As 2009 comes to an end I’m not only thinking about the events of this past year but of upcoming events in 2010.
Two, specifically and they are both in March. On March 10th I will be celebrating the 15th anniversary of my 30th birthday. The other? A very special day indeed that I will elaborate on another day.
I have determined that when it comes to my birthday it is better to commemorate my 30th birthday rather than keep the count going. So, there you go! Will I be 45? Well, technically, yes. But I celebrate it as an anniversary. The anniversary of a time in my life when it was easier to remain thin, my roots didn’t need touching up near as often and I was actually carded if I wanted to purchase alcohol.
Do I look 45? I don’t think so. Ray says I don't, like any smart husband would and my friends tell me what good skin I have. I know I should be flattered, but it sounds a lot like Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. “My! What good skin you have!” Yeahhhhhh Riiiiiight.
Either way, here are a few things that I have noticed:
1. My eyelids, well, they could stand a lift. Pretty sure this happened overnight. I think they got tired from opening wide in surprise when my children did unbelievable crap and have just given up altogether.
2. The girls (no, not Alex and Abby) have decided they will no longer stand at attention and intend to spend the remainder of their days at ease. I guess I can live with this as long as they don’t decide to just go ahead and sprawl out on the floor…..
3. My fanny, well if I do say so my self, used to be what I considered my best feature. Now, well it is has decided to kick back and do some relaxing of its own. Before, firm as a melon. Now, well, I would have no problem holding a pencil under each cheek. Not some wimpy Ticonderoga No. 2 either. I’m talking about one of those chubby made for a kindergartner pencils!
So what’s a girl to do? Mope and whine and give up? Heck no! I intend to go down kicking a screaming….well more like laughing and sliding in sideways. So it’s off to my home gym I go to try as the commercials say: “Reverse the Signs of Aging”.
Wish me Luck!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
The Truffle With Teens
As the holiday weekend comes to and end and we all get back into the swing of things, I look around and notice that it always looks as if a bomb has gone off in our home the week of Christmas. I like to believe this is normal but I learned a long time ago that normal is just a setting on the dryer.
When they were younger, I tried to prepare myself for the day when one of the girl's friends would go home after a visit to our house and report what a sty the bedrooms of my dear children tended to stay. It would not have surprised me in the slightest for there to be a knock on the door and lo and behold, a Child Services worker would be making a visit to our home. I was certain they would then deem the children's private quarters unacceptable and threaten to haul the children off to a more suitable home. I'm guessing a fictional home that had a place for everything and everything was in its place.
I have now gotten older and wiser. After a few unannounced visits to other peoples homes, I now know if that were truly the case, there would not be the 10% unemployment issue here in Georgia. It would take a mighty large staff to get us all whipped into shape. In fact, if they caught me at the right time, like say, when I was discovering for the 100th time that every towel we own is squirreled away in Alex's closet and there is not a clean one to be found. I would gladly hand the children over! Is it only our house, or does everyone have this problem with teenagers?
Looking back, I believe this started when she was about 12. A towel wrapped around her head Iraqi style and one for her body. She would go traipsing downstairs to her room (a place I lovingly refer to as the Bermuda Triangle) and the towels would not be seen again unless, A. I confiscated them myself on wash day or B. She was threatened with bodily harm.
At one point, it had gotten so bad and I was finally tired of threatening and I told her that she was no longer allowed to have towels. She would have to make do with a washcloth. If she couldn't get herself dry with that, well, she would have to air dry. I then told her that if all of the washcloths ended up in the black hole that was her bedroom, then she would be limited to 4 squares of toilet tissue to dry off with. Boy, did I ever get "the look". Do you know the one I speak of?
After a couple of weeks using the washcloth as a towel she got the point and things got better.........for a very-short-period-of-time.
Abby, in an effort to throw us off the scent of her own disaster of a bedroom, became our Miniature Repo Gal and would dazzle us with her prowess at excavating contraband from Alex's bedroom. She got so good at it, we felt like we had our own personal truffle hog!
When they were younger, I tried to prepare myself for the day when one of the girl's friends would go home after a visit to our house and report what a sty the bedrooms of my dear children tended to stay. It would not have surprised me in the slightest for there to be a knock on the door and lo and behold, a Child Services worker would be making a visit to our home. I was certain they would then deem the children's private quarters unacceptable and threaten to haul the children off to a more suitable home. I'm guessing a fictional home that had a place for everything and everything was in its place.
