TGIF

my office view in 2011

I love my job

Well, there are some things I like about my job…

the morning commute - from the bedroom to the office in fuzzyhouse socks

the view - it often changes!

the flexible hours - want a nap? no problem

the work clothes - pjs, sweats, no shoes

the interesting things the doctor says…

he had a bruise the size of a silver dollar - what is a silver dollar?

a lump in the 3 o'clock position - where is that on a digital clock?

the patient has been on this medication for just a hair over 2 weeks

send a carbon copy to … brings to mind the blue carbon paper we used to put in between two sheets of typing paper before rolling it into the typewriter…

and I love the little hourglass symbol on the computer…

I texted Dr. Pain about this patient - seriously? privacy laws and texting?

My favorite, the doc says - copy from the last note, change this one word, yada yada everything else stays the same.

Does your job make you smile? Do you love your job? If not, I saw this ad in this week's paper:

The best part - it is Friday!

my home office

~note: not actual patient or doctor quotes :)

preparation

Having a successful BIG family dinner is like a colonoscopy, it is all about the PREP  :)

Family Recipe book gift for Racheal this year!

Planning a Big Family Dinner

first of all make the menu**

then get out the recipe book

make the grocery list**

buy the groceries

NEXT is the important part

The day before cooking:

PRE-measure all dry ingredients, place in Ziploc bags - just like when they cook on TV, everything is already measured out, just dump it in!

PRE-measure margarine and label

CHOP all nuts, onions, celery, etc. 

Get out all the pans, measuring spoons, measuring cups, ingredients (except perishable) you will need for each dish. Put all cans, Ziploc bags, spoons, recipe cards, notes, etc. into the pan/bowl you will be using, line them up on the counter like this:

don't waste time Christmas morning, have everything ready even the cutting board/knife, the day before, PRE-grease the Bundt pan for Monkey Bread: 

Christmas Ham - the night before - remove from store wrapping, place in foil in roasting pan, in refrigerator, with note of time and temp - then set your phone reminder alarm for 5:00 a.m. to get up and put the ham in the oven, then go back to bed.

After the BIG meal make notes of what was good/bad/needs change/need to make more or less of.

**SAVE your menus, grocery lists, notes somewhere you will be able to find them next year. I told Melissa I had saved them on my computer and they would be there until it crashed again, she said put them in the CLOUD!

DIY

So you receive a 'homemade' gift from a relative. What is the first thing that pops into your mind? The pink bunny suit on A Christmas Story?

Did your Aunt Clara or your grandmother make you homemade things? Did you like them? Or just pull them out when she was coming over to visit, just to keep the peace?

My mother used to make things for the grandkids, mostly sewing. She loved doing it, picking out the fabric and patterns, she was very proud of all her creations. But she was very sensitive and you better show some appreciation for the gifts. 

My girls would receive a cardboard box shipped from grandma, they knew it was from her before seeing the label, the smell of cigarette smoke permeated the box. After opening it (sometimes outside) and running everything through the laundry, the girls always liked what they got. She would sew labels in the clothes like this:

Ok, I too am guilty. I am a granma and like to make things for the grandkids. Homemade Things. Which is interesting, thinking back to growing up and only having homemade things, I longed for store-bought stuff. And speaking of ancient times, my mom taught herself and me to knit when I was about 8 years old, my dad was stationed in Korea and we had a lot of time. I remember sitting on the couch in our house near Fort Bragg, NC, knitting little rectangles that would turn in to Barbie clothes. So there is the history lesson, now back to the present...

Since I am batchin' it here at home until Christmas, I have a lot of time on my hands, so I have been knitting and crocheting things for the grandkids, again. I know they probably already have too many scarves, but I just like to do it. Sure, by the time you buy the yarn and put in the hours you could buy the item at the store (or several of them). So why do we do it?  It is relaxing, it produces an end product (unlike playing solitaire or internet surfing), and just today I read this article:

Mayo Clinic Reports That Knitting May Reduce Alzheimer'sRisk by 30-50%

I am multi-tasking - keeping up with my reading by listening to audio books and podcasts while knitting, and I just listened to the new Garth Brooks album. I don't knit well enough to do it while watching TV.

