Since tomorrow is a fresh slate--a whole new year to write on--what do you want to write on yours? Have you given it any thought and if not, OK, but do you want to stay just like you are or are you someone who wants to improve, change, or grow? Count me in the later category. I'd like to peel back another layer and learn more about myself. Nobody says it will fun or comfortable, but I'm still willing to do it. And I definitely want to exercise more, simply because I feel better when I do it. I'm not talking any of those teeth grinding workouts--I'm talking about something fun like grabbing my Ipod and either dancing or walking to music I love. Good music. And lots of Soul music, too, like all that Motown stuff. Add in lots of C&W stuff and if I learn the lyrics, I'm gonna SING while I walk or dance, and if you don't like it, either don't listen or turn down another damn block, because honey, here I come. And I'm singing. Loud.
And freedom....I plan to practice lots more of that. Saying no when I mean it and saying yes when ever I can, when it is not detrimental to me. Yeah, ME. I'm done with people pleasing and care taking where it's not needed, since both are harmful to ME. They are also insulting to the people I do them to, so that's another great reason to stop. If someone doesn't like the choice I've made, that's OK. My job in life is not to please everyone I meet or know--it's to be kind. And sometimes the kindest thing I can do for someone else is to say "no, thank you", and take care of myself.
Now, I can see your eyes rolling back in your head like "she is THE most selfish person ever". I'm not--I'm just willing to take care of myself, since it is my job after all. I understand that to some people that will look selfish-- and that's OK with me. I know the difference between being selfish and practicing self care, and they are two entirely different things-- and sometimes they are even the same. It all depends on my motive. Sometimes you have to choose yourself first 'cause I guarantee you, nobody else will.
And to close out 2010, that's just how I see it.
Friday, December 31, 2010
My latest invention
There's just nothing like cutting roll dough first thing in the morning, in your pj's, on the last day of the year. Now, that's the way to ring out 2010 and bring in 2011. I've included a shot here and note my trusty favorite dough board that Fred turned a burner on next too years ago. You may not be able to see the scorch but I can and it makes me laugh every time I see it. Look towards the bottom right side. Who but Fred would turn a burner on with a wood board next to it...
Four pans of rolls are resting in the refrigerator awaiting delivery to their rightful owners. Fred's already made a run by Cowboy John's but he's not home and his big dogs are not trustworthy. Like Sister, they will eat anything. If you haven't seen the Internet funny about a dog eating uncooked roll dough, and the ensuing flatulence and Portland cement poop, it's enough to make you do the Harris "donkey bray" laugh and then get the wheezies. Adre', a wonderful and hilarious follower, sent it to me and I liketa died. Even I brayed.
Just for fun, I've also included my latest invention: the phone light dimmer or the "phone condom", if you will. The light on ours has no dimmer--read old--so I decided a plastic cup would work. And it did, until the phone rang. Geeze, louise...it sounded like the ring at the Fire Station. So, back to the drawing board I went and I think my white sock works just fine. You can flip the foot part forward or backwards, depending on your desired degree of darkness and when the phone rings, it doesn't scare the liver out of you. A wise older owl told me for every problem there are at least five solutions, so don't quit until you find the one that works for you.
Lastly, Sis and Po send their warmest wishes for a safe and happy New Year. Bring it on!!!
Four pans of rolls are resting in the refrigerator awaiting delivery to their rightful owners. Fred's already made a run by Cowboy John's but he's not home and his big dogs are not trustworthy. Like Sister, they will eat anything. If you haven't seen the Internet funny about a dog eating uncooked roll dough, and the ensuing flatulence and Portland cement poop, it's enough to make you do the Harris "donkey bray" laugh and then get the wheezies. Adre', a wonderful and hilarious follower, sent it to me and I liketa died. Even I brayed.
Just for fun, I've also included my latest invention: the phone light dimmer or the "phone condom", if you will. The light on ours has no dimmer--read old--so I decided a plastic cup would work. And it did, until the phone rang. Geeze, louise...it sounded like the ring at the Fire Station. So, back to the drawing board I went and I think my white sock works just fine. You can flip the foot part forward or backwards, depending on your desired degree of darkness and when the phone rings, it doesn't scare the liver out of you. A wise older owl told me for every problem there are at least five solutions, so don't quit until you find the one that works for you.
Lastly, Sis and Po send their warmest wishes for a safe and happy New Year. Bring it on!!!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Cybersmell?
Ahhh, the coziness of an over cast Thursday morning, with my coffee to my right, Wiggins snoring below all burrito-ed in a fleece blanket, and most of all, Fred across from me on his computer. We both look like two homeless people since we are not exactly foofed for the day, but whatever. Vogue isn't scheduled to be here today for a photo shoot so we are good. Fred's taking today and tomorrow off, so having him here is extra fun for me. I get to pester him all day long. Sis is in his chair with him right now so I guess I'll have to share him with her. Rats. I just don't like to share.
