Lucky Lady

I was up early, made a quick breakfast and then hopped in my car and headed off to spend the day with my daughter. Do you all know how much fun it is to have a grown up daughter? For those of you who do, isn’t it great? For those of you whose kids are still growing, just wait! It gets really good!!!

I arrived at her place about 9:30, patted my grand kitties, and then we dropped her car off for service. Next, we headed to the mall. Neither one of us had been to this particular mall in years, and aside from Macy’s and Starbucks (yes, I was brave enough to go inside and get a cup of coffee!) the mall was a real disappointment.

However, I got a few tops at Macy’s on sale for $9.99 each and a dress, as well as a cute skirt.

Then we were off to the LL Bean Outlet, where I got the cutest blouse, and then decided I should look for some new hiking boots. So, I went back to the shoe section and began hunting for some comfortable boots. The first and second pair felt horrible and quickly went back on the shelf, but the third pair fit perfectly and felt like bedroom slippers! I looked at the price and it read:

$9999.99!!!!

Sept 4 003

Now that is some hefty price for hiking boots! I Took them up to the check out counter and asked the girl if this was the real price? And if it was, was it perhaps because they were magical boots? LOL!

Yes, it was a tremendous mistake that took several minutes to figure out. In the end they were $81.99, a much more manageable price! They came home with me too.

The best part part of my day though, was sitting at Bugaboo Creek having lunch with my daughter. For that hour it was just us talking, and enjoying each other. I really am a lucky lady.

I dropped her off to get her car and then headed home late in the afternoon. My ride didn’t seem so long because my friend Gail and I got a chance to talk on our cell phones and play catch up on life. Gail and I have been best friends since we were 13 years old! We met at summer camp. This is our 35th year of friendship!

When I arrived home, Hubby and the pups were all so happy to see me. Greta even sang me a sweet doggy song, then Hubby took me out for fish and chips. That was great too.

Now I am ending my day, in my pajamas with Greta by my side, thinking I am one very lucky lady.

Meeting Mitt & Ann Romney

Early on Monday morning (Labor Day) Hubby and I joined our neighbors, Jim and Laura and we drove to a nearby restaurant where Mitt and Ann Romney were meeting people. The restaurant also has a wonderful breakfast menu, so we arrived early enough to have omelets and home fries and toast before the guests of honor arrived.

One of the really great things about living in New Hampshire is that we can go and meet the candidates. We have the first Primary in the country and so the candidates really make an effort to come here and meet people.

We were not disappointed. Mitt and his lovely wife Ann arrived just as we finished the last bites of our breakfast and suddenly the room was alive. People stood and applauded and they moved through the crowd speaking to each person and shaking their hand.

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Mitt and Ann. Photo by Hubby.

They got to us and Laura snapped this picture. Hubby was telling Mitt about how he had met Henry Cabot Lodge when he was running for President back in the 1960’s and that he hoped Mitt did better than Henry had. Mitt smiled and said that he hoped so too! I was telling Ann that I had heard her speak recently about family values and that I greatly admired her.

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Hubby, me (bad picture) our friend Jim, Mitt and Ann.

They are such a devoted couple, which is nice to see. As I watched them, their care for each other was evident, but never forced. I came away feeling as if I had met some truly nice people.

I have never said anything political on Dackel Princess and I won’t now, except to tell you that I am a registered Independent voter. I am hoping that at this next Presidential election people will look at the moral character of the people running for this office, as well as their ability to handle our country in this complex world.

Labor Day Thoughts

It’s a holiday weekend here in the USA. It’s Labor Day. The official end to the summer. We live in an area that is popular with summer guests. They arrive the last weekend in May, which is Memorial Day and seem to flood our streets, stores and parks until Labor Day.

I grew up on Cape Cod, with it’s narrow streets and back roads, but truly lovely beaches. People come by the thousands to enjoy their time on “the Cape”. Those of us that lived there year round, always looked forward to the end of summer when life would return to normal, and now here I am in New Hampshire, faced with the same tourist problems.

I used to get all upset about it, but then I realized that I was really the lucky one. I get to live here year round! The tourists only see it in the summer. To live here and witness the autumn, the winter and the spring is fantastic!

So today when Hubby and I went out to get a few things at the store and we were stuck in traffic and then had to wait in long lines I just smiled, feeling happier than I have in a while.

I’m living with the man of my dreams, in the most beautiful part of New Hampshire and we not only have our home, but 4 pretty nice dogs to keep us company.

It doesn’t get any better than this!

A Beautiful But Odd Day!

After some really awful hot and humid weather, a cold front moved through, bringing with it cool dry air and bright sunny skies. As is common with the passing of a cold front, today also was a tad windy, but it was a gentle breeze that made you feel good.

Hubby and I were up early to go off and get a few errands done. He had a tire problem to solve and I had some unmentionable clothing problems to solve.

Hubby dropped me at the Outlet Mall and then he headed off to the tire center. I was a wee bit early so I sat talking to a woman about nothing in particular, just enjoying being out in the wonderful weather.

Soon the stores opened and I stopped in to get some new underwear. Usually I get boring old white in the style I like, but today they had these funky colors that I can only describe as watermelon color. One watermelon flesh color, one green and one sort of yellowish. Pretty, but definitely wild and totally unlike what I usually wear. So for the next year or so I’ll be feeling funky even if no one can see why!

Then I went to another store to buy something I really hate to buy, but well, I’m a woman, over 40 and let’s face it. There are certain areas of my body that need help staying up.

The very kind sales lady offered to measure me. She asked what size I’d been wearing. I told her. She laughed.

Then she took a tape measure and began to measure me in all sorts of places that I don’t always let Hubby touch! Her judgment? I was seriously undersizing my unmentionable area.

