We stopped at Meijers on the way home the other night to pick up a few items (which of course turned into several items). My husband is much like a small child and tends to wonder off instead of staying with me. I stopped trying to chase him down in the store a long time ago. Now adays I go on and get in line and figure he'll catch up eventually, otherwise I'll call him on his cell phone as I'm walking out the door.
I was ready to check out and got into a line. The cashier was a man, probably about my age, certainly shorter than I. I was wearing blue jeans, a denim shirt, and a blue denim ballcap. I pushed my buggy [trolley ;) ] full of groceries and my huge purse sitting where a child would normally sit into his lane, unloaded the groceries, then pushed the buggy on towards the loading area.
As the cashier started to ring up the first of my groceries, he asked, "Did you find everything alright this evening sir?"
I had been looking down at my purse, and upon hearing "sir", my head snapped up and I whipped it around to look at him. It's a wonder I didn't give myself whiplash in the process. I'm not sure if it was the look I gave him, or just that he fianlly noticed the make-up, earrings and breasts, but he instantly realized his mistake.
He started to apologize profusely. "I'm sorry. I'm soo sorry, I just saw the ballcap. I'm sorry!" He just kept repeating his "I'm sorries" over and over.
Sometime during all the apologizing, my husband joined me in the line.
The little twirp's apologies were starting to get annoying.
As I pushed my cart away from his lane and John fell into step beside me, before I could even tell him about the clerk's faux pas, John said, "let me guess, he called you sir?" I grinned and nodded and said, "I think he was afraid I'd kick his ass."
We both had a good laugh on our way out.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Pita's not happy!
I'm quite unhappy at the moment. I can't find my camera, ANYWHERE! I've looked all over the house, my car, my desk at work. Can't find it! I was holding out hope that I'd left it at work, as that's the last place I specifically remember having it, but it isn't here. So either I've laid it down somewhere totally unbeknownst to me, or somebody has walked off with it.
Either way, I'm very bumbed!
I've always kept my camera in the same place at home, so I can't imagine why it's not there!
I really don't want to spend the money on a new camera, as that was a new camera. I'd just got it back in August. Grrrr!!!!
I'm still hoping that the black-hole that is our house has just swallowed it up, and that soon it will belch it back at me when I least expect it.
Either way, I'm very bumbed!
I've always kept my camera in the same place at home, so I can't imagine why it's not there!
I really don't want to spend the money on a new camera, as that was a new camera. I'd just got it back in August. Grrrr!!!!
I'm still hoping that the black-hole that is our house has just swallowed it up, and that soon it will belch it back at me when I least expect it.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Why didn't I think of that!?
We've all seen them... lying there on the side of the road, in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes. Left there for reasons unknown. A mystery to us all.
What am I speaking of?
Why, the lone shoe! What else?
I've often wondered how those shoes came to be where they are. Were they tossed out a window?... left on the hood of a car (like you may recall my husband doing with his house-slippers a while back) then flew off when the car picked up enough speed?... did they fall of of someone walking along side the road?... did the shoe get tired of the wearers foot odor and run away?...
Most often I see workboots, tennis shoes, sandals. I can't really recall ever having seen a woman's dress shoe/boot. So does that mean that men/children are more irresponsible with their footwear? Or does it just prove that women do have a shoe fetish and therefore make sure that their shoes are accounted for at all times.
I've often wondered if anybody ever went around and collected all the stray shoes, saving them until they found a match for the other foot, thus giving them a "new" pair of shoes. Wonder what the odds are of ever finding a matching shoe in the correct size?
Okay, so for all my years of wondering what the story is behind the lone shoe and what it's purpose is, now somebody has come along and created a use for them.
This man has criss-crossed the United States, taking photos of those lone shoes and put them together in a book. (Obviously, I'm not the only one that craves the answers of "why??").
Visit his website: http://www.oneshoediaries.com/ for a preview.
So now I have to wonder if some reader of this book will be browsing through it and suddenly see a shoe he/she lost
What am I speaking of?
Why, the lone shoe! What else?
I've often wondered how those shoes came to be where they are. Were they tossed out a window?... left on the hood of a car (like you may recall my husband doing with his house-slippers a while back) then flew off when the car picked up enough speed?... did they fall of of someone walking along side the road?... did the shoe get tired of the wearers foot odor and run away?...
Most often I see workboots, tennis shoes, sandals. I can't really recall ever having seen a woman's dress shoe/boot. So does that mean that men/children are more irresponsible with their footwear? Or does it just prove that women do have a shoe fetish and therefore make sure that their shoes are accounted for at all times.
I've often wondered if anybody ever went around and collected all the stray shoes, saving them until they found a match for the other foot, thus giving them a "new" pair of shoes. Wonder what the odds are of ever finding a matching shoe in the correct size?
Okay, so for all my years of wondering what the story is behind the lone shoe and what it's purpose is, now somebody has come along and created a use for them.
This man has criss-crossed the United States, taking photos of those lone shoes and put them together in a book. (Obviously, I'm not the only one that craves the answers of "why??").
Visit his website: http://www.oneshoediaries.com/ for a preview.
So now I have to wonder if some reader of this book will be browsing through it and suddenly see a shoe he/she lost
Personally, I think we should gather them all up and start a shoe-tree, like this one in Oregon.
I've been slimed!
It was misting lightly when I took Olivia out for her final potty-break this morning, before heading off to work. While I had her out in the front yard, Eliott & Bootsy were sent out back to do their business. When I got back inside, I laid my coat across the back of a chair, and went to grab a quick bite of breakfast.
As I prepared to leave for work, I put on my coat and started to zip it up. As my hand brushed against the fabric, it felt very wet. "Odd", I thought, "it was barely misting, my coat shouldn't feel that damp." I looked closer and saw that my hand had brushed up against a dog-loogey.
Gross!!!
Yes, my son Eliott has a drool problem (as did my other son). Apparently I had failed to notice the slimy "shoe laces" hanging from his lips when he had come back inside, and he'd shaken them off, sending one across my coat. Grumble, grumble. I grabbed a towel and wiped it off. Unfortunately, I failed to notice the other splash of dog-slime I was wearing, until...
An hour later I was sitting at my desk, and just happened to glance down at my lap and saw what was now a dried slobber stain on my pants.
Nice.
Who else had seen it? and what on earth had they thought it was?
I started scraping vigorously at the dried slime mark. The worst of it flaked off, put a faint mark remains. Yes, people can look at my clothes and tell immediately I'm owned by pets.
As I prepared to leave for work, I put on my coat and started to zip it up. As my hand brushed against the fabric, it felt very wet. "Odd", I thought, "it was barely misting, my coat shouldn't feel that damp." I looked closer and saw that my hand had brushed up against a dog-loogey.
Gross!!!
Yes, my son Eliott has a drool problem (as did my other son). Apparently I had failed to notice the slimy "shoe laces" hanging from his lips when he had come back inside, and he'd shaken them off, sending one across my coat. Grumble, grumble. I grabbed a towel and wiped it off. Unfortunately, I failed to notice the other splash of dog-slime I was wearing, until...
An hour later I was sitting at my desk, and just happened to glance down at my lap and saw what was now a dried slobber stain on my pants.
Nice.
Who else had seen it? and what on earth had they thought it was?
I started scraping vigorously at the dried slime mark. The worst of it flaked off, put a faint mark remains. Yes, people can look at my clothes and tell immediately I'm owned by pets.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Just bitchin!
Well, in case I haven't already mentioned this (& I don't rightly remember if I had or not), then let me bring everyone up to date.
The first week of vacation for this calender year is quickly approaching, it's less than a month away. Initially, we had high hopes of using one of the f-i-l's time-share condos and getting away for a few days, but that plan fell through.
While I'd love nothing more than to take our camper out and get away for a few days, I have serious doubts about my husband's vehicle's ability to tow the thing anymore (& mine isn't equipped to do so), so we had tossed about the possiblity of pitching a tent in the woods for a couple of days, just to get away. But now with my back pains having flared up again, that plan is most definitely shot all to hell. No freaking way I could sleep on the ground, not unless I want to be carried out by ambulance.
The husband has apparently already committed himself to taking his father to the doctor on that monday (why he can't drive himself is beyond me, but I digress...!) Anyway...
I'm already committed to working at the farm on that Saturday (26th), and had already reserved tickets to a baseball game that same evening. Now, we just received in the mail yesterday the official invitation to a birthday party for our dear friends' daughter's 1st birthday party, which of course is at the same time I'd be at the farm. (Needless to say, I'll be rushing home from the farm to clean up and get to the baseball game). It's rush, rush, rush!!... but if I miss the party, I'll really be on their shit-list. What to do? What to do?
I got a notice from my allergist office the other day it was time for a re-check. I called today to make an appointment, and the only time they can work me in is on the 22nd, and that's just to see a nurse-practioner. If I want to see the doctor, I have to wait 'til later in May. Can somebody please explain to me how doctors appointment books manage to get so completely filled up so far in advance????
Since we now know we won't be traveling on this vacation, we had talked to a repairman (that fixed our roof... finally!) about doing some more work for us during that week. However, after having our income taxes done last night, and Uncle Sam taking his usual big, wet bite out of our financial asses, I don't think there will be any funds left to get the work done I was hoping for. Our tax lady confirmed last night we qualified for that $600/person stimulus rebate check that our retarded gov't. is sending out, so that $1200 will just about make us break-even with what we owe the gov't. coupled with the cost of getting the taxes done. Oh yeah, and of course we'll have to pay taxes on that $1200 next year. Frigging gov't.!!!!!
Yeah, this vacation is going down the toilet real quick!!!
Okay, I'm done bitchin' now. Just ignore the lady that's having a fit!
The first week of vacation for this calender year is quickly approaching, it's less than a month away. Initially, we had high hopes of using one of the f-i-l's time-share condos and getting away for a few days, but that plan fell through.
While I'd love nothing more than to take our camper out and get away for a few days, I have serious doubts about my husband's vehicle's ability to tow the thing anymore (& mine isn't equipped to do so), so we had tossed about the possiblity of pitching a tent in the woods for a couple of days, just to get away. But now with my back pains having flared up again, that plan is most definitely shot all to hell. No freaking way I could sleep on the ground, not unless I want to be carried out by ambulance.
The husband has apparently already committed himself to taking his father to the doctor on that monday (why he can't drive himself is beyond me, but I digress...!) Anyway...
I'm already committed to working at the farm on that Saturday (26th), and had already reserved tickets to a baseball game that same evening. Now, we just received in the mail yesterday the official invitation to a birthday party for our dear friends' daughter's 1st birthday party, which of course is at the same time I'd be at the farm. (Needless to say, I'll be rushing home from the farm to clean up and get to the baseball game). It's rush, rush, rush!!... but if I miss the party, I'll really be on their shit-list. What to do? What to do?
I got a notice from my allergist office the other day it was time for a re-check. I called today to make an appointment, and the only time they can work me in is on the 22nd, and that's just to see a nurse-practioner. If I want to see the doctor, I have to wait 'til later in May. Can somebody please explain to me how doctors appointment books manage to get so completely filled up so far in advance????
Since we now know we won't be traveling on this vacation, we had talked to a repairman (that fixed our roof... finally!) about doing some more work for us during that week. However, after having our income taxes done last night, and Uncle Sam taking his usual big, wet bite out of our financial asses, I don't think there will be any funds left to get the work done I was hoping for. Our tax lady confirmed last night we qualified for that $600/person stimulus rebate check that our retarded gov't. is sending out, so that $1200 will just about make us break-even with what we owe the gov't. coupled with the cost of getting the taxes done. Oh yeah, and of course we'll have to pay taxes on that $1200 next year. Frigging gov't.!!!!!
