Holidays – Page 11 – The Dackel Princess

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is Thanksgiving Day here in the USA. A day where we stop to give thanks for all that we have. Like the Pilgrims before us, our country continues to face many challenges, but I think many of my fellow Americans would agree, we are thankful for the love of our God, our family and our friends. So, here is a random list of 13 things I am thinking about this Thanksgiving.

1. I made the apple pie this evening. All done. It looks like it came out well.

2. I made the dressing yesterday, and have it chilling down. I will stuff Mr. Tom Turkey this morning and roast him slowly until he is perfectly cooked!

3. I peeled and diced the Yukon Gold Potatoes yesterday and they are soaking in a pot. Yukon Gold Potatoes make the best mashed potatoes!

4. I actually cooked the butternut squash a couple of weeks ago and it is frozen in the big freezer, waiting to be thawed.

5. I roasted the chestnuts and then shelled them. I am so happy that Julia Child wrote about the easy way to shell a chestnut. In the past I did it all wrong and ended up with sliced up fingers. This easy way, soaking them in boiling water for 20 minutes, putting a large X in the rounded part and then placing them on a roasting pan in a 400 (F) degree oven for 25 minutes. Cool, place all the chestnuts in a dishcloth and then crunch on the kitchen shelf. They almost peel themselves! Makes a great addition to the dressing.

6. Hubby peeled 2 dozen pearl onions.

7. Then after I did all that preparation work for today’s dinner, I started to make dinner for last night.

8. The dogs began to demand to be fed, so I broke down and fed them 10 minutes early.

9. Just about the time dinner was ready, I kind of lost my appetite. All the preparation of food, just made the food look unappealing.

10. Finally I finished all the cooking and cleaned up and got to sit down in my recliner at 8:15 last night.

11. After three such busy day, I felt exhausted!

12. Oh yes, one more thing to mention…I was up before dawn on Wednesday to go with Hubby to the VA. Horrendous weather!

13. To all my family and friends, here and abroad. May you enjoy the blessings of Thanksgiving. I know it is not a holiday for everyone, but I believe that the feeling of thankfulness that I feel in my heart and mind, for the ones that I love, is something shared universally.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Bazaars

Saturday found me visiting five Christmas Bazaars. I had a great time. But it struck me that some things certainly have changed at some of the Bazaars, while at others, they were blessedly familiar.

What used to be, were the table upon table of hand made, hand knit, Christmas items. Cookies, cakes and pies, all from loving kitchens. Oh yes, and Grandma’s fudge.

Two of the Bazaars were like that today, one was close, and the other two were more like going to the local Mall, with high prices and mass produced ‘product’.

I love the hand made items. I love grandma’s cookies and fudge. I love the ladies in Christmas aprons and jewelry, smiling, as Christmas music wafts through the air.

I love Christmas in Old New England fashion.

The other Bazaars. The commercial ones, just aren’t the same, and sort of leave me cold. The only good thing about the last one we went to, was seeing a girl that had helped me care for Shubi all those years ago. She was painting handmade ornaments. She was doing a fantastic job!

Tonight is an easy Saturday night meal. We’ll sit in front of our fireplace, and enjoy the end to our day.

Christmas Bazaars

Last weekend my friend Laurie and I hit two local Bazaars. Today there are four of them scheduled and we are going to hit them all. We both love the atmosphere and also buying little gifts supporting the various churches!

I also love the cute Christmas ornaments that you can get there. This is one I got last weekend.

I know it is mid November, but I’m looking forward to Christmas. Probably because of Savannah! The world just looks brighter, through a child’s eyes!!!

93 & Nowhere To Go But Up!

Thursday was a weird day. I mean any holiday that occurs during the weekdays always throws me off. For instance, all day I have thought it was Saturday and wondered why some of my favorite Saturday shows are not on!

So I keep trying to acclimate myself to the day at hand. Since it is so sunny, humid and hot, 93 degrees, I decided that my day would be spent close to all the good working air conditioners in the house. And since Hubby has fixed them all, the house is wonderfully cool!

Our Fourth of July ‘special meal’ is barbecued ribs (my secret recipe which can be found HERE. I kid you not, these are the best way to prepare baby backs ever! Print this recipe out and you will use it over and over and over again!

Don’t these look good?

Good Ribs from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

Since tomorrow is Friday (I am writing this on Thursday night), I plan to do laundry and prepare for next week. Monday will be my first surgery in Boston, with Dr. P. Hubby is driving me, as I cannot drive to my cousin’s or Mandy’s house on the relay. We have hired a dog sitter for the day.

