It’s “Hey Rene J” Today!

The first business of the day is to read the comics section of the paper. Yes…it must be done before any puzzle can be attempted. The next order is to laugh or share anything worthwhile. The good ones get snipped from the paper and saved for a day in need of a chuckle.

I have always taken the “funnies” seriously. I followed “Prince Valiant“ back in the day, for heaven’s sake, and talk about dry stuff! Years ago I wrote to the Rocky Mountain News protesting one of their decisions to drop a strip in favor of another. I’ve participated in the polls regarding comic strips and have discussed the merits of various strips with my Pinterest Pal, Pat.

The comics are one way to digest the world, and a good one will make my blog. Here you go!

As of tonight, Sunday evening, it is still “Black Friday.” Despite record-breaking sales on the actual day named “Friday,” we are still having Friday. It’s like the movie “Groundhog Day.” We just repeat the same day over and over.

My inbox is filled with businesses having a Black Friday sale, holding a sale over, last-minute decisions to keep offering deals, still-time-to beat-the-clock-deals. Apparently everyone used their phones to order this year. I can’t do that. I can’t even see my screen. That’s what got me into trouble on the IPad – teenie little buttons that allowed me to “accidentally” order Amazon Prime as I was checking out. I reiterate, is was an accident! (An accident which has driven us to waste a few hours on a bizarre series, “The Romanovs.”)

And why is it ”Black” Friday? I’m not sure I know. It seems discriminatory, doesn’t it? I’d favor “Green” Friday, which implies spending cash, which is really what the day is about, right?

I look forward to tomorrow. At least we can call it “Cyber Monday“ and relive that day for a week.

I wrote this poem a few years ago, but I just found it today while cleaning up the computer. I like it. (And I can write more than a Haiku!) It seems appropriate as we enter Advent, and as we come upon the two-year anniversary of the loss of a beautiful sister and friend. Perhaps it will speak to you.

Hope,
I see her in the solitary snowflake 
captured on my mitten,
or the first drop of rain chasing a dry, dusty day.
I have glimpsed her in a sunset,
gently putting the day to rest.
Once, she visited me in a sun-speckled afternoon,
when I forgot my obligations.  
We sat together, inhaling Autumn for a moment.

She lives in the dawn, just before my eyes fully open,
before I remember the body I am connected to.
Though I have betrayed her in my worries,
doubts and fears,
She has remained steadfast in our friendship.
Hope. 
I need only be, and she will stay.

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!