Another Day-Another Basket of Laundry

Sitting here at the computer to pay bills is never my idea of fun,but neither is washing,sorting, ironing, and putting away clothing either!! But, as we all know these things must be done,right?? I watched an episode of "Wife Swap"yesterday where the families were totally opposites. One family day to day operations were run straight out of boot camp. Literally every minute was scheduled- there was no deviation from the schedule,there was no room for unscheduled chaos,no quiet moments stolen to quiet one's mind,complete order!! The other family was very nonchalant, laundry was literally piled up in every room,the house hadn't been cleaned in what looked like months and family meals were straight out of a box,or from a fastfood restaurant. I must admit as I watched this show while keeping my sweetheart company,as he cut hair I pondered the issue of balance. To have order is always good, and to let things go on occassion in my book is necessary,but to finding the perfect balance,that is a never ending challenge. After leaving the barbershop,I happily went home and finished the laundry, ironing and putting awayout clothing was done with joy, really! I put on fresh linens,vacuumed and did the rest of my chores with a renewed peace of mind-my life is not perfect by no means. Afterall,I am known for letting baskets of laundry pile up in my sewing/ironing room,but hey at least it's clean!!!

A Walk in the Park-Blooming where your'e planted!!

Today after being called to the local neighborhood park,for emergency drink aid-a friend was doing landscape work and forgot to pack some hydration in his lunch pail (haha!!). Being the good friend that I am, I obliged ,after my lifesaving efforts were provided we took alittle walk along the nature trail resting on the bridge to admire the sights and sounds of nature. Serenity is found in the simplest of place, I admired the barks of different trees ,some were peeling, others already barren and white like gigantic calcified bones jutting out of the earth reaching for the sky!! The sounds of birds singing melodiously in their own choir,tickled my ears. The trickle of the small stream that ran it's course,making it's own path was soothing to watch-nature alive. I was at peace. We talked and laughed and did alot of being quiet. Taking it all in. When his lunch break was over,I thought aloud to come back in a couple of hours when I dropped my boy off at his evening activies to continue to bask in the glory of being outdoors and to continue the joy of being at one with nature. But, something happened before this could happen, I went home and went out into my own oasis and realized that I have my own lil park right in my own backyard, filled with the sights and sounds that I was quick to run off to,minus the lil creek-What my point is take pleasure in what is in your own backyard, we are often busy looking for pleasures outside of our own zones,when all we really need is right at our fingertips,or as simple as taking a step right outside our own door!!!

Face It-Beauty From The Pantry

My face has been suffering from the dryness of winter. So I got out my bag of oatbran which has been just sitting on the shelf waiting for me to put it to use! I took down some honey and a Lipton lemon-ginger tea bag. I made a thick paste which was really difficult to mix so I added just alittle water and magic happen,this mask was absolutely lovely-I even smeared some on mommy as well,I let it rest and went about my business doing housework,then it happened my face started to itch really badly-go figure and the oatmeal started flaking so I knew it was rinse time, it left my skin feeling so refreshed, one thing is after the super soft and supple feeling past dryness set in, so have some toner and a nice light moisturer handy!! The next day I made the same batch,but added in yogurt to lighten dark spots and it has. I must say my skin is looking mighty good!!!

Groceries Shopping-101,the art of saving a few bucks!!

My great,grandfather use to have us carting him from store to store,in hopes of saving a few pennies, when I was in my twenties and much more impatient-haha,I thought this made absolutely no sense,but over ten years later-I have seen the light!! Going shopping at several stores makes perfect sense,if you are getting what you want and it's available at a discount! Every month I hit 3 major stores for sure,if I have excess I throw in Big Lots and Marshall's and yes I did say Marshall's-they have fantastic culinary products,and lots of unsual items from different countries as well.

The main store is Walmart-here I purchase the basics eggs,bread,frozen veggies,and other dried goods, and canned beans....

Second-Aldie's here,I get the bulk of my fresh produce,and miscellanious items like,crackers,chips,dip,yogurt,-most dairy products,and today I discovered that I can get an even better bargain here on preshredded and sliced cheese,and specialty items on sale or clearance.

The Third is Ollie's-I get my cold-pressed olive oil and pasta sauce here every month exclusively!! They also have great organic items every month today I found two types of organic tea bags...

Am I wasting gas,I don't think so-I'm getting what I want, and everything is a hop and a skip from each other!!

Good shopping everyone!!

Happy Birthday,My Darling Mother!!

My mother turned 5o plus this past Thursday, we celebrated at a restaurant of her picking Saturday. Needless to say she had a low potassium meal-haha!! She appeared to have enjoyed her festivities since Thursay, on her b-day, I went to pick up a cake that was prepared by a good friend of ours yellow butter cake w/ chocolate frosting,next I drove to the grocery store to get a couple cartons of Breyer's icecream,buy one get one free. The containers are smaller,but the ice cream was less airy which was a plus,because this was one of the main reasons we stopped buying so much of it, and of course it's not exactly something you want to have in fridge on a regular basis,is it-too tempting!! Well that evening several friends stopped by and it turned out to be such a nice evening. Mother was happy and so was I!!

My Winter Garden

Last night we had a torrential rainstorm,I slept on pins and needles,kinda hard to settle in to a good night's rest when it sounds as if your house is about to be uplifted!! Well in anycase this afternoon as I went to tend to my dog "Blue" I took notice of even more new growth peeking up from the earth. Bulbs, popping up irises getting taller, and grass sproutin up in uneven patches aahh all signs of spring lingering around the corner! I have already planned what I shall grow from seed, what I shall purchase (wish list to say the least!!) and what I shall see carried over from another winter. This winter hasn't been too harsh, we had one really good snow about 10 inches or so, and lots of cold nights,but not a harsh winter by no means. Thank,God considering I just got a utility bill for,brace yourself $850.00-YIKES!! Donations,welcome-haha!! But as I bemoan having to pay such an outrageous bill,I'm thankful for the fact that I'm alive to see another winter,hopefully spring, and therefore another gardening season!!!

