A Little Gary Larson to Get Things Started

In 1987 when I put a family cookbook together, Gary Larson's Far Side cartoons appeared in the daily paper. When our family would get together, inevitably at some point we would end up taking turns describing our favorites. Even the kids loved them--I can still hear Lukas taking his turn telling about the deer with a target on its chest standing with a group of other deer and the caption "Bummer Birthmark, Hal."

So it only seemed natural to include them in the cookbook. I used this one for the "Main Dish" section:

Musings and Meatballs

Something just feels different about Christmas this year. Last Saturday I attended a ladies Christmas brunch at our church. During the devotion, we were asked how our perspective has changed over the past year. I realized that there have been some defining moments and encounters that have truly changed my perspective. Bear with me as I'm struggling to put this all into words..
As many of you know, I write about women on a regular basis. Many of them have experienced great sorrow, loss and pain. But they all have one thing in common--they are forever changed in the way they look at life and have managed to find purpose and meaning in their loss. I see it in their eyes, hear it in their voices and feel it in the simplest gestures.

My life has changed. Mom has lived with us for a year now. I am a caregiver. Sometimes I'm really good at it and sometimes I suck.

I haven't done any shopping yet and my house isn't decorated.
It doesn't really feel like that big of a deal.
Because the other night, Mom and I made meatballs.
And it made Mom happy.
And that made me happy.

We used Marie Neslund's recipe. She was sister Verla's mother-in-law who passed away more than 20 years ago. She was beautiful, fun and a great cook. The recipe is from a family cookbook I put together in 1987. I left the recipes in their original form which makes them even more precious now. I think I'll share a few more favorites with you over the next couple days.

Here's the recipe--

Here are the meatballs (obviously I'm not a food stylist) along with a the oyster stew we enjoyed during last weeks snowstorm. I'm not sure if Marie would approve, but I de-glazed the  pan with that Paul Newman cabernet in the photo which made a yummy sauce for part of the meatballs.I  froze the rest.

They could also be baked in the oven--and I didn't have any dried ginger so I substituted about a half tsp of freshly grated ginger.

Mom is at her house with my brother for the next few weeks--I should say I miss her, but so far today I've already talked to her three four times. She just called to find out if I just called her.

Tis 12 days before Christmas

... and here is our house. 

 Not a creature is stirring--except for a mouse

Sam noticed the tracks through the new-fallen snow

And quickly decided that old wall had to go

I busied myself and stayed out of sight.

Lest I say the wrong thing and start a big fight.

There was hammering and pounding mixed in with some sawing

He really didn't need my hemming and hawing

"I'm going to need you to help in a little while"

We took out the old window and I told him to smile

 

Visions of sugar plums (cranberries?)

Kept me occupied

 

Visions of  mouse holes

Kept Sam working outside

For me, I'm still cleaning and decking the hall

While Sam keeps on plugging away at his wall.

Happiness is

If there's one lesson I've learned over the past years, it is to NEVER, EVER take no for an answer when dealing with a "customer service representative." In fact, I can tell within 5 seconds of the conversation whether I'm dealing with someone who is truly interested in helping me or is sitting in their cubicle eating Cheetos and reading Craig's list rants and raves.

In my quest to replace my broken broadband connection, I first called our local Verizon dealer and told him my story. He was busy but promised to look up the options and get right back to me. In the meantime, I retrieved my Verizon "You Qualify for a Free Upgrade" propaganda from the garbage and dialed *611 from my cell:

"Ma'am (BTW I absolutely detest being called Ma'am) I'm sorry. You are not eligible for a free upgrade at this time. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

OK. Called dealer again--that's when I found out that a new modem card cost $199.00.

Time to take this to the next level.

Commonly referred to as begging.

Dialed *611 again. Clicked through automated menu. Clearly ennuciated the reason for my call and eventually talked to a real person. IHer name was Bridget. I like the name Bridget. I felt a surge of hope and launched into a detailed explanation of my plight--and even told her that I had called earlier and been turned down. I also might have even stooped so low as to tell her my 92-year old mother who lives with me had tripped over the cord and knocked my laptop to the floor causing said damage. (Which is, as God is my witness, exactly what happened--but whether or not I should have been so insensitive as to have used the incident to further my case is at best debatable, at worst, reprehensible.)

"Ms Patten, when I hover my cursor over your broadband account, it indicates that you are eligible for an early upgrade prior to your June 30 renewal."

I've heard a lot of responses when people are looking at their  computers while talking to you--and it cracks me up when they provide a running whispered commentary of just what's happening or not happening on their monitors.

But I've never heard anyone talk about hovering their cursor.

I asked Bridget if there was some way I could call her back--and she let me down gently saying, "Ms Patten I will make a note of our conversation on your account and any representative will assist you if your dealer is not able to help you."

Bye Bridget. You will forever remain in my heart.

Another call to the dealer.

And another call to Sam who is on his way there.

And another call from Sam to me--with the voice of a guy in the background saying "Tell her everything worked out just the way she wanted it."

So here I am. The weather outside is frightful, but my computer and I are delightful. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow..

Big Storm Coming

With all that I have to do--year end info not yet to CPA for December 15 deadline, no Christmas decorating done, not one gift purchased etc etc, what did I just spend the past two hours doing?

Talking to Verizon (formerly fondly referred to by me as All-Hell) trying to get my broken mobile internet USB connection device replaced.

Without paying $199.00.

The third call yielded a glimmer of home--but if local dealer can't access the free upgrade deal, I may be forced to wait.

While they mail it to me

It may take a couple days.

Which could mean being snowed in for the next two days with no internet.

(pauses to wipe tears from keyboard and blow nose loudly)

...which means I might actually accomplish something at home

or end up in a thumb-sucking-hair-twisting fetal position.

Coming Clean

I have a problem--and it's in this bag

I've been straight for almost a year now. Except for a brief relapse in mid-September. All it took was one wrong turn in Walmart today and there they were.

Alluring

Tempting

Voices in my head screamed:

"Turn around right now"

"You're here for dog food and toilet paper"

Only to be answered by:

"Just one more package, it's no big deal"

"I'm gonna make you feel soooo good lady"

I wish I could tell you that I didn't succumb--that I am strong and determined to overcome my obsessive need for more and more of them. But I'm not. I'm weak. Very, very weak.

When it comes to these little beauties

I love washcloths.We use them for napkins. There's a redwing crock full of them in my bathroom. There are piles of them in the linen cupboard. It was the colors that got to me today--captivating earthy jewel tones.

I'm powerless to resist them

They're simple, functional, pretty and practical.

I even like to fold them

They're perfectly square

Welcome--you'll like it here. You're home

And among friends.

Thanksgiving

I've been so consumed with editing and work that I haven't had time to blog. Here are a couple pictures of our Thanksgiving

Lukas is frying a turkey and working on a fire in the fire pit

Here we all are around the table (except for Sam who is taking the photo)

After transferring the most recent photos to the computer, I handed the memory card from the camera back to Sam on Sunday and he asked, "Did you notice anything unusual in the picture of the bricks?"

Other than wondering why he took it, I hadn't paid much attention. Here it is, do you see anything?

How about this one?

Me neither

Until Sam explained that something has been burrowing under the bricks and they are heaving up. 

I don't want to think about what's going on down there-

But this is a perfect example of Sam's unusual choice of photography subjects

Anything but typical

Here's are a couple bonus photos from August's visit

Helping Opee get wood