Tag Archive | nostalgia

Charms to Soothe the Savage Breast

Nov30

As I inch ever closer to embarking on the last year of my 50s, my thoughts turn to anything that will soothe the angst of being an age that sounds so old. I’m working at being healthier and more fit going into my *gulp* 60s.Treadmill

I’ve purchased a treadmill for a no-excuses workout. In fact we’re setting up a whole workout room adding my hubby’s ancient rower and some free weights, resistance bands and an exercise ball. This room was formerly our library/billiard room, well it still is the library but the floor area has been opened up by removing the pool table no one used. My friend, Gene Lempp, of Designing From Bones, and I are beginning a treadmill challenge tomorrow. It will run through January 29th. We’ve set goals for those 60 days and have rewards for ourselves in mind if we reach or surpass those goals. Wish us luck! We’ll post our progress from time to time so you can help keep us accountable.

While my meals are well-constructed of whole grains, vegetables and lean meats and fish, I’m still working on the in-between eating. I stopped baking and purchased dry-roasted almonds and very dark chocolate for an evening treat. Yet the pounds remain.

Back to things that soothe my angst – the exercise will help, as will having time to read while walking. We almost always have classic rock or metal music playing throughout the day, which takes me back to my youth.

Isn’t food just the most comforting element though? Thoughts of the foods of my childhood keep popping in my head. They are exactly the foods I have to avoid in order to get fit.

My Mom would make pot roast  or roast pork or chicken with potatoes and vegetables for Sunday dinners. On Tuesdays she’d use the leftover mashed potatoes to make her version of potato pancakes. Oh, I loved Tuesday nights!

Grilled cheese and tomato soup was, and still is, my favorite lunch. Follow it up with a dish of tapioca topped with cinnamon and whipped cream – ooh, I’m in heaven!

Mom made a to-die-for vanilla custard pie on Christmas. I have carried on the tradition because it’s the silkiest, most perfect custard that melts in your mouth and primes it for more.

*wiping drool from my chin* Here are a few more from my childhood that you may have enjoyed as well:

        photo courtesy of saltsidedownchocolates. wordpress.com                                                                                                             Hot chocolate made with Ovaltine, “For Radiant Health”
macari=oni and cheese

Courtesy of SliceOfChic Creamy, cheesy Macaroni & Cheese

  

Banana pudding

Photo courtesy of m kasahara Banana Pudding

 

None of these yummy foods will make it into my meal planning, except on very rare occasion. I’ll wait til I’m in my 80s to eat more of these foods because I know I’ll decide at that point that I can eat anything I want, just like I’ll be able to say anything and get away with it.

A happy relationship, a healthy mind and body and dreams to reach for help in dealing with getting older. I’ll soothe my angst with good music, healthy foods, lots of exercise and playing with my hubby…becoming a published author will help, too.

What do you do to soothe your angst? Are your favorite childhood comfort foods still in on your menu? Want to share them with us?

You know I love hearing from you and anxiously await your comments!

Don’t forget to join us on Friday for The Life List Club! How are you doing on your goals? One more month until our 6-month Milestone Party! Get ready for more fun and prizes! Click here to visit our last Milestone Party, in case you missed it.

Book Giveaway Winner!

Sep8

August 31st, I was honored to interview Lisa Rivero about her new book, Oscar‘s Gift. Lisa graciously provided me with an autographed copy of her book to give away to one of my commenters.

And the winner is….

HALEY WHITEHALL!! Congratulations!

Haley, please email your mailing address (not a P.O. box) to me at marichards320 AT yahoo DOT com. and I’ll get your copy out to you as quickly as possible.

There are more book giveaways coming!

Check out my interview with Jody Hedlund about her book, The Doctor’s Lady. Commenters will be eligible to win the book until midnight on Sunday, September 11th. The winner will be announced on Monday, September 12th.

On Thursday, September 15th, I will be interviewing Kim Wright, author of Disneyworld for Kids, Love in Mid Air, and her newest release, Your Path to Publication. Kim has a broad base of experience having been an author for more than 20 years. She has generously set aside a copy of her new book for our giveaway contest. Commenters will be eligible to win from September 15th to midnight on September 19th. The winner will be announced on September 20th.

