Old is New to Me

Have I mentioned my love of old books? I haven't? Shame on me!

I love books. I love seeing them on shelves, in stacks, as decorations, you name it. I even like to read! (gasp!)

I like paperbacks for reading, especially if I am going to read a fairly recent work. But my real love is hardback books. The older the better.

Today, Grau and I went to an antique store and we noticed it was closed. Or at least it appeared closed as the gate to the parking lot was shut. So in my effort to turn around, I spotted a used book store. With 90,000 books in it! Holy Moly! I was in heaven.

They had the complete works of Dickens...the OLD ONES! Of course, I cannot afford them, but I can dream. I did, however, find two books I had to have. One is a 1896 book on Patent Law, the other a 1931 New Elementary Latin book.

I will probably only read the Latin book, but the patent law book looked very interesting. And old. I love it when I can find old books on interesting topics, in good shape, that are priced where I can afford them!

I would love to someday build my own home and have an old English library in it. Ah, to dream, perchance to live....

All Things Considered

Grau and I went to my daughter's graduation. It was a whirlwind trip. We tried to leave at midnight Thursday night/Friday morning, but his work schedule changed and he didn't get off work until 3am. By the time we left (aka, got on the road) it was almost 5am Friday morning.

I called my favorite OK winery on the way in, only to find out they were closed, getting ready for an Open House the following day. I was bummed! I told them I was the Illinois girl only in town for 36 hours, and they told me to call them Sunday and they would help me work something out.

Awesome! I did call them on the way out of town, and they opened their winery just for me. I love this place!

As for Saturday, it was run and rush all day. I had a couple of errands, like taking Grau to Dead People's Stuff, and my favorite herbal store (they have rows and rows of vitamins/natural products, and shelf upon shelf of gallon jars filled with bulk/ raw/ dried herbs). I found the bentonite clay powder I have been unable to find in my city. I know I can get bentonite clay online, but it is so expensive. I found it at NaNa's Paw Paw Patch for pennies of the online price.

Then came the graduation itself. I tried to get good pictures, but for some reason the lighting was off. I should have a couple pics that are salvageable, we will see.

I am just happy that my daughter graduated, unpregnant. Her class alone apparently has 22 pregnant seniors. Wow. It's an epidemic.

I tried to be cordial. I think I succeeded. Daughter asked me if I wanted to sit with them (or more to the point, if I wanted them to save seats for me). So I told her yes. With my mother coming along, I knew the ex and his g/f wouldn't say anything. (They don't say things in front of witnesses.)

But the ex did try to tell me that *I* needed to do something about middle son failing math and English in his first year of college. I basically explained to him that middle son does not work like the rest of the world, that he has Aspergers and that he needed to spend more time helping his son instead of blaming him.

The ex just kept saying, 'He's 20 years old, he should figure it out by now.'

Yeah, middle son doesn't work that way.

Then the ex tried to tell me that middle son passed the first semester, but failed the second, and that he (the ex) is making everything work, but that middle son just isn't doing his part.

I replied that apparently the ex wasn't doing everything, because the ex is never home, only yells at middle son, and that the failing 0 level classes proves that the ex is not putting in the time needed and that he needed to get off his ass and work with middle son.

Yeah, that didn't go over well.

I told the ex that he can not do the work for middle son, but that he did need to yell less, and pay attention more, and follow up / sit with/ and ensure that the work is being done. Help middle son understand what it is he's doing.

Don't get me wrong, middle son is highly intelligent. In other area's. Just not math or English.

After graduation Mom, Grau and I went to Chick-Fil-A since Grau's never been. When we got home, my dad wanted to take us to dinner....and we had to go because he wanted to spend time with Grau and I. We couldn't turn him down. So we ate again. UGH.

Then we met up with friends and had a good time with a couple drinks, lots of laughs and good food (which I did not eat- I was NOT hungry, lol).

I made plans for Grau and I to have breakfast with PBF and my daughter. The real reason was to let her know I did not approve of PBF, her choices, or her keeping me out of her life, but that she was my daughter and I loved her.

Breakfast was indeed surreal. When the pleasantries and eating were over, the discussion began. I could go in to all of it, but I won't. Suffice it to say that I told her (and her pbf) I would NOT accept pbf because of several reasons: it was morally wrong, he was too old, he was still married, etc.

I said the age thing could be overcome in time, like in 20 years, but that the married thing was a deal breaker. PBF is too much like her father, cheating on his wife. I cannot and will not change my mind about that. It goes against my grain.

In the end, Grau and I said our piece, they said theirs, and the understanding of say what you feel, but at least SAY IT, was brought into the open and we left with hugs and handshakes.

