Vulgar is as vulgar does

Yes, the title is a Forrest Gump-ism.

My apologies to Forrest, but it sounds like something he might have said, doesn't it?

A few days ago, I saw where the Supreme Court is being asked to weigh in on the FCC's guidelines and fines.  Basically, the case would open the floodgates to the broadcast networks to show and say anything, just like the cable networks.

Not too long ago, I came across an online discussion regarding offensive language in a prime-time television show. Someone raised an objection to the proliferation of "G-D" bombs in a new USA Network original series.  I happened to see several episodes of the series they were referring to and also found the inclusion of this particular phrase to be gratuitous and crude - it wasn't uttered in the context of a heated outburst, it was a casual adjective tossed in and repeated numerous times, like a kid who has learned a naughty word and looks for every opportunity to use it in a sentence until he gets scolded.

But apparently, the majority opinion - at least in that little fishpond/forum - was that this phrase and others of its ilk are now commonplace in modern society, and anyone who objects to them is either geriatric and/or too sensitive for their own good. And the old-school folks would do well to get used to such language. Or turn off their TV.

Really?  That's their best argument?

For too long, I think we've accepted the idea that if we don't like something, it isn't our place to render judgment, but we should simply leave it for those that do. That advice might be fine for the buffet line, but when it comes to what comes to us through our radios and televisions sets, just how long do we continue down this path before the only recourse is to shut ourselves in our homes and tune out the rest of the world, figuratively and literally?

As a kid growing up, any potty-mouth phrases were met with--at a minimum--a stern, "Don't be vulgar" rejoinder from any adult within earshot. And so I always equated the word "vulgar" with coarse, crude language.

But its core, vulgar (vulgare, vulgaris in Latin) means "common." I guess it is fair to characterize offensive words and phrases as vulgar - sadly it seems they have truly become truly common and commonplace.

I'm not naive and I do understand that most of us utter impolite things from time to time - some people more than others.  However, if I could, I would ask script writers to consider this:

Does life imitate art, or vice-versa?

if it's life imitating art, then screenplay "art" has a moral imperative to inspire us to be better than we are.

If art imitates life, then that's a pretty sad commentary on what the writers see when they view the world.  Maybe they should get out more, or at least become a little choosier about the company they keep.

Looks like a lot has Gone With the Wind...

Maybe someday televisions and movies will come up with the "novel" idea of holding up a more enlightened and refined vision of humanity to us, instead merely echoing what is coarse and crude and well....vulgar.

If they do, let's not spoil it for them by reminding them they've gone back to the "good old days" when only movies were allowed to have any bad words and the earliest adopters of coarse language even had to pay a fine to the FCC to include those particular phrases.

Until then I guess I'll keep picking and choosing what to watch from a shrinking pool of possibilities.

Happy thoughts,

Geauxxxxxxx, SEC

For Big Orange fans, it has been the winter of our discontent. (Thank you, Master Shakespeare for this and so many other apt quotes.)  We had little to cheer about during the regular season, and no post-holiday bowl games to bring us cheer.

But the BCS championship tonight means at least one SEC team will be the national champs.  And it also marks the official end of the 2011 college football season.

Finis, finale, omega, terminus, The End.

Turn the last page and close the book.  May next fall be better.

Disclaimer:  in case you don't know us well, we are SO not Alabama fans (I prefer to think that big red "A" on the back of all those Alabama cars stands for an adjective.  One that aptly fits all those Tide fans who revel in being drunk, belligerent and obnoxious, especially on game days.  Hey, don't act like the backside of a mule, and we won't be reduced to thinking of you as such.)


And we're really not fans of the Tigers either - especially after the 2010 robbery we endured at their hands. 

That said, I thought I would at least tip my figurative chef's hat to the two teams matching up tonight.  The main dish goes to LSU with some hearty, spicy chicken and shrimp gumbo; the recipe is courtesy of one of my childhood friends.  It was at her dinner table  that I was first introduced to the wonderfulness that is gumbo, so I'm excited to try her family recipe.    To balance things, dessert is a nod to Alabama's legendary coach, a Bear Bryant chew cake.  (I have no idea what Coach Saban likes to eat, and I highly doubt I'll ever really care.)

I just hope that one year in the not-so-distant future we're not sitting at home during bowl week, but instead we're somewhere singing "Rocky Top" until we're hoarse and cheering our boys to a bowl victory after a solid, soul-satisfying winning season.

