Warm days

Windows are open and the first signs of life are appearing...

Middle aged and all sophisticated like

So, I get by on my charms - coarse and funky as they may be. I tend to clomp and shout, especially when I'm happy.

I can't put my energies into fine-line detail or matching my socks most of the time. Thus, situations that call for subtlety & decorum often frustrate me (and then others around me). It's a definite handicap sometimes, but most of the time does not matter - coping mechanisms and all of that.

I do, occasionally, feel a little rednecky when traveling. After all, nothing shouts class like dropping half one's dinner down your front or perhaps appearing for a fancy night of theater decked out in grass-stained jeans and a pilled, flabby pullover.

At any rate, I am feeling a little more confident about my wardrobe after looking at some of the outfits from this year's fashion show going on in London. I think I could pull this one off.
Now I just need to learn how to hold my tongue!

"It was quickly over.
He gave me half a possum and a warm coke
and I was on my way back to the village."

18 bags/case x 5oz/bag = 90oz

That's right folks, 90oz of ginger chews arrived on our doorstep this afternoon. Mr doesn't mess around when it comes to candy...

Entertainment faux pas

So, the cable company have called a couple of times and I ignored them. This morning when I saw the # again, decided to be patient and picked up.

The lady on the other end apparently had some "INCREDIBLE!!! offers" for us that were "completely UNBELIEVABLE!!!"
She started the spiel about bundling in cable television with our phone and computer. "You know that cable has the BEST channels that EVERYONE wants to watch."

Usually around this time I mention that we don't have a tv and they give in. Not Ms shouty-pants though.

"You're not going to get a BETTER PACKAGE than this. We can WORK IT in with the services you already have and really come up with SOMETHING GOOD."

I wanted to ask if they had any free deals as that's the rate we are paying at the moment. But both because that seemed snippy and because she was so tenacious, I didn't get it out in time before...
"Perhaps it's something you might reconsider - our DEALS ARE AMAZING. Right now we're offering rates that start at $33."

Let me get this straight - I might reconsider going out and buying a television so that we can have the joys of not only spending $33 extra per month, but also whatever the tv costs. You're not convincing me here lady.

She finally seemed to realize that we are complete losers who will never appreciate the finer subtleties of watching cable on the first go-round. That's us, just one of those parasitic homes using Netflix and Hulu to undermine the poor, little providers. It's okay though, I figure that they still bend us over on the phone and computer connections.

*Also, I only shouted a few, choice words here. She pretty much shouted continuously. Not sure if she was really trying to convince me or if she was calling from the bottom of a gravel quarry (maybe both).

Other people's children

Not having children of my own, it is rather easy to be quite judgmental. I have been heard to make such utterances as 'How rude' and 'They let their daughter eat ___?' or how about 'I wouldn't let him talk to me that way.'

Of course, my husband enjoys telling people when they are stupid, the dog shares my ice cream and the cat woke us up this morning at 3:45 am yowling to go out (once out he continued yowling, probably right under the neighbor's window). So, perhaps there is little doubt that my children would be the worst sort of devil spawn.

In any case, whilst my commentary might suggest a certain bitterness, I do adore the little critters. There is little in this world that is more fun than getting them totally crazed and then returning them to their exhausted parents. Good thing our friends and family are all so patient with me. Little Bean and Bag o' Chips got the brunt of my affections this Sunday.

The good father

We watched Lucia Small's film, 'My Father, the Genius' last night. In many ways I identified with both the daughter and father. I guess being of similar generations in similar time periods makes for some cross-references.

My own Dad has always been so charismatic - unafraid and unabashed. A 60's California spirit, he loves nature. He even fancied making an ecological home partially underground with an upside-down ship hull for our roof (this notion was nixed in favor of the home we have - another story for another time).

However, there the similarities end. The man in the film repeatedly disengaged from his various families in favor of whatever new person or project took his fancy. My Dad is well into his final marriage of three, but he carries those of us from the past and present with him and turns us over frequently. The people in his life are his treasures. The things he has collected seem only important as reminders of people.

So, poor Lucia has to play to her father's ego to even get time with him. This is a great reminder (as if it was needed) - I am a lucky lady to have wonderful, loving people all around me - especially my Dad.

Bread-a-holic

Love fresh bread? Came across this breadtopia site today. It seems particularly cool in that they have a lot of no-knead recipes. We know how lazy I am - this could be a match made in heaven!

In addition there's the Tassajara book I picked up a while ago and it has some wonderful recipes. Apparently I want to make bread - or at least eat it - yum.

Candles, horns & bright ideas

 

So many balls

Holy nuts Batman!
So, June is throwing a party in honor of her dogglet getting, er, snipped.
I thought that perhaps I should contribute a dish that was somehow lacking. Instead, decided that they needed all the balls they could get (besides, once I saw teency mozzarella balls, how could I not use them!). Kind of a crap shot, but gives you the idea. Looking forward to seeing what other folks come up with.

Awesome

Thanks Google. Now I can look at some of my favorites any old time!