Yeah, this vacation is going down the toilet real quick!!!
Okay, I'm done bitchin' now. Just ignore the lady that's having a fit!
Looking for...
Well, nothing may ever come of it, but I've posted my search for my old friend on a couple of different websites dedicated to finding lost friends/family members. Let's see if anything comes of it...
Photo Challenge: LOVE
This picture was taken right after we brought our "dogter" Kelsey home from the orthopaedic surgeon, after her first spinal surgery. She still couldn't get around on her own very well and mostly laid about. Frodo the cat has (had) no fear of our danes, and stayed especially close to Kelsey after her surgery(s).
I keep this photo on my desk, and it always makes me think he's telling her he loves her and hopes she'll feel better soon...
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Whatever works for you!
There are all sorts of filing systems... alphabetical, numerical, by date, the dewey-decimal system, the toss-it-in-a pile/drawer-and-search-for-it-frantically method, etc., etc. you get the idea.
The toss-it system seems to work best for me, at home that is.
At work, the a/r files are filed numerically by account number (which would also pretty much be by date as well).
The a/p files are a different story. For the most part they are alphabetical. But some of these vendors we only use once a year, if not only once or twice EVER. Then again there are other vendors that are constantly changing... either the vendor changes it's company's name, or else we've changed which vendor we choose to do business with for a specific need. To me, it seems like a complete waste of file folders and space to create a file for a company we use so seldom, so I have my own filing system.... the Pita-system.
Example: our dumpster service has changed once or twice since I've been here. So I created a file and labeled it: Dumpster Service (same thing with the exterminator. That's changed a time or two, so again, just created a file labeled "exterminator"). Then, if I need to go back and pull an invoice, instead of trying to remember which company currently takes care of us, I can go to the generic file and find it a lot quicker. It's what works for me.
Not so long ago, the boss was asking for a copy of an invoice. He said he couldn't find the file for company XYZ. I went straight to the Dumpster file and pulled it out.
The boss seemed to be amused by the madness of my method, but he soon realized that's what works for me and I can find things a lot quicker by my system.
Do what ever works for you!!
The toss-it system seems to work best for me, at home that is.
At work, the a/r files are filed numerically by account number (which would also pretty much be by date as well).
The a/p files are a different story. For the most part they are alphabetical. But some of these vendors we only use once a year, if not only once or twice EVER. Then again there are other vendors that are constantly changing... either the vendor changes it's company's name, or else we've changed which vendor we choose to do business with for a specific need. To me, it seems like a complete waste of file folders and space to create a file for a company we use so seldom, so I have my own filing system.... the Pita-system.
Example: our dumpster service has changed once or twice since I've been here. So I created a file and labeled it: Dumpster Service (same thing with the exterminator. That's changed a time or two, so again, just created a file labeled "exterminator"). Then, if I need to go back and pull an invoice, instead of trying to remember which company currently takes care of us, I can go to the generic file and find it a lot quicker. It's what works for me.
Not so long ago, the boss was asking for a copy of an invoice. He said he couldn't find the file for company XYZ. I went straight to the Dumpster file and pulled it out.
The boss seemed to be amused by the madness of my method, but he soon realized that's what works for me and I can find things a lot quicker by my system.
Do what ever works for you!!
Flirting
The dictionary defines flirting: 1) to amuse oneself in playful amorousness; play lightly or mockingly at courtship 2) to deal playfully, triflingly, or coyloy; to toy with
Seems like an innocent enough thing. But that's how many relationships, nay, romances, are started. But not all flirting leads leads to romance. Sometimes it's done in fun, or to jest with someone and vice-versa, and nothing becomes of it.
It's been a long time since I was flirted with or done any flirting (how long have John & I been together???). So when someone started flirting with me yesterday, I was flattered, and tempted to flirt back, but decided to keep my answers straight and serious. The flirter continued to flirt, I continued to "play dumb" I guess you'd say. After a while, our conversation ended. No harm, no foul.
But it got me to thinking how glad I was that I hadn't play-flirted in return, even though nothing was meant by it. What if someone else had happened in on that conversation? No doubt they'd have totally misconstrued everything, and for heavens sake!, that's exactly how rumors get started. Who needs it??? Flirting... In retrospect, the dictionary should include warning labels with this word: may cause rumors, shame, loss of family/friends, loss of job, humiliation, public embarrassment, scandal, etc., etc...
Seems like an innocent enough thing. But that's how many relationships, nay, romances, are started. But not all flirting leads leads to romance. Sometimes it's done in fun, or to jest with someone and vice-versa, and nothing becomes of it.
It's been a long time since I was flirted with or done any flirting (how long have John & I been together???). So when someone started flirting with me yesterday, I was flattered, and tempted to flirt back, but decided to keep my answers straight and serious. The flirter continued to flirt, I continued to "play dumb" I guess you'd say. After a while, our conversation ended. No harm, no foul.
But it got me to thinking how glad I was that I hadn't play-flirted in return, even though nothing was meant by it. What if someone else had happened in on that conversation? No doubt they'd have totally misconstrued everything, and for heavens sake!, that's exactly how rumors get started. Who needs it??? Flirting... In retrospect, the dictionary should include warning labels with this word: may cause rumors, shame, loss of family/friends, loss of job, humiliation, public embarrassment, scandal, etc., etc...
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Call me...
A picture of the first telephone invented by Alexander Graham Bell...Do you think either Mr. Bell or Elisha Gray ever imagined that their invention would one day become so easy to use or compact enough to be carried in a pocket? That one day you'd be able to listen to music, watch movies and get stock quotes on the descendents of their invention?
I was reading a follow-up comment to a comment I'd left on another blog about the use of email. She commented she didn't use hers anymore, whereas I couldn't imagine living without it... although I do have to suffer through when I'm not at work since we don't have a computer at home anymore. But seriously, junk emails aside, and the majority of "cutesy" jokes, pictures and what-not that people send me (which I delete immediately without even opening 95% of the time), email is the best form of communication as far as I'm concerned. I can send a friendly greeting, a holiday hello, or even an event reminder to several people at one time vs. the old way of having to make umpteen phone calls to accomplish the same thing, thus having to repeat myself over and over.
I'm not a phone person. Never have been. Well, 'cept maybe back in my dating-days, when I was hopelessly in love with "whoever" at the moment. But I've never understood some peoples need to just call up another person and talk, sometimes for hours on end, about nothing in particular. Unfortunately, it's a necessary evil at work, and it's one of the things I hate about my job (and every job I've ever had for that matter), but I try to keep my time on the phone to a bare minimum. I'm only too happy to let someone else answer the phone.
And unless I'm just needing an immediate answer to something, then email still works for me as most of my family/friends/neighbors have email. I can ask them a question (and vice versa), get an answer, and I don't think we feel as "put on the spot" to answer a question/request, as we do when we're asked face to face or via phone call.
While I do detest the phone, it's true, I do carry my cell phone virtually everywhere with me, but I'm empowered by the choice of answering it or ignoring the call, thanks to caller i.d. and voice mail. Plus it's a security blanket for me in case I have an emergency. I was only too happy when we had the home phone disconnected a few years ago!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Meandering thoughts...
I was looking at the playlist of songs I had on the computer, and while browsing through my Enya songs, I misread one that was titled "Marble Hall", and thought it said Marble Hill. This of course made me think about the Marble Hill Nuclear Plant that was built (partially) just a few miles up the road from where I grew up, and now I live just across the river and slightly down-stream from it.
I hadn't thought of Marble Hill in ages, well, probably 20 years or more. It was closed down in 1984, my junior year of high school.
Back then, I really didn't know much about Marble Hill. Just that it was a nuclear power plant being built a few miles away, and I secretly harbored a fear of it exploding. I feared that those that weren't immediately killed in the explosion would then start to either glow green or else grow extra limbs or some other freakish oddity... I guess part of my fear was from what happened in Russia {Trenoble (sp?)}.
Today, Marble Hill Nuclear Plant sits abandoned, a rusting hulk of a construction project. I wonder how safe the residents in/around New Washington feel having that thing sitting there, empty? Any safer than if it were an active nuclear site?
Back then, the residents in our area seemed to covet the high paying jobs it offered. A couple of new students were enrolled at our school during my sophomore year when their parents both got jobs there. I became friends with the girl that was in my class, Robin. But our friendship was short-lived when a few weeks into our junior year, the plant was ordered closed, both of her parents lost their jobs, and the family moved to Nebraska. She and I kept in touch for a short while, writing letters to one another (obviously long before the easy-breezy days of email or instant-messaging). I know somewhere I still have a photograph of her. I can picture it in my mind just as if I were looking directly at it: She was wearing a magenta colored, tye-dyed t-shirt, acting goofy, blowing bubbles at whoever took the picture. I've often wondered what ever became of my friend...
I hadn't thought of Marble Hill in ages, well, probably 20 years or more. It was closed down in 1984, my junior year of high school.
Back then, I really didn't know much about Marble Hill. Just that it was a nuclear power plant being built a few miles away, and I secretly harbored a fear of it exploding. I feared that those that weren't immediately killed in the explosion would then start to either glow green or else grow extra limbs or some other freakish oddity... I guess part of my fear was from what happened in Russia {Trenoble (sp?)}.
Today, Marble Hill Nuclear Plant sits abandoned, a rusting hulk of a construction project. I wonder how safe the residents in/around New Washington feel having that thing sitting there, empty? Any safer than if it were an active nuclear site?
Back then, the residents in our area seemed to covet the high paying jobs it offered. A couple of new students were enrolled at our school during my sophomore year when their parents both got jobs there. I became friends with the girl that was in my class, Robin. But our friendship was short-lived when a few weeks into our junior year, the plant was ordered closed, both of her parents lost their jobs, and the family moved to Nebraska. She and I kept in touch for a short while, writing letters to one another (obviously long before the easy-breezy days of email or instant-messaging). I know somewhere I still have a photograph of her. I can picture it in my mind just as if I were looking directly at it: She was wearing a magenta colored, tye-dyed t-shirt, acting goofy, blowing bubbles at whoever took the picture. I've often wondered what ever became of my friend...
Friday, March 21, 2008
St. Baldricks photo link
As promised, the photos from the St. Baldrick fundraiser.
Click on the link below to take you to my site.
It was a lot of fun, if not a chaotic madhouse!
I thank everyone for their support.
Once it was over, we had to go home and shave my head yet again, to get rid of the "stripes" and the little clumps of longer hair my barber left. I guess she was in too much of a hurry. Or maybe it was because her trimmers were about to have a melt down. Seriously, they were VERY hot from the three hours of use up to that point, and she burned me more than once. But I'd still do it again!
Enjoy!!
http://imagr8daneluvr.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album04
Click on the link below to take you to my site.
It was a lot of fun, if not a chaotic madhouse!
I thank everyone for their support.
Once it was over, we had to go home and shave my head yet again, to get rid of the "stripes" and the little clumps of longer hair my barber left. I guess she was in too much of a hurry. Or maybe it was because her trimmers were about to have a melt down. Seriously, they were VERY hot from the three hours of use up to that point, and she burned me more than once. But I'd still do it again!
