Raining today

Its been raining and thundering since early this morning, supposed to rain all day long, I love rainy days...

I am tempted to put on my clothes and go walk in the rain, splash in puddles, and just enjoy the stinging feel of the rain hitting my face.

There is nothing more fun that a good warm rainstorm, that is if there isn't any problem with lightening. Here is Florida we tend to see a lot of lightening and its not unusual to hear of people getting struck by lightening during some of the wild storms we have.

So here I am jotting down a few thoughts while listening to the rain hit the window panes and the thunder booming over the top of the house. I haven't even gotten dressed today and who knows maybe I will stay in my robe today and just potter around the house, make soup out of the leftover corned beef and cabbage from St. Patrick's Day, I have carrots, green beans, onions, plenty of vegetable to add to it all...

Spending money/repotting aloe plant

I had one aloe plant and then split it into two pots and now I need to split it yet again, maybe I should say I need to repot all the new plants that are shooting up...lol
I also bought some dirt and a rake, along with weed and feed for the grass out front of my condo. Yes, the yard workers are suppose to do this stuff, but they don't rake or clear the fallen leaves and so the grass is beginning to die and they are not doing anything other than running a mower over the near to bare spots. So I am raking the leaves, will weed and feed to see if that helps the grass. I also threw down some top soil in the garden area and will be looking to throw some grass seed down once I see if the weeds die and the little bit of grass that's there shows any sign of coming back.

So after walking the slough today, doing some shopping and as I said being outside doing the front garden area, I'm showing I did approx. 6 1/2 miles of steps. So am now sitting here with my feet up and wondering what I'm going to do for dinner????? lol

Been a long time

It's been a long time since I wrote on here last...

Life has been busy, different, I've not been online much, I've been walking down at the slough and bought binoculars to watch both the hawks and the barred owls, not to mention I've been entertained by the otters and the raccoons. So much to see and I tend to lose track of time while there, I go with the intention of being an hour or two and land up getting home 4 hours later...lol

I tell myself I need to get back to swimming too, its such a good all over exercise without any stress to the joints. The weather has pretty good for it too, but as I say the slough keeps calling my name.

So today I walked 4 miles at the slough, fixed a corned beef and cabbage lunch for myself and my sweet love, always better when shared...

This afternoon I decided to clean out kitchen cupboards and then decided after half were done, I needed a break. Seeing as its already after 4 p.m. I decided to put my feet up and see what's going on here...

Hope you have all been having a great day and haven't worked too hard!

Moussaka

Its delicious

Moussaka

I was asked for this recipe, so am placing it here so they can see it and hopefully enjoy it in the near future. I'm actually going to make this tomorrow and then cook it on Monday.

Moussaka

2 pounds of Aubergine sliced (commonly known in U.S.A as Egg Plant)
Salt and Pepper
Vegetable or olive oil
1 lbs of lean ground lamb, you can us other ground meat such as beef
2 medium onions chopped
3 tablespoons of tomato puree
½ pint of white wine
12 oz can of tomatoes with the juice
½ teaspoon of dried oregano
½ teasp0on of dried basil
1 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs

Topping

1 oz of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 pint of milk
6 oz of grated cheese
2 egg yolks

How to make

Sprinkle the aubergine (egg plant) with generously with salt and place in a colander to drain for 30 minutes.

In a saucepan heat 1 tbsp of oil.
Brown the meat well, stir in onions, tomato puree, wine, tomatoes and herbs along with the 1 tbsp of flour. Bring to the boil and then cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if needed, I tend to stir this while its simmering approx. every 10 minutes.

While this is cooking, rinse the aubergine slices (egg plant) and pat dry.
In a fry pan fry a few at a time in hot oil and place in paper towels to absorb the oil. (I have a Nuwave oven I use instead of frying as you can just spray the augerbine slices with olive oil.)

In a casserole dish layer (appox. 2 ½ pint size shallow pan) aubergine, meat with sauce, then top with 2 tbsp of breadcrumbs.

Make Topping

Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour and cook gently for 1 minute, stirring continually. Remove pan from the heat and stir in milk, return to heat and bring to a boil, continually stirring and cooking until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in 4 oz of cheese and both egg yolks.

Spoon the sauce over the moussaka and sprinkle the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs over the top.

