Sad but romantic

Some friends of a friend. Really, I don't know these people, passed away over the weekend. A husband and wife. The husband who was 91 was the caretaker of his wife, 83 who was sickly. He was in perfect health. He passed away last week. He just up and had a heart attack and passed away. Their 12 children live all over the US and were all coming to Miami for their father's services on Sunday and then to decide how to take care of mom. Well, Sunday morning their mom died. She didn't even make it to the services. How sad is that? Her kids are consoled with the idea that he took her with him, that she had only been holding on for him, that once she realized he was gone, she gave up. They say she kept mumbling 'what's the point, why' for the last 2 days. It's as if she died of a broken heart. She couldn't bear living without him. I thought that kind of love was only in the movies but maybe that's just art imitating life.
I have been thinking about this story for a couple of days now, since my friend told me the story. It's really touched me. It's like haunting me. I don't think I wonder if many people have that kind of love. Maybe I'm just being sappy and romantic. Is it weird to romanticize their deaths that way? I'm not sure that I have that kind of love. It's just had me thinking a lot, so I needed to write it out. I think its comforting to think they are together for eternity.

Another Sunday dinner

This time I made the time honored Sunday Chicken so that the world would continue on its customary rotation. Still things happen proving that its not because I didn't make the aforementioned chicken. Still, I am told that it would have been much worse had I not made the chicken. Whatever!

We had a lovely Saturday morning attending my nephew's 1st Communion. It was a very nice ceremony. I got a great picture of him and his cash gifts that's hysterical!

After that we hurried home to change and head back out to a track meet that was interrupted 4 times by rain. At one point hubby and I ran to the truck and sat there for over half an hour waiting for it to stop. the fifth downpour made them call it off. So, all that running around and getting wet and waiting for nothing. Oh, well.

Sunday I got to sleep in (10 o'clock!). I started laundry and at one point noticed 19s light was on. I opened his door to get dirty clothes and noticed he wasn't in bed. HUH? How did he leave and I didn't see him? I see his comforter on the floor and start walking over to pick it up and put it on the bed then I realize he's under it! on the floor! Why is he sleeping on the floor when he has the newest and bestest mattress in the house? Befuddled I turn off the light and close the door. 16 sees me and wants to be sure that he didn't wake him. He was trying to be quiet. I tell him he's sleeping on the floor. Huh? Why? I don't know. Look. I open the door and turn on the light. He see him. We retreat and he asks me why is he on the floor? I don't know.
The morning continues with breakfast, laundry, menu planning, grocery lists, online banking, a call to my brother and 16 returns from mass announcing he's going to the beach. Wait, I have been waiting for the car to run my errands. Are you taking the car? Well, if not you have to drop me off at a friends house right now they are waiting for me. I grab my things and we get in the car. We soon discover that I left my wallet at home and only have 2 loose dollars to give him to go to the beach. He goes anyway, hoping to borrow what he needs from others. So, I have to return home to get my wallet and go visit GM. As I am ready to head back home, 19 calls on hubby's phone because he can't find his phone and can't log in to his laptop. We have no land line in the house so he's basically cut off from civilization because he won't use the desktop because he says its too slow. He was actually knocking on a neighbors door to ask to use their phone when hubby pulled up and saved the day.
We go to his girlfriends workplace to borrow her phone because gratefully she has the phone # of where we think the phone is. Bingo! It's there, thank God for small favors. He goes to pick it up while I continue on the house chores but not before he enlightened me to the fact that he slept on the floor because it was hot and the floor is cooler than the bed. Go figure! We still can't get the laptop to work and so I enlist friends who are more computer savvy than I and hopefully today we get it fixed. I also had a new keyboard ordered for it because he's missing the i key and it a very common letter in the English language, in case you didn't know. It's even used 3 times in his password which was a pain in the butt without the key.
I had made another flan to see if I could get it right before he left and we tried it after dinner. I nailed it. Delish! We also had tres leches which friends brought over and 19 loves. So, I made the Sunday dinner, enough to include girlfriend who didn't join us for dinner only dessert which gave me leftovers for lunch today. And 16 didn't grace us with his presence for dinner as he had dinner with his beach friends.
We hung out after dinner catching up on 19s friends from grade school to find out that many of them aren't doing so well in college, some are drunk most of the time, some he says are doing drugs and one of them is pregnant. It was a bit of a rude awakening. We even dug out a yearbook to make sure we knew who we were talking about and 16 found a picture where 19 looked like the actor from the slumdog movie which he afterwards went to see with his girlfriend.
That was I am told a good Sunday that would have been much more gone awry had I not made the Sunday chicken. Gimme patience.

30 years!

When did I become old enough to say "I haven't seen them in 30 years!"? I mean that means I am over 30 and over 30 by enough years to remember something happened before then. When the hell did that happen?

I had lunch the other day with a woman I hadn't seen in 30 years! We caught up on the entire family and I found out that her mother just turned 100! Holy Crap! 100 years old and still going strong with her memory intact. Her son is now an actor. Maybe you have seen him. Laz Alonso.

I just tried to insert a picture here but apparently I don't know how.



Anyway, it was a great lunch. She brought pictures of a red carpet movie opening she went to and it was great to see her hamming it up.



Then last night I found out that a girlfriend's second son is now driving! He has his learner's permit. OMG! He's too young for that. I'm getting too old too quickly! OMG! When did this happen?!



Last week they took an hour, this week 30 years! OMG! Gimme patience.

Top of the morning to you, and the rest of the day to yourself!

There is absolutely nothing Irish about me. I'm sure we'd have to go back to the beginning of time to trace any roots even remotely near Ireland. Yet, somehow, today everyone has a little bit of the luck 'o the Irish in them, don't they? I remember in grade school going around pinching people if they didn't wear green. My kids both had the same Irish teacher for 2nd grade and she taught them (read: us) this Irish blessing which still makes me smile and think of her.

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

May the rains fall soft upon your fields and,

Until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

I am making Irish Soda Bread this evening to go with my Carne con Papas because well, we live in Miami and that how we roll. Cubans did not melt in that great 'ole melting pot of the USA, we prefer a kaleidoscope, always able to show our colors. Today just has a bit 'o green in it, just for fun. Enjoy your day! Here's one I remember from my childhood.

May good luck be your friend

IN whatever you do.

And may trouble be always

A stranger to you.

Q: How many things can go wrong with one dinner?

A: As many as possible.

Sunday dinner was supposed to be some favorite Cuban dishes for 19 because he's home and doesn't get to eat this when he's not here. Fine. He's only here for a couple of weeks so I invited some friends (who are like family) over for dinner to make sure they get to see him since schedules are complicated with such a short visit. Fine. So far, so good.

The menu is decided. Boliche (essentially a Cuban Roast), Red beans, and Flan for dessert. Fine. Everyone likes that. It's all good. Well, the snafu is that 16 likes to have baked chicken on Sunday. We have it so often on Sunday that it's been dubbed Sunday chicken when prepared this way. According to him the world alters its rotation when Sunday chicken is not had. Puleeze! It happened once but that was just coincidence. At least until yesterday.

I made the flan on Thursday. I had made 2 one to take to SIls on Friday and one for Sunday. Ahead of the game. Woo Hoo. That's like such a rarity all in itself. I was very proud of myself. Dessert for Sunday was all set. When we tired it on Friday night it was good but not great. The consistency a little off, a tad overcooked. Oh well. Sunday's might be better since it was made in a different mold maybe the cooking time will match up with that mold. We'll see.

It's Saturday. I am going to make the beans. Why so early? Because they beans are always better the next day so, I figure lets make them ahead of time. Fine. It's a slow process. I make my MILs recipe. Hubby and I have a small taste once it's done and it is fabulous. I'm thrilled with the outcome. It has tons of meat and squash in it, its delicious. Great. I put it in the fridge overnight.

So its Sunday. I only have the roast left to make. No problem. I have made it dozens of time. This should be the easy part. I also eventually need to reheat the beans which I take out of the fridge and place on the stove for later. We had bought a large roast. This is made in slices in a pressure cooker. Cooked low and slow to be fall apart yummy. As I put it all together, I tell hubby that I need a bigger pressure cooker that it barely fits in there. I start doing house chores while the roast cooks. Suddenly from the bedroom I smell something. Run to the kitchen. Somehow, magically because I certainly don't remember doing it, the beans were on HIGH and at a rolling boil! OMG! I take it off the stove and they are stuck burnt to the bottom of the pot. Crap! Who did this? Questioning everyone got me no where other than starting 16 on a tirade of I told you to fix Sunday Chicken.

