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I'M Back

Ok, enough is enough .

Let's get this election over and done with so I can get on with my life. It's starting to feel like the OJ trial only longer

. I have heard McCain and Palin's stump speeches so many times, I think I could stand in for either of them in a pinch.

And what's up with Joe the plumber,??? McCain's hero, who is not licensed, has a lien on his house and and out of state driver's license...HELLO. he only makes 40 grand a year so all this talk about his Taxes are BS.. And how amusing is it that he didn't even show up for the rally he was scheduled to attend on his candidate's behalf. Quite an endorsement John.

I guess his new agent had something to do with that, and maybe that is why he is so concerned now that he is a rock star and maybe climbing into a new tax bracket. Let's hope he gets high enough that he can enjoy the breaks tha the wealthy receive.

And the tax issue...what does it matter anymore now that ALL OF US got hosed by the banking industry and Wall Street . Taxes are going up regardless of who takes office.

My fear is that after Tuesday, I won't have any thing to watch on TV.

My name is Leslie and I approve this message

Jim and I had dinner Tuesday night with 2 old friends from High school. Irene, who was my best friend and his Girl friend, and BJ , who was also one of our pals. She and Jim were voted MOST FUN LOVING.

They made a special trip to see Jim because we missed our 45th re union when he was in the hospital. Irene also was here to visit her sister who lives nearby in Millsboro.

Irene is currently living in California with her husband. They have moved many times with his Company, from Manhattan, to Boston to Denver and now south of LA.
BJ lives in Harford County with her husband. Everyone has children and Grand children, including me:-)
We had a great time reminiscing and laughing about old times, and sharing our stories of a 45 year gap.. the good, the bad and the ugly.
It provoked a lot of old feelings and memories of the past, all the double dates we went on, days we hooked school together, making out at the drive in, our trips tp OC. I even took the Trailways Bus to College Park on Friday after work, to spend the weekend with Irene and Jim at UofM. Then we drifted apart and into our own worlds. I did see Jim occasionally after I was married, but he also disappeared and turned up at our 30th reunion.
I hope they stay in touch with us now that we have connected again.

Atlanta Trip

I am really getting excited to see the baby He is so cute and cuddly. And that Gabe, such a Daddy.( Can you imagine Pop Pop being that involved? ) It made him seem more real when I saw the moving pictures. He is adorable even if he does have a weird name :-).


If it weren't for David Sedaris appearing on Sunday, I would have changed my reservations, but I didn't want to leave Jim stranded with 2 tickets and no one that we know who has ever heard of him.


So I still plan on arriving on Tuesday and staying with the new parents. Debbie said to let her know when I can stay with her but she is having other company from the 14th to the 17th so those days are out. She also called to see if I wanted to take a cooking class with Ingrid Hoffman from the Food Network on the 9th , her treat, but I thought it was too soon to rush off so I declined and opted for another massage instead later in the visit. Such a Sacrifice :-)


Also my favorite Chef and Heartthrob, Tom Collichio from Top Chef is holding a class,( which sold out in 30 minutes,) but unfortunately it is the day after I leave. He is opening a new restaurant called Craft in the Mansion on Peachtree.http://www.craftrestaurant.com/ Deb assurred me that she would go to the book signing and get me a copy of his new cookbook.

I also promised to teach her how to make Sour Beef while I'm there. That should be fun .We are such kitchen mavens. We should reprise the old English Cooking Show, Two Fat Ladies. One of us needs to buy a motorcycle with a side car.

Baby

Welcome Baby Gustav into this world and our lives.
I can't wait to meet you in person.
You sure were in a hurry to get here. I hope you won't be disappointed.
I know you will have much love around you.
Mema

Three stories

1
OK,
2 girlfriends from my past, both married, Catholic schooled ,retired and living in Fla. One sends me an offensive E mail quoting something out of Revelations about evil and how that personifies Barach Obama. I mailed it back and asked her not to send any more political material.
Later on I received a very funny U-TUBE showing McCain changing his mind on issues, and looking very old and non presidential. I sent it to my other friend who replied Thank God, I thought I was all alone on this!! Apparently she was in a group of eight women who all thought that Palin was a wonderful choice. She was appalled. Ironically I thought she might be opposed to the Dems because of the abortion issue etc. I also sent it to the other friend, somewhat out of retaliation who promptly replied that I should honor my own request , which I did. Now I haven't heard from her at all. Does McCain believe that women will vote for someone because she has the same plumbing? She is undoing all the progress that we have made based on our merits. Apparently in Florida this tact works.

2 This past weekend was Sunfest in OC so Jim and I drove down to 28th st and rode the boardwalk train to the inlet. There were thousands of people there, live bands, lots of crafts and food vendors. We had a traditional oyster fritter sandwich, some fried clams and a roast beef sandwich. We walked around a bit but it was so crowded that you could barely move inside the tents so we rode back up the planks to the car. It was a beautiful day and fun to people watch. I felt a bit naked with so few piercings and no tattoos but I managed. Plus, it always cheers me up to see so many fat people. As my Friend Rocky would say, A humpback doesn't smile until he sees another humpback :-)

3 Jim's cousins, John and Paul Shepherd drove down for the day and went to lunch with us on Monday. Paul lives in Ellicott City, retired from AT&T and now has a home business. His wife, Michelle teaches art. John just retired from Mercer where he was a biology professor. He and his wife Becky live in Argentina although she is working in Colorado this summer as a park ranger. We had a great Mexican lunch and lively discussion. I always enjoy seeing them even though it is usually a funeral that brings everyone together. John is especially interesting because of his life style, very laid back. He sympathized when I told him about Prego in Hotlanta with cankles. He agreed that it was hot In Macon. I think they wanted to see Jim after they heard about his illness.

Whoops!!!

To anyone who tried to make the pasta salad I apologize. In an attempt to list the ingredients, the major one was accidentally omitted, which is a cucumber.

