11/30//2015
Today, the last day of November is overcast and gray. Not weather that would cheer a person up. It looks like the kind of day where you could easily get back in bed and pull the covers up over your head. But, if you, or more likely I, did that, then nothing would get done.
Today, I'm off to the post office to mail the Christmas cards for 4A Computing (Scott and Andy's company). Since it's not yet December and it's a work day, I'm assuming (and hoping) that there won't be a long line waiting for a clerk. Of course I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
The turkey is now long gone and at this point, don't even want to eat chicken. Nope, definitely red meat for dinner tonight. I've got some hamburger and I'll add my imagination as well as key ingredients to come up with some sort of a dish.
I don't know about you, but I think that the year has gone by quickly. Tomorrow is December for goodness sake. The good news about December and Christmas in particular, is that my shopping is nearly done. While there is a part of me that would love to go to the mall and browse through the stores, but I know I would only become frustrated with how much stuff there is to buy. I can, and have, done all of my shopping on line, which is easier on my body. It's true I don't get to touch and feel what I'm buying in advance, but I'm okay with that. And 99.9% of the time, I am spot on with what I'm buying for someone.
The downside of weather like today, is it makes my "SAD" condition worsen. I have a light box by my computer and I turn it on when I'm typing, to try and keep myself up as much as possible. Winter is not my friend - mentally speaking.
Today is Computer Security Day. I have no worries about this, since I have so many computer guys in my life.
P
Monday, November 30, 2015
Sunday, November 29, 2015
One Pot Turkey Dinner
11/29/2015
Immediately after the Thanksgiving meal, everybody knows what to reheat for their next "tovers" meal. Trouble is, unless you bought a pretty small bird, you have to come up with another way or ways to finish off the turkey.
As always, I decided to make a one pot turkey dish. Jeff chopped up some leftover turkey into small pieces. After putting the turkey in the pan, I added chopped celery, peas, a jar of turkey gravy, milk and a can of spicy tomatoes and chilies. Once my creation was cooked, I topped off the dish with grated cheese and onion ring. Served over some brown rice, it was delicious. Ta da!
After I was through making my one pot wonder, Jeff put the carcass in a pan to boil. He removed the bones and pulled off the meat so that he can make soup. Jeff likes soup a lot more than I do, but to be fair, he makes really good soup. Of course, he always insists on adding mushrooms (ick), but I have become a master at picking them out of my bowl.
Yesterday, Jeff blew all the leaves in the yard into the street so that the HOA's landscaper guys can pick them up next week. Of course, it also rained last night, so more leaves are down. I was hoping that Jeff's efforts last night would be our last hurrah, so to speak, for picking up leaves.
Today's weather is definitely a downer day. It's raining a bit and the sky is gray. A good day to stay inside. Good thing that I have a number of Hallmark mushy Christmas movies that I can watch!
Hope you have a good day. Oh, according to the list of barely noticed holidays, today is throw out your leftovers day!
P
Immediately after the Thanksgiving meal, everybody knows what to reheat for their next "tovers" meal. Trouble is, unless you bought a pretty small bird, you have to come up with another way or ways to finish off the turkey.
As always, I decided to make a one pot turkey dish. Jeff chopped up some leftover turkey into small pieces. After putting the turkey in the pan, I added chopped celery, peas, a jar of turkey gravy, milk and a can of spicy tomatoes and chilies. Once my creation was cooked, I topped off the dish with grated cheese and onion ring. Served over some brown rice, it was delicious. Ta da!
After I was through making my one pot wonder, Jeff put the carcass in a pan to boil. He removed the bones and pulled off the meat so that he can make soup. Jeff likes soup a lot more than I do, but to be fair, he makes really good soup. Of course, he always insists on adding mushrooms (ick), but I have become a master at picking them out of my bowl.
Yesterday, Jeff blew all the leaves in the yard into the street so that the HOA's landscaper guys can pick them up next week. Of course, it also rained last night, so more leaves are down. I was hoping that Jeff's efforts last night would be our last hurrah, so to speak, for picking up leaves.
Today's weather is definitely a downer day. It's raining a bit and the sky is gray. A good day to stay inside. Good thing that I have a number of Hallmark mushy Christmas movies that I can watch!
Hope you have a good day. Oh, according to the list of barely noticed holidays, today is throw out your leftovers day!
P
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Leftover Turkey (Groan) and Other Duties!
11/28/2015
Yesterday, for dinner we reheated "Mr. Tom". Today, I definitely have to find something else to do with the remaining bird. I've found a recipe sort of like Chicken ala (sp) King. Throw things into a pan, make a gravy-like sauce and serve over rice. Perfecto.
Before I make my dinner today, I'll save some turkey so that Jeff can make turkey soup. Soup is something that Jeff makes frequently and he makes very good soup. I, on the other hand, don't. Probably because I'm just not much of a soup person. I like stews, not soups.
Last night we braved Black Friday and went to WalMart. I know, it was madness on our part. But inside the store, it was far from being a throng of people. I guess most people must have gotten up at dawn and hurried to WalMart, and other stores, to get those early bird specials.
We moved through the store easily and since I had a list, it was simply a matter of picking up the things I needed. I bought Christmas cards, a devil's food cake mix for my birthday cake. I love chocolate cake. Trouble is that whenever I order it in a restaurant, it never really hits the mark. I add a cup of mayonnaise to the batter, and the end result is a very, very good and moist chocolate cake. Try it people, you'll be surprised I promise.
While watching television yesterday afternoon, I took the 4A (family computer company) holiday cards and the 2016 magnets and stuffed 100 envelopes. I had bought return labels and Jeff printed out address labels. Hardest part? Licking (ugh) all those envelopes! I will take my mail to the post office on Monday. I'd be a fool to go today. Monday, everybody will be at work - except yours truly.
This weekend it's blow the leaves into the street. Our homeowners association will start picking up leaves in front of houses on Tuesday. Since somebody else is going to do the picking up, I will not have to grab lawn bags and scoop and dump leaves. Once these leaves are picked up next week, I think that will likely be the last hurrah for leaf picking up, or at least I hope so. I love the oak tree for three seasons of the year. Autumn, not so much. She was such a cute little tree 29 years ago and when we first planted the tree, we'd have a dozen or so leaves to pick up. Now? Our girl is all grown up and you could, if you wished, pick up leaves every day for weeks.
Time for me to get my day started. Have a wonderful Saturday.
Today is national letter writing day as well as national turkey leftover day!
P
Yesterday, for dinner we reheated "Mr. Tom". Today, I definitely have to find something else to do with the remaining bird. I've found a recipe sort of like Chicken ala (sp) King. Throw things into a pan, make a gravy-like sauce and serve over rice. Perfecto.
Before I make my dinner today, I'll save some turkey so that Jeff can make turkey soup. Soup is something that Jeff makes frequently and he makes very good soup. I, on the other hand, don't. Probably because I'm just not much of a soup person. I like stews, not soups.
Last night we braved Black Friday and went to WalMart. I know, it was madness on our part. But inside the store, it was far from being a throng of people. I guess most people must have gotten up at dawn and hurried to WalMart, and other stores, to get those early bird specials.
We moved through the store easily and since I had a list, it was simply a matter of picking up the things I needed. I bought Christmas cards, a devil's food cake mix for my birthday cake. I love chocolate cake. Trouble is that whenever I order it in a restaurant, it never really hits the mark. I add a cup of mayonnaise to the batter, and the end result is a very, very good and moist chocolate cake. Try it people, you'll be surprised I promise.
While watching television yesterday afternoon, I took the 4A (family computer company) holiday cards and the 2016 magnets and stuffed 100 envelopes. I had bought return labels and Jeff printed out address labels. Hardest part? Licking (ugh) all those envelopes! I will take my mail to the post office on Monday. I'd be a fool to go today. Monday, everybody will be at work - except yours truly.
