Category Archives: Random Thoughts

>Oh, the weather outside is…

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>Margalit of What was I Thinking and Mid-Century Modern Moms made me laugh yesterday. Boston has been snowed in, big time, and she talked about the French Toast Alert system. I had to smile. According to Margalit,

“the three items grocery stores continually run out of when a big storm is
announced are bread, milk,
and eggs. What can you make with those three items? Why, French Toast!
Clever, it is not?”

She even has French Toast Alert t-shirts! She grinds her own coffee beans, too, but that’s another story.
I can identify with this philosophy because a) I live in Wisconsin; b) I stock up when a storm is threatening; c) I stock up when the flu season is threatening; and d) I like French toast. When the kids were young and we had very little money, I made French toast often. It was easy and it was cheap. Bread from the day-old bakery store, eggs (on sale if possible), and a little milk, and we had a meal. Breakfast, brunch, or lunch, the family liked it and it was a piece of cake to make. Er, sorry for the mixed metaphor.
My shopping list today also includes ingredients for my annual Gifts in a Jar. I plan to give my co-workers brownie or cookies mixes in canning jars, all nicely wrapped in a (re-used, of course) pretty gift bag. It’s more time-intensive than costly, and my co-teachers will all enjoy the sentiment and the gift itself.
In summary (I’m teaching essay format in Writers’ Workshop right now, can you tell?), the grocery list today will include bread, eggs, milk, and basic baking supplies. Whether the weather be fair or whether the weather be stormy, I’m ready.

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>Random Holiday Thoughts

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>Husband and Amigo are in the den decorating the tree. Husband just came out to me and suggested a blog post based on “Teachers never need (blank)” and ending with “…to buy candles or Christmas ornaments.” I think he just found the box full of student gift ornaments from the past twelve years.

If anyone wonders why our tree lights don’t reach the bottom branches, just remember we have rabbits.

Yes, I wore geek clothes to school today. My students think it’s totally normal for a teacher to wear a Santa turtleneck under a Green Bay Packers sweater. I think they may be right.

My boss is looking for a Wii. She has had no luck in town or online. Any ideas, folks? She’s a terrific mom and really wants to get this for her daughter for Christmas. I suggested a couple of web sites, but she’d already tried them and they were sold out.

I had an odd dream last night. In my dream, a chair got buried in snow on our front porch. Only the top of its back stuck out of the drift. This was not a deck chair or molded plastic polka-dot type thing; it was a nice, wood, straight backed chair. I couldn’t pull it out without breaking it because the snow was so heavy and deep, but I knew that leaving it buried outside for the duration of winter would ruin it. I woke up wondering why I left an indoor chair on the front porch. Our porch is rather small, too — it would have made more sense to leave it on the deck. We’ve had some snow and some bitter cold days, but nothing resembling Boston’s current storm system. Dream analysts, any takers? Or is this another subliminal thought that is best unidentified?

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>Oh, the agony

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>

I needed a picture for my guest post on WorkitMom. I tried to take one of myself using the bathroom mirror. Disaster; I won’t even show you how bad those looked. I could have scanned a school picture, since teachers get forced to take those every year, too, but I usually throw them away or hide them under stacks and stacks of books and papers. La Petite, chatting with me through IMs, offered to edit as needed with Photoshop. Finally, I resisted bashing Husband on the head for laughing at my feeble attempts, and asked him to take one. He did, and I sent it to Victoria along with a short bio. At least I didn’t wear a Holiday Sweater this time.
But I still like this picture better.

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>Perhaps I should bake this weekend.

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>From the wellness coordinator at my place of employment (my comments are in italics):

1. If you eat a Christmas Cookie, fresh out of the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the test and thus calorie free. (Of course. If the baker can’t eat it, who can? Must test.)
2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories. (But what about coffee?)
3. If a friend comes over while you are making your Christmas Cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend. Because your friend’s first cookie is calories free, rule #1, yours is also. It would be rude to let your friend sample alone and being the friend that you are that makes your cookie calorie free. (Oh, heavens, I must be a good friend while baking.)
4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move. This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass. (Gravity does enough bad things to my body; this may balance it out. No pun intended.)
5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas Cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue. (Huh? I frost with a small rubber spatula.)
6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories. Red ones have 3 and Green ones have 5 – one calorie for each letter. Make more red ones! (If they’re plain, does that mean they have five calories or none?)
7. If you eat cookies while watching “Miracle on 34th Street” these also have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one’s personal fuel. (I prefer Charlie Brown Christmas. Does that count?)
8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking causes calorie leakage. (I thought it was called calorie evaporation. Well, if it works, great. Call it what you will.)
9. Any cookies consumed from someone else’s plate has no calories since the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate. (Have you honestly seen cookies left on another person’s plate? If so, you need a new recipe.) And finally…
10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed has no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes NEVER have calories. It’s a rule! (Does this work for the accompanying beverages as well? I sense a double peppermint mocha on the horizon.)

