California Musing

Last week of Lean Up Laguna Boot Camp!

2011-04-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

This is my last week of Lean Up Laguna. Time to look back and evaluate!

I lost 10 lbs and 10 1/2", along with the 5 lbs I had already lost starting the beginning of the year when I joined the club. During 2010 I did the "yo yo" think, but was 20 lbs lighter at the end of the year. So that's a total of 35 lbs since 1/1/2010. I have 40 to go to reach my goal.

I'm proudest of the strength I have gained! My plank went from 27 seconds to 66 seconds, and my wall squat went from 52 seconds to 106 seconds.

Jogging was the last thing that would ever have ended up on my "bucket list", but I did two laps around the park and three around the volleyball court this morning, and jogged more of it than I ever thought possible! In addition to our tennis courts laps....five to warm up and 12 to cool down! (~_~)

.

Sacramento Couples Cooking

2010-01-10T05:19:00.000-08:00

I'm writing a column for examiner.com and invite you to check it out.

It's easy to follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or you can even subscribe and get updates when I post a new recipe! For details, click below and see the bottom of the post.

Susan

http://www.examiner.com/x-28794-Sacramento-Couples-Cooking-Examiner

I love food blogs!

2009-11-28T09:26:00.000-08:00

My internet friend, Mara, writes a wonderful food blog. She is getting married today, so is obviously not blogging! (~_~)

I was honored to be one of her guest bloggers.

Check it out!

http://www.imadedinner.net/2009/11/27/guest-post-susan-from-california-musing/

Deep Fryer Giveaway

2009-11-16T06:34:00.000-08:00

A fellow Examiner.com is giving away a deep fryer

check out the details here

http://www.examiner.com/x-10387-Easy-Meals-Examiner~y2009m11d16-Fryer-giveaway-and-homemade-egg-roll-recipe

Zesty Slow-Cooker Italian Pot Roast

2009-10-10T08:41:00.001-07:00

Zesty Slow-Cooker Italian Pot Roast

Posted using ShareThis

A Round Tuit

2009-10-08T11:59:00.000-07:00

In theory the idea of being an organ donor had always been in the back of my mind. But for some reason I just never did it.

Then a dear friend died while waiting for a kidney transplant. He was our daughter's "best college friend" and we came to know and love him while she was at Chico State. I can't begin to tell you how much he enjoyed life. Whether he was donating time to the Boy Scouts in Nevada City, whipping up gourmet dinners in his tiny Chico apartment, or earning his teaching credential so he could pass on his thirst for knowledge, everything he took on was done to the best of his ability and with every ounce of enthusiasm he had. He gave generously of his time to those he loved. He helped decorate for our daughter's wedding, and graciously made room for our out of town family and friends, even hosting the Bachelor Party and giving everyone a walking tour of the downtown Chico clubs.

I couldn't get over the senselessness of his death. He had just turned thirty. He was a young man wise beyond his years, a man who knew how short life could be, and lived every waking moment.

I kept thinking, "What if only one more person had donated an organ, Kevin might be alive today." And then I realized that someday, I might be that "one person" to someone else. That did it. I got "a round tuit" that very day.

For more information visit http://www.donatelifecalifornia.org/

2009-08-05T11:54:00.000-07:00

Fri

Cheese Stuffed Zucchini Flowers

Heaven on a plate! Fresh zucchini blossoms stuffed with just a bit of sharp cheddar cheese, lightly fried (egg wash, then dipped in a mixture of flour, panko, and Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning).

Garnished with a bit more of sharp cheddar, and sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper (the only kind in my kitchen!) and Hawaiian red sea salt.

Lifelong Friendships

2009-07-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

How many of you can boast childhood friends of over fifty years—ones you still stay in touch with and see as frequently as possible?

I grew up in the very small community of Loleta, CA (up in Humboldt County---please spare me the “pot” jokes, I’ve probably heard them all!). Growing up Loleta in the 1950’s was the best of times.

A small town of about eight hundred (I used to joke that included the cows, but in fact, the rich dairy land in the Loleta bottoms probably had a larger populations than that of our human one).

One of the advantages of living in a small town like Loleta is the close-knit community feeling. Any event you attended was merely an extension of the people you knew from home/school/church. There was no need to put up a façade, or indeed, was that even possible, since everyone knew everyone else! What you did on the playground, whose birthday party you went to, or even what you had in your lunchbox every day was public knowledge.

I attended first through eighth grades in the same school, and then went on to high school in the “big” town of Fortuna (population 5,000) five miles away. There were cliques in my high school, same as today, but instead of the jocks and the cheerleaders, the geeks and the stoners we tended to stay in our own little small-town groups—Loleta, Fortuna, Hydesville, Rhonerville, Rio Dell/Scotia.

I have stayed in touch with two of my best friends from those years. After high school it was Christmas cards and birthday cards, with an occasional letter or postcard thrown in. After we all hooked up on the Internet in the late 1990’s, our friendship was easier to maintain. So much so that when we get together now, we don’t have to spend a great deal of time getting “caught up” on each other’s lives. We reminisce, we laugh, we cry. We are comfortable in each other’s presence because of the history we share.

Earlier this month the three of us held a “slumber party” weekend in Sacramento. Although the kool-aid and potato chips were replaced by tapas and sangria, the giggles and laughter and friendship were as they had always been—easy and loud and full of love for old friends.

For more on the value of “old” friendships see:

http://www.nyc-plus.com/nyc13/friendsforlife.html

TFI Friday's Crisp Green Bean Fries

2009-04-23T06:25:00.000-07:00

Had these at dinner last night and can't wait to try a copycat recipe out at home.

YUMMO

Blue Plate Meatloaf with Bacon Gravy

2009-04-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

From the Blue Plate Diner in San Francisco

The meat loaf:
2 tsp. bacon fat or butter
1 medium onion diced small
5 cloves garlic minced
2/3 cups breadcrumbs
pinch of dried thyme
2 tsp. minced fresh sage
3 tbsp. chopped fresh italian parsley
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
3/4 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs
pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. worcestshire sauce
3/4 tsp. red wine vinegar
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. salt
a few drops tabasco sauce
1 lb. ground beef
5 ounces ground pork

The gravy:
4 strips thick-cut smoked bacon
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 tsp. fresh thyme chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups chicken stock

For the meat loaf:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 5 by 9 inch pan with nonstick spray. In a saute pan, add bacon fat or butter, onion and garlic, and cook over medium heat, until onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Take care not to carmelize the onions. Remove from pan and reserve. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients except the meat. Let sit for 5 minutes, which allows the crumbs to absorb the wet mix and soften, preventing the loaf from cracking.
Add the meat and onion mixture to the bowl and mix by hand until well combined. Transfer the mixture to the greased loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes, rotating the pan half way through the cooking time. Let cool before unmolding.

For the gravy:
In a large shallow saute pan over medium low heat, cook bacon with 1 tbsp. butter, the olive oil, shallot, garlic, and thyme. Add white wine, bring to a simmer and reduce for about 4 to 5 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and reduce by half. Stir in the remaining tbsp. butter and serve over the meatloaf.
Serves: 6-8
Total time: 1 1/2 hours

Susan's Notes:

We made this last night.

The meatloaf was good, nothing extraordinary, but the GRAVY is what made this recipe a winner! We used a “real” smoked applewood bacon (as opposed to a “sprayed on” hickory flavoring).

We doubled the recipe, and kind of eyeballed some of the ingredients (i.e. 2 eggs instead of 4, a little less milk than called for, cut the garlic in half, used poultry seasoning instead of some of the herbs called for).

One mistake we made was doing a single recipe of the gravy, because we had no idea how good it would be!

Even though we simmered it down, it was still a little thin for our taste, so we made a slurry out of cornstarch and water and thickened it up a bit.

This gravy will make it’s appearance again and again in our house!

It Comes In Threes?

2009-02-10T11:55:00.001-08:00

It was a long week.

My sister and bro-in-law pastor a small church in Arkansas. They have really good friends from their Air Force days. I met the family at my niece's wedding a few years ago. I was especially impressed with the daughter, who was about 18. She radiated Jesus' love in everything she did (helping prepare for the wedding, cleaning the frig, cooking and feeding hoards of people). All with a smile all the time.

She was accidentially shot and killed by her husband. They were newlyweds of less than three months.

Then my daughter called to tell me that one of her daughter's classmates had died unexpectedly at home.

And if that wasn't enough, she called me back to say that her husband's cousins daughter had died in a hiking accident. She was 20.

Sometimes you just don't understand.

CONFESSIONS OF A REGIFTER

2009-01-07T05:32:00.000-08:00

There, I said it.

I'm a regifter.

Born into it.

Lived it my whole life.

Delving deep into my psyche would probably discover the reasons why.

I came from a large family where money was always a scarce commodity.

I didn't find any joy in buying birthday presents for my friends. That shopping "trip" went like this:

"Mom, Kathee invited me to her birthday party Saturday."

"OK, let's look in the closet and see what I have."

I didn't discover the joy of shopping for others until years later.

And even then, somehow I didn't realize that when I regifted I was robbing them of the pleasure of giving.

I always opened a gift with one thought lingering in the back of my mind, "Who could I give this to?", thus saving me that elusive spare cash for mundane things like rent, food, doctor bills.

In the last few years, this has happily changed for me.

I opened boxes containing earrings, pulling them off their cardboard backing and putting them on. I uncorked the bottles of wine and consumed them. I delved into the cookies and candies. I took the scarves and gloves and ripped off the tags and started wearing them. I proudly wrote my name inside the books, forever removing the temptation to regift them. I used the Starbucks card, instead of sending it on to a friend. I lit the candles.

I opened.

I used.

I enjoyed.

I have seen the light----I now consider myself a reformed regifter------because I am worth all these gifts chosen just for me!

My favorite quote from Dr. Northrup:

I do enough

I have enough

I AM enough

RESOLVED: To Be Present

2009-01-04T05:16:00.000-08:00

For several years now, I have realized the importance of "being in the moment"----to "be present" no matter what I am doing.

This was illustrated quite profoundly last week when I went to Sea World with our daughter and three grandgirls.

There was a young man sitting in the row in front of us at the Viva show.

Quite the multitasker he was.

With one hand he had his camcorder pointed at the action on the stage (or should I say water). The other hand was busily texting away on his cellphone. Somehow he had his map of the park spread across his lap, and was studying that, too.

Yeah, he thinks. When I get home tonight I can watch the tape.

What he didn't realize was something I could easily see sitting in the elevated seat behind him. The camcorder was pointed so that the heads of the performer had been cut off. What he was videotaping was virtually worthless.

He had missed the show, both live, and later, on tape.

How many of us go through life like this?

