Thursday, October 21, 2010

Queen for the Day!

There is a time when we treat ourselves like a princess and a queen.  Off to the salon for a little pampering or a nice warm bath with the door closed! 

When we were little girls, we would play dress up and there isn't a little girl that didn't have a fairy princess dress and wand!  Of course you need a crown.  That's how everyone knew you were the queen for the day!

Royalty was bestowed upon my family this past weekend.  No one was in London visiting the Queen, we didn't find a long lost Duke in the family tree, nor did the genie fairy pop out of a magic lamp and grant us three wishes.

Remember back to high school, most of us had a homecoming king and queen.  The royal court was generally voted upon by the students.  It was a week worth of activities and then the unveiling was at a fancy dance.

One senior young woman from Lafayette High School in Wildwood, Mo was voted as their Homecoming Queen.  She's beautiful - of course being her Aunt, I am fully confident in her success.

She was so excited and should be. Heck, her father was so excited that he text me when he found out that she won at 10:30 at night! 

Congratulations Jessica, and congratulations to your royal court.  You deserve this honor from your friends and classmates.  


Tuesday, October 19, 2010

My Studio

Last week was like a train rushing through the night.  There was no stopping the steady stream as I readied by home for a week long guest.  I had been pulling apart the studio to get it in better shape.  It's been the last room that I've worked on and it doubles as a guest room.  Still no decorating, just needing the structure of the room in place - it doesn't feel workable yet.  I looked at the calendar, Leslie will be here in two days.

The consignment / antique place down the street closed down.  I was hoping to find a table and upholstered chairs.  Oh hum, to find another place is now back on the list. 

Give me a deadline and the creative spirit moves me.  With no shop to go to, that got me thinking about the current items in the room.  You may have seen the decorating show - redesign.  It's great as it looks around and makes a solution out of what you already have.  So I get the measuring tape, make a few more sketches, and found a new idea.  If I take the shelving unit from my former home and place it on top of the credenza, possible 3/4 of an inch to the ceiling - it will fit?

I moved all the other 'stuff' out and prepared the room for her arrival.  We had a great time even though I needed to work a good portion of her visit.  Leslie said that I better give her a project so she helped out one afternoon.  We dismantled this shelving and very carefully put it in its new place.  Oh my goodness - it was barely 1/3 inch!  Before long the shelves were refilled and the room looked bigger.  What a difference, Again, thank you Leslie!

This past Sunday after Leslie's departure, I kept looking at the space.  Got out my list, need some additional shelving - put that on Bob's list to do; move the dresser into the closet - that's me; empty and organize the scrap yarn stash - that's me again.  The other closet, it is going to wait.

Before I knew it, I had emptied the closet and moved the dresser into.  Then I got to the stashes of yarn. I was able to consolidate bags and boxes into a organized rainbow of colors.  Until I dumped it out and repack it, I didn't think I had that much!

Bob, handy man, will be back in a few days to add some shelving.  He just finished downsizing one of my kitchen cabinets so  my new microwave could be installed.  Now I feel pretty good.  The studio is taking shape, it's a bit peaceful.  Last night as I was taking in the success and I could hear the whistle of last train run by - isn't life just grand?

Friday, October 15, 2010

Recipes

Speaking about recipies - my sister-in-law sent me an email recipe chain letter.

Send a recipe to the first name on the list, then delete their name.  Add you name to the #2 spot and move the individual that sent you the email to the 1st spot.  Then send it to 20 people asking them to send a recipe to the #1 name on the 'short list'.

So I did this on October 6th.  I'm not one to re-forward much of anything.  Though I thought I might get one or two great recipes out of it.  Wouldn't that be nice.

So far I've got one person saying they can send out the request as they don't know twenty folks on email. Then a second one said they couldn't get the email link to work(?) I sent back instructions, and hopefully will get a recipe out of that one.

Interesting.  I'll keep you posted if I get any recipes out of it

Monday, October 11, 2010

Special Corn Bread

It's that time of year that says it's corn bread time.  I have this little recipe that is so simple and tastes great.  I think it came from my Mom, so thanks Mom!

Take a box of Jiffy corn bread mix.  Prepare it according to the package.

Saute some sausage - I used a chicken sausage - 2 links.  Use whatever flavor of sausage you like.  Take it out of the skin and cook untill its brown, drain out any extra fat.

