Come on! I know there are a few people who read this because you have told me so! Sign up as a follower, it will make me happy and give me some encouragement to write. I need to get more creative with my posts, so the more of you who actually sign up the more I will feel obligated to provide some good reading, information and entertainment. Okay?
thanks!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tea Hoarding - End of month 2
Here it is, the end of month 2 of the Tea Hoarding Challenge. I see almost no headway being made at all! Isn't that sad? And pathetic? What the hell was I thinking buying all that tea? There is no competition to see whose shelves contain the most variety of tea, is there? Maybe I should have called Guinness Book of World Record people before I started this?
Anyhoo, it seems to me that what I have been doing is acting like a hummingbird flitting from one box to another tin to a different container and not finishing and emptying any of them. Very strange.
Another behavior I am noticing is that any tea tins I have emptied are all sitting up on a top shelf together. I am justifying this by saying that when I get down to the hermetically sealed bags of tea from the now defunct tea shop I will have adequate tins to put them in to keep them fresh. I hope this doesn't mean I am now a tea tin hoarder as well as a tea hoarder!
Two months down and it looks like this challenge will go right on through the year. I really didn't think it would be this long when I started it. See what I mean when I say I have way too much stuff? I am beginning to think I need to start paring down a few other things.
Do any of you hoard things? Tea? Spices? Coffee? Books? Shoes? Do you feel you need to modify that behavior? Release any of these collections in to the wild? It's hard to do, isn't it? I will keep working on my tea hoarding and I will try to take some photos of the tea shelves to post some before and after shots.
Have a great weekend!
Anyhoo, it seems to me that what I have been doing is acting like a hummingbird flitting from one box to another tin to a different container and not finishing and emptying any of them. Very strange.
Another behavior I am noticing is that any tea tins I have emptied are all sitting up on a top shelf together. I am justifying this by saying that when I get down to the hermetically sealed bags of tea from the now defunct tea shop I will have adequate tins to put them in to keep them fresh. I hope this doesn't mean I am now a tea tin hoarder as well as a tea hoarder!
Two months down and it looks like this challenge will go right on through the year. I really didn't think it would be this long when I started it. See what I mean when I say I have way too much stuff? I am beginning to think I need to start paring down a few other things.
Do any of you hoard things? Tea? Spices? Coffee? Books? Shoes? Do you feel you need to modify that behavior? Release any of these collections in to the wild? It's hard to do, isn't it? I will keep working on my tea hoarding and I will try to take some photos of the tea shelves to post some before and after shots.
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Thai Pesto Shrimp
I don't know if it is legal or not to post something on the Internet that comes from a magazine, copyright laws and all that. But I find that recipes are a real gray area for that and I am going to credit the magazine and I am not trying to copyright the recipe for myself. So here goes:
I got this out of Southern Living Feb. 2009 issue. The whole magazine is chock full of great recipes. I have made 3 already and they are all winners.These 2 dishes in particular are going in to the permanent rotation. Believe it or don't, but I actually made these pretty much the way they are written and that is not my style at all.
Thai Pesto Shrimp with Coconut-Lime Rice
1 1/2 lb. unpeeled, large raw shrimp (16/20 ct.)
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. unsalted dry roasted peanuts
2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. kosher or 3/4 tsp. regular salt
2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
Peel shrimp; de-vein, if desired. Prepare Coconut-Lime Rice. Meanwhile, process cilantro and next 7 ingredients and 3 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a food processor 15 to 20 seconds or until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Saute shrimp in remaining 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Stir in cilantro mixture. Serve over rice.
Coconut-Lime Rice
1 cup light coconut milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
1 tsp. lime zest
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Bring coconut milk, salt and 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in rice; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in lime zest and juice.
***My notes: for some stupid reason they think this will serve 6.Six what? Six-year-old's? It was just me and Mr. Big Ed and there was exactly enough leftover for his lunch the next day. No possible way this serves 6. Also, I bought regular coconut milk, not light. No reason, just what I picked up.The rice was awesome! I had some leftover and put raspberries and a bit of half and half on it and had breakfast the next day. I should keep a container of this rice in the fridge at all times. The Thai Pesto recipe was so good you won't believe it. This stuff would make cardboard taste wonderful. I can't think of a single thing NOT to put it on. So, give these a whirl whether you eat shrimp or not. You won't be sorry!
Also, you may want to check and see if you can find this particular issue of Southern Living just because there are so many other great recipes in it.
I got this out of Southern Living Feb. 2009 issue. The whole magazine is chock full of great recipes. I have made 3 already and they are all winners.These 2 dishes in particular are going in to the permanent rotation. Believe it or don't, but I actually made these pretty much the way they are written and that is not my style at all.
Thai Pesto Shrimp with Coconut-Lime Rice
1 1/2 lb. unpeeled, large raw shrimp (16/20 ct.)
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. unsalted dry roasted peanuts
2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. kosher or 3/4 tsp. regular salt
2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
Peel shrimp; de-vein, if desired. Prepare Coconut-Lime Rice. Meanwhile, process cilantro and next 7 ingredients and 3 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a food processor 15 to 20 seconds or until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Saute shrimp in remaining 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Stir in cilantro mixture. Serve over rice.
Coconut-Lime Rice
1 cup light coconut milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
1 tsp. lime zest
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Bring coconut milk, salt and 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in rice; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in lime zest and juice.
***My notes: for some stupid reason they think this will serve 6.Six what? Six-year-old's? It was just me and Mr. Big Ed and there was exactly enough leftover for his lunch the next day. No possible way this serves 6. Also, I bought regular coconut milk, not light. No reason, just what I picked up.The rice was awesome! I had some leftover and put raspberries and a bit of half and half on it and had breakfast the next day. I should keep a container of this rice in the fridge at all times. The Thai Pesto recipe was so good you won't believe it. This stuff would make cardboard taste wonderful. I can't think of a single thing NOT to put it on. So, give these a whirl whether you eat shrimp or not. You won't be sorry!
Also, you may want to check and see if you can find this particular issue of Southern Living just because there are so many other great recipes in it.
Lent Addendum
This is just a little follow-up to yesterday. I was talking with my sister (Hi!! waving up north at you) and she suggested that if I am going to be handing out item after item that I consider putting things together in small bags. I thought this was a terrific idea, which means I get to type the word TERRIFIC! Anyhoo, I found the cute brown paper bags (recyclable, re-usable, compostable, all round good bags) and the fruit and also a couple packages of almonds and granola stuff marked down at Target.
