Ring Around the Rosey - We All Fall Up

Fall has always felt more like the beginning of the year for me. With fall fashion for us to check out and the fall organizing and buttoning up of all things summer it seems like a great place to begin a new thought.

Years and years ago I had a thread on a forum-type place (I got kicked off! ha! So did my friend T! I don't know what we did - something horrible! No we didn't, but we did get kicked off.) named Wrecking Ball. But now that term has been overtaken by a young 'un singer so I need a new phrase - hmm . . . My youngest daughter mentioned a few months ago in passing that she was having the Year of Lorenzo. I like that. I kept saying a year ago that it was my Last Good Summer because the following summer I was turning a certain age, ahem, and life as I know it would be over. Of course it isn't, but I am dramatic. Life isn't. IT ISN'T!

Maybe "They're All Good Summers" or "I'm Forever in Summer" or "Summer is my Middle Name." How about "Forever Fall?"

I'll think a minute longer.

I like beginnings. The thinking, the plotting, the progress charting, the checklists.

Time to turn on the fireplace. Time to make stew. Time to organize our office. Time to bring the kitties home from the lake. Time to begin.

Squeeky in love

Me in love

Love in space

Puppers love

Be Thankful, Even for the Mess

Thanksgiving came and went. Pup and I watched movies yesterday nearly non-stop. Some of the mess from the previous days activities still hanging around in The Big Room. It really looked so lovely at the beginning of the day Thursday.

But I didn't take any photos.

"Momma! You haven't taken any photos today." My Bella said at the end of the day.

I was in the kitchen mostly. In the kitchen doing a bit of damage control. My friend AB was helping me thank god and thank you AB. The aftermath of a big meal is sometimes horrendous! I walk in there and think, "F- it. I'm moving." Mostly because I just don't know where to start.

But you do. Start that is. And it gets cleaned up. I'm kinda getting why my own momma was tiring of having holidays after a while. So much work. And it feels, just a little bit, like no one cares.

It made me cranky. Not thankful. Kinda bitchy. "Vicious!" Pup always says. He loves a vicious-woman he says. I know he doesn't really think I'm vicious. But I am cranky.

So, pour me a drink and I'll clean the damn kitchen. Bah!

:)

This little dude was there making everything worth it.

Yes, he really is that beautiful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pup and I are starting to poke around for something on a lake or river. Just a little chunk of something. For later. For now. No, despite my exclamation up there ^ we are not moving. I just like to kvetch.

Because I have to embrace all that I am. And right now I'm whining.

I'm also tired of the kinda Facebook life everyone is leading. You know what I mean; either everyone is perfect and happy and never needing to clean their house or a shower or they're politicking, passive-agressiving (which I am the queen of), leaving cryptic "words of wisdom" all over the f-ing place, or simply saying stupid stuff. Oh, I do it too! Don't let me get away with pretending I don't! That place is kinda a swamp. The smart ones lurk and sit down.

I'm not really this vicious in real life. I just like to play one on the internet.

indulging my vintage in my office

I do think I worry too much about what is right and what is thought. Yesterday I was poking around at one of my favorite poke-around shops and I was feeling pressured by a few people behind me that were wanting to be standing where I was standing. Sometimes, most times, I might move to let them in. Yesterday I widened my stance, shot one of them a small smile, and finished my browsing in the section I was in.

I felt amazing. Not aggressive. Not bitchy. I just felt empowered for a minute. There are ways to be effective without being bitchy Deborah.

Whooooo ya!

It's day three of the long weekend. What are you doing today?

Knee Deep in the Bootla

Well, not exactly. It's snowed a bit here and there, but not the pounding I'm desiring. It's winter! Let's get our snow on!

We have passed the shortest day which always makes me happy because now we're heading back to longer days of more light.

I do kinda cocoon in during these dark dark days. Very reflective. Maybe even a touch down. It's my nature. I'm mostly happy, but have never minded nurturing a down day here and there. It just feels right at times.

So I pad around in slippers and flannel, enjoying my SAD experience. If that makes no sense, well then welcome! You are beginning to get it!

All of that aside, let's enjoy a few shots of our Eve Eve.

Wow! Is that my house? I like it!

See the workout outfit hanging on the door at the top of the stairs? Yeah, it's been hanging there for more than a minute. Heh!

George is waiting for everyone to get here already. Don't they know he's waiting to hump them and jump on them? Bad dog.

The meatballs. I only ate one while making them. That might be the first time ever.

Load up the tray to set the table.

Simple, but so pretty.

We all have feet.

George might be pouting. He really has no idea that his life is perfect.

But the Squeekers get it.

I hope your days were merry and bright.

Smooches all my holiday hooches.