We then went to my favorite winery, which was closed but they opened just for me (I love this place!) and then took off for home.

We ate lunch (technically, dinner) in Joplin, leaving when the sirens went off and in which we thought we were ahead of the storm. As it turns out, the storm was slightly in front of us, but the tornado was off to our West and we were able to pass it without harm.

We then hauled ass out of there at 80 mph...and the 'nader was going 20mph, so we won that race.

All in all, it was an informative and pressure-releasing visit. I feel better about the situation, at least.

1770 Isn't So Bad

I spent last weekend reliving the 1770's. Complete with skirt (yeah, don't die of shock on me just yet!), petticoat, apron, etc. Yeah. It was a sight to behold.

I really did have a good time. Of course, we had a GINORMOUS tent. 20' X 36'

The center was the 'common' room and either end had two sets of 'room's.'

There were three couples and two kids occupying the rooms. We had two game tables, poker, dominoes, dice and cards. Fine china, screwdrivers & mimosa's. Oriental rugs on the floor and we even had a silver 5-candlestick table candelabra sit-down dinner for 18.

It was LOADS of fun.

What I thought fabulous was that the night we had the formal dinner, we also had a 'get-together.' Basically, we were the biggest tent in town and everyone came to us with their drink bottles to pass and stories to tell....Rain didn't stop our good time. Someone played the guitar, another the fiddle, spoons and some other instrument I could not even begin to tell you what it was. Laughter, gaiety and comraderie....But the get-together is not the best part.

I wake up early. I always have. It must have been around 0530 or 6am, late for me but seriously, I could not hold my pee any longer. So I got up and got dressed for the trek to the porta-johns. As I return, all hunched over, huddling my arms to my chest for warmth, the 'neighbor' says,

"I like your sign.'

"???"

"I like your sign" he says again.

Confused, only half from being so early and frigidly cold I reply, 'I have no idea what you're talking about.'

And he points to a spot behind me....and what do I see?

"Awesome!" I reply. And laughed the rest of the day. :)

Just a few more pics of the weekend:

Git R Done

I've forgotten how much I love to be busy. But I have noticed one thing; I like to be busy with just a little bit of free time.

I get so much more accomplished when I have a bit of free time mixed in with my busy.

I managed to take down curtains, wash and dry them and get them back up on the same day. I also cleaned off the kitchen table- it had taken on clutter of gigantic proportions. I managed to finish decoupaging the mirror I started four months ago.

I then hung the new sign Grau and I purchased for the downstairs bathroom. We are going with a theme in this little potty....hahah.


Grau and I also went to one of his co-workers places....we searched and found three old doors. I would post pics of them, but they are still loaded into Grau's vehicle.
One is an old white door which I will turn into a headboard. The second is a half-style door (vertically half, not horizontally) that I will use for either a footboard, or make a cool overhead shelf. The third I am really excited about- it's an old exterior door, solid wood, with a half-moon glass panel(s) at the top, an old escutcheon panel, knob and key! and the door is red. That I will add a cabinet door or smaller door (horizontally) along with some old spindles and table legs I picked up months ago...it will be a background piece, near the corner in our bedroom. I plan to add some old wall lamps (candles). This picture is of something similar, but not exact. (Of course you know I have to put my own spin on things, right?) My door only has a half-moon opening at the top- and I refuse to put one of those 'awnings' over the top. ewww.

Anyway- I have been really excited about all the projects I have going on....even my shoes- yes, I have not forgot about making shoes. I have the lasts made, but am finding it hard to find the leather, or the money. Usually I have one or the other, but not both at the same time! lol

Oh- and I went to my favorite wine store today and picked up a couple tasty treats! Yeah, heaven could not be closer than it was today! Well, maybe if I win the lottery.

Culinary Adventures

I love to cook. Have I mentioned that before? Well, I do. And if you are like me, you like to try new things. Not just for my own taste bud's sake, but to see if I can make whatever it is and have it come out right.

I usually can't.

I seem to have this thing...if I follow a recipe exactly, it comes out awful! So I must always change it, add something, delete something...whatever. Today I made Brazilian Black Bean Soup. First off, I love soup. (Oh, and just so you know, soup is NOT supposed to be cold. All soup must be hot. That's my rule.)

Soup makes you feel good.

It warms the tummy as well as the heart.

It says, 'I love you enough that I slaved over this stove for, oh, maybe 20 minutes.'

Add a side of French or Italian bread and you have the makings of a wonderful Winter afternoon.