When I was much younger and my now grown-children-with-children-of-their-own were young, I wished much of their life away. When they learned to (fill in the blank----sleep through the night, walk, talk......) life would be easier. Always wanting them to fast forward through whatever awkward stage they were going through.

How much joy and happiness I let slip through my fingers.

With the sand in my hourglass fuller on the bottom these days, I strive not to make that error with what time I have left.

Resolve to be present in your life in 2009!

The Start of 2009

2009-01-01T12:09:00.000-08:00

Ah, come on friends, you KNOW there is a story here!

Spent the last day of 2008 at Sea World here in San Antonio with our daughter and three grandgirls, aged 3-7. We stopped at Cracker Barrel on the way for our traditional breakfast. After Sea World was done, we met her hubby (who had to work) at one of the first restaurants they ever took me to, "Cha Cha's".

Started with their premium margaritas at $27 per pitcher. They are simply the best margarita I've ever had. Smooth as silk.

Then on to the chips and nicely spiced salsa.

Gorditas were next, served with beans and rice. One ground beef, one pork.

Good stuff.

Got home about 7pm Suddenly extremely tired -- and can you believe that walking around Sea World for 6 hours only got me 7,000 steps on my new pedometer?

Decided to forgo any New Years Eve's festivities, and went to bed.

Woke up at 5 minutes after the beginning of the new year praying........to the porcelain god in the bathroom. Well, actually I was sitting on the porcelain throne with a bucket (the wastebasket) in my lap.

First the margaritas

Then the breakfast

Then the mexican food

Crawled back into bed, only to repeat the whole scenario every 20-30 minutes through the night.

Soon it was once an hour, and now I am pleased to report it's been three hours since any incidents.

I have consumed a bottle of water, a bottle of gatorade and six saltine crackers.

Think this could be the start of a new diet for 2009?

Hope your New Years Day started with much more fun than did mine.

Happy New Year!

Susan

The Longest Day

2008-12-28T05:35:00.000-08:00

This takes the cake as my longest trip to TX.

Left our home in SAC at 4pm Christmas afternoon, to arrive a the airport 90 minutes early as recommended.

Flight was on time. Settled in at the gate, flight was on time.

Started to read the latest Nicholas Sparks novel.

Glanced up at the counter, and the flight suddenly showed a delay of 1 1/2 hrs!

Scheduled for a 6pm departure, finally left SAC at 7:45.

Arrived in Vegas at 9:10, boarded at quarter of 10. Then waited on the tarmac for a while, then had to be de-iced.

Turbulence, not extremely bad, but enough to keep the flight attendants strapped in for most of the flight. Finally got peanuts and a glass of water about 45 minutes before landing in TX.

By the time we got the luggage and drove home and crawled into bed it was quarter to 4 TX time. Allowing for the 2 hr time difference -- almost 12 hours after I left CA.

But at least I didn't fall on my head this time.

Cornbread Stuffing

2008-11-26T03:26:00.000-08:00

Sorry, Mom, but this is the best stuffiing I have ever had!

Fried up bacon instead of the smoked ham, and used the bacon drippings instead of butter. Used canned Trader Joe's whole kernel corn because that was all I had.

Only downside------I made 1/4 the recipe (1 qt corning ware pan) because I didn't want to waste the ingredients if it wasn't yummy -- which is definitely was!

A real keeper-----as one of my granddaughters says----------"Oh my starry eyed surprise!"

Michael Symon's Cornbread Stuffing
Courtesy Food Network

4 tablespoons butter
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups fresh corn kernels
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup diced red pepper
1/2-pound diced smoked ham
2 eggs
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cups cubed and toasted cornbread

Preheat oven to 375.
Melt butter and sweat vegetables until tender. Add ham and cook over low heat for 2 more minutes. Set aside to slightly cool. Whisk together eggs, stock, cream and herbs and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Combine all items, including cornbread, in a 4-quart lasagna pan and cook covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for additional 20 minutes or until crusty.

Obama wins by a landslide

2008-11-05T06:07:00.000-08:00

Enough said!

Diabetes

2008-10-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

Another shoe has dropped.

We've dealt with so much since DH's stroke three-and-a- half years ago,
and last week they diagnosed him with diabetes, as well.

Took most of yesterday off to drive him to a diabetes education class.

Most of the "work" following a new eating plan (and hopefully getting
him to exercise) will fall on my shoulders, even though the leader
today stressed it is not the caregivers responsibility to follow
through with the plans.

She stressed that I should not be the "Diabetes Police", but when he can't/won't take care of himself, who else does it fall to?

A Taste of Grey Poupon

2008-10-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Houseparty.com?

It's a fun little website that matches your entertainment style with nationally known brand names, and offers hostesses free gifts when they are matched to one of their houseparties.

It's a great marketing tool, as well as a lot of fun for the hostess and her attendees

Last night several friends came over for my Taste of Grey Poupon party. We sampled the three new GP specialty mustards, along with the tried-n-true dijon variety. Dinner included Hot German Potato Salad, Spaetzle with bacon, carmelized onions and swiss cheese, Polish Dogs and Mini Wiener Schnitzel Sandwiches. For dessert I served individual apple blossoms.

We rounded out the evening with Lemon Drop Martinis, Margaritas and a rousing game of Texas Hold'Em.

I received (12 each) jars of mustard, recipe cards, GP coupons, mustard pairing wheels, GP measuring cups and the gift bags to hold them. In addition, as hostess, I received three jars of the new mustards, an apron and a DVD.

Head on over to houseparty.com and sign up to be a hostess. It's a fun way to entertain your friends!

Ultimate Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Cookies

2008-10-12T23:57:00.000-07:00

Ultimate Ghirardelli
Double Chocolate Cookies

Yield: 24 cookies

11 1/2 ounces(s) Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet
Chocolate Chips
12 ounce(s) Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
6 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 cup(s) sugar
1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 cup(s) chopped walnuts

In double boiler over hot water, melt bittersweet chocolate chips and butter.

In large bowl with electric mixer or whisk, beat eggs and sugar until thick; stir into chocolate mixture.

In small bowl, stir together flour and baking powder; stir into chocolate mixture.

Gently mix in semi-sweet chocolate chips and walnuts.

Using a sheet of plastic wrap, form dough into two logs, each 2 inches in diameter and about 12 inches long. As dough will be quite soft, use plastic wrape to hold dough in log shape. Wrap tightly; refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm. (Dough may be frozen; thaw in refrigerator before proceeding with recipe.)

Heat oven to 375°F.

Unwrap dough; with sharp knife, cut into 3/4-inch slices. Place slices 1 1/2 inches apart on greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until shiny crust forms on top but interior is still soft.

Cool on baking sheet; store in airtight tin up to 1 week.

Susan's Note:

DH made these cookies today, and to say they were a huge hit with the family would be the biggest understatement ever!

Will Wonders Never Cease?

2008-10-08T06:34:00.001-07:00

Can you believe it..........the VA actually followed up with ME yesterday, instead of the other way around!

DH has fasting blood work next week, and then a visit to his new VA doctor the following week (i.e. two weeks from today).

That will be about 7 weeks after his last appointment, so we will see what the effect of his new diet (but still no exercise, alas!) has been on his weight and blood sugar levels. He's down about 5 lbs. (me, too!)

Yesterday a dear friend told me she'd hate to be in my shoes (dealing with a stroke victim on a 24/7 basis). What's funny is I'd hate to be in HER shoes (she has MS!)

Isn't is the truth -- your burdens are always easier to bear than someone else's!

MIA

2008-10-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been missing-in-action lately.

The daily saga with DH's health continues.

After two incredibly bad weekends (with him not feeling up-to-par) and his foul moods peaked on Tuesday, when his blood pressure dropped to 80/60. (Normally with a bag full of meds, his BP runs 140/80).

It was an inconvenient as could be, with me being the only one in the office and it being the final day of the month, with billing to be done after 5pm.

But there we were, on the line with the VA for nearly an hour trying to talk to a nurse and then trying to get an appointmen (after an hour on the phone I was told he should be seen in the ER).

So off to the VA we went. Admitted to the ER where, after an IV, an EKG, and another ultrasound on the carotid arteries, they came up with...........nothing!

The good news is they couldn't find a reason for the drop in BP.

The bad news is they couldn't find a reason for the drop in BP.

And so goes the story of life after a stroke.

Trader Joe's Customer Service

2008-09-28T02:02:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: We LOVE Trader Joe's. When we lived in Redding, it was one of the highlights of our trips to visit family in the SAC area (well, that and seeing the grandgirls! (~_~)

Yesterday our final stop of the morning's shoppings/errands/yard sales was at Trader Joe's. I dropped Rollin off in front of the store while I parked the car.

He was headed for customer service to pick up a motorized shopping cart (since his stroke 3 1/2 yrs ago, he tires easily and is easily confused when he is experiencing "sensory overload").

Both happened to him yesterday morning, and I found him at the customer service desk where an extremely caring young lady (whose name unfortunately escapes me) asked him if he needed anything, and sent someone for a bottle of water for him. He offered to pay for it, but she refused.

We of course thanked her, and proceeded with our shopping. I made a special trip back to thank her again while he took the groceries to the car (explaining about his stroke). She said she was just concerned and wanted to make sure he was OK.

Now THAT'S customer service!

Country Bob's Sauce

2008-09-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

Want a chance to win a free bottle of Country Bob's Sauce?

Here's the info and link.

Good Luck!

http://www.themenumom.com/win-a-bottle-of-country-bobs-sauce#comment-109197

Cooking With Friends

2008-07-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

The Cooking With Friends Club is a unique community that encourages people to cook together and use their friendships as a main ingredient. It's a cost effective, emotionally rewarding and fun way to cook. The club offers a website, a free monthly e-newsletter and a Yahoo group for inspiration and guidance. Here's the link to the Yahoo group: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/CookingWit hFriendsClub/

When joining the Yahoo group please put my name (Susan Lowe) in the comment box, as they are tracking referrals for a contest!

I've gotten so many good tips and recipes from this group, I know you'll love it too. And the good thing (as women are want to do) is -- you can change your mind at any time and drop out of the group.

It's Fun!

It's Free!

Any you just may come out with some lifelong family favorite recipes.

Donate Life California

2008-07-10T11:50:00.000-07:00


I have signed up with the
Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry.

Please join me in saving and enhancing the lives of
thousands of people in need of your help.

It took me only a few minutes to sign up --
minutes that could mean years of life for someone
else.

Perhaps you, like me, had always "thought" about doing it,
but never quite got around to it.

Well, here's your "ROUND TUIT."

My decision was prompted by the death of a dear friend, my
daugher's best "college friend" who died while waiting for
a transplant.  Maybe if one more person had donated, he'd
still be alive today.

