I’m tired and sore and it’s only Tuesday….

Posted on May 11, 2010 by heidiannie

Sounds a little like a line from a bad blues song.

But it is so very true.

I walked down to the Island grocery store this morning (more about the walking later)- but I got there about 20 minutes too early so I walked down to the park on the bay. On the way I passed the old bridge which is still working-

but only if you want to go to Marsh Island.

Which I didn’t.

So I followed the ducks to the wharf.

Where they were having a small duck convention with ducklings in tow!

And while hanging out on the wharf, I heard a siren or whistle going off incessantly. It sounded familiar and when I realized what it was, I hurried over to a place where I could take a picture of the old bridge opening up so that a boat could go from the bay to the ocean.

By this time, Family Pride Supermarket was open- so I went to do my shopping and walked back home.

Frank wanted to start on landscaping today, so we pulled and dug and chopped and sawed and pulled and yanked some more- until we filled up 10 huge garbage bags. And then we put the old gas grill with them and called for pickup.

But now the beds look more like flower beds than jungle adventures.

Yesterday we powerwashed ( that is NOT the royal “we”- I actually helped!)

So the house went from filthy-

to bright and white!

Right now I’m making banana bread- I’m taking a break from working.

I had enough leftover to make a muffin.

And then I’m going to make some meatballs for spaghetti tonight.

Tomorrow’s Wednesday- I’m going to be whipped and wimpy!

Because Frank is a slave driver and there are only the two of us!

Back again-

Posted on May 10, 2010 by heidiannie

It is pretty bad when I’m coming to work and it feels like home.

Although Chincoteague has always felt like home for me.

But when we drove over the new bridge for the first time, even Frank said, “Doesn’t it feel like we are coming home?”.

Here is a view of the new bridge.

It is really neat- there is deep blue water on either side and unlike the Bay Bridge you are close enough to see the barges waiting to go through ( not that there were any barges- yesterday was Sunday, after all!) but if there had been barges, I could have seen them close up!

And there were roses on the gate to welcome me “home”.

There is still SO much work to do- we unloaded most of the trailer last night- but this morning we took off the heavy stuff and carried it up two flights of stairs. Frank did the lion’s share- but I’m taking a blogging break to rest up my knee before I go out and do some weeding or should I say major digging and overhauling in the side beds.

And then- I get to make lunch- and sit and eat it!

Allyson said have a great time when we left.

Frank said if she thinks we are coming down to have a good time then she should come in his place!

Don’t tell Frank, but I AM having kind of a good time. Working hard-exhausting- satisfying- kind of good time.

I’ll post more pictures as things get done.

Stan Hywet walkabout

Posted on April 30, 2010 by heidiannie

Allyson, Cynthia, Aiden and I went to Stan Hywet for a garden walk today.

It was so beautiful- the spring flowers all blooming, the grass so green, the sky so blue, the wind playfully tugging at Aiden’s Happy Birthday balloon.

This was Aiden’s favorite garden- the one with the tractors and big machines working in it!

The lilacs and wisteria were so fragrant and lush-

and there are wonderful walled and doored gardens to enter and explore! I loved the balloon tied to Aiden- we Always knew where he was or was going!

Sometimes he took it in hand and kept it under control.

Sometimes it just flashed behind as he ran down the Birch Allee.

And sometimes, it was all of Aiden I could see!

It was so beautiful today- clear and temperate and slightly breezy-

We found fountains …

and butterflies…

greenhouses and tulips……

and fiddlehead ferns and grape leaves.

And then – suddenly- tiredness set in-

Tired and HUNGRY!

So we went to Aladdin’s for lunch – ate falafel and hummus and baba ganoush and dawali and kibbee and licked our fingers and smacked our lips and finished off our celebration with cake pops!

Happy Birthday, Aiden!

“Ode to a Teapot”

Posted on April 21, 2010 by heidiannie

Oh, loveliness incarnate, especially

round the spout,

Divinest that ever poured

afternoon tea out!

Thy form embodies beauty, yet thy

base is balanced, too,

Small wonder that my heart is

caught and held by your brew!

You did not cost my savings and

undoubtedly you’re good;

Your children, too, the cups and

plates, I welcome as I should!

There’s breed, my dear, about you,

flush of colour I adore.

And yet, you know, I picked you up

in a famous store.

Each time we part I pray, sweet, as

your countenance is hid, That never

shall I hear those words, “Please

mum, I’ve smashed the lid!”

THE SHELLEY STANDARD

March 1930

“Tea for three?” the redhead smirked.

Posted on April 14, 2010 by heidiannie

Aiden and Allyson and I went to Tulipan and Quail crest last week.

It was grand!

Aiden shared a pot of Rooibus Chai tea.

He added a LOT of milk to his tea.

( “Hot, Heidi. Hot tea!”)

We took lots of pictures and ate lunch and shared desserts(3).

Aiden enjoyed looking at them so much I wanted to see how they looked, as well!

But it was just a picture of me.

Which reminds me- the smirking redhead?

That’s me, too.

Frank has been bugging me to get my hair done. So I finally went today.

I asked for light brown/ash blonde to cover the gray.

I got red.

And I can’t take a good picture of myself – hence the smirk.

I’m going to make some bee sting bars with almonds and honey and white chocolate – maybe tomorrow- I’ll share the recipe and pictures.

Pizza and a mini-rant!

Posted on April 7, 2010 by heidiannie

Kind of like dinner and a movie- but not.

Pizza is one of our favorite meals. Homemade pizza is so good- and you can tailor it to your individual needs and desires. Whole wheat dough or Italian, thick or thin, heavy or light on the sauce, or garlic white sauce!