Enjoy!!
http://imagr8daneluvr.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album04
Everything old is new again
The husband went to dinner with some of the ol' guys that used to be on the fire dept. with him, back when it was a nice, fun, and family-like place to be a part of. They get together every few weeks and go to dinner in some little place off the beaten track. Since he was out of my hair for the evening, I went shopping, and never spent a dime.
It was time to sort through my side of our walk-in closet, taking out the things that are now too big, or are way too heavy for the approaching warm weather, or are just among the things that I seldom wear and therefore are taking up precious space.
Once I had some space freed up in the closet, I then went to the spare closet where all my other clothes are stashed when not in use, ranging in sizes from 14 to 22, and fashions dating from 1990 to present.
It was such a disorganized mess. Things were just shoved in and mixed up in such a way that it was impossible to find anything. So I started going through everything, piece by piece. My original intent was to hang everything up in order of sizes, smallest to largest. But shortly into this, I realized that wouldn't be quite the best way. I was trying on several things as I went, if they were in the vicinity of the size I was currently wearing, to see if they'd fit. I did come up with several articles of clothing that hadn't been worn in a couple of years, and started a pile of clothes that needed to be washed to freshen them up.
I was getting frustrated by the inconsistency of the clothing manufacturers sizes. I tried on a pair of size 18 slacks that were too big for me, then the very next pair of pants I tried on were 20's, and they were too small. What gives???? You'd think my problem would've been just the opposite. So I started over... everything that was way too big on the far right, everything still a ways off before I'll fit into them again to the far left, then everything else in the middle, sizes be damned!
Now with my huge pile of "new" clothes, I started sorting them out into piles for the laundry, and examining them for stains, tears, missing buttons, etc. I'm not overly fond of dresses, but I do have a denim dress that I dearly love. It's light-weight, very long and flowing, sleeveless, has heart-shaped buttons from hem to neckline, and cinches in the back. Unfortunately, I wore this dress so much in the summertime back when I worked at the cemetery, it had yellow stains in the armpits. I've yet to find any stain remover that will take away those stains. I hated to get rid of the dress. I debated a moment and decided I'd try dying it. I just happened to have a bottle of denim-blue dye, so I tossed the dress in the washer, along with three other shirts that either had non-removable stains or just looked dingy, and gave it a whirl. The one dingy, cream-colored t-shirt, while now a pretty shade of blue, it now has a big greasy spot right on the front of it that I hadn't noticed before... apparently the dye adhered to the stain more than the rest of the fabric, making the stain really stand out. I haven't had time to examine the dress very closely yet, but my quick once-over when I took it out of the dryer looks good. The pit-stains are no-more.
Once thing that amazes me whenever I dye something is how the dye adheres to the fabric, changing it's color, yet the tread that is used to sew the clothing remains it's original color. The orangish-colored thread on the dress remained the same. And one cream-colored blouse I dyed, now has the white threads standing out against the blue fabric. I'll never understand it!
So now that I have a closet full of "new" clothes, what am I wearing today? One of my husband's dress-shirts. I just felt like wearing something loose, flowing, kind of tunic-style today, and his shirts fit that order.
It was time to sort through my side of our walk-in closet, taking out the things that are now too big, or are way too heavy for the approaching warm weather, or are just among the things that I seldom wear and therefore are taking up precious space.
Once I had some space freed up in the closet, I then went to the spare closet where all my other clothes are stashed when not in use, ranging in sizes from 14 to 22, and fashions dating from 1990 to present.
It was such a disorganized mess. Things were just shoved in and mixed up in such a way that it was impossible to find anything. So I started going through everything, piece by piece. My original intent was to hang everything up in order of sizes, smallest to largest. But shortly into this, I realized that wouldn't be quite the best way. I was trying on several things as I went, if they were in the vicinity of the size I was currently wearing, to see if they'd fit. I did come up with several articles of clothing that hadn't been worn in a couple of years, and started a pile of clothes that needed to be washed to freshen them up.
I was getting frustrated by the inconsistency of the clothing manufacturers sizes. I tried on a pair of size 18 slacks that were too big for me, then the very next pair of pants I tried on were 20's, and they were too small. What gives???? You'd think my problem would've been just the opposite. So I started over... everything that was way too big on the far right, everything still a ways off before I'll fit into them again to the far left, then everything else in the middle, sizes be damned!
Now with my huge pile of "new" clothes, I started sorting them out into piles for the laundry, and examining them for stains, tears, missing buttons, etc. I'm not overly fond of dresses, but I do have a denim dress that I dearly love. It's light-weight, very long and flowing, sleeveless, has heart-shaped buttons from hem to neckline, and cinches in the back. Unfortunately, I wore this dress so much in the summertime back when I worked at the cemetery, it had yellow stains in the armpits. I've yet to find any stain remover that will take away those stains. I hated to get rid of the dress. I debated a moment and decided I'd try dying it. I just happened to have a bottle of denim-blue dye, so I tossed the dress in the washer, along with three other shirts that either had non-removable stains or just looked dingy, and gave it a whirl. The one dingy, cream-colored t-shirt, while now a pretty shade of blue, it now has a big greasy spot right on the front of it that I hadn't noticed before... apparently the dye adhered to the stain more than the rest of the fabric, making the stain really stand out. I haven't had time to examine the dress very closely yet, but my quick once-over when I took it out of the dryer looks good. The pit-stains are no-more.
Once thing that amazes me whenever I dye something is how the dye adheres to the fabric, changing it's color, yet the tread that is used to sew the clothing remains it's original color. The orangish-colored thread on the dress remained the same. And one cream-colored blouse I dyed, now has the white threads standing out against the blue fabric. I'll never understand it!
So now that I have a closet full of "new" clothes, what am I wearing today? One of my husband's dress-shirts. I just felt like wearing something loose, flowing, kind of tunic-style today, and his shirts fit that order.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Women stuff
This email has probably made the rounds, 'round the world, but I thought it was worth posting, just 'cause it's oh-so-true!!
Pregnancy Q &A &more!
Q: Should I have a baby after 35?
A: No, 35 children is enough.
Q: I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.
Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth.
Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational. A: So what's your question?
Q: M y childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right? A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.
Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.
Q: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor?
A: Not unless the word 'alimony' means anything to you.
Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.
Q: Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby's diaper very quickly.
Q: Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?
A: When the kids are in college.
'ESTROGEN ISSUES' 10 WAYS TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE 'ESTROGEN ISSUES'
1. Everyone around you has an attitude problem.
2. You're adding chocolate chips to your cheese omelet.
3. The dryer has shrunk every last pair of your jeans.
4. Your husband is suddenly agreeing to everything you say.
5.You're using your cellular phone to dial up every bumper sticker that says:'How's my driving-call 1-800-
6. Everyone's head looks like an invitation to batting practice.
7. Everyone seems to have just landed here from 'outer space'.
8. You can't believe they don't make a tampon bigger than Super Plus.
9. You're sure that everyone is scheming to drive you crazy.
10. The ibuprofen bottle is empty and you bought it yesterday..
TOP TEN THINGS ONLY WOMEN UNDERSTAND
10. Cats' facial expressions.
9. The need for the same style of shoes in different colors.
8. Why bean sprouts aren't just weeds.
7. Fat clothes.
6 Taking a car trip without trying to beat your best time.
5. The difference between beige, ecru, cream, off-white, and eggshell.
4. Cutting your hair to make it grow.
3. Eyelash curlers.
2. The inaccuracy of every bathroom scale ever made.
AND, the Number One thing only women understand :
1. OTHER WOMEN
Pregnancy Q &A &more!
Q: Should I have a baby after 35?
A: No, 35 children is enough.
Q: I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.
Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth.
Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational. A: So what's your question?
Q: M y childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right? A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.
Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.
Q: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor?
A: Not unless the word 'alimony' means anything to you.
Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.
Q: Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby's diaper very quickly.
Q: Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?
A: When the kids are in college.
'ESTROGEN ISSUES' 10 WAYS TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE 'ESTROGEN ISSUES'
1. Everyone around you has an attitude problem.
2. You're adding chocolate chips to your cheese omelet.
3. The dryer has shrunk every last pair of your jeans.
4. Your husband is suddenly agreeing to everything you say.
5.You're using your cellular phone to dial up every bumper sticker that says:'How's my driving-call 1-800-
6. Everyone's head looks like an invitation to batting practice.
7. Everyone seems to have just landed here from 'outer space'.
8. You can't believe they don't make a tampon bigger than Super Plus.
9. You're sure that everyone is scheming to drive you crazy.
10. The ibuprofen bottle is empty and you bought it yesterday..
TOP TEN THINGS ONLY WOMEN UNDERSTAND
10. Cats' facial expressions.
9. The need for the same style of shoes in different colors.
8. Why bean sprouts aren't just weeds.
7. Fat clothes.
6 Taking a car trip without trying to beat your best time.
5. The difference between beige, ecru, cream, off-white, and eggshell.
4. Cutting your hair to make it grow.
3. Eyelash curlers.
2. The inaccuracy of every bathroom scale ever made.
AND, the Number One thing only women understand :
1. OTHER WOMEN
Happy Birthday my babies!
Happy Birthday children!
Two of my children have birthdays in the coming days...
Tomorrow (the 21st) would've been Smokey's 13th birthday. I still think of him often. It's hard to believe he's been gone 4 1/2 years.
And Monday the 24th will be Olivia's 3rd birthday...
I really need to load some more updated pix of her onto my computer, as these were taken when she was about 6 or 7 mos. old.
Not so new anymore
I think I'm going to give up ever buying new clothes again. It seems without fail, every time I wear a brand new outfit, I spill something on it.
Certain food items should come with a big warning label on the package that they should only be prepared &/or eaten while either in the nude, or else only if covered from head to toe in plastic sheeting.
Honestly! Thankfully I had my trusty little Tide To Go pen nearby. Hopefully the spaghetti sauce doesn't bleed back through after I get this top washed, and hopefully there won't be little bleached-out marks where the Tide was applied.
Why do I even bother?!
Certain food items should come with a big warning label on the package that they should only be prepared &/or eaten while either in the nude, or else only if covered from head to toe in plastic sheeting.
Honestly! Thankfully I had my trusty little Tide To Go pen nearby. Hopefully the spaghetti sauce doesn't bleed back through after I get this top washed, and hopefully there won't be little bleached-out marks where the Tide was applied.
Why do I even bother?!
Crash!
There was an auto accident out on I-65 yesterda morning. The news program I was watching while getting ready for work even attempted to show pictures from the accident, but it was still so dark out, you couldn't really make anything out except the line of break-lights from the traffic that was backed up behind the scene. Apparently a garbage truck had overturned on the road, and was blocking traffic. One could only wonder how such a large truck just over-turns like that, with no other vehicles involved.
I didn't give it much thought as it was in an entirely different part of town than where I live or where I would be going.
When I arrived home last evening, the husband started to tell me about his day at work. He'd already delivered his first trailer load of soda, and was just headed out with a second load and had just gotten up on the interstate when sparks started raining down upon him. Apparently the garbage truck had flipped over right in front of him, and as it slid along the road, the sparks were flying back and hitting John's windshield. Needless to say, he nearly browned his drawers. He stopped his truck, avoiding the mess on the road, and called 911. Then, because he was blocking all the traffic building up behind him, he took off and resumed his route... for this I scolded him. Even though he said he didn't see what happened and wouldn't have had any info to give the police, I still fussed at him for leaving the scene of the accident. Hopefully this doesn't come back to bite him in the ass.