At this point 19 tells me his girlfriend is coming for dinner too. Great. I mean it is great but man do I have dumb luck or what. First, it's only her 2nds time over for dinner and its the exact same menu, down to the dessert. Second, the first time the beans were over cooked and had almost disintegrated this time they are burnt. She's going to think I can only make one thing and I really can't even make that well. Ok. Fine whatever. It will be nice to have her over. More funny stories to look back on later which I am beginning to think may be my purpose on this planet.

When the time came for the roast to be done. I open the pressure cooker and it's not fall apart good. Of course. I think it's because the pot is not big enough and it didn't have enough space to do its thing. I remove the potatoes that are super done. Add some more liquid and turn it up so that it pressurizes again hoping the extra time will do the trick. I won't tell you how many times 16 has said the words: Sunday Chicken and I told you so.

My friends brought Cuban bread and fixins for a salad that I prepped and we set the table. OK. Dinner should be ready now. I am really not happy with it. The beans burned and I know the meat is going to be so so and the flan who knows. Whatever. Dinner is ready! And I screech! The rice! I forgot to make the rice. Everyone starts moaning. (I've done this before.) We're hungry, everything is ready and now we'll have to wait 1/2 hour for the rice. Forget it. I am going to dash to the corner where they sell food-by-the pound and buy white rice. 19s girlfriend is not here yet, we have some time, my girlfriend and I go to the car, 19 stands at the front door shaking his head at us like he can't believe we are ditching them in their hour of need. We park at the place and they are picking up the outdoor set up of tables and chairs. I yell, OMG I think they are closed. I ask the man as we approach. Not yet he tells me. Thank God for small favors, I think. I tell the guy at the counter I need white rice for 10 people. They really don't have that much left. I'll take it all. He packs it up. Then we see the baked chicken. I buy a piece for 16 because, I think it will be funny. We tell the cashier about the dinner snafu as I take the price off the pack so hubby doesn't see how much I paid for rice. Everyone laughs because I clearly exist for their amusement. As we drive back home, I think of my grandmother who used to buy/order the food from the restaurant and put it in her pots and let everyone think she made it. As we pull up to the house girlfriend's car is there. Can't put it in a pot now and let her think I made it when she sees me walk in with it. Failed ya grandma - sorry.
So now we start plating dinner to be served. The burnt beans, the not falling apart roast with a sauce that's not saucy because it has been cooked down so far and over-reduced, the store bought rice and the pretty salad. Whatever. I don't even care anymore. I'm barely even hungry, let's get this over with. The ribbing continues with the kitchen gods not being happy because this isn't Sunday chicken. Add to irony that had I made that girlfriend would have tried something new made by me. We relive that previous fiasco when Sunday chicken was not made. We laugh a lot. The food all tastes pretty good. There's plenty of flavor it's just not right but memorable to say the least. And now for the flan. I flip it onto the plate. And we all agree it's good but slightly overcooked. Shocker! :)
I think we had fun. An instant classic moment. One they will rib me about for many years to come. But I think next Sunday we'll have Sunday chicken. Where's that camera? I promise you, I'm not making it up. Gimme patience!

Coming home!

My baby is coming home tonight for Spring break. YEAH!

There will be lots of cooking in my future for the next few weeks because my eater will be back. I already started last night making 2 flans. One to take tonight to my SILs for the family dinner and the other to keep at home for the weekend.

In my near future I see....boliche, frijoles colorados, picadillo, oatmeal cookies, lentils, carne con papas, and anything else he might request.

Should be fun!

Prize Patrol or Mr. Brown

GM called me yesterday very excited. She had amazing news. I wasn't going to believe. So, I asked her if she found a bag full of money or won the lottery. She laughed in a strangely giddy yet conspiratorial way and told me "Not a bag of money but beautiful shoes!"
Now it was my turn to laugh. I ordered them. I told her when I saw her on the weekend that I would. I told her when they'd be delivered. I had even spoken to her in the morning to see if they had arrived. She doesn't remember. That was sad and had me shaking my head but then you have to go with what you are given. You know make lemonade out of lemons and all.
She was laughing and Woo Hooing about these shoes that a very nice man brought to the house just for her. She didn't recognize him and didn't know who he was but she accepted the gift. She has no idea how he knew she needed shoes and much less how he knew what size to get her but they are BEA-U-TI-FUL! and she doesn't have to tie them because they have a sticky strip that the caretaker showed her how to use (yes, Velcro). She was so excited, her sneaky laugh was infectious. It's even making me smile now thinking about the conversation. I totally just went with it asking her who the guy was, did she get his name etc. I almost fell off my chair when she told me that one of the men who lives in the home who barely speaks any English yelled at the man as he got back into his truck "Who you!?" and he answered, "Mr. Brown". I started crying I was laughing so hard with her on the phone. Mr. Brown bought her a pair of shoes! So guess what? She told me I don't have to get her shoes anymore. Gimme patience! but hey, she was happy.

Oops! He did it again!

Hubby messed up - again! He bought a couple of lottery tickets the other day but he bought the wrong ones - again! They didn't win. Not even a couple of bucks to pay for the tickets themselves. Of course, he blames the error on me because I told him to buy the tickets. That's not true. I simply explained that for sure we won't win if we don't buy a ticket. He bought the WRONG tickets - again!

And so, I am still working...we still have a mortgage...my sons will have student loans....we have debt...all because he didn't buy the right tickets - again!

Gimme patience ;)

Do you know what time it is?

For the love of Pete, give me back my hour!

We Sprang forward yesterday and I want my hour back! I hate this time of year, when we change times. This whole transition week because that's how long it will take me to figure out the time of day. One measly hour you say shouldn't affect me so much. WELL! It did. It does. And it will do it again in the fall only then I still will not like it because it will be the fabulous 25 hour day and I will not do great things in that additional hour oh so generously granted.

Back to yesterday. I was co-hosting a Gold Party at a friend's house. Which meant leave things up and running at my house for the sick husband and 17, take munchies and wine and go be hostess with the mostest at a friend's house. Sounds easy. Yeah, I thought so, until the powers that be stole an hour right out from under me.

I knew this was going to happen when I went o bed on Saturday. I'm not a complete idiot (just read, don't argue here). When I woke up my cell phone was on my nightstand and I checked the time there thinking it would be the only reliable source. It should auto change. Fine. 7:10. I slowly get up, go out to the living room, find some mindless entertainment on TV and head to the kitchen. The time on the oven matches the cell phone. Impressive, hubby must have changed it before he went to bed. Cool. I mix a dip and put it in the fridge to chill and start the coffee. I gather the serving trays I am taking to the party and pack up the wine. I start slicing the cheese and laying it out on a platter. I have my first cup of Joe, lounging on the sofa watching a cooking show. I've got plenty of time. I think I may have even dozed off for a minute or 20 because I don't recall the entire recipe. As I stretch and sit up, hubby walks out and plops on the sofa.
H: Did you make coffee.
I made American, I'll make Cuban now.
H: You realize, that's not the right time.
Huh? What do you mean? As I check my cell against the oven.
H: It's an hour later. Remember, the time changes today. It's actually 9:45.
WHAT?! No, the oven's right, it matches my cell.
He clicks and shows me the time on the TV. 9:47. He stole an hour! Poof. It was gone. CRAP! I'm leaving at 11:am. Now, I don't have time for everything now. I was going to leave 17 his waffle batter mixed, leave Hubby dinner seasoned and ready to stick in the oven, I still had to shower and and there was other stuff that was getting muddled. So, after cursing at my phone and wasting 10 minutes re-setting the time. I went to shower and left Hubby making the Cuban coffee. I didn't make the batter or season the chicken. I had my cafe con leche (more caffeine was a priority) and gathered my things to go to the party.
The party was a success and the lost hour was a topic of conversation throughout the day. I was not the only one struggling with this. Others had missed mass, and overall spent the day running late.
After the party a friend and I decide to go eat Indian Food at a local restaurant the doesn't open until 5:30. We have time to kill before it opens. No problem. After we find the place we'll find another place to walk around and chat. We ended up just sitting in the car chatting. We are watching the clock in the car. Her car. Finally, it's 5:28. We get to the restaurant and I expect to be one the first people there. The restaurant is half full. When I return from the ladies room my friend tells me. You realize we sat in the car for an extra hour. It's 6:30. HUH?! there it was again, an hour stolen. Poof. Gone. She goes on to explain, we watched the car clock that wasn't reset. It didn't occur to either of us to check our cells or her to check her watch (I don't wear one). Amazing. We are both astonished by the sheer dumbness of this. It's too funny. You can't make this up. She calls her husband to tell him because he's at home waiting for us to take him dinner. Well, dearly we'll be an hour later. He has no words, his response and commentary was "Ughhhh!" When I tell me husband on the way home, he laughed heartily and tell me I'm a dumbazz. Nice, huh. Not that I was thinking I was so brilliant at the moment.
It's a good thing I had a nice happy day, chatting with girlfriend, making money at the Gold Party and having Indian with a friend because otherwise it really would have been a sucky day.
Why so we have to spring and fall forwards and backwards with the time anyway. Does it honestly serve a purpose anymore, other than frustrate the hell out of me for 2 weeks of the year? Gimme patience!

