A Blog is an Enchanted Window

Thank you all for a month of magic.

November Wordle

Can I get any more boring?

Today, while all of you were out fighting the hordes for the last digital picture frame ornament at $9.99, I stayed home. I didn't do anything exciting. I spent three hours cleaning bathrooms. Yep, three hours! I cleaned every single inch. Tonight I think I have the cleanest bathrooms on the planet. I'm sure by tomorrow they will be filthy again.

Then I decided to get creative and quickly discovered that I can't use these....



Without these...


... and now my head hurts.



This post has been brought to you by nablopomo which is fully responsible for it's pathetic content.

Happy Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving Xanax should be available without a prescription, alcohol should flow from the kitchen water taps, and chloroform should be sold at all convenience stores.

Baking Frenzy

Last Thanksgiving, after some spectacular kitchen mishaps, I vowed that I was done cooking orange vegetables. So, tonight instead of baking pumpkin pies, I taught Delaney how to make them. Yes, my ten year old made the pumpkin pie this year. And she did a great job! Actually the are the nicest looking pumpkin pies to come out of my oven in years.

Then I taught her how to make pecan pie and that turned out nicely too. Things were going so well that we moved on to a recipe that her teacher sent home.

Left over pie crust and chocolate chips make some really rich cookies!

And, since the oven was still hot, we made Shrinky Dinks too! It was a fun and successful evening. Tomorrow I am subbing the yams out to Zane so there really is a chance that I might get through this holiday without setting anything on fire...

The Bottom of the Bag

It's time to end Bad Bag Tuesday. There are hundreds of bad bags on the market but I've lost my passion for ferreting them out. In addition, today I discovered something that I find truly embarrassing... and I'm even more embarrassed because I am betting that a few of you discovered it long before I did. You see, today I realized that 40% several of the bags I have chosen for my blog were featured on Sex and the City. I never watched the show and I didn't see the movie but apparently I have some sort of mind meld with the costume designer. So, I'm done. It's been fun but I'm going to have to find another feature.

Maybe Silly Sweater Saturdays?

Bad Bag Tuesday

Ferragamo Large Pheasant Bag

$3100

Happy Thanksgiving

Menu Plan Monday - Thanksgiving

This is a joke.. there is no way I'm going to stick to a menu plan this week but I need a post for today, especially since I missed yesterday!



So.. This week we will be eating:


Monday - Mini-burgers and Macaroni and Cheese

Tuesday - Pasta Fresca

Wednesday - Taco Bell. Yes, I said Taco Bell and I'm sticking to it!

Thursday - Turkey, Tofurkey, and all the fancy fixings

Friday - Leftovers for everyone else. Pie for me.

Saturday - Leftovers or grilled cheese and tomato soup

Sunday - Probably Pizza!

Twilight

This afternoon I took the girls and a friend to see the movie "Twilight" and was pleasantly surprised. I have heard so many women, and I mean full grown, mature women, not fourteen year old girls, gush over the books... in fact I know one woman who just named her newborn daughter Bella because she loved the series so much. So I read all four books, and while it was an engaging story, I just didn't see what the hype was about.

One of the things that bothered me most about the book is that it is set in two states that I know well, Arizona, where I grew up, and Washington, where I now live. Both are incredibly unique and scenic states that suffered from a complete lack of description in the book. Arizona was "dry and hot" and Washington "Wet and cold". The movie didn't suffer this problem because the photography was just gorgeous. The aerial shots and use of natural scenery throughout the whole film helped to round out a story that had been lacking descriptive depth.

It's still a romance and the female lead is still under-developed. I still felt the need to talk about independence and self respect... because I really do have a problem with girls thinking that a woman in love should be willing to do anything, including give her life, for a man. But, in comparison to the other romantic films targeted to the teen market, this one is pretty darn tame. Plus, I had the rare and valuable opportunity to have a great conversation with my daughters. It was a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Anniversary

Today is our 21st Anniversary and I find it hard to believe. In some ways it seems as though I have been married my entire life and yet I remember marrying Bob as if it was yesterday. Actually, I remember meeting Bob as if it was yesterday. He bounded into my life like a half grown puppy and has stayed despite my growls and even an occassional bite. Without him I don't know that I ever would have known real joy. Marrying him is the smartest thing I have ever done.