Disclaimer – This is your humorous stress relief for today and cookies really do have calories!!(Oh, darn it, she would have to add this! Do not eat the rocker. Do not eat the rocker.) Happy Baking!

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>Such a sacrifice for the greater good

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>Actual conversation (more or less) with Husband

Me: Dear, I found this really easy recipe for Beer Bread. In fact, it’s called Beyond Easy Beer Bread. And if I bake it, well, may I use a bottle of your beer from the fridge or should I run out to Flanagan’s and pick up something less worthy?
Him: Uh — well —
Me: Don’t worry, I’ll understand if you’d rather I left the good stuff for actual drinking.
Him: Is any special kind recommended? Like, do light or dark beers work better?
Me: This recipe doesn’t really specify. Although it’s possible that a cheapy like Badd Light probably wouldn’t work as well.
Him: I meant… well, um, okay. (Nods)
Me: Are you sure?
Him: Yes. You can take a bottle (gulp) of my beer to bake beer bread.

Well, I did promise I wouldn’t take any of his favorite specialties like New Glarus Spotted Cow or Fat Squirrel. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll have to visit a couple of local brew-pubs to get some goodies for his birthday or Christmas. Because, you know, he’s making such a sacrifice for the good of his wife’s baking. And the family’s holiday eating. And all that.

And if everyone really likes it, and I need to make a double batch next time….

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>My name is Daisy, I dress like a dork, and it’s okay.

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>I admit it. Contrary to BlogHer advice from the fashionable Susan, I wear holiday themed clothing. I do. And I wear it to work.
Regular readers know that I am willing and able to sport the Green and Gold at home and in public, from head to toe.
As for the holiday themed clothing, we elementary teachers do wear “fun” clothes to school at times. I wore a sweatshirt with an appropriate message (“I do know all the answers, but I’m sworn to secrecy”) on opening day of state testing. Every year I dig out my December clothing to wear in between Packer games. My students enjoy it, and yes, so do I.
One of my coworkers walked into the lounge last year, turned off the lights, and shimmied to show us her light-up Christmas Tree necklace. When the lights came back on, she announced with glee, “Working in an elementary school give you an excuse to dress like a dork!” We all looked down at our chests, realized it was true, and laughed out loud.
My “clients” are nine and ten years old. My room decor, or my “workspace” decor, acknowledges the season without going wild. I do not have a tree, for example, but I have a few snowy pictures and December trivia posted at key spots in the room. By recognizing the topic on their minds (Santa! Presents! Snow! Cookies! Fun!) but not going overboard, I can keep the kids relatively calm during this somewhat-frenzied month. By dressing myself in the Holiday Spirit, I let them know that it’s okay to be excited, as long as they continue to work hard and keep learning.
Don’t worry, fashionistas, I don’t plan to post pictures.
Tomorrow, I plan to wear my Grinch pin on a basic sweater (budget cuts = cold classroom on Monday mornings). Maybe I’ll slip the black socks with shiny white snowmen into my black Mary Jane shoes. Subtle? Maybe not, but it works in my field.
And dorky or not, that’s good enough for me.

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>funday — Thursday?

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>Reasons I predict the Packers to win tonight:

  • Favre hasn’t won yet in Dallas. It’s time. (Remember KC? Same thing.)
  • Youth and good health (receiving corps) + Experience (quarterback) = Win
  • Al Harris vs. T.O. — Harris is all talent, no ego. ‘Nuff said.
  • Packers are looking much better than they did at Chicago, their only loss.
  • Mason Crosby’s kicks have come through in a pinch — several pinches, in fact.
  • Tony Romo grew up idolizing Brett Favre. Beat his idol? No way.
  • And the final reason: It’s just a game, after all. And the Packers enjoy it and play it very, very well.

And as to the other “game” tonight, the NFL Network vs. Home Town Fans: we’ll leave the outcome to you, executives. But remember: Lambeau Field has been sold out for decades, not just years. We don’t even know what television blackouts are in Wisconsin. Packer fans have gone to the legislature, for heaven’s sake, to preserve their right to watch the games.
So without further ado, I’m going to pop a pizza in the oven and reach for my cheesehead.

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>Random thoughts come in sevens

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>I’ve been tagged by Jennifer at Ziff-Niffer. Memes are actually handy during NaBloPoMo; they relieve me of the task of thinking up topics! My mission, since I’ve accepted it, is as follows.

1) Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
2) Share 7 facts about yourself.
3) Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4) Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Seven facts? If you’ve read Compost Happens at all you know that I’m a teacher, I love to read, and I enjoy our pet rabbits (most of the time). In the spirit of the meme, I’ll find seven random facts that may not be so obvious.

1. I enjoy baking, but I’m not as fond of cooking. Thanksgiving was fine because it meant a turkey, which is easy. Stuff it, stick it in the oven, and let it cook for hours.
2. I have a bad cold at the moment, which is quite frustrating because it plugs up my already impaired ears. World, I’m sorry, but I honestly can’t hear you today.
3. I like second hand, consignment, and thrift stores. I find fabulous deals on decent clothes and books (and more!) in all of those places.
4. I asked “Santa” for a new laptop for Christmas. I know I’m not going to get one, but it puts the idea out there.
5. I’d love to teach half time and spend mor etime writing, but it’s not to be.
6. I am constantly fighting the battle of the clutter monster. No, don’t recommend FlyLady or similar services; I don’t have time to teach all day and then deal with her daily suggestions.
7. I’m reuniting with my grad school friends next weekend for a shopping trip. I’m not a big shopping fan, but the van ride together will be like old times, bonding and chatting and catching up. I don’t care if I don’t buy a thing, even though my gift card prize arrived in the mail on Wednesday.

I tag…(this is tough because I read and enjoy so many people!):
Mom-not otherwise specified
Shash at Diary of a Crazed Mommy
Margalit at What was I Thinking?
Michelle at Scribbit
Kelly at Mocha Momma
Jenn from Mommy Needs Coffee (oh, I can identify with her blog’s name)
Shannon (the Red Sox fan) at Believer in Balance

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>2007 Thanksgiving Menu at Chez OK

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>The menu is ready! We think it is, anyway.

Appetizers:
Pickles & Olives ; Husband and Amigo
French Onion Soup; Husband and Amigo

Main Course:
Turkey with Stuffing; Daisy

Sides:
Classic Mashed Potatoes; Husband
Mashed Potatoes a la Joie; La Petite
Sweet potatoes; Daisy
Gravy; Daisy
Steamed Asparagus Sesame; Husband
Packer Beans; Daisy and Amigo
1-2-3 Cranberry Sauce; Amigo
Cranberry Jell-O; Grandma’s famous recipe
Pumpkin & Cranberry Breads; Grandma’s famous recipes
Dinner Rolls; Daisy

Desserts:
Pumpkin Pies and Whipped Topping; Brother and Sister-in-Law
Apple Pie; Grandma and Husband

Beverages:
Wines; your Sommelier, husband
Soda (Various); hosts, others as preferred
Milk; Buttercup
Water; Peanut, Sadie
Coffee, Regular and Decaf; Daisy

Some beverages will be in La Petite’s small fridge
Grandma will bring four folding chairs.
We will eat at 3:00 or after the Packer game.
The Packer game will be broadcast on a radio in the kitchen so that the cooks don’t miss a play. (yeah, like you thought I’d make Thanksgiving dinner and miss a Packer game?!!)

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>The LoveSac Quarterback

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>Amigo is a sports fan in a major way. He’s my child, so he enjoys pro football and cheers loudly for the Green and Gold any given Sunday. But he’s developed interests of his own, too, beyond the NFL Network that his mother would love to add to the cable package.
On Saturdays, he watches college football. But wait — it’s not as simple as you think.
Early in the week, he finds a web site with the week’s (and weekend’s) college football television schedule. Husband or I sit down at the computer and copy the schedule into the translation software so that it can be embossed, or printed in Braille. Amigo puts the finished schedule in a designated Schedule Binder, and then he’s ready.
On Saturday morning, after squandering a perfectly good hour listening to Car Talk on public radio, he’ll dress, come downstairs, and examine the day’s outlook. He eventually settles into the LoveSac Rocker with his schedule binder on his lap and the remote control by his side and watches as many games as he can. He’ll stick to one game for a while, then switch to another later on. How many games does he eventually watch? I honestly couldn’t tell you the total.
He tells me about on-field drama and big rivalries. He can flawlessly identify the names of every stadium — look out, Jeopardy! When the opportunity presents itself, he takes a half-time computer break to check his email and search for a few game highlights on the web.
Meanwhile, I kind of co-exist in the house. I work on laundry, do any necessary schoolwork, and at times turn off my hearing aids and nap. I trust that he’ll wake me to make supper if he’s hungry.
Husband? Well, he’s working this weekend — on the sidelines of the Packer game.

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