Challenging

I forgot my lemon water this morning! Grr and ugh . . .

I have had a HUGE craving for minestrone so yesterday afternoon after getting home from The Firm I chopped and diced and made soup. I'm not a lover of most legumes and they are not permitted on this challenge so I left them out.

I mixed up some meatballs, popped them in the oven, and plopped them into the soup even though I know minestrone should be meat-free. Gotta get some protein.

It was bomb! Is that alright to say? Of course I'm lame right now and didn't get a shot of it. I could take a shot of the empty dutch oven or the bowl of leftovers.

Okay, I'll do that.

Full disclosure: I had a Presbyterian (bourbon and diet ginger ale w/lemon). Just one. And one piece of dark chocolate. Okay - maybe a couple of bites of a sweet thing my girl Shelley-Belly brought over. Oh damn - and I threw in a few bits of spiral pasta into the soup.

The soup was bomb in spite.

Then we watched The Wolf of Wall Street. I had seen it before, but fully enjoyed watching again! I love watching bad behavior!

Minestrone
2 tbl olive oil
2 large celery stalk, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
5-6 cups water
1/2 to 1 tsp oregano
1/2 to 1 tsp italian seasonings
1-2 zucchini, diced
2 beef-flavor bouillon cubes
1-2 large carrots, diced
3 cups sliced cabbage
1 onion diced
1/4 lb green beans
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cans diced tomatoes
1/4 cup elbow pasta
grated parmesan cheese

In dutch oven over medium-high heat, lightly brown the carrot, celery, onion, garlic (I always brown the garlic first because of some chemically thingy that happens to garlic), and green beans. 

Add water, salt, oregano, italian seasonings, bouillon, cabbage, zucchini, and tomatoes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in pasta and cook 10 minutes longer until pasta is tender and soup slightly thickened.

Serve in wide bowls with fresh parm sprinkled on top.

Nummy!

How You Sayin' Hello?

I was thinking this morning about a story an old friend told me a while ago about a time when she, along with her husband, visited her brother and his wife. I do know she has a difficult relationship with this particular brother, but the story struck me at the time.

They arrived at her brother's busy house. If memory serves (mine doesn't always serve the most nutritious stuff, but I'll try) her brother had a set of twin teenagers at the time and maybe another child? Busy and energetic house as I'm imagining. The part of the story I do remember her telling me is after arriving at her brother's house, she and her husband took themselves into the living room even though her brother and his family were hanging out in the kitchen/family room area.

I couldn't figure that part out, but she was really angry about this. Angry that her brother left her husband and herself in the living room alone. I didn't say anything, but my mind was screaming, "Why? Why weren't you in the kitchen with the rest of the family?"

Looking back, I believe she wanted to be angry with her brother. Given their tenuous relationship I can only imagine why the brother left the two of them in the living room. I imagined the house as large and noisy and energetic and the place to hang out would have been in the family room with the rest of the family. I still puzzle on this one.

At the recent Pup Family Christmas that we co-hosted I had a few family members say, "Edith was here all day and never said a word to me." "Arthur sat there and never spoke to me."

When I hear others say this, I realize how idiotic it sounds. Because, yes, I've said those words as well. "They never talked to me all day." Which means I didn't talk to them. But I don't think any of us see it that way in the moment.

We sit in our seclusion, waiting for someone else to make the first move. Which isn't going to work in a family or situation where the others are waiting for the first move to come from you.

With the Pup Family, when first introduced so many years ago, the family dynamic was to not speak to the new person, which happened to be me. They are a more inclusive and perhaps shy bunch at the outset. And myself, as the new person, spring boarded off of this and I became the one who did not speak first. Probably because deep in me is that watch-and-wait thing that feeds into a bit of my introversion.

Of course, all these years later, I know some of them very well, some not so well, and some not at all. That's how it is sometimes yes? But it is never fair of me to say about anyone, "He didn't talk to me. I sat here all day and he didn't talk to me." Make the effort, silly! You'll soon find out if they want to speak to you or not.

I do love how no matter what your age, if your mind is open you can make changes. But only to yourself as I have to remind MYSELF constantly. Being loud and stubborn isn't going to make a heap of difference to anyone else.

