Fight or Fly

I just got back from my weekly trek to the grocery store and omg...had a lesson on human instinct to either fly or fight situations.

Anyhow, I was doing my thing - yakking away to E when we reached the end of our aisle.  I went to turn onto the main thoroughfare when this old man suddenly appears.  You guys know how these stores are - coupled with a cart, it's a bit of a blind turn sometimes.  Same case here - he had the right away, so I backed up and offered an apologetic smile. Alright, I may have said I was sorry too - don't really remember.  The guy STOPS, looks at me and goes, "This is the second time you've nearly run me over."  WTF???

Just a lil back story here - while in the parking lot, *I* nearly got run over by someone in a car who swooped in to park (illegally, I might add) next to us.  We were in a legitimate handicap spot, he was on the lines for the spot ahead of us.  It would seem - this was the driver.

Back to where I was standing amoungst collections of oils and packaged cake mixes.... I really was taken aback and found myself ducking my head, apologising once again.  Cause really, I don't make a habit of running down people at the store.  HONEST!!!   So he went on about how it happened in the parking lot and that we zipped by him and were totally speeding.

Seriously?  I have no idea where we would have "zipped" by him but E was not speeding in the parking lot.  Have you guys seen the people that aimlessly walk those places - no speeding there unless you're looking to kill someone!

At one point he was going about if we could tell he was kidding or not... Generally, I don't mind, actually like randomly talking to people but this man?  Totally creeped me out.  It seemed like his comments were directed at E, so I fled the scene.  Quickly.

E and I were talking about it on the drive home and he reflected on how funny it was that my instinct was to flee while he stood his ground - like he was protecting me  It's a sweet sentiment but part of me thinks I also fled cause I was about thisclose to snatching E's cane from his hand and beating the guy down with it.  Not a nice thing to do and I really don't want to see what it's like to get arrested.

Ugh...I'm so full of nervous agitation today.  Thank god, I'm getting my Jedi on...or is that Padawan?

Chasing My Thoughts

Seems that's what I'm doing today.  It would have been quite a post if I put it all down in one post - but this is really continuing on thoughts I had from Monday.

As I mentioned in my last post, The Elfling and I stormed World Market in search of a birthday present.  While there, I couldn't resist a few treats.  Nothing really big - a pair of fans for the girls (cherry blossoms, of course!). Till we get to the chocolate at least....but really - I get dark chocolate so it's health food, right?  

Ok...so it wasn't all dark chocolate.  For years I've tolled a particular restaurant website and on the message board I've read so many accounts of chocolate syrups of yore that for some odd reason I couldn't resist a delighted yelp when I came across a bottle of Bosco.  As you can imagine, the first thing I did when I got home was mix up a glass.  Oh...my...GOD....it's so freaking good...I don't know why.  I tried to compare the ingredient lists between it and Hershey's and would you believe - Hershey's doesn't list their ingredients!  

Ah well...whatever it is, Bosco is so good, I bet it'd make even skim milk taste good!

For a lil bit now, I've  been promising that I'd make Spaghetti Carbonara and Sunday night  I finally did.  This isn't a first for me though I think it may have been one of my more sucessful attempts.  I used a recipe from allrecipes with minimal changes.  For example, I used less onion because E outright hates it and I used Canadian bacon because...well...just cause.  I didn't have bacon on hand and it's perhaps a preference.  I also reserved a cup of pasta liquid in case things got too dry while I was cooking.  I'm not sure it was as creamy as it's supposed to but the girls ate with great gusto. 

Served with a lovely salad and a glass of vinho verde it was a lovely meal.

No...I don't know what's up with me and all my linking as of late.  I think it's kinda fun, though!

Inspiration and Impulse Buys

About midweek, last week, The Elfling realized that her friend's birthday was this week and for the rest of the week we half-assedly tossed out gift ideas. Said friend apparently is big on cows...or seems to be going with that theme in her room these days. The Elfling's comment on that was “why can't she have a normal teen theme like zebra stripes?” It was seriously funny considering I'm pretty sure there's not one lick of zebra stripe in her own room...mind you....she's not really that much of a “normal” teen. Too much like me, I fear.

