a real challenge to drive!

11. “[Roasted Eggplant] is a food that once I start eating I find really hard to stop.”

12. “The mirror” is the best motivation for me to lose weight.

Rain, clouds, laundry, ironing, cooking.

Boring.

Not even the television provided a good escape. The dogs slept, lest I toss them out into the rain, Hubby worked and I finally, in self defense, got out a DVD to pass the time.

Last night I attended an scholarship banquet. Since I am new to this women’s group I was not too sure what the scholarships would be. I soon learned that these scholarships were for women going back to college! It is women helping women!

My club gave out several scholarships to some wonderful, marvelous women and I am thrilled to be a part of this.I sat with one of the recipients, a young mother of two, going to college to get her Nursing Degree!

The dinner was fine. I chose baked haddock with vegetables, and I drank water and coffee, I resisted a wine or beer for fear of ruining my latest attempts to get back on the Weight Watchers Band Wagon! This week it didn’t make a lot of difference, but I don’t let it get me down. After all, eating this way is something I will be doing for the rest of my life.

I am looking forward to my trip to Germany. (Do you hear that Anneliese?) I will eat as I wish, enjoy the best bread and beer in the entire world, and then come home and really get back to the Weight Watchers basics!

Meanwhile, until Anneliese goes into heat, I need to keep myself busy, and perhaps get the house cleaned just a little better than it is right now.

1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart “go-to” meal to fix in a pinch?

Meatloaf, Mashed potatoes and peas.

2. What is one item you won’t leave home without. (Purse and license do not count.)

My inhaler, for obvious reasons.

3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting?

Germany! Natürlich!

4. Share one factoid of your family’s history.

My grandfather arrived on Ellis Island from Germany, when he was only 9 years old. After clearing customs, he and his father traveled to Boston to join other family members. He met my grandmother when they were children, and knew right away that she was going to be his wife!

Frederick & Mary, my grandparents. They were married for well over 60 years!

5. Complete this sentence:

“Once upon a time I ….was a little girl growing up in Falmouth, Massachusetts. My sister and I would wash dishes after each meal, with me standing on a chair to wash or dry them. We always took turns. Melodie would tell me stories while we worked, and I would say to her ‘Don’t start the story by saying Once Upon A Time’, and she would say okay, and then she would start the story saying “Once Upon A Time”!!! And we would both laugh and laugh!!!”

6. If you could win a one year’s supply of anything, what would it be?

Real Costa Rican, Pea Bean Coffee! I could never tire of that!

7. “One quirky thing you may not know about me is ….”

This is a hard one. I think I am pretty much an open book. Perhaps, that I like to get into my pajamas as soon as I get the dinner dishes done, even if it is really early!

I just like to be comfortable!

8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy?

There is a place nearby that has $1.00 ice cream cones.

The flavors are yummy and the 1 scoop is more than enough!

9. “One thing that always makes me laugh is ….”

The dackels. They really are something else.

Whether it is my three or their puppies, or even other wire-haired dackels I have known in life. I call the wires the “Clowns of the Dog World”!

10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal?

Stay true to the WW Plan when I go to an Awards Banquet tonight. I know I can eat fish, a salad and vegetables, but I need to avoid the dessert…Cannoli!

11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else?

I would hope that perhaps a nice word, or a kind gesture would help.

12. What is one thing you’re looking forward to soon?

Going to Germany with Anneliese to breed her to Isegrim!

I will also have the added bonus of staying with my best friend, Uschi and her family and spending many hours visiting with her.

Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day! The sun shone, the skies were bright, bright blue, without even a cloud. Although it was windy, I simply did not care because everything else made it so lovely.

Hubby had to go in to work, and so I decided to do the grocery shopping, get dog food, and check out a few items on my want list.

The groceries were fun because I had the new MP3 player to keep me company. I simply danced my way through the grocery store. I refrained from singing as I know how bad people sound when they sing while their ears are plugged up. Even the best singer cannot hold a tune when they can’t hear themselves.

On my way home, while I enjoyed the clear air and the scene before me. Mountains and fields. I suddenly realized how hungry I was and how late it was getting. I swung the car into McDonald’s and got a salad for a quick lunch.

It felt good to just eat something quickly, so that when I was done, I could put the groceries away and play with the dogs a bit.

I also planted the peas in the garden and watered the seeds. Hubby instructed me to get this done today before he left for work. Mission accomplished!

To reward myself for all of this work, I bought Lobsters at the grocery store for dinner, along with corn on the cob and potatoes for baking! Of course it doesn’t hurt when the beautiful Maine Lobsters are only $4.99 a pound!

This great picture is thanks to my cousin Janet.

Let’s see, what is my favorite food? Dark yummy chocolate or Lobster? That is a tough one folks. I’ve been leaning toward Lobster lately!

The weekend is over and a new week is starting. A busy week too. I have a few things going on, that I will share with you all very soon!

Until then, Happy Monday everyone!!!

Hubby has been working quite a bit lately, so today I decided I would help him out. Usually he does the lawn mowing, but the grass was starting to look like an overgrown field, so I got out the lawn mower (the small one, not one of the good, self propelled mowers. It does have an engine and all, but requires brute strength to push it!), and worked for one and a half hours in the back yard. Our back yard is lovely, but I’d forgotten that it is all on a hill. Or at least most of it is.

I stopped for water, and to tie my hair back, and then I got back to work. I was still mowing along when Hubby arrived home. I finished the row I was doing, and then shut down the machine and went in to talk with him.

Now any man reading this blog should understand that in this situation, a heartfelt thank you should instantly come from your mouth, so the little woman, who has just mowed a large chunk of the lawn will feel appreciated!

I’d gotten a small fence for my garden. Arnie and Anneliese keep going into the garden to eat dirt,  so I decided to fence it off. Hubby helped me with that and now the little beast’s cannot get in there! This is great, as after eating the dirt outside they come in and throw it up!

While Hubby finished the lawn, I roasted some salmon, made some rice and cooked the asparagus. Once the meal was done and the dishes were in the dishwasher, I literally collapsed in my chair with Greta!

So this has been one of my busier days and I am actually looking forward to going to bed. Under the covers where I can relax with my little dackels and go to sleep!

The end of another busy day at the Dackel Princess Ranch!