I have now gotten older and wiser. After a few unannounced visits to other peoples homes, I now know if that were truly the case, there would not be the 10% unemployment issue here in Georgia. It would take a mighty large staff to get us all whipped into shape. In fact, if they caught me at the right time, like say, when I was discovering for the 100th time that every towel we own is squirreled away in Alex's closet and there is not a clean one to be found. I would gladly hand the children over! Is it only our house, or does everyone have this problem with teenagers?
Looking back, I believe this started when she was about 12. A towel wrapped around her head Iraqi style and one for her body. She would go traipsing downstairs to her room (a place I lovingly refer to as the Bermuda Triangle) and the towels would not be seen again unless, A. I confiscated them myself on wash day or B. She was threatened with bodily harm.
At one point, it had gotten so bad and I was finally tired of threatening and I told her that she was no longer allowed to have towels. She would have to make do with a washcloth. If she couldn't get herself dry with that, well, she would have to air dry. I then told her that if all of the washcloths ended up in the black hole that was her bedroom, then she would be limited to 4 squares of toilet tissue to dry off with. Boy, did I ever get "the look". Do you know the one I speak of?
After a couple of weeks using the washcloth as a towel she got the point and things got better.........for a very-short-period-of-time.
Abby, in an effort to throw us off the scent of her own disaster of a bedroom, became our Miniature Repo Gal and would dazzle us with her prowess at excavating contraband from Alex's bedroom. She got so good at it, we felt like we had our own personal truffle hog! Once, I told her I would give her a dollar for every piece of silverware she could bring me from her sisters room. Abby walked away $12 richer that day and was very proud of herself.
Now, is Abby better at keeping her room clean than Alex? NO!!!!! Not by a long shot. Herein lies the difference:
Abby completely surrounds herself with her own belongings and they are everywhere. There is no visible method of organization, unless total chaos counts. She is a hoarder and nooooo that is not a pile of tootsie roll wrappers, aka trash, that is a "collection" of some sort and a story for another day.
Alex, well, she is alot like Templeton the Rat from Charlottes Web. She will push, pull or drag anything she takes a shine to down the stairs to her room.....I cringe everytime she asks to "borrow" something of mine. I know I may as well kiss it goodbye as it will be the last time I see it. I gaze after her, as she walks away, prize in hand. All the while a vision of Templeton rolling a rotten goose egg, down the tunnel to his home under the pig trough runs through my mind....
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas Day 2009
Ahhhhhh, the much anticipated day has finally arrived. Even though it is not like the old days with wrapping paper strewn everywhere I must say it is good. It is very good!
Both girls received laptops and have been enjoying them since late last night. In the past they have snooped and searched and hunted all over the house trying to find out what they were getting as gifts for Christmas. This year they asked for laptops and were told if that is what they really wanted it would be all they got --period. In fact getting laptops would mean a smaller birthday gift as well since it would cut way into the gifting budget for the whole next year.
Alex will start college in the fall so this is a right on time gift for her. Abby? Well, eleven is a touch young in my opinion for a laptop but when you look at the price for a netbook vs laptop, you may as well super-size it and get the laptop. Either way, they are happy and we got a deal, otherwise no laptops this year! We actually told the kids that there was no way we could afford laptops this Christmas. We then asked them to make us a wish list so that we would have an idea of something they might like to receive.
On a trip to Office Depot the day before Thanksgiving I found their hearts desire on sale and Vuala! there you have it, laptops. I never even hid them. The boxes sat on the floor right next to the loveseat in our bedroom this whole time and they never even noticed them. Abby slept on that loveseat countless times and whenever she would look over at us and ask when we were going to start Christmas shopping, we would just smile and say we already had!
Two weeks into December, thanks to the video filmed at our house Thanksgiving day Abby found out what they were receiving. She delighted in telling her sister and in letting us know that she knew.We still had the last laugh as there they were in plain view! HA! I loved it. Ray told me, you better hide those, they are going to see them! I laughed and said no they're not. These are the same children that step over clothes in the middle of the floor. They won't see it as long as it is in front of them. He just shook his head.
