Setting the table

One of the things about having antiques and vintage items, and this is important to me, is actually trying to use them. Whether they are used for their originally intended purpose or are repurposed does not matter because they are still being used.  Now sometimes things are just not in a condition to be used but I still want to keep them.  Like, I have a pair of jadite salt and pepper shakers from the 40's that I can't use.  The bodies are in good conditions but the metal tops have corroded and are too fragile to mess with so, they simply sit on the counter in the kitchen to look at.  They were Billie's and I enjoy having them and sometimes that's enough.

One area that I love using things is at meal time.  For most meals, we eat in the den in front of the tv.  Still, I'm using Mom's every day china she got when she was married.  It's very late 60's but I love it...oh the yellow, orange and olive green color combo of bygone days!  When we have people over for dinner, I love pulling out fun dishes to use.  I have them....so many of them...so why not use them.  It gives me pleasure and makes for a fun table.

I always take time when setting the table for guests to choose my dishes.  This may seem silly to some, but it gives me comfort.  Grandmother always had her table set beautifully and I feel more connect to her when I pull out some of her things to put on the table.  There's a memory in each dish and, frankly, they're pretty.  A lot of people don't take the time do things like this anymore and I honestly think that's part of what's wrong with society....rushing everything, but that's for another blog.

One of the drawbacks, I suppose you might say, is that the majority of the dishes I use cannot be put in the dishwasher.  Fine china and sterling are not meant to be in that appliance!  I have no issue washing dishes, so that doesn't bother me.  Glassware, thank goodness, can go straight into the top rack most times....whew.  I've blogged about washing dishes before, so you know I kind of enjoy that haha!

Anyway, this is one way I really do enjoy using my stuff.  Now I just need to find another occasion to pull out all of the stops on the table!  Hmmmmmm

That is all :)

Guess Who I Saw Today - Nancy Wilson

Just felt like starting my Wednesday off with another Nancy Wilson classic!  This is one of her earliest singles and it's just amazing!  I could listen to hear all day....and have before!  Enjoy!

Thought for the day

Money rules the world.  It controls almost every aspect of our lives, whether we know it or not.  So, why is it hard for me to keep any?  LOL  I love my job and I work very hard, but the money always seems to be just out of reach for me.  Hmmmmmm, I wonder.  Michael went to a lunch and learn program at Elon yesterday about debt relief.  He picked up a lot of great information from the speaker and I was eager to hear it.  Everything he told me made perfect sense, it's now simply a matter of implementing that.

But, I realize, and have to keep in control, the fact that I need to start small and work my way up with it.  It will not happen over night.  That's just a dream and I cannot set a goal that is too big that if I fail, I will cave.  I'd like to think that I know myself well enough to recognize my own faults that way. 

My first goal is to find one or two things to financially eliminate.  I have a few channel subscriptions that I can take a serious look at and either pare down or get rid of all together.  We have already explored some different options over the past few days with that, which is good.  Also, my vices.  I need to take a serious look at them and figure out ways to get them under control.  I can totally do that, it's just a case of mind over matter.

The 2nd goal is to figure out which debt to get paid down completely, first. I pretty much know this one.  I have 2 student loans.  One is HUGE, the other is manageable.  Guess which one I'll pick?  You got it!  If I work out my budget correctly, I can pay some extra on it and get it taken care of.  It will just be a question of discipline for me.

I have a definite plan and goal for myself financially and I can make it happen if I just work at it.  Money, or lack thereof, scares me and cause a lot of anxiety.  I've had a few meltdowns lately over it, but I will make it through...at least until the next paycheck!

That is all

Quote of the day

Recipe of the Day - Cucumber Salad

Even though summer is now officially over, cucumber salad is a summer dish that can be enjoyed all year round.  I think that it works especially when you have cucumbers that are off season and not quite as flavorful as the rest of the year...this really perks them up!  It is light and refreshing and wonderfully easy.  I found this version on the Stay At Home Chef website and we both enjoyed it.  I hope that you do too!

Cucumber Salad
2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sal
1 red onion thinly sliced
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/s cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons minced dill

Season cucumbers with salt in a large bowl and let sweat for one hour.  Drain off liquids and then toss the cucumbers with the red onions.

In a saucepan over high heat, pour in vinegar and water.  Stir in sugar until it is dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes.

Pour over cucumbers and onions.  Stir in dill.  Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Serve cold or at room temperature.

