Author: Rene

Yum! It’s in the stores and it is being consumed by moi this evening. I even went outside and turned on the Christmas lights which I installed during the warmer days of November. Checking off a few holiday moments a bit early, but that’s because I’m avoiding the one I should be doing – aka – preparing and sending holiday packages early.

One has to be ready for the Post Office. It requires a mental mindset of patience, joy in waiting for others or for more than one postal employee to step up to assist, and a tolerance for a parking lot full of people in a hurry who do not want to be there but have to be. I’m not sure I’m ready for that yet.

Enjoying peppermint ice cream is the perfect way to procrastinate. I bought two pints.

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening? On my floor, glitter’s glistening. A beautiful sight, I was cursing last night, the mess I made with only my own hands.

Wrapping paper adorned with glitter – rookie mistake. I was wrapping empty boxes to use for decor when I totally be-sparkled my kitchen floor and table. I’ll be enjoying the glistening for years to come, just as I did after letting kids throw confetti from the top railing one New Year’s Eve. (It took re-carpeting to get rid of that little reminder.)

All in the name of holiday fun!

This reminded me of all the decorator fabric I have used in my personal wardrobe and style. I have made pajamas and a maternity dress out of old curtains, a coat out of sofa material, curtains from vintage bedding, and really a lot of other articles where I’ve repurposed the fabric. However, none can compare to the great Carol Burnett!

This cracked me up. I remember the episode for sure and also the brilliant talent on that show. Saturday joy to all!

Yesterday I saw a young woman walking to high school wearing ear muffs and a winter coat. It was 21 degrees outside. Seriously?

Quite often there is a posse of students huddled at the school corner wearing shorts and hoodies in single-digit temps. They always look cold, but obviously aren’t caving into winter’s demands, seemingly without a nickel’s worth of common sense among them. If it hadn’t been snowing and that intelligent teen hadn’t been across the street from my stopped car, I would have yelled at her, “Hey! I’d vote for you for President!”

I think she’s already on her way to great achievements.

Because I let my little “pride and joy” hold my phone for a few minutes – enough time to unload the dishwasher – the little stinker swiped down and put my phone in airplane mode. I didn’t realize it until my daughter and her husband showed up with a beautiful dinner in tow last night. It outdid the pizza I had thrown in the oven. We had two dinners.

She also knows how to use the non-automated pepper grinder along with the vast array of other activities, actions, comments, and expressions she mimics. This is to be expected as one matures, of course.

However, my phone will have to be off-limits from now on. I received a call from Shanghai this morning. Who knows what other surprises await me from my lapse-in-judgment-desire-to-accomplish-something moment?

That will be the first available interview either in-person or on Zoom that the U.S. government can give me for my global entry renewal application. Of course, I could travel to Michigan to interview in person. There was a slot available earlier at that location.

The government has graciously given applicants additional time on their status due to this backlog, so basically, you get to pay for a year you don’t get to use, but you won’t get stopped at the border just yet. You have a grace period to get in trouble with the law should you so choose.

This task came on the heels of renewing insurance for next year, which for some reason, the lovely Colorado healthcare exchange screws up annually. It takes an in-person phone call, my husband’s voice because they cannot for any reason, get MY name on their records as a contact for MY insurance.

Now to take my car in for its recall on a part which hasn’t been an issue for 112,000 miles plus, but apparently could possibly be. At that age, couldn’t anything be a possible issue?

Bureaucracy at its finest.

The only magnet allowed to grace my refrigerator now holds a work of art by my granddaughter. It is a colorful rendition of her obvious ability to put ink to paper with a thoughtful and masterful technique.

As I pass by this addition to the kitchen, I am amused at the way we adults encourage the arts at such a young age. “Oh, you are a great artist!” “What a pretty song you are singing!” “”Tell me more about your picture.” “You’re such a great pianist!” “That’s a fun song.”

By the time college comes around and the words, “I’m going to major in art history,” “I’m majoring in vocal music,” “I’m going for interpretive dance as a career,” are spewed, parents begin the back-peddle to find a happy alternative that will be more lucrative, or at least, “pay the bills.”

Of course we should always encourage each other and celebrate accomplishments whether they make it to the fridge or not. Enjoying the earthly journey to our destination is as important as pinning it down. And right now, the Tuesday morning earth is covered in snow and I’ve got to get going to test the icy roads. I shall endeavor to enjoy the ride!

Football. Does it seem like players are getting injured more easily these days? The football of yore seemed more warrior-like. Now our players get to have little dances of jubilation when they do their jobs. Sacked the QB, tackled the receiver, made a touchdown? It’s your job. We don’t need a pose to honor it. By the way, I don’t care if San Francisco wins. I just like looking at Jimmy Garoppolo.

Coughing. If you’re in public and you cough repeatedly, you risk being labeled a criminally-intent-virus transmitting person. Looks of admonition and stares of, “How could you be out in public with that cough?” There is no more “common” cold.

Carpet. Do you get what you really like? No. You do not get white carpet, you get a dirt-tone version of what you like. You know that you will not keep it as clean as you think. You also know there will be inevitable wine (red) mishaps a white carpet will remember. You can have the white carpet in your dreams.

It was an interesting weekend. Let’s leave it at that.

Leave it to me to find a carpet showroom that has been open a week, with my cohort in tow and us being the third customers to cross the threshold.

Who knew my friend and I would be held hostage by the owner, eager to relay his successful sales story? To be fair, he was out retrieving cream for his coffee when we arrived. His lovely sales associate, new to the job, was eager to help us. “Pristina” was patient and kind, and when the owner arrived, we both exclaimed, “Did you bring enough coffee for us?”

He had a Keurig, made each of us our choice of roasted blend, offered cream, and was quite lovely. It just took a long time to get out from under the history of carpet and the business. At least I’m finally looking for the replacement options in the pet-and-child loved flooring of our home. That friendly business experience has spurred me forward.

To infinity and beyond!

Last night I took on the sewing of a new cushion cover for my kitchen bench. I thought I’d go all fancy and use piping to edge it neatly.

I spent the first two hours cutting, pinning, and sewing piping. I spent the third hour ripping it all apart. Then, I was so mad I decided to try it again!!!! I even googled tips and tricks and couldn’t figure out what I’m doing wrong. After failed attempt number two, I had to quit due to the lowered night time temperature in the house and in the interest of my sanity.

The bright side? I had the opportunity to lie awake considering options and reworking the project in my head for hours. I “arose” to the challenge this morning, determined to make this stupid thing work.

Third time’s a charm.