Lately

December 20th.

How is it that each and EVERY Christmas it sneaks up on me. December 1st was just two days ago yes? Poopy shitty.

We've been hosting quite a bit here at Chez Emerson. We had a small, but lovely, Thanksgiving where I managed to bring the meal to the table on time and in a tasty fashion. And this past Saturday we hosted The Pup Family Christmas at our house. I think about 38 people were milling around here.

The Pup Family Christmas usually is held at the church since there are so many of us, especially now since my family is involved and the young uns are pairing up and reproducing at an alarming rate. I'm kidding, there isn't anything alarming about it.

But having it at the church, in the church basement, was never much fun. We would congregate, (like that? I'm really good I know) eat, play the dice game, clean up, leave.

Pup's sister had it at her house a couple of years ago and it was sooooo much better. We decided when it was our turn we would chance it here.

Of course it had to fall on the weekend following my first week on the new job. By Wednesday, when I would come home full of funny stories, excitement about what I was learning, and simple exhaustion because learning is hard - and then fall into bed by 9:00 instead of planning, cleaning, organizing - I was getting a bit worried.

Oh hell, let's not lie. I was getting a big fretful.

No reason to fret.

I was more organized than I realized. I had written the menu and sent out assignments to all involved so by Saturday morning all I had to do was throw the turkey in the oven, put the honey baked in the crock and open some wine. I had implored Lorenzo to come early to help, but she and the BT came and just got to hang out with us and visit. And Lorenzo and I drank some coffee with Bailey's - mmmm!

It went off perfectly. Just how I wanted it. Instead of all of the families breaking into groups by family like we always did at the church, I found groups of people TALKING and LAUGHING. It was wonderful. I kinda wouldn't mind having it every year, but don't tell Pup.

This week we are hosting The Eve Eve (the kidlets and theirs come be with us alone) and Pup is pouting big time because I'm making my world famous spaghetti and meatballs á la Marlena - my momma. I've said before that I am a good cook, not a great cook, but I do have two areas where I am the best. In my head the best.

My meatballs are beyond good. I'm serious. Not like anything you've ever had. Don't argue with me and think, "Oh she hasn't had mine" because you'd be wrong.

Yes, I'm half kidding, but half NOT kidding. For real y'all.

So, my meatballs and then my gravy. I can make gravy. I can make you fall in love with gravy.

The rest that I can cook is good, but these two are superb. It's not bragging when it's the truth. Ha!

But Pup is pouting because he says that's not traditional and I said suck it Pup. I made turkey twice in two months. Enough with the turkey. He said I am vicious. Smooches my Pup - I'll make traditional on Christmas day.

Eating in a Chinese Restaurant

I have loved Chinese food all my life. Well, the type of Chinese food you can get in Minnesota anyway.

When I was in high school my friends and I would have lunch at the Minneapolis Nankin as often as we shopped downtown (often I have to say) and I always felt so grown-ass womanlike sitting on the balcony with a little delightful teacup and teapot sitting on our table while I ate pork chow mein and crunched on egg rolls.

Minneapolis Nankin 1958

The whole experience, every time, would make me feel seriously grownup and I would take my little paper box home with me and eat the leftovers directly out of the box like I had seen in movies shot in New York where all New Yorkers could order takeout (there was no such thing as Chinese delivery when I was in high school)

My momma loved to eat at the House of Wong in St. Paul (the website says Roseville, which is technically true). She and I ate there hundreds of times and when my girls got old enough I took them there with us.

I had a girlfriend when I was in my 20s and she and I would meet for lunch there every week. We both worked nights at the time and it was a great way to catch up and have leftovers to bring to work. In a little paper box.

When my mom was so sick back in 2004 I would bring take out from House of Wong to her house in North Branch, Minnesota on most Sundays and we would eat out of the little paper boxes. So good. Some really good memories for me now that she is gone.

Not much to look at on the outside, but awesomeness on the inside.

We still go there and now it's Pup and his momma I drag with me. Momma Betty loves her some chicken chow mein and Pup is a big fan of their turkey dinner. I know, I know. He isn't a fan of Chinese so Momma B and I are happy he has something to eat when we go there.

Last night Pup, Momma Betty, Lorenzo, and I headed out. It had been planned for a week or so, but I was thinking all week, "what will I order??" Let's face it, Chinese isn't the best choice when you're starting a new and whole food approach to your eating.

I poked around the menu a while and found that egg foo yong isn't a bad choice at all. Made of mostly vegis and eggs it seemed perfect. I had a bit of rice along with it as well. Stayed away from the fried rice (which I'd arm wrestle you for normally).

Came away from the experience with a full tummy and a guilt-free mind. And a little paper box.

