Scenes of Snow

I think the whole country has had some snow, ice, or just a plain old blizzard in the last week.  Right now, the temperature here is climbing towards 40, and we have major fog and rain to make everything super messy.  Friday night, we're expecting temperatures to plunge to the teens, which means all the water sitting around will turn to ice, making for a delightful New Year's Eve.  Bud and I will probably stay home and safe with a movie, some champagne, and a great meal to end the year.  


Earlier this week, it was stunningly beautiful around town, so I took some photos of the trees.  They were amazing, and the steady snow on Christmas Eve was beautiful, even if it did create some extra shoveling!

Christmas Eve at 8 AM

One More Post For The Year

Image courtesy of:  http://www.averyl.com/attic"

Folks, I'm taking a well needed rest for a few days, so I can concentrate all my powers on baking cookies, sipping limoncello, and working my last two days before Christmas!

Thanks to everyone for being so welcoming in the blogging world; thanks to all of my "Caboobles", who follow, comment, and always have such entertaining blogs themselves.  You're all such dears, and I am so happy to have met you this year!  And yes, I have decided my followers are Caboobles.  See, I said boob on my blog.  He he.  

I'll be back next week, after surviving another retail Christmas and looking forward to a whole new year full of new beginnings.  I'm pretty sure I'll win the lottery in 2011, so that will probably keep me busy for a bit.  

Oh, and also, I'll miraculously drop 20 pounds, learn to cook gourmet meals,  and run a 9 minute mile.  All in the first few months of 2011.  Yep, I can do that.  And I haven't forgotten my Pom-Pom friends, either.  

Merry Christmas, everyone!  Hugs and kisses to all!

Sue

Three Days Left-Tick Tock Tick Tock

Three days left.  Three more days of "I can help the next customer!" shouted at the top of my lungs.  Three more days of people standing in line, muttering "Oh my God!  This line is so long!" and then being amazed at how fast said line moves.  People see 6 registers, and one line, and freak out.  What they don't realize is that it actually moves much faster than cruising the lanes in Target, trying to guess which line will go faster.  I always lose on that one.  I get the person in front of me who has a price check, or five million items, or writes a check painfully  slow.  


I'm a fast cashier.  I don't mess around.  I smile, say "Hi, did you find everything okay?"  And then unleash the rapid register operator.  Rung up, bagged, and payment received quickly.  This is, of course, while other booksellers are asking me questions, the phone is ringing, and it's so loud I can't even hear the customer in front of me.  I'm in the Zone!  I wish I could capture that "Zone" when I'm running.  Crap, I would be the quickest runner around! 


I have to say, people haven't been too bad this year.  Coupons and extra sales in the store have brought out the happy in people, who are thrilled to save even more.  And for those people who suck all the information out of us and then decide to "look somewhere else", well, see ya.  There is no where else in Cedar Rapids.  We're the only bookstore in town that sells new books.  Sure, go to Target, and Walmart, and even Sams, and get your basic top ten books for a bit less.  But if you want someone to give you advice, talk about books, and show you stuff you've never even though about, come to our store.  It's what we do.  And we're good at it.


Saying that, I did notice a distinct shift in shoppers yesterday around 1 pm.  The atmosphere changed to one of dogged determination and "this isn't fun" anymore.  People have run out of steam, and are staggering around, grabbing what they can.  This is the fun part of Christmas, because there's no way we can order a book/DVD/CD for a customer and get it before Christmas.  No way.  So it cuts our stress dramatically.   But customers still try!  We are on the downward slope of the mountain, and only require sugar and coffee to keep going until 6pm on Christmas Eve. 


Well, I've put off getting ready for work as long as I can.  I think I'll stop and fortify myself with carbs before I go to work, and put on my game face.  


By the way, I made homemade limoncello.  Can I say just one shot of that perks you right up?  Then it puts you to sleep.  A good way to end the day.  Recipe to follow in another post.  I also made chocolate vodka, but I haven't tried it yet--I'm afraid it will kick my tushy.

Done Shopping

I decided today, after working and watching people go nuts, that I am done Christmas shopping.  No last minute gifts, no trying to pick up a little something somewhere.  I am done.  No more.  Nada.  Zippo.  Zilch.  I just cannot face the traffic, the people (who have been nice to me, so far--except for the dude who hung up on me cause he didn't like my offer to return his product for a refund), or the thoughts of trying to coherently make a decision on what else to buy.


Bud, bless his heart, continues to tell me all he wants is me for Christmas.  Well, that's not a gift I would give anyone, so I have bought him a few things.  I was going to try and pick up a few more, but I'm shutting it down!  What a relief to know I don't have to go to any stores anymore--except for groceries.  


Now, my big stressor is trying to actually deliver the gifts I've bought before Christmas to some family and friends.  I think probably Monday night will have to be my only chance.  I really can't just drive by, toss them out the window, and wish people a Merry Christmas.  That would look a bit odd, and with the snow on the ground, they'd soon be soggy.  Plus, we're getting more snow Sunday night, Monday, and maybe Tuesday, so I have to take that into consideration, too.  


So for tonight, I am safe and snug at home, doing laundry, sipping a glass of wine, and waiting for Bud so I can fall asleep in the middle of a movie.  My Christmas lights are on, and the pine scented candle is calming me down to an acceptable level of "OM".  


 And the ho-ho's I just snarfed down didn't hurt either.  

Empty calories that fill me with bliss

A Big Fat Duh!

Computers are a wonderful instrument to communicate, shop, stalk, and order stuff from online that you're too embarrassed to buy in a store.