So, without further ado, here is my Brazilian Black Bean Soup:

Dash of oil in the bottom of a soup or large sauce pot

1 (or 2 if you like) chopped onions

1 carrot chopped (I used about 12 baby carrots)

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped (I slice it into 4th's lengthwise then chop)

6-10 chopped garlic cloves (to taste, basically)

Simmer for 10 minutes

Then add

1 can Beef Stock

2 can's Black Beans (undrained)

2 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp canned chipotle peppers (I use chili powder if I'm out of peppers)

Simmer for 30 mins. Use a hand blender to blend to desired consistency. I usually remove 1 or 2 cups of soup, blend the rest, then add it back.

Serve with dollop of sour cream and diced tomatoes if you wish.

Still on the Organic Train

I have never really liked chemicals much. As a teen, I would put anything in my hair I thought would make it do what I wanted. That includes lemon juice. So, while I dye my hair (and don't give me a lecture about chemicals in dye) I try to keep everything else, chemical-wise, to a minimum. I choose a color close to my natural color and I've stuck with it for years now. Besides, if I tried pulling all the grey, I'd have no hair left! As I get older, the less chemicals I use, the better. There are two main reasons for this.

One- it's cheaper to use what you have. I mean,if there is an alternative in your kitchen cabinet, why not use it?

Two- Chemicals mimic the organics. They may work better, or quicker, but they are still chemicals. How much 'natural' mimicking can they really be/do?

I went into the salon a couple days ago. My hair needed trimming and I loathe to try to cut straight in the back of my head. My bangs? Yes, I will trim those myself. The back? Yeah, not really a good idea. There were three stylists, two were busy with other customers. I still had to wait a few minutes and while I waited, both stylist looked at me and told me how pretty my hair color was.

Wow. Really? Cool. I politely thanked them and waited on my stylist.

I was really stoked! I love my hair color. Let me rephrase, I love my hair. The color, the style, the texture. I have long straight hair, with a slight wave. I usually blow dry the wave out, then add Argan Oil and let my hair dry the rest of the way naturally. Once a month I use Coconut oil in my hair. That's it. I don't use chemicals (other than my dye), I don't use hair spray, or poufy-gel or pomade or foam. (Now, if only I my new favorite company would sell shampoo, I'd be set!)

The stylist said my hair, for being as long as it is, is in great shape. Most people she sees with hair as long as mine? Yeah, usually dry, brittle and with many a split ends. Mine was almost blissfully free from all that....almost. Hence, the trim.

Not only have I used kitchen ingredients to clear up my acne, I have found that I can use buttermilk and salt to make a pore-reducing face mask. It leaves my face feeling wonderfully tight, smooth and soft. And yes, even my large pores look smaller. I will have to give this little experiment a couple more weeks and report back. So far, so good!

Soup Nazi

I have a love affair with soup. I just love it. Really, I do. And not those wimpy, brothy soups. No. I love the full-bodied, hearty soups. You know the kind...they add pounds just by looking at them? Yeah, *that* kind of soup. Oh, I made a potato soup the other day...to die for! Really. Rich and creamy and full of so many calories my ass got bigger while I was making it. It was simple to make, too. Just a little chicken broth to boil the taters in, add some chopped onion, when soft, add cream cheese and blend. Yeah, heavenly! Serve it in a bread bowl with bacon and shredded cheddar and you might as well call the heart surgeon.

In the past six weeks, I have made not only potato soup, but also Mulligatawny soup, taco soup, white bean garlic soup, chicken noodle soup, and chili.

So why am I the soup nazi? I'm on a diet. Yes, I said the die word. Shoot me, m'kay? And tonight I made another batch (albeit a half batch this time) of potato soup because my Grau likes it. So to summize- I am making a soup I love but cannot eat. No Soup for me!

Grau took taco soup to work for dinner tonight. (I freeze leftover soup in individual containers for his lunches and general ease of quick eating!) We also had some leftover bread bowls. He took the last one with him tonight. I just got a text that read, 'Taco soup =good. Taco soup w/sweet corn mixed in it in a bread bowl= teh awesome!'

Why do I do this to myself? I've often wondered why I cook things I cannot eat. I've come to the conclusion it is because I chose to be on the diet. No one forced me. So why should I quit doing the things I would normally do? Besides, if I don't cook, Grau may wither away. :-)

Okay, so that is a stretch. But I do continue to cook for him because I like to make him happy. And I like to cook. It's a win-win. Winter seems to lend itself to hearty, warm soups and loaves of bread.

Unfortunately, No Soup For Me!

At least, not for another 10 days. That's when I go off my diet for the following three weeks. (Three on, three off)

So, go make yourself a nice hearty bowl of soup. I suggest the Mulligatawny. It's fantastic!

