Starting out with the bathroom

 

I decided to start my "one drawer at a time" process this summer in my bathroom.  There's just too much stuff in there.  And, as much as I like stuff, this room is very cramped.  It is a small bathroom, but still quite functional.  It was an addition my landlords made when they renovated.  And, honestly, it is nice to have two bathrooms when I have guests over.  But I have so many products in the bathroom that I do not use.  I need to get rid of them.  I hate to throw things out, but if I'm not going to use them, then so be it.  I don't think I can donate unused products like that anywhere.  I will have to do some research on that one.  I have a set of shelves that stand over the toilet.  It helps out but has just given me more opportunity to have more things in there and it needs to be cleaned off.  That is going to be my starting point.  I will start with the top shelf this afternoon and then work my way down.  Oh, the fun of domestic bliss!  

As you can see, there is just too much stuff on these shelves.  I don't use half of it.  I'm sure some of it's expired and needs to be tossed anyway LOL But this can definitely be better organized than it is right now.  It is time to clean out and condense.  I'll let you know how it goes!

A trip to the dentist

 I may be one of the few people who actually look forward to going to the dentist.  I do.  And I will tell you that is a complete 180 from my childhood.  No offense meant, Dr. Gibson. I used to be petrified of the dentist, especially having to get a cavity filled.  The very sight of that needle would send me into fits.  Thankfully, I am no longer that person!  I have always had issues with my teeth; there is no denying that. But as an adult they got worse.  I have had a lot of work done on my teeth over the past 20 years. But I never really had a regular dentist for more than a year until now. 

When I started seeing my PCP several years ago due to my high blood pressure, I once asked her if she could recommend a dentist to me.  She could not officially recommend anyone but told me that she went to a Dr. Welch here in town.  I set up an appointment with his office for later that month.  And I have been going there ever since.  Everyone in that office is so nice and accommodating.  Dr. Welch referred me to my periodontist, Dr. Tanner, who is also great but now retired.  Well deserved. Anyway, whenever I go into the dentist office now, I am not filled with anxiety and dread.  What is to be is to be when it comes to my teeth and I know they will take good care of me there.  Every procedure I have had done has been a good experience.  Even when it meant losing a tooth.  Ah, well.

I had to go to his office earlier this week because of an infection in one of my back teeth.  Let me tell you it hurt like hell.  But we discussed the options, and he was very open about what I needed to do.  I will be going back to see my periodontist office once they have reviewed the x-rays.  Thankfully I got a prescription to help with the infection, and it is definitely working. I am grateful that they could work me in because I was having a difficult time eating and sometimes the pain was so bad I thought I was going to be sick.  I tend to have a high tolerance for pain but not when it comes to my teeth.  Strange LOL. Still, it was a great experience as always and I look forward to my next appointment in several months.  

It is just nice not to fear going to the dentist anymore.  It makes me feel more like a responsible adult for developing this relationship and sticking with it for a change.  That is all. 

Grandmother Bivens' Rocking Chair

 I absolutely love this rocking chair.  It belonged to my Great Grandmother Bivens. It used to sit up in one of the bedrooms in the family home in Wingate.  When the estate was divided in the 80's, it went to my Aunt Billie.  That's where I really took notice of it.  She kept it up in her master bedroom.  That's the room that Grandmother and I would normally stay in when we visited.  It had the loveliest antique twin bed bedroom set in it and this rocking chair fit in perfectly. I just fell in love with it.  When Aunt Billie passed, Grandmother got all of her furniture and gave this rocker to me, specifically. I kept it in my bedroom for years. And it has been a part of my home ever since.  I think the back of it is so beautiful.  And the arms have that sheen on them where you can tell someone has gripped the ends plenty of times.  At some point in my current house, the rocking chair got delegated to the garage.  It sat in there for several years.  Once the house was just mine, I brought it back inside and cleaned it up. Now, it sits in my living room.  And people have no trouble sitting in it, either LOL  It is still pretty sturdy. I love having pieces like this that are a part of my history and also functional.  What's the point of having them if I do not use them, right?  I will always cherish it and hope to pass it on to one of my nieces one day.  That is all. 

Recipe of the Week - Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread

 

Last summer, a friend of mine gave me some jalapenos from her garden.  I had never cooked with them before, so it was an adventure for me. I found this recipe and have made it several times.  I hope you enjoy it!