So Happy Fourth of July, belatedly on the Fifth!

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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The last week I simply have not slept well. Thus, all weekend, it was much the same. Me crashing late at night and then up with the dogs at the stroke of 7 AM. Have I mentioned, I am not a morning person?

Coffee and quiet has been the saving grace. Except then Sunday morning I woke to a long, hard, thunderstorm! None of the dogs would venture out, not even Fritz, who will almost always go out.

But, let’s work our way back to Saturday.

I spent most of the day running errands, doing laundry, and cleaning the kitchen area. Why is it that I cannot ever seem to get it done? I feel like I am always cleaning or doing laundry. The cooking part, I love, so no complaints there.

Around three we got a call from our next door neighbors, for a last minute cookout. With Lamb, Spanakopita and salad. You would have to be crazy (or my cousin) to turn down a meal like that! We, naturally accepted!!!

Since I hate to arrive without something in hand, I quickly whipped up a gingerbread cake. It was a new mix I was trying and all I can say is ‘WOW’! It was a mix I’d gotten at the King Arthur Museum and shop and it was fantastic! I need to get a few more boxes of that to have on hand just for this sort of last minute cake! It took me 45 minutes and at the end of the meal half of the sheet cake was gone!

Then, as we were cleaning up two families arrived with their kids. I think there were 5 kids, but 5 kids under the age of 10 made it feel like much more! It all made me smile.

The adults also were quite interesting. A man who owns a gym in Pensacola, FL and Erik and Ellie Weihenmayer. Erik holds the record for being the first blind man to climb Mount Everest and Mount Ararat. He has written several books and has not allowed his blindness to limit the possibilities in his life. His amazing wife, is a sweet delightful woman, who treats Erik like anyone else. I found myself feeling awkward at one point when we said good-bye, and I wish I was so cool that I could be as terrific as his wife.

Their two kids were also delightful, and I was so please to become acquainted with their entire family!

You see, it made me realize that we are the only ones capable of ‘letting ourselves down’!

The night ended very late, and since we all know my brain goes to sleep at 9:30 PM, when we got in at 11 o’clock, I was totally wiped out.

I was up early due to the hard rain storm. Once again, Hubby slept in, and I kept the dogs quiet for a while.

After Hubby woke, we did breakfast and I started the laundry part of my day and the cleaning.

Now he is getting the nets ready for the cherry trees and I am continuing to work on meals, laundry and writing. The usual!

My cousins, Janet and Dave stopped by with both Rainbow and lake trout! Yay! It will be for dinner tonight and again in a few more days. I just love fresh fish!

The week ahead will be a busy one. Hubby will be staying home with the pups, while I drive down to see my sister and my mother. I’ll also be going to a baby shower for my nephew’s and niece in law’s twin boys. They were born on May 31 at 32 weeks and are both doing well.

Have a wonderful week!

Memorial Day 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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I had the nicest time this weekend because my cousin Janet and her fiancee came up to spend the day with us on Saturday. This is a holiday weekend, (America’s Memorial Day) so our little town has become filled with tourists. It wasn’t too bad yesterday, because we had awful rain, but today it is bumper to bumper traffic. Not nice at all.

In any case, I digress.

Janet came up and we had such fun. She is a year older than me, and so I quite literally cannot remember a time in my life where Janet wasn’t a part of it.

All of our lives we have been like sisters and best friends. As we’ve aged the years have passed, we have grown even closer and I really count on her always being with me.

Yesterday, we sat talking and looking at our life lines, and we noticed that we both have very long life lines. Good thing! I plan to grow to be an old lady with her by my side!

Sunday was a strange day. Sort of lazy, but then sort of good too. Hubby and I decided to pull out the fridge and clean behind it, under it and on top of it. Now or fridge fan does not appear to be running constantly.

It’s cool up here, and we actually are under a frost warning! So before dinner I went out and I put all my tomato, eggplant and pepper plants and I put them into the green house. Now I can sleep and not worry about my baby plants getting frozen!

Tomorrow is also a day off for our country. Many people will get together for cook outs and family times. Hubby and I are just staying home and clearing our the camper. I cannot believe all the stuff that is in there. Unused and forgotten for the last few years. Now, time to figure it all out and then the camper goes to a new home.

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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On Friday Hubby and I went out to a concert. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was playing near our home, and since we both love blue grass/country music, I’d gotten us tickets when they first announced the show a few months back.

