DREAMS

In my younger days I thought it would be a great experience to live in various countries and just immerse myself into their culture and everyday life.  I also thought it would be interesting to live in different states.  What fun to explore Washington, D.C.,  Aspen, Colorado, New Mexico etc. in depth.  If I had the foresight then,  I would have become an exchange student starting in high school. There is so much to be learned from traveling and exploring.  Students now-a-days back pack all over the world, sleeping in hostiles. They have no fears! They take back home with them stories of their adventures. Laura and her friend, Sara traveled throughout Italy without "a care in the world" My generation never attempted these adventures by ourselves.  We were not encouraged.  It was not our thing. But I still had my dreams.

I have, because of Leland's job  had the luxury of fulfilling some of those dreams.  We were able to live and experience different cultures. When we moved to Berlin, the wall was up.  We were there when the wall came down. That was history making. Changes were rapid and not always for the better. I had never lived in a city before. I was a country girl.  But, I loved living there. The convenience of walking or traveling by rail throughout the city became an every day occurrence, with Laura in tow.  We were the only Americans in our apartment building but we made friends with other tenants. Fortunately they spoke English.  Pan American had a base there at the time and we were allowed to shop at the Army commissary.  We also shopped locally. My clothes were purchased at Woolworths' and I still have some outfits (over twenty years old) from there.  Laura attended kindergarten and first grade there.  I can now look back and be thankful for all the opportunities I have had to live and experience a different lifestyle. But let me say, as beautiful and different, other  parts of the world are, the United States is truly unique.  I am proud to be a citizen!  

AUTHOR: TAMI HOAG. "DEEPER THAN THE DEAD" Suspenseful!!

RECIPE: BEST EVER CHEESECAKE

CRUST

One package graham crackers crushed

1/4 cup sugar

Six tablespoons melted butter

Mix all and press into a pie plate

OR use pre-made crust

MIX 

Two - 8 oz cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

One teaspoon vanilla

dash of salt

Two eggs

Mix the above and pour into the crust

Bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes

Take out and cool for five minutes. In the meantime mix: One cup sour cream, 1/3 cup sugar and one teaspoon vanilla. Mix and spread over cream cheese mix. Return to oven for five more minutes. Absolutely DELICIOUS!

I guess the moral of this blog is to keeping on dreaming. Even little dreams are important. A driving trip to Williamsburg or a day trip to pick apples, or a visit to a love one. To me, at this age these are all exciting destinations and worth anticipating. I will leave the BIG dreams to the younger generation. Love to all, Arlene