Happy eating,



P.S. If you're wondering if I am still making it a point to make Sundays our day of rest, the answer is yes!  In fact, I had a long grocery and supplies list after cleaning house this past Saturday.  I was tempted to put it off and make a Sunday afternoon shopping trip, but I bit the bullet and went on  Saturday evening.  I was quickly and repeatedly reminded just how blessed I am to be able to shop during the day on weekdays.  I think 7 pm on a Saturday night is cranky time for every child being dragged around a store by an equally cranky parent.  But because I restocked the pantry when I did, our Sunday lunch was quickly put together (hot Hawaiian ham and cheese sandwiches) and Sunday evening was crockpot full of hearty loaded potato soup.  In between was time for football, a little online work, my daily Bible reading....and a nap.

Ten Commandments for Pinterest

I'm not sure these should be carved on stone tablets, but they should be placed somewhere I will see them frequently...

Happy crafting and pinning,
 

Me, eBay and the postal service

Buying off eBay can be fun and exciting.  And with some discipline, it can be a fairly (cough) inexpensive means of acquiring items that you want, especially those that are no longer readily available in stores.  Like my Fiesta dishes.  And my violet china.  And my Christmas village pieces.

But as the saying goes, occasionally, there's a fly in the ointment.  And this past year, I had two ointment incidents - and my guess is they were equally frustrating for the sellers.  The first involved my "lucky #7 red bowl."  Well, it wasn't so lucky.  When the USPS driver handed the box to me, it rattled.  I told him it shouldn't rattle.  We opened it then and there, to find shards and chips rattling around what was left of the cracked bowl. The seller graciously and promptly refunded my money, but that meant I was - and am - still short the seventh bowl.  One of these days, another one in good quality at a good price will come up and I'll snag it, but sometimes you're ready for the hunt to be over, and I was at that point.

More recently, the UPS driver left a box at my door that also rattled ominously when I picked it up.  It was supposed to be the Granville house from "It's a Wonderful Life."  Well, apparently UPS' aim was better than George's - they not only broke out a window, but busted up the whole place. All the kings horses and men couldn't put this thing back together again.  Like the Fiesta bowl, it's disappointing for all concerned. In the big scheme of things, it's a minor tempest in a tiny little teacup, but once again, I'm left without the item that I had really hoped to have and display.

So why am I writing this?  To vent, yes. And to caution sellers of one-of-a-kind items to take extra precautions when preparing them for shipment.  An extra layer or two of bubble wrap, snugged up nice and tight, can mean the difference between a successful transaction and one that leaves everyone feeling the pain.

I'd lump in the drivers and package sorters into my little list of transgressors, but to be honest, those guys do a tremendous job, day in and day out.  I can't expect them to treat every package like they're carrying afternoon tea to the Queen.

And I guess I will make it a point from here on out to remind/plead for extra-careful packaging on any future eBay wins.  Then cross my fingers that the box doesn't make a clink when it shouldn't.

Happy (?) collecting,

Saving Christmas: Bake Someone Happy. From Scratch.

We're down to the last week - are you ready?  Christmas is almost here and I hope everyone is ready to enjoy some time with family and friends.

I finished up my Christmas baking a few weeks ago, and froze the bounty, which I'll make into plates to take to neighbors. I already sent a plate with Mr. Official to share with his coworkers last week.

But as I scoured for new Christmas recipes to try, it struck me that we really do live in a slice-and-bake era, and most of the "new" Christmas treats are cobbled together from pre-made ingredients.

I'm sorry if I'm bursting anyone's bubble, but I don't think Christmas cookies include your run-of-the-mill chocolate chip, M&M or peanut butter cookies or Rice Krispie treats.  (Although if you usually resort to pre-made or easy-bake cookies, maybe from-scratch versions of these cookie jar staples ARE your idea of a special "Christmas cookie.")

And in the interest of full disclosure, I admit I have my share of what I call "cheater" treats - coated pretzels, Rolo "turtles," and Oreo truffles.  These are treats with 2 or 3 ingredients that go together fast, are fun to make and tasty, and we use them to fill out the cookie plates as well as munch on ourselves.

But when it comes to cookies and Christmas, it's time to put the brakes on and get our bake on.

Let's slow things down a bit and dig out some of those old recipes.  If you don't have copies of them, think back to what you remember from your childhood, or ask parents, aunts and uncles or grandparents about the special baked treats they remember most from their own "wonder years."   Then look through cookbooks or online for recipes that will bake someone a happy memory or two. 

Yes, it's extra work.  Yes, we'll have read and follow archaic directions and actually measure out ingredients.  We may have to measure out some time - something that is in short supply these days.  And we may wind up with a big mess in our kitchen.

You can't cook or bake?  Really?  The generation that can figure out how to text and tweet has no excuse:  we can read and follow directions, which is all cooking and baking really is.

