Category Archives: family life

>The To Do list and the Ta Da! list

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>I once worked for a principal who replaced her inbox and outbox with “to do” and “ta-da!” The title of “ta-da!” increases the feeling of accomplishment in a major way, so I adopted the phrases myself.

A standard to-do list gives readers a little insight into the blogger’s life. A to-do list with commentary could be a wee bit more interesting. So here goes: to-do, eventually to become Ta-Da!

My to-do list, as noted while waiting for my hearing exam this morning (one of the items on the list):

Audiologist appointment for basic maintenance and updated hearing tests. Results: very little change, hearing aids reprogrammed to reflect those changes, consider replacing these in 1 – 2 years.
Stop for coffee on the way home. Including positive self-care (i.e. fun) in the to-do list makes it more likely to get done. Consider the coffee from a local shop both a personal treat and an investment in our downtown. The parking meter only cost a dime, coffee and muffin under $5; how many cities can claim that kind of bargain?
Strip beds.
Wash and dry sheets. Should this be two items, since I need to go downstairs twice in order to get it done? No, three times! The third trip down the basement brings up the clean sheets for folding.
Fold and put away sheets.
Re-dress beds with fresh, clean sheets. Well, really, if I stripped them in the first place, am I not dressing them now?
Clean the rabbits’ litter boxes. Another multi step chore, this requires emptying said boxes, hosing them out, letting them air dry, and then refilling them with clean litter, all the while hoping the bunnies don’t feel the need to use them while the boxes are outside. If I’m lucky, they’ll nap through the whole process and never know the difference.
Laundromat. Start with Amigo’s sleeping bag from camp, add a few other pillows and blankets, and I have a load worthy of the Big Washers at the Laundromat. But do I have enough quarters? If not, add a trip to the credit union to the list on the to-do side.
Water plants. Yesterday’s storms passed north of us (again), so I need to water the deck plants and probably the vegetable garden, too.
Garbage. Empty wastebaskets, take garbage outside, take garbage can to the curb tonight to be picked up tomorrow.
Homework. Yes, homework. I have one assignment left (out of four) for the graduate class I’m taking. When that’s done, I’ll print everything and send it in. That will feel so good! This will be a major Ta-Dah!! on the list.

If there is more time and if I have additional energy, the bushes in the front yard are overdue for trimming, the clover is taking over the lettuce’s space (if only clover were a cash crop!), and there’s always more de-cluttering to do.

Here goes — I just reheated the coffee (see above, treat + investment), so off to the races! Charge!

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>Pottermania calms, but never dies.

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>Dumbledore’s wisdom. Voldemort’s evil. Friendships, deep and true. Competition, academic and athletic. Popularity, haves vs. have-nots, social class and financial class statements.

J.K. Rowling knew what was coming. Rereading the entire series reveals the foreshadowing, hints that can hold for several books before the results turn up.

I own all but one (The Goblet of Fire) in the series. Last summer I borrowed a copy from the library so I could reread #1-#6 before The Deathly Hallows reached stores. This time, I borrowed a copy from my mother. La Petite thinks I need to get serious and just buy it. She may be right.

I finished The Half Blood Prince last night and took a break before starting the final installment in Potterland. Amigo is at camp; I might wait until he’s home and ask if he wants to read it together, the way we’ve read so many. He reads the Braille copy out loud, and I read the print silently along with him. We talk and react as the events unfold, and that makes the reading process even more enjoyable.

Yes, I think The Deathly Hallows will have to wait a few days, at least until Amigo gets home.

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>It’s not funny. Or is it?

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>Funny can take on many different meanings. It’s all in the context, and in my life, there’s a great variety in context.