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

8.5 oz box Jiffy Cornbread Mix

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

2 Tbsp diced jalapenos

1 cup shredded cheddar

1/8 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375.  Combine cornbread mix, egg and milk.  Add remaining ingredients.  Combine well. Mixture will be thick and lumpy.  Pour into 8x8 pyrex dish.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Hymn of Promise

 We sang an arrangement of this hymn in youth choir at FBC Monroe.  To be honest, at the time I did not care for it.  I thought it too simplistic. Now, I realize that it is a hymn that I connect to more now that I have some life experience under my belt.  I understand the hope and the promise in the song and it's meaningful to my life. 

Taking some time away from social media

 It seems like every day it is more and more bad news. And that really weighs heavily on my mind.  I try my best to find the good in things and to find something good every day.  Our current climate tends to make that a challenge.  While I do not want to live with my head in the sand, I am going to need to find more ways to keep my mental health as level as possible.

One of the things I am going to try is taking at least one day a week off of social media.  Maybe more. I know that will be good for me. I spent more than half of my life without staring at a screen or looking at my phone all the time.  I don't recall lacking for anything in those days.  Sometimes, I do not want the world at my fingertips.  I remember when using the computer used to be fun.  Mainly learning things and reading when the internet first began to be popular.  Now, it's like having the National Enquirer shoved in my face everywhere I look.  It makes me tired, emotionally and mentally.  I need to take better care of myself and stepping away every now and then will do that. 

I think that if I take time off every now and then, it will do wonders for my morale. It may not be much, but it is definitely a start.

That is all. 

Today's Moment of Mindfulness

 

Be mindful of your speech - pause before you reply to others and bring awareness and wisdom to your words.

A Whole New World Reunion Performance

 This was my high school class song.  It's one of those songs that I never really cared for but the more I hear it, the more I like it.  I came across this on YouTube the other day and loved watching the two original vocalists, Lea Salonga and Brad Kane, sing together again.

5 Places I have been that I would like to revisit

 Here are 5 places that I have been to, 1 that I lived in, that I would love to go back to and visit again.  Maybe this year will be the year.

1. New York City

I haven't been to NYC since 1998.  I would love to go back.  See shows.  Do all of the tourist things that I have not done like seeing the Statue of Liberty.  I've only been there three times but loved each trip.  I think it's time for another.

2. Monroe, NC

I grew up in Monroe and it holds dear memories for me.  I still have special people in my life that live there that I need to see again.  It's been over ten years so it's time to go home again.

3. Waxhaw, NC

This one goes along side Monroe, NC.  I spent many days in Waxhaw going to the antiques shops there.  Those were good times.  I would love to go back and see how much things have changed.

4. Disney World

I have been to Disney World 4 times, so I think it's time for a 5th trip. The last time I went was when Michael took me for my 40th birthday.  Good times and good memories.

5. Charleston, SC

I haven't been here since I went to a wedding about 15 years ago.  And then the weekend was filled with wedding festivities so I did not see too much of the city.  It's a wonderful place full of history and I would love to spend a few days there again.

So, these are a few of the places that I want to go and see again.  Anyone want to tag along?

Quote of the Week

 

I'm practicing my patience skills this week while I'm waiting to hear about my presentation, so this felt like a good quote to share

Thought of the Day

 

I get so tired of all of the hatred in this country right now.  And, yes, it comes from both sides of the political aisle. It is just so exhausting.  I believe it is so much easier to love than to hate.  That does not mean that you have to love everything and everyone but love yourself by letting go of the hatred.  If we did that, the world would be a better place.  I believe in karma.  It has been known to bite me in the ass a few times and I totally deserved it.  So, I do not worry about people being punished for this or for that because one day, they will know what karma truly is.  I do not need to focus my life on that. These recent floods have devastated so many lives. Whether or not the tragedies that accompanied these flash floods could have been prevented, this is not the time to say things like "you voted for this".  Innocent children lost their lives; entire families have been destroyed. I wish we were that country that lifted each other up and not only in situations like this.  But, alas, we are not. We're too quick to start blaming everyone else for what happened instead of working through it together.  It makes me so angry.  I am tired of the hatred.  That is all. 

One Drawer at a Time

 

Now that I am, hopefully, done with school, it is time for me to start this process back up.  I really have been slacking in this area.  But I give myself allowance for that right now haha! But I need to decide which room to start in this time.  Every single room in the house could use some streamlining, that's for sure!  I think I am going to begin either in the bedroom or my bathroom.  Now that I have a roommate, well I have had a roommate for almost a year now, these two rooms specifically are like a sanctuary to me.  Not that I have to go and hide or anything when Jason is home.  But, sometimes I just need to shut myself off for some privacy.  Having things in order will be a calming aspect of that for me.  There's just stuff everywhere.  Big surprise, I know! So that is where I will start.  I will keep you updated on my progress.  I know you're thrilled!