My computer is also a potential instrument to showcase just how much I don't know what I'm doing with my blog.  Case in point:  I discovered I was following my own blog!  How did I do that?  And more importantly, how do I fix it?  Well, after much tooling around on my dashboard, and finding the help I needed, I am pleased to say I am down one more "follower"--that would be me.  Anyone else who has left my fledgling little blog--sorry we didn't hit it off.  No hard feelings-there will be more pretty pictures on my blog follower mosaic in the future.  (I remain optimistic people will find me in 2011!)  If not, I will keep blissfully blogging about my super exciting deluxe life that keeps even me on the edge of my seat!  :>}  Will she cook?  Will she run?  Will she read?  Hang on for a wild ride!  I really am tired, can you tell?


 I think I can safely say I need to get some sleep and possibly a manual for blogging purposes.  God knows what else I've done that I don't know about.  I'm pretty sure the Little Drummer Boy video I refer to in the previous post does not take you to a porn site--I did check it out before I posted it.  But just in case, put one hand over your face before you hit "play".  Proceed cautiously to look through your fingers until you see Will Farrell looking particularly odd in his bad wig and pancake makeup.  


Good night, all!

On My Christmas Song Hit List--But Made Oh So Much Better By Will Farrell!

For years I have been forced to listen to Bing Crosby and David Bowie sing "Little Drummer Boy" while I've been working.  There aren't many Christmas songs I loathe, but this is the top of my list.  I love other versions of this song, just not this one.   Now, Will Farrell has redone the 'classic' video of Bing and David with his Talladega cohort, John C. Reilly.  I find this one much more bearable, if only because Will makes a terrible David Bowie.


Hit this link and enjoy:  Little Drummer Boy  redux.  And then watch Elf.  Love that movie!


Sorry, I haven't figured out yet how to get a video actually on my blog.  More to learn in 2011!

Me And The Treadmill--I Remembered What I Forgot!

It was an earth-shattering moment today--I'm sure you felt the earth shift just a bit around 1:30 Central Time:  I went to the gym.  I had to confess to one of the personal trainers, (Wendy) that no, I hadn't been going early in the morning, I just hadn't been going at all.  Guilt times ten!

I've realized a few things from my visit to the gym today:

1.  I am pathetically out of shape.  Really bad.

2.  I can run again!  But, referring to the above statement, I can't run very far without wimping out.  I can't believe I ever trained and ran a marathon.  It seems like eons ago.  I have much work to do!

3.  The spinning classes, as explained by Wendy, are fun and not packed with people,  so I should go. 

4.  There's a mini-YMCA that opened near my house that has super cool new bikes that have screens so you can program a bike ride on paths around the world.  Sweet!  And the handles move, so you feel like you're really riding an actual bike.  I will be checking out this new mini-Y before everyone knows about it and it gets crowded.

5.  I inexplicably crave McDonald's after working out.  Have no clue why.  Just do.

6.  I don't enjoy running on a treadmill.  It's like parsley to me:  I think if I try it enough, I'll like it.  But no, I don't.  But I'll run on the treadmill through the winter months anyway.  However, no parsley, thank you.

7.  At home, the pumpkin bread I made had a huge hole in the middle, and wasn't baked all the way through. Now I know that adding a tablespoon of baking soda, instead of a teaspoon, will result in bread with no middle.  Into the trash after a taste--will try again later this week.  It tasted really good, just looked like someone put their fist in the middle of it.

So I feel good after hitting the gym, but my performance was sub-par.  Just getting down there, and putting on my work out clothes made me feel less sluggish and happier.  Will I get down to the gym before Christmas?  Who knows.  If I plan it, I will certainly not do it.  I will be one of those people in January who make a huge effort to kick start the year by setting a new habit--and that habit will not be eating my weight in food!  Spin classes will be on my list for sure.  My only hope is that I don't fall off the bike.  

Organizing and Reorganizing and then Organizing Again

I went to bed last night firm in the plans I'd made for today before I go to work tonight:  get up, go to the gym, and attempt to run on the treadmill and do a bit of biking.  Come home, eat, get cleaned up, and take a nap.  


I woke up this morning and rearranged my plans while laying in bed, with "2 o'clock!" flashing in my head.  That's the time I have to be at work.  I'm not a huge fan of relaxing, then working.  I guess I'm one of those  Americans that would much rather get up early, get the work over with, then relax.  But when I work a 2nd shift, it throws off my day.  I will wake up early, because I don't sleep in.  I just can't.  So I get up early, putter around, and then get sleepy because I realize I'll be up until 11:30 or so tonight.  I have to take a short cat nap, or my energy fades by 6pm, just when I really need to be awake to manage the store!  It's not good when the Manager working the store that night can't stay awake.  Makes my response time very slow...


I decided to skip the gym this morning, and try and get as much done around the house this morning as I can, so when I have my day off tomorrow, I can spend more time at the gym and not feel anxious to get moving and cut my workout short.  I haven't been to the gym in two weeks.  This Christmas season started much sooner than last year, and for the first time in about 4 years, I am not running every week.  I think it's made a big difference in how I feel everyday.  I have a distinct lack of sustained energy, and when I get home, it's all I can do to stay awake until 9 pm.  It can be a pain to take time to go to the gym, but it really helps burn off stress and give me endurance.  I'm so out of shape now, it will take me a while to get back into shape.  January cannot come soon enough to help me kick myself into gear.  I have plans to run races in 2011!


Today's plans are to finish up making my chocolate vodka (Christmas gift for friends), wrap all my presents, and make date bread.  If I can get all of this done before noon, I can take a short cat nap, then get ready for work.  Tomorrow is my last day off before Christmas day, and I have to make it count.  A friend said "I would just sleep all day", but not only is that not physically possible for me, but what a waste of a day!  It will be a day of gym work, cleaning up the house, and delivering presents.  And reading my book.  I haven't been reading much at all, and it's getting me depressed!  So I will get my "chores" done and block out the afternoon for a reading marathon.


How are you doing the week before Christmas?  Is everyone finally in the Christmas mood? Cookie dough I have frozen will be pulled out next week and baked,  so Bud and I will have fresh cookies for Christmas.  I must feed the man something other than Christmas candy from a bowl!

