Sunday 15 May 2011

Marie's Sunday Six



Here we are again, it's Sunday already! My goodness but those weeks sure do roll around quickly! Time is just speeding by. We are almost halfway through the year already, so hard to believe! Welcome to my Sunday Smile Makers. I do so love sharing them with you each week! It does a heart good to be able to ponder on all the good things in live, and it does my heart even better to be able to share them with you! So here we go!



Last night was the Eurovision Song Contest. Todd and I watch this every year. It has been a very long time since England won, or did appreciably well in it. The voting is very political these days. I had high hopes for this year as we had a cracker of a song and group to sing it. I loved Blue when they were a boy band. They sold millions of albums. They even did a record with Elton John. I was thrilled when I found out that they would be representing our country in the contest and they performed really well. Seeing them on that Eurovision stage and giving their hearts out to our country surely made me smile. They didn't win, of course, but they did better than we have done in the past few years, so that is good. I forget who won. I think it was an Eastern Block country, and they always vote for each other. Anyways, there were a lot of really good songs this year, which made a change. I had to laugh at one of them, they looked like Garden Gnomes. I think it was Moldavia. They had these really funny tall pointed hats on. All the songs were really upbeat though and for a change it was a very enjoyable watch!



I lost another pound this week. Yay me! I would have liked it to be more, but I'll take whatever I get in the way of losses! I knackered my knee in the exercise class though and have been hobbling ever since. I just don't think it's worth doing exercise unless you are going to make an effort. I think I made too much of an effort this week though! I have to learn to do things a bit softer! No pain, no gain should not be my Motto!



Hooray for answered prayers and God's Promises. I won't play out the drama again that was the beginning of my week, suffice it to say that I know God loves me and cares for me. My eldest son and his love and support for me, that really uplifted me this week as well. He may not always agree with my methods, and I know I am sometimes a pain in the arse, but he never judges me and always loves me. I am truly blessed!



You all make me smile each and every day of my life. Your love, support and prayers . . . your positive comments. Knowing that you care about me. All these things make me smile big time. I think MY readers are the best in the world! Take a bow, coz that's YOU!



Getting to speak to Lura on the telephone earlier this week and knowing that she is now in her own home made me smile this week. I know that it is a really important step in her complete recovery and that now she is home she will heal by leaps and bounds. Her voice sounded so cheery when we talked and laughed together. She has a long way to go and it may be months and months before she is back to normal, but she has gone such a long way already and my heart rejoices that she is still with us. Lura, YOU make me smile!



This crazy, loveable, charming, supportive man that I married and this fabulous dog of ours make me smile every minute of every day. Ok, so they are not perfect, and I do get annoyed with them in turn, from time to time . . . but they are my life, and they bless my life in countless ways each and every day!

I could go on and on with everything that touched my heart this week in a special way, but suffice it to say . . . a week that started out very badly, turned out to be one of the best weeks ever. I love it when that happens!

And here is a thought to make you smile:

"A candle glow can pierce the darkest night."

YOU are my candle glow.

Here's some tasty pasta for all you carb lovers out there. It's not all that unhealthy either. anything that includes a green vegetable is healthy as far as I am concerned!!!



*Spaghetti with Bacon and Beans*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

A carb lover's delight!

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
4 slices of streaky bacon, cut into 12 inch pieces
3/4 of a pound of green beans trimmed and halved
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1 cup of fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

Cook the pasta until al dente, in a large pot of boiling lightly salted water, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot.

While the pasta is cooking, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, until crispy. Drain well on some paper toweling. Discard all but 1 TBS of the pan drippings. Toss in the green beans, seasoning with some salt and pepper, and cook until crispy tender.

Stir the cooked beans and pan drippings into the pasta, along with the bacon, Parmesan Cheese, and enough of the pasta cooking water to create a thin sauce. Scatter in the basil leaves and serve immediately.



In The English Kitchen today, delicious Malteaser Brownies!

Happy Sabbath Day everyone!


