You’ve heard the expression, it beats a poke in the eye? Well, after the cataract surgery on my left eye yesterday, I can safely say that there are a whole world of things out there that beat a poke in the eye.
Golly but that smarts!
I didn’t expect it to be fun and games but I have to admit that I wasn’t prepared for how sore my eye was going to be. It’s finally down to only a twinge here and there so, all things considered, it wasn’t really too awful. It’s a good thing too, otherwise, there would be a bunch of folks wandering around permanently with only one eye free of cataracts.
The best thing about the whole ordeal is that I can see with my left eye without glasses or contacts. I can even read small print. Not tiny print, not yet, but chances are…
Today I find myself in a waiting room……waiting, with my big sister in an operating room. Not the best way to spend a afternoon for me or her, but I wouldn’t be anywhere else.
At this very moment she is being given a new eye….actually eyesight to be more precise! She has opted for Lasik eye laser surgery to correct her vision, left one today then right one next week.
I thought I was free from the smells, sounds and basic creepiness of a surgical area, they took her back, whew,……! Home free….. Then to my dismay I hear her name yelled…..“follow me ma’am!” Really? Oookkaayy…..I say attempting to be glad about it. Apparently they don’t know of my panic attack capabilities!
As I am taken down the long hall (there is always a long hall with sick people laying all around- eyes strait ahead!) I get to her little curtained area. There she us looking freakishly just like our Mom. They are putting drops in the one eye to dilate….ugh, really I must be here?….so I smile, attempt to be caring..( not that I am not caring, I for sure am but I refer back to the surgical stuff) I sit beside her as she is spaced out. Not even sure if she has officially been spaced out yet, prolly just her goofy self. Like me, because I do too when in this position, she is getting high from the oxygen! “breathe it in sister” I tell her, it’s natural…sorta.
She fades in and out, me talking aimlessly(as usual) telling her how if she dies she will be in heaven lopsided with one good eye and one bad eye! Okay I know in heaven we are all good and totally healed of all ailments….but this was funnier! And then since I have her keys, I will get to her house before her only child, her daughter, which has been my plan all along! I WILL get those cross-stiched pillows and the old albums, Beatles, Harry Nielson(The Point), CCR, and many others. And she doesn’t even know how I will handle those two in-door cats of hers…..here kitty kitty…look outside!
These possessions of hers are part of MY memories, not the daughters. I was first ya know! My big sister practically raised me along with my other sister. These bits of memorabilia are my childhood; falling to sleep at night listening to albums on the stereo and putting the arm back so they replay. Anyone but me remember real stereos? That music is forever etched on my brain.
The pillows are from the spell when she was into needlepoint and created her own designs….she was one of the original hippies in the ’70’s! In Murfreesboro, TN at Middle TN State University. She was the coolest of the cool, for me a kid of eleven and beyond! Needless to say I loved life back then and I will always be indebted to her for the lessons she taught me.
She must be finished…….They’re they came, yelling her name again, back down the long hall once again, oh Lord tons of sick people this time…..whew getting hot in here already…..I may pass out before I get to her. But no… I survived, she is sitting there looking good. Looking around like she has never seen this world before, totally funny by the way. The nurse rattles on instructions as if we will remember. Oh jeez lady will there be a test? We got it!
Of coarse I took a picture…you kidding!
Being us we are ready to go, they make her wait till I get the car, she grinches about that one, funny. She walks out all bleary eyed. On to our fav Pizza Parlour…family tradition ya know. Its been like sixteen hours plus since she had eaten…starving is the word now! So she survived this episode and we get to do it all over again next week.
Good times, she is doing great and those darn cats of hers will live to see another week. That was the second thing I would do if something bad happened, the cats would be “accidentally” set free! Silly nine lived animals, they are driving her crazy and me too by osmosis!
God is good, big Sis is still cool, all’s well with the world! I am thankful that I can help her in this little way…can never pay her back for all she has done for me. She is a Good Old Girl by the way!!!!
Dear Lord…here we go with the big black glasses….we ARE old ladies!
Lately on Sunday afternoons, we have been blessed to have a convergence of our boys back at home. This is an especially sweet time since two of them live away. The closeness of them to be able to drive back has been a blessing and as boys will be boys….their time is well spent…in battle….once again. Kickin’ it old school today on the Nintendo 64!
Later they ventured off to see the new movie, The Avengers, which is GREAT! I went to see opening day with my hubby, not exactly happy, but in a few minutes I was thrilled I went. Hilarious and exciting and really good. Who knew I would like it? Mindless fun!So the boys left, house was empty…I was all alone……pure heaven! But instead of taking a good ole nap for which I am sorry for now, I got a notion to cook PIE!