Iknow that many cooks leave something out of a recipe on purpose, but I didn't do that. Please try it again.

CORK SCREW SALAD

1 Medium cucumber, chopped (do not peel)

1 1/2 Cups vinegar

2 Teasp. prepared mustard

1 Teasp. dried parsley or 1 Tbsp. fresh

1 medium onion, chopped

1 Cup sugar, or more to taste

1 Teasp. pepper

1 Teasp. salt

Blend these together in a blender until liquified.

Cook 1 #spiral pasta in salt water until al dente. Rinse well and drain.

Pour liquid mixture over and mix well .

Add 1/4 cup oil and refrigerate overnight

Meanwhile, I voted today in a primary election for Governor. The polling place was DEAD! The ladies who were working said they expect a big crowd in November. I surely hope so.

I had my first Grandmother moment the other day when I ordered some baby clothes on line. It was just an impulse but it was also a revelation.....OMG this is really happening!!!

BTW anyone who wishes to sponsor Jim's Daughter, Joell , in her 60 mile hike for Breast Cancer can do so by contributing via this link

http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/PhiladelphiaEvent?px=2394538&pg=personal&fr_id=1186&et=nhWzk0Rax3NXz-JeaV5XJA..&s_tafId=92712

Thanksgiving in September

Sorry I haven't posted for a while. The reality is that I've had a sort of writer's block, not to mention I've been obsessed with the conventions.

We had a little break in the action last night when Robbie and Claudia, with baby Jonas, came for dinner. They are in the US from Germany, to visit Rob's family in Salisbury and Claudia's Brother Joe ( the owner of Jim's Company) for a few weeks.

Robbie works for NASA and has traveled around the world extensively, been on both poles, Alaska, South America. Part of his mission is measuring the ice caps. He also invented something that has become part of NASA's equipment.

Claudia is a Master of Resolution which is the area of law that she specializes in. They live in Ravensburg Germany.

Theirs is a love story that we watched develop. They first met when we went to the Black Forest in 1995 to close the sale of East Coast. We could see that they hit it off right away, but they were very young and still in school. Robbie received his BS from Salisbury and proceeded to work on his Masters in Germany where it cost something like $100 a semester, while he was able to continue with NASA. They were married last September but with my broken leg we missed the festivities.

The Germans know how to party and are wonderful hosts. The Schanz family in particular have always kept us entertained with lots of activities and fun local traditions. We once visited a schnapps distillery, which is nothing more than a fruit tree farm where the pears and peaches are distilled. It was 10 AM and we laughed for the entire day after sampling the product. The farmer who owned the place looked like Roman Polanski after spending the night with Dracula, very scary!!!

Anyway, last night I entertained them with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, only because I had bought a fresh turkey the other day. I was grateful that they had called us as I was wondering how we would manage the whole bird ourselves. I also had a cryo-vacced pan of oyster stuffing and some gravy frozen, so it wasn't as much trouble as it looked. We had some delicious fresh corn and I even made the dreaded *green bean casserole*, and of course mashed potatoes. We also had a pumpkin pie, yes homemade except for the crust and absolutely delicious, if I must say so myself.

We enjoyed seeing them. Jim feels close to Robbie and is the one who first got him his job with East Coast and later talked him into going to college. I liked Claudia from the first time we met and we keep in touch via Email. Robbie is so upset about the up coming election that I had to turn the TV off. He is embarrassed about the past 8 years and sees how the US is now perceived by the European nations. We have lost our allies and it has affected our standing in the world.

***The famous Green bean casserole incident***

This was never a part of our Family holiday feast, but I think the Sanders liked it so the Christmas of the year the MomMom and Lou had died I decided to make it

Despite the recent losses we were fortunate to have most of the families with us. Pru and Wil, Zak & Tess, Gabe & Amy,Betty, Jim and I and our friends Scott & Jody and their neighbors. Jody had stopped by on Christmas eve to see what she could bring, so I gave her a bag of fresh beans, the mushroom soup and onions I had already bought. She said Scott would take are of it.

The next day Scott handed me a casserole and said it needed to be heated. When we started passing it around the table, we quickly discovered that the beans had never been cooked. Gabe was the only one who was brave, or hungry enough, to eat it. The beans became the ice breaker and the rest of the dinner was hilarious. We were passing plates around calling out what we wanted and hoping to get the right order back. It was a most memorable meal, and even our grief we laughed out loud.

I won't even bother to print this recipe. Come Thanksgiving, it will be in every newspaper with a coupon for Onion rings

Engagement

I was listening to NPR the other day and I heard that sex without a condom is the new engagement ring...Hmmm.. if that is true I must have had more fiances' than I thought. Cheap bastards!!
I did have ring once, and it was quite beautiful and unusual. It was designed to fit together inside the wedding band.
I loved looking at it sparkling on my finger, even though I am self conscious of my nails, (or lack there of) . It was a reminder of the love we shared and the commitment we were hoping to make to one another. I returned it when I realized that the relationship was never going to work out and that Love wasn't enough to keep it together.

When Jim *proposed* to me he didn't present me with a ring. Believe it or not, he took me for a weekend to Chestertown MD. where he proceeded to purchase us burial lots in Old St Paul's Church Cemetery where his entire family has been interred for centuries. Talk about a long term commitment. And they say diamonds are a girl's best friend.

New Dentist

I think I have finally found a new dentist. My first appointment was yesterday. The office is in Berlin, MD. best known for the movie "Runaway Bride".