That is all.

Prayer for Patience

 This applies to many things in my life right now.  That is all. 

10 Things That I Collect

 I love to collect things.  Whether it is searching online or going to thrift and antiques stores, I love the thrill of the hunt for something to add to one of my collections.  I realize that I should probably focus on one collection, but alas, I do not.  I have many tabs open in my collection mind LOL For this list, I am not including generic groups like "antiques" because that would take forever.  I am also leaving off china, crystal and silver because those are for another blog sometime. I enjoy them very much and I'll take whatever gives me joy these days.  I hope you have something that you collect.  I would love to know!

1. Pigs

My love of pigs began early on.  It was first grade in fact when our TA, Mrs. Gaye, read us Charlotte's Web and I fell in love with Wilbur. My collection began with a little porcelain pig that Mom gave me for Christmas.  I remember it came from Alice Williams's Flower Shop, for those of you from Monroe will remember.  My collection has grown since then!

2. After Dinner Coffee Cups

This collection started with Grandmother.  She collected "after dinner" coffee cups or demitasse cups.  I was obsessed with them early on, like pre-elementary school.  And she would let me play with them. I know I broke a couple LOL But they were kept in the top of her secretary in the living room, and I loved them.  People would occasionally gift her a new cup. I inherited the collection and have since added to it as well. 

3. Cookbooks

I love a good cookbook.  Specifically, I love a good regional cookbook.  Anything that came from a church or the junior league, etc.  I think they are fascinating.  And they've often got good recipes which is a plus for me.  I have some of Grandmother's and some of Mom's and some of June's.  The oldest cookbook I have is from 1909, the Raleigh Women's Society. I love it because there are no cooking temperatures at all!! Anytime I'm at a used bookstore, I will seek out the cookbooks and often find them for less than $1.  Into my cart they go!  With church cookbooks, I love seeing when a cook's name appears multiple times throughout the book and I imagine what her/his kitchen was like.  I love to sit down and just read a cookbook cover to cover. Now, I just need more shelves to store them!

4. Cream and Sugar Sets

This collection has evolved over the years. The first set of cream and sugar dishes that I bought was at the Monroe flea market.  Mom and I went there one Saturday to look around.  I spotted a set at the back of a shelf in someone's booth.  Homer Laughlin, Cotillion pattern.  I paid $10 for the set, and they were proudly displayed in our living room.  Something fascinates me about the sets and over the years I have picked up about 15 different sets.  I don't use them like I do my other dishes, and I should probably change that! Still, I love them. 

5. Christmas Records

This is my happy music. I listen to it all year long.  Mom had a nice collection of Christmas records, and they are now part of my collection. But hers is where it started for me.  We listened to those albums every year.  It was one of the highlights of Christmas.  When I go to Ed McKay's, I will sit on the floor for hours going through the cheap records, which is where most of the vintage Christmas albums are.  Most are under $1, so I can get some good deals. I now have over 300 Christmas albums in my collection.  And, like Jello, there's always room for more!

6. Strawberry Shortcake

This is my childhood.  And God bless my family for letting this be my childhood. I gave my collection of the miniatures to my nieces when they were young, and I think they loved them. I started collecting Strawberry Shortcake again about 10 years ago.  It makes me happy and takes me back to a place of innocence and joy for me.  That alone is reason enough to collect this!

7. Scented Candles

I love a good, scented candle and have started picking them up here and there when I see one that sounds like I would enjoy its smell. I keep about 15 of them in stock at a time.  I have specific places in the house where I put them and switch them out every month to enjoy all of the different smells.  Just the other day I hit a clearance sale and picked up 5 for $15.  I love a good bargain!

8. Tom Clark Gnomes

This collection began at Christmas 1984.  That year in my "Gifted and Talented" class, we studied gnomes, and I loved it.  Tom Clark gnomes were all the rage back then. And they remained popular for the next decade or so.  Aunt Sara gave me my first one at Christmas.  His name was Jeffrey.  That began years of collecting them for me.  I probably have about 40 of them.  And, luckily for me, now that they aren't highly sought after like they once were, I can often find them at very good prices!

9. Golden Girls Collectibles

Another no brainer here LOL  This is my favorite tv show of all-time, so naturally, I collect anything Golden Girls.  While most of my collection has been gifted to me throughout the years, I have found a few on my own.  Either way, I absolutely love this collection.  I have books, figurines, dvds, etc. Can't wait to find more!