I think the current El Nino effect has El Nino-ed our two enormous oak trees out front. In over thirty years, I've never seen our trees still have leaves left by this time of year, but this year they do. A tad more of this wind and they'll be totally off, but this is a new one for me. The yard guys across the street just drove up so this should really be fun watching them try to blow up leaves, as our trees just keep adding more. Add that to list of jobs I do not want. Ever. Mowing? Fine. Leaf blowing? Never. Too unpredictable.
Last night, I just had a hankering to make the old biscotti recipe that I love, so I did. I may need a 12 Step program soon for cooking but I just love to do it, so I'm just going to. Period. I emailed my sister that I'd made a different biscotti recipe--my fav-- and to come try it today if she was in da 'hood. Two seconds after I hit send, the phone rang. She said she'd definitely be by. See....it's just that kind of response that makes me want to go turn on the oven. I think it's called positive reinforcement and you can just call me Pavlov's dog.
I need to make roll dough today since I said I would, and, I want to drop some rolls by for Fred's brother, Cowboy John, whose birthday is tomorrow. With a New year's Eve birthday, we fellow December birthday people have to stick together, and since he's not a dessert guy, rolls are his downfall. I love to see men eat homemade rolls......who knew a humble roll could be soooo powerful and elicit such joy...and did I mention the smell.....oh, Lordy......Too bad there's not cybersmell.
I think the current El Nino effect has El Nino-ed our two enormous oak trees out front. In over thirty years, I've never seen our trees still have leaves left by this time of year, but this year they do. A tad more of this wind and they'll be totally off, but this is a new one for me. The yard guys across the street just drove up so this should really be fun watching them try to blow up leaves, as our trees just keep adding more. Add that to list of jobs I do not want. Ever. Mowing? Fine. Leaf blowing? Never. Too unpredictable.
Last night, I just had a hankering to make the old biscotti recipe that I love, so I did. I may need a 12 Step program soon for cooking but I just love to do it, so I'm just going to. Period. I emailed my sister that I'd made a different biscotti recipe--my fav-- and to come try it today if she was in da 'hood. Two seconds after I hit send, the phone rang. She said she'd definitely be by. See....it's just that kind of response that makes me want to go turn on the oven. I think it's called positive reinforcement and you can just call me Pavlov's dog.
I need to make roll dough today since I said I would, and, I want to drop some rolls by for Fred's brother, Cowboy John, whose birthday is tomorrow. With a New year's Eve birthday, we fellow December birthday people have to stick together, and since he's not a dessert guy, rolls are his downfall. I love to see men eat homemade rolls......who knew a humble roll could be soooo powerful and elicit such joy...and did I mention the smell.....oh, Lordy......Too bad there's not cybersmell.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Phones--any kind of phones
I just got back from a run to the store for vitamins. We seem to be sucking down quite a large amount of the cholesterol lowering ones these days so it was time to re-stock. Anyway, as I'm standing there to pay, the store's phone rings and the man waiting on me excuses himself to go answer it, and proceeds to help the person on the phone until another gal and I, wave his plane to another gate. We both lit into him as if we were a tag team from way back when, and we took a total scorched earth approach to our rant. We even took turns telling him what poor customer service it is to take a phone call, when we have actually driven over to the store and are standing there trying to give him actual money, while the person on the phone just wants information. We whupped up on him so bad, that the other clerk guys were laughing....sort of. It was clear at any moment we might turn on them, so they were a tad more careful.
And then he tried to save himself by throwing the "customers on their cell phones when he's ringing them up", card. Ohhhhhhhh, no, you didn't....you did not try to save your bacon by playing that card. We both looked at him and in unison said "I agree"--- and then asked him if he saw us holding our cell phones. He admitted he didn't, and we thrashed him some more because we could, and because by now... it..was...fun.
On the way home and for the sheer hell of it, I counted the number of people I saw either talking on phones, reading, texting, or fiddling and it was almost every car. As handy as they are, we have become a society of mannerless boobs who must have our cell play toy at all times or we get gritchy. Have you seen the couples and families out to dinner where no one is talking-- and they are all playing with their phones? Are they texting each other instead of talking?? I doubt it. And the ultimate weirdness is, they don't see a thing wrong with it. Forgot your phone?? So sorry...you'll need to sit quietly and not bother us since we're busy playing with ours. Seriously, this is epidemic and not something our kids even understand is inappropriate and bad manners.
