Around New Year's, the full blue moon.
The blue moon.
Sun and fog.
Sun and snow.
Sun, snow, fog.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Thursday Thirteen
Today, I offer up a few peeves, in no particular order.
1. The new Windows 7 operating system apparently reverts back to some kind of a DOS check occasionally on start-up. It takes the computer several minutes to run a chkdsk command. It never finds anything wrong.
2. My Brita filter in my Brita pitcher has little black specs of carbon or charcoal or something. All the time, every filter. According to the literature on the box, this is "normal." And of course because some corporation says so, we all believe it, right?
3. Snow on the ground for four weeks. Okay, I'm ready to see some grass! Preferably green.
4. Junk mail. I still get an awful lot of it and this year at Christmas it seemed worse than it had been in years. I apparently got on some mailing list after spending years trying to get off of them all.
5. Leaking windows. Our windows, which were installed in 1987, let air in now. During some of the really cold days this month I thought I would freeze.
6. Books that aren't as good as promised.
7. Movies that are worse than I ever expected. (Pretty much anything with Adam Sandler fits this bill.)
8. Pillows that go flat within a month of use. What is up with this, anyway? I pay $30 and up for a name-brand hypo-allergenic support pillow and in 30 days the thing looks like it's been run over by a fleet of trucks. Where's the neck support?
9. Chatty checkout clerks who feel it is their duty to comment on your purchase, the color of your checks, the kind of coupons you use, etc. Mostly I don't mind but sometimes it rubs me the wrong way. I try to remember that pushing items across a little beam of light all day (not to mention hearing that "beep beep" for eight hours) cannot be that exciting.
10. My husband's chewing tobacco. If he only knew how much I loathe that stuff! Or maybe he knows but doesn't care - Lord knows I've complained about it enough. At any rate, I hate it. That big cup of spit sitting around the house. Dribble on his shirt. Flecks of tobacco all over my car. Yuck.
11. Emotional reactions to social and economic issues that instead require actual thinking. I see a lot of this going on, not only from the man in the street but the people who are supposed to be making changes for the better. It scares me.
12. Telemarketing phone calls. Thanks to the federal "do not call" list there are fewer of these interruptions, but I still get them. Other countries don't have this problem. Why? Because they are "opt in" and not "opt out." That means that people can't just up and call you unless you've given them permission to. And would you give permission to the banks, the politicos, etc., to call you whenever they feel like it? I didn't think so.
13. No decaffeinated Irish Breakfast Tea at my local supermarkets. I frequent three and none carry it. It is my favorite and it is extremely hard to find in the Roanoke area.
Lots of people play Thursday Thirteen. Learn more about it and see other participants here. You can see my other Thursday Thirteens here. This is my 122 entry!
1. The new Windows 7 operating system apparently reverts back to some kind of a DOS check occasionally on start-up. It takes the computer several minutes to run a chkdsk command. It never finds anything wrong.
2. My Brita filter in my Brita pitcher has little black specs of carbon or charcoal or something. All the time, every filter. According to the literature on the box, this is "normal." And of course because some corporation says so, we all believe it, right?
3. Snow on the ground for four weeks. Okay, I'm ready to see some grass! Preferably green.
4. Junk mail. I still get an awful lot of it and this year at Christmas it seemed worse than it had been in years. I apparently got on some mailing list after spending years trying to get off of them all.
5. Leaking windows. Our windows, which were installed in 1987, let air in now. During some of the really cold days this month I thought I would freeze.
6. Books that aren't as good as promised.
7. Movies that are worse than I ever expected. (Pretty much anything with Adam Sandler fits this bill.)
8. Pillows that go flat within a month of use. What is up with this, anyway? I pay $30 and up for a name-brand hypo-allergenic support pillow and in 30 days the thing looks like it's been run over by a fleet of trucks. Where's the neck support?
9. Chatty checkout clerks who feel it is their duty to comment on your purchase, the color of your checks, the kind of coupons you use, etc. Mostly I don't mind but sometimes it rubs me the wrong way. I try to remember that pushing items across a little beam of light all day (not to mention hearing that "beep beep" for eight hours) cannot be that exciting.
10. My husband's chewing tobacco. If he only knew how much I loathe that stuff! Or maybe he knows but doesn't care - Lord knows I've complained about it enough. At any rate, I hate it. That big cup of spit sitting around the house. Dribble on his shirt. Flecks of tobacco all over my car. Yuck.
11. Emotional reactions to social and economic issues that instead require actual thinking. I see a lot of this going on, not only from the man in the street but the people who are supposed to be making changes for the better. It scares me.
12. Telemarketing phone calls. Thanks to the federal "do not call" list there are fewer of these interruptions, but I still get them. Other countries don't have this problem. Why? Because they are "opt in" and not "opt out." That means that people can't just up and call you unless you've given them permission to. And would you give permission to the banks, the politicos, etc., to call you whenever they feel like it? I didn't think so.
13. No decaffeinated Irish Breakfast Tea at my local supermarkets. I frequent three and none carry it. It is my favorite and it is extremely hard to find in the Roanoke area.
Lots of people play Thursday Thirteen. Learn more about it and see other participants here. You can see my other Thursday Thirteens here. This is my 122 entry!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Promotional Ceremony
Today was the day of the promotional ceremony for Roanoke Fire-EMS. My husband, named a Battalion Chief in December, received a gold badge.
Members of Medic 1 came to watch.
Chief Hoback and the minister.
Chief Hoback shakes hands with my husband as he presents him with his new badge.
The new battalion chiefs, Terry King and James Firebaugh, my husband.
A picture of all of the men who received promotions.
The husband and his proud wife.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Thursday Thirteen
Daydreaming about the upcoming year and the next 11 months ... some things that might happen?
1. That book will get written. So far it's off to a slow start, what with not having a clue, but I think this will be the year.
2. We'll put replacement windows in the house. Maybe. If we can afford it.
3. A number of pounds will fall off my frame. This would be good for my blood pressure, my self-esteem, etc.
4. New clothes will fill my closet. This, of course, would be in conjunction with #3.
5. I'll read 45 books. This is a lower number than usual - I usually read 55 or more annually - but given that I am not sure I should be reading a lot of books when I am trying to write one, I have dropped the number.
6. I'll do counted cross-stitch. I picked up this little hobby many years ago and dropped it, but in November I started doing it again. I did three little hicky-doos and then stopped but hopefully will do some more hicky-doos in the near future, that being once my wrist is better.
7. Exercising will be something I long to do instead of look at, eyes crossed, and go, hmm.
8. A long hike up to McAfee Knob. This won't happen unless I lose weight and get in shape, because it is a good walk and I am not capable of it at this time. I have never been up there. It is close and I sure would like to get there before I die.
9. My husband and I will take a cruise. This likely won't happen but I would like for it to. I have never been on a cruise. I also am not sure where the money would come from, though.
10. In lieu of said cruise, we'll go on a vacation. Hopefully someplace different. Maybe we could go to Florida. Or drive out to see the Grand Canyon. He's never seen that and I haven't seen it since I was 12. I would love to see it again.
11. A visit to the Greenbrier. I still want to go see the bunker. Maybe this will be the year.
12. We'll buy more cows. The herd has been thinned as the cows have aged, so it's time for a few more brood cows.
13. The sun will shine, the rain will fall, the seasons will turn, the world will continue on, and time won't stand still. I'll turn 47 years old in June and wonder how that happened, and in November I'll celebrate 27 years of marriage. My hair will continue to sport this interesting white and the wrinkles around my eyes, which are just starting to show, will deepen. One day someone will call me wise.
Thursday Thirteen is a way to get to know a bunch of folks. You can learn more about it here. This my 121th week of participating!
1. That book will get written. So far it's off to a slow start, what with not having a clue, but I think this will be the year.
2. We'll put replacement windows in the house. Maybe. If we can afford it.
3. A number of pounds will fall off my frame. This would be good for my blood pressure, my self-esteem, etc.
4. New clothes will fill my closet. This, of course, would be in conjunction with #3.
5. I'll read 45 books. This is a lower number than usual - I usually read 55 or more annually - but given that I am not sure I should be reading a lot of books when I am trying to write one, I have dropped the number.
6. I'll do counted cross-stitch. I picked up this little hobby many years ago and dropped it, but in November I started doing it again. I did three little hicky-doos and then stopped but hopefully will do some more hicky-doos in the near future, that being once my wrist is better.
7. Exercising will be something I long to do instead of look at, eyes crossed, and go, hmm.
8. A long hike up to McAfee Knob. This won't happen unless I lose weight and get in shape, because it is a good walk and I am not capable of it at this time. I have never been up there. It is close and I sure would like to get there before I die.
9. My husband and I will take a cruise. This likely won't happen but I would like for it to. I have never been on a cruise. I also am not sure where the money would come from, though.
