Friday favorites

 

Never did I imagine an ordinary kitchen object would bring me joy.  But there you have it.
Like that popular FB meme that dares us to acknowledge.  Yes, we have a favorite stovetop burner.  Ha!

 

Back in the day, I was all about matching plates-and-saucers, etc.  While I still enjoy setting the dining room by seasons, that's not Everyday.   No, I've become like the fabled Florida restaurant, known for its deliberately mis-matched plates and silverware.  (Sad, I never had occasion to visit Chalet Suzanne.  Did you?)

Like a former boss, I'm prone to choose a bowl/cup/glass based on the way I'm feeling at the time.  I don't think Tom cares one way or the other; his usual plate of choice is paper.

Here's my new favorite salad/soup bowl

... found at an estate sale last month.

From an antiquities (thrift) shop, once I got home I discovered I didn't like the way it felt.  (Does that make sense?)

Now? I usually find it on Tom's side table in the morning, with shmears of dried ice cream on the bottom.

Patterned bowls aren't just for children anymore!

These 'old friends' still give me all the feels.

My father's 'Cheetos' bowl has become my go-to for Conecuh sausage-and-eggs ... 

... while mother's coffee cup holds the perfect amount of nuts when I'm in the mood* for a Pistachio supper.
(* more often than not!)

I love them, but the time's come to gift these wine glasses to my granddaughter, Chloe, and her new hubby.

A wedding gift to my parents, my paternal grandmother was mortified when she looked closely at the design.  She was so embarrassed to have been the one who purchased them!

After I was confirmed (age 14), my parents would include one of these at my plate on Sundays.  First itty-bitty heels ... first taste of wine.  Those were the days, hahaha.

Have you a 'special friend' in your kitchen cabinets?

I'd love to hear about it!

Hugs, Myra

 

 

Watercooler Wednesday

 

    

    

   Whoops, June's right around the corner!
High time I post May's edition of
Watercooler Wednesday.

'Keeping it short and sweet today!

If you don't mind saying so ...

"Who do you think is the person most similar to yourself in the world?
In what way(s)?"

Hugs, Myra

The Closet in my Head

 

Since our Bible Study's taken the holiday off, I thought I'd yak about our new book:  Me, Myself and Lies. I suspect this is going to be my favorite.

Jennifer Rothschild's subtitle, A Thought Closet Makeover, seems written just for me.   As some can relate, I'm my own worst critic.  You should hear the unkind things I tell myself!  Things I would never tell another.

Researchers say our inner dialogue includes 150-300 words per minute.  Granted, most are neutral, but there's a powerful minority that's self-destructive.   

I hadn't shared, but last Monday I interviewed for a part-time job that seemed perfect.  On paper.   The in-person meet was less than optimal, but I put aside any misgivings.   Not 24 hours later I began dredging up every blunder, every 'could've' and 'should've.' 

"Loser, party of one."
"No wonder they didn't call back."

What's sad, I remember there was a time I was sought-after.   Years ago, a rep from the network told me, "S. says you're the best administrative assistant he's ever had."    Could be he was blowing air, but it still meant the world to me.

Who knows?  Someday I may be compelled to flip burgers ... but you can bet I'll be the best darn flipper in town.  Ha!

💛

Anyway! Rothschild suggests we begin with a thought-closet make-over.  With boxes.  6, to be exact:

C (is for):  Cares and concerns 

L:  Likes and dislikes

O:  Objectives and goals

S:  Secrets

E:  Eternity

T:  Treasures (what matters most; our priorities)

 

I'm not going to answer it here, but she asks: "Which box is largest?  Smallest?"

Things that make me go, hmmmm.

I don't know where this study's going, but I'm eager to start.

Hugs, Myra

 

The week that was

 

I'm so thankful to be sitting home doing little-to-nothing this weekend!  It doesn't seem so long ago a 3-day weekend meant jumping in my car and travelling as far as was probable before having to turn around ... arriving at work Tuesday morning exhausted.

Today?  I'm feeling darn fortunate ...

... that my son and DIL wanted us to join them at their neighborhood's first annual block party last weekend.   Their little peninsula's boasts a real hodgepodge of residents -- all warm and welcoming.

... that recent severe weather patterns missed us, literally by a few feet.   We were watching TV, and aside from one big bang, hadn't cause to raise an eyebrow.   Or so we thought!    What a surprise the next morning to discover BIG trees torn from the ground, one laying across Chapman Road.   An overturned car in our neighbor's ditch.

