Our Rolling Ranch House: VISITING OUR "OLD" HOME TOWN OF FREDERICK, MARYLAND!

On Tuesday, Sept. 1st, we arrived in Frederick, Maryland and pulled into Ralph's Cousin Charlie and his wife Sharon's home. We are going to be "freeloading" in their driveway for a while.

We fixed a health delicious stir fry for dinner. I need to get back on track after a tough month of enjoying myself.

Over the next week I was busy visiting friends. Here is my old neighbor Pat. Her farm was next to our old farm that we sold 10 years ago.

Pat and I did lots of riding together. We have been horse buddies since 1986 . It was extremely tough for me to sell the farm because of my friendship with her.

Pat and her Arabian gelding "Image".

As many of you know, September 11, 2001 really did a number on me. If it wasn't for 9/11, I would still have been Pat's neighbor and would have never gotten out of horses. But that horrific day was the turning point for me and I wanted to explore a new trail in my life. Thank goodness Ralph was up for our new adventure.

We love our life of living on the road. I tell people that every day is a cross between Thanksgiving and Valentines Day and I thank God every day for my wonderful life.

Pat and her Arabian gelding, Captain.

One day we took a trip to my sister Florence's home and her husband Bill. Florence is 6 years younger and 6 inches shorter than me. She like myself, is a big animal lover and she fosters cats and dogs.

We had a wonderful meal with desserts and of course some drinks. It was a fun visit.

I took a bike ride to Wegmans grocery store. I love Wegmans. Food Network recognized Wegmans with its award for Best Grocery Store in 2007. It is a wonderful store with great produce, imported specialty foods, an organic section, and a huge prepared foods section where you can choose anything from Asian, Oriental, Italian, Spanish and American dishes. There is a nice coffee bar, restaurant, wonderful bakery and bread shop along with inside seating and outside seating. The employees are friendly and very helpful.

This day they were roasting the famous Hatch Chile Peppers that had been shipped to them from Hatch, New Mexico. The Hatch Chile season is short. It starts in mid August and goes into September. They come from the middle of the Rio Grande agricultural territory. The town of Hatch, New Mexico is known as the Chile Capital of the World and this is where the Hatch Chile Festival and the event attracts folks from all over the world.

You can buy them already roasted as I did. They had mild and hot. I got a pound of "hot" Hatch Chile Peppers.

The Wegmans Bakery baked fresh hot hatch chili pepper bread and of course I got a loaf. It was wonderful and chocked full of hot chili peppers.

Another fabulous dinner with cousin Charlie and Sharon.

Homemade blackberry pie!

One evening I got to visit my childhood best friend Lynda and her family. We were horse crazy kids and we did lots of riding together through the years. Unfortunately I did not take in pictures darn it!

On Wednesday, Sept. 9th Sharon and I headed to Weight Watchers. She has been a member in the past and got her weight off. However like many of us, we got back into her old eating habits.

Anyway, I stepped on the scale and gained 2 lbs! I knew it was going to be a

"gain" at this monthly weigh in. I just had too much fun this last month in Paducah, KY. I will get it off and I am still way under my WW goal weight.

On Friday, Sept. 11th, I said prayers for all who lost their lives and the folks whose lives were changed because of their loved ones they lost. I think of 9-11 almost every day, it has affected me that much.

Pat and I met our dear friends Larry and Sheila over at their church. We all decorated the church hall, for tomorrow is their 25th Wedding Anniversary party.

On Saturday, Sept. 12th Ralph, Pat and I headed to Larry and Sheila's Anniversary Party. This is why we came back to Frederick, MD.

Here I am heading out to the anniversary party. This is the latest picture of me at 154 lbs. Total loss to date is 50 lbs. It may take me a while, but I still do want to get down to 145 lbs. I just need about 6 weeks when I am not partying like I have been!

It is a cute story how I met Larry. When I was building my farm, I was working 2 full time jobs down in Montgomery County, MD. which was about 45 minutes away from my farm. I was staying with my old boyfriend at his place and I only went home once a week to check on my place.

So sometime in 1985 I finally decided that I needed someone there so I decided to advertise for a roommate. In the ad, I said something like this: Roommate wanted on a nice farm north of Frederick, non-smoker, employed and reliable.

For some reason, I forgot to say "female only". Well I got a couple of calls and they were females. I interviewed them and neither one was what I was looking for. Well the 3rd caller was Larry. At first I was shocked to hear a fellas voice and then realized that I did not specify female roommate only.

At the time I guess I was so shocked and caught of guard that I did not have the heart to tell him over the phone that I was looking for a female only. Instead I told him to come on by. Well Larry did come by and we instantly hit it off. It turned out his folks lived just a few miles from me and I immediately knew that he would be perfect.

Soon I got to meet his warm and loving family that included 2 sisters, their husbands and their mom and dad. Over the years I was invited to many family gatherings. I always considered Larry as the "Older Brother" I never had!

Well a couple of years later, he met Sheila who was an ICU nurse. Again, just like Larry, she was warm and fun to be around. She ended up eventually moving in to the farm and she became the "Older Sister" I never had! I also got to know Sheila's large family of sisters and brothers and her mom Ruby.

Larry and Sheila have meant the world to me and I love them dearly! I thank God they came into my life!

92 people came and it was a blast. There was wonderful food, a terrific slide show with music that showed pictures from their childhoods, their families and their life together. I got teary eyed when one picture showed Larry and I facing each other laughing while I was straightening up Larry's boutonniere on their wedding day.

Wow was everybody young looking back then!

The food was catered by 2 ladies from Larry and Sheila's church. They did an awesome job. We had BBQ, fried chicken and many delicious sides.

Their best man, Davy is on the right. He came all the way from Boulder, CO. On one of our treks across the country, Ralph and I paid him a visit while in Boulder.

After all these years, Larry still has his "Cheshire Cat" beaming smile.

Here are some of their nieces giving thanks to their wonderful Uncle Larry and Aunt Sheila. Larry and Sheila took them on many vacations as they grew up.

Many folks got up and told stories and their love of Larry and Sheila.

This table was full of memories for everyone to enjoy.

Then there was a game for Larry and Sheila, "How well do you know your spouse?" I can't tell but it looks like Sheila is looking over Larry's shoulder to make sure their answers match.