Saturday, March 5, 2011

I Finished A Sentence

I am so proud of myself. A few weeks ago I was on the phone with my sister, ET and I finished a sentence.

I had mentioned to her that my son's girlfriend, Sandra, actually liked my cooking!!

Bless her heart. I can only imagine that she has lived on a diet of Lucky Charms and burritos all her life. Actually, it's kind of funny but she actually prefers the store brand of Lucky Charms over the real ones. I think they're called Fortunate Flakes or something like that. I couldn't remember so I looked in the pantry to see and they were called Rainbow Treasures.
She must have gotten them from Krogers because the Food Lion brand is called something else. Magic Charms maybe?

I don't know. I usually shop at Food Lion. The service isn't as great as Martin's but actually Martin's isn't as good as it was before they bought it from Ukrops. But Food Lion is convenient and less expensive.

Believe me, every penny saved can help. Food is so expensive these days! Everything is. I don't see how young couples can afford to buy houses or even rent apartments when they are starting out. And if they have children.....well....whew!

I'm really glad JM and Sandra have absolutely no desire to have children at this time. They want to wait years. There really is no rush. I was 27 years old when I had my first.

That was a good age to start a family. I know some people start a lot younger and do fine but there doesn't need to be a big rush. Of course if they get married and have kids I won't be a meddling mother-in-law...hopefully. I do hope they let me help. And there really isn't anything wrong with me being in the delivery room. I can recommend I great pediatrician. If they aren't feeding the baby right or dressing it appropriately, I'll need to help them out. Oh my, I hope they don't forget to put a hat on my grandchild when they go out in the cold.

I hope they don't feed him/her solid foods too soon. I know Sandra likes solid foods but a baby can't have that for a while.

Sandra actually does like my cooking.

I made pancakes the other day and she loved them. I think she really does like my cooking.

SEE! I finished the sentence!!

(no applause necessary)

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Lifestyle vrs The Experts

Eating healthy. Everywhere you go you hear or read about it. "If you eat healthy, you will live longer". Yes, I'm sure that eating healthy is important to a long healthy life, but there is just so much more involved.

My grandmother, God bless her soul, was an incredible cook. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING has ever tasted better than the meals she cooked. Deep fried Chicken, Light Bread Cakes (biscuit dough deep fried until crispy and then split in the middle and covered with real butter). YUM! Succulent ham and vegetables cooked in the ham hock. Butter beans cooked with sugar, butter and ham...INCREDIBLE! Greasy yummy delicious food. Bread, rolls or biscuits with butter were at every meal. Fried Fish with homemade french fries cooked in the deep fryer. AMAZING! Blackberry Roll smothered in a thick cream sauce that was so good it would make your toes curl. sigh.
Meals were an event. They were planned the day before, started the next morning and talked about throughout the day.

Thanksgiving dinner was as close to Heaven as anything on this Earth could be. Usually as many as 50 people, eating in shifts. No dishwasher, so someone was always at the sink washing and cleaning as the next group got ready to eat. And we were loving every single minute of it!

How she fed all those people and made all those meals on a set income is a feat in itself. And EVERYTHING was hot at the same time. I still struggle to get hot dogs and mac and cheese to be ready at the same time! And as for a microwave....what was that?? She had one stove with 4 burners and an oven...period!

Oh, and she had a garden. Not flowers but with green beans, butter beans, tomatoes and more. Her neighbors had their gardens with corn, etc and then they all switched and traded. NOTHING WAS WASTED! The jars of canned veggies lined the shelves of her pantry.

She lived on the water and much of their freezer was full of frozen fish, crabmeat, deviled crabs, softshelled crabs that she and my grandfather caught.....and and me too when I was lucky enough to be there.

She LOVED to cook and to entertain. She and my grandfather had a tiny house but with a sleeper sofa, cots, sleeping bags and even a side porch with comfy reclining chairs, she could easily sleep 20 people in that tiny 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home. (Just be sure you watch your step if you got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom).

She smoked cigarettes throughout the day. She drank her co-cola in the morning, and then "had herself a little drink in the afternoon" that went on until bedtime.

She and my grandfather lived a long, happy, and I believe very satisfying life. Both were in their 90's when they died.

Her secret. She worked hard. She stayed busy. Even in their 70s and 80s, my grandmother and grandfather could be found out in the garden picking "ve-ge-ta-bles" as early as 5AM. By 7AM she would be washing, canning and preparing while my grandfather would be out in his little boat pulling up crab pots and or fishing.....oh, and usually cussing the skiers and fast boats and of course the "summer folk" that would sometimes empty his crabpots in the middle of the night.

Wow, I sure did love them. In the evening (after dishes were done of course) we would play rummy and canasta. My grandfather could cheat as well as any sailor. (and cuss better than most of them).