No time to do a full-blown cookie bake-a-thon?  No problem. Pick one recipe - just one. Carve out time and make a batch this week. Put on some Christmas music - (the Charlie Brown Christmas track is one of my all-time favorites), and before you know it, you'll be washing up the baking sheets and nibbling on your results as they cool.

I promise, it will be worth it.  Be it ever so humble, those old-fashioned Christmas cookie recipes from a by-gone era are a bridge between our past and our future.  Deciphering decades-old recipes scribbled on yellowed scraps  of paper, searching out those ingredients we aren't familiar with, and even enduring the occasional failed effort.  Those form traditions that give us and our children a rich layer of Christmas memories.  And those memories will carry into their adult years and can be passed along to their children.

It is a sure bet that a child (even if it's only your inner child) will remember a December evening or weekend morning  making cookies.  No matter how messy or disastrous, it will stick with you long after you have forgotten the must-have toy of the year. Don't settle for slice-and-bake.  Bake some memories, and make them special.

Happy baking,
 

Saving Christmas: Baking and merry-making

 I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays as much as we are!  Our house is decorated inside and out.  I was too busy decorating to snap many pics, but here's the dining room:

With the decorating done, this week I can turn my attention to baking and candy-making, and the days are shaping up like this: 

Monday: It's the cookie brigade. This year's lineup was carefully culled through and chosen for tradition, flavor variety and visual appeal.  Here's what made the cut: date pinwheels, almond crescents, and peppernuts and apricot jewels (old family favorites, but new for me to make), and new contenders, peanut butter "buttons" with licorice laces, or peanut butter reindeer with M&M eyes and pretzel antlers; and finally pecan cheese straws, which aren't sweet, but are otherwise just like making shortbread cookies.  Since I'm doing it all in one night, I can assembly-line everything from mixing to baking and have just one pile of dirty bowls and pans to deal with when I'm done.
Tuesday: Swim meet night, so no big plans for the evening.  Hopefully I can get a little gift wrapping done before I head to the pool deck
Wednesday: Toffee, fudge and peppermint patties and pralines from scratch, along with "filler" candies like coated pretzels or pretzel/rolo turtles, which I can cajole middle son and swimmer girl into making. And maybe another batch of apple cider caramels, because they are pretty delicious.
Thursday: Finishing up the gift wrapping. Confession:  gift wrapping this early is new for us this year - many times we are frantically wrapping gifts a day or two before Christmas. Not this year, not if I can help it.  Then a quick once-over on the house is in order, because company's coming!  Mr. Official's crew is invited over for an end-of-season holiday gathering on Saturday night.
Friday:  This year's lineup includes miniature loaves of quick breads: strawberry-nut and chocolate chip sour cream, plus a pumpkin or red velvet cake roll, sliced and portioned out. Wrapped in cellophane and frozen, these are great last-minute hostess gifts or they can help fill out a plate of goodies for someone. I'll just have time to get everything whipped up and baked, then I'm headed out to help watch a group (not sure how many) of toddlers and children from our congregation.  We're giving the young moms and dads free babysitting so they can have a date night, or get their Christmas shopping done.
Saturday: Food, friends and fun are on today's lineup.  I'm not sure what the menu is, at least as of today, since I'm not sure if this will be sit-down formal or come-and-go casual.  (Word to the wise:  this is what happens when you let guys invite guys over....)
Sunday:  After I whip up a batch of homemade marshmallows as gifts for my third grade students (I give them each a mug filled with hot cocoa mix and homemade marshmallows), it's a designated day of rest.  And really, everything that needs to be done will have been done:  the trees are decorated, gifts are wrapped, cookies baked and the candies made.  Phew!

And then it's time to sit back and enjoy truly the best parts of the season - visiting with friends and family, admiring holiday lights, and stealing away for a few days to celebrate our (29th!!!) anniversary, then slipping back just before anyone has a chance to miss us.


You may choose to pace yourself and spread out your Christmas preparations a little more than I do, but if you're pressed for time, like most of us are, hopefully these two weeks with ten big to-do days will inspire you to create your own streamlined lists and leave yourself plenty of time to savor the season.

Happy holidays!

