Wednesday night was our last belly dance class of the year. It was a very small group and I got to actually dance the whole time instead of talking.
Next week, we are having our annual Holiday Hafla, which means celebration. Our students will perform, and Kathleen and I will dance as the Sahidi Sisters.
The first quarter of the year was rough, not being able to dance much due to my lung disease. It was frustrating and sad.
I threw myself into my teaching role and pretended it didn’t bother me. It did. A lot.
In May, I began my physical transformation after having strep though the end of April. I quit drinking and began dropping weight.
With every pound I lost, the better I felt.
Last December at our Hafla. What a difference a year makes. Wow!
In August, Kathleen and I changed our dance time from Wednesday afternoon before class to Saturdays which is so much better.
We can focus on just us and not have to worry about not tiring ourselves out for dance class. We have both improved and are happy how things are coming along.
I’m excited to perform for our students with Kathleen. We’ve been working hard to climb back to where we were professionally, before all this lung disease shit started.
We still have a ways to go but the best part is that we are having fun again! Yip!!
All of our core group of students have improved greatly as well this year.
I am focusing on musicality with some of them and how to start and stop songs with confidence and pizzazz.
We have a two week break since both Christmas and New Year’s days are on Wednesdays.
I always need the break to recharge my batteries and prepare to start off with another 12 week cycle. New comers are always welcome anytime. Hint, hint!
Hopefully we are able to capture some of our performances and we do well enough to want to share them on YouTube which I will share with all of you.
I love meatballs! I’ve written about all my favorites, plus shared my recipes with you guys. Now, there is a new kid on the block
I have made and eaten all the different types of meatballs I love while eating clean, I have lightened them up a bit by using leaner beef here and there. They are still delicious.
I’ve cut way back on saturated fats since eating clean , it’s a good thing too since butter is over $4 a pound!
While I was menu planning I came across a new meatball recipe originating from Sicily, Sicilian ricotta meatballs, also called “polpette di ricotta al sugo.”
I read through the recipe and the next time I went grocery shopping, I bought some whole milk ricotta, I never use low or fat free anything.
The recipe was very easy, I kept thinking this is too good to be true and expecting them to melt or fall apart.
After rolling them into balls I gently set them in marinara sauce that was heated up in a skillet with a lid.
I followed the recipe exactly however, the only thing I would change is not flipping them as early or as often as the recipes says to.
Once they are steamed in the sauce they become larger in size and firm enough to carefully move around with a spoon covering them with sauce.
How were they? Holy shit! They were so good! They had the same texture as my soft and fluffy meatballs.
The ricotta meatballs were flavorful and full of protein. What a perfect meatless entree. I can’t believe I haven’t seen or heard about them before.
I made the meatballs with spaghetti because I love spaghetti and meatballs. I also made an Italian tossed salad with our dinner.
Marty was a little unsure he said he wanted to bite into something but I pointed out they were the same texture as my soft and fluffy meatballs.
No matter how good something is the moment my brain tells me I am full I put my fork down immediately otherwise I will feel stuffed and uncomfortable.
We had enough leftovers for Marty’s lunch the next day and two lunches for me later that week.
Now, when I get a craving for spaghetti and meatballs and don’t have ground beef on hand I can always whip up a batch of these ricotta meatballs along with a quick marinara sauce.
If you are an Italian food lover and a lover of cheese, these are something for you to try. They are fast and easy to make and are good for you! A win/win situation.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends, and good morning! I’m sitting in our snug back room with Marty, sipping my Earl Gray tea and watching the snow fall.
The smell of Thanksgiving perfumes the air from the large pot of turkey stock I put on around noon yesterday.
I can’t think of a cozier way to spend Thanksgiving morning. In the other room, Sam, Nelly, and Roxy are enjoying a fire in the fireplace with the soft glow of the Christmas tree lights.
I have much to be thankful for this year: my family, good health, a warm home, food on the table, friends, and our business.
I am most thankful that after learning how to forgive, my heart is finally free of pain, anguish, hurt, and disappointment. In mind, body, and soul, I am a different person than I was in 2023.