I didn't give it much thought as it was in an entirely different part of town than where I live or where I would be going.
When I arrived home last evening, the husband started to tell me about his day at work. He'd already delivered his first trailer load of soda, and was just headed out with a second load and had just gotten up on the interstate when sparks started raining down upon him. Apparently the garbage truck had flipped over right in front of him, and as it slid along the road, the sparks were flying back and hitting John's windshield. Needless to say, he nearly browned his drawers. He stopped his truck, avoiding the mess on the road, and called 911. Then, because he was blocking all the traffic building up behind him, he took off and resumed his route... for this I scolded him. Even though he said he didn't see what happened and wouldn't have had any info to give the police, I still fussed at him for leaving the scene of the accident. Hopefully this doesn't come back to bite him in the ass.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The thick & the thin of things
Okay, I was visiting another blog site that I frequent from time to time, and she mentioned her gastric bypass surgery a couple of years ago that took her from a size 26 down to a 12, then to a 10, then back to a 12.
Then I read all the comments left from other bloggers. I started to add my two-cents worth, but it was getting lengthy, so I cut it short.
Some people blame weight, whether they are too heavy or too thin on inner, emotional issues that have yet to be dealt with. In many people, I'm sure this is true. Some people, I dare say it's in their genes, and they have a difficult time going against the hereditary cards that were dealt them at birth.
But why can't it just be that some of us like to eat?
I'd love nothing more than to sit down with a big bag of potato chips and a large glass of crushed ice with icy cold Coca-Cola or Big Red poured over it. Or some powdered donuts and a glass of icy cold milk. Or a big slice of German chocolate cake and milk. Or a huge pan of home made mashed potatoes, some gravy and a can of biscuits. I don't think it's because I'm having emotional issues that need to be dealt with, I just happen to LOVE those things! And I crave them!! But I haven't had any of those things to speak of since January 1st. It's a constant battle to avoid them.
I've been yo-yo-dieting for the past 5 years.
When my husband and I got married almost 20 years ago, I was a size 11. I've worn pants/skirts as large as a 24.
I decided one day back in July of '03 that I'd had enough and I was going to do something about it. I started eating healthier, smaller portions, counting calories like crazy, and doing aerobics twice a day for the next 10 or 11 months. I don't remember my starting weight, around 260 I think, and I got down to about 190. I was down to wearing sizes 14 & 16. Then I started getting lazy about counting calories, I started thinking a bit of junk food here and there wouldn't hurt me, and I got away from regular exercise. It didn't take any time at all for most of the weight to come back.
Perhaps that lapse in dieting was for emotional reasons. I'd lost two children (great danes) within an 8 month period, and that was devistating for me.
On Nov. 1st of '06, a neighbor and I started out with the buddy system, and I again started counting calories and watching what I ate. She and I walked every evening for exercise. But slightly less than 2 months into it, I was in such agony in my low back from a herniated disc, that I had to give up walking (doctors orders at the time), so since I was just sitting around the house waiting to see if/when I'd be having back surgery, then I started eating the junk again, and again gained back the 20 some lbs. I'd lost.
So here I am once again. As of January 1st of this year, I was at 255 lbs. As of this morning, I'm down to 224. I'm watching what I eat, keeping an eye on calories and fat grams but not going anal over every little thing, nor am I exercising like a fiend. I walk when the weather is nice and my back isn't killing me (as it's been doing this past week). I feel I get some exercise from working on the farm, even if it is only one afternoon a week. This time around I've gone from a size 22 pants down to an 18.
I've no illusions 'bout it all. I know I'm fighting an uphill battle. Aside from one sandwich from a Subway, I've not set foot in a fastfood restaurant in almost 3 months. When at a regular restaurant, I typically get 1/2 of my meal to go. It would be so much easier to eat un-healthy because the "normal" versions of packaged food are less expensive, and so much more readily available. In the past, my husband hasn't been much help either, but this time around, he's trying to watch what he eats too, and has lost 20 lbs. since the first of the year, so that helps that he's on the bandwagon as well. Of course, I'm a major picky eater, so that hinders me from eating a lot of things that would otherwise widen my choices, so I keep trying to find ways to keep from getting bored with what's available to me.
Emotional eaters? Perhaps at times. But for the most part, we're just a family that likes to eat, whether it's a good homecooked meal, dining out, or lots of junk food. We're foodies!!
Then I read all the comments left from other bloggers. I started to add my two-cents worth, but it was getting lengthy, so I cut it short.
Some people blame weight, whether they are too heavy or too thin on inner, emotional issues that have yet to be dealt with. In many people, I'm sure this is true. Some people, I dare say it's in their genes, and they have a difficult time going against the hereditary cards that were dealt them at birth.
But why can't it just be that some of us like to eat?
I'd love nothing more than to sit down with a big bag of potato chips and a large glass of crushed ice with icy cold Coca-Cola or Big Red poured over it. Or some powdered donuts and a glass of icy cold milk. Or a big slice of German chocolate cake and milk. Or a huge pan of home made mashed potatoes, some gravy and a can of biscuits. I don't think it's because I'm having emotional issues that need to be dealt with, I just happen to LOVE those things! And I crave them!! But I haven't had any of those things to speak of since January 1st. It's a constant battle to avoid them.
I've been yo-yo-dieting for the past 5 years.
When my husband and I got married almost 20 years ago, I was a size 11. I've worn pants/skirts as large as a 24.
I decided one day back in July of '03 that I'd had enough and I was going to do something about it. I started eating healthier, smaller portions, counting calories like crazy, and doing aerobics twice a day for the next 10 or 11 months. I don't remember my starting weight, around 260 I think, and I got down to about 190. I was down to wearing sizes 14 & 16. Then I started getting lazy about counting calories, I started thinking a bit of junk food here and there wouldn't hurt me, and I got away from regular exercise. It didn't take any time at all for most of the weight to come back.
Perhaps that lapse in dieting was for emotional reasons. I'd lost two children (great danes) within an 8 month period, and that was devistating for me.
On Nov. 1st of '06, a neighbor and I started out with the buddy system, and I again started counting calories and watching what I ate. She and I walked every evening for exercise. But slightly less than 2 months into it, I was in such agony in my low back from a herniated disc, that I had to give up walking (doctors orders at the time), so since I was just sitting around the house waiting to see if/when I'd be having back surgery, then I started eating the junk again, and again gained back the 20 some lbs. I'd lost.
So here I am once again. As of January 1st of this year, I was at 255 lbs. As of this morning, I'm down to 224. I'm watching what I eat, keeping an eye on calories and fat grams but not going anal over every little thing, nor am I exercising like a fiend. I walk when the weather is nice and my back isn't killing me (as it's been doing this past week). I feel I get some exercise from working on the farm, even if it is only one afternoon a week. This time around I've gone from a size 22 pants down to an 18.
I've no illusions 'bout it all. I know I'm fighting an uphill battle. Aside from one sandwich from a Subway, I've not set foot in a fastfood restaurant in almost 3 months. When at a regular restaurant, I typically get 1/2 of my meal to go. It would be so much easier to eat un-healthy because the "normal" versions of packaged food are less expensive, and so much more readily available. In the past, my husband hasn't been much help either, but this time around, he's trying to watch what he eats too, and has lost 20 lbs. since the first of the year, so that helps that he's on the bandwagon as well. Of course, I'm a major picky eater, so that hinders me from eating a lot of things that would otherwise widen my choices, so I keep trying to find ways to keep from getting bored with what's available to me.
Emotional eaters? Perhaps at times. But for the most part, we're just a family that likes to eat, whether it's a good homecooked meal, dining out, or lots of junk food. We're foodies!!
A kindred spirit
I made a run to the Walmart last night to get my St. B's pix developed. Since I had an hour to kill, I picked up a few items we needed and looked at some hats.
For the first time in my life, I'm able to wear hats: #1) without them giving me an awful headache because they fit too tight, #2) because they actually look cute on me now, #3) without them giving me "hat hair". So while I was browsing the hats and scarves, a perfect stranger (woman) was pushing her buggy past me and suddenly stopped, turned back to look at me and said, "my son was getting his head shaved the same time you were".
Of course I had no idea who she was, and figured she was just guessing at what I'd done, but no, she actually recognized me. Her son had been standing in line just ahead of me. Just about that time he walked up and while I still didn't recognize him, I happened to look down and suddenly knew who he was. I recognized his fat little legs and feet stuffed into those strange looking sneakers.
So we stopped and talked for a moment. The "barber" had burned him same as me with her hot trimmers, so I didn't feel so alone in my complaints of having a hot-head. My red marks are almost gone now, just a few remain.
I'm wondering if I can persuade my husband's company to host a private-event next year to benefit St. Baldricks. I've got a year to work on it. Coke has deep pockets, and trust me, a lot of those drivers and warehouse workers could use a good haircut (or a bad haircut, but a haircut indeed!).
For the first time in my life, I'm able to wear hats: #1) without them giving me an awful headache because they fit too tight, #2) because they actually look cute on me now, #3) without them giving me "hat hair". So while I was browsing the hats and scarves, a perfect stranger (woman) was pushing her buggy past me and suddenly stopped, turned back to look at me and said, "my son was getting his head shaved the same time you were".
Of course I had no idea who she was, and figured she was just guessing at what I'd done, but no, she actually recognized me. Her son had been standing in line just ahead of me. Just about that time he walked up and while I still didn't recognize him, I happened to look down and suddenly knew who he was. I recognized his fat little legs and feet stuffed into those strange looking sneakers.
So we stopped and talked for a moment. The "barber" had burned him same as me with her hot trimmers, so I didn't feel so alone in my complaints of having a hot-head. My red marks are almost gone now, just a few remain.
I'm wondering if I can persuade my husband's company to host a private-event next year to benefit St. Baldricks. I've got a year to work on it. Coke has deep pockets, and trust me, a lot of those drivers and warehouse workers could use a good haircut (or a bad haircut, but a haircut indeed!).
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
What's the difference...?
I've always been curious, but never understood the difference in these items...
Cologne vs. Perfume vs. Parfum
Lotion vs. Cream
please don't say they are the same things, because there are differences. I just don't understand what the difference is, unless it's price.
Cologne vs. Perfume vs. Parfum
Lotion vs. Cream
please don't say they are the same things, because there are differences. I just don't understand what the difference is, unless it's price.
Monday, March 17, 2008
I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just a quick blog as I'm super busy at work today, but just wanted to let everyone know that I did go through with it... the shaving of the head that is. My husband said I look like "G.I. Jane".
I'm not going to post the photos or video 'til probably next week, as I want to be able to first send out the photo-thank you's to those that sponsored me.
So here's to the suspense.....
I'm not going to post the photos or video 'til probably next week, as I want to be able to first send out the photo-thank you's to those that sponsored me.
So here's to the suspense.....
Friday, March 14, 2008
For women only!
I'll start this blog off with a statement of this subject matter being for women only, but I know there are men out there that will ignore me and read it anyway. But let me just warn any men-folk, if we were to discuss this in your physical presence, you'd be covering your ears and going LA-LA-LA-LA-LA... so consider yourselves warned!
This is another of those somewhat taboo subjects. Well, sort of in a way, but not really.
Feminine hygiene products.
While I wouldn't say it's a frequent topic of discussion among women, despite what the tv commercials show, it does without fail come up from time to time among girlfriends.