Don’t forget about Life List Club Friday this week! If you haven’t joined the club yet, all you have to do is subscribe to one or more LLC writers’ blogs. You’ll find all the LLC writers listed in the sidebar. Feel free to blog hop on Friday to see what we’re all up to.

September 23rd is our 3-month check-in on our life lists. You know what that means…!!!MILESTONE PARTY!!! and…!!!PRIZES!!! Join us for food, drink and merriment!  We’ll fill you in on our progress and hope you’ll tell us how you’re doing, as well. Be there or be square!

Happy Labor Day and Sweet Obsessions

Sep5
Labor Day Parade, Union Square, New York, 1882...

Image via Wikipedia

Happy Labor Day!

Please join me in thanking all the American workers, those of today and those of the past 100+ years, for their service to this country. Cheer them on at your local parade where they exhibit to the public “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations” of the community. Enjoy this 3 minute video offering a brief history of Labor Day.

One more bit of business…Please join me on Wednesday  for an interview with author, Jody Hedlund. Jody is a historical fiction writer and has two books available, The Preacher’s Bride and, her newest release, The Doctor’s Lady. I will be giving away a copy of The Doctor’s Lady to one lucky commenter.

I’ve read The Preacher’s Bride and am devouring The Doctor’s Lady. Jody’s writing draws the reader in an holds you there. You’ll find yourself loving the characters and not wanting to let them go when you’ve finished the book. I lost a lot of sleep while I read The Preacher’s Bride, just couldn’t find a place where I was willing to close the book to close my eyes. More than a story set in Puritan Days, it’s a story about two people who each have a mission in life and find a way to have love, too. It has been the same with The Doctor’s Lady…late nights…just one more chapter before sleep.

Mondays in September are all about Sweet Obsessions. I know I can’t be the only one who obsesses over such things as chocolate, books, movies, or music. So, I expect that I’ll hit common ground with most of you, my exceptional readers!

Labor Day Weekend marks the final days of summer vacation for kids and their parents. For the rest of us, it signals the onset of Autumn, even though Fall doesn’t officially begin for almost 3 more weeks. Summer playtime is behind us: July 4th fireworks, beach days, lazy  book-reading afternoons in a hammock, road trips, gardening, outdoor concerts, and the like.

Drive into a state park on this holiday weekend and you’ll see what most folks do to celebrate this final summer fling…BBQ! For me BBQ is the best way to eat. It’s one of my Sweet Obsessions! The aroma of food sizzling on the grill evokes memories of summers past and creates  that fluttery excitement of outdoor parties.

Most of us use barbeque and grilling interchangeably. I do, but there is a difference. Barbeque includes a sauce to season meats and grilling is cooking without the sauce. When I pull out the gas grill, though, it’s all the same to me!

I can’t even name a favorite food for the grill because I like just about any food cooked that way: juicy and tender Delmonico steaks, succulent lobster tails dripping with clarified butter, vegetables made sweeter as they’re grilled on skewers, roast turkey like you’ve never tasted, thick-sliced pineapple, and the all-time favorite burgers and dogs.

Ooh, and don’t forget the summer salads, desserts and drinks! Now that I have your mouths watering (like mine), I’m going to satisfy all that drooling with a few recipes:

WHITE PEACH SANGRIA – Sweet and refreshing

Ingredients:

  • 1 bottle white wine (preferably Spanish table wine)
  • 3 ounces brandy
  • 2 ounces triple sec
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • 2 ounces simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water brought to a boil for 2 minutes in a small saucepan) and cooled (leftover syrup can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 1 month)
  • 3 ounces white peach puree (peel peaches, remove pit and puree in a blender with a small amount of water)
  • Fresh peaches, oranges, and apples sliced

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a pitcher and stir to mix. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 48 hours. Serve over ice.

 

PERFECT GRILLED STEAK – If you like beef, what could be more perfect?

Ingredients:

Directions:

About 20 minutes before grilling, remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let sit, covered, at room temperature.

Heat your grill to high. Brush the steaks on both sides with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place the steaks on the grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the steaks over and continue to grill 3 to 5 minutes for medium-rare (an internal temperature of 135 degrees F), 5 to 7 minutes for medium (140 degrees F) or 8 to 10 minutes for medium-well (150 degrees F).

Transfer the steaks to a cutting board or platter, tent loosely with foil and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

GRILLED STUFFED TOMATOES – A super easy side dish!