Oh, yeah....manners are what now?
And then he tried to save himself by throwing the "customers on their cell phones when he's ringing them up", card. Ohhhhhhhh, no, you didn't....you did not try to save your bacon by playing that card. We both looked at him and in unison said "I agree"--- and then asked him if he saw us holding our cell phones. He admitted he didn't, and we thrashed him some more because we could, and because by now... it..was...fun.
On the way home and for the sheer hell of it, I counted the number of people I saw either talking on phones, reading, texting, or fiddling and it was almost every car. As handy as they are, we have become a society of mannerless boobs who must have our cell play toy at all times or we get gritchy. Have you seen the couples and families out to dinner where no one is talking-- and they are all playing with their phones? Are they texting each other instead of talking?? I doubt it. And the ultimate weirdness is, they don't see a thing wrong with it. Forgot your phone?? So sorry...you'll need to sit quietly and not bother us since we're busy playing with ours. Seriously, this is epidemic and not something our kids even understand is inappropriate and bad manners.
Oh, yeah....manners are what now?
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Pretty in Pink
Oh, yeah, baby.....rock that pink cast.
Had actually does have two legs--the other one is just curled up under the blanket.
Moonshine part 2, and other ramblings
Apparently, Moonshine has now gone mainstream or at least according to Southern Living magazine. For the second month in a row, they've had an article on on it. This month it's in their Best of the South Travel Awards section under Best Legal Moonshine and one is even sold in a jug. The strongest one is called Buffalo Trace White Dog Mash #1, and at 125 proof "this raw whiskey delivers an authentic moonshine burn". I guess that's a nice way of saying it's gonna deeeeestroy your liver and give you a headache you'll never forget. Shooooweeee.
Me? I think I'd lots rather have the Best late night Burger (Atlanta), on the opposite page. All of the fun, none of the hangover.
I was reading a fellow blogger this morning and OK....this guy is the real deal. He's an American living in Paris with his French lover, Romain, is an ex-chef, and is totally hilarious. He was a former pastry chef and has written lots of books. He was blogging about how he is always the designated dessert maker, and even though there's a bakery on every corner in Paris, just picking up a little something might get him killed. Especially for Christmas Eve dinner. The resulting uproar would just not be worth it. So, thinking that the French were well acquainted with a bombe glacee', he told Romain he "was making a bomb for Christmas". He said Romain had no idea what he was talking about, and even became a little frightened. Don'tcha just love it? Making a bomb for Christmas Eve. I am still laughing. So far, that's my favorite Christmas story. Anyone else out there who has one, send yours in, and I'll post it here.
P. S. A bombe glacee' is a frozen layered dessert made of several layers of ice cream or sorbet. Light, tasty, and an easy do ahead dessert. A bomb? Lots more trouble to make.
Me? I think I'd lots rather have the Best late night Burger (Atlanta), on the opposite page. All of the fun, none of the hangover.
I was reading a fellow blogger this morning and OK....this guy is the real deal. He's an American living in Paris with his French lover, Romain, is an ex-chef, and is totally hilarious. He was a former pastry chef and has written lots of books. He was blogging about how he is always the designated dessert maker, and even though there's a bakery on every corner in Paris, just picking up a little something might get him killed. Especially for Christmas Eve dinner. The resulting uproar would just not be worth it. So, thinking that the French were well acquainted with a bombe glacee', he told Romain he "was making a bomb for Christmas". He said Romain had no idea what he was talking about, and even became a little frightened. Don'tcha just love it? Making a bomb for Christmas Eve. I am still laughing. So far, that's my favorite Christmas story. Anyone else out there who has one, send yours in, and I'll post it here.
P. S. A bombe glacee' is a frozen layered dessert made of several layers of ice cream or sorbet. Light, tasty, and an easy do ahead dessert. A bomb? Lots more trouble to make.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Hola, tamales!
Sis seems none the worse for the two chocolate cookies and Wig is asleep in one of the beds in the den. He's usually an under the desk napper but not today. I'm getting ready to make a post office run and then come home and rip, and I do mean rip, down my minimalist Christmas dec's so I can be ready for 2011. I am ready beyond all readiness, and I feel this same way every year. I start getting really antsy at the end of each year just to have a clean slate to write on. And every time I say that, the following year throws out some pitches I don't see coming--some good, some bad, and all just part of life.
Benji is packing up to head for the Farm tonight and then straight from there tomorrow, on to Nash. He's ready to get back, has work to do, and I'm sure is ready to have his life back to normal, too. He's has to go buy a cooler to stash all his stuff I made him, to take home. Somebody for got to bring one. No word yet on Hadley and whether she's rockin' a full leg cast. More later.
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