November 2012 – The Dackel Princess

Friday Fill-Ins

And…here we go!

1. Why is it that you always forget one thing to buy at the grocery store, and when you go back for that one thing, you buy six?.
2. How on earth did my pants suddenly go from fitting me perfectly to being super tight, that’s what I want to know!
3. Hold on I’m making a nice stir fry now and we can eat in a minute. (It was very good!).
4. Christmas will be here very soon.
5. Do you set up Christmas decorations even though your kids are all grown up?.
6. I live, I laugh, and I love.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to watching more movies through Amazon Prime, tomorrow my plans include working on the Christmas letter and Sunday, I want to address Christmas cards!

This & That Thursday

I am so tired. I was up for two hours the other night with Anneliese. She was not feeling well at all. Plus she was violently shaking her head. I suspected she had a problem/infection with her ears. They smelled very bad, so after Hubby got up on Tuesday morning (he slept until almost 10 AM!), I called our Vet. No doctor was on call, so I ended up taking Anneliese to the other Vet location.

I saw a lady Vet. Dr. M. She had done Anneliese’s spaying surgery. In any case, I liked her very much, and indeed, Anneliese had a yeast infection in both ears! The doctor cleaned her ears and then put in the medication. She will need to have the drops instilled twice a day.

While I was there I talked with the receptionist. I discovered that their office is open 6 days a week. Since the woman I liked at the other office left her practice, I am not happy that they only have a Vet 2 days a week! So today I moved their records to the Laconia Office, and Dr. M.

So now I am off to an early bed and I promise to be a little more diligent with my blogging.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Which do you prefer-pretty gift wrap with a bow or a pretty gift bag with/without a bow? What percentage of your holiday gifts are currently (as in right this very minute) wrapped in some form or fashion?

I love wrapping paper. The good old fashioned kind! I have my Germany presents wrapped and will mail them off today! Yay me!

2. What is one item on your Christmas list this year?

I want to go out and buy a Barbie Doll and bring it in to the Marine’s pick up area. I’ll be doing this in Katie’s memory.

3. What makes a home?

The love within the four walls. Since Hubby and I are on second marriages, we know that above all, having love is the most important thing of all. Many people feel that things make the difference. However, it is just not true. Trust me on this!

4. Motown founder Berry Gordy celebrates his birthday on Hodgepodge Day-November 28th. Are you a fan of the Motown sound? If so, who’s your favorite Motown artist and/or song? Here’s a list in case you’re stuck.

Some. But I grew up loving the Beatles, The Carpenters, and (I admit), David Cassidy and the Partridge Family!

5. Red or green-which one is more prevalent in your closet?

Red. I really do not look good in green. It causes my skin to look sickly. Ever heard of the saying “Feeling Green”?

6. True or false-bacon makes it better? If you answered true, what’s your favorite dish made with bacon?

Oh gosh, I love bacon, but as I get older, it doesn’t like me! So I tend to use it a lot less. I do love it cooked crisply with over easy eggs! Yum!

7. Share a favorite holiday memory.

My favorite Christmas memory is Christmas 1976. My daughter was born on December 20th.

I had just gotten home from the hospital with my first born baby, Amanda Mae. I remember thinking that I had gotten the greatest gift of my life. This perfect, beautiful, healthy, baby girl Yes, it doesn’t get any better than that.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

To all of you who have been following my closet dilemma, I finally finished cleaning it on Monday! It’s amazing how out of control it had gotten. As I stood in the middle of the closet, prior to starting the cleaning, I felt I was in the middle of my boat after being tossed about in a Nor’easter! It seemed that nothing was where it should have been, and my Christmas count hopelessly lost. Now, the closet contents are folded, stacked and beautiful! How long it will remain this way is anyone’s guess!

Tangy Herb Pork Roast

Ready In: 3 Hours 20 Minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 (5 pound) boneless pork loin
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a bowl, combine sage, salt, pepper, and garlic. Rub thoroughly all over pork. Place pork in an uncovered roasting pan on the middle oven rack.
3. Bake in the preheated oven approximately 3 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), depending upon your desired doneness.
4. Meanwhile, place sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, water, and soy sauce in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken slightly. Brush roast with glaze three or four times during the last 1/2 hour of cooking. Pour remaining glaze over roast, and serve.

Hubby and I just love this recipe. Tonight I am making salmon, and I may use this same glaze!

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 weekend was a crazy one. After Thanksgiving, it was the usual reorganization of the house, after having it all in pieces for the big day.