We’d seen them a year ago and enjoyed the concert a great deal. This year there was a big change. We both felt a real soul filled concert filled with a spirituality.

The group now consists of Jeff Hanna and John McEuen.

As well as Jimmie Faddon,

and Bob Carpenter on keyboards.

During the encore they called the warm up band on stage and the all jammed together for about 15-20 minutes.

It was so amazing and when we left I had a feeling that we had just witnessed something very special.

I am not one of those people who go to a lot of concerts like this, but I am so happy that we went and had such an awesome time!

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Saturday we went to Mandy and Matt’s home and spent the day with them, Savannah and Matt’s parents. It was such a nice fun day. Savannah is starting to walk and I enjoyed getting down on the floor with her and watching her toddle along!

Have a great week everyone!

Happy Easter

I started moving around a bit more on Saturday and about mid day I had a slight bleed. Since my face was feeling painful, and I was a little tired, I sat down in the worlds most comfortable loveseat with the three dackels and fell asleep.

When I woke, I still had the face ache, but the bleeding had stopped, so this was good.

Hubby spent the day pruning fruit trees and clearing brush in the yard. Our temperatures were lovely, and warm and he didn’t even wear a jacket.

It was another shampoo day, and then I tied my hair into pony tails! I will be so glad when I can 1. Blow my hair dry in the curl way I always have, and 2. go and get my roots colored again.

I actually cooked three meals today for Hubby and me. Needless to say, I was tired at the end, but I felt good at the accomplishment.

Today is Easter and so I send my wishes for a Happy and Blessed Easter to you all!

Valentine’s Day

Thursday was Valentine’s Day and Hubby was not feeling it. He has two problems in the house right now that are making him insane. So, he is distracted.

At lunch I attempted to lure him out for a cheap Chinese lunch, but he wasn’t having any of it. That’s okay. I’d made a wonderful Caribbean Banana Bread, and gave him that with soup and salad and he was happy.

After watching my favorite daytime show, “Anthony Bourdain, No Reservations”, I slipped out to the store and got 2 Lobsters,

new potatoes (my favorite) and corn on the cob from Florida. Surprisingly the corn was fabulous, making this Valentine’s Day, summer meal, really delicious!

I set the table pretty, including two glasses of champagne! Hubby sat down, surprised at what I had whipped up.

It was worth it to see the smile on his face!

Super Bowl Sunday

Super Bowl!

Yes, it’s Super Bowl Sunday 2013! The Super Bowl here in the USA is almost a holiday. It’s a strange thing, but at the ripe old age of 54 I can remember the very first Super Bowl played.

The Vince Lombardi Trophy is awarded to the Super Bowl winner. Vince Lombardi was the much beloved coach of the Green Bay Packers.

Super Bowl I was played on January 15, 1967, following the 1966 regular season, while Super Bowl XLVII will be played on February 3, 2013, to determine the champion of the current 2012 season.

They only use Roman Numerals to designate the number for the Super Bowl being played.

