Savannah Rose

On Monday I drove down to babysit Savannah Rose. Mandy had asked me, as she had a doctor’s appointment. Well, you didn’t need to ask this grandma twice!

I got up really early because Greta was barking at the door to go out. I kept trying to get her to come back to bed, but eventually gave up. Her neck was bothering her and eventually I gave her some medication for that. She has two small discs back there, that bother her from time to time.

After that, I showered, dressed, made Hubby breakfast and was on the road by 8:20 AM!

It is amazing how much babies change at this time. When I walked in the door, Mandy was just doing a diaper change and getting her dressed for the day. After that I scooped her up to give her a bottle.

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She smiled and watched me and I told her all about the fact that I was her silly grandma, and I will be here to make her laugh all of her life.

Mandy left to go to her appointment and Savannah found a comfortable spot on my shoulder and fell asleep.

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She loves to watch everything, looking around at everything, and trying very hard to figure it all out. The brighter the color or the mobile moving above her makes her truly excited!

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Mandy is such a great Mom and she adores her baby girl! It warms my heart to see her with her baby!

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It was wonderful. I held her, I fed her, I changed her diaper, and eventually when her Mommy came home, we three girls went out for some lunch. I kept thinking that this was the first lunch that we three girls will share along the way.

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Soon it was time for me to head home. It always seems that these visits go way too fast. I hope, once again, to make the trip down and spend time with my daughter, and her daughter! Wow! This is just the best!!!

Beautiful Saturday!

It was a beautiful day on Saturday. Bright sunshine, blue skies and temperatures that were so perfect for an out door gathering.

We’d been invited to our neighbors birthday party, given by all five of her kids and grand-kids! Oh my goodness, the food was wonderful and the company even better!

I have watched my neighbor’s grandchildren grow over the last 12 years and they’re now in their teens and such interesting people!

I brought my grilled garden vegetables, with onions, basil and cherry tomatoes. I think it actually came out pretty well, and many people said it was great!

I’ve been noticing lately, how many people want to eat healthy vegetables. Of course, we topped it off with the most amazing chocolate mousse cake! It was three layers high, with the most luscious mousse filling! I loved it, but only ate half a piece. I came home and made sure that Hubby ate the rest.

Let’s face it…is anything chocolate, really bad?

My mouth is doing well, and I am finding I need less and less pain medication. I actually went 12 hours between doses today, so this is very good.

I’m due to go and babysit Savannah on Monday and spend time with Mandy, so I want to be done with the pain medications by then.

Fingers crossed!

This & That

On Thursday I went in and had my root canal done. Apparently I’m a weird person, as I had a few more canals in my tooth than most people do. Thus, my poor dentist and his assistant, spent over three hours working on my tooth. We all worried that there might be a crack in the tooth, but lucky for me, there was no crack, and they were able to save the tooth!

I came home full of Novocaine, and so I was able to have a light supper, before heading off to bed. However, at 1:00 in the morning, it all wore off and the full force of the pain hit. Not so much in the tooth, but in the jaw, which had been wide open during most of the three hours.

Motrin and a pain pill helped and I was able to get back to sleep, but I am being careful not to let the pain get the best of me.

All I can say is Yay, Yay, Yay, for saving the tooth!!!

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I was shocked and horrified to wake this morning and hear about the slaughtering of innocent movie go-ers out in Aurora, Colorado. One six year old child has reportedly been killed, and a four month old baby was injured. As well as twelve adults killed and fifty people injured.

All I can say is, what is wrong with people that they totally lose it that way? (I also have a question about why parents would bring their young kids to a midnight showing of a movie. I mean, come on people, they should have been home in bed!)

I sat here watching reports with Hubby, who is the big movie go-er in the family, and who is always dragging me along, I looked straight into his eyes and said…”Well, that’s it. No more movies until they come out on HBO” (Home Box Office).

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My sister comes home tomorrow from her vacation. I sure have missed her! I know she loves her beach time, and the time she spent with her grand-kids! But it sure will be good to have her back at home.

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Uschi has also been away on vacation, and gets home tomorrow! Yay! All my girls will be back for chat time with me!

Friday Fill-Ins

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And…here we go!

1. Staying active will keep you young and healthy.
2. Painless dentistry well, that would be nice!
3. The very thought of my family, brings such happiness into my heart and soul.
4. Savannah is so beautiful.

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5. I grew up in Falmouth, Massachusetts and I love the ocean and the beaches there.
6. A Wiener Schnitzel had I in Vienna, was my most memorable meal. It was the best Schnitzel ever!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to being quiet and resting my jaw, tomorrow my plans include the usual laundry and weekend house work and Sunday, I want to do a little cooking, not sure what yet.!

In The Hot Summertime

I was wondering what to make for dinner on Wednesday and Hubby had all sorts of ideas. You see, suddenly the garden has exploded with 4 zucchini and 5 summer squash! So I cooked up 2 summer squash and 1 zucchini, along with onions, garlic, basil, and a fresh green pepper from my garden. The result was a delicious saute of vegetables.

I also made a meatloaf, and potato salad.  It was easy, and we enjoyed every bite of it.

We’re still having very hot and humid weather, despite the thunder storms that moved through last night. I woke at 1:30 AM and the lightening was so vivid, I could see while I walked around the house unplugging things, like the TV and computers.

The dogs seem to know I have a sore tooth. Greta has been hanging very close to me all day, as well as Arnie and Anneliese. I sure am a lucky pup-mom!