To sign up or for more information, please visit

http://www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org.

Happy Birthday America!

2008-07-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

We Americans celebrate our country's 232nd birthday this week, the anniversary of the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress in 1776.

One year later, Americans in Philadelphia set off bonfires and placed candles in the windows of their homes and public building. Bells in church towers rang out. Ships shot off their cannons. People throughout the thirteen colonies flew our country's flag, and shopkeepers displayed red, white and blue decorations. Veterans of the recent Revolutionary War marched in parades, and gathered together to hear the Declaration of Independence read aloud. In 1941, Congress declared the 4th of July a national holiday.

How do you celebrate our nation's birthday? As a child, I delighted in holding sparklers in my hands, tracing patterns with them in the night sky. Summers spent in Seattle with my Grandmother meant traveling to a park where I watched fireworks being set off over one of the city's lakes. Rollin and I spent our first 4th of July holiday together watching fireworks explode over Humboldt Bay.

This week, we will celebrate with that American summer tradition, a BBQ. Hamburgers, hot dogs, my Mom's recipe for potato salad, and my one pot beans will be enjoyed by all. Later that night we will gather in the driveway and watch our own mini fireworks show.

However you choose to celebrate this week's holiday, please stop for a moment to remember our country's humble beginnings, and say a little prayer thanking God for this great country we live in.

Warts and all, America is still a mighty fine place to be!

Yan Can Cook

2008-05-26T06:34:00.000-07:00

Martin Yan (of Yan Can Cook fame) and my son, David.

I think this is a great photo, considering David's recent job promotion, and the history our family has with PBS and Martin's cooking shows.

Remember, it's up to you to support your local PBS affiliate. If not you, then who will?

I'm A Proud Mommy!

2008-05-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

My son was promoted this week!

Read about it here:

www.kvie.org

Penny-pinching Strategies for an Expensive World

2008-05-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

Lord knows these days we can use all the help we can get to stretch our dollar (gas here is hovering just below the $4/gallon mark, grocery prices are skyrocketing, new clothes seem more of a luxury than ever).

Here are some of the penny-pinching strategies my Mom taught me:

1. Eat seasonally. If you can’t grow your own veggies, visit your local Farmer’s Market or other farm-to-you food source Cut out the middle-man any time you can. We frequent two local Farmer's Markets here in town (one on Sunday mornings, one on Wednesday morning) and there is a great truck farm we go to on Saturdays where they pick the corn in the morning and bring it from the field to the produce stand, all within your eyesight. Now that is fresh!

2. Cook once, eat twice. If you’re making chili, make a double batch and freeze some in individual containers for a quick lunch later on. Ditto for soups, stews, etc. Two (or more meals) and only one cleanup!

3. Waste not, want not. We save everything! If we have a roasted chicken for dinner, the carcass goes into the crockpot along with your usual suspects — carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic. In the morning strain and freeze in one cup freezer containers. The next time your recipe calls for a cup of chicken broth, run to your freezer where it’s free (and so much better than canned!). We use it to cook rice in, instead of water. Great soup base of course. Too many ripe tomatoes (come on, that’s like being too rich or too thin!)—core, cut them in half, place cut side up in a large pan. Drizzle with EVVO. What else do you have in the garden or pantry? Sliced onions, diced peppers, summer squash, garlic. Season to taste with salt, pepper and herbs (we swear by Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning.) Roast uncovered at 400 for about 45 minutes. We like it tossed with pasta, or my personal favorite, as a topping for toasted french bread slices.

4. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. We don't buy individual bags of chips or other snacks. Buy the large economy size and bag them yourself. You still get the advantage of portion control without the added expense. Or better yet, use reusable plastic containers that you can wash and reuse. Pass clothing down from one child to another, or one family to another. Take advantage of websites such as Freecycle or Craig's List. Frequent yard sales. You paid good money for those cans and bottles at the store, recoup that money by recycling them!

Happy Mother's Day

2008-04-30T05:55:00.000-07:00

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,
"A word that means the world to me.- Howard Johnson.

On the second Sunday every May we stop for a few minutes to recognize our mothers.

When I was a child I made cards and gifts in school, at church, and at Camp Fire Girls to proudly present to my mother. Necklaces of macaroni, dyed blue (her favorite color), cards decorated with lace and flowers and a handwritten sentiment were bestowed upon her.

That Sunday at church you were handed a carnation when you walked into the sanctuary: a pink carnation if your mother was living, and a white one if she had passed on. During the service the pastor would take time to remember mothers: corsages were presented to the youngest mother (I won this one year at age 19, a few months after my first son was born), the oldest mother, and the mother with the most children in attendance.

My mother turned eighty earlier this year. If you, too, are fortunate to still have your mother living, make time for her this Mother's Day. Drop her a card, call her, send her a gift, or perhaps the best of all, send her a letter telling her why she is important to you and how much you love her.

If your mother has passed on, take a few quiet moments to remember her.

Heck, while you're at it, take time to remember all of the women in your life, not just your mother, but your grandmother, daughter, sister or aunt.

And while you're at it, say a little thank you for your girlfriends, too.

You'll be glad you did!

The Passing of a Friend

2008-04-17T14:35:00.000-07:00

A man I knew died last week.

He was 52. He was a peer of my younger sister, but when you grow up in a small town like we did, everyone is your friend.

Godspeed, Todd.

The world is a little dimmer today without your bright light, but I know the angels welcomed you home.

We will all feel your loss until that day when we, too, join you in our Heavenly home.

Inauspicious Start to Vacation

2008-01-04T16:39:00.000-08:00

So there I was.

Excited to begin my annual vacation to Texas, to ring in the new year and celebrate my birthday with our daughter and family.

After cooling my heels for five hours at the airport, I was finally allowed to board my non stop flight via Express Jet. Yeah, in just over three hours I would be on the ground in San Antonio and ready to be enveloped in the love of my daughter, son-in-law and three little grand-girls.

Flying doesn't make me nervous, I just see it as a means to an end -- a quick and efficient way to get where I'm going

So I settle into my window seat, bringing out the newest Nicholas Sparks novel, and prepared for an uneventful flight.

You see where this is going yet?

About forty-five minutes before landing, I wake from a brief twenty minute nap. My stomach had been a little "off" all day, but I had chalked it up to the excitement of the trip. It was stuffy in the cabin, and I fiddled with the air vents for a few minutes, dabbed some water around my face and back of my neck. I thought if I got up and walked to the ladies's room, I might "shake it off" and feel better.

And therein lay my mistake.

About six rows back I (according to eye witnesses) just crumpled into a guy sitting on the aisle to my left, fell, and landed on my back in the middle of the narrow aisle. I don't think I was out long, suddenly aware of voices around me -- "what happened", "is she OK?", "is she diabetic?" and so on and so on. It quickly became apparent they were talking about ME!

The flight attendant was kneeling behind me, asking what my name was, and if I felt OK. Amazingly, now I did! The queasiness and lightheaded feeling was gone! She asked me if I wanted to sit up, and slowly I did. I brought my hand back around from where it had been cradling my neck, felt something sticky, and realized I had blood all over my hand.

I heard the young flight attendant say " Oh, oh, she's bleeding/" And then I was aware of another person hovering around me. He introduced himself as Brian, a surgical tech in the US Air Force, stationed at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. He pretty much took over. They applied pressure to the top of my head and got me a cold rag for the back of my necck. Brian found the cut and reassured me it wasn't bad, but was bleeding pretty profusely partly because head wounds do that, and partly because of the altitude we were flying at.

They wrapped my head up like a mummy, taped the gauze down, and got me into a seat. The flight attendant told me the pilot wanted to divert to El Paso, which was twenty minutes away (backtracking). We were forty minutes away from San Antonio. I told her I didn't want to divert, but to keep on going. I assured her I had someone waiting for me. Then she announces the clincher "Don't worry, honey, the paramedics are standing by at the gate."

My biggest nightmare -- being the center of attention!

Somehow I get through it all, the paramedics reassure me it doesn't even need stitches, but they would be glad to transport me to the hospital if that was my choice. I reassured them I felt fine, I signed off on all of their forms, denying further treatment, etc.

I was apparently quite a sight, arriving at baggage claim with an airport police escort, clothing rumpled and hair matted in blood, but none the worse for the wear!

Ain't life grand!

And as Forrest Gump says "That's all I have to say about that."

Merry Christmas (tongue in cheek)

2007-12-21T14:00:00.000-08:00

If I were ol' Santa, you know what I'd do;I'd dump silly gifts that are given to you,and deliver some things just inside your front door,things you have lost, but treasured before.I'd give you back all your maidenly vigor, and to go along with it, a neat tiny figure.
Then restore the old color that once graced your hair, before rinses and bleaches took residence there.I'd bring back the shape with which you were gifted, so things now suspended need not be uplifted.
I'd draw in your tummy and smooth down your back until you'd be a dream in those tight fitting slacks.I'd remove all your wrinkles and leave only one chin, so you wouldn't spend hours rubbing grease on your skin.
You'd never have flashes or queer dizzy spells and you wouldn't hear noises like ringing of bells.No sore aching feet and no corns on your toes; no searching for spectacles when they're right on your nose.
Not a shot would you take in your arm, hip or fanny from a doctor who thinks you're a nervous old granny.You'd never have a headache, so no pills would you take and no heating pad needed since your muscles won't ache.
Yes, if I were Santa, you'd never look stupid.
You'd be a cute little chick with the romance of cupid.I'd give a lift to your heart when those wolves start to whistle and the joys of your heart would be light as a thistle.
But alas! I'm not Santa. I'm simply just me; the matronliest of matrons you ever did see.I wish I could tell you all the symptoms I've got,but I'm due at my doc's for an estrogen shot.Even though we've grown older this wish is sincere;

Merry Christmas to you and a Happy New Year.
(Anonymous)

Gift Exchange

2007-12-20T14:41:00.000-08:00

Last night I spent eating, drinking, laughing, hugging and exchanging gifts with my Classic Diva girfriends.

I can't begin to describe the feeling of love, acceptance and caring that this group exhibits.

All I know is I thank God for them all!

Somebody Doesn't Get A Present!

2007-12-18T16:54:00.000-08:00

I was wrapping some last minute gifts this morning before work.

Everything was going so well......

Until I pulled the cord too tight on the last bottle cover----the cord broke, the wine bottle crashed to the floor, and immediately I was covered in glass and the remnants of my last bottle of "Shipwreck Red."

Alas, who will be going without red wine this Christmas?

Christmas Music

2007-12-17T10:44:00.000-08:00

We have a pact -- from now through Christmas Eve, only seasonal music is played on our work stereo.