My favorite of all desserts and not just PIE but Chocolate PIE….two of them….homemade crust(kinda!) and the PIE my Momma always
secret recipe!
made. Actually her recipe is a secret one. So secret it even has a warning from my sister written on card! SO in the name of keeping it secret ….I can’t divulge!
Just a few hints to encourage the making of PIE!
I must apologize for my meringue though. As I was standing in front of oven….talking on the phone (first mistake) to my sister (the other one) about not burning the meringue!……I nearly BURNT THE
some of the secret ingredients
MERINGUE!!! So very frustrating…throw the phone down, burn my fingers…fog my glasses and get them out of oven. The good news is they weren’t actually scorched, just looks a bit brown and tastes great, very light actually. My husband won’t care…he always slings it off and calls it “calf slobber!” He hates it. He got that gem from his grandfather…who was the funniest man alive.
MMMMMMMMM!!
SO enjoy the pics and this was what’s for dinner at our house! Okay, we actually did have great deli sandwiches for which we made with homemade buns (from the Deli), Turkey/Roast Beef/Ham/lettuce/tomatoes. mayo/mustard/Swiss and cheddar cheese and a splash of Italian dressing and a shake of Parmesan Cheese then S&P to taste. Add Kosher Dill strips and chips on the side. It was awesome but
when there is PIE….it can’t hold a candle!
note—important you use Argo Cornstarch, Hershey’sCocoa, real butter and vanilla! Pie Crust…well, I take a short cut there but just as good!
The excitement is like that of the night before first day of school … fear, angst, trepidation … all part of my day now. Will I be able to handle the schedule? Will anyone respond to my way? Will anyone even show up? Questions that haunt me as I take off on a new chapter in my life.
So, what’s all the hub-bub about?
I have been here before but it has been a while. This is what I have been wanting — the ability to do what I love most of all. So, why am I so freaked out? AUUUUGH!!!
Because basically I am a chicken. Yep, I said it. I am owning up to it! Now that I have said that, it seems better. Goes back to … the truth will set you free!
I am frightened at the thought of going back to work at a real job, which is stupid since it isn’t a run of the mill job. It’s an ART job! Furthermore, a painting job. Even better — a teaching to paint job!
It’s all in my control.
I choose the hours. I choose the subjects to paint. I’ve been given carte blanche on the whole thing. So, why are my insides spazzing out about it? That’s just how I roll.
Dogwoods on glass
I do know that it will be okay and when I get all my ducks in a row it will be amazing. This is my opportunity to make a place for myself in this little community. I made it into the paper shortly after moving back here to my home area because of my blog — a small town girl comes home sorta thing! No big news, just human interest.
I would like to find myself smack in the middle of the artsy world here … kinda what I would enjoy. I’ve always been the kind of person that if you lock me up in a cubicle, you will watch me dissolve! I hate it. I have left good jobs because of the boredom. Silly ME!
New World. Same me. But, I am thrilled at the prospect of teaching and helping people have some sense of creativity. It’s a really good way to relieve stress and have fun so I hope I see some of my peeps someday along my way.
Or, maybe, I will influence some kid who has a dream to create but never felt like they could ... the sky’s the limit I say!
These days it is nearly impossible to come up with a new and fresh dinner idea every….single….night. Believe me I have tried…over and over. So for me, it is imperative that I have a few stand-by’s to cook, in a flash when the time has slipped away and I am in a pinch.
Español: Latinhas de campbell estavam em promoção no pão de açucar. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
One easy meal is Hamburg Casserole. I call it this because a friend of mine years ago who was from Michigan called hamburger…hamburg and it has stuck ever since. Silly how little things like that stick in your head and vocabulary!
This dish is Oh so easy and to reference the title….OUICK! It is as follows:
1 can of cream of mushroom soup (less fat kind too is okay) Also–add some starch water from the noodles to keep moist, you can add water but why?
1 box of Twirlie Noodles (yes they have a name, Rotini, but thats no fun!)
1 hunk of Velveeta Brand cheese (okay, I have begun to lessen how much I use because quite frankly it is starting
to gag me, that stuff! So just enough to make it creamy, about an inch to one and a half inch chunk)
Cheddar/mozzarella/ etc to offset the lack of Velveeta
DIRECTIONS
1. Put on a pot of water, bring to a boil–then add twirlie noodles
2. Brown Hamburg in a larger size skillet, breaking up in little crumbles
3. Pour off any grease (sometimes I even rinse it a bit)
4. Put back in pan and add soup and cheese
5. Allow to simmer sloooowwlly! (do not let burn!)
6. Drain Noodles (pleeease cook al dente’—mushy noodles are just gross!)
7. Add Noodles to Hamburg mixture and blend
8. Add in a bit more cheese on top as well as S&P to taste
9. Cover and turn off–allow to melt cheese
10. Enjoy!
green beans (Photo credit: Chasqui (Luis Tamayo))
This is a good one dish meal or steam up some broccoli, cauliflower, carrots or any other veggie. Green beans are a favorite of ours.