One more day until I get my tooth fixed. So it is just a matter of grinning (?) and bearing it! (lol)

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. The Summer Olympics begin next week and London is playing host. If you had the chance to go in person which (non-Olympic) London site would you most like to visit?

That is tough because Hubby and I have spent time in London. I think the Victoria and Albert Museum, or perhaps the National Gallery. I love art and I love to gaze upon beautiful things.

2. What is something in your life right now that feels like an Olympic event?

Do we have to talk about the cleaning of my office again? Right now I have determined to buy a paper shredder, and then let lose in my office. I am too paper heavy in there and need to shred my way through.

3. What’s your favorite supper to prepare and serve when it’s too hot to cook?

Hamburgers, hotdogs, and potato salad with corn on the cob. If lobster is cheap, then lobster, corn on the cob and potato salad!

4. July 18th is National Get Out of the Doghouse Day…when was the last time you were ‘in the doghouse’?

I actually hate to be “in the doghouse” so I work really hard at being good. Every once in a while I open mouth and insert foot and…well you know, I get in trouble, but not recently.

5. What television advertisement do you find particularly irritating or inappropriate? You may not answer with ‘all of them’. I know some of you were thinking about it.

Right now we are in a battle ground state, politically. So each day we are bombarded with the most horrible political commercials. So I would have to say both parties are making me nuts!

6. Share one piece of interesting news from the year you were born.

1958 was truly an interesting year!

January 8 – 14-year-old Bobby Fischer wins the United States Chess Championship.

July 7-President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Alaska Statehood Act into United States law.

December 25 – Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker (the George Balanchine version) is shown on prime-time television in color for the first time, as an episode of the CBS anthology series Playhouse 90.

7. What’s the best part of your average day?

When Hubby and I sit down and have a drink and talk about 4-5 o’clock each day. It’s so nice to touch base with each other like that.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I just found out that on Friday I need to go in and have a root canal. I’ve had that toothache since last week and today I saw my dentist and he started me on antibiotics and I’ll see him on Friday.

Hot, Hot, Hot!

It was another VERY hot and VERY humid day here in New Hampshire. Hubby is not the one who usually puts the air conditioning on in the morning, but today when I got up at 8:15, the air conditioning was on all over the house!

Hubby had made the coffee, and as I sat sipping my first cup of the day, I wondered, just how hot will it get?

About 3 PM, we topped out at 100 degrees (f) on our patio. The worst part is, tomorrow is supposed to be hotter! Can you believe that? And still, no rain!!!

Hubby has been watering his fruit trees and I water the garden and the patio potted plants to keep them going, but this sure isn’t easy.

Meanwhile the dogs, including Fritz, have been staying inside with the cool air conditioning. Smart doggies!

I did not feel like using the oven to cook tonight, so we’re having spaghetti noodles with two different toppings. Hubby is having a chili spaghetti sauce and I am having pesto, which I love!

Tuesday we’re going to a retirement party for our friend, Peter. His wife Laurie is my good friend, and so it should be a lot of fun!

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Ribs!

Sunday Hubby and I treated ourselves to some Babyback Ribs!

The night before (or at least 4 hours before you cook):
1. Thoroughly wash, rinse, and pat dry the ribs
2. Remove the membrane off the back of the ribs, if still on.
This is an important step as it allows the flavors to penetrate the ribs. Take a small knife, pierce it on the back (bone) side of the ribs and slowly lift up to pop a hole in the membrane and remove the entire membrane.
3. Rub the ribs thoroughly with the Dry Rub.
(I use my hands and thoroughly rub in the rub with my hands until completely coated)
4. Seal the ribs for marinating.
Following is the way that I prepare the ribs (if you feel uncomfortable using the plastic wrap, completely seal using heavy-duty aluminum foil).
– Wrap in the ribs in a high-quality plastic wrap (this may take two coats). This method produces the best ribs that will fall off the bones.
– Wrap again using heavy-duty aluminum foil, completely sealing in the ribs
5. Place the ribs in the refrigerator and allow to marinate overnight (at least 4 hours minimum)
6. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
7. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and place on a cookie sheet (preferably on top a wire rack) and place in the oven
8. Cook for 2 ½ hours (depending on the size of your ribs. This recipe is based on a full rack of ribs. The ribs should be very tender and ready to fall of the bones).
9. Remove and leave rest 15 minutes. Unwrap the ribs (watch the steam!) and allow to rest 15 minutes to absorb the flavors and cool
10. Prepare your grill for cooking
11. Place the ribs on the grill over high heat, let cook for 5 minutes, then turn the ribs over and cook for 5 minutes more.
12. Thoroughly brush the ribs with the Traditional Barbecue Sauce and flip the ribs. Coat the other side with sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Repeat this process twice.
13. Coat the top side one more time with sauce, remove, and Enjoy!

I did a video a couple of years ago on how I do them. So I will stick it in here so you can see.

Making the Ribs from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

Good Ribs from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

Teeth

This is day three of my tooth ache. Or should I say teeth ache? The teeth on the left side of my mouth just plain hurt!

I used a little Brandy last night to get some sleep, but it wasn’t enough. I wound up waking at 3 AM, with throbbing in my face!

My dentist is in on Tuesday, so I will call right at 8:30 and get an appointment. I just hope that I do not need a root canal, or anything else.

Saturday was another incredibly hot day. In fact, at this point I think we are well into a drought. I cannot remember when we had any substantial rain. Our grass is brown and crunchy and we have to actually water the fruit trees as well as the garden.

So I am doing a rain dance, and hoping for some better weather. Light rain at night, and moderate temperatures during the day.