Sick. (and tired)

I’m battling something. My tummy isn’t good. I feel nauseous all the time. And before you say “Are you pregnant”? I’M NOT!!!!! NOT POSSIBLE!! And now that we have established that, I will continue to tell you – I have no appetite (which is REALLY strange for me!) and because I feel so sick, I’m not sleeping. And because I’m not sleeping, I feel tired all the time. Hence…I’m sick and tired. Even coffee doesn’t appeal to me, which sucks, because if it did, it might help with the tired-ness. I hate feeling like this. And I hate finishing an entire bottle of pepto-bismol in a 12-hour period. Although, I must say - pepto tastes much better cold. Yes, I know that drinking an entire bottle of pepto isn’t good for your digestive system – but it AIN’T WORKING!!!

Ok – enough of my ailments – what else can I complain about? Hmmm…the economy sucks – who didn’t know that?

I’m also sad right now. My hubby is leaving for almost 6 days on Thursday. He and his Dad are going to St. Maarten for Super Bowl Weekend. This brings me mixed emotions. I miss him like crazy, and I absolutely hate sleeping by myself. I hate BEING by myself. This is pretty weird, considering I’m an only child. I end up sleeping on his side of the bed, and I usually let little Joe sleep in the bed with me – so I’m not alone. I’m so pathetic! BUT, I also like this time, because Little Joe and I get to hang out and do different things – we go places, try new adventures. We have fun. AND…BONUS...I get to eat food that I want to eat! Like Chinese food! And Thai food! Mmm!! I can’t decide on what to do this weekend. We have some family engagements to do on Sunday…but Saturday is free. I was thinking of taking Joe skiing – but that’s a big maybe. Any suggestions?

Cousins

I found this picture last month while going through piles of paperwork to be thrown out/recycled. It is my cousin and me, in my grandparent's sideyard in Minnesota. I used to spend several weeks in the summertime up there, usually when my Dad did his active Duty for the Navy.
This picture made me think of how thankful I am for family. I have some amazing family. I may have a (partial) non-traditional family, but they rock. And I'm very very thankful for that. As we all grow older, and have families of our own, it becomes so much more apparent that having family to support you and love you is so very important. It is more important than all of the stuff that you THINK is important.

Garden Dreaming

It is the middle of January, yet I am dreaming of my garden. I am taking an inventory of seeds that I saved from last year, figuring out my calendar of planting times. The temperature outside is a balmy NEGATIVE 14 degrees right now (WITHOUT WINDCHILL!!), yet I am thinking of plucking fresh juicy tomatoes off the vine and eating them still warm from the sunshine.

I have thoughts of onion sets, and seed potatoes (yukon golds) and butternut squash blossoms and heirloom tomatoes, and homemade tomato juice and fresh peas and zucchini and arugula (in a pot on the deck) and fresh herbs to mix with salads. I'm even thinking of trying to grow cauliflower this year. I cannot wait. I need to order my little grow pots (cowpots at www.greenhousemegastore.com). I need to buy my seeds. sigh. I love the excitement of this time...all of the anticipation. Good stuff.

The other thing on my mind about the summertime garden is the canning and preservation aspect. I have been gathering canning supplies, as I anticipate making tomato sauce and spaghetti sauce and pickles and jams and jellies and all sorts of stuff...but I cannot find a pot. I need a canning pot, and I refuse to pay full price for one at the hardware store. I figure that SOMEONE has got to have one in their basement that they aren't using...and would love to sell it to me for a cheaper price...or we could barter, ot trade, or whatever. I've been constantly checking craigslist, but no luck. Any ideas?

We should call Ghost Hunters...

Last night, Big Joe and I were the meanest parents ever....well, maybe not the meanest, but we sure played a good trick on the little dude.

Dad and I were in the basement, and we turned the Lionel Train on and started tooting the whistle. Within seconds, Joseph came running down the stairs to see why his train was on. In the meantime, Big Joe and I hid in the spare room. So...Little Joe starts calling out "Hello? Is anyone down here?" He starts looking to see who was playing with his train. at one point he actually said out loud "That's Weird." to himself. Hee! So, he turns the train off - and heads back upstairs. Well, we turned the train back on and tooted the whistle again...and he comes running back down the stairs...again. Hee!! After a few minutes, Dad jumped out from behind the door and surprised Joseph, and we all had a good laugh.

I think the idea that we might have a ghost in the house intrigued Little Joe the most. Afterwards, he said "I was gonna call Ghost hunters! I thought we had a train ghost!"

I love this kid.

