Category: Family & Friends

To My dearest friend, Volker, Happy Birthday!!

The children are back and have been down several times to play with the dogs. It’s so wonderful to see the dogs playing so happily with the kids. Matina especially, is so good with them. She would do well in a junior handlers program, showing dogs.

Hubby and I barbecued out on Friday night. We prepared the shish kebabs again, but this time we made up a few all vegetable skewars. Fresh summer squash and zuchini from my garden, red onion and a cut up eggplant. I had marinated the entire lot on the Kebab marinade, and I am here to report that it was extremely yummy! Especially the eggplant. In fact the eggplant was so good that I have decided to plant some in our garden next year.
The recipe for the kebab marinade can be found under my cooking section.

We sat out on the patio and ate our dinner. It was so quiet and peaceful and a pleasant way to spend a Friday night. Even the dogs were good little pups.
I had written an entire post about some of my pet peeves. In the blink of an eye Pfft! It was gone. I take this to mean that the Blogging Fairy didn’t approve of the subject matter.

So on this hot, humid and hazy Sunday I plan to do what all intelligent people do. Not a whole lot. I’ll read the Sunday newspaper, maybe go for a quick swim and most of all, enjoy the air conditioners, God Bless them!

I have decided to catch you all up on the latest from New Hampshire. I feel like so much has happened in the last week that I have been somewhat remiss in sharing. So I will go back to Sunday and work forward.
I did mention that my childhood friend, Gail came for a visit. But because I didn’t have a picture of the event I had to wait until she got home and sent them to me. So here I am with Gail, whom I have known since I was 13 years old, and trust me, that is a very, very long time!

Monday, I had hoped for a little down time, but it was not to be. I had errands to run and groceries to get and cooking to do. Of course, it all made Tuesday such a success, that I can’t complain. I really enjoyed having everyone come for the Fourth of July, and grazing on all the delicious food, made the day a lazy, relaxed, and comfortable day.

Wednesday I was once again trying to catch up. There was cleaning to do, and then the usual stuff, like meals to cook, bills to pay and the garden to work in. In fact when my daughter called to firm up plans for Thursday, I was so out of it, I actually thought it was still Tuesday and I would have a day off before my drive down to her place. I had to laugh at myself, but holidays do that to me.
Thursday, not only did I spend time with my daughter, Amanda and my former mother in-law, but I got to spend time with my grand-kittys! I have three. Cleo, who is a bit shy, Maestro, her brother who is a big beautiful black and white boy, and Ortez who is gray and white and really loves his Grammy! Ortez is the baby and still full of wonderful wild energy!

Amanda & Maestro, me & Ortez
Friday we headed over to have Hubby’s knees examined. This was his first post operative appointment. I am happy to report that all went well. Hubby is released for the next three months, with promises that he will not do things like kneel for a while, (I have screamed at him about this already!) or should he simply have to kneel he must get some “Miss Lewinsky” knee pads to use!

Hubby’s latest x-rays.
Saturday I devoted to weeding the garden. I have not been very good about it and there was a lot to do. I spent about 2 hours simply pulling them out, and now the garden is looking great. I need to mention that we have now eaten our first two summer squash, fresh from the garden, tossed in a pan with butter and onions and basil, and today we picked our first cucumber! The joy that gardening brings is definitely when you serve it all up on a plate!

And to end this post I will make note that today Greta flushed out a Mama and baby ducky. She did not hurt them, but simply flushed them from the bushes. Still when I heard Hubby hollering at her I ran full speed up the hill and discovered I am not nearly as young and fit as I once was! Greta was carried home by me, and I let her know that she is not to scare Mummy like that again. A person could die of heart failure!
You may all stop giggling now!

Thursday I spent the day with two of my favorite people. My beautiful daughter, Amanda, and my former mother-in-law, Alice. We celebrated Alice’s birthday a little early and went out for lunch. We met before lunch at Amanda’s place and sat around drinking coffee and chatting up a storm. It felt so good and so comfortable, we three women with this familial connection. Of course legally Alice isn’t related to me at all, but in my heart she always will be. She was a wonderful mother-in-law to me and we have remained friends. Best of all, she has been an outstanding grandmother to my daughter. I couldn’t have asked for better.

I’ve always read those e-mail things that go around about wonderful, strong, women.
Thursday we all had lunch together.

Sunday was hot, humid and hazy.Typical summer weather. Usually, I could care less about the heat in the summer, now that Hubby has air-conditioners installed in every window through out the house. On a 90 degree day, we can keep the house nice and dry and comfortable. Somehow today, despite the air-conditioning, I remained hot. (menopause?)
Today my best friend from my childhood came with her family. I have known Gail since we attended a Christian Summer Camp when we were 13 years old. I’d been looking forward to this since the spring when she told me they were going to Nova Scotia for vacation. I knew that to get there, they had to either come through here going or coming!

On their way home they stopped and spent the afternoon. We had a great cookout, christening Hubby’s new grill,

and ate a wonderful feast of summertime foods. Hot-dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, stuffed eggs, vegetables with dip and yes, my world famous, (okay, my Hubby’s favorite!) Strawberry Rhubard pie.

We talked and joked around and had the best time. It felt so relaxing to just sit and enjoy the porch, the people and the meal.
All too soon they had to leave to head for home. I hope they come back soon.
Even Greta had a good time.