Monday, November 30, 2009

Tempus fugit!

Wow. Time flies when you are having fun. I have been a busy busy girl. I can't believe it's been over a week since I have blogged. So, here's a quick recap to get us back on track.



*19 turned 20. He wasn't here for his birthday. He was having finals but he got here before Thanksgiving. So it's all good. I will admit that the fact that I have a 20 year old makes me feel older.



* Thanksgiving happened of course. I hope everyone had a wonderful one with family/friends. I made a new Cranberry sauce recipe which came out super yummy and I made the sweet potato casserole, and I made an apple pie. I also made a cherry pie but that one stayed home for us to eat.



*Thanksgiving would have also been my mother's birthday. That was why I made the apple pie, it was her favorite. She would have been 65, ready to retire. She would have enjoyed retirement because she had so many hobbies and crafts that she loved to do. She finally would have had the free time to do them. But I am sure that she has knit everyone in heaven a sweater and made candles and baskets galore. I thought of her a lot that day and how different my Thanksgivings are compared to growing up but that will get me all misty so I am moving on...



* I went shopping on Friday because I always have and 20 went with me to pick out and try on his gifts. We had a good time and found some good deals. There will be more stories about that later.



* Over the weekend, we put the lights up outside, brought out all our Christmas decorations, bought the Christmas tree, put the lights on, decorated it and started decorating the house. Aside from all the regular boring laundry and grocery stuff.



* This year the gift for the in-laws was a group gift from us and my SIL. We gave them tickets to go see Andrea Bocelli. The concert was over the weekend so we had to give it to them at Thanksgiving. They had a fabulous time. She called us when they got to the venue, she called when they got to their seats and she called the next morning to tell me all about it. They had such a wonderful time.



* We also got together with friends to just hang out and chat. I made Paula Deen's Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Cake. It was pretty good even though I overcooked it. We had a nice time.



*I made batches of egg nog and bottled it. The bottles are all in my fridge waiting to be gifted. I still have one more batch to go but I ran out of eggs so that's the thing to do today. I need to make it early because it needs to sit and the flavors need to combine and mellow. Yumm!



* During the week I want to get the Christmas cards done, address and mailed. That's the goal. We shall see.



So, I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. I know that I have many many things to be thankful for and that I am one lucky girl.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

I did it!

Please give me a moment while I pat myself on the back.

I finished 2 pañales last night! I am so happy and proud of myself. They aren't perfect but they aren't horrible either. They look homemade- what can I say. Tonight I will iron them and wrap them up for delivery. I am so happy!

Lessons learned:
* Working with clear thread is very very hard.
* If I want to provide pañales for my grandchildren who should not be coming along for many many years yet, I need to start them now!

I will try to take a picture of them tonight and post them here for all (who am I kidding- both of you) to see.

Comfort and joy baby! Comfort and joy!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

1 Week

I just realized that 19 is coming home for Thanksgiving. Yes, I know I blogged about that yesterday and heck I bought the ticket over the weekend but it didn't really hit me that its next week. Exactly one week from today. Do you understand what that means? That means I need to get all my crafting crap out of his room! OMG! I have so many projects going right now. How am I supposed to finish them in a week?!
It's wonderful that he's coming home but I wonder if he'd mind sleeping on the sofa since I am using his bed as a cutting table or living out of his suitcase for a month because I am using the empty drawers to store the assorted projects in their various stages or for that matter leaving the suitcase that he will live out of in the office because the ironing board is set up in his room and there's not much floor space and there's no desk space because the sewing machine is set up there.
OMG! I need to get myself organized and outta there! Gimme patience and speed ;)

Monday, November 16, 2009

The Bad, the ugly, and the good.