The topic has come up a few times with my chums, and one friend has made mention of how her husband does most of the shopping, and usually buys her "equipment" for her. That always amazes me for some reason. Not once in our 20 years together has John ever purchased such a thing for me. Of course, I've never asked him to, but then, I wouldn't want to put him in that position... besides, he might purchase the wrong thing. That same girlfriend's husband made that mistake once. She sent him to the store for pads and he came home with Depends disposable undergarments. Not quite what she had in mind.
Most of my friends seem to prefer tampons. Once upon a time I did too, but I ditched them several years ago, only using them in a desperate emergency now. Since I found something more comfortable, I just can't bring myself to return to those little torture devices.
I'm a fan of "the cup". First time I told my friends that, they thought I actually walked around with something akin to a beverage cup between my legs. There's a lovely image! How would a person sit down??
No, my item of choice is the Instead cup. Click on the link if you're curious... http://www.softcup.com/
This is another of those somewhat taboo subjects. Well, sort of in a way, but not really.
Feminine hygiene products.
While I wouldn't say it's a frequent topic of discussion among women, despite what the tv commercials show, it does without fail come up from time to time among girlfriends.
The topic has come up a few times with my chums, and one friend has made mention of how her husband does most of the shopping, and usually buys her "equipment" for her. That always amazes me for some reason. Not once in our 20 years together has John ever purchased such a thing for me. Of course, I've never asked him to, but then, I wouldn't want to put him in that position... besides, he might purchase the wrong thing. That same girlfriend's husband made that mistake once. She sent him to the store for pads and he came home with Depends disposable undergarments. Not quite what she had in mind.
Most of my friends seem to prefer tampons. Once upon a time I did too, but I ditched them several years ago, only using them in a desperate emergency now. Since I found something more comfortable, I just can't bring myself to return to those little torture devices.
I'm a fan of "the cup". First time I told my friends that, they thought I actually walked around with something akin to a beverage cup between my legs. There's a lovely image! How would a person sit down??
No, my item of choice is the Instead cup. Click on the link if you're curious... http://www.softcup.com/
These aren't the easiest things to find in the stores. I've only found three stores that sell them, Walgreens pharmacy, which sells a tiny little box for some major bucks, Walmart only recently started selling them, and they only carry the middle sized box, so I usually have to venture into Target stores for the big box. I suppose these items are going to have to become more in demand and widely used before more stores start selling them.
Sometimes Life Gets In The Way
Indeed, at times the best laid plans of mice and men are for naught, because: sometimes life gets in the way.
As it is doing to me this week.
#1) I should've gone last Saturday to get my 4-week allergy injection. But since we had over a foot of snow on the ground I was unable to get there, and as Saturdays are the only time I can get there when they are open, I just had to put it off 'til this Saturday...
#2) But now, it looks like I'm going to have to put it off again, as now I'm going to have to work tomorrow morning because people are starting to drop like flies in this town and we've gotten slammed and we're short-handed.
#3) I had plans to go out with some of my girlfriends tonight to celebrate one of them's birthday, and I will still meet them for dinner, but now since I have to work tomorrow, I'll basically be doing an "eat & run" routine so I can get back home and go to bed instead of staying to enjoy the evening out.
#4) And finally, I had a couple of errands I wanted to run at lunch time, but again, with everybody dying to get in this place, and with their family's coming in to make their arrangements today, I'm now chained to my desk, unable to leave.
Truly, life does get in the way at times!!
As it is doing to me this week.
#1) I should've gone last Saturday to get my 4-week allergy injection. But since we had over a foot of snow on the ground I was unable to get there, and as Saturdays are the only time I can get there when they are open, I just had to put it off 'til this Saturday...
#2) But now, it looks like I'm going to have to put it off again, as now I'm going to have to work tomorrow morning because people are starting to drop like flies in this town and we've gotten slammed and we're short-handed.
#3) I had plans to go out with some of my girlfriends tonight to celebrate one of them's birthday, and I will still meet them for dinner, but now since I have to work tomorrow, I'll basically be doing an "eat & run" routine so I can get back home and go to bed instead of staying to enjoy the evening out.
#4) And finally, I had a couple of errands I wanted to run at lunch time, but again, with everybody dying to get in this place, and with their family's coming in to make their arrangements today, I'm now chained to my desk, unable to leave.
Truly, life does get in the way at times!!
Getting past the language barrier
Okay, this blog is for you Abbey, and I suppose all the rest of the gang from Aussie... in response to your comment about me putting Cheerios on my salad:Our version of Cherrios here are cocktail franfurts...do u put them on a salad?
First, just let me say, "Gross!!" Sorry my dear, just the thoughts of eating a cocktail frankfurt makes me want to hurl my breakfast. **blech!!** Okay, once I got past my initial revulsion, then your question made me smile :-) because I love our slight language differences!
No, Cheerios are a breakfast cereal. Very dry, not a whole lot of flavor to them, but very good for you. I dare say it's a staple in the diet of every baby that's just starting to eat solid food and what young mother would leave the house without a package of these things to occupy her youngster?
Having said all that...
does it amaze anybody else as much as it does me that even though we're speaking the same language, English, that words can take on such different meanings, depending on where we are at in the world? For that matter, just within the borders of the USA, a word can have different meanings, depending on where we're at, or an object can have several different names...
for example: the "thing" we put our groceries in and push around in a grocery store, depending on what part of the country you're from, it may be called a buggy, a cart, shopping cart, bascart, basket...
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Build Your Own Salad
For some people, building a salad is an art form. Especially when they go to a buffet with an endless amount of toppings at their disposal. They load up, have everything perfectly proportioned and placed, the round items, perfectly balanced, the colors distributed on the plate like it's a work of art.
My husband loves salads, and even at home, he is forever throwing things on a salad that were probably never meant to go on a salad. And he uses so much dressing, that I frequently ask him if he'd like some salad to go with that bowl of dressing he's eating.
Personally, I like to keep mine fairly simple. Not a lot of frills.
For me, the perfect salad consists of the following:
Iceberg lettuce (sorry, it's the ONLY kind of lettuce I'll eat)
sliced cucumbers with the skin peeled off (again, it's the ONLY way I'll eat a cucumber, skinless)
sliced yellow squash &/or zucchini
cauliflower
carrots
sunflower seeds
diced tomatoes*** however, I'll frequently use a bit of salsa over the salad instead of diced tomatoes. By using salsa, it helps me to cut back on the amount of dressing I'd normally use.
croutons
ranch dressing*** however, since I'm trying to be good, I've been using the lite variety of late. Can't handle the fat-free variety, blech!!
When I'm really trying to be good, I forego the sunflower seeds and croutons, and frequently use a handful of Cheerios to top it off instead.
There, that's my perfect salad.
How about you????
My husband loves salads, and even at home, he is forever throwing things on a salad that were probably never meant to go on a salad. And he uses so much dressing, that I frequently ask him if he'd like some salad to go with that bowl of dressing he's eating.
Personally, I like to keep mine fairly simple. Not a lot of frills.
For me, the perfect salad consists of the following:
Iceberg lettuce (sorry, it's the ONLY kind of lettuce I'll eat)
sliced cucumbers with the skin peeled off (again, it's the ONLY way I'll eat a cucumber, skinless)
sliced yellow squash &/or zucchini
cauliflower
carrots
sunflower seeds
diced tomatoes*** however, I'll frequently use a bit of salsa over the salad instead of diced tomatoes. By using salsa, it helps me to cut back on the amount of dressing I'd normally use.
croutons
ranch dressing*** however, since I'm trying to be good, I've been using the lite variety of late. Can't handle the fat-free variety, blech!!
When I'm really trying to be good, I forego the sunflower seeds and croutons, and frequently use a handful of Cheerios to top it off instead.
There, that's my perfect salad.
How about you????
Getting our exercise
I was asked in a comment to a recent blog how I kept the dogs from getting cabin fever with all the snow on the ground that we had last week.
I started to post a comment, but it was turning into such a lengthy post, I scrapped it & opted for another blog.
The great thing about all that snow is that it covered up all the mud in the backyard, allowing Bootsy & Eliott to run amok to their hearts content. They love the snow, as long as it isn't falling from the sky and landing on them. When it's muddy, we have to let them out one at a time, else they get to chasing one another and get covered in the stuff, which then means getting hosed off. They don't like that, and when it's cold outside, I hate having to do that to them. Of course, even letting them out one at a time doesn't guarantee they won't get muddy, as sometimes they'll chase a bird, squirrel, or somebody or something on the outside of the fence, so when it's muddy, it's just a gamble. But when it's dry or snow-covered, watch out! and stay out of their way, as they have a ball together.
Now that we've entered daylight-saving time and it's staying light out much later in the evening, and too, since the temperatures have been staying at least into the 40's through the evening hours, it's made for nice walking weather, so we've been out every night this week, taking the dogs one at a time for a 1-mile walk (hence 3 miles per night for me).
We've seen more neighbors these past three nights than we've seen all winter. It's been great getting back to our routine of long, nightly walks.
So what of Olivia you may be asking? I didn't mention her running with the other big dogs. Well, no, she doesn't. She'd love to, but we don't allow it. She doesn't set foot out of our house unless she's on a leash. Because of her deafness and vision problems, she's too likely to get hurt. She has no depth-perception or peripheral vision, so it would be too easy for her to fall off the deck or into the pool, and because of the depth-perception issue, she approaches things faster than she realizes and often bumps into objects, so if she were running, she could very well run smack into the fence or house and seriously injure herself, or run into something and put out an eye, further compromising her vision.
So, all that having been said... I often take her out to the side yard on the long retractable leash and let her run circles around me. She absolutely has a ball doing that!! Plus she goes on the 1-mile walks in the evenings too.
I started to post a comment, but it was turning into such a lengthy post, I scrapped it & opted for another blog.
The great thing about all that snow is that it covered up all the mud in the backyard, allowing Bootsy & Eliott to run amok to their hearts content. They love the snow, as long as it isn't falling from the sky and landing on them. When it's muddy, we have to let them out one at a time, else they get to chasing one another and get covered in the stuff, which then means getting hosed off. They don't like that, and when it's cold outside, I hate having to do that to them. Of course, even letting them out one at a time doesn't guarantee they won't get muddy, as sometimes they'll chase a bird, squirrel, or somebody or something on the outside of the fence, so when it's muddy, it's just a gamble. But when it's dry or snow-covered, watch out! and stay out of their way, as they have a ball together.
Now that we've entered daylight-saving time and it's staying light out much later in the evening, and too, since the temperatures have been staying at least into the 40's through the evening hours, it's made for nice walking weather, so we've been out every night this week, taking the dogs one at a time for a 1-mile walk (hence 3 miles per night for me).
We've seen more neighbors these past three nights than we've seen all winter. It's been great getting back to our routine of long, nightly walks.
So what of Olivia you may be asking? I didn't mention her running with the other big dogs. Well, no, she doesn't. She'd love to, but we don't allow it. She doesn't set foot out of our house unless she's on a leash. Because of her deafness and vision problems, she's too likely to get hurt. She has no depth-perception or peripheral vision, so it would be too easy for her to fall off the deck or into the pool, and because of the depth-perception issue, she approaches things faster than she realizes and often bumps into objects, so if she were running, she could very well run smack into the fence or house and seriously injure herself, or run into something and put out an eye, further compromising her vision.
