The Second Half of My Life

Soup's On

2012-01-28T19:08:00.000-06:00

Tonight is our regular "Guys and Dolls" night with some old friends. The men get together and play poker, and the women gather separately for dinner and socializing. This month was my turn to host.

Yesterday I woke up feeling a bit "off", and it got worse as the day went on. After lunch I cleared my schedule for the rest of the day and took a 2-hour nap. Pepper the cat thought that was wonderful; he curled up on my lap and slept with me. Tony brought dinner home and put it on the table. We ate, cleaned up, and went into the family room where I promptly fell asleep on the couch until Tony roused me at bedtime. After washing my face and brushing my teeth I fell into bed and slept another 10 hours.

When I woke up this morning I felt better, but not great. I wondered if I should continue with my hostess role, but just in case I was contagious I decided to let someone else do it. I made a call and relinquished my duties, then laid in a patch of sun on the family room floor and dozed.

Tony was doing volunteer work today, so I had the house to myself. All morning I did five- or ten-minute tasks punctuated by some type of rest. Start the laundry, read the newspaper. Scoop the cat litter, sit on the couch and leaf through a magazine. Put the dishes in the dishwasher, look at emails. Amazingly, I got quite a bit done. At lunchtime I made a frozen pizza, then since I wasn't going anywhere today I wondered what I'd have for dinner.

I decided that making a pot of beans (which don't take a lot of fussing over) would fit in with my lack of energy. I'd done a lot of the prep work earlier in the month, when I made ham stock from a Christmas ham and froze it, along with a container of diced ham to add to the finished soup. On the next shopping trip, I bought a bag of Great Northern beans so I'd be ready when inspiration struck. Today was the day!

I quick soaked the beans, boiling them and letting them set for an hour. When the hour was up, I put the pot back on the stove. I chopped an onion, a clove of garlic, and two carrots and added them to the pot. After things came to a boil I reduced the heat and cooked the beans for 45 minutes. Close to the end of the cooking time, I seasoned the beans with salt and pepper, then added the diced ham and a large handful of dried parsley flakes. The resulting soup didn't look colorful enough, so I found some chives in the freezer and dumped them in too.

The finished product:

The soup was good, and even better with a little hot sauce splashed in. Good thing we like beans, because there's enough soup for several meals!

Morning Prayer

2012-01-26T08:02:00.003-06:00

If Only My Crystal Ball Had Been Working

2012-01-23T20:06:00.000-06:00

My boss informed me last week that Big Boss would be in town today and, among other things, stopping by the mall Customer Service desk.

The last time I saw Big Boss was during my training back in June, and I've talked to her on the phone a couple of times since then. Since I don't see her often, I wanted to make a good impression. Yesterday I polished my nails, and thought about ironing my no-ironing-needed work shirt so it would look extra nice, but that idea slipped my mind until I opened the closet to get ready for work today. (The best laid plans...) After I put on the nicest-looking shirt, I chose my best work pants and belt, and added a pair of newer earrings I bought at one of the mall stores. Today my hair decided to be uncooperative, but I did my best to comb it into submission. I left the house a little earlier than usual, in case there were traffic issues to worry about. There weren't.

When I got to work, I noticed that the Boss had already cleaned up the desk area, including vacuuming the carpet, but I dusted everything again and made sure things were tidy. I didn't know what time Big Boss would be here, but word on the street was it would be after lunch. The mall opens at 10. At 11, I cleaned the desk area with a damp rag. At noon, I straightened everything again. One o'clock came and went, and still no sign of Big Boss. My Boss showed up at 2 for a meeting with her, and stood around until his phone rang ten minutes later. It was Big Boss, saying she was running late.

She showed up fifteen minutes before it was time for me to clock out at 3:00. I could have saved myself a lot of worry if I'd known that.

B-Ball

2012-01-22T20:45:00.001-06:00

Last night I did something I haven't done for 30 years when I went to a college basketball game. The home team was the Saint Louis University Billikens.

The Billikens men's basketball program has been around since the 1940s, but I've never watched them play live. Tony had found a great promotional deal, so he was in charge of getting the tickets. The promotion had several games to choose from, but based on what we had on the calendar he picked a match against the Duquesne Dukes. I didn't know anything about Duquesne. Turns out it's Catholic university in Pennsylvania, and another Atlantic 10 Conference member.

We left for the game about 50 minutes before tip off. It would normally be a 25 minute drive, but we ended up in a several-block-long traffic jam that stretched from the top of the highway exit ramp to the parking garage, and were still in the lobby for the singing of the National Anthem. However, we were settled in our seats when the players were introduced and the game started five minutes later. Chaifetz Arena, where the Billikens play, has a little over 10,000 seats. We were closer to the top of the arena than the court, but still had a good view. Our seats were at the end by the student section and the band, and there was a lot of energy coming from the area.

I'd forgotten how great it is to watch basketball live. It's a fast-paced game, and last night's match was particularly exciting. The Billikens dominated most of the game, and the final score was 68-41. After the buzzer sounded people started filing politely out of the arena. I expected a huge mess getting out of the parking garage, so I stopped at a bathroom on the way to our exit, then we followed the stream of bodies out the door.

Much to my surprise the parking garage was surprisingly easy to leave. At the exit all of the traffic was being funneled in one direction, and there were patrol officers directing things along on the street. We were in the wrong lane to get on Interstate 64 west towards home, but it was OK; Tony knew an alternate route that had us heading in the right direction in no time. All in all, a great night.

Get The Facts

2012-01-21T17:06:00.002-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I learned it was Braille Literacy Month, and wrote about a Website that allowed you to convert text to Braille. Based on that post, I got an email from Online Colleges (which, according to their Website, is "a resource for online education") letting me know they'd posted an article I might be interested in called "15 Facts to Share During Braille Literacy Month".

Back in 1824, when Louis Braille developed his system, there was no audio technology to assist blind people. Now, of course, they have a multitude of ways to take in information. However, based on what I read, it sounds like Braille is still a vital method of communication. Among other things, I learned:

Every widely-spoken language has its own Braille system, and there are also systems for math, computer science, and music.

Six-dot Braille cells have 63 possible combinations

The Missouri School for the Blind (right here in St. Louis!) was the first American educational institution to use the Braille system in 1854.

Eighty-five percent of legally blind students attend mainstreamed classrooms where the teachers don't know Braille, but more than half the states now have laws that require blind children to have access to Braille resources.

With accommodations, 75% of legally blind people can read printed materials.

Put A New Face On

2012-01-19T20:34:00.003-06:00

I only wear makeup when I go to work, and then it's just foundation, mascara, and blusher if I'm feeling particularly fancy. Back in the summer when I was interviewing for jobs, I bought some cheap foundation at Wal-Mart, which is just about gone. It was time to get more, but I wondered if I should try something better. I work at a mall; there are a lot of places to get cosmetics!

One of the things I do when I start work at the Customer Service desk is check out the sales on the mall's Website in case a customer has any questions. Today, though, the information helped me out. I noticed that this month one of the stores was offering a discount on makeup for anyone who had a January birthday. That would be me!

After my shift was over I walked down the mall in the opposite direction of my usual route, ending up at the store. I'm casual acquaintances with several of the salespeople at this store, and one of them said she'd be happy to assist me. I got comfortable on a tall chair while she told me all about the benefits of loose mineral powder foundation. After hearing her pitch, I decided to try it.

First I used a cleanser-soaked gauze pad to remove the makeup I had on, and another with water to remove the cleanser. The salesclerk tried several colors of foundation on my face to see which one worked best. The store was pretty dead, and at one point there were two other clerks weighing in with their opinion, too.

Once the proper color was picked, the demonstration began. The salesclerk made up one half of my face, explaining everything as she went along, then told me to do the other half. It was easy to do (a big selling point). The makeup was very lightweight, and it didn't feel like I had anything on (which was an even bigger selling point). At the end of the demonstration I liked the way I looked, and ended up purchasing a kit that contained foundation, blusher, powder and some makeup brushes. It was more than I thought I'd be spending when I walked in the store, but my birthday discount saved me quite a bit.

Now I just have to remember how to apply tomorrow morning.

Blondie

2012-01-18T19:41:00.000-06:00

Sent to me by a friend...

Excerpts From The Diary Of A Blonde:

January - Took new scarf back to store because it was too tight.

February - Fired from pharmacy job for failing to print labels. Helllooo! Bottles won't fit into typewriter.

March - Got really excited. Finished jigsaw puzzle in 6 months. Box said 2-4 years.

April - Trapped on the Macy’s escalator for hours after the power went out.

May - Tried to make Kool-Aid, but the instructions were wrong. Eight cups of water won't fit into those little packets.

June - Tried to go water skiing. Couldn't find a lake with a slope.

July -Lost breast stroke swimming competition. Learned later that the other swimmers cheated and used their arms.

August - Got locked out of my car in rain storm. Car swamped because soft-top was open.

September - The capital of California is "C", isn't it?

October - Hate M&M's. They are so hard to peel.

November - Baked turkey for 4 1/2 days. Instructions said 1 hour per pound and I weigh 108.

December - Couldn't call 911, because there's no "eleven" button on the stupid phone.

What a year!!

Are You Who I Think You Are?

2012-01-16T10:43:00.000-06:00

About 45 minutes into my shift at the mall Customer Service desk the other day, a woman asked me if there was any way I could page ‘Juan’ and ‘Jose’, the two foreign exchange students she’d brought to the mall with her. They hadn’t shown up at the designated meeting place, and she’d forgotten to get their cell phone numbers.

This mall doesn’t have a paging system, so I told her she might have better luck talking to a mall patrol officer, but if they walked by me I’d hail them and send them her way. She described them--two teenage Hispanic boys that were taller than her. (She looked like she was about five feet tall, so that could be just about any teenager.) The boys were wearing jeans and tee shirts, but she couldn’t remember what color the shirts were, or if they had a logo on them. Not a lot to go on, but I told her I’d try.

Up to that point I hadn’t noticed any Hispanic teen boys. Now it seemed like they were everywhere! Every time a pair walked within speaking distance, I’d get their attention and ask if they were the ones I was looking for. Most of them just looked confused and said no; a couple of them moved a little faster to get away from the crazy lady.

I never talked to the correct boys, but the woman never came back, so I suspect she caught up with them. If I were her, the first thing I’d do is get their cell numbers and add them to the contacts in my phone!

Another Year Older...

2012-01-13T12:53:00.001-06:00

My work schedule is the same from week to week, and I always have Wednesday off. When I realized that this year the day off coincided with my birthday, I asked Tony to clear his schedule and join me on an adventure. It was wonderful!

Our adventure actually started Tuesday night, when we had a reservation for the Moonrise Hotel. I left work on Tuesday and drove east instead of west, ending up at the University City Loop--a six-block long stretch of Delmar Boulevard with dozens of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Even though I've been in the Loop many times over the years, this time it felt special. The Moonrise opened in 2009 at the eastern edge of the Loop area. I've walked by it before, and stopped in to get information, but this was my first time checking in. The lobby of the hotel has a great sound system, a stunning light-up staircase, and a light wall. It's full of moon-themed art and display cases of spaceships, lunar pop culture items, and figurines. Our room continued the funky lunar theme, with modern-looking bedding, furniture, and lighting.

We put our bags in the room, changed clothes quickly, and walked to dinner at The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant several blocks from the hotel. We had fondue for our appetizer, entree, and dessert. The only thing that didn't end up on the end of a skewer was our salad. After dinner we strolled back to the hotel. Most of the stores we passed were already closed, but we did some window shopping along the way and figured out which places we wanted to go into the next day.

I expect a quality hotel to have a good mattress, soft pillows, and fluffy towels. The Moonrise had all that, and more. There was a clock/radio/ipod docking station on one side of the bed, a relaxation sound machine on the other, and a connectivity panel on the desk (which we used to charge our phones). The bathroom was stocked with the standard shampoo/conditioner/shower gel/body lotion, but they were all spa-quality. The shower cap came in a sealed package, and another package contained a cuticle "pusher" and emery board, which came in handy for a raggedy fingernail.

Before bed Tony took a shower, and came out raving about the overhead rain shower head. I wanted to try it, too, but didn't want to go to bed with wet hair. I looked at the shower cap package and was pleasantly surprised to see it also contained a tiny white terry band that I used to put my hair into a ponytail, which the slipped easily into the cap. Tony was right; the shower was wonderful.

We slept in, and after a great breakfast in the restaurant we checked out, put our suitcases in the car, and started exploring. The weather made it easy to have a good time; the temperature was almost springlike, and I soon wished I'd brought a jacket instead of my winter coat. First we walked through some residential areas, then ended up at the Loop. In 2007, the American Planning Association named the Delmar Loop "One of the 10 Great Streets in America." There's a lot to do there. The stores that had been closed the night before were all open, and we had a great time shopping. We stopped at the Chuck Berry statue that was installed last year, and a man offered to take our picture.

After we'd thoroughly investigated both sides of the Loop area, it was time for lunch. We drove a short distance to Winslow's Home, a general store/restaurant. All the inside tables were full, so we sat outside. By this time I'd swapped my coat for a jacket. That was better for popping in and out of stores, but not quite enough for al fresco dining. It was a little chilly so we didn't linger. I had a taste for ice cream, so we drove to a Baskin-Robbins halfway back to our house. I got a scoop of Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in a bowl and ate every last drop.

After all the big meals and desserts I felt the need to exercise some more, so our last activity was driving to a county park that had a nice walking path. Thirty minutes later and two circuits around the park were enough. It was time to go home and back to reality.

I Guess This Is What Adults Do

2012-01-12T11:46:00.000-06:00

I went to bed last night knowing that a cold front and precipitation were coming through the area. At some point in the middle of the night the temperature fell below freezing, and it started snowing. The first thing I did when I woke up today was look out the bedroom window. There wasn’t a lot of snow on the ground (I could still see some grass peeking though when I looked out my window), but I knew that it would be enough to make my drive to work a mess.

In our area it doesn’t take much white stuff to send people into a tizzy. I think part of the problem is that we don’t have much chance to practice; we only have to deal with bad weather a couple of times a year. I’ve been dreading this day since I started my job at a mall Customer Service desk across town. For more than a decade I’ve been blessed to have jobs close to my house, and for the past six years, I had jobs in education, which meant snow days when things got really bad.

However, there’d be no time off for me today. After breakfast I didn’t stop to read email or check on any of my friends in cyberspace. Instead, I threw together a lunch, put on my work clothes, and left the house. I’m scheduled to be there at 9:30 to do things before the mall officially opens at 10. Since it’s after rush hour my commute only takes 25 minutes, but I allow 45 in case there’s a problem. Today I gave myself an extra hour. I brought the newspaper, because I figured I was being paranoid and would have time to kill when I arrived much too early.

Getting through the subdivision streets wasn’t a problem, and I really started second guessing my decision. Then I got to the main street. I was on Highway 141 (a state road with several stoplights) for six miles—and 45 minutes. I thought it would get better when I got on the Interstate. I thought wrong; that eight miles of inching along took me almost another hour. At 9:20 I called my boss and told him I’d be late. I got off the Interstate one exit earlier than I normally do, took side streets the rest of the way, and was so glad to see the sign for the mall! I clocked in at 9:40 and had just enough time to use set everything up and use the restroom before all the stores opened.

I get off at 2:00 this afternoon. I really hope the roads are better by then!

It's In The Stars

2012-01-11T15:54:00.000-06:00

My horoscope for today:

Happy Birthday!

You could find this year rewarding, especially your dealings with one specific person. Trust and closeness will walk hand in hand. You won't have time for the superficial, as you demand more authenticity from yourself. If you are single, you could have one friend who becomes very close. This person also could become a romantic tie. Do be careful not to become sloppy in other areas of your life, as you might be consumed by relating. With diligence, your work life will become more fulfilling close to your next birthday. LEO can be helpful with money.

Do you think it's vague enough to cover every possible scenario?

Some People Get Excited Over The Smallest Things!

2012-01-09T20:40:00.006-06:00

When I go to work at the Customer Service desk, I wear a mall-issued white shirt and black “bottoms” of my choice. I've come to realize how this uniform makes it easy to get ready in the morning. All I have to do is grab a shirt, select one of several pairs of black pants that are hanging in the closet, throw on a belt (because I wear the shirt tucked in and my pants have loops), and shoes. The only thing I have to think about is earrings. What’s my statement for the day going to be--silver or gold, studs, dangles, or hoops?

I woke up this morning in a funk and feeling like I wanted to shake something up. At first I wasn’t sure how I could do that, but as I was brushing my teeth inspiration hit. There was nothing that said I couldn’t change up my work clothes and wear a skirt! Immediately my mood improved; I even felt a bit rebellious. I bypassed the row of black pants on the top rack of the closet, and chose a shin-length knit column skirt from the lower rack, the only black one I have. Of course wearing a skirt meant I had to wear hose and a slip, but those were a small price to pay for shaking things up.

My radical outfit actually worked out well, and made me feel happy. The skirt has a bit of wool in it, so it was nice and warm. I've gained a couple of pounds over the holidays, and the skirt’s elastic waistband was really comfortable. To hide my unsvelte waistline, I even left the shirt untucked. What a rabble-rouser!

The Hoodlum Priest

2012-01-08T17:57:00.001-06:00

Last spring I read a fascinating article in the Riverfront Times about The Hoodlum Priest, a movie I'd never heard of. This weekend they were showing the movie at the Webster University Film Series, so Hubby Tony and I decided to go.