Stormy

When a storm is coming I run around getting prepared.

There's no time for fear or worry.

I'm busy getting ready... calm, controlled, I can handle it.

During the storm I just hang on.

There's not much to do during a storm if you've prepared well.

I find a safe place, gather information, wait for it to end.

When it's all over I cautiously survey my surroundings...

And then I just fucking fall apart.

Don't worry the weather is fine... but today my mind is a mess.

Photos by Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton, The Joy of the Mundane and Lamppost

Six Secrets / Six Tags

I've been tagged by Lilly Rose Chen to tell six secrets about myself. Anyone who reads my blog probably knows I'm not a big secret keeper. I tend to ramble on about all sorts of things and forget that I'm supposed to have any dignity... then I panic later and unpublish my embarrassing stories. So, it's a little difficult for me to come up with six real secrets but I will try...


1. Despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary, I believe that I can learn how to do anything if I read enough books.

2. I dream of moving to a cabin in the mountains somewhere far from civilization and spending my days gardening and playing the hammered dulcimer. I don't currently garden or play the dulcimer... (see item 1)



3. Mail gives me anxiety attacks.

4. I like my nose. It's too large for my face but I like it anyway.

5. I always feel like I am an outer satellite in groups and I don't know how to get closer in. I can have enjoyable conversations and work with other people when there is a goal but on my own I am shy and awkward. I am amazed when someone introduces me as their friend.

6. My alter-ego is a mid level wizard named Fiameta in the game Maple Story. She has pink hair and can kill monsters that are a lot bigger than her.

Ok, I have to tag six people so I'm going to choose a different way to tag... Look to the right ------>
If your name is in the bottom twelve on My Blog List then it's been too long since we've heard from you and you should consider yourself tagged! If you aren't on the list then please see item 5 above.. are you like me? How do we solve this problem?

Bad Bag Tuesday

I know very little about Buddhism but, based on what I've read this morning, it seems to me that this bag is bad in more than a few ways...

• Karma Buddha in multi colored Austrian crystals with gold accents.


• Includes matching satin gold coin purse and double sided mirror.


• Length: 4.6", Height: 5.4", Depth: 2.6"


• $3895.00

Available at JudithLeiber.com and Saks 5th Ave

"As for those at the top -- even if they have a hundred million or a thousand billion, they are still in poverty -- but their poverty differs from that of the grassroots poor because instead of being poor from a lack of resources, they are poor because they never know enough."

From Buddhist Economics at UrbanDharma.org

Monday again

This morning Bob had the staples removed from his incisions. He continues to heal but it's going slowly.

"Your husband should feel much better now that we have removed these pesky bones."

Delaney stayed home sick today. Fifth disease has been going around her school and she has the bright red rash and cold symptoms. She isn't feeling too bad but didn't seem to mind having a day to hang out with George.

That's about all that's going on around here. Happy Monday everybody!

Felt... what?

More interesting discoveries while browsing crafting websites.

This is 100% wool felt. It's pretty nice stuff but I'm a bit concerned about what the crafting store suggests you do with it...

• 100% Wool felt fabric perfect for reproductive costumes and apparel projects!
• 100% Wool
• 36" Wide; Cut in Whole Yd Increments
  
  

It would have been wiser to say "historical costumes" or even "period costumes" but "reproductive costumes" just sounds awful. I did a little searching and, frighteningly enough, I did indeed find some reproductive costumes... and they weren't pretty. I don't think any of them were made of wool felt either.

Halfway

Thanks to _boris for this photo

Rock, Paper... trimmer?

Considering the current state of the economy, both personal and in general, and the fact that we are housebound for the foreseeable future, I am seriously considering making quite a few Christmas gifts this year. When we were young and poor and I had a lot more energy, I really enjoyed making presents for my family and friends but in the last few years it has been hard to do that. Instead of planning ahead I have ended up doing a mass order at Harry and David or Jackson Perkins. I don't think there's anything wrong with that but this year I'm just not going to be able to do it.

So, I've been looking at websites and perusing magazines looking for gifts that meet the dual requirement of being easy enough for me to make and don't look like a fifth grade art project. Not the easiest thing to find considering my considerable lack of skill. I've got a few ideas but I won't be writing about them because that would kind of make wrapping the gifts rather pointless. (To my friends and family... Please know I love you even if I do send you silly presents.)