That means the olds ones like Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, as well as the "NOEL" cd just out by Josh Croban. We start in the morning and just keep rotating through our collections.

The same old songs, but I never tire of them.

When I was young, I thought "I'll Be Home For Christmas" was the greatest song, until I grew up and learned the true meaning of "......if only in my heart."

Christmas in our church meant the youth choir switched out the bows on their choir robes for big red holiday ones.

Every time I hear a version of "Oh Holy Night" my mind's eye slips back forty plus years and I see a young blond boy with the voice of an angel singing for all he's worth.

Christmas memories -- priceless.

Finished!

2007-12-15T16:32:00.000-08:00

Today I am officially "finished" getting ready for Christmas. The cards are in the mail/emailed, presents are bought/wrapped/mailed or under the tree.

All I have to do now is sit back, relax, maybe make some cookies and enjoy the season!

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2007-12-14T05:25:00.000-08:00

Today is our 39th wedding anniversary.

After hubby's stroke, I kind of "gave up" on him remembering things like that. So this year I decided not to get him a card or even mention what day it was.

Imagine my surprise when I got up this morning and there was a card sitting on the bathroom sink!

He said he was in a store the other day and happened to walk down the card aisle, and something in his "post stroke" brain remembered our anniversary. He did have to ask someone what the date was however.

Things like this remind me that it truly is the "little things" in life that make a difference.

Most Inspiring Person of 2007?

2007-12-13T06:18:00.000-08:00

I just read an article about a professor who was killed at Virginia Tech being named the Most Inspiring Person of 2007.

Not to diminish his accomplishments, but it made me think about who inspired me most in 2007.

It was an easy choice.

I have a friend who has not had an easy life. Her husband died of a heart attack a few weeks before I met her in 1994. She went on to raise two teenage boys by herself. In the last two years she has lost her father, her brother, her sister and her mother.

And yet when I saw her last weekend she was still the warm and loving person who is my best friend.

Her strength and courage inspires me to keep on keeping on.

The Dog Ate My Glasses

2007-12-12T00:55:00.000-08:00

Well, he tried to!

Somehow in the middle of the night, Charlie, our 1 1/2 yr old wire-haired daschund got my purse and proceeded to gnaw on the earpiece of my reading glasses.

He chewed on the velcro curlers I had stuffed in my purse over the weekend.

Fortunately, he left the $20 bill intact!

Christmas Lights

2007-12-11T07:17:00.000-08:00

One of our traditions is driving around and looking at Christmas lights.

This year, as usual, my daughter in law, my two granddaughters and I will pile into the VW after dinner. We'll stop at Starbucks for hot chocolate. New last year was the GPS my daughter in law has on her phone. We'd program in one location, go "oh" and "ah", then program in the next address and away we'd go! Somewhere along the way we start singing Christmas songs. We don't know all the words to all the songs, but we certainly try!

Traditions are a good thing!

Classic Divas

2007-12-10T07:36:00.000-08:00

Here in Elk Grove (suburb of Sacramento) there is a community bulletin board with about 10,000 members. It's an online thing.

Right before hurricane Katrina, a gal started a "diva" group (mostly in their 30s-40s). From that, some of us older women (50s-60s) decided the Red Hat Society was not yet our style, and formed the "Classic Divas."

We meet weekly for lunch, monthly for poker, and soon monthly for bunko! In between, we go wine tasting, go to plays and museums, have potlucks and video nights. Recently we watched Dr. Northrup's "Menopause and Beyond."

We collected cans for the local food bank at Thanksgiving, using the slogan "Classic Divas CAN Do It." We play poker every month, and the winner donates all the winnings to the charity of her choice. Soon we will be having a monthly bunko game, and will collect money for our local food bank.

But mostly, we meet for friendship! These women literally saved my life after a bout of depression that seriously impacted my quality of life.

I can't say enough about the power of girlfriends and remembering those less fortunate.

Wonderful Winter Weekend

2007-12-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

Just home from a whirwind 30 hour trip---managed to fit in all of the following:

"My" 7th annual cookie exchange/potluck/ornament exchange

Visit with Son #1 and family

Drink and gift exchange with my BF Cathy

BBQ Tri Tip dinner at said #1 Son's house

Lunch with my Mom and Sister

Whew! I'm going to bed early tonight, tired but happy, basking in the love of family and friends.

Anticipation

2007-12-08T05:04:00.000-08:00

Do you remember the old Carly Simon song that goes ".........anticipation, it's making me wait."

That's how I feel this morning. We're about to leave for a weekend of cookies, family, cookies and friends. Oh, and the weekend has some cookies involved as well! (See yesterday's post.)

I'll be seeing my best friend who only lives 3 hours away, but we manage to get together two or three times a year. We'll be attending a cookie exchange and potluck, and then head to the mall for our annual Christmas drink and gift exchange. Then we walk through the mall, smug in the fact that our shopping is DONE, and join the line of kids in front of the North Pole to sit on Santa's lap! Then we'll go to my son's house for dinner-----and undoubtedly more cookies

I can't wait to get in the car!

Cookie Exchange

2007-12-07T05:58:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, I started a cookie exchange with some of my work friends. Even though I no longer live there, nothing short of my daughter having a baby in TX (which strangely enough has caused me to miss two!) will stop me from making the nearly three hour trek over the river and through the woods................just kidding.............the trek up I-5 to attend the party. It's good to see everyone and catch up on the past year. And of course there are the cookies. And before the cookies we have potluck.

And did I mention the cookies?

Mom's Nutty Nuggets

2007-12-06T05:38:00.000-08:00

For as long as I can remember my Mom has made Nutty Nuggets at Christmas. It's like the Russian Tea Cake Cookies or the Mexican Wedding Cakes, you know the buttery rich dough molded into a round ball, studded with lots and lots of finely chopped walnuts, baked till just set and then rolled into powdered sugar.

It's a recipe she got the first Christmas she married my Dad. It was Christmas 1946. She was a young bride of 18 when she married my Dad, who had returned from WWII and at the age of 34 never expected to be swept off his feet by her. But he was, and I'm glad, or I wouldn't be here writing this blog. Dad introduced her to some of his friends in the small country town they lived in, and the wife taught my Mom how to make these cookies.

And, as they say, the rest is history. Every year as a child I remember Mom making these cookies. Of course I carried on the tradition, even after moving to Arizona. One year, sick with the flu, I barely drug myself out of bed on Christmas Eve morning. It was obvious, at least to me, that some things would not get done that year, and one of them was the cookies! Or so I thought until my kids discovered my devious plan. "But Mom, Grandma made these every year for Bumpa when you were a kid, and now you make them every year for us!" Of course the cookies were made, and some left out for Santa as always.

And from such simple things, traditions are forged forever.

Christmas Traditions - Tree Staring!

2007-12-05T07:54:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd share with you (over the course of the next few days) some of my favorite Christmas traditions.

For as long as I can remember, one of my favorite things to do during the Christmas season is to enjoy my decorated tree. I love to sit down at night when the house is dark and quiet, with only the Christmas tree lights on. I settle back into the couch, plump up a couple of pillows, turn on the holiday music. With glass of wine in hand, I contemplate the tree and it's decorations. Our tree has always had "unusual" decorations hidden in among the classic bulbs and baubles.

There's the teeny tiny gold Tupperware "wonderlier" bowl on a keychain, symbolizing my days as a "Tupperware Lady" back in the late 70's. There's the red guitar we got on our oldest son's first Christmas. There's the orange and white striped ball son #2 picked out when he was just old enough to say the word "ball", because that's what he thought it looked like. There's the ice cream cone, fashioned from a real ice cream cone and with a slight "bite" out of bottom, made by our daughter in 2nd grade. And the "World's Greatest Mom" signed, shaped like a yellow yield sign, that my daughter picked out for me one year.

When the kids were little, they each got a new ornament for Christmas. After hubby's stroke, we packed up and moved in with one of our kids. One of the things we did was to separate the ornaments and send each child theirs. So lots of the ornaments I now see only in my mind.

Life changes, circumstances change, people change. But my holidays memories?

Priceless and forever in my heart.

Are you in the Holiday Spirit?

2007-12-04T06:09:00.000-08:00

I am!

Last night 17 of us "Classic Divas" met at the home of one of our group. She decorates her house to the hilt, and when I say that, I mean it! One of her trees was featured on the cover of an insert in the Sacramento Bee last year. I lost count of her trees, but I'm guessing there were no less than 15 of them! Each one had it's own theme, there was the African American Angel tree, the fish tree, the toy tree, the kitchen tree to name a few, and our personal favorite was her new addition this year -- the "Diva" tree complete with sparkly high heels and handbags!

Her sister prepared a "light supper" of chicken picatta, rice, veggies and salad, with homemade peach cobbler and ice cream for dinner.

Christmas decorations, food, and the laughter of friends made for a joyous holiday event!

Are you " giving back" this Christmas?

2007-12-03T06:24:00.000-08:00

As complicated as the holiday's can be, there's got to be room for joy and generosity, gratitude and goodness, peace on earth, goodwill toward everyone!" --Oprah Winfrey

Someone on one of my yahoo groups sent me this quote today. It couldn't be more timely. Somehow, it never seems like Christmas until I do my good deed.

I have a group of 20+ ladies I've been hanging around with for over a year now. We call ourselves the "Classic Divas." We are in our fifties and beyond, and have found so much in common. We play poker once a month, and our $5 buy-in is ultimately given to charity (winner's choice). I just headed a food drive for Thanksgiving, and we were pleased to have collected nearly 50 cans to donate to the local food bank. And now I have a toy sitting in the back of my van, ready to drop off at the fire station near my work, for a local kid's toy drive.

And yes, I have dozens of cookies to make before this weekend--but the true meaning of Christmas, celebrating the greatest Gift we have ever received, remains foremost in my heart and soul.

What will YOU do this Christmas season to reach out to others?

Stressfree Holidays?

2007-12-02T06:01:00.000-08:00

I've been reading a lot of blogs lately, and holiday stress (and the prevention of it) seems to be a major topic.

We all have stress in our lives, both good and bad. The good stress drives us to do our best, and bad stress can literally make us sick.

So how do you balance the two?

It helps me to repeat this mantra daily (I "stole" it from Dr. C. Northrup, author of The Wisdom of Menopause.)

I do enough
I have enough
I am enough

Happy Holidays to all!

24 Blogging Day Till Christmas

2007-12-01T06:48:00.000-08:00

I just signed up for a blogging challenge------a post a day until Christmas. Maybe that's what I need to get back in the "habit" of blogging.

http://connectsimply.com/blog/24-blogging-days-till-christmas/

It's been more than 2 1/2 years since DH (Dear Hubby, Darn Hubby, depending on the day!) had his stroke. We just found out he has "significant progressive blockage" in his carotid arteries and consults with a vascular surgeon on Thursday. Normally this would have thrown me into a tailspin. But the older I get, the more I try not to worry about what I can't control.

