Family & Friends – Page 10 – The Dackel Princess

Friends

On Monday, our long awaited guests arrived! I’d done the cleaning and I had made a nice potato salad, and rolled some delicious deli meats, and when I laid out the table, I was prouder than Julia Child at her first self cooked dinner party!

Hubby knew Howard and Petra much better than I do, as he worked with them both, years ago, with Pan Am. I’d met them once or twice and hadn’t seen them since 2000.

I’d been so nervous about their coming to the house. You want to know why? Because although I am happy living with imperfection, and comfortable amongst the chaos, with my Hubby and four wonderful pups, I am often convinced that no one else could appreciate that.

How wrong I was! Guess what? Petra had owned a miniature wirehaired dackel when she lived in Germany. Not only did she fall in love with my three terrors, but she liked the big guy, Fritzi too!

While Hubby showed them around the yard, I laid the table. The centerpiece of the meal was Baked French Onion Soup! All in all, lunch was also a hit, and after I tidied up after, we jumped in the car for a ride around our hometown and then a drive over to a local old fashioned General Store. I love going there.

We returned late in the afternoon, and pretty much had to say our goodbyes, as they needed to get back to the city before it got dark.

I’ve simply got to relax and not be so hard on myself. I’ve got to stop worrying so much and just be myself. I hope they will be back next summer!

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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All I can say is WOW! This past weekend was so full, I’m not sure I could have fit in another thing! I’ll start on Friday and go from there.

As you know, I got to go down and visit with Mandy & Savannah. I always love those days because Savannah is just so darn cute, and each time I go down, there is something new to witness. This last time it was her smiling and reaching out for things. I just love to see her smile at me, but most of all, I love to see that special smile that is reserved only for her Mom! Mandy & Savannah just have that certain Mom & Daughter chemistry that is so beautiful to witness!

I loved going to the Pediatrician’s Office with them, and then lunch afterward was great! We had a Caprese Salad and Mandy had Lasagna and I had Gyros! Then we did a little shopping, which is always fun for this Grandma!

The drive home for me was fine. I usually talk to my friend, Gail or to my sister, and that makes the trip go very fast! If they aren’t around, then I turn up the volume and listen to some great music!

Saturday I was up early and got ready to meet my cousin down at the local Craft Fair. She brought her boyfriend, Dave and their Grandson, Ralphie with them. I was worried he would be bored at the Fair, but that 4 year old actually had more energy than I did! What fun!

While they were off taking a foliage train ride, I made a Sauerbraten, with all the fixings, and when they got back we sat down to dinner. We also watched the first Harry Potter movie on the HD TV and even they had to admit how much fun it was to see the movie in High Definition!

On Sunday I decided that like the good Lord, I needed to rest. I had planned to watch some movies, and not do too much. Ah yes. Some lazy me time!

Then the phone rang!

Remember a week ago we had people who had called and wanted to come by and I had a nervous breakdown, because I would never get the house clean in time?

If you have guessed that the phone call was from them, you would be right. They will be here tomorrow for lunch!

So I madly began to clean. I have most of it done, and then I had to decide what to serve for luncheon. Well, that was when I decided I was not going to stress about the cleaning.

So, onto the menu. After much hemming and hawing, we’re serving Baked French Onion Soup, a Caprese Salad, My Potato Salad, Assorted Cold Cuts, Breads, and Hubby’s German Cucumber Salad.

If I am lucky, I will get Hubby help me make an apple pie, but we may run out of time. Not sure.

So, as you can see, my weekend turned into a jam packed wild weekend!

And the week ahead, is going to be just as busy!

Something Lost Is Found

On Monday, we received an email from Hubby’s long lost cousin and his wife. We have not seen or spoken to them after nearly 20 years. When we parted all those years ago, there were bitter words exchanged and the atmosphere in the family was tense.

But, no one is getting any younger, and so when they wrote, we invited them to stop on in. They arrived just before 2 pm.

We sat around talking and sharing, and filling in all those things that we’d missed in the other’s lives.

It’s pretty late now, and they have turned in. I am going next. I’m exhausted. However, I am so happy that something I thought wasn’t possible to come back, somehow found it’s way back into our lives.

Thursday Thirteen

I’m off to see Amanda and Savannah with an added bonus of seeing my sister!
We’re all meeting at my daughter’s home and then Melodie and I will share a hotel room.
I learned tonight we are due for a real heatwave on those two days!
They are forecasting 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit!
I plan to pack clothes for any weather event, except snow!
Still no word about my car.
I’m thinking that I will be taking Hubby’s car south.
I will miss the satellite radio!
My favorite pocketbook sort of fell apart today! It made me very sad.
Also my clothesline fell apart too. It’s very old. I have new clothesline to repair it.
Did you ever have someone do something in their professional capacity that just made you furious?
It’s no one that any of you or my friends and family know, but my goodness how can people be so unprofessional?
New pictures soon, of sweet Savannah Rose!

Happy Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day to my family and friends. You make it all worthwhile!

I Have Never Heard!

The last few time I have dried clothes in the dryer, I have come up with these stains on my clothing. Not all of it, and not every piece, but enough that I was getting concerned.

So, how do you clean a dryer?

That was my big question. Fortunately, my friend, Gail called em and I asked her. She, it turned out, has had this problem before and she was able to guide me through the cleaning process.

Get a bottle of Goo-Gone. Which I already had.
Spray a paper towel and have it lie on the shelf parts of the drier and in my case I also sprayed this on the back, where I could see the brown grime.
Walk away for 20 minutes.
Come back and wipe it down with clean clothes.
Take wet clothes and a bucket of warm water and keep wiping until all the soap is out of the dryer.
Take some old kitchen rags and wet them, ring them out and toss in the dryer.
Tada! Done!!!