At the risk of sounding trite, it is a *sleepy* little town off of RT. 113, close to Ocean Pines and only 12 miles or so from home. The dental practice is inside an old brick building with a glass store front on a tree lined street with a brick sidewalk. I thought for a moment that I may have time traveled to Mayberry RFD, but once I stepped inside, alas, the TV mounted in the corner had on CNN (but not the sound,) and pleasant music from cirrius radio was playing. Pretty watercolor paintings. lined the walls with tiny price tags and large prices, mostly pictures of the town and some of the beach.
At any rate, I liked the hygienist and dentist very much and the initial consultation was at least $100 less than I had been paying, and that included some xrays. I was also fond of Dr. James, but her Bethany Beach prices were outrageous and her attitude the last time I saw her really ticked me off. I am sorry that it has taken me so long to make a change. I can't have my chipped tooth fixed until October so that is my fault.
Baby Wardell sent me a thank you note today. I was so excited to hear from him. He is looking forward to riding in his new pram which G POP Sanders and I sent him. I can't wait to see him sitting in it!!
BTW I really have to recommend the book I am reading once again. ANIMAL,VEGETABLE, MIRACLE. The more I get into it the more amazing it is to read about how our food is genetically engineered, even the seeds that we plant in our own gardens. The book is written as a story by the author, with more factual info inserted by her husband who is an environmentalist, and her daughter who comments on her reactions and observations to their life style changes. It is beyond eye opening.

Missed Shot

I never seem to have my camera handy when a good shot becomes available. When we drove up to the house on Sunday night, Mouse and Lulu were sitting in the office window side by side, What they were looking at were at least 7 hummingbirds hovering over the four o clocks outside. The bright yellow and fuscia blooms really attract them, and as messy and pushy as the plants are, I love that they are sought out by the birds and the bees, and the butterflies. They only open at night, or at least when the sun is not bright so in the mornings when it is shady on the patio, they are very vibrant.




Charles finally got the lawn cut and weeded the veggie garden which was looking like a jungle. We've had some good luck with cukes and peppers, but the tomatoes are absolutely pitiful. We have a few eggplant that are doing OK. George was having the same problem with his garden except his tomatoes looked much better than ours. His garden is always so neat, all in rows.


I enjoyed sitting in their screened in porch where we had dinner and spent the evening. I wish we could put one where our porch is outside the TV room. I'm sure we would use it much more than the patio. It is so much closer to the kitchen, and no flies!!


I don't know what I am going to do today. I feel like sitting in the sun and reading, but there is always so much that needs to be done, cleaned, raked, weeded, cooked, washed etc. that I feel guilty. That's why vacations were invented, so that all the chores disappear from view. Hopefully we will find a way to get away this winter. I am looking forward to my trip to Atlanta and reading there, not to mention playing with the new baby. Last time I finished 2 books and started 1.




Speaking of books, my club starts up again in Sept. after the parking meters come down in Bethany. I haven't gotten far into the new book, ANIMAL,VEGETABLE , MIRACLE. So far it is quite eye opening and should inspire a lively discussion.

BTW, the Smithsonian trip, John Wilkes Boothe escape route, was sold out and David and I are really bummed. Sue has us on a wait list so there may be a chance if someone cancels.I was looking forward to it.

Some of my Garden

We drove up to Baltimore to buy some tile for our kitchen/family area, and spent the weekend with our friends, George and Phyllis. As usual we had a delicious dinner, Salmon cooked on a cedar plank with a cucumber/dill sauce, rice pilaf with fresh veggies from the garden and sliced tomatoes. Jim and I took some peaches up for them...YES we went back to the orchard on Friday and picked some huge ones. They are the size of an Angelina's crabcake for those of you that know what that means. I made 7 jars of Jam and froze the rest for us.

G&P are going to visit us and bring their baby *Freebie* who is the biggest black lab I ever saw in my life. The photo is from a year ago. She's gotten bigger. We were laughing about how she is going to fit in their trailer when they take off for Fla. in the winter. I don't think they will have any room for guests!!

It took us forever to get home on sunday afternoon what with the Bay Bridge being closed and the usual beach traffic.We were both tired from the night before. We stayed up into the wee hours just talking and only had a few
hours sleep.

The cats seemed to get along ok while we were away. It was Beau 's first time without his Mommy and the girls didn't do him in. He's such a pest to them most of the time. He's gotten so big, he looks like a miniature cat now, not a kitten.

I'm really loving the TV show Mad Men. That's how things were in those days. What a difference now. I remember when you could smoke anywhere, even in the hospital or Drs. office. At my first job, we all had ash trays on our desks . Amazing.

Monday,

Beau had an appointment this morning and is now finished with his shots. He is a whopping 4+ pounds and
has that 12 # Mouse Cat on the run.
I told Dr. Jimmy that I think he found his *wee wee * already so we will be having him neutered in October when he is 6 months.

I made my plane reservations to Atlanta to be there for the Baby and the new family. I am looking forward to meeting my new Grandson. I'm sure he will be beautiful and smart. He can't miss!!

I've also made plans to accompany my Brother and his wife on a day trip to follow the Escape Route of John Wilkes Booth. I recently read MANHUNT, my book club choice for April, and found it so interesting that I actually tracked his path on a map of Md and VA. Apparently the Smithsonian sponsors an all day trip to do the same so we are going on Nov.8. I loaned David the book which he liked very much and he has been wanting to do the trip for years.

I Segundo's blog tmentioned me this morning . Thanks for the compliment. I will try not to embarrass you.:-

Our grass is really in need of cutting, but ever since Charles (our 75 year old gardener) got a DUI it has been a chore to get him over here. We both ride over to his place, Jim drives his truck over here and he does our lawn. Then he loads the riding mower onto the truck, Jim drives over to Betty's and he cuts hers. Then we do the whole thing in reverse. He's really slipping in the edging dept. these days. I don't think his vision is the best. It's difficult for us to manage all of this with Jim's treatment schedule and appointments If I could drive the truck it would help but it is a raggedy ass thing with a clutch that barely works. I don't know how much longer he will be without his license but I'm sure this summer will be over. Poor Charles

Friends and Peaches

Friday
I was having another one of those days again yesterday..the mirror one. I hated everything I saw, my hair, my smile, my entire profile. I was missing everyone , feeling alone and wishing I had more friends close by.