Believing....Faith

I have always been told that I was lacking in faith by the religious teachers I had growing up. That was because I would ask questions. LOTS of questions. To the point when most of them couldn't answer them and would answer with - You just have to believe, that's why they call it faith. Naturally, this only exasperated me more. Again, not getting into that here.
Despite all of that, for whatever reason I chose to send my children to parochial school. I won't go into all of the reasons here but I can assure you guilt is not one of them. I don't have the Catholic guilt you hear about, probably because I don't have enough faith. Whatever.
Anyway, we are in the time of Lent that has food restrictions of not eating meat on Fridays. This would not be a sacrifice for me because I enjoy seafood and would like to eat it at home on a regular basis but hubby is not a great fan and so I don't make it often. that is except during Lent. We do fish on Friday's mostly, I think, because of hubby's guilt. He's the one who brings it up. This year for the first time, my kids are joining in. Both of my children went to services on Ash Wednesday and went to mass last Sunday - on their own. I have not taken my children to mass since 16 graduated from parochial school in 8th grade (3 years ago). I have been to mass and so have they but not a required event on a specific day. I was surprised to hear that they both happened to decide that they need to go back to the church. They each separately told me that they found it comforting. 19 actually told me that he felt like he "...found something that had been missing..." and 16 said he thought it would help him "...get it together..."
It made me feel good that they had something (their religion/church) to do this for them. I believe that's a good thing and I hope that it will give them years of comfort ahead. I have many issues with the Church but I am glad that my children have had a positive experience with it.

Giving (up)

That's the theme this month for NABLOPOMO. I'm not participating for the month but I am going to leach the topic.

There are a lot of ways this could go especially with that up in parenthesis. This being the season of Lent and all, may people are in the sacrificing mode. When I think of "Giving Up" I think of Sister Naomi. Poor Sister Naomi, now I feel for her. Then I just plain hated her. Yes, mother, I know hate is a strong word that should never be used. You always preferred when we disliked something/one a lot v. hating . But I plain hated Sister Naomi that Freshman year of high school. She's the whole reason I wasn't invited back! It had nothing to do with me, it was her and her nit-picky ways. But I'm over it. Really, I am. Sister Naomi taught is Fr. Religion, Spanish and was my dorm monitor. Honestly, I don't know how her red hair didn't turn white on our tour there. I know it was red because one night we caused such a ruckus she came running out of her room and her habit wasn't quite right and we saw her red hair - shocker, I know. What does this have to do with giving up!?

Sister Naomi would walk around and whenever she heard any of us fussing, fighting, or huffing about anything she would waive her hands at us up in the air and say "Give it up ladies! Give it up to save those poor souls!" You see, the ONLY thing I remember about Fr. Religion class was learning about all the poor souls of unbaptised babies sitting in purgatory waiting. Just waiting to get into heaven. These would be all the aborted babies and all the stillborn babies and all the babies that died because their mommas abandoned them. She would frightfully explain to us that it was to no fault of the children that they had to suffer so. It was all because of the parents' lack of faith. So, we had to offer up/give up all of our suffering for the repose of those babies souls so that through our suffering we take on their burdens and they could get into heaven.

Can you imagine? I was what, 13 years old picturing a waiting room the size of the heavens full of babies waiting to be let into heaven. Eventually, I thought about it and would question her to the point of exasperation Why would those children be punished so if it wasn't their fault and our God is all-loving and merciful. I didn't understand and have never been able to reconcile this concept. Even my mother would tease me about it when she wanted to push my buttons. She'd tell me to give it up for the babies and I would roll my eyes at her and we'd laugh. Even in the end when my mother was in the hospital dying. She told her best friend and I that she prayed everyday that God give her one more day of suffering this horrible disease in the hopes that it would spare a child from the same suffering. And I quipped back at her what about all those babies? We laughed until we cried and tried to explain it to her BF in between fits of tears and laughter.

Honestly, between Sister Naomi and the priest who later taught my religion class senior year, who told me that I was going to burn in hell for eternal damnation (I don't even remember his name!), I don't' know how I didn't convert to something else. Lazy, I guess, just didn't want to take the time to look into anything else. So, there you go Sister Naomi, I know we gave you h-e-double l that year. Sorry we put you through it. I'm sure you have long since passed on and are probably rolling over in your grave. Just give it up for the babies, Sister.

Lights... Camera... Action!

16 often has said that we need to be a reality TV show. A camera should just be following us. According to him, out lives are much funnier and more interesting that some of the reality shows he sees. I usually think that's just a testament to how much bad TV there is and he's watching it. But sometimes, there are moments that make me want to stop and yell, "Where's the camera?" just like he does.

I mean really. Let me just recap some of the stuff he says are TV worthy and you decide.

Do you make the girlscouts stop packing up their stuff and jump into the back of their pick-up truck to sell you a few (5) boxes of cookies before they leave?

Do you normally throw a surprise birthday dinner party for a friend and the guest of honor and later your son end up getting a haircut right there in your dinning room after Happy Birthday and blowing out the candles?

And isn't it normal to wear sunglasses on top of your prescription glasses? I mean you take off the contacts because your eyes are sore and itching because of a head cold. You don't have prescription sunglasses so, when you are driving you put your sunglasses right on top of the regular glasses. Normal, right?

Have you ever pulled out a load of clothes from the dryer and started folding and hanging them thinking, 'they smell a little funky' , only to realize that you "washed" them in the dryer not the washer. That's right, you basically dried your dirty clothes. I discovered it when I went to turn a shirt right side out and my hand got all full of gooey stuff that was the stain removerl I had applied before I thought I had put them in the washer.

Or have you ever gotten home sick from visiting family in the hospital and looked for the soup you asked hubby to order and think he forgot because you can't find any containers anywhere. You ask him as you serve yourself some juice and he says it's there on the table -not, on the counter? - not. He gets up and checks the fridge thinking your child put it away. But I ordered it, he insists. He opens the garbage- BINGO. There it is. The child who NEVER throws anything away, threw it away. So, you go to give said child a hard time about it and he's mortified and profusely apologizes but then starts laughing. You want to hear the best part?, he asks. Sure, why not can it get any better? When I picked it up to throw it out it was kinda heavy and I thought "Wow, they sent a lot of beans. But I just thought we order so often maybe they were just giving you some extra. (Background: They ordered from a local Cuban restaurant that always send a 'coffee cup' container with beans for the rice with each meal that always gets thrown out at my house because he doesn't eat them.) We laughed so hard, we cried.

And I am sure that when you have gone to see a family member in the hospital, the hospital has lost all their previous records and then as you recreate them the patient starts arguing that you are wrong. They insist they have allergies and you insist they don't. The hospital doesn't know who to believe because the patient is telling them that you are out to kill them for the inheritance. So, they make you sign paperwork waiving you right to sue them should any harm come to you beloved family member while in their care based on any medications they provide her. All this while said beloved person is yelling, "she just wants to kill me, but bad bugs don't die!" in a little sing songy nursery song way.

If these types of things didn't happen to you while you have been sick with a sore throat and the head cold from hell then good for you but that has been a glimpse of my life in the past 2 week.

Tell me all of that is normal...otherwise send over the camera crew. Gimme patience and TGIF!

Pits, pits, everywhere pits!

Man oh man am I tired! I am tired of no fun. I am tired of everything being hard...a struggle...

It's official I'm sick. I'm congested. My throat hurts. I feel hot and then cold. I feel lousy. 16 is feeling better. That's good of course but the problem is he gave it to me. Can you feel the love? Oh, the joy.

Hubby and I have been at odds lately. I want to throw the TV out the window but it's big and heavy, not sure I can do it on my own. But I'm thinking without the TV maybe we could get something done. Probably just my wishful thinking. Is excessive TV watching grounds for divorce?

GM has been calling me complaining of insignificant things just because she's bored and has nothing to do. I get that and usually muddle through it but it's getting to me. Now, I was just called and told that she's going to the hospital (yes, again) to get IV antibiotics for a recurring UTI. She's excited about going to the hospital. I find that so sad. Naturally, I am not looking forward to this adventure of hers.

Just needed to vent a bit...hopefully, better stuff to blog about later. I just want something simple and fun. Puleeze, gimme patience.

For the past two weeks I've been dealing with not-fun stuff that I think may be coming to an end.