It feels fucking fantastic! I am thankful for the little things I never noticed before this year. My life is simpler yet so much fuller.
I feel like I hit the jackpot. I always thought money was the real prize, but I was mistaken; being at peace is the real treasure.
I no longer feel sad that I am not included in celebrations and jealous of copious family photos on my social media newsfeed. Things are not always how they appear.
I wish you all a thankful day, which can be celebrated in private or surrounded by people. Happy Thanksgiving!
I did a diy project over the weekend, I made a dried orange garland.
They have been popping up on my newsfeeds and I fell in love with them. I saw the price of them and decided to make my own. I do have a crafty side.
I didn’t know that dried orange garlands have symbolic meanings. Orange slices symbolize the sun, which becomes more present after the winter solstice when the days begin to grow longer.
Dried orange garlands are made for the winter solstice since they represent the return of light and warmth.
In many traditions, oranges are also believed to stimulate love, prosperity, and a sweet & happy life.
This is a wonderful sentiment to bring into your home during the holiday season. I put mine over my kitchen sink and love how it looks.
I’m leaving it up during the winter as a reminder that the days are getting longer. It warms up the space just like the sun does.
That’s it! This is a short post since I thought I’d share my diy as an fyi. It was a fun and easy project with lots of how-to articles online.
It’s hygge season!!!!! It’s also the kickoff of the winter holiday season. Since Thanksgiving is late this year, I began decking the halls this past week when it was sunny and in the 50s.
Decorating for Christmas makes my hygge home even more cozy. Last weekend, my sister Jennifer came to visit with her boyfriend.
When she settled in last Friday night around 9:45 pm, she hugged me and told me my home was so hygge-ish.
On Sunday night, I had our friends over for a casual Sunday night supper and Tabetha told me my house was so hygge like.
Our back room with light up snow flakes in the windows. It’s so cozy.
Yay! I’m proud that writing about hygge last year has opened peoples eyes to the beauty and warmth in your surroundings.
I am on a couple hygge groups on Facebook and saw that my maid of honor Deborah commented on a post. I didn’t know she was into hygge too! Yay!
Our view across the street. It looks so pretty the photo doesn’t do it justice.
I am slowly decorating our homes. I enjoy doing it and it brings me great joy. I don’t rush to get it done anymore.
Come to think of it, I don’t rush to do anything anymore. I am more mindful of everything I do these days.
Tonight when we took the girls out I put on their sweaters and they didn’t shiver, they zoomed around yard looking at each other in their sweaters and sniffing them. 😂
Roxy’s sweater is huge on her, she still needs to put on some weight which we are working on with a healthy diet. No junk food for them either.
We will be getting our tree hopefully Friday or Sunday. We are elevating it to avoid disaster and to curb the girls from dragging my tree skirt through the house.
Happy Friday guys! Thanksgiving is only a few days away, I guess I better get my tail in gear and go to the grocery stores tomorrow.
Life with Roxy has changed all of our lives for the better. She was meant to be our pup since I longed for Nelly to have a companion. I asked for one and I got one.
Who did I ask? Well, God, aka the universe. I asked for the piece of my heart to heal after Klaus passed away.
The Saturday before we picked up Roxy I was so upset about Nelly just laying around and not having a playmate.
I was heading out for a few hours and always felt so guilty knowing she would be lonely and waiting nervously for us to get home.
Frenchie’s were bred for human companionship. We are on many Frenchie groups online and 80% of Frenchie owners have more than one.
Now, Nelly and Roxy and inseparable. Roxy had a vet appointment on Monday and Nelly started shaking terribly when she saw Roxy when we got back.
They touched noses and Nelly smelled her up and down. They curled up on the couch together and played for the rest of the afternoon.
The vet’s office couldn’t believe that Roxy was a stray since she has been well trained, is very smart and is in good shape.
They also couldn’t believe that no one wanted her. Above is a photo of her from the animal shelter at an adoption fair.
No one wanted her because she was already ours. Miraculous things can happen to time, space and events when something is meant to happen.