Unless you're a fan of low-budget 1960s priest docudramas, I suspect you've never heard of The Hoodlum Priest either. The movie's about Father Charles Clark, a Jesuit who worked to rehabilitate ex-convicts in St. Louis. In 1959 he opened Dismas House, the first halfway house for former prisoners. (Dismas was the Good Thief crucified with Christ on Calvary, and the one who asked for Christ’s blessing. Jesus told him "Today you will be with me in paradise." He's the patron saint of prisoners, reformed thieves, and prisoners on death row)

The movie, which was filmed in St. Louis and Jefferson City, tells the story of Fr. Clark's efforts to assist Billy Lee Jackson, a young thief recently released from the Missouri State Penitentiary. With the priest's help, Billy gets a job and tries to stay out of trouble. He begins a relationship with a young woman. However, when he's fired from his job for a theft he didn't commit he decides to return and rob the company. Things go wrong, and Billy accidentally murders someone. He's tried, found guilty and sentenced to death. The last scene of the movie shows Billy being prepared to enter the gas chamber and being executed.

It was fun to recognize a few of the St. Louis streets, locations, and companies. Although the film was a bit melodramatic, some of Fr. Clark's speeches about the shortcomings of the U.S. penal system and his condemnation of capital punishment still sound relevant today.

Out With The Old

2012-01-07T16:21:00.004-06:00

When Tony and I got married more than 30 years ago, our dish pattern was a very simple Wedgwood stoneware called Blue Pacific; a greyish-cream background, with a blue band around the rim. I eventually had a service for 8 (dinner plates, salad plates, soup bowls, bread and butter plates, coffee cups, and saucers) along with serving bowls and platters.

We used the pieces everyday. As you might expect, along the way some things got broken, but it didn't matter; there was still more than enough for our family of five. However, somewhere in the late 90s I tried to get some replacement plates, only to find out the pattern had been discontinued. I bought a set of 5 blue-and-white ironstone plates and kept going.

I really like the Wedgwood, and there's a lot of good memories associated with it. I've investigated options for filling in the gaps in the set. The dishes I needed were pretty pricy on the online sites, and I could never find another pattern that had the right shape and color. Last year we were down to five salad plates (which I tend to use instead of the larger dinner plates) and four cereal bowls, one of which was starting to crack.

For Christmas Tony and I received a joint present from Son Brian and Daughter-In-Law Nicole: a huge box filled with eight smaller boxes, each containing a place setting of Fiestaware in Cobalt Blue. I loved the dark blue color, but wondered if it wasn't time to start fresh, so with Nicole's permission I exchanged six of the boxes for two of each of three other colors. Now my cabinet is a riot of Cobalt, Scarlet, Lemongrass, and Sunflower:

That shelf needs a dusting, doesn't it?

I boxed up the old vintage dishes to make room for the new ones. I'm going to look into selling them to a china replacement store. Maybe I'll get enough to replace the serving dishes, too, and my discards will make someone else's day.

What's In Your Lunchbox?

2012-01-05T20:44:00.001-06:00

When I started working at the mall Customer Service desk over the summer, the pace was laid back. The holiday frenzy came and went, and now it's back to the original tempo. I'm scheduled for several shifts a week, each 5-51/2 hours long. I often work by myself.

I don’t mind being on my own, but there is one difficulty. Some days my shift goes right through lunch. It's not appropriate to eat in front of customers, but I get hungry! After some experimentation, I've figured out how to sneak in a meal. My system: check to make sure no one’s walking up to the Customer Service desk or looking my way, then pop a bite-sized piece of something in my mouth and chew it up quickly.

Here are a few of the foods you're likely to find in my lunchbox:

Vegetables: anything small or that can be cut into bite-sized pieces. Carrots and green pepper sticks are great. Broccoli (stems are better than florets, because they’re less likely to get stuck between my teeth) or cauliflower pieces. Grape tomatoes if they're really small

Protein: A serving of nuts is really easy to eat; we always have almonds and walnuts in the pantry. Cheese works well, too. Last time I baked chicken I portioned the extra into sandwich bags and froze it; it's easy to grab and put in the lunchbox.

Fruit: Dried fruit is the ultimate in bite-sized. I always have apricots, raisins, prunes, and cranberries in the house, so I dump a serving into a bag and throw it in. Grapes are a nice juicy change of pace.

Carbohydrate: This is the hardest ingredient to “bite size”. My go-to carb is homemade whole-grain muffins, but they can be crumbly. I’ve found that the sturdy breads from Whole Foods don’t crumble when you break them into small pieces. In a pinch I’ll use 100% Whole Wheat bread from Aldi, but I don’t really care for that unless it’s part of a sandwich.

Drink: Water. In a stainless steel bottle with a tightly-screwed lid, so I don’t spill it all over.

That sounds like a lot of food, doesn’t it? However, I’ll be hungry again when my shift’s over, so I bring a piece of fruit to eat the way home. I leave it on the passenger seat of my car, and start munching on it as I’m leaving the parking garage. It’s usually gone before I merge onto the Interstate.

Converted

2012-01-04T16:28:00.000-06:00

According to one of the companies I "Like" on Facebook, January is Braille Literacy Month, and today is Louis Braille’s birthday. He's the one who invented the Braille System, which is used for reading and writing by the visually impaired. I decided to celebrate Louis' birthday by writing something in his language system.

On a cute site called Braille Bug, sponsored by The American Foundation for the Blind, I found a English-to Braille converter. This is what my name (Kathy G) looks like in Braille:

Back to Normal

2012-01-02T16:15:00.007-06:00

I love the holiday season, but after weeks of it it's nice to return to normalcy. With the help of our house guests we've eaten most of the Christmas leftovers and sweets, and I’m trying to get my diet back on track. Last week at this time all the kids were home and all the bedrooms in the house were filled. Gradually, they’ve emptied out and tonight they’ll be completely vacant; after dinner I'm taking Son Tony to the airport so he can catch a flight back to Phoenix.

Even at work things are returning to pre-holiday season status. Extended holiday hours are over, so the mall opened an hour later (now back to the regular schedule). The store across from the Customer Service desk, which last week still had a Christmas display in their windows, today had the windows covered with large pieces of white fabric while they changed them. The piped in holiday music was gone (THANK GOODNESS!), replaced by a combination of smooth jazz and pop. A few of the temporary kiosk stores were already gone, and the huge tree in the middle of the mall was being disassembled.

At the end of my shift I didn't have any problems getting out of the parking garage. The temporary stop signs at the entrance to the garage had been removed, an acknowledgement that the massive traffic flow is over until next year.

It's all good.

Happy New Year's!

2012-01-01T16:30:00.000-06:00

Today's the first day of 2012. Last year is gone. Over. Finished.

Last night Hubby Tony and I had a nice but low-key evening. It's been many years since we've done the dinner/dance/noisemakers and bottle of champagne with hundreds of other people at midnight routine. I don't miss that craziness, but I enjoy the dressing up part. That's been missing the past few years, so I decided this year was going to be different.

I couldn't get too crazy, though, because our first activity of the night was going to Mass. No decolletage! After spending some time rummaging around in my closet, I started my outfit with a pair of black jeans. The first top I chose (hot pink satin with cap sleeves and a bow accented with rhinestones) was too tight after a week of holiday overindulging, so I changed into an amethyst-colored stretch velvet shirt with a swirly metallic glitter pattern. I fancied my hair up a little, added a pair of dangling crystal earrings, and I was ready to go.

After Mass we had a good Italian dinner, then drove to the movie theater and purchased our tickets for War Horse. There was enough time to get frozen custard at a nearby by-the-ounce place before the previous showing finished, but we were waiting in line to get our seats as soon as the theater was clean.

There were several movies we'd considered for our big night, but I think we made a great choice. From the movie's Website:

From director Steven Spielberg comes “War Horse,” an epic adventure for audiences of all ages. Set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War, “War Horse” begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets — British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter — before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man’s Land.

The movie had some pretty emotional scenes. At one point I needed a Kleenex and didn't have any in my purse. I found out that my sparkly stretch velvet shirt was not a good substitute!

Give Me Love

2011-12-31T09:19:00.001-06:00

According to the weather people, today should be mostly sunny with a high around 60°. (For comparison, the average temperature for this date is 40°. It's already warmer than that at 9:00 in the morning.) I'm headed out for a walk, and I suspect I'll run into quite a few other people outside, too.

This morning I heard the George Harrison song "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" on the radio, and for the first time in years really listened to the lyrics. What a great song, and so appropriate for New Year's Eve!

Give me love
Give me love
Give me peace on earth
Give me light
Give me life
Keep me free from birth
Give me hope
Help me cope, with this heavy load
Trying to, touch and reach you with,
heart and soul

OM M M M M M M M M M M M M M
M M M My Lord . . .

PLEASE take hold of my hand, that
I might understand you

Won't you please
Oh won't you

Give me love
Give me love
Give me peace on earth
Give me light
Give me life
Keep me free from birth
Give me hope
Help me cope, with this heavy load
Trying to, touch and reach you with,
heart and soul

OM M M M M M M M M M M M M M
M M M My Lord . . .

PLEASE take hold of my hand, that
I might understand you

Draw Your Own Adventure

2011-12-28T20:42:00.000-06:00

Today, on Christine's Blog I learned about a cute interactive Website called Draw A Stickman.

Can you tell I'm not an artist?

The premise of this interactive site is simple. After you draw a stick man and click the Done box, the character comes to life and goes through a series of adventures. You're asked to draw objects to aid your stick man along the way.

It's fun. Give it a try.

Makin' Bacon

2011-12-27T19:59:00.002-06:00

For the past six years I've worked in education, and had the days between Christmas and New Years off. Not so this year. I had to work shifts at the mall Customer Service desk yesterday and today. The mall was packed both days, with people returning things and picking up after-Christmas bargains. We answered a lot of questions about the location of stores, gave out quite a few wheelchairs and electric scooters, and sold a handful of gift cards.

I didn't mind working, but Hubby Tony's been off, and all the kids are only going to be in town for a couple of days. I felt like I wasn't seeing them much, so before I left for work this morning everyone graciously rolled out of bed and we had a big breakfast...eggs, french toast with warm maple syrup, bacon, fruit, and assorted leftover breads and pastries.

I was in charge of the bacon. We all love bacon, so frying it for six people can take a long time, and it leaves a greasy mess all over the stove. Some time ago I discovered Alton Brown's never-fail method for cooking bacon. He bakes it. The "recipe":

Arrange strips of bacon on a sheet pan fitted with a rack and place the pan into a cold oven. Turn the oven to 400° and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your bacon. Remove and drain on paper towels.

It takes my oven a long time to preheat, so I have to cook the bacon an extra five minutes, but I'm rewarded with crisp, perfectly flat strips of porky goodness. The perfect compliment to a meal.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T15:00:00.001-06:00

From my house to yours.

Tablescape

2011-12-23T16:00:00.004-06:00

We've hosted the extended family Christmas celebration every year for decades, but for some reason I always forget until the last minute that I have to figure out how to set the table. Then I scramble around trying to decorate it so it doesn't look the same as last year.

This year there will be a dozen of us. Years ago the kids wanted to be at their own table in the kitchen, but now that they're young adults they want to be in the main room. The dining room table seats 10 if we're sitting elbow to elbow, so the past few years I've had to get creative. I angle the table in the room, then put a card table in the corner. Our seating is a mixture of nice wood (6 that match the set) and scruffy-looking metal folding chairs.

I only have two tablecloths long enough to fit the main table when it's extended to its full length. One is white, and the other ecru. I have two large sets of napkins (red or white), and a motley collection of others. Last year I used a white-and-red motif, so I wanted something different this year, but I didn't want to spend a lot of money on it.

A couple of days ago I went to our local Vincent de Paul store and found a long table runner. One side was a poinsettia print in muted green and pink with a background of tiny silver holly leaves. The other side was larger silver holly leaves. On the outside seam is a row of silver rick rack, and there are silver tassels at each pointed end. It only cost two dollars, and it was perfect for my needs!

I'm pairing the runner with the ecru tablecloth and the white napkins. For the card table I'll use a white cloth that has silver and gold threads and dark maroon napkins. I may or may not incorporate strings of beads that I used several years ago.

Now that I've figured out the base of the table, I can move on to making sure the linens are unwrinkled, and the plates and silverware are ready to go.

(Not) The Shortest Day Of The Year!

2011-12-22T08:01:00.004-06:00

The winter solstice, which marks the beginning of winter and the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, was yesterday at 11:30 p.m in my area. Now, even though we're in for many months of cold, dreary days before Spring gets here, Ill be focusing on the positive...each day will be a bit longer than the one before it.

I Heard a Bird Sing

I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December
A magical thing
And sweet to remember.

'We are nearer to Spring
Than we were in September,'
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December.

Oliver Herford

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-12-20T08:20:00.000-06:00

What I'm wearing to work today:

Conservative black pants
Professional white button-down shirt
Black shoes
Shiny striped socks
Tiny red jingle bell earrings

Gotta have fun!

Wrap It Up

2011-12-18T16:44:00.024-06:00

With the Christmas buying season in full swing, the mall Customer Service desk that I work at is selling lots of gift cards! There are always two people working at the desk to keep up with the demand, and sometimes there are still customers waiting their turn.

Gift cards are convenient. You don't have to worry about getting the right thing, and the recipients can buy exactly what they want. However, as a present under the tree, gift cards are boring. I'm sure many of the gift cards I'm selling are slipped inside a greeting card, so when the person receives the extra-thick envelope they know exactly what they're getting. Where's the fun in that?

You can buy specially-designed gift packaging for the cards, but in my opinion that's just one step up from putting it in an envelope. During one of our rare lulls at work yesterday, my coworker and I talked about different ways gift certificates can be given. We decided that when someone puts a little effort put into the wrapping and presentation of the card it can make a big difference.

Several years ago Hubby Tony's Christmas list was predominantly clothes. I was having trouble finding just the right thing, and decided to get him gift certificates to two different stores so he could pick out his own. After getting the certificates, I went to Goodwill and bought a horrible-looking shirt and an even worse pair of pants. I tucked a certificate into the pocket of each, folded them neatly into boxes, and wrapped them nicely. When Tony opened the packages, he wasn't sure if the clothes were the present, and politely expressed his thanks (but was obviously quite relieved when I pointed out the "real" gift).

It's also fun to add something edible to a gift card. I've been known to tape the card on top of a chocolate bar-- it's still easy to wrap. When you nestle one on top of the contents of a tin of nuts or popcorn, the person can enjoy the munchies now and shop with the certificate later. I've heard of people who go to the trouble of matching the gift card holder with the gift card itself. You could hide a coffeehouse certificate inside a pound of coffee beans, or a travel certificate inside a book of maps. Put a restaurant card inside of a carry-out container, add some ribbon and a bow, and it looks wonderful.

How about you? Have you done any creative gift card packaging?

Can You Hear Me?

2011-12-16T15:50:00.002-06:00

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 14% of people between the ages of 45 and 64 have a hearing loss. There have been a few times recently that I've had trouble hearing what people are saying, so I wondered if I might have a problem. Today I had a hearing test done at St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf to find out. The Institute is mainly known for their children's programs, but when I read a couple of weeks ago in the church bulletin that they were offering free adult screenings I called and made an appointment.

Although I've never been to the campus, it was easy to find. When I signed in at the front desk, the receptionist gave me a visitor pass and directed me down a ramp to the Audiology department. Once there, I only had to wait a few minutes to be escorted back to a room. The audiologist was friendly and put me at ease. She asked if I was having any problems hearing, then looked in my ears with an otoscope. Next, she directed me to a booth at the far corner of the room. The booth had floor- to-ceiling walls, a window on one wall, and a chair facing the window.

Once I sat down in the chair, she explained what would happen. I'd be subjected to a series of tones, and I was to indicate I'd heard them by pressing a button. She handed me the button, then took a set of headphones off a hook on the wall and placed them over my ears. The headphones fit very snugly, so she said I'd be more comfortable if I took off my glasses. I did. Once everything was ready, she left the room, closing the door behind her. The lights in the room were dimmed.

Without my glasses everything was blurry, but I could see her take a seat at the window in front of me. A few seconds later the test started. Some of the sounds were loud, and some were softer. They also varied in tone from low to high. I had to really concentrate to hear some of them! The test took about five minutes, and I knew it was over when the lights came back on.

I got my results immediately, and was pleased to find out my hearing is normal. The audiologist told me that I can have the test done once a year. That's comforting to know, and I'll remember it if I think my hearing is getting worse.

Wrapping Presents with a Cat

2011-12-13T07:50:00.001-06:00

Clear large space on table for wrapping present.
Go to closet and collect bag in which present is contained, and shut door.
Open door and remove cat from closet.
Go to cupboard and retrieve rolls of wrapping paper.
Go back and remove cat from cupboard.
Go to drawer, and collect transparent sticky tape, ribbons, scissors, labels, etc. . .
Lay out presents and wrapping materials on table, to enable wrapping strategy to be formed.
Go back to drawer to get string, remove cat that has been in the drawer since last visit and collect string.
Remove present from bag.
Remove cat from bag.
Open box to check present, remove cat from box, replace present.
Lay out paper to enable cutting to size.
Try and smooth out paper, realize cat is underneath and remove cat.
Cut the paper to size, keeping the cutting line straight.
Throw away first sheet as cat chased the scissors, and tore the paper.
Cut second sheet of paper to size - by putting cat in the bag the present came in.
Place present on paper.
Lift up edges of paper to seal in present. Wonder why edges don't reach. Realize cat is between present and paper. Remove cat.
Place object on paper, to hold in place while tearing transparent sticky tape.
Spend 20 minutes carefully trying to remove transparent sticky tape from cat with pair of nail scissors.
Seal paper with sticky tape, making corners as neat as possible.
Look for roll of ribbon. Chase cat down hall in order to retrieve ribbon.
Try to wrap present with ribbon in a two-directional turn.
Re-roll ribbon and remove paper, which is now torn due to cat's enthusiastic ribbon chase.
Repeat steps 13-20 until you reach last sheet of paper.
Decide to skip steps 13-17 in order to save time and reduce risk of losing last sheet of paper. Retrieve old cardboard box that is the right size for sheet of paper.
Put present in box, and tie down with string.
Remove string, open box and remove cat.
Put all packing materials in bag with present and head for locked room.
Once inside lockable room, lock door and start to relay out paper and materials.
Remove cat from box, unlock door, put cat outside door, close and relock.
Repeat previous step as often as is necessary (until you can hear cat from outside door)
Lay out last sheet of paper. (This will be difficult in the small area of the toilet, but do your best)
Discover cat has already torn paper. Unlock door go out and hunt through various cupboards, looking for sheet of last year's paper. Remember that you haven't got any left because cat helped with this last year as well.
Return to lockable room, lock door, and sit on toilet and try to make torn sheet of paper look presentable.
Seal box, wrap with paper and repair by very carefully sealing with sticky tape. Tie up with ribbon and decorate with bows to hide worst areas.
Label. Sit back and admire your handiwork, congratulate yourself on completing a difficult job.
Unlock door, and go to kitchen to make drink and feed cat.
Spend 15 minutes looking for cat until coming to obvious conclusion.
Unwrap present, untie box and remove cat.
Go to store and buy a gift bag

(Author Unknown)

Who's Got The Button?

