Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Book 'Em!

January at the Pines is finally acting like....well...January in Ohio! We have some snow on the ground and a bite in the air. The temps have been seasonal, in the 20's and lower. Our woodstove is humming along and keeping it cozy.  The sun was out today and I find that even if  "Baby It's Cold Outside" is playing in your head, it's still a mood lifter to have that vitamin D.  When I got home from work this afternoon I was happy to see my new blog book arrived.
My last year life in print and photos.  It's the 10th book I have.  This is my 12th year of blogging but my first book contained 2 years of blogging.  I'm more chatty now and can fit one year in a book with no problem!  I enjoy thumbing through it and comparing the months and seeing if I actually did anything great last year.  Nothing earth shattering but good nevertheless.  It's a journal, a diary, a connection with family and friends and my blog friends that I've never met personally but feel like I've known forever.  Many times I've talked about blogging with others and most people say the same thing: "I don't have anything to write about" or "I don't have time for that" or "I wouldn't know how to start something like that".  Since I've been blogging I've noticed that I ask more questions of people about their lives...past or present...and then realize, even if they don't, that they do indeed have something to write about. Everyone has a story, or a life worth remembering.  I know I'm preaching to the choir here since most folks that read my blog are actually bloggers!  So what do we write about?  Here's an example:  Saturday night talent show.  Our church had it's annual talent show and potluck.  I was surprised at the talent that was shared.   It was shared by adults, teens, millennials, and even toddlers.  Of course I have the photos to prove it!
Everyone brings something to share.  You never know what's on the menu but as most church socials go, the homemade food is delicious.   The following acts were pretty good too!
Family acts with tiny comedians
Clarinet players.
Classical pianists...notice there's no music, it's all from memory and was fabulous.
Magic acts that relied on science.
Guitar player who can also sing and make us smile.
Ukulele players and Mom's with littles who sing and dance. There were  many more but some of my  pics just didn't come out very good.  But a big applause to the poetry readers, sign language singer, trombone player that just started playing and his selection was "Hot Cross Buns" played as only a 10yr old can do it!  Oh, and the 3 year old who did somersaults..backwards no less! Something for everyone I guess!  All blog worthy material.  Finally, as I was looking through the pages I noticed a post from last year with Arnie playing in the snow:
I noticed something strange.  His coloring has changed so much in the last year:
Same dog? Yep....maybe a few pounds heavier too! (shhhh...he's sensitive about it) Gone is the brown hair.  Oh well, we love you Arnie no matter your coloring.  So that's what blogging is about to me.  My simple pleasures on paper to enjoy, share, and remember year to year.  Have a blog worthy day tomorrow and don't forget to write about it!


Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Just Eggcellent!

You may be thinking that this post will be about eggs.  Eggs...the perfect food...eggcept if you're me and can't eat them.  No, I'm not really allergic.  I just have an intolerance to them. I get all over joint pain when I eat them.  Sound weird?  Well, that's me..weird! Anyway, I may not eat them but I use them in baking and I've found that the ones that come fresh from the chicken, not the grocery store, bake much nicer baked goods.  We don't have chickens here at the Pines.  The thought has occurred to us to raise them but I know I don't have the desire to do that at this time.  My neighbors have them and l know the fox that lives in the Creepy Woods enjoys a fresh chicken dinner once in a while!  So what makes me think about writing a post about eggs?  Well, Jack came home from work last week and brought a dozen fresh eggs that one of his patients left for him.  Yes, he's the kind of Doc that gets fresh eggs, sometimes meat, and other items from his patients! I reread that line and it sounds like his patient laid the eggs herself! Ha! NO...her chickens did!  Anyway, when I opened the carton I was eggcited to see what color they would be.  The dozen we had previously were pretty shades of blue, brown, tan, and green.  This batch was all green!  I said, "Holy Cow! Green eggs! All we need is some ham!"  (You know, Green Eggs and Ham...Dr. Suess?) I also said it would be a blog worthy moment.  Jack suggested I go to our freezer and grab a ham and take a pic. While writing this I had no get up and go to get up and go to the freezer in garage for the ham.  So here's the eggs:
Wait!!! Where's the green eggs?  I took multiple pics and could not get a shot that showed the actual color...a pale green...of these cuties.  I guess you'll just have to believe me when I say they are green. So that's my eggstraordinary post for this night.  The only other news from the Pines is the eggceptional weather we have been having.  Temps in the 50's and 60's in mid January. I write this so next year I can look back and see how the weather compares to January, 2021.  Weird? Yep, that's me again! Remember my shoes from the previous post? Well, they were not comfy so back they went.  I guess I'll just have to walk on egg shells until I find the perfect fit.  I hope everyone has a good week, not one that's scrambled, hard boiled, fried, or cracked.  I wish you only, soft boiled, over easy and very sunny side up...and that's no Yoke! 


