Holly Run

11/30/2012

Holly Run

Last day of November - can you believe it?  This morning's blog will have to suffice for today and tomorrow.  On Saturday, Jeff and I and a close friend will be winging our way (weather permitting) to Tangier Island for the annual Holly Run. For over 40 years, each December private pilots have been flying to the island bringing with them holly, pine boughs and Santa

Generally there are 40 or so planes that enjoy the event each year and this will be our second time.  We meet at a private airport near the Bay Bridge for breakfast and a pilot briefing and then we are wheels up in stages. Flying over the Chesapeake Bay is beautiful and you get to see all the nooks and crannies that populate the Bay.  

The island is tiny and most of the locals are fishermen and the island can only be reached by boat or plane.  After landing it's a short walk to town where Santa (and his toys) are joyously greeted by the children who are eager with anticipation for their gifts.

Besides bringing much needed decorations for the church and possibly homes, pilots also bring paper goods for the church as well as put donations in to the cash box to help out.  Tangier Island's residents need all the financial help they can get for fishing is a hard way to make a living and sometimes the living is meager.

After arrival, you can watch the children and Santa, walk through the very small town which has a few shops which might be open or you can sit quietly in the church and reflect.  There's no agenda for pilots et al except those helping out Santa.

Lunch is at a local restaurant and the food of the day is crab.  Crab cakes or crab soup are the specialties but you can also get a salad and sweet potato fries.  No burgers, no toasted cheese - just crab which is cooked to perfection.

During both flights tomorrow we will be surrounded by other planes flying in front or behind us. Of course, if a plane has more horses under the "hood" than we do - we may be passed!  All in all it's a beautiful and heart warming way to spend the day.  The residents of the island appreciate the official start to their holiday and the pilots are more than willing (let's be honest they love to fly) to donate their time and pay it forward.

Have a great Friday and I'll see you on Sunday.

P

Counting Down

11/29/2012

Counting Down

In case you haven't been paying attention to the seasonal blitz, you've got about 27 days or so to go before calm will be restored to stores as well as shoppers.

Right now we are in the beginning of the shopping frenzy and you have to think twice about entering a store or approaching a check out line.  This will only get worse once the men start their shopping on the 24th!  

I am not a mall rat and you won't find me browsing the aisles looking at those beautifully packaged pre-boxed gifts that mostly nobody wants or needs.  I, for instance, do not want a machine that makes smores, or one that turns water fizzy.  

Nope you'll find me throughout the day browsing on my computer.  I'm looking for unique, perhaps a one-of-a-kind gift for my friends and family.  I try and keep lists throughout the year when I hear someone talk about a want or need.  

Right now my favorite person to buy for is Ben - so apologies to the rest of my family.  Ben is at the age of wonder and awe.  Every toy that he opens will result in real emotions of joy and will be the best one EVER.  A small child and Christmas - it just doesn't get better than that.

Buying for women is easier than men.  Sorry guys it's just the facts.  Women like pretty things (decorative pieces of glass come to mind for me).  As the only woman in my house I know that my lists over the years have been considered silly and impractical.  I deny that they're silly but impractical I'll give you.  But you did ask what I want and I told you.  I am not above buying my own gifts and giving them to others to wrap and give to me.  In that scenario it's a win-win for everyone.

I am sorry that I don't want a Tim Allen he-man drill or saw and there is nothing in the tool section at Sears that interests me.  I leave Jeff to buying the manly products for the boys because I'm clueless about tools and intend to stay that way.

As much as I love the hunt for the right gift, I downright hate wrapping.  I don't even make much of an attempt to try and make packages pretty.  Nope, I'm a paper (never cut straight by the way), lots of tape, no bows or ribbons, kind of gal.  Oh I can do some stuff with that curly ribbon or a stick-on bow but that is the absolute extent of my gift wrapping ability.  I don't have coordinating paper under my tree, I tend to go for quantity rather than quality.  All that paper is either going up the fireplace or into the garbage so for me cheaper is better.  I learned years ago that boys - at least mine - don't need or want ribbons and bows.  These things are merely deterrents to what's inside.  Over the years I have saved a bundle by not buying ribbons and bows.  Sometimes I buy those decorative boxes, tape them shut and voila, the gift is wrapped.  If it's getting close to Christmas and I'm completely burned out by wrapping, my sons will get the shipping box the gift came in.  No paper, no tag.  Just a resealed box with their name written on it in magic marker.  The boys are used to this and don't expect anything to change from year to year.  Disclaimer here: I do not, however, give plain brown boxes to my friends and female relatives and I even attempt to cut the paper straight!

Here's a deal for you.  I'll shop if you'll wrap!

P

Coloring and Relaxing

11/28/2012

Coloring and Relaxing

This may sound a bit like one over the Cuckoo's Nest; but I color and it's relaxing. Don't knock it until you've tried it.  I'm not talking about using crayons and coloring books found in most stores and clearly designed for children.  They now make very intricate and beautiful coloring books for people who can stay within the lines (that's called an adult).  And forget crayons and the regular markers.  There are markers out there that cost hundreds of dollars for a set and if you color or draw they are worth it.  Of course you know that I am not going to pay retail if I don't have to.  Trusty Ebay provided me with a small selection of fancy markers at a much smaller price.  

One of my books is on a waxy paper and is reproductions of Tiffany's work.  The finished project, held up in a window, is beautiful and takes more than 10 minutes to finish.  It takes days.  I have other books filled with pages and pages of beautiful garden and floral scenes.  With a few exceptions I have no place or need for my finished work, so when the folder fills up a few go to the landfill.  Basically - color and toss.

There is also an on line paint by number program by Segmation that is very enjoyable to me.  You get a paint pallette and your cursor becomes your brush.  With a computer paint program you never stray out of the line, don't have to wash your brush and can change colors at will.  I suppose you could print out the finished product but I don't bother with all that. New patterns are added each month and I buy depending on the subject matter.  Once you're finished, you can clear the pattern and complete it again.  I consider my "painting" a brain exerciser because I don't just begin painting anywhere - no I'm very systematic.  First you try and find all the 1's, 2's, etc.  Since finding all of the numbers before moving on is harder than you think, I think it's good for my brain.

Perhaps I need more peace and relaxation in my life than others.  And that may be the reason that both of these outlets are fun for me.  It's likely that kick boxing or a punching bag might get me the same results, but I'm going to pass on either of those.

Since I have to spend "x" time before my SAD light each morning, once I'm finished with the blog I open up my computer program and paint for 20 minutes or so before it's time to leave for work.   What a great way to start each day.

Have a colorful Wednesday.