Place the sausage in an 8" x 8" pan.

Peel and core a green apple.  Cut it up into small pieces and place it in the pan.

Pour the Jiffy mix over the sausage and apple and bake according to the box.

This is such a simple recipe. I will make it and save it for lunch.  Easy to warm up in the microwave and goes great with salad.

Enjoy!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Recycling Police

Every so often my social justice thermometer begins to ring like a fire bell.  Ding, Ding, Ding I can hear it, and I ask where is the focus people?

Today was one of those days.

 I have been in touch with our Town sanitation department incharge of town-wide recycling.  This past summer we switched from the blue 14 gallon bucket to inline recycling and received a large rolling recycling container.  Actually this is quite exciting as we, us taxpayers, will begin to save some serious amounts of money.  It's an easy equation, recycle and pick up is free; regular trash and we have to pay to have it hauled away.  With talking with the town today, our recycling tonnage is up 35% since August.  Back to the matter at hand.

In order to participate in this program, the Town had to supply to each of the residents/taxpayers a trash collection device like this pretty blue one.  Actually they offered three sizes, 95 gallon, 65 gallon, and 35 gallon.  Though this naive one, yours truly, couldn't tell the difference.  My community doesn't use trash containers, we have 12 yard dumpsters.

Fast forward - I receive a device and I assumed it is a 95 gallon one.   It's enormous, I couldn't fill it if my life depended on it.  We are suppose to put it out every other week.   The first collection day came by and I forgot. The second one, I was away, then finally at the third pickup (six weeks later) , the container is still not filled, but I put it out.  I'm now also noticing that I will not be able to get the car in the garage with this device in there.  I've torn apart the place, how to reorganize it, nope, not enough room.

So I called the Town, asked them if I could get a 65 gallon one instead as it is way too large and occupies too much space.  She explains that I have a 65 gallon one - geez louise - I then asked for a 35 gallon one.  The long and short of it, you have to get on a list, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Now it is October and the device is not switched out.  So I've been on the phone these last two days.  Nice folks at the sanitation department.  First I find out that I'm not on the list, so I'm put on the list - I'm #126!  There are 125 of my neighbors, actually 15 in my community, that are still waiting for a different size container. 

What comes out of these conversations, is that the 'recycling police' of the Town sanitation department needs to determine if these 125 people ahead of me are worthy of a smaller container?  Of the 12,000 plus households in Town - only 125 opps 126 folks (only 1%) are requesting a smaller size. I think to myself - are you kidding?

 I continued to break down the supervisor's logic and point why in the bigger picture these arguments don't hold trash.  His responses were genuine.  His comments indicate that  there were certain assumptions made by the Town and those assumptions that didn't take into account all type of living arrangements located here.  He began with if the Town gave some one a smaller one, then the Town would have to do it for someone else.  Yeah?  I'm confused, don't we want all to recycle?  I asked him how many more individuals have called in the last several weeks.  He indicated that not many.  (I feel like I'm doing skit from the three stooges)   Therefore, the solution is simple, take care of these few individuals and be done with it.  Mind me, I heard a laundry list of why we can't do things. 

I promised that I would attend the next Town Council meeting and speak out about this matter.  Later this week, I would be meeting with my neighbors and this item will be on the agenda. 

Before we hung up, he finally agreed that he would discussing this next week when his supervisor returns and would call me with their decision.  I thanked him, and with a little laugh, said that I'll be talking with him most likely before he calls me. 

Did we lose some perspective?

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Debt, Deficit, Vote for who??

Who are you going to vote for?  Here in Connecticut, it's getting pretty mud slamming to say the least. In my opinion - what a waste of time, money, and there isn't a messge yet!

Wherever you are - you may wish to look at the list below as you consider the canidates that are up for election. 

This list came out from The Daily Beast.  Actually it is an interesting slide show - click here.   To do the math - take the state's "debt 2010" divided by its GDP (gross domestic product) 2009.  The higher the percentage,  the worse position the state is in. 

There was an interesting additional piece of information in this list.  It listed the current/upcoming Budget Deficit.  Remember the deficit  means that current year revenue for the state, taxes collected from You, less the state's expenditures for programs, salaries, medical, etc.  The B - you know it - is for billion.

