Perspective.

Merry Christmas to all . . . . And to all a "goodnight."

Tuesday's Best

Even without sound, one can hear the computer monitor hit the ground. Merry Christmas and "hello" unemployment line.

Only thing that can top that today is . . . well, it'd  have to have kids or puppies . . . or both.

The Snow Globe Proxy

This fall I decided to paint my dining room, which as many of you understand, then led to the grave inadequacy of my existing dining room chairs. And now I'm well on my way to a whole new dining room look complete with new dining room chairs and new window treatments and new ceramic wall art (by Josh Blanc) which I found in a wonderful art studio in downtown Minneapolis.

And while the dining room is still incomplete, it occurred to me that if I move the living room furniture to the soon-to-be-finished basement, I can have a whole new main floor look.

I blame this partly on my 2011 discovery of Anna, my interior designer, who has endured my wish list of the "look" that's me and has been my partner in crime, so to speak. She entertains pix texts from me, like these, She's gone shopping with me for the perfect "chair" for the living room. Furniture store after furniture store, she's spent hours finding choices for me.

My new "look" is homey, sleek, and curated. My colors are shades of grey with punches of color in strategic places. Anna's husband and our mutual friend, Bill, moved the sectional to the basement and Anna's husband is welding my new coffee table which will be topped with repurposed, old, and so-ugly-it's-beautiful wood table top. Gotta love Anna!!

This decorating journey brings me to December 19 with no Christmas decorations anywhere in the house. Until tonight, that is, when Izzy excitedly jumped (note: this is her normal behavior - Miss Happy, Excited, in-Love-with-the-World Izzy) in the car after piano lessons and showed me her gift from Miss Catherine, her teacher. A Snow Globe! Izzy's first snow globe is our proxy for all Christmas decorations. Here it is proudly placed on the fireplace mantle where the stockings usually hang.

Happier Holidays!







Quote of the Day:
By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
Confucius

There ain't no Sanity Claus . . . and others

Here are some of my favorite Christmas watches:

Favorite Childhood Movie (Let's be independent together)

Best Lines (There ain't no Sanity Claus)

Favorite movie. Love Actually is all around. To me you are perfect.

Favorite classic. Please God, let me live again.

Favorite song . . . this year.

I've chosen, deliberately, not include the big belch from Elf. However, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't watched it recently.

Inside Out

One of my hopes for my life is to make a difference in the lives of others. As long as I feel that "purpose," I'm mostly happy.

I'm humbled, however, every time I come away from time with my dearest Marci. She has the rare gift of tender ministry. As my friend, she listens and loves and regularly smacks me across the head with the 2"x4" of wisdom that speaks to my needs.

Marci has formalized her ministry. I hope that you consider a conversation with her. Warning, though, she's like crack. One time and you'll be hooked. And, you'll never regret the addiction.

I'll continue this life journey hoping and trying to make a difference glad to have Marci within reach.

I warned you this blog would be all over the place.

Leo & Leona's

Last night I joined friends at Leo & Leona's in Bangor, WI, to listen to String Ties, a bluegrass band.

A bar and a barn.

Sold-out crowd for the performance.

Audience range from high-school drop out to PhD . . . and you couldn't tell.

Great music with moments of exceptional musicianship.

And, time with great friends.

To Bill, read my first blog. It was good to reconnect.
To Kari, thanks for suggesting I look 39. Sista.
To Sara, Kit, and Anita  . . .
To Anna and Mitch, let's move some furniture! Bill, bring your man hands over here and help too.

To the rest of ya . . . go check out Leo & Leona's. It's a taste of Wisconsin.

26 . . .

On December 8, 1985, Jeree was born and the world changed. She has captured a place in the hearts of many and most will never forget her.

Jeree is smart, spicy, and strong willed. The following pictures were all taken within 30 seconds and nicely demonstrate her range. The younger one is her sister.

Happy Birthday, Jeree. Thank you for making our lives better and more fun! I love you.

Vodka Schmodka

Who knew that vodka was versatile?!?!?

I'm reading my January/February 2012 This Old House which idenfies these 10 additional (yes, additional) uses for vodka.
1. Erase window streaks - "dilute" doesn't state what to dilute with. I'm thinkin' cranberry juice? Orange juice? Or maybe, if you like it dirty, some olive juice? Just sayin'.
2. Shine chrome. Hello. Get out the sunglasses.
3. Deodorize laundry. With a vodka spritz. Gotta try that one just so I can say I've spritzed my laundry . . . with vodka.
4. Remove rust from screws. Hmmmm. Replacement screw is what 23 cents. Vodka is what . . . well, Grey Goose is a bit more expensive. I think I'll buy a replacement screw and save the vodka for . . . clothes spritzing, of course.
5. Preserve cut flowers. Add a few drops of vodka and a teaspoon of sugar and your flowers will last longer. Nice. I can look at the same flowers while I sip my cocktail containing vodka wearing my clothes spritzed in vodka while I look out my "oh, so clean" windows.
6. Remove stains from upholstery. Ink, grass, and some foods. Nice.
7. Kill weeds. Combine vodka, liquid dish soap, and H2O and spritz your broadleaf!
8. Clean mold and mildew. Now we're talking. I'll try to remember that in case I ever have mold or mildew. I always dry my shower after each use to avoid the nasties. Oh, don't start with my issues. I've got them. And, I have walls. Yes, I have walls . . .
9. Soothe aching muscles. After my next marathon . . . I can celebrate with vodka on my body and a beer in my hand.
10. Stop odors. Truth is, after enough vodka, who cares about foot odor. Really.

Go buy some vodka!! I think the cheaper stuff will do just fine for these "additional" uses.

Time for page 22. And, when I get done with page 114, I'm gettin' busy with vodka.

Yes, I have walls . . .

and a new staircase, sans rise and run.

My Week on the Internet

I want to share how I spent time on the internet this week. Enjoy. The videos get progressively better. Five videos in total this week.

Most Silly

Favorite Commercial



Most Listened to

Most Impressive

Click here to be impressed!

Most Call to Act - Thanks MH

Click here and feel . . .

The Sofa is Gone

In 1987, Grandma Probert gave me some money. At the time, I lived in Marshall, MN, and we didn't have a sofa. We used the money to buy a neutral colored sofa sleeper that weighs 5,000 pounds, just ask anyone who's moved it. The sofa's first home was a second story apartment and the furniture company delivered. After that, the sofa has been moved by friends and family to Madison, SD (3 homes), Waverly, IA (2 homes), Fayette, IA, and La Crescent, MN (2 homes).

This morning, friends moved it from the basement and to the landfill while Izzy slept. It had to be done this way, Izzy, because I feared you would "occupy" that sofa and make it impossible to move.

I'm sure there are pictures of the sofa. But that's all that remains. Time to let it go.

Basement Project - Ready, Set, Go . . .

It was a year ago that I decided to finish my basement.

A year later . . . evidence that the project has commenced.

So far, uneventful.

Ode to School Nurses

I can't help but wonder if there are published statistics on the work of a school nurse (e.g., number of temperatures taken).

This morning the school nurse called me at work. "Isabella doesn't feel well." As I started down my usual line of questioning, she stopped me with "I've already had one child throw up on my floor."  Quota met. By noon.