Future Public Works Employee

Joseph spent the afternoon on Sunday trying to figure out how to fill his toad hut with water, through the PVC pipes. The bathroom was covered in water...and there was a slight flood into the hallway, but no damages. I foresee a future in Engineering...

Moving Towards Forgiveness.

Yesterday afternoon, I spoke with someone that I hadn’t spoken to in over 2 years. I am angry at this person, because they said some very mean things to me 2 years ago, and this person has not apologized. It was a very stressful time in our lives at that point, and emotions were uncontrolled. For once though, I did NOT retaliate. At that point in my life, I was too beaten down and broken to respond back to the hurtful comments, so instead, I absorbed them. I felt attacked. I felt abandoned. I felt alone. I still feel that way, for the most part when it comes to this particular relationship, and those relationships connected to it. Those hurtful comments have festered inside of me for close to 2 years.

When the phone rang, I looked at the caller ID (Yes, we screen our phone calls), and I briefly thought of not picking up (again). This person has called our house before, and I always let it go to the machine. I always felt like I didn’t have the energy to talk to this person.

But yesterday was different. I knew that I still didn't have the strength, but maybe I had the compassion and kindness, somewhere in me. So, I picked up the phone. It was a brief phone call, 12 minutes and 36 seconds. But, what do you say to a person who has hurt you? I couldn’t be the active person in the conversation. If I had tried to, I know I would have gotten angry and asked why I haven’t gotten an apology. But, I sat and listened, I answered questions when asked, but I didn’t push the conversation. After 12 minutes and 36 seconds, the conversation fizzled. We said goodbye.

Do I feel better? No.
Do I feel consoled? No.
Did I get an apology? No.
Did I do the right thing, by picking up the phone? Yes.
Does the other person feel better? Maybe. Who Knows.

Maybe this is the first step on the path to forgiveness, I don’t know. I feel horrible, but is it too much to ask for an apology? Or, does forgiving someone forgo the need for an apology? Is that fair to me? I am probably one of the most forgiving people you’ll ever meet – but there are some things that deserve an apology, or at least an acknowledgement.

Sigh.

How can Faygo save Michigan as well as your soul???

Sigh. I think I am overwhelmed. I am sitting here at my desk, not knowing which direction to go in today. My to-do list at the office is out of control, and I need to figure out what is a priority, and what isn’t. It seems like everything is a priority though. Darnit.

I’ve had some major things on my mind lately…

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On Being Socially Responsible:

The economy of the nation sucks, but as I was watching the news this AM, I was informed that Michigan now has the highest unemployment rate. So many people are unemployed, that the State of Michigan has started hiring those unemployed people to answer the phones at the unemployment office, because so many people are calling the unemployment office. Wow.

And how do I continue my life blissfully unaware? I can’t. So, my dismal mood is permanently dismal for the day. So, I start thinking…what can I do? I try to be a helpful, thoughtful and kind person…but I have my own life too. Then…I read an article in the paper about “Buying Local”. Not just “local”, but buying “Michigan”. The idea behind it is to get people to 'think Michigan first' in regards to all things (travel, grocery shopping, starting businesses, buying cars, furniture or other products, etc). http://www.buymichigannow.com/downloads/BMN%20Grocery%20Guide%20-%20120408.pdf. Take a look for yourself. I know my family already uses some of the brands listed in the grocery guide but now that I see others listed, we will be trying some new ones as well.

"According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture, if every Michigan family bought at least $10 of Michigan products in one week, it could pump an additional $36 million into the state's economy." Holy Cow.

So – go buy a Faygo. I recommend the Rock-N-Rye.

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On improving Your Vocabulary:

Wayne State University wants to revive words that have dropped out of the English Language to improve communication using clear and concise words. Wayne State launched a Web site called "Word Warriors" in an effort to "bring good words back from oblivion." Have you ever used mercurial, sycophant or charlatan in your everyday conversation? www.wordwarriors.wayne.edu – check it out.

"By making use of the repertoire available to us, we expand our ability to communicate clearly and help make our world a more interesting place. It's one way of broadening our horizons." Jerry Herron, dean of WSU's Irvin D. Reid Honors College

So – stop being such a charlatan and go buy a Faygo.

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On Taking Care of ME:

I learned a term the other day: Memento Vivere. It literally means “reminder of life". You have to live. You cannot just forget that you have a life too. I think I want that painted above our front door. Or maybe above our bed, so I see it every night before we go to bed. It has an amazing capacity…two words, so simple, so huge.