This weekend it's blow the leaves into the street. Our homeowners association will start picking up leaves in front of houses on Tuesday. Since somebody else is going to do the picking up, I will not have to grab lawn bags and scoop and dump leaves. Once these leaves are picked up next week, I think that will likely be the last hurrah for leaf picking up, or at least I hope so. I love the oak tree for three seasons of the year. Autumn, not so much. She was such a cute little tree 29 years ago and when we first planted the tree, we'd have a dozen or so leaves to pick up. Now? Our girl is all grown up and you could, if you wished, pick up leaves every day for weeks.
Time for me to get my day started. Have a wonderful Saturday.
Today is national letter writing day as well as national turkey leftover day!
P
Friday, November 27, 2015
Post Turkey Day
11/27/2015
Yesterday, Jeff cooked our Thanksgiving dinner, and it was soooooooo good. I was in charge of making mashed potatoes, because I love them. Jeff cooked Mr. Tom, made stuffing, gravy and cranberries (from real cranberries, no canned stuff for him).
I offered my help several times, but Jeff had everything under control. Instead of pie for dessert, we had Apple Crisp with ice cream. You can't go wrong with food from Marie Callendar. Ten minutes in the microwave and we had a warm dessert. Bonus - no baking dish to wash.
My help comes later in the day in the form of washing up and putting away. Okay, definitely the washing up but actually putting dishes away is a chore that I liken to folding laundry. Not too high up on the want to do list!
We watched the Animal Rescue special last night. Dogs were brought out by actresses or other important people and shown off. You could then log onto Fox's website and fill out an application for a dog that you had seen and liked.
The underlying message was for people to spay and neuter your dogs, to help keep the number of dogs down that wind up in shelters. There was a few senior dogs as well as some dogs who had a two wheeled device to help them walk.
It was a touching hour and while watching, I was secretly hoping that some of the dogs shown would be with a family very soon.
The good news about cooking your Thanksgiving meal at home is, you definitely know what you're going to eat the next day and .......
P
Yesterday, Jeff cooked our Thanksgiving dinner, and it was soooooooo good. I was in charge of making mashed potatoes, because I love them. Jeff cooked Mr. Tom, made stuffing, gravy and cranberries (from real cranberries, no canned stuff for him).
I offered my help several times, but Jeff had everything under control. Instead of pie for dessert, we had Apple Crisp with ice cream. You can't go wrong with food from Marie Callendar. Ten minutes in the microwave and we had a warm dessert. Bonus - no baking dish to wash.
My help comes later in the day in the form of washing up and putting away. Okay, definitely the washing up but actually putting dishes away is a chore that I liken to folding laundry. Not too high up on the want to do list!
We watched the Animal Rescue special last night. Dogs were brought out by actresses or other important people and shown off. You could then log onto Fox's website and fill out an application for a dog that you had seen and liked.
The underlying message was for people to spay and neuter your dogs, to help keep the number of dogs down that wind up in shelters. There was a few senior dogs as well as some dogs who had a two wheeled device to help them walk.
It was a touching hour and while watching, I was secretly hoping that some of the dogs shown would be with a family very soon.
The good news about cooking your Thanksgiving meal at home is, you definitely know what you're going to eat the next day and .......
P
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Turkey Day
11/26/2015
Today, people will overeat, because everybody knows you can't start a diet in the middle of the week. Or at least that's how we rationalize eating when were not even hungry!
Today, a lot of folks, mostly men I think, will digest their meal in front of the television, while watching football. I'm lucky in that Jeff only watches one game all year - the Super Bowl - and he watches that mostly for the commercials!
Today, people who aren't taking a nap or watching television, will find themselves wandering to the stores for the start of what used to be Black Friday, but now includes Black Thursday as well. Looking at the ads today, you can quickly see what the stores want you to buy, and televisions is at the top of the list.
We're going to start cooking "Tom" around noon and it should take 3-4 hours before he's ready to eat. We're going to have stuffing, which is Jeff's department. Cooking cranberries I can handle as well as mashed potatoes, which are definitely in my wheel house! Jeff does gravy and I'll do a vegetable.
We bought pecan pie and apple crisp, but won't be cooking both of those today. When you eat pecan pie, it is so sweet that you can almost feel the cavities popping up in your mouth. This, however, does not deter anyone from eating the pie, far from it. Instead of actually cutting a piece of pie to eat, I find it's more fun to "nibble" away at the pie. Somehow I have convinced myself that by only nibbling, I'm not taking in as many calories - which is a joke I know.
After eating, we may go to one or two stores, who are advertising tools and other manly items. Ads for jewelry and clothing don't even merit my time, they go straight into the recycling box. I've already bought Benjamin's presents so I don't have a need to go to Toys-R-Us (thank goodness).
Since our meal is simple, the only big clean-up is taking proper care of "Tom" after we're finished eating. I suspect we'll be eating turkey for several days, and by Christmas won't even consider another turkey.
I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
P
Today, people will overeat, because everybody knows you can't start a diet in the middle of the week. Or at least that's how we rationalize eating when were not even hungry!
Today, a lot of folks, mostly men I think, will digest their meal in front of the television, while watching football. I'm lucky in that Jeff only watches one game all year - the Super Bowl - and he watches that mostly for the commercials!
Today, people who aren't taking a nap or watching television, will find themselves wandering to the stores for the start of what used to be Black Friday, but now includes Black Thursday as well. Looking at the ads today, you can quickly see what the stores want you to buy, and televisions is at the top of the list.
We're going to start cooking "Tom" around noon and it should take 3-4 hours before he's ready to eat. We're going to have stuffing, which is Jeff's department. Cooking cranberries I can handle as well as mashed potatoes, which are definitely in my wheel house! Jeff does gravy and I'll do a vegetable.
We bought pecan pie and apple crisp, but won't be cooking both of those today. When you eat pecan pie, it is so sweet that you can almost feel the cavities popping up in your mouth. This, however, does not deter anyone from eating the pie, far from it. Instead of actually cutting a piece of pie to eat, I find it's more fun to "nibble" away at the pie. Somehow I have convinced myself that by only nibbling, I'm not taking in as many calories - which is a joke I know.
After eating, we may go to one or two stores, who are advertising tools and other manly items. Ads for jewelry and clothing don't even merit my time, they go straight into the recycling box. I've already bought Benjamin's presents so I don't have a need to go to Toys-R-Us (thank goodness).
Since our meal is simple, the only big clean-up is taking proper care of "Tom" after we're finished eating. I suspect we'll be eating turkey for several days, and by Christmas won't even consider another turkey.
I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
P
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Getting Ready for Tomorrow
11/25/2015
Tomorrow is Turkey Day. It's also what I like to think of as the official start of the Christmas gift buying showdown. If you can stand the crowds, the long lines at the register and the amazing rudeness of your fellow beings, then tomorrow and Friday are definitely your days.
I don't have much tolerance for shopping in stores. Thanks to Amazon and other sites like them, you don't even have to leave your chair. And, for extra money, they'll even wrap! Who doesn't like that?
Last year for Thanksgiving, Jeff and I went out to eat, probably Bob Evans. This year, we're cooking our own meal. "Mr. Tom" is sitting in the refrigerator after having a glorious cool water bath for part of yesterday to help him thaw out. We bought the smallest turkey we could find, but still he's big enough that we'll have to get creative about eating turkey before we begin to gobble.
I bought a frozen pecan pie as well as an apple crisp. My baking days are pretty much over. You really can't make a from scratch pie cheaper than one already prepared. The problem with having sweets in the house, is I'm tempted to just take another bite (or two...) every time I'm in the kitchen!
I actually can't remember the last time we cooked for Thanksgiving. I think it was before the boys both got married and started going to their in-laws. We're going to have turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberries and mashed potatoes and some vegetable yet to be determined. I could make some family favorite dishes for us, but it would be too much food, and there's no boys to help us with the "tovers"!
What we'll do for the rest of the day remains to be seen. I might decide to go see a movie, or I could stay home and watch Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel. What I do know is that the day will be quiet and should be stress free.