After all, it's ultimately in His hands.

I Love Books

2007-09-13T20:22:00.000-07:00

I love books.

I love new books.

I love the anticipation I feel when I hold a new book in my hands. I love the look of the clean, crisp book jacket. I love the smell of ink when you open the book. I love the crinkle sound the binding on the spine of the book makes when you open it for the first time.

I love used books.

I love the dog-eared pages, the coffee stains, the notations in the margins. I love the deeply creased bindings, evidence of others who have read the book before me.

Did I mention that I love books?

I always turn first to the dedication page. It gives me insight into the author. Is the book dedicated to his/her spouse, mother, first grade teacher or dog? If, due to some huge miracle I were ever to publish, I would put much thought into the dedication page. In fact, I've already written the dedication page for two books as yet unwritten!

(Cookbook)
To my mom, who taught me the basics, including the importance of following a recipe.
To my husband, who taught me so much more, including the importance of putting the recipe away and winging it!

(Hiking Memories and Photographs)
To the three special women who shared in my first backpacking trip.
To Cathy, who innocently asked me one day "Do you want to go backpacking?"
To Leanna, who took me up the side of my first mountain, bereft of any facsimile of a trail.
To Barbara, who taught me there is such a thing as "Happy Hour" in the wilderness, even when there is no ice.

I was introduced to books at an early age. I was lucky enough to have a mother who not only read to me, but more importantly, read with passion. "Read with expression" she would tell us. She taught by example, her dramatic reading of "The Three Little Kittens" still resonates in my memory. I doubt most people have heard of "Sally in Our Ally," but in our family it was a standard. Dr. Seuss books were another favorite, the rhyming stories giving my mother an outlet for her dramatic tendencies.

I read every Nancy Drew mystery published. Friends whose fathers made more money than mine purchased a new book every month. I made do with the books my mother bought at a yard sale. Thick, purple bound books with no pictures on the cover, I was embarrased to lend them to my friends, as their books were smaller and sleeker with color pictures of Nancy on the front. I kept my Nancy Drew collection for years, rarely remembering the treasure I had stored in dusty boxes in the garage. These books made the move from California to Arizona, back to California again before I eventually gave them away, their dusty pages covered in mold.

I savored every word written by Walter Farley in his "Black Stallion" series. I longed to be Alex, clinging aboard the back of the galloping black stallion on a faraway deserted island beach.

When I was eleven, I participated in our church's effort to "Read the Bible Through in 1962." For thirty minutes every morning and evening I would sit in traction (fondly nicknamed the neck stretcher), prescribed after I injured my neck in a car accident. My Bible in my lap, I would read alternately from the Old Testament and then the New, dutifully check off the chapters as I read them. I was mesmerized, rereading the stories I had been taught in Sunday School, and discovering people and stories I hadn't yet been taught.

During my high school and college years I read book after book, some required reading, some not. I read and reread "Gone With The Wind." The runaway best seller transported me back in time to the days of the old South, to the Civil War and the subsequent restoration, into the lives of Rhett, Scarlett, Ashley and Melanie. I could imagine myself dancing next to Scarlett at one of the grand parties at Tara or Twelve Oaks, waited on by servants, oblivious to the approaching storm forming in the North. I longed for her to find happiness in Ashley's arms. I wept with her at the death of her beloved daughter Bonnie Blue. I felt her loneliness and heartache when Rhett left her for the final time.

I enjoy hanging out at thebookcart.com. It's a simple concept. You register those paperback books you no longer want into a data base. The person who requested the book gets a debit for $2.50 ($2 goes as a credit to the provider, and $ .50 goes to the "donkey" for carrots (i.e. the web site). It costs under $2 to send a paperback in the mail.

www.thebookcart.com/

Another site I like is www.bookcrossing.com

n. the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise. (added to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary in August 2004)
www.bookcrossing.com/

Did I mention I love books?

Instant Gratification

2007-08-31T05:55:00.000-07:00

Remember when you loaded film into your camera, took twelve or twenty-four or thirty-six exposures (almost certainly one or two photos at this birthday party, the Little League game, vacation--but not numerous shots of the same thing!) and then carefully removed the film and mailed it off to Skrudland Photo Service in Seattle?

Lo and Behold , two or three weeks later your pictures were developed and miraculously sitting in your mailbox, waiting for you to look at them.

Fast forward forty years.

Now we grab our digital camera. We think nothing of firing off numerous exposures of the same thing, hoping to get that "perfect" picture for our Christmas cards. Heck, why not, it doesn't "cost" anything to shoot twenty or thirty exposures instead of that one or possibly two we would have taken in the "old days." We grab our laptop, insert the memory card, and right before our eyes we have the photos we just shot, ready for our viewing. Instant gratification!

Change. It's inherent. And sometimes it's even good!

Happy Father's Day, Daddy

2007-06-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day

The words have a certain melancholy feel to them.

My Dad has been gone over 20 years now.

Yet I feel his presence daily.

Every time I see someone treat somebody with fairness and kindness, I think of my Dad.

Every time I see someone working hard to provide for his family, I think of my Dad.

Every time I see someone teach his child to swim, I think of my Dad.

Every time I see someone reading a newspaper with a dog curled by his side, I think of my Dad.

Every time I see someone taking out the trash, I think of my Dad.

Every time I see someone doing the dishes after a hard day at work, I think of my Dad.

Every time I see someone pull a practical joke on somebody else, I think of my Dad.

Every time I see someone working long hours at his desk, I think of my Dad.

Every time I see someone proudly watching their child play sports or perform in a school or church production, I think of my Dad.

Every time I think of my Dad, I thank God for the privilege of having been his daughter.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy.

Tag, You're It!

2007-05-30T06:57:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm joining the game. I've been "tagged" by my niece, nephew, and now their dad.

"Here's how this little exercise in randomness works:
Grab the book closest to you. Turn to page 161, and type the fifth complete sentence on your blog."

The book I'm currently reading is The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama. (Yep, I'm one of them there Democrats!)

"Money does matter in education--otherwise why would parents pay so much to live in well-funded suburban school districts?--and many urban and rural schools still suffer from overcrowded classrooms, outdated books, inadequate equipment, and teachers who are forced to pay out of pocket for basic supplies."

I think you see this one coming -- "TAG, YOU'RE IT!"

Early Morning Awakening

2007-02-24T08:13:00.000-08:00

Something had woken me from a deep sleep.

I glanced at the alarm clock, which cheerfully informed me it was 3:10 a.m. Way too early, even for an early bird like me. I groaned and turned back over, pulling the covers up under my chin.
The glow of the streetlamp outside our bedroom window made it easy for me to make out the pile of covers on the other side of the bed where my husband slept soundly. I could hear the hum of his CPAP machine, recently added to our bedroom as a result of his sleep apnea. His beloved Ashley, a chihuahua/pug mix was curled up at the end of the bed.

There didn’t appear to be anything out of the ordinary.

I sighed and tried to bury my head in the pillow, hoping to drift off to sleep again.

And then I felt it.

A gently, loving tongue was caressing the back of my neck. No, not now, I thought. I have to work in the morning. Just give me a few more hours sleep.

But he was not to be discouraged.

I gave in, and rolled over to say good morning.

Charlie, our new five month old wire-haired dachshund, was awake!

Once Was Lost, But Now Is Found

2006-09-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

For my last birthday, my elder son's wife gave me a gift card to Michaels. I opened presents, cleared off the table, threw away the wrappings, etc. That was the last time I saw the gift card. Looked high and low, but to no avail.

Fast forward nine months to this weekend's cleaning spree. And you'll never guess what I found in one of the bags of recipes, grocery lists, junk mail, etc. You betcha---my once lost gift card is found!

Now to combine it with one of their famous 40% off coupons and go shopping!

Late Night Reading

2006-09-24T01:26:00.000-07:00

I just bought two books from Amazon. I didn't realize they had come until DH went out the front door at midnight (long story, he smelled smoke, everything is fine! (~_~) But, anyway, he found the box outside and set it in the bathroom. A few minutes later I got up to let one of the dogs out and found the box. Thinking it was the machine for his sleep study, I promptly went back to bed where I tossed and turned for about 20 minutes. I figured I might as well get up and watch the video about the sleep study. Pleasantly surprised when I opened the box and found my books!

So it's after 1am and here I sit, reading cookbooks from cover to cover (is there any other way to read a cookbook?)

Dream Dinners...Life Just Got Easier! and Super Suppers Cookbook (both based on the popular "assemble-and-freeze" places that seem to be popping up everywhere these days).

I can't wait to try them!

Red Hat Saturday

2006-09-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

My Red Hat friend, Jan, & I had a delightful day Saturday! It was a full 12 hours from the time she picked me up in EG till she dropped me back off. Amtrak was rather slow we thought, but that gave us more time for chatting on the way in (and sleeping on the way back!)

The Ferry Building and outdoor farmer's market were wonderful! We both came back with our tote bags overflowing. http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/

It was hard to choose a place to eat, but we finally settled on Ferry Plaza Seafood. Good choice, Jan! She let me pick the wine, and I paired a nice pinot grigio with our seafood. http://www.ferryplazaseafood.com/

We couldn't get enough of the fresh produce (although it was definitely higher priced than the farmer's markets here!) $3 a pound for dry farmed tomatoes, but they were worth every penny! Lots of the vendors gave out samples, and the peaches were a sure bet after we tasted them---summer in every bite! Let's see, Jan came home with some nice looking potatoes and a loaf of asiago cheese bread that kept calling her name all day! I think she ended up with some really fresh looking green beans as well. I brought home some fingerling potatoes and a loaf of green onion bread (yes, Jan, my dinner sandwich was awesome!) and a loaf of sourdough we'll use today for "buns" for hamburgers. We bought a couple of desserts, Jan a brownie, and me a raspberry macaroon that we munched on while walking about and people watching. Lots of olive oil and vinegar tasting to be had as well.

Did I leave anything out, Jan?

My first "real" train ride, and I must say trying to figure out the timetable was an experience in itself! I was amazed how clean and well maintained both train stations were (I guess I was thinking more along the line of Greyhound bus terminals! (~_~)

First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

2006-09-12T06:01:00.000-07:00

I started what ultimately became a tradition the first time I held my brand new grandchild back in 1994. I had someone take my picture.

"I must capture this memory," I thought to myself. And then I decided that I would always have my picture taken the first time I held a new grandbaby.

