Catching up

/ Sheila / 2 Comments

Well, it’s back to basics after two weeks of Rob being home. He’s working OOT this week (love that acronym, brings a smile to my face!). And by basics I mean I’m home alone, catching up on a few things I largely allowed to slide, blogging being one of them. Along with much of the laundry, errands, and most of my to do list. While he’s home trading (stock market), I’m at work. By the time dinner is made and we share some evening time, it’s bed time.

In our past life, we lived together; in this lifestyle we’re sometimes together. Although we’re working to change our formula, it isn’t done yet. So when we’re together, pretty much everything else gets to wait. That’s by choice, not demand.

I felt a little guilty about this at first. I mean, letting chores pile up?! I’m no Martha Stewart, but I’m no slouch either. I like my lists to get done, thank you very much!

Then I realized: everyone recognizes that it’s important to make time for little ones; they grow so fast, if you’re not really tuned in, you can miss a lot in a hurry. How is it any different with the adults in our lives? I’ve been guilty in the past of seeing Rob as another adult who could occupy himself if I needed (or chose) to be busy. And of course he can occupy himself, and does, very nicely, when I’m at work. But especially since he’s not with me every day, when he’s home, I want to enjoy that to the fullest. I can run my errands or paint the laundry room at other times.

Just a word of reality…I don’t completely abandon my routine…some things must go on. I find we do need food, and we do the grocery or other errands as required. I just don’t want our time to be defined by all the second shift commitments.

So, I’ll catch up a bit this week, looking forward to Saturday when he’s home, and I have my dinner partner, my movie buddy, my heart back in my home. Till then, just the basics.

Homemade Vegetable Soup

/ Sheila / 10 Comments

We started out with a bang! The first full week of October was really nice, for SE Alaska, great fall days and just the right amount of crispness in the air. But now we’re back to rain, and every day’s forecast for the coming week has a little rain cloud and raindrops to remind me to wear my coat with a hood and bring my umbrella to work.

So soup sounds good, and as we’re still in harvest season, I think of big pots chock full of garden veggies. But I don’t have a garden, so I have to improvise a bit. I make this soup from a combination of fresh, frozen, and canned ingredients. You can use your favorite veggies and in amounts to your preference. Add pasta if you like, or you can even add beef or chicken. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches for the perfect comfort meal on a chilly rainy October day.

Vegetable Soup

~3 cans of petite diced tomatoes
~frozen green beans, corn, green peas, baby Lima beans, one box each
~3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
~1 medium onion, diced
~2 stalks celery, finely chopped
~2-3 carrots, sliced, or an equal amount of baby carrots, sliced
~2 cans of beef or chicken broth
~salt and pepper to taste
~tomato sauce and/or water to bring the ingredients to a soup consistency.

Put all ingredients together into a large stock pot. Let the soup simmer for an hour or longer to combine and develop flavor. Adjust seasonings. Add pasta and bite-sized pieces of beef or chicken, if desired. Simmer to incorporate flavors of the pasta and/or meat. This is also a perfect soup to prepare in a crock pot. Perfect for an end of day satisfying meal that is ready when you are!

Serve with sandwiches, fresh crusty bread, or, if you’re in the South, with cornbread (almost said “homemade” cornbread, but really, is there any other kind?!).

Makes many servings, and reheats well. Enjoy for dinner and for multiple lunches during the week.

Happy Fall!

Thoughts for a Thursday

/ Sheila / 4 Comments

So I told you about my new favorite site, Pinterest? It is wonderful! One of my favorite things about the site is that everything you see is shown as an image, so you can literally see at a glance if the posted item is of interest, raises your curiosity, starts your taste buds watering, or brings a smile to your face. The site showcases the items “pinned” to virtual bulletin boards by site members. The whole thing is free, fun, and a great way to collect ideas, quotes, inspiration, recipes…whatever you’re looking for. I highly recommend it as the most fun way to stash “next” ideas!

So for today, a few fun quotes, gathered from the bounty available through Pinterest:

A smile is the most beautiful curve on a woman’s body.
We never really grow up. We only learn how to act in public.
Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.
Go the extra mile. It’s never crowded.
Dear Math, I am not a therapist. Solve your own problems.
Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life. {J.K. Rowling}
May the bridges I burn light the way.

Check it out for yourself! Enjoy!

Date night

/ Sheila / 6 Comments

Last night Rob and I had a date. Tuesday night, nothing particularly special about it. But we made it special. We made it movie night, grocery night, talk night.

Last year I read the book, The Help, and like so many, loved it for its humor and touches of tragedy, yet over-riding triumph of the human spirit. It is a wonderful story of awakening minds, standing up for what is right, and the dignity of spirit that can’t be diminished by work or position, however lowly those may be. Character shines through.

Ketchikan has a two-screen theater, but I’ve noticed that we’re consistently behind the rest of the world by about six weeks with movie release dates. So while everyone else was seeing this movie back in August, we are only just now seeing it in October.

