New Holiday Tradition

It's on every Thanksgiving.
It's one of those comedy classics that one never tires of.
It is a movie that has been watched 2 Thanksgivings in a row and is now deemed a " New Holiday Classic" ( By Moi) and a "will watch again"( by Mom)
IT IS...
The Blues Brothers
I have never seen my mom giggle like that in a long long time. She LOVED the mall car chase scene and how Jake was amazed at "this mall has everything". She loved Ray Charles and Aretha and sang along to "Stand By Your Man" in the roadhouse bar.
My mom is too cool. Not only can the woman cook like nobody's business, She also knows a good movie and is willing to watch it over and over again.
I guess I better get the DVD and along with a jello salad, I will be bringing that along to the Thanksgiving feast each year. I always find something new when I watch it...mom just giggles. Who knew Elwood tickled her fancy...really, she loved his dancing and singing!!! MMMMM....rubber biscuit.
Thank goodness she doesn't serve dry white toast.

Dropping a bomb...

...the "F-bomb" that is. The F-word. The F'enheimer
Call it what you like, but I dropped the word in a conversation with my mother.
OH YES I DID!
( I was on a rant just like Foamy the squirrel and it just slipped out. I am having a Squirreley Wrath couple of days.)
I've only been under a bit of stress lately and my ear has been pressed to the phone today taking care of business. ( Unemployment service at the state, Association people, telemarketers and damn nosy seniors that want to pump me for info...)
She and I were talking about stuff and it just slipped out...
There was a long pause. A really loooooooonnnnnnnggggggg pause and then she did what she always does to my father when he says the word:
"HEY!"
Now, a Mama G "Hey!" is the equivalent of getting heavily fined by the FCC. I couldn't see it, but I know her one eyebrow was raised and I know she wasn't pleased with me. You can tell these things by the tone of the silence on the other end of the phone.
I apologized and I am washing my mouth out with soap, euphamistically.
The word has got its place...but you just don't use it with your mama.

Things I learned today

These are the profound things that I learned this weekend...
my tongue is firmly planted in my cheek!
* There are people out there that are more obsessed about knitting than I am.
I feel better. I was sorting through my yarn stash and I was getting scared for a moment. I have some on layaway at the yarn shoppe. I have no cash for it, but I'm a wanting the stuff for a sweater for myself. (Yes, I'm knitting things for me and not giving all my work away) My birthday is coming and maybe I will get that for a present.
I love yarn and all its possiblities. I found a wonderful new pattern for a felted bag (and the yarn for it, I got on Madeline Island and it will be perfect!!!) and an even more wonderful pattern...a knitted Elvis wig!!! Yep... go to: http://www.theshed.co.uk/elviswig.html
I can think of all the wonderful funky novelty yarns to make this with: Pink Fuzzy fur, some thick black wool with spangles in it...oooh the endless possibilites! Sure beats knitting hats...although I have a thing for hats and a great pattern for a really felted one!
* I like to take very unimportant and frivolous quizzes
According to this one site, I am very British and I am most like Captain Jack of the Pirates of the Carribbean.
I took some fun quizes at this site. The link below will get you to the British quiz and then she has the other quizzes there too...I've got too much time on my hands.
http://www.lacota.net/alanna/britquiz.html
A really good quiz site is Quizilla. That's where I learned that :
my swear word is Bitch, I will marry Brad Pitt, my ultimate boyfriend from the movies is Lloyd Dobbler from "Say Anything" and that my 80's teen movie is "Pretty in Pink." And my signature color is pink. Well DUUUUHHHHH! Like I didn't know these things already!
* All peanut butters are not the same.
I was being really cheap and bought some store brand peanut butter. It did the trick and got me through. Then I got me a brand new jar of Skippy. DING DANG! Talk about a world of difference. I will never ever skimp on the PB again.
* If you are cold, turn up the heat.
I am a spazz. I forgot I turned my heat down. So thinking that it was a comfy 69 degrees, I was wondering why I was still cold. I thought 'Oh shit...my furnace is on the blink and it's gonna get cold tonight.' I got up and looked at the thermostat...it was turned down to 62. (The weather man said it was supposed to be warm and sunny today, so I turned down the heat...like duh???!!!) I'm forgetting things lately. ( Maybe my old job really did affect my memory and the whole theory of osmosis is true)
* I think I have a mouse.
I realized this the other day...thursday. And I got on the task immediately. My mouse lives organically...he or she won't touch the Mac and cheese, ramen or oatmeal, but loves the organic whole wheat noodles and the organic soba noodles.(Damn...I was going to make an Oriental salad with those soba noodles) Obviously, the little varmit isn't on Atkins. Needless to say, I cleaned out that drawer and my whole kitchen, got out the D-CON, and hope to hell the little critter has found a place outside. They try to come in every winter. I've patched the spot where they come in and loaded up the area with DCON. So far...since Thursday night...I have not seen any traces of the little one or any others.
* Don't swallow those little Japanese Beetles....
I accidentally swallowed one of them when it landed in my water glass beside my bed. It was 3 am, for the love of Pete, and I was thirsty and it was dark and I was out of a dead sleep. Needless to say...my tummy has been on the blink and I've been running. Yes, TOO MUCH INFORMATION, but don't swallow these little SOB's. I have a funky taste in my mouth also. They smell so rank and what is that yellow stinky stuff they spew?!?
* Baklava is better warm.
This is nothing special. Just an observation. Actually, I took a bite of a piece this weekend and then didn't finish it and came back to it. I think I like it warm.
I can't make that argument about Creme Brulee though. I'll eat it hot or cold...I'm not a brulee snob.
* Things are not always what they seem.
I posted a huge rant earlier...I'm fine now. I just needed to blow off steam.
* Life is good.
really...it's good. I have wonderful friends, family gallore,people who love me and a great support system. I'm one lucky girl!