10. In lieu of said cruise, we'll go on a vacation. Hopefully someplace different. Maybe we could go to Florida. Or drive out to see the Grand Canyon. He's never seen that and I haven't seen it since I was 12. I would love to see it again.
11. A visit to the Greenbrier. I still want to go see the bunker. Maybe this will be the year.
12. We'll buy more cows. The herd has been thinned as the cows have aged, so it's time for a few more brood cows.
13. The sun will shine, the rain will fall, the seasons will turn, the world will continue on, and time won't stand still. I'll turn 47 years old in June and wonder how that happened, and in November I'll celebrate 27 years of marriage. My hair will continue to sport this interesting white and the wrinkles around my eyes, which are just starting to show, will deepen. One day someone will call me wise.
Thursday Thirteen is a way to get to know a bunch of folks. You can learn more about it here. This my 121th week of participating!
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Nonfiction Books
Women Who Worry Too Much
By Holly Hazlett-Stevens, Ph.D.
Copyright 2005
168 pages
The Blood Pressure Cure
by Robert E. Kowalski
Copyright 2007
304 pages
These are two nonfiction books I've delved into over the holidays. Nothing like a little "light" reading, eh?
The first book was a present from Santa, who apparently thinks I spend too much time contemplating impossible endings to situations, aka as worry. The book offers a hands-on method for dealing with worry. Identify the worry, determine the absolute worst outcome, find ways to stop avoidance behaviors, and other ways to clear your head are among the techniques the author explores. Living in the present, known as mindfulness, is highly touted.
The second book I bought in hopes of controlling my blood pressure. I am doing all the right things, mostly, but this was a good reinforcement for my behavior. The book advocates five "secret weapons" that are supposed to help with blood pressure. These are arginine,which is an amino acid, grape seed extract, tomato extract, pycnogenol, (which frankly I never did understand), and cocoa (but not milk chocolate; pure cocoa).
Also, lose weight, don't smoke, eat your fruits and veggies, etc.
After this heavy reading, I'm ready for a little fiction!
By Holly Hazlett-Stevens, Ph.D.
Copyright 2005
168 pages
The Blood Pressure Cure
by Robert E. Kowalski
Copyright 2007
304 pages
These are two nonfiction books I've delved into over the holidays. Nothing like a little "light" reading, eh?
The first book was a present from Santa, who apparently thinks I spend too much time contemplating impossible endings to situations, aka as worry. The book offers a hands-on method for dealing with worry. Identify the worry, determine the absolute worst outcome, find ways to stop avoidance behaviors, and other ways to clear your head are among the techniques the author explores. Living in the present, known as mindfulness, is highly touted.
The second book I bought in hopes of controlling my blood pressure. I am doing all the right things, mostly, but this was a good reinforcement for my behavior. The book advocates five "secret weapons" that are supposed to help with blood pressure. These are arginine,which is an amino acid, grape seed extract, tomato extract, pycnogenol, (which frankly I never did understand), and cocoa (but not milk chocolate; pure cocoa).
Also, lose weight, don't smoke, eat your fruits and veggies, etc.
After this heavy reading, I'm ready for a little fiction!
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Flames
Yesterday, my husband started a fire in the fireplace.
We haven't burned wood in the house since we painted and installed new carpeting in 2005. The fireplace will heat practically the whole house but it makes a huge mess.
It is also very labor intensive.
First, there is that whole chopping wood thing. That falls on my husband's shoulders, and while those shoulders are broad and his arms strong, he is no longer a young man. While 50 might be the new 40, he's still 50.
Second, I am allergic to woodsmoke. I am also allergic to a lot of the wood itself. When we have a fire, a sinus infection is generally not far behind. I downed a 24-hour allergy med in hopes of keeping said sinus infection at bay.
Third, the mess. The fireplace insert lets a good deal of smoke back into the house, which stains the walls and ceiling. Wood chips get into the carpeting. Bugs crawl out of the logs. If you're a clean freak, a wood-burning heating device is not necessarily the best heat source.
But cold is cold, and 10 degree F with 40 mph winds is frigid indeed. Besides, the light bill for December was very high.
Fortunately the wood pile, stacked with pre-cut logs, has been sitting behind the outbuilding for many years. So there was no need to trudge through the fields and the woods and the remaining snow and ice, except for what is left in the yard, for fuel. Instead he was able to fire up the tractor, hook a trailer to it, and haul a big load from the woodpile to the house, a distance of about 50 yards, without breaking into much of a sweat.
Building a fire on a cold hearth is no easy task, but with some old newspapers and relatively dry kindling, soon there was a blaze. The blowers on the wood stove insert cut on after about an hour, and the house slowly began to warm.
Today I have lifted my bottom from my chair every hour or so to go and stoke the fire. I throw in a log, hit it with the poker, and watch it flare. The thermostat in the hall has hit a toasty 70 degrees and best of all the furnace isn't cutting on.
My office and the bedroom, both in the front part of the house, are not as warm as the living room but they are comfortable enough. Wood heat feels warmer than what the heat pump and furnace sends out, so the chill has lessened considerably. My old bones aren't feeling the cold like they were this past weekend, anyway.
Fireplaces have heated humanity for thousands of years. I have done nothing new. Watching the flames dance makes me feel a part of something greater than myself. The hearth calls. I answer.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Saturday, January 02, 2010
A New Day
This morning I watched last year's leaves dance and twist as they skittered across the frozen, snowy field in front of the house.
Two deer moved briskly along the fence line, their fur bristling from the brisk wind. I envisioned chill bumps along their backs as they headed for the skimpy shelter of the cedar trees and thought it an act of Providence that they generally give birth in the spring. A fawn would not easily withstand these frigid days.
The sun moved hesitantly in and out between the clouds and I wished he would stay put a while. The idea of warm loving rays heating up the area around my windows was a welcome one.
The old windows in the house leak so that I could feel a draft across my chest while I tried to work a little at the computer. My hands around the window seals found spaces where the cold air poured in. This despite attempts this fall to seal the things up so we could get another year or two out of them. I thought of my electric bill (we heat with electric) and felt the dollar signs in my gut.
A calm settled over me as I greeted the second day of the new year; I have found myself looking forward to 2010 with an optimism that is almost foreign. New beginnings or just acceptance?
Either way, the world is okay even on a cold, windy gray day, and I feel at peace.
Two deer moved briskly along the fence line, their fur bristling from the brisk wind. I envisioned chill bumps along their backs as they headed for the skimpy shelter of the cedar trees and thought it an act of Providence that they generally give birth in the spring. A fawn would not easily withstand these frigid days.
The sun moved hesitantly in and out between the clouds and I wished he would stay put a while. The idea of warm loving rays heating up the area around my windows was a welcome one.
The old windows in the house leak so that I could feel a draft across my chest while I tried to work a little at the computer. My hands around the window seals found spaces where the cold air poured in. This despite attempts this fall to seal the things up so we could get another year or two out of them. I thought of my electric bill (we heat with electric) and felt the dollar signs in my gut.
A calm settled over me as I greeted the second day of the new year; I have found myself looking forward to 2010 with an optimism that is almost foreign. New beginnings or just acceptance?
Either way, the world is okay even on a cold, windy gray day, and I feel at peace.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday Thirteen
Things I have changed in the last decade or so (hopefully for the better) and some things I will continue to work on in the upcoming decade.
1. I exercise. I grew up on a farm and "exercise" was unheard of. We did chores. We hauled hay and fed the chickens and fetched firewood. I hated the "exercise" part of school, too; I have a thing about sweat (not necessarily sweating, but sweat). But now I exercise by walking on the treadmill almost every day.
2. I eat better. My meals once consisted of breakfast of baloney and catsup sandwiches. Now I eat a fairly healthy, balanced diet, with chocolate my big weakness. I have my greens and my protein and my fruits.
3. I am a more cautious driver. I suspect this comes with age, but in my youth I was pretty much hell on wheels. While I was never caught, I was a speed demon. Not so much anymore.
4. I am slightly better organized. This still remains an issue but it is getting better.
5. I know I procrastinate. This is not yet something I've overcome but at least I am aware of it!
6. I stopped biting my nails. This was a bad habit and while I still occasionally might rip a nail off mostly I just keep them clipped very very short so that I don't gnaw on them.
7. I've learned to take better pictures. While I still don't consider myself a photographer, I think my shots have gotten a little prettier and better established.
8. I bought my first new car as a married woman. My first truly new car some kind of hatchback thing I bought when I was 19. After that we bought used vehicles. In 1999 we purchased a new Ford Taurus which I was extremely relieved to be rid of when I bought a new Toyota Camry in 2003. I had hoped to drive the Taurus a lot longer but I really disliked that car. Prior to that all of my vehicles had been used cars.
