Yes, after all these years, I finally am blogging at my own domain, http://kvandervelde.com. Check it out:
The site you are reading will only stay live through February 2009. On the off chance that you've grabbed the feed to this blog, you'll want to change it. All new posts after January 31 will be at the new blog, which, once again is:
Here's picturing Christmas: No kids in the house for the first time in 23 years on Christmas eve and morning; a no-gifts agreement in our immediate family (which actually became one-per); no extended family gathering/gift exchange with sisters, husbands and available kids/grandkids; waaaay less stress in the pre-season; less after-gift cleanup; no returns. On the other hand, lots and lots and lots of snow.
Another select from my fall photos.
Chris Brogan wrote about something similar just the other day - seems he'd received a blind pitch for some book in his Facebook messages, which prompted his post, "Facebook is NOT for Blind Email Marketing." I don't know who, exactly, to call out on this one, but I'm pretty sure it's not my Facebook friend.
I received this message on my wall at about 5:30 this morning. Checking further I find that she "wrote" on 13 other walls at about the same time. Of those who are also my friends, I could see that the pitch is exactly the same, as I'm sure it was for everyone.
I have met this person a few times, she knows people I know; in fact, she now works for my former employer. But just like I doubt we'd ever go shopping together - anywhere - I doubt she authored or sent this ad.
So what's up with this, Facebook?
I needed new seasonal photos for my screensaver slideshow, so last weekend I charged up the (extreme) short-life battery on the Canon and went out to take a few. This is one that I like.
I don't really hate to cook, don't get me wrong. What I hate is adding to the mess in a kitchen that forever seems untidy anyhow. I don't experiement much, after years of trying to feed picky kids, which makes every new recipe venture an epic adventure. And I never seem to be able to keep the pantry stocked with those "essentials" you're always supposed to have on hand - whether it's spices, various stocks, pastas, grains, tomatoes, vinegars and oils of every type and flavor ... In fact, it seems like everytime I go for a needed spice or flavoring - ginger (never fresh grated, of course!), cumin, bay leaf? red wine vinegar - it is something that's been there a couple of years, and I find myself asking why I haven't thrown it out by now.
Because I might need it come Christmas, that's why!
Which brings me to today.
We are very short on money right now, and I won't go into details. Suffice it to say that we have an extremely strict budget to live on which has effectively ruled out the usual Friday night pizza for awhile. We're not going to the grocery store until tomorrow, so what to eat tonight?
I may hate cooking - yes, I guess it has come to that afterall - but I do like a challenge. And so, digging through the regrigerator and cupboards, I find I am completely out of bread, rice, pasta. I have no jars of sauce of any kind. No soup, hotdogs, coldcuts. No boxed dinners (ewww), no tuna. No cheese other than American singles (I didn't buy 'em). Fruit, fresh vegetables, salad fixings? Long gone. There was an open box of couscous. Hmmm. I also have eggs. I could make a very plain omelet. Maybe pancakes? Neither sounded good to me, but if nothing else turned up one or the other would do.
The freezer held ice cream, frozen chicken breasts, some very old home made sausage of undetermined origin, a pound of hamburger, a half-bag of shrimp, cooked. There's a bag of hashbrowns - to go with the omelet, maybe? And most of a bag of baby peas with pearl onions.
Some possibilities here, but now it was after 7 p.m. and no time to be trying to defrost meat. Chicken, couscous, peas -there had to be a meal there.
The chicken breasts were those boneless skinless (flavorless?) flash frozen kind that I actually use quite a bit, just because they're easy and don't need thawing. I ran two of those under cold water, applied a rub (I did have a jar of that) and threw them on the mini George Forman. Boiled water and threw in some couscous. Put the rest of the baby peas in a dish and stashed them in the microwave. And in, oh, 15 minutes - dinner was served!
Well, my dinner was, anyhow. Clay had begun a huge yard project late in the day and I knew he wouldn't want to stop to eat until he was finished. As far as I know - it's now 2 hours later - he still hasn't finished.
His dinner's in the microwave. Mine you can see, above.
I just made a reservation using OpenTable.com at Tavern on Rush in Chicago for next Saturday night. Love it. No looking up phone numbers, no calling, no fuss. Dinner at 9 for two, confirmed immediately by email just like that.
More than 8,500 restaurants use the service internationally - including several in Grand Rapids. I've used OpenTable to make reservations at both Six.One.Six and Reds on the River in the past.
They even sent my other party an invitation at my request. Fun!
Meagan (left) and Susan turn 19.
Was 1989 really that long ago? I guess so, but it sure doesn't seem like it to me. Their dad and I are still back there sometimes, remembering
Two girl babies who, once they made up their minds, came awfully fast between 9 and 9:30 p.m. on the night the Pistons won the Eastern division title. (The TV was on in my room. What can I say?)
The first girl born (Meagan) "looks just like Drew did!" with a round face and dark, dark hair. The second one is born fingers first with an arm that remained above her head for a day or two.
Two babies sleeping in the same crib to keep their accustomed togetherness going for those first few weeks
A four-year old brother who was enthralled (still is) but who would rarely touch
Nights and nights of sleeplessness trying to keep two babies fed, dry and comfortable. Taking every action first for one, then the other: changing, feeding, rocking, cuddling. It didn't take long for Meg to always be in Dad's arms while Susan was in mine. A case where 'likes' attract, rather than opposites.
Two sleepy babies stuffed into snowsuits at 5 a.m. so dad could drop them off at Grandma's - 40 miles away - while he went to work.
Two active babies challenging each other as to who would sit, crawl, stand and walk first. Susan always won ( probably because she weighed slightly less), but Meg was never far behind.
Two little girls usually dressed in similar - but not matching - outfits. It would have been FAR easier to dress them exactly alike (and we did give in to the urge more than I like to admit. It's really hard to find things that are equal but not the same)
Two little girls always together: off to daycare, first day of school, gymnastics classes, softball, dance lessons, swim team, band (one clarinet, one flute), music camp, summer camp, choir, youth group
One little girl always asking permission (except when she cut her bangs, jagged and even with her scalp). The other little girl, well, you just had to move things out of the way so she wouldn't hurt herself.
Two little girls hugging their puppy (who is now heavy, lumpy, stiff and 11 years old)
Two adolescents, always each others' best friend
Two adolescents, fighting, screeching, hating each other above all else
Two cinderallas getting ready for their "balls": Homecoming, Spring Fling, Prom
Two young women trying out their wings: One off to college, one off to Australia. One now in a downtown house with three young men while she finishes school, one saving her money to move out and live by herself as she begins school
Two young women, very different, yet similarly blonde, petite, stylish. One in torn jeans, one as at home in dresses as jeans. One in love with makeup, one sporting two tattoos. One gaga over her first love, one holding back a bit after the death of her first love a year ago.
Two young women at the open window of womanhood where so much is beckoning, so much is worth exploring, so much is possible.
Hey, 19 - Happy Birthday!