And a bonus of Jeff not having to work Thursday and Friday - I don't have to think of something to put in his lunchbox.
P
Tomorrow is Turkey Day. It's also what I like to think of as the official start of the Christmas gift buying showdown. If you can stand the crowds, the long lines at the register and the amazing rudeness of your fellow beings, then tomorrow and Friday are definitely your days.
I don't have much tolerance for shopping in stores. Thanks to Amazon and other sites like them, you don't even have to leave your chair. And, for extra money, they'll even wrap! Who doesn't like that?
Last year for Thanksgiving, Jeff and I went out to eat, probably Bob Evans. This year, we're cooking our own meal. "Mr. Tom" is sitting in the refrigerator after having a glorious cool water bath for part of yesterday to help him thaw out. We bought the smallest turkey we could find, but still he's big enough that we'll have to get creative about eating turkey before we begin to gobble.
I bought a frozen pecan pie as well as an apple crisp. My baking days are pretty much over. You really can't make a from scratch pie cheaper than one already prepared. The problem with having sweets in the house, is I'm tempted to just take another bite (or two...) every time I'm in the kitchen!
I actually can't remember the last time we cooked for Thanksgiving. I think it was before the boys both got married and started going to their in-laws. We're going to have turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberries and mashed potatoes and some vegetable yet to be determined. I could make some family favorite dishes for us, but it would be too much food, and there's no boys to help us with the "tovers"!
What we'll do for the rest of the day remains to be seen. I might decide to go see a movie, or I could stay home and watch Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel. What I do know is that the day will be quiet and should be stress free.
And a bonus of Jeff not having to work Thursday and Friday - I don't have to think of something to put in his lunchbox.
Fun Holiday – Shopping Reminder Day
On November 25, get your holiday shopping list organized and get ready to shop till you drop because it is Shopping Reminder Day! December is thought to be the year’s busiest shopping season and if you want to avoid the crowds and the stress of last minute shopping now is the time to begin. Shopping Reminder Day is an unofficial holiday that reminds people that Christmas is only a month away, and that they should get a head start on their holiday shopping.P
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Cleaning out the Closet(s) - Ugh
11/24/2015
Yesterday, I went up to the bedroom and started pulling out clothes from the closets. I actually have a lot of clothes, but end up wearing the same things over and over again. I am also reading a book from a woman who talks about cleaning up your space - your clothes, your books, etc.
I decided to start with clothes. Once the clothes are all over the floor, they go into piles. There is the "I'm never going to wear this again" pile, which I'll donate. There is also the "if I lose a few pounds, I could wear this again" pile. There are my spring/summer clothes which have been mixed in with warmer clothing. Need to sort all of that out.
I don't actually think of myself as a clothes horse, but the piles on the floor say differently. Since I am no longer working, I only have a few nicer pieces of clothing. Everything else is jeans, pants, "shorty" pants and tops.
While sorting through the clothes, I tried on a few pieces and once on couldn't imagine why I'd bought it in the first place. This is bad people - really bad. It is also pretty disheartening to try (optimum word here is try) to put something on, only to find that it doesn't even come close to fitting. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people who can stay the same size for months or years at a time. Exercising is hard for me physically, so I lead a pretty sedentary life and don't burn up a lot of calories.
I bought a large plastic bin on Sunday, and I'm going to put my spring/summer clothes inside. Then the only clothes that will go back in the closet will be the ones I need now as winter approaches.
I was going to take all of my books down to a used bookstore to sell. But when I was with Stacey on Friday at said bookstore, people were bringing in boxes of books and getting only one or two dollars per box. Why bother toting them down there to receive so little money. I've tried selling them, but apparently nobody wants to buy a hardback book, even for a dollar!
This morning, I will return to the chaos of the bedroom and continue sorting. I hope that by purging the clothes, I'll have more closet space - and try not to fill it up anytime soon.
P
Yesterday, I went up to the bedroom and started pulling out clothes from the closets. I actually have a lot of clothes, but end up wearing the same things over and over again. I am also reading a book from a woman who talks about cleaning up your space - your clothes, your books, etc.
I decided to start with clothes. Once the clothes are all over the floor, they go into piles. There is the "I'm never going to wear this again" pile, which I'll donate. There is also the "if I lose a few pounds, I could wear this again" pile. There are my spring/summer clothes which have been mixed in with warmer clothing. Need to sort all of that out.
I don't actually think of myself as a clothes horse, but the piles on the floor say differently. Since I am no longer working, I only have a few nicer pieces of clothing. Everything else is jeans, pants, "shorty" pants and tops.
While sorting through the clothes, I tried on a few pieces and once on couldn't imagine why I'd bought it in the first place. This is bad people - really bad. It is also pretty disheartening to try (optimum word here is try) to put something on, only to find that it doesn't even come close to fitting. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people who can stay the same size for months or years at a time. Exercising is hard for me physically, so I lead a pretty sedentary life and don't burn up a lot of calories.
I bought a large plastic bin on Sunday, and I'm going to put my spring/summer clothes inside. Then the only clothes that will go back in the closet will be the ones I need now as winter approaches.
I was going to take all of my books down to a used bookstore to sell. But when I was with Stacey on Friday at said bookstore, people were bringing in boxes of books and getting only one or two dollars per box. Why bother toting them down there to receive so little money. I've tried selling them, but apparently nobody wants to buy a hardback book, even for a dollar!
This morning, I will return to the chaos of the bedroom and continue sorting. I hope that by purging the clothes, I'll have more closet space - and try not to fill it up anytime soon.
P
Monday, November 23, 2015
Shopping for Thanksgiving
11/23/2015
Yesterday, after we took Benjamin home, we decided to be brave and shop in stores on a weekend. I can tell you it's much easier to shop during the week, when most people are at work. But, every now and then you don't have a choice.
Before shopping, we went to the cafe at the airport. The food is not fancy but very good. The waitress was telling us that she takes a Turmeric pill every day for arthritis. And, she has noticed an improvement. I'm always on board for anything that might help "Arthur" who lives in my left hip.
Moving around in Costco wasn't much of a problem. There were plenty of customers, but not so many that you couldn't maneuver around. We needed a few food staples, like milk. And, of course there were the things that we bought that we didn't particularly need. There was a man handing out samples of very crisp chocolate chip cookies - and they were very good - and we bought a box. I also have a new pair of plush gloves as well as a reversible fleece wrap. Oh, and we bought a bottle of Turmeric. Who knows maybe it'll work because it really does work or it will work because I believe it will!
After Costco, WalMart is always next on the agenda. Unlike the moving around ability of Costco, WalMart was more like a shark feeding frenzy. People were everywhere and it amazes me how they can just park their cart in the middle of an aisle and feel no compulsion to move it off to the side. I see women who leave their purses in their carts and walk away. They don't walk too far, but I always fear that someone might snatch my purse, so I like to keep it near me.
We bought ourselves a small turkey, stuffing, the makings for gravy, cranberries and of course a pecan pie. Now Jeff will not be able to eat too much of the pie, because after his bariatric (sp) surgery, his body doesn't handle sugar well. I wish I had a similar problem, but my body loves sugar, and if I'm confessing loves sugar too much!
We picked up another Christmas present for Benjamin as well as needed food items. Between now and Friday, and especially Friday, the stores will turn into madhouses. Last year we actually went into Target on Black Friday. We had no intention of buying anything, but the line to the cash registers was very long and most people were buying big televisions.
After we got home, we snacked a bit while we watched our Sunday night shows. Since Jeff gets up super early in the morning to go to work, we all turned in at 10:00.
Today's mission is to put away Benjamin's toys and return his many DVDs to the shelf. I put the toys away, but only put them in the dining room, which is never used.
Brisk outside this morning but the sun is shining.
P
Yesterday, after we took Benjamin home, we decided to be brave and shop in stores on a weekend. I can tell you it's much easier to shop during the week, when most people are at work. But, every now and then you don't have a choice.
