tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54058183539395201442023-11-15T05:24:01.762-08:00Greyhouse JournalChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.comBlogger409125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-10710697003064687252012-03-29T21:44:00.001-07:002012-03-29T22:42:48.578-07:00I'm Moving to WordPressHi all,<br />
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Blogger changed my whole layout, colors, pictures, everything! Even the header photo was removed! So bye-bye blogger!<br />
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As a result I just bopped over to WordPress and signed up. It'll take a while to get this up and running but please check back often! I'll miss you all for the time being!<br />
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The new site is <a href="http://GreyHouseJournal.wordpress.com/">GreyHouseJournal.wordpress.com</a>! Just so you know, I was having a little hissy-fit today so not much of WordPress sunk in. Will be working on it over the next few days.<br />
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Anyone who uses this...are you happy with the layouts/design/flexibility? Thanks so much for your input!<br />
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Christine<br />
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greyhouse09@gmail.comChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-45811934129039184132012-03-29T17:33:00.001-07:002012-03-29T17:37:59.720-07:00Blogger is Horrible PostWell, I may be on permanent hiatus. Blogger is getting a new upgrade/look in April and IT IS HORRIBLE! I just took a peek at what's coming and it ate my dashboard. The new layout is totally unfriendly and confusing so I won't be posting for a while after the change hits. Sorry.<br />
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Why do companies "fix" things that AREN'T broken?<br />
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Going to look into another service for blogging like WordPress, etc.<br />
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Stay well and happy.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-49627465246008198612012-03-29T11:07:00.013-07:002012-03-29T15:20:55.402-07:00"I'm So Excited, I Just Can't Hide It" PostVisited <a href="http://www.besottedblog.com/">Miss B's blog, Besotted Brand blog</a> yesterday and was<a href="http://www.besottedblog.com/2012/03/civil-unrest.html"> delighted by her photo of an old cemetery in Georgia</a> where she recently traveled. It reminded me of all the month-long trips taken each summer by car as a child. My younger brother loved old cemeteries, so whenever we saw a really interesting old one, we stopped and investigated.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ptX0P_6vnDo/T3JyWFm2qkI/AAAAAAAAA7w/yZIoeA8wDCc/s1600/GA+cemetery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ptX0P_6vnDo/T3JyWFm2qkI/AAAAAAAAA7w/yZIoeA8wDCc/s400/GA+cemetery.jpg" width="307" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.besottedblog.com/2012/03/civil-unrest.html">Photo Source (Besotted Brand Blog)</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>There was something that fascinated him about them. Personally, I found them terrifically peaceful and calming. Walking into one, it felt like you had entered a patch of space where time stood still. All cares, worries and such fell away. All that was left was peace.<br />
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I've visited many cemeteries here and in other countries during my travels in life and I never felt any distress, fear or discomfort from the inhabitants residing there. Maybe a twinge of sadness on<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> occasion</span>, but that was it. Even in the wistfully crumbling ones where trees had turned to skeletons and Spanish moss drifted down , waving silently in a soft breeze. There was always a special peace.<br />
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In our travels we found mausoleums (sometimes unlocked), sarcophagi and old, open cement vaults used to house the coffin, empty and laying in the grass above ground. Did the family move the interred to a new grave site? Was the grave looted? So many ideas for fertile little imaginations to dwell on. Endless possibilities.<br />
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Yes, as usual, I veered off course (and <i>in the very first sentence of this post, yikes</i>...oh well, back to my original reason for this post).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YNXd9YWl2WA/T3JwTyincZI/AAAAAAAAA7o/sXl1W7wCsn0/s1600/Souvenir+Foto+Ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YNXd9YWl2WA/T3JwTyincZI/AAAAAAAAA7o/sXl1W7wCsn0/s400/Souvenir+Foto+Ad.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.besottedblog.com/search?updated-max=2012-03-15T15:17:00-07:00&max-results=5">Photo Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Had to share this news! <a href="http://www.besottedblog.com/p/souvenir-foto-school_09.html">Miss B. is offering the Souvenir Foto Class again </a>and I signed up! So excited! Been into photography since grade school and have six film cameras (SLR, twin lens reflex, rangefinder and Polaroids) plus two digital point and shoots. Used to be the yearbook and newspaper photographer in high school and almost majored in photography in college.<br />
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Problem is, the gap between using a film camera and digital camera has me stymied. I really (wish, wish, wish) want a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) but can't afford it. Especially 'cuz I'd want a wide angle lens and a macro on top of the standard lens.<br />
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Also I haven't done any styling or art direction (my jobs in a former life) for ages so I'm hoping to be refreshed by this class. She offered it once before however I only found out about it the day before it started and it was full. As you can see from my so-so photos on this blog I need some inspiration.<br />
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After reading <a href="http://bleulune.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/02/21225.html">Andrea Paulin's experience over the five week class on her blog Under a Blue Moon</a>, I really hoped it would be offered again. And it is! Yay! Starts April 1 and I'm really looking forward to it. You can find <a href="http://www.besottedblog.com/">more info at the Besotted Brand blog right here</a>.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-8575041885467173282012-03-27T18:32:00.001-07:002012-03-27T18:32:00.476-07:00Patio Inspiration PostLook what I found today, it's the <a href="http://greyhousejournal.blogspot.com/2012/03/slowly-tiptoeing-into-garden-post.html">white (off-white) iron chairs from Pottery Barn that I showed here</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KYiJpwPIBV4/T3EYzb6lr7I/AAAAAAAAA7Y/jluXmgB0Cm8/s1600/ironChrs-CoteSud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KYiJpwPIBV4/T3EYzb6lr7I/AAAAAAAAA7Y/jluXmgB0Cm8/s640/ironChrs-CoteSud.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cotemaison.fr/">Photo Source</a> Times when I wish I could read French.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>More inspiration to get me going! Of course, my garden/patio area will look nothing like this. Lol!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-7269883815868848052012-03-26T10:58:00.001-07:002012-03-26T13:18:49.226-07:00The Oleo Wars PostOne of my favorite things to do other than visit blogs in general, is to search out new food blogs and follow up on old favorites. Though I haven't cooked much at all lately, I love finding new recipes (in the belief that I will return to cooking soon) as well as discovering new techniques.<br />
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There are so many new cookbooks and blogs as well as a resurgence of methods and dishes that were popular while I was growing up. It's simply never-ending! So last week in my malaise, I found myself looking for comfort in food and recipes.<br />
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One of the blogs I enjoy is <a href="http://soupaddict.com/">The Soup Addict</a>. Don't think I mentioned this in the past, but I love soup as well as making it. As we exit the season of root vegetables, a recipe for French Spring Soup on her blog caught my eye. Her topics run the gamut of soup, gardening and other interesting topics including butter making, so I bookmarked the butter post and of course promptly forgot about it. Running across her soup recipe suddenly jogged my memory and I recalled the bookmarked post.<br />
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Her article on how to make cultured butter is very thorough and informative. And when I say butter, we're talking the stuff found in Europe, not the U.S., land of ultra-pasturization.<br />
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I'd noticed for quite some time that she had a photo and link (upper right hand corner of the home page, that she changes periodically) to a kitchen technique. The one that was bookmarked back in January, was on <a href="http://soupaddict.com/2012/01/ingredients-cultured-butter-buttermilk/#more-8596">"Ingredients: Cultured Butter"</a>.<br />
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I'm in heaven...I love butter. Being raised in the Midwest for the first 25 years of my life, it was an integral part of the culture. I bet you could hear my arteries slamming shut as I said that! Interestingly, back in the mid-60's and earlier, butter was king in the Midwest and you couldn't get <a href="http://www.butteryspreads.org/historyofmargarine.php">margarine</a> (it was cheaper) in the state where I lived.<br />
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Margarine as I recall it back then, looked like uncolored fat (sort of like chicken fat without any pink) in a plastic pouch with a pocket of dark orange dye in it's center. The idea was to knead the colored into the ghastly fat so it "looked" like butter. I'd give anything for a photo (color) of the gross object just to share with you! So far, no luck.<br />
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I did find a few interesting links you should check out just for the <a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/65333">photos</a> and <a href="http://www.soyinfocenter.com/HSS/margarine1.php">crazy</a> <a href="http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/wmh/pdf/wmh_autumn01_strey.pdf">history</a>! After much searching I finally found two old ads showing the bag of fat with the dark orange dye plug in the center:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-InF7JAKTW40/T2Kga_shjOI/AAAAAAAAA44/-McTK54qj7c/s1600/Oleo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-InF7JAKTW40/T2Kga_shjOI/AAAAAAAAA44/-McTK54qj7c/s400/Oleo1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this not gross or what?</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FK_GLFgrj_E/T2KgkyCHeuI/AAAAAAAAA5A/G2aJBvyLmVQ/s1600/Oleo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FK_GLFgrj_E/T2KgkyCHeuI/AAAAAAAAA5A/G2aJBvyLmVQ/s400/Oleo2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=oleomargarine+photos&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=0Z1iT8SHAumMiALDieTZCA&sqi=2&ved=0CCIQsAQ&biw=1630&bih=876">Photo Source for both images.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>My mom tried it once at the urging of a relative. We all wanted to taste test it. The result. We never want that "thing" in our home again! To this day, margarine strikes me as fake butter. IMHO if I'm going to consume any calories (and margarine does have them) then I want to make them worth it and enjoy the real taste...so give me butter!<br />
