Hungarian Beef Stew - random I know.

I bet you are wondering where this came from?  

Facebook actually.  Someone posted a picture of Hungarian Beef Stew and the memories came flooding in.

 See, this is the problem.  I LOVE Hungarian stew and you would think it would be easy to find in Hungry.  I, along with my mom, visited my sister and BIL in Romania where they lived in 1999.  We were there for a few weeks and traveled around Romania before embarking on our journey back to the USA.  This journey brought us through Hungry.  What a beautiful country and it's a good thing my sister and BIL knew where they were going as the street signs were about a mile long and I would be lost.  They had stayed at this cute motel and we went into the city of Budapest one of the days before flying out.  We were on a mission as I was craving authentic Hungarian beef stew.  We checked several menus along this main street and finally found what I was dreaming of for days.  Hungarian Stew.  It was so delicious I could not get enough.  I even bought some authentic spices so I was able to make this at home which I did on several occasions. 

Thanks Facebook and cooking light magazine for posting this wonderful picture and bringing me back to a wonder visit and my only visit abroad.

Leave me a comment if there is something this picture reminds you of.

Do you ever wonder ??? I DO.

This was circling around on FB yesterday and I had already done my blog post for the day so as I sat here reading this it really made me THINK.  That is the point right.

At the moment, I'm not sure I really exist in many peoples lives.  I did a test for most of 2015 and it's exactly what I thought. If I don't call people including family, they don't call either.  I have a feeling this will make some people mad - oh well.

Do you think a text is the same thing as calling?
Do you wonder why I don't call?  
Do you wonder if I'm ok? 
Do you wonder if I am still alive?
Do you wonder anything about me.  
Do you think of me? 
Do I still exist? 
Do I have family?
Do I have siblings? 
Do I have friends? 

When I hear Songs I think of ....
1.) Why are there so many songs about rainbows - Kermit - DB
2.) Jump - VanHalen - TH
3.) Journey - any of them really - CL
4.) Private Dancer - Tina Turner - DU
5.) Yellow Submarine - DB
6.) Neil Young - Again any song - TS

I too wonder about the story part - Growing up I had what I considered a best friend.  We went to the same church and different schools.  But since I was active in our church and so was she we were able to spend time together.  As we grew up things changed when I move here to LP.  I did not have a phone so we wrote back and forth.  I 'm not sure why or what changed but we were not as close and that part makes sense. I would contact her when I was home and we would get together.  We sat together at church and talked like we had just seen each other.  One year it changed big time.  We had planned to get together and I had borrowed my moms car, I took her to work so I would have it for our meeting.  When I got back home there was a message from her ... I had forgotten I promised my SIL that we would get together and sew for the day. I was shocked!!!  That is your OUT.  You are sewing with your SIL.  I called her back and she would not budge.  I was so hurt and mad that she did this. She could sew any day.  I tried the next few times to get together and she either didn't answer the phone or didn't have time.  One time I saw her in my moms favorite restaurant.  She was behind us but I recognized her voice.  I turned and spoke to her.  She was quiet and I said a few things and we left.  I never saw her again.  Move forward to a few years ago.  My first friend here in Lake Placid was really sick and was dying from throat cancer.  We had a great chat and I brought up this event.  He said - you know, you should probably try to contact her and let her know you are thinking about her... Funny.  I did - I called her at the church she was working for and it was like pulling teeth.  I asked several questions and she gave 1 word answers and asked nothing in return.  Eventually I gave up and hung up the phone.  I still think of her today and wonder what I did...I sent several cards asking what I did, What Happened to us.. Today - I still don't know.  

I sent one final card 2 years ago at Christmas saying this was my final contact and have a great life.  Since you don't want to tell me what I did - I'm going to assume I did nothing and the problem is YOU!  Well I hope you are happy.  Merry Christmas and thanks for nothing.  I thought that I might get a response but again NOPE.  I really think about her and the funny part is - 
* She worked for a church
* She's a Christian
* She has a family and they don't really talk.
* Her parents think we still are in contact... um I left in 1981.

Gets funnier - she lives on the same street as my brother...  lol - I would so love to go back and maybe take a walk around the neighbor hood and wait to see if I see her.  The look would be worth what I have been thinking for years.  

So, if you are thinking of someone today as you read this - CONTACT them.  They might be dead the next time you think about them and you would have missed out. - That story for a different day.  

  
 



 

Is Perfume a thing of the past.

Today I am wondering if wearing perfume is a thing of the past?  I used to wear it daily then comes along bath and body spray, body scrubs and other scented bath products.  I started asking for these and let the perfume go and now years later I am finally getting back into perfume.  I still use bath and body products and don't wear perfume with them because of the mixing of the scents does not seem like a great thing to do.

I'm just wondering how you feel about it?  Scented shampoos, scented soap, scented everything becomes scent over load.  My favorites in bath and body is the Sweet Pea, LOVE LOVE it.  Next would be the brown sugar, and a few others.  Mostly I asked for Sweet Pea and I have lots and lots of different products with the same scent.  

For Christmas 2015 my husband asked what I wanted and it took a while but said "you know what...I think I would like some perfume.  I really have not worn any in more that 15 years."  I through out all my bottles when we moved from Lake Placid, NY to Saranac Lake.  Most had dried up or lost their scent so I didn't see the point in taking with along with us.  My husband told my step son that I wanted perfume and he started on a mission of finding one... He lives in NYC so research is easy.  