I am so pleased with the results and will probably need to do this every six months. The machine is 13 years old and just not working as well as it should, and yes, it definitely needed a good cleaning.

So Much News!

Today is a very special day in my life. It’s the day I can finally announce to you all, that I am going to be a Grammie!

My daughter, Mandy and Matt wanted to wait until she was through her first trimester before we announced it. I have to tell you, I have been so excited I have hardly been able to keep it to myself!

Their baby (too soon to know what it is), will be born in mid June! I think we’re all walking around with the biggest smiles on our faces. Oh, how blessed our families are to have this little one on the way!!!

Congratulations Mandy & Matt!!!

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My next piece of news is that today my cousin, Janet and I are going to Connecticut to celebrate my sister’s 40th Wedding Anniversary! They met when they were 13 years old at summer camp and back in those days, the only way to stay in touch was writing letters and occasionally a very expensive phone call. Yet, even though we lived on Cape Cod and Ron lived in Arlington Massachusetts, their love blossomed and they married right after High School. I was her maid of honor, all those years ago and Janet was a bridesmaid. I tried to find a picture taken back then, but couldn’t. Instead, here is a picture of Mel and Ron taken at their son, Mike’s wedding.

Happy 40th Anniversary you two!!!

Friday Fill-Ins

This picture was drawn by Dave, my cousin Janet’s boyfriend , and then she photographed it, and then did the photo-editing to put in the text! When I saw it, I just knew it was perfect for this weeks Friday Fill-In! Dave, this really is fabulous, and Janet, you took a super picture!

And…here we go!

1. Old me would eat to alleviate the pain; new me would find some way to get through the emotional pain. Cup of tea anyone?.

2. It is not easy, but it is so important to step up and take responsibility.

3. So…in a way even though I sometimes think that I’ve really messed up, as long as I learn something along the way, then it it not a wasted experience.

4. Are you all right?

5. The big difference now is that I do not have the vision acute enough to read normal books. I sure wish that more publishers would print books on Kindle, then I could actually justify buying one!

6. Rest and relaxation makes me happy.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to watching the entire George Harrison Documentary, tomorrow my plans include I’m not sure, perhaps working out in the garden getting it ready for the winter and Sunday, I want to make butternut squash soup!

Thursday Thirteen

This weeks Thursday Thirteen will be a miscellaneous group of thoughts. I’ve been so busy lately that there is so much to write about.

The drive to my sister’s home was a long one. It usually takes me 4 hours, but I had to add another half an hour due to a road closure after Tropical Storm Irene blew through. I’d figured this would be the case, but still, what a long trip!
I got to see my grandniece practice for baseball, and both of my grandnephews practice their football. They are all three really good and I enjoyed watching them!
My brother in-law and sister remember how much I love eggplant pizza and they ordered one for dinner while I was there! Oh, it was so good.
I am totally an eggplant fiend! I love it every way it is cooked and served. I guess we all have things like that which we love, for no apparent reason. For me, it is eggplant!
I’ve made up a new recipe for eggplant and tomato casserole. OMG! It is so delicious! When I make it this week, I will have Hubby photograph me doing this, then include the recipe.
Our gasoline here in New Hampshire (at least where I am) is $3.46 a gallon. South of here the gas was selling for $3.79 a gallon. Needless to say, I tried to only buy gas at home.
I went shopping with my sister and help her to find a totally adorable top! She wasn’t sure about it, but it looked as if it were made for her! What do you think?

I ate pretty much what I wanted during my trip. My sister was great at providing salads, and her daughter, Jinny (pictured above), makes a great salad. Now it is time to get back on the plan.
One morning I got up and picked up coffee for my mother and me and then got breakfasts at Friendly’s to bring to her apartment. She really enjoyed that.
The Rehearsal Dinner was also a lot of fun. I got to meet Karan’s family, and we all ate and joked and enjoyed watching the young couple. (Note to self: Don’t keep eating delicious Italian food like that!)
My sister had her hair done at a salon for the wedding. I figured I could arrange mine, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated with it. I am totally ready for a shorter layering of my hair, so it is easier to do. I spent well over an hour with a curling iron, and it still looked lousy!
The wedding was so beautiful, and I got all misty from the show of love. The atmosphere was so happy and watching the bride and groom dance the night away, thrilled me beyond words.

The next day, I drove home, and made it in better time. When I walked in the door I was met by Hubby and the four dogs! They were all thrilled to see me and showered me with love and kisses!

What I Did This Past Weedend

Seldom have I been able to feel so much a part of a wedding. Certainly I have gone to many over the years, but this wedding made me feel so very included.

The wedding was for my nephew/Godson, Michael and his bride Karan. They met a couple of years ago and she has become a loving member of the family. Especially, she has become a very caring and loving step-mom to Mike’s daughter, Abby, who you learned about in last Thursday Thirteen.

Anyway, I drove to Connecticut and helped in small ways to get ready for the wedding. I did help with driving and I did Mel’s make-up, and then I was valued just for being part of the family.

The wedding took place at a country club and it was a beautiful setting.

I never cry at weddings, but I got very misty at this one. Perhaps it is because I could feel the love and happiness between these two people.

Mike, Abby and Karan!

Mike and Karan cutting the wedding cake.

My cousin Janet, my mother and me.

Melodie and me.

mel and mb

The reception was wonderful, pictures were taken and food was eaten! They planned things so nicely! Now it is back to real life, but I keep flipping through the pictures, looking at all of those happy faces!

Left to right, Ian, boyfriend of my niece, Jin (next to him) Abby, my grandnephews Taft and Luke, and their Dad, my nephew Tim. Back row, Left to right, Ron, (father of the groom) Mike (my nephew), Karan, Melodie, my sister, Maria, (my nephew Tim’s wife).