9. I stopped drinking caffeine. I drink only decaf tea and I have never drank coffee.
10. I stopped drinking colas. Every now and then I might have a root beer but that is very infrequent these days. I might have a cola about twice a month, maybe not that.
11. I don't rush. I used to be worried that there wouldn't be enough time; now I know there isn't enough time so I just try to plod along and do the best I can.
12. I sleep better. I used to have insomnia and spent as much time trying to sleep as sleeping. I don't do that anymore. While I might wake up once or twice in the night I go right back to sleep, usually, and I feel rested.
13. I believe in alternative health care. I used to think the doctor knew everything but I don't believe that any more. I have had great success with acupuncture, reiki, massage and chiropractic care. I recommend alternative health care to everyone.
Thursday Thirteen is a way to get to know a bunch of folks. You can learn more about it here. This my 120th week of participating!
1. I exercise. I grew up on a farm and "exercise" was unheard of. We did chores. We hauled hay and fed the chickens and fetched firewood. I hated the "exercise" part of school, too; I have a thing about sweat (not necessarily sweating, but sweat). But now I exercise by walking on the treadmill almost every day.
2. I eat better. My meals once consisted of breakfast of baloney and catsup sandwiches. Now I eat a fairly healthy, balanced diet, with chocolate my big weakness. I have my greens and my protein and my fruits.
3. I am a more cautious driver. I suspect this comes with age, but in my youth I was pretty much hell on wheels. While I was never caught, I was a speed demon. Not so much anymore.
4. I am slightly better organized. This still remains an issue but it is getting better.
5. I know I procrastinate. This is not yet something I've overcome but at least I am aware of it!
6. I stopped biting my nails. This was a bad habit and while I still occasionally might rip a nail off mostly I just keep them clipped very very short so that I don't gnaw on them.
7. I've learned to take better pictures. While I still don't consider myself a photographer, I think my shots have gotten a little prettier and better established.
8. I bought my first new car as a married woman. My first truly new car some kind of hatchback thing I bought when I was 19. After that we bought used vehicles. In 1999 we purchased a new Ford Taurus which I was extremely relieved to be rid of when I bought a new Toyota Camry in 2003. I had hoped to drive the Taurus a lot longer but I really disliked that car. Prior to that all of my vehicles had been used cars.
9. I stopped drinking caffeine. I drink only decaf tea and I have never drank coffee.
10. I stopped drinking colas. Every now and then I might have a root beer but that is very infrequent these days. I might have a cola about twice a month, maybe not that.
11. I don't rush. I used to be worried that there wouldn't be enough time; now I know there isn't enough time so I just try to plod along and do the best I can.
12. I sleep better. I used to have insomnia and spent as much time trying to sleep as sleeping. I don't do that anymore. While I might wake up once or twice in the night I go right back to sleep, usually, and I feel rested.
13. I believe in alternative health care. I used to think the doctor knew everything but I don't believe that any more. I have had great success with acupuncture, reiki, massage and chiropractic care. I recommend alternative health care to everyone.
Thursday Thirteen is a way to get to know a bunch of folks. You can learn more about it here. This my 120th week of participating!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Looking Back
So we're near the end of another year. What happened to it?
Lots of things went on in the last 365 days, some of which were not exactly welcome but which have positive sides if I look for them.
Losing my main writing client tops my list of changes. I miss writing steadily for the newspaper; I miss the contact with people I respected. I miss the income, too, but I miss the actual work of it more.
However, losing that single steady client did force me to reevaluate and refocus. I gained a number of publishing credits because I sought out new publications, and that was all to the good. I also entered the Sherwood Anderson Contest and won it, and I don't think I would have made that entry had I continued as I was with the local newspaper.
We also lost the renter in the little house my mother left me. This took up a great deal of time; every time I showed the house - and I am pretty sure I showed it more than 50 times - it took at least an hour of my time. We finally this month found someone to live in the place, so it came out okay in the end.
It also afforded me an opportunity to move forward in my relationship with my father. We have been estranged for 10 years but his property is next to this little house. We are still not the Brady Bunch and probably never will be but we are at least speaking now. So this is a positive for the year.
The biggest positive is my husband's promotion, which happened this month, too. I am very excited for him and quite proud.
I also lost 15 pounds, but I don't think anyone can really tell it. I still have a lot of weight to lose and a long way to go. However, I am working on it. As a related issue, I developed a problem with my blood pressure which I am still trying to get under control. Hopefully in 2010 I will get a grip on that.
What other stuff did I do? Let's see:
- read 56 books.
- published 188 articles with my byline, which is still a decent number of stories. Not the 300 I have had published in previous years, but still a significant count.
- held a workshop on the business of freelancing which was successful.
- attended more meetings of the Roanoke Pen Women.
- attended the Roanoke Regional Writer's Conference (which is held in January and I'll go again in 2010).
- vacationed in Myrtle Beach with my husband.
And that's pretty much 2009. See ya, old year! Welcome, 2010!
Lots of things went on in the last 365 days, some of which were not exactly welcome but which have positive sides if I look for them.
Losing my main writing client tops my list of changes. I miss writing steadily for the newspaper; I miss the contact with people I respected. I miss the income, too, but I miss the actual work of it more.
However, losing that single steady client did force me to reevaluate and refocus. I gained a number of publishing credits because I sought out new publications, and that was all to the good. I also entered the Sherwood Anderson Contest and won it, and I don't think I would have made that entry had I continued as I was with the local newspaper.
We also lost the renter in the little house my mother left me. This took up a great deal of time; every time I showed the house - and I am pretty sure I showed it more than 50 times - it took at least an hour of my time. We finally this month found someone to live in the place, so it came out okay in the end.
It also afforded me an opportunity to move forward in my relationship with my father. We have been estranged for 10 years but his property is next to this little house. We are still not the Brady Bunch and probably never will be but we are at least speaking now. So this is a positive for the year.
The biggest positive is my husband's promotion, which happened this month, too. I am very excited for him and quite proud.
I also lost 15 pounds, but I don't think anyone can really tell it. I still have a lot of weight to lose and a long way to go. However, I am working on it. As a related issue, I developed a problem with my blood pressure which I am still trying to get under control. Hopefully in 2010 I will get a grip on that.
What other stuff did I do? Let's see:
- read 56 books.
- published 188 articles with my byline, which is still a decent number of stories. Not the 300 I have had published in previous years, but still a significant count.
- held a workshop on the business of freelancing which was successful.
- attended more meetings of the Roanoke Pen Women.
- attended the Roanoke Regional Writer's Conference (which is held in January and I'll go again in 2010).
- vacationed in Myrtle Beach with my husband.
And that's pretty much 2009. See ya, old year! Welcome, 2010!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Books: The Sunday Wife
The Sunday Wife
By Cassandra King
509 pages
Copyright 2002
I have read Cassandra King's later works and enjoyed them; obviously she has improved as she's gone along.
This book did not keep my interest. I had trouble relating to the heroine, Dean, and that kept me from enjoying the book.
Dean is a preacher's wife but a rather unconventional one who has truly made a bad marriage and who can't move beyond it. Her husband, Ben, comes across as a caricature of a man as well as a preacher and I found that difficult, too.
The lead character could have been likable but her distaste of her husband, religion and life in general bled through so badly that I never sympathized with her. Her husband, to be sure, was not the nicest fellow but instead of standing up to him she was just basically just as much of a weasel about it as he was. They are both very passive aggressive characters.
Other characters in the book, while rather true to life, were also somewhat stereotypical.
Dean makes friends with Augusta, who is one of the local rich women. Augusta has a lot of personal issues and I found her a more sympathetic character even though the reader never got to know her that well.
Not a bad book for a snow-day if it's all you have in the house, but stick with King's later works for stories with a bit more zing and better characters.
By Cassandra King
509 pages
Copyright 2002
I have read Cassandra King's later works and enjoyed them; obviously she has improved as she's gone along.
This book did not keep my interest. I had trouble relating to the heroine, Dean, and that kept me from enjoying the book.
Dean is a preacher's wife but a rather unconventional one who has truly made a bad marriage and who can't move beyond it. Her husband, Ben, comes across as a caricature of a man as well as a preacher and I found that difficult, too.
The lead character could have been likable but her distaste of her husband, religion and life in general bled through so badly that I never sympathized with her. Her husband, to be sure, was not the nicest fellow but instead of standing up to him she was just basically just as much of a weasel about it as he was. They are both very passive aggressive characters.
Other characters in the book, while rather true to life, were also somewhat stereotypical.
Dean makes friends with Augusta, who is one of the local rich women. Augusta has a lot of personal issues and I found her a more sympathetic character even though the reader never got to know her that well.