So I am putting together bags with a bottle of water, a fruit or a bag of nuts and I am making some notes with some great affirmations on them to tuck inside. Kinda like a fortune cookie. I am really excited about this terrific project. I hope it brightens the day of the receivers. At most I encounter 3 or 4 homeless people a day and somedays none, so I don't think this is something that will be a hardship for our budget.
I will post any follow ups or comments I get from the recipients. If you have any suggestions for the affirmations, please send then to me. And thanks in advance for that!
And also big thanks to my sister for the great idea on how to easily get all these items out the window before the traffic light changes! :)
So I am putting together bags with a bottle of water, a fruit or a bag of nuts and I am making some notes with some great affirmations on them to tuck inside. Kinda like a fortune cookie. I am really excited about this terrific project. I hope it brightens the day of the receivers. At most I encounter 3 or 4 homeless people a day and somedays none, so I don't think this is something that will be a hardship for our budget.
I will post any follow ups or comments I get from the recipients. If you have any suggestions for the affirmations, please send then to me. And thanks in advance for that!
And also big thanks to my sister for the great idea on how to easily get all these items out the window before the traffic light changes! :)
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday, the end of Mardi Gras and the beginning of the Lenten Season. 40 days till Easter. Most of us think of this as a time to "give up" something. I think a better way to treat this season is to use it to improve one's character.
Instead of saying I am giving up (chocolate, liquor, potato chips, etc.) for 40 days; how about I am going to be mindful of what I am eating and try to eat healthily and once 40 days are over and the new habits are established I will maintain them.
Several Compactor friends are doing different things for Lent such as having one night a week be soup night and donating the difference in cost to a food bank or adding daily meditation or spiritual study. This is a time to reflect and see what is in abundance in your life that you can share with others be it food, time or blankets.
I have decided to add to what I am currently giving to the homeless. Right now my policy is to give $ and a bottle of water. And I have been trying to come up with something else to give that would be nutritious and non-perishable. What I have come up with for now is apples and oranges. I think that would be a welcome change from the usual donated day-old white bread, and sweets that most of them are used to at the homeless shelters.
I will probably institute a pot of soup a week for us to offset the cost of the fruit. But since we love soup it is not a hardship just a reminder of why we are having a little less on that day so that others might have a little more.
Anyone have any thoughts on Lent, giving up, giving more, or any of this? I hope it is a good spiritual growth season for all of us. :)
Instead of saying I am giving up (chocolate, liquor, potato chips, etc.) for 40 days; how about I am going to be mindful of what I am eating and try to eat healthily and once 40 days are over and the new habits are established I will maintain them.
Several Compactor friends are doing different things for Lent such as having one night a week be soup night and donating the difference in cost to a food bank or adding daily meditation or spiritual study. This is a time to reflect and see what is in abundance in your life that you can share with others be it food, time or blankets.
I have decided to add to what I am currently giving to the homeless. Right now my policy is to give $ and a bottle of water. And I have been trying to come up with something else to give that would be nutritious and non-perishable. What I have come up with for now is apples and oranges. I think that would be a welcome change from the usual donated day-old white bread, and sweets that most of them are used to at the homeless shelters.
I will probably institute a pot of soup a week for us to offset the cost of the fruit. But since we love soup it is not a hardship just a reminder of why we are having a little less on that day so that others might have a little more.
Anyone have any thoughts on Lent, giving up, giving more, or any of this? I hope it is a good spiritual growth season for all of us. :)
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Really Good Finds
You know how if you go out searching for a particular item you never find it? Really, if you are looking for something it seems you can't find anything! Well, I happened to stop in to one of my local Goodwill stores and I wasn't looking for a thing, so what does that mean? It means that is exactly when you find stuff!
I got a brand new, never worn before, pair of bunny slippers for 1.99. Now I do need a new pair of slippers and I tried these on and they fit and they are cute as can be, so I got them. I never wear outside street shoes inside my house, so I have slippers on my feet 90% of the time. I would love to get to the point where I have a set of slippers by the front door for everyone to wear when they come in, just like the Japanese. It is comfortable, it instantly makes people feel like they are at home, and it keeps outside dirt and crud being tracked all over your floors. Win, win, and win.
I love finding things when I am not purposefully looking for them. The thrill of the unexpected, I guess. Ebay has taken a LOT of the fun out of collecting. Instead of finding one really fun unique item on a trip you have saved up for all year, now the whole world is available on your computer screen anytime you want. It is convenient; just not as much fun.
So, when I was at Goodwill I kept noticing all the things there that I currently have in my own home. You know what I mean? Same thing at antique stores and estate sales, I always notice the things they have that I already have. What does this mean? Do other people think that stuff is now crap and needs to go away? Is my stuff now vintage? Is it collectable? Should I start watching how much it goes for?
I also went in to my favorite used bookstore and asked about their policy on taking items. They sell books, albums, movies, books on tape, that sort of thing. And get this, due to the economy being in the toilet they no longer BUY your books; now they only give in-store credit. wtf? She told me, "Yeah, people were coming in here trying to sell books so that they could buy FOOD. So we changed our policy and just give credit now. But it's WAY better because we give like, twice the credit we used to. So this is really good for you". Okay . . . . . Now I really wanted to say WTF? If her customers are so hard up that they need to sell books to get food, why is this something she thinks they should ban and make it even harder on them? Double the credit is only good if you can eat the book! I completely failed to get the logic on this one. And you know what? When the economy does turn around, you think those customers who were turned away will come back and start spending money in this store? I don't. And I wouldn't blame them. I was actually thinking of lightening my shelves of some of the old VHS tapes, DVD's that we don't watch any more and getting rid of some more books. But my motivation is to increase my savings account, so doing business with this store won't accomplish this goal. So I will check out another store and see how that goes. Sadly, I think my favorite used book store might not be my favorite any more.
Anyhoo, I got way off topic there. What I did find at the bookstore that I wasn't looking for but was really happy to find is 2 issues of Bon Apetit that are the November Thanksgiving issues. I have been collecting the Thanksgiving issues for a number of years now and make a HUGE production every year of reading them all and planning a whole new menu for Thanksgiving dinner. The trouble is the November issues come out in the end of September and by the middle of October they are gone. And I have missed some of them. But there were a whole slew of Bon Apetit and 2 of the Thanksgiving issues I don't own. So, for less than 4.00 I have a ton of new Thanksgiving recipes to work with for next year.