*I end up only using half or a quarter of the red onion.  Most of the time, red onions are way too big to use the entire thing and will overpower the dish.

Enjoy!

Thought for the day - soon to be 45

Sometimes it's nearly impossible not to compare yourself to other people.  At least, that is the case for me.  I'm learning, though, to incorporate these comparisons into building a foundation for myself from which to grow.  Other people's circumstances are out of my control, naturally, so I take these comparisons and simply enjoy them and see what I can add to my life.  It may sound silly, but in my head it makes sense!

Recently I brought to my own attention the fact that I'm going to be 45 on my next birthday.  Somehow it does not seem possible to me.  Nothing wrong with being middle aged, but so many times I still see myself as a young man full of hopes and dreams, constantly losing my way on my journey and wondering what I will be when I grow up.  I do believe that we never truly stop growing up until we draw our last breaths, so I'm still good in that department.  Anyway, I've been thinking back to some of my family and it's interesting for me to see where they were when they were my age.

When Dad was 45, in 1985, he had been married for 17 years.  He had a 5th grader and a freshman in high school.  He had multiple degrees and certificates and worked full time at the Union County Mental Health Clinic. 

When Mom was 45, in 1989, she had been married for 21 years.  She had a freshman in high school and a freshman in college.  After many jobs throughout the years, she began work as Director of Crisis Assistance Ministries for United Way of Monroe.

When Grandmother was 45, in 1954, she had been married for 21 years.  She had a 15 year old son and a 10 year old daughter.  She taught private kindergarten with Deane Baucom.

When my Great Grandmother was 45, in 1912, she had been married for 28 years.  She had 7 children, 2 of which had died, ranging from age 3 to 26.  Her 2 eldest children, both girls, were married, but no grandchildren yet. 

To me, they achieved a lot by the times they were 45.  I'm very impressed and inspired by what they did.  I will make some achievements coming year of my life.  I'm not sure what those will be, but there definitely will be present!  I want to add to my lifeline so that I can look back and say that I did something when I was 45.  I'm excited to see where this part of my journey takes me!

That is all

Quote of the day

10 of my favorite places to eat in Greensboro

Like most people, we really enjoy eating out.  We don't do it as much as we use to because I enjoy having a nice kitchen to cook in and frankly, it's cheaper.  But, we do venture out a few times a month to take a break from dinner at home.  These are 10 of my favorite places in Greensboro to go eat.  I tried to keep away from chain restaurants and stick to local places.  Not that there's anything wrong with chain restaurants.  I enjoy quite a few of them, but I wanted to stick to places solely in Greensboro for this list.  Maybe we'll hit up one of these places over the weekend!  Or maybe we'll find a new place to add to this list.  We shall see!

1.  Nazareth Bread Company

4507 West Market Street

Their food is simply amazing.  I've never had anything I have not enjoyed there.  Their kabobs are all delicious and great sides...hummus, tabouleh and my favorite, their slaw...very tangy.  Prices are great and you get a huge amount of food that should make for at least 2 meals, but never does!

2.  Emma Keys

2206 Walker Avenue

If you want a great burger, this is the place to go!  I've had several of their burgers and they're all great.  It's nice to have a good burger joint around the corner.  We love taking company there and they often request it, too.  And when the weather's nice, they've got a great outdoor seating.  The James Taylor is my favorite!

3.  El Camino Real Mexican Grill

4131-E Spring Garden Street

Good quality Mexican food.  Their homemade guacamole is wonderful.  Tucked away in a little strip mall on Spring Garden, it's easy to drive by without even seeing it. But, get there early as it fills up quickly at dinner!

4.  Tandoor

4612 West Market Street #A

Their lunch buffet is one of the best deals in town.  Each dish is flavorful and fresh.  The staff is friendly and attentive.  There's plenty of seating and it's easy to get a table.  If you like Indian, this one is for you!

5.  Pastabilities

1726 Battleground Ave.

Granted, we haven't been here in a long time, but it's still one of our favorites.  They have an eclectic pasta menu.  Their appetizers are great, too.  But, my favorites are always the specials Jason does each night.  You never know what they might be and they're always delicious and worth every penny you'll spend.  I would recommend getting their early, as it gets crowded and it can be quite noisy, but even if you have to wait, it's worth it.

6.  Fish Bones

2119 Walker Ave.
I don't get to Fish Bones a lot, but I love it.  It's almost always crowded unless you go at off hours, so I don't get there as much.  But, I love there catfish and their burritos.  And it's nice to have another great restaurant just around the corner.  The past few years, I've ended up here for my birthday.  We'll see what happens this year!