So, all that having been said... I often take her out to the side yard on the long retractable leash and let her run circles around me. She absolutely has a ball doing that!! Plus she goes on the 1-mile walks in the evenings too.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The Real Thing
Being the Coke people that we are (Coca-Cola, that is), and also being the Great Dane people that we are, I just fell in love with this advertisement...Tears
Tears, sometimes they come as a result of some foreign object in our eye, the wind or bright sun, or stepping outside into really cold temperatures.
Sometimes they come as a result of overwhelming joy, such as weddings, births, graduations or other milestones accomplished.
Sometimes it's from too much laughter.
Sometimes, they come as a result of someone saying something mean, hurtful or hateful to us that hurts our feelings or crushes our spirit.
Then again, there are moments like I experienced a few minutes ago when I read an email my husband sent me...
He basically said something to me that he says every day of our lives (actually, several times a day), but darned if it didn't make me cry this time.
He's been moaning and groaning ever since I announced I was going to shave my head, asking how long 'til it grew back out so he'd know when he could show his face again. I seriously thought he was going to dis-own me over this.
But he sent me an email today. In the subject line: BALDIE Then a simple statement in the email that read: "I will LOVE you hair, or NO hair, J"
Sometimes just when ya think there's no hope for 'em, they go and say something like that and it just totally renews your faith in them.
Sometimes they come as a result of overwhelming joy, such as weddings, births, graduations or other milestones accomplished.
Sometimes it's from too much laughter.
Sometimes, they come as a result of someone saying something mean, hurtful or hateful to us that hurts our feelings or crushes our spirit.
Then again, there are moments like I experienced a few minutes ago when I read an email my husband sent me...
He basically said something to me that he says every day of our lives (actually, several times a day), but darned if it didn't make me cry this time.
He's been moaning and groaning ever since I announced I was going to shave my head, asking how long 'til it grew back out so he'd know when he could show his face again. I seriously thought he was going to dis-own me over this.
But he sent me an email today. In the subject line: BALDIE Then a simple statement in the email that read: "I will LOVE you hair, or NO hair, J"
Sometimes just when ya think there's no hope for 'em, they go and say something like that and it just totally renews your faith in them.
An Inspiration?
Okay, I know most of you are tired of hearing about my St. Baldricks fundraising. And even more of you are tired of getting the direct emails. But I've got to tell you what's happened now...
I got a phone call yesterday from a complete stranger. We have a mutual friend that I'm blessed to have, who has supported my cause both financially, and by spreading the word.
So this friend of a friend that called, who I must say is a total ball of energy, is full of enthusiasm, and nearly exhausted me just listening to her, she was all excited about my project and wanted to get-on-board.
She wanted to organize a similar event, but obviously with less than a week to go, time has pretty much run out, so she's working on setting something up for next year to be held out here in Oldham County. In the meantime (she's a home-schooler) she's working with the other home-schoolers in the area to make this a "class project" so to speak, and is getting the kids involved. They are going to go around to some of the local businesses, especially hair salons, and seek donations. She asked if whatever they raised could be donated in my name.
How awesome is that?
She and her son have also signed up to have their heads shaved too.
I wish I'd met up with her sooner!
Good luck to the kids!!
On a slightly different note... I received an email today from the girl that heads up the event at the school/church I'm going to participate at, and she was informing us that a film crew from the St. Baldricks national organization would be there filming the event.
The anticipation is building!!!
I got a phone call yesterday from a complete stranger. We have a mutual friend that I'm blessed to have, who has supported my cause both financially, and by spreading the word.
So this friend of a friend that called, who I must say is a total ball of energy, is full of enthusiasm, and nearly exhausted me just listening to her, she was all excited about my project and wanted to get-on-board.
She wanted to organize a similar event, but obviously with less than a week to go, time has pretty much run out, so she's working on setting something up for next year to be held out here in Oldham County. In the meantime (she's a home-schooler) she's working with the other home-schoolers in the area to make this a "class project" so to speak, and is getting the kids involved. They are going to go around to some of the local businesses, especially hair salons, and seek donations. She asked if whatever they raised could be donated in my name.
How awesome is that?
She and her son have also signed up to have their heads shaved too.
I wish I'd met up with her sooner!
Good luck to the kids!!
On a slightly different note... I received an email today from the girl that heads up the event at the school/church I'm going to participate at, and she was informing us that a film crew from the St. Baldricks national organization would be there filming the event.
The anticipation is building!!!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
My apologies!
Oh my goodness, I just realized I've been very remiss in a project I started several weeks ago.
I haven't written anything else regarding the Odum County Murder Mystery.
My apologies!!
I suppose with everything that's been going on... moving offices, dad's surgery, my pneumonia, my fund-raising, etc., etc., it just slipped my mind. At least, in the words of Collin Raye: That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!
I'll see if I can't blog the next chapter sometime in the next week to 10 days.
I haven't written anything else regarding the Odum County Murder Mystery.
My apologies!!
I suppose with everything that's been going on... moving offices, dad's surgery, my pneumonia, my fund-raising, etc., etc., it just slipped my mind. At least, in the words of Collin Raye: That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!
I'll see if I can't blog the next chapter sometime in the next week to 10 days.
The Future of our History
Or maybe that title should be: The History of our Future... hmmm
After packing the husband's lunch this morning, I climbed back into bed in an effort to grab a couple more hours of sleep before I had to get up. As it turns out, I didn't fall asleep 'til after 5:45... so much for my beauty rest. Anyway, when I returned to bed, he had the tv on, looking for the weather forecast for the day. Once the weather channel confirmed what I'd already told him, I took control of the remote and started surfing.
When I reached the History Channel, I paused and watched the remaining 10 minutes of the program that was on. I almost wish I hadn't. They weren't talking about history so much as a prediction for our future. By the time the show had ended, I felt nauseated, depressed, and on the verge of tears.
The program predicted that within 5 to 7 years from now, gasoline would be $8 a gallon, there would be rioting in the streets because gas-stations would be running out of fuel (and other reasons), a large percentage of our population would be homeless because our homes would be foreclosed upon, and it was just one depressing prediction after another.
With the rate that gasoline is going up, I imagine many of those predictions are true. I mean seriously, when will it ever end?? How do they expect the average schmoe such as myself (and most of my readers I dare say) to make ends meet?
My husband could use a new (newer) vehicle, and we'd need one capable of towing our camper (assuming we ever get to use it again), but getting something like that mean getting something that gets crappy gas mileage. But I just can't see taking on a new car payment right now, which means higher insurance too, and his gets bad enough mileage without getting something worse. It's a vicious cycle.
Part of me has wondered if it would be worth it to quit my job, stay home all day, sell his car and let him use mine (which means of course mine will then need a lot of repairs because he'll tear the clutch out in no time at all). Nah, guess I'll keep working, as I'd miss not having access to a computer.
For now, I read him the riot act the other day about eating out at restaurants all the time with his father, sister and her kids. It's totally unnecessary! We've all but given up eating out ourselves, 'cept on special occasions. I'm seriously considering changing my grocery day from Monday evenings to Sunday afternoons, and start walking to Walmart to get groceries. Goodness knows I need the exercise, and hey, if I'm going to have to start carrying groceries that far, I know I'll start buying a lot less. Maybe I should invest in one of those little 2-wheeled carts you see old ladies pulling along behind them... on second thought, I've got a large, childs-wagon at home, how silly would I look pulling that around in the grocery store and then hauling my groceries home in that? Listen to me will ya! I'll be bald next week and I'm worried about looking silly pulling a wagon!
After packing the husband's lunch this morning, I climbed back into bed in an effort to grab a couple more hours of sleep before I had to get up. As it turns out, I didn't fall asleep 'til after 5:45... so much for my beauty rest. Anyway, when I returned to bed, he had the tv on, looking for the weather forecast for the day. Once the weather channel confirmed what I'd already told him, I took control of the remote and started surfing.
When I reached the History Channel, I paused and watched the remaining 10 minutes of the program that was on. I almost wish I hadn't. They weren't talking about history so much as a prediction for our future. By the time the show had ended, I felt nauseated, depressed, and on the verge of tears.
The program predicted that within 5 to 7 years from now, gasoline would be $8 a gallon, there would be rioting in the streets because gas-stations would be running out of fuel (and other reasons), a large percentage of our population would be homeless because our homes would be foreclosed upon, and it was just one depressing prediction after another.
With the rate that gasoline is going up, I imagine many of those predictions are true. I mean seriously, when will it ever end?? How do they expect the average schmoe such as myself (and most of my readers I dare say) to make ends meet?
My husband could use a new (newer) vehicle, and we'd need one capable of towing our camper (assuming we ever get to use it again), but getting something like that mean getting something that gets crappy gas mileage. But I just can't see taking on a new car payment right now, which means higher insurance too, and his gets bad enough mileage without getting something worse. It's a vicious cycle.
Part of me has wondered if it would be worth it to quit my job, stay home all day, sell his car and let him use mine (which means of course mine will then need a lot of repairs because he'll tear the clutch out in no time at all). Nah, guess I'll keep working, as I'd miss not having access to a computer.
For now, I read him the riot act the other day about eating out at restaurants all the time with his father, sister and her kids. It's totally unnecessary! We've all but given up eating out ourselves, 'cept on special occasions. I'm seriously considering changing my grocery day from Monday evenings to Sunday afternoons, and start walking to Walmart to get groceries. Goodness knows I need the exercise, and hey, if I'm going to have to start carrying groceries that far, I know I'll start buying a lot less. Maybe I should invest in one of those little 2-wheeled carts you see old ladies pulling along behind them... on second thought, I've got a large, childs-wagon at home, how silly would I look pulling that around in the grocery store and then hauling my groceries home in that? Listen to me will ya! I'll be bald next week and I'm worried about looking silly pulling a wagon!
Snow fotos
Well, okay, these first two photos obviously weren't taken outside in the snow. Whenever I do laundry, Eliott always comes over and checks to see what it is I'm getting out of the dryer. If it's a load of dog-laundry, then he likes to "help". Of course he loves it when a stuffed toy comes out all clean and fluffed up, but he stands there and lets me use him to stack the dogs' towels on. Unfortunately, this load was mostly the dogs quilts I'd washed, but when there are a lot of towels, he looks like a camel by the time I'm done stacking them on him. When I'm done, I lift them all off in a nice stack and lay them on top of the dog crate. All men should be this helpful!As for Bootsy, she was just being nosey because I had the camera out.
These pix were taken mid-day Saturday, just as the storm was getting ready to call it quits. Somewhere in our backyard is a swimming pool...
Once the snow actually stopped falling, Bootsy & Eliott had a ball playing in it.
As for Olivia, she wasn't all that impressed.I guess I'm going to have to start taking her to the vet to get her anal glands squeezed, as I don't know as I have the stomach for it, and her constant licking of her hiney-hole has turned her fur brown. I think the only way I'll ever get it white again is if I shave her tushy and let it grow back in. Ugh!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Calgon take me away!!!
Geesh, what a busy, screwed up day!