The weekend plea was for a trip to WalMart, where to be quite frank, she had no idea what she was going to get that was fitting of her friend's theme. On a Saturday afternoon during my day off, the very LAST place I want to be is there. Seems E was in agreement since we never went. I may have suggested better luck on Sunday, after work. Who knows why, but I don't mind going when I've been at work all day....go figure.

So on Sunday, I had a quiet moment and was pondering the whole gift situation...I did some searches on cow gift ideas and luckily didn't get actual gift ideas FOR cows....sent an link to the Elf via email for her to check out – hoping to inspire her so we'd have an idea where to go and not wander about cluelessly. A quick check of my email showed that I had a coupon to World Market so I mentioned we might go there and see if we can't find something neat...cowish. And so the plan was set!

Except....she made no mention to E about our plans...yargh! With the Elf in tow, E comes to pick me up, expecting a nice ride home only to find that we need to make a stop. There was a bit of grumbling on his part, a quick call to the Diva to let her know we weren't heading straight home and a mini-lecture to the Elfling about letting E know plans when leaving the house so he can put on shoes instead of schlepping about in slippers with the knowledge he'd be coming straight home.

Have any of you guys been to World Market? My first time there was a Christmas, where even before I went in, I felt like I should have had papers that indicated I was....ritzy... enough to go in...which I wouldn't be. The MacAuthur Center is maybe the first and last time I seriously felt that way – as a side note. Regardless of that, I think it has a lot of really neat things! First time there, I got this gorgeous dark chocolate and cayenne pepper bar – it was tiny but took a few days to get through. Such bliss! I've been wanting to go back and get a couple more and this was a perfect opportunity to do that.

So with the promise we'd hurry along, the Elfling and I headed on in and started poking around where we found....not a bit of cow to be found. Luckily, looking around really let us come up with a couple ideas for gift baskets. We wound up settling on a sort of bath pampering basket in shades of pink (the bday girl's favourite colour) and really got some cute things. It was inspiration!

 

Of course....then we come to the dreaded impulse buy....My coupon was contingent on spending 30 bucks to get 10 off....so I picked...a few things to help our purchase along....and wound up spending $50.....

On the bright side, the bday girl LOVED her gift basket. And I have another post I'll share with youse tomorrow.  

Not So Deep Thoughts....

My mornings start quietly...or well, today would have been relatively so if I'd been able to shut my alarm off. For some odd reason, no matter how much I hit “dismiss” on my phone, the damn thing would not shut up. So much for letting E rest in peace, eh? But still – after getting dressed, it was to my great relief to find the hammer was no longer laying, marooned on the middle of the stairs. Even seeing it, I'd likely trip over it and fall to my death...well...mangling, since it was more the middle of the stairs and thus, the fall would not have been that bad.

How'd the hammer wind up there? It was my fault, actually. There's a sort of half-wall (ok, I'll be honest, I don't know what the hell you'd call it, but it makes for a sort of shelf/landing spot that goes along the hallway of the 2^nd floor, following the stairs down. Anyhow....there was a bag of toiletries waiting to be put away so I grabbed it...apparently dragging said hammer along with it. In the dark, I didn't see it and had no idea what dropped RIGHT near my foot but it bounced on down said stairs. Yeah...I was too lazy to go down after it BUT...I did warn E. lol

So yes, hooray for an unimpeded trip! After a my morning meditation (farming in Northrend this morning), I popped into the kitchen to get lunch together. Flipping on the kitchen lights, was a bit like flipping on the light in my head. My kitchen was tidy. I think Flylady talks about how our habits and routines can lead to peace within the house. For the first time, it really made sense to me. I could see progress....feel peaceful, calm while getting on with my day.