Before shopping, we went to the cafe at the airport. The food is not fancy but very good. The waitress was telling us that she takes a Turmeric pill every day for arthritis. And, she has noticed an improvement. I'm always on board for anything that might help "Arthur" who lives in my left hip.
Moving around in Costco wasn't much of a problem. There were plenty of customers, but not so many that you couldn't maneuver around. We needed a few food staples, like milk. And, of course there were the things that we bought that we didn't particularly need. There was a man handing out samples of very crisp chocolate chip cookies - and they were very good - and we bought a box. I also have a new pair of plush gloves as well as a reversible fleece wrap. Oh, and we bought a bottle of Turmeric. Who knows maybe it'll work because it really does work or it will work because I believe it will!
After Costco, WalMart is always next on the agenda. Unlike the moving around ability of Costco, WalMart was more like a shark feeding frenzy. People were everywhere and it amazes me how they can just park their cart in the middle of an aisle and feel no compulsion to move it off to the side. I see women who leave their purses in their carts and walk away. They don't walk too far, but I always fear that someone might snatch my purse, so I like to keep it near me.
We bought ourselves a small turkey, stuffing, the makings for gravy, cranberries and of course a pecan pie. Now Jeff will not be able to eat too much of the pie, because after his bariatric (sp) surgery, his body doesn't handle sugar well. I wish I had a similar problem, but my body loves sugar, and if I'm confessing loves sugar too much!
We picked up another Christmas present for Benjamin as well as needed food items. Between now and Friday, and especially Friday, the stores will turn into madhouses. Last year we actually went into Target on Black Friday. We had no intention of buying anything, but the line to the cash registers was very long and most people were buying big televisions.
After we got home, we snacked a bit while we watched our Sunday night shows. Since Jeff gets up super early in the morning to go to work, we all turned in at 10:00.
Today's mission is to put away Benjamin's toys and return his many DVDs to the shelf. I put the toys away, but only put them in the dining room, which is never used.
Brisk outside this morning but the sun is shining.
P
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Saturday with Benjamin
11/22/2015
Yesterday, Benjamin and I went to see the Peanuts movie. It was an enjoyable movie, but every time I take Benjamin to see a movie, he becomes restless. When he watches movies at the house, I realize why movie theaters bore (I don't know if that's the right word) him. The movie plays, and he takes out any number of boxes and/or toys. He dances and sings while he enjoys the movie.
Last night we watched Frosty the Snowman and he took his plastic bowling pins and used them as drumsticks on the sofa. He made quite a good drummer. If at some point, Jeff and I want to watch a television program, we just crank up the volume a bit and his drumming, strumming, dancing and singing is just delightful background.
We look at it this way. When Benjamin is not here, our house is very quiet. The dogs are older and tend to sleep most of the day away. When the neighbor's dog barks, half the time Maggie and Sam don't even respond.
This morning after breakfast, Benjamin went outside and on the front porch in a milk crate is a small piece of rope. He takes the rope and throws it into the large tree in the circle, thereby making a swing of sorts for him.
Today, we take Benjamin back home. My task tomorrow will be to put my house in order - more or less. When you no longer work, there isn't quite the urgency to hurry up and get things done. There is always tomorrow and the next day.
Benjamin breathes live into our house with the joyous sound of his laughter and his sneaky ability to pop in a Shrek movie to watch. We go through the same routine every time he visits. He goes to the bookshelf and I always yell out "not the Shrek movie". He laughs and we end up watching Shrek every time and that's alright with me.
I think grandparents have a built in tolerance for the noise and mess (from building small towns) that comes from their grandchild. I know that Jeff and I do and we feel blessed.
P
Yesterday, Benjamin and I went to see the Peanuts movie. It was an enjoyable movie, but every time I take Benjamin to see a movie, he becomes restless. When he watches movies at the house, I realize why movie theaters bore (I don't know if that's the right word) him. The movie plays, and he takes out any number of boxes and/or toys. He dances and sings while he enjoys the movie.
Last night we watched Frosty the Snowman and he took his plastic bowling pins and used them as drumsticks on the sofa. He made quite a good drummer. If at some point, Jeff and I want to watch a television program, we just crank up the volume a bit and his drumming, strumming, dancing and singing is just delightful background.
We look at it this way. When Benjamin is not here, our house is very quiet. The dogs are older and tend to sleep most of the day away. When the neighbor's dog barks, half the time Maggie and Sam don't even respond.
This morning after breakfast, Benjamin went outside and on the front porch in a milk crate is a small piece of rope. He takes the rope and throws it into the large tree in the circle, thereby making a swing of sorts for him.
Today, we take Benjamin back home. My task tomorrow will be to put my house in order - more or less. When you no longer work, there isn't quite the urgency to hurry up and get things done. There is always tomorrow and the next day.
Benjamin breathes live into our house with the joyous sound of his laughter and his sneaky ability to pop in a Shrek movie to watch. We go through the same routine every time he visits. He goes to the bookshelf and I always yell out "not the Shrek movie". He laughs and we end up watching Shrek every time and that's alright with me.
I think grandparents have a built in tolerance for the noise and mess (from building small towns) that comes from their grandchild. I know that Jeff and I do and we feel blessed.
P
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Day After the Craft Fair
11/21/2015
Yesterday, Stacey (DIL for those of you who don't know) and I went to the local arts and crafts fair. Because it was a Friday, the place wasn't completely jammed with people. Oh we did see the occasional parent with one or two children in a stroller, who were by the way, crying and screaming. I have to say that I understood why the children were so unhappy. What little kid wants to watch Mommy going up and down the aisles trying to shop - I'd cry too.
There were dogs, including a Westie who was wearing his little sweater. I don't think there is enough life left in me to try and wrestle Sam into a piece of clothing. He is, after all, already wearing a "fur" coat!
I bought myself a yarn bowl. You place your yarn inside the bowl, and you simply pull out the yarn. There are also holes at the top of the bowl for your knitting needles. Very neat. I also bought my birthday present while I was at the crafts fair. I have been told by numerous people that I'm very hard to buy for, so I've decided that I should take matters into my own hands, and occasionally buy my own gifts. Just for the record, I don't think I'm hard to buy for. Buying for Jeff, on the other hand, is really difficult!
There were three problems for me at the fair: (1) I loved just about everything I saw; (2) everything I saw was expensive; and (3) after walking around for more than an hour, had to call it quits for continuing browsing/buying. There's a reason that shopping on line appeals to me so much. It's not painful (unless you count the credit card $$$) physically and you can find just about anything for anybody.
We taste tasted cocoa with peppermint, and that was yummy. But not quite good enough to buy. I have cocoa and I suppose I could drop a peppermint patty inside the cup. I think that might work.
Benjamin had spent some time with Auntie Kim and after he came back to the house, Jeff was home so we left him in charge. Stacey and I went to a used bookstore. She has a positively wonderful idea along the lines of an advent calendar. She bought books, one for each day leading up to Christmas. My suggestion was that she hide the books and then Benjamin would have to look for his present.
The hard part about being in a bookstore? There wasn't anything in there that I could read. My eyes are quite bad and reading normal sized print is now pretty much impossible. The reason I love my new Kindle that Jeff bought me, is that I can make the font size really big and I don't have to strain to read.
I asked about large print books but received some vague answer about those books being interspersed among the regular books. I poked around in the romance book area, but couldn't find any large print books, so I gave up. I did enjoy finding really old books, published in the early 1900's, because they have that old book smell, which I love.
Benjamin spent the night with us and he will do so again tonight. He loves to play (not necessarily watch) a movie and then bring in lots of toys and play while the movie is on. To some this might be a bit distracting, but Jeff and I take it in stride and don't mind the dancing and singing that Benjamin loves to do.
Today, I'm taking Benjamin to see the Peanuts movie. And then I'm thinking about asking Jeff to get down our artificial Christmas tree and some decorations. Benjamin would have a really good time decorating the tree exactly as he wants. Oh, and I bought slice and bake snowmen cookies for later this afternoon.