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Same applies to cheese, chocolate and so on. Give me the real thing or I'll just skip it.<br />
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Now, just for your enjoyment, I found a few more pertinent links. First, this <a href="http://www.examiner.com/history-in-milwaukee/oleo-wars">article on the "Oleo Wars"</a> which is hysterical but totally true! Here's yet another <a href="http://www.thefreemanonline.org/featured/the-war-on-margarine/">Oleo War Saga</a>. And <a href="http://portalwisconsin.wordpress.com/2010/11/18/battle-of-the-bread-spreads/">this last one</a> has the following quote from reader, Paula: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">When we went on school bus trips with my Catholic grammar school from Milwaukee to Chicago, we were “armed” with neighborhood orders for oleo (ala Girl Scout cookies). The bus always stopped at Fosslands on the way back. Our teachers (nuns, no less) would work Mr. Fossland for an excellent price. They then upmarked the oleo for us to deliver back in Milwaukee. We sat with our knees in our faces the rest of the way back, since the bus floor was covered with cases of oleo. I was doing God’s work.</span></span>"</span> Can you stand it?!<br />
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Fast forward a decade or so and on my trip to Europe (and all subsequent ones), I went to the next level of heaven (if there can be one) and discovered cultured butter. I won't go into the differences here since Karen's article is excellent, other than to say there's nothing better!<br />
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I read the article and then went on to read <a href="http://soupaddict.com/2010/05/a-fun-little-buttery-project/">her first article concerning basic butter making</a>. Must say, please read them in the correct order (unlike me): basic butter first and then cultured butter. If you even remotely like the taste of real butter vs. "gag" margarine, you must check these posts out! OMGoodness! The minute my current project in the kitchen is done, out comes the mixer and I'll be off churning!!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-36019144009961251372012-03-24T20:08:00.007-07:002012-03-24T21:26:00.436-07:00Slowly Tiptoeing Into the Garden Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5LbsbznxznQ/T26YsTCHvnI/AAAAAAAAA64/WvW-axieC6k/s1600/Seed+Cats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5LbsbznxznQ/T26YsTCHvnI/AAAAAAAAA64/WvW-axieC6k/s400/Seed+Cats.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Of late, I've noticed quite a few posts about what's sprouting in gardens thanks to the mild winter in many places. The kitchen gardens particularly inspire me since I really miss mine. Plus it pains me to pay two to three dollars for a little plastic box of herbs that will spoil before I use them up! It's such a waste!<br />
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I've missed making my Mediterranean Pasta dish because it would cost me at least $8-10 for the herbs alone. Then add $1 each for a can of tomatoes, pasta, black olives, parmesan and you're up to about $12-14, which is rather pricy for a pasta dish. Tried making it with dried herbs and while it was okay, it wasn't remotely as fresh, tasty and aromatic.<br />
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In retrospect, this last year seems to have been a year of mourning. I don't know how else to explain the directionless path I've wandered. Seems it's slowly coming to an end (knock on wood). For so long, nothing interested me and now, I'm actually feeling like getting myself outside and working on my garden.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6d7hIPeOHVs/T21BxyRzRlI/AAAAAAAAA6I/Lt-BSAmiCis/s1600/PotGarden1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6d7hIPeOHVs/T21BxyRzRlI/AAAAAAAAA6I/Lt-BSAmiCis/s400/PotGarden1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Since my plans to move out of state are on hold due to the knee, the most I could save per month if I moved elsewhere in LA would be "maybe" $100. If you factor in moving costs (since I can't do any of the lifting, etc. I've done in the past) it's a wash. So I might as well make this place livable.<br />
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Well that was a roundabout little tangent....<br />
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If you're a regular reader you know my "garden" consists of a little strip of dirt by the chain link fence and a gaggle of pots in assorted sizes. In previous posts, I've explained how events in my life had conspired to send me into a downward spiral. One of the casualties was my little garden.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zQhUhgJjxLw/T21CBEGVoFI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/9cU8mBP51AI/s1600/PotGarden3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zQhUhgJjxLw/T21CBEGVoFI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/9cU8mBP51AI/s400/PotGarden3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Reading about other bloggers planning out their spring seed selections pricked up my ears or rather my eyes. This led to going online and ordering a few seed catalogs like <a href="http://www.seedsavers.org/">Seed Savers</a>, <a href="http://www.burpee.com/">Burpee's</a> and <a href="http://parkseed.com/default.aspx?gclid=CL7hhqDp8a4CFUoZQgodFAr0Jg">Park's</a>. It's been a long time since I've looked at seed catalogs. Usually it's just a trip to a nursery to pick up the plants I want since we're not talking a farm here! Holy smokes! 30 seeds cost anywhere from $4.95 to $6.95! Obviously I'll be using these catalogs mainly for inspiration or if I can't find a specific item I really want.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UXk5cR5SKv8/T21CLMLfKrI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/mY7me9OvkNo/s1600/PotGarden2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UXk5cR5SKv8/T21CLMLfKrI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/mY7me9OvkNo/s400/PotGarden2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Living in LA does have it's advantages like lots of plant nurseries, from your basic big box store to the more boutique type. It's funny, this is the first time in a while I've felt this interested in something other than hibernating. Yeah, I've been pretty pathetic.<br />
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Anyway, these are a few pics of the disaster that used to be a lovely potted garden. It's okay to be appalled, I am. Remember this area has not seen a human other than the mo'n'blo' gardener in almost two years. From here I'll make a list of pots, saucers and accessories. Then assess what can and needs to be done. One thing that must be accomplished straight off is to empty the exhausted, old dirt that's been in the pots for over ten years and put in new dirt.<br />
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Unlike in the past, this will take a bit of time due to the inconvenience my knee will cause. Dragging pots of dirt to dump in the empty spot on the side of the house and bags of soil to and from my car at the big box store won't go as quickly as usual.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PSZX-H8F7lk/T21C629k_cI/AAAAAAAAA6o/yJvGqt3NOig/s1600/PotGarden5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PSZX-H8F7lk/T21C629k_cI/AAAAAAAAA6o/yJvGqt3NOig/s400/PotGarden5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
That's why I'm going to plan it all out, step by step. First, herbs will be planned out then pots prepared and only then am I allowing myself out to actually buy the plants. I believe a Meyer's Lemon tree (dwarf size for a large pot) will be next. That or some pots for veggies such as the obvious, lettuce and a bush tomato or three. Lastly the flowers. Not many, just a bit of color.<br />
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The glass table with the iron base and plastic chairs will all be subject to a bath. Meanwhile, I'll observe what's going on with the tomato and decide if it'll be ripped out or just left. Since there is no shade thanks to the tree butcher (no, still not over that), I'll have to see if the patio umbrella works since I haven't opened it in two summers.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KBxjj-YHMk4/T26ZJplTO_I/AAAAAAAAA7A/jdUWGZVxbsY/s1600/bistro+chair+PB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KBxjj-YHMk4/T26ZJplTO_I/AAAAAAAAA7A/jdUWGZVxbsY/s320/bistro+chair+PB.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/lattice-metal-bistro-dining-chair/?pkey=e%7Clattice%2Bbistro%2Bchair%7C1%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C1&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules-_-">Photo Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I've also got two really cute bistro chairs that I bought at Marshall's about eight years ago to go with the glass table. Problem was after being out for one summer, they began rusting which of course would come off on one's clothes. Rustoleum was purchased but a number of things got in the way so there they sit in the garage.<br />
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I "may" tackle them this summer. Especially since I found almost the identical chair in the Pottery Barn catalog for $159 each! I didn't pay anywhere near that much for mine! Mine have a lattice back as well as the seat. I can't decide though if I should keep them white and paint the table base to match or vice versa. The 30 inch hight metal plant stand is white. Any thoughts?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rw9YtpIQkgw/T26Z1sbjjxI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/O3epykCnOCA/s1600/WhtPlantStd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rw9YtpIQkgw/T26Z1sbjjxI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/O3epykCnOCA/s320/WhtPlantStd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It feels good to actually be interested in something again and planning for it. As I said though, I will be taking this a step at a time so I'm not overwhelmed. I mean, look at those photos, wouldn't you be defeated before you even began if you considered it as a whole task? It won't look all Home and Garden-y since I'm working with what's there. Expenditures will be on soil, plants and possibly Rustoleum.<br />