Saving Christmas: Decorating Dilettante-Style

We're back from our Thanksgiving trek.  On the trip home, we were briefly serenaded by Christmas music, just to put us all in the holiday spirit.  And now begins the countdown to Christmas.  So how does a dilettante do Christmas?  Here's this week's list of my must-do's:
 
Monday: Laundry and cleaning the house are at the top of my to-do's for this evening; it's also  a chance to snag the last of the fall decor from around the house.  If there's time, I'll print off Christmas card address labels, even though we won't have cards ready to mail just yet.
Tuesday:  Up goes a new (bigger) kitchen tree, bedecked with Fiesta ornaments and assorted kitchen-related accoutrements I've collected over the years.  A few weeks ago, I snagged several packages of bright-colored rick-rack to hang the ornaments this year, for a truly Fiesta feel.  The kitchen table and china hutch will also get a quick green/red makeover.
Wednesday: The dining room gets shifted from fall to wintery white and shimmery blue and silver; it's the easiest room to switch up, so I scheduled it for the night I have the least free time.  The off-white Christmas dishes will be washed and stacked on the buffet for easy use.
Thursday: The bonus room tree goes up, displaying our true colors, loud and proud:  it's orange and white all the way, baby.
Friday: Mr. Official is working the Tennessee 5A championship game tonight, so I may or may not have time to Christmas-tize the den and sunroom, or just prepare the spot for the big tree.
Saturday:  Fun, old-fashioned family breakfast followed by outdoor decorating and indoor tree-trimming activities.  I debated on the cut tree vs. artificial tree, and decided to go back to my artificial tree for this year since I have room for it.   Weather permitting, we'll also get the outdoor porch decorating done, then spend the afternoon and evening putting ornaments on the tree in the den, and get a family Christmas photo in the process.
Sunday:  As soon as the family shot has been uploaded and photo cards ordered, it's time for some rest and relaxation so we're prepared to launch into the next week full-throttle. Unless I get the urge to put up another tree or two in the bedrooms.  But if not, it's no big deal.

Bottom line:  This week's list is daunting for sure.  But keep in mind we travel cross-country for Thanksgiving and the typical weekend-after-Thanksgiving tree-trimming activities are on hold until we get back. However, it's feasible to squeeze these tasks into evening and weekend hours because my decorations are fairly well organized and accessible from the walk-in attic.  (I've said it before, but really - God bless the person who first thought of giving over some second-floor room to attic storage.  You have my undying gratitude.)

Next Monday, I'll post pictures of the to-do's that have turned into "done's" along with a rundown of the second list of must-do's, so we can get to the fun stuff.

Happy holidays!
 

Saving Christmas: the gifts are tagged and bagged

Confession: as my blog name bears witness, I am a dilettante:  a dabbler in many things domestic, but flighty, flitty, fun, and even a little flaky.  If you were looking for that super-focused, relentlessly driven to pursue perfection blogger's blog, you're in the wrong place.  I can be over-organized one minute, and a disaster-looking-to-happen the next.  I can be crafty some days, but if the project doesn't get finished while the wind is in my sails, it might stay unfinished for a long time.  Maybe even forever.  I'm more like Tigger than Pooh.  My interests vary widely and my attention span is shorter than I am (and that's saying something.)

Which may explain why I'm suddenly thinking about Christmas before my best and favorite holiday (Thanksgiving) has come and gone.

I agree with the turkey.  No trees, no red-and-green until next week!

But this isn't just a case of me jumping the gun, or getting my holidays out of sequence.

Last year, Mr. Official did a 3-day stint in the hospital right before Christmas and it taught me a hard lesson about procrastinating on important aspects of the holidays - like um, shopping for gifts.   This year, we're headed down to the Florida Keys mid-December, so I'm even more motivated to get my ducks in a row early, even though this early bird stuff makes me feel like a duck out of water.  Yeah, I'm wearing out the hunting metaphors.

So now I'm going to let the cat out of the bag.

Spill the beans.

And give myself a pat on the back.

Because for the first time in a long time (oh, heck, let's be honest:  first time EVER, maybe????), my Christmas shopping is nearly completed (I have 4 or 5 items left to purchase) and it's not even Thanksgiving.  I started knocking it out with online purchases several weeks ago, and on Saturday, I declared open season on the outlet malls in Gatlinburg.  Unlike most of the rest of the world, I don't do Black Friday shopping (for a plethora of reasons), and by the time we return home from our Thanksgiving trip, we're knee deep into December and I feel I'm way behind before I even start. 

Anyway, the tagged-and-bagged gifts are cooling their jets in the back of my closet, and I can now resume our regular Thanksgiving programming.  In case you're wondering, my idea of a perfect "Black Friday" is a late, leisurely breakfast and then a few hours of ambling through some local stores and antique malls.  I'll think warmly of all of you trying to outgun each other from store to store.  As for me, I won't be enduring crushing crowds or interminable lines to stand in - I might snag a few good bargains or just enjoy browsing.

Starting next Monday, I'll share my weekly plans and ideas I'm using to save Christmas - and my sanity - in the hopes I can help you keep yours, too.