Basically, a good weekend all the way around!
Among other strange and odd "holidays" celebrated today, including World Television Day, it is also National Survivors of Suicide Day.
P
Yesterday, Stacey (DIL for those of you who don't know) and I went to the local arts and crafts fair. Because it was a Friday, the place wasn't completely jammed with people. Oh we did see the occasional parent with one or two children in a stroller, who were by the way, crying and screaming. I have to say that I understood why the children were so unhappy. What little kid wants to watch Mommy going up and down the aisles trying to shop - I'd cry too.
There were dogs, including a Westie who was wearing his little sweater. I don't think there is enough life left in me to try and wrestle Sam into a piece of clothing. He is, after all, already wearing a "fur" coat!
I bought myself a yarn bowl. You place your yarn inside the bowl, and you simply pull out the yarn. There are also holes at the top of the bowl for your knitting needles. Very neat. I also bought my birthday present while I was at the crafts fair. I have been told by numerous people that I'm very hard to buy for, so I've decided that I should take matters into my own hands, and occasionally buy my own gifts. Just for the record, I don't think I'm hard to buy for. Buying for Jeff, on the other hand, is really difficult!
There were three problems for me at the fair: (1) I loved just about everything I saw; (2) everything I saw was expensive; and (3) after walking around for more than an hour, had to call it quits for continuing browsing/buying. There's a reason that shopping on line appeals to me so much. It's not painful (unless you count the credit card $$$) physically and you can find just about anything for anybody.
We taste tasted cocoa with peppermint, and that was yummy. But not quite good enough to buy. I have cocoa and I suppose I could drop a peppermint patty inside the cup. I think that might work.
Benjamin had spent some time with Auntie Kim and after he came back to the house, Jeff was home so we left him in charge. Stacey and I went to a used bookstore. She has a positively wonderful idea along the lines of an advent calendar. She bought books, one for each day leading up to Christmas. My suggestion was that she hide the books and then Benjamin would have to look for his present.
The hard part about being in a bookstore? There wasn't anything in there that I could read. My eyes are quite bad and reading normal sized print is now pretty much impossible. The reason I love my new Kindle that Jeff bought me, is that I can make the font size really big and I don't have to strain to read.
I asked about large print books but received some vague answer about those books being interspersed among the regular books. I poked around in the romance book area, but couldn't find any large print books, so I gave up. I did enjoy finding really old books, published in the early 1900's, because they have that old book smell, which I love.
Benjamin spent the night with us and he will do so again tonight. He loves to play (not necessarily watch) a movie and then bring in lots of toys and play while the movie is on. To some this might be a bit distracting, but Jeff and I take it in stride and don't mind the dancing and singing that Benjamin loves to do.
Today, I'm taking Benjamin to see the Peanuts movie. And then I'm thinking about asking Jeff to get down our artificial Christmas tree and some decorations. Benjamin would have a really good time decorating the tree exactly as he wants. Oh, and I bought slice and bake snowmen cookies for later this afternoon.
Basically, a good weekend all the way around!
Among other strange and odd "holidays" celebrated today, including World Television Day, it is also National Survivors of Suicide Day.
P
Friday, November 20, 2015
Off to the Craft Fair
11/20/2015
This morning, Stacey and I are headed to the crafts fair. Do I need anything? No, but when did that ever stop a woman? Ummm let me think - never!
I'm not a crafty person. I can manage to sew on a button - if - and it's a big if - I can find the right button, the right color thread and the piece of clothing all at once. Otherwise, I'm doomed. I have in fact a little plastic box with random extra buttons that come on clothes. Do I still have said clothes? I doubt it, but if I throw out a button, you know what will happen next. Yup, that piece of clothing will show up. It's like throwing out a sock because it has no mate. Once you do that, the other sock will magically appear. Maybe the sock elves have something to do with messing with us and our socks.
Today, we'll see people who are truly talented. There will be people who work with wood, glass, ceramics, paintings, clothes and food. I allow myself an indulgence when I go to the craft fair. I buy macaroons. Gotta have 'em.
I've already started my Christmas shopping, which will not come as a surprise to people who know me. If I haven't finished buying by the first week of December, I at least have a list of what to buy and for whom.
I have in years past, back when I was working, bought some beautiful glass pieces that I truly cherish. I really can't justify buying more glass pieces, because I own so much already. If I ever get to Italy and over to the Isle of Murano, I'd better have a zero balance on my credit card!
Since it's Friday, and the majority of people will be at work, it should be quite easy for Stacey and I to move through the buildings without crashing into people with strollers, people with dogs and/or people with small children. The same cannot be said for the craft fair on Saturday and Sunday, when you will run into all of those people and more.
Years ago, I bought a set of trees like these. They are super beautiful and lovely to look at. Today is national name your PC day. In some situations, depending on how well your computer is working, the name calling might not be very nice!
P
This morning, Stacey and I are headed to the crafts fair. Do I need anything? No, but when did that ever stop a woman? Ummm let me think - never!
I'm not a crafty person. I can manage to sew on a button - if - and it's a big if - I can find the right button, the right color thread and the piece of clothing all at once. Otherwise, I'm doomed. I have in fact a little plastic box with random extra buttons that come on clothes. Do I still have said clothes? I doubt it, but if I throw out a button, you know what will happen next. Yup, that piece of clothing will show up. It's like throwing out a sock because it has no mate. Once you do that, the other sock will magically appear. Maybe the sock elves have something to do with messing with us and our socks.
Today, we'll see people who are truly talented. There will be people who work with wood, glass, ceramics, paintings, clothes and food. I allow myself an indulgence when I go to the craft fair. I buy macaroons. Gotta have 'em.
I've already started my Christmas shopping, which will not come as a surprise to people who know me. If I haven't finished buying by the first week of December, I at least have a list of what to buy and for whom.
I have in years past, back when I was working, bought some beautiful glass pieces that I truly cherish. I really can't justify buying more glass pieces, because I own so much already. If I ever get to Italy and over to the Isle of Murano, I'd better have a zero balance on my credit card!
Since it's Friday, and the majority of people will be at work, it should be quite easy for Stacey and I to move through the buildings without crashing into people with strollers, people with dogs and/or people with small children. The same cannot be said for the craft fair on Saturday and Sunday, when you will run into all of those people and more.
Years ago, I bought a set of trees like these. They are super beautiful and lovely to look at. Today is national name your PC day. In some situations, depending on how well your computer is working, the name calling might not be very nice!
P
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Filing a Claim
11/19/2015
I have spent an hour this morning trying to figure out how to submit a claim to Medicare for reimbursement. I must say that I didn't sit on hold with Medicare very long and the person I was speaking to was helpful.
I have also been told by AARP that my supplemental insurance won't "kick in" until Medicare has received the bill. Once you know the steps, find the form, complete it, copy it and mail it in once, then you'll be a pro at doing so in the future.
There is a company that will submit your claim to Medicare, and a whole bunch of other things for only $19.99 a month. How generous. Or you could pay for a yearly subscription. Not hardly.
I again say and truly believe that getting old is not for the faint of heart! You call this company, and then the next one. You wait on hold, you talk to someone who only wants to get you off the phone and transfer you to somebody, anybody.
It's also a good thing I'm retired, because getting all the required information from Medicare and AARP takes time. Time that if I was working, I wouldn't have. So maybe there's some good about being retired, 'cause we ain't in it for the money!
It's a wet Thursday and while it's not cold outside, the gray sky looks like winter.
P
I have spent an hour this morning trying to figure out how to submit a claim to Medicare for reimbursement. I must say that I didn't sit on hold with Medicare very long and the person I was speaking to was helpful.
I have also been told by AARP that my supplemental insurance won't "kick in" until Medicare has received the bill. Once you know the steps, find the form, complete it, copy it and mail it in once, then you'll be a pro at doing so in the future.