10. Vintage Record Albums

In addition to Christmas records, I also collect vintage records.  This collection is also based in Mom's collection that I inherited.  I have about 500 so far haha!  I will sometimes buy an album simply because of the album cover.  Most times, I am pleasantly surprised by the record itself. These are also pretty cheap at used bookstores.  It was always funny when Michael and I went to Ed McKay's. We could both spend $30 on records.  He would come out with 2 or 3 and I would have to 40 LOL But I love listening to them, which I do, and can't wait to see what "new to me" albums are in my future!

There you have it.  Some of the things that I collect.  I know that most people don't collect because everyone loves being minimalist these days. But I would love to know if you collect something these days or if you did collect something over the years.  In the meantime, Happy Hunting!

Today's Moment of Mindfulness

 

Make mindful choices when it comes to media overload.  We can be bombarded with information from television, radio, the internet and smart phones, so be aware of how this affects you.  Choose to simply switch technology off for blocks of time to allow calm to flourish. 

Quote of the Week

 As I now wait for my capstone presentation to be reviewed to see if I pass, this is something that I must remind myself of.

Grandmother's Cake Plate

 

I love this plate.  I remember seeing it as a child in Grandmother's breakfast room cabinet.  She had wonderful glass cabinets in her breakfast room.  Something I would love to have today.  I love when you can see everything displayed like that.  It makes it so much easier to find things too LOL  But I remember this plate up in the cabinet and being drawn to it.  I think it was the combination of the flower decoration and the green band that I love.  And she used this plate as well.  I don't remember her putting an actual cake on it, but it was used to serve cookies and cheese straws many times. So now it is part of my collection.  It's not fine china, but it's a pretty piece.  Now, I feel like I need to bake a cake or some cookies and put this plate to use!

Believe - Adam Lambert

 I have not been posting much over the past few weeks because of school, so I am going to get back into my routine of blogging.  Starting with a song for today. Scrolling through YouTube, I came across the Cher segment of the 2018 Kennedy Center Honors.  Adam Lambert performed a cover of her hit song "Believe".  I absolutely love his interpretation!!

The rabbit spoon rest

 I never really understood the usefulness of a spoon rest until I really started cooking.  Prior to that, they were always just little decorative items that sat on the stove top.  Grandmother had one on her stove that I remember but I don't recall Mom having one on hers. Maybe she did, but if so, I have forgotten it.  Ah, well. Now that I cook a lot, I definitely need to have my spoon rest handy!  I have three different ones that I use throughout the year. This one, with the rabbit, is the second one I bought.  I was at an antiques mall in Kernersville and saw it.  It was in a booth having a 20% off sale so I paid less than $10 for it.  While it is not an antique, more along the lines of a collectible, I love it.  I don't collect rabbits, per say, but this one is very springish to me.  And it's decorated in green, my favorite color! So why not treat myself?  And I did.  And I use it all the time.  It's the one that is currently on my stove top.  

It's the little things that make me happy.  That is all. 

Recipe of the Week - Easy Onion Soup

 There's no hiding that I love onions.  I always have.  I especially love to smell them cooking.  I found this recipe somewhere online.  I had some leftover onions that I needed to use up and this was perfect!  It's very easy and it freezes well.  It's not French onion soup, but it's still pretty darn good!

Easy Onion Soup

4 large onions

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

S&P to taste

4 cups beef broth

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried parsley

Slice onions thinly.  Melt butter & olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onion, salt and sugar.  Cook 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized and golden brown.  Add beef broth, oregano and parsley.  Bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat and cook another 20-30 minutes.  Season with salt & pepper. 

You can top with some shredded cheese if you like.  Enjoy!

Mama Will Provide

 In honor of last night's Tony Awards, I thought back to the performances over the years that have stood out to me.  This was a great year for musicals:  The Will Rogers Follies, Miss Saigon, The Secret Garden and Once On This Island. All very different in style but I think that Once On This Island had the best score of any of them.  Enjoy!

Shenandoah - Robert Shaw Chorale

 The first time I remember hearing this song is from one of my piano instruction books when I was a child.  The arrangement was fairly simple but beautiful.  It became one of the pieces that Grandmother would ask me to play for her.  I was looking online one day for different versions of the song and came across this one.  And, of course, I love the Robert Shaw Chorale anyway, so this was a good fit for me.  I hope you enjoy!

Old Britain Castles by Johnson Brothers

 

I love this pattern of china. This was Grandmother's everyday china pattern. Before she had this, she had the blue willow pattern but it eventually went away and she replaced it with this pattern.  She got it from the Monroe Hardware Store since Granddad worked there.  It was a part of my growing up.  Almost every meal I had at her house except for Sunday lunch or holidays was served on this china.  Oh, wonderful memories of eating off of these dishes (and I still do!)