P

Pecan Pie

11/27/2012

Pecan Pie

You're probably wondering what's the problem with pecan pie.  I'm the problem - I love it.  Alcoholics like to drink and sugarholics like to eat sugar.  That would be me.  Jeff and I are like Jack Spratt and his wife - we both like different food groups, neither of which are very healthy.  Jeff goes straight for salt and you guessed it - I love sugar.  I'm not even a very selective sugar eater - I'll eat dollar store candy and enjoy it just as much as a bite of something costing ten times as much.

Okay now that I've established my weakness, this is where the stupid pecan pie comes in.  For Thanksgiving and since it was just going to be the two of us - and it's a holiday so we deserve a treat - we bought a rather small pecan pie.  This was one you didn't even have to cook it - just defrost it and get it to room temperature and grab a fork.

On Thanksgiving we both had a small piece of pie after dinner but pecan pie is rich and didn't sit so well with Jeff.  I, on the other hand, was absolutely fine with all that sugar.  Before going to bed, I put the pie back in it's box but didn't take it off the counter.  That was mistake number one.  The next morning while Jeff slept in, I came downstairs to write to all of you good folks and while my coffee was heating, the pie sat on the corner and called to me.  What's one, maybe two bites going to hurt. An actual piece has something like 480 calories and a bite has oh I don't know how many calories but a whole bunch less.  What could it hurt?  

The bite(s) of pie and coffee even at the crack of dawn was delicious.  Second mistake was leaving a fork near the box.  Several cups of coffee later during the day included several more bites of pie.  Yummy every time.  By the time Friday and Saturday went by I had to sadly acknowledge that I had nibbled my way through half the pie and likely consumed twice the calories that I would have had if I just ate a slice and then left the stupid pie alone.

Sunday, there was still pie, a fork and of course coffee.  I convinced myself that I would have one more bite and then would go cold turkey.  No more pie.  I would wait for it to mold first.  Yeah that good intention lasted about a New York minute before I decided to take another bite, but it was the last one.  Absolutely. 

When I came home from work on Monday that pie was still mocking me from the counter and I pulled it out of it's box and regretted how much pie I had eaten over the last few days.  It was time to take action.  I took the pie over to the kitchen sink and just before I gave it the heave-ho into the disposer had just one more bite for old times sake.  The pie is gone - finally.  What I should have done is on Friday morning instead of having a sugary breakfast should have dumped the pie right then and there because I knew with 100% certainty that the showdown would be between me and the pie.  And I also knew the pie would win - it always does!

Here's to a healthier and less sugary Tuesday.

P

Soon, Shortly or Later

11/26/2012

Soon, Shortly or Later

I looked up the definition of soon - it means shortly, presently or before long.  Guess what the definition of shortly is - you guessed it - soon! They go hand in hand.  Later however means in the future and definitely not soon or shortly.  The problem with the words soon, shortly or later is how each individual perceives them.  I think we tell people we'll do something soon just to get them off our backs - for the moment.  Because LATER they'll be back reminding you of your promise.  How many times have you said you’d do something soon or shortly. Even while you are speaking the words you know that soon isn’t going to happen.  Later is when you’ll get the job done (or in some severe cases never).  By telling people that you’ll meet their expectations soon it simply gets them off your back until LATER.    Soon is relative and means different things to different people.  Take men and women for instance.  For a woman soon means NOW.  To a man it’s later, and sometimes much later.  Take me for example, if I ask someone (i.e., Jeff) to take the garbage out that pretty much means now is a good time.  I don’t want it put on some “soon” list – I want it on the “now” list   Jeff, and perhaps most men, view time a little differently.  To them soon might mean before the end of the day or the end of the week!

 

You know people who will tell you that they will be there soon.  Soon to me may be 15 minutes but your soon may be an hour.  The job will get done soon.  What the heck does that mean?  Today, tomorrow or next week?  Let’s get the dots a little closer on the time schedule.  If I tell you I’ll do it soon – that means pretty much right now, with the exception of filing.  That’s always a LATER job.

 I used to tell my mother that I’d come and do my chore(s) shortly with no intention of doing so.  History repeats itself because I heard the same worn out excuse from my own sons time and time again.  I knew, as my Mother did, that soon isn’t even remotely in a child’s vocabulary. 

I think when we’re asked to do something, we should just suck it up, be brave and say later.  Telling people you'll do it soon gives the other person an unrealistic expectation that you know you’ll not deliver on.  Your list of “soons” can and will grow exponentially if in fact you delay.  As humans we have perfected the art of putting off things.  Not all things of course.  We don’t delay going out to dinner, the theater or a party.  We do, however, delay mowing the lawn, emptying the dishwasher or balancing the checkbook.  These are definitely not fun chores nor are we likely to fulfill them soon.

As I finish this today, I will write again soon - which in this case means tomorrow. Or, I could say I'll write again later - which also could mean tomorrow!  No wonder we're always confused.

P

Cleaning

11/25/2012

Cleaning

Okay we're going for an absolutely honest answer here folks.  Do you clean the top of your refrigerator?  Bravo if you do.  I tried to see if the internet had any statistics about top of the refrigerator cleaning - but could find nothing.  I suspect the reason for this is that the numbers of actual cleaning occurrences would be so low as to be unreportable.  

My excuse for not cleaning the top is and always has been - I'm short.  I can't see up that high and can hardly reach anything up there so why bother.  I am seriously trying to remember when I cleaned it last and it has been a looooooong time.  I do think I remember that I cleaned it prior to a parental (his or mine) visit.

The inside of an oven is no picnic either.  In order to clean an oven you have to get in a most unnatural bending configuration that leaves you feeling like a pretzel when you stand back up.  I have a self cleaning oven and have even used it a few times but the fumes, even from a relatively clean oven, are overwhelming and pretty hard on Emma (parrot).  So I always use the tried and true method that has worked for generations of women - SOS pad, knife and elbow grease.  The key to keeping this job minimal is to wipe up after spills.  Took me a while to figure that one out but I've got it covered now - literally.  I bought one of those mats that sits at the bottom of the oven - brilliant.  When it gets dirty you just toss it in the sink - piece of cake.  I have a similar one in the microwave for catching spills and I wish I had invented one or both of these handy devices.  If I had then guess what?  I wouldn't be cleaning the oven or the microwave!

I'm not to wild about going into the dusty depths of my vacuum cleaner either.  It'd probably run better with a good spring or fall cleaning but I can assure you that's never happened.  There's probably even some kind of filter thingy in there but I know I have never taken it out to clean.  I don't have allergies but they might start if I started breathing in wispy particles of dust and dog hair.  The dog hair that I breathe in every day is different (I'm sure) than that yucky stuff stuck to the rollers of the vacuum.