2011-12-11T21:25:00.012-06:00

This morning we decided to go to 9:00 Mass at 8:30, so I had to hustle to get ready. I brushed my teeth, combed my hair, threw on some makeup, then went into my closet and quickly put on a corduroy jumper with a tee shirt underneath. I added pantyhose and shoes. The whole process took ten minutes, and we walked out the door with plenty of time to spare.

I've had this hunter green, wide-wale corduroy jumper for several years. It's been washed enough that it's nice and soft. It buttons down the front, has a deep v neck, and two large pockets. The only (minor) problem with it is the length. It stops right above the knee, and the bottom button's about six inches above the hem. You have to be careful how you sit when you're wearing it.

Even though I only had hose on, I didn't take the extra time to get my dress coat out of the closet. I grabbed the everyday one, which is car coat length. I was glad that Tony volunteered to drive; that let me check my hair in the visor mirror and clean my glasses before we pulled into the church parking lot. When I was getting out of the car I felt something "pop". I looked down and the bottom button of my jumper was gone! I found it on the ground up by the front tire, picked it up, and put it in my wallet.

With the button gone, the relatively modest slit at the front of my jumper was now substantially less modest. I did my best to hold the bottom of the dress down as we walked through the lot and into the church. We picked out our seat and I carefully entered the pew trying to figure out how I'd get through the next hour of standing, kneeling, and sitting.

It ended up not being as much of a problem as I feared. Standing wasn't a problem; the back of the pew in front my me hid the large gap. When I sat, I kept the missal in my lap. The hardest part was getting into and out of the kneeling position, but once I was there no one could see anything below my waist. I walked up to communion very carefully, taking small steps so the bottom of the jumper wouldn't swing too much.

The weather was quite cold today, and we didn't stop to talk to anyone outside the building. I waved to a couple of people as I went straight to the car. I was happy to get there without any problems.

Life Is Nothing Without Friends

2011-12-09T15:00:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I got Christmas presents from two longtime friends. I'm so lucky!

The first was from Debbie, who I met in second grade.(We won't talk about how long ago that was!) We attended the same elementary, junior high, and high schools, and participated in many other activities together. She was one of the attendants at my wedding, and she's Son Donald's godmother.

A couple of weeks ago Debbie sent me an email. A friend of hers was gathering children's DVDs to donate to Children's Hospital, and Debbie had offered to help her collect them. I stopped by the store the next day (and had a great time browsing through the children's video selection), but getting my purchase to Debbie turned out to be difficult.

However, she graciously volunteered to stop by work yesterday and pick it up. When she arrived, she was carrying a package for me wrapped in red and gold paper. I waited until I got home to open the box, which contained a cute Jim Shore Santa figurine. After dinner Tony helped me rearrange the decorations on the family room shelves so our Santas were grouped together (the new one is in the center)

Later in the evening when Tony went out to put something in the mailbox, he discovered a box on the front porch. As soon as I saw the writing, I knew who it was from. Syd's been a friend since Junior High. We've spent innumerable hours together. She was my Maid of Honor when I got married. Even though she moved to Georgia after college, we've still kept in touch.

The box was wrapped in brown paper and sealed with packing tape, and her post office had run still another strip of tape around the package. Once I got through all the exterior wrapping, there was one more piece of tape holding the box closed. When I opened the box, the contents were protected by sheets of crumpled newspaper. However, when I finally got through everything, there was a treat waiting. In a holiday cookie carrier, Syd had arranged packages of cookie mix, several cookie cutters, and a beautiful angel ornament. She even included a card with a cat!

I wonder what treasures the next couple of weeks will hold?

It's Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-07T20:11:00.000-06:00

The mall I work at started piping in Christmas tunes a couple of days before Thanksgiving, and I'm confident the seasonal music will continue until December 24th. I work three shifts a week. That's a lot of holiday cheer I'll be hearing!

I'm sure the mall's play list was put together to provide something for everybody. There's a good mixture of genres--I've heard standards, jazz, pop, R&B, and even a bit of rockabilly. So far, most of the songs have been secular, although yesterday they added instrumental versions of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and "The First Noël". Strangely enough, I've not heard "Jingle Bells" or "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer". Instead, I've been treated to things like Bruce Springsteen's "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", and one of several versions of "Santa Baby". I've also heard songs I'd forgotten about, like "Do They Know It's Christmas?" So far, the wide variety of music has kept it from been annoying. (Although when I'm radio channel surfing on the way home, I'll quickly pass by anything that resembles a holiday tune!)

Yesterday I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. When I went back to bed, I had trouble getting back to sleep. After a while I realized I had a song stuck in my head. Where do you think it could have possibly come from?

(At least it was a good song.)

Skipping Christmas

2011-12-06T08:15:00.005-06:00

Since I never know exactly how long it will take me to get to work, I've started keeping a book in the car. That way, if I have free time I can it pull out and read a page or two. Appropriately, my latest book was a cute John Grisham novel, Skipping Christmas.

From the Website:

Imagine a year without Christmas. No crowded malls, no corny office parties, no fruitcakes, no unwanted presents. That’s just what Luther and Nora Krank have in mind when they decide that, just this once, they’ll skip the holiday altogether. Theirs will be the only house on Hemlock Street without a rooftop Frosty; they won’t be hosting their annual Christmas Eve bash; they aren’t even going to have a tree. They won’t need one, because come December 25 they’re setting sail on a Caribbean cruise. But, as this weary couple is about to discover, skipping Christmas brings enormous consequences–and isn’t half as easy as they’d imagined.

The story starts the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The Kranks are taking their daughter Blair to the airport, where she's leaving for a year-long Peace Corps assignment. Nora's sad that their family won't be celebrating Christmas together this year, but Luther, a tax accountant, sees Blair's absence as an opportunity. He calculates how much they spent on the holiday the year before (and how little they have to show for it), then talks Nora into taking a 10-day Caribbean Cruise that leaves on Christmas Day.

Much to their surprise, Luther and Nora find themselves the objects of scorn from their neighbors and groups they typically buy gifts from. They also find themselves under increasing pressure to conform. A surprise Christmas Eve phone call sets into motion a series of events that have them questioning the choices they've made.

Just like all the Grisham novels I've read, this one was entertaining, and like every good Christmas story, it had a happy ending. It was funny, but had a ring of truth to it. I think the book was also made into a movie, which I'll try to watch this before the Christmas season's over.

Zen Litterbox

2011-12-04T20:42:00.001-06:00

It was my turn to clean the bathrooms today, but before I jumped into wiping down the sinks and scrubbing the toilets I grabbed a grocery bag to empty the trash cans.

After all the trash was emptied, the bag still had room in it, so I decided to scoop the two cat litter boxes (one in the laundry room and the other in the basement). Hubby Tony usually takes care of the job, but we were busy yesterday and he couldn't get around to it. With two cats in the house the boxes fill up quickly!

We use clumping cat litter. It sticks together when the cats urinate, which makes it easy to remove the waste out of the box. I used a scoop to lift out the clumps and turds and threw them in the trash bag. Next I moved the boxes out of the way and swept up the litter that had been kicked on the floor, and cleaned the floor around the boxes. When I was done the litter boxes were clean and ready to use again.

I thought it would be fun to leave the cats a personal litter box touch. I tried to use a plastic fork to rake zen garden patterns on the unblemished litter surface, but the brand of litter we use didn't hold the designs. Instead, I just graded the litter perfectly smooth before putting the boxes back into place.

I wonder...is that the litter box equivalent of a hotel's folding the end of the toilet paper roll into a "V" shape?

Have You Ever Been...

2011-12-02T21:15:00.001-06:00

I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can't go there alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I've also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you if you go there.

I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there. I’ve made several trips there, thanks to my friends, my family and my work.

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I'm not too much on strenuous physical activity anymore.

I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often.

I've been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm.

Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I find myself there more often as I'm getting older.

One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart. At my age I need all the stimuli I can get!

Now if I can just avoid getting in Continent...

--Author unknown

Gingery

2011-11-30T21:35:00.000-06:00

About a month ago I harvested the ginger that was growing in a planter on my deck. I ended up with a pound and a half of root. Since then, I've added the spice to many dishes. I peeled, grated, and froze some. I offered pieces to Sons Brian and Donald. Still, there was an impressive-sized bowl in my refrigerator. Recently the root's been looking a bit wrinkled, and I knew it was time to do something about it. After a bit of Google searching, I decided I'd make candied ginger.

Making candied (also know as crystallized) ginger is a simple process. The ingredients are minimal (ginger, sugar, and water) as is the equipment (saucepan, wooden spoon, kitchen scale, cookie sheet lined with waxed paper, and cooling rack).

The procedure:

Peel the ginger, then slice it. (Some recipes suggested a mandoline, which I don't have. I used a food processor, which made thicker slices.) Put the slices into a saucepan, and add water to cover. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cook until it's translucent and tender. (Mine took 75 minutes. During the cooking process my kitchen smelled fantastic!)

When the ginger is tender drain it, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Weigh the ginger, and measure out an equal amount of sugar. Put ginger, liquid, and sugar back into the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the syrup thickens, about 20 minutes.

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper, and put a cooling rack on top of it. One at a time, remove the ginger pieces from the syrup with a fork (they'll be very sticky) and arrange them on the rack. Let the excess syrup drip off, then roll the ginger in more sugar. Dry it for several hours or overnight. It will become dry and crusty on the outside, but soft on the inside like a gumdrop.

According to my sources, the candied ginger should be good for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. I don't know if it will last that long, though. I've been eating a few pieces each night after dinner, and plan on adding some to the next batch of granola.

You Can Count On It

2011-11-29T19:51:00.000-06:00

ShopperTrak is a company that provides counting services for malls, letting them know how many people are there on a daily basis. A couple of weeks ago they released their predictions for the slowest days of this year's holiday season. The top four are this week. (In order of slowness: Tuesday the 29th, Monday the 28th, Wednesday the 30th, and Thursday the 1st.)

Since I'm now working at a mall, I was pretty interested in their forecast. Yesterday I worked a five-hour shift in the morning and early afternoon, and the traffic seemed to live up to the ShopperTrak predictions. Although I fielded more phone calls than normal, and answered a few more questions, for the most part the shoppers ignored the Customer Service desk. The ShopperTrak people were right on the money again today. This time my shift started after lunch. I sold a few gift cards, and answered a few questions, but I also spent a lot of time watching people go by. When I left at 5:00, it didn't look like things would be picking up anytime soon.

If I'd been smart, I would have gone out after dinner tonight to do some of MY shopping, but instead I sat down on the family room couch and lost all my ambition. I don't have to work tomorrow, though, so I'll try to take advantage of the relatively slow day to get things done.

Clean And Shiny

2011-11-27T20:50:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I took our dining room rug in to be cleaned. While it was gone, I decided it would be a good time to paint the room's scuffed and shabby-looking walls.

Here's the room ready to paint, with the old paint color

And with new paint, all shiny and clean.

The new color in the dining room coordinates with the khaki of the kitchen. Above the chair rail I used a warm green that was part of a paint-company-designed palette. For the rail, the bottom half of the wall, and the crown molding I applied white semigloss.

This turned out to be a big project that I had to squeeze into little chunks of free time. Every surface needed two coats of paint. It took two days to complete the green section and another two days for the white. I finished the room last weekend, then picked up and laid the cleaned rug on Tuesday. With all the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving, I didn't get around to putting the last things back into place until today.

I'm glad the job is done. And, as a nice side bonus, since I had to take all the glasses out of the china cabinet before I moved it, I dusted and washed the contents before I replaced them. Now I don't have to add that to my list of chores to do before Christmas!

Small Business Saturday

2011-11-26T17:30:00.000-06:00

I suspect most people have heard of Black Friday (the traditional day-after-Thanksgiving start of the holiday season) and Cyber Monday (the Internet's big shopping day the Monday after Thanksgiving), but do you know about Small Business Saturday? The term was coined by American Express last year to promote the advantages of shopping in small, local shops. This year the U.S. Senate designated Nov. 26 as Small Business Saturday to help promote the day nationwide. Today Tony and I did our part to support our small merchants.

After breakfast we got our things together and headed out the door. Our first stop wasn't exactly a small local shop. but I think going to a Fair Trade Market honors the spirit of the day. The Fair Trade Market at Manchester United Methodist Church claims to be the largest market of certified Fair Trade vendors and products in the US. For several years we've made it a tradition to shop there the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Tony and I entered the Market together, and even started with a communal shopping bag, but soon we parted ways to do our own thing. We came back together when we were done and checked out at the same time, being careful to choose cashiers that weren't close to each other. I bought a hair barrette made with shiny snack packaging and a shopping bag constructed from a recycled sari that fits into a very small pouch. I may or may not have bought some Christmas presents. Tony bought me these cute Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus Ten Thousand Villages earrings. I think they'll be a nice conversation starter at work. He probably got some other things, but I guess I don't need to know what they were.

There are several neighborhoods in our area that have concentrations of small businesses. I let Tony pick the area, and he chose the city of Maplewood. Much of the city's shopping district runs along Manchester Road about twelve miles east of us. When we got there it was easy to find a parking space along the street. We got out of the car and started walking. There were a couple of gift shops we passed on, and we didn't need to go in the beauty salon, but we enjoyed browsing in a small hardware store, a pet store, and a store that sold oils and vinegars. The office supply store was closed, as was the typewriter repair shop. Although it's technically not a small business, we stopped into the Penzeys Spice store (the only one in the area). I may or may not have bought some more Christmas presents.

When we got hungry, we weren't too far from Schlafly Bottleworks (a local microbrewery), so we decided to eat lunch there. Their restaurant offers food from as many local farmers and businesses as possible, and lists many of their suppliers on the last page of the menu. We each had a soup and sandwich combination, but passed on dessert, because there was one more stop we had to make on the way back to the car--the Kakao Chocolate shop. We sampled several confections, and bought some things. Some of them may or may not have been holiday purchases.

After several hours of shopping, Tony and I were both ready to call it a day. I'm pretty sure it won't be the last time we support small businesses, though!

'Twas The Night Of Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:21:00.001-06:00

A Thanksgiving Poem
--CJ Beaman--

'Twas the night of Thanksgiving, I just couldn’t sleep.

I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep.

The leftovers beckoned, the dark meat and white,

But I fought the temptation with all of my might.

Tossing and turning with anticipation,

The thought of a snack became infatuation.

So, I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door

And gazed at the fridge full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,

Pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.

I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,

‘til all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky

With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.

But I managed to yell as I soared past the trees...

Happy eating to all...pass the cranberries, please.

May your stuffing be tasty, may your turkey be plump,

May your potatoes ‘n gravy have nary a lump,

May your yams be delicious, may your pies take the prize,

May your Thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs.

Music To Cook By

2011-11-23T10:30:00.000-06:00

I have to work today from 12:00-6:00. That's inconvenient, because there are two things I've been assigned bring to our family Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, but since my boss thoughtfully didn't schedule me on Friday, I won't complain! Before I leave at 11:15 I'm trying to get as much cooking done as I can.

For as long as I can remember, I always bring the same thing on Thanksgiving--pumpkin pies and Cranberry Jello, a two-layer, pound-inducing concoction of cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple, nuts, whipped topping, cream cheese, and marshmallows introduced to the family by my mom about 25 years ago. After she died I became the designated maker, and I don't know if they'd let me into the party if I didn't bring it.

Right after breakfast I got out all the ingredients for both dishes and set them up in different staging areas on the counter. I preheated the oven and got started on the pies. This year I'm making one traditional variety, and, for a twist on tradition, a pumpkin-chocolate chip. After the pies were in the oven, the kitchen counters were covered with dirty dishes, pumpkin puree, and spice jars.

I cleaned up that mess, and started on the jello. The first step was to dissolve packages of red jello with hot water, then mash canned cranberry sauce in until the mixture is smooth. (No matter how careful I am I always end up with red splatters. This year I remembered to wear a dark colored shirt to hide anything that splashed on me.) After the sauce was blended in, I added drained pineapple and chopped walnuts and mixed again, then put the pan in the refrigerator to jell. I cleaned up the sticky counter, then got out the mixer to prepare the whipped topping. Later, when the bottom layer is hard, I'll soften cream cheese, mix it with the topping, add miniature marshmallows, and spread the mixture on top of the jello.

With both dishes under control, I decided to do some bonus cooking. I had quite a bit of juice from the drained crushed pineapple, so I used it make muffins. Fortunately, I make a batch almost every week and I can throw the recipe together in the time it takes the oven to preheat. Easy-peasy, and I'll be happy when there's something good for breakfast tomorrow.