If not, you'll find yourself sitting in the living room all alone while everyone else is in the family room having the best time.

Christmastime Quote

  Christmas Gift Suggestions

• To your enemy, forgiveness. 
• To an opponent, tolerance. 
• To a friend, your heart. 
• To a customer, service. 
• To all, charity. 
• To every child, a good example. 
• To yourself, respect.

~Oren Arnold, Author

I Love Sitting in a Bar

I know that sounds bad. But I do. I love all the chatter, and energy, and good lookin' people, and laughter. I love the young and generally adorable servers. I love how they will bring me anything I want within reason.

I had the best day yesterday.

In the morning I scrubbed and vacuumed our camper, The Burn Unit (we lit on fire a couple of years ago), to get ready for a trip Pup and I are taking around the world. Well, maybe not exactly around the world, but around a few places.

It was, from what the weather-boys were saying, maybe the last warmish day for a while and the dew points were sky-high. I let my hair air dry all morning which always makes for an interesting hair day. Boooya! That camper looks nice though. It really suffered from last years trip down that long winding trail into the woods with the kids. Sadly, we can never bring it down there again. Can you see my sad face?

So . . . chores finished I headed out in The Captain (our Honda Pilot) to pick up my Shelley-Belly where we relaxed with mani/pedi's and then went for cocktails outside at one of my favorite places.

Sitting outside at a bar here in Minnesota can be a couple of things. It can be too windy, the sun can be glaring in your eyes, it can be so f-ing hot you sweat into your fish tacos, or the venue is on an exhaust-blowing avenue. Bitch much?

Yesterday was not like that. Perfect. Gentle breeze, overcast just the perfect amount, even with the dew points the temp a perfect setting. Good food, my beloved Makers Mark, and good conversation punctuated with loud (from my end) peals of laughter.

I didn't want to leave. Why can't I just spend my life sitting in an elegant bar, sipping my bourbon, laughing and talking?

Hmm?

I kid! But yesterday did remind me of an outing I took many years ago with the Wasband and another couple.

We had gone to a wonderful Minneapolis landmark, Nye's Polonaise Room, for the start of our day together. I had ordered a rum and diet, which was my drink at that time, had taken my first sip, and hollered out, "Hey! Did you put ANY diet coke in here?"

The barkeep immediately hollered back, "If that's what you want, get your ass to Applebee's!"

We all fell out laughing and laughing. I sipped my wonderful cocktail with my tail between my legs, fully chastised.

Drink on my hooches!

Safe in my Lilith Fair Care

Remember Lilith Fair?

I heard Sarah McLachlan tried to revive it a few years back and it failed. The thought made me sad. I still love listening to Sarah even though one of her songs is overplayed on a pet rescue commercial. I've seen her in concert several times and I've always found her music lovely and poignant.

The festival took place only three years. 1997, 1998, and 1999. My Bella went with a group of girls and some mothers in 97 and Bella, Lorenzo, and I went with a couple of other mothers and their daughters along with a few of their friends in 98 and 99.

It was an enjoyable festival! All that good music in one place always makes me happy. And taking your daughters for an event as this was bonding and memorable.

I remember the festivals as mostly just that. Lots of mothers with their daughters, lots of young women, lots of lesbians, and a few dazed and confused men wandering around wondering why this wasn't working out as an opportunity for them. Those guys made me laugh always the hardest.

At that time in our lives, the girls and I lived with their daddy in a small town so I clearly remember them experiencing an alternative type of lifestyle they hadn't seen before. That was good as well. Believe me, I worried a bit during their young years that we were doing them a disservice living in such a rather sheltered place. I shouldn't have worried - they both moved on to be very enlightened young women in spite of that. Hooray for education.

Although maybe there was a bit too much enlightenment on one of the trips.

We had decided as a group to stay overnight close to the festival so we could get a jump in the morning staking out a good spot to enjoy the music.

We were checked into a chain hotel where we ate dinner, split up into three rooms with one mom in each room.

I remember the hotel having decks that opened out onto an atrium where there was an indoor pool and lounge chairs in this huge space. We had fed the girls, told them to put on their suits, and enjoy the pool as the other two moms and I (one was my very best friend Reechie and the other her sister) pulled out our adult beverages and relaxed in the lounge chairs to watch the girls swimming.