The Bad news: 19s football team lost on Saturday and so they will not be going to the playoffs. They do have one more bowl game this Saturday but its really a non-event. :(

The Ugly: In my project this weekend making the pañales I am using clear thread. Do you know what color clear is? Its the color of whatever it is on; its clear! Do you know how hard it is to thread a frickin' frackin' needle with clear thread? Let me tell you it is really really hard. Do you know how hard it is to untangle clear thread? Let me tell you it is practically undoable. I gave up and just started over. Do you know how hard it is to stitch and know where you are with clear thread? Let me tell you it is really really hard. So, aside from being one of the hardest projects I have EVER done and testing my patience, it is coming out great. I completed one and have one more to go. I don't think I have enough patience in me for the third one. We shall see....

The Good news: 19 will be home for the holidays, including Thanksgiving. 17 has completed all of his college applications and already met with his counselor at school and had him send all the transcripts etc. He is already working on scholarship applications and completed a couple over the weekend. Comfort and Joy!

Note: Yes, I know that undoable is not a word but that's part of the point. It is taking to parts unknown! Gimme Patience.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

YEAH CMAs!

Did anyone watch the awards show last night? I did not because I cared who won what but to hear and see dome performances. I never watch music videos, I rarely watch any live performances on TV so the awards shows are pretty much it for me with the exception of shows like DWTS and AI who regularly have guest performers.

And I would like to personally thank the CMA show creators for NOT putting together any oddball combinations a la Stevie Wonder and J(I refuse to put their name here, I don't want the hits) Brothers. The combinations they had were perfectly acceptable, Martina McBride can surely sing with George Straight and even the combination of Daughtrey (sp?) and Gill was better than I expected.

I would also like to thank them for the sheer number of performances. There were (precisely) a bunch. Honest. It was really nice. It was not a boring show as award shows can be on occasion and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The other thing I did last night was a pañal, a Cuban receiving blanket for lack of a better translation. I am making a couple for the sister of a friend and I need to get them done this weekend. So now I just need to add the appliqué and 1 will be done. The goal was 3, I will be happy with 2, there will probably be 1. We shall see.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

MAPS still necessary

As you know we just came back from a trip to NY. We fly into NYC and rent a car and drive to Schenectady to visit 19. We've done this before, no biggie.

Hubby drives. I am the "co-pilot". Let it be known that I know how to read a map. I like maps. So does hubby. I also know how to use the Internet and the assorted map resources which are not always 100% accurate. Knowing this I peruse the maps they provide and the 2 most popularly used sites both offer maps to show you where you are going and alternate routes.

Now, I'm not sure if you've picked up on this but hubby and I approach one thing (everything) differently. Since the advent of these Internet map sites hubby has stopped including maps in our trip folders (yes, he puts a folder together). That probably wouldn't be an issue if he were to you know follow the directions that HE printed out that I am reading to him and not change his mind mid trip and go another way. When he does this invariably he will come to a crossroad (figuratively and sometimes literally) where he then asks which way should I go. My smart answer is "Oh, I don't know. Let's check the map but wait we don't have one so flip a coin." Sweet, I know, not one of my finest moments then he gets testy with me. It makes for an oh so fun filled drive. We have turned around more times that I will go into here because this isn't a memoir of wrong turns taken and we need to move on, suffice it to say that one trip (not this one) he chose not to take the bridge I told him and we ended up after almost an hour of driving back at the airport starting over. Honestly, I don't know how I stayed in the car without self combusting but that’s a different story.

Well, this trip wasn't any different. At one service area where in-laws insisted he stop because we were hungry and needed a bathroom break. He did go to the travel kiosk and get a map for NJ (where we were at the time) and new directions. Woo Hoo! We now had a map for me to SEE where we were.

We are back on the road again, I am passing on the kiosk lady’s directions, he’s following them, I’m following along on the map…it’s all good. Then he of course, starts asking me questions, if I stay on this interstate will it take me all the way? It should the sign says Albany and we are going near there, he continues. I tell him that makes sense but I couldn’t say because it’s a NJ map not a NY map and well that’s like asking me if this takes us to Miami…I can’t SEE that on this map.