Anyway, while questing about this morning I found something that I just have to comment on. I know that scrapbooking is very popular and that some people spend lots of time and money creating truly amazing pages to display their photos on. However, since my wedding photos are still in a ziploc bag, in a box, in my garage, (yes I know it's not good for them!) with the millions of other photos that were taken before I got my first digital camera, I don't think I caught the scrapping bug. I'm holding out hope that one of my daughters will decide to organize everything for me when I'm too old to bar the door to the garage anymore. Oh.. back to the thing I wanted to comment on... So, I'm looking at paper trimmers because I like sharp things even if I don't do any scrapbooking and I saw this.


It's a paper trimmer with an ipod docking station and built in speakers. Now I ask you.. why do we need this product? I have a paper trimmer and I love it. It cost me ten dollars because I used a 50% off coupon to buy it. This one costs $99! Obviously there must be a market for this because a quick check of YouTube gave me several videos demonstrating it's functionality.. and none of them were produced by Fiskars. So, Dear Readers, enlighten me. Is this a fantastic new direction in paper cutting technology? Or is it a gadget designed to attract the gift giving impaired husband?

Special

I have to admit I have rather eclectic taste in movies... and my husband is just as strange as I am. So when we had the unique opportunity to see a pre-release of an independent film, without even leaving our living room, we were thrilled. The movie is "Special". It's about Les, an unfulfilled parking enforcement officer, whose dull life has left him apathetic. At the beginning of the movie he admits that something must be wrong because instead of dreaming about flying he now dreams of riding elevators. When Les agrees to be a test subject for an experimental antidepressant things start to change. Suddenly he is developing super powers... or is he? Les enthusiastically embraces the idea that his super powers make him special but can't seem to see the people to whom he really is special.

"Special" is a movie about the very human desire to be more than we are. It's a thought provoking movie that blurred the lines between reality and fantasy just enough to leave me questioning what I saw. As soon as it was over I wanted to watch it again. "Special" is currently running as a pay to view special on Comcast and will be released to theaters in New York City and Los Angeles on November 21st and 28th. If you have a chance to see it I would highly recommend it.

Get Off Of My TV... please.

Seriously, all politics aside, it's time for her to go back to Alaska, govern her state, and prepare herself for Grandmotherhood. I don't care about her future position in the Republican party. I don't care about her role in the Presidential campaign. Surely she must have something important to do in Anchorage...

There is something about this guy that makes me very uncomfortable. I wonder what he has in his portfolio and why he can't have a press conference without a bottle of water to hide behind.

Bad Bag Tuesday

Anyone who regularly reads my Bad Bag posts will already know that the easiest way to qualify for "Bad Bag" status is to produce a bag that is superficially environmentally friendly but fails to actually BE environmentally friendly. I can't help it... it annoys me to see people making money off of the ideals of others without even attempting to embrace them. It's this petty little hang-up of mine that makes the choice of this weeks Bad Bag particularly difficult.

Fifteen years ago Littlearth began with a good idea... to produce fashionable purses and belts with recycled materials. Their handbags are made from used license plates and have straps made with the rubber from old tires. The products are approximately 50% recycled. It's a pretty cool concept. However, I have chosen the Littlearth FenderFlair Handbag as the Bad Bag of the week.

The bag is made with two license plates plus chrome ends, and a recycled rubber strap. It's a little bigger than a rolled up August issue of Vogue and sparkles with hundreds of Swarovski Crystals. It's also lined with velvet. Truly, this is a license plate that would look good mounted on a Maybach 57. But the $280 price tag was just pricey enough to earn it a Bad Bag award.

Littlearth has hundreds of other products, some of them priced as low as $20, and they can also make custom handbags and other fun stuff using your own license plates. Littlearth is a leader in Ecofashion and they are a pretty cool company despite being featured in my silly blog... if I had some extra money I would probably be supporting their environmental efforts with a little blingy bad bag of my own.

Not Eligible for Nablopomo Prizes!

I am releasing a few back-dated posts today. This is not because I'm desperately hoping to win a Nablopomo prize and I'm willing to cheat to get it. No, it's just a matter of motivation for me. Nablopomo is important because it allows me to prove to myself that I can write something every single day... even when I don't feel like it. If I ignore the two days that I did not post this month it will be easier for me to ignore another and another... and before you know it I will be back to posting every five days.