When we were dividing up her estate, everyone took one piece of the Old Britain Castles as a keepsake.  I chose the serving platter.  I remember many family breakfasts when this platter would be heaped with piles of scrambled eggs surrounded by sausage.  I can smell the aroma still!  Well, no one really wanted the rest of the china so of course I took it.  It stayed packed away for years with only my using that before mentioned serving platter.  I finally decided to get it all out just to see what I had.  Dinner plates, luncheon plates, salad plates, cups, saucers, serving bowls, soup bowls, etc.  All different numbers, very few complete place settings but I don't care.  There are chips and cracks in many of the pieces but I still love them.  And they do fine in the dishwasher too haha!

Sometimes, when I am out thrifting and antiquing, I will pick up a piece here or there that I don't have but not too often.  I have the dishes up in my kitchen cabinets now and I use them weekly.  One day they will belong to someone else, I hope, but in the meantime it is another way for me to honor the memory of Grandmother every time I use one of these pieces.  I love that!

Recipe of the Week - Cornbread Salad

 

This is a wonderful comfort food salad!  I found this recipe watching one of Paula Deen's tv shows.  It's easy and delicious and can be made ahead!  I have made it several times this year and it is added to my canon of go-to recipes!

Cornbread Salad

Cornbread - 8x8 pan

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can corn, drained

1 green pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 tomato, chopped or 1 can diced tomatoes drained

1 cup cheddar cheese

8 oz ranch dressing

Cook cornbread per directions, cool. Slice cornbread into cubes and put in a salad bowl. Layer other ingredients in order, ending in ranch dressing. Chill for a few hours before serving.

Enjoy!

Following the same cooking directions

 

The kind of bacon I was hoping for but, alas, did not happen!

Sometimes, following the same directions does not always work out.  I need to be careful with that when it comes to food because I do not like to waste food. Last night I burned bacon.  I cooked it like I normally do now, in the oven, coated with flour.  I like the texture that adding flour to it brings. I cannot remember where I saw that technique, but it has been a while, and it became my go-to way of cooking bacon ever since. This was some thick bacon but a brand that I had not purchased before. You know me and buying things that are on sale!  Well, anyway I cooked it the normal time and temperature that I always do but this bacon apparently did not need to cook that long.  When the timer was up and I took it out of the oven, it was definitely crispy.  I tasted a piece after it cooled down and yeah, definitely burnt. I tried to convince myself that I could just call it blackened as that is a gourmet thing to do LOL  I always say that "blackened" is one of those words used to increase the price of a dish haha! I ended up tossing it in the trash as I did not even want to put it out for the squirrels or raccoons or whatever.  Why make them suffer for my cooking mishap?  Lesson learned, though, and next time I will keep a close eye on the bacon.  Even with it being on sale I hate to waste food!

10 Favorite Board Games

 Board games were a staple of my childhood.  I still have several of them but haven't played them in years.  I think the last time I played a board game was at the beach several years ago when we played Monopoly. It was fun but I believe we stopped after a few hours LOL Still, I would love to find some people to play board games with again.  It's definitely a nice way to pass the evening.  Today is Mom's birthday and in honor of her and all of the fun times we had playing games, here are my top 10 favorite board games!

1. Connect Four

2. Scrabble

3. Monopoly

4. Big Apple City

5. Yahtzee!

6. Trivial Pursuit

7. Boggle

8. Aggravation

9. Clue

10. Sorry!

I know there are others out there that I have forgotten!  Feel free to let me know of some of your favorites I may have missed!

Thought of the Day

 

The other day on Facebook I made a remark about how I need to be a better person. I was not saying that because I think I am a bad person.  Quite the contrary.  I think I'm pretty good person overall.  What I was referring to is I need to/want to be better about keeping up with people.  Yes, I write letters which I love to do but this is different.  Once upon a time I really kept up with people in my life and I knew what was going on in theirs.  I don't really know those kinds of things anymore. I want to work on that. There are a lot of people who were in my life decades ago that I just let those relationships slip through my fingers.  Nothing happened to cause that other than time and separation. I let too much time go by and when I search for them, they are no longer living.  I just hate that I do that.  I googled someone I knew when I was around 18 and his obituary was the first thing that came up.  It is just a deflating experience when I learn things like this.  I don't know why, but it is.  Another friend that I was once very close to passed away of cancer several years ago and I never even knew she was sick.  A mutual friend told me sometime over the past year.  It's just things like that I would like to improve on.  I realize that keeping up with people is a two-way street but I want to make sure that I am doing my part.

That is all.