Tonight is Mah Jongg game night so I am off to scope out the new Bon Apetit magazines to see if there is a fun snacky thing to make and take. I think I will put on my new bunny slippers and sit on the couch and look at the Bon Apetit and enjoy an hour! It's a good day!
I got a brand new, never worn before, pair of bunny slippers for 1.99. Now I do need a new pair of slippers and I tried these on and they fit and they are cute as can be, so I got them. I never wear outside street shoes inside my house, so I have slippers on my feet 90% of the time. I would love to get to the point where I have a set of slippers by the front door for everyone to wear when they come in, just like the Japanese. It is comfortable, it instantly makes people feel like they are at home, and it keeps outside dirt and crud being tracked all over your floors. Win, win, and win.
I love finding things when I am not purposefully looking for them. The thrill of the unexpected, I guess. Ebay has taken a LOT of the fun out of collecting. Instead of finding one really fun unique item on a trip you have saved up for all year, now the whole world is available on your computer screen anytime you want. It is convenient; just not as much fun.
So, when I was at Goodwill I kept noticing all the things there that I currently have in my own home. You know what I mean? Same thing at antique stores and estate sales, I always notice the things they have that I already have. What does this mean? Do other people think that stuff is now crap and needs to go away? Is my stuff now vintage? Is it collectable? Should I start watching how much it goes for?
I also went in to my favorite used bookstore and asked about their policy on taking items. They sell books, albums, movies, books on tape, that sort of thing. And get this, due to the economy being in the toilet they no longer BUY your books; now they only give in-store credit. wtf? She told me, "Yeah, people were coming in here trying to sell books so that they could buy FOOD. So we changed our policy and just give credit now. But it's WAY better because we give like, twice the credit we used to. So this is really good for you". Okay . . . . . Now I really wanted to say WTF? If her customers are so hard up that they need to sell books to get food, why is this something she thinks they should ban and make it even harder on them? Double the credit is only good if you can eat the book! I completely failed to get the logic on this one. And you know what? When the economy does turn around, you think those customers who were turned away will come back and start spending money in this store? I don't. And I wouldn't blame them. I was actually thinking of lightening my shelves of some of the old VHS tapes, DVD's that we don't watch any more and getting rid of some more books. But my motivation is to increase my savings account, so doing business with this store won't accomplish this goal. So I will check out another store and see how that goes. Sadly, I think my favorite used book store might not be my favorite any more.
Anyhoo, I got way off topic there. What I did find at the bookstore that I wasn't looking for but was really happy to find is 2 issues of Bon Apetit that are the November Thanksgiving issues. I have been collecting the Thanksgiving issues for a number of years now and make a HUGE production every year of reading them all and planning a whole new menu for Thanksgiving dinner. The trouble is the November issues come out in the end of September and by the middle of October they are gone. And I have missed some of them. But there were a whole slew of Bon Apetit and 2 of the Thanksgiving issues I don't own. So, for less than 4.00 I have a ton of new Thanksgiving recipes to work with for next year.
Tonight is Mah Jongg game night so I am off to scope out the new Bon Apetit magazines to see if there is a fun snacky thing to make and take. I think I will put on my new bunny slippers and sit on the couch and look at the Bon Apetit and enjoy an hour! It's a good day!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Oscars
It is that time again! Time for a big fat Oscar Party. Time to watch the red carpet walk and see who looks espectacular (Spanish for fabulous). I love to watch the Oscars. Even when I haven't seen all or any of the movies up for Best Picture. I loved it back when I was sneaking to watch it after bedtime and they would actually let people talk and the show would run really long and then I had a hard time getting up the next day for school. Now, they won't let people ramble on and on. And that's kind of a shame. I bet if I studied for years and worked as a poor, starving actress/waitress for more years and then finally got nominated I would have more than the allotted 2 minutes to talk about!
But here's the thing: we have season tickets to the Broadway shows that come to our gorgeous old downtown theatre. And we have been going with our friends since we moved here 5 years ago. And we always get the Sunday night tickets because that's when everyone is always available. This is the second year in a row that our tickets fall on Oscar night! So I will have to again record everything Oscar on my DVR and when we get home after 10 p.m. hurry and start watching and fast forwarding through the nonsense so I can see everything. You know you can't wait till the next day to watch because if you turn on the tv they will be talking about who won, who wore what, etc before you get to see it. This means I definitely have to pull an all-nighter to see what's what in this year's Oscars.
I always wish that one day I will have some friends over and we will all be dressed up and have up-do's and the whole nine yards and glamourous drinks to watch the Oscars. In this picture there is lots of shiny taffeta, and glittery jewelry and lipstick. Someday . . . .
But here's the thing: we have season tickets to the Broadway shows that come to our gorgeous old downtown theatre. And we have been going with our friends since we moved here 5 years ago. And we always get the Sunday night tickets because that's when everyone is always available. This is the second year in a row that our tickets fall on Oscar night! So I will have to again record everything Oscar on my DVR and when we get home after 10 p.m. hurry and start watching and fast forwarding through the nonsense so I can see everything. You know you can't wait till the next day to watch because if you turn on the tv they will be talking about who won, who wore what, etc before you get to see it. This means I definitely have to pull an all-nighter to see what's what in this year's Oscars.
I always wish that one day I will have some friends over and we will all be dressed up and have up-do's and the whole nine yards and glamourous drinks to watch the Oscars. In this picture there is lots of shiny taffeta, and glittery jewelry and lipstick. Someday . . . .
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Reality tv Show update
This past week we have Survivor that started it's new season in hot, steamy highlands of rain forest Brazil and Amazing Race in Switzerland. I haven't picked out any favorites on Survivor yet. I just know I was really glad they voted out who they did.
Same thing on AR, I don't think I could have stood watching all season with that couple fighting and bickering and treating each other so shabbily. So I was glad to see them leave. I am looking forward to watching that poor couple from Virginia (good Lord, she is SLOWWWWWW!) and the mom & deaf son team.
Biggest Loser is pulling out some new ideas this season. I guess they want to keep it fresh and new. That rowing challenge looked difficult and I had a hard time noticing how they went from green to yellow to red. Don't you just love that guy Ron? He tried so hard!
For some reason my DVR did not record the last Sober House and now I have to see if I can watch it online. That's annoying. It also didn't record Big Love the other night. I may need to go trade my DVR in on a new one. This is a once a year thing for us.