Ingredients:

 

Directions:

Preheat the grill to medium heat.

Cut the tomatoes and core them, removing all the seeds and juice.

In a medium bowl add the onions, basil, and goat cheese. Mix and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add cooked orzo and combine. Stuff the tomatoes with the mixture. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes. Top the tomatoes with the Parmesan.

Place the tomatoes directly on the grill with the cover closed and cook for 10 minutes. The juices will begin to run. Remove from grill and place on platter.

 

GRILLED NEW POTATO SALAD - A twist on an old stand-by, potato salad with a bleu cheese-bacon vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

  • 4 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed, cooked until almost tender, drained, and halved
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
  • Salt and freshly ground black
  • 3/4 pound hickory smoked bacon
  • 1 large red onion, finely sliced
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 cup crumbled Maytag blue cheese

Directions:

Preheat grill. Toss potatoes with 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill cut side down for 3 minutes. Turn over and continue grilling 2 to 3 minutes. Place in a large bowl.

Place medium skillet on the side burner or the grill and heat until almost smoking. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Let cool and crumble.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the onions and cook until soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, vinegar, and sugar and cook until sugar is dissolved. Pour the onion mixture over the potatoes, add the crumbled bacon and parsley and toss to combine, season with salt and lots of black pepper. Spoon the salad onto a large platter and sprinkle with the crumbled blue cheese.

 

 GRILLED PINEAPPLE SUNDAES - Easy, Fast and Impressive

  • 1 large pineapple, cored and cut into 1-inch-thick slices
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • Vanilla ice cream, for topping
  • Caramel, for topping
  • Homemade or Purchased Shortbread cookies

Preheat the grill to medium heat.  Brush pineapple slices with melted butter and grill until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve with rich, vanilla ice cream and caramel topping on top of  two shortbread cookies.

Thanks to my favorite source of recipes, Food Network.

Whatever you enjoy eating at your holiday celebration, please, somewhere between that first bite of steak and the last slurp of ice cream,  remember all those American workers who made Labor Day weekend possible!

Do you think most people have forgotten to honor those who are responsible for this holiday? How do you celebrate Labor Day?

You know I love hearing from you and anxiously await your comments!

ATTENTION! Please submit any questions you would like answered during my interview with Kim Wright to be held on Thursday, September 15th. I’ll choose as many as I can. This is your opportunity to get a highly experienced author to give you the scoop on all things publishing! You may submit questions via email or the comments section. Thanks for your input!

If you’d like to make life a little easier, click on the subscribe button to have my fresh pressed posts delivered right to your inbox! Easy, Peasy!

 

 

Celebrate, Celebrate, Dance to The Music!

Sep3

kick up heels

I’m kickin’ up my heels in this Special Edition post!

September 2nd marked this blog’s 100th post! 

Thank you to all my readers for making this blog successful. I’ve enjoyed every moment of research and writing to bring you entertainment, information, and inspiration.

I also thank my Life List Club writers for sharing their excellent writing for my readers’ enjoyment, as well as, giving me the opportunity to return the favor.

Thanks to you, my loyal readers, my subscriber list has grown steadily and my page views have soared. I’ve chatted with so many wonderful and talented people over the last few months, whom I consider friends. I’d like to keep that momentum going and will do that by continuing to bring you quality posts that: take you back in time, make you smile, enlighten and intrigue you, and let you know we’re all in this game of life together.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, I offer you some amazing music: Three Dog Night‘s, Celebrate!

Three Dog Night is an American band that formed in the 1960′s, taking their current name in 1965. They have had 21 Billboard Top 40 Hits, three of which hit #1: Mama Told Me Not To Come, Joy To The World, and Black And White. They are still together, performing in 80+ concerts across the country annually.

Celebrate, hitting #15 on the charts, is my favorite of their long list of rockin’ songs. The video link here http://youtu.be/v7n_DWxJTwQ  is for the live performance of Celebrate in the War Memorial in Rochester, NY, about 90 minutes from my home. Back in summer of 1970, I had just graduated from high school and was preparing for college. Remember being 18 and feeling as though the world belonged to you? My ‘real’ life was just beginning. I could vote, drink and drive (not all at the same time, of course). I was out from under my parent’s rule. I was free!