Not a bad book for a snow-day if it's all you have in the house, but stick with King's later works for stories with a bit more zing and better characters.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Christmas 2009
Christmas has come and gone, leaving me with happy memories of another year.
Christmas Eve morning early, I met with my friend B., and we had a pleasant visit at Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea. She gave me a bag of goodies which I will enjoy.
Late morning found me setting up a table of goodies in anticipation of visitors. I fixed ham biscuits, a cheese ball with crackers, spinach dip, fudge, chips & dip and cookies for my guests.
After lunch my aunt Carolyn and her son Matthew and his wife Gina and their daughter Madison, who is 3 years old, came for their annual Christmas Eve visit to the country. I forgot the camera during their visit so I have no pictures, but we had a lovely time.
Later my brother and his family came over.
This is my niece, Zoe. She is 8 and was quite excited by the holiday, as children are.
My brother Loren on the left and his son Trey on the right, relaxing on my couch as we had a pleasant visit. I didn't take any pictures of my sister-in-law as she asked me not to, but Dina was there too.
The next morning, Santa Claus came and filled the stockings. He brought me some DVDs, software and books.
In the afternoon we went to the in-laws house for Christmas. This is my mother-in-law's tree. Lovely, isn't it?
My mother-in-law, Eunice, doing what she does during the holidays - feed everyone! We had a feast of fried shrimp, sausage balls, cheese balls and crackers, veggie plates, and ham biscuits.
My sister-in-law Jennifer and her dad, Jimmy, enjoy conversation in front of the refrigerator. Jen had broken a back tooth and wasn't feeling well; I hope she finds a dentist soon.
My husband watched the nephews open their presents.
My brother-in-law Gary is a big fan of my fudge; I caught him taking possession of the tin of candy I gave the family.
My nephews, Chris on the left and Emory on the right, opening up their gifts.
That's me saying so long to this holiday; now it's time to open up my arms to 2010! A new year and a new decade. What will the coming months hold?!?
Christmas Eve morning early, I met with my friend B., and we had a pleasant visit at Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea. She gave me a bag of goodies which I will enjoy.
Late morning found me setting up a table of goodies in anticipation of visitors. I fixed ham biscuits, a cheese ball with crackers, spinach dip, fudge, chips & dip and cookies for my guests.
After lunch my aunt Carolyn and her son Matthew and his wife Gina and their daughter Madison, who is 3 years old, came for their annual Christmas Eve visit to the country. I forgot the camera during their visit so I have no pictures, but we had a lovely time.
Later my brother and his family came over.
This is my niece, Zoe. She is 8 and was quite excited by the holiday, as children are.
My brother Loren on the left and his son Trey on the right, relaxing on my couch as we had a pleasant visit. I didn't take any pictures of my sister-in-law as she asked me not to, but Dina was there too.
The next morning, Santa Claus came and filled the stockings. He brought me some DVDs, software and books.
In the afternoon we went to the in-laws house for Christmas. This is my mother-in-law's tree. Lovely, isn't it?
My mother-in-law, Eunice, doing what she does during the holidays - feed everyone! We had a feast of fried shrimp, sausage balls, cheese balls and crackers, veggie plates, and ham biscuits.
My sister-in-law Jennifer and her dad, Jimmy, enjoy conversation in front of the refrigerator. Jen had broken a back tooth and wasn't feeling well; I hope she finds a dentist soon.
My husband watched the nephews open their presents.
My brother-in-law Gary is a big fan of my fudge; I caught him taking possession of the tin of candy I gave the family.
My nephews, Chris on the left and Emory on the right, opening up their gifts.
That's me saying so long to this holiday; now it's time to open up my arms to 2010! A new year and a new decade. What will the coming months hold?!?
Friday, December 25, 2009
Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men
May the joy of Christmas stay in your heart throughout 2010!
Happy Holidays!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas!
Dear Santa,
Here's a list of 13 things I'd like for Christmas. I know some of these things are a lot to ask, but you can do it! You've got all that magic dust. Sprinkle it around!
1. Less world strife. I've asked for "peace on Earth" every year but I guess the warmongers' wishes for ways to bully people and make money off the despair of others wins out. So how about they just get a little less in 2010?
2. True health care reform in the United States. That stuff that's before Congress looks from here like a gimme to the insurance companies. Could we please put people first and corporate profits last for a change?
3. A viable third political party. There are a lot of folks in the United States who don't feel represented by either party at the moment. A viable third party would make a world of difference.
4. Empathy. Folks seem to be greatly lacking in this these days; a little more caring about the fellow next door seems in order. Why can't we have the Christmas spirit year round?
5. Less talk, more action. I hear a lot of garbled verbiage these days about things that are wrong with the world, like all that "they've taken Christ out of Christmas" and stuff that doesn't really matter. Christ is in Christmas so long as it is in your heart, and if you need to see it elsewhere, then you're the one with the problem. Let's do something about the stuff that matters, like building houses for poor people or giving them jobs or something important like that.
6. Better leadership. I am pretty disillusioned with the folks who are in charge, as you might can tell from my above wishes.
7. Equality for women. Whatever folks say, we have a long way to go before this one happens. I'd like to see some movement forward. Just a smidgen. What do you say?
8. Embracing the green. Let's move toward cleaner air and using less resources not because of global warming or whatever, but because it is the right thing to do. I mean, just how does a person argue in favor of more pollution? I don't get it. I like to breathe, not wheeze.
9. True religion. I am sure there are nations out that there worship something other than capitalism, but I think the religion of capitalism as preached in the U.S. really needs a rethink. I have a strong feeling that Jesus wasn't too into capitalism, either, so maybe we need to take a strong look at that.
10. Less angst. Everywhere you look, people are sad, tired, angry. Just last night a gunman took hostages in Wytheville! Wytheville! Not so far down the road. We need to be a calmer society.
11. An option for the newspaper business. Okay, this one is purely selfish on my part because I would like to get back to writing my local news stories, but I'm asking for an entire section of society. Besides, people need to read and be better informed so maybe the changes need to start there, with folks actually caring about what is happening in their neighborhood and state.
12. More love. I think everyone needs a little more of this in some fashion or another.
13. Happiness for everyone, if just one for this holy night.
Learn more about Thursday Thirteen here! This is my 119th time to write a Thursday Thirteen!
Here's a list of 13 things I'd like for Christmas. I know some of these things are a lot to ask, but you can do it! You've got all that magic dust. Sprinkle it around!
1. Less world strife. I've asked for "peace on Earth" every year but I guess the warmongers' wishes for ways to bully people and make money off the despair of others wins out. So how about they just get a little less in 2010?
2. True health care reform in the United States. That stuff that's before Congress looks from here like a gimme to the insurance companies. Could we please put people first and corporate profits last for a change?
3. A viable third political party. There are a lot of folks in the United States who don't feel represented by either party at the moment. A viable third party would make a world of difference.
4. Empathy. Folks seem to be greatly lacking in this these days; a little more caring about the fellow next door seems in order. Why can't we have the Christmas spirit year round?
5. Less talk, more action. I hear a lot of garbled verbiage these days about things that are wrong with the world, like all that "they've taken Christ out of Christmas" and stuff that doesn't really matter. Christ is in Christmas so long as it is in your heart, and if you need to see it elsewhere, then you're the one with the problem. Let's do something about the stuff that matters, like building houses for poor people or giving them jobs or something important like that.
6. Better leadership. I am pretty disillusioned with the folks who are in charge, as you might can tell from my above wishes.
7. Equality for women. Whatever folks say, we have a long way to go before this one happens. I'd like to see some movement forward. Just a smidgen. What do you say?
8. Embracing the green. Let's move toward cleaner air and using less resources not because of global warming or whatever, but because it is the right thing to do. I mean, just how does a person argue in favor of more pollution? I don't get it. I like to breathe, not wheeze.
9. True religion. I am sure there are nations out that there worship something other than capitalism, but I think the religion of capitalism as preached in the U.S. really needs a rethink. I have a strong feeling that Jesus wasn't too into capitalism, either, so maybe we need to take a strong look at that.
10. Less angst. Everywhere you look, people are sad, tired, angry. Just last night a gunman took hostages in Wytheville! Wytheville! Not so far down the road. We need to be a calmer society.
11. An option for the newspaper business. Okay, this one is purely selfish on my part because I would like to get back to writing my local news stories, but I'm asking for an entire section of society. Besides, people need to read and be better informed so maybe the changes need to start there, with folks actually caring about what is happening in their neighborhood and state.
12. More love. I think everyone needs a little more of this in some fashion or another.
13. Happiness for everyone, if just one for this holy night.
Learn more about Thursday Thirteen here! This is my 119th time to write a Thursday Thirteen!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Snow Removal
The big snow of December 2009, which fell Friday night for a total of 20 inches, left a lot of white stuff laying around.
