It's a soup, its a smoothie, its a Vita-mix!

My mom certainly does get me some odd gifts from time to time, but every Christmas, she winds up getting a bizarre gift that winds up being one of the most useful things I have. Last year, she gave me a set of nonstick pans from Todd English (called the Green Pan). She bought them at HSN at a really good discount.

Quite confused, I asked her, "Mom, are you trying to tell me I need to cook more?" I always thought that Christmas was a time to get gifts for recreational time. PResents like shoes, music, clothes, electronics, wine, baked goods, etc. So when I received a set of pots and pans, I was thoroughly befuddled and a bit beside myself.

Well, over the past year, those same pans have saved me over  50 hours of soaking and scrubbing pots and pans, giving me that much more relaxation time in my days. I think that qualifies as a great gift!

This year, two giant boxes appeared my doorstep a week before Christmas. At he time we were working on cleaning out the living room for renovations. So when two large boxes appeared, they were not exactly welcomed with open arms. I refused to even open them until after I returned from visiting my family for Christmas. I finally opened it on January 3rd and first used it on the 8th to make a smoothie. I have made a morning smoothie between 3 and 5 days per week ever since.

Two weeks ago, I made black cherry and vanilla icecream.
Last week I made sweet potatoe soup and fresh pasta sauce. (exponentially better than the jarred ones at the store or even the ones from Italian restaurants!)
This week I made more soups, ground my own rice flour for bread, and made pesto.

What will I make this week? maybe orange sorbet? Maybe a quiche? Maybe all of the above!

Mission Organization Take 2! 1.15.2011

The last time I attempted this, I wound up on the couch feeling as tough I was a stepped-on gummy bear. This weekend, I felt up to climing step-stools and packing dozens of fine bubble-wrapped bone china tea sets into boxes. The sets ranged in size from 3 person to 10 person. Most were from either England or Germany/Bavaria. One even came with a full plate set with desert bowls and dinner plates.

No joking, it took from 10am till 3pm to wrap, label and pack 6 tea sets. The last 2 hours were spent reorganizing the Christmas dinnerware and tea set, Polish glassware dinner set, and my Bavarian china tea set. My grandmother loved this glassware set and used it every Christmas and New Year's.

Enough was enough! Time to relax!

A Penny Saved (1.12.2011)

One day I found two of my boyfriend's T-shirts had gaping holes in them. One near the belly, the other under the pit. So I pick them up, grab my sewing kit and fray-check and get to work. I quickly realize that the one with a hole near the belly will never be worn again in public, so I put it aside to focus my efforts on fixing the hole in the other, when a commanding voice from behind booms, "Stop wasting time; just throw them out!"

I hesitate, threaded needle and shirt pit in hand. It seems aweful to throw out a shirt that except for a hidden hole (which is totally fixable) is stylish and fully wearable. But they're not my clothes, so I discard the both of them. But as I hold the shirts over the open trash can, I heard my grandmother, "waste no, want not." Rather than buy new "rags" from Home Depot, why not use the 'holy' T-shirts and give them an honorable death?

I watched my grandmother fix minor tears and flaws in garments for years until they finally gave up and then were reborn as everything from dishrags to waxing clothes. Those 'tricks of old,' I once rolled my wide eyes at don't seem quite so bizzarre anymore.



A penny saved is a penny earned.

Swiftly grabbing the scissors, I deftly hacked the condemned T-shirt into reasonable sizes for cleaning, stuffed it into a ziplock baggie and stored it in a wire rack under the sink. Just as quickly, I suchered the other shirt's pit, folded and tucked it neatly back into his drawer, thinking "He'll probably see it later and thank me for NOT throwing out one of his favorite T-shirts." All of this seemed as 'normal' to me as it seemed 'abnormal' to him.

We have been used to being able to purchase and simply discard items when they are no longer useful to us. The idea of reusing and repurposing has become as foreign as eating grubs. Yet I always remember my grandmother saying little maxims like "the fool gives feasts, the wiseman attends them" and "the borrower is a slave to the lender."

Two weeks later, I was washing the breakfast dishes and admiring the cardinals and sparrows as they  feasted on seed from the feeder outside. "OK. Give me a hug and a kiss. I'm going to meet John and Chris for bit and watch the game." Turning around, I see the shirt I fixed and replied, "Oh you're wearing the shirt."

He gave me a puzzled look and replied, "Of course. This shirt is great. Why wouldn't I?"

Mission Organization (1.9.11) ... Post ponned.

In life, it is important to laugh especially when we don't feel up to it.

I was kinda sicky so I spent the day on thee couch feeling yucky.

I was however kept company by this humorous gent whose jokes and antics.

XOXOXO.

At dinner.

As Time Goes By

"The book of Life is brief, Once a page is read, all but Love is dead. That is my belief." -John Denver

It is amazing how two people's love makes the world as we know it continue. I could not stop thinking about the importance of Love today. I mean Love in its broadest sense. Love between two people, Love of the Self, Love of Life in all its forms and experiences.

My grandparents had their tiffs and had them often, but stuck together out of this sense of Love.

This Love is Eternal.

Good Morning Tabi! (1.2.2011)

Tabitha has been with me through good times and bad. She is a little moody and very spoiled. As you can see she likes to sleep in on the weekends.



Not even my camera's flash could wake Tabitha up. At least this proves how comfy our bed is!