Things I've Seen

Picturing Christmas

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.

Thanksgiving chez Frazier

Another photo I like

Another select from my fall photos.

Not cool, Facebook

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?

 

Fall leaves on a board fence

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.

"Hey, 19" Wordle

Click the image to see it bigger, clearer

I like this Wordle made from my June post, "Hey, 19." Almost poetic, isn't it?

The anti-cook digs for dinner

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 love

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!

Hey, 19

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!

Movin' Meg

Well, here goes #2. Out of the dorm and into a house. A big old house in Grand Rapids' Heritage Hill area. With three guys.



It doesn't seem all that long ago that we moved her into East Hall at Davenport University, where she stayed through freshman year.

Even though she lived and attended class in Caldedonia and worked out here on the north end of town, she somehow made quite a few friends who attend college downtown, specifically Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University. All three of her new housemates are students at Kendall, and so is her boyfriend, who also lives in a house on the Hill (it's complicated and as a mother, I say it's probably better that way).

One of the guys had been living downtown and was looking for new people to share a house - something nicer than what I understand his old digs were. Meg "signed on" right away, then they rounded up two more and went house hunting. What they found is a beauty. Kitchen, foyer, living room, dining room, "library" downstairs, three bedrooms, laundry and a bath upstairs and a two-room bedroom in the attic. Hardwood floors. Bay windows. Window seats. Heat and water included. Very well maintained and well, beautiful.

She says she can afford it. She is working a lot of hours this summer as a server at O'Charley's and she already  has her schedule planned for school. She'll be taking the shuttle bus from DU's downtown campus out to Caledonia three days a week to save on gas. She and one of the boys are going to pool their money on groceries.

We're entirely supportive of her (although she was very nervous about telling her dad she was moving in with three young men). She got a taste of living away from home last year and she liked it. I'm impressed by her maturity and everything she did to make this move happen. She won't be home nearly so much this year as last, but what are you gonna do? I'm proud of my downtown kid. Best to you Meg!














Clay and Drew, packin' stuff