Then there's the kitchen, recycling or outside trash cans.  Cleaning up one of these babies can be downright nasty.  Of course you use soap, a long handled brush and the nozzle of the hose set on firemen mode - but let's be honest - it's gross.  I'm pretty sure plastic bags were invented to cut down on the amount of time people would have to spend with their noses stuck in a trash can.  They even have plastic bags that smell - in a good way - if you're into wafting scents of vanilla every time you open up the garbage can.  Like those kitchen mats - wish I'd invented the plastic bag.

At my house, but probably not yours, there is the birdcage cleaning.  Jeff takes care of the input (feeding) and I take care of the output (I'm sure you can figure that out).  It's messy and a bit on the yucky side but has to be done on a regular basis.  Cleaning the bottom of the cage where all of Emma's food scraps go is a daily chore.  There is, of course, an easier way to clean up the food bits - let the dogs handle it.  Emma eats on the table each day (and yes, if you're worried, we sanitize afterwards) and the dogs hang around hoping for a crumb.  Having dogs around does cut down on worrying about spills from the kitchen or dining room - Sam and Maggie are on the job!

It's Sunday and the day before the world returns to work tomorrow so cleaning today will be minimal.  I need to sit in my chair and practice my zen in preparation for tomorrow.  And while I'm zenning I'll be able to read a few chapters in my book or check my eyelids for holes as I doze off from time to time!

Have a restful day.

P

Parents and The Things They Do and Say

11/24/2012

Parents and The Things They Do and Say

Growing up my parents, and yours, had the best of intentions when they gave us advice or forced us to do something we didn't want to do.  I'm sure you have your own list; but here's mine:

If we swallowed our gum our insides would stick together 

If we swallowed watermelon seeds, we'd grow a watermelon

Always wear clean underwear in case you're in an accident (I am positive that the state of your underwear is the last thing on a doctor or EMT's mind)

No swimming (and really all we ever did was wade) in the water for an hour after eating

If you pout your face might freeze (since I was a pouter this caused me a great deal of concern)

Made us swallow Castor Oil every morning when we lived in France (super gross)

Gave us a spoonful of Red Roses (whiskey) and honey for our cough (trust me it cured everything)

Carry a quarter in your purse when you're out on a date (that advice no longer applies because everyone has a phone - and you'd be hard pressed to find a pay phone these days)

In the 60's Dad said we couldn't drink Pepsi because he didn't think young (the commercial at the time was about young people drinking Pepsi).  I believed him.

Before going to my first football game in high school, Dad told me that I would have to stand the whole time (and I believed him).

Dad said he would live forever (and I wish I hadn't believed him). 

Ladies never smoke, drink or chew gum (the gum part because Mother said you would look like a cow chewing it's cud)

If you read in the dark you'll go blind

If you're not good Santa won't come (how many times did you hear that growing up?)

From Dad - never pass a car unless you can make it through the next light.  (It was a Dad thing, he thought it was uncool to pull up beside the car you just passed)

This one is from me to you - never lick the mixer's beater while the mixer is plugged in!

I'm sure that if you polled my sons I'm pretty sure that they would say I said some of these same things to them.  As parents, they will likely repeat what they've been told even though many of these things no longer apply (except the beater part - that's still a "current" fact)!

I think we should tell our children to be good to people; know that their actions have consequences and that we as parents love them regardless of their actions; and that tomorrow is guaranteed to no one so live fully every day.

P

Friday

11/23/2012

Friday

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.  Jeff and I treated ourselves to an early movie yesterday.  We saw Flight and at 12:30 pm we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves.  Admission certainly eats through most of a twenty dollar bill and as much as I love popcorn I resisted.  Because you are a captive audience the prices for popcorn, candy and soda are high and most people succumb.  Who doesn't love popcorn and a movie?  I, thinking ahead, put some cheese crackers in my purse and Jeff and I had a mid-movie snack.

The movie was very good but all the drinking and drug use is pretty hard to watch especially when you realize that this man is going to get in a plane and fly.  As a pilot and a son of an alcoholic, I know the movie touched Jeff deeply.  In an interview that I read, Denzel said that his wife didn't like the drunk scene - and neither did we.  I don't know if you can fake being drunk or that was the real thing.  Denzel was great as always and perhaps he'll get an Oscar nod in the spring.

So here we are on Friday, Black Friday at that.  Yesterday morning I went through all the ads and found nothing even remotely enticing enough to get me out of bed at 4:00 in the morning. I guess I'm stuck  paying the sleeper in prices.  Or perhaps Amazon will put some wanted items on sale this weekend.  Isn't there some kind of Monday online sale that rivals Black Friday?  I thought there was but they should rethink it - because on Monday we're all at the office - and while it does go on - shopping isn't what we're there for.

Today's plans are soft (as our sons would say) which means we could flop around in several directions.  The plane is free until later this afternoon but I hate taking the plane out knowing that the clock is ticking.  Somehow takes some of the fun out of the ride for me.  The plane is, however, available all day tomorrow and if it's beautiful, we may go out for a spin.  It's been a while since I've been up in the plane and it's good for me to go up regularly so that I don't forget how beautiful it is up there.  

We're planning on going up at night probably on my birthday - December 17th in case any of you want to jot that down - to fly over the city and admire Christmas lights from the sky.  Doing that will be a first for me and I'm sure it will be spectacular.  

Basically, I have no idea what we're doing for the next 3 days.  It's tempting to stay home and read or write (I've written another 50 pages or so on Wilma).  I know one thing that I'm NOT going to do today is go to a store.  Let me clarify that.  I mean certain stores that sell high ticket items such as tv's, computers etc. which all make great gifts particularly when they are on sale.  Lucky for me the family is all set electronic wise, one of the benefits of being related to so many computer guys!

Enjoy your Friday whether you're going to loaf around or put on your sneakers and fight the crowds.  Just don't forget to go home and eat the leftovers!

P

Happy Thanksgiving

11/22/2012

Happy Thanksgiving

What a glorious day it is.  Got to sleep in even though my eyeballs popped open promptly at 5:00 this morning.  It's a day filled with family, friends and good food and because it's a holiday some justification for overeating!

The paper this morning is heavy and filled with advertisements for Black Friday.  I don't participate in Black Friday sales but I do like flipping through the pages and pages of products that I'm glad I don't want!  I have never stood in line in the middle of the night to buy something - I don't care how good the deal is.  Having said that, I might and likely will go on line at some point today and begin my shopping in earnest.