And Tool Academy, well what is there to say about Tool Academy? That little skinny boy Josh is going to end up winning the whole thing just by watching the other maroons around him explode and implode. What idiots! You are on a tv show jackasses! Do they not understand that the camera are on all the time? Someone is watching them all the time, especially when they are making drunk asses of themselves. It truly is worth sitting through it just to hear him say "I'm sorry, you are just a tool". Ha! I don't know why that strikes me as funny as it does. But I crack up laughing every time.
When does Dancing with the Stars start up? I can't remember. I sure hope my DVR doesn't forget to start recording it!
Any updates, opinions, view points on any of these time wasters?
Feel free to throw an opposing opinion out there!
Same thing on AR, I don't think I could have stood watching all season with that couple fighting and bickering and treating each other so shabbily. So I was glad to see them leave. I am looking forward to watching that poor couple from Virginia (good Lord, she is SLOWWWWWW!) and the mom & deaf son team.
Biggest Loser is pulling out some new ideas this season. I guess they want to keep it fresh and new. That rowing challenge looked difficult and I had a hard time noticing how they went from green to yellow to red. Don't you just love that guy Ron? He tried so hard!
For some reason my DVR did not record the last Sober House and now I have to see if I can watch it online. That's annoying. It also didn't record Big Love the other night. I may need to go trade my DVR in on a new one. This is a once a year thing for us.
And Tool Academy, well what is there to say about Tool Academy? That little skinny boy Josh is going to end up winning the whole thing just by watching the other maroons around him explode and implode. What idiots! You are on a tv show jackasses! Do they not understand that the camera are on all the time? Someone is watching them all the time, especially when they are making drunk asses of themselves. It truly is worth sitting through it just to hear him say "I'm sorry, you are just a tool". Ha! I don't know why that strikes me as funny as it does. But I crack up laughing every time.
When does Dancing with the Stars start up? I can't remember. I sure hope my DVR doesn't forget to start recording it!
Any updates, opinions, view points on any of these time wasters?
Feel free to throw an opposing opinion out there!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
I have too much stuff
I do. I have way too much stuff. You are probably saying to yourself, "No LisaPie, you don't have too much stuff". But you would be wrong. I have WAY too frigging much stuff. My friend Paula used to tell me that 3 or more of anything is a collection. Now if that is true, in my cookbooks alone I have like 1,000,000 collections! I have red ones, blue ones, short ones, tall ones, Mexican ones, Irish ones, cookbooks from Tea Rooms, you name a category of cookbooks and I betcha dollars to donuts I have more than one. Shelves and shelves of cookbooks abound in my house. I love them and cherish them. I read them like novels. My favorite cookbooks are old, antique, well-worn ones; the kind with spatters on the pages and notes in the margins and hand-written cards used as place holders so that it opens to the "best" recipe automatically.
I also have other collections, not just cookbooks. I have loads of other books, too. In addition to books I collect odd things like walruses (walri), really cool wooden spoons, copper tea pots, Nativities, interesting paintings and folkart, skeins and balls of yarn, crochet hooks and knitting needles, Monopoly games, jigsaw puzzles, and apparently dogs, cats and dust bunnies. Oh, I have a great collection of pewter and talavera crosses.
So, anyway, I have a lot of crap. And I was watching that show called Clean House where they come in and climb all over the excess crap you have spilling all over everything and bully you in to selling it for a nickel and then clean, paint and decorate your house and give you new furniture. While I was watching this I was wondering how I would react to someone telling me to give up my (fillintheblank) collection. I think I am at the point in my life where I can easily give up some of them. And I totally get the idea that if you don't treat your collections like treasures and display them properly (not mixed in with crap and covered with dust for instance) then they really may not mean that much to you. But boy, do they drag these people kicking and screaming and crying all the way to that point of clarity!
I have a hard and fast rule regarding most things: Anything new coming in the front door better have an equal going right out the back door. So if I am looking at say, a new pair of shoes then I am also thinking of a pair of shoes at home that I am willing to let go. This keeps me at the same level of accumulation. I will sometimes say that sweater is well worth getting rid of 3 old sweaters.
The trouble with collections is that they seem to multiply in the dark, much like plastic bags. You really need to stay vigilent or you can easily become overrun. Remember the other day when I talked about getting rid of 10 items a day? There are days when I will take 30 books down to Goodwill and you CAN'T EVEN TELL! That's how quickly clutter, junk, stuff and crap takes over. It immediately senses the void and fills it.
Maybe it is just the Spring Fever hitting me or it is a moment of clarity; but I need to decide which of my collections are worthy of places of honor and which need to go to a new collector and make them happy. I don't like the feeling of being overwhelmed by it all. I will keep mulling this over and see which items make the cut. Anyone else willing to be honest about this?
Take a look at your own life and house and see if there are areas where you feel like you can pick and choose which things really bring you joy and which are just weighing you down. I wish you luck with this!
I also have other collections, not just cookbooks. I have loads of other books, too. In addition to books I collect odd things like walruses (walri), really cool wooden spoons, copper tea pots, Nativities, interesting paintings and folkart, skeins and balls of yarn, crochet hooks and knitting needles, Monopoly games, jigsaw puzzles, and apparently dogs, cats and dust bunnies. Oh, I have a great collection of pewter and talavera crosses.
So, anyway, I have a lot of crap. And I was watching that show called Clean House where they come in and climb all over the excess crap you have spilling all over everything and bully you in to selling it for a nickel and then clean, paint and decorate your house and give you new furniture. While I was watching this I was wondering how I would react to someone telling me to give up my (fillintheblank) collection. I think I am at the point in my life where I can easily give up some of them. And I totally get the idea that if you don't treat your collections like treasures and display them properly (not mixed in with crap and covered with dust for instance) then they really may not mean that much to you. But boy, do they drag these people kicking and screaming and crying all the way to that point of clarity!
I have a hard and fast rule regarding most things: Anything new coming in the front door better have an equal going right out the back door. So if I am looking at say, a new pair of shoes then I am also thinking of a pair of shoes at home that I am willing to let go. This keeps me at the same level of accumulation. I will sometimes say that sweater is well worth getting rid of 3 old sweaters.
The trouble with collections is that they seem to multiply in the dark, much like plastic bags. You really need to stay vigilent or you can easily become overrun. Remember the other day when I talked about getting rid of 10 items a day? There are days when I will take 30 books down to Goodwill and you CAN'T EVEN TELL! That's how quickly clutter, junk, stuff and crap takes over. It immediately senses the void and fills it.
Maybe it is just the Spring Fever hitting me or it is a moment of clarity; but I need to decide which of my collections are worthy of places of honor and which need to go to a new collector and make them happy. I don't like the feeling of being overwhelmed by it all. I will keep mulling this over and see which items make the cut. Anyone else willing to be honest about this?