Celebrate stirred that feeling further and united audiences everywhere. Wherever a local band was covering 3DN’s tunes, kids were on their feet, clapping their hands over their heads and singing along, loudly.

 That August, my best friend and I donned our skin-tight jeans, halter topsVolkswagon beetle and sexy, barely-there sandals. We climbed into my little green VW, rolled down the windows, inserted an 8-track tape of 3DN and took off for Rochester. The music blared from my car’s chintzy speakers and the wind ruffled my waist-length auburn hair as we drove to the arena in hopes of buying tickets from a scalper to see our favorite musicians.

We spent hours in the heat and humidity searching for someone who had a coveted ticket to sell. No such luck. We waited, instead, by the stage door with dozens of other kids like us til the concert was over, hoping to get an autograph from Danny Hutton, Cory Wells or Chuck Negron, the three lead vocalists. Before the band was rushed out the doors to their bus, the policeDanny Hutton pushed us out of the way,as if we were some kind of threat. There we stood screaming and reaching out to our idols hoping for a mere touch, even a glance or smile in our direction. Danny Hutton turned as I screamed his name and winked at me (I’m sure it was me he was winking at)!

We didn’t go straight home that night, but detoured to a local hangout, The Orange Monkey. 3DN’s music was playing on the DJ’s turntable all night. I ordered a grown-up gin-seven-and lemon, snagged the first ceiling-hung monkey chair I came across and spent the rest of the night dreamy-eyed over that wink of destiny with Danny. It was near dawn when we reached our hometown, and we were starving. We headed for breakfast at Dee’s, our favorite diner, hoping our parents wouldn’t realize we never made it to our beds.

Dress up tonight, why be lonely?
You’ll stay at home and you’ll be alone
So why be lonely?
Celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music
Celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music

Have any stories about your favorite band when you were 18? I frequently stayed out all night in those days…how about you?

You know I love hearing from you and anxiously await your comments…come chat with me!

If you’d like to make life a little easier, click the Subscribe button to get fresh pressed blogs in your inbox. Easy, Peasy!

ATTENTION! Don’t forget I am interviewing the awesome Jody Hedlund right here on Wednesday! I’ll be giving away a copy of Jody’s new book, The Doctor’s Lady, to one of my commenters on the interview! Please visit and give Jody some comment love!

Oooh, Sexy! Shoes!

Aug29

As a young woman, shopping for shoes was my favorite pastime. Dancing shoes, dressy boots, sexy sandals, slick workday shoes and, at least one pair of simply outrageous shoes…I had more shoes than outfits to wear them with.

I’d still love an assortment of shoes and boots, but I don’t need as many now…and stilettos don’t feel so good anymore. I’ve scoured the internet for, what the world considers, ‘Sexy Shoes’. See what you think. You may drool over some and cringe at others. Either way, it’ll be fun to imagine our own tootsies inside those shoes and dream up an occasion to wear them.

platform shoesbeaded heels

#1 - 8″ Platforms    #2 Leopard print    #3 Beaded silver sandals (my favorite)

red mary janesblack pumpsblue patent leather

#4 Red Mary Janes           #5 Black Pumps            #6 Royal patent w/ankle strap

lace pumpschinese platformglitter and acrylic

#7 Black lace ankle strap   #8 Chinese platform       #9 Glitter & acrylic

white laceGothicheart shoe

#10 White lace     #11 Gothic                          #12 Heart platform

 

leopard stilettomolded platformretro stilettos

#13 Leopard stilettos  #14 Molded platform   #15  Retro Pumps

red bowsee thru shoeswht two strap

#16 Red bow                        #17 See thru                      #18 White two-strap

silver straps8" weirdrhinestone stilettos

#19 Greek style          #20 8″ Weird                      #21 Rhinestone stilettos

My opinion? #12 is kind of quirky and weird, but # 20 makes my feet hurt just looking at them!

Of course, there are thousands more shoe styles, and this is but a small sampling. What strikes you as sexy?

I’d be thrilled if you could choose a pair you would wear and tell me why you like them and where you’d wear them.

Or, just tell me what your all-time favorite shoes were, sexy or not!

You know I love hearing from you and anxiously await your comments!

Stay-tuned for Wednesday’s Interview with Author, Lisa Rivero! I’ll be choosing one random commenter that day to receive a copy of Lisa’s newly released book, Oscar’s Gift!