Being The Hostess Saved Me From A Hangover

God Bless Bud for preparing enough pomegranate martinis for 8 adults to have at least two each.
They're all gone.  Nothing left.  And some people had beer along with the martinis.  
I was busy playing hostess, which is a blessing in disguise.  It keeps me from just sitting and noshing all night.    I enjoy having people over, puttering in the kitchen, and making sure everyone has enough to eat and drink.  I had the Christmas Fire DVD on my TV, Christmas music on my computer playing in the background, and the whole house was ablaze with lights and candles.  
You could move around, but just barely.  Baked spaghetti, cheese ravioli, garlic bread, and salad fed them all.  My sister made a scrumptious appetizer of toasted bread, olive oil, tomatoes, and basil cheese. 
I can say the party was a hit, and I didn't eat too much, or drink too much.  I did enjoy a few drinks, but didn't catch a buzz--phew. Even after a last minute addition of Apple Pie (a potent concoction of everclear and apple cider) I was still on my feet, monitoring the steadily increasing noise.  My God, my family is very noisy.  Especially when they've all have a few drinks, and then gift exchanges happen. I think my sisters and I talk so fast and loud that our voices  can only be heard by dogs. They really do reach a pitch that makes me stop and think, Lord, we sound really annoying.  But we had so much fun!  And I was so glad my sister Debbie and niece Kelli drove from Illinois to spend a few hours at my place.  Although I missed Amber.  She'll be back in January.  And even though my camera was charged and ready to go, I forgot to take any pictures. 


So here I am, up early, ready to go to work with just a teeny tiny bit of foggy brain.  I've had a few cups of coffee, and french onion dip with pretzels for breakfast.  What can I say?  Oatmeal just didn't sound very good.    Sometimes a girl needs french onion dip.


Tonight, between coming down off the fun of last night, and the horrible weather that is predicted, I will be lounging on the couch and watching a movie.  And eating leftovers from last night.  That baked spaghetti was pretty tasty.  


If you're still not in the Christmas mood, have a few people over. Make a special drinky, have some easy appetizers,  and you'll soon find yourself in the spirit and ready for Christmas!

A Whirlwind And A Sweet Man

I have to say, this holiday retail season is gangbusters compared to last year.  We've been busy since the middle of November, and people are buying!  So either everyone has a lot of extra cash, or they just don't give a damn and are contributing to their credit card debt.  Either way, I've had many customers tell me they are trying to shop local--and even though I work for a national company, we are all local employees who live and spend money in Cedar Rapids.  So, yes, "buying local" helps us buy local in our personal purchases, too.  So thank you to those who are thinking before they hit "buy" on the internet.


So much has been moving through this week!  I've finally got my little red truck Fritz back, after many months of Bud working on the brakes, the Toyota guys working on other stuff, and the muffler place fixing my exhaust.  Today was the first day since September that I got to drive it, and I was so happy!  Bud replaced my wipers--and they are the coolest wipers I've ever had on a car/truck.  He also changed my oil, put sand bags in the bed of my truck, filled my gas tank, and put on my studded back tires.  I am ready for the snow/sleet/ice combo we're getting Saturday.  All I can say is that Bud is more than I deserve and I am a very lucky chick to have him.  I picked a good one!  I'm pretty sure he can fix anything, or figure it out.  Waaaay smarter than me.  After eight years together, I'm still in awe of all he does for me.  Every time I think I can't possibly love him more, my heart grows just a bit bigger and fits more in.  How's that for cheese factor?:)

My man of many talents--he puts in patios, too.

Last night Bud came over and helped me prepare for my holiday gathering tonight.  My sisters and older nieces (except Amber--she lives too far away!) are coming over for dinner and pomegranate  martinis.  We plan on having a good time!  Bud, bless his muscles, squeezed fresh lemon juice from 11 lemons for the drinks.  I just stood there and watched.  And then he hit me with a squirt of lemon juice, right in the face.  So I moved.  Lemon juice hurts when you wear contacts.


Today I've scrubbed floors, vacuumed (yeah new vacuum!), dusted, and cooked.  I am pooped.  Just waiting for folks to come over in a few hours.  Work at 8 am tomorrow will come way too soon; I will wake up looking forward to the day being over, and relaxing after a hectic week.  And dive into the new Kate Morton book, 
The Distant Hours.  I only got about 3 pages in last night before falling asleep, but it was enough to fire up my enthusiasm--it's gonna be good!

Chicken With Herbed Goat Cheese And Sun Dried Tomatoes

The Barefoot Contessa has, once again, created a delicious dish that's perfect for two, or for a dinner party.  I made this last night for supper, and I loved it.  Bud ate everything but the sun dried tomatoes--he called them 'tomato skins' and picked them off.  I inhaled mine.  It's very easy to make.  Here's my chicken before it goes into the oven:

Boneless Chicken Breast W/Skin stuffed with cheese, basil, and sun dried tomatoes

The recipe online neglected to add basil leaves to the chicken.  On her show, she adds the basil.  Feel free to add it, or use a different herb.  Just make sure to salt & pepper the chicken inside and out.  Here's the finished product!  

Yum!

A glass of wine, some greens and rice and you've got an easy, fancy-ish dinner in under 45 minutes.  

Vacuuming Bliss

I'm not the kind of woman who wants jewelry, or obsesses over shoes and handbags.  I like nice things, but I'd rather buy a book than clothes.  


But I got a new vacuum, and let me tell ya, I am one happy camper!  It's silly to get excited over a new vacuum, but I am.  I somehow managed to kill my old one last week.  I started her up, and either ran over something harsh, or it just decided to act like it wanted to blow up.  I "attempted" to fix it, then decided that after 16 years, it was time to part ways.  I quickly moved it to the basement, and didn't tell Bud about the broken vacuum because I didn't want him to try and fix it, and I didn't want him to get the impression that he should run out and buy me one for Christmas.  A woman must buy her own vacuum!  Plus, I really needed to use it pronto.  