Take a look at your own life and house and see if there are areas where you feel like you can pick and choose which things really bring you joy and which are just weighing you down. I wish you luck with this!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Presidents Day
I seem to have missed the memo wherein it says that Presidents Day means all mattresses in the country MUST be on sale. wtf? What do dead heroic Presidents have to do with mattresses? How does selling mattresses at a discount show respect for Honest Abe? I don't get it.
Here is another question: What kind of mattresses did George Washington and Abraham Lincoln use? Were down/feather beds en vogue? Were they poor and made of corn husks? You always hear "Washington slept here", but do you ever hear what he actually slept on? Not me. I have never once heard about mattresses in regard to the Presidents. I have frequently heard about the wooden false teeth Washington had, but that's it.
I read recently that there was a DNA geneology quest to find the closest living relation to George Washington and it ended up being some guy right here in San Antonio Texas. And if I remember right his name was George. He didn't look a thing like the likeness on the quarters.
There has been lots and lots of talk about Lincoln with the past year being an election year and so much about Obama trying to emulate Lincoln. As a matter of fact, I saw an article today that had general public ratings of all the American Presidents and most people now rank Lincoln #1.
I know Presidents Day is a lame made-up holiday because they couldn't stand having Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays so close together and giving people both days off work, but it was also recently Rutherford B. Hayes birthday as well. No one knows that, do they? Believe it or don't, I learned a LOT about him while living in Argentina. He is the most beloved person in Paraguay because of his being asked to be an impartial arbitrator in a border dispute between Paraguay and Argentina. They presented all the facts to him and he pondered and perused and voted Paraguay the winner. So Paraguay went and named a district after him, a city after him, a soccer team after him and I think even a river or lake or something. And every year they have Rutherford B. Hayes day and commemorate this event. Does it strike you as odd that a whole country of people in South America know more about this U.S. President than most of the U.S. does? It did me! What's even cuter is the way they say "Ah-jes" for Hayes. I love it! Here is a link to an article that was published about this year's celebrations: http://www.freep.com/article/20090215/NEWS07/90215007
Another little known fact about George Washington is that the absolute biggest, grandest, most exciting Washington Birthday events are held each year in Laredo, Texas. I know. Digest THAT for a minute. We know good and well he never slept THERE! But yes, they love GW over in Laredo. Here is a link to the annual GW Birthday celebration:
http://www.wbcalaredo.org/home/
So Happy Presidents Day! Whichever President you are celebrating and whatever kind of mattress you end up buying! :)
Here is another question: What kind of mattresses did George Washington and Abraham Lincoln use? Were down/feather beds en vogue? Were they poor and made of corn husks? You always hear "Washington slept here", but do you ever hear what he actually slept on? Not me. I have never once heard about mattresses in regard to the Presidents. I have frequently heard about the wooden false teeth Washington had, but that's it.
I read recently that there was a DNA geneology quest to find the closest living relation to George Washington and it ended up being some guy right here in San Antonio Texas. And if I remember right his name was George. He didn't look a thing like the likeness on the quarters.
There has been lots and lots of talk about Lincoln with the past year being an election year and so much about Obama trying to emulate Lincoln. As a matter of fact, I saw an article today that had general public ratings of all the American Presidents and most people now rank Lincoln #1.
I know Presidents Day is a lame made-up holiday because they couldn't stand having Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays so close together and giving people both days off work, but it was also recently Rutherford B. Hayes birthday as well. No one knows that, do they? Believe it or don't, I learned a LOT about him while living in Argentina. He is the most beloved person in Paraguay because of his being asked to be an impartial arbitrator in a border dispute between Paraguay and Argentina. They presented all the facts to him and he pondered and perused and voted Paraguay the winner. So Paraguay went and named a district after him, a city after him, a soccer team after him and I think even a river or lake or something. And every year they have Rutherford B. Hayes day and commemorate this event. Does it strike you as odd that a whole country of people in South America know more about this U.S. President than most of the U.S. does? It did me! What's even cuter is the way they say "Ah-jes" for Hayes. I love it! Here is a link to an article that was published about this year's celebrations: http://www.freep.com/article/20090215/NEWS07/90215007
Another little known fact about George Washington is that the absolute biggest, grandest, most exciting Washington Birthday events are held each year in Laredo, Texas. I know. Digest THAT for a minute. We know good and well he never slept THERE! But yes, they love GW over in Laredo. Here is a link to the annual GW Birthday celebration:
http://www.wbcalaredo.org/home/
So Happy Presidents Day! Whichever President you are celebrating and whatever kind of mattress you end up buying! :)
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Reality Show Junkie
That's me. I am a Reality Show Junkie. It happened quickly. It all started when we moved back to the U.S. of America in 2002. I had heard of these shows but had never seen one, and all it took was Trading Spaces. Boom! I was hooked. If you want to use an analogy then Trading Spaces was my gateway drug into the world of Survivor, Amazing Race, Surreal Life, Real World, Big Brother, etc. And let me just say here and get it off my chest in a full confession: when Big Brother is on in the summer I get almost NO SLEEP what with having the live feeds on the computer and watching the after hours on Showtime2.
Some of these shows are so bad you can't believe you waste an hour of your life staring at them, each and every week (Tool Academy I am talking about you!), but there is no denying it. Survivor starts up again this week, back in the Amazon for the second time. Remember the first time? When Jenna and Heidi dropped their laundry for peanut butter and chocolate? When that dirty bad boy Johnny Fairplay LIED about his grandmother dying to get further in the game? Oh my, look at all the Reality t.v. stars that have come and gone since then. Boston Rob and Amber, Rupert, Ozzie, Evel Dick, Nasty Natalie, Crying Amber, the cute hippie guys who won AR, the coal miner couple from AR, Dr. Will & Boogie Chilltown, oh Lord the list just goes on and on. Not only is it hard to believe that I watch this nonsense, but that there are soooooo many people who want to put their lives out there for all the rest of us to poke fun at! What could they be thinking? Not one chance in a gazillion (or Brazilian!) that I would do this.
Any favorite reality shows? Any favorite reality stars? What was your favorite moment on a reality show? Or is it just me that is home watching this?
If you do participate in this voyeuristic pasttime, you may want to also check out www.realityblurred.com by Andy Denhart. He posts all the scoop and behind the scenes dirt on what is happening on each show. It's a great way to get caught up and find out what is coming up on your favorites!
