Why I love to Read

Because sometimes the author writes about me and that leaves me feeling pretty good about myself, even if the author makes me sound a little quirky:

"She tired to figure out her own life philosophy and came up with something she once heard a rock star-Eric Clapton, she thought-say in an interview about not being a big fan of, uh, people. She wasn't either. She preferred-as ridiculous as it sounded-being with herself. She like reading and watching movies without commentary. She couldn't handle men and their egos and their constant boasting and their raging insecurities."


When I read that particular passage in my latest book it made me sit up a bit higher and open my eyes wider. It was the same type of realization that hit me when I discovered most people don't hate clothing (Just a few select "special" people are hindered by wardrobe sensitivities.) It was freeing in a way because I always assumed I was, well, bitchy for lack of a better term, for not seeking out oodles of people to spend my time with. I'm just not a fan of people and that is o.k. Why I sought out a degree in social work I have no idea, or maybe it was because I could usher my clients in and out and do what I could to offer them assistance without more than a professional committment. I wouldn't have to take them home for early morning conversation when I prefer to have none.

As a child, my home life was peculiar in many ways but one that stands out frequently in my memories is the fact that we must have been trained from an early age not to speak in the morning. Unless you were trying to claim you were too ill to go to school (In which case you were allowed to state your symptoms and wait dutifully for mom to ask if you wanted to go to school.) the expectation was shower, clothing, breakfast and out the door. All without a peep. My siblings may have different perceptions of this but whenever we happen to be together for the night as adults none of the three of us speak in the morning. And I'm not just referring to early morning, if you really want to have a conversation with me try and hit me up after noon where you will have a short window of opportunity before I revert my brain to hermit mode.

For those of you that I frequently find myself in social situations with and appear to be enjoying myself, I really am, but you may want to consider if there is something special about you or if you are quirky too.

The Weekend Was Fine

Even Maybe played hard! And I, I skied alone 2 days in a row. It was as close to Heaven as I could imagine while still on earth.

Don't Question My Love

All anyone needs to know is that not one negative word was released from my lips after my farmer husband hauled a load of beans to the elevator today and did this to my yard:

Damn Facebook

I'm convinced nobody is updating their blogs lately because they are too busy on Facebook letting people know that they are letting their dog out to pee. Yeah, I'm guilty too. But I don't even stop to let the dog out, she has just been peeing on the floor.

It doesn't help that is has been winter here. W.I.N.T.E.R. As is cold, windy, snowy. Depressing. And just when I finally had a day of running on actual pavement and not ice/snow covered roads it is snowing again.

So, now that my life is complete because I have reconnected with my fourth grade boyfriend (Come on people!) I've decided to get busy in the kitchen.

The Buchtie Babes
L to R: The famous Aunt Mary, Marie and myself

Buchtie: still hot and pipping on the baking sheet. And no, I can't share the recipe because only someone that has been making them for 80+ years can get it right.

Apparently this was a crucial step.

Cleanliness is very important at all times!

Guacamole anyone?

The featured item at Sunday dinner:
Smoky Tomato Salmon Chowder

Can You Spell Education?

Apparently the school my children attend believes it is spelled o-p-t-i-o-n-a-l.

I almost asked this morning when I dropped the kids off if all the classes would be watching the inauguration, but I didn't. Because I assumed it would have been mandatory to see history in the making. It was a no-brainer to me that the children would witness a terribly important and POSITIVE day in United States history, live. Not on the evening news after it was all said and done.

I blew it.

If I had known that the big screen television was to be placed in the small conference room off of the cafeteria and that the students would have a choice to play after they ate lunch or watch as the inauguration unfolded I would have kept them home. And educated them. And they would be better for it, maybe not today or even tomorrow, but at some point in time they would recall that their mom forced them to watch Inauguration 2009 and they would feel proud for being a part of today in some small way.

Instead they will just remember that it was really cold, Diezel got his hair cut after school and their mom was a-n-g-r-y and d-i-s-a-p-p-o-i-n-t-e-d about what didn't happen at school.


****My fourth grader did see a portion of it and talked more about Yo-Yo Ma than President Obama, but maybe that is because she was whisked back to class DURING President Obama's speech and she saw the entire performance of Yo-Yo Ma.

Inauguration 2009

Riveting and tear provoking.

Need I say more? (Except that I regret not keeping the children home from school today. They should have seen all the coverage that led up to the actual swearing in of President Barack Obama.)

Buchtie Day

Today would have been Buchta's 10th birthday. We have celebrated each year by baking Buchtie (others call them Kolache) with Aunt Mary, the master of Czech pastry. If Aunt Mary was unavailable we would suffer through my attempts and delight in a semi-hockey puck-like version of the yummy treat. After all our hard work Buchta would humor us by balancing one on her nose, flipping it in the air, catching it and then gobbling it up.

We'll be baking Buchtie in her honor this weekend. I just don't know who I can get to attempt the nose flipping trick. (Maybe has been a failure at this particular feat)

WE MISS YOU BROWN DOG!