As I was laying on the couch last night, enjoying the AC and a good book on my Kindle, I caught a glimpse of Goldie who was also enjoying the AC by napping on the back of the couch. 





His tail was a fluff of spun cotton candy -- a childhood carnival treat, but vanilla not strawberry.  I wonder: Do carnivals operated by real-life gypsys still travel through New England in summer?  

I suspect that they don't -- the last time I was at the Durham Fair, the food booths were all run by local non-profit organizations & I think the games of chance were too.

  

Memorial Day memories

Going with my Grandmother to tidy the gravestones and plant geraniums in front of them -- and after she would pointed out those related to us in other plots.  

Marching as a Girl Scout in the local parade.

The flags placed by the Boy Scouts/VFW for military service. 

A visit from Grandfather's cousin.  He moved to Canada to enlist in WWI because he wanted to fly & US was too slow to enter the fight.  

The gold Stars in Grandmother's brother's window during WWII -- 2 of them for sons serving on the same sub. 

And, of course, the cookouts - standard fare made special by the day.

My special fare today is French toast soldiers with Vermont maple syrup and several bacon strips -- which Goldie didn't hesitate to remind me that I had to share. 



Bettycrocker.com

 A British term, "soldier" refers to toast cut into thin strips reminiscent of the formation of soldiers on parade. The toast is sliced like this so it can be dipped into the opening of a soft boiled egg which has had the top of its shell removed. 

Getting Ready

For tomorrow's Event.  While watching Kate & William, I will be enjoying my morning coffee from this mug:

In 1953 I had a British penpal.  She asked that I send her several pairs of nylons (apparently still very difficult to get or pricey in post-war England) and she sent me this mug -- which decades later became the start of my mug collection. 

Could we say that I, a Grandmother, am having breakfast with the Groom's Grandmother prior to the service? 

Winter from Hell Becomes Spring

from Hell as This

becomes this:

and this 

becomes this:

Do you really need 3 guesses about how I spent last night?  Gave up about 1:30am, had a comfort food snack of cocoa and crackers, tucked in with the kitties and read until I dozed off. 

Rain, Rain Go Away! is today's song -- And don't bother to come back.  There's still banks of snow from having the roof shoveled -- Aggggggggggggg...........



no sugarplums, no walnuts, no

 roasted garlic & grape-tomato pizza here (see All That Spatters blog post a few days ago) -- although when i was out to the Command Post earlier there were two boxes of pizza; staff party? or some fellow resident having a special event?  at least tonight's fare was identifiable as hot dog (on low sodium diet?) unlike last nights "mystery meat patty".    so, rule #1 -- don't fall thinking you will have cruse food & drinks with umbrellas in a rehab facility.  or at least not in a new england rehab center.  maybe santa could tuck a cook book (thrifty gourmet cooking for a crowd) into the chef's sock.

How do they do it?

Decades ago I clipped a stew recipe from Woman's Day.  It became a favorite go-to recipe for fall and winter.  With the evenings becoming nippy, I had a yearning for that stew and for my Grandmother's Dutch Apple Cake.  

 At the grocery store today I picked up all the ingredients for both.  The bill came to $45, not including cough drops or cleansers.  I remember, in the distant "dark ages", feeding my young family of 4 -- meat, veggies, fruit and mostly homemade sweets -- for $30 a week.  How do young families today manage, especially if they have voracious teens?  

And still have funds left for fabric? 

Postnote from Tri & Goldie: We volunteer to taste-test  -- the stew, not the cake.   





Saturday Installment 2 - Quick Jaunt

Local Farmer's Market  -- great for some veggies, a local field-ripe tomato - yum - and a bouquet of zinnias.  especially on a perfect fall morning.  There was a lady there with quilts for sale -- appeared to be mostly smaller size, like lap or throw.  Didn't want to juggle my veggies, zinnias and a loaf of zucchini walnut bread to check the workmanship or the pricing.  Off to enjoy a tomato sandwich and a slice of that bread which won't wait until afternoon tea.