I checked some websites, and once again, Hoover is still on top.  Yes, I would love a Dyson, but really-- I cannot spend that kind of money on a vacuum for a house that's less than 700 square feet!  I could spend that much on a plane ticket for a vacation!  Way more fun.  I don't care about vacuums when I'm in Vegas.


Kohl's had the vacuum I wanted.  It was on sale, and I had a coupon for another 15% off, but not until two days later.  Yes, I went to Kohl's at 7 AM that day to buy my vacuum before I went to work.  I got a good price and even better, that new vacuum smell came with it!


So I've just put my vacuum together, and 'hoovered' my house.  I even used the fabulous little upholstery brush to vacuum my couch.  Oh, the thrill of it!  The simple things that make me happy.


I guess I am one of those women who would be super duper happy to get a mixer, a blender, or a snow blower.  Hmm... Santa, are you listening?

Celebrating 100 Reads This Year On Bookalicious Babe

I am having a giveaway on my other blog, Bookalicious Babe Book Reviews to celebrate hitting my goal of reading 100 books before the end of this year.  100 books seems like a lot to me, but I realize that there are probably hundreds more I passed up in my continual quest to read every book on the planet.  Well, there is always 2011!  Maybe my goal next year will be 125 books.  I think I've crossed the line into crazy land.  But, I guess it's better than making a goal to eat 125 pounds of chocolate.  I could do that, but then I'd have to just run 24/7 to burn all that off.  Because, trust me, I could eat 125 pounds of dark chocolate.  


Anyway, if you're interested in the book giveaway, click on the Bookalicious Babe link above and read the post and enter the giveaway.   Good luck!  Winner will be announced December 15th.

Running In The Cold-Not

I'm chatting with a co-worker today in between helping  customers and he mentions that his partner had purchased running gloves for the both of them so they could run "sometime" in the cold.  I realized that I don't run in the cold, and there are a few reasons:


1.  I'm a big weenie
2.  I have no running clothes for cold weather.  I have shorts, tanks and a few long sleeve shirts from my half and full marathons.  No hats, gloves, leggings, nothing! I think I can only afford spring and summer running gear.  Gifts would be appreciated :) Plus, I think I would look like a stuffed sausage.  Is it all so tight and clingy?
3.  I'm terrified of falling.  I'm pretty sure I'd be so tense running that there would be no enjoyment for even a nano-second.  And then I would fall in front of the only other person out at the park that day.  And, I'd probably fall into dog poop.
4.  People in Iowa have the common sense to not hold races after the Turkey Trot in the beginning of November.  We're too busy shoveling and sitting on the interstate while another accident is cleaned up to plan races in the cold temps.  
5.  It's fun to run on the treadmill at the YMCA, and be amazed that I could sweat such ginormous amounts of water while staring out a window at below zero temps.  The key is to get home and in the tub before my body goes into shock from sweating, to freezing until the heater kicks in, to cold again, to ahhh a hot bath!
6.  I would prefer to read a good book, with a cup of tea or coffee on the table, and a warm blanket wrapped around me.


So there.  Those are my excuses.  I just don't wanna do it.  It may be an issue, if I ever want to run the half marathon at Disney in February.  I have to figure out the training for that before I even think of sending money to register for 2012.  And I have to start running again!  Starting over at zero.  Sigh.

First half-marathon, 2006. Ignorance really is bliss!  And, it makes for a good PR.

It's National Cookie Day!

I'm watching the morning news, and what do you know?  It's National Cookie Day in the US.  Leave it to Americans to designate a day for cookies.  I guess I'm not alone in my love of the sweet stuff.  And, just to make you feel better, it is also National Egg Nog Month, too.  Now I can go to the grocery store and buy my egg nog and sip without guilt.


Bake some cookies today.  Sip some Nog, with or without a bit o'whiskey  ( I prefer mine straight).  I will certainly bake some cookies when I get home from work.  Me want cookies!

Keeping Christmas

I finally got all of my Christmas decorations up, and I'm pretty happy with the results.  I didn't  put out much of anything I've got in boxes in the basement, because I wanted to do things a bit simpler and more of a pine tree/ribbon/natural motif.  Anyway, there are always a few items I put out every year, and one of them my Dad made for each of his eight kids a long time ago.  My Dad made each of us a nativity set, and I love it still  even after over  twenty years.  I plan on always having this and never replacing it with another set.   I'm sure he found the pattern in a woodworking magazine, and I'm glad he went with the one he found.  It's very simple, but beautiful and reminds me of my Dad every Christmas when I set it up.  So this, lights around the living room, and lots of red bows are my Christmas extravaganza for this year:

I Can't Believe I Wrote The Whole Thing!

I somehow, through the grace of something, managed to finish my NaNoWriMo goal one day early!  I am just absolutely stunned that I kept up with the writing all month, and I woke up today determined to finish before work tonight.  Here I am, a proud winner of 2010 NaNoWriMo.  Now I can put up my Christmas decorations, clean up the house, and dive into more books.  


Thanks to everyone who commented on my posts about this test of endurance this month.  And thanks to Bud, for being supportive and not being around much so I could come home and type all night!  That sounds weird, I know, but I seriously doubt I would have finished if my sweetie had been here.  He's kind of a distraction--but in a very very good way.


Off to have a celebratory lunch!  Woohoo!!

A Blog Award To Start Off The Week

Look what The Frisky Virgin sent my way!  Oh, that turkey looks like it could chip a tooth.  Anyway, the rules are to tell a story about cooking, holidays, intoxication, or the kitchen.  So, I'm going to tell a story that involves my oldest sister Debbie, who is about 12 years older than me.   When I was  still much younger, she was married and had my nephew.  We lived in Iowa, and she lived in Illinois (we moved after she got married and left her there!).  One Thanksgiving, we went to her house.  I remember this vividly, because of my Dad's reaction and also because it was one of the rare times we were not home for Thanksgiving.