Instead of the "typical" church services, every Sunday, their community would gather outside on a patio beside the Piankatank River. We would pray and sing while the water splashed onto the sand. There would be a short service and then socializing. In the winter it was always in someones home. Not as fun as outside for a kid like me, but still special.

You see, I spent every summer with them. Loved, Loved, Loved them.

Although my cooking skills are lacking (at best), the little bit I do know is thanks to her. She also taught me how to make my bed, dust, clean etc. Monday was cleaning day. Again, I loved every second of it.

They ate what we consider horribly unhealthy foods, drank their "little drinks", smoked their cigarettes AND YET they rarely RARELY ever got sick. When they did pass away, in their 90s, it was pretty much due to natural causes.

Hard work, enjoying life, tons of friends, family that adored them = long life. Oh how I respected them. I always wanted them to be proud of me.

I remember when I was about 14 years old, my grammy commented that I didn't say "Yes Ma'am" and "Yes Sir" as much as I used to. She told me she was always so proud of my manners. To this day, "Yes Ma'am and Yes Sir" are parts of my regular vocabulary.

OK, so what made me start this walk down memory lane?

I started thinking about all of this just because I happened upon a list of the 30 Healthiest Foods while thumbing through Real Simple Magazine. (ADHD at work again)

I doubt my grandmother had ever even heard of many of them. And unless they were cooked in ham hock or drenched in butter they couldn't taste like anything she would have eaten or prepared.

Maybe, just maybe, the secret is to mix hard work, love of life, God, friends and family. Then when you sit down to a meal, eat until you are satisfied, (not stuffed and unable to move). Anyway, just a thought.

Here are some of the Top 30 Healthiest Foods. One or Two might be ok (again, if deep fried) but seriously.....

1.BULGUR-Made from wheat that has been steamed, dried and cracked.

2. BARLEY-Use the pearl or quick cooking variety if short on time. If you have more time, give whole barley with its extra layer of bran a go.

3. Almonds-OK, I like almonds....as a snack.

4. Mushrooms- Sounds ok until you read this..."Meaty and filling, use as a stand in for BEEF."!!

5.Lentils- A protein powerhouse, these are flush with folate, a nutrient that may help prevent birth defects.

6. Chard-leafy green.

7. Edamame- young soybeans.

8. Oranges- FINALLY! HURRAY!!

9. Sardines.

10. Non-Fat Greek Yogurt.

And the list goes on....

As for me, I'm going to go look up some of my grandmother's recipes. Does anyone know how much a smidgen or a pinch is?


<span class=MyADHDMe" border="0">

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Bed Time!

I really tried to go to sleep.
I laid down on my bed.
But just as soon as I was snug.
The thoughts raced through my head.

They start with any little thing.
I try to block them out.
But just like all those other nights.
Soon they start to shout.

Everyone has thoughts at night
Some may get them up
Things like "Did I lock the door"
Or "Did I feed the pup".

But mine are whirling dervish types
That jump from left to right.
They twirl around and up and down
And keep me up at night.

Perhaps there was a tv show
That I had seen last week
Or a song that's in my head
Whose lyrics were unique.

It could just be the ticking
Of the clock upon the wall.
Or water that is dripping
From the bathroom down the hall.

Next thing you know my mind is racing.
Brain on overdrive
From there, who knows what's coming next.
As new thoughts come alive.

I know I NEED to get some sleep.
I'm not a morning person.
But if I stress about the time
The thoughts will only worsen.

I think of things I need to do
I think of things I've done.
I think of times that weren't too good.
I think of times of fun.

I've tried to write these things all down
Before I go to sleep.
That never helps (no, not one bit)
Into my mind they creep.

Tonight I thought of Kevin Bacon.
Please don't ask me why.
I played that game named after him
Of that I can't deny.

I finally put that thought to rest.
It's almost 3 AM.
I think I spend most every night
In perpetual REM.

I'm going to try again.
But I have a nagging hunch.
That if I don't sleep very soon.
I might just sleep through lunch.

Good Night...hopefully!





MyADHDMe

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Do You KNow Where Your Computer Is?


I am Afraid. You should be afraid. Be very afraid.

This thing we call a computer has more control than you may realize. I discovered this yesterday when I tried to turn mine on. First of all, I had not
turned it off, but it was off anyway. After I turned it on, the only thing I could get to come up was a screen that said....










"Your computer is unable to start. We will attempt to find and repair the problems. It could take a few minutes."

1st of all, that shoul
d have been my first warning. If my computer won't start up, then how can it send me a message telling me so.
THEN, it asked me if I want it to run a scan to try to find an fix the problem.

"Click YES or NO"
(Reminded my of those love notes from grade school, "Hi. I lik
e you. Do you like me. Please check YES or NO).....whew, glad those days are over.....

ahem
Monkeys Are Funny
.