I grew up in Mississippi. But I’m happy to say that I didn’t witness the types of scenes that the movie portrays. I know they happened. I’ve heard stories here and there. But I didn’t grow up with a maid in my home. So I can relate to some things, and yet I can’t.

The southern accents, the homes, so much of the movie rang true to me. Although I don’t remember the specific historic time (I was a bit young, less than three years old when the events in the movie occurred), the general look and feel seemed authentic. Some of the events really happened, of course. Medgar Evers was killed in June of 1963. The civil rights movement wasn’t an era to be studied in a history class, it was a current event. There are other signs of the times that seem strange viewed from 2011: the hairstyles, the dress, the cars. In several scenes people are smoking. But it isn’t the smoking itself that catches the attention: it’s the location. In one scene, a receptionist at the local newspaper office is smoking, on the job, during work hours. That would never happen today. The painful discussions of the practical side of segregation would not occur today. No one is sending sanitation initiatives to government officials in 2011.

But the best parts of the movie are the timeless bits: the scenes that show people living up to what is best in themselves, challenging others to see the value of humans, not of color; and recognition of the most basic values of life. Children, women, the elderly, minorities, and the poor are all celebrated in this film. But it is not done in a condescending or patronizing way. The emphasis is on the worth of people in general, the recognition that all have value and a contribution to make.

The film is also about redemption and growth. The main characters all grow throughout the story, and we are allowed to see them shifting their opinions, embracing a different view of life. In the end, the movie is about claiming the potential we have, and treating people right along the way.

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Five years in the army: congratulations to my son!

/ Sheila / 6 Comments

This is a very personal post. All my posts are personal to some degree…after all, it is my blog, so I get a lot of say in what is said. But this is not about me. It is about my son, Alex. Alex, who, marching to his own drummer, declined our offers and our pleadings to go to college after high school, and determined for himself that he wanted to join the army, is getting out of the army today. September 30 is his last day. He has served five years and a few weeks. He spent 13 months in Iraq with an infantry unit. He has done his share, he served his time, has his honorable discharge.

I am proud of him. I’m relieved that he will be in civilian life again, but anxious that he is coming out at a difficult time for the US economy in general, and veterans in particular, if news reports are to be believed. But most of all I am happy that he survived his enlistment and is ready to make a new life for himself, to create a new plan.

I don’t know what his next choices will be. I’m still hoping he’ll decide to invest in education, but that will be up to him at this point. Whatever he chooses, I know that he will have a different point of view than many people his age. He’s seen some difficult things, seen friends die, lived in extreme circumstances. So have a lot of other people. There are many men and women who deserve our thanks and our support for voluntarily serving in the armed forces. And I do appreciate all of them. But today, I’m focused on just one.

Welcome back to civilian life, Alex. Thanks for doing your part for the rest of us.

Has this ever happened to you?

/ Sheila / 7 Comments

Yesterday I got my teeth cleaned. Nothing exciting about it, just a routine dental appointment. My first plan for the time during the cleaning was to take a nap. That may not be an activity you would consider during your dental cleanings, but the hygienist at this office is so gentle I have almost been able to doze off in her chair.

I closed my eyes as she was doing her thing, and just as I was getting comfy, I thought about a funny thing I read recently, and it started. I felt the urge to smile, then giggle, and then I suddenly had a case of the giggles. You know, like when you were a kid and for no particular reason got the giggles at bedtime, or sitting in church, or pretty much anywhere that laughter was inappropriate, and impossible to suppress. The more you tried, the more you couldn’t stop.

I was almost at this point yesterday, almost at the point of embarrassing myself. It didn’t quite reach the annoying stage with the hygienist, but I think I was on the verge. I tried to think of sad things, boring things, anything that would wipe the smile right off of my face. Do you know how hard it is to have hands in your mouth when you have to giggle?

And the trigger? I was giggling about…giggling.

“I laughed so hard the tears ran down my leg!”

Saw that recently…I’ll be honest, I have laughed this hard. I only wish it was tears that ran down my leg! Let me tell you, when you suddenly develop a dark streak down the leg of your jeans, it’s hard to explain away! But if it ever happens again, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. That’s right, those are tears!

Thank goodness it was only giggles in the dentist’s office…don’t know if I could have survived the embarrassment if I had tears running down my leg yesterday. The giggling was bad enough. But I made it through without creating an incident that would haunt me for the rest of my life. No need for a change of clothes! And I got a star on my chart for great brushing! How’s that for a successful trip to the dentist?

Well at least I’m not that bad…

/ Sheila / Leave a comment

This is a funny take on addiction to social media. I have to admit I keep my smart phone handy and I like to stay connected. But hey, I gave up TV, doesn’t that count for something?!

Enjoy!

Things to celebrate this week

/ Sheila / 2 Comments

Friday…let the weekend begin!

This week we have had more than 8.5 inches of rain. And that’s just through Wednesday! Now that’s a rainforest!

