And the Award Goes To

A few days ago,  Jim surprised me by picking me as one of his selections to be awarded a Premio Dardos Award.  Thank you, Jim!

Premio Dardos means “prize darts” in Italian and is awarded for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary and personal values in the form of creative and original writing. The rules are:

1. Accept the award by pasting the graphic on your blog along with the name of the person who granted the award and a link to his/her blog.

2. Pass the award to another 15 that are worthy of acknowledgment, remembering to contact each so they know they have been selected.

Many of the online journalists/bloggers I read have already been chosen for this award.  So I am just going to refer you to my blogroll, which can be found at the bottom right of this page.  They are all good reads.

In other news, Friday was my last day at work until the 13th.  Spring break came just in the nick of time.  Work was sucking the life out of me.  I was beyond exhausted, and the pain has been very bad.

I’m hoping this break will be regenerative, although I haven’t been taking it easy so far.   Yesterday I spent the whole day cleaning the kitchen, including the refrigerator, which was pretty gross.  I was in agony by the time I said to myself, “Enough is enough.”

Today I hope to get some yard work done, since the weather is nice for a change.   The locals seem to have mistaken our front lawn for the city dump.  There are bags and food wrappers all over the place.  Grrrr.  I also have some spring bulbs to plant, and some yard debris (the natural kind) to clear.

According to the 10 day forecast, except for Thursday and Sunday, it will rain every day of my spring break, so I’d better get out there while the getting is good.

Song of the day:  Spring by Tracy Chapman

Another Death

This morning, I woke up with the same tension headache I went to bed with last night.

Let me explain.  Yesterday, I was having a discussion about furnaces with a co-worker whose husband works for a heating company.  I mentioned that I needed to get my furnace cleaned, and asked if her husband does jobs on the side.  She said he does, but is very busy in the winter, and therefore recommended that I give him a call over the summer.  I made a note to do so.

As luck would have it (my luck, that is), I came home to a freezing cold house.

Fortunately, I was able to get someone from the aforementioned company to come over pretty quickly.  He replaced the thermocouple at the cost of $162 ($125 of which was just for the house call).  This came on the heels of a $940 gas & electric bill.  (We have gas heat.  Still, that’s a lot of money for two months, especially considering that we keep the thermostat set at 68 when we’re home, and 65 during the night and when we’re at work.)

To add to yesterday’s bad news, I also learned that our elderly neighbor died on Sunday.  A few days ago, I asked Daniel if he had seen Helen.  I said I was worried because there had been an unusual amount of activity going on over at her place.  It turns out that I was right to be concerned.

Helen was a tough old broad.  I’ll never forget the first time I met her.  She introduced herself with a handshake that crushed my fingers.  I swear, it hurt so much I couldn’t wait for her to let go.

Helen was on dialysis.  About a year ago, she was admitted to the hospital on an emergency basis.  Her cat, Lollipop, was hanging around our back porch late in the evening, so I realized something must have happened to Helen.  We put food and water out for Lollipop until Helen was discharged from the hospital.  Helen’s brother stopped by one afternoon, and I mentioned that we were looking after the cat.  He told Helen, and she called to thank us as soon as she got home.  She said she was especially grateful because Lollipop was the love of her life.  (Helen was a widow.)  I thought that was so cute.

A few months ago, I was out on my back porch around 5:30 pm.  It was pitch dark.  Suddenly, I heard Helen call my name.  She asked if I would help her.  I followed her voice to a spot between our properties, and found her standing there, afraid to move.   She said she had fallen, and, while she was able to get back on her feet, she was too shaky to walk to her house.  I asked what she was doing outside in the dark, and she said it wasn’t dark when she went out.  That meant that she had been standing there for at least an hour.

I put my arm around her and led her to her back door, step by painstaking step.  She kept stumbling, and had to stop and rest every few seconds.  A couple of days later, she sent me a thank you card.

Except for a few waves in passing, that’s the last real interaction I had with Helen.   It’s hard to believe I will never see her again.