Satellite radio is now playing holiday music on certain stations and it's a nice break from my usual playlist of oldies.  When Ben visits I'm trying to teach him the words to Jingle Bells and that's not going so well.  Maybe he just doesn't like to hear me sing - I'm not exactly known for my marvelous singing voice!

My preparations for today are pretty simple.  Small turkey breast (no clean-up or carcass), spuds (necessity), veggies (because you should), cole slaw and a small pecan pie (because it's a holiday).  That's it.  The boys are scattered in different directions today so it's just going to be Jeff and I at the table.  Probably be able to sneak in a nap today.  There is also some discussion about going to see a movie either "Flight" or "Lincoln" before or after our meal.  Since we have 4 days off maybe we'll really go outside the box and see both!

Confession time.  Last night I ruined carrot pineapple salad which is a particular favorite of mine.  If you're not familiar with this delicacy it's ridiculously easy and yet I managed to screw it up after 40 some years of fixing it.  Orange jello, crushed pineapple and shredded carrots.  I made the jello and then forgot to go back and check to see if it was at the wiggly stage to add the carrots and pineapple.  By the time I remembered I had jello long past the setting up phase.  I stirred up the jello and added the other ingredients and sort of mushed them all together.  It doesn't look too good but technically it should taste the same, at least that's what I'm hoping for.  Note to self for next time - set a timer!

Be thankful today.

P

Defrosting the Freezer

11/21/2012

Defrosting the Freezer

Jeff and I own a chest freezer - a big one.  Unfortunately, our freezer doesn't defrost by herself.  Nope it's a manual job guaranteed to remind you of your childhood (at least for some of you).  Remember putting warm pans of water in the freezer and waiting for the thaw?  And sometimes when Mom wasn't looking poking at large chunks of ice with a knife?  Well our freezer is like that only on a bigger scale.  One of the problems is that it's a loooong way down to the bottom and on a more positive note - out of my reach.  Here's another one of those Jeff jobs.

The last time we defrosted the old girl was - well to be truthful - I can't even remember.  Clearly it's been more than a year or so.  Defrosting is one of those chores that gets put off time and time again.  While you delay the sides become thicker and thicker with ice.  We both know that the freezer must be defrosted THIS winter.

Here's how we do it. You have to wait for a super duper cold day or even better a lot of snow.  We put the food in boxes and stash them outside and/or in a snow bank.  At this point the dogs are captive inside the house so that we actually have something to put back inside the freezer when we're done.

What we discovered last time and will again is that cleaning out the freezer is akin to looking for buried treasure.  You never know what you'll find.  Food left in a freezer long enough takes on an appearance all it's own and bears no resemblance to what it once was.  This new look is a good indication that it's time to give the whatever it is or was the old heave-ho.  Once we get all the food out then we see all the runaways on the very bottom.  Vegetables, particularly peas, are virtual escape artists and end up rolling around on the bottom.  There is a defroster motto - it's okay to leave loose food at the bottom of the freezer as long as you don't KNOW it's there - but once you do - you gotta go in and pick up each little pea and carrot.

Once the freezer is defrosted and clean then the food is brought back in and each package receives my scrutiny.  Jeff and I have a back and forth discussion about what goes and what stays.  Needless to say I have the large black trash bags at the ready.  Once we have "discussed" the finer points of what we're tossing, we attempt to organize the remaining food.  You know veggies over here, meats over there and ice cream where you can find it!  At this point the freezer looks great - until the next run to the store.  Generally after grocery shopping we're tired so the frozen food gets unceremoniously dumped inside.  It takes no time at all for frozen dinners to begin commingling with the vegetables and ice cream cuddles up to the meat.  In short it's a mess - again.  Jeff and I have become masters of the search routine when trying to find something inside the freezer.  

So the next time you see a lot of snow in our area don't picture us skiing down some mountain (which would never happen ever by the way).  Nope think of us with our heads deep inside a freezer and our legs dangling over the side!

P

Prepping for the Feast

11/20/2012

Prepping for the Feast

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday at Hopkins and I generally take the whole day off when I do.  Yesterday was no exception.  Once you factor into the travel time plus the appointment time more than half the day is shot - so my theory is just relax and give yourself the rest of the day off.

After yesterday's appointment we headed to Frederick for our "big" shop - which means Costco and Walmart and getting not only the necessities but food stuff for Thursday.  It being a Monday didn't exactly mean a reduced crowd in the stores.  When I have the day off I expect the stores to be empty and all the other people are supposed to be at work.  I don't understand why this never works for me. Doesn't anybody work?

Thanksgiving at our house has become over the years a small and easy meal.  The boys go to their in-laws and that just leaves the two of us at home.  And, after years of futzing with a large bird and all the trimmings and the clean up, I'm okay with the minimal fuss.  

I haven't gotten so lazy that we simply head to a restaurant to get our turkey fix.  But what's sitting in my freezer is a tiny breast, frozen mashed potatoes and a small pecan pie yet to be cooked.  I make a mean corn pudding as well as my old stand-by carrot and pineapple salad.  I love the salad and because it has carrots inside, I'm pretty sure it's healthy!  We'll have stuffing, gravy and fresh cranberries - but all on a small scale.

I remember my mother used to get up before the light of day to begin getting the bird ready for the oven.  Looking back she did all the prep herself because the rest of us were in bed.   Then as the years progressed she became an empty nester and, like me (and others I'm sure), eased back on the big meal.  In her case she went to my sister's for the feast.

Do I miss the old days?  Sure I do and yet again I don't.  Maybe some of you will understand this.  The mega preparations in the old days defined who I was when my boys were all at home.  They expected, and I delivered, on all their favorite foods and it was a labor of love.  Besides, at that time in my life I was cooking and baking all the time so what was one more meal.   Thanksgiving Day also meant the start of decorating the outside of our house in lights which was a highlight for Scott every year.

So in my new phase of life and one that does require adjusting to, there is no early morning rise to start work in the kitchen and I have plenty of time to read the paper filled with all of the Black Friday ads (which I don't participate in)!  I am thankful for years past and knowing that I was the reason for happy and satisfied bodies after our meal.  I am also thankful that I am now free to do something else on Thursday.  Your life continually evolves and you must accept each new phase.  I have come to terms with this phase but it took time.  It is likely on Thursday afternoon you will see Jeff and I at the movie theater munching on popcorn and watching one of two movies we want to see - Flight and Lincoln. 

So if you've bought a big bird you'd better start getting his fanny thawing today because it's a multi-day job.   As for pies, for years we made our own and then we discovered this wonderful woman - Mrs. Smith -  her pies are excellent and the crust is flawless.  One hour in the oven and voila you have Thanksgiving dessert(s)!