What I didn't know then is the memory of that precious moment--all seven of them (so far!)--would be indelibly kept deep in my mind and heart forever.

Deja Vu

2006-09-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

It was a “deja vu” moment.

Climbing into the car this morning for an early morning grocery shopping trip, I was hit with the thought “this is what it felt like to start our annual summer vacation to Grandma’s in Seattle.”

What was it?

The hint of fall in the morning, reminding me of every coastal morning I ever awoke to?

The dog curled up in the back seat?

The dew on the window?

The moon still visible in the dark sky?

I closed my eyes and could see mom in the front seat, her hair smelling like the fried chicken she had just prepared and placed in the ice chests, now wedged inbetween her feet and the bags of other snacks for the trip. My dad at the wheel, having just caught a few hours of sleep after a hard day’s work.

All it was missing was a parcel of siblings, brown grocery bags full of our summer clothes, a younger sister sprawled across our laps, another sister’s Humpty Dumpty stuffed down between us so Mom couldn’t see that he had been smuggled into the back seat, where space was always a premium.

Memories are a good thing!

The Four Stages of Grief

2006-07-26T06:18:00.000-07:00

It has been way too long since I last posted. I've had several friends indicate they miss reading, so will try to do better.

Life is busy, and isn't that a good thing? Else I might find myself playing "Why Me, God?" in the aftermath of Rollin's stroke.

I've been thinking and reading a lot lately on the four stages of grief (denial, anger, depression and acceptance). I'm trying to move past #3, and finally decided I had to do SOMETHING, so attended a stroke survivor group meeting held at Kaiser. After a brief time together, they split into two groups, surviviors, and caregivers (that's me!). They of course wanted to hear my story (I kinda felt like what you might say at an AA meeting, you know..."Hi, my name is Susan. (~_~)

It was amazing to see them all start to nod and smile as I related my story....been there, done that, all of them! It was encouraging to know that!

I came away with a new sense of what the stroke had really done to Rollin, and a few coping strategies. Hopefully it makes a difference in our relationship, and the general atmosphere around the house!

I Am From (LUES)

2006-02-03T15:49:00.000-08:00

I am From
(Loleta Union Elementary School)

I am from the LUES Class of 1964, a class of thirty-six, the largest to-date graduating class. From six honor students, Kathee, Renee, Susan, Greg, Sham, and Bill. From my graduation speech "Get that All Important High School Diploma".

From an era when the school mascot was the Beaver (in green and white) and not the current Cougar (in maroon and white).

I am from my teachers. From Mrs. Eva Stahl, who made the class stay in at recess one day because I wouldn’t confess that I was the one who had thrown my uneaten egg salad sandwich under the lunch table.

From Mrs. Loretta Snyder, who I don’t remember much about, except that she was a warm and loving teacher.

From Mrs. Jean Bennett, who I only had for about 2 weeks in 3rd grade before I was "skipped" a grade level.

From Mrs. Mildred Gregg, who was very stern and would rap you across the knuckles with a ruler if you misbehaved.

From Mrs. Esther Carr, who I had for both fifth and sixth grades. (She and her husband--his name was Tom, I found out years later--took a trip to Hawaii just after it became a state. Back than he was the very skinny quiet Mr. Carr, married to a very large and loud woman, but it seemed to work for them. Their Hawaii trip was the inspiration for her every-other-year annual Hawaiian Luau. Mothers would be assigned dishes to bring--I still have Mom’s copy of sukiyaki and rice pilaf somewhere--and girls would learn the hula).

From Mr. Floyd Mauney (AKA "Four Fingers") who, after I was out of his class, suffered a heart attack on a hike with his wife, Mrs. Bonita Mauney and died. Mrs. Mauney later married "Red" Mc Marin, the bus driver and custodian.

From Mr. James Cochrane in 8th grade, who was also our principal and attended our church. He had a heart attack that year (which he survived and later went on to teach in a Lima, Peru missionary kid’s school) and was replaced by Mr. Robert Riffenburg, whose wife would later be my high school home economics teacher.

From Mr. Swerdlow for speech, a place where I went to try to pronounce my "J’s" correctly, so I could say I was Susie James, and not Susie Games. From band leaders Mr. Madelena and then Mrs. Swackhammer.

I am from the ChatterBox (especially song dedications back and forth from me and Linda--"Big Girls Don't Cry". From the "Did You Know" column, where I was featured one week ("Did you know Susan James always has a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch?" From the time they passed out the newspaper and then frantically picked them back up again. When they were redistributed, Karl Erickson's answer to "What would you do to make the US a better place?" had been blacked out. (answer "Get rid of the President"--this was on Friday, Nov 22, 1963, the day John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated).

I am from the Tidepools, the every-other-year field trip for the 7th and 8th graders to an orchard in Petrolia . From breaking into groups of four (me, Renee, Kathee, and Terri). From the skits around the Friday night campfire (ours was miming and dancing to "Going to the Chapel of Love"). From pllanning your meals (Kathee and Terri, the Catholics, "Oh that's OK, we can have bacon for breakfast Friday morning, we'll just go to confession when we get home"). From bringing your tidepool treasures back to camp (can you believe they used to let you pick that stuff up and take it out of the natural environment?). From boiling the sea urchins over the campfile until the needles fell off. From using the latrine the fathers would dig for us, from Mom laying in traction in the back of the little trailer. From Carolyn Jones (one of the older and wiser 8th graders) making sure you were packing Kotex. Of course I didn't need them yet, but Terri Thompson said "That's OK, I'll bring mine." Show off! From the big orchard where we set up our tents, girls on one side, boys on the other, and probably the chaperones in the middle!

I am from playing last string basketball, and only playing a couple of minutes each game (because back then it wasn’t about winning or losing, but how you played the game), but Mom was always there to do (more than) her share of carpooling.

I am from teachers breathing a sigh of relief when one of us entered their classroom, because they now had Mom, who volunteered for anything and everything. From car pooling to class room parties, when she would make sugar cookies in heart shapes, and lovingly frost each one with white frosting and inscribe each person's name on one in bright pink frosting. From a mother who brought extra cookies and would personalize them at the last minute, for preschoolers who attended their siblings parties. From her sugar eggs at Easter, from countless Valentine's Days and Halloween and Christmas parties.

I am from mini milk cartons, from Tuesday Bank Days, from Scholastic book orders and SRA reading cards. From band concerts and graduation at the Fireman's Pavillion. From Safety Commissioners and crosswalk duties. From flagpole raisings, and stop signs on long poles. From one long whistle blast for stop, two short blasts for go.

I am from a place where your friends stopped by your house in the morning, to "walk" you to school. From Ray who had a knack for always finding the hair brush, usually stuffed down couch cushions. From the seemingly insurmountable hill you had to climb to get to the schoolyard. From crosswalks and safety patrol officers, from whistles (one long whistle to go, two short blasts to stop) and stop signs.

I am from a place of infinite memories. From a safe haven of learning and growing, a place that would spawn (due to Mom's frequent lunchtime absences due to carpooling duties) Dad’s display of displeasure, written in red sharpie marker on the hallwall sheetrock of the little house where we all grew up – "This haphazard method of me getting no lunch has got to cease."

I Am From (Paper Route)

2006-01-31T21:30:00.000-08:00

I am from stacks of newspaper, bags of rubber bands, black newsprint on my hand. From canvas bags that fit over your head, the paper bag holder on wheels with a round "puller" handle that Dad made for Carol, bicycles and tote gotes. From the Falgout's delivering the morning edition of the Times and the James' delivering the afternoon edition of the Standard.

I am from Mrs Biondini, where Carol had to hand deliver the newspaper to her porch because she didn't want the newspaper to make a black mark on her door., the same lady who ironed her son's blue jeans till there was a crease down the front of the leg. From Mrs. Wagner's (who lived down Franklin as far as you could go and then turned left, the road curved down and around and they were tucked in the curve) popcorns balls on Halloween "one per person please" and chocolate covered cherries at Christmas. From Mom taking over John’s route because he was sick in bed with asthma and running over Ida Martin's mailbox, and Dad going out in the rain to replace it. From Blackie and all the other dogs on the route, from those who were tethered, and from those who weren't.

I am from upper route, middle route, lower route, from a sister who couldn't ride a bicycle, from a time where only boys could have a route, from a time where it was safe to go door-to-door to make your monthly collections.

I am From (Summers in Seattle)

2006-01-29T08:16:00.000-08:00

I am from one bag of clothes stuffed in a paper bag with room for only one Sunday dress. From "For heaven's sake, let your sister stretch out." From ice chests filled with fried chicken and green grapes, from boloney and cracker sandwiches, from a picnic on a rock somewhere on the Klamath River.

I am from Saturday night popcorn and Black Cherry Kool-Aid,. From a truck farm with blueberry bushes and strawberry plants. From peanut butter sandwiches and honey. From picking wild huckleberries in the woods and raspberries at Aunt Clara's.

I am from a week at Aunt Cora's and Aunt Rosie's, and Uncle Eddie's Packard. From Rick and Barbie, from Aunt Cora's "female surgery" and seeing "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World." on a 180 degree screen. From Ronny and Agnes and Concentration and Go Fish on the front lawn. From plastic swimming pools and picnics at Juanita Beach. From accidentially brushing my teeth with Uncle Jim's Brylcream. From Elaine and Saturday nights at the Laundromat; from coke dispensed from a machine into tiny paper cups, from tiny boxes of Tide. From Pike's Market and the Ballard Locks; from the Seafair Parade and hydroplane races. From Woodland Park Zoo and plastic elephant keys. From lima beans and candy bar bribes. From Salvation Army and 25 cent turquoise ballet flats. From "It's a big chicken" and family reunions. From a place where a mailman would deliver Dad's letter to Mom, a letter addressed to "Granny Goose."

I am from Willie and Tillie, the mallard ducks, and Pepper, the spotted horse who never foaled, but always looked like the would. From banty chickens hatched in a box on my lap. From "That's not Susie!", "Eat your green beans," and "Don't sit on the couch with your buckle shoes." From "My hamburger is rare', Susan said sadly. 'I'll burn it up,' Grandma then said madly."

I am from a Grandmother who knew the value of a dollar, and a Grandfather who knew how to spend one.

I am from the boarding house and 16613 North Road.

I am from summers in Seattle.

100 Things To Do Before I Die

2006-01-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

Wow, I thought it would be easy to come up with 100 things! So this is a "work in progress".