We were talking, drinking, and giggling for quite a while and as the three of us loved to do, talking up a storm. I can yak and somehow always find myself with women of this same love. Quel surprise!

I was gazing over at the swimming pool and glanced up at one of the many TV screens they had placed all around the atrium. Because for goodness sakes, obviously we cannot just entertain ourselves without TV yes? Don't get me started on that.

So . . . I glanced up at one of the screens that were showing the same thing on all of the screens and I thought to myself, "Is that a breast I just saw?"

Oh dear.

I keep watching.

Yes, that is a breast. And a naked butt of a well-built man. Oh - there's another butt. And some more breasts.

It finally dawns on me with a thud that somehow, the channel has been changed to one of those soft-porn stations and this is showing all over the atrium probably 30+ times over.

I jump up with my unsteady legs and hightail it down the long hall in my wedge sandals to quickly let the front desk know what is going on in the atrium.

I can hear my two fellow mommas laughing uproariously!

All I can think of is that a couple of other mommas trusted me with their precious daughters and I'm letting them watch porn!

Lorenzo and Bella bottom right

Oh.my.god.

I wobble back to our chairs, sit down, take a long pull from my margarita, and say, "We shall never speak of this." Which, of course, was a huge lie. I've spoken of it a million times.

Grande surprise.

Giving Those Loving Gestures

Getting the trees!

Little K (the Baby-Doll) is our beyond-blessing for the year. The year has been full of blessings and I sometimes can't believe how blessed we are. Then I think how we might just deserve our blessings. And why not?

I was at happy hour the other day and I was speaking to a friend. She mentioned something I had done for Pup when she was with us. It was something I did during dinner to make his experience better. Pup is a picky eater and sometimes I ignore his wants, sometimes I cater to his wants, and sometimes I help. I can't worry about him and what he will or won't eat all the time because his eating limits do make me insane, but I love him.

She said she would have wanted to get angry or smack him or get disgusted. I could tell that she thought my helping him in that moment was something she would never do. While she was telling me this I felt a flash of shame. Was what I had done a weakness on my part? Did it make Pup look weak? Was it less than perfect (something I apparently worry about all the time)?

It didn't hit me until days later that what I had done was a loving gesture. That's all. Just a simple, loving gesture. Done in the moment. Only because I love him. It was a good thing. Nothing for me to think twice about. 

Loving gestures. I want to give more of them. To those I love. Not worry how it makes me look. If loving someone and wanting to make something more comfortable in a moment is weak, then I'm wanting to be the weakest!

I see that today. I wish I had seen it then and always.

I will be watching for opportunities to give loving gestures. And why not? It takes nothing away from me and might make me happier.

Merry Christmas my hooches! Are you ready for your own loving gestures?

Dream a Little Dream

you're no good

I had the craziest dream last night. I woke after/during it and thought, "This one is actually worth telling!" But it disappeared this morning. Only the wisp of crazy remains in my memory. Which is good because having to listen to someone else's dream is second only to looking at someone else's vacation photos. Oye to the vey! I like to have a stick in my handbag just for poking out my eyes on such occasions. I have had to hand my sticks to those I have inflicted with my vacation shots. That's the kind of woman I am!

This just reminded me of when I was pregnant with my dear Bella. I had made friends with a neighbor in our fairly isolated rural neighborhood. She was a cousin-in-law of one of our dear friends and while she was not my normal girl, she turned out to be a very good friend at a time I needed another mother to help me along my brand new journey of becoming a momma.

One evening she and he husband invited us over for dinner on a Saturday evening. She had recently had a baby and I was about seven months or so along in my first pregnancy.

After dinner the guys were enjoying an after dinner beer while she dragged out one of those slide projectors people used to have with the circle of photos. She was a talker and I confess to only listening to her half the time on occasion so I wasn't entirely certain what we were going to be looking at.

Suddenly her peek-at-chu came peeking out from the screen. Along with her baby's head poking out of that peek-at-chu. My poor wasband nearly came undone. What the hell? I could hear his unspoken cries. As for me, a very pregnant first timer, it was rather horrifying. My own little baby started doing summersaults in utero in response to my fight or flight adrenalin pouring out.