Then my cell phone rang and it was Diane, whom I haven't heard from in months. Later in the day Elaine whom I've known since I was 8 called from Florida. Later yet I had a call from Zak and I realized that I wasn't alone at all. Just far away....

Still, it is the first of August and summer is on the wane.

SundayMorning

I finally got myself out of the house yesterday and drove to Bennett Orchards which is about 2 miles away. They had yellow freestone and white peaches ready so I picked half and half. Before I know it, I had 17 # Now I have my work cut out for me!! T $1 a lb. they are quite a bargain.


Bennetts is not open everyday. They post signs out on the road when they are open for picking, and if you call you can find out what section of the orchard is open.. They grow several kinds of peaches as well as nectarines. They also sell to most of the grocery stores and produce stands in the area but there is a wholesome feeling to picking your own.

Last year I made some preserves , a few cobblers and pies then froze the rest. That is the problem, they all ripen at once.

We had company over the weekend.
Tommy and Martha came down Saturday night and left early this morning. It was great to see them. It's the first time they've seen Jim since he went into the hospital, and were surprised as how well he looks.
We got up early on Sunday, had breakfast at the diner, and caught the 10:15 Ferry to Cape May. We got on as foot passengers, so we rode the shuttle into town. There are so many old Victorian mansions to see, many are B&B's, and all of them have huge flower gardens, some color coordinated with the awnings, or shutters, rockers on the veranda..very classic and nostalgic. What a contrast to our beaches here. Very gentile.
We walked for hours. There are lots of little shops and boutiques, the usual over priced t shirts and fudge stores. We got caught in a sudden thunderstorm with some scary lightening strikes, so we ducked into a little restaurant called Freda's Cafe and had lunch. Tiny place, maybe 10 tables total but delicious food. It' was so small that you had to go outside to the rest room which was on the side of the building. Very strange.
We caught the Ferry back to Lewes and sailed right into the storm in our crossing. It was a little rocky but fun to watch the lightening on the water.
What could end a perfect day? How about steamed crabs and corn for dinner. We were all worn out after that and everyone was in bed by 11. What a lively group of Seniors we are.
Our visit was short but fun, Beau was friendly and entertaining. Everyone loved him. He's definitely a part of the family now.

Good Morning,
It's been very hot here all week, so of course I decided to clean out some of the stuff in the garage. There is a new Goodwill Store nearby, and they assist you with drop offs, very convenient. It's been a purging experience, letting go of things that are no longer being used.
I've been thinking a lot about the new baby and remembering my first experience with a new born. I don't know if I'm unusual but once the baby came, it suddenly had nothing at all to do with that bulge in my tummy for 9 months. It had its own persona and attitude regardless of what I expected or desired. It was a separate entity, not this cute little ball that made it uncomfortable to sleep and gave me occasional heartburn. It cried, ate, pooped and slept when it wanted, not when I wanted.
Yes, Primo had colic and I was a wreck.
We had this wind up swing that would keep him quiet for about 15 minutes but once it stopped moving, the crying would start again. Even cranking the swing up would startle him awake again. I believe
this was around the time my husband invested in earphones for his stereo, a wise move.
I felt dismayed...frantic...betrayed..Where was that cute Gerber Baby? That serene Mother and child from the box of Ivory Flakes? Had I been mislead?
My Doctor assured me that it would pass, and also if he gave the baby to another caregiver it would go away completely. ( a tempting offer at the time) but I got his point. After the 3 month period, the colic subsided, the baby slept more and everything improved. So much so that when Segundo came along he was much easier to handle.
Hope you don't get this 2x. I was having trouble with the laptop.

Good Morning,
We had a scare last night when we couldn't find Beau for about 1/2 hour. I was dinner time and he rarely misses that, plus he is generally within 2 feet of me at all times.
After running around the house, checking closets, between doors and storm doors, even the dryer (OMG), he wandered out all sleepy eyed from under the loveseat. I was so relieved. I thought I saw him on the front steps, but it was Bitsy. They really do look alike and now that her baby weight is gone, she looks smaller. She could be his sister.
Thank you all who voted in the poll. I don't know if it was your influence or not, but I have been invited to spend time with the new parents for the first week. I think I need to so that the reality will set in. It still seems unreal to me. I can't remember the last time I held a newborn. Probably one of Diane's kids.
I am hoping to spend some time with my friend Debbie while I am there as well. We will probably spend our time in the Korean Market and DeKalb farmers Market and discussing food like we always do. Ah. life in Atlanta is good.
Ciao

Mirrors and Back to School

Good Morning,

I thought I'd take a break from the tag questions and just chat. I am having one of those mornings where I just hate everything, like mirrors.I showered and washed my hair before going to bed last night and today my hair looks just like my mothers flat wig. Definitely time for color and cut, and definitely product. Help!

Any way, I think once you hit 55+ all mirrors should be banished. I can be feeling really energetic and creative, then catch a glimpse of myself and jump...who is that old person, and why is she wearing my clothes? Suddenly I *Feel my Age*. OK, I admit that I do have aches and pains especially where I broke my leg, but on the inside I, in my soul and heart, I still feel young and inquisitive. I don't have all the answers, just some experience

I guess I believe that everyone is my age, and I am everyone Else's, be it 18 or 80. I've always thought I adapt well. Unfortunately I have encountered people who just don't get it. They usually don't like me or trust me. They don't realize my *genuineness* because they judge me by their own values. I try not to let it bother me but alas, I am also very fragile by nature and still don't understand why you can't win them all.

Another thing that is disturbing me is that I saw my first BACK TO SCHOOL AD. C'mon, it's only July. Give the kids a break.

I've always loved summer as you know, barefoot lazy carefree days, late bedtimes, sleeping in, vacations at the shore and later the ocean, swimming pools and of course steamed crabs. But in August, when the slant of the sun started changing, and the shadows growing longer I could feel it coming....the end.Then came the Ads...new notebooks, paper, lunch boxes.

As an adult I have come full circle in my feelings .