So, I spend a LOT of time indoors. Here are some highlights for the week:

~ I spent some time looking for online work opportunities. Let me tell you…if you have a project, or want to find work, there is work out there! That’s the good news. The bad news is: you have to bid for it, look for it, sign up for it…in other words, do your homework! But if you’re interested, check out these sites: Elance and Freelancer.

~ I won an award! Another blogger gave me a “Versatile Blogger Award!” Thank you Jeff. Find Jeff here. In turn, I’ll need to recognize some other blogs and share the award myself…kind of a “pay it forward” thing. I’m sorry to say I had this opportunity once before and I dropped the ball. But not again! (Find my friend MJ, who graciously passed this to me in June here.) Look for a list of blogs I recommend shortly!

~ The 2011 Alaska state Permanent Fund Distribution payout was announced on Tuesday. Every man, woman, and child who has lived in Alaska more than a year and meets residency requirements will receive $1,174 in October, Alaska’s way of saying thanks to all the hearty souls who live here! See Wikipedia. The amount varies from year to year. Though it seems like a lot of money, if you fly out once or twice in a year, you’ll deplete this amount and then some. It is a benefit across the state though. You see all sorts of ads for PFD sales this time of year.

~ Check out Pinterest. This is a site that allow you to pin things you find on line, creating virtual bulletin boards. I’m only getting started, so I don’t even know the full potential of it yet, but it looks like a great way to collect ideas, color swatches, you name it, and save for a project or reference.

~ Good stuff! Caramelized onions! This looks so yummy! Whether you make this to give as a gift, or put a jar in the fridge for an easy addition to your own meal prep, this is a great idea. Simple, inexpensive, and best of all, make ahead and enjoy on pizza or add to roasting meat and veggies, or a grilled sandwich. Can’t wait to give this a try. Love the crock pot!

Enjoy the weekend!

Now I know: I’m a conjunction

/ Sheila / 7 Comments

Here’s a fun piece, heard this recently at a meeting. Turns out I’m a conjunction. See where you fit in the parts of speech.

People
 

People play roles in society in the same way that words play roles in sentences.
Some people are nouns.  They retain their identity no matter where they are or what they’re doing.

Some are prepositions.  They are trendsetters.

Some are verbs.  Their identity comes from what they do.

Some are adverbs.  They get their kicks by being around or witnessing the action.

Others are adjectives.  Their identity depends on who they are around or what organization they belong to.

Some are pronouns.  They have no identity of their own; they just mirror the styles and beliefs of others.

Some are conjunctions.  They are the peacemakers who bring other people together.

Some are articles.  Their identity is based on what they own.

Some are interjections; always interfering in other people’s business.

And some are exclamations.  They don’t accomplish a whole lot, but they make a lot of noise doing it!
 
~Richard Showstack

Birthday wishes

/ Sheila / 10 Comments

Today was my birthday, and I had a plethora of good wishes on my Facebook page, in my mail, via text, and even a few old fashioned phone calls to mark the occasion. I’m happy to say I did NOT jump out of an airplane (that was Rob’s birthday event this year, which I participated in because I couldn’t ask him to take a leap that I wouldn’t do myself). It was exciting to do the dive, but I think once in a lifetime will be enough of that activity for me, thanks very much.

Most of my wishes revolve around luxuries that I get to enjoy on a limited basis: massage, or shopping for a special item, or sometimes a vacation to a beach that has my name on it. But when someone asks me what I want for my birthday, I usually draw a blank. At that moment, I can’t think of a thing.

Well, this is a post-it note to myself for next year. This is what I really want.

~ I want to begin writing professionally. Not sure I’m good enough for that, but I want to look for ways to grow and stretch; I want to use the tools I have and the tools I can acquire to change the way I earn my living, and ultimately, the way I live.

~ I want to do a coast-to-coast road trip and play games along the way…eat in funky little places, stay in romantic old inns, visit the out-of-the-way parks and sites, and avoid the major attractions. I want just enough structure to give a general direction, and enough serendipity about the trip to be surprised by detours and finds along the way.

~ I want to learn another language. I took years of French and never really used it, and of course long ago lost what I knew. If you don’t use it you lose it…maybe this time I’ll try Italian? (This is about challenge and fun, I don’t expect to be posting in Italian a year from now!)

~ I’ve had quite a year in the past twelve months. I want to build on the things I’ve learned, the changes I’ve already made, to add more adventure, curiosity, margin, and creativity to my life.

I have a lot of wishes for other people, ones that I’ll be working on fulfilling. I’m better at knowing what I want to do for others than what I need for myself. So today I thought about it, and this is my very own to-do list for the coming year.

Here’s to birthdays, to days that make us think, and to the good stuff life has to offer. My birthday challenge to myself, and to anyone who cares to take me up on it for their own list: next year on this day, I’ll review this and see what I’ve been able to accomplish. I have a whole year…think there’s time for a little ice cream to celebrate! But I’ll have to get started soon. It may take a while to get an Italian accent down with my southern/mid-west/Colorado/Alaskan background.