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So, step by step we go. Kind of like <a href="http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/slow+and+steady+wins+the+race">the saying associated with Aesop's fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare"...If you work slowly but constantly, you will succeed better than if you work fast for a short while and do not continue."</a><br />
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<i>"Slow and steady wins the race".</i>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-18562025205684088602012-03-22T09:55:00.000-07:002012-03-22T12:46:01.996-07:00Happy PostYesterday I had to go to the dentist to get the permanent crown put on one of my back teeth. This is the pre-molar I managed to break on a single popcorn kernel. Let's see, <i>the cost of <u>one</u> un-popped kernel of corn equals $1,200.00</i>. Somehow that's just obscene. But there was nothing I could do to change it, so I just resigned myself to it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Since the dentist is 20 minutes away on a good traffic day, I arrived early and wound up talking to the receptionist. She hadn't seen me in six months so the cane and limp were new to her. She inquired and I explained the pricy surgery coming up. She was shocked at the cost and how little of it my health insurance covered. We talked about some other things and then it was my turn.<br />
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Five shots of Novocain later, I was a drooling fool but it was over (no photos of this...you understand). The impressions were taken and the temporary crown was put on.<br />
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<a href="http://greyhousejournal.blogspot.com/2012/01/presence-of-miracles-post.html">Remember how I said around New Year's that I was going to acknowledge when something good happened to me</a> rather than just whining about the bad things? Well, I still don't do it enough, but this is one of those times.<br />
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When I walked over to the receptionist to pay, she asked if I had dental insurance and I said unfortunately not. She then wrote a website on a post-it and whispered to me to go online and apply for this insurance.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7JcBCrmm9sA/T2lo8TFFenI/AAAAAAAAA5o/e5sLby_VCqQ/s1600/DentalPlans1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7JcBCrmm9sA/T2lo8TFFenI/AAAAAAAAA5o/e5sLby_VCqQ/s400/DentalPlans1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gifts come in various forms...like a simple little Post-It!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>"Don't tell the Dr. I gave you this number". Continuing, she said that if I signed up immediately, it would reduce the cost by at least 40-50%!!! Well, push me over with a feather! I thanked her profusely and signed up the minute I got back to my home computer.<br />
<br />
For about $12 per month I now have dental insurance! How amazing is that? What a kind person! She didn't have to do that!! What a gift!! In my case it really is, since I have several other very old amalgam fillings that are living on borrowed time at this point.<br />
<br />
So here's the "crowning glory" as it were in all it's less than sartorial splendor. Oh, and with the gift of insurance, it "only" cost $645.00...what a difference, huh? <a href="http://greyhousejournal.blogspot.com/2012/01/presence-of-miracles-post.html">Miracles sparkle everywhere, you just have to be open to allowing them in</a>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ztU-sXYa00s/T2t7bFZrszI/AAAAAAAAA6A/Cqwut52bZjw/s1600/Molar-f%2527ing+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="118" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ztU-sXYa00s/T2t7bFZrszI/AAAAAAAAA6A/Cqwut52bZjw/s320/Molar-f%2527ing+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pricy little crown is third from the right. Sorry, color's wonky.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-68700286141041817532012-03-20T20:29:00.004-07:002012-03-20T20:29:01.074-07:00Fact of Life Post<div style="color: #d72214; font: 16.0px 'Handwriting - Dakota'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #d72214; font: 24.0px 'Handwriting - Dakota'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #d72214; font: 20.0px 'Handwriting - Dakota'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #d72214; font: 36.0px Cracked; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">A fact of Life: </div><div style="color: #d72214; font: 36.0px Cracked; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">After Monday and Tuesday</div><div style="color: #d72214; font: 36.0px Cracked; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">even the calendar says </div><div style="color: #d72214; font: 36.0px Cracked; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">W T F………..</div><div><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<div>Found this little bit of humor a while back, can't remember where, and as always forgot about it. Ran across it on the weekend and after last week, I couldn't resist sharing. It just felt sort of apropos.</div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-2857829119833270652012-03-19T08:42:00.002-07:002012-03-19T19:25:00.551-07:00Biscuits and Gravy Post<div style="color: #c7213f; font: 20.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Memory Mondays</div><br />
St. Pat's Day got me thinking as I said in an earlier post) about my family. While searching for a quote to send a friend, I ran across one in Robert Fulghum's book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. It immediately made me think of my father. It's at the end of this post.<br />
<br />
In the last years of his life, my dad re-discovered Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast. This was a horrifying discovery for me since my parents' home had become a combo of "Heart Attack Hotel" and "Stroke City". What was scarier, was that my mother was enabling him!<br />
<br />
She had figured out how to whip up a batch of Sausage Gravy, putting it into recycled margarine containers from her friend Irene (my mom never used margarine after her experience with oleo). Then she'd mix up dough for biscuits, bake them, cool completely and bag them. Everything was then frozen.<br />
<br />
This way she could thaw a tub of gravy overnight, the next morning, heat it and pop a few biscuits into the toaster oven. Within minutes she had dad's breakfast. He always looked so delighted when he dove in. His eyes twinkled and when finished, he'd smack his lips and smile. The perfect picture of pure happiness.<br />
<br />
As time went on, this became his (gasp!) daily breakfast <a href="http://greyhousejournal.blogspot.com/2012/03/life-in-coffee-cup-story.html">after he went to George Webb's to see his "friends" for a cup of coffee</a>. On weekends, of course, it was real eggs, bacon and butter. Eggbeaters never entered the picture, much less the house.<br />
<br />
Recent posts on food networks seem to be featuring more and more comfort foods, among them recipes for Biscuits and Gravy. In looking up the nutritional (ha!) information for these heavenly little pillows of poison, I came across www.livestrong.com, a partner of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the following statistics.<br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">"One 2 1/2 inch diameter biscuit has 212 calories, according to the FatSecret website. An oz., or 2 tbsp. of sausage gravy has 44 calories, you'll take in 256 in calories."</span></i><br />
<br />
Frankly this sounded a bit low to me, so over at the <a href="http://www.fatsecret.com/">www.fatsecret.com</a> site I found that <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">one biscuit with gravy equalled 508 calories</span></i>. I won't even tell you the breakdown of saturated fat and so on. At <a href="http://www.allrecipes.com/">www.allrecipes.com</a>, I found <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">one serving dished up 710 calories</span></i>, so there's a lot of variation.<br />
<br />
Now, if you'd seen my father's version, it would have scared you silly. At least two if not three biscuits topped with about 3/4 cup of sausage gravy. Yes, you may faint right now. My arteries are snapping shut right now just recalling this!<br />
<br />
Since I've never had a taste of this dish or would ever make a batch, I'm using a photo from www.tasteofhome.com so you can see what I'm referring to.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_oG6uASgjZE/T2VHH9RiqMI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/uJhDGA_T7yE/s1600/Biscuits+and+Gravy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_oG6uASgjZE/T2VHH9RiqMI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/uJhDGA_T7yE/s320/Biscuits+and+Gravy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Biscuits-and-Sausage-Gravy">Photo Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'll end with the Robert Fulghum quote because it's exactly what my father said to me when I questioned his sanity for eating this way.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #c7213f; font: 20.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><i>And sure,</i></div><div style="color: #c7213f; font: 20.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><i>I know if you eat this way you'll die. So?</i></div><div style="color: #c7213f; font: 20.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><i>If you don't eat this way</i></div><div style="color: #c7213f; font: 20.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><i>you're still going to die.</i></div><div style="color: #c7213f; font: 20.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><i>Why not die happy?</i></div><div style="color: #c7213f; font: 20.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-4083507797876958252012-03-18T15:15:00.006-07:002012-03-18T15:15:00.727-07:00Simply Sunday's Post<a href="http://greyhousejournal.blogspot.com/2012/01/presence-of-miracles-post.html">This whole accepting life as it comes and not going into a deranged tailspin of worry and fighting what I can have no effect on</a>, is still new to me. I'm still kind of in shock. It's almost as if, once I gave up the mindset that I "could" control life, I was set free, freer than I'd ever felt before.<br />
<br />
The little snafu* with my brother still was weighing on me when I finally decided to let it go over the weekend. I can't change him, he has a stubborn streak as do I so it would only get worse.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XO0dKOxB3Gg/T2VJe_R7peI/AAAAAAAAA5g/80lc57z3Q5Q/s1600/3-17-2AfterStorm1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XO0dKOxB3Gg/T2VJe_R7peI/AAAAAAAAA5g/80lc57z3Q5Q/s400/3-17-2AfterStorm1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the Storm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Once again, a sweet little gift dropped into my lap today. I didn't wish for anything, I just went about my daily business of working on my blog and checking on friend's blogs. The only thing different was that I'd let go of fear and worry for the day. There was nothing I could do today to resolve the events of the last week, so why give today short shrift? It didn't do anything to me.<br />