7.  Ichiban Grill Supreme Buffet

3020 W. Gate City Boulevard
Finding a good Chinese buffet isn't always easy, but we enjoy this one.  There's tons of food, both Chinese and other things.  Even when it's crowded, there's always room.  They have great eggrolls and I love their mushrooms in duck sauce.  And Michael can satisfy his sushi cravings there as well!

8.  Binh Minh

5211 W. Market Street
If you like Vietnamese food, this place is hard to beat!  Another gem tucked away in a little strip shopping center, it's also easy to drive by without noticing it.  The staff is great and everything I have eaten there has been wonderful.  It's a place we love to have dinner with friends at and also introduce new people to it!

9.  Ghassan's Fresh Mediterranean Eats

1605 Battleground Ave.
They have great Mediterranean food.  It's not exactly fast food, but it's close.  Their gyros are so good!  We like to go there when we go to Ed McKay's next door.  It's good food and kills 2 birds with one stone when we're in the mood to eat and shop!

10. Smith Street Diner

438 Battleground Ave.
This downtown diner has great comfort food.  Their pancakes and biscuits are huge!  It gets very crowded on the weekends, but I think it's worth the wait.  I always eat there whenever I'm on jury duty...which has been yearly lately haha.  My 2 favorite dishes are their country fried steak and their homemade cornbeef hash (not the regular hash, but the homemade).  It's a wonderful place and hope it stays around for a long time!

Before the Parade Passes By

I have always enjoyed this song.  In fact, pretty much any Jerry Herman score I'm going to love.  He simply writes things that are beautiful and this is not exception.  For so many years, listening to this song I felt it a song of regret.  Now, with my 45th birthday approaching, I finally understand it.  It will be my mantra this year, no doubt!  Enjoy!

A Very Good Year - Sinatra

Starting off my week with one of my favorite songs.  This is actually my favorite Sinatra song.  He has many great hits, but something about this one just resonates with me.  It's very haunting, yet very beautiful.  You know me, I love those songs that make me think and reflect!  Enjoy!

Soup weather

It really does now, officially, feel like fall!  When the season first changed, we were still in 80 and 90 degree weather and now things have finally cooled down some.  Today, for me, is the perfect fall day.  It's cloudy and rainy with a good chill in the air.  Nothing too cold that one cannot go outside and enjoy some coffee on the porch, mind you.  Just cool enough to remain pleasant.  Gotta love it!

Fall brings back so many good memories for me.  Friday night football games, marching band, high school play contests, sweater weather, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc.  And it's that much closer to Christmas, my favorite!  Fall was always Mom's favorite season.  She never really explained why it was, nor did she need to.  It just was.  Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday and I think that played a part in her feelings.  So, I suppose that I come by my fondness for fall naturally.  I'm happy to accept that.

It's also the start of soup weather!  Now, I know you can make soup any time of the year and yes, I do.  There's just nothing like making that first pot of soup when the cooler temperatures arrive.  And today's the perfect day for it.  I love making soup and I love the fact that it lasts several meals.  Nothing wrong with being thrifty LOL  I have some really good recipes for soups and chilis.  We love pumpkin curry soup and white bean chicken chili.  But, which soup to make today?

Being that it's Mom's favorite season, I opted to make her vegetable beef soup.  Granted, I already had half of the ingredients, which does factor into my cooking process, but still I love it.  I haven't made it since last winter, so it was due its turn on the stove.  Memories of Mom making big pots of soup are dear to me and now I'm adding my own memories by making her recipe.  Just the smell of it is absolutely divine.  Nothing extravagant, just simple good soup.  Things like this are not only good to eat, but are good for your spirit.  Ah, fall.  Thanks for bringing me good memories and good soup weather.  Now, if only I had a tureen.  Maybe, next year!

The Lord Bless You and Keep You

It's a rainy Sunday morning here.  I've been listening to With Heart and Voice while I have my morning coffee.  What a nice way to begin the day and end a long weekend for us.  The music made me want to hear some John Rutter.  I always enjoyed singing his pieces in choir at church.  Good memories and good times!

affirmation on social media

By taking a break and cutting back on social media, one of the things that I have been seriously looking at is the need for affirmation.  We all have it and I am no exception to that.  We all want it and, honestly, it's a great feeling when it comes.  For me, though, there is a lot of pressure when it comes to social media and affirmation. 