Song of the Day:  If I Never See Your Face Again by Maroon 5

She Had a Good Run

Before I get to the topic for this entry, I’d like to address a comment.  Fay asked if I meditate, or do any sort of ritual de-stressing each day.  Good question!  I have tried to meditate, but can’t seem to shut my brain down.  As for ritual de-stressing, I’m open to suggestions.  I’d also like to thank Sheryl for her comment.  It’s always good to hear from someone who has firsthand knowledge of what chronic pain sufferers have to live with.

Moving right along… I’m in a hurry because we have a snow day and I want to go back to bed.  I should probably stay up and tackle the multitude of things I have to do – taxes, FAFSA applications, clean the kitchen, etc., but this untreated sinus infection (I don’t believe the nonallergic rhinitis diagnosis is accurate.  The mucus is yellow, for crying out loud!) is getting the better of me.  Anyway, this is an excerpt from an entry I posted on January 8, 2006 on Diary-x:

Centenarian Coquette

Daniel and I went to a party for a friend’s grandmother who just turned one hundred years old.  You’d never guess her age. She gets all dolled up, and looks amazing. She’s sharp as a tack, too. Incredibly, this woman worked until the age of 94!

I can’t say I had a good time at the party, but it wasn’t bad, either. There were at least fifty people there, and I didn’t know any of them except for the host and his wife, so it was a bit awkward and uncomfortable. We don’t like to leave Ellie in her crate too long (but can’t leave her unsupervised, either), so we had a good excuse to leave early.

One thing we did enjoy was the barbershop quartet that serenaded the 100-year old birthday girl. They were pretty good, but what made the experience even better was watching The Coquettish Centenarian’s reaction to the men as they sang to her. It’s good to know that a person can still be flirtatious even at such an advanced age. More power to her!

Yesterday, Daniel and I went to her wake.  Rest peacefully, Mildred.

Song of the Day: Coquette by Paul McCartney

Let’s Dish

In the comments section for the previous entry, candidbeauty wanted to know about the anti-inflammatory patches.  They are called Flector Patch, and I have to say that they give me more pain relief than Lidoderm patches.   However, I am a bit concerned about the increased risk for blood clots and stroke, considering that I have Anticardiolipin Antibody, which also puts me at risk for those medical problems.

Another question was asked by LA, who received a very cool set of dishes from her man, Mick, on her recent birthday.  I mentioned in her comments section that I had also purchased dishes at Pier 1, and she wanted to know what kind I bought.  They are called Cassidy stoneware.

It’s not a complete set, though.  I found them on a back wall in the clearance section, where they were being sold by the piece.  The plates (which are oversized, and therefore have to be kept in the cabinet above the refrigerator because that’s the only cabinet that is deep enough for the plates to fit in) were marked down to $1.99 apiece.  The salad plates (although that’s not what I use them for; I always use bowls for salad.  What about you?) were reduced to 99 cents.  The price of the platter was  $2.99.   I got four of each plate and one platter for $15 plus tax.  They were sold out of the bowls, which is too bad because I really would’ve liked to have them, as well.

I couldn’t find the dishes on the Pier 1 website, so I did a web search.  This photo came from ebay, but the colors are off.  The blue part of the plate looks grey in this shot.

So, I figured I might as well take a couple of pictures myself.

In other news, it appears that I have a sinus infection, and it’s making me pretty friggin’ miserable.  For the past couple of days, my nose has been running a marathon and I’ve been sneezing my damn fool head off.  At work yesterday, I lost count of how many times I heard, “Miss, your nose is red.”  Just call me Rudolph.  Or Bozoette II.

Song of the Day:  Jolly Red Nose

Christmas Past is Here at Last

The holiday gathering at my house was very nice.  At least that’s what I heard.  I wouldn’t know because I was on my feet in the kitchen from 7:30 am until 9:30 pm.

Actually, I did sit down a few times, but the breaks only lasted for a few minutes.  I didn’t even have a chance to eat.  Just about the only socializing I did was when someone would come into the kitchen to either lend a hand (my sister, Michele, and my sister-in-law, Stephanie) or to get in my way (everybody else).