Abby begged to go ahead and get her gift Christmas Eve after we got home from my mom's. It was around 10:00 pm and we told her if she could find it she could have it. She said "REALLY!" and then proceeded to scour our room. The look on her face when she discovered they were right there beside her the whole time was priceless. Ray and I enjoyed it thoroughly, though I could tell that Ray had rather we had them wrapped and under the tree for them to open Christmas morning. He is a good sport though and went with the moment.
I am indeed thankful for today. We are all fairly healthy and together enjoying each others company. First thing this morning we were all piled up in the master bedroom, four laptops high, everyone facebooking and reading wall posts aloud to one another and laughing as we collaberated on what to comment back.
Times have really changed! When I was a kid the most high tech item I remember ever getting was an Atari game system. Sadly, there are no sounds of children outside trying out new roller skates or riding new bikes and the thumping sound of a new basketball being dribbled is missing from the air. Hopefully, they too are piled up together with their families, enjoying today and all that it means.
Merry Christmas!
Both girls received laptops and have been enjoying them since late last night. In the past they have snooped and searched and hunted all over the house trying to find out what they were getting as gifts for Christmas. This year they asked for laptops and were told if that is what they really wanted it would be all they got --period. In fact getting laptops would mean a smaller birthday gift as well since it would cut way into the gifting budget for the whole next year.
Alex will start college in the fall so this is a right on time gift for her. Abby? Well, eleven is a touch young in my opinion for a laptop but when you look at the price for a netbook vs laptop, you may as well super-size it and get the laptop. Either way, they are happy and we got a deal, otherwise no laptops this year! We actually told the kids that there was no way we could afford laptops this Christmas. We then asked them to make us a wish list so that we would have an idea of something they might like to receive.
On a trip to Office Depot the day before Thanksgiving I found their hearts desire on sale and Vuala! there you have it, laptops. I never even hid them. The boxes sat on the floor right next to the loveseat in our bedroom this whole time and they never even noticed them. Abby slept on that loveseat countless times and whenever she would look over at us and ask when we were going to start Christmas shopping, we would just smile and say we already had!
Two weeks into December, thanks to the video filmed at our house Thanksgiving day Abby found out what they were receiving. She delighted in telling her sister and in letting us know that she knew.We still had the last laugh as there they were in plain view! HA! I loved it. Ray told me, you better hide those, they are going to see them! I laughed and said no they're not. These are the same children that step over clothes in the middle of the floor. They won't see it as long as it is in front of them. He just shook his head.
Abby begged to go ahead and get her gift Christmas Eve after we got home from my mom's. It was around 10:00 pm and we told her if she could find it she could have it. She said "REALLY!" and then proceeded to scour our room. The look on her face when she discovered they were right there beside her the whole time was priceless. Ray and I enjoyed it thoroughly, though I could tell that Ray had rather we had them wrapped and under the tree for them to open Christmas morning. He is a good sport though and went with the moment.
I am indeed thankful for today. We are all fairly healthy and together enjoying each others company. First thing this morning we were all piled up in the master bedroom, four laptops high, everyone facebooking and reading wall posts aloud to one another and laughing as we collaberated on what to comment back.
Times have really changed! When I was a kid the most high tech item I remember ever getting was an Atari game system. Sadly, there are no sounds of children outside trying out new roller skates or riding new bikes and the thumping sound of a new basketball being dribbled is missing from the air. Hopefully, they too are piled up together with their families, enjoying today and all that it means.
Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Lard Cookies
Well Christmas Eve is upon us and I am up bright and early to do the frying and baking. During these health conscious times you would think that I had better sense, but it is what it is.
I'm not much of a baker mind you, it is too exact. I fancy myself as more of an all around cook. Never really measure too much, eyeball and taste test mostly. So far, it has seemed to work out and I have not had to throw out too many meals over the years. There was that one time though when Ronnie Brown was over and asked why did we have pea gravel slung out in the yard like that. I told him that was not pea gravel thank you, that was navy beans that I tried to cook. They were in the yard because they were the taste and texture of pea gravel, so maybe I shouldn't have corrected him.
Either way, here I am, up and at em'. We are broke as haints this year so the holiday season will truly be gifts from the heart and that is what lands me in the kitchen this morning frying and baking. I'm frying peach pies for my daddy and making Bizcochos for my momma.