Once I had my own kids, the beginning of school was a relief, some structure, some free time and as a single working Mom, no more daytime baby sitting worries.

Then the boys went away to Andover at 14.

I felt the sadness again. The house would be empty and dark when I came home The drive up to the school in the fall was always bittersweet..

Now that I am older, I still feel the loss of summer but I've learned appreciate the Fall for the colors and the clean fresh air. Also since living at the beach the Fall means fewer tourists, less traffic and noise. And that's a good thing.

Favorite Childhood Memory

#2 Question on Trin's List, Favorite Childhood Memory

Aside from the holiday memories, Thanksgiving at Aunt Mina's and Christmas at our house, I guess it would be the summers we spent at the shore.

The day after school let out, we would pack up from E. Biddle St. TV and Cat in tow, and move to Seneca Creek for the summer. Mom and Daddy rented a cottage along with Aunt Mina and Uncle Ernie, and Aunt Lee and Uncle George. Since we were the only family with kids, and Mom didn't work, we lived there until Labor Day while Daddy commuted to work in the city. Everyone else came down on the weekends.

It was a simple 2 bedroom bungalow up on cinder blocks with a living room, a kitchen and dining area and a large screened porch that the men closed in with windows that could be shut in bad weather. When every one was there the sleeping arrangements were different. I slept in a double bed with Mom in the back bedroom. Daddy, David and Uncle Ernie slept out on the porch . Aunt Mina slept on a studio couch in the living room, and Uncle George and Aunt Lee slept in the other bedroom. Why they had their own space I don't know, but their room was off limits always!!

We had no indoor plumbing, but we did have a 2 seater outhouse. Uncle Ernie seemed to be in charge of that, pouring lye down the holes and trying to deodorize it somewhat. Of course the *Honey dippers* came if anything got out of hand.

Mom kept a pot under the double bed for emergencies. Daddy was known to go to the outhouse in the middle of the night but never without his hat which he kept by the door.

One of my daily chores when I got old enough was to fill buckets with water from the Hudson's pump which was a few houses away. I probably spilled half of it on the way back. The Hudson's were locals who lived there year round which seemed odd in those days. All the other properties around us were seasonal.

Since the floors were linoleum, no carpeting, Mom just had to get Daddy off to work, make the beds, sweep or wet mop, dust, plan dinner and she was done for the day.We would walk down to the beach area where I played in the sand and swam, and she would read and lay in the sun. David played baseball over on the the Walter's field with some other boys of various ages. Since this wasn't an ordinary neighborhood, it was hard to find someone your own age to play with. I was only 7 or younger and I had one friend who was 13, and another one who was 4. Mary Ellen Walters was the older one, and she told me the truth about Santa. I didn't like her much after that so I chose to play dolls with the little girl. I would dress our cat Lucky up in baby clothes and try to push him in a carriage. Of course he would be humiliated, and jump out and run away. He looked so odd in a dress on and his tail hanging out the back. He had a great disposition.

Sorry this got posted 2x. This is me at 18 mos on the beach The lady os Mom

We did however, spend many evenings on the Walter's huge 3 sided screened in porch, playing Parcheesi and other board games by the yellow bug lights until we were called home for bed. The summer days were endless and the nights were fun. We washed up in a porcelain basin, but once a week we got to Bathe in the big galvanized tub, hair washed and everything cleaned properly.


Once in a while we would drive up to the city with Daddy so Mom could do laundry, get the mail and check on things. Grandmom and Pop Ruppert lived with us so the house was always occupied.

There were lots of parties at the shore, crab feasts and such. We had a real beer tap and a Coca Cola cooler stocked with all flavors of Suburban Club soda. If we were having crabs, the men would go early in the morning to buy the live crabs, usually from Mrs. Miller who lived just down the road a piece. She had live boxes and dipped the bushel out by hand.





Then there was the ritual of steaming them, another Uncle Ernie chore. We had a huge crab pot made from a sawed off beer keg. This was before pre mixed seasoning so he carefully layered the crabs, salt, black pepper, cayenne, dry mustard and I think celery seed. Then another layer of crabs and so on. Water and vinegar and a Natty Boh or some other beer, maybe Gunthers was in the bottom of the pot which was then covered with canvas and a heavy lid to come to a boil and steam for a precise amount of time. When the crabs were done, they were laid out on the newspaper covered picnic table to cool. We never ate them hot. They were always room temperature which in my mind, gives the fat a chance to congeal and lets the seasoning settle in








I loved crabs.

Crab Feast with Aunt Neil, Aunt Rose, Uncle John, Shirley
Nancy, Uncle Henry etc. Sept. 1947

In the beginning I was only allowed to eat the claws, but I quickly learned to pick the main body as well as the adults.

Daddy's Boat and me (Age 4) waiting for a Claw

The Good Humor Man would always drive by on the weekends, ringing his bell and like Pavlov's dogs all the kids would go running home for money. Not me. Uncle Ernie would say, Ice cream or crabs ? No contest. That became one of his favorite stories ever and he loved telling it to all my boyfriends when I got older.

Cousin Freddie making a rifle out of a Croquet Mallet

I have no idea why but there was this Old Wives tale or what we would call now an Urban Legend that if you ate Crabs and Ice Cream you would die. Since that generation of adults had the depression mentality, I can't help think it had to do with the money. Either that or poor refrigeration.



The company would arrive by car in the early afternoon. Sometimes it was family sometimes friends from the home neighborhood. We had a stone driveway, which would make a crunching sound when the cars pulled in past the house to park. The party would get underway, the crabs being the main event. They would play cards, bingo, some would swim. We had croquet and badminton. I'm sure there was other food but the Crabs were the bomb.

Note the Out house behind Aunt Mina

The Fourth of July was the best because someone always fired off flares and other fireworks over the river and the reflection made them look spectacular.

I loved when we had company because we usually always had a crab feast. Sometimes Daddy would play the guitar and everyone would sing. It was fun and happy.

