I Call For a Do-Over!

The past month has been a hard one for John and me. We have had emotional, financial, and temporal pressures that at times have felt overwhelming, as though we would be strained beyond the breaking point.

A quick evaluation of the past few weeks:

• Two trips to the vet with a sick kitty
• Summer school frustrations (lack of preparation for the course at upper levels)
• Accident and loss of a vehicle (through someone else's lack of attention)
• Hours spend on the road and in hospital waiting rooms
• Rescheduling of vacation
• Lots of bad food, and not enough rest
• Death and funeral of a parent
• Re-scheduling vacation at the last minute

(Insert amazing vacation in Colorado with our closest friends)

• Slow insurance response
• Vehicle purchase (used most of our savings)
  
• News that we won't get summer school wages until late August

Except for the time spent in Colorado, these weeks have been just awful - so much that I don't know how we would have made it through without the support of our best friends. They came to the funeral, gave financial advice, and offered support.

Remember when you were a kid? If you were anything like me, you goofed up a lot. Especially in sports, I made many mistakes that frustrated me. A missed shot, a dropped ball... these game-enders sometimes had to be remedied with a call for a "Do-Over." It meant that the prior attempt was only practice... so now, get ready for the real thing! Well, I would like to put in for a do-over dating back to one month ago, please.

Even as I write this, though, I know that I wouldn't change the way things happened, if given a chance. We are recovering, and we have had a powerful reminder of the value of friendship. No, I wouldn't change the outcome, but I would change the time frame. I think that was enough stress to last us until the onslaught of the holidays!

What a Goober.

(I checked a friend's blog a couple of days ago, only to find that he has deleted it. It made me sad, knowing that the connection was broken, one that might have let me understand him a little better. It also reminded me that I needed to check in.)

We have three cats. We didn't plan to get three, but we have them nonetheless. Our latest addition is Goober, a beautifully fluffy Siamese mix with rust-colored fur and bright blue slightly-crossed eyes (I will find a picture of him to post soon). When we picked him up, I couldn't help but think that this gorgeous cat had been done a disservice with his naming. He looks stately and handsome, more deserving of a TMNT-style* name than "Goober." I was wrong. His name is perfect, but he is... different.

I feel this needs a list. The top five crazy things that this cat does, in no particular order, are:

1. He runs up and down the hallway, crying and jumping like there's a bear behind him
2. He attacks the springy-thingy on the back of the bathroom door, biting it repeatedly
3. He drinks from the sink, and won't leave unless you turn the water on (okay, not crazy. but cute.)
4. He loves being brushed, but bites at the brush as though to remind it who's boss
5. He stalks our Mama-cat, Bella, and likes to watch her in the litter box. Creepy.
   

As I said, he was well-named.

We were only supposed to keep Goober for a short time, a temporary placement until the no-kill shelter could take him in. It seems that Goober had the annoying habit of urinating on his pregnant former owner's laundry. She, in turn, had the habit of hating him. Since the shelter was full at the time, we were asked to take him in. Owning two cats already, we weren't looking for another pet, but we agreed. That was almost a year ago.

I guess we're keeping him. Even though he's a Goober.

* - That's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, for those of you born outside the late 70s-early 80s. Turtle power!

The Company Picnic

I got to meet a lot of John's co-workers at a picnic yesterday afternoon. Being somewhat from this area, it was strange for me to be the one who had to be introduced, instead of the introducer. I felt a little self-conscious every time he said, "this is my wife." I wondered what his associates might think of his choice, since we are so different.

John is tall. I am more... aerodynamic.
John is technically proficient. I can't completely understand the TV remote.*
John runs marathons. I hate to sweat.
John throws laundry together to wash. I have a sophisticated sorting system.
John loves to be physically challenged. I prefer to be horizontal.
John likes to tackle problems, head on. I think things through, sometimes too thoroughly.
I crave praise. John praises me often.
I tend to overdo everything. John simplifies.
I love to cook. John loves to eat.
I love him. John loves me.

Well, we may be different, but we're certainly complimentary. And I think I'll take that over same any day.

* In my own defense, it's a very fancy TV remote.

The Big Question...

Blogging isn't as easy as I thought it would be. Or, rather, blogging consistently and honestly about what I am thinking and feeling isn't as easy as I thought it would be. Maybe because I haven't decided whether I want this enterprise to be a journal - a release of thoughts and frustrations - or whether I want it to be something likeable. I suppose the real question is whether I am writing for all of you, or whether I am writing for me. I still don't know.

Weekend, Weather, and Waffles

This morning, the sun is shining and the birds are chirping and the kitties are purring.

I woke up today with a smile on my face and a song in my heart. It made me acutely aware of just how often that doesn't happen. My solution? Make an amazing breakfast for husband and little sister, who sheltered at our house last night during a severe thunderstorm.

The recipe is Kate's Light n' Fluffy Buttermilk Waffles at Allrecipes.com. YUM.