GM, as you know has a number of medical issues and is slightly cantankerous (because it would not be nice to say bitchy now, would it) in her ways. Anyway, since her last hospital visit in December she has been clamoring loudly that she will never go back to the hospital again. We are to leave her alone and let her die. That's all well and good but she lives in an ALF (Assisted Living Facility) that will loose their license if they don't provide and seek her medical attention when required. She doesn't care. So, we explained to her there are certain programs (not writing their name, to not get the hits) that we can enroll her in that will allow her to remain at the ALF and not go to the hospital. They will some to her to treat her and make her comfortable. She was all for it! And so the coordination began. A swarm of people come to evaluate her. She tells them so many wild stories that if I wrote them down, I swear I'd have a best seller. One of my personal favorites is that they have to get her well enough because she is leaving the US and going to live in Cuba. She's leaving in 3 weeks. He believed her and did not approve her for the program. I try again, she tells him that she has a personal therapist come to the house to train with her every day. She has to be able to walk because she is going to Spain to see the Olympics that her great-grandson will be running in. She promptly stood up BY HER SELF and walked from the bedroom to the living room to prove it. Everyone at the ALF was stunned because she hasn't done that before or since. She won't even walk to the bathroom! She wasn't approved. So, here we go try #3. The man calls me while he's visiting.
Man: "She seems a little confused. Talking to me about living in Cuba and not having any tubes put in."
Me: "Yes, she is confused. She's not going anywhere that's why I want her in the program."
Man: "So, she isn't picked up every day and taken to therapy, the bank and then lunch with friends?"
Me: "She is only taken to the bathroom. She goes no where outside the house. WE have to convince her to sit in the back yard."
Man: "So, you are not trying to hook her up to machines and keep her alive to steal and live off of her money."
Me: "I'm not hooking her up to anything. There is no money, her income pays for the ALF and the prepay plan for her funeral. There is literally a balance $1.11 in her bank account today."
Man: "She already signed all my paperwork. I've approved her. Tomorrow the nurse will come and the next day the Minister will come to evaluate her."
Me: "Thank you so much. Does a Minister HAVE to evaluate her? She may not be very nice to him. I'm not sure how ell that will go."

Yesterday the Minister went. I spoke to him first. He called me after and told me that she was everything I said she was. She told that man of the cloth that he was stupid living a lie all his life and believing in that foolishness. We were all going to die and that was it. There was no God because if there was children would never die and her daughter would still be alive. She would be dead because she has been wanting to die since the day her daughter died. Of there were a God she would not be suffering this way. When he tried to explain the whole why God allows suffering, she threw him out of the place. I apologized but I don't think he'll be back. He did agree that she needed help and gratefully approved her for the program.

As far as I know one more person has to go and then we are all approved. It's been exhausting. Gimem patience.

Finally!

So, I did cook over the weekend. I did a lot of cooking over the weekend. Aside from the normal dinner routine, I made: Waffles, Crepes, Oatmeal cranberry cookies, a flan and roasted beets with a butter parsley that was yum-mo and I made what I'll call a quickie Beef Bourguignon using a can of Golden Mushroom soup as the shortcut.

It all came out well. My biggest coup was the flan. I have been trying to made kickazz flan for years. It's always been good but not great. You see, hubby family makes kickazz flan. His mom and his aunt knock it out of the ball park. It's so dang creamy. They have given me the recipe umpteen times and gone over how to make it over and over and every time I make it hubby, 19 and I always agree that it just doesn't measure up to theirs.

Recently, his aunt actually gave me the same pan that she makes it in because I have been insisting that my problem is the cooking time. I didn't think I was pulling it out at the right doneness. So, the thinking was that if I had the same pan and cook it for the same time as she does, it should work. My first attempt with her pan on Superbowl weekend was a hit with everyone but hubby and I knew it wasn't there yet. Close but not quite. I think it was slightly overcooked. So, I tried it again as my Valentines gift for hubby. It's his favorite dessert. When I flipped it, I was nervous. I sliced into in and like the way the knife felt running through it. I served it and let him take the first bite. All he said was 'ummp, you did it!' as he swallowed the first bite. I tried it and baby, I nailed it! I did it! It was the best flan I have ever made. Oh, so creamy and not overly eggy or dense. Perfect! Oh Happy Day!
Now can I duplicate this? Can I do it again? That's the big question. But for now, I will bask in the glory of my flan, thank you very much.

What to do? What to do? Start something new!

I have an assortment of projects going on and don't know what to do first or next.

I have some pictures that I want to order to scrap a mini-brag book for a friend who just had a baby. I already have a table full of photos from last May and papers and and embellishments waiting to be scrapped. I have a blouse already cut waiting to be sewn. A stack of fabric waiting to be cut and sewn into a jumper for my niece, blouses for me and oh yeah the fabric to re-cover the chair in the office and then there' s the quilt project for 16. And the book I just started that I left in the car and am not reading right this minute.

So, this weekend I think I'm going to cook and bake. I heard that. I know, I have so many other things started I can't decide which one to do, so I'll just do something else. That usually works. I'll make 16 some Valentine sugar cookies for starters. That's what I'm gonna do.

That will be in between visiting a friend who's in the hospital and wishing them well. HMmmm...maybe I'll make them something too. If he goes home tomorrow, I will definitely make them something. But what? Decisions, decisions....
The good news is...I'm coming out of my funk...climbing out of that bowl of pits. woo hoo!

In the pits

Did you ever read "if life is a bowl of cherries, what am i doing in the pits" by Erma Bombeck? Crap. I just dated myself big time. Oh well, par for the course. When I was a kid I loved that title. I mean really loved it. I thought it was perfect. It thought it was a perfect way of explaining if may be all wonderful on the outside or in the big picture but I'm not happy right now. It also made me feel like it was OK to be not happy when essentially you have every reason to be happy just don't be unhappy all the time.

Not every day is peaches and cream. Take today for instance.... Big picture: We're alive, we're free, we both have jobs, all in good health, many blessings yadda yadda. So why do I want a do-over or better yet a skip-ahead to tomorrow. Here's why. I've got my monthly headache ergo monthly visitor about to arrive, got up late and didn't have time for coffee at home, back hurts maybe because I spent half the night crouched under the kitchen sink cleaning it out from the leaking and the backed up disposal, I forgot to mail my son's Valentine's Day card (yes, I snail mail cards. It's fun to get things in the mail!) so now it will be late, I didn't bring lunch which means I have to drag this head and back achy body someplace to eat something at some point.

So you see no earth shattering problems here. I have friends going through worse crap. So add to the above some guilt for feeling crappy when I really shouldn't. But I feel like I'm in the pits today. Erma would understand. Gimme patience...no comfort and joy at the moment.

Music's big night

Did you watch the Grammys? I kinda did. I Tivod it and then watched it after the fact fast forwarding through the awards and only stopping to see the performance.

They don't pay me to review the Grammy's but why should that stop me? Here's my take on it.

* I'm concerned for the recording music world because apparently there's a shortage of performers because the same one kept coming on stage to perform. It seems they aren't enough to fill the entertainment slots of a 3 hour awards show.

* I don't like it when Grammy performances are new songs. This is a venue where I think the songs should be representative of the best of the year not an attempt to try out a new song on an audience, not even if you are veteran performers like U2.

* Maybe it was my imagination but I remember awards shows showcases all the genres. I think they need to revisit that. There are genres of music that received their award during the pre-televised show. I would like to hear the best of each genre, get exposed to something I maybe don't always listen to, maybe I'll like it maybe not but if it's out there some one's listening to it. It deserves to be showcased on music's "biggest night of the year".

* I want to take it upon myself to personally apologize to Stevie Wonder, an American Music icon for paring him with those children (I refuse to write their name because I don't want the hits to my site). I would also like to call for the public humiliation of the person who's idea that was to have him sing with the JBs. I think they scared him, jumping up behind him and around him to sing into his microphone. OMG! Do they even know who he is?! They didn't know the words to the song! They flubbed that enough. I was truly embarrassed for the man. The JBs should not have been on the same stage with him. I'm sorry Mr. Wonder. I think that maybe let let him come back out and perform solo as a make-up for that first aberration. If that's the case, he's the only one I am ok with that came out for a double performance.

* I would think they may have connections with some of the top people in the industry and be able to fix some of the sound issues. There is no reason why in that venue any band should be overpowering a singer or it should sound like they are singing in a tin cave. Puleeze!

* WHY oh why, is there no frickin frackin host?! They must being back the host. the host keeps the show rolling. Keeps it from feeling like it's all just tossed together haphazardly. Get a host!

Honestly, they need to work on the show overall. I was happy that I didn't sit there for the entire thing and was able to fast forward through most of it.