Baby, Now That I've Found You

I am amazed, every single day, just how lucky I am to have found someone that literally is the ying to my yang. I have been living with my prince for almost seven (7) months now, and not a single argument. Not even a major disagreement. Or small disagreement.

We are adults. We talk about things. We discuss things. We voice our concerns and feelings and reasons. It is absolutely amazing.

And I thank the unknown almighty universe for bringing me the exact match I needed to start my fire.

Everyone is Interesting

Maybe I should say most people are interesting. At some point, you will come across a person that is 'vanilla' plain, but not if you know what to look for. Everyone has a story. Everyone has a life. Everyone has had occurrences in their life, and those occurrences are great stories. Sometimes, it's the person's manner of speech that may put you off, but the story usually never does.

It's all in how it is told. The key is to get the person talking about something they WANT to talk about. This is not the weather or sports. I'm talking meat. Get to the meat of the person, to what trips their trigger and you will find an interesting person with an interesting story. And the boring speech usually fades to reveal the person underneath.

Usually, the good stories are the ones that tell you one of two things. One- something about the person you never knew before or Two- something about the world you never thought of.

I never thought I was an interesting person. But I am. Very much so. And this is not ego or self-confidence talking here. Nope- I actually have led a boring/struggling/normal but interesting life (for instance, did you know I was a carney?). None of which comes across on my blog. When I talk, I enunciate and pronounce things in weird ways. I emphasize certain words. I say EYEther not E-ther (either). I talk with my hands. I get quiet and speak low, or I get LOUD and large.

All to make the story more interesting. Because really, what is a story for if not to teach and or entertain the listener?

So next time you run across someone you believe to be plain and vanilla, talk to them. Find out their story. It could be more enlightening than you think.

Born in the Fall, Probably September

I've often wondered why Christians celebrate the holidays (holy-days) they do. Don't get me wrong, I hold no ill will. I used to be a Christian. A big one. And I am about to probably piss off a lot of people when I say, the Bible is a good History book. There are verifiable occurrences. Isn't that what a history book does? Tell you about an event that you can verify?

I agree with the basic principle of Christianity- love all. Do good.

But I must wonder at the masses when they insist on events occurring at a certain time when they did not, or certain phrases being important they way they are spelled.

For instance, most people believe christmas is December 25. But why do we celebrate it on that day? Most will tell you it is the anniversary of Jesus' birth.

But it is not.

Several clues in the Christian bible tell you Jesus was not born on December 25th. We do not know the exact day, but we know it is in the Fall. One of the better explanations I have run across can be found here.

So why is christmas celebrated on December 25th? Can it be that they early church wanted to cover up the pagen holiday called The Worship of the Sun and Winter Solstice? Probably so. Pagens called Dec. 25th the Worship of the Sun because every day after this day gets longer.

The early church wanted to counteract and cover up Pagen celebrations. Behind every Christian celebration, you can find a Pagen one. Usually. The link I gave is a substandard information site, but it gets the point across.

I find it funny that the early church did everything within it's power to cover anything not like them. They still do to some extent today. I just do not like the dissemination of misinformation. I don't care that Christians celebrate christmas, just do not stand on laurels that are untrue or dig in heels on inaccurate information.

I must admit though, that I do love the holidays. It is a time for family and friends and food. No matter your belief system, it is a special time. And even though I am not a Christian (nor Pagan, btw), I think the overall validity of christian teachings is sound- do good, love thy neighbor, do not covet, etc etc.

Sounds good to me.

Windshield Wiper Workout

I have a pet peeve with windshield wipers. I never knew I did. But apparently I do.

Several times over the past couple of months, Grau and I would be be-bopping it down the road to somewhere. It may rain, but more likely snow.

So he turns on the wipers.

But then it stops raining or snowing.

And he doesn't turn off the wipers.

And it goes Squeek.....Squeek....Squeek....across a dry windshield.

It's like nails on a chalkboard to me!

So I remind him to turn them off.

This afternoon, it started snowing. Heavily. And it was wet snow, smashing into the windshield and immediately making little wet spots all over.

Grau's side of the wipers had snow caked onto it...so I could see, but he couldn't.

'Hon, I think you need to snap! your wiper.'

So he opens his window, waits for the wiper and snaps it when it gets close to his outstretched hand.

A few minutes later....he turns off the wipers....or puts them on slow. And I don't mean, slow-intermediate. I mean like the wiper may move once every five minutes slow.

'Hon, are you going to turn on your wipers?'

He looks at me...and I start laughing. Apparently I have a wiper fetish...they must be going just the right speed or I am not happy.

I never knew this about myself until today.

Grau and I decided that wipers need dimmer switches installed...not those click for each level ones they have now. That way, wiper nazi's like myself can be happy and set it to just the right speed.