Fricken Cold

Today it is about -20 degrees with wind chill! And that is fricken cold! We were out for a few minutes today and you could hardly make it from the house to the garage. Minnesota. Need I say more!

Of sound mind

Today I wrote up a very simple Last Will and Testament--as we are flying soon and I always get paranoid that we will die together & what a mess we would be leaving for Shannon. My goal was to get a real updated will but of course, once again, we never did get time...so I made a new one up. Our last one still had our daughter going to live with our best friends if we died. (I'm just taking a wild guess here that no matter how much she likes the Johnston's she probably wants to stay with her husband in the event of our death.) Anyway, my first sentance says that we are of sound mind. When my husband read it he chuckled..."that's a stretch!" I thought so too!

On a completely different note:
Did you ever wonder where did the slang word for water came from? Agwa…in what language does that say water? Well I wonder-does anyone know?

CANE

My husband and I started watching the new TV series Cane, with Jimmy Smits. (Whom we have loved ever since LA Law. Shannon calls Smits, Dad’s man-crush) The show quickly became a must watch…but already a few short weeks into it…they are going off in a direction I don’t like!
Quick synopsis: Smits’ plays a Cuban who was adopted into a Cuban family who is one of the largest Rum producers in the world and there live in Miami. They are a family who came to this country with nothing from Cuba and made it! Ironically Smits marries their daughter, a so good looking mother who has a son who looks older than her, go figure. Now the father is stepping down as CEO (father has cancer) and named Smits’ in his place. (Upsetting his two natural born sons for more added drama.) In the first few episodes Smits is a strong and of course handsome husband and father who protects his family at all costs. He finds out their nemeses in the Rum business had their younger sister killed years ago. The man who he hired to kill her is now hanging around his family and Smits has one of his men kill him. Now, I forgave him for that. He felt his family was in danger and was taking steps to save them by killing a very bad man. BUT, and this is a big but, now he has gotten in with some unsavory mob guys…and has had a couple more people threatened and beat up. Then several more guys got killed…Now I am thinking this show is going in a direction I don’t like. If I can’t like his character then I don’t want to watch. And he has gotten a few guys killed now along the way-not the type of thing I want to spend my evening watching.

Why does that happen so often with a series…they start out one way and you love them…then the writers turn on you and the show takes a whole new direction. The show you love goes to a show you don’t like and eventually don’t watch. Why can’t they leave well enough alone? What is wrong with happy, contented, moral, monogamous and so on. Why is doing the right thing boring to most of the watching public? Come on writers…Smits needs to be a good guy! I may stop watching if Alex Vega (Smits) doesn’t return from the dark side and soon. But my husband is going to continue…he doesn’t mind the violence as much as I do. His comment was, “It’s only a movie.”

crazy woman

Yesterday I couldn’t remember the year I was born. I was leaving a message and had to leave my birth date and literally kept stumbling on the year. I muttered stupid things like “ah ah I think it’s 1949, yea that sounds right, I think…" I’m sure the nurse I left the message for thinks I am ready for the Alz unit not to mention a wheelchair.
It’s hell to get old.

