Locked out….again

The very first post I ever wrote was about me getting locked out of my house. It was a chilly but sunny spring day and due to a door malfunction, (yes it really WAS the door’s fault) I found myself locked out of my house with half of the groceries in the house on the kitchen floor. Over an hour and a soaked pair of pants later (car washing mishap) I was able to get back in the house thanks to a friend with a spare key. That was a good four years ago.

This time, it wasn’t the door’s fault, it was mine, and sort of my daughter’s. It was a simple case of talking to a friend as we left my house, and realizing after the door slammed that my keys were not in my purse. Never walk out distracted. Fortunately, I carry a spare to my car in a hidden place and have a garage door opener. So problem solved right? Wrong! My 6-year-old, always eager to be a help, in that 6-year-old rationale, raced ahead of me into the house. She wanted to be the hero of the hour and find the keys by herself. Thinking quickly, she slammed the door and locked me out so she could look for the keys herself. I pounded on the garage door while my friend pounded on the front door, both of us yelling and hollering to open up. Finally my threat of withholding a favorite cartoon hit home, she opened the door and we found the keys. While this was going on, my older daughter and her friend had wandered down the street, bent on raising money for one of their school clubs. Of course we were late for an appointment because these things don’t happen in the middle of a lazy afternoon. In a move which I thought was cooler than Tom Cruise’s in the MI movies, I grabbed my youngest, tossed her in the car while both of us moms each took a different route around the block to confront our eldest daughters. They simultaneously leaped into our respective cars and away we raced just in time for our appointment.

Frequently I have thought that parts of my life resemble a sitcom. But that day, I was pretty sure it was more like a cross between action and a Mr. Bean episode (without his yellow car).

Tooth Fairy Wisdom

My 6-year-old recently lost her first two teeth. She has become quite an expert on the habits of the Tooth Fairy. I suggested she write a post, but she declined, so I suppose I’ll take a whack at it. I have included a few facts which I have learned.

First, the Tooth Fairy is undoubtedly a lady. I assume the job is just to delicate and requires a steady hand.

Second, I learned that her wings are very fragile and she has issues when it gets too cold. I wonder if there is a strong market for wing warmers? This little factoid I came to suspect after watching the latest Tinkerbell movie. But the experts reinforced my suspicions.

The third and very important thing to know about our favorite tooth hunter; she is so tiny that the heavy fancy bags sometimes used for the teeth are too heavy for her. She is a tiny little glowing fairy and can’t lift those heavy bags. So remember, parents, beware of gimmicks claiming to help the Tooth Fairy find those little teeth. I suggest a very light cotton drawstring, maybe a barbie purse or something similar might be useful.

I also learned that the good fairy must be pretty patient. My daughter, so proud of yanking her second tooth, (she was afraid she would swallow it like the first one) she brought it to school for a day before actually leaving it for the Tooth Fairy. She still made out well. The price for teeth has certainly gone up.

Bling Monday update

Yeah, yeah, I know it’s Thursday and I’m just getting around to updating the general blog-o-spere about my Monday plans to sweep the blues away with clothes. It didn’t work. Why? Because it was cold and so my bed didn’t want me to leave it. Because it was being so clingy, I had to push the snooze button on my alarm and so I didn’t have time to get too bedazzled. I barely had time to shove some jeans on and warm boots before grabbing a random container of food from the fridge and racing to work. It was just fine however, the Monday blues were probably busy in someone else’s Monday.

Should I try for another Monday? Maybe I should accept that Monday is just Monday and keep the comfy jeans handy. I can always wear the ‘good’ boots.

Happy Anniversary

I just got a notification on my blog that it was my one year anniversary. Well, this is cause for a celebration. I can hardly believe it’s been on year. I can’t say I’ve written as much as I would have liked, or finished my novel (it’s sooo close). But then that’s part of the fun of life, it never goes how you plan.

Rehashing the year that has passed, I can say it was hardly uneventful. It’s been fun and tiring and filled with tons of memories. Vacationing in Florida with my daughters and mother was a huge high point. Visiting the Grand Canyon last spring for the second time was also a bright memory. Sense the trend? I love to travel. But also, leaving one job and starting another was a part of that year, as well as the usual rough patches and those golden days when you can relax and let yourself be a kid again. Like playing in the snow (for the first 15 minutes, before the realization that it’s cold really kicks in), and hide and seek with the kids. Those were all highlights that are popping into my head as I type. The best part of the one year anniversary is, I have so many plans for the next year. I can’t wait to share them either.

And now to celebrate, I think I’ll go get myself a cappuccino smoothie.