I adore this season with my whole heart, and I believe we can pull it off with our own individual style, grace and aplomb, without setting unrealistic expectations for ourselves.  Some realistic prioritizing and a little ingenuity can give us the sweet rewards of a joyful low-stress holiday that we actually remember with fondness.

If you haven't done your Christmas shopping yet, here's a sanity-saving tip I found helpful this year. I carried along a pack of big, bright Post-it notes and a marker, along with my trusty list of recipients and gift ideas.  As each purchase was completed, I slapped a sticky note with the recipient's name on the gift receipt (be sure to ask for those if there's any chance a return is in order), and tucked them both in the bag with the gift.   When we got home, everything was consolidated and everyone has one bag with all their stuff.  I don't know about you, but we have several family members with similar tastes, styles and sizes; the intended recipient can get a little fuzzy when we start the gift-wrapping frenzy.


Looking for something to get you in the true spirit of the holidays?  I heartily recommend Grisham's 2001 novel "Skipping Christmas" as a timely read this time of year.

The book is far better than the movie "Christmas with the Kranks"  and it articulates what many of us have felt about the approaching holiday season.  I don't advocate skipping Christmas, but I do want to enjoy it it the way it was meant to be celebrated, instead of dreading it.  So how do YOU save - and savor - the holidays?

Happy Monday,

Day of rest week 10: my big, fat crazy-busy, crafty Sunday

Yesterday, a day of rest?  Well, yes and no.

No lunch out and no shopping.  So I gave our local merchants a break.

But rest for our family?  Hardly.

It all started Friday night.  Mr. Official and Swimmer Girl were each at different football games. Big dog and I were home alone and a little bored.  So I washed, dried and spraypainted eight old chargers, taking them from 1990s gold leaf:

to a "hammererd" pewter finish:

That was quick and easy - a can of Krylon Fusion spray paint was all it took.

Then on Saturday, I stenciled a monogram on them - a set of the entire alphabet in 3-inch stencils was available at Hobby Lobby for about $5, which was way cheaper and - just as importantly - faster than ordering a larger letters.   In retrospect, I maybe coulda/shoulda/woulda done a more elaborate background design, but I think I like the elegant simplicity of just the single monogram.  Plus there's a little more saving grace if I'm not precisely centered, although I did make a concerted stab at measuring and marking the center of each plate:

 After mentally weighing the paint options, I went with a blue that is somewhere between wedgewood blue and turquoise, playing off the colors in the dining room and my china. As expected, the stencil's edges were a little rough, so after lunch yesterday, I carefully re-outlined them in the same color.  

The only thing left to do now is spray them with sealer so I can rinse or handwash them as needed.  Unless I decide to crackle them or outline them, or something else.

These were so easy to do, I don't know why I didn't think to do this a long time ago.   And if you don't yet have chargers, check places like Old Time Pottery, Hobby Lobby and Target. They have them in old and silver, plus glossy white, black and lacquered reds - whatever fits your style.  And as you can see, a few squirts of acrylic paint is all it takes to personalize them.

As soon as the monogram touchups were done, swimmer girl and I did a little domestic work (she, vacuuming; I, laundry folding), then dashed out the door to a baby shower for a dear friend.   That's what happens when you overschedule yourself on your day of rest.  Rest does not enter the picture.

We wrapped up the day with an early Thanksgiving dinner with our church family.  All in all, it was a very full, good good day of rest, but definitely not restful.

Happy Monday,

Day of rest, week 9: A super-sized, souper day!

Yesterday was the annual day to roll back our clocks, and that extra hour makes for a super-sized day.

It couldn't have come at a better time - instead of getting back from Knoxville at 11:30 Saturday night, we could tell ourselves it was only 10:30.  Reverting to standard time comes with its own adjustments to psyche and Circadium rhythms, but early morning rising will be a little easier - at least until the newness of the time change wears off.

I was mentally patting myself on the back yesterday morning, since I knew I had all the ingredients for a "souper" Sunday with vegetarian chili for dinner.  Then I remembered that lunch comes before dinner.  Eeek!  Fortunately, we had enough tag-ends left over that we all enjoyed something: pasta e fagioli, homemade pizza and tuna fish were up for grabs, along with a gameday bowl of creamy refried bean dip scooped up with big corn chips.

With the mealtime dilemmas out of the way, my afternoon was clear to accomplish some tasks.  For starters, I won this soup tureen on eBay:

Less than $5.  Woot!

I've been scouting vintage tureens for years.  And this one was pretty AND dirt cheap - that's a tough combination to beat.

After I scored the tureen, I turned my focus on the kitchen:  middle son recently requested monster cookies.  A big batch of these oversized monstrosities was in order, before our family devoured the huge bag of M&M's I bought especially to make them.

