I'm Baaaaccccckkkkk!!!!

Another one of my long time and great blog friends turned Facebook friend who I chat or touch base with on a daily basis, wrote after my status update..."Our Marlene is "Back"." I would like to agree with that statement and for the most part, I am...just in a different way.

I realized today that it has almost been one year since the End of the Great Depression...the death of a relationship that was just unhealthy for me in so many ways. In ways I, myself, could not even acknowledge. I can look back and see that now. It is true, hindsight is 20/20. Change is good even if we want to run and hide in the other direction, escaping its grasp. We get stuck in the mire and muck of life, we become complacent and comfortable. I never want to be that person again. I was a blob drudging through life, not really living. A part of me was dead.

Not any more.

Today, I grasp living and appreciate it. I love it with every breath I take. I enjoy and relish in the hustle bustle, but I can also endear myself deeply to a late evening walk and a peaceful dinner with my love. Living in Olde Towne affords us the opportunity to walk the quaint, cobble stoned streets with the lamp lights fluttering. We can smell the salt air and feel the gentle breeze off the riverfront. A boat horn sounds in the distance. We stop at our favorite restaurant for a respite. We laugh at our own nonsense...honestly enjoying each others company.

My creative endeavors also reflect this changed spirit. I am delving deep into marketing my talents and have now procured a retail store who wants to showcase my abilities. I am really excited about this pathway I am on.

I have to remind myself to slow down and enjoy this process. There are so many wonderfully blessed things happening right now. I am realizing through strength of character and my conviction that good things can happen.

I will be able to share pictures of what's going on soon, but you must be patient. Remember there is a process. I have to take baby steps, but I will share with you some words.

The cutest wine totes EVER, a wine and cheese store, cupcakes and cookies, food, food, food, and all of it's the best. Top of the Line...because that's how this classy girl rolls.

I know life ebbs and tides. I get that. I can roll with the punches and move through the hard times. I am stronger now than I ever knew I could be. I have been through so much, but am able to traverse to the other side. I am able to look past the bull shit.

I have often told people...I have some street sense, I am book smart, but I was completely emotionally retarded. I knew that when I got all three components to where they needed to be, it would be time for the world to watch out.

That time is quickly approaching..."By George, I think she's got it". I'm ready. Let's get this party started.

This IS home Girl and "I'm Back".

Coffee Had to Be Created By A Woman

My good friend, from the great state of Connecticut reminded me that Paula Deen was my age when she just got started in her career as a Food Network Star. That gave me so much hope and faith as I wonder through the pages of the book, "What Does Marlene Want To Be". I have the courage to accept any job, even fast food, a dishwasher, the bottom chain of a professional ladder. I do not care. I just want to work. I love to work. I love money, but moreover...I love food and I love fabric.

If I could have any job on this Earth, it would involve good food. There is just nothing like it. If I was asked to put my two cents into a discussion as to what new variance in food would be needed to compliment the already vast array of establishments in Olde Towne...I would definitely say a restaurant with a true, southern, down-home menu...something with a Colonial Kick. Smoked, cured salty ham, fresh-made baking powder biscuits with lumps of cold and creamy local butter, peanut pie, spoon bread hot out of the oven, chicken pot pie with a sweet, brown, flaky crust and creamy interior, peach cobbler and home-made vanilla bean ice cream like my first crush, Thomas Jefferson use to make. There would be steamed shrimp in beer, fat crab cakes that make your mouth sing, fried turkey, and some real barbecue. There would be grits and hush puppies, there would be Sally Lunn bread...I can sit and close my eyes and smell the wonderful aromas emitting from the swinging doors to the kitchen. Table cloths would be gingham check cotton cloth, the silverware real silver, the plates wither pewter or bone china.

Barbecue...there is just something so wonderful about pulled pork that has been shredded with the tines of a fork and soaked in a light but spicy vinegar sauce. Mounded up on a soft bun with some cold, crisp cole-slaw and topped with a splash of Tabasco sauce. I honestly think it might be the answer to World Peace.

Vinegar Based Barbecued Pork Sauce

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Ingredients

1 cup White Vinegar

1 cup Cider Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper

1 Tablespoon Hot Pepper Sauce (i.e., Tabasco Sauce), or to taste

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Combine all ingredients into a jar or container with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate for at least two days prior to using to allow the flavors to meld. Will keep for in fridge for approximately 2 months. ( This also makes a great Christmas present when dressed up in a cute mason jar with a ribbon and maybe little barbecue mop tied to the top!!)

Now, there are many different ways to cook pork and none of them are wrong. Sometimes, I get in the mood for sliced pork sammies as opposed to pulled. There are moments when I would love to play around with ground pork and make some "burgers" on the grill with this sauce. (Mmmmm...there's an idea for dinner tonight!) Just know, there is no wrong way to go about it, as long as the sauce stays true to it's ingredients. Good food and the creation of it, is all about feeling. It's about love.

This is Home Girl and I've got a feeling...this post had nothing to do with coffee. I still love you more coffee. You are my hero.

Monday, Monday

I love Mondays. They are so new and fresh, like crisp cotton sheets right out of the dryer. Fridays are fun and cheery, but by the time you get through to Sunday, the week is just worn out. Done, Gonzo, Over With. I was so exhausted last night. I fell into bed early. I slept like a rock. It was so needed and enjoyed.

This week will be packed with locating employment and continuing to settle in. It can take some time to readjust. I have wine totes that need to be cut out and stitched. They are the cutest things I have seen in a while. I wish I could share a photo with you all, but I do not have a camera right now. I know that makes you sad, but it makes me more sad. I adore shooting photos and being in a place where there are lots of images to shoot...it makes me even more sad...but, this too shall pass. God, will make way for an even better camera.

Sometimes you have to let go of possessions in order to make it and that is what happened in the case of my little camera.

If I had a camera, I would go down and shoot the tall ships. Schooner Days is this coming weekend in Olde Towne. More than 40 schooner rigged vessels will be on the AICW (Atlantic Inter Coastal Waterway at the Elizabeth River Mile Marker O. The shores and the stores will be a happening place. The beauty of the tall ships will astound, I am sure.

I would love to give walking tours through Olde Towne from different perspectives. There are at least 4 different views that come directly to mind, as I type. There is the Colonial Virginia/historical take on Olde Towne. The Nautical/Maritime View. The Artistic View. The Foodie Paradise View. For a nominal fee, I would be able to provide an insider's look into what makes this area so special. Share all points of interest from a vantage point few obtain. I might even pair restaurants with different interests so the walk includes some of the best dining found anywhere. Morning, afternoon, and evening tours are available.

I need a job, can you tell?

My services are available.

This is Home Girl and I just love the fresh start a Monday can give.