It’s “Hey Rene J” Today!

What do they have in common? Both have seen use from my electric knife which decided to poop out yesterday. I’ve probably cut more foam with it than turkey, although my husband definitely cut more turkey than foam. It served us well.

Back in the days of “make your own paper,” I also used another kitchen gadget – my blender – to grind up paper and regurgitate it as “artistic thank you notes.” It was kind of fun and messy. Thankfully it was a short-lived experiment which resulted in a new blender.

This really isn’t any different than baking shrinks dinks in the oven, or using your iron for those Perler beads. My children had me ironing plenty of plastic projects. Surprise! The efforts resulted in a new iron.

And so, a new electric knife is on the list for Santa. I promise to be good and not consider it a crafting tool, and to use it appropriately in the kitchen.

If you do something on a holiday more than once, is it a tradition? This is my poll for you. In this instance, we shall relate thoughts to the Thanksgiving traditions of turkey, stuffing, potatoes of various kinds, cranberry in all its forms, bread of many varieties, something green, and of course, pies.

Well, we had that. What we had last year, which we decided to replicate this year, was the motor home outing after 6 pm to Target. Just because. Some people are just starting shopping, others are finishing. And quite frankly, we had played enough board games to convince us to get out of the house. (We would have played football, but there was snow on the ground.)

Personally, I think the execs from Target were at our last twenty five years of meals. They realized that people were tired of food, games, and being polite. 5 pm was the time to open the store and let those who needed some fresh air come in and hopefully spend some dough. We have now done it twice. We didn’t get anything last year, and this year, we got one thing.

I’d just like to thank Target for being a tradition now, and for providing some entertainment. Everything worked out quite well.

The ultimate in giving up control is a snow day. How those words excite us! Mother Nature wields her forces and requires prudence in staying put. We begin dreaming of what we can accomplish being sequestered at home. Grand thoughts of a roaring fire, baking all day, decorating a tree, catching up on reading, maybe even ironing something?

As I looked outside Monday evening, no snow appearing, I thought the forecasters were being overly dramatic. When my supervisor called to inform me that schools were canceled, I was pretty amazed. We only had a dusting. However, even though it would have been my sole day of work this week, I was delighted. A snow day!

How did we learn about snow days as children? It must have been broadcast on the radio. Maybe it was just a “common sense” thing? Maybe we had a phone tree for all 50 kids in my elementary and 200 students in my high school? Maybe we didn’t have any snow days!

We just “bucked up” and walked that mile to school in the blizzard with our bread sacks wrapped around our socks and stuck in our boots for added protection. Yes, that’s probably what happened.

I sure do love a good snow day.

So not fair that she looks this amazing at almost 70? The last time she toured Denver it was her “Farewell” tour. She’s back, 16 years later. Apparently it’s tough to say good bye.

However, for her first tour I purchased tickets for me, my sis and her daughter, which was obviously 16 years ago. The concert was canceled because the electricity was unstable at Pepsi Center. Probably a good decision, because as we headed home grumbling that week in March, a blizzard ensued and my sister and her daughter were stranded for four days at our home.

Now, this wouldn’t be much to note, however, my lovely niece had come to purchase her dress and shoes for the prom. Cher was just an added bonus.

So, we sat in the house for three days, watching the driving snow continue to circle around our city. When it finally stopped, we finagled a ride from a friend to get us to the mall in order to procure a dress and shoes. That was the mission. My sister, I, and my niece trudged through waist-deep snow to a major intersection half a mile from my house. It was there where my friend, who lived in a plowed subdivision, could rescue us and take us to the mall.

My niece found a beautiful dress which the cashier cloaked in plastic. After our endeavor was accomplished we met my friend who returned us to the drop point. We proceeded to drag a prom dress across the waist-deep snow. None of us could lift it above the drifts. (Btw, waist-deep for me is about neck high for my niece). The worst part of the shopping was that we had been in snowsuits and boots the whole time as a necessity. Painful attire for donning potential prom-wear.

So Cher is back, and she doesn’t even know the adventure that resulted from her canceled tour. Nor does she have any idea about the two lucky individuals who got to see the rescheduled concert with me. (It was really fabulous!)

It’s always the Romaine, isn’t it? Every lettuce recall revolves around it. Trying to order a taco salad at Qdoba’s today was an empty hope. No lettuce there! (There was also no pork available if you were interested in having pork.)