And I wanted to try a batch of apple cider caramels (most of which are going with Mr. Official to work today.)  So it was a pleasantly busy, home-centered afternoon, which suited me to a "T."

I think we are settling into a habit with this weekly routine, and not only did I hit the grocery store just once last week, I managed to stretch out the time between visits to ten days.  Granted, we ran out of milk a few days before I went, but it's now an optional drink for us, not a necessity.  And our foodbill was well under $100 for the week, due in large part to the stockpile of meats and other more expensive items I already had on hand to incorporate into the week's menu.

It struck me recently that we have not eaten a dinner out in quite some time, which can be attributed to  a combination of eating in on Sundays and football season, which consumes our Friday and Saturday nights.  That might change when we are no longer chasing after high school and college football games on Friday and Saturday nights, but for now, our food budget is heaving a huge sigh of relief.

I don't know how many more Mondays I'll blog about our weekly day of rest, although with the upcoming holidays, I may find us wrestling with time constraints that test my resolve to avoid shopping on Sundays.  But for now, a few simple, deliberate choices have created a new, enjoyable weekly routine.  The next step will be to re-introduce some form of hospitality on Sundays, either hosting a midday or evening meal occasionally.  

I hope you're intrigued or inspired just a little and considering trying a Sunday of respite, away from the hustle and bustle of eateries and shopping.  It's nice to not feel pressured to go anywhere, or do anything in particular one day a week.  

Like the 1970s Life cereal commercials told Mikey, "try it - you'll like it!"

Happy Monday,

Day of rest, week 8: no treats

Another Sunday has passed.  We witnessed the latest UT loss in Knoxville on Saturday (yeah, we're a little bitter.)  Since it was a late game, we spent the night before driving home Sunday morning and dropping off a nephew and his friend on the way.  When we arrived back home, I broke out an old-but-favorite tomato-basil cream soup recipe, and grilled some cheese sandwiches for our dinner. So it was a mostly non-consumer day; hotel breakfast notwithstanding.

Today is my least-favorite holiday.  Last year, I gave an explanation as to why I don't do Halloween anymore.  And I realize that makes me a bit of an oddity among my friends. (But so does my Sunday-day-of-rest thing, so I'm 2 for 2!)

In case you wondered, I can say I have never been afraid of poisoned candy or finding razor blades or needles in the treats. Nor have I ever been concerned that I or my children would be abducted by a satanic cult or opportunistic creep, even though we approached our share of strangers' doors on a dark night.

As a non-Catholic, I just can't celebrate Halloween as "All Hallow's Eve."  If I don't celebrate All Saints Day, it would be disingenuous to claim to celebrate its eve.

So why do I avoid this holiday?  In a nutshell, I'm a Christian, and it seems that modern society is quickly growing intolerant of Christians; I guess this is my proverbial line in the sand.  While I don't expect non-believers to adopt my beliefs, I hope they will reciprocate my tolerance and  understanding if I refuse to buy into a day that celebrates a combination of paganism, hedonism, gothic and the occult.

While I know everyone won't jump on this bandwagon with me, I hope that more will begin to open their eyes and realize there's probably a connection between the downplaying and marginalizing of Christian holidays and practices, with the swift rise in the commercial popularity of this one. 

Mr. Official asked me f I thought we'd have many trick-or-treaters.  Since we now live on a quiet country road, I'm hoping our unlit porch light won't disappoint too many out looking for some treats.  For those of you who participate in the festivities tonight, may you have a safe and happy evening. And I hope I've given you some substantive food for thought to go with all that candy.

Marty Feldman, Gene Wilder and Terri Garr in "Young Frankenstein"

If you drop by our house, be prepared to hang out a while - you'll undoubtedly get drawn into watching Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein" with us.  It is my one concession (aside from my beloved Charlie Brown images) to the day, with its goofy, campy send-off on the classic "horror" flicks of decades past.

Happy Monday,

Day of rest week 7: This is getting easier

Seven weeks does not a new habit make, but I will say it is getting more natural to plan ahead and make sure I have everything I think I will need to tide us over from Saturday to Monday. (Did I really just use "tide" in a sentence? After Saturday night's epic fail to 'bama?  Abject apologies to all my Vol-fan friends and family.)

Anyway, we ate up a variety of leftovers for lunch and it was as varied as a restaurant menu, with choices including 3-cheese pasta with chicken and alfredo sauce and toasty warm French dip sandwiches. Hot, fast, delicious and it used up food that would probably wind up tossed out otherwise.