Game	Date	Winning team	Score	Losing team
I	January 15, 1967	Green Bay Packers^‡	35–10	Kansas City Chiefs^{^}
II	January 14, 1968	Green Bay Packers^‡	33–14	Oakland Raiders^{^}
III	January 12, 1969	New York Jets^{^}	16–7	Baltimore Colts^‡
IV	January 11, 1970	Kansas City Chiefs^{^}	23–7	Minnesota Vikings^‡
V	January 17, 1971	Baltimore Colts^†	16–13	Dallas Cowboys^*
VI	January 16, 1972	Dallas Cowboys^*	24–3	Miami Dolphins^†
VII	January 14, 1973	Miami Dolphins^†	14–7	Washington Redskins^*
VIII	January 13, 1974	Miami Dolphins^†	24–7	Minnesota Vikings^*
IX	January 12, 1975	Pittsburgh Steelers^†	16–6	Minnesota Vikings^*
X	January 18, 1976	Pittsburgh Steelers^†	21–17	Dallas Cowboys^*
XI	January 9, 1977	Oakland Raiders^†	32–14	Minnesota Vikings^*
XII	January 15, 1978	Dallas Cowboys^*	27–10	Denver Broncos^†
XIII	January 21, 1979	Pittsburgh Steelers^†	35–31	Dallas Cowboys^*
XIV	January 20, 1980	Pittsburgh Steelers^†	31–19	Los Angeles Rams^*
XV	January 25, 1981	Oakland Raiders^†	27–10	Philadelphia Eagles^*
XVI	January 24, 1982	San Francisco 49ers^*	26–21	Cincinnati Bengals^†
XVII	January 30, 1983	Washington Redskins^*	27–17	Miami Dolphins^†
XVIII	January 22, 1984	Los Angeles Raiders^†	38–9	Washington Redskins^*
XIX	January 20, 1985	San Francisco 49ers^*	38–16	Miami Dolphins^†
XX	January 26, 1986	Chicago Bears^*	46–10	New England Patriots^†
XXI	January 25, 1987	New York Giants^*	39–20	Denver Broncos^†
XXII	January 31, 1988	Washington Redskins^*	42–10	Denver Broncos^†
XXIII	January 22, 1989	San Francisco 49ers^*	20–16	Cincinnati Bengals^†
XXIV	January 28, 1990	San Francisco 49ers^*	55–10	Denver Broncos^†
XXV	January 27, 1991	New York Giants^*	20–19	Buffalo Bills^†
XXVI	January 26, 1992	Washington Redskins^*	37–24	Buffalo Bills^†
XXVII	January 31, 1993	Dallas Cowboys^*	52–17	Buffalo Bills^†
XXVIII	January 30, 1994	Dallas Cowboys^*	30–13	Buffalo Bills^†
XXIX	January 29, 1995	San Francisco 49ers^*	49–26	San Diego Chargers^†
XXX	January 28, 1996	Dallas Cowboys^*	27–17	Pittsburgh Steelers^†
XXXI	January 26, 1997	Green Bay Packers^*	35–21	New England Patriots^†
XXXII	January 25, 1998	Denver Broncos^†	31–24	Green Bay Packers^*
XXXIII	January 31, 1999	Denver Broncos^†	34–19	Atlanta Falcons^*
XXXIV	January 30, 2000	St. Louis Rams^*	23–16	Tennessee Titans^†
XXXV	January 28, 2001	Baltimore Ravens^†	34–7	New York Giants^*
XXXVI	February 3, 2002	New England Patriots^†	20–17	St. Louis Rams^*
XXXVII	January 26, 2003	Tampa Bay Buccaneers^*	48–21	Oakland Raiders^†
XXXVIII	February 1, 2004	New England Patriots^†	32–29	Carolina Panthers^*
XXXIX	February 6, 2005	New England Patriots^†	24–21	Philadelphia Eagles^*
XL	February 5, 2006	Pittsburgh Steelers^†	21–10	Seattle Seahawks^*
XLI	February 4, 2007	Indianapolis Colts^†	29–17	Chicago Bears^*
XLII	February 3, 2008	New York Giants^*	17–14	New England Patriots^†
XLIII	February 1, 2009	Pittsburgh Steelers^†	27–23	Arizona Cardinals^*
XLIV	February 7, 2010	New Orleans Saints^*	31–17	Indianapolis Colts^†
XLV	February 6, 2011	Green Bay Packers^*	31–25	Pittsburgh Steelers^†
XLVI	February 5, 2012	New York Giants^*	21–17	New England Patriots^†
XLVII	February 3, 2013	Baltimore Ravens^† San Francisco 49ers	—	To be determined (TBD)
XLVIII	February 2, 2014	2013–14 NFC Champion^* at 2013–14 AFC Champion^†	—	To be determined (TBD)
XLIX	February 1, 2015	2014–15 AFC Champion^† at 2014–15 NFC Champion^*	—	To be determined (TBD)

NFL^‡/NFC^* teams (25 wins) AFL^{^}/AFC^† teams (21 wins)

I think I can safely say I have watched almost all of them. Especially the ones where the New England Patriots played. But even when they didn’t, I would go to parties and while others watched the games and enjoyed appetizers, I would enjoy the food and watch the commercials.

So, what do I have on the menu for Hubby and I tomorrow? At noon I will make up a 7 layer Mexican dip and let is chill.

While that is going on, we’ll enjoy some Shrimp Cocktail and bread sticks.

At 3:30 we will enjoy the 7 Layer Dip. I’ll also pop the cork on some champagne, cheap of course! Then at 6:45 I will saute up the onions and peppers and the steak for Steak Fajitas! I haven’t made that in a while, so I’m very excited.

I will be so interested to see who wins this Super Bowl. I’m rooting for the Raven’s. I would like to see Michael Oher and his teammates all win and get Super Bowl rings!

Do you party on Super Bowl Sunday?