Because I don't have a toilet seat warmer...

or an excuse to drink mulled wine in So. FL.

Last week we had our second cold snap of the season here in sunny Miami. Let me translate that for the rest of the country/world (read: the 2 people who read this blog). We had our second 3-day stretch of below 60 degree weather. Perspective people. Please, a little perspective. I grew up in northern Virginia, I realize still not frozen tundra country but it got darn cold and snowed plenty. I grew up with 4 seasons that were visually different from each other. That's not the case here in Miami. We have 2 seasons: rainy season and not rainy season. It's an adjustment still after OMG, I've been living here 25 years. Jeez where did the time go? But I digress....
A year ago, maybe 2, (as you can read I am obviously having issues in this area), friends of mine brought me a bottle of mulled wine from their vacation in Philly. I'm sure we all understand why this may be purchased in bulk up there and be a novelty item in Miami. I thought it was a lovely gift and was looking forward to it but really the timing had to be right. Perfect in fact, because what tends to happen here is it's chilly (50s) when I leave in the morning for work by the time I get home its perfectly comfortable and no need for mulling of wine or anything else.
This little cold snap last week was different. I for one welcomed the change of pace. We actually had multiple days of actual cold weather to the point that in the evening I let my dog sleep inside the house because it was cold out. 30's is cold people. My house was cold because, I know others have turned on heaters in Miami but I just can't wrap my head around that one, so the house is cold. I actually put socks on and couldn't be barefoot on the tile floor. I'd change into my hangout clothes after work and its all good. Then I had to go to the bathroom. OMG! The toilet seat was friggin freezing. Sent chills up and down made me wish I was momentarily a man and didn't have to sit down to do my business. It chilled me inside and out. Seriously. I was cold. Then it hit me. I need to have something to warm me up from the inside out. I did not want hot chocolate and then it came to me in a flash- the mulled wine. I whipped out a pot and heated it toute suite. It was de-lish. Hubby and 16 were asking what I was making for dinner because their nose couldn't decipher the new scent. I explained that I was having mulled wine because we didn't have a toilet set warmer. Hubby calmly explained that no one in Miami has one because we don't need them here. I realize and acknowledge that but going to the bathroom made my tushy cold and the rest of me cold and so I needed to warm up, I explained. They laughed at me and left me alone. I didn't care I was all warm and cozy.
The downside or upside (its all about perspective) is that drinking the mulled wine make me have to go tinkle again and then since we still didn't have a toilet warmer, I got cold again and needed more mulled wine. Forever (until the bottle ran out) caught in a vicious cycle. I'm told that warm wine goes to your head more quickly. Hmmm....I did have a very pleasant evening that night. It was ALL GOOD.

Comfort Food

It's been cold here in sunny South Florida. Honest. It's in the 40s and even 30s at night. That's cold. For people who live here is freezing but we won't get into that. Anyway, between the cold and I have some friends who are going through some yucky stuff and that drags me down a bit I needed some comfort food.

Last night I made good ole meat loaf and mac n cheese. I'm not talking little powder pack of seasoning meat loaf or box mac n cheese. I am talking all homemade from scratch. I did make dough boy pop in the oven biscuits because there's only so much a girl can do on a weeknight.

Dinner was DElicious. I sauteed the onions and spices for the meatloaf first and grated a carrot to add to the mix. THEN I wrapped it in bacon! Tell me what's not better with bacon. Nothing.

The mac n cheese was yummy! The macaroni were just right not overcooked and mushy. The cheese was a combo of Colby, cheddar and parm blended into a roux with butter and cream. I tossed it all together and put it in the oven with more parm sprinkled on top and let it bubble up. Oh So Good!

I felt so warm and good after dinner. It was a comfort meal for me. Not so much for my boys because they didn't grow up on that since they don't really have winter and all but I used to have that at least every 10 days in the winter if not more often. I was feeling a bit drained. Dinner took me back and recharged me. I am ready for the weekend and getting things done.

Super Event

As for many the Super Bowl is an event. My boys are SUPERfanatics of the game as are many of our friends. This all leads us to a large (and every year growing larger) gathering at a friend's house to watch the game.

We by silent agreement divide up into groups. Those who actually want to watch each pass, run and down of the game and debate the wisdom of the play calling during commercials go to the TV room and watch it in HD on the 61" TV. Those who want to watch the commercials and discuss their effectiveness during the game while merely keeping track of who's winning or loosing are in the living room watching it on a normal 27" (I'm guessing here) TV. Those who want conversation with someone other than immediate family stay in the kitchen chatting. You are free to roam back and forth between the areas, there are no real rules just don't interrupt any one's viewing priorities and it's all good.

By all accounts the game this year was actually good, worth watching. I actually paid attention in the 4th quarter. By contrast the commercials - not so much. I was totally underwhelmed by the commercials this year and blame it on Wall Street. I am blaming it on the state of the economy that I think there were more movie trailers than anything else. The Anheuser Bush did come through with the horses and their sweet commercials. But some of the others were pitiful. The only one that I can recall made me laugh was the diet Pepsi one of all the men getting hurt. Actually, it make me yelp each time some one was hurt and then I laughed after the tag line. "Men can take anything except diet soda, until now."

I did not like the Conan one, or the job search ones, or the grease monkey one or the Doritos one where he got hit by a bus! I did think their snow globe one was funny but then I thought what, you have to be an idiot to eat Doritos??? So, I'm not sure about that one.

I was looking forward to the Miller High Life one-second commercials that their spots leading up to the big game had hinted at. I cracked up with after the game their commercial came on and it was just the delivery guy saying "1 Mississippi!" In the previous spots he had said that anything could be a commercial for high life LOL!

So, here's hoping that next year's Super Bowl brings us better commercials.

GOLD!

Over the weekend one of the things I did was go to a Gold Party. Have you heard of these things? I hadn't. I had heard commercials on the radio about jewelry stores that would buy your jewelry but not house parties.

Remember Tupperware parties? Well, this was a bunch of women showing up at a friends house where 2 jewelers sat at her dinning room table and tested and weighed our pieces and paid us in check or cash for whatever we chose to sell them. HUH!? Exactly. I went with another girlfriend and we figured if we got $50 bucks that would be a lot. We did not have very high expectations.
I took junk. I mean I took earrings that had lost pairs, old awful stuff that I had since I was a kid but now think is hideous, some broken necklaces that I wasn't going to get fixed because I didn't even like them anymore. Most of what I gave him I thought was fake, some of it was and he handed it back to me. I took only one bracelet and my high school ring that I new were 'good'. Are you ready to hear what I got? Drum roll please...prrrrrrrrrrr......$515! I could not believe it. My girlfriend got $315. We were shocked. One woman took a necklace to just find out if it was any good. She'd worn it once. She got over $800 for it! Needless to say, we were very impressed. So impressed that my girlfriend and I are going to co-host a party ourselves. Obviously, the host gets a commission from the jewelers. It's all good!
Cuz let me tell you honey, Obama can do what he will for the economy but I know Uncle Sam isn't going to knock on my door and bail me out. A girls gotta bail herself outta this mess. So, why hang on to broken and mismatched pieces? No more. Sell it for cash. I did and I am going to spread the word to my friends.
Now, I can afford some of that comfort and joy ;)

Group fun

So I have been thinking more and more about this Comfort and Joy business. There really are quite a few things what give me Comfort and Joy.

Like relaxed time with people. I enjoy being with people vs. being alone. That is if I can be relax and not stressed about it and that's not to say that I can't enjoy being alone. But I prefer people. I like chatting with people, people watching, listening and laughing.

So, how do I do more of this from now on. Well, let's see I already meet with some girlfriends on a monthly basis. I have set up gatherings with others and their elders to teach us how to cook traditional dishes and pass on the recipes. I get together with another group of friends on a regular (every other month) and try out restaurants in our area. I also try to get together for game nights and card nights. Those each happen maybe every other monthish too.

So, my only pastimes that don't have groups formed to share them with is reading (was previously in a book club) and crafting. Now I'm not sure I'm up to a book club again but maybe a few of us could get together on a whatever basis and craft. Maybe. I have to think about that one. I'll let you know.

Comfort and Joy

Through the entire holiday season I hummed bits of of the song God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. I'm not even sure if that's the name but you know the song that I mean. The other song I was humming a lot was Joy to the World, I don't know why these 2 particular song but those were the songs that got stuck in my head this season and I still find myself humming them. On top of the humming I have been finding myself asking myself - will it bring comfort or joy- before or even while I am doing something. It's making me think twice about a few things. The answer is also driving some of my actions.

It doesn't necessarily have to bring me comfort & joy. I truly enjoy making other people happy; that honestly brings me joy. I know that sounds corny and I'm not trying to be PC or anything. But its what I like to do. I don't like things and people to be stressed. I like easy feeling, relax about it, enjoy and be happy stuff.