Checking on the turkey, it looked beautiful.  Smelled pretty good, too.  Out of the oven it came, and my Dad decided to scoop out the stuffing before he carved the turkey.  Oops.  My sister left the bag of "stuff" in the turkey.  And of all the people to discover it, it was my Dad.  So into the garbage the stuffing went, along with the turkey's last gift.  We all ate the turkey, with no ill effects, but I learned one lesson:  always, always check the cavity of a bird before you cook it!  Needless to say, my Dad enjoyed reminding Debbie about that turkey for years and years.  My sister is a very good cook, and never made that mistake again.

Thanks Frisky Virgin!

The Week To Come: Chock Full Of Optimism--Or Just Plain Insanity?

We can all breathe a sigh of relief that Thanksgiving is under our belts, and now we're focusing on Christmas.  This leaves me with two weeks to get myself together, and have everything ready for Christmas, since I work 6 days the week before Christmas, and 6 days the week of Christmas.  I know I'll be tired and have an amazing lack of energy after leaving work those two weeks, so time is of the essence now!


This week, my huge big deal is finishing NaNoWriMo.  I'm getting close!  I can't believe it's almost over.  That deadline is Tuesday at midnight.  On Tuesday, C-Joy is having her Holiday Soiree, so I must have my 50,000 words done by early Tuesday morning.  Then I can relax and enjoy the Soiree--and celebrate!  

I also have to decorate for Christmas.  I have a wee little house, so while it may not take much to decorate, too much looks overdone.  I've decided this year, since watching HGTV, to go for a few colors, and make it look as elegant and charming as I can, with a limited budget.  A trip to the basement, and digging around in my boxes will let me know what I can work with, and what I need to buy at the store.  Colored lights hung around the living room ceiling are a must--it's so wonderful to lay on the couch, with lamps off; the glow of those twinkling lights create such a cozy evening.  Add in a few pine scented candles, and it's very romantic and holidayish!


Food wise, thanks to C-Joy and a Saturday of cookie dough mixing, I have some cookie dough in the freezer ready to defrost and bake in a few more weeks. A few loaves of a family tradition--date bread-- and I should be set for special treats.  My Christmas cake is marinating under weekly sips of brandy in the basement, to come out on Christmas Eve.  And my homemade limoncello is making magic in the fridge.  I just have to decant it into some bottles I bought at Pier One to give as gifts to some friends--and for myself!


Hopefully, when I go back to work on Thursday, I will have accomplished my decorating, cleaning, and NaNoWriMo.  All that would be left is the last minute baking and sending out Christmas cards to my family.  I will finish my Christmas shopping on Wednesday for sure, and get everything wrapped in the gift wrap I bought last year on clearance.  Phew.  I sound organized on a blog, we'll see how I do in real life.  And did I even mention exercise?  Well, I will certainly work on making that happen since I didn't go to the gym at all last week.  I'd like to try and run on the treadmill, and see how things go.  I know I will be horribly disappointed at my lack of energy and stamina, but I've got to start again sometime.  And maybe I'll get up the courage to try a spin class.  Wow, what a full week if I can get this all done!  I think I'll sleep well at night.

Black Friday Survivor!

I got to work at 5:45 AM.  Thank God I live five minutes away from the bookstore and only have to make a few right turns to get to it.  The traffic on Collins Road looked like rush hour traffic.  Two co-workers sat in the traffic for 15 minutes trying to get to work.  We flew around the store getting everything ready, putting up sale signs, and unlocked the doors at 7 AM to a deluge of bodies.  There were only four of us in the bookstore, one in our Music Department, and two in our Cafe.  Needless to say, it was crazy for an hour, until more bodies arrived and we had more help.  I was fried by 10 AM, when I finally stood in line in our Cafe and got my first shot of caffeine of the day--an Iced Mocha (skim milk, no whip cream, and an extra shot of espresso).  By then, then tension headache had taken hold and didn't leave all day.  Other than being tired from not sleeping well last night (Is the alarm set?  Did I not hear it go off?  What time is it?!)  the day went very quickly, and at 2:30 I got to leave.  It was still as busy as it was earlier in the morning!  People are out shopping hard.  And all of our customers were very nice today, friendly and seeing we were doing our best to help everyone as quickly as possible.  All I can say is that a lot of people are going to get NOOKs for Christmas!  And it always makes me happy to have people come in and buy loads of books for kids.

My plan after work was to come home, work on my "novel" for a bit, eat a pizza, and relax.  Well, I got my pizza, drank some iced tea, and promptly fell asleep on the couch for about 2 hours.  I've finally woken up, finished a book, and now will attempt to pour some imagination into my story.  I'm glad NaNoWriMo is almost over, cause quite frankly, I think this story had run it's course and I'm ready to finish it!  Tuesday midnight is the deadline...it will be close.  Bud is out hunting all weekend, so I've got no excuse to not type away.  I think it's time for another dose of Dr. Wicked's Write or Die.  It's like a really horrible tonic you have to take, but you know it will make you better after you spend some time either staring into or sitting on the Porcelain God.  Yep, it's kinda like that.

I hope everyone who shopped today had a good experience, and if you didn't shop, good for you for staying away from the madness!  My sweetie actually went out this morning, went into one store, saw the line that stretched from the front of the store to the back, and promptly left.  He did get a few bargains at some other stores, though.  Even the "man" stores were full of people ready to grab whatever deals were still around.  Oh, I would have loved to have been there with him to see his face!  But, I was busy selling stuff to ladies like this:

Yes, some people wear slippers to shop!

I will finish my shopping during the middle of the week, when everyone else is working, and the stores have restocked their shelves.  Have a great weekend!