On the pier with Aunt Lee, David, Aunt Beth, In the hammock with Uncle Ernie

Daddy had built a boat and kept it tied to the pier. Sometimes I would go with him after dinner while it was still light and sit in the boat while he fished. It wasn't much fun because he kept telling me to stop moving around, sit still, you are scaring the fish away but that was OK. I just liked being with him.






Sometimes in the morning, I would take a string and hook and a piece of bread and catch little bluegills and sunnies with dough balls by dropping a line through the cracks in the pier. They were way to small to keep, but it was rewarding none the less.



The people next door to us, the Novaks, rented out their waterfront during the week to companies and others who wanted a place for a picnic outing. Many a morning as I woke up on a lazy summer morning. the bedroom curtains lightly blowing, with the sweet aroma of honeysuckle filling the room, I would hear the crunch of gravel as the cars drove past to the Parking area and just feel happy to be alive and have another day to explore the summer.



Today, that sound still invokes those memories. When Jim and I first into our house, we had a gravel driveway and when we had it asphalted I missed it. Still, the first summer breeze ruffling the curtains while I lay between cool sheets still remind me of how lucky I was to have those sweet innocent fun and relaxing moments in time that live forever in my mind.

Tagged By Trin Question 1

OK,

I have been tagged by Trin to answer 10 questions on my Blog. I am requesting that she do the same :-).

Question 1: 5 random facts/habits about yourself

Hmmm...... Those I am willing to reveal...

1. I once was good friends with Pat Moran and she cast me in Female Trouble. I also went to high school with David Lochary, one of John Water's main players who died young, and it was at my house, my birthday party, that he asked Joann Neuman to go steady in the 6 th grade. Obviously it was before he came out, but a wise choice as she was very smart and class president all the way through high school.

2. I was only 18 when I married Barry, but one night he took me to Leon's. (Famous Gay Bar in Baltimore) I was wearing high black boots and a cape, my hair cut short and I got served using his driver's license. I also got stoned for the first time outside on the parking lot, and couldn't stop laughing.

3. I always talk to strangers on the street, in the store etc. I truly think everyone has a story to tell and if not, I make one up. is amazing what you can learn.

4. My friend Debbie and I danced topless on a bar one night, but no one was there. It was after hours, and the owner had passed out . I'll bet that one gotcha!!!

5. I worked for Johnny Unitas' Golden Arm for 7 years and got so excited one day when he was having lunch with Brooks Robinson that I sent a *casual *acquaintence to my house with my keys to grab a picuture of Brooks off the LR wall for him to autograph. I met many Colts over the years and due to my relationship with Rocky we socialized in that circle, but Brooks.. he was my hero.

Bitsy

Good Morning,

Here is a photo of Bitsy, Beau' s Mother, after I trapped her and before she was spayed. There is a strong family resemblance.

I have decided that Beaus's full *Pedigree* name is Bitsy's Baby Beau.

I tell her all about him when I see her outside. She seems to be well, and I even caught her playing with a plant, which she never had time for before.

I am waiting in anticipation for my $600 stimulus check. I am very stimulated and in my mind have spent it 600 different ways. Any suggestions???

Question #3 Favorite dish to make

I guess everyone knows that I like to cook. It is a labor of love for me and rarely feels like a chore. Even when I lived alone, I would prepare dinner for myself . All of my single friends were amazed..I hate packaged food and TV dinners and I couldn't afford to eat out. I remember the reality setting in that the kids really were gone (they were away at school) the day that I opened the fridge and found leftover shrimp from the night before.That never happened before!

It's not just the cooking per Se, it's the anticipation, the planning, the shopping, the creativity the coordinating of flavors, the aromas. One might call it an obsession :-). Actually I worked with a Chef once who told me that she had never met anyone like me, who could be eating one meal and talking about the next.

I totally distrust people who don't relish food. Of course I understand in today's world of working parents, soccer Moms, workaholic Dads, quickie meals, tight food budgets and disjointed dinner times that the art of meal preparation has been lost. But it can be a time of conversation, learning and bonding that should be passed down.
Sometimes I get so inspired by cooking shows that I can't wait to try out recipes on Jim, but quite honestly I don't always get the new trends...Foam??? Whatever happened to sauce OVER something and not UNDER it? What's up with Bleu cheese ice cream? And grits, which I have learned to love, ain't just for breakfast anymore and can jack your check up in a restaurant by having something fancy served over them.

We rarely have dinner guests anymore, but when we do I love to set the table, using linen cloths and napkins and my best china. It so rewarding for me to watch others enjoy what I have created. I just can't fathom that some people just eat to live. To me food is joy, and life and celebration. And if people think I am a good cook, then that is my gift.
There are many dishes which I have mastered over the years and some that I haven't. I am proficient in Italian, always make my own sauce from fresh ingredients and have even made fresh pasta on occasion. ( Too much work for more than four). Italian is probably my favorite cuisine, it must be the garlic and the enticing aroma of the sauce.
I love to make soup and can make it out of literally nothing. It's a good way to use up limp celery and carrots , potatoes with tentacles and pieces of meat that are too small for another meal. Add some noodles, rice or barley and there is lunch or a dinner first course. What a neat way to clean out the fridge.
I enjoy baking bread, but it is one of those things that practice makes perfect and I can't afford, (waist wise,) to get perfect by making it every day.
I don't know why, but even though I love salads, I like them best when someone else makes them. They always taste better to me in a restaurant. Maybe that is because we a rarely had them growing up , and when we did it was usually a leaf of iceberg lettuce with a slice of tomato topped with that pink french dressing.

Out daily fare now is usually chicken, pork, ground beef, steaks, chops, fish and other. seafood. always served with a starch and veggie, my favorite starch being a potato of course :-)

Anyway, after much thought I have decided that my favorite dish to make is Sour Beef and Dumplings, mostly because it represents special occasions to me, and secondly because it is a treat for those of us who grew up in Baltimore in the early to mid 1900's. People either Love it or hate it and the people who love it think it is too time consuming and too difficult to make. It is a hardy, savory dish with a sweet and sour flavor, beef in gravy, served with potato dumplings.