On Facebook, there is always that inner monologue going on in my brain as to how many people have liked my post.  As more time passes and the likes don't come as I hoped they would, I start to feel bad about myself.  Why isn't anyone liking it?  Whether it be a meme or a pic or a post or what I'm doing or listening to, Facebook almost always ensures that it's never liked enough and could be more.  They even send you summaries on which of your posts were liked the most.  And now that I have left that competition, I'm like what's the big deal?  It's a post.  It's not my life.  It's not me.  And that feeling is pretty amazing.    And there was also the inevitable comparisons with friends who get more likes.  I know people who can post a selfie from the driver's seat of their car, and granted they've posted like 75 identical pics of this, and they'll get 300 likes in 2 minutes.  It's so random and would build up resentment that I couldn't bring myself to like the pic, whether or not it was a good repeat of a previous post.  And taking away that need to compare myself to someone else, constantly, is so absolutely freeing and liberating!  When I do get on FB now, it's a totally different feeling for me and I actually enjoy it more now that I'm no longer trying to impress anyone or myself.

And what I've discovered is that yes, I enjoy affirmation of my achievements, opinions and happenings, but I don't need them from a non breathing entity.  I want affirmation in my real life, which means I need to work on my real life in order to get them.  Actual human contact.  Talking to someone about something going in my life and getting a reaction is so much more rewarding than a 4 sentence post on FB.  And there's nothing wrong with people wanting that affirmation on FB.  It is what it is.  I just know that it's not how I want to get it anymore and I feel much better having made that choice.

That is all :)

The Continuing Adventures of Just a Waiter - MADE cards

Even though I am no longer a waiter at HG, I am going to continue under this title because I like it.  And, who knows, I may end up back in the dining room some day.  It has happened before so who's to say it won't happen again.  Hopefully it won't, just so that I can continue to move forward and upwards at work.  That is the plan, anyhow.

We have these things at work called MADE cards.  Its name comes from our motto Making a Difference Everyday.  I get to say that about 50 times a day whenever I answer the phone at work...woohoo LOL  Anyway, the MADE cards are for employees.  People can fill out a card for an employee if they see them doing something special, going beyond the duties of their jobs to make someone's day better.  It can be something they've done for another employee or a resident or just something for HG itself.  Points are assigned to each card every month and each point is worth one dollar.  So, after you rack up so many points, you will get a little something extra on your check.  Basically, it is free money for doing something for someone else.  I can live with that.

I, personally, need to be better about writing out MADE cards.  I do not do it nearly enough, even though I see things all of the time that warrant a card.  I have to keep reminding myself that writing MADE cards is about giving, not receiving.  I don't get that many cards, which is fine.  That's not why I do what I do.  So, I don't want to get into that trap of "well, they didn't write a card for me when I did something....etc".  It's an easy trap to fall into.  When I do get them, though, it's very special because someone noticed.  One of my favorite ones was from one of my favorite residents that she wrote to me on the day she died.  It was simply thanking me for being nice to everyone in the dining room at assisted living.  I kept that one.

Saying "Making a Difference Everyday" isn't just repeating our motto. It is truly the core of what our company is about.  Now, that doesn't happen all of the time.  That is simply human nature.  Not everyday is going to be perfect, but we should be doing whatever we can to make it better.  That is what we stand for.  When it comes down to it, if each associate does not have a reason to write out a MADE card each day, then we are not doing the job we should be doing.  We are not doing the job I know that each and every one of us is capable of doing.  We can make a difference, even in the smallest areas of daily life.

That is all

Nancy Wilson - You Can Have Him

Some days you just want to come home from work and relax.  And nothing helps more with that relaxation than the sweet, silky vocals of Nancy Wilson.  This is from her live performance at The Coconut Grove.  The album is called The Nancy Wilson Show!  It's definitely worth a listen if you not really heard her much before.  What an impeccable artist!

Elton John's Aida

I'm getting my morning started with some coffee and showtunes...go figure!  This morning, I'm listening to Aida by Elton John.  This is a great score with lots of fun and beautiful music.  Heather Hedley is pretty amazing and was well deserving of her Tony Award as best actress.  I still will never figure out how a show that wins the Tony for Best Score is not even nominated for Best Musical.  That year was kind of disastrous as far as that is concerned.  Anyway, here is one of the highlights from this fun score.  Enjoy!