In the middle of all the cooking insanity, this song came on the radio. It always makes me smile, so I had to stop, turn up the volume, and dance around for a few minutes.

Candlelighting

2011-11-20T20:00:00.002-06:00

I worked at the mall today from opening to closing (a 7 hour shift). When I took my meal break in the middle of the day Son Donald, who happened to be in the area, came to join me. We went down to the food court, where I grabbed a hamburger and fries. The half hour went all too quickly, and then it was time to go back to work. Donald walked with me back to the Customer Service desk and left to do some shopping.

No sooner had I started work than a woman came up and said she had a strange request. She was helping a friend who was hosting a birthday party at one of the mall’s stores. They’d forgotten to bring matches to light the candles on the cake. Did I know anywhere she could get a book of matches or a lighter?

I did, indeed, but it wasn’t at a store. Son Donald usually carries a lighter with him. If he was still in the mall perhaps he’d come by and save the day. I called him and asked him if he was still around (he was) and explained the situation. He said he’d be there in a couple of minutes.

When he got there he handed the lighter over to the woman, who thanked him profusely. She promised to bring it back in a few minutes. Donald had finished shopping and was on his way out (on the way to the house for a visit with his dad), so I offered to collect the lighter and return it to him.

Part of my job description is to give good customer service. I enjoy doing that, but now I’m getting people that don’t even WORK at the mall to do it, too!

Boo, Gobble Gobble, Ho, Ho, Ho!

2011-11-19T20:35:00.001-06:00

The code for this doodle and other doodles you can use on your blog can be found at Doodles.

We've entered the non-stop holiday time of the year. It just seems like I was handing out candy to Trick or Treaters, but Thanksgiving is next week, and then it's a mad rush to Christmas and the new year.

Even though I'm not ready for all the frenzy, the mall where I work is all decked out for Christmas. It took them almost two weeks to set out large decorations, fill the planters with seasonal greenery, and erect a huge tree in the atrium area. Santa arrived over the weekend and settled into his set next to the tree. The majority of the stores have festive window displays, although there's still a few that are waiting. (I applaud them.)

The next couple of days should be normal at the Customer Service counter. After Thanksgiving, though, that will all change. The mall will be open longer hours, and there will be more shoppers. One of the things our desk does, in addition to answering questions, is sell mall gift cards, and I suspect there will be a lot purchased.

I have a week to get ready.

Grace-Full

2011-11-16T20:36:00.000-06:00

“You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”― G.K. Chesterton

I read this quote a couple of weeks ago at Life at Willow Manor, and liked the idea of bringing gratitude into all the different parts of my life. Later that day I opened a magazine at the dentist's office and saw an ad that used the same quote. Since then, I've seen the same passage two more times.

I guess I should take its message seriously!

Carpet Carrying

2011-11-14T20:19:00.005-06:00

I had an interesting passenger on the way to work today:

The dining room rug, on its way to the cleaners.

This Oriental area rug is about 30 years old. We bought to go in the dining room shortly after we got married. Over the years it's seen a lot of meals, and holds a lot of memories. At nine feet by twelve feet it's big enough to cover most of the floor in our current dining room, and big enough to barely fit in my car.

With the kids all gone we don't use the dining room as much as we used to, but the rug still gets dirty. Last week I got a postcard from Woodard Carpet Cleaning which offered me a substantial discount on rug cleaning if I brought it to them. I decided it was time to get the rug cleaned. Woodard's office is on the way home from work, so yesterday when Son Donald and Son Brian were around I had them roll up the rug and put it in my car.

My job was to get the car ready. First I took the headrest off the front passenger seat and leaned it all the way back, then folded the back seat forward and let it rest on top of the front one. When the boys got the rug out to the car, they pushed it from the back and I pulled it from the front. In order to close the trunk door I had to rest the rug on the dashboard!

It was interesting driving to work this morning. The rug obstructed the right side mirror, so I had to be very careful. Fortunately traffic wasn't too bad, and I only had to change lanes once. After I got off work I drove to Woodard's office, where two attendants carried the rug inside. I was glad to get it out of the car. The rug will be ready in about a week, and I'll have to reverse the whole process when I pick it up. It will be worth it to have a clean rug, though.

Toss Out

2011-11-13T21:30:00.001-06:00

We have a typical suburban house in the middle of a typical suburban lot. Most of the area is covered with grass, but over the 20 years we've lived here I've dug up several areas for landscaping and garden beds. Every time I do a project in the yard, I run into rocks. Most of it is the crushed rock that would be laid as a bed under a concrete slab, even in areas in the far corners of the yard that aren't close to the concrete.

I don't want to throw the rocks in the trashcan, so I put them in an old plastic flowerpot under the deck. When I accumulate enough (about once a year) I figure out a way to get rid of them, usually by tossing them in a nearby creek. I've been waiting for the right time to do Project Rock Disposal 2011, and today was it.

This year I had a bonus crop of rocks to dispose of. We had a French drain put in the back yard this summer to divert rainwater water from our downspout to the sewer in the back. For several days after the work was completed I went outside and picked up handfuls of rocks from the area that had been dug up. There were four flowerpots (three one-gallon models and a five-gallon one) lined up underneath the deck steps. I put them all in a milk crate; when I picked the crate up to carry it to the car it felt like there were about 25 pounds of rocks.

Son Donald came with me to help. There are several different places close to the house that I can access the creek. I always pick my site carefully. Even though I don't think it's illegal to get rid of the rocks there, if someone saw me they might wonder what I'm doing. The parking lot at the first place we tried was blocked, so I headed towards a second area. There was no problem getting close to this one. I parked the car, looked around to see if anyone was watching, then Donald and I each grabbed pots from the car, walked over to the side of the creek, and dumped. The whole project took less than 30 seconds.

As wee got in the car and drove away, for some reason the theme song to the movie The Great Escape was playing in my head.

For Cat Lovers...

2011-11-12T13:11:00.000-06:00

I think Tony, the designated breakfast server for our cats, goes through this every morning!

Eleven Eleven Eleven

2011-11-11T14:19:00.014-06:00

Today (November 11) is Veterans Day, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I.

The day honors veterans of all wars. In Washington DC the national Veterans day service takes place at Arlington Cemetery, where they will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Closer to home, the St. Louis branch of the American Legion has a service at the Soldier's Memorial downtown. Many people will visit Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Several local municipalities also have their own ceremonies.

However, there are some other ways to commemorate the day. Did you know that the holiday can be celebrated by having a ravioli meal? The idea dates back to the end of World War I when President Woodrow Wilson, knowing that the returning soldiers would be wanting a home cooked meal, he invited 2,000 soldiers to the White House and helped his staff chefs cook them ravioli (which was then newly trendy due to the advent of commercial canning).

I love Italian food, and never pass on an excuse to eat it, so when Tony and I went out to eat today I ordered ravioli. However, because it sounded good to me, in a twist on tradition my ravioli was toasted. The six large round ravioli were very lightly breaded, fried perfectly, and arranged around the edge of a plate with a small bowl of pomodoro sauce in the middle for dipping. They were wonderful.

Thanks, Veterans, for all your sacrifices!

Some Days You Just Can’t Win

2011-11-10T11:34:00.002-06:00

On Thursdays I have to be at work at 9:30. Even though it only takes me 30 minutes to get there, I usually allow 45 minutes just in case traffic is an issue. This morning it was.

I’m fortunate that there are a lot of different routes I can use to get to work. The fastest (and way I usually use) is the Interstate, but I also know several side streets that go in the right direction. When I get in the car, the first thing I do is turn the radio to an AM station that has frequent traffic updates to see if my normal route has any problems. This morning the only thing I heard that would affect me was a slowdown from a cleared-up accident that started about five miles before my exit and continued until I needed to get off. It would take me 20 minutes to get to that area, which I figured it would be cleared up by then, so I proceeded as I usually do.

I left my subdivision, meandered through another one, and pulled out onto 141, where the speed limit is 50 mph. NOT 40, which is what the truck ahead of me was doing. He also tapped his brakes every 30 seconds. When the limit dipped to 45 mph in the City of Manchester, he lowered his speed to 35 mph. It took me several miles to get into the other lane and away from the truck, but somehow now I was behind another driver who was “Sunday driving”!

Fortunately now I wasn’t too far from the Interstate, so I grinned and beared it until I could get into the right lane, which merges onto the outer road and then the interstate entrance ramp. To my understanding, a merge lane means you slow down, check for traffic, then continue through if it’s safe. Even though there was no traffic to be seen on the outer road, someone several cars ahead of me decided to come to an almost complete stop, which caused a chain reaction as everyone behind him quickly hit their brakes.

My bad luck continued when I got on the highway. I got behind a large, slow pickup loaded with tree limbs that looked like they were going to fall off. Then I got in front of a driver who was in a hurry and thought that the speed limit was 70. He wasn’t happy with the fact I was doing the posted limit in the far right lane and gave me a dirty look as he passed.

The traffic slowdown I thought would be gone was even worse than the radio reported. Now it started two more miles to the west, with stop and go traffic. I’d had enough! I was coming up on an exit I knew would get me to a road that would take me to the mall, so I quickly got off. The exit has a roundabout, and I was behind a driver that seemed to be unfamiliar with navigating it, but soon I was traveling at a normal rate of speed. I missed every stop light on the way, but was SO glad to pull into the parking garage with a couple of minutes to spare.

I wonder if I’ll have the same problems on the way home?

Reteaching Loveliness

2011-11-08T21:09:00.002-06:00

St. Francis And The Sow

The bud
stands for all things,
even those things that don't flower,
for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing;
though sometimes it is necessary
to reteach a thing its loveliness,
to put a hand on its brow
of the flower
and retell it in words and in touch
it is lovely
until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing;
as St. Francis
put his hand on the creased forehead
of the sow, and told her in words and in touch
blessings of earth on the sow, and the sow
began remembering all down her thick length,
from the earthen snout all the way
through the fodder and slops to the spiritual curl of
the tail,
from the hard spininess spiked out from the spine
down through the great broken heart
to the blue milken dreaminess spurting and shuddering
from the fourteen teats into the fourteen mouths sucking
and blowing beneath them:
the long, perfect loveliness of sow.

Galway Kinnell

Galway Kinnell is an American poet. He was born in 1927, attended Princeton, and traveled extensively throughout Europe. In the 1960s he worked for racial equality in the United States and protested against the Vietnam War. He was Poet Laureate of Vermont from 1989 to 1993, and has won both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize.

I love the notion of St. Francis reaching out to the female pig, telling her that she is beautiful—she just can’t see it. Don't we all feel that way sometimes?

What A Deal!

2011-11-06T21:45:00.016-06:00

I was out of town this weekend with JD of Walk It Off!. We attended a state conference of a group we're both members of which was held at Lake of the Ozarks.

It takes about three hours to get to the Lake, which is southwest of St. Louis. Although our first obligation wasn't until Friday night after dinner, we left mid-morning in order to do some shopping at some of JD's favorite thrift shops in Jefferson City. She drove, because her car gets better gas mileage than mine. It was a beautiful day, with a cloudless blue sky. I soon shed the jacket I was wearing as the sun warmed the inside of the car.

I haven't seen JD for a couple of weeks, so we spent the time talking about our families, friends, and mutual acquaintances. We made one pit stop, and before I knew it we were getting off the Interstate at Kingdom City and heading south towards Jefferson City. After one wrong turn, she found the correct street for our first stop, a huge Goodwill store where I found a perfect pair of black pants for work for only $3.00

After a nice lunch, we headed to The Bag Lady Exchange, which sells purses, clothes, accessories, and shoes. We walked into the front room, which was full of purses hanging along the walls. A second small room off to the right was devoted to shoes, and everything else was in a larger room straight ahead. The clothes were attractively arranged on round racks, and the accessories were displayed in various places around the room. After checking out the clothes, I moved over to a display of purses, where I spied the distinctive quilted fabric of a Vera Bradley bag. This one was a combination of greens and blues with a tiny amount of black and white for accents.

I took the purse off its hook. It was the perfect size, and when I opened the zippered top I found out it was loaded with pockets inside. The straps fit nicely on my shoulder. I don't need another purse, but I took a look at the price tag. Full-sized Vera Bradley bags sell for somewhere between $50-$75 dollars, depending on the size and pattern, so when I saw this purse was priced at $25 I seriously considered buying it. The sales clerk saw me looking at the purse and told me it was on clearance. The price was now half the posted price.

SOLD!

Jumbo!

2011-11-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

When I was doing the grocery shopping the other day, one of the things on my list was potatoes. I was in a hurry, and grabbed a 10-pound bag of russets without taking a good look at the package. Later, when I was putting the food away, I noticed I'd purchased a big of "Jumbo Sized" spuds.

They weren't kidding! The bag only had eight pieces in it. The smallest potato weighed in at one pound, and the largest was more than one and a half pounds. According to the USDA guidelines a serving of potato is 1/3 pound, or about the size of a fist. Using that as a gauge, some of the specimens in my bag would feed a family of five!

I'm only cooking for two, so at first glance these potatoes would be way too big for us. However, it shouldn't be a problem. When I cook dinner, I make four servings-enough for the evening meal and leftovers for the next day. Using the biggest potatoes, some days I'll just have a little bit extra...

11022011

2011-11-02T20:23:00.001-05:00

Today is November 2, 2011 which can also be written as 11022011. If that string of numbers is a little confusing, add punctuation and the date is a more recognizable 11/02/2011. Either way, it's a very rare eight-digit palindrome date, meaning that it can be read the same way both forward and backward. According to Life's Little Mysteries there are 12 eight-digit palindrome dates in the 21st Century. The last one was on January 2, 2010 (01022010), and the next one won't be until February 2, 2020 (02022020).

However, a friend brought to my attention that if you write the date without any leading zeros, every day until next Wednesday is a Palindrome Day:

Wednesday 11/2/11
Thursday 11/3/11
Friday 11/4/11
Saturday 11/5/11
Sunday 11/6/11
Monday 11/7/11
Tuesday 11/8/11
Wednesday 11/9/11

The palindromes skip a day on Thursday the 10th, then culminate with a same-number date on Friday, November 11 (11/11/11).

Trick Or Treat... Smell My Feet...

2011-10-31T21:20:00.002-05:00

Another Halloween has come and gone.

Yesterday I went to Costco and bought chewy granola bars to hand out, and thought I was done buying for Halloween. After dinner the doorbell rang. When I opened the door, there were two teenage boys standing there. They told me they were from the drama department of the local high school, and for Halloween the group was collecting items for the local food pantry. One of them handed me a flyer with a list of the items they were asking for. On the way home from work today, I stopped by the store and bought enough things to fill a bag.

For the last two years Tony's been gone on business on October 31st. This year, I told him he was in charge of the door. However, he had a meeting that started at 7:00, so he left the house shortly before that. During his shift, there were only two five trick-or-treaters! I got to do the rest, which turned out to be about fifty children. Our neighborhood is definitely getting older.

I always ask for a "trick" before I hand over a "treat", and usually get a joke. This year's best:

What do vampires eat? NECKtarines

What do you call a blood sucker on the moon? A luna-tick

What is a ten letter word that starts with gas? Automobile

Why couldn't the skeleton cross the road? Because he didn't have the guts.

One girl had a quite philosophical questions for a trick...If a turtle loses it's shell, is it naked or is it homeless?

WHAT?

2011-10-30T21:21:00.002-05:00

I've been trying to incorporate more "whole" foods into my diet. However, sometimes they cost more than their more-processed counterparts, so I go to a variety of stores to get the best prices.

Take rice, for example. At the grocery store, a one pound package of brown rice is somewhere between $1-$1.50, depending on what kind of sale they're running. Aldi doesn't carry brown rice, and Costco only carries a fancy organic variety, so buying it at either of those stores isn't an option. However, I've figured out that the ethnic food store has a great selection of rice. The only downside is that in order to get the best price you have to buy a sack; depending on the variety that's somewhere between 20 and 25 pounds. I sometimes split my purchase with Son Donald, but if he doesn't need any it's not a big deal. Whatever doesn't fit in the rice container in the pantry I can store in the freezer downstairs.

A couple of weeks ago I used up the last of the rice, so it was time to get some more. The last time Hubby Tony and I were running errands, we stopped at Global Foods Market in Kirkwood. They have dozens of types of rice from all over the world...white, brown, jasmine, basmati. Short, medium, and long-grained. I chose the cheapest bag of brown rice they had; the 25 pound sack was only $16.

Tony carried the rice. I had a shoppingbag for the rest of the things on my list (and the inevitable extras that I find). As we were walking through the produce section, a man looked at Tony, smiled, and said something. I was pretty sure I heard him correctly, but when he walked away, I had to ask Tony just to make sure. The man's comment? "That's an awfully big bag of rice for a white guy."

World Series Champions 2011

2011-10-28T22:33:00.000-05:00

Game 7: St. Louis 6, Texas 2

Gathering Ginger

2011-10-27T08:30:00.000-05:00

Last year I planted a piece of ginger root (or more accurately, a ginger rhizome), and grew it in a pot on the deck. At the end of the season I overwintered it, and was thrilled when it sprouted again this spring. Once again, I put the pot outside when the weather got warm. Ginger, being a tropical plant, loves our area's hot humid summers. Once things start cooling off, the leaves start getting brown and straggly and ginger season is over. Instead of overwintering the plant again, this year I decided to harvest the ginger.

Here's the plant before I started:

I upended the pot in the grass, then picked up the stones that had been in the bottom of the pot. The ginger's roots were a tangled mess. As I started pulling them apart, a wonderful ginger-y smell filled the air. When I was done, this is what was left:

I cut off the roots and stems and threw them in the compost bin. (I bet the pile will smell good next time I open up the lid to add something to it!)