Bake in the oven at 350* or 180*C (Mark 4) for 45 minutes until golden

Serve after letting it sit for 15 minutes

Strength and love

I think so many of us are alike in many ways. As women we have and still do go through some very hard things, but we have a strength that isn't show by flexing our biseps. Our strength isn't seen that way, its an inner strength that says we will not go down on our knees without a fight. We even then will go down only to rise again and tell ourselves we are worth the fight, we are worth the love that we along should give ourselves. For if you don't love yourself as much as you can, you can't love anyone else and you can't expect them to love you either.
We are first and foremost spirit inside this flesh, we are pure and perfect beneath the skin. Love in all its facets is why we came here, so love in all its facets should be what we accept and share.

Just thoughts that came to me this morning

Build on history

What was it like years ago, what did they feel in comparison today?

Life doesn't change so very much, feelings don't change a whole lot either, people have all the same likes, dislikes, things that bring them a feeling of happiness, safety and also fear, misgivings. But did people years ago put as much value on themselves or others, did they appreciate the small things in life more than we do today? We seem to as a society seem to value money and things above so much else, we as a society seem to value ourselves before others, families don't seem to bond and stay together the way they seem to do years ago!

What they thought and felt and did is history now, very soon what we think, feel and do will also be history and others in the future may wonder not so much about the past or our lives, but just us as the past. Will they forget or not care about the past/history, our history, but only of us as the past as history, if they even look back at all? Will the history that we knew be forgotten or rewritten to suit the narrative of the day as I see it already being done by people even now!

Will they wonder about only the leaders or great names of our time or as I see so many do in this time that many think of only blaming and then destroying the greats of before, destroying the statues and changing history to make it more to their liking. I worry that those who do this are only pushing us to a point in the future where history will repeat itself because no one will know the true history and land up replaying things because they don't know what happened before. If you don't learn from the correct history, no matter how much you dislike it as being true. If you don't learn from it you are destined to repeat it and suffer just as those of the past did! Each generation should build on the true lessens of history, make things better, show a true growth from ignorance to enlightenment. If you find history distasteful then work to make a better today, a better future so that you can truly see the betterment of man.

I feel sorry for those of the future, they will pay for the hatred of many of today, they won't know any better and will be shortchanged by today's people for not improving things and showing how and telling why they did improve things. The best lessen is by showing the past mistakes, the past hatreds and how mankind rose above that! Had it not been for those of history you may not have been here, you may not have had a country to help build and improve upon to show the world outside of these borders what can happen if people come together from all over the world to form a country that many have for a long time called the 'melting pot'. It is your duty as a citizen or just as a human being living in this country to improve things, not to criticize and then destroy what happened, but to change is by showing what is was like for real and how you and others have come together to make changes because you know better than those back in times gone by...

Look at all the things that we have learned through each year that has past, we have come a long way from living in caves and discovering fire, we've come a long way from sitting by a fire to now having central heating systems running through buildings. It took centuries to get to where we are today, but in some ways we moving back in time by destroying the truth history, instead of learning from them, we say I don't like this or that, destroy it, change it to my liking. But in doing so you destroy what really happened, you get rid of the books that tell what happened, you get rid of the statues that cause someone to ask, what did he or she do and then say, wow, thank goodness we know better than them and can point out the improvements made in both constructive action and mindset.

Leave this world better than you found it, leave history alone and make new history to show the growth of mankind, we are none of us perfect, but we can strive to make this world something the young want to do their part to build on what we do now and our forefathers did before us!

He Changed My Life (9)

Two weeks later I'm on a train with Adam, my parents are to follow later that evening, Adam having made the excuse that he had a meeting to attend and that he would like me to have dinner with him after the meeting causes my parents to allow us to travel together along. If you consider I had my maid with me, a built in spy if I'm thinking like my mother does. It was only a six hour window of us being able to be alone together, as Adam smiled telling me the maid would be unpacking my bags while he and I walk along the beach. My mother had said we could walk along the promenade after Adams meeting, she of course reminded us that polite young ladies didn't walk on the beach as it called for lifting your dress up and revealing your ankles. The thought that I might take my shoes and stocking off would have made my mother faint, it would cause my father to raise his eyebrows and shake his head, although I guess if either realized I was planning on foregoing stocking and just slipping from my shoes, goodness the world might stop turning! But then again had they known that Adam didn't have a meeting at all and that he had planned on he and I spending a lot more time together, well then I might not have been sitting here on the train with Adam right now!