Happy Tuesday of a very short work week!

P

Going Gray

11/19/2012

Going Gray

This is not a big deal for most men.  In fact there are some really gorgeous guys out there that are gray - Richard Gere or George Clooney anyone?  So guys are going to go gray (all of us do eventually) or bald and it's not a problem for them either way.  Some guys choose to go bald at an early age and can carry off the look.  There is not as much pressure on a man in the social media to cover the gray.  And I'm not sure how many regular guys would regularly color their hair anyway.  Besides, one you start coloring and then decide to give it up there is a period of hair color adjustment until you return to natural and it's not always so pretty!

Women on the other hand don't fare quite so well.  We are hounded by ads and commercials to cover up those strands of gray.  And if the ads don't get you sometimes your peers will "remind" you (gently of course) that you might want to get some coloring done.

I have very dark brown hair and a few years ago in anticipation of Scott's wedding, and wanting to look good, succumbed to the hype and began getting my hair colored every month or so.  First, it's pricey as all get out and really time consuming.  I'm more of a 15 minute haircut kind of gal.  Second, it doesn't seem to matter what color combination is used my hair tends to go towards red rather than lighter shades of brown.  And I don't want reddish colored hair.  Once the wedding was over I gave up.  I told my hairdresser, who has been doing my hair since 1986, that I was done.  If the gray hair comes in so be it - it's not like I haven't earned each gray strand.  Instead, I'm actually surprised that it's taken so long!

The one downside of gray hair is that it tends to be willful and doesn't curl as easily.  Again, this is not a problem for guys.  So after two years of being natural the gray hair is becoming more prominent and I'm okay with that.  I'm actually quite proud of my resistance to giving in to the call of beauty standards.

I may be a lone wolf with regard to coloring my hair, but I can look in the mirror and know that  my roots don't need "touching up" in order to match the rest of my hair!  If I were to keep coloring my hair I could never be one of those blue-haired old ladies driving an Oldsmobile in Florida!

P

Etiquette

11/18/2012

Etiquette

I think it's time we talked about etiquette - and no not the which fork to use kind.  I'm talking about daily etiquette or manners (which is easier to type).

Let's take the office for instance.  At the office some people put food or drink in the microwave and then walk away.  And no they're not in the bathroom trying to multi-task.  You, on the other hand, are ready to nuke your own food.  Here's the dilemma.  Do you take their food/drink from the microwave being careful where you touch?  Of do you stand in the hall looking like an idiot until said person deigns to return?  

In the past I've done both.  I don't like taking people's food from the microwave and I'm not sure that said person appreciates someone else touching (even if careful) their plate, cup, etc.  I sometimes take the more cowardly, but still effective way out.  I walk to the other end of the hall and use a different microwave.  Not exactly a solution to the manners issue but beats standing around in the hallway waiting for somebody (but you don't know who) to return.

Redlights.  Designed to stop traffic in one direction so other traffic can proceed.  Simple?  Yes until the lights don't work properly.  If you travel the same roads to work every day, which I of course do, then you know the traffic patterns of traffic lights.  Twice recently I have been the lead car (a position of power because you control everybody behind you!) at lights that were out of sync and/or broken.

I sat through two cycles of light changes for all the other traffic but not for those of us wanting to turn left.  I knew when the green arrow should have appeared and it didn't.  Traffic continued to flow freely back and forth in front of us while cars backed up on the freeway exit. So here's the etiquette/manners issue.  How long, as the lead car, do you continue to sit at a light that apparently isn't going to honor you with a left turn arrow?  I'll tell you what I did both times.  I waited for a break in traffic and then turned left!  Easy.  What did the cars behind me think?  I suppose some people thought I was a hero while others might have leaned toward idiocy.  Doesn't matter to me - I was moving and they were not.  Now to be fair I may get a "love" letter from the county about running a light, but I didn't really run a light.  I sat through a light with my foot on the brake until it went to sleep and then "moved" through the light. 

Handicapped parking.  This is a favorite issue of mine.  I have handicap plates and in case you're wondering not for my mental state.  Sometimes when I park I can plainly see that a car next to me bears no handicap identification.  I suppose they may have accidentally forgot to put their hanging tag up but in all likelihood they parked their for convenience.  Besides their argument might be that they were only going to be parked for just a minute while they ran into the store.  Acceptable?  Not in my book.

I have never, nor will I, confront a person who parks illegally in a handicap spot.  I am too much of a coward and I also figure that anybody who has such little regard for where they park might also have the same little regard for what they say to a person who confronts them.  I have decided that these must be the same people who park in front of a store with a clearly defined "no park" sign.  Why do they do this?  Because they can.  When I think of people like this rude is the word that comes to mind.  Actually, there are more fitting words but I'm keeping this blog "G" rated!

Happy Sunday.

P

Twinkies

11/17/2012

Twinkies

Those little cream-filled yellow cakes with a shelf life of 100 years, give or take a 100, may soon vanish from grocery store shelves entirely.  Generations of children, including yours truly, grew up eating Hostess' goodies, though I preferred Ding Dongs to Twinkies.

Hostess has asked for permission to close and sell it's assets including the non-healthy, sugar filled goodies.  The company started business in 1930 and now not only fights labor costs, but competition as well.  People are trying to eat healthier and those little yummy snacks can add pounds if they are a regular part of your diet.  If another company doesn't buy the rights to the little cakes, buyers may have to resort to hoarding or eventually turn to Ebay which sells everything.

I haven't eaten a Ding Dong in years but I used to love unwrapping the aluminum cover knowing that chocolate goodness was waiting inside.  As for Sno-balls, you either loved them or hated them.  The cake was okay but the gooey mound of marshmallow and coconut on top didn't do much for me. 

Did you ever notice that with the exception of Ding Dongs the little cakes were sold in packages of two.  I'm sure the intention was one for you and one for me.  In reality it was two for me and none for you.  Also, when packing lunch boxes it was easier to give a child the entire package rather than open it up, and pack only one.

There is a wonderful store called Vermont  Country Store and you can buy some products of your youth, particularly candy.  To mention just a few, they sell: Walnettos, Chuckles and Jelly Nougats (Mom really liked these).  You can buy some of the retro candy at places like Bob Evans or Cracker Barrel but as a rule not in your local grocery store.