I can relate to anything. Family, friends, work, hobbies. All of it. So I think that's going to be the focus this year. Comfort & Joy. I haven't made a hard and fast resolution this year but I have been thinking the year may end up being focused on Comfort & Joy. Of course, patience is the theme of my life. I always need patience.

I'll keep you posted on things I do that bring me and/or others Comfort & Joy.

MUST CALM DOWN!

OMG! I know that my face is red. It must be I can feel the heat. My internal temperature gauge must be off the charts. Hell, I even feel the beginnings of a headache coming on. The boss' wife came in to work today. Did you know that she was coming? Did he tell you? She spent the 4 frickin hours she was here asking me (& someone else) to "show me something, let me help you". WTH! What were we supposed to give her to do? how to answer the phone? make copies? She sat next to me while I typed a dang letter. Tried to do one one on her own. OMG! I want to poke my eyes out with a paper clip! At a minimum hang me from the highest tree in Miami! OMG! This is going to be a nightmare. I am ready to walk if it weren't for that dang mortgage I have to pay every month! PLEASE GIMME PATIENCE!

Changes

I'm playing wiht my blog. The look...the lists that will be kept etc. You will see a few more changes and then I will go back to posting. Have patience... ;)

Cheers and tears

Happy New Year! The party was a blast. We missed some friends who were out of town but a good time was had by all.

19 who was sick last year and missed out on the fun had a great time. Everyone thought he had been body snatched because he danced. And not just with his girlfriend. With his cousin, his aunt and his grandmother and to salsa music. He even sang along with the song shocking his grandmother. It was lots of fun. I again tried to get everyone to dance and was only partially successful this year. My nephew, age 6, was the life of the party. He danced with EVERYONE and anyone. He was adorable. At one point he was dancing with one of 19s friends girlfriend and I told him that she had a boy friend. He made a scary face, like he might be in trouble. The girl (and I) laughed and she told him that it was OK, he could dance with her and I wish you could have seen the smug look he gave me. It was priceless!

16 danced some too but spent most of the night hanging with his friends and helping with the managing of the music selections. A friend of his was the DJ.

After all the cheers the next day we slept and sat around recapping the party, we think there were 57 revelers this year. Some friends came over to watch Bowl games, eat leftovers and I made breakfast for dinner. They opted for Crepes with (leftover) strawberries and chocolate and bacon. Gratefully, Friday I had the day off and more dragging around the house was done as well as lots of laundry. Loads and loads were done so that 19 could take everything back clean. I also made for the first time Frijoles Colorados. They came out awesome! Saturday I packed for 19 and we went to friends' house for more football watching. It was 19s last night. A large group of kids met up where we were to go out on his last night and bid him farewell (as if they needed an excuse to go out).

I had been struggling with the thought of him leaving for days already and here it was. We were up at 5am to take him to the airport. He got home at 4:30, slept (I use the word loosely) in his clothes and when I woke him simply brushed his teeth and went back to sleep in the back seat of the car. At the airport all 3 of us were pretty quiet. As we waited in line to check his bags I was seeing armed forces personnel around us with their families. My heart swelled for them. I wanted to say something. But what do I say. Thanks.? Good luck.? Every time I thought about it I couldn't open my mouth to form the words because I was so emotional already I know I would have broken down right then and there. None of us wanted this parting. As we gave our last hugs all of us got teary eyed and swallowed hard to hold back the tears. We stayed until he passed through the security check just cuz. And slowly walked away once he was out of sight, now the tears could flow freely. We weren't the only ones crying. Tears were everywhere.

And now he's there. I'm here. He called when he landed to let us know that those people up there don't know what the hell the sun looks like. All he kept hearing was that it was a great day the sun was out. When he walked outside it was cold and grey. We laughed as I reminded him that he can't compare it to The Sunshine State. To make the best of it. Different isn't bad, it's just different.

I have already looked at airfare for him to return on Spring Break and plan on booking it soon. Please gimme patience.

Next event...

Christmas is over. The gifts have been given, everyone has been seen. There was lots I didn't do that I wanted to but it's all over now. Now, we gear up for then end of year, the last scheabang. As in the past we are hosting a New Year's Eve party and so the clean up and set up has begun.

Christmas village up & working - check. Tree still up - check. Public areas decluttered - check. Everyone invited - check. Hats and noisemakers - check. Champagne - to be picked up Tues. Grapes- pending. Backyard spotless - check. Pool cleaned - being done now. Backyard lights working - check. Dog bathed - set for Wed. Liquor cabinet stocked - check.
We are good to go.

I have no clue how many people are coming. I don't know what they are bringing. This is always a trauma for many not for me. It's a true pot luck. Bring whatever or not. I makes no matter. If you can come then do. If you don't RSVP and your plans fail, my party can be your back up, that's OK, show up. The only ones that have learned to appreciate this are my kids. The past 2 years they have invited friends and opened the invitation to their families etc. A few have come. Some are now going to be repeat guests.

People feel like their imposing, like they need to help me pre-plan. What if everyone brings dessert?! I laugh and say then we all eat dessert - oh the horror. It doesn't matter. I didn't go because I hadn't told you I was going and I didn't want to put you out at the last minute. This is not a sit down wedding people! It's a New Year's Eve party. If I run out of champagne (which I never have) then we'll toast with the next available thing. It's not about the stuff. I don't know how to impart that any better in my invitation. It's about the being with friends and family and sharing the time together. Here's the e-vite that I sent out this year:

It’s that time of year again! You are cordially invited to make merry and party hardy at the New Year’s Eve Bash! WooHoo! As you know (unless you are a newbe) the invitation is officially extended to you and anyone you would like or are obligated to kiss at midnight. There will be partygoers of all ages and all ages are welcome from abuelita to el bebe. Rumors are the adults may be outnumbered this year, as my children are actually inviting people too! (Can I get another WooHoo!?) We provide music, champagne for those old enough and sparkling cider for those not old enough and grapes to eat at midnight. In addition, we have a few other traditions such as traipsing around the perimeter of the house with luggage (to bring travel in the coming year), we throw the bucket of water out the front door (to wash away the evil spirits that may haunt us from this year) we ask that this event be limited to one person per family. We will also have lentils to be eaten at midnight (to promote good fortune in the coming year) provided by Miriam. And last year (I think) we learned that we should wear yellow underwear (for good luck according to the Costa Ricans), plan accordingly, underwear not provided at the party. ;) This party has been had in melting heat, cold (it all relative, people we do live in SoFLA) and in the rain. Nothing will keep us from ringing in the New Year! So, where is this shindig? xxxx SW xxx Court. My cell 305-xxx-xxxx. What do you bring? Whatever you want or nothing at all. It’s all good. If you need to eat or drink something special bring it. If you want to use us a guinea pigs and try a new recipe, fine by me. If you didn’t think you were coming, and last minute had a change of plans, please show up. There are no rules, other than keep it legal and there are no rules. Dress up, dress down just come and have some fun! If you need to hear or dance to something special, please bring it although I must say we traditionally have everything from Celia Cruz, to the Partridge Family to Christina Aguilera to Will Smith and Tim McGraw. We are quite an eclectic bunch.

Hope you can join us and if not have a wonderful and safe holiday.

Disclaimers: We have a pool that is ungated. Although there are many who will be more than willing to jump in after a child we ask that you keep track of your own. There is usually basketball playing in the backyard and football playing in the front (yes on the lawn-its perfectly safe) expect sweaty, grass stained, dirty children on the ride home regardless of how they arrive.

Where ever and however you spend it, I hope that the new year brings wonder, joy, love and laughter to you every day.

Bailout economy Christmas

This year the Season has been different in this bailout economy culture. We have our jobs and haven't had any income cuts just the expense hikes that have been crunching for a while. As I don't qualify for the any congressional bailout funds we have found other ways to scrimp and save.

I have always made Christmas gifts from the kitchen for neighbors and co-workers. This year that list expanded. Honestly, I enjoyed making it all and as a bonus it was more economical than buying stuff and I think more useful. The only gifts that I truly went to a store to buy were for the kids. The few that I have to give to got their toys.

Adults in the family are mostly getting homemade things too. I made so much Creme de vie this year and gave so much that I have actually run out. I need to make more. I made 5 liters, more than I ever make and was short. The last bottle that was actually going to be a gift for my boss, 19 asked if he could give to his girlfriends parents. So, the boss is getting cranberry bread that was intended for the host of Christmas day brunch - oh well.