Right now I can sit here at work and realize a few really important (to me) things:

• My kitchen is tidy.
• The laundry isn't piled up.
• Dinner is planned out for tonight (and the rest of my cooking week, actually)
• The downstairs bathroom is clean.

It's a small start, I know...but realizing those four things shows me that for the first time in a long time, I feel like I'm making strides in moving out clutter and gaining better organization.  

Thank God It's Over!

No, not my trip to NC...Spring Break.  Good god....what a pain in the ass last week was - just unrelenting, non stop chaos.  Or so that's how it felt.  But first off...let's talk a little about my trip....

I was thinking back on last week when it hit me how dismayed I am to not have gotten pictures of my furry brother (can we just go on and from now on call him MFB, since I haven't got a clue how to spell his name and let's face it....MFB is just faster to type anyhow) while there?  He really is an adorable pile of fluff...even if he did bite me.  I totally deserved it.  While in NC, my dad came home one afternoon to find me with MFB and his furry little head resting contently on my arm....it seemed a delight to him that we got along.  For me, it was a bit of a comfort to have a pet around since I was missing Freya...though perhaps not as much as she was missing me, since she'd spend nights looking for me while crying.

Leaving was bittersweet - hard to say goodbye and go....desperate to get home to my family and the normalcy of life.  Flying, I've decided, it a huge trial for me...hell, it is for just about everyone but for someone like me?  I've mentioned it the survey Delta sent me but I think it bears stating here - that all the staff that I dealt with was absolutely wonderful.  Coming home, I decided it was worth asking if I could pre-board the plane so I could settle into an empty plane and not freak out about the close proximity of people.  This was granted on both legs of my flight with no issue at all.  Greatest thing ever....if you don't take into consideration how uncomfy airplane seats can be.  It was still worth doing....definitely helped my nerves.

It was my first time in Detroit - mind you, just the airport.  My god...I don't know how it measures up to Atlanta but it was absolutely massive.  At least by account that I had to get from the far end of one terminal to what seemed like nearly the far end of another.  With what turned out to be seriously heavy baggage.  My flight from there was a great comedy of errors but I think we took it all in stride and I can always appreciate humour in a situation.

Welcome to Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Airlines indeed....they didn't break the plane so it was actually very funny!

You know...now that I've gotten this far...seems I had more to say about my trip than I do about Spring Break.  The big thing about that is this:

When it's fucking spring break and you want to go somewhere.....make bloody reservations!  We were busy all week, for certain but Friday night?  We were sold out.  Every hotel along the I35 corridor from Austin past San Antonio was sold out.  No...I don't have any rooms I'm holding back.  I'm sorry you're old and only need a bed - I don't have anymore.  I know, it's late - traffic's bad and your kids are tired.  I can't pull rooms out of my ass and sell them to you...though...what a racket that would be!  lol

So yeah...I had to work Friday night...it was a mad house.  I'm so glad it's over.

They Broke The Plane!

It's a touch of home away from home!  To be honest, I was going to wax poetic about a grey day - hot soup, good, Portuguese bread AND the comfort of a lapper to keep touch with the world...but my flash doesn't seem to be working on my phone so this is what you get.  My lapper and some really pretty flowers from mom's shop - really lovely smelling ones, I might add.  (:

Of things to dread, one is that flight back home...I'm supposed to land close to the 10pm hour and I have work in the morning...that....I'm not looking forward to.  I really should have planned for a better time to return home but really?   It's not something to dwell on - I'm tapping here from NC where I'm at my parents house visiting for the first time in eight years.

It boggles me, even this morning...how different and yet how the same things can be.  To me - everybody looks pretty much the same, which I suppose is really a bit of a compliment cause I'm saying that my parents and Grandma haven't aged a day since I last saw them.  But it's more than them...I don't remember the airport being so damn  big...the layout threw me for a bit of a turn since i didn't notice any real security area separating the terminals from...everything else...though i suppose there was since it's not like my mom came rushing down to see me....I guess the officer would have had to stop her and what a bugger that would have been - having to her bail her out and all.  lol  But seriously - they all look good.