Massive amounts of turkey soup was made, and since we were starting to feel overwhelmed with the turkey, I froze most of it!

I was given some venison, and so on Sunday night I made braised venison for our dinner. Yum!

I feel like I am finally getting caught up, and I even have kicked back a bit and relaxed. On Saturday night I read for well over an hour before my eyes got tired and I fell asleep.

Sunday found me watching a bunch of old movies, including “On Golden Pond”, which was filmed in the next town. I have hiked a trail up, so we could look down upon Squam Lake, which is also known as Golden Pond.

I love that movie!

So the weekend is nearly over and I think I will watch “The Good Wife” later on, and then off to bed with me!

Happy Monday Everyone!!!

What Day Is It?

I know everyone who works a 5 day week enjoys it when we have a 3 or 4 day weekend. They can rest and relax and maybe even have a get away.

However, if you are an empty nester, and retired, a 3 or 4 day weekend leads to confusion! Is today Sunday or Monday or what? No? It’s Saturday? Oh my, I sure am confused.

While some people took Friday and Saturday to break down the doors of department stores and malls everywhere, I stayed home. I did laundry and cooked and cleaned a bit. Nothing too strenuous.

We watched a western movie with Kevin Costner and Annette Benning, and Law and Order SVU. We also watched the annual Football overload games. I love our local team, the Patriots, but hour upon hour, upon hour of college football, is not my thing. Thank goodness for my Kindle!

Well, one more weekend day and a new week will begin.

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Black Friday

The month of November has never been a great one for me, diet wise. I have my birthday (and cake) and then my favorite holiday…Thanksgiving! Need I say more! Nothing is guaranteed to help me gain weight, like a month packed with eating orgies!

On Thanksgiving night, I looked at the pictures taken and I knew. I knew I could not fool myself any longer about the weight I had gained this fall!

Now before I go off the deep end and gain back everything I have lost at Weight Watchers, when I woke on Friday morning, I made a resolution.

Today is the first day back on the Points Plus Plan!

Yes, it is “Black Friday”…Diet Wise!

I was so unhappy with how I looked. And previously, I had made excuses about my weight. Oh, I am big boned. Or (this is my personal favorite) I have a slow metabolism.

The plain fact is, I eat the wrong things, and too much of them. So, this morning I had a single egg, with two slices of diet toast and half a grapefruit.

The hardest part for me is not the first week. Usually I do well at that time. The hardest part is the next week. I find it so hard to follow through. However, I am determined! I will do this!

I will do this for me!

Friday Fill-Ins

And…here we go!

1. Oh, I am so tired after cooking the Thanksgiving meal. I wonder how much more tired I would be if I didn’t have Hubby, Dave and Isaiah helping me before and Janet after.
2. Hands down, it was the chestnut stuffing. Second was the brussel sprouts with onion, bacon and chestnuts was my favorite part of the big meal yesterday.
3. Where does Arnie disappear to when he is in the field. One moment he is gone and the next he pokes his head up, as if to say hello!
4. The plum pudding was filled with dried fruit.
5. This weather is giving me chapped lips and hands. I guess winter is here.
6. Health, happiness and love; these are some of the things I wish for my loved ones.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to some down time. In fact this weekend aside from doing laundry I plan nothing else. I’m really over tired, tomorrow my plans include again, very little and Sunday, I want to organize the leftovers!

Thanksgiving

Wednesday was preparing day.
There was a lot of organizing.
Dave and Isaiah came and the chopping began.
Onions and celery, and carrots. Chestnuts were roasted and opened and then broken up for the dressing and the brussel sprouts.
I made a great new recipe for pork loin roast.
I wasn’t sure we would like it, but it came out well.
I am posting it below.
I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving.
I hope you are surrounded by your loved ones, be they family or friends.
Be sure to enjoy that which is special.
The things that say Thanksgiving
I’m doing a 1/4 cup of my favorite dinner dishes
I’ll report tomorrow.

Herb-Rubbed Roasted Pork Loin

“Herb-rubbed roasted pork loin with a sweet, tangy glaze.”
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 (5 pound) boneless pork loin

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a bowl, combine sage, salt, pepper, and garlic. Rub thoroughly all over pork. Place pork in an uncovered roasting pan on the middle oven rack.
3. Bake in the preheated oven approximately 3 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), depending upon your desired doneness.
4. Meanwhile, place sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, water, and soy sauce in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken slightly. Brush roast with glaze 3 or 4 times during the last 1/2 hour of cooking. Pour remaining glaze over roast, and serve.