There is a company that will submit your claim to Medicare, and a whole bunch of other things for only $19.99 a month. How generous. Or you could pay for a yearly subscription. Not hardly.
I again say and truly believe that getting old is not for the faint of heart! You call this company, and then the next one. You wait on hold, you talk to someone who only wants to get you off the phone and transfer you to somebody, anybody.
It's also a good thing I'm retired, because getting all the required information from Medicare and AARP takes time. Time that if I was working, I wouldn't have. So maybe there's some good about being retired, 'cause we ain't in it for the money!
It's a wet Thursday and while it's not cold outside, the gray sky looks like winter.
P
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
My Tuesday
11/18/2015
Yesterday, I went to see my doctor to get my "head shrunk". I must be making progress as I only see my psychiatrist once a month now. Definitely a step in the right direction. I love my doctor and I'm probably the only person who has a doctor that saves her magazines for me. I leave her office with a large bag, with lots and lots of magazines. I have always enjoyed reading about what the Hollywood folks are up to.
After I left her office, I went to Target. It was the middle of the day, so the store was obviously not crowded. Shopping mid-week and mid-day is a definite bonus of retirement! I took my time browsing up and down the aisles. I was looking for nothing in particular, but because it's getting closer to Christmas (and I do buy early), I kept my eyes open to all the possibilities.
I bought myself a 2016 monthly calendar. I will transfer all the relevant dates (how old you are, how long you've been married, stuff like that) from my 2015 calendar. I am, or at least I think I am, prepared and prompt with things I have to, or feel the need to, do! It's just who I am.
This Friday, Stacey (DIL) and Benjamin are coming to the house. Stacey and I are going to the local craft fair for a few hours. Afterwards, we'll do lunch (McDonald's I'm sure) and then go to Michael's to see what kind of trouble we can get into while shopping there. :)
This morning while having my coffee, I started going through the magazines that I brought home yesterday. I always rip out the book review page. I have a three ring binder where I put all the book lists, reviews, etc. inside. Doesn't everybody do this?
In case you were wondering, today is Mickey Mouse's birthday!
P
Yesterday, I went to see my doctor to get my "head shrunk". I must be making progress as I only see my psychiatrist once a month now. Definitely a step in the right direction. I love my doctor and I'm probably the only person who has a doctor that saves her magazines for me. I leave her office with a large bag, with lots and lots of magazines. I have always enjoyed reading about what the Hollywood folks are up to.
After I left her office, I went to Target. It was the middle of the day, so the store was obviously not crowded. Shopping mid-week and mid-day is a definite bonus of retirement! I took my time browsing up and down the aisles. I was looking for nothing in particular, but because it's getting closer to Christmas (and I do buy early), I kept my eyes open to all the possibilities.
I bought myself a 2016 monthly calendar. I will transfer all the relevant dates (how old you are, how long you've been married, stuff like that) from my 2015 calendar. I am, or at least I think I am, prepared and prompt with things I have to, or feel the need to, do! It's just who I am.
This Friday, Stacey (DIL) and Benjamin are coming to the house. Stacey and I are going to the local craft fair for a few hours. Afterwards, we'll do lunch (McDonald's I'm sure) and then go to Michael's to see what kind of trouble we can get into while shopping there. :)
This morning while having my coffee, I started going through the magazines that I brought home yesterday. I always rip out the book review page. I have a three ring binder where I put all the book lists, reviews, etc. inside. Doesn't everybody do this?
In case you were wondering, today is Mickey Mouse's birthday!
P
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Where Has The Time Gone?
11/17/2015
Next week is Thanksgiving. That seems impossible because it just seems like yesterday when I was wearing my "shorty" pants, and complaining about the heat! I also know that we aren't human if we don't have or can't find something to complain about.
A trip to WalMart last week confirmed that turkey day is just around the corner, but so is Christmas. The stores are filled with Christmas decorations and the outside of those stores are decked out with Christmas lights.
I am an advanced shopper. I haven't been to an actual mall in years, because everything that I think I want or know I want, I can get on line. Once upon a time, I really enjoyed going into stores and seeing all the beautiful clothes and jewelry on display. And then I got old(er) and the parking lot woes and the jostling by other shoppers dampened my gift buying spirit.
My family knows that I start my search for just the right gifts early. This year is no exception. And because my family has also told me that I'm very difficult to buy for - and I disagree - I have created a wish list on Amazon to make things easier for them.
We have no real plans for Thanksgiving. Last year we went to Bob Evans and had a lovely meal, which even included some 'tovers' for the next day! This year will probably be no different. I could buy a turkey breast and fix some other dishes, but for some reason the sound of that makes me weary. It's very hard to cook for two people. And you would think that since the boys left home years ago, I'd have been able to adapt. But, sadly no. I over estimate how much to fix time and time again. Perhaps wishful thinking and memories of cooking for the boys. Nobody appreciates good food like boys and men do, and my guys were no exception.
My grandmother and grandfather used to raise turkeys. They kept the hens and Toms away from one another, but that didn't keep the noise level down one bit! I remember Grandma asking my brother and I to go down to the area where the turkeys were and using a short rubber hose try and "convince" the turkeys to get off of the metal roof of the turkey feeder. Apparently, turkeys are so dumb that they will keep standing on the roof even when their feet get hot. I can assure you that getting turkeys down, was a very messy process. Turkeys have a wide wing span and can easily bat you in the face, sometimes with and sometimes without bird poo. Yuck is all I can say.
P
Next week is Thanksgiving. That seems impossible because it just seems like yesterday when I was wearing my "shorty" pants, and complaining about the heat! I also know that we aren't human if we don't have or can't find something to complain about.
A trip to WalMart last week confirmed that turkey day is just around the corner, but so is Christmas. The stores are filled with Christmas decorations and the outside of those stores are decked out with Christmas lights.
I am an advanced shopper. I haven't been to an actual mall in years, because everything that I think I want or know I want, I can get on line. Once upon a time, I really enjoyed going into stores and seeing all the beautiful clothes and jewelry on display. And then I got old(er) and the parking lot woes and the jostling by other shoppers dampened my gift buying spirit.
My family knows that I start my search for just the right gifts early. This year is no exception. And because my family has also told me that I'm very difficult to buy for - and I disagree - I have created a wish list on Amazon to make things easier for them.
We have no real plans for Thanksgiving. Last year we went to Bob Evans and had a lovely meal, which even included some 'tovers' for the next day! This year will probably be no different. I could buy a turkey breast and fix some other dishes, but for some reason the sound of that makes me weary. It's very hard to cook for two people. And you would think that since the boys left home years ago, I'd have been able to adapt. But, sadly no. I over estimate how much to fix time and time again. Perhaps wishful thinking and memories of cooking for the boys. Nobody appreciates good food like boys and men do, and my guys were no exception.
My grandmother and grandfather used to raise turkeys. They kept the hens and Toms away from one another, but that didn't keep the noise level down one bit! I remember Grandma asking my brother and I to go down to the area where the turkeys were and using a short rubber hose try and "convince" the turkeys to get off of the metal roof of the turkey feeder. Apparently, turkeys are so dumb that they will keep standing on the roof even when their feet get hot. I can assure you that getting turkeys down, was a very messy process. Turkeys have a wide wing span and can easily bat you in the face, sometimes with and sometimes without bird poo. Yuck is all I can say.
P
Monday, November 16, 2015
Arts and Crafts Fair
11/17/2015
Several times a year, the local fairgrounds turns into an arts and crafts fair. I generally go to at least one fair each year. What the local, and some not so local, artisans make, is mind blowing. Especially to someone whose skill set includes sewing on buttons - provided that I can find the right button and the right garment at the right time!
There are food vendors of all sorts. When I go to the craft fair, I just have to buy macaroons, because I love, love them. And just because this is a craft fair, do not assume that everything is low priced. Quite the opposite in fact.
