Yes, I've neglected my blog. Yes, it's been a month since my last post. Yes, I still love you. Forgive me & let's move on. There's a blog by Holley, and she's getting us all to focus on the rest of our stories. The point being, so far, to turn over control to God, & accept who we are.
Problem #1: I can't. I can't "let go & let God" right now. Things STILL aren't going well in several areas of my life (yes, still very married w/ 4 kids & staying that way), and I'm finding myself unable to turn loose of the control of those "issues."
Problem #2: I'm a destination person. Holley says to start with one step - nope, doesn't work for me. I want to BE THERE! NOW!!!!
So, I can clearly see that there's a lot of work left to be done on me - and I'm in my 50's. EEEK! I need help!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The Year That Was
See, it's like this: I'd love to do a deeply philosophical, intro-spective, and moving post about the end of 2009, but I CAN'T! I'm just TIRED of 2009! I've got kids in college, kid graduating high school, kid in the workforce, kid moving back home, my dog dying on me just before Christmas, and I STILL haven't made any Christmas cookies!!!!
Right now, I'm sitting in the lobby of a very old (think Art Deco) Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas, sipping my very own drink, feeling very happy (the first 2 things are not un-related), and waiting to get dolled up for a New Year's Eve Gala Dinner-Dance. Which should, if all goes well, get me into 2010. With champagne, I might add.
All this to say, it has been a year to put behind us. Let's have new beginnings (NOT "change!!!!") and a new outlook. We're driving home tomorrow afternoon, possibly with a new dog(s), and life begins again.
Then I'm making those cookies. Enjoy your year. (be nice to me, & I might send you some cookies)
Right now, I'm sitting in the lobby of a very old (think Art Deco) Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas, sipping my very own drink, feeling very happy (the first 2 things are not un-related), and waiting to get dolled up for a New Year's Eve Gala Dinner-Dance. Which should, if all goes well, get me into 2010. With champagne, I might add.
All this to say, it has been a year to put behind us. Let's have new beginnings (NOT "change!!!!") and a new outlook. We're driving home tomorrow afternoon, possibly with a new dog(s), and life begins again.
Then I'm making those cookies. Enjoy your year. (be nice to me, & I might send you some cookies)
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Eve
It's Christmas Eve! WHY are you reading blogs????? Go celebrate the Reason for the Season!!!!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Merry Christmas
It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas at my house. Why, do you ask? A simple reason: on Monday, we made 32 (that's thirty-two) pounds of fudge. Don't believe me? Here are the numbers: 30 cups of sugar (which worked out to about 13 pounds), 5 large jars of marshmallow cream, 4 pounds of real butter, 7 1/2 pounds of chocolate, and over 6 1/2 cups of evaporated milk. Plus, the required 30 minutes of cooking on the stove, and the seemingly interminable stirring at various times to incorporate everything.
The end result is the aforementioned 32 pounds, somewhat evenly spaced between 5 rimmed baking sheets. The kids all got a very soft square while it was still warm, and we're giving most of the rest away to friends. It's what we do - I love to make it, but there's no way on God's not-so-green earth that I'd leave that much chocolate hanging around. Hey, I'm trying to LOSE weight here.
Add to that the Christmas cookies I hope to start making REAL soon now, along with the white chocolate-dipped Oreos & Oreo truffles I made on Monday. Hey, Santa's gotta have cookies, right?
So, all this to say, nest with your loved ones, make treats this week, and celebrate Jesus!
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!
The end result is the aforementioned 32 pounds, somewhat evenly spaced between 5 rimmed baking sheets. The kids all got a very soft square while it was still warm, and we're giving most of the rest away to friends. It's what we do - I love to make it, but there's no way on God's not-so-green earth that I'd leave that much chocolate hanging around. Hey, I'm trying to LOSE weight here.
Add to that the Christmas cookies I hope to start making REAL soon now, along with the white chocolate-dipped Oreos & Oreo truffles I made on Monday. Hey, Santa's gotta have cookies, right?
So, all this to say, nest with your loved ones, make treats this week, and celebrate Jesus!
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Never Say Never!
You would think that I would eventually learn, given my "certain age!" But, NO!!!! Again, I have said "never" when God was listening, and He set out to "make me."
What's up, you ask? I'll tell you! I have friends who regularly visit Branson, MO, and talk about how much fun they have there. These are friends who walk, talk, and act like they're over 70, rather than the 40 - 50 year olds they are. To me, Branson is the epitome of geezer-dom - where people go to line up for buffets, drink nothing but sweet tea, take in a Wayne Newton tribute show, and head to bed at 8:00 - to SLEEP!