Adam laughed when I whispered that I couldn't walk far along the promenade or I would get blisters, I explained my plan and he chuckled trying to tell me I was a wicked young woman and that I excited him with such talk. Of course this was a short interaction between us while my maid was not nearby to hear, "You don't mind me being a little wicked do you Adam, I mean its just I've always wanted to feel the sand beneath my feet, I've never actually been on a beach before, mother has always insisted we walk the promenade and even then it was only for a short while before going back to the hotel or to visit an aunt for tea. She thinks too much sea air is not good, although I rather feel invigorated by a walk near the sea, I love the sounds and the smell of the salt in the air, I wish someday to perhaps put my feet in the water and feel how cold it is!" I was bubbling with more things to say, but Adam nodded to warn me that the maid was about to return and that the conversation needed to be one of a more genteel mode.

Once at Yarmouth though we took a carriage ride to the hotel and I couldn't keep myself from clapping my hands and moving in a bouncing way seeing the sea and the sandy beach just across the road from our hotel. "Oh Adam, do we have time before your meeting to walk along the promenade for a while, especially while Mary unpacks my things, oh please say we can?" I was like a child at Christmas, eager to open her presents, Adam laughed and nodded saying the meeting had been postponed and that yes we could walk the promenade for a while. He also told Mary she could go visit her family member for the afternoon, just so she was back by six when my parents were expected to arrive. He also cautioned her not to mention the outing to my parents as he didn't want them thinking she was shirking her duty, she blushed and thanked him, she hadn't even known he was aware she had a cousin living at Yarmouth, something I'd actually shared with him when he had mentioned where we were going the week before. Everything was working out wonderfully, Adam and I left the hotel to walk along the promenade until out of sight of the front of the building.

It was then he turned to me with his eyes sparkling and declared, "okay my dear, two steps down and you will feel the sand beneath your feet, I will remove your shoes once you are on the bottom step, I'll even be gallant and carry them for you." He was smiling and his eyes were again bright green, a sure sign he was happy and excited both. I felt wicked feeling his hand on my calf while he undid the laces holding my shoes and then pulling them off of my feet, he even tied the laces together so he could carry them easier. "My goodness, now I've laid hands on you in a most inappropriate way, what will people say if they were to see or hear of my behaviour, what will they think of you for allowing such a thing?" He laughed at my blushing and then took my hand and pulled me close, "If your reputation is already tarnished by such an act, why not go the whole way my dear and surrender to a kiss!" The words barely out of his mouth when his lips pressed softly at first against mine, but the kiss didn't end quickly as all the others had done, this kiss was long, teasingly sensual and spine titillatingly wonderful! My arms came up and around him as the kiss continued, I felt his lips part and his tongue teasingly move between my lips and tease my tongue as if dancing, daring to push me to a point of not thinking at all, just feeling!

When the kiss finally ended I felt dizzy, I felt as though I had been flying through the air and I couldn't seem to pull my arms back, I simply kept them around him as he kept his around me. "My goodness Sarah, now I will have to declare my intentions towards you as being far more than casual, I intend to spend many a day kissing you like that, in fact many, many years kissing you like that and more!" The words drifted into my ears, but they didn't register at first, in fact all I could think about was I wanted another kiss, I didn't want to let go of this man, I didn't even care about the feeling of delight at my feet touching the sand, I just wanted to kiss again, in fact kiss him many more times. I close my eyes and tilt my head back with my face up and pressed my hand against his back and my body against his front, I wanted another kiss, I offered myself to him for kissing and he didn't disappoint. His lips came to mine again and this time was far more passionate than the last, his mouth found mine eager and totally willing to move in unison with his, our tongues danced in my mouth and in fact mine even moved into his too... I was truly a wicked woman now, but was it so wicked to show him how I was feeling, how much I liked our kissing each other? It was only when a voice interrupted us that we pulled back from each other, otherwise I think we might have continue to kiss for much longer...

"Well, I never, such behaviour these days, your mother would be ashamed young lady and you Sir I am not sure you are a gentleman at all behaving in such a way!" The older lady staring at us both and going on to remark to the gentleman beside her that such behaviour was indecent and shouldn't be allowed in such public places. Adam startled me with what he said. "My dear lady, I would usually agree with you, such behaviour is not to be expected along the promenade, but I was over come with happiness at this young lady agreeing to become my wife! Its not everyday a man finds the woman of his dreams and she agrees to put up with him for life, despite the fact of not being worthy of her!" He stood looking up at the woman and flashing her a smile to melt anyone's heart, he proceeded further. "I was going to kneel and propose to her, but the promenade was too hard on my knees, so I opted to persuade her to stand on the sand with me, I do apologize but a man in love tends to forget the order of things, I haven't even remembered to bring the ring with me. But I assure you my dear lady, I intend to marry this young lady and behave much better in the future." Who could be upset with him after that, and the older lady and gentleman were full of congratulations and advice on how to have a long and happy marriage.

