Friday, December 5, 2014

339 :: When Life Gives You Lemons, Pull Out the Cookbook

A funny thing happened last week. I made Gigi's Lemon Love Notes for Shabbat dessert... in which our guests called in sick, and just as well, since I burned the lemon bars whilst leaning up against the stove as I pulled lamb off the bone for the soup... but that is another tale.

Not to be deprived of his mom's famous lemon bars, DH ate them anyway. "A little charcoal is good for what ails you", I suppose.

So, to redeem myself, I decided to make an un-burned batch. And who better to help me than Anthony Bourdain?
Alas, he couldn't make it. Nevermind. I have the next best thing (if not better!)

Our Own Rosie-Toes was not only happy to pick the lemons herself from Grandma's tree, she virtually made the lemon bars herself (with a little help from Nana - reading GiGi's writing.)
I think GiGi would have been very proud.


Sunday, October 5, 2014

278 :: A Walk in the Park - Redux

A little time with the Little.
A few lessons in rock-skipping. Bread for the ducks.

And much time spent remarking (read: lamenting) about Our Drought, and the sad state of Horseshoe "Puddle". 

It's a sorry state of affairs if we don't get some rain soon.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

274 :: And, for this year's birthday bash...

I was left in the dust, all for the sake of an antelope hunt.

Never mind... I look at it this way: all winter long, every time I pull antelope out of the freezer for dinner, it's Happy Birthday to Me, all over again!

Sunday, September 28, 2014

271 :: Chico's Own Con

Maybe I am a closet nerd? Or maybe I just have nerdy grands... I don't know the answer to that. But I do know that I think it rocks that we finally had our own homegrown version of Comic-Con hit town today.

Local talent - and I DO mean "TALENT" - a packed out Vet's Center (seriously? you did not think thousands of people were going to show up?) - Chico's own Tedra as Wonder Woman - Jedi - Hobbits - various and sundry super villians and heros galore.

Well, honestly - who could ask for a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon?
And to put icing on the cake, this Little Miss was turned into a veritable flower garden for the paltry sum of $5. (And standing in line for 45 minutes... but, whatever.)

Good times! (I'm pooped!)

Sunday, May 11, 2014

131 :: Mother's Day - without Mom

I've said it many times, and I really can't say enough what a great family we have. On both sides.
This year, however, it just seemed off to have Mother's Day without Mom in tow. 

Sure, there were plenty of Moms on hand. 
I, for one. 
And as much as we laughed (and ate... and talked... and laughed and ate some more - the usual routine,) I couldn't help feeling that Mom would have been having such fun if she had been there.

She was always about the family gatherings. Maybe because her own first family was always so far away. She was like the mama hen trying to make sure her chicks were always sticking together.














I know what it is. It feels like we've lost our glue.

 Miss you, Edith Mae.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

116 :: Highland Games

One of the highlights of my year - every year - is our annual trek to Woodland for the Highland Games and Gatherings. I think we have only missed one in the last 13 years.

There is something for everyone, and trust me - you do not have to be Scottish to have a good time.

Music? They've got it...
Dancing? Everywhere you turn...
Athletic competition? Where do I start?

Then there's the food. The meat pies, the "haggis" (Ok, well really it's fudge)... OK, well really it's Fair Food with a little fish and chips thrown in for flavor!

We've pretty much got it down to a science by now; the ice chest, the folding chairs, the shade umbrellas. We can even make it from the car in one trip!
Parked between the athletic field and the historical reenactor's village...
...and just a stone's throw from the pipes...

The young-uns have been coming since the oldest was 3. It just gets cooler every year.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

109 :: Still Life with Friends

Last night, we experienced the most beautiful evening with friends who are dear to us. We shared a very special dinner.
Am I tired? You betcha. (Will I do it again? Ask me next year!)

BUT... What a blessing to have such sweet friends to do life with. It really was a joy.


Monday, February 3, 2014

034:: The End.

Not only was (is) today Monday, but it is what we like to call at work, "That time of the month." The first work day of every month is spent with our heads down, manually reconciling dozens of client accounts that are part of their portfolios, but not a part that we manage. So records must be downloaded from various and sundry websites, with a spreadsheet to keep track of logins and passwords and secret answers, etc. And it HAS to be done on the first day of the month, because sometimes the month end figures are only available this one day. Silly, I know. Nevertheless, it must be done so we can accurately report to our clients what state their portfolio is in.

Needless to say, by the time I get home, I am done. My eyeballs are done. My patience is done. Thankfully, I get a reprieve from cooking dinner because - have I mentioned before? - I have the Best. Husband. In. The. World.

So, my reward to myself tonight was this treat:
Yes, that is a chocolate truffle. And I will admit up front, I had more than one. Followed by a nap. 

And yes, I also did the FLY Lady thing and shined my sink, as well as hung out the laundry... but now, I'm done. 

Goodbye, Monday.

Monday, January 6, 2014

006:: Focus

My talented and insightful cousin-sister challenged me with her blog to come up with one word for 2014. She chose the word "reconciliation", which is an important one for sure. It got me thinking about what word would I chose that would serve as a goal or resolution for this year.

The things that bother her about social media are the same things I take exception to as well. We have discussed it before, and she said it so much better than I ever could, so I won't bother going there when you could so easily read what she has to say and understand us both.

For me, though, I am thinking the word I will choose will be: FOCUS.

I am so prone to losing my focus in so many ways... finishing a craft project, cleaning my house... sure, it's funny to joke about Adult ADD, but it's not funny to live there. I think part of my problem is lack of focus.

When we had the seemingly unsurmountable project of finishing remodeling our house to sell and move to Africa in 2000, I needed a really short leash to keep me on task. I'm thinking if I took the rest of my life as seriously as I did that dagger hanging over my head, I would get so much more accomplished that is meaningful, and the unimportant things that seem to suck the life out of my life would just fall along the wayside.

And I'm not just talking about doing things, but the thought the FOCUS has a lot to do with finding a purpose. Taking aim. Having a goal worth working toward.

Of course, it doesn't hurt to get some perspective. That is what my family is handy for.

005:: Out of focus

Isn't it odd how we look at other people's lives and we see what we see... but we don't see it all.

It makes me wonder what people see when they look at me. I am not an extraordinary person, unless you ask my husband. Yes, maybe I'm a little weirder than some, but I'm sure there are others who look at me and see "conservative", "old", "boring", "judgmental" - yet I am none of those. Well, ok... maybe a little old.

Things aren't always what they seem. And neither are people.
I am struck by the thought that we often give a negative spin to the things in our own lives while painting a rosy, unrealistic picture of what we see in others. The thought occurs to me that I need to stop that.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

001:: Life is Just a Walk in the Park

It was kind of a let down, having a day off in the middle of the week. All that really means is that I don't get Friday off, so not much of a trade-off.
I was bound and determined not to waste it in my recliner frittering my life away online, so after spending the better part of the morning cleaning the kitchen and the Black Hole of Calcutta, we took off to Upper Park for a good dose of Vitamin D.
We were not the only bright folks with that bright idea. All of the parking lots were full, including the equestrian center. Nevertheless, my ankle was very cooperative, there was little breeze, meaning I was not obliged to don my jacket even once.
The only thing we could complain about was seeing the lake so low. Just one little honker family and a few coots in the reeds.

What a marvelous start to a marvelous year!





Awesome granary tree