Which leads me to my kids. Part of my gift to 19 was to give him money to buy his girlfriend tickets to go to see The Nutcracker. He wanted to surprise her and he did. He told her to dress up nice, suited up and armed with tickets in a Santa gift bag and a bottle of creme de vie with an ornament hanging from it he went to her house to spread Christmas. I was the one bottling and scrambling for the bag at the last minute. As he was ready to walk out the door, he looked at his wares and said, "wow, mom. This all looks really nice. Thanks." He gave me a kiss and went out the door. Did he know that he just gave me a gift? After their outing, they went to dinner and after 11pm he called. "Are you up? We can go by and tell you about it, if you want?" Yes, I'm up, come on over. Of course, I jumped out of bed and got dressed and went out to wait for them. I listened to their retelling their evening. Her anticipation, his nervousness, her surprise, their enjoyment at the show. 16 sat with us and entertained us all with his sarcastic comments peppering their story. What a gift they gave me. I didn't get to bed until after 1am and I'm at work this morning but what I gift I had last night sitting with my boys and his girlfriend sharing stories and laughs. Priceless!

I need you to go to the store, please.

I think if my husband hears those words for me again, he will return with divorce papers. I have been baking for 2 1/2 weeks and have said those words countless times. Each time he asks: You need it now? My answer is always the same: Well, I guess not really but then I'll just have to throw this out because I can't finish it without that and then I don't know when I'll have time to make it so I guess I just won't. He's gone every time to get whatever item I have just realized I am in need of and asked is there ANYTHING else we are low on. No, no that's it I tell him but take your phone just in case.

Honestly, I don't blame him for wanting to throw the 5 lb bag of sugar at me because I have been so scattered about my baking this year. It's really pathetic. It's been like ADD baking. I make 4 pie crusts then decide to make a rum cake and don't have you know a key ingredient like - rum. Then he goes to get that while I take out butter to soften for cookies. So, I make the cake later. Much later.

Next year I need to really organize my holiday baking. I mean I was so good with Thanksgiving. I did Thanksgiving in like record time. But I have been a disaster about Christmas baking so much so that it's even bothering me. Yesterday (Sunday) after he went to the grocery store on Saturday and stocked me up on Milk, Butter, eggs, flour and sugar. I went to the store because we ran out of brown sugar, and plastic wrap so 1) I couldn't finish some cookies and 2) how am I supposed to gift them if I can't wrap them. He was watching football so I didn't think it prudent to ask him to go.
RESOLUTION: So next year, a list of all the things I am going to bake and a plan as to when so that the groceries are done accordingly.
I won't hold my breath.

It's a Wonderful Life!

I know I disappeared but I think I am back now. I won't get into why I disappeared because I don't want to bitch and moan about things. Suffice it to say it had to do with GM and she's back at the ALF at least for now. Moving on.

What I want to tell you about is that I got what I wanted for Christmas yesterday. My boys (all 3 of them) had never seen the movie It's A Wonderful Life. So, I popped it up on the Netflix list, we got it on Thursday and I sent the 3 of them an email. I told them that I wanted them to plan (not me) on a time when all 4 of us would be home and able to watch the movie uninterrupted. I was asking for 132 minutes, family movie time.

Mind you, hubby hates movies that are not linear from beginning to end. So, I knew he was going to struggle with the back and forth in time. It's also in black and white - duh! and I knew that wouldn't win them over either. But it's a classic and I thought that it needed to be seen.

Well, they did it. We all watched it last night. No laundry, no homework, no surfing, no texting, no reading, no phones were being used at the same time. We all just did one thing - watch the movie and of course comment along the way. And guess what?! It wasn't horrible. They actually liked it. They thought it was a little slow and probably could have been shorter but they liked it. Hubby of course, moaned when they story went back in time but he hung in there. I of course, cried at the end and they teased me. It was all good.
I got my Christmas wish...hope you get yours.

'Tis the season!

Where have I been?, you ask. Well, I've been shopping that's where. I started Black Friday and have been at it since yesterday. I'm done now. Did you hear that? I am done with the gift shopping now I begin baking. Yea! I love this season of giving. I craft, I buy, I bake, I cook all the fun things!

I made one girlfriend a cake which I gave her for Thanksgiving. Now I will make goodies for the neighbors and other girlfriends and a few of 16s teachers.

I also made my seasonal charitable donation to 2 teacher proposals through Donor Choose. I have the button there on the sidebar. I really like this site because it funds specific requests that teachers want for their classes but due to budgetary restraints they can't fund them. Take a look. You may find something that moves you to give.

I have made batches of Creme de Vie (see: http://cubanfood.blogspot.com/ ) for recipe. Now I will start on cookies and cakes and pies and I am going to make meringues with the egg whites from the creme de vie and GM asked for banana bread not too Christmasy I know but she asked so I'll make it for her.

Speaking of GM the boys went with me over the weekend to see her. She was thrilled to see them. We had a very nice visit and I got some great pictures one of which I already enlarged 5x7 and framed. It will be one of her Xmas gifts plus her chocolate covered cherries (a must) and a new nightgown and robe and some lottery tickets. She's back in the hospital again. She's calm this time. They have found a tumor in her uterus and her cumedin (sp?) levels were high. They are getting her blood levels back to normal and meanwhile they are checking her pacemaker again. We'll see if she agrees to the operation to remove the tumor. That will be tonight's adventure. I'm leaving it in God's hands.

So, tonight after visiting and dealing with GM, I will finish wrapping and settling the gifts under the unadorned tree. It has lights but no ornaments. I have some loose ornaments in a drawer that were purchased throughout the year I will hang those tonight to see if hubby gets the hint and brings the rest of the stuff down from the attic. This weekend the baking begins in earnest. I'm looking forward to it.

There are so many things that I want to do this season that I have a list (duh!) I''m list lady. Let's see how much I get done. The only thing that didn't get done for Thanksgiving was getting my nails done. I spruced them up a tad at home but they weren't done. We'll see how much I get done on the Xmas list.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today would have been my mother's 64th birthday. WOW! Obviously, I never think of my mother older. Whenever I think about her and "put her in" the picture of my current life events I picture her as she was even before she got sick. Because once she was sick she depending on the stage was either very gaunt or very bloated; I don't see that in my minds' eye. So, to think that should would have been 64, I can't imagine what that would look like. That's not true I guess, because she'd probably look like a thinner version of my grandmother 20 years ago. The three of us look so much a like, that would probably be a pretty sure bet.

So, today I get a little misty because I think of how she missed having grandchildren (and they having her) and I know she would have loved spoiling them and making them all kinds of crap they don't need. I know this because she did it for her kids so it would only have multiplied for her grankids. She wanted boys. Her first words when I was born were "Damn, I wanted a boy!". So she would have been very happy with my two boys. No, I am not making that up, it's in my baby book. But at the same time I know she would have loved my niece because she's a girly girl. She loves her dresses and frilly girly things. I had all that because my mother tried but it just wasn't me.

Thanksgiving is always tough for me because it was our favorite holiday which makes me think about her a lot and inevitably I put her in the picture of my events. I will be baking and cooking with her in mind. Heck, she's why I make apple pie every year.

In so many ways, I am like her (and yet not like her). Of course, there was a time in my life that comparison used to bother the hell out of me. Now, I welcome it. So, today mom, I will be baking your pie and making the American side dishes you loved so much: sweet potato casserole and fresh cranberry sauce. I know Thanksgiving Eve is the one day that you will be in heaven's kitchen cooking and baking. I can hear you bitching about it from here and dad telling you not to do it and you telling him that you have to because its the way you make lasting memories. LOL! It worked, mom, we remember. My brother is cooking too for the holiday. Last year he called me for pie tips. I remember them all and passed them on.
Happy Birthday mom! Still miss you.

Only good stuff..

I'm only going to write about how the weekend started because it ended horribly with a big fight with hubby that is still having after effects. But I'm not writing about that so let me move on.

Friday night we went with friends to my kids high school's football playoff game. I have no children playing in this game, 19 was on the sidelines rooting on his former teammates and 16 had taken off with other friends to the State Meet for Cross Country. The football team lost. They didn't play well at all. They lost against the same team they have lost to for that past 2 years. Oh, but I'm only writing about the good stuff, so let me move on.

Saturday I picked up a friend VERY early in the morning to go to a local Craft Fair that used to be much bigger than what it was this past Saturday but it was still nice. We met other friends there and had a lovely time, strolling around looking at all the wares and picking it up saying I like this but its how much, I could make that (but I don't) but since I can, I don't buy it. I love going through it all and seeing what everyone has made, their creativeness. It's inspiring. It soothes my soul. I think it has something to do with the fact that as a kid my mother and I used to go to all those Church bazaars and craft festivals they have up north. It's not a Miami thing. This Harvest Fest is the closest thing to it. So it feels good and comforting to go even though I hardly buy anything any more.

