The Dackel Princess

And…here we go!

1. How can I finish packing and load the car up, when I am so very tired? Guess I will have to figure it out.

2. I don’t like sea weed and never have.

3. My hair is a little wild and crazy right now.

4. I’m going to my High School reunion on Cape Cod, so I can enjoy the beaches and spend some time with my cousin.

5. My favorite summer fruits watermelon. I love to cut it up into chunks and chill it and serve! Yum!!!

6. Quite often, the dogs bark, scare me and have me wondering…what was that?

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to an afternoon on the beach and drinks on the Cape with some former classmates and my cousin Janet, tomorrow my plans include going to the beach, and to the reunion dinner and Sunday, I want to go to the beach one more time, before Janet and I head home!

I’m counting down the days until I leave for a trip to Cape Cod. You all know that I grew up there, and mostly I do not think about it. I don’t miss it. But for some unknown reason, this year I have found my heart yearning for the Cape, for Falmouth, where I spent the first 20 years of my life, and gave birth to both of my children.

Monday morning I climbed up into our attic and found my long forgotten beach chairs. I mean, who uses beach chairs in the mountains of New Hampshire? I found my beach blanket, and I scored my beach umbrella as well! I have a great cooler, and plan to spend as much time as I can on the beach with Janet. Of course on Saturday night I go to my High School Reunion, and I want to drive by the houses I once lived in, but most of all, I want to be at the beach.

My beach! Surf Drive Beach!!!

Growing up it was a quick five minute walk from my house and of all the beaches in the world, Surf Drive Beach is my “Home Beach”!

It’s where I learned to swim, played freely and wildly, learned to dive off the raft and later as a teen, it is where I met up with my friends and boys I went to school with. I took my girls there as well, when they were babies.

I got out my suit case and started to pack it, giving Hubby a fashion show of my new dress. He loved it! I love it as well. I feel really pretty in it!

Can you tell I am excited?

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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Since I do not want to relive Friday night’s nightmare dinner, I will simply say, see below for a recount of my cooking disaster.

Saturday was a really fun day. Each year I do to the local Greek Church and help with their Greek Festival. The day was bright sunshine, warm temperatures and a gentle breeze that kept us cool.

My job is to sell the fruit bars and the apple and cherry turnovers. I got there early and there were already people waiting to be served. I donned my apron, and  started filling up boxes with my goodies. We had lemon, fig, raspberry and date squares. All hand made by the ladies of the church. Hubby’s favorite are the lemon, so I put one bar away for him right at the start!

Also on our line up of dessert type foods was, Baklava, Kourabiedes, Melomakarona, Kataifi, Bougatsa, plus Spanakopita! People had their boxes filled until there was no more room and then a new box was filled.

As soon as they finished with our line they got into another line for lamb shanks, sliced lamb, rice and gravy, Pastichio, stuffed grape leaves, greek salads and Greek sausages! All made by the men and women of the church! And all very delicious!!!

I see the same people come back each year. That’s one of the nicest parts. Remember when you were a child and there various types of festivals that you would attend in your home town? I loved those so much, and sadly it seems there are fewer and fewer as the years go by.

I arrived home, exhausted, but happily so, and Hubby and I had a small, late dinner. The end of a perfect Saturday!

Sunday found me trying to get into gear. I had cleaning and laundry to do, as well as pick vegetables in my garden. Once picked I had roasted eggplant for lunch, and then blanched, dried and bagged 3 pounds of green beans to freeze for the winter!

I’ve got a small steak for our dinner tonight, a few green beans and maybe a baked potato. Something easy, as I still have ironing to do, as I get ready for my Cape Cod trip at the end of the week!

On Friday night I was humbled by a cooking disaster. I had worked hard to make the baby back ribs, but it turns out they were cut unevenly, so when I cooked them my special way, they did not cook at the fat ends, all the way through! One rack was not affected this way, but sadly the other ones were. I was so mad at myself. I should have seen it and I should have cooked them longer.

My next disaster was trying to make a blueberry cake and having TWO of them only raise up 1 inch! I couldn’t figure out what was wrong! Then it dawned on me…I haven’t baked in three years because I am on Weight Watchers. Chances are very good my Baking Powder was flat.

The one good thing is that my potato salad came out very well, and our fresh green beans tasted so sweet and yummy! Still I was angry that the other two items were not my best effort.

Saturday I woke and after breakfasting, off I went to the Greek Festival, where I work every year helping my neighbor. We had perfect weather, a large crowd and at the end of the day, there was almost no food items left!

I came home feeling tired and happy, and sat down with my feet up, sipping tea. Just one more thing left to accomplish today (dinner for Hubby), and then I am off for the rest of the night!

And…here we go!

1. Summer is is flying by.

2. The love in my heart is unchanged and those I love may not realize how much they are loved.

3. Aargh! I opened a cabinet door into my mouth and cut my lip. (Just a little!).

4. I get up, making the coffee and walking the dogs in the morning.

5. Seven: UP.

6. Love is all that matters, don’t you think?

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to grilling baby-back ribs with friends, tomorrow my plans include working at a Greek Festival with my neighbor and Sunday, I want to collapse!

This week’s Thursday Thirteen is about the last 3 and a half years of my life and what I have been doing. So, sit back with your coffee and here goes.

1. Hubby and I took a trip through the Panama Canal. It was a great trip, except when I started looking at the pictures taken of me, I realized I had gotten pretty heavy!
2. The cruise was in November. So when we returned, I decided to enjoy the holidays, and then starting the following January, I would go to Weight Watchers.
3. I remember going to my first class and weighing in. I am vein enough, that I will not tell you how much I weighed, but I will tell you that I cried as I stood there on the scale.
4. I weighed and measured everything. I lived and breathed the plan.
5. A year later I reached my goal! I felt like a new woman! (I was close to 60 pounds lighter!)
6. That was the beginning of the end.
7. I started to believe that I had licked my weight problem.
8. I ate treats and snacks and fried foods like crazy.
9. And we won’t even mention the fine German beer I had when I was visiting with Uschi.
10. Before I knew what hit me, my Dad passed, and I went to class and I had gained 14 pounds.
11. I kept going. Everyone was so wonderful and supportive.
12. For an entire year I fought the battle. Up and down, but really not getting anywhere
13. Until today. I reached my goal! I am back where I should be and I am going to do it long term! I know the facts of life this time and I am willing to do the work to stay there!