The next step was to bring my harvest inside. I cleaned it in two changes of water, scrubbing the crevices of the roots with an old toothbrush to get all the dirt off. When I was done there was an impressive pile of ginger. I weighed it to see just how much I had--there was one and a half pounds.

I don't remember how much I started with two years ago, but I know I spent less than a dollar on the piece I planted. (Ginger costs somewhere between $5 and $6 a pound.) I'm thrilled with my bounty. Now I just have to figure out how to use all of it.

Invasive Species Alert: ZOMBIES!

2011-10-26T12:14:00.001-05:00

Just in time for Halloween, I found this on the Missouri Department of Conversation Website:

Be warned of our state’s newest invasive species threat--ZOMBIES!

While zombie management is largely left to the police, military and health agencies, conservation plays a role in protecting Missouri's fish, forest and wildlife resources--and Missourians--from this invasive species.

Hunters, campers and others in the outdoors and on conservation areas should know there is always the chance they may encounter a zombie while out in the field. Good preparation helps you know what to do if you encounter this newest invasive species in Missouri.

The zombie invasion is like the feral hog problem in parts of Missouri, and its management is similar. We do not encourage organized zombie hunts since that may encourage the intentional release of zombie swarms. It can also disrupt wildlife and hunting opportunities for the more than 500,000 living Missourians who enjoy hunting.

Zombie Identification

Some indications that you have a zombie in view:
It has a gray-green dull skin tone.
It is wearing inappropriate clothing for the season or terrain (no coat or shoes, for instance).
It has open wounds, other injuries and/or missing or damaged limbs but no sign of bleeding.
It does not respond to verbal stimulus or exhibit any interest in its immediate surroundings.
It is trying to eat you.

Zombie Hunger and Habitat

Zombies require meat and brains. While human is the preferred source, fish and wildlife are another ready source of nourishment.

While zombies are primarily found in populated areas, there are zombies in undeveloped rural areas, far from cities and towns. Evidence suggests that these zombies are transient, and moving to populated areas in search of their primary food source: brains. They are known to travel in packs or swarms, especially near food sources, but it is not uncommon to find solitary zombies in the field.

Cold weather slows down zombies. When the weather is below freezing, zombies may "hibernate" under leaf litter or underwater until warmer spring weather.

Hunter/Outdoor Safety

Whether you are out in a tree stand, in a wetland or in a field, a few precautions combined with everyday hunter safety can ensure that you make it back alive.
Always let someone know where you are hunting (or fishing, hiking, walking, camping) and when you expect to return. Leave a map or GPS coordinates with your family and in your vehicle.
Avoid cauliflower fields. Since cauliflowers appear brain-like, they often lure zombies.
Meat processors and other areas of concentrated meat and brains also attract zombies. (Tip: MDC offers programs and events, including how to process your own deer.)
If you encounter a large pack of zombies, escape rather than trying to fight them alone. While you may be able to run faster, remember that zombies are relentless at pursuit. Get to a vehicle and a safe zone.
If in the suburban outdoors, remember that shopping malls and big-box stores may serve as fortresses against the walking dead, but also attract zombies in large numbers.

Tree Stand Safety

A tree stand is a readily defensible position, but keep in mind that free-standing tree stands can be toppled by a small pack of zombies. Follow manufacturers' instructions when setting up your stand. There are unconfirmed reports that some zombies may be capable of climbing tree stands.

Always practice proper tree-stand safety and wear a safety harness. Falling from a tree stand can injure you or make you dead. Falling from a tree stand into the gaping maw of a zombie can make you undead.

Waterfowl Hunting and Hunting with Dogs

Zombies do not require air and can stay submerged underwater for extended periods of time. While MDC managed waterfowl areas are believed to be zombie-free, use caution when wading through murky water and always check your blinds before entering. Consider wearing a shark suit or other body armor over your waders to prevent zombie bites from breaking through both your waders and your skin. If you use a boat to retrieve your game, put a spike or hammerhead on one end of your pole to use as a handy defense tool if you encounter the undead.

Dogs are usually very sensitive to zombies and will alert you to their presence. They cannot, however, sense submerged zombies. Scout out your wetlands before hunting and do not let your dog retrieve game if there are signs of zombies. Don't let man's best friend turn into man's worst fiend.

Remember that deer and turkey cannot be taken with the use of dogs.

Field Tips for Foresters and Others in the Woods

Chainsaws, axes and machetes are excellent weapons in quickly "dispatching" zombies. Remember that a severed zombie head can still bite.

Controlled fire has shown to be a slower-but-still-effective weapon in "dispatching" the walking dead. Complete incineration or explosion of the zombie is necessary to prevent further animation.

Always wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) during close encounters with the undead to prevent direct contact with blood and brains since these are known to transmit the associated virus.

Note to Anglers

If you snag a zombie, CUT THE LINE!

Trout anglers, now is a good time to replace your porous-soled waders and boots with something non-porous and zombie-resistant. This has the added benefit of reducing the spread of rock snot (didymo).

During the fall gigging season, a gig is an effective tool against zombies.

Happy Halloween!
This was your trick! Suggested treat: BRAINS!

Rock, Roll, and Run

2011-10-23T21:15:00.005-05:00

I have no desire to ever run a marathon, but today I watched one. DIL Nicole was running in the first-ever St. Louis stop of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon series. Hubby Tony and I went to support her and cheer her on.

Nicole's been working up to her first marathon since running a half-marathon back in the spring. She, Son Brian, and a friend of theirs who was also running came in town yesterday from Columbia and spent the night at our house. I cooked a pre-marathon dinner of baked chicken, spaghetti, salad, and bread. Afterwards, we relaxed and watched the Cardinals win another World Series game in decisive fashion.

The race started at 7:30 this morning. The runner's car left the house a little after 6:30, and Tony and I got on the road 20 minutes after that. When we got downtown, we parked on the south side of the race area, and got there just in time to see the impressive array of runners (which stretched for blocks) waiting for their turn to begin. Between the marathon and half marathon, there were 20,0000 entrants. They started in waves, based on the finish time they'd estimated. All the runners with similar times were assigned to a corral, and there were 23 corrals.

A sound system was broadcasting loud classic rock music. As each group of runners came up to the starting line, the masters of ceremony announced them, then sent them on their way. In the front of each group there were pace runners carrying tall signs signifying the projected finish time. The first couple of groups (which were the faster runners) looked like they were taking the race very seriously, but people further back in the crowd seemed to be having more fun. I even saw a couple with their cell phones out, taking pictures of the event.

Once all the runners had gone by we were able to find Brian, then walk back to the car to execute our plan for the day. At the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, there's a live band playing on each mile of the course. We thought we'd drive to several different spots along the route and listen to the music while we waited to watch Nicole run by, then end up at the finish line. We had studied the course map (and list of bands) ahead of time, and chosen a few that sounded interesting.

However, we'd not factored street closings into the plan. After we had to turn around a couple of times before we even got out of downtown, we revised our program. Instead of Mile 6 for our first stop, we headed towards Mile 9. As we got out of the car, I could hear the music (even though we were a block away). When we got to the main street, there were quite a few spectators cheering on the runners. We chose a spot on the sidewalk to sit. Runners flowed past us, some individually and some in groups. Every ten minutes we saw the pace banner carriers, so we used those to gauge when we might see Nicole. Ten minutes before her expected time I looked up and she was running by, in a bright shirt that was easy to see. We yelled her name and she turned her head to acknowledge us, giving us a friendly wave.

After Nicole was gone, we walked back to the car for our next stop. However, once again we ran into problems with closed streets and we didn't know if we'd be able to make it on time, so we changed our plans again and headed to Mile 19. When we got there we parked the car and again headed towards the music. While we were waiting for Nicole, I saw some people go by for a second time. There was a couple dressed in superhero outfits, a man with a bright red Mohawk, and a woman with a pink Lady Gaga wig. This time it took about a half hour for Nicole to run by. Once again she gave us a wave when she saw us, although she looked like she was getting pretty tired.

We got back in the car and headed for our last stop, the finish line. We had to drive around downtown for a while to find a parking space, but when I saw someone leaving Tony made a quick U-turn and we nabbed that space, which was only three blocks from the finish line festival area. The actual finish line was three blocks farther; we had to navigate through a big throng of already-finished runners and their supporters. We took up places along the fence and waited for Nicole. When she ran by she looked exhausted, and didn't even hear us call her name.

We met her at the end of the runner's Secure Zone. After a few minutes she decided it was time to go home. Brian was driving, so she could stretch out and relax.

Apple-On-A-Stick

2011-10-20T19:55:00.000-05:00

Last week I was at my local Aldi store buying produce. Right around the corner from the bagged apples was a display of caramel apples. I was hungry, and the individually-packaged ones were only 29 cents, so I decided to get myself a snack.

When I got to the car, I opened the package, took a big bite of the apple, and tasted chocolate! A closer look at the package told me that I'd bought a Happy Apples "Select" apple, which has chopped peanuts, milk chocolate, white chocolate, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. I've never had chocolate on a caramel apple before, but it tasted fantastic. The apple was a little difficult to eat in the car. Several chunks of nuts and chocolate fell off the fruit onto my lap, and halfway through the apple came off of the stick. I had to hold it in my hands, and when I was done my hands were a sticky mess. It was worth it, though.

I was back at Aldi yesterday doing the "big" shopping. They still had the display of caramel apples. This time I bought two--one for me and one for Hubby Tony, and served them for dessert last night. After we cleared the dishes, I brought the apples over and we dug in. Halfway through I noticed that my apple had greenish-yellow skin, but Tony's was red. That surprised me; I would have thought that the company would standardize things. However, my apple was delicious (again) and I didn't hear any complaints from Tony, so his must have been good too.

Batter Up!

2011-10-19T08:00:00.058-05:00

Tonight's the first game of the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers. After dinner we'll be turning on the TV and settling in for an exciting night of baseball watching.

It's great to see the hometown team in the Series. Back in August, no one thought they'd be playing now; they were 10½ games back, and didn't qualify for the postseason until the last day of the regular season. Then, they had to win series against the Philadelphia Phillies and the Milwaukee Brewers. They did all that, and here they are!

In honor of this premiere baseball event, here's a poem written by Helen of Living Boldly. Helen, thanks for letting me repost it.

Batter Up!

When summer fun has ended

And autumn leaves begin to fall

Baseball takes the center stage

For the greatest show of all

Frenzied fans will pack the stands

Will scream and shout and cheer

It's time for the World Series

For the best games of the year

Fans keep track on scorecards

Pitch by pitch and run by run

Through each of the nine innings

Or 'till the game is done

They boo the home plate umpire

Its three strikes and you're out!

No spit balls, scuff balls, mud balls

Umpires must leave no doubt

When the games have ended

And the champion has been crowned

They know they've been a part of something

Something quite profound

GO CARDS!

Season's End

2011-10-17T12:55:00.000-05:00

The retreat I helped plan this past weekend was a great success. It started on Thursday evening, ended on Sunday morning, and was jam-packed with activities. We got up before sunrise and didn't go to bed until long after dark. The weather was beautiful. We were able to some of the activities outside, under sunny skies with a few puffy white clouds. During breaks, it wasn't uncommon to see women strolling the grounds.

The retreat center we were at used to be a school for men studying to be religious brothers. The dormitory building is old, with thick walls and beautifully-worn hardwood floors. Each bedroom was large enough to hold a single-sized bed, upholstered chair, small desk, and sink. There was a closet off to one side, and a radiator under the window. The communal shower and bathroom facilities (one for each floor) were clean, but the water pressure wasn't as strong as what I'm used to at home, and I had a hard time regulating the temperature of my showers. There were also quite a few other women that needed to use them in the morning, so all my showers were hurried affairs.

I had my phone turned off all weekend. When I turned it on Sunday morning, there was a message from my boss asking if I could work Monday afternoon (starting at 2:00) instead of my usual morning shift. I was thrilled, because that would allow me to sleep in after the busy weekend. When I woke up this morning, it was wonderful to use my own bathroom. I stood in the shower for quite some, letting the warm (not too hot, not too cold) water beat down on my back as I planned my day.

This morning I put the garden to bed for the year. Vegetables like the tomatoes and peppers I'm growing don't tolerate cold weather, and our warm temperatures are coming to an end. Yesterday we had most of the windows in the house open, and it was nice enough to wear shorts in the afternoon. Later in the week, the lows will be in the upper 30s. Tomorrow is trash day, and one of the trucks that come through the neighborhood picks up yard waste, so I could pull up the plants and immediately get rid of them. I carried the "green" trash can out to the back yard and got started.

This summer I planted three pepper plants and four tomato plants. Over the months, they'd grown and become intertwined and morphed into a tangled mass of plant, so I started by removing the larger stems from each plant, removing the fruit and putting it in a bucket. As each individual plant was revealed, I pulled it out and added it to the can.

Next, I removed the weeds that had sprouted underneath the tangle of plants and next to the chicken wire fence that protected the garden. They got tossed into the trash can, too. The last job was to pull out the stakes that held the chicken wire surrounding the small plot. I wound the wire around the stakes so it would be ready to use again next year, then carried everything to the garage.

When I came inside, I washed the vegetables and spread them on a towel to dry. The bruised or blemished fruits went into the "broth bag" I keep in the freezer that holds odds and ends I save to make broth. Everything else got poured into a five quart bowl (and filled it to the brim). The majority of the tomatoes were of the cherry and grape varieties, although there were a few standard-sized ones. There were also a half dozen sweet green peppers and an equal number of hot ones. I'll decide what to do with all my bounty tomorrow.

Withdraw

2011-10-13T07:09:00.000-05:00

Retreat (riˈtrit) A retirement or a period of retirement for religious exercises and meditation.

By the time you read this, I will have left for a retreat weekend with a group of women from church. The retreat officially starts tonight after dinner, but since I'm part of the organizing team I have to get there early and set things up.

Although we've been working on the retreat since July, this week has been a flurry of last-minute activities. Each day I've gotten multiple emails from different team members, reminding me of things not to forget. Be yesterday, I had a large pile of shopping bags in the dining room.

Last night I started packing my suitcase and getting my things together. The weather will be beautiful, but with a forecast for temperatures in the low- to mid-70s, it's hard to know if I should bring short sleeved or long sleeved shirts. I packed both, including two "church" outfits for Sunday. I've gone on week long vacations with a lighter suitcase!

Time to load the car and get on the road for my adventure!

I'm late! I'm late!

2011-10-12T09:30:00.001-05:00

I've been so busy getting ready for a big affair at church this weekend I almost forgot the social event of the season...The Willow Manor Ball! A lot of my bloggy friends will be there, so I wanted to stop in for at least a few minutes and say hello to everyone.

What to wear? Many of my friends got their dresses weeks ago (and posted pictures of them so we could all ooh and aah). Since I'm doing this at the last minute, it was a bit of a scramble. Fortunately, I work at a mall, so yesterday after my shift I ran from store to store and finally found something perfect. Can't go wrong with basic black.

I didn't have time to get new jewels, so I'm recycling the earrings I wore two years ago. I think they're classics, though, don't you?

I decided to rent a convertible for the trip. I hope the weather cooperates so I can put the top down!

For the past two years I've taken a date with me, but this year I'm going by myself. My plan is to talk with all the sensational guests and listen to the fantastic music, although I suspect that if I want to dance I'll be able to find someone who'll sway with me.

Maybe I'll see you there?

In Fourteen Hundred And Ninety Two...

2011-10-10T20:50:00.003-05:00

Today is Columbus Day. I had to work. Hubby Tony did not.

Usually he's left for the office by the time I come downstairs in the morning, so it was different having him there today. As I got dressed for work, he was downstairs making his plans for the day. When I left, he had already started on his activities.

In my experience, Columbus Day is celebrated by the post office, banks, government offices, and some schools. I don't know how many people got to stay home today, but it was enough to affect traffic in a good way; the bottleneck I always run into getting onto the highway wasn't there.

While I was at work, I had a dinner inspiration. Since Christopher Columbus was born in Italy, wouldn't it be nice to celebrate his day by having Italian food for dinner? In between fielding questions at the Customer Service desk I put together a menu and wrote out a grocery list.

I asked Tony to pick up a loaf of good bread while he was out. After I left work, I drove to the grocery store and picked up the rest of the ingredients. My list started with a head of romaine lettuce for salad. The main dish was pasta (whole wheat rotini) with sausage and vegetables in red sauce (salsiccia, a container of sliced baby bella mushrooms, and a can of crushed tomatoes). I already had onion, garlic, red wine, and beef broth.

When I got home I fed the cats, then put the sausages in the oven to bake. I cut an onion into large pieces, then started sautéing it while I minced garlic. After five minutes the garlic went in the pan, too. I added the mushrooms, turned up the heat, and cooked them until they were dark brown. A big splash of red wine to deglazed the pan, then I poured in a cup of beef broth and the can of tomatoes. I seasoned the sauce with basil, oregano, and a teaspoon of sugar and let it simmer. When the sausage was done, I let it cool for a few minutes, then cut it into bite-sized pieces and added it to the sauce pot and simmered it while I cooked the pasta.

I prepared the salad and put it in a bowl. Tony came home bearing bread and cups of spumoni for dessert. It didn't take long to slice the bread and set the table. I plated the pasta, but put everything else on the table so we could serve ourselves. After we'd finished, I asked Tony to "serve" dessert. He got the ice cream cups from the freezer, took off the lids, and added a spoon to each. Couldn't be easier.

The whole meal was wonderful, and there's enough for leftovers tomorrow, too. I'd like to think Christopher Columbus would approve

Nature is the Art of God--Sir Thomas Browne

2011-10-09T20:30:00.002-05:00

public-domain-image.com

Mobility Tour

2011-10-07T21:15:00.000-05:00

The mall I work at has a supply of wheelchairs and electric mobility scooters available for customer use. Usually people come to the Customer Service desk to pick them up and drop them off, but if someone is unable to walk that far they'll ask for special assistance. If there's more than one person at the desk we're happy to do it; otherwise one of the Security officers takes care of it.