I'm Thankful

I just returned from a relaxing two days in Duluth!
But reverse to the Wednesday before Thanksgiving…cook, cook, cook! I made sweet potatoes laced with bourbon that had a pecan & brown sugar crumble on top. (yum so wonderful) Loads of my famous spicy sausage and wild rice dressing, 18 deviled eggs, fresh green beans with ham & laced with bourbon (see a theme here?) A cheese ball & Three, count them, three pumpkin pies. By the time my brother added the potatoes, turkey, corn and extras…wow full! And oops I forgot that my friend Darlene made us the most heavenly dinner rolls…real homemade ones. Then to be extra sweet she made homemade caramel rolls for us too.
My knee was the size of a basket ball after standing up for two days of cooking. So then I relaxed at the hotel all day yesterday.
Thanksgiving was a fun day but Shannon & Jon weren’t there and my parents of course. It wasn’t near as fun as the old days when we were all together at mom’s. We all would have too much to drink (had to…to keep from going crazy) we argued about politics, told jokes and laughed. But in the end we would sit down to the best meal ever, cooked by mom and me and do the “I’m Thankfuls” and fell very lucky.
Incase you don’t know what the “I’m Thankfuls” are…It is where we go around the table one by one and say what we were most thankful for that year. There is a lot of pressure…we work on what we are going to say from year to year trying to out-do the next guy with the best one that makes the most people cry. But no matter how hard we try Jon P. still holds the record from the first year we did it about 15 years ago when he brought the whole table to tears saying how thankful he was to be taken in by our family and shown how a real family loves each other! It was much more eloquent than that, but that was the jest of it.
When we got home today reality sunk in…I had 13 calls to make to clients and John is still working. Oh well.
And I was thrilled to see that the neighbors had taken down the huge blowup turkeys in their yard. Although now it is filled with an entire family of polar bears, Santa-locked in a bubble-giant candy cane archways and Rudolph’s with glowing noses…and more. Well, I’m thankful I only have to look at them for two weeks longer! The Sunshine state here I come!

It's a Wonderful Life

I watch the Fox news morning show with coffee everyday. The cast, Steve, Gretchen & Brian always banter and make me laugh. I think it is a good thing when you keep up on world news, which is so depressing, but you can still get a few good laughs. But today I was shocked and horrified! Gretchen admitted that she had never seen the movie, “It’s a wonderful life”! That spun my world off its axis. That anyone who lives in America and is over the age of five and hasn’t seen that movie…That would be like someone saying they had never seen, “Miracle on 34th ST.” or “Casablanca” There are some movies that are so great they change your lives.
One movie that was life changing for me was “Love Story”. I was a young teen who thought death was something reserved only for the very old; until I saw that show. When Ally McGraw dies I started crying and didn’t stop for days. (To this day I can’t watch it again.) After about the 2nd night of crying my dad sat down on my bed, he said, “You do realize it was just a movie, she is fine, nothing happened to her?”
I still remember my answer, “I know that but it happened to somebody for real. That is who I am crying for.”
I think that was the moment I knew life was scary—it was a crap shoot. I have been terrified of the safety of my loved ones ever since.
Thankfully most of the classic movies that mean so much to me and my family, do not have lessons that hard to learn.

Memory Monday

Memory Monday was Shannon’s idea, here goes:
When my older brother and I were little Mom used to recite a poem to us while she cleaned the house or did the dishes, it was Little Orphan Annie by James Whitcomb Riley. It was to keep us entertained and out of trouble. I can still hear her voice and scary inflections as she spun the tale. It won’t be as good as hearing her say it but read it for yourself…and share it with your little goblins...


Little Orphan Annie's come to my house to stay. To wash the cups and saucers up and brush the crumbs away. To shoo the chickens from the porch and dust the hearth and sweep, and make the fire and bake the bread to earn her board and keep. While all us other children, when the supper things is done, we sit around the kitchen fire and has the mostest fun, a listening to the witch tales that Annie tells about and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!

Once there was a little boy who wouldn't say his prayers, and when he went to bed at night away up stairs, his mammy heard him holler and his daddy heard him bawl, and when they turned the covers down, he wasn't there at all! They searched him in the attic room and cubby hole and press and even up the chimney flu and every wheres, I guess, but all they ever found of him was just his pants and round-abouts and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!

Once there was a little girl who always laughed and grinned and made fun of everyone, of all her blood and kin, and once when there was company and old folks was there, she mocked them and she shocked them and said, she didn't care. And just as she turned on her heels and to go and run and hide, there was two great big black things a standing by her side. They snatched her through the ceiling fore she knew what shes about, and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!

When the night is dark and scary, and the moon is full and creatures are a flying and the wind goes Whoooooooooo, you better mind your parents and your teachers fond and dear, and cherish them that loves ya, and dry the orphans tears and help the poor and needy ones that cluster all about, or the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!!