The area...it boggles me - I wish i'd been able to take pictures of the ride from the airport.  Seeing places like Mcduffie's still around - still the same and yet all this new crap around it...it's somewhat surreal - the more things change, the more they stay the same.  The whole ride pretty much went that way, to be honest. Same with the house...pretty much the same - especially my sister's room...I think I spied Blueberry Muffin tucked away with her huge frog collection.  It was about 2am so I didn't explore it much beyond that...I'll need to...maybe snap a picture so everybody can be sated on their curiosity as to just what the hell I'm talking about.

I hear my "furry" brother making noise - going to check that out!

Oh wait...I did mention the plane....coming from Atlanta, they packed us into a plane and we're preparing to leave (to the point I'd turned off my phone) when the plane made three bumps.  Turns out the hitch or something broke.  The guy behind me actually was going into great detail to his seatmate about what was that meant.  It only made for a 10 minute delay while the mechanic decided it wasn't going to kill us upon landing...but crikey...lol

I May Be A Prodigal Son* But....

I feel more like a fatted calf....

My Grandmother has been visiting (living?) with my parents for some time now and originally the plan was that she and Mom would head this way for a visit.  Somehow I've either been talked into...or this weird moment of logic hit - you guys can decide....  And I'm headed East to NC to visit my family.

To put it mildly....I'm nervous.  How sad is that - you go almost a decade without visiting family and suddenly are a big pansy baby about it.  It's silly, I know that and yet ...meh....

I suppose I'm really just a homebody - I like being able to go home from work and just get into the rhythm of my family.  To minimize issues at work, I'm going on what would be my days off from it....unfortunately, that means all the stuff I get to do on my days off can't be done.  My days off are prime days to spend with E, who spends far too much time on his own - they're also the days I get to make lunches and fix hair - the moments of mommyhood that I miss out on with my early to work schedule. That being said, I take care of everyone in my family...leaving them just....feels very wrong.  Even if I did slave about getting some meals tucked into the freezer for easy prep so E or even the Elfling know what's available for dinner (without having pizza every night I'm gone) and can put it together easily.

One of my biggest hurdles to overcome with this trip is dealing with the travel.  I'm not so much afraid to fly as I am of small areas filled with people. Sounds funny coming from someone who's traveled overseas, right?  But I'm sure it's documented that I do NOT use on board loo's....that small an enclosed space....just thinking about it makes me queasy.

Nonetheless, my backpack's got the essentials - lapper, charger for my phone and emergency chocolate rations and my carry on's got some clothes.  After work, it's straight to the airport!

Who knows - maybe I'll have something new to add about going through security.  After all, I've got liquids this time.  Following that 3-1-1 rule, of course...god, I hope.  I may break into loud weeping otherwise.

*Btw, I realize I'm a daughter, not a son, but come on - you know what I'm talking about here.... (:

Resolutions...ha!

I can't believe I last posted January 1st and here it is,the last day of the first month of 2012 and I'm just now making it back.  On the bright side, it's mostly because I've been pretty busy around here and today I'm writing in pretty high spirits - hooray!

Generally, this is a quiet time of the month here at...the hotel... but we've had contractors afoot around here.  They're definitely keeping everybody on their toes - everything from faxes to out going mail to laundry services.  I'm kinda liking it though cause a busy day makes for a short day....woohoo!