My mother came over in the morning to help stuff shells, thank goodness.  (By the way, Nancy, I followed the recipe on the Ronzoni jumbo shells box.)  If she hadn’t done that, I would have been greeting guests in my pajamas.

It really was a brutal day.  Little things were piling up and wearing me down.  For one thing, my ex MIL kept asking for coffee and ice cream, and this was before dinner, mind you.  Never mind the fact that I didn’t have any ice cream.  Anyway, I had a mini-meltdown at one point, and had to keep my face averted to hide the tears.

I’ve been feeling pretty awful since then, both physically and emotionally.   A lot of people have had a sad Christmas this year, and I know I should be grateful that all my family members were together, with everyone in festive spirits, but I can’t help feeling like I was left out. I feel like I missed Christmas.

And then there’s this god-awful pain.  By the end of the day, I was in agony.  Yesterday I was hurting so bad I could barely move, and today doesn’t look like it will be much better.  Every muscle in my body is aching.

Fortunately, my niece, Kristen,

took over the bulk of the photographer duties again this year.  I’m glad of that because there wouldn’t have been many pictures otherwise, since I was trapped in the kitchen for most of the day.

While Kristen was busy snapping photos, her sister, Rachel, curled up under a blanket with an Archie digest.

My ex MIL loved the afghan I knitted for her.

I wish this shot of my mother had come out better.  Her outfit was gorgeous.  Of course, she bought it at a thrift shop.

Penny was chillin’.

Ellie hung out with my grandmother and ex MIL.

Speaking of my grandmother, here she is in all her ninety-seven year old glory.

This is me in the kitchen, putting on the brave, false face.

And here I am on one of my rare excursions out of the kitchen.  This smile is more genuine because I’m finally relaxing.  (You will notice that I chopped off a lot of hair.  I was getting bored with my hairstyle and needed a change, but didn’t want to do anything too drastic… yet.)

By the way, in my last entry, I mentioned that we would be squeezing twenty-three people into my small house, but we actually ended up squeezing in twenty-six people.  My sister, Patti, called in the morning to ask if she could bring a friend who had no family and would be spending the holiday alone.  Of course I said yes, and even wrapped up a bag of Lindt chocolates I had bought for myself (I love those things) so she wouldn’t be left out during the opening of gifts.  Then I invited my cousin and her friend, Bob, to come over for dessert.  What the hell.  The more the merrier.

I do have to say that I received some really nice gifts.  I’ve always wanted a red pocketbook, and, thanks to Rebecca, I now have one.  She and her boyfriend also gave me a gift certificate to the restaurant that My Friend and I call “Our Place.”  Leigh gave me beautiful leather gloves with a cashmere lining.   The gorgeous boots and comfy slippers are from Daniel.  My ex MIL gave us money, bless her heart, so I guess that made up for the repeated requests for coffee and ice cream.

I have a dentist appointment for root planing and scaling this morning (oh joy, more pain), and a party to go to this evening, so I’d better get moving.

Song of the Day:  It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over by Lenny Kravitz

Make the Yuletide Gay

First of all, I’d like to thank everyone for the good mojo. Leigh’s ultrasound revealed a cluster of cysts, but they look benign. She’ll know more when she goes for her follow-up visit in two weeks.

Secondly, I’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Including me, there will be twenty-three people crammed into my small house. I set up three tables, but there’s still only room for 20. My brother’s two young daughters will have to find someplace else to eat, and so will I, if I get a chance to eat, that is. Hostessing duties will keep me pretty busy throughout the long, hard day I have ahead of me.

Today’s menu for 23 people:

Appetizers:

Crabbies (The recipe can be found in this entry.)

Mexican Chili Cheese Dip:

Spread softened cream cheese (8 oz) on bottom of a pie plate or quiche dish. Add contents of 15 oz. can of chili. (I use Bush’s or Hormel.) Spread contents of small jar of salsa over the chili. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly, approximately 20 minutes. Serve with Tostitos Scoops.