I use my mother's recipe which was handed down. She literally wrote it down for me as she made it , estimating the measurements as she combined the ingredients.

I have a theory that this is how every German household learned to make it as they came to Baltimore, using what was available here and adapting too it. Some people use white vinegar, or wine vinegar . It makes a difference in the flavor. When we were in Germany we ate nothing like it save for a venison dish with spaetzle and a similar sauce.

Baltimore still has a large German population, and many local churches sponsor Sour Beef Dinners in the Fall as fund raisers. Some restaurants and Delis offer it as well on their winter menu.

I would love to share it with you, but I feel it would be a better experience if we made it together for the first time Just let me know where and when :-)

Here is a recipe for a refreshing Pasta salad that everyone loves...NO mayo

CORK SCREW SALAD

1 # Spiral Pasta (Rotelle)
1 1/2 cup v1negar

1 1/2 cup sugar
2 t prepared mustard

1 t salt

1 t parsley

1 t pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. You can add a few drops of yellow food coloring if desired. Rinse and drain.

Blend remaining ingredients until liquefied and stir together. add 1/4 cup of oil and refrigerate overnight.

Bon apetit!

Lazy Day

Good Evening,

Beau had a check up yesterday and he did well. he has gained 2 # since he first weighed in. It's amazing how instinctive cats are. The carry box has been on the floor in my room since the last time he went to the Vet. He plays in in on it, opens and closes the door etc.

The minute I moved it into the dining room, he disapperared....I mean for 5 minutes. he is always under foot. I found him hiding behind a big planter in the LR . Now he's on to it!!!

I feel amazingly better, enough so that I even washed the windows in my bedroom and hung new summer drapes. Sorry Gabe, but a week makes a world of difference when you are sick.

BTW, I spoke to my friend Debbie who lives in Atlanta yesterday and I passed on Gabe's offer about teaching her daughter. She's willing to up the ante if she can drop her off and pick her up when she's 18. Every Mother's fantasy !!

Bitsy sopped by today with Voodoo, whom I suspect is Beau's Father as I saw them getting it on under the trailer. I wish I could get a picture of him, he is mostly black with white circles around his eyes , like a mask. Very Spooky., I also think he is Bitsy's Brother, but hell, this is Delaware

Cat Wars

Good Morning,

The above are 2 rare poses

We seem to be having serious cat wars today. Mouse is so jealous of new kitty Beau that she holds him at bay in the crouch position and attacks him when he tries to move. LuLu is much better, she just tries to ignore him and go about her day, eat, sleep, eat, sleep. She is fortunate that Beau hasn't gotten up the nerve to venture into the big part of the house without me. She has lots of places to sun bathe and hide. Jim just yelled at Mouse so loudly that Lu ran and hid behind the sofa like she does when it thunders. Actually, she is our live in barometer and we depend on her for storm reports.

Poor Beau, all 2.5 lbs. of him looking at the gray 12 lb. battleship lunging towards him with claws engaged and hissing, as though Mouse needs to make herself look bigger. It must be frightening

Shower Poop and Thoughts

Good Morning,


I am actually starting to feel normal again, knock on wood. I spent most of yesterday sorting food out in the fridge and putting stuff back from the shower.


I will send pictures when I get them. Namu's husband was kind enough to be the official photographer and he was very paparazzi like... Lots of candid shots and maneuvering, Plus he gets Kudos for being brave enough to attend a co-ed baby shower


Namu came up with some fun games. One was to smell *loaded* baby diapers, 1-4 and try to guess what the kid had eaten. Fortunately it was predigested so it was more pleasant than the real thing. Trin will have to practice on her gag reflex, although having cats is very good training.


One of the other games was to guess her width using lengths of toilet tissue. I came in second as I measured myself and added a sheet :-).


We had tons of food. Aunt Sue had enhanced the menu a bit with some cocktail shrimp and munchies. I brought an extra smoked salmon spread and some deviled eggs.


We had a zucchini /tomato quiche, a lorraine with bacon ( I was originally going to use Spam as an Hawaiian inside joke) a spinach pie and crab souffle along with spiral glazed ham, fresh baked biscuits, mini muffins, mini bagels and a truly delicious watermelon basket, As a last minute thought, I decided to make some mini cinnamon buns which are usually quite successful, but this attempt did not survive the time travel and were more like glazed hockey pucks. No one missed them at all.


Namu brought the cake which had slid off in the box, but was rescued by yours truly who has performed many a cake emergency surgery. It was absolutely delicious and I am still munching on it.


The best part, of course, was the company and it was such a joy to see so many familiar faces from the wedding and prior shower. Skizz and Jen, Michael Bradley, Beth and Christine, Gina, Namu of course and her sister Ranju, Karina, and Kitty, and new faces like Nikail and Jill Wardell. I am truly sorry that Zak and Tessa , and Rob and John, couldn't be there to share in this event hosted by Uncle David and Aunt Sue. There was lots of chatter and interaction. I think I even saw Ranju and Jill exchange phone numbers.


Seeing Kitty again was really fun. We hadn't talked for years, and I feel like we have opened a door. She misses family also so we have a lot to discuss, plus the many memories we have shared.


I've always thought that one of the hardest things about divorce or even breaking up with a long time companion is leaving all the family and friends behind. It's not as final as a death, of course, but is equally painful knowing that they are still around but out of reach. When I look through my old photos I see fragments of my life, some longer than others, that are totally gone except in the pictures. I think that Kitty and I will stay in touch now.

Ah, Jim is back from the store with the Sunday paper. My favorite part of Sunday is doing the crossword and watching Lifetime movies or Law and Order marathons on my little TV while he watches sports, sports, sports on the big screen.