Thought for the day

Despite being on the downside of a cold, it's always nice to wake up in a good mood.  I woke up before my alarm this morning, which is still set pretty early even though I'm off of work today.  I need to be up to make sure that Michael gets up on time, otherwise he might sleep til noon!  I started the coffee and went on the porch to put some food out for black kitty.  Having my first cup of coffee on the porch, enjoying the cool autumn weather and black kitty up in my lap, I thought about how good life is today.  I'm not really sure why I had that sudden feeling, but I love having that.  

I've got a lot of things I need and want to get done today and I anticipate getting most of them done.  I can relax in the fact that the bills are paid and there's still some money in the bank account, finally.  Michael is enjoying his new job and that's just incredible as it's been a long time since he was stuck in an undesirable situation for so long.  I'm loving my job at the moment, even though there are times of frustration.  We're heading out of town later this week for a few days at the beach and, despite the weather being iffy, it will be so nice for us to get away together.  And Squirt is going with us.

It's simply been one of those mornings where I realize how blessed I am.  I will not take it for granted anymore because not everyone is as fortunate as I am. Life is good and will only get better from here on out, no matter what is thrown my way.  I am rebuilding an excellent foundation for my life and look forward to each new day.  Now, onto getting my day of blissful domestic duties started!  Have a wonderful day ya'll!

Quote of the day

Recipe of the day - Easy Southwest Spinach Dip

I made this the other day and really enjoyed it.  Actually, I made it up the other day LOL  Lois was telling me about a dip that she had eaten at church a few weeks back and I thought it sounded good.  I got what I thought should be in it and threw it together.  I'm sure that this recipe is out there somewhere, but I was just winging it and throwing it together, which is not something I would normally ever do in the kitchen.  Luckily, it turned out well.  Enjoy!

Easy Southwest Spinach Dip

Ingredients

8 ounces of spinach

8 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1 can of black beans, drained

1 cup of salsa

Garlic powder

salt

pepper

Chop spinach and saute until wilted, then set aside.  Combine cream cheese and black beans until well blended. Stir in salsa.  Add spices to your taste.  Then fold in spinach.  Chill and serve with chips or crackers or vegetables.

When I mixed the cream cheese and black beans, I used a potato masher and that worked out great!

The brass sconces

My cousin, Isabel Wolfe, lived on Church Street in Monroe, NC.  Church St. was the main historically homed street in our town.  Isabel's family home was one of those houses, a lovely 2 story white home.  When Isabel died, her estate was a mess as far as her family was concerned, but that's a story for another time...or at least an update on a previous blog.  Anyway, she had an appraiser come in and price all of her antiques.  She had made lists of people who wished to purchase some of her things after her death.  Fine, whatever. 

Across the street from Isabel lived Robert Deese.  He was a local business man and antiques dealer.  He and his wife, Donnie, and their family lived in one of those huge white houses with the enormous columns in front.  I never went into the house, but it was just lovely from the outside.  Fast forward 6 years to when I met Mr. Deese.  There was a small house near the high school that had an antiques shop in it.  It was going out of business as the owner was retiring, so there was a big sale.  Grandmother and I went and that's when I met Robert.  He and Grandmother had known each other for years and they spent a good bit of time catching up.  I did not add much to their conversation, but I definitely listened.

Of course, the subject of Isabel came up.  Robert was one of the people that she had listed as buying pieces of hers after her death.  He mentioned that he thought he still had some of her things stored that he was planning on selling at his shop in Cameron, NC.  This particularly caught my interest.  I was going through a time when I wanted to keep family heirlooms in the family.  I don't know why that was of importance to me, but it was.  He told Grandmother that he was not sure of what all he had remaining, but knew there were a few pieces.  The conversation ended and that was the only time I ever saw Robert Deese in my life.

A day or two later, I wrote to Mr. Deese.  I told him how much family pieces meant to me and that if he ever was looking to sell the things he had that belonged to Isabel, I would love to purchase them.  Granted, I was 15 at the time and probably couldn't afford his prices, as he was a high end antiques dealer, but I still wrote none the less.  The following week I was mowing Mrs. Nash's yard, my high school job, when Mom pulled up into her driveway to talk to me.  She told me that Robert was so impressed by my letter, that he called Grandmother and told her so.  He also told her that he would find those pieces of Isabel's and bring them to her that day so that I could look at them.  And that's exactly what he did.

