Friday Food Waste…

Good week here for Food Waste… we have been on a juice fast.  Nothing to throw away, we drank it all!  It has been interesting, we did break the fast once or twice, but since Sunday we have been drinking veggie juice and fruit juice a couple of times a day.  Pretty yummy I must admit!

For those who have read previous posts about the “drooling” washer, it has reached a critical point.   Something has to be done, and sadly, there is a good chance it will involve replacing both washer and dryer.

On a light note, this video is for the washing machine… please don’t give up.

But on a more serious side, for those of you who feel like there is nothing left to hold on for, take the words of this song to heart.  You are loved, and the Lord has His eyes on you, His hand is on your life.  Hang on….

 

things that perplex me….and some light melancholy

Why is it that I can ride roller coasters all day on Monday, and suffer no ill effects?  No backache, no neck pain, nothing.

Today I clean the bathtub and I pull a muscle in my neck, shooting down to my shoulder.  Really?

Working on a schedule for daily life “enhancement”, including fun activities like job hunting, house cleaning and dog walking.  If I don’t take this open vista of time and give it direction, it will slip away from me, hours that could have been harnessed and put to work on something concrete.

In a week, my baby will be eighteen.  In a small way, this traumatizes my heart.  I do want the inevitable to occur, leaving the nest, marriage and his own family…. but I can close my eyes and still smell his little baby scent.

” The days are long, but the years are short” ~ Gretchen Rubin

Friday Food Waste (and “Barbie” envy)

Sooo…. it looks like no one in my house wants to eat a cherry coffee/cobbler cake.  It looks a little odd because it is made with gluten free mix,  often the color of the finished product is not as brown as with gluten flour.  Dumped most of whole thing in the trash… sigh…

The Unwanted Cherry Cake/Cobbler....

On to other things… does anyone else have a “Barbie” that runs in their neighborhood?  Perfect body, long blond hair, cute little outfits.  When she runs by men drive off the road, people stare, you get the picture… Not only is she the picture of fitness, but she is fast, like gold medal fast.

I have talked with “Barbie”, she is nice and she is normal.  But that doesn’t stop my envy when she blasts past me in the mornings, leaving me to stare at her long hair and perfect legs.  Maybe someday I can be Barbie’s little sister, Skipper. Shorter and slower Skipper….that’s me.

Is it just me?

Am I the only person who is able to walk out of a restaurant unaware that the back of her skirt is tucked into her…um… unmentionables?

awesome.  perfect way to end my birthday.  …sigh…

I do have a level of “unawareness” that surrounds me, similar to the Peanuts character Pig Pen.  Instead of dirt, I seem to be in a cloud of disconnectedness at times.  Self awareness can elude me, especially in the areas of food in teeth, stains on shirts and apparently, skirts.  This is why my personal policy is to alert anyone, friend or stranger, to dirty teeth, slips showing or tags hanging out.  Speaking of tags, I recently walked thru my university with the size sticker still adhered down the leg of my jeans… the best part being when one of the students pointed it out to me, after class, while we were standing around talking in a group. I could feel my cool factor plummet as I casually reached around the back of my leg and ripped off the long, skinny sticker.

The benefit of enduring these types of humiliations is numerous.  First of all, I am reminded to not take myself so seriously, especially since I might be flashing a whole room of dining patrons, unaware of my performance. Secondly, I have a high level of compassion for others who are caught in such circumstances, and rush to their rescue. And last, but really best, I am pretty certain that Jesus thinks I am a riot.

Near miss..

Almost had a job this week… almost.  So close, so near, and yet it didn’t happen.  I interviewed twice this week, for the same position in our little town.  It was job assisting the director of our main street development.  She ( the director) was a blast , the hours were awesome, the pay decent, the drive non-existent.

First interview, yours truly and six people on the board of the dowtown development.  My first interview in 20 years.  Actually it felt like talking with friends, almost fun.  Next interview, myself and three more members of the board.  Way more intense, and yet kind of fun.  I was pretty convinced that I had the position.

I was wrong.  Out of 50 applicants, I came in second.  Sometimes getting the silver medal stinks.  Really wanted the gold, first place.  I was surprised how sad I was to not get “picked” for the team.  Even in my forties, I still want to be picked for the team.

Ultimately I gained interview experience, a new reference/resume pusher in the director I would have worked for, and a overall positive experience.  In addition, I have a new empathy for those that are searching for work to support their families.  It would feel very defeating to go into this process over and over, and not land the job.  My experience gives me new insight on how to pray for those in the season of job seeking.

P. S. Happy Birthday to me, tomorrow!

Food Waste Friday ( and driving with a cat)

First, to food waste.  Threw out some “liquid” cilantro, yuck.  Managed to save three bananas from a bunch of six, used them in banana bread, the other three went out to the trash.  Tossed some wilted spinach left over from a couple of nights ago.  I feel slightly okay about making banana bread, but sad I couldn’t make two loaves.  Too much waste this week.

In other news, the outdoor cat, BlackJack has been limping with a huge swollen paw the past couple of days.  Off to the vet to find out what is going on with his paw.  Like most cats, he HATES the car.  Why was I surprised that the first thing he did when he got inside the car was pee on the dashboard?  Guess where I will be the rest of the afternoon?  yup, cleaning up The Man’s car!  Cat pee is the worst…. ever.

Black Jack is now resting comfortably with a painkiller and some antibiotics swishing thru his system.  He had been in a cat fight and had an infection from the wound on his paw.  Good for him, bad for my wallet.