<br />
In fact, it struck me that I was so grateful not to have him as well as the man I used to be married to (known as doltoid in my writings) in my life at this point. No more of the usual trap of waiting for their approval or whatever. Amazing how much more you can see with 20/20 hindsight. I was so thankful!<br />
<br />
This means I'm on my own, all by my self which is scary. But sometimes "being alone" is better than "being alone with..." those kind of individuals.<br />
<br />
While I dwelt in the unfamiliar peace that I found this midweek, I read <a href="http://willows95988.typepad.com/tongue_cheek/2012/01/sundays-scribbling.html">Corey Amaro's blog, Tongue in Cheek, her Sunday entry</a> which I must have missed when she posted it.<br />
<br />
It's not so much what she wrote, but <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0310321913/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=tongueinche04-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0310321913&adid=05MRH3S8YT29P0PBX6W5">her link to Amy Voskamp's book, "One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are"</a>. Right below the "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc6719; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px;"><b>Book Description</b></span>" you'll find a short video, watch it. Magical! I also found a quote that I like from the book, "It is impossible to give thanks and simultaneously feel fear".<br />
<br />
It really sounded like a good book based on the reviews. However, after reading Amazon's "Look Inside" I decided the book's not for me and for a number of reasons. I don't mean to sound judgy (that <i>is</i> a word isn't it? Lol!) but it's a little too mother with six children living on the farm, finding Christ, for my personal taste. But have a look yourself, it may be something you'll like. Me, I'll glean what I can and be thankful for the gifts it contained for me.<br />
<br />
Sometimes the end result (buying the book) isn't the message, it's reading a few parts that contribute to your life and that's enough. It's the journey not the destination that's important. It's finding the Grace in things as they are, not demanding something, some place else.<br />
<br />
*I think that's why I like the acronym "snafu" it's meaning is so perfect for moments in life that don't go the way we wanted or planned. Check out <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNAFU">this link for a complete definition</a>. (Note: for those with a delicate constitution, there is a swear word in the acronym so please be advised.)<br />
<br />
Well, I'm off to listen to A Prairie Home Companion podcast or two and then to bed. Funny, found a rather critical review of it recently relating to the "snore factor" which I found hysterical because that's exactly why I listen. Only in my case, I'd refer to it as the "relaxing factor" and I'm fond of them just for that. I LOVE stories, especially when told by a great storyteller!<br />
<br />
Goodnight :)Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-82695547826554649192012-03-17T09:00:00.011-07:002012-03-17T09:00:00.899-07:00March 17, 2012 PostWhenever St. Patrick's Day rolls around I inevitably am reminded of my father and his Irish heritage. He took great pride in it and when asked why he wasn't wearing green, replied "I'm 100% Irish, I don't need to". This year thinking of my family is more painful than usual. It reminds me of the Mary Engelbreit greeting card I sent to someone who had a similar dysfunctional family background:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #008d14; font: 24.0px 'American Typewriter'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">"Let's put the fun back in dysfunctional"</div><br />
When I went to college, drinking green beer on March 17 was a time honored tradition and the multitude of bars started serving green beer at 8 a.m. Green beer is not something you want to get inebriated on or be around someone who is. Let's just say the operative word here is "gross". Fortunately, I find beer tasty only on a super hot summer day after working in the garden or on the <i>extremely</i> rare occasion when I've been dragged to a baseball game. Then, I only really want a taste, half a beer at the most.<br />
<br />
Then there's the classic dyeing of the Chicago river a brilliant shade of green! It's a 50 year old tradition. Even though I lived just outside the city for five years, I never made the effort to go in to see it since the drinking starts <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><i>very early</i> </span>in the morning.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X8FHgD7cXWU/T2Lvh51VmCI/AAAAAAAAA5I/KeOJ24DskIA/s1600/Chicago+River+Green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X8FHgD7cXWU/T2Lvh51VmCI/AAAAAAAAA5I/KeOJ24DskIA/s400/Chicago+River+Green.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.liveat415.com/around-town/chicagos-turning-green-for-st-pats/">Photo Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>There are those that go a totally different but equally novel "green" route and sport the following dye job. I bet the little fur ball is wondering how he's going to live this one down among doggie friends.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0mB0iCrwy9k/T2LxY3sEz6I/AAAAAAAAA5Q/YBszhuquK40/s1600/St+pats+dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0mB0iCrwy9k/T2LxY3sEz6I/AAAAAAAAA5Q/YBszhuquK40/s400/St+pats+dog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://decktheholidays.blogspot.com/2011/03/top-10-st-patricks-day-parades-in.html">Photo Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>So may you all have a day of luck and a year of good fortune and...<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #008d14; font: 14.0px Palatino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 13.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">May the road rise up to meet you.<span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>May the wind be always at your back.<span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>May the sun shine warm upon your face;<span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,<span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>may God hold you in the palm of His hand.</div><div style="color: #008d14; font: 11.0px Palatino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 13.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Traditional Irish Blessing</div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-84261381094374450282012-03-16T09:35:00.003-07:002012-03-16T09:35:00.572-07:00A Thought Post<div style="color: #e12415; font: 13.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 9.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Friendship isn't about whom you</div><div style="color: #e12415; font: 13.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 9.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">have known the longest…</div><div style="color: #e12415; font: 13.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 9.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">It's about who came, and never left your side.</div><div style="color: #e12415; font: 10.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 9.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Unknown</div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-7564641677937086532012-03-15T21:37:00.001-07:002012-03-15T21:46:31.068-07:00The Land of Pollen PostSince the gardeners come this afternoon, I thought I'd better get outside and pick ripe tomatoes so they don't <a href="http://greyhousejournal.blogspot.com/2012/03/gardeners-fuertes-and-ripening-tip-post.html">poach those like the avocados</a> last time. Since <a href="http://greyhousejournal.blogspot.com/2012/03/tomato-bounty-post.html">you've had plenty tomato-y photos</a>, I'm not going to bore you with yet another photo, suffice it to say, I picked <i>six</i> more!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
It may be slowing down a bit due to the branches trying to re-root to make more plants...yikes! The avocado tree on the other hand is flowering like mad! All the avocado trees in the area, look almost like they're covered with snow, there are so many blossoms. Here's a shot or two of mine.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G4e5_mTHI0k/T2F78jE8ZyI/AAAAAAAAA4o/ZrJFJFdegOs/s1600/AvoBuds2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G4e5_mTHI0k/T2F78jE8ZyI/AAAAAAAAA4o/ZrJFJFdegOs/s400/AvoBuds2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ddaGmEeLcXU/T2F8Fy_uNVI/AAAAAAAAA4w/8KQjPsKZu2M/s1600/AvoBuds.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ddaGmEeLcXU/T2F8Fy_uNVI/AAAAAAAAA4w/8KQjPsKZu2M/s400/AvoBuds.1.jpg" width="367" /></a></div><br />
While out back, I noticed the Queen Palm is quite a happy little (actually large) camper, shooting out flower sprays right and left! These are then bursting open to reveal millions (okay, maybe not millions, but lots) of seeds which will self-sow quite readily.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-afbvHsCjIkU/T2F57mmLKII/AAAAAAAAA4Q/J3fMzrvCCS4/s1600/Qn.Palm3-13-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-afbvHsCjIkU/T2F57mmLKII/AAAAAAAAA4Q/J3fMzrvCCS4/s400/Qn.Palm3-13-2.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f8DAdo4SnIw/T2F6D6LRYLI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/iDg7mFQiwMU/s1600/Qn.Palm.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f8DAdo4SnIw/T2F6D6LRYLI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/iDg7mFQiwMU/s400/Qn.Palm.3.jpg" width="327" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On lower left, an old flower spike. On right one just opened.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QzO7MsiEvqo/T2F6NcxgJvI/AAAAAAAAA4g/a8U6O8wK50k/s1600/Qn.Palm.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QzO7MsiEvqo/T2F6NcxgJvI/AAAAAAAAA4g/a8U6O8wK50k/s400/Qn.Palm.2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two flower spikes with lots of seeds.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Surprising since it gets no fertilizer. It does get all day sun though, so that must be the key!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-81523672421610343612012-03-14T20:15:00.001-07:002012-03-14T20:23:16.980-07:00Under the Weather and Gloom PostThe weather here has been heavenly the last five or so days. Just <i>heavenly</i> but I'm under it as the saying goes. Not so much physically sick but bitten by a mental bug. Funny how much words can hurt. Especially when they come from someone you're related to and love. Someone you've known your whole life.<br />