First course:
6 lbs stuffed shells
meatballs (I “only” made 50, so people will have to be considerate.)

Second course:

18 lb glazed spiral ham

Corn casserole (I have to double the recipe):

Melt one stick of butter. Beat 2 eggs. Drain 1 can whole kernel corn and put in bowl with one can of creamed corn. Add 8 oz. sour cream and 1 box Jiffy corn bread mix.   Mix all the ingredients together. Bake in a 2-quart, buttered casserole dish with a lid in a 350-degree oven for one hour. Remove lid for last five minutes so the top gets golden brown.

Crunchy Cole Slaw (Everybody loves this, so I have to triple the recipe.)

Dressing
1 cup oil
½ cup sugar
½ cup whie vinegar
2 packets beef flavor (comes with Ramen noodles; the block kind, not the noodles in a cup)

Slaw
1 lb. cole slaw
2 packages of Ramen noodles. Break them up and cook them according to package directions, although they should be slightly undercooked for this recipe.
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup slivered almonds
1 bunch green onions, sliced
2 carrots cut into strips

**Prepare dressing 2 hours early and do not add to slaw until ready to serve.

Dinner rolls

Dessert

I made fudge, and Mike’s girlfriend is making cookies. My mother and brother, Frank, are also bringing desserts. Michele and Patti are providing the wine. I think I’m going to need it to get through this holiday.

Click here for an interactive Christmas message.

Follow this link to see another special greeting from me to you.

Song of the Day: We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera

The Christmas edition of “Getting to know you.” (My Friend sent this to me via email.)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both.  Bags are easier, but unwrapping presents is part of the fun, so I always make sure to wrap some gifts.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real.  This year, we have a gorgeous Fraser Fir.

3. When do you put up the tree? The first or second weekend in December.

4. When do you take the tree down? The first weekend of the New Year.

5. Do you like eggnog? It’s okay…

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A Mary Poppins doll.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Daniel.

8. Easiest person to buy for? My brother, Mike.  (A gift certificate to Outback.) Even though my siblings and I have agreed not to exchange gifts this year (and that includes the kids), I wanted to get something for Mike because of all he’s been through.  He owes $60,000 in medical bills, and can’t afford to eat out anymore, so I thought this would be a nice thing to do for him and his girlfriend.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, but I haven’t put it out in years because there’s no place to set it up.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Snail mail.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don’t think I ever received a gift for which I wasn’t grateful.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Nightmare Before Christmas

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? The day after Christmas (for the next year, obviously)

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I can’t remember ever doing that.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Crabbies!

16A. Lights on the tree? Yes, multi-colored.

16B. Lights outside? No; we don’t have an outdoor outlet.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh holy night.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I’ll be home for Christmas.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder (or Donner) Blitzen and Rudolph.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A star made out of grapevine.

21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Having to be super frugal.

23. Favorite Ornament theme or color? I’m not into themes.  Since red is my favorite color, I guess that’s what I’ll go with.

24. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? We typically have a pasta dish (this Christmas, I’m making stuffed shells) and some kind of meat.  I usually make a turkey, but wanted to do something easier this year, so I’ll be making a spiral ham.  Personally, I hate ham, but most of my family members like it.  Maybe I’ll make a turkey on New Year’s Day, just for us.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? SHOW ME THE MONEY.

26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Frosty the snowman.

26. Who is least likely to respond to this? The Grinch.

Song of the Day:  Getting to Know You from The King and I

They Run and Hide Their Heads

I hadn’t planned on writing an entry today but I’m feeling pretty depressed this morning and need to unload.

It’s the rain.  You see, the weather forecasters got my hopes up yesterday.  According to them, conditions were supposed to be very icy this morning.  That would have meant that schools would be closed, and I was really counting on that happening.

My house is an unholy mess, and, since I’m hosting the Christmas gathering this year, I need to get this place cleaned up before then.    I don’t know how I’m going to get it done.