It was frustrating (not funny) that I couldn’t get online while visiting my brother. He uses a dial-up or a neighbor’s wi-fi, and I couldn’t get either one to work well enough to get anything done. Perhaps there is humor in the level of my Internet addiction. My solution was to visit a Starbucks and Panera down the road, knowing that odds were good I could get wifi in one or the other, or perhaps even both. La Petite and I bought smoothies at Starbucks, and I asked if I needed a password or log-on to get online. The barista told me that it was easier to simply log onto the Panera network, since it came through the walls to both stores. Ironic (but not funny); I couldn’t hijack on my own brother’s hijack, but I could hijack on Panera’s at Starbucks.

It was silly (not funny, just lame) that instead of using a map to get there, I jotted down the highway numbers on a sticky note. La Petite stuck it to the dashboard and called it our GPS.

It’s ironic (and certainly not funny) that my brother’s accident happened on his first day of real summer break. He’s done with his professional commitments and was taking a ride to relax a bit. Now he’s spending the next month or more recuperating from a broken leg and wrist instead of relaxing. Well, he says it himself, it could be worse. To which I add (you guessed it) — could be raining!

It’s amazing (not funny) that even at an outlet store, prices can shock me. Costs of living in the Midwest average significantly fewer $$$ than on the coasts and in the big cities. Daughter and I walked into the Coach factory store, loved the bags, but couldn’t afford them even with the markdown. We had better luck at Fossil, and of course, Converse.

It’s typical (not funny) that we found reason to be sarcastic even in road signs. “Bridge may be icy.” “Okay, I’ll be careful.” “Mom, watch for blowing snow, too.” Give us a break, we’d been on the road for hours and it seemed like days. Ah, road trips. They bring out the best and the worst in us. Sometimes, they bring out our sense of humor. While brother was coming home from his surgery and we were going the opposite direction on I-90, he called La Petite (in his post-anesthesia stupor) to see if we could wave to each other on the highway.
Now that’s funny.

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>Date night – kinda

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>I left a voice mail on Husband’s work phone. “Honey, how would you feel about going out to eat tonight? I have a coupon for Chicago pizza.” he called me back later, asked for directions, and met us (me and La Petite) there. He was waiting in the bar when we arrived.
It seems my phone call left at least one person, his co-worker, confused.
“She wants to go out to eat? Are you in the doghouse? Is she mad?”
“No, she sounded happy, in good spirits.”
“Are the kids driving her crazy? Is something wrong with the kids?”
“No, one is at camp, one is home from college and working a lot.”
“So…why going out? All of a sudden like this?”

It seems the coworker caught on to all the potential for innuendo, all the underlying reasons for a husband-wife dinner out, except one: I just didn’t want to cook. I had a lazy, tired, low energy day. Slept late, spent most of the day lazing on the couch with my laptop on and CNN in the background, and finally got out of the house to run errands just before 4:00. That left me with virtually no time to cook anything decent even if I did have the energy or inspiration to play in the kitchen! So I took my $5 coupon for Uno Chicago Grill and decided we were headed out to let someone else cook.
It was perfect. Appetizer, good meal (rosemary chicken: I highly recommend it), and husband had a beer or two that we don’t have in the fridge. He swiped the Trivial Pursuit box off the bar and we entertained ourselves and each other while we waited for the food. La Petite, now a young adult, joined us in dinner and the Pursuit of Trivial Knowledge.
After eating a meal I didn’t have to cook myself we split up. La Petite went in to work for a while, and Husband and I searched the nearby Goodwill store for a deal. Then we went home, satisfied and relaxed, and watched the Brewers game while a brownies baked themselves in the oven (Okay, I stirred the mix first) and Husband snored on the couch. I woke him with my cheering when Ryan Braun hit a two-run homer in the ninth. Oops!
No one was mad. No one was in trouble.
All was well with the world. We even brought home leftovers.

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>Extreme Toy Story – er, I mean Shopping

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>The difference between the men and the boys may be the price of their toys, but do their parents wait in line and rush the store to find them? Not here.