The vet said she still needs to gain a pound or two. She weights 19.6 lbs, when she was kicked up and brought to the animal shelter in Texas she was less than 15 lbs, how heartbreaking. 💔
It’s like Roxy has been here all along. She is housebroken and uses the doggie door. She loves sleeping with her pack and cuddling with us.
She is learning the ins and outs of our home life from Nelly who learned from Klausie. It’s like he is still here in a way whenever I see this happening.
Marty and I both feel as though our life is complete again and our hearts are full. Roxy is the sweetest girl and I can tell how happy and feel how appreciative she is with us.
We keep pinching ourselves that we got so lucky, but why wouldn’t we, Roxy was a gift sent to us from the Big Guy himself. I asked and we received. Thank you. Amen.
Marty and I have gone back and forth since Klaus died whether or not we should get another dog.
Getting another Frenchie was out of the question since a puppy is way too expensive and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to start all over again with a puppy. Puppies are a lot of work.
We decided we would stay a one-dog family.
Besides the fact that we all miss Klaus tremendously, I feel sad for Nelly that she lost her playmate., her partner in crime.
She lays around the house all day until one of us plays with her. Marty has been her playmate since Klaus died.
I am the boss and the nurturer, my hard and soft sides coming together to love another being with all my heart.
Earlier this week, our friend Gretchen tagged us on a Facebook page called Potter’s Angels, an adoption site for dogs.
While I was reading the post about a little black frenchie, Marty was already filling out the online adoption form and adding some people to use as references.
We were approved after answering a bunch of questions and sending off a few short videos and photos of our home and yard.
The agency had a lot of inquiries regarding the black frenchie so we knew we had to move fast.
Today, Nelly and I drove up to Williamstown which is near Barre, VT to meet Roxy and brought her home.
The ride home was quiet while both of the girls slept listening to a sweet jazz playlist I use when I travel with Nelly.
We don’t know much about Roxy and her brother besides they were found running on the streets of Missouri City, TX looking very thin.
The shelter named them French Dip and French Fry. Lol.
They entered the shelter on 9/20/24 and came to Vermont 2 weeks ago.
Besides Roxy’s medical records telling us she’s been fixed, chipped, up to date on all her vaccinations, and on the same monthly flea, tick, and heart-worm tablet as Nelly, the rest is for us to figure out.
Roxy is still thin for her size but soon enough she will fill in a bit no doubt. We are feeding her in her crate as suggested by the foster woman Mandy.
So far we have figured out she is house broken, responds to her name and knows what the word no means and stops immediately.
She knows the commands come, stay, sit and off. Her and her brother were absolutely someone’s dogs. I can’t help but wonder what happened.
She loves playing fetch like Nelly, the big basket of stuffies and chew toys we have in our living room. Once she settled down, she likes to cuddle.
Even though she had a bath this week, she let me do a mini spa treatment on her after Nelly’s.
I wiped her fur and lady parts with wipes then cleaned her ears which she enjoyed. I’ll repeat this everyday like I do to Nelly.
They said she’s crate trained, obviously since she’s been in a cage since 9/20, but when I put her in her crate at bedtime she started to cry.
Needless to say, the four of us piled into our bed, turned the lights off, and we didn’t hear a peep out of either of them. Wow!
Nelly moves around during the night so it was hard to tell which one was snuggled up against me. Marty couldn’t tell either. 😂
This morning was an early wake up call since Marty had to go to the farmers market. Roxy amused herself with toys and Nelly cuddled with me like usual.
I can already tell that Roxy is fitting in seamlessly. Now I have two little shadows following me around the house again which I love.
When I saw them playing the way Nelly and Klaus did I almost started to cry, ok, I teared up a lot.
When we are working in the production kitchen or out, Roxy will be put in her crate until we can trust her, however, I don’t think it will take very long.
No dogs will ever replace Otto and Klausie-boy or the love we have for them. Klaus would be pleased that Nelly has another partner in crime.
This is just the next chapter in our story. It feels like our yin and yang are back in balance. Things feel right again. ☯️
We have two of each holiday collar, so the girls are wearing their Thanksgiving ones both with Bella on so I can hear where they are.
My friend and mentor John Katz of http://bedlamfarmjournal says you get the right dog when you need it and he is 100% correct.