Speaking of that, you can make canned green beans great by cooking them kind of fast and add a splash of olive oil and pat of butter, S&P and a bullion cube. Be sure to watch to not boil dry, and they are great!
Okay that is the easiest dinner you can make! This came from not liking those box meals with all the” helpers” added in. That stuff is just gross and has a really funky taste. Obviously one could change around the ingredients…better cheeses etc. One thing I caution…when using Hamburger, always use Mushroom Soup! Do not use cream of celery or chicken. DOES NOT WORK! You would be sorry!
Quick and easy for sure and I am sure those that can make it more healthy will! Feel free! I have changed a little bit from the originator of this recipe….for which my sister created, years ago!
Usually the words…may day are screamed from the top of the lungs of a radio operator on a spiraling to the earth jet plane or an underwater submarine that is being attacked, or at least that’s what I attribute it to. This is a hold over from all those times my daddy would watch old black and white movies about war. As bad as I hated those movies, I loved him at home. Since he was always working either at his job or on our farm, something was always having to be fixed; he was rarely in doors just watching TV.
May Day! was a distress signal…a call for help…but you knew it wouldn’t end well. It would always be such a stressful call for this poor guy who knew the end was near. Today I see it as a sign of summer, the beginning of the end of the school year, the end of my last child’s Freshman year.
How did this happen? He was just born wasn’t he? Our precious little family mascot, so to speak. He was the love of all our lives. When he was born he was nine years after the last one…..a definite caboose! Now we are enduring the end of course tests then final exams. This will be a busy month for him. May is the transition month.
This is the slow swing into the Summer. I will never forget the old saying….March winds a’ blowin’, April Showers bring May flowers! Someday when I too have succumb to great memory loss…(who am I kidding, I am already there!!) I will forever remember that saying. It is like the “It’s a Small World after all” song at Walt Disney World. Once you hear it…it is there for life.
This transition month is the safe time to plant flowers…usually no more harsh weather although, who knows these days. I love May Day! It is a day of freedom. Since I HATE, (yes I said HATE….in ALL CAPS!) Winter, the worst possible time of year, I am thrilled when we get to May Day! The first day of May…ahhhh! What a perfect day. Sunshine and green grass …..before the Sun has scorched away all the pretty vegetation. I know it will happen but, even though it is hot I still like it better than cold cruel winter.
So for this one day in May I will shout to the top of my lungs like a desperate radio operator about to perish....MAY DAY! MAY DAY! What a wonderful time of year! What is to some a sound of pure terror…..to me is is a call to enjoy! Can’t beat that!
exhibit A: why do we have a ping-pong ball and no table, dog leash #1
Nothing cures a lazy Monday like an episode of Hoarders. Don’t say you have never seen it or even lingered a while enduring the shock and awe of it all. Like a train wreck exploding and stacked up like cord wood, the impossible reality of these poor peoples homes, causes me to ask the question….How did it get this bad and why in H- E- double Hockey sticks are they allowing anyone to film it?
What Dirty little secrets do we all have….laying in wait, that we keep hidden from EVERYONE!!!
How many drawers do you have to open up until you see chaos? Which closet is stacked so high and tight that the very thought of opening can cause a cringe? Guilty, Guilty, Guilty! The good news to me is I know most of us have these issues, hopefully not in the grand scale of these hoarder people but in a small way we all have junk.
Nearly a month ago I went through my ever busting-out closet and thought I had really done well. This was the time,……. even purses and shoes; even that black pair of slip on clog-like ones that I pull out every year for which I hate. I let them all go…joyfully! After several (meaning more than three–lots more!) black garbage bags (to hide the evidence) taken to the Goodwill drop off station, I swear if it doesn’t appear to still be too full. I have a date with that room and this time I will keep no alliances…I will never fit into those clothes again and if I do its time to be out of the ’90’s!
I actually used to pride myself for keeping a short stash of junk. My sister-in-law would praise me for not having storage rooms full of stuff still boxed up from previous moves. I hate that! I can not stand to have all that stuff not being used or just there. My husband knew when I had a cleaning binge hit me…things came up missing and I am still searching for a set of NASCAR Tickets that he lost. Notice I put all blame on him! I just know I didn’t lose them…..to be honest I think my gut tells me I may have disposed of them on a clean sweep moment. Not that I will ever cop to that for sure..since we have no real evidence.