As crazy as this world gets, and as many things are going on in your mind…whether it is your family, your job, your checkbook, your to-do list, your house, the person that cut you off this morning, the traffic light, the bad coffee that you had at the office, whatever…you simply cannot live your life obsessing about the trivial and trite things. You have to live. (Yes, I realize that this is easy for me to type, but probably not so easy for me to actually live…but I can try, right?)

I’m going to the store buy a Faygo and give it to a stranger.

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Sorry, no pictures for this posting…I’ll be sure to have some new family pics up soon. I’m sure there will be a train involved. Joseph has not stopped talking about trains since xmas. We spend a large amount of time online at the Lionel.com store.

Resolutions

Here they are:

1. Run the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving
2. Do an indoor triathalon
3. Go skydiving (from the 101 list)
4. Finish my thesis
5. Organize paperwork around the house (filing, investments, etc.)
6. Make wine in the basement (from the 101 list)
7. Drink more water everyday
8. Work on the 101 list in general...

OK - there they are. What are yours?

Holiday Happenings

Some pics of the festivities around our house:

(This is Joe and his two cousins, at aunt Sarah's house on xmas Eve. )

Joe's favorite gift (from Grandma) - a Lionel Train set!!

And...Making a Gingerbread house with Aunt Barb....

That's about it for the holidays. We are staying around the house, and keeping warm. We have nowhere to be at any given time, and we are loving it! (Even though I have watched the "Curious George" movie about 6 times now....)

All for now - I'll let you know how our New Year's Celebrations go...(Little Joe is having a sleepover at Grandmas house!)

Have YOU done your New Year's Resolutions? I'll share mine if you share yours....

Lefse. It's a Norwegian Thing

For as long as I can remember, my family makes lefse on holidays. It is a time consuming, tedious and MESSY event. but the end result is well worth it. I simpy love lefse. I am making some for Xmas dinner...and Little Joe decided to help me.





Here it is...on the griddle.

The finished product...colling under a fleeceless towel.

This year, I tried a new recipe, as my Aunt Pat's recipe just hasn't turned out very well for me in the past few years. Here is the new recipe I tried: (which turned out GREAT!!)

lefse from scratch
Ingredients

6 cups riced or mashed russet potatoes (I put mine through the food processor)

1 tsp. salt

3 T. margarine or butter

1 T. Sugar

2 T. heavy cream or evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions
Combine all ingredients except flour; refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Add flour; mix well.

Heat griddle to 400 degrees.

Roll small portions (walnut/golf ball size) into a small ball.

Roll out very thin with cloth-covered lefse or regular rolling pin on cloth-covered board or other surface. Dust board with flour when turning lefse dough.

Bake on ungreased griddle until brown spots appear. Flip and bake other side. Stack lefse between 2 towels to cool. Store in refrigerator in plastic bags. Can be frozen.

And the best part???

All is Well...

Big Joe has recovered, well sort of. In the sense that he is awake, and sort of moving around. He is sleeping in the zero-gravity recliner chairs (like the ones that My Aunt and Uncle in Oregon have on their porch). He is taking his pain pills when needed, and being a good invalid. :)

We had a snow day yesterday (8 inches of snow), so little Joe stayed home with us. I got to play in the snow with him too. Whoo-hoo!! I did brave the snow and roads to go to Meijer, and got stuck three times between there and home, including right in front of our driveway. Ugh. Stupid car. Stupid snow.

Other than that, we are hanging around the house, staying in our PJs. I might have to go back out, as Little Joe ran his xmas train set until the batteries died, and we want to make sure that the train is running when Santa coems to visit!!

Waiting Room Thoughts...

I’m writing this in Word, and will copy it over to Blogger…

I’m sitting in the waiting room for the surgical room at the hospital. Big Joe is having his shoulder surgery right now. I am having a harder time than I thought with this. I brought work with me, to keep my mind off of things, and all I can do is think about his surgery. Ugh. I can hardly even pick up the book I brought with me, because that won’t work either. My mind is so jumpy, I can’t concentrate on a darn thing.

I should be doing work, I am slammed at work, and I anticipate no slowdown. It’s just that people always want so much, and I have a hard time saying no. Most of these things are my responsibility; it’s just very tough getting everything done. Sigh.

And to top things off right now, I cannot connect to the wireless network in the waiting room, which is frustrating me even more, because I had planned on doing work here, and being able to connect to the internet. Grrr. This is frustrating. I’m also sitting on the floor, underneath the coat rack, as this is the only place with a plug, and I have to plug my laptop in, as the Dell battery sucks and won’t hold a charge. I have 5 memos/emails/letters completed, and I can’t send them to where they need to go. Dammit. I think I need to get off of the “poor me” box.