After weeks of hardly any funerals at all, I walk in this morning to find we've two new ones, and of course one of them started this afternoon, so it was rush-rush-rush to get everything ready. The day has just gone down hill from there. Anything that could possibly go wrong has. The florist waited 'til almost the last possible minute to deliver the casket spray, and then it turned out to be the wrong one, so they have to make another and bring it out. The boss volunteered my services of doing a "specialty" item when he shouldn't have because the guy hasn't come here yet to show us how to do it properly, so that took a lot of extra time for me to try and "wing-it". After I got it accomplished and handed it off to a co-worker to finish up, she then noticed that I'd put the wrong time of service on it, so it all had to be scrapped and I had to start over with everything I'd done up to that point. **grumble, grumble** Then I had to make a video of the deceased, but the family waited 'til almost the last possible moment it seemed to bring me the photos they wanted included in the video, I get all that put together only to discover that when we moved offices last month, the guy that moved the equipment forgot to plug something in properly, so I had no sound going to the DVD recorder. Can you say, "dammit!!"? He of course wasn't readily available to talk me through fixing the situation, so it was hurry-up-and-wait for him to call me back.
This is the point where I grab up my Dammit-Doll and beat her on the edge of my desk to work out my frustrations.
Lunch was inhaled in between key-strokes of the computer. Several other little things weren't going well either. But finally, my work is done, and it's half hour 'til quitting time. Take a deep breath and count to 100 please.
I've got photos I wanted to post of all the snow we got Friday & Saturday, and the dogs playing in it. I never really heard the official total for Louisville, but it was well over 12 inches deep at our house. Maybe I'll have time tomorrow.
For only the second time that I can recall in 20 years, my husband's company shut down (on Saturday) because of all the snow, so he was home with me. And because of the mess outside, I was unable to get to the farm that afternoon, that really ticked me off. **pout**
So to make the best of it, I stayed in and cooked up a storm! I had three crock-pots going at once. In one was a huge batch of hash-brown casserole, another had a pot of chili, and the other had a vegetable beef soup. I also cooked us up a huge breakfast since we were both there to enjoy it together (a rarity for sure!). Then to top it all off, I fixed a pot of cheeseburger-chowder for the husband to take over to his father's later in the week so they can have dinner together while I'm out with the girls. I'm exhausted!
After weeks of hardly any funerals at all, I walk in this morning to find we've two new ones, and of course one of them started this afternoon, so it was rush-rush-rush to get everything ready. The day has just gone down hill from there. Anything that could possibly go wrong has. The florist waited 'til almost the last possible minute to deliver the casket spray, and then it turned out to be the wrong one, so they have to make another and bring it out. The boss volunteered my services of doing a "specialty" item when he shouldn't have because the guy hasn't come here yet to show us how to do it properly, so that took a lot of extra time for me to try and "wing-it". After I got it accomplished and handed it off to a co-worker to finish up, she then noticed that I'd put the wrong time of service on it, so it all had to be scrapped and I had to start over with everything I'd done up to that point. **grumble, grumble** Then I had to make a video of the deceased, but the family waited 'til almost the last possible moment it seemed to bring me the photos they wanted included in the video, I get all that put together only to discover that when we moved offices last month, the guy that moved the equipment forgot to plug something in properly, so I had no sound going to the DVD recorder. Can you say, "dammit!!"? He of course wasn't readily available to talk me through fixing the situation, so it was hurry-up-and-wait for him to call me back.
This is the point where I grab up my Dammit-Doll and beat her on the edge of my desk to work out my frustrations.
Lunch was inhaled in between key-strokes of the computer. Several other little things weren't going well either. But finally, my work is done, and it's half hour 'til quitting time. Take a deep breath and count to 100 please.
I've got photos I wanted to post of all the snow we got Friday & Saturday, and the dogs playing in it. I never really heard the official total for Louisville, but it was well over 12 inches deep at our house. Maybe I'll have time tomorrow.
For only the second time that I can recall in 20 years, my husband's company shut down (on Saturday) because of all the snow, so he was home with me. And because of the mess outside, I was unable to get to the farm that afternoon, that really ticked me off. **pout**
So to make the best of it, I stayed in and cooked up a storm! I had three crock-pots going at once. In one was a huge batch of hash-brown casserole, another had a pot of chili, and the other had a vegetable beef soup. I also cooked us up a huge breakfast since we were both there to enjoy it together (a rarity for sure!). Then to top it all off, I fixed a pot of cheeseburger-chowder for the husband to take over to his father's later in the week so they can have dinner together while I'm out with the girls. I'm exhausted!
Friday, March 07, 2008
Weather update and other miscellaneous stuff
Well, I was going to post another picture of our snow, but I don't see much point.
The plows go up and down the street every few minutes, so the road is still clear. The wind has picked up, and the roof actually appears to have less snow on it. The only thing that looks worse is the sidewalk, it's no longer visible.
The snow has seemed to stop at times, only to be replaced with sleet. Then that too stops, only to have the snow start up once again.
The husband just called me, advising that the price of gas just jumped up to $3.35/gal. What is this world coming too? How do they expect the average person to survive?? The freaking utility companies, the trash haulers, the farmers that provide us groceries, etc. they are all passing along their fuel costs to us, the consumers. Who the hell do we pass on our costs too? It's criminal!!
Back to the snow...
The husband is a truck driver and was telling me how he sat in traffic on the interstate up in Indiana this morning. People were getting out of their cars and having snowball fights to help pass the time. It always amazes me whenever I get stuck in traffic like that, the number of complete strangers that get out of their cars and just start congregating and talking to pass the time. Got to love it when some people take the opportunity to lighten up during a bad situation instead of sitting there complaining about sitting in traffic, and enjoy themselves.
The snow is supposed to continue overnight and into tomorrow. That means working conditions at the farm are going to be cold and perilous to say the least. As if all the rain and mud we've had weren't enough? The snowy, icy ground will be even worse!
Poor Pete, the Clydesdale... during that last ice storm a couple of weeks ago, he either fell down or laid down, and wasn't able to get his footing to stand back up. He must've struggled for quite some time before the workers found him. I don't know how they got him back on his feet, but they said he was exhausted when they found him. Ever since then, he's been coming into the barn at night. Pete's only too happy to come indoors and have people fawn over him.
The farms director has returned from her month long vacation to the land down-under. I can't wait to see her pictures and hear all about it. Classes will should be starting again soon at the farm, I suppose within the next 4 or 5 weeks, just as soon as it warms up some, then everyones routine will change 'til next fall. When I initially started going to the farm, I told them when summer arrived, I'd only be helping out every other weekend (so I could stay home & enjoy the pool some), but now that it's become such a big part of my life every Saturday, I can't imagine not going there. I may never enjoy our pool ever again.
I'm headed home early, beat the rush hour traffic. Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!
The plows go up and down the street every few minutes, so the road is still clear. The wind has picked up, and the roof actually appears to have less snow on it. The only thing that looks worse is the sidewalk, it's no longer visible.
The snow has seemed to stop at times, only to be replaced with sleet. Then that too stops, only to have the snow start up once again.
The husband just called me, advising that the price of gas just jumped up to $3.35/gal. What is this world coming too? How do they expect the average person to survive?? The freaking utility companies, the trash haulers, the farmers that provide us groceries, etc. they are all passing along their fuel costs to us, the consumers. Who the hell do we pass on our costs too? It's criminal!!
Back to the snow...
The husband is a truck driver and was telling me how he sat in traffic on the interstate up in Indiana this morning. People were getting out of their cars and having snowball fights to help pass the time. It always amazes me whenever I get stuck in traffic like that, the number of complete strangers that get out of their cars and just start congregating and talking to pass the time. Got to love it when some people take the opportunity to lighten up during a bad situation instead of sitting there complaining about sitting in traffic, and enjoy themselves.
The snow is supposed to continue overnight and into tomorrow. That means working conditions at the farm are going to be cold and perilous to say the least. As if all the rain and mud we've had weren't enough? The snowy, icy ground will be even worse!
Poor Pete, the Clydesdale... during that last ice storm a couple of weeks ago, he either fell down or laid down, and wasn't able to get his footing to stand back up. He must've struggled for quite some time before the workers found him. I don't know how they got him back on his feet, but they said he was exhausted when they found him. Ever since then, he's been coming into the barn at night. Pete's only too happy to come indoors and have people fawn over him.
The farms director has returned from her month long vacation to the land down-under. I can't wait to see her pictures and hear all about it. Classes will should be starting again soon at the farm, I suppose within the next 4 or 5 weeks, just as soon as it warms up some, then everyones routine will change 'til next fall. When I initially started going to the farm, I told them when summer arrived, I'd only be helping out every other weekend (so I could stay home & enjoy the pool some), but now that it's become such a big part of my life every Saturday, I can't imagine not going there. I may never enjoy our pool ever again.
I'm headed home early, beat the rush hour traffic. Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!
Passionate embrace
Aside from the blizzard that's blowing around outside... spring is definitely in the air. Time for the earth to spring forth with new life. 'Tis mating season for many creatures in the wild.
I stopped to put some gas in my car, and while standing there, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something fluttering on the ground. I looked closer and a small finch(?) was fluttering about, flapping it's wings as if they were broken and it couldn't fly. It was doing all this right by my front tire and my first thought was, "oh no, I ran over it and must've hurt it!"
I stepped closer and realized that the bird was lying on it's back, wings spread wide. On top of it was another finch, also flapping it's wings. The top bird had it's beak around the bottom bird's throat, pinning it to the ground. Ah, a passionate embrace if ever I saw one!
Finally the bottom bird broke free and flew up to her nest in the eaves overhead, and her mate followed.
Thank goodness my husband has never felt the need to pin me to the bed by my throat, else one of us would be in prison by now!
I stopped to put some gas in my car, and while standing there, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something fluttering on the ground. I looked closer and a small finch(?) was fluttering about, flapping it's wings as if they were broken and it couldn't fly. It was doing all this right by my front tire and my first thought was, "oh no, I ran over it and must've hurt it!"
I stepped closer and realized that the bird was lying on it's back, wings spread wide. On top of it was another finch, also flapping it's wings. The top bird had it's beak around the bottom bird's throat, pinning it to the ground. Ah, a passionate embrace if ever I saw one!
Finally the bottom bird broke free and flew up to her nest in the eaves overhead, and her mate followed.
Thank goodness my husband has never felt the need to pin me to the bed by my throat, else one of us would be in prison by now!
My view...
Now that spring is only a couple
of weeks away, officially that is,
winter weather is finally hitting our
region. Oh sure, we got a bit of snow
here and there this winter, but nothing major. The
worst bit was the light snow followed
by the freezing rain back on Feb. 12th.
So now, according to weather people,
our area is expecting anywhere from 2 to 12 inches, depending on who you listen to and whether you're north or south of the Ohio River. We're a stones throw south, so we'll get slightly less, supposedly.
I took this picture just before 8:30am, EST (had to include the EST since we change the clocks forward to daylight-saving-time this
weekend). It's the view out my office window. The only thing marring the view is the darned
power-lines. I'll try and take another photo later this afternoon and see how much of a difference
there is in the snow.
It's hard to get a good look at the house across the street, but I am so in love with that place. I just love the big, wrap-around porch on it. Actually, there are a lot of those older houses around here I'd love to just pick-up and move out to the country to live in. They just don't make houses like that anymore. Fortunately, my back is to the window most of the time, else I'd probably sit there staring at it and not getting any work done.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
This is even better!!!
Okay, I think I need to get a job with Pillsbury, helping to make their already good recipes, BETTER!
I've never really made mac & cheese from scratch before, well, sorta, once, in the crockpot, but it was just that, macaroni and a jar of Ragu cheese sauce. Ho-hum.