The other day I got a call from a woman who was finished with her scooter. Would someone come and pick it up? I volunteered to take care of it. The lady and her companion were waiting right where they said they'd be, close to one of the entrances on the far side of the mall. After helping her get through the exit door, I sat on the scooter and prepared to ride it back.

The speed dial on our scooters are permanently set to the lowest setting, which is the equivalent of a slow stroll. Perfect for mall browsing, but not so great for getting somewhere quickly. I decided to make the most of it, though, and moved past the stores at a sedate speed, noticing all the new merchandise in the display windows, and making mental notes of things I wanted to go back and check out. Even though I was just crawling along, I almost ran into people a couple of times with my rubbernecking!

You drive the scooter by pushing one of two levers with your thumb. The one on the right controls the forward motion, and reverse is on the left. After the first hundred yards, my thumb was starting to get tired, but I forged ahead. I refrained from honking the tinny-sounding horn, because I didn't want to draw any more attention to myself. I finally made the last turn into the Customer Service area without any incidents. I pulled the scooter into the storage area and plugged it in so it would be ready for the next user...which I hoped wouldn't be me!

Songful

2011-10-05T09:05:00.001-05:00

I've been looking a song for a church event next weekend. After a lot of thought and listening, I've narrowed it down to two that are completely different.

The first is "Answer Me" by Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings

And the second is "Down to the River to Pray" by Alison Kraus from the soundtrack of the movie O Brother Where Art Thou.

The director of the event has the final say, but I thought I'd also poll you, my bloggy friends. Which do you like better?

More Fun!

2011-10-03T19:32:00.002-05:00

Back in August Hubby Tony and I went to Six Flags with Sons Brian and Donald and Daughter-In-Law Nicole. I hadn't been for a few years, and despite the fact it was close to 100 degrees that day I had a great time. There were very few people in the park and the lines for the rides were very short or non-existent. In four hours we'd done everything we wanted to do and left.

Brian and Nicole have Six Flags season passes, and yesterday they were planning on going again. Donald wanted to go with them, but he needed a ticket. He started searching around for a deal, but it was Nicole that came up with the solution. She and Brian wanted to get passes again for next year, and the park's currently offering a promotion: any season pass bought and activated now was good for the rest of this season and all of next year. To get the best price, they wanted to purchase a "family pack" (which included a free parking pass), but that required four people. After a bit of thought and discussion with Tony, we decided to join in. That's why, for the first time in my life, I'm the proud holder of a Six Flags season pass.

After Tony and I got back from church we piled in the car for the trip to the park. There wasn't much traffic getting into the park, and no lines at the admission windows. Instead of getting the usual ticket, we received paper vouchers that got us into the park, and served as our receipt at the ticket activation office. That didn't open until noon, so when we got into the park we took a quick vote on which direction to go and headed towards the first ride of the day.

Again, the park wasn't very crowded. The longest we waited in a line was 15 minutes. Until we got to the ticket activation office. That line snaked back and forth a couple of times, almost reaching the sidewalk, and moved in slow spurts. When we got up to the office, we found out they were having sporadic computer issues, causing all their terminals to shut down. Fortunately, they were all working when we needed them.

When I stepped up to the terminal, the first step was to scan the bar code on my voucher, then type inmy information (name, address, and email address). After that, I moved to the picture-taking station. The attendant scanned my voucher, which pulled up my information. He held up a small camera attached to his computer and told me to smile. Thirty seconds later he handed me a card with my name and photo on it.

This year's Six Flags season is over at the end of October, and it's only open on the weekends, so I don't know if I'll make it back before they close, but I'm looking forward to my visits next year. We had to designate one person to be in charge of the parking pass (it was one of the young people, since they'll probably go more than Tony and I will) so if I want to avoid the hefty parking fee I'll have to have quality theme park fun with them!

Deals On Demand

2011-10-01T22:40:00.001-05:00

Another weekend, another family visit.

Son Brian and Daughter-In-Law Nicole came in town late last night. This afternoon we watched the Cardinals game (sadly, after a great start they lost big time to the Phillies). After the game we were hungry, and started thinking about where we'd like to go out to eat.

I've been using Groupon for several months to get discounts at local businesses, but tonight I didn't have any for restaurants. However, the Website offers another option I've never used before, called Groupon Now!

Groupon Now! allows you to buy deals that are good for limited hours today and the next two days. They guarantee that if you can't use the deal within the stated time they'll refund your money.

The deals are divided by type. You can choose to:

Eat Something
Get Pampered
Get a Treat
Go Shopping
Have Fun
Exercise
Take Care of My Ride
Visit a Museum

Within each category, the deals are listed by when you can use them and how far away each place was. I used the Groupon app on my phone, which uses its GPS to figure out my location, and was pleasantly surprised to find that a Chinese restaurant just a couple of miles from the house was listed. A couple of clicks later I'd purchased the deal. Everyone got their shoes and jackets, and we were on our way.

Succulent

2011-09-30T19:50:00.001-05:00

I've had a small pot of aloe vera growing behind the kitchen sink for many years, which is a perfect location for a plant that likes sun. The sink's in a corner, with windows above it (facing to the east and north) on both sides.

Aloe's a very forgiving plant, which grows without a whole lot of effort on my part. All I do is water it every couple of weeks. I can't remember the last time I repotted it, but the last time I noticed it was getting a bit overgrown, with several of the plants spilling over the sides of the pot:

I was amazed. How could they continue growing like that? I added repotting the plant to my list of things to do. In the meantime, I put the plant back in its spot, carefully propping the dangling plants against the windowsill so they wouldn't break off. This week I got around to the repotting.

My normal plant maintenance area is right outside the back garage door. All the supplies I need are close to that door and easy to bring out. I can do my work in the grass, so there's no mess to clean up. When I dumped the overgrown aloe out, it was pretty root bound, but the individual plants were easy to pull apart. I figured out there were nine plants wedged in the pot, along with several pups (little, new plants without much roots). Some of the plants were nicely-formed, with straight fans, but others were grotesquely shaped, and growing almost horizontally.

I put the three nicest plants back in the pot with fresh potting soil. They should have plenty of room to grow now. The extras went into three 3" pots, each with two large plants and a few pups. Aren't they crazy looking?

I offered the extras to my Facebook friends (and had one taker). I'll post the rest on Craigslist; they should be gone soon.

Mall Walking With A Twist

2011-09-27T20:08:00.022-05:00

I usually work in the afternoon or evening, but because of some employee realignment I've been asked to open the Guest Service desk at the mall a couple of days a week. The new schedule started today.

After three months at this job, I know how long it takes to get to work in the afternoon, but mornings are a big unknown. My shift starts at 9:30, technically after rush hour, but I wasn't sure about the traffic flow and didn't want to be late. This morning I allowed myself double the usual time to get there. I didn't need it; I pulled into the mall parking garage 30 minutes before I needed to clock in. What to do with all the extra time? I could join the groups of walkers in the mall, but that didn't sound appealing. The weather was too nice (brisk, but sunny) to spend any more time inside than I had to. Instead of going inside, I decided to walk around the outside of the mall.

I know that one time around the first level on the inside is approximately one mile, so I figured the outside perimeter was the same. This was an opportunity to get some great exercise! I parked in my usual area of the garage, and left my purse and lunchbox in the locked car. Instead of heading up the stairs to the mall entrance, I headed down to street level, turned left, and started my stroll.

Walking, I was able to notice things that I never see while I'm in the car, starting with the sidewalk that surrounds the entire building. The area by the parking garage was landscaped with a mixture of evergreens, ivy, and euonymus, punctuated by several spindly trees. (I suspect they don't get enough sunlight.) The other side of the building had foundation plantings of junipers and yews, but in several places there were also clusters of white asters that looked like they were newly planted. I wonder if they had just been swapped out? There were large flowerpots in front of all the doors, planted with a mixture of decorative grass and annuals.

The parking lots in front of each entrance to the mall had clusters of parked cars, but the parking lots in front of the big anchor stores were completely empty. (Their doors don't open until 10:00). As I passed by one of the restaurants, I smelled something wonderful. They must have been getting ready for lunch already.

It took me a little under 15 minutes to complete one lap around the building, and I decided to go for a second one, figuring that if I ran out of time I could always cut through the mall! On this round there was a little more activity. I saw several people standing by entrances smoking. They didn't look like mall walkers, so I suspect they were getting their nicotine fix before they started working. I completed my second lap at 9:25-just enough time to go back to the car and grab my things and clock in right on time.

Bye Bye Bye

2011-09-26T19:12:00.002-05:00

I think I may have mentioned that Son Tony has been in town since last weekend? (Yes, I know, EVERY TIME I'VE POSTED! You’re probably getting tired of reading about it.) Sorry about that. It's just been so good to have him here.

I started out last week attempting to maintain my everyday schedule and still spend time with him, but at some point I gave up and spent the rest of the week in a frenzy of activity: eating too much, not getting enough sleep, and generally having a wonderful time. I decided to look on it as a mini-vacation. The entire family was here again for the weekend so we could attend the Cardinals baseball game on Sunday. For the first time in months every bedroom was filled, and the coffee pot was working overtime.

Today I took Tony to the airport before I went to work so he could catch his plane back to Phoenix. Before he left, we had one last lunch together--St. Louis style pizza at Imos. Tomorrow I'll start chipping away at the backlog of projects, paperwork, and cleaning that have accumulated. Vacation is over!

Trailway

2011-09-22T20:00:00.001-05:00

This morning Son Tony and I got in the car for a five-minute trip. Our destination was a trailhead in Valley Park for the Meramec Greenway, a new-to-me trail.

The Greenway follows the Meramec River from its confluence with the Mississippi River to the east. Eventually, there will be a 60-mile trail along the greenway, but now only sections of it are complete. The Arnold's Grove segment we used today has only been there for a couple of years. I've driven by the trailhead parking lot (off of 141 just north of the Meramec) on a regular basis. Every time I'd drive by, I'd think, "I should try out that trail some time". Today was the day.

The city of Valley Park has been flooded quite a few times over the years, but they now have a nice network of levees and flood gates. The Arnold's Grove trailhead and parking lot are on top of the levee, but the paved trail quickly descends to the level of the river, then parallels it for about three and a half miles. After a couple of minutes of walking, except for some muffled noises from nearby Marshall Road we could have been miles from civilization.

There was some dense plant growth between the river and the trail so it was often difficult to see. That was OK, though, because the river was low, and not very scenic. Shortly after we started walking we felt a couple of rain drops. They increased, and soon we were walking through a light drizzle, but the tree canopy over the trail was thick and blocked the rain in a quite a few spots.

I don't know if it was the weather or because it was a weekday morning, but we only saw a couple of other people. We walked a little over two miles, then the rain started getting the better of us. That, and the fact it was getting close to lunchtime and we were getting hungry caused us to turn around. By time we got back to the car, I was damp, my stomach was growling, and my feet hurt, but I was glad I'd finally explored the trail. I can't wait to do it again.

On The Air

2011-09-20T20:49:00.001-05:00

Since Son Tony's in town, Hubby Tony took a couple of vacation days to spend some time with him. For lunch today, the three of us headed out on an adventure. Every Tuesday a local sports talk show that Hubby Tony listens to broadcasts live from a bar and grill in South St. Louis, and we decided to go. I've seen remote radio broadcasts before, but they've always been music; I was interested to see what a talk show was like.

The place we were headed turned out to be a typical corner bar tucked into an older residential area. I didn't know how many people would be drawn to this broadcast, but parking was easy; Tony found a spot on the street just a block away. As we walked up to the door we saw the radio station van with its huge remote antenna parked next to the building.

The door opened into the dimly-lit bar area. There were a couple of people sitting at tables. One of them greeted us and pointed the way to another room where the broadcast was taking place. The second room was much larger. A variety of bar games lined the room, and there were televisions on every wall, but no one was paying attention to them. Everyone's attention was focused on the table at the front of the room with a jumble of wires cascading down from it. Two people were sitting at the table. One of them was the host of the show, and the other one was the producer.

After we got situated at a table, Son Tony went and got some popcorn from the machine at the back of the room. The waitress was there quickly to give us menus and take our drink order. Instead of ordering our food off the menu, we decided to get some of the "sports specials" which were being offered in the beer garden area. I stayed inside to save the table, and "the Tonys" came back laden with hamburgers, brats, nachos, and chicken wings. Each item came in its own food tray; the table was quite full!

We watched the broadcast while we ate. The content was interesting, but there wasn't much to see. The host didn't spend much time talking with his live audience. After a while we wandered over to the room's two pool tables, which were covered with promotional items, and signed up for some giveaways.

When our bill had been settled, we waited for a commercial break before we got up and left. It just seemed like the respectful thing to do.

See This Big Smile On My Face?

2011-09-18T22:11:00.003-05:00

Son Tony is back in town for a visit.

This afternoon the whole family was together for the first time since Christmas. The men put together an awesome dinner, then we sat and talked for a couple of hours until Brian and Nicole had to leave to go back home. The rest of us set up a card table in the family room and played a game. When the game was over and everything cleaned up Donald left, too. However, Tony will be here all week.

I'm looking forward to spending time with him.

Without A Paddle

2011-09-16T11:49:00.007-05:00

For our anniversary back in August, Tony gave me a card that had a slip of paper inside, which said (in part):

MOONLIGHT PADDLEBOAT PICNIC
Romance (and just plain fun!) is in the air at the Forest Park Boathouse on Thursday nights. Enjoy a Moonlight Paddleboat Picnic for two under the stars!

Tony had made reservations for us to go last night. After he came home from work we got in the car and headed east. There's a lot to do in Forest Park; in addition to green space, the park has quite a few cultural institutions, and many opportunities for athletic activities. However, last night our goal was the Boathouse on Post-Dispatch lake.

The boats launched at dusk. We arrived a bit early, and after we checked in we took a seat on a bench overlooking the lake. While we were waiting, we watched the Boathouse staff outfit the boats with picnic baskets and drinks. There were a couple of dozen boats available, and it looked like they'd all be in use.

Boats in a row (before picnic baskets)

Last night was a bit chilly (I was wearing jeans, two lightweight shirts, and a fleece), however, I figured once we started paddling I would be warm from the exertion. When all the boats were outfitted, they rang a bell; that was our sign that it was time to claim our boat. We got in, the attendant gave us a short explanation, then released the boat from the dock and let us float out into the lake. It took us a couple of minutes to get used to the steering system, but soon we were paddling like pros. Since it was starting to get dark, we turned on the solar-powered lantern that was attached to the front of the boat.

Post-Dispatch Lake has two small islands attached to the mainland by pedestrian bridges. We took the scenic route to the far right, which turned out to be a nice choice. None of the other boats went that way, so we had things to ourselves. After a while we stopped paddling and opened up the picnic basket. They'd thought of everything! There was a small tub of herbed cheese, crackers, olives, flatbread wraps (we'd chosen turkey) potato chips, grapes, and chocolate biscotti. In addition to our drinks, there was a bottle of water for each of us. The basket included sturdy cloth napkins, a trash bag, and even hand sanitizing wipes and insect repellent towelettes.

The lake empties into the Grand Basin at the foot of Art Hill. When we came around the corner, we saw a beautiful sight; the illuminated Art Museum with masses of flags (one for each person that died on September 11, 2001) arrayed on the hill. In the dark, my camera couldn't capture it well, but I tried:

It was even more impressive in person!

As the night wore on it got cooler and cooler; after a couple of hours my toes were freezing. Most of our provisions were gone, so we decided to call it a night and head back. This time we took a different, more direct route. We figured out that having the lantern on was more of a hindrance than a help, so we turned it off and let our eyes get accustomed to the darkness as we navigated parallel to the lake's bank back to the dock

A Friendly Reminder

2011-09-15T07:50:00.001-05:00

Last month I took care of all my health needs. I had a physical, made a visit to the OB/GYN, and had my eyes checked. It took a few weeks. but I finally got the written results of all the tests (and I'm quite healthy, thankyouverymuch).

My health insurance pays for a yearly physical and OB visit. It's hard for me to remember to schedule them, though. One of the reports I received mentioned My Health Test Reminder, a Website maintained by the College of American Pathologists which offers automated test reminder notifications.

I thought that would be really helpful, so today I registered and set up reminders for all the tests I need done on a regular basis. You can receive an email or text telling you it's time for screenings for colon or prostate cancer, cholesterol, diabetes, or Pap test, mammogram, or blood donation.

Now I'll just have to remember to look for the information!

Get To The Root Of It

2011-09-14T09:02:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, you may remember, I took up my compost bin because there were some day lily plants growing in it. After I dug everything up and replaced the bin, I was left with several dozen day lily tubers that I didn't know what to do with.

There's already clumps of these flowers in three other places in the yard, so I couldn't think of a place to plant them. I didn't want to toss them in the compost pile, in case they sprouted again. Another idea was to put them in the yard waste trash can, but when I started thinking creatively I came up with a better plan. Back in the Summer of 2008 I picked and ate a day lily flower, and I remember reading that other parts of the plant were also edible. I decided to try using the day lily tubers as part of a meal. From a Google search, I learned that day lily tubers can be cooked and used as a potato substitute, so I thought I'd make a pot of tuber soup for dinner.

The first step of the process was to clean the tubers. It was a lot of work, and not something I'd do on a regular basis, but as an experiment it was worth it. I separated each one, cutting off the thick rhizomes and hair-like roots.It took six changes of water before the tubers were clean. They do look like small potatoes, don't they?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a medium potato that weighs 173g (a little over 6 ounces) is a serving. I had 10 ounces of tubers, not enough for the amount of soup I wanted to make, so I supplemented them with a three small regular potatoes so we'd have enough food for dinner and lunch leftovers.