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<div style="color: #cf2013; font: 12.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font: 14.0px Zapfino;">"</span>Machines and relatives get most of the yelling.</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 12.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">But never trees. As for people, well, the Solomon islanders have a point. Yelling at a living thing does tend to kill the spirit in them.</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 16.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Sticks and stones may break our bones,</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 16.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">but words will break our hearts."</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 9.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Robert Fulghum</div><br />
It always amazes me when we treat relatives with so much less care than friends and acquaintances. Several years back, I read something about this phenomena. Shortly after reading that article, I stopped watching a number of television programs where family members belittled each other or treated each other poorly. One in particular was "Everyone Loves Raymond".<br />
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This also was a prime example of how poorly spouses treat each other. Now, I don't mind an occasional dose of sarcasm and so on, life is like that, but not all the time. The Middle is another show I have a problem watching. It just seems so negative, so damaging mentally to watch. And of course, how could I forget Two and a Half Men? So very many bad examples there.<br />
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Life is too short to waste time viewing such cynical drivel. Seems it also makes it "okay" for people to turn around and treat others in real life virtually the same way as they've seen characters on TV shows behaving.<br />
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<div style="color: #cf2013; font: 13.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">"Think of what a better world it would be</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 13.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">if we all - the whole world</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 13.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">had cookies and milk about 3 o'clock every afternoon</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 13.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">and then lay down with our blankets for a nap."</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 9.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Robert Fulghum</div><br />
Maybe I'm just feeling gloomy as another birthday is slowly approaching. It's funny, speaking to a friend several months ago, she mentioned how turning 26 was devastating for her. Quite a few of her girlfriends had voice the same opinion. I almost fell over because 26 for me had been a truly depressing birthday...not 25 or 30, but 26!<br />
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This feels a lot like the same oppressive weight I felt at the approach of that birthday. Mind you, I have...holy c#@p! I was just counting and it's about two months away! Yikes! We won't be talking numbers here, but it's not one of the milestones you'd think would have such an effect, just like 26 wasn't.<br />
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Maybe it's a lot of things combined. The economy, the divorce, the loss of family members, the loss of my life as I knew it, the upcoming, inevitable surgery and so on. Who knows?<br />
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I want to thank you for stopping in and visiting, it's such an honor. And for getting all the way down to the end of this gloomy little post I'm going to leave you with another quote, also by Robert Fulghum from All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten:<br />
<div style="color: #cf2013; font: 18.0px 'Hoefler Text'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 13.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 12.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">"Every person passing through this life will unknowingly leave</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 12.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">something and take something away.</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 12.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Most of this "something" cannot be seen or heard</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 12.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">or numbered or scientifically detected or counted.</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 12.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">It's what we leave in the minds of other people</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 12.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">and what they leave in ours.</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 12.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Memory.</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 12.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">The census doesn't count it.</div><div style="color: #cf2013; font: 12.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Nothing counts without it."</div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-67229567278456351402012-03-07T21:10:00.018-08:002012-03-09T17:22:30.348-08:00Tomato Bounty PostAs promised yesterday, here's a shot of the eight tomatoes from the teensy garden! They were photographed on the back porch just before half were put into the paper bag to share with the neighbors who kindly take my garbage cans out and in each week.<br />
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Really hard to believe it's March!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-2448611236358826322012-03-06T20:19:00.016-08:002012-03-06T20:19:00.491-08:00Crazy Weather PostI'm starting to feel like a Farmer's Almanac with all this weather talk. Saturday, it hit 90F (32.2C) where I live (way too early for that). Today it's predicted to reach a high of 58F (14.4C). Every blogger I read has mentioned the crazy weather this winter. The plants and trees are totally confused. For example, the avocado in back is covered with flower buds which will probably be killed off by tonight's almost freezing temperatures. Hopefully not since 39F (3.8C) is predicted.<br />
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My neighbor's peach tree is blooming. Lovely pink buds and flowers which will probably die tonight. And it seems I'm destined not to have any green tomatoes for canning!<br />
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A little earlier, I returned from a brief grocery run and it was still light. The days are obviously getting longer. After resting the knee for a while I went outside to fetch the ripe tomatoes before the roof/orchard rats found them. They love ripe fruit and veggies.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Thought that there were four, so I almost fell over when I picked <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">eight</span></i>! Plus, from a glance under the foliage, there's at least six or more in various stages of ripening as well as more green ones. Not to mention that the silly plant is still flowering! I've actually lost track of how many I've picked in the last two weeks!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">This is very rare for March which is when I usually give up, rip the plant out and chuck it with the green tomatoes into the green waste can. Today and tonight's weather will be a challenge for it. If the plant gets through today and the night, future weather is supposedly supposed to warm back up.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Surprisingly, the tomatoes that have ripened in this cooler weather (if one can call this winter cooler) are much tastier than those picked during the height of summer. Kind of the opposite of what one would expect since summer fruits are usually the most flavorful! Either that or I just really want summer-tasting tomatoes!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Oh, by the way, Day Light Savings Time starts Sunday, March 11 at two a.m. this year! Barely four days away. Yay!<br />
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See? A flaming Farmer's Almanac! Lol!<br />
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P.S. I'll have a photo of the tomatoes I picked tomorrow, it's too dark to photograph them now and they look so-so under incandescent light.</div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-75255066152309862012-03-05T15:11:00.018-08:002012-03-09T17:18:39.854-08:00Life in a Coffee Cup PostWhen I began this post it seemed to grow until it was actually two stories in one. Had I kept going, I would have wound up with a book, not a post.<br />
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For some time now I've been wanting to record stories of the lives of my parents and growing up with them. So periodically I'll post a tale of a time gone by, hoping to save it from the dust bunnies of lost dreams and memories.<br />
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Most people seem to have special stories of their family, both happy and sad, but few ever get recorded and as time passes, poignant memories fade. Details vanish. Names of images in old photos are lost and as a result, a lot of our own history is lost.<br />
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My mom always thought she'd have time to write the names on the back of those pictured in old photos. It never happened. Like every other wish and good intention, it was lost in the milieux of living. So without further ado, I give you a little story of my father.<br />
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<i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Mornings with George and the Gang</span></u></i><br />
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My dad had owned his own company for many years. The kind of work his company performed was major rebuilding of printing presses. As a result he spent many days traveling across the states, usually by car to look at possible jobs so he could estimate crew size and costs. He loved to drive and I inherited this love.<br />
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When feeling stressed or crazy, one of the best remedies is getting in the car and just driving. In the past, nowhere in particular, just getting out of one's head and looking at new scenery was the goal.<br />
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In recent years, the cost of gas has made it more imperative to at least have a destination or purpose for the journey. The only requirement still was that it had to be at least an good 50 miles one way and not all be freeway or highway driving. But I digress, as always.<br />