So... this is my official notice. I will definitely be completing my thirty posts in thirty days but I'm playing by my own rules here and the only prize I want is a sense of accomplishment at the end of November.

Sunday

Every once in awhile you need to spend all day in your pajamas.

The List

Laura at CenterDownHome posted this meme and, although I think her answers are more interesting than mine, I borrowed it.

Bold the things you’ve done and will admit to:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (much to the discomfort of my audience!)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train (One portion of our honeymoon was an overnight train trip through the Canadian Rockies.. in November. I was beautiful)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (and yet I wasn't satisfied because money really doesn't bring happiness... I'm more satisfied now with less money)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person (Bob and the kids climbed it but I had a sore knee so I just took pictures)





39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David (My mother in law told my daughters that they shouldn't look at the naked people in the museum... but they did anyway. Good girls)
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (one toe.. repeatedly!)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (don't tell my mother)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (lobsters, mussels, and clams)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous. (I used to live in the same town as Keena Turner, who I met at the bank, and MC Hammer, who I met at the gas station)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

A Room with a View

Oddly enough I picked up E.M. Forster's "A Room with a View" in the hospital used bookstore while Bob was in surgery.. and then spent the next couple of days reading it while looking out at this beautiful view from his hospital room.


The room was nice enough but I'm glad to be home.

Hospital Food

Complaining about the food is almost a requirement of any hospital stay and I feel sorry for all of the dieticians and food service workers who really do try to make it palatable. The food services department at this hospital is a little different. They don't have a regular meal service. Instead they have room service. It's an interesting idea but there are a few drawbacks. First, when you are recovering from an illness or injury you really don't want to be bothered with deciding what to eat. Getting Bob to choose a meal was like pulling teeth three times a day. If I hadn't been there to bug him he probably wouldn't have eaten anything. Second, the food is hot and fresh but during busy times it could take over an hour to arrive. When you are taking care of a patient who's medication is bothering their stomach an hour is a long time to wait for food to take it with. Third, it's still hospital food. Cream of Wheat and dry scrambled eggs, soggy sandwiches and fruit cups, meat in gravy with instant mashed potatoes. There's just not much you can do to make it appealing.

It's over

Bob's surgery ended just as CNN was declaring Obama our new President. Now the healing begins. Life is good.

Surgery went well and they didn't find any nasty surprises. We have great hope that Bob will regain full nerve function in his left arm and can get back to living his life normally (or as normal as he gets!) I spent the night in the hospital and have just come home for a shower and will return for another night. Hopefully he will be coming home tomorrow. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

Bad Bag Tuesday

Looking for bad bags seemed mighty trivial today so this one will have to do. It's not really a bad bag but no one wants to carry one. Sometimes they are useful though.

Bob will have surgery at 2pm today to fuse the 6th and 7th cervical vertebrae.

Prayers and healing thoughts would be thoroughly appreciated.

Poetry

Autumn Movement

I cried over beautiful things knowing no beautiful thing lasts.

The field of cornflower yellow is a scarf at the neck

of the copper sunburned woman,

the mother of the year, the taker of seeds.

The northwest wind comes and the yellow is torn full of holes,

new beautiful things come in the first spit of snow

on the northwest wind,

and the old things go,

not one lasts.

Carl Sandburg

200 Posts

This is day two of Nablopomo and this is my 200th post. Coincidence? Perhaps... It certainly is convenient because I haven't been able to think of anything to write about today. I was actually trolling through my archives looking for something to repost when I noticed the number and decided I needed to write about that. Yep, I'm grasping at straws... I don't know how I'm going to actually get through this month without resorting to posting grocery lists but I promise I will try to keep it at least moderately interesting.

A few bloggers that I admire have started the month with a request for questions from their readers. This is a great idea, especially if you have a large fan base, and possibly the surest way to come up with ideas for a month of posts. I don't have a huge number of people reading my blog but I truly appreciate every single one of you who keep coming back here even when I have very little to say. So to you, my friends and family, who keep me writing, I offer an open invitation to direct my blog for a day. Ask me anything. This is probably your best chance to ever get an answer because I'm a little desperate here...

Halloween!

Creepy decorations?

Awesome costumes?

Happy Mom?

Yep!

(check out the horns)