The Wisdom of Lisa

I love Lisa Simpson.
I used to relate to Lucy from the Peanuts, but when Lisa arrived, I found a kindred spirit. A girl that spent her time in the library and playing her music - we could be twins! (I couldn't imagine Homer for my dad...and we grow to be our mothers, so I would cringe getting a Blue Bouffant. Tho, Marge has got it goin on.)
The latest episode had me falling off my loveseat!
Lisa learns a life lesson from Nelson Muntz:
"He who ha-has last; Ha-has best!"
She also goes on a binge and makes snow angels in birthday cake and hysterically laughs. As she does, Bart walks by and says, "Well...at least she's not singin' Streisand"
I hooted
But the best line EVER was when Lisa was playing hopscotch and the girls were teasing her about her body and she beatifically muses as she has a self realization:
"I AM a big - bottomed girl"
I laughed till I cried.
pardon the pun, but, It's the Simpsons things of life that amuse me.

Sundays are for Masochists

WARNING!!!! HIGHLY CYNICAL AND SARCASTIC POST AHEAD
I dislike sundays ... I used to love them. Really.
Frank Sinatra sang that "Saturday nights are the lonliest nights of the week" Bollocks! It's sundays.
Sundays are the day you get ready for the week. Sure, laundry and cleaning one's flat are productive things. Getting phone calls from well meaning friends are double edged swords. And popping in a movie is downright dangerous.
You see...my world is in a flux. I'm looking for a job and I am so very afraid that the phrase "Thank you for shopping at_________" will be a part of my lexicon in the near future. ( you can insert the store of your choice here.) I hate retail...retail hell. Ok...I would work at a music store or at a bookstore. I would never have a paycheck due to buying things at these said stores, but I would be well read and very musically in tune. And I really don't want to fold another fucking sweater, t-shirt, or pair of pants unless it is my own and I am doing my laundry or a significant others. (And right now, I'm just doing my own.)
Which brings me to sunday afternoons. Sunday afternoons are the times that you're supposed to be having bonding time, cuddling time, arguing time, clean-up time or whatever time you want with your other.
I got a phone call from a friend...I love her to death, but I don't really want to dredge up stuff on a sunday afternoon about ghosts of boyfriends past. It's just bad juju. And puts me into a foul mood. ( can you tell)
So I turned on the telly...I don't follow football, I don't have cable and NASCAR isn't a lifestyle choice I want to make. So, gee, why don't I put on a movie. Big mistake. I popped in a flick - chick that is - And now I'm ranting on my blog about this whole state of affairs.
Welcome to my pity party...no actually it's just sunday afternoon.
I'm fine...really. I am. I just think way too much and I have too much time on my hands at the moment. And there is only so much a girl can knit.
And tomorrow is Monday.
Shit.
I hate mondays.