After lunch was out of the way, Mr. Official and I each headed to the old house - he to mow, I to install closet cubbies and rods. I coulda/shoulda spent part of Saturday on this task but I chose to play with the grandpuppy and bake instead.  I knew before I went that I'd stall out midway - there were some items I'd need to buy in order to finish up (which is why I had planned to work on it Saturday.  Procrastinators Anonymous meets tomorrow, right?) 

Background, in case you didn't follow our house adventure.  It began almost a year when I got a wild hair to look at our old Oklahoma house, which turned into a wish list of features I'd like to have in a house.  In turn, that became a casual, then serious house hunt and eventual purchase and move.

My, how time flies. We moved out of our old house back in May, then somehow the summer flew by and we never quite got around to putting it on the market (an unusual situation, to be sure.)  The good news is, we have a family moving into it in a matter of days.  The bad news is, all the postponed to-do's must turn into checked-off "dones" in the next few evenings.

It's a manageable list, especially since I no longer need to cool my jets outside the swimming pool for a couple hours each evening. Yes, another vehicle has joined our caravan, so swimmer girl now has her own wheels to get her to and fro.

Sniff.

Smile.

Sigh. 

Dinner last night was a new recipe featuring sweet potatoes and black beans in some spicy chili.  (Recipe will be posted on Wednesday.  I know I'm featuring pumpkin recipes for the next several weeks, but sweet potatoes and pumpkins are nearly indistinguishable once they're cooked right?)

And because I planned ahead, I am enjoying my coffee with cream this morning as I type this.  (I was running dangerously low on both by Saturday, so swimmer girl and her oldest brother took my credit card and headed to fill up "her" Highlander and snag a few foodstuffs from Publix.)

So are you tempted to join me in this little social experiment?  C'mon...it's easier than it sounds. And honestly, doesn't it sound pretty simple to just steer clear of the mall and restaurants for one day a week?  Give it a try - you might find, like I am, that it is fairly easy and certainly more economical to give your family (and yourself) a day of rest, with a combination of leftovers and freshly prepared food that hit the table faster than most sit-down places can deliver. 

Happy Monday,

Day of rest week 6: It was a busy day

For the past six Sundays, I have consciously and deliberately tried to avoid shopping or eating out.  (Well, except when we were on vacation a couple weeks ago.)  Yesterday was no exception, and if swimmer girl had remembered earlier that she needed yarn and knitting needles for a group project, it would have been totally successful.  But I did my part.

I spent an enjoyable but busy afternoon in the kitchen.  First up was my first attempt at cassoulet.  I got everything browned and sauteed, then layered it in the crockpot to simmer while I turned my attention to all things pumpkin.

First up was a trial run of double-chocolate pumpkin cake.  The recipe made two small cakes, so we can enjoy one here and I'll take one with me to Bunco tomorrow night. Stay tuned for an assessment of the final product.

I also tested out another pumpkin bread recipe. The plan was to divide it into two loaves (since the recipe indicated it would make two loaves), with one sporting nuts and a streusel topping, while the other got an infusion of cream cheese filling and cinnamon glaze.  The result was a full-size loaf with a very runny cream cheese filling, and a miniature loaf of streusel-topped nut bread. Either I seriously misjudged the amount of batter I placed in the first pan, or the ingredients need tweaking.  (I'm leaning towards the latter.)

Regardless, the resulting loaves were good and I'll showcase them in an upcoming recipe-of-the-week.   I also took step-by-step photos of assembling the cassoulet, and since it also received a thumbs-up from the family, I'll outline my experience soon.

Our weather today was pitch-perfect:  it was warm and sunny, with a hint of coolness on the breeze.  If I hadn't been keeping close watch on the oven timer, it would have been a gorgeous afternoon to spend outdoors.  So how did you spend  your Sunday?  I hope it was restful, relaxing and enjoyable!  If it was also free from consumerism, all the better.

Happy Monday,

Day of rest, week 5: my plans were not their plans

Swimmer girl and I dropped off her friend and arrived home safe and sound from fall break early Friday evening.  We barely had time to catch our breath on Saturday before we hopped in an eastbound car and headed for Knoxville for a 6 pm game.  (I have almost no voice after my failed efforts to cheer on the Vols and I was practically speechless watching the Titans lose on Sunday.)

But before we headed to the game, my mental wheels were turning:  what was my gameplan for food and "fun" on Sunday?

I determined that food was in place, but I didn't have anything in mind (except maybe a nap to catch up on some lost sleep.)  I've been wanting to paint our front door since the first day I laid eyes on it. and I decided Sunday would be as good a day as any to transform it, so I ran to The Home Depot for door paint and patted myself on the back for ensuring my Sunday was lined out.