To get inspired to knit, I read books by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, who shares her funny views on life and knitting and is known as the Yarn Harlot (her blog). The owner of our local yarn store calls her "the Erma Bombeck of knitting."

"A half finished shawl left on the coffee table isn't a mess; it's an object of art." ~Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

For inspiration I turn to the plethora of online resources like Ravelry or Pinterest.

If when reading the pattern and confusion reigns, you no longer have to pull out the old dusty knitting books, just Google it, pick one of the many online videos and watch and learn. Just this week I learned how to make a Magic loop and how to long tail cast on. Yes, there is a knitting language to learn. 

So these days when I am not working at my real job, I will be working on gifts made of yarn. And surfing the internet for new ideas. Like these labels:

And I strive to dispell the dread and fear of receiving a handmade item and having to keep it forever 'because granma made it'. Please do not pack these things away for that only reason. Get it out, give it away, use it to wash the car or line the dog bed, get some use out of it. No, I won't get my feelings hurt, once I give it to you it is yours to do with as you want. So to that end, I am thinking of including an instruction card with any future gifts, what do you think:

does your crazy granny

really like to knit

are you tired of homemade 
gifts that don't fit

donate to the homeless

pass them on, give them away

she won't remember

what she gave you anyway

ghosts of Christmas past

Take this time to remember all those Christmases past, the trips to grandmas's house, the family traditions, the homemade eggnog, cutting the Christmas tree out of the forest, stringing popcorn, seeing distant cousins and crazy uncles, lots of hugs and kisses and being told how much you have grown.

The presents received are long forgotten but the family memories remain, they resurface each year at this time, our own version of the ghosts of Christmas past.

behind the gate

Gated community - having long ridiculed the gated communities and their list of rules and covenants, we find ourselves in one now, and I must say, it is surreal. There is something about a list of rules that makes you want to break at least one, or maybe bend it a little.

I do love the garbage chute outside our door, just drop it in and the garbage disappears - as opposed to home, waiting til you get enough stinky garbage saved up to warrant the trip to the dump and then paying them to take it off your hands…

I want to shake the rugs out over the balcony, but that is prohibited, which is reasonable given that folks live down below. The country girl in me wants to string up a clothesline on the balcony - all that free sunshine!

I am very aware of the sound level of the television and radio, not used to having folks living above and below and beside me (well at home Melissa lives next door, but I can't even see her house and it is a good walk to get there.. and I don't think she can hear my loud music).

The walk to the mailbox includes an elevator ride and a key. Unlike the one at home, I doubt this mailbox has ever seen any snow or colorful fall leaves.

The same moon shines here just like home, tho at home you usually can't see it for the trees. It looks like our camping chairs are enjoying the view and being up out of the red Georgia mud for a change!

priorities

is your life full
is it over full
are you spread too thin
can you possibly put anything else on your to do list

it is all about priorities
demonstrated in this story
received via e-mail
filed under 'e-mail worth saving'

you've probably read it before
take a minute
stop and think about it

The Mayonnaise Jar

A professor stood before his Philosophy class and had some items in front of him. He picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

He picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes”.

The professor then produced 2 cups of coffee from under the table and poured the contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now”, said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "This jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things – your God, family, children, health, friends and your favourite passions – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house and your car. The sand is everything else – the small stuff".

“If you put the sand in the jar first,” he continued “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy over the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical check-ups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a cup of coffee with a friend.”

now how about that cup of coffee, friend?

weighing in

She rushes from work to her weekly weight loss meeting. Everyone is so friendly and supportive there, calling out to her as she arrives. "Are you ready to weigh in?"

"Not yet," she tells them.

She heads for the restroom (did you know that water weighs 8 pounds a gallon?). While there she shucks off her work clothes and dons her short shorts and tank top. Back in the meeting room she hears, "Ready now?"

