Saturday, January 29, 2011

Days fly by

I have been busy. I am dying yarn for a show at the end of Feb. I am working at the museum two days a week and trying to keep my house running. I thought if I wasn't working I would have all the time in the world to do all the things I love to do. I would have lots of time to knit. I would have time to play cello, read, exercise and all the other things I put off "until I have the time". Not true. I find I have no more time now than I did when I was working.

Just for a few days I would like the world to slow down. Yes, I know I can make that happen. I could just stop and do "nothing". But, a friend calls and says lets do lunch. My daughter calls and says let's .....(what ever). I want to! I had planned to clean house or do laundry. I had every intention of cleaning, washing, cooking etc.

It may sound like I am complaining. I really am not. I just want a few more hours in each day and a few more days in each week. I want my grandchildren to grow a little more slowly.

I can wish can't I?

Sunday, January 23, 2011

A great Day

Yesterday was a great day. I did have to go to a wake. But, I got to see some old friends and co workers I had not seen since June. They told me they missed me. That was nice. Then I spent the rest of the day with my family. I was with Hubby all afternoon. Then had a wonderful dinner with everyone. We went out for a great dinner. The babies (who really are not babies anymore) were very well behaved. Even the adults all got along well. We ate and talked then ate some more. It was really nice.

Every time I got on facebook there were well wishes from friends and family. There were emails too. People called and everyone made it a really nice day!

All in all everyone made it easy to turn another year older. So, here is my birthday wish for everyone.

May your joys be huge and your sorrows so small you don't notice them. May your days be filled with laughter. And, may you always feel the love of the people who care about you.

I am going to enjoy another trip around the sun!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Life in frozen land

At the moment the temp out side is zero. We have a wind chill that takes us to -20 degrees. Needless to say it is VERY cold outside. But, it is a beautifully clear morning. The sun has just come up and the sky is a lovely shade of blue.As long as we stay inside, everything will be wonderful.

My family gets together every Friday for Shabbot dinner and it's my turn to cook.
I have soup cooking in the crock-pot it is a tomato based soup with artichokes. So things are starting to smell wonderful. A little later I will be making pecan pie and we will be having a wonderful chicken dish for the main course. Something I have made before and my family loves.

I always see families, on TV, that get together regularly. It seems to be mostly on Sunday. I think because most people in the US are Christian, and it's an after church thing. Shabbot is a little different. It's supposed to be a separation from the work week. Shabbot is a rest from the work week. So, we take turns cooking. My daughters each take a week so that we each get a two week break from cooking for one night. But guess what happens. Everyone ends up in the kitchen. Everyone helps out. Even the men.

This year something new is taking place. The men are doing some of the cooking. They are stepping up and taking an occasional week. I could not be more thrilled.

We all like to cook around here. But, it seems like everyone is working together. It's almost like we may be headed to a few of those TV, picture perfect family dinners. Cooking for each other seems to be pulling us to a place where we set aside our little family frustrations and really take care of one another. Don't get me wrong we still have our family squabbles, but I think maybe, just maybe we are learning to respect each other as people.

Well I have gone on long enough here. It's time for the long awaited pictures of the kiddies.



Here is the "Dude" on his first archeological dig. He is about to dig for dinosaur bones at the Indianapolis Childrens Museum.



Here is Miss Mim at the same dig. She is way too busy, discovering dino bones, to look up for the camera.



"The Dude" making a hand cranked train run.



Miss Mim playing at the water table with her little brother. Everyone had a really great time.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

What has been going on.

Life has been getting away from me lately. It seems that I just turn around and another week (or two) has slipped by.

I have so much going on right now, but I am wondering where my time is going.

At the moment I am making jambalaya for a pot luck party we are going to tonight. This is a recipe I have made hundreds of times. Today, my rice won't get soft. So what should have taken at most 2 hours has turned into almost a 4 hour project. Glad I started early.

This past week I worked at at the museum 2 days and then went to another museum with the Grand-kids and their Mom on Friday. I have been dying yarn for the business and setting appointments with shops to sell our yarn. Busy, busy, busy.

I guess if I was working I would just have to give up sleep.

I keep saying I will post pictures soon. I really will.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Company

We have had some out of town company as of late. And I have discovered a few things.
I have always thought that you took care of your guests. If they have special needs you tried to accommodate them if you could. I am learning that this is not always the case.
Our guests keep Kosher. That means that there are some food rules they follow which are different than most people's eating habits. Our guests did not request that we change anything. This is something we have chosen to try to do for them. To me it's not a big deal. However it is a big deal to them. They can't stop saying thank you.
It seems that the family members they were staying with before not only didn't make any effort to allow them to keep any form of Kosher, but even made fun of them for trying to keep meat and milk separate.
Please understand that I have not made huge changes in my food or my cooking. But, since our guests do not mix milk products and meat products I have switched to using margarine instead of butter when the meal has beef or chicken in it. It's not a big deal.
The effect this simple effort has had on our friends is amazing.

So let me put it out there in the world.

1. M & E you are welcome.
2. Treat guests with the respect YOU would like to be treated with.
3. It costs you nothing to be nice, and it might just make that big difference to someone else.

Words of wisdom from the Bubbie.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Happy New Year

It's really here. It's a new year. Today is 1/1/11. That by it's self is a good sign.
I spent my day with three wonderful ladies and lots of "yarnie" goodness. We went to a great yarn store The Fold. And yes, I bought yarn. The year is starting off well in other ways too.

I have a niece, a nephew and a friend who have all announced they are getting married. I also have several friends who are expecting. That in it's self is a good reason to go yarn shopping.(A baby blanket)

Hubby got to watch all the football he wanted. Much thanks to daughter #2 who made lots of snacks for him and hosted the football marathon.

My only regret is that I didn't get to spend time with the little ones today.
But, I will spend lots of time with them this week. They have been a little under the weather. I am hopeful that is over and we can get back to playing.

I am hoping that this year will be a better one for us. The last two have been a little tough. (Although the Dude's birth was a highlight.)

May everyone who reads this, and everyone they love, have a wonderful and joyous, healthy and happy New Year!