I assume that most of us adults have moved away from Hostess' goodies by now and replaced them with slightly healthier options.  The stores are filled with bars chock full of fiber and protein which are breakfast and/or snacks to go.. And whoever came up with the 100 calorie bag of food is a genius.  I love that somebody took the guesswork out of snacking for me.  I can grab cookies, yogurt pretzels, etc. and not have to worry about portion size and calories.  If you consume the whole bag, and who doesn't, you just ate 100 calories.  Might not be quite as satisfying as eating an entire cake - but it's something and it's really convenient.  At Costco you can buy in the freezer section Chocolate Zucchini muffins.  You keep them frozen, zap them for 35 seconds and the result is a warm, gooey center chocolate muffin.  Add a glass of milk or coffee and it's heaven.  At 120 calories a muffin I'm not suggesting that they are a replacement for a real chocolate cake or muffin - but again they are convenient, pre-portioned and quite good.

I don't think my mother ever read a label on food ever.  I, on the other hand, don't buy anything, without reading the label.  When I see something that has a high calorie or sugar count, I know I have a decision to make.  I should only consume so many calories in a day and it's up to me to decide how to "spend" them.  I could have one super high calorie dessert or perhaps several smaller, lower calorie ones.  I generally lean toward less calories but every now and then only something with 500 plus calories will do!  

While I appreciate that Twinkies et al may soon be just a memory - I'm going to pass on buying some just for old times sake.

P

Bias

11/16/2012

Bias

Don't like that word much?  Okay does it sound better if we call it indifference?

I have seen "indifference" first hand and it's rude and insulting.  I have seen it against the young and old as well as larger people.  Years ago we went car shopping with one of the boys.  It was going to be his car and his purchase - we were just along for the ride.  Problem?  The salesman approached us first and even after our son joined in the conversation, the salesman still preferred looking at Jeff and I.  Reason?  Because he was young and I'm sure the salesman assumed, incorrectly, that our son wasn't a buyer so why waste his time.  Bias?  I think so.  

When another son bought his first house he was quite young, fresh from college.  But he had money.  At the model the salesman had a hard time speaking directly to him even after several attempts to convince him that we were just support.  Like the car salesman he assumed that our son was just a lookey-lou and not worth his time.  He was proved wrong and Jeff and I stopped going into the sales office.

Let's not forget the airplane.  I know that people coming down the aisle are silently praying that they do not have to sit next to a larger person for fear of spillover.  Been there and done that.  Before Jeff lost his weight, he was one of those people that nobody wanted to sit next to.  I could see the looks of disdain as people walked down the aisle.  What some, or perhaps all, of these people don't understand is that for some people it's shoulder width that may get in your way.  Since Jeff's surgery he hasn't gotten a smidge smaller in the shoulders.  Sometimes big is just bone structure and you can't do anything about that.  So before you judge, remember it may not be his/her girth that will be the problem.  

If you can't judge a book by it's cover then you sure as heck can't judge a person by their looks and clothes either.  The scruffiest man in the store may be wealthy and he just doesn't care about his appearance.  Likewise, the well dressed fellow may be just putting on an act and doesn't have a penny to his name.

I believe that we should treat all people with respect regardless of their position in life.  Our oldest son was a tow truck driver for a number of years and was genuinely looked down on by customers.  I know that a tow truck driver is not a rocket scientist but he looks like a hero when you're broken down by the side of the road!  The negative comments and looks he received were a problem for me.  After all he wasn't selling drugs or doing anything illegal.  He was simply trying to earn an honest living.  What more could you ask of someone?

We should try and look at the people around us with fresh eyes.  We're all in this together and none of us are getting out alive.  Stop the "indifference" toward others who are not like you.  The world would be a boring place if we were all identical drones.  We may all still be drones but at least each one of us is unique!

P

Military Life

11/15/2012

Military Life

I was a military brat until Dad retired when I was about 15.  Dad was an NCO (means not an officer) and he spent 30 years saying his "yes and no sirs" with patience.  Over the course of his career we lived in England, France, Kansas and California.  And it isn't just the military person who is ranked - the whole family is.

When we lived in military housing there was an invisible dividing line between housing of the NCOs and officers.  If you're in the military you know this, understand and respect it.  It's the military way.  Oh we were allowed to be friends with officers' children they just didn't come to our house.  We went to theirs - always.

If, while living on a base, you really misbehaved there were two consequences to be faced.  Obviously, one was at home but the other was far worse -your parent might be on the receiving end of harsh criticism.  You behaved.

One of my favorite shows to watch is Army Wives.  There is one glaring problem with the show and that is the intermingling of the ranks.  It's not realistic and I wish the producers would recognize this and fix it for next season.  The base commander's wife does not invite a private's wife to her house for tea and socialization on a regular basis.  There might be exceptions to this for a one off kind of affair; but, as a friend don't think so.

During my Dad's career I don't believe my Mother ever had a friend whose husband was an officer.  Truly there was little opportunity to meet.  First, there was that invisible line to be recognized.  Secondly, there are two clubs on a base - one for the NCOs and one for the officers.  NCOs were not allowed in the officers' club.  I can't speak for the other way around.  

I suppose ratings (ya think?) play into the television show and maybe keeping the wives separate wouldn't make for a good story.  I don't know.  All I do know is that it gives non-military people an unrealistic view of what it's really like on a base.

I don't have high hopes for next season to play out differently than before.  I just wish it would.

P

Personalized License Plates

11/14/2012

Personalized License Plates

I have personalized plates on my car "CUZILU" which means 'cuz I love you.  Trouble is when I first ordered them several years ago I was so excited about having a special plate that I forgot to put in the space between the z and the i.  Now I suppose most drivers think that I'm simply cousin Lou.

Yesterday morning I was behind a car with what I think of as a scary plate "H8 2DR".  I'm not overly fond of driving either but I'm sure as heck not going to announce it to everybody in the DC area.  What a thing to broadcast about yourself.  I was really glad when H8 2DR moved over into the fast lane to not go the speed limit!

If you came across "Bimbo" on a license plate you might want to avoid following too close but on the other hand you would have to applaud anybody who would say that about themselves.  

There are plates that belong to professionals such as doctors.  Example: "4 Feet" might be a good one for a podiatrist.  A lawyer could have something like "I Sue", "Sue 4U" or my personal favorite "Shark".  All of these plates would be very catchy and people would get the idea quickly.  

Obviously, there are the ball team plates of one kind or another which aren't very original and I think it would be awkward sporting some kind of Redskin plate down in Dallas for instance!

All our battery vans are personalized but nothing original.  Batvan 1 through whatever vehicle number we're up to now.  We have "BAT BOSS" for our son's truck and "BAT MGR" for the manager's truck.  If I wasn't so in love with my own plate I might consider "BATT MOM".  I think most people would assume I'm either (a) batty or (b) drive a baseball player around.