Fried peach pies, I could do in my sleep, chop up dried peaches and put them on the stove to stew in water, sugar and cinnamon until they are the texture of a thick jam. Roll out biscuit dough and fry em up. Well, at least that is how I like mine to be. Biscochos, well that's a whole other ball game. I haven't participated in the making of these, since I was a kid. Biscochos are cookies by the way. Mexican wedding cookies to be exact, but when I was a kid we seemed to make them at Christmas time. I remember my mom saying that is what they did, so here we are diding them.
As I read through the recipe this morning I vaugely remember all the steps which are simple and few, and the ingredients, which are familiar but shocking. The first item on the list is Lard. One whole pound of it. Not Crisco or shortening of another kind, LARD. Right away I'm thinking, well won't these melt in your mouth!
You cream the lard together with 1 cup of sugar and once that is done you add a tablespoon of crushed cinnamon stick, crushed anise seed 2 eggs, 1 jigger of wine------whoa. A jigger of wine. Crap, I forgot about it having wine. Pretty sure there is no wine here. Now I vaugely remember my mom substituting grape juice back in the day when necessary. No, that won't do, I'm not getting showered and dressed for a jigger of grape juice.....Crap.
So off I go on a scavenger hunt looking for something that could pass for wine. I stop to stir the peaches on the stove when I notice that Ray, when cleaning out the cabinets this week has placed a tall box that says Naturally Pomegranate on the counter by the stove. I have an "Aha" moment and read the label. I had forgotten I even had this stuff. Wonder if it is still good? Wonder when I bought it? Some things should not be dwelt on too long and I think this falls into that category. Have yall ever heard of this stuff? The box says that "Naturally Pomegranate contains all the natural goodness of the fruit concentrate and pomegranate seed and has recently been acclaimed for its health benefits, in particular, for its antioxidant potential." Well, what better ingredient to add to a cookie recipe that calls for a pound of lard!
I open the bottle, take a sniff and decide it smells as fresh as if it were bottled just last week. I'm too lazy to look up how much a jigger is so I hope its close to a shot and pour a good shot of the stuff into the bowl. I wonder if there are enough good qualities in the pomegranate juice to counter act the lard in the cookies? I wonder if anyone that eats these cookies is gonna say, hmmmm, what is that hint of something I taste? Could it be wine? No, I know! Pomegranate! Probably not.
I have been known to creatively substitute ingredients before...sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I have a good feeling about this one though!
Well, here comes Abby scooching down the hall half awake. She says what's that smell? Are you cooking sweet potatoes? No, I tell her, peaches for pies. She makes a face, she prefers blackberry fried pies, I'm sure there will be at least a couple of those made today also.
Well, I better get crack-a-lackin. Have a Very Merry Christmas and please remember that Jesus IS the reason for the season.
I'm not much of a baker mind you, it is too exact. I fancy myself as more of an all around cook. Never really measure too much, eyeball and taste test mostly. So far, it has seemed to work out and I have not had to throw out too many meals over the years. There was that one time though when Ronnie Brown was over and asked why did we have pea gravel slung out in the yard like that. I told him that was not pea gravel thank you, that was navy beans that I tried to cook. They were in the yard because they were the taste and texture of pea gravel, so maybe I shouldn't have corrected him.
Either way, here I am, up and at em'. We are broke as haints this year so the holiday season will truly be gifts from the heart and that is what lands me in the kitchen this morning frying and baking. I'm frying peach pies for my daddy and making Bizcochos for my momma.
Fried peach pies, I could do in my sleep, chop up dried peaches and put them on the stove to stew in water, sugar and cinnamon until they are the texture of a thick jam. Roll out biscuit dough and fry em up. Well, at least that is how I like mine to be. Biscochos, well that's a whole other ball game. I haven't participated in the making of these, since I was a kid. Biscochos are cookies by the way. Mexican wedding cookies to be exact, but when I was a kid we seemed to make them at Christmas time. I remember my mom saying that is what they did, so here we are diding them.
As I read through the recipe this morning I vaugely remember all the steps which are simple and few, and the ingredients, which are familiar but shocking. The first item on the list is Lard. One whole pound of it. Not Crisco or shortening of another kind, LARD. Right away I'm thinking, well won't these melt in your mouth!
You cream the lard together with 1 cup of sugar and once that is done you add a tablespoon of crushed cinnamon stick, crushed anise seed 2 eggs, 1 jigger of wine------whoa. A jigger of wine. Crap, I forgot about it having wine. Pretty sure there is no wine here. Now I vaugely remember my mom substituting grape juice back in the day when necessary. No, that won't do, I'm not getting showered and dressed for a jigger of grape juice.....Crap.