I’m looking forward to Christmas, maybe I can get more into the holiday spirit. Big Joe came home last night with a Christmas train that goes around the Christmas tree. How cool!! Little Joe LOVED it! He played with it for almost an hour straight last night. Goofy kid. I kept telling him that Santa was going to play with it, because it was such a cool train.

Ok, the doctor just called, he is in recovery, so I’m going to pack all of my stuff up, and get ready to get him and bring him home. Poor guy. He’s going to be in pain, and so out of it…

Mexican Train

Paying homage to my grandparents (they know who they are...), I taught Little Joe how to play Mexican Train last night.

He loved it. And he really got into it too...I have a feeling that this might become a family game for us. We don't have the official "game", but we have the dominoes, and we used little Star Trek ornaments as our "markers". That's all you need.

On a side note - I have wanted to do a family night for some time now. Turn off the TV, sit at the dining table, and play a game. However, playing Chutes and Ladders for an hour just didn't really make me jump with glee. So, I am infinitely glad that Joseph now knows how to play Mexican Train.

Cramming Culture into my Kid

On Saturday morning, Little Joe and I went to the DIA. I was able to score free passes through the Museum Adventure Pass Program. (There are usually no DIA passes, so when I saw them on Tuesday at the Library, I grabbed them).

If you haven't been to the DIA in a while....Go. Seriously. Go there. They have great interpretive things for kids (and adults). It is isn't a stuffy, silent, be quiet museum. We had a GREAT time!

They have taken the main hall, and installed sparkley mirrors across the entire ceiling, hanging down. This. Was. Cool.


On the thrid floor - we enjoyed a French dinner from the 18th-century. The official description:
“Visitors to the museum’s decorative arts gallery sit at a table onto which is projected an aristocratic dinner service. Visitors feel like they are participating in the dinner as three courses of historically accurate food are served using porcelain and silver on display within the gallery itself. The installation includes a sound recording of native French speakers that adds an air of authenticity to the experience.”


No clue. Seriously. No clue. But, Joseph LOVED it!

Me and Joseph in the Great Hall, with a backdrop of sparkle!

Joseph, dwarfed by the Great Hall.

And...video of the newly cultural-ized kid. :)

The long-awaited list

Here it is, as promised. 101 things I want to do in my life. WHERE'S YOUR LIST!?!?!