After mowing, I went home and showered and Mom and I went to Grandmother's to see what all it was that he brought.  I was quite excited.  He had brought a pair of turkey foot lamps, brass sconces and 3 pieces of art.  They were all lovely.  The art was a painting of fruit in an antique frame and 2 Gibson Girl fashion prints.  We, and by we I say Mom and Grandmother, decided that we would buy the lamps and the sconces.  The check was written and the purchase was made.  I felt quite accomplished with myself over the whole deal.

The lamps were put in our living room, as were the sconces.  And these sconces were old and very heavy.  They were made to last.  I got them for myself when Dad got remarried and have loved them.  Right now, they are in a box in my garage....along with so many other things.  Hopefully one day I will either place them back on the wall or find someone else who will cherish them as much as I do. 

That is all.

Quote of the week

Escapades in Adulting - the car radio

I feel that, growing up during the last quarter of the 20th Century, that I am a member of the last generation who got to actually enjoy the radio.  At least, the radio that plays actual music.  Going on road trips meant hours of music and interesting shows.  Nowadays, not so much.  In some ways, I should be thankful for that because today's music, if you can all it that, does not need too much air time.  But that's not the point, it's the principle of whole thing.

I got in my car the other day to go meet Dad and June for dinner.  I had a drive of a little over an hour ahead of me, so naturally, the car radio became my friend.  Btw, my cd player no longer works in my car so I am at the mercy of the radio.  I like to give stations a good, fighting chance before I change the channel, at least 20 minutes.  The first 2 stations I listened to, both in the allotted 20 minute time span, played exactly 2 songs each.  2 songs!!!  The rest were commercials.  And not even good commercials. 

I thought to myself, where's the music?  Where did it go?  While I'm happy that your used car lot is having a Welcome October sale and that Olive Garden has brought back its endless pasta bowl, I want something with a melody and maybe a few lyrics.  Is that too much to ask?  I'm happy that your weight loss product is such a success, but how about playing some 80's music on your 80's music weekend?  Wanna talk?  Fine, but bring back Casey Kasem.  At least he talked about music.

I ended up listening to NPR and sports radio.  I made it long enough in NPR until another depressing episode of This American Life came on so I switched to AM and found some sports show.  They were talking about college football, which I know nothing about.  But at least they stayed on topic, which I was happy for.  I might have actually learned something, but don't place any bets. I'm guessing I should get my CD player fixed or learn to embrace the silence when I'm in the car.  Ah, well.

And don't get me started on local morning radio.  It's basically one long ad for body hair removal.  Good times!

In The Garden

Starting out my day with another of David Baroni's pieces.  I have always enjoyed the old hymns we sang in church.  When I was a child and my Uncle Bill's family would come visit, many times he and Mom would spend an afternoon playing and singing these hymns for Grandmother and Aunt Sara.  How I wish I could go back and hear that once more!  Til we meet again.  Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf7WRTmDK4Y

Song of the day - Stardust

We have a resident at HG that enjoys playing the piano.  She loves it, in fact.  She even has a grand piano in her apartment.  She has some memory issues and, when she first came to us, she could not really remember how to play anything.  Slowly, songs began coming back to her.  Right now, she has about 6 or 7 songs in her repertoire that she plays all of the time.  If you suggest other songs to her, they almost always jog something in her memory and she is able to play it.  She might have to plunk it out a few times, but it's definitely there.  It has been a wonderful experience watching and listening to her play, as she does it in a grand style.  A definite concert pianist she is!  And the residents and guests absolutely love it.  Sure, there are a few sour pusses who make a fuss about it, but those are few and far between.  Sometimes, she will play the same song over and over.  This is one of the songs she plays a lot.  One time I heard her play it for half an hour straight.  At first, I started to get annoyed because I was ready to hear something different.  And then I realized how blessed I am to a part of her musical journey, to listen to the songs that she is bringing back to her life...literally.  It is a joy and I am glad to participate!

This is Nat King Cole's version of Stardust.  One of my all time favorites!

What a nice weekend, now back to the grind!