Weekends have been, and will continue to be, spent away from home for large portions of the day. I’m in too much pain and too exhausted to tackle the mess after work.   That’s why I was desperately hoping schools would be closed today.  My heart sank when I woke up and saw nothing more than pouring rain.

There’s a much bigger reason the rain is depressing me.    I was in bed last night when I heard Daniel utter the dreaded words, “There’s a leak.”

I went to take a look and saw a steady drip coming from the attic access on the ceiling in the small bedroom.  There was a large puddle on the hardwood floor.   Daniel brought up our biggest pot and I put it on the floor under the spot that was leaking.

I can’t imagine what we’re going to do about the roof.  We don’t have any money.

This gives new meaning to the adage, “when it rains, it pours.”

Song of the Day:  Rain by The Beatles

Santa Baby

Today’s Holidailies Prompt: Letter to Santa … or any other holiday icon you like.

Dear Santa Baby,

Slip a million under the tree, for me
I’ve been an awfully poor girl
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa baby, a million in my pocket, too, yoo hoo
I’ll wait up for you dear
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Think of all the payments I have missed
Think of all the creditors that are pissed
Next year I could be oh so rich
If you’d check off my Christmas list
Boo doo bee doo

Santa honey, I wanna win the jackpot, and really that’s not
A lot
I’ve been a pauper all year
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa cutie, there’s one thing I really do need, to feed
This family of mine
Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa baby, fill my stocking with large bills next, and checks
Sign your ‘X’ on the line
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Come and trim my Christmas tree
With notes of the denomination “C”
I really do believe in demand and supply
And that happiness money can buy
Boo doo bee doo

Santa baby, there’s something else you can bestow, more dough
Not in escrow
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight

Love,
Stephanie

Song of the Day:  Santa Baby written by J. Javits and P. Springer,  originally sung by Eartha Kitt

Fa La La La La

Today’s Holidailies Prompt: Describe your holiday decorating techniques.

I wouldn’t say that I have a “technique” when it comes to holiday decorating.  I just put decorations anywhere I can find a place for them.  It goes something like this…

Bring battery-operated candles up from basement.  Test them to see if they still work.  Spend a shitload of money on new batteries.  Replace dead batteries.  Place candles on windowsills (12).

Buy a $6.99 wreath at the supermarket.  Hang it on the front door.

Go to Christmas tree lot and spend too much time in the freezing cold looking for the perfect tree.  Upon returning home, search basement for tree stand.  Rearrange living room furniture to make room for the tree.  Place tree in stand.  Tighten screws, pump foot lever, sweat and swear (a lot) until tree is fairly straight.  Pour water in stand.  Spread tree skirt.  Leave tree alone until daughters comes over to help with the trimming.

Go back down to the basement to search for stockings to be hung by the chimney with care.  In the bag where the stockings were stored, find some other decorations.  Put Nutcracker, snowman, and Santa on the mantel.

Find a spot for the other snowman.

Find more spots for the other items.

Before hanging this decoration, tradition dictates that I must first hide it someplace where Leigh will stumble upon it unexpectedly and freak out.  She has an unnatural fear of this thing. The other night, I hid it under the covers of her bed as a special surprise for when she came home for Rebecca’s birthday.  Heh heh.

Play Christmas CDs.  Bring tree ornaments up from basement.  Spend a few hours untangling the lights.  Test lights.  Pull some hair out of head and then decide to make do with the few strings of lights that still work.  Spend a few more hours winding lights around tree.  Silently curse whoever’s big idea this was in the first place.

Instead of tinsel or garland, we use strings of musical instruments,

with alternating rows of strings of fake cranberries .  Silently curse myself for thinking this was a good idea.

Take an ornament out of the box.  Hang it on the tree.

Repeat until ready to scream.  Finally, place grapevine star on top. (I used to have an angel but it broke and I couldn’t find a suitable replacement.)

Take painkiller.  Call it a day.

Song of the Day:  Deck the Halls