Turkey Day--The Quiet Before The Storm

It's the day before the day before madness begins!  In other words, it's Wednesday.  Friday morning will find me at work at 6 AM  (I feel very sorry for those other worker bees  who have to be at work at 3 AM!) ready to put books and NOOKs in the hands of customers.  I will probably go home from work and take a nap. Saturday will be less crazy, since most people will spend their money on Friday or wait until the next weekend.  Everything is on sale all the time, so you'd be hard pressed not buy something that wasn't on sale or has a coupon.


So what does Thanksgiving mean to me?  Unfortunately, for the past 20 years of retail work, it means the beginning of absolute nuttiness.  I really would much rather stay home and have a quiet dinner and be a sloth all day, but as we all know, Thanksgiving is meant for being with others.  Bud and I will be at different places this year--I have decided to go to my sister's  house to stuff my face along with two other sisters and their families.  Bud is staying home with his parents and will probably hunt during the morning.  I will find a relaxing spot with a glass of wine and a book and settle in to wait for our meal.  Then I must go home and prepare something (I'm thinking pumpkin bars) for our annual "Can't Get Out Of The Parking Lot" Potluck at work.  Seriously.  Whomever designed the parking lot in front of our strip mall was an idiot.  It becomes a big clusterf**ck with deadlocked traffic.  So if you leave to get something to eat, you will be gone waaay past your lunch time--and probably won't find a parking spot again.  


What am I bringing to our Thanksgiving?  Homemade applesauce, a few pies (not homemade--not brave enough), and a cheeseball.  And a bottle of wine--for me.  No one else drinks wine.  And maybe a pillow, to sleep on when I fall asleep after eating too much!


So everyone have a great Thanksgiving!  Christmas will be here before you know it.  Ho Ho Ho :)

Too Pooped to Post

It has been a very busy week and weekend for me, and I am completely wiped out, so I apologize for not responding to all the wonderful blogs I read, and not posting at all this weekend.  On a great note, people are Christmas shopping now instead of two weeks from now, so we have been super busy at the bookstore.  So super busy, that my poor 44 year old body can't take the rushing around quite so easily as it did just a few months ago when I was 43.  As for lifting and hefting boxes of books around, well, what I could do when I started at my bookstore at 27 is not the same as what I can do now--mainly, not much tossing boxes around with ease!  Oh, the aging process had begun.  Only a hot bath and my owl flannel jammies can ease the aches and pains.  And having Bud on the couch with me :)


Anyway, I hope to post something interesting before Turkey Day, I'm just too pooped right now.  This is my big push week for NaNoWriMo, so if you see my word count moving up, that's what I'm doing with my time.  And trying to finish a few books.  


Ciao for now, folks!  Talk to you soon.

Dr. Wicked's Write or Die--A Brilliant Idea!

Last year on my failed attempt at NaNoWriMo, I found on their website a great tool writers can use to get their word count/productivity up:
Dr. Wicked's Write or Die.  It's  a website that promises to put the "prod" in productivity.  And hell yes, it does!

You set how long you want to write (say 30 minutes) and how many words you want to type (say 1500).  Then you hit the start button, and the time begins.  Your clock is ticking down, and your word count is sitting at the right bottom corner of your screen, adding up those little words every time you type and hit space.  You can pause your typing only once, and then it won't do it again for  you.  There are a few ways you can increase the level of stress--and hopefully--productivity by choosing which mode you want.  Take Kamikaze mode, for example.  If you stop typing for more than a few seconds, it will warn you, then it will start to delete, word by word, what you just wrote.  It makes for a diaper wearing experience--you have no choice but to keep typing no matter what!  I will advise you to make sure you've peed, have a drink handy, and have shut off your phone.  No interruptions allowed.  I'm too afraid to not finish my goal in the time I've set for myself.  I have no idea what happens if you fail.  If you panic, just hit the "done" button.  But then you feel like a big weenie!

I tried Kamikaze  last year, and I couldn't take the pressure after awhile.  There's another gentler mode which flashes the screen red, then starts a baby crying very loudly and annoyingly until you start to type again. Once you've hit your word count within your alloted time, you can hit the "done" button, then copy and paste your writing onto whatever program you've been writing on your computer.  For me, it's Apple.

This thing works.  It takes the "I'll start in a minute" chat out of your head, cause you have to start and keep moving.  I managed 1600 words in under 30 minutes today, and I'll do it again later on to hit my 30,000 mark.  Apparently you can buy the program for your computer, but the free program works just fine.

If only this worked for household chores, exercising, and other stuff we dither about.  I would be a whirlwind of activity.  So check this website out--if anything, to see what madness some people come up with to get things done.  And--try it yourself.  See if you can hack the Kamikaze mode.

Bud Is Back and NaNoWriMo News

My sweetie is back after a week long much needed vacation, and by golly, what did we do?  Eat supper and fall asleep on the couch!  We are fans of Desperate Housewives, oddly enough, and have missed the last three weeks.  Bud's parents kindly tape them for us, and unfortunately, we were able to watch only one last night before Bud's lids started to get heavy, and he was out for the count.  I quickly followed.  I decided since he had experienced the trauma on vacation of having to  eat tater-tot casserole (I've never had it, and never will!), he should have a dinner that I was sure he hadn't had while gone:  caesar salad and shrimp scampi.  He loves to eat the shrimp on slices of baguette, so he can soak up the sauce.  An ice cold beer completed the meal.  And I cooked the shrimp just right--finally getting the hang of that.