I had a very nice weekend.  In fact, one of the best ones I've had in  a long time.  Other than Michael having a relapse of his cold on Saturday, it was pretty near perfect.  Work on Friday was long, but good.  After work, Michael and I spent the evening out on the front porch with Squirt.  The weather was still hot for this time of year, but it didn't drive us inside to the A/C.  We just talked for several hours about life in general.  It's been awhile since we've talked like that and it was wonderful.  Dinner time got away from us, though, and we ended up having leftovers pretty late.  That was fine, but we were pretty much done in after that and both went to bed shortly thereafter.  So much for late Friday nights LOL

Saturday, I woke up feeling better.  I have been fighting off the cold that Michael has and have relatively successful at that.  Michael....not so much.  He felt awful when he got up.  And sounded pretty bad too.  I worked on a few projects around the house that were on my list which needed attention. Michael did a few things and we cleaned the fish tank, but mainly I forced him to stay on the couch to recover.  Dad's birthday was last Thursday, so I met him and June in Siler City for dinner at the Dry Dock Seafood Restaurant.  It was great to see them and we had a wonderful visit.  Of course, getting there at 4 p.m., I was definitely one of the youngest people there.  It was kind of like being at work LOL  Ah, well.  Still, the food and the company was great.  Michael did not go simply because he didn't feel well and didn't want to get Dad and June sick.  But, I got him some catfish take out, so that eased the pain somewhat. :)

Sunday, I slept in til almost 7.  That's pretty late for me these days.  I had a quiet morning with my coffee and crossword puzzles.  Went grocery shopping.  Relaxed.  I prepped a few dishes for dinner, which you'll see in later blog posts.  Then at 5, I headed next door for porch time with Lois.  We get together several times a week out on her porch to catch up.  There were a few other friends there and Michael eventually joined as when he got back from running errands, which was nice.  We had dinner and watched the latest episode of The Great British Baking Show.  Both tired, we just flopped afterwards in front of our respective tv's.  I started watching The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby on Broadway HD before reading my Erma Bombeck book and calling it a night.

All in all, a very nice weekend and it's back to work today.  Can't wait to see what the octogenarian crowd has in store for me today!

Eva Cassidy - Over The Rainbow

With the new Judy Garland movie coming out, there are sure to be many comparisons between Renee and Judy.  That's just how it goes.  But it got me to thinking about Judy's signature song, "Over The Rainbow".  Many performers have sung this song because, it is in fact, just a great song to begin with.  It will always be associated with Judy Garland, no matter how good a performer is.  Few have ever come close to the different levels Judy brought to her renditions of this song over the years.  Eva Cassidy, though, came pretty damn close.  This is one of my favorite, and one of the best, interpretations of this classic Garland song.  Enjoy!

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Starting off my Sunday with my coffee and some beautiful piano music.  I have only recently discovered David Baroni's work, but I absolutely love his arrangements.  I need to research and see if he has any sheet music published as I would love to learn some of his work on the piano.  It could be inspiration that I need. Anyway, this is one of my favorite hymns.  Simply beautiful!

Twice in a month!

It is interesting to me how when you make certain choices in aspects of life, the results trickle down into other areas.  Earlier this month, I made the decision to take time away from social media and, as a result, my phone is now simply that...a phone.  I use it now to make calls.....that still happens in our world, right?...and I use it to text.  That is pretty much it.  And I find it amazing as well how much longer my battery lasts these days when I just use the phone as a phone....interesting.

Michael and I went out for Mexican last night.  Our waitress was new.  We frequent this establishment quite often, so we know who's worked there for awhile and who hasn't.  She was nice enough, but forgot our appetizer and my order was wrong.  That turned out to be a happy mistake.  I asked to see the menu to find out exactly what was in the dish she brought me.  It looked fine and I thought, "it's the same price as what I ordered, so why not try it?"  Turned out to be excellent and I will definitely get it again. 

Anyway, it wasn't until we were paying the bill that I realized we had sat the entire meal sans phones.  Neither of us pulled out our phones for one reason or another.  There were no updating statuses on social media, no tagging ourselves at the restaurant, no checking emails, etc.  We just sat and enjoyed each other's company.  We caught up with our days and talked about the weekend plans.  And I thought of how nice that was that we could just be there in the moment.  A few weeks ago when I had dinner with 2 friends from college, the same thing happened.  No phones, just enjoying the pleasure of each other.  This odd ocurrence happening once in a while is miracle enough, but twice in a few weeks?  I almost don't know how to handle it LOL

I don't expect every dinner and every outing to be like that.  It is not fair for me to put those kinds of expectations on other people 24/7.  But once, or twice, in a blue moon is quite nice.  And I'll gladly accept that!

Tom Clark Gnomes

I used to collect Tom Clark gnomes.  They were highly popular when I was growing up.  Now I suppose that are considered folk art.  I have a bunch of them in boxes in the garage...story of my life haha.  I need to go out there and find them soon and put them on display!  It all started when I was in 4th grade.  Our GT (Gifted and Talented, as it was called at the time), Mrs. Edwina Goebel, made my class do a project on gnomes.  I knew nothing about them beforehand.  We had to create a gnome village of some sort (in report form).  We studied them and she was the first one to show me a Tom Clark gnome.  I was hooked.