Well, I am usually very wary of clicking on any buttons that I've never seen before but I clicked away. Then this little bar appeared on the screen that had a blue dot running back and forth across it. It said it was checking
for the problem and then would attempt to repair it. This happened for about 10 minutes. Then it stopped and said that it could not repair the problem but if I entered more information, Microsoft might be able to crack the problem. It would try again.

"Please click....
Send additional information (recommended).......
Don't Send
....."

There
was another box. It said "Click here to review problems."
That seemed safe.
I clicked that button and this is what I got. (The numbers have been change to protect the innocent)


6.1.8600.5691.333
6.2.6955.147556
unknown
602

3
Bad Batch
6.3.7800.5692.30210
8888


WELL, thank goodness they cleared THAT up!!

I decided to try to old standby. Turn off the computer and then try to turn it back on.
I tried that.
It asked me, "Are you su
re you want to turn off your computer?"

HOW IS IT THAT A CO
MPUTER THAT WON'T START CAN CARRY ON A CONVERSATION WITH ME!! ALSO, I AM NOT A CHILD! WHY IS IT ARGUING WITH ME!!!!!!

With b
ated breath, I turned it off...waited a few moments....and turned it back on.











Is the suspense killing you yet??








Well, that was enough excitement for one day.
I'm exhausted!!!!

Never-the-less, I cannot help but wonder, when I am asleep at night. What exactly is my computer doing? It is chatting with other computers? Is it video taping me? OR is it just trying to think up ways to drive me crazier.

I'm not afraid.
No sir-ee.

I'm gonna live to be 93.
I play safe for you and me.
Cause I'M No Fool!

P.S. The video says it's about 8 minutes but it's really about 40 seconds.





MyADHDMe

">

Saturday, February 5, 2011

More of The Dreaded WVB








I know the anticipation has been driving you crazy.
You've laid awake nights wondering and hoping
"Will I ever get to learn any new words?", you whispered aloud.
You probably caught yourself saying out loud,"I NEED to broaden my vocabulary".

Well, you can put your worries to rest. Today is the next installment of The Dreaded WVB.
You know, that little box at the bottom of the page with random letters that, until now, everyone thought were just letters that had no meaning.

The Word Verification Box.

So now, without further ado....busy activity, fuss, excitement, commotion, flurry, hub bub, turmoil.....oh, sorry, I've missed my Thesaurus and just had to use it.

Monkeys Are Funny

More definitions from The Dreaded WVB.

1.fulsigi - Little Sigmund Freud after Thanksgiving Dinner.

2. batspot - Batman and Robin's cool hang out place.

3. kerses - those awful words that tend to pop out of our mouths when we drop a brick on our foot.

4. phu ma - When you accidentally say the RIGHT thing. (The opposite of foo pah (an Irish word for faux pas meaning a slip or blemish in etiquette, manners or conduct).

5. readist - a professional reader (ie chemist, pianist, artist)

6. focas - puleeze!

7. haten - obviously the opposite of lovin'.

8. hottow - what you get when you step on asphalt with bare feet in the summer. Opposite of what you get when you step out in the snow with bare feet....cold toe.

9. dpaynt - What Tom Sawyer used to paint de fence.

10. prolocks - an advocate for curly hair.

That's all for now. Have an outstanding day!!


<span class=MyADHDMe" border="0">

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Hey There, Georgie Girl!!

So here I am.






I'm trying to get back in the zone.
The Blog Zone. Picture, if you will, a woman. She is sitting at her computer...wait a minute. I said The BLOG Zone, not The Twilight Zone.











I'm trying to figure out how
to get back in the rhythm.

How about a simple, "I'm Back!"?

Do I just start writing like I've been here all along?

Do I try to play catch-up? By the way, A Merry Christmas to Us All; God Bless Us Everyone!













Do I just start rambling along and see what happens? No, that would be silly and SO out of character for me.


Do I fill everyone in on my surgery.
OK, I'll do that.
I had surgery. Am doing well.












Now what?

Do I pretend I never stopped writing and pick up where I left off? Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Do I talk about why I haven't been blogging? That gets old.



Maybe I'll start off with a m
eme. Memes, Memes, Memes Oh My! No, Somehow I get the feeling we aren't in Kansas anymore.













I could start off with a
song. Then again, I wasn't singing when I left. Never even said "So Long". (or farewell, auf weidersehen, or adieu. To you, and you, and you and you and you.)











Then again, I could always just slide in quietly. With so many people switching over to Facebook these days, perhaps nobo
dy even noticed. Of course I haven't really been around there either. And it's been so long since I've checked my email, I'm afraid to even open that.

I don't know. There are just too many options. I think I'll just sleep on it and start back another day. After all, tomorrow IS another day!











<span class=MyADHDMe" border="0">

Saturday, January 29, 2011

WAKE UP!!!!!!

YAWN
MMMmmmmm. Good Morning!!

No, I don't know the guy in the video!

MyADHDMe

">">">