Knock on Wood

My mother is very superstitious. We weren't allowed to walk around the opposite side of a post, column or obstruction if we were walking down the street or sidewalk because apparently that meant we would argue. So that is the reason.

Obviously we couldn't walk under a ladder and if you opened a pocket knife, you had to be the one to close it or someone would get cut. You are dealing with a knife, the odds are already in your favor that someone would get cut.

If your ear itched, someone was talking about you. If your palm itched, you were going to get money. If your nose itched, you were going to have company. Right.

If you said something you didn't want to happen, you knocked on wood. If she couldn't find anything wooden within reach, she would use her head, or ours. That explains a lot.

So in the spirit of knocking on wood, I'd like to say that without much effort and probably due to a change in medicine, I have lost 15 lbs 18.5 (I weighed today) in the past three months. I hope this continues, especially the part about not much effort. But now that I have spoken (written) about it....I might get cut, no wait, I might have money coming out of my nose from company.

Merry Christmas!

To all my blogger friends, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. Here is hoping your holidays are full of eggnog, friends, rum, family, more rum, good food, good wine, rest and joy (which will be much more likely with the rum).

We spent Christmas Eve with the in-laws and here is a snippet of a conversation that repeated itself no less than ten times in one hour. Let me set the stage for you....my mother-in-law is mid-level Alzheimer's and ADD, my father-in-law has had his knee joint removed after numerous knee replacements that went bad, so he is fairly immobile, my sister-in-law and her two kids (9 and 11) live with them (in the basement). It was all of them and the two of us.

David brought his mother a bouquet of roses for Christmas. The second he hit the door, she started crying.

"I can't believe you brought me these beautiful flowers." She cried and cried. Then she set them in the middle of the coffee table. Every five to ten minutes....

"Oh my god, those are beautiful flowers. Where did they come from?"
"They are from David and Melody, Mom." (someone would say).

The crying starts again.

Two minutes later, "I can't see shit with those damn flowers in my way."

"Well, let's move them..."

"Where did they come from?"

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.


I also noticed that her language has gotten even worse, if that is possible. Few sentences were said without a curse word and or inappropriate references. Fortunately, his family are slightly bawdy anyway so you either ignore it or laugh at it.

We are thankful she still knows who we are and can take care of herself, somewhat.

When we left, we both agreed that his sister deserves a sympathy card.

Slightly Morbid?

When my father passed away, his funeral was nothing reflecting who he really was. Us kids had no contribution to it as my step-mother planned it all and it was more about their life together and less about him as a person. It did spawn conversation between my husband and myself about how we would like to be remembered, what we'd like our funeral to be like, etc. Good conversations.

But how soon is too soon to start official funeral planning? We have no kids, so if we don't do it, some removed family member will have to do it and they are much less likely to know what we want.

Have you started? What are your thoughts? Please share.

Thankful

I am thankful for a successful Thanksgiving with family. We hosted for David's family which included his parents, his sister and her husband and their two kids, his Uncle Billy (who married us 10 years ago) and his friend, Charles. I like a full table and it was, with food and people.

I had planned to take photos of every dish, but sadly once they all started getting done I had no time to even think about it. But here was the menu:

Appetizer: Cranberry/Orange/Pecan Relish over cream cheese with crackers

Roasted Turkey Breast w/homemade gravy
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
Pineapple Casserole
Sweet Potato Balls
Balsamic Carrots
Roasted Brussels Sprouts w/Bacon and Walnuts

Unfortunately my yeast rolls, which I make 2-3 times a year for the past 25 years, didn't raise. They were flat and hard and glutinous. I refused to put them on the table.

And during clean-up later, I found the homemade dressing in the oven where I had shut it off but forgot to pull it out. Fortunately, when I reheated it for our lunch yesterday, it wasn't very good. I had tried a new recipe (why I don't know) instead of going with the traditional. Fate stepped in and saved me from serving this to my guests - thank you fate.

Desserts:
Pumpkin roll w/cream cheese filling served with salted caramel sauce.
Sugar Cream Pie
Cherry Cream Pie

Everyone was satiated and beyond. After enough time, we lit up the karaoke and the kids as well as David's Mom and Uncle belted out some tunes.

David's mom has Alzheimer's, as you've learned from previous posts. There are few if any benefits of Alzheimer's, but for Carol it has removed the worry what people will think. Granted this isn't always a benefit when you are in a restaurant or at a large gathering of people, but for karaoke - she had fun. Here is a taste:

How much?

We are hosting Thanksgiving for the hubby's family this week. I am prepared, mostly.

They are a mixed bunch. Some are loud and fun. Some are quiet and almost sulky.