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Retiring, was the worst thing my father could have done, like many men his age, it was all he'd ever known and as a group they went into the labor force early due to the Great Depression (the first one). As a result, he was often bored with facing long days of doing nothing and as a result had to find several new "habits" to replace the ones he had when he was working.<br />
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He had informed my mother that he would <i>not</i> be doing housework upon retirement. He did enjoy washing up the dinner dishes though for some reason. After about a year of this and with her health declining, mom hired someone to come in to clean every month.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The other problem with retirement for self-made men of his era is that they'd never had time when working to develop friendships with men the way women usually do, so in retirement he had no one to hang out with. Well, other than my mother, and despite his undying love for her, he could only take the 24/7 with her for so long.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">One new habit was to get up early as he always had and go over to the local George Webb's for coffee and sometimes breakfast. Now mind you, mom would have happily gotten up and cooked a lovely breakfast and dad had proven a very capable cook himself over the years.<br />
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If my little brother or I were home, he'd trade off with mom and cook us breakfast. One had a choice of sunny-side-up, over-easy or scrambled. His sunny-side-up eggs were to die for so we always chose those! Nice runny yolk, not wiggly whites. Perfectly done. Yum! But back to my story.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The customers at Webb's in the early morning hours were men much like my father, with no place to go socially. They had been foisted into the labor pool very young because of the depression. There was no time to think of anything but putting food on the table and keeping a roof over your head and your family.<br />
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So gradually a group of disparate buddies developed. They were alike but each had such a different story. The common bond was that of an unidentified (to them) feeling of suddenly being left without a purpose. Their whole life had been work and family. That bond was sharing a cup of coffee in the morning with other men and debating the state of the world.<br />
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It's important to mention here that, these quasi-friendships went no further. Men of my dad's era weren't taught such social skills. Friendships that developed through sports like golf didn't take root until the next generation came along.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When dad came home afterwards and you could see he felt worthwhile, like he had solved the problems of the world. He'd retire to the den, his recliner, open whatever current book on history or politics he was reading and most likely drift off into a peaceful slumber. So went his retirement.</div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-85584963703381004212012-03-03T21:15:00.003-08:002012-03-04T00:30:47.321-08:00Speaking of 'shrooms Post<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RkN4bTJgz6Q/T1L7ix4ViQI/AAAAAAAAA2A/fYLmwLXvDN8/s1600/11-11Fungus3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RkN4bTJgz6Q/T1L7ix4ViQI/AAAAAAAAA2A/fYLmwLXvDN8/s320/11-11Fungus3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mushrooms/fungi pictured look a little too scary to cook with, lol!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>A few years ago I came across an exhibition of the <a href="http://www.lamushrooms.org/">Los Angeles Mycological Society</a> (forgot where) and was fascinated! The group's exhibition was so intriguing. Most of the live mushrooms and fungi on display were found in the environs of LA or thereabouts! Who knew so many specimens would hail from this area?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vVG2XO8nnwA/T1L7pVS3jAI/AAAAAAAAA2I/8OS5kwjmDH0/s1600/11-11Fungus2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vVG2XO8nnwA/T1L7pVS3jAI/AAAAAAAAA2I/8OS5kwjmDH0/s320/11-11Fungus2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Because of <a href="http://greyhousejournal.blogspot.com/2012/02/no-greenies-post.html">my post the other day showing some new fungal additions</a> to the yard, this group suddenly popped into my head, so I went online to find their website and voila, there it was! Sadly, I had just missed one of their exhibitions in February which was just a few miles away.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jb1kbZ275YI/T1L732kglmI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/xlSoixjlrYg/s1600/11-11WeirdFung1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jb1kbZ275YI/T1L732kglmI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/xlSoixjlrYg/s320/11-11WeirdFung1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So I looked up how to contact them. One had several options so I picked the most likely and inquired if I could send photos in an email. The person responded via email the next day and said just a photo wouldn't be enough. But I was invited to their next meeting on Mar. 19 at 7:30 p.m., where members (who are non-professional hobbyists) would be happy to give it a try!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hkH233bOxk8/T1L8PUUHZ9I/AAAAAAAAA2g/5ztWErJ13hU/s1600/Fung3-2-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hkH233bOxk8/T1L8PUUHZ9I/AAAAAAAAA2g/5ztWErJ13hU/s320/Fung3-2-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Unfortunately, the meeting venue is the Times-Mirror Meeting Room at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. Too far for me to venture at night with the shape my knee's in, so I'll have to wait for their next exhibition. Darn!<br />
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Yeah, I know it sounds like a boring hobby, but for some reason I find it fascinating especially given the recent discoveries of healing properties of fungi. Seriously, look at all those weird shapes above!<br />
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For now, it'll all have to wait till I figure out what to do about my knee. C'est la vie. (Hey, that rhymed!) Thank goodness, I have some dried porcini (cepes), morels, golden chanterelles and shitakes for cooking!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-79989002675082742702012-03-02T16:55:00.020-08:002012-03-04T06:31:24.728-08:00Gardeners, Fuertes and Ripening Tip Post<div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">We have new gardeners who started in January. At this time of year, gardening is truly mow-and-blow since nothing much is growing and all the leaves have fallen months ago. In fact, I went out to my car yesterday evening and noticed they'd raked patterns in some areas that are just dirt.</div></div><div></div><br />
You'll perhaps recall <a href="http://greyhousejournal.blogspot.com/2011/11/its-really-autumn-post.html">the rent increase of a few months ago</a> at which time the landlord was told to instruct the gardeners not to pick the avocados on the tree hanging in the yard of this rental. In the past I'd been very generous giving her bags of them. For the extra $210/month, I felt they could purchase their own.<br />
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<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--4sItne8B_U/T1FM5K7hDEI/AAAAAAAAA14/ZJRT4olH_V0/s1600/Avoc+Huge-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--4sItne8B_U/T1FM5K7hDEI/AAAAAAAAA14/ZJRT4olH_V0/s400/Avoc+Huge-3.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An avocado in the hand and Blue ignoring me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Yesterday, I looked out just to see what was taking so long, and discovered the assistant up on a ladder batting and hacking Fuerte's out of the tree! When asked why, he informed me that "the boss" told him to pick them. Where does this feeling of entitlement come from? Telling him to stop multiple times finally worked but he took the avocados with him!</div><div><div><br />
</div><div>So I promptly <strike>walked</strike> limped out the gate, found the green treats in a bag by their tools, picked them up and brought them in the house. The property manager was called and soon the two guys left! Now one could understand where they might see the big fruits just sitting there on the tree and assume that no one wanted them. But at least have the courtesy to ask.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The avocados are picked as needed. They get traded for citrus from the yards of friends! When fruit is on the tree, it can be left for a surprisingly long time, months to be specific. It'll still be totally fresh and edible, in fact in this case, they actually get more buttery tasting.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Now that I've had my little tirade, I'll show you just what they were absconding with. First, my hand. The avocados were so big, they covered my palm!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GAl0VxZAygE/T1FK5YFjobI/AAAAAAAAA1o/L8m1GkwOzlo/s1600/Avoc+Huge+-my+paw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GAl0VxZAygE/T1FK5YFjobI/AAAAAAAAA1o/L8m1GkwOzlo/s320/Avoc+Huge+-my+paw.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My palm. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2Z0W4MtSOSA/T1FLDB2qTQI/AAAAAAAAA1w/7FW9X22JSX4/s1600/Avoc+Huge-thumb+out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="337" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2Z0W4MtSOSA/T1FLDB2qTQI/AAAAAAAAA1w/7FW9X22JSX4/s400/Avoc+Huge-thumb+out.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avocado in palm with thumb out and Blue still ignoring me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>These four would easily make three to four batches of guacamole for someone and be worth a bag of citrus, like Meyer lemons, in trade (yum). I also picked three more ripe tomatoes while out there which puts the count at seven for the week and there are <strike>four</strike> seven more in the ripe to nearly ripe stage still out there!</div><div><br />
By the way, if you ever want <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene">to ripen fruit, just put it in a brown bag with an apple. Apples give off ethylene gas which is a ripening agent</a>. It's used commercially to ripen fruit that's picked green so it transports well.<br />
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A. of the couple (P. and A.) who live in the other house on this property told me she was going to make guacamole for a party (after the windstorm in December that brought down about 80 avocados). She also invited me to the party, but told me the avocados weren't ripe enough for dip, so I mentioned the apple idea to her. She put about 20 of them in a drawer with an apple. (Really suggest a brown bag vs. a drawer in case you forget about them.) The poor woman had enough ripe fruit for bowls and bowls of dip! In fact she was handing out containers of it when people left. It only took two days for so many to ripen! I'm just very happy she didn't put all 80 of them in the drawer!<br />