Bud hates tater-tot casserole; a painful memory of repeat casserole dinners throughout his high school years.  I can't make a casserole for him, cause he just won't eat it.  Now, my family is not from Iowa; we are from Chicago.  My parents were both born and raised in Chicago, and tater-tot casserole is, I think, a very rural Midwest kinda thing. I come from the land of polish sausage, corned beef and cabbage, and beer.  So, we never had tater-tot casserole, or tater-tots at home.  I love me some tater-tots, with lots of ketchup and salt.  But never ever on top of a casserole!  I had a great giggle on Bud's part, imagining the horror he felt when presented with that dish for supper.  And he said it was a mixture of ground beef and veggies in a soupy sauce, which must have caused shudders to run down his spine.  But being the gracious and polite guest he was, he ate it.  Poor baby.  This has set back my attempts to feed him a casserole for at least another ten years.  Dammit!  And I've got some really good recipes :{

Tater Tot Casserole

On NaNoWriMo news, I have hit 25,000 words!  Holy Crap!  I love the weekly pep emails participants get from the organizers, because they are a good reminder to keep going and toss in a bomb to shake things up.  I'm trying to move things along, and I hate to create trauma in my character's world, but I'm thinking I may have to introduce someone bad who has only the wrong intentions.  My character is making progress in her quest to have a better life, but we all have set backs, right?  Even make believe people.  And I already know how it's going to end, just not sure how the road will lead me there.  I did have thoughts the other night that I should have written a completely different story--doh!  A ghost story for kids.  But it's too late, so I'll just have to shelve  that until next year.  Bud reminded me, of course, that I've only got 14 more days to go, and to kick it into gear.  So I will endeavor to type until the keyboard smokes, and I have finished before November 30th.  I found out that I will probably have to type over 50,000 words, so when I send it in for an official word count, I have a word cushion.  Apparently, not all word counters are equal.  I would have a cow, a sheep, and a pig if I missed my count by a few hundred words.  I would have failed my mission, but be the proud owner of my own little farm.  Moo  Baah Oink

A Super Quick And Easy Banana Bread

I found a recipe for banana bread on Simply Recipes which is a great website for all sorts of baking and cooking recipes.  I've made this banana bread twice, and it is so pathetically simple to make--only one bowl is needed!  I've added chocolate chips to my bread, which makes it just over the top, yummy good.  If it's a homemade pumpkin, banana, or zucchini bread, I will add chocolate chips anytime.  I usually cut down on the sugar required; if it's one cup, I put in 3/4 of a cup.  The sweetness of the fruit and the chips makes up for it, and quite frankly, you can't tell the difference!  So whip up a loaf or two of banana bread.  It takes less than 15 minutes from start to placing it in the oven.

I didn't have time to take a photo of my delicious loaf cooling on the counter, but it looks amazingly similar to this:

I used defrosted bananas that I kept in my freezer from my failed attempts to eat healthier this summer.  I can never eat the bananas fast enough before they start to ripen too much,  so I  just peel them, stick them in a freezer bag, and  defrost them before using for the bread.  Also, they get pretty liquidy after defrosting, so I just pour the nanner liquid out of the bag before I use the bananas.

Go forth and bake!

Another Slothful Day

My self sabotage is just flat out amazing to me.  I lay in bed at night and plan what I want to do the next day before work, after work, and, if I don't work, how to get some projects done around the house.  


Yet when I wake up in the morning, that planning guru, the motivator Ms. Caboo, has disappeared into Slothful Sue.  She still has the compulsion to do something, anything, but Weenie Girl has taken possession and the phrase "I'll do it later" runs through my head.  Until later is gone, and it's too late.  Then Pissy Ms. Caboo appears, annoyed as hell that the other two didn't move it and at least do one thing!  So that's been my weekend.  It's my last weekend off til January, and I've managed to not rake, (too cold and windy), not clean the house, fold clothes, or wash the windows.  I have, however, managed to finish a book, watch some TV, become seriously sleepy after lemon drops on Friday night, and wine on Saturday with C-Joy, and have taken to falling asleep on the couch around 6PM every night.  


This is what I planned to do today, before I have to go to a book signing tonight for work:

The Y opens at noon today.  It's 11:58.  Don't think I'll make it.  I could go to visit my sister and her family, but that would mean getting dressed, putting in the contact lenses, and driving somewhere.  Or, I could fold those clothes.  Knowing I have to be at work at 4pm and work for a few hours tonight (which is really sitting at a table selling cookbooks to adoring fans of Art Smith)  had made my motivation drop to zero.  I'm a bit stuck with my novel, and I'm trying to push through to my magical 25,000 words before midnight tonight.  I have about 4500 words to go!


So I'll make a deal with myself.  I will stay home, and do sit-ups, push-ups,  squats, lunges, and planks.  I'll make a nice lunch for myself, since I'm not sure where or when supper will be later tonight.  I will set a 15 minute timer, and fold my clothes and put them away.  


Do you ever waste a whole day, and then wonder where the heck it went?  I've already made lists for the next few days.  On a bonus side, I've eaten three chocolate cupcakes in the past few days.  I'm now tired of them, and have no desire to eat the rest. I don't know what happened there; my body has an infinite capacity for chocolate cupcakes.   I'll save them for Bud. Bud!  Haven't seen him for over a week!  He's been out of town, and it's been very odd.  Hopefully, tomorrow night we'll get together and fill each other in on our past week away from each other.  And I'll ask to borrow the leaf blower.  Heck no, I'm not going to move all those leaves by myself!  Years of doing that has made me appreciate the leaf blower.  I'm all for exercise, but raking a backyard that is ankle deep in leaves will render me incapable of moving the rest of the week.  


Have I managed to put you on the edge of your seat with anticipation?!  Will I crash and burn again, or actually function this week, and make a dent in my to-do lists?  Sometimes having too much time on my hands guarantees I will not do a damn thing.  Off to fold clothes starting.....now!

Let's Skip the Whole Day And Get To Dinner!

Do you ever have one of those days where you wake up, and just want it to be dinnertime?  Today is one of those days for me.


I have to work today, and after work I'm running to the grocery store to purchase the ingredients for what promises to be a super delicious, extraordinary, soon-to-be-a-staple recipe for dinner.  What is it, you say?  Well, it's a recipe a customer gave me that involves bow tie pasta, cheese, artichokes, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, chicken, and did I say cheese?!  Pair that with a movie, and a Lemon Drop for sipping, and I've got a "Friday Night Don't Have To Work Saturday" fantastic evening  ahead of me.  It's dreary and rainy outside--first time it's really rained since September.  Perfect for a cozy stay inside tonight.  


