QuidNunc/QuidTunc?

Phone rings. Child cries “I Need Help!” What’s a mother to do.??? She gets on craigslist, she calls some numbers. she finds someone who wants to sell a washer and dryer today. Picks up dolly and man in a van. The Man gets both the washer and dryer into the back of a regular sized mini van. Amazing Man! Drive to Philadelphia. Unload the w/d into daughter’s house with help of SIL and a little help from grandson. Come home and go to bed. Man is asleep in 5 minutes, barely kissed his wife good night. Peace. Love. Joy. That’s Christmas, isn’t it????

I asked Mary what she wants for Christmas today and she gave me her customary “I dunno” and I threatened her with givin her a puzzle if she doesn’t come up with something! :>) But sometimes when you re asked on the spot it’s hard to think of something and sometimes I do think of something when no one is asking. So here is the official post for ideas or suggestions and we might update it from time to time. Since this is really directed at my children here is a FOR MOM and a FOR DAD list. Well, at least it’s November.

FOR MOM

1.there are some really cool amaryllis plantings on Jackson and Perkins web site. They are expensive, but you can come up with your own packaging and skip the postage

2. little spice jars from IKEA like I already have.

3. A nice framed picture of yourselves, or a collage.

4. A Christmas CD, not too swing-y and not too stuffy, I really like flute and guitar

5. Lotion, shampoo that I already use so in the hard days if winter I don’t have to worry whether I have money for my ‘name brands’

6. Gift card from Amazon /Sears

FOR DAD

1. sports earphones for an MP3 player

2. small vase with colored sand patterns in it. Mom threw out the other one that was 20 years old (just kidding!!!)

2. again-Gift card from Amazon/or restaurant

3. Pictures of grandkids to ut on desk at work… no bellies!

4. Cool music like Jnet plays in her car

5. actually music, books, snack-healthy, will work

Until later…..

I had a cooking fit this morning. I am not checking with MW Dictionary to see the various meanings of it. If you are that curious, help yourself. It started about 5:00 this morning I started thinking about the chili I would make Mary and me for lunch. On rice. Then Em wanted the baked oatmeal recipe. Then I saw a lot of tortillas in the refrigerator, so I think I’ll make some quesadillas, too. So I made a big pot of chili, a crock pot half full of rice (a great way to cook rice, by the way). and two pans of baked oatmeal. Oh, Mary, you forgot the blueberries! Mary went home with her lunch. I have been awake since 3 and they just home from being away for a few days, so we were too tired to socialize over lunch. About the time she gets her coat on Scott calls and says, “Are you bringing home food?” The cupboards are empty…. but not for long!!

The day came when I had to drive my kids to school. Bat that time it took us 15-20 minutes to get there. I found it sort of a cooling off period between “Where’s your_____? Did you ______? , etc.”  We could catch outr breath and talk if we wanted to. One time Sam was being a big grouch because the radio wasn’t working. He was driving. I subtly suggested he could sing, to which he just gave me a snarl. But within a few minutes, he and Luisa were singing! Some things can’t be helped!

Another time Luisa and I were doing background for this Mannheim Steamroller song. When I play this Christmas music is official. It is great morniong music. It always stuns me that I like this electronic stuff! Some errant gene, maybe! so for your listening pleasure, folks and for good cheer if you’ve got a gray day as we do.

I was never a big mac and cheese fan. (I hope I didn’t recently write about sweet potatoes). But recently I was at a friend’s house for dinner and there was mac and cheese. Well, It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just like, “what’s there to like?”  It was deeee-lishous! After we ate it, she says, “Do you want to know what kinds of cheeses are in it? ” After listing about 5 she said she only put about half what it called for. “It’s a recipe for a heart attack waiting to happen.”  My sister makes pretty good mac and cheese and I even ‘allow’ it at the Thanksgiving table. I don’t remember having seconds, but maybe that’s because there are way too many other things to eat at Thanksgiving.

I used to make it at Cono, and I would doctor it up with herbs and stuff to give it a little flavor. One day a boy said to me, “Mrs. DiBernardo, some of us like mac and cheese just the way it is.” I realized I was ‘doing it up’ because I didn’t like it. sort of like a non-coffee drinker making the coffee. I think it’s time for another cup of coffee. Seeyooz

When we were in 7th grade, Mrs. Belz would send us outside to wrote ’something pretty’ papers. I always liked this assignment, but I can remember doing it only once. I feel like we did it more often. i wonder what other people wrote about. I wrote about trees. I guess I like trees too. Lately I have been collecting and waxing leaves for decoration. I am sure that I am the only one walking the Lancaster Streets and bendiing over and picking up leaves. somehow a little project like this gives a person pleasure. I stuck some to my windows and I made a little wreath which needs a slight repair because I was low on glue in the glue gun.

So here is the proJecto:

modus operandi

the melted parafin, the fresh ones and done ones in a stack.

Name that leaf

And here is the pretty girl who went on a walk with me today