It took my husband an hour to make the 1/2 drive home, but once he got here he couldn't get up the driveway. The snow plow had miraculously been down our road but had piled the snow in the driveway.
So it took him another two hours to actually reach the house, and he had to do that with the big tractor.
The piles are as tall as I am!
It took my husband an hour to make the 1/2 drive home, but once he got here he couldn't get up the driveway. The snow plow had miraculously been down our road but had piled the snow in the driveway.
So it took him another two hours to actually reach the house, and he had to do that with the big tractor.
The piles are as tall as I am!
Monday, December 21, 2009
Ferradiddledumday
Ferradiddledumday: An Appalachian Version of Rumpelstiltskin
By Becky Mushko
Illustrated by Bruce Rae
56 pages
32 illustrations
Ferradiddledumday, by my friend and fellow member of the Roanoke Valley Branch of the National Federation of American Pen Women (and a blogger, too!), has written an enchanting folklore read. Parents, teachers and the youngsters who get a hold of this will be delighted.
I was taken by the language, which rang so true that I thought the folks in the book could have been my own grandparents. In just a few short pages, Mushko deftly has explained what life was like in the Blue Ridge Mountains for hundreds of years.
Filled with lovely and lively details and words like redbuds, pipsissewa and maidenhair ferns, this book teaches with ease. Readers, even adults, will learn without having the slightest notion that they've been taught something new.
They may even go to the dictionary in order to figure out what "skedaddled" and other colloquial words mean. If so, then good for them and good for the author for making an educational book educate.
A handy and thorough study and discussion guide in the back makes it clear that this book offers up many good lessons. It is a worthy addition to the piece.
The illustrations by Bruce Rae add to the charm and unique feel of this charming book. Fairy tales have a great purpose and Mushko has handily taken this familiar tale and made it her own.
The author and the illustrator both should be proud of this wonderful work. I give it the highest rating I can give it.
You can learn more about this local author at her website.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Big December Snow
The snow began falling yesterday around 2:15 p.m. and has just tapered off this morning around 9:30 a.m. More may be coming, but the wind is starting to pick up so perhaps it is over.
As you can see, we have almost 20 inches.
My picnic table.
The trees in front of the house. One of the cedars has fallen over from the weight of the snow.
This is how it looks with my back door open and the camera pointing at the BBQ grill. Note the depth of snow from the bottom of the picture.
One of the tables on the deck.
As you can see, we have almost 20 inches.
My picnic table.
The trees in front of the house. One of the cedars has fallen over from the weight of the snow.
This is how it looks with my back door open and the camera pointing at the BBQ grill. Note the depth of snow from the bottom of the picture.
One of the tables on the deck.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Is That Grandma?
So this morning I joined the legions of folks at Kroger, but I was just there to get a prescription from the pharmacy, not bread and milk. We can get by with what we have in the freezer but I do need my blood pressure meds.
The reason for the impromptu trip was weather. We are expecting a major snow event. The last big 'un, which was in 1993, left us without electricity and stuck in the house for about a week.
The next 24 hours are supposed to bring us a foot or more of snow.
Anyway, I hit the tail-end of a rather long line and was quickly joined by a mother with a small girl. The child was aged 3, or so she promptly informed everyone within hearing distance.
I smiled at her and made a little small talk with the mom, then turned around to face the front of the line. "Mama, is that Grandma?" the little girl said, giving a hesitant tug on my coat as she asked.
Yikes.
I turned around, hoping I wasn't glaring but I might have been. I had never been mistaken for a GRANDMA before. "No, that's not Grandma, but she does wear her hair a lot like that so I can see how you might have made that mistake," the mother, who was maybe 30, said.
Okay, so maybe the soft white in my hair does glisten a lot like tinsel these days, and yes, maybe I am really old enough to actually be somebody's grandmother, had we had children. Maybe I dress rather conservative and neatly. But I have pretty good skin for my age, with only a wrinkle here and there. I get out and do things.
I am not a grandma.
You can't be hip and be a grandma. I am hip, aren't I?
Aren't I?
Anyone?
The reason for the impromptu trip was weather. We are expecting a major snow event. The last big 'un, which was in 1993, left us without electricity and stuck in the house for about a week.
The next 24 hours are supposed to bring us a foot or more of snow.
Anyway, I hit the tail-end of a rather long line and was quickly joined by a mother with a small girl. The child was aged 3, or so she promptly informed everyone within hearing distance.
I smiled at her and made a little small talk with the mom, then turned around to face the front of the line. "Mama, is that Grandma?" the little girl said, giving a hesitant tug on my coat as she asked.
Yikes.
I turned around, hoping I wasn't glaring but I might have been. I had never been mistaken for a GRANDMA before. "No, that's not Grandma, but she does wear her hair a lot like that so I can see how you might have made that mistake," the mother, who was maybe 30, said.
Okay, so maybe the soft white in my hair does glisten a lot like tinsel these days, and yes, maybe I am really old enough to actually be somebody's grandmother, had we had children. Maybe I dress rather conservative and neatly. But I have pretty good skin for my age, with only a wrinkle here and there. I get out and do things.
I am not a grandma.
You can't be hip and be a grandma. I am hip, aren't I?
Aren't I?
Anyone?
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Thursday Thirteen
Favorite things to do in December!
1. Drive around and look at Christmas lights. Some of the displays around here are pretty cool. I have not been to the Elk's Home in Bedford in many years. Maybe this year?
Lights from last year (this display is no longer put up here, alas).
2. Make fudge, bake cookies and give it all away! It is a way of extending my love and good will to folks who otherwise would not receive anything from me but a card or a smile.
3. Buy presents. I am not much of a shopper but I really like shopping for other people, particularly when I have an idea of what I am looking for.
4. Listen to Christmas songs. After Thanksgiving, I enjoy listening to the sounds of the season. I just don't like to hear them before that because it seems so commercial.
5. Watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. This is must-see TV for the husband and I. It means the holiday has officially arrived.
Favorite movies to watch
6. The Fellowship of the Ring. The first in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, this sets the tone for a showdown of good versus evil. This story of friendship and bonds between the various races of the legions of Middle Earth moves me.
7. The Two Towers. The second in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, this movie focuses on the same themes but also includes duty to self and to others. Small people can be victorious, too.
8. The Return of the King. The final version of this movie leaves me in tears every time I watch it (and I've watched it many times). It is a great, sweeping epic.
9. One of the first four Harry Potter movies. Any of those are fun to watch this time of year (I am not overly thrilled with the last two movies so I exclude those.).
10. Mama Mia! This is a new addition to my holiday movies. Something about this movie makes me laugh and cry at the same time. I wish that we really did just burst into song in the market place. Wouldn't that be cool?
11. It's a Wonderful Life. We watched this recently. A movie about being good and doing good and how vital each and every soul is. While it is set in the 1940s, it seems timeless. Even in black and white.
And last but not least, these are favorite Christmas activities:
12. Visiting with family and friends. I love having a girlfriend over for lunch, having family drop in, or stepping out on the town for tea with folks I care about. What better thing is there to do this time of year, anyway?
Scenes from last year's Christmas visits:
13. Stopping time on Christmas Eve by stepping into my husband's arms while we stand before the Christmas tree. He will wrap them around me, kiss me soundly, and wish me a Merry Christmas. And for those few minutes, nothing else in the world matters.
Learn more about Thursday Thirteen here! This is my 118th time to write a Thursday Thirteen!
1. Drive around and look at Christmas lights. Some of the displays around here are pretty cool. I have not been to the Elk's Home in Bedford in many years. Maybe this year?
Lights from last year (this display is no longer put up here, alas).
2. Make fudge, bake cookies and give it all away! It is a way of extending my love and good will to folks who otherwise would not receive anything from me but a card or a smile.
3. Buy presents. I am not much of a shopper but I really like shopping for other people, particularly when I have an idea of what I am looking for.
4. Listen to Christmas songs. After Thanksgiving, I enjoy listening to the sounds of the season. I just don't like to hear them before that because it seems so commercial.
5. Watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. This is must-see TV for the husband and I. It means the holiday has officially arrived.
Favorite movies to watch
6. The Fellowship of the Ring. The first in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, this sets the tone for a showdown of good versus evil. This story of friendship and bonds between the various races of the legions of Middle Earth moves me.
7. The Two Towers. The second in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, this movie focuses on the same themes but also includes duty to self and to others. Small people can be victorious, too.
8. The Return of the King. The final version of this movie leaves me in tears every time I watch it (and I've watched it many times). It is a great, sweeping epic.
9. One of the first four Harry Potter movies. Any of those are fun to watch this time of year (I am not overly thrilled with the last two movies so I exclude those.).