You know where I will be tonight; front and center checking out the new people on Survivor and wondering which blue shirt ole Jeff Probst is going to wear tonight! This blue one or that blue one . . . . . .
Some of these shows are so bad you can't believe you waste an hour of your life staring at them, each and every week (Tool Academy I am talking about you!), but there is no denying it. Survivor starts up again this week, back in the Amazon for the second time. Remember the first time? When Jenna and Heidi dropped their laundry for peanut butter and chocolate? When that dirty bad boy Johnny Fairplay LIED about his grandmother dying to get further in the game? Oh my, look at all the Reality t.v. stars that have come and gone since then. Boston Rob and Amber, Rupert, Ozzie, Evel Dick, Nasty Natalie, Crying Amber, the cute hippie guys who won AR, the coal miner couple from AR, Dr. Will & Boogie Chilltown, oh Lord the list just goes on and on. Not only is it hard to believe that I watch this nonsense, but that there are soooooo many people who want to put their lives out there for all the rest of us to poke fun at! What could they be thinking? Not one chance in a gazillion (or Brazilian!) that I would do this.
Any favorite reality shows? Any favorite reality stars? What was your favorite moment on a reality show? Or is it just me that is home watching this?
If you do participate in this voyeuristic pasttime, you may want to also check out www.realityblurred.com by Andy Denhart. He posts all the scoop and behind the scenes dirt on what is happening on each show. It's a great way to get caught up and find out what is coming up on your favorites!
You know where I will be tonight; front and center checking out the new people on Survivor and wondering which blue shirt ole Jeff Probst is going to wear tonight! This blue one or that blue one . . . . . .
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Let's Come Clean
I need to come clean. I try so hard to be a better steward of the Earth. I recycle everything I can. I even dig through the garbage to see if others (Mr. Big Ed, I mean you) is holding up his end. I try to compost every possible thing. I make my own cleaners, laundry soap, dog food, spray starch, bar soap, shopping bags, and grow my own loofahs.
Saturday morning we were planning a nice breakfast of sausage gravy and biscuits and I looked in the pantry and my box of Pioneer Biscuit Mix (local product from right here) didn't have enough in it to make biscuits. Jonathon looked at me and said "Well, can't we just make them from scratch?" You know that emoticon on instant messaging that has big wide eyes and looks like DUH, you dumb twit? Well, that is exactly how I felt!! How is it that it never occurred to me to just make biscuits my own self? So I did, it took no time, I had all the ingredients right there AND they were way better than the ones from the mix.
This got me to thinking about all the other things in my day that I don't stop to look at from all angles and see another way to do them. Or maybe to make it myself instead of just falling in the "go to the store routine". I am sure that there are loads of things I could be doing better, more efficiently, or just more frugally. So here is list of a few things off the top of my head I came up with to improve on:
1. Make my weekly menus using more of what is on hand so things don't get old sitting around the pantry or the fridge.
2. Find a way to hang my clothes out rather than put every single item in the dryer.
3. Use all the lotions, shower gels, liquid soaps that are under every sink in the house before I buy one more item.
4. Organize something every day. One drawer, one shelf, one room, something.
5. Another Compactor does this and I love this idea. Get rid of 10 items a day. I bet I can get rid of 10 items a day for 30 days just in my office!
6. Decide whether I am really ever going to be a coupon user or not. It gets really depressing taking all the time to clip and organize them and then forget them until they are expired. Either get with the program or just let it go.
7. Use my library card more than my charge card. This means to go to the library rather than my favorite used book store.
Ok, that's it for now. Anyone else have any thing they need to fess up to? Anything you want to try to do better?
Saturday morning we were planning a nice breakfast of sausage gravy and biscuits and I looked in the pantry and my box of Pioneer Biscuit Mix (local product from right here) didn't have enough in it to make biscuits. Jonathon looked at me and said "Well, can't we just make them from scratch?" You know that emoticon on instant messaging that has big wide eyes and looks like DUH, you dumb twit? Well, that is exactly how I felt!! How is it that it never occurred to me to just make biscuits my own self? So I did, it took no time, I had all the ingredients right there AND they were way better than the ones from the mix.
This got me to thinking about all the other things in my day that I don't stop to look at from all angles and see another way to do them. Or maybe to make it myself instead of just falling in the "go to the store routine". I am sure that there are loads of things I could be doing better, more efficiently, or just more frugally. So here is list of a few things off the top of my head I came up with to improve on:
1. Make my weekly menus using more of what is on hand so things don't get old sitting around the pantry or the fridge.
2. Find a way to hang my clothes out rather than put every single item in the dryer.
3. Use all the lotions, shower gels, liquid soaps that are under every sink in the house before I buy one more item.
4. Organize something every day. One drawer, one shelf, one room, something.
5. Another Compactor does this and I love this idea. Get rid of 10 items a day. I bet I can get rid of 10 items a day for 30 days just in my office!
6. Decide whether I am really ever going to be a coupon user or not. It gets really depressing taking all the time to clip and organize them and then forget them until they are expired. Either get with the program or just let it go.
7. Use my library card more than my charge card. This means to go to the library rather than my favorite used book store.
Ok, that's it for now. Anyone else have any thing they need to fess up to? Anything you want to try to do better?
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Recycling, Re-using and such
This is the time of year when our neighborhood has the Semi-Annual pick up of brush , big limbs, crap from the garage and most everything except paint and flammable stuff. Since our house is sort of in a cul-de-sac, the cul-de-sac is the dumping ground for all the houses around us. I have been watching these 2 piles on the north and south end grow for the last 2 weeks. And I have been watching the usual people drive around and pilfer through said piles. Not great pickings this time. I don't know, maybe with the economy people are holding on to their garage crap?
Also, since we bought this house (Feb. 2005, the same time as when my brother The Mouli married Princess Sara who calls herself The Queen, that's how I remember when we moved here) I have been slowly updating most of the original 1977 decor. The first thing that came out was the horrid shiny silver wallpaper in the master bathroom with big white, black and gold butterflies all over it. It was just about the grossest wallpaper I have ever seen (that didn't have flocking on it) and it had to go. The next thing was the ORIGINAL AVOCADO GREEN SHAG CARPET. This stuff covered both staircases and the whole upstairs. 30 year old carpet with as many years of Chihuahua pee on it was more than I could take. Personally, this was an item that I didn't care if it went to a landfill. Then recently I found a light fixture I wanted for the entry way and Jonathon, Rachel Pie and Kenneth a.k.a. Tennis helped me hang it. It looks really nice. But if your eyes followed straight ahead you would then see the gross light in the family room. So now it becomes the priority to get that eyesore out of the house. It is not so easy trying to replace light fixtures. The point I am trying to get to is that I have finally found a light fixture for the family room. Damn near 4 years of looking and I finally came across something I didn't hate at Costco of all places. Who would have believed that?