How does a state improve it's numbers.  One way is to let business do more business - that way the state's GDP goes up.  Another way and in my opinion, most important, the state should not not have a deficit in the budget.  At the end of a budget year, if the deficit held true, that shortfall of money turns into debt.  Three states listed say they have no deficit - hmmm? 

Who are you going to vote for?  One question (of many) that hasn't been truly answered yet - what are financial and fiscal policies that are going to be reviewed and acted upon?  Remember, government doesn't make jobs - small businesses make jobs.

Here's the list - click here to see the original

1 - Rhode Island 21.54%  ------  Budget Deficit  0.395 B
2 - Massachusetts 20.73% ----- Budget Deficit 2.700 B
3 - Alaska 18.50%  ------ Budget Deficit 0.000 B
4 - Connecticut 16.69%  ------ Budget Deficit 5.100 B
5 - Montana 16.66%  ------ Budget Deficit 2.700 B
6 - Vermont 15.64%  ------ Budget Deficit 0.338 B
7 - New Hampshire 13.55%  ------ Budget Deficit 0.365 B
8 - West Virginia 13.09%  ------ Budget Deficit 0.134 B
9 - New Jersey 12%  ------ Budget Deficit 10.070 B
10 - New Mexico 11.93% ------ Budget Deficit 0.333 B
11 - Maine 10.77% ------ Budget Deficit 0.940 B
12 - Delaware 10.77% ------ Budget Deficit 0.377 B
13 - South Carolina 10.75% ------ Budget Deficit .130 B
14 - Maryland 10.74% ------ Budget Deficit 2.000 B
15 - Illinois 10.71% ------ Budget Deficit 13.500 B
16 - Louisiana 10.57% ------ Budget Deficit 1.000 B
17 - New York 10.45% ------ Budget Deficit 8.500 B
18 - South Dakota 10.27% ------ Budget Deficit 0.102 B
19 - Hawaii 10.17% ------ Budget Deficit 0.594 B
20 - Pennsylvania 9.84% ------ Budget Deficit 4.100 B
21 - Wisconsin 9.71% ------ Budget Deficit 3.400 B
22 - Missouri 9.28% ------ Budget Deficit 0.730 B
23 - Kentucky 9.20% ------ Budget Deficit 0.780 B
24 - Indiana 9.13% ------ Budget Deficit 1.300 B
25 - Washington 9.09% ------ Budget Deficit 1.200 B
26 - Mississippi 8.49% ------ Budget Deficit 0.716 B
27 - North Dakota 7.87% ------ Budget Deficit 0.000 B28 - Oklahoma 7.78% ------ Budget Deficit 0.725 B
29 - Idaho 7.68% ------ Budget Deficit 0.840 B
30 - Michigan (ratio not listed)
31 - Florida 7.59% ------ Budget Deficit 4.700 B
32 - California 7.30% ------ Budget Deficit 17.9 B
33 - Colorado 7.22% ------ Budget Deficit 1.500 B
34 - Oregon 6.90% ------ Budget Deficit 2.500 B
35 - Virginia 6.87% ------ Budget Deficit 1.300 B
36 - Alabama 6.60% ------ Budget Deficit 0.586 B
37 - Wyoming 6.37% ------ Budget Deficit 0.147 B
38 - Washington DC 6.27% ------ Budget Deficit 0.104 B
39 - Ohio 6.26% ------ Budget Deficit 3.00 B
40 - Iowa 6.22% ------ Budget Deficit 1.100 B
41 - Utah 5.89% ------ Budget Deficit 0.700 B
42 - North Carolina 5.81% ------ Budget Deficit 5.800 B
43 - Kansas 5.22% ------ Budget Deficit 0.510 B
44 - Arizona 5.00% ------ Budget Deficit 3.100 B
45 - Arkansas 4.5% ------ Budget Deficit 0.000 B46 - Nebraska 4.43% ------ Budget Deficit 0.329 B
47 - Minnesota 4.40% ------ Budget Deficit 4.000 B
48 - Georgia 4.01% ------ Budget Deficit 4.200 B
49 - Texas 3.69% ------ Budget Deficit 4.600 B
50 - Nevada 3.58% ------ Budget Deficit 1.800 B
51 - Tennessee 1.95% ------ Budget Deficit 1.000 B