Blue Monday

My best friend always calls Monday ‘blue monday’ because she wears blue, in honor of the much mourned passing of the weekend.  Well actually, she now works on Sundays so I think it’s just gotten to be sort of a habit. 

Today, on the east coast, its chilly and rainy.  I guess it’s better to be like that on Monday than on the other days.  Most people dread that first day of the week so why not really have a messy monday with the rain, mud, and slush?  My blue Monday started with a 10 year old who somehow transformed from a funny little diva last night to a snarling bear-like creature who needs to hibernate a few more months. 

On the way to work I meditated on my daughter’s mood and became as gloomy as the weather.  However, like always, the day is full of surprises and so far today has been quite pleasant, despite the rain.  I am ignoring the little nagging voice inside my head which tends to spout negativity.  It keeps telling me the day can still turn sour.  So I drowned it out with music.  It’s working very well.  The fact that it’s already lunch time is also cheering the day.  I have decided to take a leaf out of my friend’s book.  In honor of the much despised first day of the work week, I think I am going to try wearing something a little special.  Instead of celebrating the blueness of the day, I’ll just try to chase it away with color and bling.  It will take a few weeks to see a result of the experiment, but I’ll let you know how it goes. 

Who else out in blog world has a tried and true, or just a tried method for chasing Monday blues away?  (Chocolate and mocha cappuchinos definitely work.)

Cooking Classy

A few weeks ago my other half and I went to a cooking class.  I think the Ramsey marathon on Hulu just before Christmas was what gave me the idea.  I wanted to be able to make something look just as nice as those in his classes.  Even the worst of his American charges make their food look quite tempting.  Neither of us were quite sure what to expect when we walked into the class.  It was held in a small storefront room off of a side street in a particularly arty town nearby.  There were a few other couples there, all of whom had not taken a class before either and were looking uneasily at each other with that smile reserved for parties where you don’t know anyone.  That was comforting.  At least we would bumble around in good company.  I had sort of pictured a bunch of counters each with a tiny stove and space  to prepare food.  However, it was simply a large area, with a huge island for all of the students to sit around.  Although there were several stoves, we all worked on one dinner together.  When we received the menu,  I was a little hesitant.  The first item was a blue-cheese souffle.  Sounded intimidating.  Also as I recalled, there were eggs in souffles, and blue-cheese in this one.  Hmm,not exactly my town favorites.  But a chef has to prepare all sorts of food, not just what they like, right?  We worked on the different courses, all with a french flavor to them.  Besides the souffle, there was a braised pork tenderloin and a sort of chocolate mousse.  As we cooked together, the head chef instructed us and gave us bits of advice to carry into our every day cooking.  It was a lot of fun.  The best part was at the end when we all sat down and enjoyed the fruits of our labor.  Literally; there was fruit on the tenderloin.  I was shocked to discover that the souffle was delicious.  I mean, rich and smooth and just a little tangy.  I didn’t know how something made from two ingredients on my naughty list could combine and make one of the most delicious appetizers I had tasted.  The rest of the food matched.  Especially the dessert.  I would love to say it was all due to our overpowering talents in the kitchen, but I suspect a large part of that was the very able  instruction of our faithful leader, not to mention the exact measurements of the ingredients already provided.  We all took away a new appreciation of some simple ways to make such delicious foods, as well as overstuffed bellies.  After one class like this, I think I could try a souffle on my own.  But you know, I still don’t cook as well as my mom.

Back to Work

It’s been a pretty good January.  I’ve not been working for most of it.  Actually, I should say not working for a salary. I did a lot of work.  In fact, most days I was exhausted after cleaning and cooking and shopping for dinners.  However,  it was satisfying and relaxing at the same time.  My creative bug has gone to ground again though unfortunately.  I am hoping it comes out of hibernation very soon though.  I think it just might.  Now I am back at work.  Full time, the last few weeks I had a day here and there while learning the new role.  It’s vastly different from the large corporate office building I am used to. (Yes, the large and leaky one)  This is a small old house converted into a business and its about 10 minutes from home.  I think that’s the best part.  Part of me still toys with the idea of taking classes.  I have some very nice ideas for the future in mind.  But right now I just need to pay the bills.  It’s much nicer paying the bills by working 10 minutes from home than an hour.  I still will have to get used to the small business.  It allows me to concentrate on my two red-headed menaces.  One of which  is throwing the whole family into chaos right now with her issues.  But then that’s another story.  So for now my friends in blog world, I am going to try to write more posts, and maybe encourage the creative bug back out of its hole where it has been for far too long.