By the time they left we had been standing there for a good fifteen minutes and I was totally bewildered by all that had been said. As Adam and I walked slowly on the sand holding hands, which he declared wasn't proper either, but since he was a newly engaged man, maybe it was acceptable!

"Adam, what you said about making me your wife, were you only saying that to placate the old couple or." I didn't get the chance to finish my questions, Adams lips came down on mine again and his arms swept me up close to him. Was that his way to avoid answering my question or was it because he felt certain that we really were meant to be together in a more formal a way, after all marriage did allow for all kinds of behaviour to be allowed between a man and woman?

He Changed My Life (8)

Weeks go by and there are a lot of walks in the park, lots of tea and parties, dancing and even visits to the theater!

Each time he touches my hand or arm I shiver with pleasure, each peck on the cheek leaves me wanting to kiss his lip, which he seems to reserve for kissing me goodnight!

I may be innocent of many things, but it doesn't stop me imagining what it would be like to feel a full spine tingling kiss while feeling his arms fully about me and his body pressed to mine! I long for the day he feels I am ready for such pleasure from him, but for all those weeks of seeing each other he never seems to go past the point of teasing me with looks and smiles, is it waiting for me to say something, do something? Our conversations are in depth, finding out about each other, our likes and dislikes, our dreams and aspirations. Although he is twice my age and pretty much established in what he wants in life, business life at least, he still has desires to build a bigger empire, to not just become wealthier though, but to contribute to others success as much as anything else. He seems to enjoy seeing those of the lower class succeed and become prosperous, to see them more able to help their families and friend both. He became very excited seeing their children able to attend school, not just for a few years, but to graduate and attend a trade school if not a college of further education. He took great delight in introducing me to a son of one of his employees, this young man was attending medical school and Adam and everyone around were pinning their hopes on this young man to help give those less fortunate medical help in the future.

We spent an afternoon looking at a small clinic that Adam had set up where those less fortunate could go when sick, there were already three doctors who volunteered one day a week to see patients in need of surgery and one doctor who was paid to attend to the sick full time. The clinic was always busy he told me and there was a need to expand, but many didn't wish to work taking care of the poor, the area was a bit rough, but the service provided was very much needed. I found it interesting, but also scary as while we were leaving a rough looking man stumbled in through the doors and if Adam hadn't caught me I might have found myself knocked clear to the floor! Thank goodness too that there were two men who acted as both porter, handyman and in this case peacekeeper, they took control of the man and got him into the examination room without further incidence.

I wasn't harmed but I was shook up and Adam whisked me off in a carriage to a large hotel restaurant for some tea and cake, with a somewhat forced chuckle he said. "Nothing puts a lady to rights than a good cup of tea and something sweet to eat!" But I could tell he wasn't pleased that our visit to the clinic ended with such a disturbance. I distracted him from his overly concern for my safety by stating I hadn't had such an adventure ever and to be rewarded with a fancy tea was the icing on the cake!

We both agreed that my parents need not know of the incidence and that it was wisest to next outing go for a ride or walk in the park, something more genteel, but then Adam came up with the idea of a train ride. A trip to the seaside, a stay over night, of course my mother would escort us, perhaps even my father too, Adam became excited thinking of then extending the trip to a long weekend!

Myself all I kept thinking was, would we find time to walk the beach alone, would he take me in his arms and kiss me wildly while the wind blew and the waves crashed against the shore? My mind was working overtime imagining a romantic time alone, all thoughts of my parents coming along lost to the wild thoughts of being swept into Adams arms and surrendering to his passionate kisses.... Adam brings me back to reality with a start... "I know that look, I've seen it before on many a woman's face, don't make more of a weekend away than just a way of seeing you in other surroundings, a way of our getting away from the city and yes getting to know each other better. But nothing more than the fact I'm wealthy and can afford to do such things, we are a long way from making any declarations to your parents or the world my dear!" He chuckles and pats my hand, then grins and leans close to me to whisper in my ear. "You are way too easy to read Sarah, I can pretty much read your mind as clearly as reading a book. I know what you want, I know too you are wishing me to kiss you passionately and wrap my arms about you, but when I do my dear, you might not find yourself able to get away from my arms, you might find yourself helpless to ever be able to pull away from me!"