Mr. Big Ed and I hung the new light yesterday. I think I like it. So here is the deal, now what do I do with the 2 old 1970's lights? They still work and are serviceable, just ugly as homemade sin as they used to say. We were debating about Goodwill or Freecycle or Craigslist and Mr. Big Ed suggests we take them out front to the huge piles out at the street. So out he goes with them and comes back and says they are gone. What do you mean gone? Someone was trimming trees across the street and asked if he could have them, so the hand off was made and the ugly 1970's lights have a new home. And it is NOT in a landfill. And I don't feel guilty for spending money on the new one now that my house looks better and hopefully the tree trimming guy's house looks better with his new-old lights.
Oh, and guess what? I only spent $37.00 for my new light. I love that.
On to the next project!
Also, since we bought this house (Feb. 2005, the same time as when my brother The Mouli married Princess Sara who calls herself The Queen, that's how I remember when we moved here) I have been slowly updating most of the original 1977 decor. The first thing that came out was the horrid shiny silver wallpaper in the master bathroom with big white, black and gold butterflies all over it. It was just about the grossest wallpaper I have ever seen (that didn't have flocking on it) and it had to go. The next thing was the ORIGINAL AVOCADO GREEN SHAG CARPET. This stuff covered both staircases and the whole upstairs. 30 year old carpet with as many years of Chihuahua pee on it was more than I could take. Personally, this was an item that I didn't care if it went to a landfill. Then recently I found a light fixture I wanted for the entry way and Jonathon, Rachel Pie and Kenneth a.k.a. Tennis helped me hang it. It looks really nice. But if your eyes followed straight ahead you would then see the gross light in the family room. So now it becomes the priority to get that eyesore out of the house. It is not so easy trying to replace light fixtures. The point I am trying to get to is that I have finally found a light fixture for the family room. Damn near 4 years of looking and I finally came across something I didn't hate at Costco of all places. Who would have believed that?
Mr. Big Ed and I hung the new light yesterday. I think I like it. So here is the deal, now what do I do with the 2 old 1970's lights? They still work and are serviceable, just ugly as homemade sin as they used to say. We were debating about Goodwill or Freecycle or Craigslist and Mr. Big Ed suggests we take them out front to the huge piles out at the street. So out he goes with them and comes back and says they are gone. What do you mean gone? Someone was trimming trees across the street and asked if he could have them, so the hand off was made and the ugly 1970's lights have a new home. And it is NOT in a landfill. And I don't feel guilty for spending money on the new one now that my house looks better and hopefully the tree trimming guy's house looks better with his new-old lights.
Oh, and guess what? I only spent $37.00 for my new light. I love that.
On to the next project!
Friday, February 6, 2009
CineFestival
Last night was the opening night of a big movie festival here. Big for us, not big for Caanes, or Sundance, or Toronto! It is mostly Latino film makers and will be in 2 theaters. One is all films and the other is documentaries.
Mr. Big Ed and I have been viewing all the trailers and marking all the ones we want to attend. There are some really cool, really interesting things. Seems like a good way to kick off Oscar time!
Here is the link to scope out everything:
www.cinefestivalsa.org
Mr. Big Ed and I have been viewing all the trailers and marking all the ones we want to attend. There are some really cool, really interesting things. Seems like a good way to kick off Oscar time!
Here is the link to scope out everything:
www.cinefestivalsa.org
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Another rant
This time I am just about fed up with the decline of the English language. I know, that makes me sound like a really OLD person. And yet, I don't care. There are things people are saying that just irritate the beejeezus out of me. (Tell the truth, you know you have some too.)
Several years ago, way back when it was the *buzz word* (there's one I hate right there!) I started noticing how much I hated it when people said "State of the Art". WTF does that mean? You can't string any old random four words together and claim it means something, can you? Yet people did it and everyone else followed like sheep saying that nonsensical phrase. Anyhoo, that is when I started noticing things that got on my last nerve.
Here is a list of some. Feel free to add your own annoyances to this!
24/7 - Right at the top of the list where it belongs. What in the world did people do, what could they *possibly* have used in place of this idiotic phrase before it came into existance? Note the sarcasm. Possibly, all the time, continually, etc. You will never catch me saying anything this assinine.
My Bad - Yep, that's another annoying new one. Really, your bad? Bad what? Bad self? Bad grammar?
At the end of the day - You know, the first 5,000,000 times it was clever and catchy, but 20 years later not so much.
It is what it is - To my knowledge the first person who said this and caused the explosion of this phrase was Evel Dick on BB8. Seriously, is it *really* what it is? What else could it be?
Conversating - Is that like conversing? talking? chatting? The first time I heard this I about fell over thinking that person was an idiot. Then I started noticing it over and over. Good Lord!
Snazzy - This is an oldy but baddy. What the hell is snazzy? Snooty and jazzy mixed? I don't know and I don't like it.
I think this started bothering me when we lived in Latin America and I was constantly taking Spanish lessons and my teachers would ask me things like "what is the past participle of (fill in the blank) in English?" Over and over, people who learned English as a 2nd language knew more about it than I did. And moreover, they were speaking a better, cleaner, more correct form than I was. Not as much slang thrown in and the like. I do realize and appreciate how language is a fluid thing and constantly evolving, but I can't help but feel that some of this is a "dumbing down" process.
So, any other phrases, words, etc. strike you as crappy, irritating or just plain bad? Feel free to list away!
Several years ago, way back when it was the *buzz word* (there's one I hate right there!) I started noticing how much I hated it when people said "State of the Art". WTF does that mean? You can't string any old random four words together and claim it means something, can you? Yet people did it and everyone else followed like sheep saying that nonsensical phrase. Anyhoo, that is when I started noticing things that got on my last nerve.
Here is a list of some. Feel free to add your own annoyances to this!
24/7 - Right at the top of the list where it belongs. What in the world did people do, what could they *possibly* have used in place of this idiotic phrase before it came into existance? Note the sarcasm. Possibly, all the time, continually, etc. You will never catch me saying anything this assinine.
My Bad - Yep, that's another annoying new one. Really, your bad? Bad what? Bad self? Bad grammar?
At the end of the day - You know, the first 5,000,000 times it was clever and catchy, but 20 years later not so much.