<br />
Does anyone else have out of season or humongous fruits or veggies like this? What do you do with it? Enjoy it yourself, or trade for other goodies? Or both?!</div></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-82291773957160693212012-02-26T12:45:00.015-08:002012-02-26T20:51:02.763-08:00No Greenies PostAs you'll recall, I've been mentally geared up for pickling the green tomatoes on the plant in the teensy garden in the backyard. With the warm weather we've had lately I'm not sure I'll ever be left with any greenies! Take a look...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aBWL0wWRzc0/T0nT1v-BmeI/AAAAAAAAA0o/43rja8TXJ8s/s1600/Tom1-2-25-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="328" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aBWL0wWRzc0/T0nT1v-BmeI/AAAAAAAAA0o/43rja8TXJ8s/s400/Tom1-2-25-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">February 26, 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LfdVOOyACqs/T0nUI0VdF-I/AAAAAAAAA0w/_9yo-3O-Hzg/s1600/Tom2-2-25-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LfdVOOyACqs/T0nUI0VdF-I/AAAAAAAAA0w/_9yo-3O-Hzg/s400/Tom2-2-25-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Took these photos today. Just a week or so ago, these babies were solid green. For over the week it's been warm, but the two last days it's been in the 80's (26.66 C) and at night in the 50's (10 C). Plus, super sunny! Which is lovely, but doesn't help with keeping the tomatoes green. Yes, I "should" be happy that I'm still getting ripe tomatoes. What can I say?<br />
<br />
In the second photo above, you'll notice I set the three tomatoes on a plastic saucer which wasn't holding another potted plant. The idea was to get the fruits off the ground and away from hungry little critters. I turned it up upside down not only for a platform but for another more sinister looking reason...this velvety-looking, brown, flattish fungus in the center of the photo. Less than 1/2 inch thick in height and about 2.5 inches across.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7ccbrxGTNo/T0nvwaxMlmI/AAAAAAAAA1A/4zf0JERSiD8/s1600/Fung1-2-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7ccbrxGTNo/T0nvwaxMlmI/AAAAAAAAA1A/4zf0JERSiD8/s400/Fung1-2-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It started like this when I first covered it up, then...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Yeah, it seemed like a really great idea at the time, only problem...the fungus I covered up didn't go away, it grew larger!!! I know...duh.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3PXEzjy_WL8/T0qMxJREDPI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/B4ZkSCekp0g/s1600/Fung2-2-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3PXEzjy_WL8/T0qMxJREDPI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/B4ZkSCekp0g/s400/Fung2-2-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Just for a final comparison, here are the two fungi, the upper one had sun and the lower one had none.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nZIwD5bX0Pw/T0qNMhpokpI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/551nkWQlRCs/s1600/Fung3-2-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nZIwD5bX0Pw/T0qNMhpokpI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/551nkWQlRCs/s400/Fung3-2-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These fungi are growing on the stump of an old tree by the garage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So there you have it. The Before and After in the land of fungi otherwise known as Grey House. Note: you may refer to my previous post listing the assortment of fungi suddenly appearing in the yard last year. <strike>(I just spent 20 minutes trying to find the fungus post but to no avail, sorry)</strike> Okay, silly me, if I would have just entered a few words like "fungus" in the search bar I would have found the post I was looking for <a href="http://greyhousejournal.blogspot.com/2011/11/sunny-rain-post.html">right here</a> and in under one minute!!<br />
<br />
I still say the landlord and gardener are nuts. One doesn't need to water the lawn for 40 minutes every other day. But then, I'm just a renter now, what would I know? (Other than owning my own homes and dealing with and re-habbing houses and landscaping for years....)Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-92078815989707066802012-02-25T17:10:00.002-08:002012-02-25T18:20:35.718-08:00Digitizing the Past<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tb6zLx6gmPw/T0mThvBz9-I/AAAAAAAAA0g/eZ4s2ONpiIE/s1600/mom,gram,me+on+blanket+9-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tb6zLx6gmPw/T0mThvBz9-I/AAAAAAAAA0g/eZ4s2ONpiIE/s320/mom,gram,me+on+blanket+9-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom, Gram and me<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Over the last year, I've really wanted to post some "old" non-digital photos but since I don't have a scanner and don't want to spend the money buying one right now, I've been stymied, as well as annoyed and frustrated. Especially in light of the recent stories I've been writing about my parents. Suddenly, it hit me...what about Kinko's? (Though I guess it's now called FedEx office services.)</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">Regardless, I called the branch that's about a mile from my rental and voila! Problem solved! There are three ways to process them into digital format. The first, cheapest and easiest is a kiosk in the store. For about $5.00 one can scan up to 99 photos! Since I have photo software, I can then just adjust each as I need.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">They can't digitize slides or negatives, but at least it's a start! Now I just have to round them all up since I want to get my money's worth, lol!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I know...all of you probably already are aware of this. Once again, I'm late to the digital party in life. Oh well, I'm still excited about it!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Just the other day, I found several cd's with assorted images on them. Most I had, but one contained some images of old photos I'd scanned about seven years ago. I love surprises like that! </div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-39482688599055195842012-02-25T07:12:00.024-08:002012-03-06T15:20:37.795-08:00Fire in the Hood PostWell, it was yet another sleepless night in my area of So Cal. I was minding my own business and surfing the web, only to be blown away by screaming sirens, fire trucks, police cars and loud walkie talkie messages back and forth! Life here is just so special...and tonight really, <i>really</i> smoky.<br />
<br />
Can't tell what's going on but this is the <i>most</i> emergency vehicles within less than a block since I've lived here. Tried to call the police but no one answered. My <strike>bedroom office</strike> house...wreaks of smoke. Since there are five fire engines, I imagine a house or apartment building is going up in flames.<br />
<br />
At first, looking out, I thought it was a drug bust or something like that, due to men running and yelling with arms out front as if guns were drawn. Then more fire trucks from surrounding cities screamed in. Gheesh.<br />
<br />
Finally got through to the police and yes, it's a house on fire, just five houses to the East of this rental. Not a welcome thought.<br />
<br />
It all started at about 12:30 a.m. and it's now 5:15 a.m. All the equipment is still out there with all their lights twirling and flashing. Must have been some fire. It's times like this that I feel so sorry for owners/renters, whatever....and how much history they may have lost. It just hurts.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-63709906490720362822012-02-23T07:11:00.009-08:002012-02-25T17:40:32.203-08:00Morning PostMan, I was up late! At least for me... 3:20 a.m. Not being able to fall asleep ranks near the top of my list of things that make me feel crazy. It's so annoying. And Blue wasn't any help! Just as I'd start to drift off, he'd want to go out and do his business (aka, poop). In desperation, I poured myself a glass of wine and a very small cup of the same for him, in hopes we'd both drift off and fall asleep.<br />
<br />
An hour later, we were both still awake. Blue had to go out yet again. There was more than one benefit of letting him out...I got to see something I would have missed. A <i>GORGEOUS</i> misty fog had settled over this area of land. The smallest sliver of a silver moon glowed through the haze. Purely enchanting. Wish I could have taken a picture of it!<br />
<br />
If only I could make my digital camera work like my SLR film camera. Not being able to, just annoys me to no end! Could use the SLR (single lens reflex) but then I'd have to find film and so on.<br />
<br />
Would rather have a DSLR (digital single lens reflex). Two problems with this wish though, first the prices start around $600 and only go up into thousands. Yikes. Second, so very many choices! Wish there was a source for trying some brands out just to see what they can do.<br />
<br />
So the misty moonlit image I saw will have to remain in my cranium which is too bad because it was stunning!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-11381494190171888672012-02-22T18:13:00.000-08:002012-02-22T22:17:52.132-08:00The Significantly Insignificant Things Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m9fso_FUA3s/T0McRWUdTvI/AAAAAAAAAzY/1vrhgkXSiuI/s1600/Holes+in+Soles+of+Shoes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m9fso_FUA3s/T0McRWUdTvI/AAAAAAAAAzY/1vrhgkXSiuI/s320/Holes+in+Soles+of+Shoes2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Years ago, while sorting through my parents' belongings with my brother, small discoveries were made. My dad's shoes had holes in the soles with cardboard covering them. This, from a man who always prided himself on his dapper style of dress.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DdpuIvin-eI/T0Md2uDSdSI/AAAAAAAAAzw/LJoh4d3qccU/s1600/dad+circa+1954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DdpuIvin-eI/T0Md2uDSdSI/AAAAAAAAAzw/LJoh4d3qccU/s320/dad+circa+1954.jpg" width="129" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad circa 1953-4</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It's from him (along with my mom) that we inherited our love of well-made leather shoes. If you want good foot health, leather soles are a must IMHO. They breathe and cushion your tootsies in a way no synthetic sole can.<br />
<br />
Guess I'll never be a vegan. A good pair of classically styled, well-made leather shoes...worth every penny. What I find interesting is that they were ahead of their time in that it's certainly more earth-friendly to buy quality and then preserve it with minimal waste (re-heeling and resoling), rather than just tossing used shoes out and buying more.<br />
<br />
We were taught a few cardinal rules of proper shoe care:<br />