10. Mama Mia! This is a new addition to my holiday movies. Something about this movie makes me laugh and cry at the same time. I wish that we really did just burst into song in the market place. Wouldn't that be cool?
11. It's a Wonderful Life. We watched this recently. A movie about being good and doing good and how vital each and every soul is. While it is set in the 1940s, it seems timeless. Even in black and white.
And last but not least, these are favorite Christmas activities:
12. Visiting with family and friends. I love having a girlfriend over for lunch, having family drop in, or stepping out on the town for tea with folks I care about. What better thing is there to do this time of year, anyway?
Scenes from last year's Christmas visits:
13. Stopping time on Christmas Eve by stepping into my husband's arms while we stand before the Christmas tree. He will wrap them around me, kiss me soundly, and wish me a Merry Christmas. And for those few minutes, nothing else in the world matters.
Learn more about Thursday Thirteen here! This is my 118th time to write a Thursday Thirteen!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
The Perfectionist Nightmare
All of my life I have had recurring nightmares.
Some have been with me for years. When I was a child and up into my teens, I was haunted a dark dream of a garden with a black scarecrow.
Another dream was of a bathtub full of blood. It followed me around for years.
Lately, the dream has been one of passages. Dark and narrow passages, like those in a cave, perhaps, and in order to move forward you have to push the rights or turn the right lever. A false move means certain doom.
The dream returned last night. I was in the throes of it when my husband shook me awake. "There's no button," he was saying. "There's no passageway, either."
I struggled from sleep, trying to make sense of what was happening. My body was rigid and tears dripped from my eyes. I was shaking, and I had to get up and walk around. It took me over an hour to relax enough to even think about sleep.
"You shouldn't eat those mushrooms," my husband murmured as I tossed and turned. I had put mushrooms in the meatloaf we'd had for dinner and he was blaming my dreams on them.
The dream for me, without looking up any dream interpretations, means that I am always trying so desperately hard "to get it right" that I can't find my way through. There are always buttons to push, hoops to jumps, tests to pass, before the end is in sight.
I like to do things correctly; I am a perfectionist in many ways and I battle this constantly. If I'm going to blog, dammit, then I'd better blog pretty much every day or what is the point? If I'm going to be a housewife, then by George I shall be the bestest housewife this side of the Mississippi! If I'm going to make fudge, it shall be the greatest fudge in the land! If I'm going to be a writer, then I'd better be the best ... well, we know where that is headed and astute readers will lay a finger aside their nose and go ah! This is why she struggles with that book.
Easier not to do it when one thinks anything less than the best is failure, I fear.
But back to my dreams.
One of my dream books says that dreaming of a "good path predicts success in love, trade and farming. If the path appears crooked in your dream, and filled occasionally with thorns, it shows disappointment and treacherous friends." This was a rocky and dangerous path in my dream, so I go with the latter.
Of the darkness in my dreams, this book says, "Dreaming you are lost in darkness and stumble denotes a change for the worst - by imprudence you will dreadfully commit yourself. If you emerge and see the sun, you will ultimately be happy."
I suspect my own interpretation is more apt in this case. Otherwise it looks like I am in for some really rough roads - murky and dangerous passageways - in the new year.
Some have been with me for years. When I was a child and up into my teens, I was haunted a dark dream of a garden with a black scarecrow.
Another dream was of a bathtub full of blood. It followed me around for years.
Lately, the dream has been one of passages. Dark and narrow passages, like those in a cave, perhaps, and in order to move forward you have to push the rights or turn the right lever. A false move means certain doom.
The dream returned last night. I was in the throes of it when my husband shook me awake. "There's no button," he was saying. "There's no passageway, either."
I struggled from sleep, trying to make sense of what was happening. My body was rigid and tears dripped from my eyes. I was shaking, and I had to get up and walk around. It took me over an hour to relax enough to even think about sleep.
"You shouldn't eat those mushrooms," my husband murmured as I tossed and turned. I had put mushrooms in the meatloaf we'd had for dinner and he was blaming my dreams on them.
The dream for me, without looking up any dream interpretations, means that I am always trying so desperately hard "to get it right" that I can't find my way through. There are always buttons to push, hoops to jumps, tests to pass, before the end is in sight.
I like to do things correctly; I am a perfectionist in many ways and I battle this constantly. If I'm going to blog, dammit, then I'd better blog pretty much every day or what is the point? If I'm going to be a housewife, then by George I shall be the bestest housewife this side of the Mississippi! If I'm going to make fudge, it shall be the greatest fudge in the land! If I'm going to be a writer, then I'd better be the best ... well, we know where that is headed and astute readers will lay a finger aside their nose and go ah! This is why she struggles with that book.
Easier not to do it when one thinks anything less than the best is failure, I fear.
But back to my dreams.
One of my dream books says that dreaming of a "good path predicts success in love, trade and farming. If the path appears crooked in your dream, and filled occasionally with thorns, it shows disappointment and treacherous friends." This was a rocky and dangerous path in my dream, so I go with the latter.
Of the darkness in my dreams, this book says, "Dreaming you are lost in darkness and stumble denotes a change for the worst - by imprudence you will dreadfully commit yourself. If you emerge and see the sun, you will ultimately be happy."
I suspect my own interpretation is more apt in this case. Otherwise it looks like I am in for some really rough roads - murky and dangerous passageways - in the new year.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
My fudge is better
About two weeks ago, my husband and I did a quick shopping expedition that took us to Salem.
I don't shop Salem much and seldom get there, even though it is just a 1/2 hour drive away down the interstate.
At any rate, at the Lakeside strip center, there is a fudge and candy store. I think it is fairly new.
We went in and looked around. I started to buy some rock candy on a stick but each piece was not individually wrapped and it was in a big container where little hands could be stuck down and the candy fingered. So I decided to forgo that even though I do like rock candy on occasion.
The store was offering "buy one pound get the second pound for 1/2 price" thing going so, thinking I would take some of the fudge as a hostess gift and perhaps give some away (and eat a little too) we picked out several different kinds.
The fudge still sits in my refrigerator, because, alas, it is not good. Each flavor we nibbled at was very dry and frankly, tasteless. We were very disappointed. It is so bad that I decided not to give it away. I am not sure, truthfully, what I will do with it because I don't think at this point that we will eat it.
Every year I make about 15 pounds of fudge. I give it to friends and relatives, business associates - pretty much anyone who wants it. Some of it has nuts and some of it doesn't. It is all basically Fantasy Fudge, made with marshmallow creme and semi-sweet chocolate chips, with some derivations. Sometimes I cut the sugar and use white chocolate or butterscotch or whatever, but regardless, it comes out smooth, rich and creamy.
I make better fudge than what they were selling at this store by a long shot.
I don't shop Salem much and seldom get there, even though it is just a 1/2 hour drive away down the interstate.
At any rate, at the Lakeside strip center, there is a fudge and candy store. I think it is fairly new.
We went in and looked around. I started to buy some rock candy on a stick but each piece was not individually wrapped and it was in a big container where little hands could be stuck down and the candy fingered. So I decided to forgo that even though I do like rock candy on occasion.
The store was offering "buy one pound get the second pound for 1/2 price" thing going so, thinking I would take some of the fudge as a hostess gift and perhaps give some away (and eat a little too) we picked out several different kinds.
The fudge still sits in my refrigerator, because, alas, it is not good. Each flavor we nibbled at was very dry and frankly, tasteless. We were very disappointed. It is so bad that I decided not to give it away. I am not sure, truthfully, what I will do with it because I don't think at this point that we will eat it.
Every year I make about 15 pounds of fudge. I give it to friends and relatives, business associates - pretty much anyone who wants it. Some of it has nuts and some of it doesn't. It is all basically Fantasy Fudge, made with marshmallow creme and semi-sweet chocolate chips, with some derivations. Sometimes I cut the sugar and use white chocolate or butterscotch or whatever, but regardless, it comes out smooth, rich and creamy.
I make better fudge than what they were selling at this store by a long shot.
Monday, December 14, 2009
No Reason for Not Posting
It is unlike me not to post in several days, and I am not sure why I haven't been writing.
So let's have a quick update.
A week ago I had lunch with Di from Blue Ridge Gal; we ran into each other at the Daleville Post Office and then on impulse headed to Bellacino's for a bite. I had my usual 1/4 sandwich while Di went for some kind of nacho thing. I had great fun talking and chatting; it was a like a little party with just the two of us.
Blogging friends are cool, anyway.
Tuesday, my Aunt Jennifer and I headed north. Our destinations were the Green Valley Book Fair in Mount Crawford and The Cheese Shop in Stuarts Draft.
My Aunt Jennifer is my mother's brother's wife. She is a nurse. In July, she began a round of surgeries that included her knees and in November her hands for carpal tunnel or something. She has been rather housebound so I thought an outing might do her good.
