Happy Mother’s Day

Growing up, while many of my friends were planning futures where they would become, doctors, lawyers, nurses, models, pop stars or whatever, I planned my life for one thing. I wanted, more than anything to have children.  I loved children, and although for a while I was told that I might never have them (endometriosis) I proved the doctors wrong and gave birth to my first daughter 1 year and 1 day after I married her father.

Twenty-three months later, her sister, Katie was born, and I was officially the Mommy of two beautiful girls! I was happier than ever, and I love my girls like nothing I can ever describe. It’s truly awe inspiring. I look at Mandy and all I can see is the beauty in her face, her heart, her mind and her soul!

I miss my Katie. I guess I will never really recover from her loss, so early in her life, but, I look back at the times when we were all together and life was good, and I smile.

Here is a very short video montage of me and my girls.

My Mother’s Day from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

Friday Fill-Ins

Friday Fill Ins

And…here we go!

1. NCIS is my favorite TV show (or movie) because year after year, episode after episode, they have maintained quality writing and acting.

2. Go to page 45 of the book you’re reading or of the book closest to you; go to the 6th paragraph and make a sentence out of 7 words from it: Grape skins make dye for meat stamps.

3. I am happy to have purchased my flats of tomatoes, Ischiban eggplants and green peppers today The garden is growing, Agway has good plants and good prices.

4. The best long walks are the walks I used to take along the shore at the beach.

5. Take some time to enjoy your day.

6. The dackels all need a bit of stripping and combing and nail trimming today.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to making Emeril’s Buffalo Wings, tomorrow my plans include cooking shrimp in a new way (haven’t decided yet) and repot the tomatoes, green peppers and eggplants and Sunday, I want to enjoy Mother’s Day with my daughter, Mandy, her boyfriend, M. his parents and Hubby for brunch!

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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Okay, so we all know where we were, and what we were doing on Friday morning. Wasn’t that a great wedding? One of the things I noted, when the Father of the Bride was at the alter with Kate and William, was, the expression on his face, as it was full of love for the two of them. Later, I noticed his form as he sang “God Save The Queen”. I think Kate’s Dad is wonderful, and I admire him. I do not think he would have allowed his daughter to marry for any other reason, than for love.

I know, hopeless romantic!

I loved Kate’s gown, her tiara, veil and how she presented herself. She is who she is and carried herself with pride. William appeared to be totally taken with her. What a grand beginning for their life together!

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On Saturday I tackled the laundry. I had accumulated quite a bit, towels, bed linens, etc. and I really needed to pay attention. So I did and got a lot accomplished there, including two of Hubby’s heavy winter coats. I tossed some ribs in the crock pot and then cleared out the fridge of leftovers for dinner, after which we settled in and watched two episodes of “From Lark Rise to Candleford”. That is such a wonderful show, filled with life lessons. I really do love that show!

I also watched some “William and Kate” specials on the satellite, and certainly enjoyed day-dreaming about a lovely girl finding her Prince and becoming a Princess!

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Sunday found Hubby and I giving all the dogs their Heart-worm and Flea and Tick medications, and enjoying another lovely sunny day. All of our fruit trees have tight buds, and in another week or so will start blooming. My plants in the greenhouse are pushing nicely, and I am a happy gardener!

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Hubby’s birthday is coming up this week on Wednesday, and I have plans for that too. They’re a surprise right now, but I will let you in on them later this week.

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Happy Monday Everyone!!!

Friday Fill-Ins

Friday Fill-Ins

Friday Fill-Ins are sponsored by my cousin Janet. Come on and join the fun!

And…here we go!

1. I love to plant a big garden and grow lots of fresh vegetables.

2. A wink and a smile.

3. It’s how you make my world rock. Just by being in it.

4. Chocolate will make me fat, you don’t have to tell me!

5. Well, would you look at that.

6. They’re back, spring peepers.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to some sleep. I’m getting up early for the wedding and I know I will be tired, tomorrow my plans include laundry and housework and Sunday, I want to clean out some closets!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

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1. What is something that bothers you if it is not done perfectly?

Having my bed made. I like my bed sheets and blanket laid smooth and tucked in properly.

Sept 23 046

When I had my retinal detachment, Hubby made the bed and he “tried”, but the sheets were not smooth and it drove me nuts! I did appreciate the attempt though.