After my fairly unhealthy diet today – donut, fast food, cookie, slice of leftover pizza, I was hoping for a nice healthy dinner salad. However, I came home to learn the exciting news that the pre-packaged salad I’ve just consumed over the past two days has been recalled by Sam’s Club. I suppose it had Romaine in it.

I’m doing just fine, by the way. No adverse effects, so no need for a “get well” card. (Let us give thanks for that!)

One of my favorite things to do is to go into the city and visit a space, pretending I’ve never been there. Today I toured the Monet exhibit at the Denver Art Museum with my friend. Her Pinterest name is ”Pom.” It was wonderful, especially with an artist in tow.

So…one of Monet’s quotes regarded painting with attention to color…not the object. I brightened!

I do that. I choose a color and paint a room revolving around that. I choose my apparel for the day based on “how I am feeling.” Thus, you will get something with glitter during this holiday season. Color always attracts me. My eye shadow is a primary example. I’m currently spouting a pink tone…with glitter.

It was nice to walk away feeling I might have a subtle grasp of one artist’s perspective. Off to create!

There is nothing more hazardous in your preparation for Thanksgiving than wrestling a frozen turkey. I am suffering a badly bruised knuckle as a result of removing the bird from the freezer. I further whacked my digit on a pan in the kitchen, which prompted me to search for the once-needed finger splint. And if that wasn’t enough, I have a cut on the pinkie of my opposite hand which keeps breaking open. A splint and band-aids are my gloves.

Thankfully, I am able to type and I tested my hands earlier on the piano. (Not that anyone would notice should I falter accompanying at Mass tomorrow. I usually make mistakes.)

I don’t know how much a bird in the hand is really worth, but I do know that a bird can inflict pain in the hand!

Of course it sounds like a perfect dichotomy. Get rid of stuff, but buy my stuff! I’m talking Marie Kondo here. I did hear about her decision to start a line of her “favorite things” for consumers, which seems to go against her ideals of paring down your life to necessities and getting your act together organizationally.

So I’m seeing the article in the paper, and in spite of what I think of her, I am bidding a fond farewell to the needle-less Christmas tree we’ve had for 28 years. And although she’s into making a religious rite of saying goodbye to inanimate objects, I will be unceremoniously either donating or crafting with the beast.

I’d rather have a welcoming party for the new tree which graces my living room this morning!

If you’d like to begin the day with a cheerful and happy voice, just call my dermatologist. The receptionist, Diane, has the most amazing “welcome” on the phone. Her voice gives you some pep and inspiration, truly! I felt as if I were the only person important to the world at that moment. Amazing voice. She made my day and it was only 9:30 am, and then I apparently made her day when I told her she made my day. I am now the president of her fan club.

With that spark to the day I was determined to place my vocal energy on bringing a bit of joy to others. You know, smiling, giving compliments, not getting too bent out of shape. I did fairly well until the last family of the night showed up at the book fair. Parents who cater to a bratty child always makes me cringe. Children who are over-indulged can make it difficult to remain cheerful. However, not leaving when we are closed really irks me!!! Now, I have no trouble playing “bad cop,” and indeed, I gave that little pipsqueak the two-minute warning. However, her mother ignored me!

On the half-full glass side, it was the last sale. And tomorrow I am calling Diane again for another dose of uplifting comfort.

Today I did two things I rarely do, and have maybe only done twice this year. I drove without sunglasses, and I wore jeans. It truly was strange.

I can’t go outside without sunglasses or I squint so severely I can barely see. I don’t remember wearing them as a child, just like I’m sure I didn’t wear sunscreen – a fact keeping my dermatologist in business. Thankfully, it was overcast. My squinting was less dramatic and I could make out the traffic light colors just fine.

Wearing jeans is just not my thing. That goes back to childhood for sure. I didn’t own a pair until I was maybe 14, when my mom decided to sew my sister and I our first pair of denim jeans. My sister chose a blue denim, quite apt. I chose green denim. Seriously? Did I think I would be auditioning in the near future for Captain Kangaroo’s sidekick, Mr. Green Jeans? To top it off, we even had jackets to match our jeans. I was a walking lima bean, and by choice!

I blended in a little better with the general public today, even though my jacket was green. Some things remain immutable.