Along with the slides was a running dialog of the whys, hows, whens and every other unimaginable thing you do not want to know.

This experience scared me so I was seriously dreading when my own babe would pop out into the world. My experience was just fine, but that should have been a lesson to me to not overshare birth experiences. But women can't help themselves. It's a big thing we can do and the stories need to be told.

But maybe not shown.

Love These Like She Loved These

The weather has turned.

That's okay by me. As I've said, I do love summer, but grow weary of hot days. I have always enjoyed the dreary, rainy aspect that some fall days have. And I enjoy entering a different portion of my closet.

I spent one dreary, fall day at the auction of my dear friend Reechie. She and her adorable husband Neily sold their farm and are moving far far away. Maybe to return part-time here, but maybe not.

:(

I saw her grouping of luncheon plates and whispered to my friend Deb-oh-rah, "Don't let me bid of those."

Then about 30 minutes later I made her promise to ignore what I had just said.

Hello!

I used to own this set (or one just like it) way back in the day although I didn't have any cups. When I left my wasband I didn't take these with me. I mourned them the minute I left them with him. Along with a lot of outfits and such I impulsively donated. What a doofus.

So . . . I bid on these. I bid against Neily's daughter. I bid aggressively and got them. I apologized to the daughter, but said, "These were going to be mine!" She can find another set. Frankly, they are all over the place. My beautiful, tiny friend Shelley-Belly told me her daddy used to broker these luncheon plates (and other styles) back when she was even tinier.

While Neily was carrying these to my car (smooches to a gentleman) he said, "You know, if I had known you wanted these, you could have had them!"

I just grinned at him. I liked buying them from their farm. Now, as I told Reechie, every time I have guests and serve snacks on these lovelies I will think of her and her gorgeous farm.

When I got them home Pup simply said, "What is this gristle?" That's his word for all my treasures. He's kidding. I think.

:)

It's Saturday! I am attending a baby class with my ready-to-pop Bella (that baby is so close I can smell him!) and then off to the office with Pup for some rearranging. What are y'all doing?

Even Marilyn Did It

Avoided empty carbs that is!

I think that's sauerkraut on that dog isn't it?

This woman was light-years ahead of all of us. She did strength training y'all!

I am digging her workout outfit.

I had a girl day yesterday. Met a couple of friends in a town far away for a little digging and drinkin' and talkin'. Super fun. And I scored a couple of things that made one of my friends look at me with a face that said, "I thought I knew you."

I always have a vision. You just might not like it. Ha!

Yes, that is another skull (have I shown the other one I have? Or the 8-point buck antlers I have from a car-kill I was involved in years ago? I forget. I'll share soon.

And yes, that's another paint-by-number gem. There's a mid-century magazine rack out in the garage as well. I am thinking it will look good in my new office - maybe? I'm still thinking about that one. I'll post shots of the office (still pondering a name for our office - nothing is coming just yet) when it's more towards completion. Still waiting for a few key pieces like filing laterals. Ha!

Smooches to you my friends and let's eat and move à la Marilyn!

Lick Your Lips for Me

. . . here is a random shopping find. I am always on the hunt for lipstick. I recently bought a lovely red Revlon lipstick after seeing Lorenzo wearing a red. I bought more of a blue red and although I love it, I've decided that when you are a woman of a wonderful age, which means not a 20 something, 30 something, or more, red lipstick thins the lips. I've seen it millions of times. Anything a bit too dark makes those lips look just like two skinny slashes of red and seems to make your skin look less than lustrous.

BTW - Revlon makes GREAT lipsticks. They all are wonderful. Makes you kissable.

I found what seems to be so far the perfect shade. It is incredible to many, if not all, skin tones. It makes my blue eyes POP! I mean they leap off my face.

Okay - they really don't, but this lipstick is great. The color is Revlon's Pink Truffle. It's not drying and revitalizes nicely when you apply a gloss over it later. Or just reapply. I like a little bit of a wetter look now and then so I gloss over it. And it is great on its own.

My little tip from me to you. Not that you asked, but I do love to give.  ;)

One little random shot from the other fun night with my friend, Reechie. We played Bingo at Stanley's in Northeast Minneapolis. We were losers, but not really. A perfect evening with my perfect friend.

Rock your lipstick today hooches. All the shades.