I have the new Glee Karaoke Wii game. I wonder how much alcohol it would take to get some takers?

Probably not a good idea since one is a recovering alcoholic. Let's just stick with the normal -- sitting at the table after the food talking until everyone leaves. It isn't that I don't like that, but I also like interaction, fun and well, karaoke.

Shop shop shop

Let the Christmas shopping begin.

Really, I don't have much to do and I refuse to get caught up the frenzy of spending too much money on stuff people really don't need anyway.

There are a few kids on my list though and one is a nephew who is all about soccer. I have recently discovered a place where you can order personalized soccer balls. That sounds like it might be a hit.

Next?

What are you doing for the holidays?

They aren't that far away you know. Thanksgiving is three weeks away (seriously?) and Christmas is just seven weeks.

I won't even mention Christmas gifts. I haven't bought gift one and may not at all. There is just too much focus on stuff.

I am talking food. Are you hosting? Are you cooking? What's the plans?

I assume I am doing Thanksgiving like I do every year for my in-laws and there has been talk that Christmas will be mine this year as well since the inlaws' health, both mental and physical, isn't good.

I wish they would agree to non-traditional approaches. I'd like to make a soup buffet with homemade bread, or maybe something ethnic like Mexican food. Sigh. They are all about the turkey and stuffing and stuff.

Feeling My Age

It seems over the past month or so I have noticed that when I get up from sitting for any period of time, my left hip hurts. I walk a little stiff until it loosens up.

I feel like my grandpa shuffling down the hallway crooked with my hand on my hip, and I probably look him too.

My mother has rheumatoid arthritis so I've known for sometime that joint pain is probably in my future. That stuff is hereditary and I seem to have the same allergies she has and many physical characteristics, so I won't be surprised.

Still sucks.

In Remembrance

Five years ago today, my daddy died.

I just couldn't let this day go by without some mention of him.

I miss you Dad.


Eight years ago today, my sister was killed in a car accident.

I miss you Dianna.

I'm Back

I am sorry that it has been almost two weeks since I posted. I've been busy. Let me share my life in bullets:

• Celebrated my mother's birthday - this time last year we didn't know if we'd have that opportunity again.
• I became a great aunt, again. Mama and baby are good.
• Received an application on our foster dog, Paisley. Keep your fingers crossed.
• Hosted an Oscar party with about 18 guests - had a blast.
• Main floor toilet started leaking the day of the party, had to post "out of order" sign (how embarrassing) and send them down the hall. Plumber came next day and there went $300.
• Busy at day job.
• Busy at 2nd job.
• Crazy busy at writing job.
• Lots of cooking and baking in the middle of all that.

I promise to do better and share some photos soon.

Some people's ego and balls are larger than their head.

I could literally choke someone right now.

You all know my mother was in the hospital for months last year. The first doctor and first hospital very nearly killed her by doing nothing....literally nothing but discharge her home where if we hadn't been proactive and sought a second opinion, she would have died. I'm not making this up. The doctors told us that.

I had many discussions with the hospital administration last year after filing official complaints. Eventually they saw the wisdom in writing off the small balance left after Medicare and private insurance. Everyone, including her current physician, tell us we should take legal action. We've considered it, but I really don't want to spend months or years with lawyers or in court. We'd rather spend it with her.

What we want is to forget about it and move on.

Well, the physician continued to bill Mom the remainder of his bill - $46.18. Seriously. After all that, he still wanted his $46.18.

As a matter of principle, we refuse to pay it. Mom called and told the office manager this last fall, but the bills continue to come and became more threatening. So last week I wrote an official certified letter to the doctor briefly reminding him of why we weren't paying. But if he insisted, we'd be happy to get a lawyer and that we wouldn't be stopping at just this bill.

This week she got a certified letter from the doctor stating that he was discharging her as a patient and would no longer be treating her. Oh. no. he. didn't.

We fired you first asshole. Who are you to refuse her treatment NOW? Since the day she was released from that hospital you have never, ever called to follow-up and inquire as to why she never made another appointment. Her husband, the heart patient -- your patient -- never came back for another appointment. Did you call? Did you care?

Who the hell does he think he is? I am steaming mad.

My Bad

I've been absent from the blog world. I've been busy...busy cooking (yes I cooked), busy writing (freelance job are growing by the day), and busy, well....with stuff.

We are going north to Mom's this weekend for her birthday. We have much to celebrate. A year ago she was in the hospital.

Paisley is still with us. She is such a lap dog. Between obedience class, home training and more socialization she is growing up into a great dog. Someone will be happy to have her. Is that you?