He also bought some some chicken as I have this Norman Rockwell idea that Sunday dinner should always be fried chicken with mashed potatoes and corn. I realy am a true American.

Usually Mouse climbs up and sreads herself out on the paper whenever I sit down, or else sits in my chair when I go for coffee or something. I don't know what today will be like with that crazy Beau around. He has 2 speeds, fast and pass out. hope it is time for the latter.

Ciao

My Dirty House

Mahalo


It has been a whirlwind of a week, but now the dust is settling and I am looking forward to a quiet weekend, re grouping and cleaning up.


Firstly, Segundo son, Gabe and his pregnant wife were scheduled to visit us on the Delaware Shore during their trip to Baltimore sometime around the July 4th holiday. I decided it would be an ideal time for a baby shower as most of their friends are from the Balto/Wash.DC area. and they are currently living in Atlanta. I E-mailed Sue, my sister in law, who lives in Annnapolis and expressed my desire, and then asked if we could do it at her house which would be much more convenient. She was delighted, so we, along with Trin's bestest friend Namu, and Gabe started our last minute invitations. We planned a brunch on the 4th as that seemed to be the only time it would work for all concerned.


Primo Son, Zak called about 12 days ago and announced that he and his Wife, Tessa decided to come for a few days to see Gabe and Trin while they were here so that we could all be together, which is a rare occasion since they live in Missouri. Unfortunately they were unaware of the shower plans and had to fly back before it.


Meanwhile back at the ranch, I am feeling poorly, running a 103 temp (Kinda high for an adult), finally get to my Dr. and am diagnosed with strep. Oh boy...now I have 2 bedrooms to clean,( never got there) meals to plan and shop for, Thank God for Jim, my husband, and Brunch dishes to prepare. After a 5 day course of antibiotics, I got somewhat back on my feet... enough to wash towels and sheets for everyone and point them in the direction of their respective rooms.


Zak and Tessa opted for the blow up bed in the room where the odd furniture goes to die, and off season clothes and future Good will Donations are bagged and stacked, and early Christmas presents are stowed with no bathroom, out of courtesy for Trin as we know how much you pee when you are in that condition.


Segundo, however, was not pleased with his room, which is our bedroom, REALLY wanted the one I was in downstairs ,which used to be the guest room until I broke my leg last year (but that is another story). So, he got the Dyson THE BEST VACUUM EVER, some furniture duster, opened the windows for an *airing out* and proceeded to clean his room to his liking.


I had thought about getting Evelyn to come and clean. She is an 80 yr. old black woman who used to clean for Jim's parents after she retired as a housekeeper from Stokely Facility which is a home for chronically disfigured, mentally disabled, abandoned persons. She has her own way of cleaning and you can't change it. Even if I had called her and said, clean the upstairs, she would still start in the dining room working from the outside in. It takes her an entire day to do my downstairs as she has to touch everything, and you have to go behind her and straighten up the picture frames. By the time she gets to the bathroom, she is really slipping. She has to end up in the kitchen where she insists on washing whatever is in the sink and putting all the drain board stuff away which i have a hard time finding afterwards. Most electrical things, like the TV and stereo have to be readjusted as she always has to clean the knobs. She really has no finesse, just a rote system. It always scares me when I hear glasses falling over, as she also breaks things on occasion, like windows. She also mumbles to herself the entire day. You also have to get one room ahead of her because she just cleans around what is there. She will stack things but not ask where you want something put away. Whenever she comes, I feel like I've done a days work as well. I was just too ill to deal with her last week, Sorry Guys.


Still, in her defense, she is the last of a breed of homeworkers. She usually starts the day with coffee.( we always get her some *sweets*), and chit chat. Then she starts off her work with a roll of paper towels, a bucket of pine sol, a trash bag and various rags and sprays. We have a lunch break, sometimes a sub, always chips and regular soda , no diet, more chit chat, she still thinks OJ is innocent, and that Condolezza Rice, gets the world all straightened out and the THEY go ans mess it up again Obviously I avoid those topics, and we talk about family and such. She was very fond of Jim's Dad Lou, and she considers him one of her own. He gave her advice from time to time, and was probably the first Black person, aside from Charles, that he ever really knew one on one.


Anyway, the visit was short and sweet and hopefully everyone enjoyed themselves. We saw a Movie, went to lunch, had Snowballs and celebrated Gabe's B day in style with a bushel of crabs, corn on the cob and brownies , sans nuts and frosting as requested in lieu of a cake.


After a minor relapse of my fever, and getting a second course of antibiotics, I started feeling much more normal by the time everyone left. The next day I spent a full nine hours in the kitchen getting the brunch together.


More about the shower later, which was a really fun event and quite a mixer. Thank you Sue and Namu for helping us pull this off.


Ciao, Mema

Our New Baby

Introducing Baby Beau!

Hi everyone,



Welcome to my Blog, under construction, as I am learning as I go. A bit like my life!!
I attended my book club today for the first time in 3 months. After depositing all of my quarters, at 12 whole minutes per at *now operating parking meters, even though it isn' t Memorial Day yet *, and standing at the Bookstore door, I was told by the staff that the club was meeting elsewhere. They very kindly called one of the members who was ironically hosting the meeting in her home, gave me directions and off I went, missing only 10 minutes of the discussion. The book was "The Year of Magical Thinking" , which I didn't like much at all. Apparently most of the group felt the same , mostly because her accounting of her loss was so cold and unemotional.
Of all the books we've read, this is my least favorite.
We are having one more meeting before a summer hiatus. One of the other members is hosting it and in Sept. we go back to the bookstore when the meters are removed.
The selection for June Is "Manhunt", by James Swanson.
Jim goes to a surgeon tomorrow to see about having the fistula made in his forearm. The catheter is not for long term use. We've really been on the go.. 2 trips to Baltimore this week, my club, his treatments. My veggie plants have been sitting on the patio for 2 weeks. Gotta get those bad boys in.