My husband and I never really dove into the Overnight Campout in the Parking Lot routine. Our kiddos might have enjoyed the Toy of the Year, but we didn’t have the time, money, or energy to pursue it. We have been clever, though, in the name of gift-giving.

When Furbies were all the rage, I managed to snag one on Amazon before they ran out.

When our beloved Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XXXI (shhh, don’t remind me how long ago that was), we called around town for days to find the Locker Room Cap that La Petite wanted. After a few calls I began to feel a little punchy. The store employee would say, “No, I’m sorry, we’re all out.” I would then ask, “Well, do you have Tickle Me Elmo (the current Toy of the Year) in stock?” Most of them paused, then broke out laughing. They understood.

Husband surprised me with a pink Packer baseball cap, the charity cap that donated to breast cancer research with every purchase. Those were incredibly hard to get! He won major Husband points for getting to the Packer Pro Shop when a new shipment had just come in (Hugs, dear, you’re still terrific). He’ll claim it was luck; he often goes to Lambeau Field as part of his regular workday, so he just checked in the shop each time he arrived.

La Petite’s boyfriend used to camp out before the Black Friday deals at the Big Box Electronics store. She liked to visit the tent of determined shoppers, but she was never enthusiastic enough to spend the night in a tent during late November in the close-to-frozen tundra land. I wasn’t even excited enough to visit; I sent cookies instead.

Since giving is more important than receiving, we’ve made a point of donating to Toys for Tots and our local schools’ Adopt-a-Family programs every year in December. Amigo likes to and pick out something nice for the donation box, and he has good taste. During Hasbro’s Hot Summer Toy Event, Hasbro is donating one toy to Toys for Tots for every Hasbro toy purchased. For a little extra fun, take a look at this Hot Summer Toy Event Video. Don’t you wish your toys could – ahem, maybe not.

This post was suggested by Parent Bloggers Network, where you can find more posts about Extreme Toy Shopping. I suspect some will be much more dramatic than mine….

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>Thanks, Campbell’s, and Amigo, too.

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>Amigo enjoys reading recipes. He subscribes to Campbell’s Meal Mail, which send recipes to his inbox regularly. He saves his favorites, prints a few in Braille and, if I’m lucky, print. He sent this one to me, and I modified it slightly to meet my family’s tastes. It cooked up easily and turned out quite tasty. In fact, it was so quick and easy it might become a staple for my Sept.-June recipe repertoire!

Fabulous Fast Shrimp
adapted from Campbell’s Kitchen

Prep/Cook Time: 20-30 minutes (See what I mean?)

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
1 small stalk celery, chopped thin
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 small russet potato, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup fresh (or frozen, then thawed) peas
1 lb. fresh large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 can (10 3/4 ox.) cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup water
(generous dash ground red pepper to taste – optional)
hot cooked rice or egg noodles
paprika

Hear butter in skillet over medium heat. Add celery, green pepper, green onions, and potato and cook until tender. Add shrimp and cook 3-5 minutes or until shrimp are done.
Add peas, soup, water, and red pepper (if desired) and heat through. Serve over rice or egg noodles. Sprinkle with paprika.

Daisy’s tips:
Due to Amigo’s tender tummy, I skipped the red pepper and sprinkled the whole thing with lemon & pepper instead. The original recipe called for twice as much celery. Husband doesn’t like celery, so I cut that in half.
The original recipe called for cream of mushroom soup. La Petite doesn’t do mushrooms, so I used cream of chicken. If Husband would tolerate it, cream of celery would probably work, too.
The original recipe suggested serving over rice. Amigo doesn’t like rice, so I introduced the option of egg noodles, which La Petite apparently prefers, too.
Lots of leftover rice; I’ll have to check Campbell’s Kitchen for a few ways to use this up. Sigh.

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>Rhubarb Crumble Cake: It’s not just for breakfast!