1. Take an Alaskan cruise
2. See the leaves change color in New England
3. Swim with a dolphin.
4. Go to an authentic New England Clambake
5. Skinny Dip
6. Eat in New Orleans French Quarter
7. Learn to Waltz
8. Make love in the Redwood forests of California
9. Picnic in Tuscany.
10. Sleep in a house on a cliff above the Pacific Ocean, with giant windows to enjoy the view
11. See a Broadway show in NYC
12. Send a message in a bottle.
13. Camp in Yosemite
14. Sit on a jury.
15. Write an article/short story, etc and have it published
16. See "Old Faithful" spout
17. Shower in a waterfall.
18. Volunteer and teach someone illiterate to read
19. Spend New Year's in an exotic location.
20. Get passionate about a cause and spend time helping it, instead of just thinking about it.
21. Sing karaoke and not worry that I can't carry a tune!
22. Drive across America from coast to coast.
23. Write my will.
24. Sleep under the stars on the beach
25. Spend a whole day in bed ----- reading!
26. Drive the Autobahn and not be scared
27. Spend Christmas in Hawaii
28. Take a cooking class
29. Raft through the Grand Canyon.
30. Donate money and put my name on something like a brick in a neighborhood park
31. Visit the Statue of Liberty
32. See Stonehenge
33. Be debt free
34. Go to the top of the Space Needle
35. Go to the top of the Empire State Building
36. Ride in a horse-drawn carriage
37. Hike at least part of the Appalachian Trail
38. See a tornado.
39. See tigers in the wild.
40. Fly first class
41. Backpack in Europe
42. Set foot in all 50 states
43. Tour the White House
44. Get a tattoo
45. Tour the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor
46. Take a ride in a sailboat
47. Ride a gondola in Venice (second best, in Las Vegas)
48. View the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris
49. See the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)
50. Take a ride on a steamboat
51. Attend a mystery dinner party

2006-01-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

Here's another "I am From" (Christmas)

I am from aluminum christmas trees and colorwheels, from paper garlands and angels on top.

I am from artificial Christmas trees, from plastic wreaths and pine scent in a can.

I am from the silk Pointsetta plant and plastic mistletoe hanging in the doorway.

I am from new pajamas on Christmas Eve, opening one present on Christmas Eve, and milk and cookies left out for Santa. From writing thank you notes before you could use your gifts. From champagne bubble bath and bath oil beads. From Dad's gifts, always big red handkerchiefs and white painter hats and socks we'd later make monkeys out of. From waking up early on Christmas morning and opening your stocking, and then going back to bed. From the time Mom let me help fill the stockings for the younger kids, but she still filled mine so I would be surprised.

From "You'd better go to sleep, or Santa won't come" and "you HAVE to believe in Santa or he won't bring you presents."

I am from Christmas Cantatas, Greg Thompsen singing "O Holy Night" and "Away in a Manager." From Jr. Choir robes with freshly pressed red bows. From a Baby who came to save us and give us life eternal.

From Christmas caroling, from hayrides and hot chocolate. From Christmas programs (when they were still called CHRISTMAS programs) at the fireman's hall, from chorus after chorus of Jingle Bells sung while waiting for Santa to arrive on a big red firetruck, from bags of hard candy, an apple and an orange.

I'm from the Nutty Nuggets Mom made every year and her homemade Butter Crunch Toffee and Confetti Bread. From sugar cookies and Mom's vast collection of cookie cutters, from bowls of colored frosting and sprinkles. From Agnes' chocolate dipped creams. From Mary's leftover Ice Cream Snowballs with candles. From popcorn balls, peppermint ice cream and too many cookies. From the time the turkey wasn't ready when we were, of sitting down to a holiday feast of "the sides" and turkey later that night.

From the time Dad "rewrapped" Uncle Eddie's present to Judy, covering the mpeccably wrapped gift with brown paper bags, and baling rope. From bicycles with streamers, from roller skates with black and pink pompoms. From new Bibles, charm bracelets, and new underwear.

I am from boxes of Christmas decorations, carefully packed away in boxes in the attic, from homemade ornaments lovingly saved year after year, from green and red paper cut into strips and Elmer's Glue to hold them together.

I am From.....

2006-01-13T05:57:00.000-08:00

I am from powdered milk poured back into empty milk containers, from Tide and Joy and root beer floats on New Year’s Eve.

I am from the little house on the corner that Dad built and lived in with his mother, and the bigger house across the street--the house with ceramic tile in the hallway and in the bathrooms, and in the built-in vanity my mother never used.

I am from the Pacific Ocean and the Redwood forests of California. From magnolia trees and freshly mown grass, from dusty miller, nasturtiums and geraniums, from hydrangeas and red and white rose bushes, rows of corn and hills of potatoes. From tomatoes and peas in pods, from a well-stocked pantry of pumpkin, Dinty Moore stew and string beans my Mom put up in jars.

I am from Saturday night popcorn and Kool Aid, singing in the car, hamburgers five-for-a-dollar, Skate Night, creamery whistles and two pairs of shoes.

I am from the "Sweet" side of the family, from those who hugged and those who didn’t. From Grandma Susan and Grandma Pearl, but not Elizabeth Ann. From an aunt who loved me unconditionally, and a funny uncle who loved me inappropriately.

I am from iceberg lettuce wedges, tomato soup salad dressing, and turkey dinner holidays. From mounds of homemade French fries, bags of artichokes, and fresh Dungeness crab when it was in season. From gallon jars of Joe’s leftover crab cipppino, and Mary’s Swiss Dance sponge cake.
I am from honesty and the golden rule, from paying for your hot dog at Louie's, from respecting your elders and watching out for your little sisters.

I am from He Lives, When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, In the Garden, and The Old Rugged Cross. From Reverends Lanning, Lokkesmoe, and Cole. From Daily Vacation Bible School and plaster of paris plaques, from Good News Club and memory verses and Sunday night youth meetings.

I am from Swauger’s Station, from "a pleasant place at the end of the water," from a "peaceful verdant valley where the land of plenty lies." From mill towns and logging towns and dairy farmers, from participants in the Oklahoma Land Rush, from strawberry farmers and carpenters and owners of boarding houses and motels. From LUES class of 1964 and FUHS class of 1968.

I am from pictures stored in drawers, from family reunions and stories told and retold, from the legend of Jesse James.

Know Yourself

2005-12-29T10:55:00.000-08:00

I posted this on another blog I keep (stroke survivor network) in answer to someone's prompt to answer these "Know Yourself" questions. I found it to be an interesting experience--you should try it yourself!

'Know Yourself' quiz.
1. What do you want? I've never "wanted" a lot. I'm hard to buy gifts for. I don't window shop, I don't make list of things I'd buy if I won the lottery. I want the intangibles, I want to be loved, to be happy, to see my children and grandchildren do the same.

2. What do you need? I need peace, tranquility, things that haven't been in great abundance since Rolly's stroke.

3. What is your greatest fear? I fear being alone in my old age. I was just 17 when Rolly and I married back in 1968. We've been together 37 years now, through the good times and the bad. I can't imagine life without him, as hard as the last 8 months have been on us and our relationship.

4. What is your dearest wish?That the "big bad stroke" had passed us by!

5. What do you need to be happy? Little things. Someone to sit on the couch with me at night, ask me how my day was, enjoy a TV show and a glass of wine with. A new book. A new trail to hike. An adventure waiting to happen.

6. What is your ambition? To make the most of what life has given me. I don't want a fancy career or a million dollars. I want to be happy in my own way, surrounded by my family and good friends.

7. What is your greatest talent? Hard one. Tangible things--cooking, grandparenting. Intangible things--seeing the beauty in little things, enjoying nature.

8. What is your most formidable obstacle? Empathizing with Rolly and all he has gone through. I try, but I can't really put myself in his shoes and feel his frustration and despair.

9. Who is your worst enemy? I'm sure there are people who are not terrible fond of me, but I hope no one "hates" me. Life is indeed too short for such nonsense!

10. With what part of your life are you satisfied? Raising our children to be responsible, interesting adults. They are truly the light of my life.

11. What is your misery in life?I like this saying. "Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." I choose not to wallow in the misery.

12. What part of your life would you change? I'd have had my Dad stick around longer. He was 74 when he died, but since he was 16 years older than my Mom, and died when I was 35. I wish he'd been around to see me mature, to see my children grow up into adults, and to know his great grandchildren.

13. What part of your life would you change in the next year? Reduce the clutter in our lives. Physically, we've downsized greatly this year, and that has helped. I need to get some rid of "mental clutter."

14. What is your mission? Truly to leave this world a better place because I was here.

Merry Christmas.....NOT Happy Holidays!

2005-12-20T14:15:00.000-08:00

Let me express my own personal opinion. If I greet you this holiday season it will be with a warm and hearfelt "Merry Christmas", not "Happy Holidays.", though that seems to be the "politically correct" greeting these days.

If it weren't for Jesus, the "reason for the season", we wouldn't be celebrating Christmas, so what's wrong with calling it what it is?

This country was founded on religious freedom.

Let me express it in my own way.

If you celebrate a different holiday, or none at all, I'm really OK with that.

Just don't take away MY right to celebrate my chosen holiday!

Whew, I'm better now! (~_~)

My day from H#&^

2005-11-21T12:31:00.000-08:00

I'm afraid to ask what else can go wrong, because I'm sure it will!

Older son and family were down this weekend. He noticed his Dad has a mole on his face that looks irregular, and he hadn't really noticed it before. So I've got a call in to the VA for an emergency appointment for that. I leave for 2 weeks on the 1st so need to get it looked at ASAP!

Then I got to work and had forgotten my glasses. Got through the morning OK, a few dumb mistakes cause I couldn't see, so decided to run home at lunch and get them. That took up nearly all my lunch hour, so drove through Taco Bell--Of course once I got in the drive through line, I reached for my purse and had left it at work! Scrounged up enough change out of the ashtray (only thing we use it for! (~_~) for a taco and nachos and a glass of water.

Realized I had a heck of a headache (no doubt from forgetting my glasses) so resolved to take a couple of ibuprofen when I got back to work. That made me remember I'd forgotten to take my BP and allergy pills this morning!

Got back to work and decided to through the bag of trash out of my car. Walked over to the dumpster, gave a heave, and realized I had just let go of the taco bell bag, not the trash bag!

This day can not end quickly enough!

Ladies-with-Hat-i-tude

2005-09-18T07:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I joined a local chapter of the Red Hat Society, "The Ladies With Hat-i-tude."

I'm really not much of a joiner, but after DH's stroke, and moving 160 miles from where we had lived the last 13 1/2 years, I needed something for just "me." So with that driving me, there I was yesterday at noon, resplendent in my purple shirt and red hat that doesn't go!

It's a swell bunch of ladies, and I felt at home. Of course there was laughter, food and wine, so it was my kind of good time!

I probably never would have done this without the impetus of DH's stroke. Sometimes life pushes us to journey places we never dreamed of going.

It's not necessarily a bad thing.