I thought up some plates this morning that I think would be fun to see on the back of a car.  Such as "All 4 ME", "MINE", "NADA 4ME" or "PAYOFF" which could stand for many things - divorce settlements or perhaps success (though my vote is for divorce).  I really like the nada one and it would give the car behind you a good chuckle.  I've seen "HIS" and I suppose in some garage is "HERS".  This is only cute if both cars are side-by-side - in my opinion.

When you are stuck with your foot on the brake during rush hour, look around and see if you can find an interesting plate to figure out.  If you're behind me give me a wave.  Don't honk - you'll scare me to death!

P

Clothes

11/13/12

Clothes

First, let's go back to the 60's which some of you may not know too much about.  But I know there are others out there that remember that era and perhaps fondly as I do.

In the 60's everything was matchy-matchy for us girls.  Your cardigan matched the sweater shell underneath which blended nicely with your skirt and shoes.  There was even a period where sweater guards were fashionable.  Girls were not allowed to wear pants to school but likewise it was frowned upon for a guy to show up in a skirt - so it seemed fair at the time.  At that point in time skirts were short and to put it bluntly - we girls looked good. 

Flash forward to today.  The world has gone casual, very casual and maybe it's gone too far.  I was in a store last week and I swear some young girl was wearing pajama bottoms and slippers.  Gross.  There was a time when you didn't leave your house until you looked presentable because you never knew who you were going to run in to.  Guess that's not much of a concern any longer.  

Jeff and I had dinner out over the weekend at a steak house and admittedly we both had on jeans - but they were clean and untorn.  I can't say the same for some of the other people in the restaurant.  The outfits were far from acceptable as far as this old fuddy duddy was concerned.  I still think that if you are going out in public you should make SOME effort to pull yourself together.  I don't want to see your underwear or the tattoos which happen to be in the same vicinity.  Likewise, while I appreciate that younger stomachs look better than mine, I still don't want to see them either.  Though given the choice of a front or wear view - I would definitely take the front.

Work is more casual too. In my first job in 1967 we were required to wear hose and heels every day.  Pants of any kind were out of the question.  The one day somebody invented the pant suit and we ladies never looked back.  I don't think I've had "legs" at work for probably 8 or 9 years.  Nope I wear shorty pants in the summer and longer ones the rest of the time.  A basic pant wardrobe is complete with black, brown, blue and gray and of course jeans for Friday.  I'm more comfortable wearing pants all the time but I never forget that I'm a lady who should dress and act appropriately.  While my body isn't designed for tight clothing any longer, I'm not sure that work is the right place for that kind of clothing anyway.  Even so I see it all the time as well as blouses or sweaters that perhaps need just a bit more fabric up top.

Imagination is a beautiful thing and sometimes more is better.  I watch the award shows and see star after star spill out of the top of their dresses.  I think some of the classiest outfits are those that show less skin - and that's where imagination comes in.  The ladies of Hollywood are built (in theory anyway) just like the rest of us.  In other words, we ladies all have the same stuff.  Admittedly, that "stuff" comes in many variations, some good and some not so good.  But ya gotta work with what you've got.

Enjoy Tuesday.

P

Taking Care

11/12/2012

Taking Care

I'm dashing this second blog off today because I know that Jeff will read it miles away from home.  Once again his suitcase and laptop are sitting by the door.  I know that traveling, unless it's in our plane, is no longer fun but required from time to time.

As my sworn protector for the past 38 years, Jeff never leaves town without making sure that everything I might need has been taken care of.  My car is full of gas as is the refrigerator.  All the bills are paid and since this week is payroll week for our business, he's already taken care of that too.  He never leaves town without making sure all my "i's" are dotted and my "t's" crossed.  I want him to know that I appreciate this.

I'm somewhat of a nervous nell (ya think) and am not always at my best when he's out of town.  Oh to be sure I enjoy watching endless hours of crappy television without him telling me (jokingly) that I'm wasting my time and hogging the storage on the Tivo!  Trust me I know how to delete.

When he's away and I know he's certainly reachable thanks to modern technology like the cell phone, it's different.  I feel the responsibility of running the house by myself and tending to problems if and when they pop up.  This is a job that I'm capable of just not used to handling.

So Jeff wherever you are sitting while reading this - airport, plane, hotel room - know how much I appreciate all the little things you do for me before a trip to rid me of as much anxiety as humanly possible.  

Thank you and safe travels.

Love P

Affairs

11/12/2012

Affairs

I was saddened to see that another great man has been brought to his knees by an affair.  This affair happens to have been with a woman but it's not always so.  The sex of their partner isn't relevant - the affair is.  Who do I feel the sorriest for?  Obviously the wife and children.  The wife stays at home holding down the fort while he's away and what's her reward?  Public humiliation, headlines and pictures.  Oh to be sure the news will die down as soon as some other embarrassing gaffe comes to light.  And it will it's just a matter of time.

What is the difference between rich and powerful people and ourselves?  You mean other than they are rich and powerful?  Nothing.  They are men and women just like us regular folk but some of them have an Achilles heel that involves a third party.  The difference between their dalliances and us regular folks is that their story is played out in public - for all to see and talk about.  Situations such as this are fodder for the late night show hosts and they would be funny if it was a fictional story.  But it's not.  Real people and their emotions are involved.

I don't know these powerful people expect to be able to guarantee the silence of the other party when the fling is flung.  Money might work I suppose.  Maybe they have an agreement not to disclose the inside scoop until "x" years have passed.  Who knows.  There have been many times when somebody comes forward after years to yak about his/her story with famous Mr. "X".  Maybe the other party who by now is probably out of the picture, wants 15 minutes of fame complete with pictures and headlines and consequences be damned.

I'm glad I'm not rich or powerful.  Okay I'd be lying if I didn't secretly wish to be rich.  But powerful?  Nope - absolutely have no interest.  You couldn't pay me enough money to make a big player such as a politician.  I don't want my life played out on the public stage.  As a regular person there are enough people you know who are privy to the ups and downs of your own life.  Our stories, fortunately, don't make for good reading.  This is a good thing.

In case Mondays are not your favorite day of the week (duh), then think about this.  Next week the majority of us have 4 days off and a turkey carcass to gnaw on until we wave the white flag and throw the bird out.  Hope that puts a positive spin on a Monday for you.