"Not quite."

She sets down her purse which now looks like a laundry basket and takes off her shoes before stepping up to the scale.

"Wait!"

Back to the purse - off with the watch and rings and earrings. She seemed to be consulting a mental check list - glasses came off, pockets checked. Back again to the scale, foot poised to step up and...

"Wait!"

Whoosh goes the gum into the wastebasket.

"Ok, ready now."

The scale tells no lie, all of her hard work preparing for the scale (I mean dieting) has paid off, the announcement is made:

"Weight loss! 1/10 of a pound! Woohoo!" An atta-girl sticker for her!

She finds a seat and starts putting things back on, exhausted by the ordeal - hey maybe the stress of weighing in will shed a few ounces? Since she has not eaten all day in preparation for this weigh-in, she is starving so she searches her purse for that emergency Snickers bar.

Next in comes Bob, one of the few men who come to these meetings, here only 6 weeks and lost 30 pounds already - geesh! Straight in from work with heavy boots and jeans and a big ol' wad of keys dangling from his belt, he walks right up and onto the scale.

"Another 5 pounds! Great Job! Everyone give Bob a hand."

Underneath the lackluster applause could be heard the collective groan of a roomful of women - grrrr.

As the leader starts in on this week's message on portion control or keeping a food journal or eating out tips, her mind drifts - what to do before next week's weigh-in? Maybe she could get a hair cut... Hey, there's a blood drive this weekend... mmmm what about organ donation...

green tea

I found the health benefits of green tea listed here one morning whilst perusing Yahoo:

fat fighter
targets belly fat
keeps energy stable
may be helpful against lung cancer
may halt colorectal cancer
appears to cause prostate cancer cells to commit suicide
may prevent skin damage and wrinkling
kills free radicals
tastes good

I'll admit the name conjured up some not-so-appetizing images, but decided to try it - and guess what - it is not green at all, go figure.

I can use all those benefits listed (well except for the prostate cancer one) and it really does taste good. I admit I have a pitcher of lemonade at all times in the fridge and mix some into my glass of tea.

So I am going green - tea that is!

if a tree falls in the forest...

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it,
does it make a sound?

lots of sounds actually, chain saw, wood splitter, tractor...

oh my back!

the easy way

the hard way

firewood for next winter

hidden treasure


"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

Who cares, as long as we can use it for firewood! Thanks to our neighbors for the tree and thanks for the beautiful weather this weekend and to everyone for all the hard work! All that is left is sawdust and some abandoned beehives found in the downed tree. Whew! Thank goodness it is Monday - back to my desk job to get some rest!

annual do-over

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

As we pack away the ornaments and tinsel and hang the new calendars, also pack away the past. Thinking about the past is good for some things, memories, reflections, and even to learn from, but not for dwelling on.

So turn 180, put the past behind you and see the new year ahead, as clean and crisp as that new calendar you just received. Wipe your feet of any doubt or fear on the way in to this new year, new decade.

Time to start afresh once again, out with the old, in with the new. Sure, stuff happens, but today the slate is clean, all things are possible during this annual do-over.


a few thoughts for the new year:
hike more - work less
read more - write more
do more -surf less
read more labels - eat less junk
clear space - less clutter
more green - less waste
finish projects
do - learn - teach
be a better friend, mom, granma,
wife, sister, aunt, neighbor, person

I notice my new year list is dated January 5th… apparently I need to add - be more punctual or perhaps spontaneous?

And note to self - don't just make a list, make some definite plans or the next thing you know you it will be the new year again and you will wonder where the time went.

thanks y'all

As I was out for a Sunday drive yesterday, dodging tourists and traffic, passing by cookouts and festivals and holiday picnics, I came upon these flags at half staff, a moving reminder of the real reason we all have a day off...

... and just wanted to say thanks to all the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their/our country, we remember.