With that said he rises and nod to the waiter, he then offers me his hand and we leave the restaurant without paying the bill, I find out later he has a line of credit with the hotel and he pays at the end of each month for whatever he has used during that time. I am impressed that indeed he is a very important man and has no need to bother with waiting for a bill to be presented before he simply stands up and leaves as he wished. I did wait until we are in the carriage before asking him. "Are you sure you can read my mind, I mean how sure are you that I want you to kiss me at all?"

I like it when he laughs the way he laughed after hearing me say that, a huge belly laugh, the kind of laugh that makes you shake and not be able to speak for a while! He doesn't answer me then, but he does send me a letter the next day!

He Changed My LIfe (7)

A walk in the park, we don't touch, we simply walk side by side albeit with a 3 foot gap between us, he turns his head and smiles at me, I smile back. I wonder do I speak first or do I wait for him to start a conversation, but then thinking that I realize its not an awkward silence, its a quiet calm like feel that actually feels comfortable. But being me and a chatterbox, I'm actually not sure how long I can go without speaking, my father often laughed that if I could be quiet for twenty minutes he might wonder if I was ill. I giggle with that thought and Adam stops walking and turns to me with a large grin on his face. "Tell me, what do you find so funny that you had to giggle, have I done something you find funny?" He stands waiting for my reply and for a moment I wasn't sure if I should tell him my thoughts or make something up. I choose to risk telling him, "I was thinking about how we haven't spoken as yet, its been over ten if not fifteen minutes that we have walked along this path and you haven't spoke until this very minute of my giggling! I was however thinking I wasn't sure of how long I could go without talking, I'm a chatterbox according to my father. But then again, the silence between us didn't seem awkward in fact it felt very pleasant indeed, comfortably so." I didn't have to wait but a moment to know he thought me funny, he laughed out loud and clapped his hands together!

"You are priceless, I was thinking, no wondering how long you could go without speaking, and I have to say I was timing it, it was indeed fifteen minutes." Adam continued to chuckle and I noted his eyes sparkling and that they were in fact more green today than they were at the ball. He was a truly handsome man, and I liked how his eyes changed colour to match his mood. I was to discover they were mostly brown until he became very happy or amused, they they turned to almost bright green. Later I discovered that when he was upset, I mean really angry that his eyes became a steal grayish blue, it wasn't that he had to say anything about being upset, his eyes showed it to those who knew him.

We walked around the park chattering about all kinds of things after that, the time seem to slip by and I was actually finding my feet becoming tired, it was as if he knew and he suggested we stop someplace to take refreshments. But I knew my parents would have tea and cakes for us the moment we came through the front door, so I instead suggested we return to my home, after all it was over two hours since we had left! "Your feet are hurting, I didn't think about how far I'd walked you, come we will take a Hansom cab back to your house, I think the ride will be nice." Adam said with a smile as he hailed a cab, one with an open carriage, the air was warm and the horse was a beautiful chestnut colour, I felt like a princess for the second time in as many days.

I am guessing my mother had been watching for us at the window because when we walked up the steps to the front door the maid opened it before Adam could knock. Within minutes of our taking a seat in the parlor, the maid was bringing in tea and cakes as I knew she would, my mother was glowing with happiness. I had a feeling she was already planning the wedding, a bit premature since Adam and I had only met yesterday, but my already being twenty-two years of age, my mother was getting worried I'd be a spinster. A total disgrace and shame upon the family since I wasn't considered plain or outright ugly, which my mother took great pains to inform me even some of those sort had husbands already.

I will say this though, every time Adam looked at me or offered me his hand I felt a shiver of pleasure move through me, especially when he kissed the back of my hand. The tingling vibrations that seem to bounce between us was amazing and surprising to me all at the same time! I keep wondering, how could I have in such a short time of meeting him feel such things, and yet here I was feeling a tingling that wouldn't stop! It was like he had woken something in me that I didn't even know existed, I blushed easily at his looking at me, all the more so for his touching my hand or arm. Yet at the same time I felt comfortable and yes happy in his presence, I in fact longed to move closer to him, I wanted to feel his body close to mine as it had been when we were dancing last night!