Cleaning Binge

I’m on it!

Lately I have had the urge to clean up the stacks of stuff we have around the house. Maybe it was The Queen’s dictate of doing five things a day, or Hubby losing track of stuff, but it has gotten under my skin. And things are looking much better around here.

Now, a lot of the stuff is his, that has been collected while he’s been away. But we also have boxes of books and papers that need their place. This weekend sounds like a fine time to organize that on some shelves in the garage.

Sigh… 😉

In Vita Veritas

There are people alive today simply because I do not wish to go to prison.

There is nothing that napalm and white phosphorus can’t cure.

Never confuse education with intelligence.

Every day you break a record for the most consecutive days you have lived.

Women should concentrate on finding someone who will ruin their lipstick, and not their mascara.

Minds that wander seldom come back.

This blog post is probably my most random attempt at writing, but at least it got written!!

Hope y’all have a great day!! 😀

Soul Soothing

My taste in music is very catholic. Not as in the religion, but varied. I am a big fan of Big Band and Jazz, Rockabilly, Classic Rock, Technopop, Disco (Shut it!), and even Country music. Took me a while, but I have learned to appreciate it.

I draw the line at “Screamo” and Grunge and Rap, though.

Anyway, as I was driving back home from dropping off Son at school, I switched to the classic rock station. Ordinarily, I don’t pay much attention to it. I just let it slide over me and that’s about it. Sometimes though, one song comes on and gives me a slight chill as it permeates my consciousness.

I heard Michael Anthony at the keyboards and my heart started to fly.

Now, I can’t abide Sammy Hagar. I just…his voice gets on my nerves. But I can’t think of anyone else doing it justice.

Hope y’all find your inspiration to fly today!! 🙂

I Feel the Need For a Voodoo List Again

It’s always something, isn’t it?

The good news is I can say no living beings would be harmed today. My Voodoo List™ today is comprised of the little annoyances around the house that tend to pile up and choke you.

That’s a bit of paraphrasing from Hubby right there.

My Voodoo List of the Week™:

1. Stupid cracks in the walls. I have to count and make notations and then get someone to come and repair them.
2. Portraits still waiting to be hanged. I need picture hanging crap.
3. Prep and clean the bathroom so I can paint it. I have done this five times. Still haven’t painted the stupid thing.
4. Fix the towel rods in aforementioned bathroom. Because kids destroy worlds.

See that crack between the wrench and the screwdriver?? I have to fix that!!! 😀

Back to Earth

Well, Hubby has been back almost a whole week. As expected, the euphoria is starting to recede a bit in favor of the mundane. That always happens. The trick is to make the mundane fun.

I’m talking about home improvements, people.

I am ashamed to say that my patio looks like a tornado hit it. Today I am enlisting Hubby’s help in cleaning and repairing stuff, as well as helping me get some pretty flowers for the pots outside. Right now he is having fun playing a videogame keeping busy, but sadly, his relaxation is coming to an unfortunate end.

YAY!!! Petunias!! I love them, and they love Texas heat. Hopefully they will come back the way the ones from last year did. Those are in the front sidewalk, and are doing very well. With my luck, Hubby will want to get something more exotic. He always tries to push the bounds of my black thumb 🙂

The Heart of Cooking

Sometimes my titles are a bit misleading. Actually, most of the time. But this one is pretty literal.This is one of my favorite pots, a gift from Hubby for Valentine’s Day long ago.

I love my Le Creuset™ pots. I own only three, but use them regularly. Just last night I made beer-braised beef in my 5 quart Dutch oven. This one I use for small casseroles and rice dishes. And of course, the 3 quart is for everything. I’m finding that I prefer cooking in porcelain cast iron far more than non-stick. And let’s face it: the color is far prettier than the dull charcoal of most non-stick pots and pans. It makes me happy to cook in a pretty pot, and if Momma is happy, she tends not to burn anything 😉

One of Those Days

I know adjusting is never easy. Today finds me out of creamer, low on coffee, out of Pop-Tarts™ (not for me, but for Hubby), disorganized in a feeble attempt to clean up messes around the house, and strung out, because I have to run errands for my mom that will take me out of town for the day.

Yesterday the trip to the outlet mall was a nightmare, but at least Hubby has new boots. As for me, I went into Cavender’s to see if they had some nice cowboy boots for moi, but alas, the mob and the styles contained therein drove me into a stabby state, so boots for me will have to wait. But at least I got to enjoy one of these:

The world famous Johnny Rockets Chocolate Malt™!! And it was soooooo good!!!

Now, off I go to Goodwill© to drop off what seems to be half of my daughter’s closet, and then go grocery shopping. Hopefully I’ll have made a big enough dent in the garage that my van can finally fit 🙂

It’s Quiet….TOO Quiet…

And that’s just how I like it.

I’m still in my very comfy pajamas, drinking my second cup of coffee, and listening in my head to this:

Soon enough the kids will shuffle in like zombies wake and start the weekly chores, and I will spend time in the garden beds pulling weeds and digging holes for new flowers. Once that begins, I shall be listening in my head to this:

Sorry, but there is no way I am listening to the actual Wagner opera. I have better things to do with my braincells than keep Wagner pickling them for sixteen hours 😉

Into Each Life a Little Rain Must Fall

It seems like into my life, a freakin’ hurricane landed. As usual, it’s the little things that pile up, some of which I am ill-equipped to fix.

I am….not the most handy person around the house. Sure, I’ll figure out some quick-fixes every now and then. But the drawer that I had “fixed”? That completely broke. And a couple of weeks ago, the doorbell stopped working. There are cracks alongside the bathtub edge, and I fear I have water damage in the walls, so that has to be checked by someone other than me. The spigot outside needs to be replaced, and several dead bushes need to be dug up.

My tool basket. Yes, there are Legos in it.

As usual, I will try my best to fix things around here, but I realize some things are beyond my control. But the drawer? Oh yeah…. THAT has to be fixed before my parents and sister come to visit. So, I’m looking up information as to how to go about it. That’s what the internet is for!!

And after the huge storm that passed through last night, I shudder to think what lies in store for me outside on the patio 😉

The Week in Review

Some things I have learned this week:

• Never underestimate travel time. Everyone is constantly on the road during Spring Break.

It took me half an hour to travel six miles on the highway last night. And that was going in the opposite direction of Rush Hour.

• Enjoy the time kids sleep in.

Once they wake up, thinking is out of the question.

• Always wear jeans and socks and shoes to work in the garden.

You would be surprised how many insects can find your sweaty shoes comfortable.

• As a corollary to the above, do not do gardening when surrounded by dogs.

You would be surprised how many insects find their fur comfortable.

Now, for your viewing pleasure, courtesy of JAM2:

And now I’m going to go drink more coffee, and get the day started!!