P

Shredders and Spam

11/11/12

Shredders and Spam

Remember the time when you took your unwanted mail, which was mostly everything, and casually tossed it into the trash?  Well those days are long gone.  With the growing blitz of junk mail, particularly credit card offers, with our name printed all over the place we felt it was imperative that we have a shredder.  Because of our family businesses we get a LOT of mail that needs to be shredded and likewise we have a larger than normal household shredder.  The "beast" gets fed every day and sometimes multiple times.  I once worked for a particularly paranoid guy who wanted everything shredded and since he was kind of a scary guy that I was afraid of I was particularly hesitant to shred documents.  We worked out a system that we sometimes use in the house today.  The particular piece of mail or paper is marked with an "X".  Both Jeff and I know that means - okay to destroy.   Think of it as shredder shorthand.

If you recall the movie "Catch Me If You Can" you know it was based on a true story.  It was about the life and cons of Frank Abagnale.  After doing his time, Frank went straight and has written a book called "The Art of the Steal" and I recommend it.  In this book he outlines many ways that the bad guys get your identity.  They take outgoing mail from your mailbox, they watch you key in account and pin numbers into cash machines.  The guys he's talking about are pros and in a matter of seconds they can really damage your life.  While the book may end up making you paranoid for a while (it did me) it was a real eyeopener and helped us see the importance of trying to protect ourselves.

Spam.  When I was growing up spam was something we had to endure when Dad's paycheck didn't stretch far enough.  Just getting the can open was so difficult with that little curly tab around the tab.  I have no idea who thought that was a good idea.  I haven't had spam in like a hundred years so maybe they have redesigned the can.  Here's hoping.

Spam today, for most people, means junk and sometimes damaging emails and it's everywhere.  Some of those spam emails are clearly sending up red flags.  Western Union is holding money for you.  Sure they are and I've got a bridge in my backyard to sell you too.  I'm sure that somewhere somebody falls for this but most of us know a scam when we see one.  But not always.  I have lately received some emails that seem so legitimate that I do the safe thing - pass it on to Jeff.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog, Jeff has several required chores around the house (mouse catcher being one) and being my ultimate gatekeeper is another. The spam software we have here in the house is pretty good and the zillion emails for Viagra and the like don't get through. Earlier this year whatever keeps really obvious spam emails at bay in the house was broken, our down, and our in boxes were choked with hundreds of "health benefit" ads!

One of the newest wrinkles is an "email" from somebody you know but it's not.  "Jeff" sends me emails regularly with links attached.  They are clearly not from my Jeff so I never open the links because visions of computer bugs scurrying through the wires comes to mind.  Obviously you are supposed to open the link - but don't.  Pandora's box is hard to get shut once it opens.

Have a peaceful Sunday and I'm hoping that the football games don't go into overtime which means last minute adjustments to my Sunday night television recordings!

P

Sleeping In

11/10/12

Sleeping In

All week long (working week that is) I follow the same routine - up at 5:00, coffee and toast, blog (while sitting in front of my SAD light to get my required 30 minutes of light), dress and get out of the house before 270 becomes a parking lot.  That routine never changes but each morning as I get up I long for Saturday and Sunday because I can sleep in - in theory.

Okay this is Saturday and what do you suppose happened at 5:00 this morning?  You guessed it - my eyes flew open at 5:00 as if it were any old day.  Darn it all.  At that point I have two choices: get up like normal and get my day started - or try and force those old eyeballs to shut.  Sometimes I win the battle and actually get another hour or so of sleep, such as I did today.  Other times no amount of relaxing will allow me to go back to sleep.  

There was a time when I could sleep the day away but it was a long time ago.  They say that we oldsters sleep less and that seems to be so.  I suffer from bouts of insomnia from time to time so if I can stay in bed until 5:00 in the morning it's been a good night.

Regardless of what time I wake up, I do recognize my self-imposed obligation to get my blog written first thing.  So whether it's 5:00 like most days or 7:30, you'll find me with coffee and toast sitting in front of the computer hoping that my brain is active and inspired.

Have a great Saturday.

P

Recycling

11/9/2012

Recycling

I'm not going to pretend that I'm a 100% enthusiastic "green" person.  I do understand the why of recycling and try to do my bit.

Years ago dealing with your trash in the office was a no brainer.  Under your desk was a trashcan - round or rectangular - gray or black.  In to it you chucked your trash all day long.  Candy wrappers, kleenex, apple cores, banana peels, coke bottles and occasionally even some real office trash like paper.  

A couple of years ago that came to a screeching halt at work.  The old familiar cans were taken away and replaced with a blue "three parter" can.  One of the little side buckets is for your personal trash such as candy wrappers (clearly I have a thing about candy wrappers).  The main part is for the recycling of office paper and though offices try to be green I can assure you we're not.  We still print out what could easily be read on the screen only to chuck it out later in the day.  I have no idea what the third little bucket is for.  I'm sure it was explained to us on day one but somehow my memory has gone blank on it's use.  All I really know is me and my coworkers tend to have little regard for compartmentalizing our trash.  More days than not everything goes into the main part and the cleaning people have to sort it out for us.

Out in the halls there are 6 bins all carefully labeled.  Compost, plastic, colored paper, confidential paper, trash or cardboard.  There are even little pictures on each bin showing you examples of what is supposed to go where.  Some of the bins I get - confidential stuff - got it.  It's the other bins that tend to slow me down.  I know you would think that I would be able to tell where things go but the picture examples never match what's in my hand.

Solution?  Bring the trash home.  After lunch each day instead of trying to figure out the 6 bin configuration, I simply take my lunch remnants home with me and chuck it all in the kitchen trash can.  End of problem. I know that you would think an adult (me for example) would be able to figure out trash but some items just seem to fit in more than one category.

At home we have the jumbo rolling container for paper and cardboard that thanks to all of the online shopping that goes on in my house is full to the brim each and every week.  We have the standard brown lawn bags for yard trimmings and the smaller tub for glass and plastic.  I'm actually pretty good about dividing up my recyclables and getting them in the right place.  But, to be perfectly honest, every now and again I become a rebel and knowingly toss a recyclable product in my kitchen trash can.  Horrors.

Another thing I'm never going to do is create a compost heap.  I'm not going to slog out to my backyard in all kinds of weather to dump food waste which will eventually turn into a mulch-like product that you can spread around your flower beds.  Nope not happening.  In truth if I was to put any kind of food out in our back yard one or both of our dogs would devour it almost before it hit the ground.  

As a child and before garbage disposers were invented, Mom had a little plastic strainer that sat in the corner of the sink and some food went there to drain.  The drained food plus eggshells and the like went into a waxy milk container (remember those?).  The garbage disposer was and is a great invention and is I believe a kitchen necessity.

It's Friday folks.  We made it through another week.

P