The Power of Ice Cream

The first day of college...I met my LA woman, Annie. ( LA stands for Laura Ashley BTW...yes, that whole English thing and that is for another blog)
Well, Annie and I were finding ourselves rather homesick and said we needed something to feel better. So we walked ourselves to the grocery store and she said that her mom always said ice cream always makes things better. So we proceeded to buy and eat 2 pints of premium IC: She got Chocolate chocolate chip...I got my very first pint of Cherry Garcia. I will never forget the day and the feeling of eating the first bite. Like the Sade song goes..."Never as good as the First time"
It was a eye rolling - toe curling experience. ( Get your head out of the gutter...but yes, it could have been characterized as a pornographic/erotic moment)
Last night, I wanted to buy a pint of Cherry Garcia, but a guy reached the case before me and I watched him pluck the last one out of the bin. I WAS PISSED and then I realized that he might have really needed it more than me. So I trotted over to the Haggen Daz section and got my other new fave..."Creme Brulee". Now, it isn't as tasty as the real deal, but damn! This is as close to tasting like what is served at fine dining establishments as a girl can get.
Now for those of you who have yet to experience this...there is a new ice cream spot called Cold Stone Creamery. They make homemade ice cream and you can taste the butterfat in each spoonful. I've had samples of the banana, chocolate and the cake batter flavors...yes they give wonderful samples. But my fave is the sweet cream ice cream. OH MY GOODNESS. One bite sends me straight back to the days of when I was 10 years old and my auntie and dad would make homemade ice cream with whole cream from the cheese factory. Back in the day when life was pretty simple.
So...when I need some extra simplicity...a bite of this ice cream does the trick.
But...Cherry Garcia will always be my drug of choice. Some people need their "meds"...just bring on Cherry Garcia for me.


PS:I've met someone else that holds the same theory of Ice Cream. Lucky me and we have discussed this in length. In fact, I think we could write a book on this...One big road trip across the country trying out different creameries all over this great land of ours. (I'd love to find out if they give grants to people to study this)

Karmatic "Do Over"

How often do you get the chance to start all over...really.
I dipped my toes TWICE into Lake Superior this past season and asked for clarity, simplicity and to be given exactly what I need in my life.
I got it. I got it by leaps and bounds and I repeat BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!
I thought I had gotten it earlier...but BOY OH BOY do I have it now.
My dance card is very empty and it's waiting to be filled. Billy Idol's song "Dancin with Myself" is what is playing on my "life's soundtrack" right now.
Now...I have a job opportunity. A PERFECT job for Miz M...really. It will use all of my talents and more. So light a candle and say a prayer and make a wish or whatever you want to do to send me good juju.
I am the eternal optimist. I believe in love, happiness, good people and good things in one's life.
Really.
AND ice cream makes everything better.

It's about Time

I was told to do this a long time ago...i have friends that regularly read this and have been wondering ( and worried, too) of why I haven't added much of my witty banter to my blogspot.
Well...many reasons.
*Being unemployed is one factor...I'm busy e-mailing others but I think that I need to vent a bit and this is a good place to do so.
*Getting a iMac...I need a software upgrade people...I can post my verbage, but there will be no pictoral fun time to add for a little while. I'm working on it, but paying the bills comes before software...really. I know that some of you are wonderful computer people and you may disagree with my priorities..but the girl has got a budget.
*Boys. My life feels like a chick lit novel at the moment. To quote my friend Stacy - "Martha, I gotta give you an Achenbachenism - "Welcome to the single world" Yes, I've been single...I'm just really feeling it right now. I'm blaming Bridget Jones on this one...
So peeps...I'm fine. I'm back and I'm going to be blabby. Even without the pictures.