As we go through all of this, remember my In-laws, who I get along with fabulously, are in the back seat. They start laughing at us and commenting that it’s the same as if they had gone on a trip with hubby’s aunt and uncle. Apparently, this argue with the co-pilot is a hereditary trait. I who am not related seem to be responding like the aunt (normally and rationally) and the in-laws are getting quite a kick out of all of this. I was so happy to be of such entertainment. It almost turned into a game for them. Throughout the rest of the trip they would laugh and say “Look, just like Uncle” or “Look, just like the Aunt”. Honestly, it would make us all laugh and diffuse some high stress moments. At one point over the weekend 19 commented that maybe he should email Aunt and Uncle and thank them for coming. Smartass!

Moral of the story: Have a map, an old-fashioned real map, of the state(s) you will be driving in to be able to SEE the complete picture of where you are going and which way to go.

Monday, November 09, 2009

Nekkid

I feel like I walked out of the house partially undressed. I feel like I forgot to put my pants on. I feel a little lost. I feel a bit off centered.

I forgot my cell phone which is a 'smart phone'; a blackberry. It's my connection to my kids to my friends to everything. I may have to drive home at lunchtime to get it because unknowingly it has become a major part of me.

Or maybe I should leave it. Maybe I should try to live a day or part of a day without it. I am sure the world will not come to an end. I have a feeling the earth will continue rotating and the sun will still set and rise.

I still feel a bit out of sorts.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Never ever ever again!

Recently, I stated that as I get older I use the word never less and less but when I do use it I do mean it. I'm not going to say that I always stick to the never when I say it but I meant it when I said it. I guess always is a word I use less and less as I get older too. I try to avoid extremes and never and always are extremes as for as I am concerned.


With that preamble I am hereby stating that I will never ever ever again fly Spirit Airlines. I just returned from a trip to NYC and it was the worst flying experience of my life and people I have been flying since I was 3 years old. I realize that its a no-frills airline but come on give me a break!


The trip up the plane was half empty (should have been a sign). So much so that we were told 9 people had to move from the front of the plane towards the back (behind row 23) in order to balance the weight of the plane and until that happened we could not pull away from the terminal. A few people got up but not 9 so MIL, FIL and I got up and moved. We were told we could move back once we had taken off, it was just for the take off. Apparently, the plance doesn't have to be balanced in the air or for landing just for pulling away from the terminal. Whatever. We were excited to leave and so off we went.

Did you know they won't even give you a cup of water?! You have to pay for any drink or food even WATER!. Whatever, we weren't thirsty. The seats were cushy but can you say sardine? I realize I am a big girl but even FIL who is NOT a big man was uncomfortable. We didn't even have enough leg room to fit our purse or camera bag under the seat in front of us. We had to get up, slip the item in and then sit down. There are no words to describe the kind of cramped we were experiencing.


The trip back was even worse. First, it was delayed. Yes, I was rational at the time and I understand that it may not have been the airlines fault but it just added to the whole yucky experience. Can you say security? They sure can't. We all filed in handing our boarding passes to someone who looked like they were looking at them and made our way to the plane only to pass by another entrance that was unmanned, unblocked and anyone could have gotten onto the plane. Comforting, I know. Once again we squeezed into our seats. This time MIL and I couldn't get the armrest to lift on the isle seat so we got goosed by the armrest as we were trying to sit down. Again, no leg room to put the purse under the seat. This time we bought water bottles in the terminal (one per couple) just in case we wanted something to drink and we tried to put them in the pocket of the seat in front of us but when we saw all the garbage that was in there we decided to hold on to them. They weren't full since we had already started drinking them in the gate as we waited for our delayed flight. The people sitting behind us had someone in their seat. How can that be? The lady sitting there pulls out her stub, its the right seat. We are getting warm in here and just thinking sit on her lap and lets go already. Its late, we're tired and want to go home. Oh, look she's on the wrong flight. HUH?! you heard me the wrong flight. There's that top notch security again. I feel so safe its unbearable. Finally, everyone is seated and the flight attendant is reminding everyone to turn off their cell phones and other electrical devices. A few seconds later she reminds us again - with attitude we get a 'If it has an on/off switch it must be turned off'. Then we sit for over 20 minutes on the tarmac waiting to take off. There it is again, 'I can hear your cell phone. It must be turned off. If they could be on believe me we'd have ours on too.' So, I say out loud but I doubt she heard me, 'If you can hear it, why not just tell that person instead of mouthing to all of us.' I'm helpful that way. Hubby tried to sleep but had difficulty since his seat wouldn't go back neither would mine. In our row only MIL's worked.