She brought me several of these items. I tried them on and realized that the “girls” were not the same size or shape, nor had they stayed where God had actually placed them twenty or so years ago.

I stood there staring at my former perky friends, and it dawned on me.

Gravity!

Need I say more?

Zucchini Bread

Here is a great way to use up all that zucchini that is overflowing in your garden.

Preheat oven to 350

You will need:

o 3 Large eggs
o 2 cups sugar (1 brown, 1 white)
o 2 cups grated zucchini
o 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
o 1 cup vegetable oil
o 3 cups flour
o 1 teaspoon salt
o 1 teaspoon baking soda
o 1 teaspoon baking powder
o 3 teaspoon cinnamon
o 1 teaspoon allspice
o 1 teaspoon orange peel

Beat eggs until foamy. Add sugars, oil, zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and allspice and add to egg mixture. Stir well and add orange peel. Spray 2 – 9X5 Inch loaf pans with non-stick spray. Split evenly between pans, bake at 350 for one hour or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Thunder…

Tonight was an interesting night. I made dinner a little late, but oh my, it was good. I made sauteed scallops, with fresh asparagus and potato salad. Just about the time that we finished eating I noticed the sky getting very dark. After a 92 degree day, it was no surprise that a thunderstorm was on its way.

I turned on the weather channel and saw we were under a severe thunder storm warning, so I went around and shut down all the high tech stuff. Computers, satellite dish, and printer.

Then as the storm grew closer, we shut off the TV and went out onto our screened in/glassed in porch where we could sit and watch the storm go by in safety and of course, completely dry.

All four dogs joined us and the puppies played while the thunder rumbled. Fritz, big, lovable sweetie that he is lay across Hubby’s foot and Greta paced around until she realized that now was her chance to get all the bones, so she returned to the family room and collected them all in my chair.

The rain fell in a heavy sheet, that lasted for some time. Our parched lawn finally being fed some delicious water from the sky! No matter how hard you try to keep it watered, in 92 degree heat, it just cooks the grass.

The storms passed and now we are in and winding down from the day. But it was a good day and it has ended in such a nice way, with a shower and cooler weather forecast for the holiday weekend.

Thursday Thirteen #51

Thursday 13

Things I Did Today

1. Got up and walked the dogs.
2. Made breakfast and cleaned it up.
3. Put on the double batch of Heavenly Jam (peach) to cook. (It took about three hours)
4. Got the canning jars out and in a pot to boil and sanitize.
5. Pitted 3 pounds of plums and chopped them up to make jam.
6. Did four loads of laundry.
7. Made a potato salad to have with lunch.
8. Made pita pocket sandwiches to go with the potato salad.
9. Had lunch.
10. Canned the Heavenly Jam. 15 jars!
11. Cleaned up the kitchen and started the plums to cook.
12. Canned 10 jars of Plum Jam! My favorite!
13. Made stuffed zucchini for dinner and cleaned it up!

Peaches, Plums & Pickles

It’s our really busy time of year right now. All the fruit and vegetables are coming in and we must quickly can them. So today was a really busy day for us. I started out by making my Moon Glow pickles. We canned 12 pints! Secretly, I think this is my first really good batch. Not that the others haven’t been tasty, but today I felt the magic in my slotted spoon!

Then Emily came over and we worked on peeling peaches getting them ready for making Heavenly Jam. Hubby and I have been pleased with past batches, but we feel that something isn’t quite right with the recipe. It was his mother’s recipe and she passed away before she could tell us her secret. Maybe this year we can get it just right!

Emily left to go to her soccer practice, and so Hubby helped me peel more peaches so we could make Brandied Peaches! We put up 8 pints of them and I think that will be it for this year.

The Castleton Plums are so sweet and ripe, you could sit down and just eat one after another and probably make yourself seriously sick, but they are so good. Hubby has picked 35 pounds of them and I think tomorrow I will be making plum jam. Of all the jams and jellies we make, I think this is my favorite.

Dinner was a roasted pork loin, zucchini and summer squash and boiled new potatoes. Just as we were finishing up, Em came in and had dessert with us and then she wanted to take the dogs swimming at the beach. I was so tired, but her youthful enthusiasm got to me and soon I was pulling (and tugging and pulling some more) on my swim suit and off we went to the beach.

Four dogs and two people was a bit much, but soon Hubby came down and then I was able to relax and actually swim with the puppies. The first time I have been in the water all year.

When I got out of the water with the dogs they got completely covered with sand and so did I! When we got home Hubby took turns hosing down each dog with water and once they were all done, then I stood there and he got me as well!

Now I am in my pajamas, watching the Red Sox play baseball against the Yankees, and putting my feet up. A long day, but a very good one!

A Dress

I need a dress.

Now I never wear dresses anymore. Up here in New Hampshire I find my general mode of dress to be jeans and either turtlenecks in the winter and t-shirts in the summer. Occasionally I’m forced to wear a skirt and then it is a jean skirt.

I’m simply a casual sort of girl. I mean, why buy a fancy dress when you are going to have four dogs jump all over it? Jeans work fine for me.

However, we’re going to an event and I need a dress. Now I enjoy shopping for dresses about as much as I enjoy shopping for dress pants, bathing suits or shorts. It’s just not on my top ten list of “fun” things to do, but do it I must.

I wonder what sort of style I should go for. Quiet and conservative? That’s what I usually go for and then I’m not happy with the end result. Perhaps I should try something a little bold and daring. Show a little cleavage!

I can see it now. Me and Hubby on the dance floor in my new dress dancing the night away.

Hmmmmm. Maybe getting a new dress could be a good thing.