2. What is one of your best childhood memories.
Being on the beaches in my hometown of Falmouth, Massachusetts. I loved Surf Drive Beach. Swimming, playing in the sand, and also riding my bike all around the town. My sister, my cousin, Aunts, Uncles and family. Summers on Cape Cod were the best!
3. Do you plan to watch the Royal Wedding and when was the last time you wore a hat?
I do plan to watch the Royal Wedding, but I doubt I will wear a hat. Although I did wear a rather British type of hat when I married Hubby.

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I wear hats every winter to stay warm and dry!

4. Where do you fall in the birth order in your family? Do you think this has influenced your personality?
I am the baby in the family.

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The one who talks like crazy, wants to be older than they are and got left when my brother and sister grew up, got married and left home! After that I think I felt determined to get out into the world quickly. I still am a chatterbox and I still sort of feel older than I am.

5. Where do you think you spend most of your money?
Fuel oil and groceries. Since we heat our home with oil, and also put gal in our cars we spend a lot of money on oil.

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Groceries have been going up as well, so our bills there increase each month. Of course taxes too. Sad but I think the government better get themselves under control. The average person won’t be able to afford to live soon.

6. When you need to confront someone would you rather communicate in person, on the phone, by email or by letter? Why?
I’d rather do it in person, unless I plan never to see this person and then a long thought out letter is written, saved and then reread a day or two later.

If I am still feeling like that then I send it.

7. Dodge ball, freeze tag, kickball or jump rope? You have to pick one.
I think I liked freeze tag best. We played that a lot in our back yard when I was a kid. Remember, Mel and Janet?
8. Insert your own random thought here.

Joanne took another trip home with her therapists to see what moderation’s need to be made in the house to accommodate her. Joanne’s Dad has been working hard and so there is actually very little to be done. They are hoping that by the end of the month she will be released and then will have out patient therapy. When I think of how Joanne began her year, I am so thankful that she will soon be home with her girls and her husband once again!

Continue reading “Wednesday Hodgepodge”

Random Thoughts

  • In just a week it will be Hubby’s birthday! Okay, what I want to know is how the last year has flown by us so fast? It seems just a year ago I was making Hubby his favorite dinner and toasting to his continued health, and here we are a year later and I have to think of what on earth to make to out do myself? Perhaps I will just go to the old stand-bye, Lobsters. It’s easy, and it’s not only a meal, but a gift that says I love you!
  • Hubby and I watched “Jesus Christ Superstar” last night. Somehow he had missed seeing that, all those years ago. Of course I was a teenager and really in to it, so as I typed on the computer I sang all the songs!
  • I will be making Pea Soup today. I saved our Ham Bone and we had a fair amount of meat left, so Pea Soup it is. I love it with carrots, celery and a little potato in it.
  • How many of you will be watching the “Royal Wedding” on Friday? I plan to get up and watch the coverage, and I have planned an English tea for Hubby and I later in the morning (when he gets up) to celebrate.
  • I remember watching Princess Diana, and thinking how very nervous I would be. We were close in age and I know she must have been a nervous wreck, with so many people watching her. I still feel sad when I think of how she died.
  • One of my Green-House windows got all cracked. Hubby calls it crazing. I call it broken. In any case, the workers came today to take the measurements to repair it.
  • The rest of the week is supposed to be warm. I sure hope so. I want Spring to finally arrive!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Hodgepodgebutton

1. What are your plans for Easter Day/weekend?

My cousin, her boy friend and some of his family are coming and I am cooking a Ham. I expect to look like an Oompa Loompa the day after.

2. Besides Jesus, what one person from The Bible would you most like to meet and why?

Job. I have had so many challenges in my life, and reading the book of Job often helped me to realize that I have not been challenged nearly as much.

3. What is one modern day convenience you didn’t have as a child that was easy to live without?

A garbage disposal. We have one now, and although I love having it, it certainly isn’t a must have in this world.

4. Are you more right brained or left brained? (I took the quiz at Joyce’s site and this is what it said.)

Left Brain Right Brain
47% 53%

Now this is weird. I’m really both. Well, thank goodness. After a closed head injury 25 years ago, it’s nice to see the two sides working so well together.