-one never wore the rubber part of the heels down to the actual shoe heel, you had them reheeled<br />
-if the soles wore through, you resoled them (not with a synthetic product)<br />
-you polished and buffed your shoes with shoe polish and a proper brush regularly<br />
<br />
My parents were not rich but weren't lacking in money for the basics, so this little discovery shocked the heck out of us.<br />
<br />
Why had this happened? How? When? Maybe as you hit a certain age, you just stop worrying about the details.<br />
<br />
All I can say is that I'll never forget the look on my brother's face as he carried the shoes over to the bed where I was sorting other things. The look of shock and dismay was so intense. It was as if he were a child again and a parent had disappointed him. But now, he couldn't ask "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">why?</span>"....<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">While <a href="http://wonkette.com/403705/meanwhile-barack-obama-walks-holes-in-his-shoes-then-re-soles-them">on the subject of holes in shoes, I ran across this which I thought was interesting. It's what I call the "Depression" mentality on holes and resoling</a>.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The problem is that this mentality doesn't explain my dad allowing the holes to go all the way through to his feet. One doesn't wait <i>that</i> long, because then the bed of the sole is ruined. On top of that, there's the covering of the holes with cardboard...makes no sense.</div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RL9KiLiOflk/T0McqAYHixI/AAAAAAAAAzg/HVw8DKkWgHo/s1600/S&H+Grn+Stamps2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RL9KiLiOflk/T0McqAYHixI/AAAAAAAAAzg/HVw8DKkWgHo/s320/S&H+Grn+Stamps2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In mom's closet I'd discovered boxes of <i>S and H Green Stamp</i> books with the stamps all glued in place. What was she saving them for? I also found a gift type box filled with old red cancelled postage stamps from the early 1950's.<br />
<br />
Again...why? It wasn't like these were in the spare room that she used for storage. These were in her day-to-day bedroom closet with things currently in use. Yet another question never to be answered.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nkw5CHVM53g/T0Mc0T1i7JI/AAAAAAAAAzo/PYVSIqliuGY/s1600/S&H+Green+Stamps.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nkw5CHVM53g/T0Mc0T1i7JI/AAAAAAAAAzo/PYVSIqliuGY/s400/S&H+Green+Stamps.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S & H Green Stamp Books</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Some things you simply can't prepare for. For example, let's just imagine what my mom's reaction would have been if I'd said (excuse me while I peel myself off the floor where I was rolling in fits of laughter at this thought) I wanted to go through her closet...the answer would have been a firm "no". The "don't ever go there again" would have been implicit.<br />
<br />
But there's so much else that you could think of in the way of completing their histories and thus yours. It's information that will be forever lost to you. Never forget Mark Twain's words, "...years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did...."<br />
<br />
So if you're reading this, take a little time to record what you remember. Often, simple retelling of stories is the easiest way to do this. By doing this while you still have your family, they can help fill in the blanks!<br />
<br />
A few months before my parents died, I was "home" and the three of us were sitting in their den. I asked them how they met. Mom became all shy and school girl-like. Dad looked off into a distance only he could see and after a pause, began telling the story. He'd glance every now and then at mom, in a way one looks at a another when seeing them as they had appeared so very long ago, in the very memory they were reliving.<br />
<br />
It was truly magical and something one doesn't witness often. They seemed to see each other as they had in that moment so long ago. I'll never forget it. It was like being a witness to time suspended.<br />
<br />
It's a romantic story that will be with me forever but would have vanished into the winds of eternity had I not taken time to ask. I'll share it with you, but in a future post. I'm going to go and be alone with the warmth of this memory for now.<br />
<br />
I think I've written this before, but it deserves repeating,<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #e6251e; font: 16.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Memories don't belong in drawers.</div><div style="color: #e6251e; font: 10.0px Zapfino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">George Burns (1896 - 1996)</div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5405818353939520144.post-78704810815660408472012-02-20T23:08:00.000-08:002012-02-22T18:38:36.114-08:00Flats and Wonders PostWrote this entry and then totally forgot to post it because I didn't title it. But it's a good little story. When I have these encounters with "grace" I feel it's important to write about them since they remind me that "good stuff" does happen. For me, that's important considering how 2012 is going so far...but that's a subject for another day. So here goes:<br />
<br />
It's a really good thing that I can laugh. Back on February 3, I was at my auto mechanic's shop bright and early. It's only 10 min. away, but at 8:45 in the morning it took 25 minutes to get there. Gotta love L.A. traffic! The appointment was to have him check the air conditioning unit, since it was blowing <i>warmer</i> air than the outside temperature.<br />
<br />
Normally if my car goes in, I rent a car, but since I'm pinching pennies, no rental for me this time. In preparation for my three to six plus hour visit/stay, I'd made a sandwich, filled a water bottle, had a pillow for my knee, also my phone, camera, a book and even a letter to write if I got tired of reading (I had an iPod but it died). Yes, I take the Girl Scout motto to heart: Be Prepared. I was quite pleased with myself and all set to "camp out" in the waiting area.<br />
<br />
Well...<i>almost</i>. In the course of loading up the car I managed to forget one rather important item...my purse. Of course I didn't realize this till I was at the shop. Hmmm.... What to do? As I was talking to the owner and rescheduling, his assistant noticed a screw in my front tire...it was almost flat. Thus the day's schedule was completely thrown out the window. Fortunately, there was a tire shop a few blocks away.<br />
<br />
Can't recall if I mentioned this, but when I was at the health clinic on January 7 for my MRI report, I left the clinic to find my left front tire was flat. Okay, that turned into a three day project which is too involved and annoying to go into.<br />
<br />
The bottom line is, AAA eventually changed the flat for the full sized spare in the trunk. The January flat was also due to a screw <i>but</i> I hadn't fixed it yet, thus both the "new" flat and the "old" one were kaput. The tire salesman said I was probably looking at two new tires since the holes were right near the side wall. (Note: for those with no auto experience [lucky you], one can fix a hole in the tread [flat] area of the tire but not in the side walls.)<br />
<br />
While sitting in the tire showroom waiting, I realized I couldn't even read my book because my reading glasses were in my purse, which was at home! I ask you, could the day get any more twisted?<br />
<br />
Thank goodness, no! It actually got better! To my complete delight they squeezed me in between other appointments and <u>fixed</u> both tires! And for free! Alrighty, things are looking up. Remember, I still had no purse or money. (Mental note: Squirrel some cash somewhere in the car, just in case.)<br />
<br />
Being pooped from the morning's <strike>stress</strike> adventures, I opted to go home vs. errands. While icing my knee, I called AAA and found out I could go online, <i>fill out and print</i> the form for a temporary handicap placard for my car!<br />
<br />
It gets better...the form had to be the original, not a copy or fax. Since I had nothing to do with the rest of my day, I called up the health clinic and asked if I could bring the paperwork over and leave it for the doctor to sign. Why YES, I could! Superlative!<br />
<br />
Upon arrival they actually squeezed me in and the doctor filled the forms out so I didn't have to make a second trip back to pick them up!<br />
<br />
It gets even better, if you can believe it!<br />
<br />
There was still time to drive the paperwork over to my local AAA office. Twenty minutes later I left with my very own temporary handicap sign and printed authorization. Now I ask you, is that not simply miraculous? No standing in line at the Deptartment of Motor Vehicles, no waiting, just "poof", and I received a wonderful gift!<br />
<br />
Granted, to some it may not be a big deal but in my case, it grants me a little more walking time on the knee when I'm out by saving me a few steps...in some cases, a <i>lot</i> of steps!!<br />
<br />
It amazes me when one gives up the fighting and resistance to things they can't change.... Something just <i>shifts, literally shifts</i> and wonders actually happen, I don't know how else to describe or explain it!<br />
<br />
I should note that the cynical part of me is dismissing <a href="http://greyhousejournal.blogspot.com/2012/01/presence-of-miracles-post.html">the whole idea of grace and "The Presence of Miracles"</a>, while the childlike part of me just stares in wonder at how this "seems" to work. Reminds me of <a href="http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/25306.html">Shakespeare's "Hamlet"</a>: <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><i>"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;">Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."</span></i></span></div><br />
<br />
<dt style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 19px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><b><a href="http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/William_Shakespeare/">William Shakespeare</a></b>, <i>"Hamlet", Act 1 scene 5</i></span></span></dt><br />
<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">P.S. It actually continued to get better if you can believe it...while at the clinic one of the ladies began helping me with information on getting assistance and possibly disability. While we talked we both forgot that I hadn't paid. I left with the bill in hand, lol! When I got home I remembered to call them, canceling next week's appointment. Found I was talking to the same person who helped me and she told me about the payment problem. I apologized and offered to drop a check in the mail immediately. Okay, are you ready for this? "No problem, you can pay the next time you come in"! Trust! A rare kindness in today's world! Maybe one of the elements of "grace" is that it gives you a new perspective...hmmm.</span>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.com0