They are made, I believe, out of pressed pecan wood.  I could be wrong, but that's what I've always been told.  I got my first one for Christmas that year.  His name was Jeffrey.  My Aunt Sara gave him to me. I imagine that mom helped her pick that one out.  I loved it.  It came from a small gift shop in Wingate called Petals N Packages, I recall.  From then on, I got a few gnomes every year.  In the Monroe Mall, the Candlewick was the store that we shopped at mostly for gifts.  They always had such a fun display of gnomes and we bought most of ours from there.

A few months ago, I was feeling nostalgic for that as it had, for some reason, come across my ebay page.  I looked them up and decided to buy myself one.  Now, I don't have many of the Christmas pieces he did...gnomes or otherwise, but I saw this one and loved it.  I bid and won.  I just now recently unboxed it and was thrilled at the little figure.  I love the expression on the squirrel's face!

I really do need to get out there and find my gnomes.  I enjoy them and should have them in my home.  After all, collectively we paid a lot of money for them haha!  I just love the memories that they bring back to me.

That is all!

Liberty Antiques Festival

This past weekend I attended the Liberty Antiques Festival.  Even though the event has been around for years, this was my first time attending.  There has always been some reason why I have not been able to go before.  Back when I was working in catering, it almost always fell during furniture market.  And we had no choice but to work furniture market, so I missed it, both the September and April versions as they do it twice a year.  So, this year, since I had the time, I decided to go.

Michael was not able to go with me because he was fighting a cold.  But, he insisted that I go, which was very thoughtful of him because he knew how much I was looking forward to it.  I asked my friends Jonathan and Travis to go and they agreed that we would meet up after Jonathan got home from his mother's.  It took me about a half an hour to get there, but it was a pleasant drive down 421 South, so I didn't mind.  When I got to Liberty, I followed the well marked signs to the festival, passing fields of cars of attendees.  I feared would have to park far away, but lo and behold, I got a space in the first row when I pulled into the lot.  My timing was good that day.

I got there before my friends, so I went ahead and got my ticket and walked in.  They were coming from Burlington, so I was not sure exactly when they would get there.  Anyway, it was pretty amazing.  So many tents full of stuff.  I started in the middle, where the entrance was, and did the first half by myself.  There were so many fun things to look at.  Lots of furniture, glassware, dishes, artwork, etc.  You name it, it was there...almost haha. 

Walking around, they had lots of food there too.  Burgers, hot dogs, bbq, gator kabobs, shaved ice, homemade desserts from a local church.  The smells were incredible.  So were the sun and the heat.  In my rush to leave the house, I neglected both sunscreen and a hat.  Luckily, I did not burn.  That would have been bad.

Jonathan and Travis got there about an hour after I did.  We hit the other side of the festival.  They lucked out and found a pair of paintings at a great price.  Sadly, I did not find anything I couldn't live without.  I have an earlier blog post talking about my antiques wishlist.  There was not one thing on that list that I found.  And, believe me, I was looking.  And when we went from tent to tent, I found lots of interesting things that made me think "Hey, I've got something similar to this in a box....somewhere."  and I would keep on going.  It really made me appreciate the things that I have and instilled a longing in me to find them and use them.

After a few hours in the hot sun, having had a red raspberry shaved ice which was so yummy, it was time to head back home.  As my friends went one way to pick up their purchases, I went the other way to my car.  Getting out of the parking lot was as easy as getting in.  It was a very fun festival and I'm glad I went.  I look forward to the one in April.  I will be there!

Quote of the week - Jim Henson

ENOUGH SAID :)

Recipe of the Week - Maedelle's Chicken Pie

This is another great recipe that I found in a church cookbook.  I have never attempted to make anything that resembled a chicken pot pie, so I figured why not give it a try.  Michael and I both enjoyed this.  It was simply just good comfort food.  Easy to make and definitely work doing again!

4 chicken breasts (cooked until tender - cut into bite size pieces)
1 can chicken broth
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 small can peas
1 can sliced water chestnuts
Crust
1 cup self-rising flour
2 sticks melted margarine
1 cup milk

Grease 9x13 inch casserole.  Place chicken in casserole.  Top with vegetables and soup.  Combine ingredients for crust and pour over chicken mixture.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.