Don’t Mention It

Some days, life is just the same old, same old . . .

You know – nothing exciting going on. It’s been that way here for the last few days. I’m not complaining at all. I actually like it when things are relatively calm. The problem is that “calm” sometimes means it’s tough to come up with a new blog post . . .

I decided not to mention that I went to the dentist on Friday and I could almost see the dollar signs in his eyes as he said the word “crown”.

I decided not to mention that I popped into a local bead store to buy a tool I needed and couldn’t resist buying a couple of strands of pretty beads – even though I have my own bead shop with lots of gorgeous beads!

I decided not to mention that I wasn’t in the mood to make dinner on Sunday night – so I picked up one of those rotisserie chickens at the deli counter of our supermarket. I hesitated because the last couple of times I bought one, it wasn’t very good. But this time, it was extra delicious! Maybe they had complaints?

I decided not to mention that we recently saw the movie, “It’s Complicated”. Did we like it? Well… it’s complicated. 😉 (In other words, wait until it’s on TV, for free.)

I decided not to mention that unless somebody invents a 28-hour day very soon, I am never going to get caught up on what I want to do, should do, and have to do!

I decided I *must* mention that I have the nicest, smartest, most interesting blog readers – anywhere!

It’s true. 😀

Hugs,

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The Glass is Half Full

The good news is: On Saturday I got a haircut and it came out pretty well. (It’s always such a nail-biter whenever I go to the salon!)

The bad news is: For breakfast this morning, I was eating some crunchy cereal with almonds and one of my fillings fell out – waaah! 🙁

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The good news is: It was close to 60 degrees here in New England yesterday.

The bad news is: We also had an oil delivery and the bill was . . . are you ready? $610.00! (Yikes!)

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The good news is: I was doing a little organizing of my craft space and I found some great supplies that I forgot I had!

The bad news is: I think the area looked neater before I organized! 😉

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The good news is: I am having a lot of fun getting back into crocheting again!

The bad news is: Now I have a two-page list of crochet projects I’d like to make! Oh well, it IS nice to have a choice . . .

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The good news is: All of you make me smile from ear to ear with the great comments you leave here on the blog.

And there’s nothing bad about that!!! 😀

Hugs,

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It’s the Heat Talking . . .

We’re havin’ a heat wave so today I have one of my “a little bit of this and a little bit of that” kind of posts! Some of it silly, some of it helpful, and hopefully none of it boring!!! You’d let me know, wouldn’t you?

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Would you believe I just put a snowflake cloth on the table? Yes, snowflakes!!! It is so darn HOT here that I’m hoping it will have us imagining that we’re cool! 😉

Oh and I’m so excited about something I’ve just figured out! You may have read about my saga at the hair salon, (see it here). Recently though, I tried a new tactic! Next time you want a haircut, bring a photo of YOU – one that was taken on a day when your hair looks just the way you like it. No explaining for you to do and no guesswork for the stylist. I just tried it and it worked!!!

Have you noticed that fortune cookies don’t really tell your fortune anymore? I miss that! Lately they all seem to have pithy little sayings but no predictions for the future!

I‘d also like to weigh in on this week’s questions . . .

Pampering at a hotel or camping under the stars?

I’d have go with the hotel stay as opposed to camping. I love the “idea” of sleeping under the stars – but I’d rather do it from the balcony of a penthouse suite in a fancy hotel. Hey! I can dream can’t I? Since I married for love and not money – I fear the penthouse suite will forever be a pipe dream, though! You see, I didn’t listen to my grandmother. She used to jokingly say, “It’s just as easy to fall in love with a rich man!” You would have loved my grandmother – she was a riot!

What would I find hard to live without besides family, friends, and pets??

Definitely indoor plumbing. I know this because we have a well for our water, and of course the pump is run by electricity. Whenever there’s a surprise storm and we lose our power; it’s not just a matter of worrying that food will spoil or that we don’t have enough candles. No, no. Our problem when a power line is down is that we can’t . . . flush! Having had that experience several times over the years has convinced me that I could never live without indoor plumbing.

So, if it’s hot where you are, put out that fabric snowman!

It couldn’t hurt. 😀

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Midweek Scribbles

scribbles-8b Today’s post reminds me of the game show Jeopardy because I have a little bit of this and a little bit of that. . .

“I’ll take potpourri for a hundred, Alex!” 😀

Hmmm, I’ll call my version – blogpourri 😉

~ We’re on vacation this week, but instead of going away, we’re just kicking back at home. It really is delightful to relax a little, take care of a couple of overdue chores, and have leisurely breakfasts and dinners. But, why is it that vacation weeks are always the shortest weeks of the year?

~ I had my hair cut today. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I said, “Not too short.” I can’t even imagine what she would have done if I had said “Cut it short, please.”

~ Have you heard that you can buy your eggs already boiled and shelled at the supermarket? Well, at least in Great Britain. See the story here.

~ Looking for a quick and tasty appetizer?
Pick up some thinly sliced cooked ham at the supermarket.
Lightly spread apricot jam on each piece and then roll up.
Transfer all to a shallow pan and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Place under the broiler briefly – just to heat.
Cut into bite size pieces before serving, if desired. This is a nice addition to sliced fruit and your favorite cheese and crackers! Don’t let them fill up on appetizers though! They’ll never eat dinner. 😉

~ To answer the weekly question regarding a book for summer reading . . .books
I recently reread an old classic that I first discovered in high school – The Good Earth by Pearl Buck. Even if you’ve read it before, try it again. You might agree it’s even better the second or third time around.

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Mid-week scribbles . . .

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Pins & Needles:
Am I the only one who is still finding a stray Christmas tree needle in . . . February!?! The crazy thing is that we have an artificial tree!!! It’s been put away for weeks now, and the room has been vacuumed several times since. But every few days, a needle appears out of the blue! For years we had a real tree and I expected plenty of needles then, but these artificial needles are something else again! They’re green paper with an almost static cling effect. They seem to want to hug the rugs, the floors, and even an occasional sock. Sheesh!

Say “Cheese”!
Did you know that smiling works both ways? We smile when we are happy – but the act of smiling can actually make us happy – even if we’re not at that moment. Smiling sends nerve impulses from the facial muscles to an emotional center in the brain, and those impulses push the neurochemical balance toward a feeling of contentment. So if you’re feeling kinda down – just smile!!! 🙂

She’ll Thank You!
A new Mom will be busy enough just before and after her baby is born, so when you throw her a baby shower, pick up a package of thank you cards, too. During the party, distribute the envelopes and ask each guest to self-address one! When the new Momma finally has a chance to sit down and write her thank yous – the envelopes will already be complete and she can focus on writing the cards!

Finally . . .
If you’re like me, you try to avoid having bacon too often because it’s not exactly a health food! But as good old Socrates used to say – “Everything in moderation!” So, I figure a little bacon occasionally is acceptable. The problem with bacon though, is the mess it makes when you cook it. I found a great solution – prepare it in the oven instead of frying. No more wall to wall grease in the kitchen!

Easy Way to Cook Bacon

~ Bake at 350º until nice and crispy. Keep an eye on it as cooking time will vary by oven used, desired crispness, and by the number of slices you are making. After your first attempt, you’ll know what works best for you.

~ When bacon is cooked to your liking, lower the oven temperature to 200º – to keep bacon warm until eggs are ready.

Tip: During the “keeping warm” time, place bacon on end slices of bread and much of the grease will be absorbed by the time the eggs are done. Soon after you’ll be announcing: “Breakfast is served!”

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