12 comments:

  1. I am so pleased that your week has turned out to be so lovely..
    I too am thankful for the many blessings that surround me.
    Have a lovely day,
    Love Sybil x

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  2. Malteser brownies? You are an evil woman, Marie. I am too scared to click that link or I might "find" that pound you lost :-)

    I'm delighted to hear that your dark cloud had a solid gold lining in the end. It's lovely that your son supported you so publicly and speaks volumes about both of you. I'm also delighted to see a Mitzie photo - she really is a bright spot and I can see that she is loved and cherished.

    As for Eurovision.. I am afraid I avoid it like the plague. I guess it's just too cheesy for my tastes. I can't see beyond the cringe factor. I had a cuddle with Lambi instead :-)

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  3. Eurovision is televised here but I don't get to watch it.

    I think I will have to try your spag. recipe. I have so much basil this year. I have never managed to grow it before. I guess the abundance of rain and cooler temperatures have helped it along.

    I al also glad to read and smile with you.

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  4. Hi, dear Marie! I'm getting here on a Sunday, would you believe?! Treats... LOL! ;o) LOVE the photo of Mitzie--too cute she is...*sigh*...Great news that Lura is home. Hope she can rest now! I don't watch the Eurovision song contest anymore. Too my hype for what it is, and I find the quality of the entertainment... well, not exactly to my taste most of the time. Did that sound music-snobby or what?! Sorry... LOL! We watched a film last night, called "Another Year," which was very good. Malteser brownies...HAVE to go see about those. And love you healthy past recipe today...mmm... Happy rest of the weekend, dear friend--LOVE YOU LOTS ((BIG HUGS))

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  5. such a lovely post Marie,, I'm happy the week ended better than it started.Do they make white chocolate Maltesers?If they do I'm a happy woman ,,have the best day marie

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  6. So glad your week ended happily.
    I am looking forward to seing you on Saturday:)

    Malteser Brownies.mmmmmmmmmmmm... you are BAD!!!

    hugs

    Sheilagh xxx

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  7. You make me smile every day but especially on your Sunday Smiles day. I watched your Blue Eurovision video. They are very good...even without seeing any of the others they would have my vote. I am all involved with American Idol. We are down to the last 3 contestants. Scotty is my favorite but they are all so good this year it is hard to pick. Do you get A.I. there?
    Thank you for including me in your reasons to smile. Your warm my heart. The cheery gerber daisies you sent me are right beside my bed and remind me of you all day long. How can I get down when I have your flowers smiling at me all day long?

    John, like Todd, is not a pasta man so I'll not be getting him to make today's dish for dinner.... so why don't you pop over and you and I can have it for lunch.

    I am glad this week ended better than it started. Know that you are loved by me and many others.
    Hugs, Lura

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  8. Hi Marie, I've been out of town and am slowly trying to catch up on reading so I don't know what nasty comments you might have gotten. But I do know this....What is done under cover of darkness (anonymous stuff!) is seen by God as if brightly lit. I'm nearly 65 years old and I've never seen, heard of, or met a perfect mother, though we all would like to be one. When our children are adults they make choices that can be based on their perception of their past or on the present and the potential for the future. My parents made mistakes that I try not to repeat. I make plenty of my own! But I don't condemn them for their mistakes because that's just what they were..mistakes. I hope your anonymous commenter is convicted by our Father that what they are doing is more wrong than what they think you did. blessings, marlene

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  9. Your Sunday smiles make me smile,You help make my day.Thanks for just being you.(HUGS) xxx

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  10. Such an enjoyable visit. You have a great blog and I will be adding you to my blog roll as I would enjoy coming back. Have a great week.

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  11. Sweet sister friend. You are a smile maker. I love how you help us all see the uplifting in the simple and the great.

    It was good to go by Lura's house this last week, and give her a hug in person. She looks fabulous, had us all laughing, and sharing her journey. What a miracle it is to have her and John with us.

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  12. i'm so glad your week turned around-yea! we all love you marie! don't forget it! no matter whats going on in "real life" you always have all of us, your cyberpals, here to cheer you on! xoxo :)

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Your comments mean the world to me, and while I may not be able to address each one individually, each one is important to me and each one counts. Thanks so much!