Hits and Misses of Thanksgiving Dinner

I just watched a "Hits and Misses of Holiday Decorating" on HGTV so I thought I'd do one for my dinner. The hit I thought was my cranberry salsa. Melissa D on Food Network did this a couple weeks ago and I wanted to try it. Cranberry sauce is one thing that never gets used up, as much as I try. My husband is really the only one eating it that day and it just sits in the fridge until I throw it out. I just used a little of it to try but it's with regular cooked sauce that you add whatever you would normally put into salsa. Of course I didn't have the jalapeno but I did have some chipotle cubes that I used. Mine ended up pretty spicy so next time one would be sufficient. I also added onions, cilantro and lime juice - it was tasty and a good way to get more of those cranberries into your system. So that was the hit (IMHO) and the miss was probably the gravy. All I can think of was that the broth from the turkey was not that strong because it was bland and not very appetizing. I must have had a premonition at the grocery store when I stocked up on the jar gravy on sale. So there you have it everyone - my list of hits and misses. Live and learn - wooo, I think I feel another blog about 3 words coming on.

Snow mode and shopping

Well, we're officially in snow mode now with our couple inches overnight. The roads are fine so I don't see it as much of a problem but it has begun. This is where things can get harry. My tires are not on and I'm covering alot of roadway this week. Who knows what this week will look like at the cabin. Traditionally we don't get a huge amount of snow there but it's usually colder so the roads freeze fast and stay frozen. I have complete confidence in my Subaru and driving skills so I'll be fine. This snow mode definitely has an adverse effect on holiday shopping though. I surprised myself yesterday by actually hitting regular retail stores for Black Friday. After our trip to Volant, we decided to stop at Grove City Outlets to check out a couple things. I was pleasantly surprised at the sales and ease of shopping there, except for the parking which even on a good day can be challenging. I finished up some shopping for clothes for the upcoming holiday picture with the kids and bought a couple of other things, all at 50% off plus extra! The stores were not crowded and the lines were nonexistent in most places - can't beat that! I still have more to go but as long as the lake effect snow holds out, I'll be great.

Don't touch my junk!

Yea, you read that right! "Don't touch my junk" is all we seem to hear on tv about the airport security issue. If we listen to the media, there's going to be huge delays because everyone will be fighting over this issue. In reality, the media is probably the only one that is worked up about this. Travelers just want to go home and enjoy Thanksgiving with their families. Why do they do this? They grasp at any little straw and tear it to shreds, most of the info being false. Remember the Chandra Levi case where they were hell bent on blaming it on the Congressman. And I've really had enough of Mel Gibson and Charlie Sheen! There's gotta be some real news out there somewhere. It seems like everything is so exaggerated anymore, even the weather and how long the lines will be on Black Friday. And thank goodness Dancing with the Stars is over and give Bristol a break - she's a single mom living in Alaska!

Caffeine

I can't think of much else that is more of a morning ritual for me than coffee. It wouldn't be the same without a cup to read the morning paper with, sit at the computer and write my blog or just watch the morning news. It didn't used to be that way. I didn't start drinking coffee until I was pregnant with my oldest daughter and then I was hooked. I try and keep it to 2 cups, maybe 3 if I have the time and company. My daughter-in-law was right when she said it's such a social drink. Whether or not my company drinks coffee has been one of the first questions of the morning at the cabin. The second comment is concerning the creamer, which to me is probably more important. We also just had a conversation about different morning drinks this past week. With coffee prices having their ups and downs over the years, my husband has had to vary this morning ritual a bit (this was before I started my habit). He started drinking Post um for awhile which is chicory. It's supposed to taste like coffee but that didn't last too long. Sometimes we would buy coffee with added chicory which was a special treat. Now they are saying that coffee, in moderation, is really good for you especially with the antioxidants. So I'll keep my habit going for now with no plans for any changes in my routine. If the sleep issue develops into a problem I'll take little Audrey's stance and just go for the decaf!

Bullying

There's been alot said in the news about bullying lately and I thought I've give my take on it. By the way, this is something that's been around a long time and we've all had to deal with it, ourselves or with our kids. I think it's been primarily a girl thing or mean girl, as we now prefer to call them and they prey on others who they perceive as weak. When my kids came to me with concerns like this, first of all I thought it was important that they learn to handle it themselves. When I worked at preschool and kids would come to me with a bullying issue, I would always try to get them to stand up to this person and fight , not literally, their own battles. Bullies seem to feed off this weakness, hence not everyone is bullied. I know there have been cases of kids committing suicide after bullying but, not to minimize the effect of it, I'm not convinced that the sole reason for it was the bullying. I think that child has deeper issues that needed to be addressed. I hope it doesn't sound like I'm rallying for the bully because I'm not. I believe the solution lies in an all out campaign to stop bullying, which I think has already begun in the media, and which we have done with drugs and smoking. That's not to say we will succeed but talking about it, especially in the schools is the first step. Bullying is something that you never get over due, in part, to the fact that there's no good reason for it. It shouldn't be confused with standing up for yourself with others or reacting to something that's been said about you. Even at my age, all it takes is a little dig of sorts and it sends me right back to me in my 20's and having some play money crumbled up and thrown at me during a monopoly game. Sounds petty, I know, but that feeling inside me will linger forever.