Yesterday, 9.11.11, was my daughter Bella's birthday.

We had a family BBQ. Pup and The Big B sat in the living room and watched hours of football while Bella, Lorenzo, Lorenzo's boyfriend BT, and I commandeered The Big Room (which is so lovely I want to sleep with it - pictures someday I hope) and watched some crazy movie on the Netflix stream.

The two youngest young uns were a tad hungover we discovered while Bella and I planned our next outing, shoe shopping for her birthday present and another closet makeover and styling session for Bella.

Another fun family dinner with our family. And yes, it was on 9.11.

10 years ago on 9.11.01 it was my daughter's 19th birthday.

I had taken the day off from my downtown corporate job to stay home and make Bella's favorite meal, my homemade spaghetti with red sauce and meatballs. It takes all day to make the "gravy" and I wanted us to be able to eat at a normal time rather than the 6:30 or 7 when I would normally make it home from my long 2+ hour commute (still cannot believe that I used to drive around 4 hours a day back then).

I was upstairs making beds and getting dressed for the day. Lorenzo was in the living room downstairs waiting for ride to school while watching GMA.

"Mom! I'm leaving! You better turn on the television. Something is happening."

I went downstairs and turned on the television. Of course, nothing's been the same since.

I don't remember too many details on how I felt that day. Numb, dumbfounded, incredulous. Our family had no direct connection to New York except a love of the city we had visited a time or two. Watching everything unfold I did feel like I had a connection. How could I not? This was way beyond that. This was everything we ever held dear to our hearts.

Our freedoms, our unshakable belief that we live in the best country in the world, our core values.

I do remember spending the entire day in suspended disbelief. Maybe not truly drinking in what this would mean from that moment on.

And I was angry. So angry. As the day spun away and we all waited for word, I wanted everything to be fixed. Fixed. I had no idea how broken everything was.

So, yesterday, we did celebrate our Bella's 29th birthday. We laughed and cried at a dumb movie. We endured Pup's constant haggling (annoying, lovely man), we ate burgers, pasta salad, awesome little wonton thingys Lorenzo made.

Pup hung a new flag on the front of the Chez Emerson.

In the back of my mind I thought of how it's been in the past 10 years.

Family Dinners

With tax season over, and with that the 20 hour days that accompany the season, and the promise of four hour days looming for the summer, Pup was feeling free and easy and sent out a text message to the young uns saying

Let's celebrate, who wants to go to Fogo?

Pup, giddy with man-crack excitement
(still learning the camera - craptastik photos)

That would be Fogo de Chão, awesome Brazilian steakhouse in downtown Minneapolis. Simply put, this place is man-crack. Not the kind you see on the backsides of plumbers, but the kind where men go CRAZY with steak.

Bella handling a big piece with her dainties

Hot, juicy, sizzling, meat, fresh off the grill, in all the grilled preferences. Tons of it. Dozens of Gauchos running around with skewers of different meat cuts (there's some chicken for the feint of heart - none for me thank you!) ready to slice you off a delicious hunk as you wish.

The sides that no one touched

Rookie-mistake salad bar - I love it though

There also happens to be one of the most amazing salad bars I've ever seen to start with. Most of the boys I've ever gone with to Fogo totally skip this step. They don't want to waste precious room or time with nonessentials. Meat really is the thing here. MEAT!

Mojito!

You are seated, offered a drink from the full bar (Lorenzo and I indulged in Fogo's version of a Mojito - I forget the special name theirs had - delicious!) and given a little, round, button about the size of a drink coaster. Green on one side. Red on the other.

When you're ready for meat, green. When you need to take a break, red. Simple!

Pup and The Big B were ready. Sarah-Bella loosened the belt on her dress to prepare. Lorenzo and I had worn leggings so there would be no clothing interference issues. We were ready. Bring on the Gauchos!

Yes it's true, The Big B never takes off his hat

Activity at our table was fast and furious for quite a while. The boys out eating us soundly. Bella was determined to keep pace with The Big B, but she actually likes to chew her food so she fell behind quickly.

Sarah-Bella is slowing down

The boys always start out briskly, but I do have to say that while the girls do not enjoy the QUANTITY that the boys can intake, we far outdo them with the ENDURANCE of eating. We were still picking away long after Pup and The Big B were trying to sit back as far as they could to let their bellies stretch. Ha!

The service at Fogo is excellent and the manager liked hanging out with us because - well, because we're just that fucking entertaining. I love family dinners. The conversation is fast and furious. We do a lot of laughing and we do a lot of chattering.

Pup pays the huge-ass bill - worth every cent according to him

The best time ever!

The family can still smile even though we cannot move