Anyway, the Green Valley Book Fair is one of my favorite stops, because, well, there are books! Lots of them. I could have spent all of my Christmas money there but I was good and did not. I did purchase a number of items for presents, however.
The Cheese Shop has great spices at extremely reasonable prices; they offer a lot of candy, too, or things with which to make candy, and many other unusual cooking and baking ingredients that aren't readily found in Roanoke. In particular, they carry McCutcheon's Apple Butter, which is my husband's favorite but which I can't find locally (if anyone knows of a store in Roanoke that carries it, do tell!). I purchased 5 quarts so hopefully he will be stocked up for a little while with his favorite breakfast treat.
Thursday night my friend B. had her annual "soup night," which is a party where she serves soup. Leek soup and chili, to be exact, and it is a big hit with most of Fincastle. This was her last party in her old home; after Christmas she will be moving a few blocks away into a brand-spanking new house that she and her husband are building. I am sure it was a bittersweet event for her. For the rest of us it was finger-lickin' good.
After we returned home from the party and began settling in for the night, we received a phone call. My husband's Aunt Nancy, in from Georgia, was in distress. She has been staying with his Aunt Jenny, whom regular readers will recall has pancreatic cancer and had surgery in November. (As an update, she seems to be doing very well; chemo and radiation therapy in the near future, it seems).
Anyway, as I was in a state of undress the husband raced up the hill to check on his aunt and he made the determination to call the rescue squad. She was having difficulty breathing.
When he came back home, I was ready to go to the hospital with him but he told me to stay home because he wanted someone around in case Aunt Jenny and Uncle Bill needed something. One of the cousins was supposed to come and stay with them but had not yet arrived as I understood it. So I dug in for a long wait.
Anyway, the long and short of it is that the doctors could not determine what had happened to Aunt Nancy and the husband returned home with her around 3:30 a.m. I was up, because of course I was worried. It was a long night.
Friday I treated myself to a much-needed massage; I was pretty useless from that and the lack of sleep.
Saturday B. and I stepped out on the town. We went to IHOP in Roanoke for breakfast (I had eggs and pancakes; yum, yum!) and then hit the stores. We went to Staples, Target, Barnes & Noble, Dicks Sporting Goods, Applebys (for gift certificates), Supershoes, and Gander Mountain. Whew!
Yesterday we rested, except I made two batches of fudge. Somewhere in there I did my Christmas cards and wrapped presents, too.
And while I still don't know why I haven't been posting, maybe this is an indication that the little mini-writing-drought is over.
So let's have a quick update.
A week ago I had lunch with Di from Blue Ridge Gal; we ran into each other at the Daleville Post Office and then on impulse headed to Bellacino's for a bite. I had my usual 1/4 sandwich while Di went for some kind of nacho thing. I had great fun talking and chatting; it was a like a little party with just the two of us.
Blogging friends are cool, anyway.
Tuesday, my Aunt Jennifer and I headed north. Our destinations were the Green Valley Book Fair in Mount Crawford and The Cheese Shop in Stuarts Draft.
My Aunt Jennifer is my mother's brother's wife. She is a nurse. In July, she began a round of surgeries that included her knees and in November her hands for carpal tunnel or something. She has been rather housebound so I thought an outing might do her good.
Anyway, the Green Valley Book Fair is one of my favorite stops, because, well, there are books! Lots of them. I could have spent all of my Christmas money there but I was good and did not. I did purchase a number of items for presents, however.
The Cheese Shop has great spices at extremely reasonable prices; they offer a lot of candy, too, or things with which to make candy, and many other unusual cooking and baking ingredients that aren't readily found in Roanoke. In particular, they carry McCutcheon's Apple Butter, which is my husband's favorite but which I can't find locally (if anyone knows of a store in Roanoke that carries it, do tell!). I purchased 5 quarts so hopefully he will be stocked up for a little while with his favorite breakfast treat.
Thursday night my friend B. had her annual "soup night," which is a party where she serves soup. Leek soup and chili, to be exact, and it is a big hit with most of Fincastle. This was her last party in her old home; after Christmas she will be moving a few blocks away into a brand-spanking new house that she and her husband are building. I am sure it was a bittersweet event for her. For the rest of us it was finger-lickin' good.
After we returned home from the party and began settling in for the night, we received a phone call. My husband's Aunt Nancy, in from Georgia, was in distress. She has been staying with his Aunt Jenny, whom regular readers will recall has pancreatic cancer and had surgery in November. (As an update, she seems to be doing very well; chemo and radiation therapy in the near future, it seems).
Anyway, as I was in a state of undress the husband raced up the hill to check on his aunt and he made the determination to call the rescue squad. She was having difficulty breathing.
When he came back home, I was ready to go to the hospital with him but he told me to stay home because he wanted someone around in case Aunt Jenny and Uncle Bill needed something. One of the cousins was supposed to come and stay with them but had not yet arrived as I understood it. So I dug in for a long wait.
Anyway, the long and short of it is that the doctors could not determine what had happened to Aunt Nancy and the husband returned home with her around 3:30 a.m. I was up, because of course I was worried. It was a long night.
Friday I treated myself to a much-needed massage; I was pretty useless from that and the lack of sleep.
Saturday B. and I stepped out on the town. We went to IHOP in Roanoke for breakfast (I had eggs and pancakes; yum, yum!) and then hit the stores. We went to Staples, Target, Barnes & Noble, Dicks Sporting Goods, Applebys (for gift certificates), Supershoes, and Gander Mountain. Whew!
Yesterday we rested, except I made two batches of fudge. Somewhere in there I did my Christmas cards and wrapped presents, too.
And while I still don't know why I haven't been posting, maybe this is an indication that the little mini-writing-drought is over.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Thursday Thirteen
Today it's ... my favorite Christmas songs! Except for the first one, which is my favorite, they aren't in any particular order.
1. Angels We Have Heard on High. I love this song. It is so exuberant and full of rejoicing. According to this site (which has the music but not the words going) this is a French carol, translated to English in 1862. You can learn more from Wikipedia here.
2. O Holy Night. This is a quiet song that celebrates the birth of Christ. It speaks of the quiet joy and wonder at this most wonderous event.
3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town. This is a fun song. It makes me want to dance. I have always enjoyed Bruce Springsteen's version.
4. Silent Night. This traditional Christmas carol always makes my heart fill with love and joy. It is another song about the birth of the Saviour. Is there anything better to sing about? It was translated into English in 1859. The Wiki site is here.
5. Santa Baby. This is a very materialistic song, but I have always liked Madonna's version and the way she sings it. I like the melody, too. I don't necessarily approve of the message, but it is definitely a very telling song. Besides, 13 carols is a long list...
6. Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas Canon Rock.
7. Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Sarajevo.
8. Mannheim Steamroller Christmas songs. These modern renditions of classics are among the best. Here's Joy to the World, which is another of my favorite carols.
9. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. Another celebration of the birth of Christ (which is of course the reason we have Christmas, anyway, if you are religious). This is an old song, dating back to earlier than 1739, according to Wiki.
10. Do You Hear What I Hear? If I were ranking these, this would be #2. I love this song as it reminds us that Christ is for everyone, from the poorest to the richest, and no one is better than anyone else.
11. Sleigh Ride. I am particularly fond of the Carpenters version. I love to sing the words to this but I always sing them incorrectly. In particular, that part where you have pumpkin pie and coffee? I tend to say "when you grab an alligator and just ... let him fly." I have no idea why. Sometimes I am just weird.
12. Winter Wonderland. This is not necessarily a Christmas song but a winter song, but you only hear it at this time of year. I love it because it reminds me of snow and quiet and solitude and having fun with someone you love. All very important things. This song also reminds me of a long-ago evening when my parents, brother and I took a long walk in a snow under a full moon. It is one of my few memories of a nice time together.
The song was written in 1934, according to Wiki.
13. Your choice! Do you have a favorite Christmas song?
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; you can learn more about it here. This is number 117 for me!
1. Angels We Have Heard on High. I love this song. It is so exuberant and full of rejoicing. According to this site (which has the music but not the words going) this is a French carol, translated to English in 1862. You can learn more from Wikipedia here.
2. O Holy Night. This is a quiet song that celebrates the birth of Christ. It speaks of the quiet joy and wonder at this most wonderous event.
3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town. This is a fun song. It makes me want to dance. I have always enjoyed Bruce Springsteen's version.
4. Silent Night. This traditional Christmas carol always makes my heart fill with love and joy. It is another song about the birth of the Saviour. Is there anything better to sing about? It was translated into English in 1859. The Wiki site is here.
5. Santa Baby. This is a very materialistic song, but I have always liked Madonna's version and the way she sings it. I like the melody, too. I don't necessarily approve of the message, but it is definitely a very telling song. Besides, 13 carols is a long list...
6. Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas Canon Rock.
7. Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Sarajevo.
8. Mannheim Steamroller Christmas songs. These modern renditions of classics are among the best. Here's Joy to the World, which is another of my favorite carols.
9. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. Another celebration of the birth of Christ (which is of course the reason we have Christmas, anyway, if you are religious). This is an old song, dating back to earlier than 1739, according to Wiki.
10. Do You Hear What I Hear? If I were ranking these, this would be #2. I love this song as it reminds us that Christ is for everyone, from the poorest to the richest, and no one is better than anyone else.
11. Sleigh Ride. I am particularly fond of the Carpenters version. I love to sing the words to this but I always sing them incorrectly. In particular, that part where you have pumpkin pie and coffee? I tend to say "when you grab an alligator and just ... let him fly." I have no idea why. Sometimes I am just weird.
12. Winter Wonderland. This is not necessarily a Christmas song but a winter song, but you only hear it at this time of year. I love it because it reminds me of snow and quiet and solitude and having fun with someone you love. All very important things. This song also reminds me of a long-ago evening when my parents, brother and I took a long walk in a snow under a full moon. It is one of my few memories of a nice time together.
The song was written in 1934, according to Wiki.
13. Your choice! Do you have a favorite Christmas song?
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; you can learn more about it here. This is number 117 for me!
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Books: Very Valentine
Very Valentine
By Adriana Trigiani
Read by Cassandra Campbell
13 hours unabridged
Copyright 2009
I love Adriana Trigiani's books. Her female lead character is always strong-willed and very much a capable woman.
Valentine Roncalli, 33, lives with her grandmother above their shoe factory in Greenwich Village in New York. The Angelinis have been making custom wedding shoes since 1903, and Valentine, after a failed stint as a teacher, has apprenticed herself to her grandmother in order to learn the trade. She has a flair for design and is eager to take the shoe company into the 21st century.
Her brother, Alfred, the superior male, wants his grandmother to sell the business and the building in which is housed for a cool $6 million, but through some maneuvering which I missed because the CD skipped and wouldn't play a few tracks, Valentine manages to keep things going without sending Grandma to the old folk's home.
Valentine also finds a fellow, Roman, who runs a restaurant, and they have a stormy and on-off again romance. Will she stay with him in the end? Eh, maybe not (I won't give it away). Her grandmother, a widow, also finds a little amore and I really enjoyed this aspect of the book. Too often old folks are stereotyped.
This novel was filled with rich details and sparkling writing. The reader was spot-on in her portrayals of character, also, so I give Cassandra Campbell a lot of credit for the enjoyment I took from this book. Trigiani is one of the finest southern writers out there (even though she deals with New York and Italy in this book) and her work never disappoints.
It's available in the Fincastle Library. Check it out.
By Adriana Trigiani
Read by Cassandra Campbell
13 hours unabridged
Copyright 2009
I love Adriana Trigiani's books. Her female lead character is always strong-willed and very much a capable woman.
Valentine Roncalli, 33, lives with her grandmother above their shoe factory in Greenwich Village in New York. The Angelinis have been making custom wedding shoes since 1903, and Valentine, after a failed stint as a teacher, has apprenticed herself to her grandmother in order to learn the trade. She has a flair for design and is eager to take the shoe company into the 21st century.
Her brother, Alfred, the superior male, wants his grandmother to sell the business and the building in which is housed for a cool $6 million, but through some maneuvering which I missed because the CD skipped and wouldn't play a few tracks, Valentine manages to keep things going without sending Grandma to the old folk's home.
Valentine also finds a fellow, Roman, who runs a restaurant, and they have a stormy and on-off again romance. Will she stay with him in the end? Eh, maybe not (I won't give it away). Her grandmother, a widow, also finds a little amore and I really enjoyed this aspect of the book. Too often old folks are stereotyped.
This novel was filled with rich details and sparkling writing. The reader was spot-on in her portrayals of character, also, so I give Cassandra Campbell a lot of credit for the enjoyment I took from this book. Trigiani is one of the finest southern writers out there (even though she deals with New York and Italy in this book) and her work never disappoints.
It's available in the Fincastle Library. Check it out.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Decking the Halls 2009
We put up decorations and the Christmas tree up on Wednesday night, just prior to our annual tradition of watching Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It isn't Christmas without Rudolph around here.
The angel watches over our household during the holy days. We purchased her at Myrtle Beach about 10 years ago. We remember the reason for the season.
But it's also a good time for fun. I collect Santa Mouse and my mother-in-law gave me these. They were very old; she's had them a long time.
Members of the stuffed animal section of my Santa Mouse collection.
Some of my sitty-around items.
This is the tree! It has a firefighter's theme this year. I can't imagine why.
The angel watches over our household during the holy days. We purchased her at Myrtle Beach about 10 years ago. We remember the reason for the season.
But it's also a good time for fun. I collect Santa Mouse and my mother-in-law gave me these. They were very old; she's had them a long time.
Members of the stuffed animal section of my Santa Mouse collection.
Some of my sitty-around items.
This is the tree! It has a firefighter's theme this year. I can't imagine why.
Sunday, December 06, 2009
December 2009 Snow
The snow started yesterday around 7:15 a.m. and poured here all day, sometimes in large, huge flakes, until about 3:45 p.m.
It warmed up during that time and so what could have been five or six inches ended up leaving us about 2.5 inches on the ground.
Now it feels like Christmas!
During the early morning yesterday as the snow fell heavily
Birds, finding the air too heavy for flying, flocked around my house.
They rested in the poplar trees we planted 23 years ago (which are now dying from the top down, so sad!)
The warm November had confused some of the flora and fauna, and my marigolds were still showcasing color when the snows fell.
Early morning Sunday sunrise showed off the beginning of a new day.
It warmed up during that time and so what could have been five or six inches ended up leaving us about 2.5 inches on the ground.
Now it feels like Christmas!
During the early morning yesterday as the snow fell heavily
Birds, finding the air too heavy for flying, flocked around my house.
They rested in the poplar trees we planted 23 years ago (which are now dying from the top down, so sad!)
The warm November had confused some of the flora and fauna, and my marigolds were still showcasing color when the snows fell.
Early morning Sunday sunrise showed off the beginning of a new day.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Thursday Thirteen
Today, we do it by the numbers!
1. 45 hours, 17 minutes - time spent exercising on the Wii Fit this year.
2. 2,488 - estimated number of times I've folded towels and put them back into the closet in our house since we moved in.
3. 51 - number of books I have read so far this year. Estimated number of books read in my life time? Over 2,000. I wish I had started keeping a list sooner.
4. 78,022 - mileage on my 2003 Toyota Camry. Estimated number of miles driven in my lifetime? 366,450
5. 179 - number of games of spider solitaire I've won on this computer.
6. 8,030 - estimated number of showers I've taken at our current home. Estimated number of showers/bath in a lifetime? 16,790
7. 45 - number of Christmases I have celebrated. The next one will be 46!
8. 1,087 - number of posts on this blog.
9. 317 - number of pages of unpublished fiction I have sitting on my computer.
10. 2,300 - estimated number of non-fiction articles I have published.
11. 33,580 - estimated number of hours of TV I have probably watched in my lifetime (2 hours a day since birth, though I don't watch 2 hours of TV a day now so I hope it's less).
12. 402,460 - the number of hours I have lived (my hand-held calculator won't figure out the number of seconds; too big a number, I guess).
13. 5 - number of pairs of tennis shoes I currently own.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; you can learn more about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 116!
1. 45 hours, 17 minutes - time spent exercising on the Wii Fit this year.
2. 2,488 - estimated number of times I've folded towels and put them back into the closet in our house since we moved in.
3. 51 - number of books I have read so far this year. Estimated number of books read in my life time? Over 2,000. I wish I had started keeping a list sooner.
4. 78,022 - mileage on my 2003 Toyota Camry. Estimated number of miles driven in my lifetime? 366,450
5. 179 - number of games of spider solitaire I've won on this computer.
6. 8,030 - estimated number of showers I've taken at our current home. Estimated number of showers/bath in a lifetime? 16,790
7. 45 - number of Christmases I have celebrated. The next one will be 46!
8. 1,087 - number of posts on this blog.
9. 317 - number of pages of unpublished fiction I have sitting on my computer.
10. 2,300 - estimated number of non-fiction articles I have published.
11. 33,580 - estimated number of hours of TV I have probably watched in my lifetime (2 hours a day since birth, though I don't watch 2 hours of TV a day now so I hope it's less).
12. 402,460 - the number of hours I have lived (my hand-held calculator won't figure out the number of seconds; too big a number, I guess).
13. 5 - number of pairs of tennis shoes I currently own.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; you can learn more about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 116!
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