Finally, we are in the air and then since we've been waiting for so long people need to use the bathroom, a couple get up and head that way. The flight attendant sends one back telling them they can't stand in the aisle to wait. The man goes back. The girl comes out of the rest room and by the time the man comes back someone else who was sitting closer already went in. He's sent back again. This happens to others and to that man 3 times! Finally, the third time he sees an empty aisle seat close to the bathroom and sits there to wait his turn. It was like we were in friggin kindergarten being told to only get up one at a time. MIL and I were stunned.
Now, here comes the cart with snacks and beverages which we know have to be purchased; even the water. Fine. But this is the very first time in my life where cash is no good. It HAD to be a debit/credit card. I couldn't believe it.

Now we had to get ready for landing. Did you check that your seatback was up all the way? They kept saying it and they walked by enough times collecting garbage but I did not see them tell anyone who had their seatback to move it up and plenty of people did. I had to ask the lady in front of my MIL to put hers up and got the dirtiest look ever.
We were so happy to get out of there. I will never evah ever fly Spirit again.

NABLOPOMO

It's that time of year again where bloggers everywhere are trying to blog daily. I'm technically not participating since I already missed a couple of days but I will be using this as an incentive to blog much more often.

So, check back often and hopefully you will see assorted ramblings that will hopefully be more interesting than...

I am eating the best starfruit I have ever had. I had forgotten all about it and left it out while I was in NY and last night I cut it up for lunch. I am munching on it now and it is the juiciest sweetest starfruit I have ever had. Its from a friend's tree and I hope that the season for her tree isn't over because it is oh so good.

I think I will call this BLOPOLOTS...HAHAHA!

Sunday, November 01, 2009

To cut or tear that is the question

Should lettuce be cut with a knife or torn by hand? I know I know, life-altering stuff being considered here at gimme patience.

Growing up my mother who was by no means a gourmet cook but did watch Julia Child and Graham Kerr whenever possible always told me that lettuce should be torn into bite size pieces NOT cut with a knife. If she told me why that piece of information went out with the dishwater but to this day if I ever slice into a head of lettuce I can hear her in my head yelling 'NO! Use your hands! Put the knife away!'

I have eaten many many salads including some prepared by me and others at fancy schmancy restaurants where the lettuce has obviously been cut not torn. Which begs the question (ok, maybe not but work with me here): What is the proper way to prepare lettuce? I have never lost any sleep over this question but not too long ago Alton Brown did a show on salad and guess what? As he was about to take a knife to a head of lettuce there were sound effects of breaks screeching to a halt and he came in close to the camera telling all of us at home that he knows we are yelling at him to put the knife down that he's now suppose to cut lettuce but tear it into bit size pieces. My jaw dropped. It was like Alton incarnated mom. What was going on here? He then went on to explain the scientific reasoning (which I was too dumbstruck to retain) for the whens and whys you cut or tear the lettuce.

The bottom line was something like this. First, it depended on the lettuce and had to do with cell structure (that where I tuned out). Second, the types of lettuce that shouldn't be cut with a knife will simply have their cut edge turn brown quicker than normal. So, if you are going to eat the whole thing and are chopping it up, go for it. If you are willing to slice off the brown part next time you use the lettuce, go for it. If you don't care because its just the color and doesn't alter the taste, go for it. So, there you go. The it doesn't matters have it.

Personally, I think torn is prettier but that's just me.