Wishing or Washing

This time of year all my windows look like crap, all spotted from the rainy/dusty season.
For those of you who (like me) don’t DO windows I have a tip:
This will sound weird….Go with me here…
Thoroughly mix in 1 cup corn starch in about 2 quarts cool water. I use an old wash rag get it wet in mixture, then ring out damp dry, wipe window let sit for a minute until the window has a white film, then rub dry with a another old wash rag or towel. Rub in any direction, or in circles…still no streaks…not a one. Tip: The corn starch wants to settle to the bottom of the bucket so you must continue to swish it around.
Seriously, try it. Your windows will never look better.

I bet you think I am washing windows today? Nope, just wishing I was washing them.

Okay five random things about me:

1. I get injured doing nothing. (It’s mysterious and it sucks) Good thing I didn’t get pregnant-mysteriously-I would be Old Mother Hubbard by now.
2. I can fart with the best of them! (Ask anyone who really knows me-propriety will not let me explain further.)
3. I am crafty. I can make or figure out how to knock-off almost anything. And I enjoy doing it.
4. I am a fabulous cook-modesty is not one of my virtues-I don’t use a recipe I dump and it turns out great. I eat at restaurants and I can taste exactly what’s in the food for spices.
5. I have a preference for small furry dogs who bark incessantly!
6. Favorite drinks: Water is beverage one! Wine is beverage two. Coffee beverage three and honorable mention goes to beer and most other spirits. (Also I love spicy hot V8 juice-go figure.)

Counting Down

Sitting here at work looking at my crooked wooden cane leaning in the corner, I keep thinking that Kris Kringle (from Miracle on 34th ST.) should be here any second. I love that movie. And with Thanksgiving only a few days away I’m sure I will be watching it! (As flat-backing is about all I can do anyway.)
Today I can see winter is coming our way. Flurries are blowing past the window at high velocities. And it is cold-burr. I hope Old Man Winter can be held at bay somehow until I leave the state…only 27 more days until I get to the land of Sunshine! Yipee!

Gimpy update

Got through two days gimping along with my cane—today at work I was wondering if a client came in and was real nasty--would I be tempted to hit them with my cane? Turns out everyone was nice. I didn't have to assault anyone.
Leg hurting must climb stairs while I am able…over and out!

Bad Karma

I guess I got paid back with some bad Karma for the blow-up the blow-up comment…’cause my knee blew-up!
Happened Friday about 3:00 just all of a sudden I couldn’t bend my knee John found my mom's cane & I hobbled up the 13 stairs to the apartment, ace-wrapped it and iced it all weekend. I managed to hobble down to work today but I don’t think I will work very long. I hope it gets better by this weekend as next week is prepping for Thanksgiving and that will take some doing in my current condition.
I had nothing to do all weekend but lay around so I turned on QVC which turned out to be hard on the credit card…How was I to know it was a Bare Esentials (make up) weekend! At least I didn’t buy any porcelain dolls! But with any luck maybe now I will look like one! Ha Ha!

Blow up the Blow-ups!

What do blow up holiday lawn ornaments say about those who put them up?
I wonder what possesses someone say to themselves, “I think I would like to have a 15 foot high, glowing turkey, in my yard.” Or a Huge, fat Charlie Brown who lays on the ground even when he’s inflated. (my neighbors yard) I call him Poor sad Charlie because he is bent in half every year.
Why would anyone want to see Santa and Rudolf trapped in a bubble by night and lying in a puddle by day? Or worse the 20 foot inflated Christmas tree with branches that are shaped like torpedo-breasts!
Or the Santa down the street that I call dead Santa because they don’t ever light him after the first night and lies in a puddle until July.
When the blow-ups are lit they look like huge glowing aliens from a mutant planet and when the lights go off they lay like dead things in a puddle.