My box arrives from NYC and I don't know really what Tommy got for me and I was so excited to see """ PERFUME""" I could not wait to get the package opened.  Such a cute box and elegant bottle.  The perfume came highly recommended he said.  I sprayed a little on my wrists and immediately fell in love with it.  What did he get you ask?

Chloe - See how cute the bottle is.

Chloe - Love Story is the expression of a free woman

Clare Waight Keller as creative director. Clémence Poésy as the actress. Mélanie Laurent plays film maker. Inez van Lamsweerde is the photographer and Anne Flipo created the scent. Each Chloé girl brought her vision to this new story. A declaration of femininity. A proclamation of freedom.

Essence of seduction

The freshness of Neroli illuminates her. The sensuality of orange blossom attracts him. The stirring femininity of jasmine stephanotis – the flower of happiness – makes her more irresistible than ever. On her skin, cedar vibrates with flair. A floral love story, fresh and sensual.  An unforgettable essence of seduction.

Unlock the secret

As a symbol of their affection there is a padlock, her fragrance. A precious jewel magnified by pleated glass. The delicate touch of a ribbon knotted nonchalantly at its side represents the modern and refined Chloé attitude.

First light of day

A boat moored under the Pont des Arts. As he opens the door, she disappears. Because above all she is free! Will she be back? Her fragrance floats in the air. The scent of a #chloeLOVE STORY.

I love this story at the end - she is free - does she return or is he left with just the  fragrance... Only time will tell.  Did I mention that I LOVE this perfume. Now I want to wear this every day.  When I am in my store people ask be what are you wearing.  I proudly tell them it's Chloe.

So to get back to where I started - Do you wear perfume?  Many of the younger generation I feel don't but the celebrity's make their own perfume and around the Holidays the commercials start.  I can tell you I have never seen the commercial for Chloe.  But then again, Lake Placid only has 2500 year round residents and no place near us sells it and that makes perfect sense.

Who ate my collar?

This is funny.  NOT really.

So I bring my 6 month old puppy to doggie day care a few days a week for play dates and socializing... He has outgrown his puppy collar and I had one from a previous dog that I was going to use.  I loved it - it was blue and was reflective.  I thought we need to wait a bit for him to grow and the collar would fit better.

I waited a bit and yes, he finally fits into the blue collar.  I am so excited I mention to the girls at daycare - he's in his big boy collar.  They are also excited because they felt he was getting to strong and big for the puppy collar.  My husband has been trying to get me to purchase a different collar.  He thought the lab needed his own.  NOT a used one.  lol.

Our lab is at doggie daycare from 10 AM to 4 PM on this particular day.  My husband goes to pay and the girl behind the counter says to him... I have good news and bad news.  My husband says OK.  She says the dog is fine... and holds us the new/used doggie collar.  It is been eaten in two.  She's like I don't know how this happened but someone bit though his collar.  Knowing that my lab does not sit still for more that 2 seconds I find that hard to believe.  My husband says... my wife will NEVER believe this as I have been trying to buy a new collar for weeks and she says no, this one is great. They assure him, a puppy chewed through it when he was sleeping.  Several times during nap time, the puppies are all curled up in balls, all intertwined. 

My husband calls me with this story and I was sure he was kidding me...  He arrived at my store with the lab wearing his shiny bright blue and green collar.  It's beautiful I have to admit.  I still had a hard time believing my husband had nothing to do this this.  I check the old collar for cut marks and it sure does not look like anyone cut the collar.  definite shredding.  I call the puppy day care place and talk to the girl.  I hear the story from her.  She assures me my husband had nothing to do with the new bright collar.  This collar is guaranteed for life.  If another dog chews it, they replace it for free.  They now take his collar off just in case.  lol

Backpack man

Today is October 24, 2014

My observation of a Main Street walker today.

Backpack man with umbrella blocking the side walk to you have to walk in the street to pass or worse - pass between him standing on the edge of the sidewalk facing the gradual hill where his back pack is residing. It is raining so now he has his umbrella out.  Blocking more of the sidewalk. A little lady with a cane has to pass by to get to her car in the parking lot. She is with her daughter. You can see she is wondering which way to go. Between the man with the umbrella and his backpack or around the man, into the street. She chooses the street.  The man turns and says something to her. He speaks quietly and I can't hear what he has to say.  Cane woman looks at him as I get ready to run out of the store to help, I see she and her daughter continue to go into the parking lot and get to their car safely.

From my window I watch each person struggle with the decision... to go between or go into the street.  Most choose the street for their own reasons of flee or fight.  I too had to make this decision as I walk to my store.  I smile when I walk down the hill and he is not there.  Then the smile leaves and I notice that he was not gone, he has just moved.  

He is talking to himself as I pass by minding my own business.  I don't walk close enough to hear him.  He stands leaning on the railing with his cup out for tips.  Backpack is on the ground as he meditates.  He has his eyes closed for the most part.  Opens them when people pass by.  He paces back and forth along the sidewalk.  He goes down about 5 stores in one direction and back the other way.  Down 5-6 stores and back to his starting point.  I can hear him talk and would assume he is talking to someone on the phone.  He is not.  Just listen to him.  FOCUS. FOCUS. FOCUS.  That is what he says each time he passes by.  

I wonder why he is here? Does he have family here? Why this time of year?  Winters here are brutal.  Where does he sleep at night?  Do you put $ into his cup?  do you offer food.  What do YOU do...

I am thankful I do have a home, warm clothes, food, a job, family.  What are you thankful for?

Have a great night and remember what you are thankful for tonight when you go to sleep.