The big thing that happened this month was Mom came to visit.  This was really a momentous event cause E hasn't seen her in 14 years, the Elfling and I in 13 years and the Diva was just getting to meet her for the first time.  In a way it kills me to sit here and realize what lost blog moments this visit was as we had a lot of lost time to make up for.  A few highlights go a bit like this:

I hope seeing her at the airport is a memory that is forever embedded in my mind.  We were all waiting down near the baggage claim when E suddenly took off into the crowd.  I haven't seen him move that fast in years - to meet his mom.  They hugged for the longest time and it was just...this beautiful moment - mother and son together again after such a long time.  Till she loosened her hold on him, smiled and then playfully tugged his beard saying, "Oh, I think it's cute!"  If I hadn't had a reason to laugh, I may have wept from the moment.

We had soo much FUN!  With no plan for what to do - everyday seemed a new adventure regardless if it was hanging out or hitting the mall. I had to work for most of the stay but coming home was always so exciting - who knew what we'd cook up or work on.  This visit was such a great chance to reconnect.

Now I may blog about this, but mom's super creative and she really helped leave her mark on the house in two arrangements we made.  Every time I see them, I can't help but grin.  She's also drawn a picture - one that's part of her series on fish - this one's my own, personal Angry Fish - totally cool looking!

Her leaving was the worst of it - and it seems even Texas was reluctant to let her go.  We watched her make her way through security before heading out to what turned out to be an incredibly foggy Friday morning and went off to run some errands.  Finishing up with them, she called to say that they delayed her flight...cause of the fog!  Oh...and then her plane broke down and needed to be towed back to the gate.

Regardless, we're already planning for another visit sometime this year (fingers crossed)...I can't wait!

It's a Redux!

How did you celebrate New Years?  I've never been one to go out and party and this year was no exception.  In fact, I'm here at work, bright eyed and bushy tailed...though already my sinuses are bothering me.  Yeah I know...winter and I have allergies brewing? Go fig...  However, it was a nice evening in with E and the girls.  We snacked on appetizers and watched movies.  Come midnight, I was already in bed, feeling old...cause seriously - I'm in bed??  I was awake but still...ugh...can we blame it on the fact I get up at 5am and am at work now?  With all the fun of last night, my thoughts wandered to here.  It's been two months and I'm going to shove aside the shame I feel at neglecting my postings and move forward.

I was looking over my past entries to see if I've ever hit a New Years sort of post and found I did one two years ago.  Two weeks after the year started.  I've still maintained a belief that resolutions tend to lay to rack and ruin. With me at least. I was very vague about what the ones I kept silent on were and I have to say.  Two years later, the big one in my mind wasn't a total fail and it's one I can and do keep going to.

This year I'd like to change my stance a little - perhaps they are resolutions but I'm not going to call it that.  These are things in mind - some are things that I have been working on, albeit, sporadically and other things are ones that I have wanted or need to do.

My big resolution two years ago was in regards to using Flylady and it's been really touch and go.  Since then, I've taken some of the advice to heart and work on the habits the system tries to instill. It's really frustrating how hard it is to maintain a good habit but this year I'm really going to try to keep at it.

For quite some time I was a very steady writer and, in truth, have amassed a small stack of small notebooks with my scrawl in them.  I'd like to start devoting some time to figuring out what I've got and organizing.  This extends to here as well.  There have been times when I had things to share and didn't for one reason or another.  I'm hoping with 2012, to release some of my restraint and deluded idea of perfectionism and post here more.

Another big thing I'd like to touch on is walking my dog more.  While she has a ginormous yard to run riot in (and trust me, she does), I think that walks would do us both good.  Shes' very much a pack animal - one that's never far from my side when I'm home and as her most favourite person in the world, I should take her out more.

The last thing that's come to mind is that I really need to go through my massive recipe collection.  Ever since the early days of marriage, I've been gathering from various sources and have some that I use, some I've used that didn't turn out and some that I'd like to try and yet plenty that I think are fantasies - like when am I ever going to get to make a tiered cake?  lol  Anyhow - with the Elfling old enough to cook and the Diva getting there, I'd love to have a collection I can share with them, one that they could take with them when they're older.

So those are some things I want to keep in mind for the year 2010.  I hope that everybody has a very happy new year - good fortunes and luck for all.