Dog(gie) Days Part IV... Marmie and Brie

                                                        Marmalade                                                           

 Marmie...our personality girl.  She was a Lucky Star Rescue, born in freedom to a just rescued mother and fostered in Texas by our dear friends, Cissy and Bob (who were also on the board of LS).  We had contacted my friend Chris, a BoardBroad and president of Lucky Star Cavalier Rescue and asked her help to find us a young rescue.  We saw that Crumpet was beginning to show signs of aging and I knew that she could never be "replaced" so the plan was to introduce a new puppy while Crumpet was still well, and integrate her into the family.  Chris came through with a brand new just born puppy that would be fostered first and then come to us after several months...and she even suggested the name, "Marmalade" as something that belonged with tea and crumpets! Eventually, my husband flew to Texas to bring our new  baby home.  She was tiny with a sweet, slightly asymetrical face that looked like she knew something that you didn't.  The first week she was with us she refused to sleep in the crate and managed to manipulate us into taking her into the bed with us...risky with a puppy not quite housebroken...but she was a good girl with no accidents. She usually managed to make her way into my nightgown and sleep next to my bare skin. Her soft, sweet, warmth was so comforting.  As she grew up she was a real "wild child".  She loved to race around inside the house, run outside in the Berkshires and chase bunnies, bark at anything that moved and most of all, she loved a good cuddle...particularly from my husband.  She was smitten with him.

Marmie often became my "voice" on the computer as I "spoke" to the BoardBroads, and was known as Marmalade, Girl Reporter Extraordinaire. So I will let her continue...

...Wow...she sure does go on, doesn't she? But that is her way, and ya gotta love her...after all, she let me sleep in her nightie...right?  But the truth is...I AM IN LOVE WITH HER HUSBAND!!!! (Shhh...don't let on...I don't think she's noticed!)

Living with this family has been a real trip.  I really miss Crumpet and Tetley.  I grew up with them mentoring me...but they were quieter girls, much more reserved and into being "ladylike"... I was always the big personality!!!   And believe me, you need a big personality to survive in this family.  Just as I got used to  Mom, Dad and Crumpet and Tetley, I had to meet the three kids.  They were all adults and I really loved them but they did not live with us.  When they came to visit I was always held and loved and a big attraction, indeed ...(just as I always thought it should be!)  Then they each got married.  Well, I was cool with that too...the in-law kids were great.

We went to the Berkshires every weekend, all through the year. Much like the Clampetts on The Beverky Hillbillies, they would pack the car, 3 cavaliers, and "stuff" we needed for the week-end and head north.  (Mama always said she needed a rocking chair tied to the roof of the car!) Once there, I got to chase the rabbits, bark at the owls and woodpeckers and I believe that I single-handedly (paw-edly?) chased a family of chipmunks from under our porch!  Occasionally I would take a run around the property just to let any lurking critters know who was boss!  I also had to come to terms with thunder.  Crumpet taught me to hide behind the toilet but she was usually there already and two of us did not fit!  What is it with the noise and flashing lights... makes me so nervous...but there is usually a lap to hop into or a corner to hide in, and under the covers on the bed is the best place of all.   I loved the Berks, and I loved New York, too.  Everything was going great...I loved being The Baby of the family....

Uh-oh  spoke too soon.  Those kids decided that one baby was not enough so they started introducing their own!   Time passed...Seven babies! Crumpet and Tetley were gone and I was the lone surviving playmate when the children visited.  They were loving and gentle with me...but exhausting!  When the kids went home we were a cozy family of three. Very nice, right???  I thought so!!!  Well, they called Auntie Chris again, and after some time, I was presented with Brie! (Name also supplied by Auntie Chris).

                                                                     Brie
                                                                                                                      
Uh-oh...this girl was trouble.  She was really beautiful, but very quiet and stand-offish.  She had been in a particularly  bad puppy mill and Mama said I should be kind to Brie because she had been abused.  Brie was hard to get to know.  And ...she was a thief!  At night she would steal into the laundry room and snag underwear or towels.  In the morning she would be asleep on her pile of purloined laundry!  She stole the cloth napkins from the dinner table and hid them under the chairs.  One night she was caught "shlepping" the large bath mat from the hall bathroom!  But in time she came around...got used to the family...and today we are the best of friends!...Oh, oh...looks like Mama wants her computer back...lovely speaking to you all...we must do this again!
Your friend
Marmalade, Girl Reporter Extraordinaire

                                                                  

 Now Marmie and Brie have bonded and together are a formidable force.  The day Brie arrived to us, we celebrated with a very special lunch...(a meal during which Brie collected all of the table napkins and hid them under the table!)  The following is the lunch we had and the recipes...

* Sadly, our sweet Marmie went to the Bridge in 2013 at age 11.  She is with Crumpet and Tetley again.

Party Chicken Salad
meat of 1 cooked chicken diced
2 celery stalks diced
1/2 bag of Craisins
2/3 cup chopped toasted nuts ...any variety is fine(optional)
2 apples, diced
salt, pepper (to taste...chicken is already seasoned so keep tasting)
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2/3 cup sour cream
1tbsp Dijon mustard

                                                             
1- Mix chicken, celery, Craisins, nuts and apples together and season to taste
2- Blend mayo, sour cream and Dijon mustard in a measuring cup...then pour over chicken salad 1/3 at a time...to make sure it is not too much dressing...  If it is too dry add more mayo...it all depends upon the size of the chicken.

                                                                   
My Mother'sDate 'n Nut Bread
2 eggs
1/4 lb. butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup pitted dates, cut in 1/8ths
2 level tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
1 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a loaf pan with Pam
1-Boil water...add dates to boiling water and add baking soda.  Cook 5 minutes and set aside.
2-Cream butter and sugar...add eggs...alternate adding dry ingredients with date mixture
3-Add nuts and mix through by hand
4- Put batter in the loaf pan and bake 25-30 minutes...test with toothpick for doneness
When cool, cut slices, smear with cream cheese and cut in half...

The chicken salad was served in a boat of butter lettuce with little date nut bread and cream cheese sandwiches.
 Orange iced tea was served as the drink  (1  cups OJ to 1 quart of iced tea and 2-3 pkgs of sweetener or to taste...serve with a slice of orange