Too bad BlackJack doesn’t fight like a kitten anymore…

Simple thoughts on Idenity

“Research show that the more elements make up your idenity, the less threatening it is when any one element is threatened.”  – Gretchen Rubin “The Happiness Project”

As I sat at breakfast this past Saturday, reading my book, this sentence jumped out at me. Frankly, it felt like the heavens opened up and the angels sang..talk about speaking a timely word right to my heart!  Both children will be in college this fall, my identity has been a little confused.  It is still somewhat adhered to being a mom of dependent children, not mostly independent adults.

Encouraged by this statement,   I began to take stock of the pieces of identity that I carry around with me, some easily identified, others a bit harder to pin down.  A quick listing would include wife, mother, daughter,sister, friend… many of the roles that encompass the female gender.  Looking beyond the obvious, I am a quilter, a writer, I knit, coffee drinker, chocolate fiend, I crochet, dog owner, a former homeschooling mom, gluten free, dairy free, soy free,a walker, not a runner…. these pieces spring to mind easily. For me the foundation of all identity is  rooted and grounded in the love of Jesus, and my love for Him.

Next month I will be taking a class and getting my motorcycle license.. snap..add another piece to the idenity puzzle. In a simple, easy way this idea has encouraged me to continue to add to who I am, expanding my world.  As pieces age out, become obsolete, or no longer interest me, I am encouraged to look around my world and press forward as I build an amazing picture.

** Update on the washing machine… so far so good, turning on the water at the pipes has been very effective.  It is amazing how little laundry I really need, these days it is wash and wear, my closet is the folded basket.  I have refrained from shopping for new washers, I really believe that The Man can fix it when he returns.  Until then, it’s just- in- time underwear!

Murphy’s on his way…

So, the washing machine has been drooling for a couple of weeks.  Not overflowing, not flooding, just a slow drool that I notice about midday.   At first I attributed it to my offspring putting too many items in the machine basket.  Well, my theory was wrong, as I discovered last night.  The drooling is un-realted to the loading techniques of the family.  It drools when it isn’t being used.  That’s right, just sitting there, drooling like an infant, for no particular reason.  Happy to be drooling most likely…

Since the machine is almost thirty years old, I can’t complain too loudly.  It has served it us well, and shamefully, we probably should have named it long ago since it has been a member of the family for decades.  Although, most likely that won’t happen now that it appears it is attempting to leave us.

Here is the kicker.. The Man is not here to fix it.  The Man can fix anything,  truly anything.  So I call the Man, and he tells me to turn off the water lines to the machine, to prevent a flood.  Good idea, I agree.  Then I ask the Man, how will we do laundry?  And he says, go to the Laundry Mat.  The Laundry Mat?  I have led a sheltered life, I have only used a Laundry Mat once, at a campground. I do not like this idea…  So, being an alternative thinker, I come up with my own idea… turn the water on each time I use the drooler, and then turn it off when I am done.  The only trick to this clever plan is to always turn off the water when I am done.  This might not work  that well for me, I tend to get busy and wander off in search of chocolate, my iPod or to start a quilt.  Note to self:  make a large, lime- colored sign to remind me of the potential impending disaster that will surely occur because the Man is not here, and Murphy’s Law is still in effect on our planet.

I really hope the Man can fix the machine. I am not feeling really charged up about plunking down a couple of g’s for  new machine(s).

Click here for some Sunday movin’ and groovin….

I ate alone…

I ate alone this morning.  For the first time in over ten years, I went to a resturant, and ate alone.  And I enjoyed it.

My husband and I have a Saturday morning ritual, breakfast out, at the same place, at a very early hour.  We both look forward to it each week, and no matter what time we fall into bed on Friday night, we drag ourselves out of bed in the morning, eager to see our favortie waitress, anticipating our mugs of coffee.  Splitting our favorite omlet, the Popeye, extra spinach, half cheese please. And of course, the American fries, baptized in ketchup. This time together is simply the best, the highlight of our week.

But today, I ate alone.  Sipping my coffee, my full attention was directed to my book (The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin), one hand holding the book open, the other dunking the potatoes in the ketchup.  Spearing fresh fruit as I turned the pages, finding new ways to challenge and possibly improve my self, I liked it.  Not every week, mind you, but for this morning, it was good.

Tell me, do you like to eat alone?

Food Waste Friday ( and dog food!)

Penny and Pippin

Summer brings more produce into our home, which unfortunately can result in more fresh food going to waste.  This weeks waste included a quarter of a watermelon, it was super mushy… a watermelon should be firm, not mushy and grainy!  I also found half a tomato ( leftover from BLT’s), a smidgen of bean filling for burritos, and so sad…..  half of the container of organic strawberries had mold on them before we ate the rest.  Thanks to Frugal Girl for leading the way in waste reduction.

I am pleased to report that I was able to use up a bag of organic potatoes before it was too late.  For the past 9 months, we have been making  homemade dog food. After hearing so many recall issues on pet food, I thought it might be time to consider other options.  Our  homemade dog food is composed of three things, a grain, a veggie and a protein.  Potatoes are not a true grain, but they are a fine base for the other ingredients.  They are also way too much work to use frequently, all that peeling and chopping!  I know our dogs can have boiled potatoes with no problems, I have  read that raw potatoes are dangerous to dogs, so we make sure to cook them thoroughly. Throw in some cottage cheese, and peas …. voila! A meal fit for a dog!

I would encourage anyone who is considering making dog food to spend some time researching the subject.  It is surprising what types of food can be dangerous/deadly to a dog.