Christmas Shopping

Everyone seems to be asking if we've begun our shopping or maybe even finished it. I guess no matter what my circumstances are I tend to follow my same schedule for this time of year. I try and have gifts for a small group of family members done by the middle of Nov., just in time for a birthday party that happens then. That's the first stage and there is a sense of relief when that happens. The next stage is putting together any packages that need to be mailed and I try and have that done close to Thanksgiving. At that point things get kind of tight and weather permitting, I take off to the stores to focus on the last round. I decided a long time ago - probably when I worked at the mall, to delay my shopping until Tues., Wed., and Thurs. only. Weekends, Mon., and Fri. have always been too busy for me. I understand there are good sales going on but it's just not worth it to me. Avoiding traffic has been a major reason for me doing more online shopping the past few years, along with notices that an item is not available in the stores. I just have to remember to give myself even time for delivery, which I think will be fine. I've also started making gifts or should I say finishing some. I'm also planning a trip to Goodwill to hopefully give someone else a chance to pick up something for someone else at a reasonable price. So I'm officially in shopping mode as long as our weather holds up.

Beaded ornament hanger craft

I am very pleased with this holiday craft/gift idea that I've been making. It has all the necessary requirements of a holiday craft idea, which are

1. the supplies are readily available to me
2. it is easy to do
3. it is quick to assemble
4. lastly, and probably most important, it looks good. My husband even bestowed the best compliment on me when he said they looked professional. Wow!

They are a 4 inch piece of wire, a couple crimp beads and a few other beads. One end is a simple loop and then after the crimp bead, feed the beads on the wire. You finish it off with another crimp bead and coil the rest of the wire to put on your ornament. That's it! I've been making up a bunch of these and bagging them in groups of three. I think they would be perfect for a craft show and I've never seen them before. This was one of those patterns I've had stashed away forever and finally got out. I wish I could say the same for the beaded spiral Christmas tree. Despite high hopes for that craft, I'm afraid it will go in the trash bin. It meets none of my criteria. Oh well, now I know.

Conversation at McDonald's

Over the weekend I witnessed a disturbing conversation between two young people (boy and girl) in the booth beside us at McDonald's. The couple, or I should say the boy was saying he was upset because he couldn't spend time with his friends and she was evidently upset about something from the day before and therefore giving him the silent treatment. I kept hearing him say the same thing over and over that he was not allowed to do what he wanted, even though he let her do things with her friends. I just wanted to go over and slap him across the side of the head but maybe not for the reasons you might think. I would have tried telling them both 3 things:

1. You have to communicate with each other because none of us can read minds. It only makes for more confusion when you try and guess what's on someone else's mind. Men and women think differently so it's best if you take something at face value and not read more into it.
2. No one can make you do or not do anything you don't want to. If we do something it's because we decide to do it for whatever reasons. We need to be accountable for our actions and not blame others.
3. We are ultimately responsible for our own happiness. We can't depend on anyone else to find it for us. Having a little time to ourselves let's us explore our options.

Of course, I was chicken to approach either of them mainly because I didn't know what their reaction would be. I guess they'll just have to figure it out for themselves especially if they aren't reading my blog. Maybe I should have left my card!

Microwave Hardtack

A major milestone in the hardtack making endeavor happened this weekend. I finally conquered the microwave! This has been no minor obstacle and has been over a year in the making. Last year I found a recipe for microwave hardtack and tried making it. I've always made the candy the way my mother did - on a gas stove with a candy thermometer and cutting it with a pair of scissors and rubber glove. I've experimented with other things but always came back to the same routine. This process is time-consuming to say the least with a batch taking about 30 min., that's as long as I don't burn it. Equipment is critical for my candy making, also. The pan must be no bigger than 2 quart (1 is better), heavy or copper bottom (for heat distribution) and have a straight side (for proper placement of the thermometer). I've been using my candy thermometer for as long as I can remember and my gloves have to be tight enough to pull the candy out and cut it. My first attempt at microwave candy was a disaster with it boiling over and burning. I was also trying some candy molds for the first time. I found that the mold would not hold my batch of candy. The second attempt was better but it still burned. The third attempt worked, did not burn, filled 2 molds and hardened like it was supposed to. The only change I will make is to put more candy oil in the microwave batch. I can now make a batch of candy in less than 10 minutes! I think my mother would be proud.