Different Times

I went a baby shower a few weeks ago for my niece, thrown by my other niece - La Vita e Bella. It was nice and very well organized - good job kiddo.

But what struck me as a sign of the times we are living in was the party favors. Goody bags with antiseptic gel, wipes and purse size tissue packs. Great idea, but very indicative of the current state of affairs.

The CDC would be proud and as a member of our own Pandemic Emergency Team at work, I thought it was very appropriate.

But maybe just a bit sad that fear of germs have taken over every aspect of our lives. I know they have mine.

What else is there?

I always laugh when I see advertisements for free insurance quotes or free sales information. Give me a break, it isn't like somebody is going to pay for those things.

Then there is the opposite -- my mother made the comment recently that she refuses to pay for coin wrappers. She goes to the bank and gets them. It would never occur to me to ask the bank for coin wrappers. Maybe I should ask them for paperclips and post-its while I am at it.

My Mama

My mother and step-father came to visit us on Sunday. This is sad, but it was the first time I've seen her since August. Between both works and my illnesses inconveniently arriving at holidays, it has been awhile.

It was nice to visit with them and share a meal. We actually exchanged Christmas gifts since that was a holiday we missed.

But the sad part was how different she looked. Throughout the illness last year, she lost about 65 pounds. It is still startling to me when I look at her or hug her, how little she is. She isn't emaciated or sickly looking -- she is probably at the weight she should be -- but losing that weight so fast and the dehydration caused by the illness has caused her to look so much older.

She reminds me so much of my grandmother now, both in looks and actions. I know that means I am looking at my own future since I favor them both already. Maybe that is what makes me saddest.

Don't get me wrong, I am pleased as punch that she made it through this and seems to be doing pretty good. I guess it is the reality of my age and her age that hurts.

Please, for those of you who know and see my mama, don't say anything. It would hurt her feelings.

Tis The Season

My main wish this Christmas season was for peace. Peace in my life, peace in my family's lives and ultimately peace in the world.

I have little control over the last two, but I have realized that only I have control over the peace in my world. To make a conscious decision about what to participate in during the holidays and what to say "no thank you" to made that much more possible this year.

Despite a miserable 3 days over Christmas battling either food poisoning or stomach flu, we both achieved peace in our holidays. No mad rushing around spending money we don't have on gifts people do not need; no over committing ourselves to events with friends and family; and no excessive decorating that now requires days to remove.

Sigh.

In the middle of the peace (and illness) came my Blogging By Mail package all the way from Australia.

Ellie over at Kitchen Wench sent me a box of goodies that included:

• Korean noodles
• toasted seasoned seaweed
• Korean sweet crackers
• sweetened red bean paste
• dark chocolate Tim Tams
• scented soaps
• chocolate cakes cookbook
• photo of her hometown, Sydney
• and last but certainly not least, a photo of her bestest friend, Mr. Woofy

Thank you Ellie.

Christmas With The Fam Damily

We all have dysfunctional families to one degree or the other. A co-worker and I were lamenting this sad fact today. She shared this video with me and I laughed out loud -- side hurting, eyes watering laugh.

Enjoy my friends.

Adult Signature Required

I have decided that my favorite type of packages to receive are the ones with this label on it:

There is a benefit in having a professional wine buyer/sommelier in the family. She sends great gifts.

This wonderful "yummy" dessert wine came from David's cousin Larissa. The new bride sent us photos from the wedding complete with this scrumptious looking wine.

Cheers!

Appreciation

My brother's birthday was on Sunday. I called in the evening to deliver birthday wishes. I knew he had been hunting as it is always deer season over his birthday, which is so appropriate, so I wasn't sure if I would catch him home, awake or inside. I got 2 out of 3. His wife woke him up for me.

I've bragged about my brother before, but I can't say enough of how proud I am of him. He has grown into such a great person, son, brother, step-father, and man.

He was totally supportive and helpful with Mom earlier this year, which wasn't a surprise but very appreciated.

We don't tell people often enough how much we love and appreciate them. I did tell him on Sunday.

I encourage you to do the same for those important people in your life.

Thanksgiving Menu 2009

The menu is set for Thanksgiving. Not a lot of new things, but it seemed the season for family favorites. Tried but true dishes that give meaning to the word "comfort".

Appetizer:
Praline Brie w/crackers & apple slices

Main Course:
Roasted Farm Fresh Turkey
Sage & Onion Dressing
Sweet Potato Casserole
Balsamic Glazed Carrots
24-Hour Salad
Mashed Yukon Potatoes & Gravy
Sweet Potato Yeast Rolls

Dessert:
Toasted Pecan & Salted Caramel Cheesecake
Pumpkin Pie

What's on your menu?