How's the NaNoWriMo going?  Well, I'm about 2000 words behind, and I have time to make it up this weekend.  I'm feeling a bit bored with my story, so I will let the brain juices marinate today and hopefully I'll come up with something to shake it up.  I don't want to toss in a nuclear meltdown, or a horrible disease that turns everyone into zombies, but I do have to shake up Lydia's (my main character) world.  The poor thing.  She never suspected what I could do to her life when she popped up in my head.  I promise she will emerge from this novel with all of her limbs still attached, and no major lasting damage to her life.  Just enough to freak her out!  Oh, the power!  Ha Ha Ha...  I think she will have to make some Lemon Drops of her own to cope with the sudden shift in her make believe life.  

Veteran's Day Shout Out

My two nephews 

Today's Veterans Day, and we should all take a few moments to thank all of the men and women who keep our country safe and free!  My nephew Eric joined the Marines and went to Iraq for a year.  He's now back home, and out of the Marines. Thankfully he returned to us without injury and we appreciate all he did during his four year stint in the Marines. I will always keep his letters home as a reminder that sometimes we all have to do difficult things in life to make things better for others.

My nephew Ben always talked about being in the Army since he was a very small boy, and in his junior year of high school joined the National Guard.  Ben is still in the National Guard three years later, attending college to become a police officer, and proud to wear his uniform.  

I love my nephews and am very proud of them!  So forget about not getting any mail today, and appreciate those vets!

I Think I Like This One...

This blog background may be a keeper for awhile.  I need something flashy to keep up the holiday energy!  Another beautiful day outside; in the upper 60's, which is unheard of in Iowa in November.  Unfortunately, tomorrow is the last day of nice weather, after that, much cooler and rain.  Perfect for me staying indoors and pounding out the novel, which I haven't attended to much the last few days.  That will all change later today.  I always have a sense of relief when I have a day off and I have nothing really planned.  I do have to have some structure, or I will never get off my duff and even make my bed!  But knowing I don't have to go anywhere tonight, and I can eat dinner whenever I want is a relief.  A quick trip to the grocery store for supplies and then I'm home until tomorrow morning, when I attempt to get down to the gym at 5am to workout before work.


I have to get outside and clip down my lovely mums.  They're all fallen over and are looking kinda sad.  I will try  to "quickly" rake up some leaves.  I think I will leave the majority to next week, when I have some extra time.  That reluctant housekeeping I blogged about earlier this week?  Well, I have to do some of it today.  Bud will be back tomorrow, and I do need to at least look like I tried to maintain some level of tidiness in the house while he was gone.  Laundry, bathroom cleaning, kitchen floor mop; tossing out the junk mail.  All the fun stuff!  Then finally, sitting at the computer and typing.  I've fallen dangerously behind on my novel, so I have to make up for it later today.  I have made a goal for myself to not stop typing until I've hit 2500 words today.  Oh, lordy, I have put myself in a pickle!  So off to do my chores, and  I have no excuse later not to write.  Maybe the chores will spark some bit of creativity in my noggin and I'll have a huge turn of action and plot in my novel.  Oh, how funny to call it a novel.  Right now, it's just a bunch of blathering and fanciful imagination I threw up on the computer.  

I've Crumbled Under The Pressure

Man, everyone is changing their blogs!  So now I'm doing it, too.  I don't know if I like this one, and quite frankly, since flowers are now dead for the next few months, I don't have any pretty flowers to show.  I may mess around with my background; I'm trying for the holiday season, but looking for something "cool" without being super-holidayish.   I may just say "screw it" and go full bore into Santa, reindeer, and snowmen.   Stay tuned!  


And oh, Thanksgiving, we haven't forgotten you.  Kiss Kiss.

The Reluctant Housekeeper

 I like a clean house.  I love to see everything freshly dusted, vacuum tracks on the floor (if you have carpeting), a fragrant scent in the air.  Floors scrubbed; bathroom clean and sparkling.  Clothes all put away.  No junk lying around.  Yes, I love all of those things.  What I don't love is that I have to do it.  You'd think just looking after myself, in a small house, wouldn't be tough.  But it is.  When I first started dating Bud, I would rush home from work, and frantically clean the bathroom and straighten up the house.  I didn't want him to think I was a messy person.  Now, I don't do that.  It lasted about 3 months before I realized he not only didn't care, but never noticed if the bathroom was clean anyway.  


I have gotten very bad at housekeeping this year.  I have junk all over, and I'm shocked at what a messy little pig I am!  Oh, there are the excuses, and then there's just because I'm a lazy ass who just moves stuff from one pile to another.  So here's what I look like now, gazing around my living room/dining room:

A reasonable resemblance to me

FYI:  I never ever wear a kerchief.  Other than that, this is how I will certainly look tomorrow, when I have a moment to clean up this mess I live in.  Have to keep the place clean, so my novel ideas can flow, right?  All this messiness is blocking ideas from floating into my head!  If I just spend a bit of time de-trashing the place, i can do this:

I look nothing like this, but you get the idea

I've managed to get to  over 10,000 words in my novel, so I can change my diaper and go to work.  When I return home, it's list making time! I tend to get more done if I can physically mark it off a list.  And it has to be a handwritten list, too.   A huge week ahead for me; yard work to do (the leaves are finally falling off my tree out back), winter-proofing the house, and by golly, keeping it clean! And lots going on at work.   I hope to hit 25,000 words by next weekend so I'll be halfway to my goal and quite frankly, in shock that I've thought up that much of a story.  

Oh--by the way, I made the Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup from the Farm Chicks cookbook, and it is excellent!  Pair it with a salad and some crusty bread, and you will be a very happy chicky!