So what do blow up ornaments say about those people who buy them? I think they say--
“THE LIGHT IS ON BUT NOBODY IS HOME.”

"Pinning" Finger

I have to tell you an old story to tell you a new story:
Thirty odd years ago when my husband and I were engaged it was our first Christmas. And we had cut down a real tree and he was going to trim a few small low branches. Well I was a girl living alone and I didn’t have any utility knives but I got him a large kitchen cleaver, and he started cutting. (Toward himself, obviously he wasn’t a boy scout.) The knife slipped and he stuck his finger in his mouth and started yelling and jumping around the room. I was trying to grab his hand and see the damage but he kept jumping around with the finger in his mouth saying, “Oh my God ith’s my pinning finger, ith’s my pinning finger!”
“What the hell is a pinning finger I asked?” handing him a wet washcloth.
He covered the finger with the cloth and spat out, “My spinning finger you idiot!”
“Well then what the hell is a spinning finger?”
“The finger I use to spin a basketball!”
Well we finally examined the finger and it was a small slice and the spinning finger was in tact!
“Well it looks fine,” I say.
“It could still heal with a bump and throw off my spin.” He said in a disgruntled, whiney voice.
I thought he was making a bit too much out of a little cut. And since he wasn’t a basketball star nor did he play for the Harlem Globe Trotters, I couldn’t see the importance of a spinning finger. Well it was important apparently. And I guess I was lucky we even got married after that.

Now here is the new story:
Last night after a grueling day at work I fried fresh fish for dinner and made a nice meal etc...so after dinner my husband was helping wash the dishes while I put the leftovers away. All of a sudden I heard a muffled screech and I saw he had his dish-soapy hands by his face with one finger in his mouth. So I figured he had cut himself. There were no knives in the sink. (I never do that.) He had cut it on the metal tongs. Okay, obviously not easy to do as I wash them every night, but it happened. So I said, I’ll take over the dishes and you go put a Band-Aid on it. I handed him a paper towel and he went into the bathroom. I finished up all the food and dishes (about 15-20 minutes) he was still in the bathroom. So I walked in and see a spotty bloody paper towel and Band-Aids everywhere and ointment and so forth. So I say with humor, “do we have to amputate? Or can we save it?” He doesn’t see the humor in that.
He is holding up his hand, finger pointing upward. So I put on some ointment and a couple Band-Aids. “You’ll be fine in a couple days. But I don’t think you will make the try out for the Globe Trotters again this year.” It was his “pinning” finger don’t you know!

Manic Monday

Busy at work today oh my! Add in Manic MN weather—I was talking with a client this morning and I looked up to see a full blown snow white blizzard out the window. By the time I finished my conversation and turned back to the window it had stopped. All day has been like that--fast forward and repeat then delete.
But just when I was about to pull my hair out in walked a tall, dark, handsome stranger…Surprise…it was my son-in-law! He was up north hunting and stopped in with fresh venison. He shot a big doe and was kind enough to share. He was on his way to buy an ice chest so he could take the meat home with him on the plane. We had a wonderful visit even though it was short.
Brring…Now back to reality…Manic Monday.

Starry Starry Night

Around 5:00 am this morning my husband said, you have to get up and look at the sky. And wow he was right. The moon was about a quarter sliver but that was enough to back- light the entire sky to a gorgeous blue, and in my life I have never seen the stars so big and so bright! They really were like diamonds sparkling—big diamonds! Nothing beats a MN starry night.

Angel was not an Angel

Even “Bah Hum Ween” me...made Angel a costume this year; a hand knitted pink sparkly skirt and a pink bridal netting veil that tied around her neck. She looked like an angel fairy princess but I don’t have a picture posted as she wouldn’t leave it on long enough for me to take one. Every time someone came, I would put it on and hold her then take it off. No dog ever hated her costume more…(like mother like dog…she obviously doesn’t like Halloween either!)
I decided to drink wine during the whole candy give away…made it much more fun!