It is what it is - To my knowledge the first person who said this and caused the explosion of this phrase was Evel Dick on BB8. Seriously, is it *really* what it is? What else could it be?
Conversating - Is that like conversing? talking? chatting? The first time I heard this I about fell over thinking that person was an idiot. Then I started noticing it over and over. Good Lord!
Snazzy - This is an oldy but baddy. What the hell is snazzy? Snooty and jazzy mixed? I don't know and I don't like it.
I think this started bothering me when we lived in Latin America and I was constantly taking Spanish lessons and my teachers would ask me things like "what is the past participle of (fill in the blank) in English?" Over and over, people who learned English as a 2nd language knew more about it than I did. And moreover, they were speaking a better, cleaner, more correct form than I was. Not as much slang thrown in and the like. I do realize and appreciate how language is a fluid thing and constantly evolving, but I can't help but feel that some of this is a "dumbing down" process.
So, any other phrases, words, etc. strike you as crappy, irritating or just plain bad? Feel free to list away!
Monday, February 2, 2009
A Rant and grumbling
I am hoping to seriously increase my savings account this year. I want to see how much I can actually put away. One big lump sum gives you *way* more options than spending in dribbles and spurts, right?
One of the girls on the Compact group is trying to save $100,000. this year. Now, that is quite a goal by anyone's standards. She has given a bunch of us the incentive to get our own savings challenge up and rolling. I did not set a number that I am trying to reach, and maybe I should have. But I know where I started and hope to add greatly to that amount.
Unfortunately, what I have been finding with my savings account is that when I reach a certain $$ amount, I have an unexpected expense of an equal value. Anyone else experience this phenomenon? It's like "oh look, $250!! Woo Hoo!" Then the mechanic says "Mrs. LisaPie, your car repair comes to $250." WTF??? And yet, that happens to me over and over. Just recently I made a good deposit to my savings account and guess what happened? RachelPie (sweet daughter in college) called me and said her car was in the shop and she needed xxx to get it fixed. So there you go.
On one hand I think well maybe I should up the savings even further, and then on the other hand my brain says well if I do that, then what huge bill am I fixing to get slapped with? Would karma do that to me?
I think I need a better attitude about this whole savings plan. Any suggestions?
One of the girls on the Compact group is trying to save $100,000. this year. Now, that is quite a goal by anyone's standards. She has given a bunch of us the incentive to get our own savings challenge up and rolling. I did not set a number that I am trying to reach, and maybe I should have. But I know where I started and hope to add greatly to that amount.
Unfortunately, what I have been finding with my savings account is that when I reach a certain $$ amount, I have an unexpected expense of an equal value. Anyone else experience this phenomenon? It's like "oh look, $250!! Woo Hoo!" Then the mechanic says "Mrs. LisaPie, your car repair comes to $250." WTF??? And yet, that happens to me over and over. Just recently I made a good deposit to my savings account and guess what happened? RachelPie (sweet daughter in college) called me and said her car was in the shop and she needed xxx to get it fixed. So there you go.
On one hand I think well maybe I should up the savings even further, and then on the other hand my brain says well if I do that, then what huge bill am I fixing to get slapped with? Would karma do that to me?
I think I need a better attitude about this whole savings plan. Any suggestions?
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Spring Fever
For some reason Spring Fever has hit hard and early in my house. Mr. Big Ed and I both are feeling it. This is in addition to what the locals call "Cedar Fever" that we have been suffering with for weeks on end already. I should have bought stock in Claritin years ago had I known.
But Spring Fever shows itself in many ways. Mr. Big Ed has been out digging in the dirt and turning the soil in the garden in hopes of hurrying along Tomato Planting Time. He has a well-organized collection of all heirloom seeds that he has already started planting in trays. When the seedlings are ready and danger of frost has past Mr. Big Ed will be out there planting away. We are determined to get a great crop of tomatoes this year so as to put up some chili sauce, salsa, and canned tomatoes. Wish us luck!
I cleaned out my closet this past week. That is a Spring Fever sign if there ever was one! My sister was telling me to hang all my hangers backwards now so that as I wear things I can re-hang them the right way and at the end of the year it's easy to tell exactly which items never got worn and can go in next year's clean out. This seems like a pretty good idea. I am sure I won't do it because hangers facing the wrong way would bother me. Sort of like wearing your socks on the wrong feet. I can't do that either.
Also, it is our semi-annual Brush and Large Item pick up time. This is when the city will pick up brush, huge limbs, branches and any random crap you can haul out of your garage. They do this twice a year by designated area. Our pick up will be next week, so all the houses are starting to accumulate piles out front. This is great garbage picking as evidenced by the number of people who drive by and stop and rummage through everyone's junk! I, myself, have been known to drive really slow and scope out piles just in case my neighbors don't know the value of xyz and I can salvage it and re-purpose it.
We never really had a winter this year. And with Spring Fever hitting early who knows what the rest of the year will bring? I guess we wait till tomorrow and see what ole Punxatawny Phil has to say!
But Spring Fever shows itself in many ways. Mr. Big Ed has been out digging in the dirt and turning the soil in the garden in hopes of hurrying along Tomato Planting Time. He has a well-organized collection of all heirloom seeds that he has already started planting in trays. When the seedlings are ready and danger of frost has past Mr. Big Ed will be out there planting away. We are determined to get a great crop of tomatoes this year so as to put up some chili sauce, salsa, and canned tomatoes. Wish us luck!
I cleaned out my closet this past week. That is a Spring Fever sign if there ever was one! My sister was telling me to hang all my hangers backwards now so that as I wear things I can re-hang them the right way and at the end of the year it's easy to tell exactly which items never got worn and can go in next year's clean out. This seems like a pretty good idea. I am sure I won't do it because hangers facing the wrong way would bother me. Sort of like wearing your socks on the wrong feet. I can't do that either.
Also, it is our semi-annual Brush and Large Item pick up time. This is when the city will pick up brush, huge limbs, branches and any random crap you can haul out of your garage. They do this twice a year by designated area. Our pick up will be next week, so all the houses are starting to accumulate piles out front. This is great garbage picking as evidenced by the number of people who drive by and stop and rummage through everyone's junk! I, myself, have been known to drive really slow and scope out piles just in case my neighbors don't know the value of xyz and I can salvage it and re-purpose it.
We never really had a winter this year. And with Spring Fever hitting early who knows what the rest of the year will bring? I guess we wait till tomorrow and see what ole Punxatawny Phil has to say!
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