As I approach the gates of heaven
St. Peter I will tell
One more soldier reporting sir
I've served my time in hell
~Mark Anthony Gresswell

over easy

When I was about middle school age, I would spend the night with a friend, Kathy. Kathy's mom was Rena Mae and she would cook us breakfast before school, fried eggs and bacon and toast to sop up the runny eggs with. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

My mom was apparently not a morning person, I seldom saw her before school, my dad would get me up and take Mom her coffee and after a couple of cups of coffee and a cigarette she might make it out of bed, ahhh those wonderful childhood memories, but anyway…

The other day when looking for something for breakfast I looked at the same old cold cereal and thought about those delicious breakfasts that Rena Mae made for me. So I fried me up an egg (without the runny yolk - my old age self has issues with uncooked poultry products) and some buttery toast, mmm…

I felt like Maggie Carpenter in Runaway Bride, and I decided like my eggs over easy thank you very much! How do you like your eggs?


Remember: Don't put all your eggs in one basket!


~Poster: Farm Fresh Eggs by Roger Bock found here

precycling

According to treehugger.com:

In a nutshell: The bottom has fallen out of the recycling market, so make it your last resort.

The clever bit: Precycling represents the stage before recycling and, unlike recycling, it expends little energy. Precycling happens at the point of purchase, and entails you choosing the product that comes in the least packaging (therefore diverting waste from landfill) or bringing along your own container or bag. Instead of buying packaged sandwiches, for example, take a lunchbox to work, along with cloth napkins and a reusable water bottle.

Yes, precycling is just a new word for 'Reduce' in the 3Rs of recycling - reduce/reuse/recycle. And do we need yet another word for this? Maybe so, it got my attention, anything to make folks more aware.


More about precycling on Wikipedia


~photo - billboard of local Pinnacle Bank going green - click to enlarge and see the trees have faces...

get moving

Michaelangelo's David after a stay in America
(photo found here)

Watching ABC World News last night, amongst all the politics etc., there was this little story:

Long-awaited physical activity guidelines set minimum daily sweat allotment for good health.

New exercise guidelines announced yesterday by the government:

"Adults gain substantial health benefits from two and a half hours a week of moderate aerobic physical activity, and children benefit from an hour or more of physical activity a day."

I think about exercising, I think about going for a walk or hike, but all I do is sit here at this computer or in front of the TV or sit and read. I need a real jump-start to get me going.

If I was looking for a sign, maybe it was yesterday when getting a mammogram, the tech took one look at me and said (and not in a good way), "Oh, you are going to need the big films!"

I really don't think I need buns of steel. I'd be happy with buns of cinnamon. ~Ellen DeGeneres

The word aerobics came about when the gym instructors got together and said, "If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it jumping up and down." ~Rita Rudner

I believe that every human has a finite number of heart-beats. I don't intend to waste any of mine running around doing exercises. ~Buzz Aldrin

Déjà vu

The gas shortage here in Georgia stretches over a week now with no immediate relief in sight. The frantic search for gas causes long lines at the few open stations, short tempers, and cars following tanker trucks like the Pied Piper.

We ventured out yesterday afternoon to nearby Dawsonville for dinner and a movie. All the gas stations we passed were out of gas, it was surprising to see so many cars on the road, they were probably out looking for gas so they could go to work this week. By late afternoon on the way home two stations were open with very long lines.

Déjà vu of the 70s, been there, done that:



Just another perk of working at home for me, but not so for a lot of frustrated folks out there.

designer trash

Did you ever make a chain out of gum wrappers? You remember, back in school, the Juicy Fruit and Spearmint wrappers, folded and looped together?

Look what I found online at Ecoist - Eco friendly gifts, handbags, accessories:



Doesn't this look like those old gum wrapper chains? The folks at Ecoist use soda bottle labels, soda can pull-tabs, candy wrappers, movie billboards, and misprinted candy wrappers to make their designer jewelry and handbags.



I guess we were recycling way back then in high school making our gum wrapper chains. I know you remember how, but in case you forgot, here are the directions!