So off I go on a scavenger hunt looking for something that could pass for wine. I stop to stir the peaches on the stove when I notice that Ray, when cleaning out the cabinets this week has placed a tall box that says Naturally Pomegranate on the counter by the stove. I have an "Aha" moment and read the label. I had forgotten I even had this stuff. Wonder if it is still good? Wonder when I bought it? Some things should not be dwelt on too long and I think this falls into that category. Have yall ever heard of this stuff? The box says that "Naturally Pomegranate contains all the natural goodness of the fruit concentrate and pomegranate seed and has recently been acclaimed for its health benefits, in particular, for its antioxidant potential." Well, what better ingredient to add to a cookie recipe that calls for a pound of lard!
I open the bottle, take a sniff and decide it smells as fresh as if it were bottled just last week. I'm too lazy to look up how much a jigger is so I hope its close to a shot and pour a good shot of the stuff into the bowl. I wonder if there are enough good qualities in the pomegranate juice to counter act the lard in the cookies? I wonder if anyone that eats these cookies is gonna say, hmmmm, what is that hint of something I taste? Could it be wine? No, I know! Pomegranate! Probably not.
I have been known to creatively substitute ingredients before...sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I have a good feeling about this one though!
Well, here comes Abby scooching down the hall half awake. She says what's that smell? Are you cooking sweet potatoes? No, I tell her, peaches for pies. She makes a face, she prefers blackberry fried pies, I'm sure there will be at least a couple of those made today also.
Well, I better get crack-a-lackin. Have a Very Merry Christmas and please remember that Jesus IS the reason for the season.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Four Days Til' Christmas!
Once again Christmas has rolled around long before I was quite ready for it. I've always heard how the older you get the faster time fly's by. Well it's true!
I do regret that 2009 is winding down and I still haven't gotten very far on my "To Do" list. The list is not just comprised of chores mind you, it has fun things as well. Well, fun to me anyway. A "Bucket List" of sorts. I think perhaps I might make more headway if I concentrate on a top ten and then I will hopefully accomplish that which has significant meaning to me. We shall see.
Perhaps a better approach would be for me to rely on you all to hold me accountable to my "Top Ten of 2010". Are you up for it? Can you bully, nag and/or inquire as to what my problem is if I do not faithfully post my progress? I hope so, because I am no good on my own!
Here are the things that I will accomplish in the up and coming year: (by the way, items are NOT listed in order of importance) I will begin to work on my list before the actual new year so that I can get in the swing of things so to speak--Wish me Luck!!!!
10. Be able to play at least 1 song on the banjo I have now owned for 4 years.
7. Write something on my blog everyday, even if it is just one word.
6. Have a family dinner at least 1 night a week, hopefully more but I need a do-able goal.
I do regret that 2009 is winding down and I still haven't gotten very far on my "To Do" list. The list is not just comprised of chores mind you, it has fun things as well. Well, fun to me anyway. A "Bucket List" of sorts. I think perhaps I might make more headway if I concentrate on a top ten and then I will hopefully accomplish that which has significant meaning to me. We shall see.
Perhaps a better approach would be for me to rely on you all to hold me accountable to my "Top Ten of 2010". Are you up for it? Can you bully, nag and/or inquire as to what my problem is if I do not faithfully post my progress? I hope so, because I am no good on my own!
Here are the things that I will accomplish in the up and coming year: (by the way, items are NOT listed in order of importance) I will begin to work on my list before the actual new year so that I can get in the swing of things so to speak--Wish me Luck!!!!
Annette's Top 10 of 2010
10. Be able to play at least 1 song on the banjo I have now owned for 4 years.
9. Grow my hair to shoulder length. This is for Ray as he loves it best when it's not short.
8. Go from Jello Butt to J-Lo butt. (10 Minute Beach Body here I come)7. Write something on my blog everyday, even if it is just one word.
6. Have a family dinner at least 1 night a week, hopefully more but I need a do-able goal.
5. Call my parents EVERY morning instead of every couple of weeks or so.
4. Listen more and try to solve less for the people in my life. 3. Actually mail the birthday cards I buy for friends instead of waiting for the Good Fairy to do it.
2. Enter at least 1 writing contest a month. 1. Send out at least 5 query letters a week.
There. Now let's see what happens.
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