There are paintings, photographs of nature that leaves a person standing there in awe. Clothes, of course, beautiful pieces, shawls, ponchos, even dresses.
I can't leave out jewelry. Lots of handmade jewelry is for sale. Such lovely pieces but the prices are prohibitive, especially if you're trying to stay on some kind of budget!
And I can't leave out the glass work. Such divine pieces of sculpture. Actually there is so much glass (and I do love glass) that it would be hard to pick out just one thing that you loved. I love all of it. I bought in the past a pair of Christmas trees made from different colors and sizes of glass. They are beautiful and when they get dusty, a rinse in the sink will clean them right up.
The downside of the craft fair is the people. LOTS of people. People who bring children in strollers, which makes me wonder why they do that. People who bring Fido along, again I ask why. Getting through the buildings takes a lot of patience, as well as practice. When I go, I carry a small shopping bag (just in case) and a small purse. No need to drag around a heavy purse which is burdened with things you know you're not going to need.
For those of you who care, today is National Fast Food Day! I'm always up for a ride through McDonald's!
P
Several times a year, the local fairgrounds turns into an arts and crafts fair. I generally go to at least one fair each year. What the local, and some not so local, artisans make, is mind blowing. Especially to someone whose skill set includes sewing on buttons - provided that I can find the right button and the right garment at the right time!
There are food vendors of all sorts. When I go to the craft fair, I just have to buy macaroons, because I love, love them. And just because this is a craft fair, do not assume that everything is low priced. Quite the opposite in fact.
There are paintings, photographs of nature that leaves a person standing there in awe. Clothes, of course, beautiful pieces, shawls, ponchos, even dresses.
I can't leave out jewelry. Lots of handmade jewelry is for sale. Such lovely pieces but the prices are prohibitive, especially if you're trying to stay on some kind of budget!
And I can't leave out the glass work. Such divine pieces of sculpture. Actually there is so much glass (and I do love glass) that it would be hard to pick out just one thing that you loved. I love all of it. I bought in the past a pair of Christmas trees made from different colors and sizes of glass. They are beautiful and when they get dusty, a rinse in the sink will clean them right up.
The downside of the craft fair is the people. LOTS of people. People who bring children in strollers, which makes me wonder why they do that. People who bring Fido along, again I ask why. Getting through the buildings takes a lot of patience, as well as practice. When I go, I carry a small shopping bag (just in case) and a small purse. No need to drag around a heavy purse which is burdened with things you know you're not going to need.
For those of you who care, today is National Fast Food Day! I'm always up for a ride through McDonald's!
P
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Dinner at a Hole in the Wall Restaurant
11/15/2015
Yesterday, Jeff took me to dinner at a Mexican restaurant in a nearby town. And the meal was wonderful. It is literally a hole in the wall, ten tables only, but the food and service was excellent. You know how you get chips and salsa at Mexican restaurants? Well at this restaurant you received hot and I do mean hot and freshly cooked chips. Wonderful!
I ordered a three taco dinner and ate only one. I'm going to have a fabulous lunch today - yippee. It was nice to get out of the house and nice not to have to cook dinner. Because Jeff takes his lunch every day, I try to cook enough dinner so that he has "tovers" to take for his lunch.
After eating, we went to WalMart. I was interested in looking for a bean bag chair to give Benjamin for Christmas. They didn't have any. Guess I'll resort to my usual shopping choice - on line. You can get anything on line, and particularly on Amazon.
WalMart wasn't crowded, thankfully and we didn't need much in the way of groceries. We always stock up on the Triscuit-like crackers that Jeff likes and food for the dogs. Oh, and peppermint ice cream for me - yum.
Once we got home, Jeff watched a little television with me, but I stayed up - thank you Diet Coke! Because I went to bed late (midnight), I didn't get up today until 10:00 - the day's half over.
Sunny and bright here today. A good day to pick up leaves again.
P
Yesterday, Jeff took me to dinner at a Mexican restaurant in a nearby town. And the meal was wonderful. It is literally a hole in the wall, ten tables only, but the food and service was excellent. You know how you get chips and salsa at Mexican restaurants? Well at this restaurant you received hot and I do mean hot and freshly cooked chips. Wonderful!
I ordered a three taco dinner and ate only one. I'm going to have a fabulous lunch today - yippee. It was nice to get out of the house and nice not to have to cook dinner. Because Jeff takes his lunch every day, I try to cook enough dinner so that he has "tovers" to take for his lunch.
After eating, we went to WalMart. I was interested in looking for a bean bag chair to give Benjamin for Christmas. They didn't have any. Guess I'll resort to my usual shopping choice - on line. You can get anything on line, and particularly on Amazon.
WalMart wasn't crowded, thankfully and we didn't need much in the way of groceries. We always stock up on the Triscuit-like crackers that Jeff likes and food for the dogs. Oh, and peppermint ice cream for me - yum.
Once we got home, Jeff watched a little television with me, but I stayed up - thank you Diet Coke! Because I went to bed late (midnight), I didn't get up today until 10:00 - the day's half over.
Sunny and bright here today. A good day to pick up leaves again.
P
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Sorrow for France
11/14/2015
The tragedy that occurred in Paris yesterday, was unfathomable. What has happened to our world? While the 60's were filled with controversy - drugs, hippies and rock 'n roll, those were mild times compared to what's happening today.
While Jeff reminds me that I don't usually read the "A" section of the paper. I have a good reason. More times than not, the front page has a story of violence that has occurred somewhere in the world. My in-laws went to Egypt sometime in the 70's and had a wonderful time. I, too, would like to go to Egypt and see the pyramids, but am really afraid of traveling in the Middle East.
Sometimes I think we're safer at home, but then you read about somebody, most of them with a mental problem unfortunately, taking a gun and killing innocent people. What has happened to people? Though guns kill people, I'm not a proponent for taking away the right to have them. Just that some people, and I don't know how you would manage this, shouldn't own a gun.
I remember when the boys were young, one of the boys was having a sleepover. The father of the child asked Jeff and I if we kept guns in our house. If so, the boy wouldn't be allowed to stay. Before that it had never occurred to me to ask someone if they owned guns. I was/am either ignorant or blissfully unaware of guns and who owns them. It's a question that was never on my radar while parenting.
So yesterday, people were out enjoying themselves on a peaceful Friday and then all hell broke loose. My sympathy goes out to those people who had family members injured or killed. One hundred twenty people lost their lives, countless others injured. ISIS has claimed responsibility.
Buildings around the world are lighting up with France's colors. Hoping for peace in the coming days.
P
The tragedy that occurred in Paris yesterday, was unfathomable. What has happened to our world? While the 60's were filled with controversy - drugs, hippies and rock 'n roll, those were mild times compared to what's happening today.
While Jeff reminds me that I don't usually read the "A" section of the paper. I have a good reason. More times than not, the front page has a story of violence that has occurred somewhere in the world. My in-laws went to Egypt sometime in the 70's and had a wonderful time. I, too, would like to go to Egypt and see the pyramids, but am really afraid of traveling in the Middle East.
Sometimes I think we're safer at home, but then you read about somebody, most of them with a mental problem unfortunately, taking a gun and killing innocent people. What has happened to people? Though guns kill people, I'm not a proponent for taking away the right to have them. Just that some people, and I don't know how you would manage this, shouldn't own a gun.
I remember when the boys were young, one of the boys was having a sleepover. The father of the child asked Jeff and I if we kept guns in our house. If so, the boy wouldn't be allowed to stay. Before that it had never occurred to me to ask someone if they owned guns. I was/am either ignorant or blissfully unaware of guns and who owns them. It's a question that was never on my radar while parenting.
So yesterday, people were out enjoying themselves on a peaceful Friday and then all hell broke loose. My sympathy goes out to those people who had family members injured or killed. One hundred twenty people lost their lives, countless others injured. ISIS has claimed responsibility.
Buildings around the world are lighting up with France's colors. Hoping for peace in the coming days.
P
Friday, November 13, 2015
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire!