They call for chocolate chips, but that is too much for me at 8am, so I omitted them. And because I can't ever leave recipes alone, I tweaked it a bit to suit our tastes. With some applewood smoked bacon and topped with blueberries, they were delicious. That one goes in the permanent keepers file... even though it dirtied up half the bowls in my kitchen!

The plan for today? Enjoy my somewhat clean house and catch up on my schoolwork. It's fallen woefully behind in the month of April, due to after school review sessions to prepare my students for their upcoming AP History exam. Now who's going to clean up the kitchen?

Can't Stop Singing

"He is jealous for me. Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree - bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy..." I can't stop singing those words.

Some songs are just greater than the sum of their parts - lyrics and notes that seem familiar because they strike a chord in our hearts.

What song does that for you? I know it likely changes daily, but what song resonates with you right now?

CitySolve Urban Race

This last weekend, John and the Hayleys and I participated in the CitySolve urban race, sort-of a scaled-down version of the Amazing Race. We had so much fun!

Check it out... http://www.citysolveurbanrace.com/

Pics and details to come later, I promise.

Watching the Food Network

... is dangerous when you have banana pudding in the refrigerator calling your name. That is all.

A Recipe for Fun

Tonight was so much fun!

John and I tried out a new recipe tonight, Chipotle Shrimp Tacos. (I will post the recipe at the bottom of this post.) It was too good to keep to ourselves, so we invited our friends Matt and Amy to come over for dinner. We ate well and followed dinner with Blue Bell ice cream. It's hard to beat a dinner that ends with Blue Bell!

Even better, it was followed by a hot game of Scrabble. Now that's a game where I can hold my own. We had a few questionable words played, though... enough that I feel the following cartoon is in order:

It was all in good fun, though. Reminds me that we can have a nice evening without Facebook or television. We will definitely have to do this again sometime.

And for those of you who want a GREAT meal... here is the recipe:

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos:
1 12 oz. pkg. bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 lb/ med. cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
1 small or 1/2 large onion
12 flour tortillas
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
sour cream (optional)
salt (to taste)

In a large, deep skillet, fry the bacon over med. high heat until cooked. Remove from skillet and drain bacon fat. Add onions to the pan and cook 5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in shrimp and chipotle chiles; cook 4-5 minutes, or until heated through. Return bacon to skillet.

Heat tortillas and fill with shrimp and bacon mixture. Top with sour cream, cilantro, and salt. Serve with lime wedges.

Just add friends. It's a recipe worth saving.

Service, With A Smile

John and I like to shop at our local grocery store, instead of going to Wal-Mart. It's a little more expensive and their selection isn't as extensive, but it feels good to know that we are supporting a business other than the mega-mart. And while we're there, if we are lucky, we are helped by Caleb.

Caleb is an expert at customer service. He bags our groceries and takes them to our cars for us, a trip that takes only a couple of minutes. But in those few minutes, Caleb is able to leave a lasting impression. He is always smiling, and he always has an encouraging word for his customers.

It's just not possible to have an encounter with Caleb and not walk away smiling. Do you know anyone like that? If so, I am sure you agree with me that it makes the sun shine a little brighter and makes my troubles seem a little lighter. We need more Calebs in this world. And it is a good reminder to BE one.

How Do You Follow A Home Run?

We had stir-fry again last night. I think I am on an Asian kick right now, because I could happily have it again for dinner tonight! On the menu last night, sweet and mildly spicy pork stir fry with Pampered Chef's Ginger Wasabi Sauce over fluffy white rice.

<-- Heavenly.

Almost worth the $12 - per - bottle price tag. (I got it at a discount from a friend who sells PC. It's nice to have friends in high places!)

Dinner tonight is a big question mark. I would love to whip something up that caused last night to pale in comparison, but I have a bit of chef's block.

Shall I make blackeyed peas and cornbread? Sandwiches? Waffles? What do you suggest? And what's for dinner at your house tonight?

Love On a Plate

I love cooking. I mean, I really love, LOVE cooking.

Growing up, food meant love. My mom and my dad made amazing meals during my childhood, and often they would be sure to include a little something special for each of us, like white gravy for me, instead of brown, and getting two different kinds of ice cream so everyone could have their favorite. It shaped my perception of cooking into an act of love. And I bet I'm not alone.

When do families talk and share and spend time together? Usually at the dinner table. At holidays and on our most special occasions, we eat. Family reunions always include food. In times of grief, we comfort one another with food. Food is love.

What does that mean for me and for my loved ones? I plot love for them in the forms of pasta and pies and spices and sauces and sticky desserts. I debate internally over whether to add parsley or dill or cilantro to my salad, because I want it to be just right. And I pore over my cookbook collection, overindulging in culinary fantasies that always end with satisfied bellies and happy smiles. It's a sickness, I know. But I can't help it, because I love you all.

And food is love.


What's your favorite food memory? I would love to hear about it in the comments!

Before You Even Ask...

No. I AM NOT ready to go back to school.

Being sick this week, I don't feel as though I had much of a break. I didn't catch up on my grading, I didn't get ahead on my lesson planning. I didn't get the house cleaned. I didn't spend time with friends and family.