Too much what-potassium????

For those of you who don't know,it has been a journey getting my family to make certain dietary changes. Mom and I have both lost a considerable amount of weight,since we started heavily vegging it, and cutting back (for my mother and son) red meat,poultry. For myself-I got rid of every meat with the exception of seafood-hence my new title-pescetarian!! Okay,back to the subject at hand. Well this journey has for the most part been challenging at times,so I decided one day when I had a light bulb moment, you cannot make anyone stop eating meat if they so choose to eat it. I mean let's face it-I was a huge devourer of my share,fried chicken wings-which was one of my favorites to eat! Ham for the holidays-was a MUST!! and of course no one could ever turn down a really good burger-homemade or otherwise. So, I stopped giving Mom's the evil eye, and eased up. Now I have to give credit where credit is due,my mother eats pretty much the same as I,she has made lots of sacrifices. She loves bacon, and eats it on occasion,but the funny thing is this!! Once again,getting back on track,during her last Dr.'s visit,they told her,brace yourself-that she is getting way too much potassium from her diet, and wouldn't you know everything that I've been fixing was on the "high" list,dried beans,bananas,fresh greens,pumpkin,potatoes,tomatoes-cooked, avocadoes,oranges,prunes..... to name a few. I could have fallen on the floor, she and I burst out laughing,because I knew she would now be like, well I have to eat this meat,what else can I eat-huh?? So far so good,she's still on track and the only difference is she limits the amts. of potassium enriched foods now. Way to go,Mom!!!

A Good Buy-A Day of Thrift Shopping!!

I love thrift stores,my six year old loves thrift stores,my granny loved thrift stores. So now!

I can recall the days when I was growing up in the city and when my granny would come up from Va. and carry me to my auntie's house in Md. where we would wait patiently in the idling car for her to come out so we could make our annual trek to the wonderful world of bargain shopping. Of course I didn't know the full value of what I was participating in into years later,when I realized that lots of people that I loved,loved going to the thrift store as well. So here I am some twenty years later,little boy in tow,perusing the aisles with an eagle eye for old antique plates & saucers-preferably with little flowers etched around the border,cookbooks,wicker baskets-one is never enough and a thousand really is too many,by the way basket,anyone? Well getting back to my good day of shopping on this particular day I happened to idling in the toy section,you know why-when I slowly started walking away,hence my way of giving the boy a hint of when I move you move... So as we started making our final curve around the perimeter of the store you will never guess what hit my eye-a white angora sweater,Mom's and I were just talking about how you don't see them hardly anymore-so I know this was divine intervention-God always grants the desires of your heart-just be patient!!!

by the way,I got three sweater (new) that glorious day for under $4 bucks ea!!!

Pesce-what? Who am I!!

I for the most part have been incorrectly referring to myself as a vegetarian who only eats seafood and to my suprise and delight I've discovered on this very evening that I am what is proudly referred to as a "pescetarian/fishetarian". Yeah,to be properly defined!! I looked up fishatarian as a joke and found the above titles,so I will no longer refer to myself as a vegetarian who will eat fish-haha!! I have a group,clan,or following to go with now,I'm so happy-really! I know it sounds crazy,but lacto-ovo vegetarian was not covering me not that I was trying to be sneaky or anything. I was just stating myself wrongly-so there you are,so when you see me eating a pick 3 seafood plate at my favorite seafood restaurant in burlington,nc-just know that I am dining sufficiently and correctly-for me that is!

eat fish,eat eggs,eat cheese,eat veggies, eat fruit,eat beans,eat grains,eat chocolate-AND LIVE!!!

Magazine Addiction -Am I The Only One!!

I love to read magazines and I must admit I'm addicted. I purchased my house 15 years ago and I have the magazines to prove it-literally! I have had piles in several room neatly stacked in a corner or two,and you better not had even dared to ask for any,because I would have had to disappoint you. Needless to say as with all bad habits there came a time for release,so I started year before last slowly moving the piles from one corner to another, and this year about 80% of them are gone, and did I mention just how heavy piles and piles or shall I say stacks and stacks of "Martha Stewart Living" magazines can be,Country Living, Victoria, Vegetarian Times-you named it I probably had it,considering if it fell under one of my catergories-cooking, gardening, home decorating, and herbs.. You know what life is sweeter with less clutter, if you are anything like me let this new year carry you into a less cluttered place-donate,recycle, give away-whatever you do just release,afterall you know more ... will always come back to you!!

A New Year-A New Camera!!

I love to blog and when my camera disappeared a month or so ago,my nerves were frayed to say the least!! I searched high and I searched low-LITERALLY!! Still no sight of it unfortunately. Hopefully it will make a reappearance soon,because my 6 year old now thinks that my new camera is HIS,"Mommy can I take some pictures!!!" is what I hear ALL DAY LONG!! And by the way he is an excellent photographer if I must say so myself-quite creative,but let's face it this here camera is mine-all mine (hahaha!!) and you know I'm serious-I let him take his customary 50-100 shots a day,and I mean he takes that many of just about any and everything-okay enough of that. Where was I ? Hmm-okay,the disappearance of my old camera and now unto the glorious appearance of a brand new one that I ordered from Walmart,equipped with batteries,charger, and sd card as well-and I love it, I didn't know it was possible to fall in love with a camera but I'm ashamed to say that I have. Get ready for lots and lots of photos from the boy and myself after all it's a brand new year why not celebrate it in pictures!!