1. Go skydiving
2. Finish making the quilt I started 6 years ago
3. Run a 10K – without taking ANY walk breaks
4. Do a short triathlon
5. Get my RLA
6. Read the Fountainhead – not just skim it.
7. Go to Italy for a wine tour
8. Be a barista
9. Own a coffee shop
10. Be debt-free
11. Own a hot tub in a landscaped backyard
12. Buy a vintage convertible
13. Visit Norway
14. Sew a Halloween costume for myself (a really cool fancy baroque dress)
15. Play French Horn with a group
16. Make my own wine, in the basement.
17. Sing in a choir
18. Be an adjunct Professor for a College/University
19. Own a home on Lake Superior
20. Take a photography class
21. Drive the whole Hwy 1 from South to North
22. Write a book
23. Breed German Shepherd Dogs
24. Raise a Seeing Eye Dog
25. Be clutter-free
26. Play the piano once a day for 15 minutes
27. Share a steak dinner with my son.
28. Not have a car payment for a year straight.
29. Watch my son play high school sports
30. Drywall a room, without the help of a contractor
31. Host a big party at our house for all of our friends.
32. Go whale-watching
33. Go scuba-diving
34. Go to Indonesia again
35. Go to a yoga retreat for a week
36. Get season tickets for UM football
37. Be a regular tailgater at UM football.
38. Take a class in stained-glass
39. Go camping for a week on Isle Royale
40. Go for a girls weekend every other year with my cousins from TRF
41. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
42. Visit a farmer’s market every Saturday
43. Eat at least 80% of our food from a local organic source (farm, garden, etc.)
44. Have season tickets to the DSO
45. Go ziplining over the rainforest
46. Go for a hot Air balloon ride in northern Michigan for a fall color tour
47. Learn how to cook really good fall off the bone ribs in the smoker
48. Go whitewater rafting as a family
49. Work on a ranch for a week – a working vacation
50. Grow peaches and apples in our yard.
51. Have a meaningful collection of Pewabic tiles
52. Teach my son to snow ski
53. Have our neighbors over for dinner
54. Volunteer at a shelter once a month
55. Go on a cemetery tour of New Orleans
56. Go kayaking in Northern Michigan
57. Make digital photobooks of all of our vacations
58. See a choral and full orchestral performance in the National Cathedral in Washington DC
59. Have an art studio
60. Have chickens – from which we can get fresh eggs!
61. Have a bathroom with a chandelier in it.
62. Rent a beach house in the Outer Banks and spend a week of vacation there with lots of family
63. Go hang gliding in California
64. Get my teeth straightened (again) with braces.
65. Take a cooking class
66. Have a pet frog
67. Have a yoga studio
68. Take a class in ceramics
69. Make a set of dishes
70. Knit a sweater
71. Visit a psychic
72. Have a house with a porch and two big rocking chairs side-by-side
73. Make a ring with both of my mother’s wedding stones
74. Live on a lake
75. Be a member of the Boosters when my son is in HS
76. Have a cutting garden so I can have fresh flowers in the house all summer.
77. Forgive all those whom I feel have ever wronged me in some way
78. Keep a sketch journal
79. Play on a golf league
80. Have an organized walk-in closet
81. Have a wall of family photos in all different silver frames
82. Get a facial once every 6 months
83. Organize my basement
84. Park my car in the garage
85. Have a Greenhouse/Hothouse in the backyard
86. Make lefse every year.
87. Sew a quilt made of Joseph’s baby clothes/blankets
88. Go on a walking tour of New England
89. Go to Washington DC during Cherry Blossom time
90. Be a Polar Bear once (jump into a frozen lake or river)
91. Drive a race car in a driving school (and GO FAST!)
92. Have a fridge that FITS in the kitchen.
93. Have a cleaning person come once a month.
94. Have a place for everything, and everything in it’s place
95. Learn to the play the guitar
96. Sing at an open mic night at a coffeehouse or somewhere.
97. Make spaghetti sauce every year from our garden, and give the jars away as gifts
98. Have a pond in the backyard, with a gazebo hanging/floating on the edge
99. Take a 21-day (or more) cruise to Alaska
100. Get into a habit of a 5-minute meditation before bed every night
101. Learn to appreciate Good Scotch.

Star of the Week

This week, Joe is the Star of the Week in his class. We had to put a poster together all about him. However, due to some discipline issues, he was sent to bed early on Sunday morning. Therefore, I woke him up at 6AM on Monday morning, and we sat in the kitchen together, drawing the pictures for his poster. I did the frames, and titles, but he did all of the drawings. I then asked him question, and I wrote the lists you see at the bottom of the poster.

The words read:

Birthday: April 24

Zodiac: Taurus

Full name: Joseph John Lawson IV

Special Talent: I can Make Coffee & I play the French horn

Fav. TV Shows: Thomas the Tank Engine, Ghost hunters, Monster Quest, Curious George, Dirty Jobs w/ mike Rowe, Clifford, Modern Marvels

And here is breakfast, all over his face. Powdered Donuts, oh yeah.

Getting the Christmas Tree

We drove down to Ypsilanti, then down to Sumpter (by the old Lincoln Junior High) to get our tree...Joseph "chose" the tree for us.

The finished result....after almost falling over. :)

Food Oddities

I love these..
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal (or email to me~), including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) RED Font any items that you would never consider eating.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes - grew some this year
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill - several different kinds
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash - both kinds
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

(It's OK if you don't know what some of these are - I had to Google too!!)

And YES - I want to hear back from you!!

I love Sundays

Here is the scene - Little Joe is on our bed, wrapped in blankets, watching Harry Potter. Big Joe, napping on the couch, listening to football, and me, in my PJs, blogging, drinking coffee, and preparing to roast a chicken for dinner. This is heaven. An odd heaven, but still heaven to me. The house is quiet, there is nobody running, yelling, no sirens or train whistles. There is stuff to be done, but it isn't pressing.

Sigh. I'm going to refill my coffee cup. Maybe with eggnog this time.

Redecorating!!

This is our front room...BEFORE window treatments. Keep in mind, we've lived in this house since 1999, with NO CURTAINS!!!! We had blinds, but no curtains.

And after a headache, some cursing, a phone call for sanity, and a cup of coffee...here is the end result....

Closeup of the finials....

I LOVE the end result!! what do you think? I can't believe that something as simple as curtains make the room feel so homey!!!

the next step....some pillows. some VERY colorful pillows. The room needs color, but I have plans for that. I hope it doesn't take me another 9 years to make the pillows!!!! :)