Exhibit B: another leash, out of date (I am told) adding machine thingy, random crayons….junk!
Before anyone accuses me of being a clean freak….far far far from that. I am momentarily a clean freak. But these television shows give me cause to become one. Given the right timing I can see this happening………”but for the grace of GOD go I!”
I don’t think I am a hoarder so much, I am more of a lazy follow through-er……(they all say that!!!) But I will continue to try. As long as my need to streamline is greater than my slow response mode I will survive.
I think it all breaks down to HOPE. Hope for better, Hope for one’s life led free from the frustration from it all. I can never get so bummed I just stop….give up.
So I wonder? Anyone else out there with dirty drawers..(dresser drawers NOT britches!..I am southern but, T.M.I) Anyone who has more than one junk drawer? Anyone that keeps too much craft stuff because on the next rainy day you are going to do all those cute crafts you see on Pinterest? Too many house magazines piled up? So much stuff it makes dusting the worst job ever?
Apparently we need to keep the scores of our card games!! hmmm and WoW! real film?
Let me know I am not alone…help a sister out here! I have issues I know, but I vow to continue one day at a time to get it right.
My heart goes out to the ones who can’t help themselves and shame on me for my dirty, dirty little secrets………. hidden!
There is a beautiful song that has been on the charts for a while by a group called, The Band Perry, that is so haunting. I had to listen to it a few times to really get it…then I had to Google the lyrics because there was one line that is stellar! The lines are so good yet sad all at the same time.
No truer statement has been penned and I have included it here(in bold):
A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I’ll sell ’em for a dollar They’re worth so much more after I’m a goner And maybe then you’ll hear the words I been singin’ Funny when you’re dead how people start listenin’
As a Mother I can relate to this line and even more, as a writer I can really feel it. Day in day out I type and ponder and attempt to bear my soul and share my heart. Maybe I am mistaken to do this, probably am…but this is just how I roll.
I guess I am attempting to record my memories and voice for my children and grandchildren, or at least I like to tell myself that. SO kids, did you know that Daisies are my very favorite flower, above all others? Did you know that my greatest joy is seeing your smiles? Did you know I have had the most fun of anyone you will ever know, in my life?…..as well as great sadness? Did you know that my need to be heard is so overwhelming it occupies too many of my thoughts…every day?.
The happiest flower in the world
Actually, if I were to be real about it….I have a voice and I know how to use it! If I am the only one who reads it..okay! After I started reading other blogs I saw that I am not so profound at all, not that I thought I was but I see that I am no different than most other people.
Most of us don’t actually live up to our gifting and abilities and seem to look forward to what can be…someday. This exercise in telling of my life is one step in doing what feels right for me. I also think it is probably the calm before the storm. I figure one day I will not be able to keep the filter up so well and really tell it like it is!
That will be when they take my computer away from me and I will have to kick it old school again with paper and pen journaling…..at this point it seems like such a daunting way to do it. Can’t believe I ever wrote all those words. Someday they will find them and confirm that I really was crazy!
It would be nice though if people would start listenin’ now!
Happy (belated) Easter from Prague! Or, Veselé Velikonoce, as it translates into Czech. My church in Prague, Nové Začátky (New Beginnings in English), had a wonderful Easter celebration earlier this month. As the most pivotal moment in the Christian tradition, Easter stands as a day to rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus and the new life he gives as a result of his miraculous rise from the grave.
The church was decorated in beautiful bright colors by Ulli Lillard, who is part of the pastoral team at New Beginnings. During the Good Friday service a couple of days before, Ulli draped these same pieces with dark fabric (which you can see underneath the beautiful colors) to symbolize Jesus’ death. What a lovely surprise to see all these bright colors on Easter morning!
Ulli even told me that she kept the black fabric underneath the brighter colors to show that Jesus’ death…
Happy (belated) Easter from Prague! Or, Veselé Velikonoce, as it translates into Czech. My church in Prague, Nové Začátky (New Beginnings in English), had a wonderful Easter celebration earlier this month. As the most pivotal moment in the Christian tradition, Easter stands as a day to rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus and the new life he gives as a result of his miraculous rise from the grave.
The church was decorated in beautiful bright colors by Ulli Lillard, who is part of the pastoral team at New Beginnings. During the Good Friday service a couple of days before, Ulli draped these same pieces with dark fabric (which you can see underneath the beautiful colors) to symbolize Jesus’ death. What a lovely surprise to see all these bright colors on Easter morning!
Ulli even told me that she kept the black fabric underneath the brighter colors to show that Jesus’ death…
preacherswifeintheknow 