11/13/2015
Though retired, with really nothing that I want to do. Should do is a completely different matter! I take my "lunch break" and watch the Millionaire show. I think of this show as an exercise for my brain, which is no longer working at it's full capacity. Some would argue that it never did, but now it really doesn't.
I am amazed at how often the contestants stumble on the first few questions which are, at least to me, ridiculously easy. Having to use one of your life lines at the $500 or $1000 questions doesn't bode well for someone reaching the million dollar mark.
Once the contestants pass the $50,000 mark, the questions do get considerably more difficult. I have been able to answer the question a few times. But, for the most part, I simply crash and die. I would love to see somebody get past the $100,000 question. I'm pretty sure that if somebody actually won the $1M prize, they would probably just pass out on the stage! I know I would.
It's Friday the 13th and there is a name for people who are actually afraid on the 13th. It's called paraskevidekatriaphobia. Just trying to pronounce that name would be so much of a challenge, that all of your "13th fears" would dissipate.
P
Though retired, with really nothing that I want to do. Should do is a completely different matter! I take my "lunch break" and watch the Millionaire show. I think of this show as an exercise for my brain, which is no longer working at it's full capacity. Some would argue that it never did, but now it really doesn't.
I am amazed at how often the contestants stumble on the first few questions which are, at least to me, ridiculously easy. Having to use one of your life lines at the $500 or $1000 questions doesn't bode well for someone reaching the million dollar mark.
Once the contestants pass the $50,000 mark, the questions do get considerably more difficult. I have been able to answer the question a few times. But, for the most part, I simply crash and die. I would love to see somebody get past the $100,000 question. I'm pretty sure that if somebody actually won the $1M prize, they would probably just pass out on the stage! I know I would.
It's Friday the 13th and there is a name for people who are actually afraid on the 13th. It's called paraskevidekatriaphobia. Just trying to pronounce that name would be so much of a challenge, that all of your "13th fears" would dissipate.
P
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Learning to Purge
11/12/2015
Just a warning, this purging has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with food. It does, however, have everything to do with paper(s).
In our house, we have two filing cabinets that are filled with papers of all sorts. There is the paid bills file, the files for each car we own, or in some cases owned, medical bills, insurance documents going back to a company that we no longer have a policy with, receipts for major purchases (some times I have held onto receipts and/or brochures for things we no longer have!
There are tax files, files for each dog, as well as the social security, birth certificate, passport file. I have a folder labeled "Marriott" which holds my latest resume from oh 12 or 13 years ago, as well as my annual reviews. Why do I keep hanging on to these documents? It's not like somebody is going to ever ask to see my annual reviews, and yet I can't just quite let them go. My working career is over. I know this. My short term memory was a hindrance to the volunteer jobs I had after retiring in 2014. Maybe I hang on to these reviews, so that I can sit back and remember the me I once was.
I have a file for our vacation rentals in the Outer Banks. We haven't vacationed at the Outer Banks since Benjamin was a toddler. For a number of years, we would go for two weeks with the boys and one of their friends. We had an amazing amount of fun, and then life just got in the way. It seems unlikely that we will vacation at the Outer Banks anytime soon, so saving the rental forms is just another memory for me.
Why do I keep paid bills dating back as far as 2012? Um, lazy I think. There is no particular reason why a person would want to look at an electric bill from 2012 or earlier. If you never take any papers out of the filing cabinets, you will run out of space and need another filing cabinet!
And because we live in the age of increased security issues, I need to shred paid bills, receipts and anything else that has our name and/or address on it. Well that pretty much covers everything! We have a shredder, but if I was to shred everything that needs shredding, I'd probably also have to buy a new shredder!
P
Just a warning, this purging has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with food. It does, however, have everything to do with paper(s).
In our house, we have two filing cabinets that are filled with papers of all sorts. There is the paid bills file, the files for each car we own, or in some cases owned, medical bills, insurance documents going back to a company that we no longer have a policy with, receipts for major purchases (some times I have held onto receipts and/or brochures for things we no longer have!
There are tax files, files for each dog, as well as the social security, birth certificate, passport file. I have a folder labeled "Marriott" which holds my latest resume from oh 12 or 13 years ago, as well as my annual reviews. Why do I keep hanging on to these documents? It's not like somebody is going to ever ask to see my annual reviews, and yet I can't just quite let them go. My working career is over. I know this. My short term memory was a hindrance to the volunteer jobs I had after retiring in 2014. Maybe I hang on to these reviews, so that I can sit back and remember the me I once was.
I have a file for our vacation rentals in the Outer Banks. We haven't vacationed at the Outer Banks since Benjamin was a toddler. For a number of years, we would go for two weeks with the boys and one of their friends. We had an amazing amount of fun, and then life just got in the way. It seems unlikely that we will vacation at the Outer Banks anytime soon, so saving the rental forms is just another memory for me.
Why do I keep paid bills dating back as far as 2012? Um, lazy I think. There is no particular reason why a person would want to look at an electric bill from 2012 or earlier. If you never take any papers out of the filing cabinets, you will run out of space and need another filing cabinet!
And because we live in the age of increased security issues, I need to shred paid bills, receipts and anything else that has our name and/or address on it. Well that pretty much covers everything! We have a shredder, but if I was to shred everything that needs shredding, I'd probably also have to buy a new shredder!
P
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Happy Veterans' Day
11/11/2015
Today, we celebrate our Veterans - the old, the young, the disabled as well as those who have died. My father was in the Air Force for 20+ years, I can't remember exactly how many. He retired while we were living in California.
I remember the day of his retirement ceremony Dad had to wear his dress blues. This was a bit of a worry to him, because he hadn't worn that uniform in a very long time. He fit into the uniform, but unfortunately couldn't button the top button near the collar. He put on his tie and did his best to make the shirt look like it was closed.
When the officer came down the row of retirees, and stopped at Dad, Dad just knew that the officer could tell that his top button was undone. Dad was nervous under the scrutiny of the officer and was just hoping he would go on to another retiree.
Dad was proud of his time in the Air Force. We moved around a bit and lived in some amazing places. Others - not so much. We lived in England, Liverpool to be exact; Everaux, France, Kansas and two bases in California.
The problem with moving around every 3 years or so, you don't develop any long time friendships. You know and I know that when somebody is leaving, everybody promises to keep in touch. And they don't and you don't. Whatever you had in common with that person is now in the past and most of us deal with the here and now.
Dad was also sure after he retired, that we would starve to death, because he only knew how to do one thing - supply storage. Good news is we didn't starve. Dad did find a job, and even better, one he liked a great deal.
I say thanks to Dad and every other Veteran today. And Dad I miss you.
P
Today, we celebrate our Veterans - the old, the young, the disabled as well as those who have died. My father was in the Air Force for 20+ years, I can't remember exactly how many. He retired while we were living in California.
I remember the day of his retirement ceremony Dad had to wear his dress blues. This was a bit of a worry to him, because he hadn't worn that uniform in a very long time. He fit into the uniform, but unfortunately couldn't button the top button near the collar. He put on his tie and did his best to make the shirt look like it was closed.
When the officer came down the row of retirees, and stopped at Dad, Dad just knew that the officer could tell that his top button was undone. Dad was nervous under the scrutiny of the officer and was just hoping he would go on to another retiree.
Dad was proud of his time in the Air Force. We moved around a bit and lived in some amazing places. Others - not so much. We lived in England, Liverpool to be exact; Everaux, France, Kansas and two bases in California.
The problem with moving around every 3 years or so, you don't develop any long time friendships. You know and I know that when somebody is leaving, everybody promises to keep in touch. And they don't and you don't. Whatever you had in common with that person is now in the past and most of us deal with the here and now.
Dad was also sure after he retired, that we would starve to death, because he only knew how to do one thing - supply storage. Good news is we didn't starve. Dad did find a job, and even better, one he liked a great deal.
I say thanks to Dad and every other Veteran today. And Dad I miss you.
P
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