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>The original recipe for this cake came from Michelle at Scribbit. I’ve made a few modifications to fit my family. For example, Michelle’s family likes coconut, and mine doesn’t, so I always cut or replace the coconut in her recipes. In this one, I’ve worked in a tiny bit of wheat flour and oatmeal. I baked this for supper, but the family likes it for breakfast, too. Do I need to mention it’s great with coffee? No, I didn’t think so.

Rhubarb Crumble Cake

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

3 tablespoons corn starch

3 cups rhubarb, finely chopped

3/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/8 cup quick or old fashioned oats

3/4 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped

1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1 beaten egg (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and corn starch in a medium saucepan and stir in the rhubarb. Cook over a low to medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Cool and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and lemon juice and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour and remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly. Removed 1/2 cup of the flour mixture and set aside. To remaining flour mixture add the oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and nuts. Combine the egg and milk mixture and pour over the flour mixture. Stir until just moistened. Spread 2/3 of the batter over the bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan or 8 inch square (will rise slightly over top!). Spoon the rhubarb filling over the batter. Drop the remaining batter over the rhubarb by spoonfuls. Sprinkle with reserved flour mixture. Bake for 50 minutes (longer if you’ve doubled the recipe and shorter if it’s in individual dishes). Let it cool (a little) in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into slices and serve at room temperature or slightly warm with whipped cream on top if desired.

Did I mention that it’s great with coffee? Oh, yes, I did.

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>Mom’s Taxi

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>9:50 – Amigo gets teeth cleaned, staff there remind me to call orthodontist.
10:40 – La Petite gets teeth cleaned
Some time in here I have to make sure Amigo gets lunch. My appointment at the DDS is tomorrow.
11:45 – Grandma picks up Amigo for weekly noon organ recital
Amigo will go home with Grandma so that La Petite and Mom can go to their early afternoon appointments.
Now make sure La Petite gets lunch – a rare chance to spend time with her alone.
1:20 – I get my eyes checked, prescriptions renewed, order new contacts, find out I have “some cataract growth” starting in one eye, but it’s “nothing to worry about yet.” Can a cataract be insignificant?
1:40 – La Petite gets eyes checked, prescriptions renewed, and orders new contacts and glasses.
Go pick up Amigo. Come home.

Oh, that’s right. I still need to think up and create supper. And Husband is working an outrageously long day that started at 3 AM, so we have no idea when he’ll be home. We only know he’ll be exhausted.

July is the only month we can schedule days like this. I’m home from school, La Petite’s work hours are winding down, we’re back from vacation, and Amigo hasn’t left for camp yet. We have enough freedom and flexibility that when the crazy day is over, we can separate before we drive each other crazy.

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>role reversal

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>I came home from the July Fourth Fireworks to find La Petite sitting on the couch holding a clipboard: my clipboard, with my latest and greatest rough draft of a grad school project. She had pen in hand and was proofreading, revising, and making suggestions.
I used to do this for her. The last time I proofed one of hers was a full three years ago, when she was a freshman in college. Now she helps her friends when they need advice, and now, yes, now, she’s helping her mother.
The comments all sound like a 21-yr-old. Here’s a sampling:

This is a long and confusing sentence.
What the cr** is this supposed to mean?
Make this verb active, not passive.
Check APA style.
Is this really related to (the topic)?
RUN ON! OMG!

Then there were the comments she made that built on my own comments and revisiions.
My notes: Run-on
Hers: Yup. You dangled a participle, too.
My notes: best word?
Hers: Yes.

The next morning she referred to my run-on sentences as “Awesome” as in “Mom, that run-on sentence that was the whole paragraph by itself? That was awesome.”
Maybe she meant awe-inspiring. After all, I did teach her writing class in 6th grade. She got some of her skills from me, somehow.
Later, though, she had to ask me how many cups were in a quart. Then she had to ask if we had any three-quart containers for the planting kit she wanted to assemble. Snicker. Mom still knows best. Wait…I was her math teacher in 6th grade, too….

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