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but to slide in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming WOW . . . What a ride!"~Anonymous

Update: 5 1/2 Months Post Stroke

2005-09-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

Our last "normal" day was March 31, 2005, but we didn't know that then.

We had gone to dinner at a new Mexican Restaurant, watched a little TV, and went to bed. He tells me (I slept through this part) that he woke up about 11pm because he smelled something burning. He looked outside and didn't see anything, and went back to bed.About 2AM he woke me up, saying something was wrong. He was dizzy, couldn't walk without stumbling, and had what he described at the worst headache in his life. So we sat up in the living room for a couple of hours, seeing if he would get better (He'd had one episode where his BP spiked, and I took him to the ER. At least that's what they said it was. Symptoms were similar, but not as severe. I'm not sure he didn't have a stroke then, a couple of years ago).

We went back to bed for an hour or two, and when we woke up he was no better, so I took him to the VA clinic when they opened at 7:30AM. They immediately assessed him and sent him to the local imaging clinic for an MRI. The technician there was not very supportive, and Rollin couldn't handle the tube. I asked to sedate him and he said no. So I took him home, stopping to tell the DR what had happened. He said he would have ordered sedation if the tech had called. I tried, what more could I do? So they said take him home and if he gets worse over the weekend, take him to the ER.

Monday afternoon he had an open MRI. He was still scared, but they let me sit on a chair and hold his hand through the procedure. It was after the VA clinic had closed by now, and so we went directly home. About 5:30PM the DR calls me and says he'd had a stroke. I remember my response "Oh, really?".

He told us to be back at the clinic first thing in the morning. He had some trouble walking the first couple of days, and so they gave him a cane. He only used it once and never needed it again. No paralysis, no loss of speech or body functions. And as I told my girl friends, he didn't drool! (~_~) Sometimes if you don't find the humor in the situation, it becomes way too overwhelming and depressing.He tried to drive that first weekend, before we knew it was a stroke. After he ended up on the wrong side of the road, going the wrong way, he pulled over and I drove (if you knew me, you'd find that amazing--I avoid driving whenever possible). But stroke changes you, not just the person who had it, but the caregiver, too. You should see me drive now. I had no choice for the first three months, if I wanted to go somewhere, I'd have to drive!

Other than short term memory loss (he's a cook by trade, and the first time he tried to cook potatoes for dinner I went into the kitchen and found them turned off. I asked him and he said they were done. Of course I put a fork in them and they were hard as rocks. He'd turned the burner on, turned around, and turned it back off, thinking they were done) he's suffered from fatigue (takes a couple of naps a day) some depression and a lot of short-temperdness.

But we try every morning to hug, to kiss good bye (I work, he doesn't) and to repeat our mantra "Today's a new day."

It does get easier, but every day's a struggle.

Splat

2005-05-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

What an exciting day so far, and it's not even noon!

I took my walk this morning and was having a great time. I have a 40 minute route through the neighborhood, a canal/lake walkway, and a small park. The birds were singing, there was a slight breeze, the sun was shining, it was great to be alive!

And then it happened.

Flat on my face on the pavement. Scratched the lenses on my sunglasses, bloodied my knees, hands, and chin. So,after unceremoniously picking myself up from the pavement, I dusted myself off, put my hand to my chin and realized there was a fair amount of blood on it. Walked slowly to the nearest water fountain, rinsed off my hands, chins and knees, and proceeded to find the nearest park bench.Caught my breath, and walked back home, where I was promptly chewed out for not using my cell phone to call for help

Excuse me, I fell, I wasn't mugged! A couple of Ibuprofen later, an ice pack and a brief rest, and I appear none the worse for the wear.

Whew, life is an adventure!

Stroke

2005-04-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

We had a huge scare last Friday morning. My husband, who just turned 58, had a stroke.

I waited 5 1/2 hours before seeking medical treatment. I thought it was "just" another instance of episodic high blood pressure, and it could wait until the VA clinic opened.

Now I know that he had 4 of the 5 warning signs of a stoke. We are lucky that it appears to have been a "minor" stroke. The doctor told me if it ever happened again, he needed to be taken to a hospital within the hour, to prevent permanent and extended damage.

Knowledge is power. Be prepared! The following information comes from the National Stroke Association website (www.strokeassociation.org)

Stroke is a medical emergency.
Know these warning signs of stroke and teach them to others.
Every second counts:
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Call 9-1-1 immediately if you experience symptoms!
Time lost is brain lost!

My Italian Charm Bracelets

2005-03-23T09:27:00.000-08:00

Each charm has been picked out especially for me, either by me someone near and dear to me. I like to think of it as a "snapshot" portrait of who I am. I have collected and received so many charms, I just started my second bracelet!

S
Friend
American Flag
Pepsi Symbol
Computer
Gram
Mom
U.S. Navy
Key to My Heart
Camera (Charm has since fallen off)
Texas Map
Mom
Mt. Shasta
35
Gold Beach, OR
Friends 4 Life
Fortuna Huskies
Redding Sundial Bridge
Dolphin
I (Heart) Wine

California Dreamin’
G-Five Logo
Hawaiian Hibiscus
Double Hearts
Flower
Circle of Friends
Dragonfly
I (Heart) My Daschund
Golden Gate Bridge
Lake Havasu
Route 66
California Bear Flag
Mom (Heart) Daughter
I (Heart) Scrapbooking
I (Heart) Sushi
Heart
I (Heart) Wine
Red Star

Auld Lang Syne

2004-12-30T14:24:00.000-08:00

What’s your least favorite day of the year, I wonder. “My, that’s an odd question” you think. But wait, just play along with me. So you think “My favorite day, well, that’s easy – it’s Christmas, or it’s Thanksgiving, or it’s the Fourth of July,” or any other day with special significance to you. But least favorite? Who has a least favorite day, unless it’s April 15th.

Might I suggest that my least favorite day of the year is New Year’s Eve. When the song starts (you know the one, the song you sing after you kiss some stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve) I invariably start to tear up.

But wait, I can hear you already. “No, she’s wrong. It’s not a sad song, it’s about looking fondly back at the old year and looking forward with anticipation to the new year.” Maybe, but deep inside me something says it’s mostly about looking back with regret, and not really looking forward at all. And life is too short to regret time already spent. So let’s skip all that reminiscing and rehashing and usher in the new year, 2005, that hopefully, is kinder and gentler to us all.

“Life should not be a journey to the grave
with the intention of arriving safely
in a pretty and well preserved body,
but rather to skid in broadside,
thoroughly used up,
totally worn out,
and loudly proclaiming
“WOW, what a ride!”-----anonymous

Happy New Year!

10 Places I Want to Go Before I Die

2004-12-28T11:50:00.000-08:00

1. Yosemite
2. Tuscany
3. Historic sites in Boston
4. Tuscany
5. Yellowstone National Park
6. Tuscany
7.Washington D.C.
8. Tuscany
9. New Orleans
10. Did I mention Tuscany?

Ho3

2004-12-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

I have a Christmas pin that was my son's in high school.

It has the word HO in big letters with the exponent 3 up to the right side (i.e. "Ho Ho Ho")

So my granddaughter Ally comes over and sits in my lap on Christmas, at their friend's house, where we were having dinner. She wraps her arm around my neck, and says "So, How's it going, Ho Three?"

The women were all congregated in the kitchen, and we all laughed out loud. Of course we couldn't explain to Ally, and she looked at us all peculiar, trying to figure out why it was so funny!

I wonder where Ho One and Ho Two were?

Scott Peterson Verdict

2004-11-12T14:20:00.000-08:00

Why am I so positive he was guilty as sin?

And why do I feel almost joyful over this verdict (the exact opposite of how I felt when John Kerry was defeated just last week?)

Inquiring minds want to know.

10 Places I've been

2004-11-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

10 Places I've been (besides where I grew up & live now)

1. California-Disneyland, Dodger Stadium, SanDiego Zoo, Sea World, San Francisco, Needles, Monterey, Carmel, Capitol building in Sacramento, MarineWorld, wine country in Napa Valley and Amador County (and lots of other places all over the state)
2. Texas - Austin, Dallas (JFK Museum, Southfork, the WestEnd), Fort Worth (Billy Bob's), San Antonio (The Alamo, Sea World
3. Kauai, Hawaii
4. Vancouver, BC and Tijuana, Mexico
5. Washington - Seattle for 3 months every summer as a kid (World's Fair in 1962), Everett, Bothell, Whidbey Island
6. Oregon - Oregon Caves, Sea Lion Caves
7. Tennessee - Nashville (Fan Fair 1992)
8. Nevada - Las Vegas, Reno, Laughlin
9. Arizona - Kingman, Phoenix, Flagstaff, Williams (Grand Canyon)
10. A bunch of other states on the way to and from Tennessee (see #7 above)

Grandkids

2004-11-09T06:34:00.000-08:00

So my nine year old granddaughter calls me.

HER: Hi, Grandma. I really love you.

ME: I know you do, Sweetie. I love you too.

HER: Grandma, can I ask you a question?

ME: Sure, Honey.

HER: Is it true
My dad had to walk to school
50 miles
each way
in the snow
naked
with a goat tied around his waist?

ME: And with Uncle Rob on his shoulders!

HER: (Aside) Dad, you had to have Uncle Rob on your shoulders, too?

HIM: Hey, he had to get to school, too!

HER: Grandma, are you telling me the truth?

ME: No, Honey, I'm not.

HER: (Aside) Dad, I knew it! You were lying to me! (Much muffled laughter). Thanks, Grandma, that's all I needed to know. Bye.

10 Things You Probably Don't Know About Me

2004-11-05T11:49:00.000-08:00

Friday, November 05, 2004

1. I'm an avid scrapbooker.

2. I was married at 17.

3. I turned down a full tuition/fees college scholarship. Instead I got married, had three kids in the next five years, and got my AA (i.e. “half” of a BA! (~_~)

4. I wanted to be a print journalist.

5. I’m been addicted to reality TV since the first episode of Survivor.

6. Desperate Housewives is my favorite new show

7. I’ve only had two jobs in my life, the first one for 14 years, and this one for 10

8. I cried on the way to the hospital to have my third child, begging the DH not to be mad at me if it was another boy (It wasn’t, and hey, if it had been, it would have been HIS “fault”, not mine! (~_~)

9. I didn’t have any “single” dates in high school, only group dates

10. Instead of stuffed animals, I slept with books!

The Beginning

2004-11-04T15:46:00.000-08:00

I was introduced to the concept of "blogging" today by my younger sister, who sent me a link to her daughter's blog. I was instantly hooked on the concept. A place to muse, to reflect, to rant, to expound on the little things in life, as well as those larger ones.

I'm going to like this!