I started with another basic recipe in the Pillsbury cookbook last night, and then strayed from the ingredient list and the end results were FABOO!!! The husband & I each had one bowl, then just sighed because we knew it would be dietary-suicide to eat seconds, even though we both wanted more. So, word of warning, this recipe is not for anyone on a diet. The calorie & fat content is outrageous, but then, I guess that's what makes it so sinfully good!!
Pillsbury original recipe...
INGREDIENTS:
7 oz. uncooked penne pasta (rounded 2 cups)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz.)
INSTRUCTIONS:
*Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook & drain pasta as directed on package.
*While pasta is cooking, in 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, seasoned salt, mustard, pepper & Worcestershire sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Return to heat. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Using wire whisk, stir in cheese until melted.
*Gently stir pasta into cheese sauce. Spoon into either 4 ungreased 8-oz. ramekins, or 10 oz. custard cups. Place filled cups in shallow baking pan (or cookie sheet with sides).
*Bake uncovered 20 - 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Okay, you know me, I love to deviate and experiment, so here was Pita's version:
All the same ingredients except I used Skim milk, and for the cheese, I used a blend of cheeses I had available. In this instance, 3 slices of havarti, 2 slices of pepper-jack cheese, a handful of shredded mozzarella-cheddar blend, and a half jar of Ragu cheese sauce.
I still had some cooked, shredded chicken meat available, so I tossed that in as well, and again topped it off with the crushed cornflake crumbs.
I baked it in a 2-qrt. baking dish that I'd sprayed with cooking spray, and baked for 30 minutes... just to give it that "crusty" topping.
The great thing about this recipe is that you can pretty much toss in whatever cheeses you have available.
Toss in either some cooked chicken, or crumbled cooked bacon, or maybe some ground beef or sausage that's been cooked/drained, or whatever your fancy is, and make it your meal instead of just a side-dish.
I can't wait 'til the next family or friendly gathering, so I can take this dish. Sorry mother, it's not that I don't like mac & cheese, it's just that I never liked your mac & cheese. I wouldn't feed that crap in the blue box that Kraft passes off as mac & cheese to a starving dog. And those logs of Velveeta should be removed from the shelves, or at the very least, have the word "cheese" removed from it's label. If you're gonna make a recipe requiring cheese, use the real stuff!!
Side-note: My apologies to my friends down-under. I suppose you use the metric system, so forgive me for not knowing the conversions for these measurements, and also, the oven temperature is of course Fahrenheit, not Celsius.
I've never really made mac & cheese from scratch before, well, sorta, once, in the crockpot, but it was just that, macaroni and a jar of Ragu cheese sauce. Ho-hum.
I started with another basic recipe in the Pillsbury cookbook last night, and then strayed from the ingredient list and the end results were FABOO!!! The husband & I each had one bowl, then just sighed because we knew it would be dietary-suicide to eat seconds, even though we both wanted more. So, word of warning, this recipe is not for anyone on a diet. The calorie & fat content is outrageous, but then, I guess that's what makes it so sinfully good!!
Pillsbury original recipe...
INGREDIENTS:
7 oz. uncooked penne pasta (rounded 2 cups)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz.)
INSTRUCTIONS:
*Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook & drain pasta as directed on package.
*While pasta is cooking, in 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, seasoned salt, mustard, pepper & Worcestershire sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Return to heat. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Using wire whisk, stir in cheese until melted.
*Gently stir pasta into cheese sauce. Spoon into either 4 ungreased 8-oz. ramekins, or 10 oz. custard cups. Place filled cups in shallow baking pan (or cookie sheet with sides).
*Bake uncovered 20 - 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Okay, you know me, I love to deviate and experiment, so here was Pita's version:
All the same ingredients except I used Skim milk, and for the cheese, I used a blend of cheeses I had available. In this instance, 3 slices of havarti, 2 slices of pepper-jack cheese, a handful of shredded mozzarella-cheddar blend, and a half jar of Ragu cheese sauce.
I still had some cooked, shredded chicken meat available, so I tossed that in as well, and again topped it off with the crushed cornflake crumbs.
I baked it in a 2-qrt. baking dish that I'd sprayed with cooking spray, and baked for 30 minutes... just to give it that "crusty" topping.
The great thing about this recipe is that you can pretty much toss in whatever cheeses you have available.
Toss in either some cooked chicken, or crumbled cooked bacon, or maybe some ground beef or sausage that's been cooked/drained, or whatever your fancy is, and make it your meal instead of just a side-dish.
I can't wait 'til the next family or friendly gathering, so I can take this dish. Sorry mother, it's not that I don't like mac & cheese, it's just that I never liked your mac & cheese. I wouldn't feed that crap in the blue box that Kraft passes off as mac & cheese to a starving dog. And those logs of Velveeta should be removed from the shelves, or at the very least, have the word "cheese" removed from it's label. If you're gonna make a recipe requiring cheese, use the real stuff!!
Side-note: My apologies to my friends down-under. I suppose you use the metric system, so forgive me for not knowing the conversions for these measurements, and also, the oven temperature is of course Fahrenheit, not Celsius.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Pita casserole ;)
Okay, due to several request, here's the Pita-Casserole recipe. ;)
I got this recipe from the Pillsbury, Simply One Dish cookbook, Feb/Mar. 2008 edition.
The original recipe is called: Greek Chicken & Pasta
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked penne pasta (6 oz.)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (14 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup crumbled feta cheese or shredded Havarti cheese (4 oz.)
3 cups chopped deli rotisserie chicken
1 jar (6 oz.) marinated artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, chopped
1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
Instructions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 11x17" (2 qrt.) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook & drain pasta as directed on package.
Meanwhile, in a 3-quart sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour; cook and stir 30 seconds. Slowly stir in broth; heat to boiling. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Gently stir in cooked pasta, chicken, artichokes, tomatoes, olive & parsley. Spoon into baking dish.
Bake uncovered 25 - 30 minutes or until hot. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired.
Okay... That was the original recipe. However, the Pita-version is slightly different, as neither my husband or I like olives or artichokes.
I left those two ingredients out, and added in a sliced zucchini. Also, I had no parsley, so that was left out.
I also used a little more cheese than what it called for, as I'm a cheese freak!
After spooning into the dish, I topped it with crushed corn-flake crumbs then baked as directed.
I'm one of these people that think a casserole is doubly delicious the next day, re-heated.
Enjoy!!!
I got this recipe from the Pillsbury, Simply One Dish cookbook, Feb/Mar. 2008 edition.
The original recipe is called: Greek Chicken & Pasta
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked penne pasta (6 oz.)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (14 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup crumbled feta cheese or shredded Havarti cheese (4 oz.)
3 cups chopped deli rotisserie chicken
1 jar (6 oz.) marinated artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, chopped
1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
Instructions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 11x17" (2 qrt.) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook & drain pasta as directed on package.
Meanwhile, in a 3-quart sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour; cook and stir 30 seconds. Slowly stir in broth; heat to boiling. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Gently stir in cooked pasta, chicken, artichokes, tomatoes, olive & parsley. Spoon into baking dish.
Bake uncovered 25 - 30 minutes or until hot. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired.
Okay... That was the original recipe. However, the Pita-version is slightly different, as neither my husband or I like olives or artichokes.
I left those two ingredients out, and added in a sliced zucchini. Also, I had no parsley, so that was left out.
I also used a little more cheese than what it called for, as I'm a cheese freak!
After spooning into the dish, I topped it with crushed corn-flake crumbs then baked as directed.
I'm one of these people that think a casserole is doubly delicious the next day, re-heated.
Enjoy!!!
Monday, March 03, 2008
Surpassing my goal
Woo-hoo!
All the annoying emails I've sent out, the blogs, and even direct mailing of my donation form to some friends/family members that don't have computers has paid off. Still two weeks to go 'til the big day, and as of this morning, I've officially surpassed my fund-raising goal of $1000.
Many thanks to all who have donated!! I've still got some checks to send in so the amount is still growing.
To see my progress, copy & paste this link to the address bar (if it won't let you actually click on it).
Taboo discussion
I'm getting ready to talk about, or rather, blog about, one of those Taboo-subjects.
It's about one of life's little infirmities, so to speak. Nobody wants to talk about it, but it's a fact of life for many. Those that have it are embarrassed by it, ashamed of it, and do their best to hide the condition.
What is it I speak of? Dandruff.
Please, don't scoff. It's a serious condition, and one I've suffered from since childhood. I suppose mine could actually be classified as psoriasis of the scalp. Just because one has the condition, it doesn't mean they are lacking in personal hygiene. If anything, maybe some of us suffer from it because we spend too much time washing our hair.
I wash my hair everyday, so trust me, I'm not lacking in personal cleanliness. #1) because I suffer from a bad case of bed-head in the mornings, and washing it is the only way to get my hair "back to normal" so that it's not sticking out in some areas, and matted to my head in other areas, #2) to wash out the hair gel/spray from the previous day that has since dulled my hair, #3) to wash away the dander.
The condition is worse in the winter, as the air is dryer. It also seems to be worse when my hair is longer, as it is right now, vs. the way I normally wear it, which is spiked and between 1 & 2" long. I've often wondered if it's because my scalp isn't getting enough fresh air to it when my hair is longer. hmmm...
I've tried every dandruff shampoo I could get my hands on. None have helped, and some almost seemed to make things worse, if not with the scalp, then with the damage they cause to my hair.
You may wonder why I bring all this up. And of course I'm going to tell you. Two weeks from today (03/17), I'll be getting my head shaved for St. Baldricks. For the most part I'm actually looking forward to this. But a small part of me is kicking into nervousness high-gear. I fear that the naked head will reveal all the dandruffy patches. How mortifying!! On the plus side, maybe once my scalp is exposed, I can apply lotion to those areas and get things under control... maybe.
Anybody out there care to share their thoughts on the subject or proven remedies??
It's about one of life's little infirmities, so to speak. Nobody wants to talk about it, but it's a fact of life for many. Those that have it are embarrassed by it, ashamed of it, and do their best to hide the condition.
What is it I speak of? Dandruff.
Please, don't scoff. It's a serious condition, and one I've suffered from since childhood. I suppose mine could actually be classified as psoriasis of the scalp. Just because one has the condition, it doesn't mean they are lacking in personal hygiene. If anything, maybe some of us suffer from it because we spend too much time washing our hair.
I wash my hair everyday, so trust me, I'm not lacking in personal cleanliness. #1) because I suffer from a bad case of bed-head in the mornings, and washing it is the only way to get my hair "back to normal" so that it's not sticking out in some areas, and matted to my head in other areas, #2) to wash out the hair gel/spray from the previous day that has since dulled my hair, #3) to wash away the dander.
The condition is worse in the winter, as the air is dryer. It also seems to be worse when my hair is longer, as it is right now, vs. the way I normally wear it, which is spiked and between 1 & 2" long. I've often wondered if it's because my scalp isn't getting enough fresh air to it when my hair is longer. hmmm...
I've tried every dandruff shampoo I could get my hands on. None have helped, and some almost seemed to make things worse, if not with the scalp, then with the damage they cause to my hair.
You may wonder why I bring all this up. And of course I'm going to tell you. Two weeks from today (03/17), I'll be getting my head shaved for St. Baldricks. For the most part I'm actually looking forward to this. But a small part of me is kicking into nervousness high-gear. I fear that the naked head will reveal all the dandruffy patches. How mortifying!! On the plus side, maybe once my scalp is exposed, I can apply lotion to those areas and get things under control... maybe.
Anybody out there care to share their thoughts on the subject or proven remedies??
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