I'm more of the "pass the champagne, how late can we stay up, how many different restaurants/ foods can we try this week, live in the hot tub, how many times can we have fun" kind of person. So, Branson doesn't seem like that kind of a happening place, compared to, say, CANCUN.
I did it. I said "never" when God was paying attention. And He chose to teach me a lesson gracefully. I said that I would never go to Branson. That I had absolutely no desire to EVER visit it. That you couldn't PAY me to go.
What happened? I won a trip. Yes, to Branson. Missouri. The place of buffets, 8:00 bedtimes, and the like. Airfare, nice hotel room, meals, rental car credit - the whole shebang.
God knows. He knows that sometimes He's just got to show you something. So, tomorrow afternoon, my husband & I are flying off to Branson for a weekend (encompassing Monday) trip.
I'll let you know when we get back how it was. Right now, I'm expecting that anything could happen!
What's up, you ask? I'll tell you! I have friends who regularly visit Branson, MO, and talk about how much fun they have there. These are friends who walk, talk, and act like they're over 70, rather than the 40 - 50 year olds they are. To me, Branson is the epitome of geezer-dom - where people go to line up for buffets, drink nothing but sweet tea, take in a Wayne Newton tribute show, and head to bed at 8:00 - to SLEEP!
I'm more of the "pass the champagne, how late can we stay up, how many different restaurants/ foods can we try this week, live in the hot tub, how many times can we have fun" kind of person. So, Branson doesn't seem like that kind of a happening place, compared to, say, CANCUN.
I did it. I said "never" when God was paying attention. And He chose to teach me a lesson gracefully. I said that I would never go to Branson. That I had absolutely no desire to EVER visit it. That you couldn't PAY me to go.
What happened? I won a trip. Yes, to Branson. Missouri. The place of buffets, 8:00 bedtimes, and the like. Airfare, nice hotel room, meals, rental car credit - the whole shebang.
God knows. He knows that sometimes He's just got to show you something. So, tomorrow afternoon, my husband & I are flying off to Branson for a weekend (encompassing Monday) trip.
I'll let you know when we get back how it was. Right now, I'm expecting that anything could happen!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
May your days be merry, and bright; and may all your Thanksgiving turkeys be moist! Have a great day today!
Monday, November 23, 2009
The week we've ALL been waiting for!
Ah, Thanksgiving week. The beginning (for me, anyway) of the holiday season. The week that signals, "hey, stupid! Christmas is a month away!" (look at the calendar - it's in 32 days) The week that makes me slap my cheeks with my hands & scream, ala Maccaulay Culkin. That's the bad part of the week.
The good parts of the week are legion: as an 9.5 month employee of my local school system, I've got the entire week off; a week to sleep late (for example, I slept until 6:45 this morning), read the paper in bed (THAT, I did), and drink my tea in bed. Also, I "get" to cook most of an entire Thanksgiving dinner (including as 23# turkey this year), sleep till 5:00 am that day, and do my best NOT to eat an obscene amount of food that day. Trust me, I did the opposite once. It was not pretty. Ask my dad.
ANYway, as I was saying, this is a great week. I totally enjoy this time of year, love taking walks in the cool air & pretty foliage, and get to sleep (relatively) late. So my advice to you is, don't sweat the small stuff, even if the small stuff is a previously alive, 23 pound turkey.
Eat lots of turkey for me. Enjoy the cranberry sauce. Try some of my grandmother's meat dressing - it's a Rinaudo family tradition. I may even share the recipe, some day. Have a great week! See you whenever (who knows when)!
The good parts of the week are legion: as an 9.5 month employee of my local school system, I've got the entire week off; a week to sleep late (for example, I slept until 6:45 this morning), read the paper in bed (THAT, I did), and drink my tea in bed. Also, I "get" to cook most of an entire Thanksgiving dinner (including as 23# turkey this year), sleep till 5:00 am that day, and do my best NOT to eat an obscene amount of food that day. Trust me, I did the opposite once. It was not pretty. Ask my dad.
ANYway, as I was saying, this is a great week. I totally enjoy this time of year, love taking walks in the cool air & pretty foliage, and get to sleep (relatively) late. So my advice to you is, don't sweat the small stuff, even if the small stuff is a previously alive, 23 pound turkey.
Eat lots of turkey for me. Enjoy the cranberry sauce. Try some of my grandmother's meat dressing - it's a Rinaudo family tradition. I may even share the recipe, some day. Have a great week! See you whenever (who knows when)!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)