Coming Full Circle

My latest craft project is a hemp necklace with beads and it brings back memories of my macrame days. Macrame- a fancy name for knots- has been around a long, long time and most of us, at least girls anyway, have done it at some point. In Girl Scouts we made our friendship bracelets, the 70's were full of knotted wall hangings of which I had numerous instruction books (since sold or gone to Goodwill), and then there were the hanging planters made with jute. I am reminded of the shelves my sister-in-law made and showed me how to do. I made my own version of them where I included beads and a hanging planter on the bottom. I must have involved my mother in it, too, because I was working on them while I was visiting one time. I couldn't remember how to do the big knot at the top right below the loop when my dad stepped in and showed us how to do it. I was amazed! It was something he learned in the Navy. Here, I thought we were into a unique and inventive craft and my dad knew more about it than me. Those shelves hung in my living room a long time and it nearly killed me to finally take them down and get rid of them, but I did. My kids might remember them but I know I have pictures. Now with this necklace, it's nice to take an old time craft and bring it up to date - I guess, coming full circle.

Being Sick

I've spent most of this week feeling under the weather. This isn't anything new to me at my age but I've been trying to reduce how often I get sick with multivitamins, vitamin D, exercise, etc. so it kind of threw me this week. For some reason, I have this desire to pinpoint the source of the contamination, which I think was last weekend, either the bar on Fri. or the game on Sat. My husband came down with basically the same thing so I'm certain it's one of those. Of course, our ailments take different courses. Mine has always settled in my chest and can also lead to loss of voice. This sounds worse than it is especially with the cough but usually there is little pain. This time I'm achy with a slight headache. We were scheduled for our flu shots today but had to be canceled. I remember while teaching preschool the first year I contracted "something" every month with a few days coming on, a couple weeks in full blown stage and then another week trying to get over it. Once I told the doctor about it and she said wait until summer and if you still get sick it's probably allergies. Well, I was fine all summer so it was just picking things up from the kids. Since then I think I've built up that resistance to most colds and such because I've been pretty healthy. I thought this morning what my routine would be like if I were still working. I probably would have gone into work and started feeling better. For that reason, I'm trying to stay busy at home and even forcing myself to exercise (I just read in a fitness newsletter that it really helps when you're sick). So that's my plan but it sure is nice to know that if I start getting too tired I can curl up on the couch with my afghan and chill out for awhile.

Traditions

That word, tradition, keeps popping up. We tend to use it to give ourselves an excuse for doing things that we enjoy. It's almost like an insult to the family if we don't abide by these traditions. My kids probably use it more than I do or maybe without realizing it, I've been saying it all along. This past weekend I was talking about serving Polish kielbasa for all of our holiday meals because that's what Grandma always did. My hardtack candy is a tradition started by my mother to make at Christmas. Now, just this past Monday, my youngest daughter and I began a new, or so she thinks, is a new tradition - going to Pat Catan's when I'm in Cleveland. Really though, this tradition started with my mom way back when we lived in Cleveland. My parents would visit us and she and I would go to the Southland Shopping Center and go to Lee Wards. The names have been changed but the idea is still there - craft store tradition! If my mom were here she would be in her glory and certainly embrace the whole tradition idea.

It's great to be old!

It really is great to be old! Of course, that means all things considered such as mobility, mental status, etc. but it has it's advantages. I've been noticing stuff lately in normal social situations where I seem to be given preferential treatment. I guess some of it can be attributed to looking fairly well off - definitely not rich but not in rags and pushing a shopping cart. I have doors opened for me and usually a pleasant smile when I thank them or even if I open the door for someone else. I think also the expectations of someone older is a factor so if I can't remember something or am a little slower or more confused about something, it's met with a slightly kinder demeanor, which I appreciate and don't look at as a put down. Basically what I'm saying is that I can get away with murder (almost) and not be criticized for it. I can be tolerated without being strung up for it. And then of course if I manage to do something that is out of character or not what's expected then I am lauded for my actions - it's a win-win situation. How great is that!

Fitting In

This weekend was a lesson in fitting in and being someone who could have a good time no matter what the conditions are. We were invited to a football game so we reciprocated with an invitation to our cabin and some food and entertainment ideas. One of our guest was a renowned flute player and lover of music so my husband suggested we go to one of our dive bars for a talent show they were hosting. I cringed when he told me his idea and hoped for the best. It turned out our guest was able to turn a pig's ear into a silk purse. It was an acoustic talent show and most of them sang and played a guitar but the highlight was the girl who played the fiddle and took the state championship this year. She is fantastic, this time and the other time we saw her. But what amazed me was the ability of our guests to find something fascinating with the entertainment we had chosen. I've known only a few other people who could talk to others about anything even when they were totally out of their element. So when it came time for the game I decided to suck it up and enjoy it, and I did. Maybe I wasn't as enthusiastic as the rest of the crowd but I watched and followed along fairly well. This wasn't the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last time I'm put in a position of being out of my element and I hope I step up to the plate just as our guests did this weekend.