After grabbing a quick bite for Sunday lunch and mixing and measuring for a pot of chii in the crockpot, I set to work transforming the door from UT (that'd be Texas) burnt-orange/red to "French Roast," which is blackish brown just like the coffee beans.  A couple hours later, the door and my fingers were well-coated in paint.

See, I did my part to help us avoid the stores and eateries.

However, my mental safety net didn't extend quite far enough and Mr. Official and Swimmer Girl had other plans:  they headed to town to look for a new sectional sofa for the bonus room while I was tied up painting.  One of the furniture stores is threatening to go out of business soon (and will continue to threaten to "close their doors forever" for the forseeable future), so dad and daughter did their part and took a sofa off their hands. Then they hit Sonic for happy hour, and brought me a diet cherry limemade as proof.  I drank it with a small twinge of guilt. 

Now let's just hope the sofa fits in its new spot when it arrives.  (They traipsed off without a tape measure or room measurements.  God love 'em both.) Next week I'm determined to keep us ALL out of the retail establishments.  Wish me luck!


Happy Monday,

Day of rest, week 4: An exception to every rule

This week is fall break for us.  As we have done for several years, we're soaking up the last bit of summery goodness on the white sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.

Yesterday began with worship, then we headed toward the impossibly beautiful, pastel tinted town of Seaside for an afternoon of sightseeing, boutique rummaging, and...eating out.

Yes, I know.  It was Sunday:  my self-declared day of rest from consumerism.  And there I was, shopping and dining with everyone else.

A most fitting sign outside one of the shops that was closed for the day.

Seaside's post office stood quiet and still, too.

What can I say?  My goal is not to foist or bind this "day of rest" idea on anyone, nor am I advocating we return to laws that would force compliance.  It is only to gently encourage all of us to give some serious consideration to taking a weekly break from the consumer "rat race." And - if enough of us were to do it on a regular basis - it might eventually lead to retail store owners giving themselves and their employees the gift of a weekly break, too.

Our regular programming will resume next Sunday.  But for today, we're honoring a tradition that swimmer girl and I look forward to from the minute we begin firming up our itinerary for the annual trip.  And some traditions are worth honoring, even when they hang in the balance against other goals and ideals.

Happy fall,

Day of Rest, Week 3: A close call

Once again, I managed to keep us out of restaurants and stores on Sunday, but it took some mental gymnastics.

I had planned roast beef for Sunday's meal, but I didn't think to check my stockpile of ingredients I typically pour over a roast when it goes in the slower cooker.

Early yesterday morning, I pulled the beef from the refrigerator and set up the crockpot. All the while, I was mentally congratulating myself for having planned ahead.

I then reached in the pantry for a can of cream of mushroom soup and pulled out...nothing.

Hmmmmm.

In my head, I heard my own big lecture about making foods from scratch, as my hands groped vainly for a can of soup in the empty spot where it wasn't.  To be honest, it had been a while (a long while) since I made a roast without relying on the tried-and-true canned mushroom soup and powdered onion soup mix blend to smother it and keep it moist while cooking.

In my near-panic, I remembered I had ordered some roast beef seasoning from Penzys.  And my mind began a quick inventory.  Onions, check.  Celery, check.  Carrots, check.  Garlic, check.  Mushrooms, check. But I was still at a loss for a liquid. Until I reached in the refrigerator for the vegetables, and remembered I had a large tub of beef base just sitting in there, waiting to be mixed with some water and used.

I seared the roast, sprinkled it with seasoning, piled the vegetables in the bottom of the crockpot, placed the roast on top, then covered it with mushrooms and some minced garlic, then poured a cup of beef stock over the top.  Mission accomplished, and a lesson learned about keeping fresh ingredients on hand.  Maybe I can even "can the can" and stop relying on condensed soup, one recipe at a time. (Canned cream soups are a handy "binder" in a lot of recipes, but as yesterday's exercise proved, they aren't necessary - especially if I keep stock and vegetables on hand.)

I didn't have any green vegetables (gasp), so we carbed our way through lunch with sides of Dijon-crusted roast potatoes and macaroni and cheese (made with  a different shape because...you guessed it, we were out of elbow mac.)

Just three weeks into this experiment, it is already becoming easier and more natural to plan ahead for Sunday, so we're not left at loose ends when we leave church.  It takes effort to be creative and flexible when something isn't on hand, and it will take some convincing for our children to completely warm up to this idea.  Years of routinely eating out for lunch (and often dinner) on Sundays is deeply etched into our family's instincts.

But I think we'll succeed.  And on another positive note, I managed to get us through a full 7 days with only one trip to the store.  This week's shopping trip will be a doozy, but it was nice to make it an entire week without an emergency raid on the grocery store.

Happy Monday,