To make the soup I melted a couple of tablespoons of butter in a pot with a splash of olive oil and sauteed chopped onion, celery, and carrots for five minutes, then added two diced cloves of garlic and cooked it for five minutes more. There wasn't any chicken broth in the house, but I poured a can of Bud Light in the pot along with a couple of cups of water and two chicken bouillon cubes. I cubed the potatoes (leaving the skin on), but wasn't sure how tough the tubers would be, so I chopped them coarsely in the food processor and added both to the pot. After things came to a boil, I reduced the heat and simmered everything for 20 minutes until the potatoes and tubers were soft. I adjusted the seasoning, then tossed in half a bag of frozen corn to add more color.

This soup was darn good! The tubers had mostly disintegrated, giving the broth a nice hearty texture but the potatoes were still chunky. The onions, celery, and garlic provided nice background notes, and the carrots and corn added sweetness. All it needed was a couple dashes of Louisiana-style hot sauce to spice it up a bit. To accompany it, I nuked some frozen cornbread left over from last week, which paired perfectly with the soup.

Halfway through dinner, I shared the secret ingredient with Tony, and he wasn't grossed out. All in all, I'd say my experiment was a success.

Tenacious Tubers

2011-09-13T12:36:00.000-05:00

Back in July we had rocks installed under the deck where it was hard to grow grass. As part of the process, the landscapers had to remove the compost pile that's been next to the patio for many years, and remove some naturalized orange day lilies (also known as "ditch lilies", because they'll grow just about anywhere) that were planted around the deck posts.

I bought a much nicer black plastic compost bin with a lid and a sliding door at the bottom to remove finished compost, and put it next to the garden, right where the lilies had been. At that time the temperature was well over 100 degrees. I figured that any day lilies in the footprint of the new bin wouldn't survive. I was wrong.

Last week I went out to dump some coffee grounds, and I saw this:

The lilies had lived through being encased in black plastic during the middle of the hottest summer in decades! As much as I admired their tenacity, I had to get rid of them. This morning was "Project Lily Removal" day.

First thing I had to do was move the bin. It was easy, since I hadn't used the plastic stakes that came in the package to secure it down. (The ground was so dry at the time they wouldn't have gone in, so I took a chance we wouldn't have a big wind that would blow the bin away.) Since the bin was just set in the dirt, it was easy to tip it over on its side and carry it out to the yard. I had hoped to be able to use some of the contents, but it wasn't ready yet. With a garden fork, I transferred everything to the wheelbarrow.

With the area clear, I was able to see the shoots clearly. I used a garden fork to lift up the dirt and removed the day lily tubers. I was surprised to find that in addition to the two I knew about, there were several more that would have eventually sprouted, so I dug up the entire area and removed the tubers as well as a gallon-sized flowerpot of rocks. I loosened the soil about a foot deep, then broke up the big clumps of clay so the bin would be flush against the ground.

The compost bin had come in a box with pieces that interlocked to make the final result. The stakes fit into holes in the corners after a base had been assembled. Today I took the bottom layer off, then checked it for straightness with a level before I pounded one stake into each corner with a rubber mallet

Once the bottom layer had been secured, I set the rest on top so the pieces locked together. I put the contents of the bin back in, then added the lid. Here's the finished bin, ready for more yard and kitchen waste:

When the job was done I put everything away, and tried to figure out what to do with the day lily tubers that I'd thrown in a bin. You'll never guess what I came up with...

What A Weekend!

2011-09-11T20:50:00.001-05:00

This weekend Tony and I made a road trip to Columbia, Missouri for the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival. Son Brian and Daughter-In-Law Nicole live there, and going to "Roots N Blues" has become a family tradition.

The festival has a sanctioned barbecue contest, but this year we concentrated on the music, which takes place in downtown Columbia. Tony and I left our house shortly before 10:00 in the morning and arrived at Brian and Nicole's a couple of hours later. After we brought our things in and chatted a bit, we met the rest of our group for lunch, and got to the festival shortly before 3:00. We staked out a place in front of the main stage with our chairs, then spent the day chatting, listening to music, eating, and listening to more music. We had to dodge raindrops a couple of times, but the showers resulted in a beautiful double rainbow.

We moved between the multiple stages throughout the day. Before things wrapped up and we left at 10:30, we saw:

David Wax Museum, which played a combination of traditional Mexican music and Americana that they call "Mexo-Americana"

Toubab Krewe, an instrumental band that fused American music with African music of Mali

Progressive bluegrass from Sam Bush

Traditional Southern blues from the Music Maker Revue

The blues guitar of Robert Cray

Los Lobos, which I've always associated with Mexican-American roots-rock, but who also played some pretty good zydeco.

And my new favorite band, Fitz and the Tantrums, which played an infectious blend of soul and pop.

A Great Recipe for Life!

2011-09-08T19:33:00.000-05:00

Sent to me by a friend...

Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today. I am thankful for______________'

Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants. Drink green tea and plenty of water.

Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds, and walnuts.

Try to make at least three people smile each day.;

Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

Life isn't fair, but it's still good. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

Forgive everyone for everything.

What other people think of you is none of your business.

However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

Your job won't take care of you when you are in need; Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

Envy is a waste of time.

You already have all you need.

Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it.

Cross It Off The List

2011-09-07T14:50:00.000-05:00

Several years ago I got a wheelbarrow through Freecycle. The metal tub had lost most of it's finish and the outside had some permanent residue around the rim, but it didn't cost me anything but the time and gas it took to pick it up. It's served me well for projects around the yard.

Last fall I was hauling some mulch in the wheelbarrow when the wheel suddenly went flat. After taking a good look at it, I determined the tire had come off the rim. A bit of Internet research indicated it should be an easy fix--tie a rope around the center of the tire, cinch it up until the tire bead presses up against the rim, inflate the tire with a compressor so the bead seals on the rim, then remove the rope and finish filling the tire.

Somehow, though, this was one of those projects I just never seemed to get around to. The weather turned cold, and I figured it would be hard to manipulate things with gloves on. We never really had spring weather this year...cold and rainy turned to hot and muggy overnight, and then I didn't want to be outside. In the meantime, the wheelbarrow served as a nice staging area for the large bag of birdseed when I filled up a smaller container, and when I painted earlier in the year it kept all the cans of paint and accessories in one place.

However, now that the weather's getting conducive to doing outside activities fixing the wheelbarrow showed up on my list of things to do again. Today I decided to tackle it. I followed the directions on the wikiHow article How to Fix a Wheelbarrow Tire (tubeless). After breakfast I carried the wheelbarrow upstairs, and turned it upside down on the kitchen floor so I could get to the tire. The first rope I tried was too wimpy, but a second one, tied around the center of the tire tread, looked like it would work just fine. After I knotted the rope, I tied a wooden salad spoon on top of it, then twisted the spoon to increase the rope's pressure on the tire(like a tourniquet). It looked like the tire was doing what it was supposed to, compressing in the middle and expanding around the edge.

Of course, there was no way of knowing if this was really going to work until I tried it at the air pump. I carried the wheelbarrow out to the car (actually a Honda CR-V, with enough room in the back for big things when the rear seats are put down) and slid it in so the wheel was facing outwards. I got the bottle of dish detergent and put it in, too, because my directions indicated the soap would help the bonding process and I figured I'd need all the help I could get.

At the gas station I backed in next to the air pump, and opened up the back of the car. I smeared dish detergent all around the rim of the tire, then attached the air hose to the valve stem and turned on the air. After a couple of seconds I checked the tire. Nothing. I added more air. Still nothing. I was disappointed, but decided to try one more time before I went home. This time I got distracted by a missing bolt in the axle bracket...wondering how long it had been gone and if it had anything to do with the tire problem. I looked back at the wheel--HOLYCANNOLIIT WAS WORKING! The tire had attached to the rim and was filling up. I added air until the tire felt hard, then screwed the cap on the valve stem and put the air hose back.

When I got home I looked through a box of bolts in the basement, but there wasn't anything the right size. I'll have to go to the hardware store and buy one, but then my wheelbarrow will be ready to roll.

Thank Goodness For Workers!

2011-09-05T21:51:00.001-05:00

Today is Labor Day. For the first time in many years I had to work (from 2:00 until the mall closed at 9) on what’s a holiday for most people. However, before I left for my shift Tony and I had a great time; the weather was so nice that we walked to the grocery store, where we bought a card for a friend who's under the weather and some ingredients for lunch. When we got home, we made our meal and ate it on the deck.

Having to work on a day set aside to celebrate the contributions of workers made me think about folks who were actually laboring today. I decided to make a list of all the people that were on the job today that I was thankful for:

First are the GROCERY STORE employees that showed up for their shifts so we could buy the ingredients for our lunch; the people that stocked the shelves and deli areas, the bakers that got there early to make fresh bread, and the cashier that checked us out with a smile.

When I got in my car to go to work and noticed that my tank was almost empty, it was good to know that the GAS STATION ATTENDANTS were on the job so I’d be able to fill it up and not run out of gas.

I really appreciate the PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS at the mall, who spend a lot of time doing a thankless job. Whenever I have a problem, they always send someone to the Customer Service desk to help me out.

The mall’s HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT, which ensures that the restroom I used was neat and supplied with toilet paper and paper towels. They also keep the mall public areas clean, and empty the trashcans on a regular basis.

When I took my break midway through my shift, I was glad the RESTAURANT WORKERS were there.

And last, but not least, there’s the man from the HORTICULTURAL COMPANY who keeps the mall greenery looking good. He wheels his giant cask of water from plant to plant, watering them and trimming away any bad-looking foliage.

I'm Dreaming Of Some Cool Weather

2011-09-03T15:15:00.000-05:00

I feel like a kid right before Christmas...

It's coming....

After several days of record-breaking highs, the temperature's supposed to drop back to normal tomorrow (and then even a little bit below average, which is somewhere between 83 and 85 degrees).

MSN Weather

When I woke up this morning, the sun was just rising over the top of the house behind us. Soon it was beating down mercilessly. However, about noon a few clouds started rolling in, occasionally obscuring Mr. Sol, and the wind picked up. There's a medium chance of rain, which we really need, but I'll settle for the cooler weather the front is bringing.

Hopefully this time tomorrow the windows will be open!

Peaceful, Quiet, and Beautiful

2011-09-01T15:07:00.001-05:00

Yesterday's high temperature of 103 set a record for the day. It was almost 20 degrees higher than the average for this time of year. Not the best day for an outdoor activity, but last night Tony and I had a wonderful time at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Normally the garden closes at 5:00. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, though, they're open late on Wednesday nights, so after Tony got home from work, he quickly changed clothes and we got in the car, along with our picnic dinner, and some extra bottled water. Traffic wasn't bad, and it only took about 20 minutes to get there.

There were only a few cars on the parking lot. We grabbed our food and walked up to the entrance. Just before we went in the door, Tony saw a notice that said "no picnicing on the grounds". Uh-oh. We got our admission tickets, then left and walked to a far corner of the parking lot, where we sat on the curb under a tree to eat. Tummys full, we went back in.

The buildings all closed at 5, but there was still plenty to do. They were already setting up tents and stages for the Japanese festival this weekend, when the garden will be wall to wall people. However, last night was different. The garden covers 79 acres. In our hour and forty five minutes of walking, we only ran into six other groups of people. It felt like we had the garden to ourselves.

We walked past the reflecting pond in front of the Climatron (a geodesic dome conservatory), where water lilies mix colorfully with Chihuly glass onion sculptures, then meandered through some of the home demonstration gardens, where butterflies flitted about the colorful blooms.

It was still hot ("only" 96 degrees at 5:00), but I don't think it the humidity was as bad as it had been earlier in the summer. There was a nice breeze, and we took advantage of sprinklers several different times, running through the drops of water, or standing under gentle mists from the irrigation system.

Next, we went to the Japanese garden (at 14 acres, the largest Japanese strolling garden in the Western hemisphere) and sat on a bench next to the lake. A hummingbird was flitting around the tree in front of us, and we marveled at its smallness. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement in the next clearing over. The largest hawk I've ever seen was eating, dipping its head down and tearing pieces of flesh from it's evening meal. We strolled some more, zigzagging over part of the lake on an eightfold Japanese bridge, where we saw a huge white koi going after some water bugs.

After the Japanese garden, we strolled through the English Woodland garden and into the Victorian District area, developed around the home of Henry Shaw, the garden't founder. We meandered through the formal gardens, then climbed the steps to the top of an observatory. Coming back down, we managed to navigate through a maze made of yew hedges.

About that time our feet started to get tired, so we decided it was time to go. As we started towards home, air conditioner blasting, I thought about what a perfect night it had been.

What's For Dinner?

2011-08-31T15:00:00.000-05:00

Fall is getting closer. When my alarm goes off in the morning the bedroom's still a bit dark, and we're turning on the lights in the family room earlier in the evening. However, Summer's decided it's not quite ready to leave the area yet. The forecast for the rest of the week is hot (pushing 100 degrees) and humid. Tony and I decided if the tropical weather was going to linger, we'd pretend it was still the middle of the season. We're taking advantage of the last extended admission day of the year at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

The kitchen was last-day-before-payday empty, but I managed to put together a picnic to take with us. The planned homemade pizza morphed into calzones (which are easier to transport). I started the dough in the bread machine, then went on a search to see what I could put in them. I found one leftover chorizo sausage in the freezer, which I thawed, skinned, and crumbled in a bowl. I chopped green and red peppers from the garden, then added them to the sausage along with a can of mushrooms and a can of tomato sauce from the pantry. To make the assembly easy, I even mixed in the shredded mozzarella.

When the dough was done I divided it into four pieces (two for tonight, and two for leftovers tomorrow), and rolled each one out into a circle about six inches in diameter. Each circle got a quarter of the filling, then I folded them in half and crimped the edges so the filling wouldn't ooze out during baking. The calzones went on a baking sheet, and in a preheated oven for 15 minutes until the top was golden.

Main dish taken care of. For a side dish, I found some asparagus in the refrigerator that was a bit past its prime. I removed the offending parts, then cut the stalks into bite sized pieces and blanched them. After they cooled off in ice water, I portioned them into two plastic containers, adding today's small handful of ripe cherry tomatoes, and a squirt of balsamic vinaigrette. The containers still looked a little empty, so I chopped a stalk of celery, blanched it, and put half in each container. I put the lids on tightly, shook everything together, and left it to marinate till dinner time.

There was already some Diet Pepsi in the refrigerator, so I didn't have to worry about chilling drinks. For dessert, I found one sleeve of graham crackers in the back of the pantry, and filled sandwich bags with red grapes. Cool food went in a cooler with some ice packs. Paper products and warm food went in a bag, and we were ready to go!

Fortunate

2011-08-29T11:42:00.003-05:00

Recently, I got an interesting fortune from the cookie that came with some Chinese carryout:

I don't know if I should be pleased that I was received a message that recognized some of my good traits, or insulted by the command at the end.

Or should I take it as a challenge? What do you think?

Retro Saturday Night

2011-08-27T21:57:00.001-05:00

I had to work until the mall closed at 9, and by the time I cleaned up the Customer Service area and left there were only a few scattered groups of people walking around, most heading for the exits. It was easy to find my car in the parking garage, because it was the only one in the row. I got in, turned the car on, and tuned the radio to my guilty Saturday night pleasure.

The local oldies station, which usually plays a variety of pop and rock hits from the '60s and '70s, turns their airwaves over to disco on Saturday night. Disco was the music I danced and socialized to in high school and college. Listening to it takes me back to those days, and gives me a shot of energy as I drive home.

Tonight was no exception. After I suffered through a long commercial break that was just getting started as I turned onto the Interstate, the tunes started. "Upside Down" by Diana Ross. "When Doves Cry" by Prince. "That's the Way I Like It" by KC and the Sunshine Band. "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer. Each time another song came on, I turned the radio up a little more and sang along.

Won't you sing with me? I know you know the words!

Bird Seed Buffet

2011-08-25T14:27:00.001-05:00

This is our bird feeder, which hangs from a shepherd's hook on the deck railing, the only place I can put it and see the birds. Because it's easy to get to, we get our fair share of squirrels, who scamper across the rail, climb the pole and sidle down onto the plastic seed tray. I've experimented with dowsing the bird seed with hot sauce and red pepper to keep them away, which works well, but this year I've gotten lazy and stopped doing it.

Last night just before dark I looked out the kitchen window and saw two raccoons on either side of the bird feeder. They were symmetrically up on their haunches with their backs to the house, front paws resting on the seed tray, dining at the all-you-can-eat bird food buffet. They looked to be about the size of our cats, so I'm guessing they were about eleven or twelve pounds, but their fluffy hair and big tails made them appear even bigger.

Eyes glowing from the camera flash

It was one of the most fascinating (yet irritating) things I've ever seen. I grabbed my camera and tried to get pictures from inside the house. That didn't work, because it was dark and I was shooting through a window screen, so I went into the family room and opened the door to the deck. The raccoons looked up from their meal, but didn't move. I took a couple of steps toward them, and they reluctantly stopped eating, put all four feet down onto the deck rail, and watched to see what I'd do. With their black eye masks and striped tails, they were quite cute, but I was determined to move them along. I started slowly towards them, stopping every few seconds to take a picture.

Hi there!

Finally they got the message and climbed into the red bud tree next to the deck. That allowed me to get close enough to the feeder to remove it from the hook and bring it into the house. Buffet closed. However, five minutes later when I looked out the window I saw them still walking along the deck rail eating the seed that was on the rail.

This morning I cleaned the feeder, refilled it, and put it back outside. However, first I mixed a healthy splash of hot sauce and a substantial amount of red pepper in with the bird seed. If the raccoons come back and eat more seed, I hope the capsaicin in the red pepper goes straight to their taste buds! And if it keeps the squirrels away, that's good, too.

