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