5. What is something you intended to do today but didn’t? Why?

Well, as I write it is only 9:30 AM on Tuesday, so I haven’t had a chance to mess up yet. I hope I will have a good day of getting it all done. It may be that I don’t get my seeds planted.

6. Cadbury Creme Eggs or Reeses peanut butter?

peppermint bark

Neither. I am really a dark chocolate person, so my real addiction is sold only at Christmas. Peppermint Bark.

7. Who was your favorite cartoon character when you were a child?

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Jetsons 2 CartoonChip and Dale

I loved the Flintstones, The Jetsons and Chip and Dale.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Joanne took her first field trip home. She also wanted to have some PF Chang and when the local restaurant heard they arranged quite a party for her and even picked up the bill! She got to hold her cat, Joey and see her home! It did help her morale, but she also realized how much work she needs to do to get in shape for her discharge in a few weeks.

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Ice-Out Declared On Lake Winnipesaukee

Happy Wednesday!

What I Did This Passed 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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On Saturday, i thought I was going to get a lot done. I brought down all the laundry, changed the sheets, etc, but somehow lost momentum and ended the day feeling lazy and quiet. I made a meatloaf and Hubby’s favorite mashed potatoes and then we sat down and enjoyed two episodes of “From Lark Rise to Candleford”, before I fell asleep.

I woke on Sunday to the gloom and rain of the day. I made coffee, strong and hot, and then settled in to read the newspaper. Eventually Hubby got up and the day began. The sun came out, it warmed up and turned into quite a lovely day.

Now, I’d thought that Sunday would be the lazy day, but today I actually had a lot of energy and I wrote three letters (by hand, which is not easy for my slightly arthritic fingers)  and paid bills. I also fulfilled Anneliese’s greatest wish of the day…I took her on a one mile walk. She was very good and we had a really great time, except when she saw that one squirrel, she just wanted it so badly! Thankfully she was on a leash so, all was well.

Hubby and I also worked cleaning out the formal dining room. In a house this big your formal rooms often equal rooms that you sort of dump “store” things in. Today we not only worked to organize, but we dusted and cleaned as well.

Friday I made a great new recipe for a slow cooked pork roast. I’ll share it tomorrow. All I can say is..EASY &…YUM!!!

Have a great Monday everyone!

2515 Posts

I was putting together this post when I realized that I have written 2515 posts as of today! I’ve done this in 6 years with over 101,838 comments! I have posted every day, with the exception of when I had emergency surgery, and shared the good, the bad, and the wonderful with you all. I started on May 11, with all of two readers. My sister and my cousin. I wrote a short post about my darling Shubi. At that time she was the center of my life, and Greta and Fritz were her little ones. It was a short post because I knew nothing about blogging, but it is there.

So why am I bringing it up now? I suppose because it kind of blew my mind that I have been doing this so long and have written so much! I never knew I had so much to say!

My family, however, would tell you that I have never had trouble talking.

When I was very young and married for the first time, living on my own with my new husband, I had been away from home for a long time. One weekend I managed a trip back to see my grandparents and parents, and I arrived at tea time.

As we sat at the dining room table sipping tea and munching cookies, I was telling them about my adventures as a newlywed, and at one point (after about half an hour) I stopped to sip my cold tea and my grandmother laughed!

“What did I say?” I asked.

“Nothing, and everything” she said “The table sure has been quiet since you left! We’ve missed your chattering!”

Grandma is probably laughing up there in Heaven. I finally have my place where I can chatter, about something or nothing at all.

Nice to have a little place in this world I can call mine!

Friday Fill-Ins

Friday Fill-In Easter

And…here we go!

1. For me, it was love at first sight when my daughters were born. Truth be told I loved them from the moment I knew they were in there!

2. I just bought my Easter Ham at my local supermarket.

3. Behind the sound of the wind in the trees, I heard the first Loon of the season.

4. Paint beautiful pictures is something I always wanted to do.

5. When it was over, my life was never to be the same.

6. Even when I lived in a country where I did not speak the language well, I never felt alone.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a fire in the hearth, as we are trying to use up this seasons wood, tomorrow my plans include a nice walk around the neighborhood and watching From Lark Rise to Candleford and Sunday, I want to work in my office. Now that Hubby is done with our taxes I want to put things away!