One of the cutest things that made me laugh were the Florida snowmen. It was Styrofoam balls (2) glued together to be a snowman but they were covered in sand! and were wearing beachwear. They were adorable! Of course, I didn't buy any because, I can make those.

The Cross Country team won the State Championship. 16 is so thrilled and he didn't even run. He was part of the team during the year but wasn't the top 7, so he didn't make States but he's thrilled and may get a ring.

Then Sunday I, nevermind I'm only writing about the good stuff...

18, 19

Yep. Today 18 turns 19. Wow! I have a 19 year old son. That just amazes me. Honestly, time flies.

He will be home tomorrow from college. He has a final today. I hope he Aces it for his bday gift to himself. What are we giving him you ask? He a college student. What does every college student want? Cash. That's what we are giving him. I am also going to make him some Cuban food favorites so that he can get his fill while he's here. I am starting tonight by making Lentils. The recipe we learned in one of the Cuban Cooking classes. It cold here right now so it will be perfect.

So, what's going to change while he's here....
His room right now is spotless; no more. Things are very laid back with only 16 around; no more - there will be alot more coordinating things. Dinner is less; no more- he's a bottomless pit.
It's all good. I've missed him and it will certainly be fun to hear all the stories and have him home again. Honestly, I don't expect to see too much of him. I imagine he will be out visiting friends and doing stuff he's missed while he's gone. But I will be glad he's home.
Happy Birthday baby!

OMG!

Stuff like this makes me insane! I can't believe it. Actually I can believe it but it still outrages me. The hypocrisy of it all just makes me want to scream! If I got a letter like that from my pastor, I would SO leave that church ASAP. There just are no words.... and ain't enough patience!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27705755/

Ornaments

I have already done my annual ornament shopping. Each year I give ornaments to my boys.

They went through the Hallmark Wish Book and initialled next to each ornament they would like and then I go through and pick out what I want from there or not and surprise them. I try to get them each one they picked. I also try to pick an ornament that has a significance, that ties into something they did in the past year or a favorite thing.

Like when the boys loved Power Rangers, they each got a Power Ranger ornament. Or for example 18 graduated high school in May, so it's easy to get him a graduation ornament because there are tons of them. Sometimes it can be related to a vacation, an activity or similar event. Like their first fishing trip, they each have a different ornament for that.

Hubby likes Santa, so his ornaments are usually Santa doing something whether it was playing golf, surfing on a remote control, juggling sports balls etc. Those are some he's received in the past. All 3 of them are also big on Super Heroes. We have a quite a few hanging on the tree as well as athletes or ornaments representing the various teams they support.

I am happy with what I got this year. I was thinking about this last night because tonight I will probably sit and write a note on the boxes and date them with the year to commemorate the reason for the ornament and wrap them. That way, if they find them, they will be wrapped and they can still be surprised.

Outrageous!

I thought airfare had gone down. Didn't I read that somewhere? Wasn't that in the news? You could fool me.

I was looking for flights today so that 18 can come home for his winter break and OMG! it is prohibitive. It's going to cost upwards of $500 to get this child home for the holidays and back to school in January. That is for one person, round trip with no extra luggage. Sweet Jesus, that is a lot of mulah!

I have searched every travel search engine, all sorts of combinations, using all the local airports, combo's of trains and planes (that would be like 10 hours of travel to get from NY to Miami) and there are no shortcuts to be had. Ridiculous! Outrageous!

I am thankful that he doesn't go back after Thanksgiving. Once he comes down the week before, he stays until Jan. 4th. He's not even flying Thanksgiving week. It's the week before! Outrageous! but I think I said that already. OK, I am breathing. I will bite the bullet tomorrow because theoretically the airfare sales are on Tuesdays. Yeah, whatever. Maybe I can find it for 499! Gimme patience and a bucket of cash!

NaBloPlop!

I didn't even make it though week one. What a loser! Oh, well, that's life.

Remember that terrible day last Thursday? There were two good things that come of it. We got the call that our car was ready and I was invited to a game night at a friends house for Friday. Which the way way my week had been going, was desperately needed.

So, Friday saved the week. The work day was super swamped but we picked up the car and it looks like nothing happened. It came out great. And after going to see my grandmother who is doing well this week I went to game night.

A few of us played charades while we waited for the pizza. I say a few because although everyone was sitting there only 3 of us were acting out things and guessing. No one else wanted to act - such party poopers. After dinner, we played Cranium. That game is always worth a few good laughs and laughing makes the bad stuff melt away even if its only for a little while.
So, Friday ended nice or started the weekend nice, whichever way you want to view it.

Maybe tomorrow

Today has been a crappy day. One of those hard ones where you wish you had stayed in bed. I don't even wanna talk about it, don't wanna blog about it but I gotta blog because of the NABLOPOMO stuff. So, come back tomorrow because they say the sun is coming out again and we have another shot at his again, it will be a brand new day etc., etc., etc.,

HE DID IT!

I don't want to say we because really all I did was vote and send him 20 bucks.
I still can't believe it. It's exciting. I'm excited. I honestly didn't believe the polls. Ask anyone who knows me. I kept saying this country won't elect a black man. I just don't see it. BoyOBoy, am I glad I was wrong. Wow! He did it.

Now he's got to get it done and he's being handed this country in the worst state its been in forever. Of course, I am also one of those who believes that no matter who was elected president, the economy hasn't hit bottom yet. That scares me because I am afraid that it will be blamed on him.

Only time will tell but I am excited. I am also very glad that it ended last night and there were no major glitches to drag it out. WOW. He did it!

Vote and be nice!

I voted this morning before work. OMG were people rude!
They had us standing outside in 3 lines, divided alphabetically to match the register lists inside. Well, the A-G line was moving the slowest and those people got VERY aggressive with the poll workers at why they were taking people from the other 2 lines and not theirs. One woman was yelling and screaming at how unfair it was, they were there when it was dark, it wasn't fair and others were going in first, it wasn't fair, yadda yadda...it wasn't fair. When we got inside, she saw that my line the P-Z had only two people in it where hers had like 20. So, she said to her partner, that now she understood that since the other line was empty, they shouldn't have people waiting outside for no reason. So, I turned around after signing the register and asked, So are you going to apologize to the worker you verbally abused outside. Her eyes opened wide as I continued, It would be the fair thing to do. I completed my ballot in the line for the booths. Since I didn't need to go to a booth I went directly to the scanner. She was behind someone at the next scanner. I waited for her at the door and just watched her. I didn't say anything. I just stood there with my arms crossed watching her. I think I intimidated her in to apologizing. The man accepted it graciously.

I truly pray that this is all over tonight and that there are no glitches. I don't think I can handle stretching this out any longer. Please gimme patience!

Election Eve

I am now going to review the amendments that are on the ballot and write out my answers. I have already studied the issues but I want to write out my answers and go in with a cheat-sheet of sorts so that I can breeze through it and not take a lot of time. I always vote that way. I don't want to have to sit there and read and reread the amendments which are usually cumbersome and worded to confuse us. I try to be prepared when I go in.

Tomorrow we will know the country's choice. They say they are expecting 80% voter turnout. That's unheard of. I think it's wonderful. People realize that its a historic election (no matter which party wins) and they want to be a part of it. I think that's awesome I hope that the trend to come out and vote stays with these people.

I have my doubts that my candidate, Obama, will win. Sadly, I am very skeptical and I'm not convinced that race won't be a big factor. I wish, I hope, I am wrong. We shall see. I honestly, cannot imagine 4 years of McCain and Palin and I swear I almost crashed the car the other day when I heard someone on the radio saying 2012 Palin for President. OMG! OMG! OMG! I just cannot imagine. If I compare my resume to hers, I am just as qualified....we both played high school sports, I wasn't a beauty queen but I was a debutante, her executive and management efforts in Alaskan govt, match mine in management for 14 of my 16 year career in (at the time) largest American bank in the world! Oops, I guess that might make me overqualified. She's a hockey mom, I was a soccer mom and now am a football mom. Again, maybe being a multi-sport mom overqualifies me. Well, here's hoping that she goes away and that her 15 minutes are up.

Oops

It's late. Almost forgot but here's a post. A real one tomorrow...

Today is...

Today is the first day of NABLOPOMO. I haven't officially joined it yet but I am toying with the idea because I have so much free time. BAHAHAHAhaha.

Today is also All Saints Day. I didn't go to mass. It's a holy day of obligation for Catholics.

Today (more importantly) is my best friend's wedding anniversary. So, here's her shout out. WooHoo! I say her and her hubby last night at a Halloween Party and we sang them Happy Anniversary near midnight when we were all preparing to leave. I wish them many wonderful years of love, joy and happiness.