Insulate

2011-08-24T18:57:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago we had our annual termite inspection. For the first time ever, the inspector wanted to look in our attic for signs of damage. He brought in a telescoping ladder, which he used to access the attic through the hole in ceiling of my closet. Coincidence? It turns out not. The company now also installs insulation.

He gave us information about the benefits of increasing the amount of insulation in the attic. It turns out the U.S. Department of Energy now recommends an R-value almost double what we have now (which is in the form of pink fiberglass bats). We got some additional estimates, then decided to let the pest control company do the project. The installers came last week and blew an additional layer of cellulose insulation over our existing stuff.

The crew of two arrived right on time. After I showed them the access they got to work. First they attached a long tarp to the attic entrance that hung down to the floor like a tent. Next, they ran a flexible hose from the closet through the master bathroom, out the window, and down to the ground behind the garage. They got a large metal hopper out of their truck, set it up on the grass, and attached the hose to it. After they'd finished with the setup, both installers donned white jumpsuits and dust masks. One went up into the attic, and one stayed outside. He turned on the hopper motor and started dumping in bags of insulation. It blew up to the attic, where the other installer used the hose to spray the insulation into every corner of the attic.

Since all the mechanical equipment was outside, I barely noticed the work being done, except for a "thump" from the attic now and then. It took about an hour for them to finish the job. They disconnected the hose from the hopper, rolled it up, and put everything away. They did a great job of cleaning up; there was no evidence in the closet or bathroom.

The salesperson told us that most people notice a difference in the temperature of their upper level with additional insulation. Today was the first big test. This afternoon the temperature was close to 100 degrees. Before, you could feel things get hotter as you walked up the steps to the second floor. Today it was just as comfortable as the main level!

I love it when stories have a happy ending.

Text Talk

2011-08-23T16:58:00.001-05:00

Because my job is part time, I may only see my boss once or twice a week. His preferred way to communicate with his staff is via text message. That was turning into a problem.

I don't text. Before I started at the mall Customer Service counter in July, I think I might have received less than a dozen texts and sent six. Last month I had 10 incoming messages (and responded to three of them). So far this month there has been a total of 16. Since I've never had a need for it, I don't have a texting plan on my phone. Individual text messages (both incoming and outgoing) cost 20 cents each, and the costs were adding up fast. My cell phone carrier (AT&T) only offers an "unlimited" texting plan for $20 a month. I didn't want to do that, either.

Enter Google Voice. Son Brian told me I could get a separate phone number that would allow me to send (and receive) free text messages. Yesterday I set up an account and started using it.

The first step was to choose my Google Voice phone number. The first couple I tried weren't available, but in the end I was able to get one in which the last four numbers spell out part of my last name. After I picked my number, I entered a forwarding phone number (the phone that rings when someone calls my Google Voice number); after verifying the number I was ready to go!

Google Voice is a computer-based program, but it has an app that works with my cell phone, which I downloaded. Then I sent my first texts...to my boss, and each of my sons. It was slow going; I make a lot of typing mistakes on the cell phone's small keyboard, but the auto correct feature helps out a lot.

Google Voice actually does a lot of things besides text messages. You can set it up to have multiple phones ring when someone calls the Google Voice number and pick up the one that's most convenient for you, have certain phones ring depending on who's calling, or switch phones in the middle of a call. You can also make international phone calls for rates cheaper than most carriers, and have have voice mails transcribed and read them online. Right now I don't know how much I'll be using them, though; it's a lot of work to get a new phone number out to everyone!

Let's Do Lunch

2011-08-21T21:31:00.005-05:00

I had to work today from open till close. (That's not as bad as it sounds. The mall's Sunday hours are from 11 am-6 pm. Add on a bit of time at the beginning and end of the day to set up and close down the Customer Service area, and I still worked less than eight hours.) Usually on Sunday Son Donald comes over and cooks dinner with Hubby Tony. I always look forward to seeing what they come up with. But with my schedule that couldn't happen today, so I requested that they come eat with me at work. Donald picked the restaurant...Five Guys Burgers and Fries. There weren't any objections from his parents. Five Guys food is tasty, and the service is usually pretty fast, which was important since I only had a half hour lunch break.

My guys showed up right on time, and we made the short trip to the restaurant. Five Guys' menu is pretty simple...hamburgers, a handful of other sandwiches, and fries. The hardest part is figuring out what size hamburger to order, and which of the thirteen toppings they offer to get. If I'd heard my phone ring midmorning, I could have relayed my order to Tony and he would have done everything online so our food would have been waiting for us. It wasn't a problem, though. There wasn't anyone ahead of us in line, and ordering went smoothly. We got our drinks, grabbed a bowl of peanuts to munch on, and waited for them to call our number.

In less than five minutes we were eating. I'm always glad when a place wraps their burgers in foil--with ketchup, mustard, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, and grilled mushrooms, my hamburger got a bit messy. The foil helped keep things contained so I could eat every bite. Donald had a hamburger, too, but Tony went a non-traditional route and ordered a hot dog. It had been split down the center and grilled before the toppings were added. We shared a large order of crispy french fries.

All too soon my break was over and I had to go back to work. Tony and Donald walked me back and said goodbye. They were planning to kill some time, then go to a movie. It was great to see them today; it made my day go so much faster.

This and That

2011-08-19T09:10:00.001-05:00

A couple of updates:

Yesterday's woodpecker seems to have found her way out of the garage and flown away. (Although I'm still looking around the garage carefully before I leave the house)

You may remember I've had problems getting completely red tomatoes this summer.

First critters were getting them outside, then the cats got the first set I brought inside. For most of July, the weather was too hot and dry for tomatoes, so no fruits were setting. Now that the weather is more seasonally normal, I've been picking one or two tomatoes (Romas and cherries) every day. I was excited yesterday to see that one of the big fruits was just about ripe.

Not wanting to take any chances, I picked it and brought it inside, along with the day's handful of small fruits, put them in a bowl, and set the bowl on the kitchen counter. After dinner Tony and I were sitting in the family room when we heard one of the cats jumping down from something. We didn't think much of it, but a few minutes later Tony went in the kitchen to get his shoes and called me to come take a look at something. The big tomato was laying on the ground, with a large chunk taken out of the side.

(I know which cat is doing it--Jackson, who's been on a diet, but he didn't even have the decency to look guilty when we asked.)

Birdbrain

2011-08-18T17:55:00.009-05:00

This morning as I was getting ready to run some errands, I went into the garage and heard a whooshing noise. I looked up and saw a crazed bird flying around the garage at the ceiling level. The garage door had been open for several hours, so it must have flown in and didn't know how to get out.

After several frantic circles, the bird landed on top of the ladder we have hanging on the side. Even from the other side of the garage I was able to get a good look at it. It was mainly black, but had a white strip down it's back and white spots on the wings. I was looking at a woodpecker!

Downy Woodpecker
Peter de Wit--Wikepedia

I didn't see a red patch on the bird's head, so I'm pretty sure it was a female.

It's not the first time we've had a bird stuck in the garage. When I'm home during the day I usually have the garage door open, so we go through this once or twice a year. I know that after a while the bird will eventually find the door and fly away.

However, I still don't like to deal with it. Keeping one eye on the bird (in case she decided to fly at me), I opened the back garage door all the way and put a bag of topsoil in front of it so it wouldn't close. I got in my car, backed it out of the garage, the closed the garage door with the remote and left. I was gone for three hours, and I was hopeful Ms Bird would find her way out through the back door while I was gone.

It didn't happen. When I came home I opened the garage door, and was greeted by my friend the bird flying more circles around the garage. Quickly, I gathered my packages and went inside. My plan was to cut the grass this afternoon, but the lawn mower was in the garage and I didn't want to upset the bird any more than I already had. After 20 minutes, I peeked out into the garage and didn't see anything. Just in case the bird showed up, though, I double-timed it to the lawn mower, gassed it up, and pulled the mower out on the driveway. Since I didn't see the bird the whole time, I assumed she'd found her way out.

After I finished the lawn I put the mower away and started to go inside. Halfway to the door, I heard a rustling noise. I looked up and there was the bird, flying the same crazy circles. There are a couple of places where the ceiling drywall has come down, leaving the eaves exposed. The bird must have been up there. Either that, or she'd left and decided she liked the garage and came back.

That was hours ago, Ever since then I've been opening the door to check occasionally, and she's still there. When Tony got home he didn't see anything, and I was optimistic she was gone. However, after dinner I stepped out in the garage and heard the sound of frantically beating wings. She's NOT gone.

Maybe when it gets dark?

Nuts!

2011-08-17T11:59:00.002-05:00

Today I don't have to go anywhere. It's a wonderful feeling.

This morning I caught up on housework and tasks that had gotten shoved to the back burner. The umpteen reminder notes I'd written to myself that were scattered all around the kitchen have been whittled to just a handful on my desk, and I hope they'll be gone by the end of the day. The tidying also filtered down to my email inbox. I deleted quite a few messages that I didn't need anymore, and moved others to folders. Buried at the bottom of the inbox I found a link to a recipe for making almond butter I'd gotten back in January. I decided to try it today.

I know there are many types of nut butters, but I've never eaten anything other than the peanut kind. I buy standard grocery store peanut butter, alternating between the smooth and chunky varieties. However, we always have almonds in the house. (I buy them in bulk at Costco, where they come in three pound bags); they're a great snack or non-meat protein for meals on the run.

The recipe for Homemade Almond Butter I used came from Rebecca Wood. It called for exactly three ingredients-almonds, salt, and oil. No sugar, no preservatives. Because we were low on almonds, I decided to cut the recipe in half, figuring if I liked it I could make more another time. Rebecca recommended toasting the almonds to enhance the flavor and aroma of the finished product, so I measured out nuts onto a cookie sheet and put them in a preheated oven. At the end of the toasting period the smell of the nuts was intoxicating. I dumped them in the food processor with a pinch of salt and pulsed them until they were finely ground. I added oil to the bowl, and kept processing the mixture. When the oil was incorporated things still looked pretty dry, so I added more oil (which was an option in the recipe).

Even though it was only 10:30 in the morning (and much too early for lunch), I decided to make myself a sandwich. I spread a layer of almond butter on a slice of whole wheat bread, added apricot preserves to a second slice, and put them together. The almond butter was good, but a bit grainy, which I think was probably the result of making a small amount. The nuts kept getting thrown to the sides of the processor bowl and didn't puree correctly. Next time I make the recipe, I won't try to modify it!

Since the almond butter doesn't have any preservatives I stored the leftovers in the refrigerator. I'm already looking forward to having more tomorrow, and if Tony wants he can take some for lunch, too.

Are You Busy?

2011-08-14T21:20:00.008-05:00

The other day at work a young teenaged boy came up to me at the mall Customer Service desk, told me his cell phone's battery had died, and asked if he could use our phone. Following policy, I dialed the number he dictated and handed him the receiver. He stood there for a few seconds with a quizzical look on his face, then gave the phone back to me with a funny look on his face, saying there was a strange noise on the line.

I put the phone up to my ear so I could hear it, then had to stifle a laugh. The phone was giving off a busy signal.

I told the boy he had called an "old school" phone, which seemed to make sense to him. After he walked away I started thinking. How many younger people have never heard a busy signal? Nearly every cell phone and most land lines now have voice mail or call waiting. Who was he calling? Maybe it was a grandma or older relative that had no need of newfangled things.

I guess I'll never know...

Road Test

2011-08-11T17:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I got a message on Facebook that my local Whole Foods was having a Toyota hybrid car test drive event that starts today (and ends on Sunday). They promised me a gift just for showing up, but I didn't really need that extra incentive. I've never been in a hybrid car, so I thought this would be a great way to check it out.

As I pulled into the parking lot, I saw a roped off section with several bright red Toyota banners around it, and another banner next to a registration tent by the store's entrance. I showed my driver's license at the registration table, was fitted with a paper wristband, then directed to the cars. They had three types of hybrids available--Camry sedans, Prius hatchbacks, and Highlander SUVs. I chose the Prius, because there was one available.

When I got in the car, the first thing I noticed is that the Prius actually had a place to store my purse between the seats, which is always a plus. The Toyota representative, who acted as co-pilot for my drive, was very nice. First he explained some of the features, including the strange-looking energy monitor screen in the middle of the dashboard which shows if the car is using battery or engine power. (If it's running on the battery, the car is amazingly quiet. In fact, I was amazed when I found out the car I was sitting in was on, because there was absolutely no engine noise.) After his short explanation, I put the car in Drive and stepped on the gas pedal. That's a misnomer, though, because I wasn't using any gas! The car was running on battery power. The gas engine only kicks in to recharge the battery, or when it's needed for extra pickup.

My test drive was very short. We went through the parking lot, exited onto Clayton Road, turned on Woods Mill, then circled back into the parking lot. However, the short trip was enough for me to figure out I liked the car. It ran very smoothly, and seemed to have enough power. I would like to have taken it on the highway, though.

When we got back, I learned a bit more about the car's features. The representative pointed out that there were three seat belts in the back, but like most cars I've been in, the three people would have to be really small to fit comfortably. I was interested to find out the car doesn't have a key. To turn it on or off, you push the POWER button, and there's a fob that locks and unlocks the door.

One thing that that I didn't like was the horizontal bar that ran across the car's hatch window area. I could see it in the rear view mirror, and thought was quite distracting. The representative said that when he drove the car, after a few days he didn't notice it anymore, but I don't know if I could get used to it.

After my drive I had to complete a short computer survey, after which I got my gift. I figured it would be a promotional tchotke, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was a Whole Foods gift card! As I left, they encouraged me to come back and try out a different car. I might just have to do that.

Ringless

2011-08-09T11:25:00.000-05:00

Last Friday I took my wedding ring in for it's biannual cleaning and inspection. The jeweler took a look at it with his loupe, made some hmmmming sounds, and announced the prongs needed to be replaced. He recommended I leave the ring with him so the work could be done right away.

Of course I agreed. There's no way I'd want to have something break and take a chance on losing the diamond. However, that ring's a part of me, and I feel strange without it, since I've been wearing it for 31 years. The first day I kept looking down at my finger, not see the ring, and get a sinking feeling that I'd lost it.

It's been a few days now, and I no longer feel panicked when I see my ringless hand. However, I've noticed something interesting. There's a definite "ring dent" where my finger was covered by the band on the palm side of my hand, and the area on my finger where my ring sits is smaller, a permanent symbol of what's usually there.

Fortunately, I don't have to rely on symbolism much longer. The ring is done and I'm picking it up today on my way to work. It will be good to have it back.

Appreciative

2011-08-08T11:30:00.002-05:00

I went to bed last night knowing our oppressive weather was supposed to break today. Sure enough, after breakfast when I went outside to throw some scraps in the compost pile it felt much nicer, and the radio confirmed that it was 10 degrees cooler than it was yesterday. Since the temperature was more acceptable, I decided to take a walk through the neighborhood today instead of going to the gym. That would save me a half hour of driving time on a busy day, and let me discover what had changed in the last few weeks when it was too hot to be outside. I decided to document my observations in terms of all five senses.

Sight-The bit of rain we got on Thursday wasn't really enough to green up the dormant grass, but enough to encourage the weeds; they were really obvious among the straw-colored turf that's our front yard. My route took me past several schools, and I figured out that today was the first day of practice for high school sports. I saw a group on the soccer practice field, some girls assembled around their coach on the track, and the football team on their practice field.

Hearing-As I left I started up my mp3 player. Today's selection was a musical meditation that lasted the entire half hour of my walk. However, the volume was low enough that I could hear the greetings of the three people I passed, the noise of an industrial sized lawn mower in a neighborhood common ground, and the "hut hut" of the football players as they ran drills.

Touch-The nicest thing is what I couldn't feel. It wasn't hit-you-in-the-face, like-a-sauna hot it's been the past few days. There was a slight breeze blowing that helped dry off the sweat that accumulated on my face. I walked over some red, bumpy handicap warning ramps that had been installed in some newly-replaced sidewalks.

Smell-They were adding another layer of blacktop on the street in front of the elementary school. The acrid asphalt smell was quite unpleasant, and I was happy to get past it.

Taste-The best part of my adventure happened when I got back home and drank a big glass of cold water!

Downside-Up and Back-To-Front

2011-08-06T22:00:00.016-05:00

˙ɹǝʇndɯoɔ ǝɥʇ uo ʇxǝʇ uʍop-ǝpısdn pǝʇɐǝɹɔ ǝʌ,noʎ ǝʞıן ʞooן ʇı ƃuıʞɐɯ 'pǝʇɹǝʌuı sʞooן ʇɐɥʇ ƃuıʇıɹʍ oʇ sɹǝʇɔɐɹɐɥɔ ɥsıןƃuǝ ǝɥʇ ƃuıʇɹǝʌuoɔ 'noʎ ɹoɟ ƃuıɥʇʎɹǝʌǝ sdıןɟ ʇı puɐ 'xoq ɐ oʇuı sʇɥƃnoɥʇ ɹnoʎ ǝdʎʇ sı op oʇ ǝʌɐɥ noʎ ןןɐ ¿ʇxǝʇ spɹɐʍʞɔɐq puɐ sɹǝʇʇǝן uʍop ǝpısdn ǝɔnpoɹd oʇ pǝʇuɐʍ ɹǝʌǝ noʎ ǝʌɐɥ

HUH? Should I write it again so you can read it?

Have you ever wanted to produce upside down letters and backwards text? All you have to do is type your thoughts into a box, and it flips everything for you, converting the English characters to writing that looks inverted, making it look like you've created upside-down text on the computer.

(Thanks to Sage at Wise Herb's Random Jottings for the idea, and sevenwires for the Website.)