Thursday, January 9, 2020

A Work Less Day

I was asked yesterday if I would like a low census day today.  You don't have to ask me twice about taking a day off! The clinical coordinator had a smile on her face when she asked..she knew how I'd answer I guess! Every once in a while it's nice to have a "work less day" in the week.  Now, I may not be in surgery, but I do have things I try to accomplish with this free day.  After sleeping in..yum, I love that, I got up and washed and waxed my kitchen floor, vacuumed the house, made 2 loaves of bread...banana nut and cinnamon swirl...took a jaunt in the Creepy Woods, had lunch with Jack, (Chinese was very good!), checked blogs, and I'll be heading out soon to take Arnie for a walk in the cemetery.  The weather has been freakishly nice this January and I want to take advantage of every nice day to get out and walk.  Sometimes I think I need to do something  fabulous and great when I get one of these work less days but then I realize that no matter what I do, or accomplish, it's all fabulous!
I took out the old rug that was a solid navy blue and put in a lighter shaded one.  Brightens up the space.
Two loaves of sweet bread, wrapped and ready for work tomorrow. I'm sure my coworkers won't mind my day off endeavors!
This is the same view as my snowy header pic only it's very snow less today! We're going to have temps in the 50's and 60's this weekend.  The Winterfest ice scupture folks who are planning this annual festival on Saturday and Sunday won't be too thrilled.  This has happened a few times but they hold the event anyway.  Not sure we'll get there to see the ice melt, but who knows.
Finally, I'll put a pic of my new work shoes that arrived yesterday.  Looking back at my blog from last year I saw that I had a new pair around the same time.  When you're on your feet all day you need to change out shoes at least once a year...maybe more depending on your feet. Worst thing to have is a bad back followed by bad feet.  Good shoes can help both.  So that's why I blog..to check and see when I last bought new work shoes! Ha! Actually, it's time to put my 2019 blog into print.  That's something I do every year and I've come to love those books. It's fun to look back and remember that everyone has a story.  Some are much more interesting than mine, but mine is still a life that's worth recording and this is the easiest way and fun too, to do it.  I've met some really nice folks in blog land and even if the post is about shoes, or bread,  or weather, or "work less days", it's surely not a "worthless day" to put in print.  I hope everyone has a wonderful, blog worthy day!
   

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Snot Nose

You've heard the term "snot nose kid" I'm sure.  Well, I'm not a kid but I've been sporting a snot nose since New Year's Eve.  New Year's Day dawned and I felt like I was hit by a truck.  I took some Dayquil and slogged through a traditional dinner of pork..or in our case, ribs, and sauerkraut  and also throw in some black eyed peas for good luck measure.  We cut my Greek New Year bread..it's called Vasilopita, to see who would get the lucky coin baked inside.  Well, I won that so I hope it does bring good luck!  On New Year's Eve we went to a surprise birthday party for our good friend Greg who's going to be 75 next week. He was truly surprised and we had a nice time but I was ready to head home and to bed. I didn't see the ball drop at midnight, only my eyelids!  Today I finished getting all the Christmas decorations down and put away and the house seems a bit empty.  The weather so far has been warmer than usual but snow is falling tonight.  However, temps in the 30s isn't bad at all.  I'll be happy that next week will be a normal work week with no confusion as to what day it is. I feel like we had more than one Monday for the last 2 weeks!  I'm feeling better and I'm looking forward to starting some indoor projects for this winter.  I hope everyone had a great holiday.  Do you do traditional things that are suppose to bring good luck?
No coins in your bread? 
My real luck might be the extra vitamin C to get the rest of my cold gone! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!