Your pizza can be grilled or baked or deep fried- and the toppings are almost beyond the pale! You can put whatever you like from spinach and bacon to thin sliced red potatoes and scallions.

Lately I’ve been playing around with the crust.

I make whole wheat for plain cheese pizzas, but the Italian has won out for all time favorite for more conventional two to three toppings.

Last night I made thin crust and deep dish.

They were both good- the thin crust had pepperoni and mushroom,

the thick or deep dish had sausage and mushroom. They both had 3 cheeses on top- Romano, mozzarella, and Parmesan. and they were both very good.

But for the first time I really liked the thin crust better. For a bread lover it is a strange confession- but the crust interfered with the flavor on the deep dish.

And now for the mini-rant portion of this post.

I am so irritated with facebook, right now.

Not so much the constant changes and mechanics of the thing, but with the constant pressure of my “friends” challenging me to post something as my status because they posted it as their status. Just because they are following some craze doesn’t mean I have to- and I don’t like their suggestion that if I don’t put up the exact same status I am-

1) ashamed of Jesus Christ

2) don’t support our troops

3) don’t love my husband

4) want to set up death panels and kill babies.

Actually the list could go on and on, just like the mass produced statuses, but you get my drift.

Let me assure you all that I love the Lord Jesus Christ and am proud to be a believer and follower of His , that I pray for and care about all the men and women serving our country around the world, that after 35 years of marriage I still love and honor my husband, and that I am a peaceable creature , not wishing the death of any individual before the time God calls them home.

I just want to keep in touch with my friends and see the pictures they post without being inundated with peer pressure to suscribe to all of the pages and politics and whimsey of the populace.

And I’m NOT going to post anything on my status just because you want others to join you in your diatribes.

Rant over.

Left over pizza, anyone?

Ever feel like you’ve fallen into a rabbit hole?

Posted on April 3, 2010 by heidiannie

I’ve been on a tread mill.

Lost to the world of blogging.

Working on projects and doing laundry.

And … well just lots of stuff.

It feels like free fall- I’m not in charge- I’m just doing the next thing. And then the thing after that and then the thing after that- you get the idea?

And the theme of most of this stuff involves bunnies.

LOTS and LOTS of bunnies!

Today we are off to Columbus – and guess what I’m taking?

Did you guess? Was it bunnies?

Yes. Bunnies.

Eating at The Sailor’s Rest

Posted on March 10, 2010 by heidiannie

The Sailor’s Rest- that is the name of Meredith’s home here on Chincoteague Island, VA. It has to do with a historical movement associated with the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA)- started in the 1860’s, Sailor’s Rests were set up as places of respite for sailor’s on land-places where they could stay and spend their time ashore that didn’t include drinking and loose women.

When Meredith came back from Iraq, she was homeless in Hawaii for about a month- she didn’t have any close friends based there at that time- and there were no vacancies in any apartment buildings that she could afford. Navy housing is reserved for families and enlisted and for a while she was living out of her Jeep.

So, when she chose this name for her home it was personal and meaningful- a place of respite.

Frank and I have been working for the past two weeks to clean, paint, stain and equip this house for the summer rental season. Admittedly, Frank has done the lion’s share of the manual work- at best I have been an assistant and cleaning lady. Except that I have also been doing laundry and planning and preparing meals and doing all those things that keep a household moving along smoothly.

I’ve been making some of his favorite meals- Chili with fresh baked bread, Chicken Paprikas, Italian Sausage with tomatoes,peppers, and onions baked on sliced potatoes, Hamburgers with homemade potato chips, Mushroom and pepperoni pizza, fried chicken with biscuits, Liver and onions, Beef stew- do you get the idea, here? Heavy, meat laden meals interspersed with a couple of chef salad’s and soups?

Today I decided to make a lunch that I would enjoy.

Bacon and spinach quiche with a spinach and strawberry salad topped with thin sliced red onions and honey roasted sesame sticks- YUM!

Right? YUM?

He said, ” What is this? Did you make me a GIRLY lunch?”

He ate the quiche, then all the strawberries off of the top of his salad(not a spinach salad for Frank) because strawberries do NOT belong on a salad according to Frank.

He wouldn’t eat another slice of quiche so I got out the left-over liver- which I had tried to throw away-and heated it in the microwave.

He was happy with the oatmeal-raisin cookies I made for dessert.

We are coming home on Sunday- I have couple more meals to prepare- there are still rooms that need to be painted. Tonight we are having Stir fry vegetables with pork and soba noodles- and maybe ice cream for dessert from the Island Creamery.

I sure wish I could cook some fish or clams- but Frank won’t eat seafood.

Next time – I’m coming with less finicky eaters.

If you are in the area when I’m here- come for lunch- I would sure welcome some GIRLY lunch enthusiasts!

A short update-

Posted on March 7, 2010 by heidiannie

I’m sorry- if you’ve een following the Psalms series- there has been a brief interruption. Last Sunday we were traveling all day to get here to the eastern shore of Virginia. And today, my typing is seriously handicapped by a small injury to my finger (see pictures below).

Sorry about the blurry photos- my left hand is not as steady as my right!

Anyway, I cut my finger over a week and a half ago, and it just hasn’t healed. OR- as the doctor informed me yesterday, it has been trying to heal, but I have been continuously re-injuring it. So- I now have a splint and a giant finger sock and am not to use my right hand for anything for the next three days.

This puts a definite cramp in our house readying activities! (Although she insisted in calling Frank into the room as she gave these instructions, and gave him a stern look when he tentatively inquired about my ability to wash dishes?- Hah! I’m supposed to be treated ” like a queen”!)

So- the typing is about to stop because this is really hard and I keep getting bad typo’s.

But here are some pictures of our progress.