I wonder how many of you did exactly what I did the past two weeks. The weather was so nice and comfortable two weeks ago, that I decided the thing to do was pack all my sweaters and long-sleeved shirts and get them all set for storage for the summer.

Then guess what?

I had to unpack some of the long-sleeved shirts and a couple of the sweaters because it got so cold out I needed to wear them.

I thought I'd be super efficient for a change and very organized before the summer got here, but I forgot to take into consideration that Mother Nature always does things her way.

So now I'll wait another week and repack what I already did once.

I had a nice surprise phone call from my cousin in Greece. We had such a good conversation. He always wants to know first thing what our weather is so he can compare ours with theirs.

This time it was exactly like ours - cold.

He is my father's nephew and the one I mentioned before that my father sent him a ticket to move to American and go into business with him. Of course, it never happened. His mother was so upset about him leaving Greece he changed his plans and stayed there.

She had actually gotten sick over it. She moved in with him and lived with him and his wife for 25 years.

Do you think she was really that sick to start with? We didn't.

When I went to Greece and stayed with his family, he showed me his passport and the ticket my father had sent him. He had been so anxious to come. He and his family were so good to us and so loving. I felt as though I had known them for years.

He calls me two to three times a year and makes sure he asks about all my children and grandchildren. Such a nice, nice cousin.

Even though he lived six hours way from Athens, we made several trips there so he could show me the Parthenon, the Olympic Stadium and all the ruins in Athens. He also took me on a cruise to see the islands.

When we were in his hometown, he and his family would take me out to dinner, late at night of course, and we would listen to the Greek musicians and dance.

When he took me to the airport to come home, he had loaded my suitcase with olives, oregano, almonds, olive oil and anything Greek he could fit in. Great memories are so good to keep.

Memorial Day is nearly here, and that's our official day to start our summer season. I love the parades.

Well, I guess I'll go back to putting my winter things away.

By the way, I did get more work done on my yard. I guess whining does work.

Enjoy our spring, the flowers and all the events going on.

My ethnic recipe this week is Greek. It's a delicious vegetable dish. It's called Spanakorizo (spinach and rice). My other recipe is for hamburger sausage soup.

Today's blooper:

This is not a food blooper, but it's too funny not to share.

A friend of mine told me of friends she had.

The brother had moved away and started a business that became successful. His sister called him while he was having a meeting. She had several things she was complaining about that were personal.

When he had answered the call, he had hit the wrong button and his speaker phone went on.

He couldn't find the right button to shut off the speaker so only he could hear her, so all the members of his business who were at the meeting heard all of her complaints and she was speaking so loud and so fast he couldn't get her to stop while he tried to disconnect.

I think that's too funny.

Diana Sobus, of Auburn, specializes in making ethnic foods.

Spanakorizo (Spinach and Rice)

Makes 4-6 servings

2 large onions, finely chopped

3/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 pound or two packages frozen spinach

1 cup water

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon mint (optional)

1/2 cup uncooked rice

Saute onion in oil until soft. Add tomato paste and spinach; stir. Add water, cover and bring to a boil. Add seasonings. Sprinkle rice on top. Do not stir. Cover and simmer until rice is cooked.

Hamburger Sausage Soup

Makes 6 servings

1/2 pound ground hamburger

1/2 pound ground sweet Italian sausage

1 large onion, chopped

3 medium potatoes cut in small pieces

1 pound frozen mixed vegetables

2 cans chopped tomatoes

Oil

Salt and pepper to taste; plus garlic and paprika and a sprinkle of oregano.

1/2 cup orzo, cooked and rinsed

Saute meat in oil. Add chopped onion and two cans of tomatoes; season. Add 1 can water. Cook on medium heat. When it starts to boil, add potatoes and vegetables. When the potatoes are cooked, then add the cooked orzo. Heat slowly, stirring

frequently. This is a great soup to make in a crock pot.