Looks like I need an attitude adjustment, huh? Well, let's consider what I AM grateful for this week:

• My husband! He cooks, he cleans... he hands me tissues
  
• Snow! One last hurrah for winter before summer heat approaches
• Rest! I think I slept more this week than I have since infancy
• Friends! Thank you for risking germs to love on John and me
• Kitties! They were faithful companions, and footwarmers
• Cough drops and antibiotics! 'Nough said.

See? Not all bad. What are you grateful for this week?

Why Can't TV Be Like This Again?

I miss old TV shows.

I flip through the channels more and more these days, lighting for a few minutes on the Food Network channel or the Discovery channel, but rarely do I get caught up in an entire series the way I used to.

Remember the days in junior high when you couldn't wait for your favorite show to come on? For me, it was Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Wonder Years, and in younger years, I liked Doogie Howser and Moonlighting. The characters seemed so touchable, so real to me. Nowadays, it's just one canned laugh track after another. *sigh*

If it weren't for Doctor Who, television might not be worth watching at all.

My own best TV show list*, in no particular order, would have to include:

• Battlestar Galactica
• Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Alias
• Dr. Who
• Heroes
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
• Friends
• Moonlighting
• The Wonder Years
• Growing Pains
• X-Files
• Little House on the Prairie
• Saved By the Bell
• The Carrol Burnett Show
• Pre-Chris Farley SNL
• MacGuyver
• The Facts of Life
• Quantum Leap
• 3-2-1 Contact
• and Murder, She Wrote
  

Of those, which ones are still on the air? Heroes, CSI, and Dr. Who, I think... (and I must admit, John and I have the most recent season of Heroes saved and haven't watched any of them!) I'm too busy with school and friends and church and more to sit down and watch TV... and I guess that's a good thing. It leaves me more time for other pursuits, like the gym or road trips or hanging out with our Marshall friends. But I still miss it. Television was my escape from reality in my younger years. One that didn't involve painful repetitions on a cross-country skiing simulator (HATE that "wave" machine!) or overpriced gasoline. But enough of that.

What are or were your favorite TV shows of all time? Tell me which ones I should have included in the comments!


* What? No "I Love Lucy?" I know. But I have restricted my list to TV shows that were still in first-run production at the time. Otherwise, this list would have been a LOT longer!

Don't Mind Me...

I haven't found a combination of colors and fonts and backgrounds that really suit me yet, so please don't pay any attention to the man behind the curtain as I work things out...



And yes, S... I knew you'd catch that reference. :)

The 101 List

A friend introduced me to a project she is working on... one that combines personal growth with opportunities for fun. It's the 101 List, and it challenges brave souls to "Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days." I must say, I was intrigued.

The premise is that we all set goals, but rarely do we achieve them because we do not set a time frame in which they must be completed. It becomes, "I'll see the Eiffel Tower... someday" or "One of these days, I am finally going to clean out the garage," and we end up never meeting our goals.

By the way, I AM going to clean out the garage, someday.

Anyway... It works out to just over 2.5 years, or one new task every 10-ish days. I think I can handle that. So, I have started my own list of 101 Things To Do In 1001 Days. It's a work in progress, so don't judge. Some of the goals are quick and fun, like taking a cake decorating class, whereas others are more serious, like writing a will. Some will be easier than others. Some require a lot of preparation, and others require me to fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants. Regardless, I am looking forward to the challenge.

Anyone else want to join me? Click the image at the top of this post for more info on starting your own list. (And link to your list in the comments, if you're feeling extra brave!)

*cough, hack, change channel*

Today's another sick day. Evidently, it's a sit-on-the-couch-and-watch-terrible-movies sort of day, as well. What's playing right now? Firewall. I think it's officially the slowest-moving movie, ever.

I wish I could pick my own movies at will. I think right now, I would choose something old and fun and distracting, like The Goonies. Now, I know you're probably thinking that we should just join Netflix, right? Been there. Didn't use that. The movies just sat there, unwatched, for weeks. A waste of money, since we don't usually stop going long enough to sit and watch movies.

Maybe I should suggest that Netflix create a single-day membership. It could be online only and pay daily, about the cost of a rental but without the gas money. We get movies, they get money. Genius.

John is Cooking...

I've been sick this week. Just got back from the doctor's office, and they say that I have a double ear infection and upper-respiratory infection. During Spring Break. Yuck.

The only good thing about this? My husband is cooking for me. Now, I don't mean to say that he never cooks. He does. It's just that he and I usually share the work. It's pretty rare that he does all of the prep and service alone. On tonight's menu: teriyaki shrimp stir fry. YUM.

(not our stir-fry, but the closest pic I could find...)

And he even picked out the water chestnuts for me. That's love. They're one of the few foods that I hate.

But then, that's another post altogether.

Welcome to My World

I don't know yet what this site will be all about. I am not known for sticking to the things that I start: crafts, books, hobbies... they usually get ignored after a few weeks. But I think I have a great journey ahead of me, and I think that writing about my steps and missteps might help me as I stumble along. So, welcome to my overemotional, overbooked, overly-inquisitive world.

I hope it's entertaining.