Another at the nearby Confederate memorial.

Lifting prayers this morning for those affected far worse throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, etc.  The list grows ... sigh.

High time I take a big gulp of humility and stop complaining about internet outages.

🌩️

... Thursday evening Mother Nature was on her best behavior.   Despite the ambient "air you can wear" I put on extra deodorant, and we attended an "All American" concert at Village Green.  Tom was pleasantly surprised that members of Lo-Fi Loungers all seemed north of 65.  Mostly unfamiliar with their music, my mind began to wander after the first hour.  Thankful for internet connectivity and food trucks, lol!

... Friends Frank and Cindy stopped by Friday afternoon with the big ole' Boston Butt we'd ordered (for charity).  Soon the house was filled with the best aroma of smoked meat.  I hope Heaven smells as good!

... A little later we stopped by Oak Tavern to hear them perform 'boomer-tastic' sing-along favorites.  The patio was lovely -- but I seriously need to stop falling for the over-priced and (mostly) uninspiring appetizers.  Lesson learned!

🌩️

   

Tom has had little sleep the last few nights, so I'm going to live-stream church services.  Perhaps finish my thriller.  How frustrating that I can't anticipate the conclusion.  Hats off to Mike Omer.

Is anyone else watching the PBS Memorial Day Concert from D.C. this evening?   That never fails to bring me to tears (in a good way).

I hope everyone is enjoying good food and company.  Still, let's not forget the 'real' reason for the holiday.  Stay safe!

Hugs, Myra

Tuesday 4: Books

 

Welcome back to
Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4!

Annie says, "Books are such a big part of many people's lives.  Maybe we should talk about that."

I say, Good idea!

Do you have some books in your home?

Not nearly as many as I'd like ....

but neither have we dedicated library space.

Pipe dream (as seen on FB)

How cute is this!

If so, what subjects are they?  

Gosh, it's a hodgepodge (leaning mostly to mystery/thrillers). 

Which is your favorite?  

For sentimental reasons, those gifted my parents when they were little.

I wonder, do people still write these sorts of dedications inside?

Do you enjoy browsing around in bookstores?

One of my favorite pastimes once was visiting Old Hyde Park's Barnes & Noble (Tampa) --  not so much to buy anything but to experience the inviting aroma of seasonal beverages and warm armchair arrangements.

Do you have a favorite you like to go to?

I think there's a nearby Books A Million, but I don't feel led to visit.

Do you think real books are clutter or do you just love having them around you?

99% of the reading I do anymore is on my Chrome.  Maybe it's just me, but I think the presence of 'real' books adds to a home's charm.

What is the oldest book you've read and what is the newest book you've read (or are reading).

Not counting the Holy Bible, the oldest - House at Otowi Bridge

I'm presently reading a 2023 release by Mike Omer - Please Tell Me.  It's too early to tell, but remember giving his A Killer's Mind 4* on Goodreads -- later wishing I'd said 5.

Have a super day ... stay safe!

Hugs, Myra

Letters: May edition

 

Okay, then....
Let's put these words on wheels!

📫

Dear Terri (aka, Your Friend from Florida),

Com'on down, you're the winner of Square Meals giveaway!
I'll have it in the mail real soon.

Dear Samuel (aka, church baby),

Have you any idea how many tears of joy were shed on Thursday when your parent's truck arrived home?   

At 6 months, 3 days this was the first time you were out in the 'real world' since being airlifted to Birmingham shortly after birth.
19 surgeries, later ...  

You took a licking and kept on ticking!

I can't wait to meet you!

Dear Media people

Could you, would you, please be more specific when broadcasting traffic alerts?
We may have been here 6 years, but sorry.  Mile markers mean little to nothing to me.

I'm not a cartographer.
Karen.

Dear 'Shop Girl',

The little note you included with the cup I found on your (Etsy) site made me smile big.

Customer Service is real!

 

Dear Chloe,

I could just bust from joy.

How in the heck did 25 years go by so fast?

Thank you and Robert for including G'pa Tom and me on your magical day!

What can I say?  The best is yet to come!

Thank you all for making time to visit.  I hope you all have a blessed Sunday.

Hugs, Myra

 

 

 

 

Friday letters

Hey there!

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Friday Letters will be 

It's all good .... we'll be back tomorrow.

Hope to see you then!

Hodgepodge #551

 

Let's see ... if this is Wednesday it must be the gathering of Hodgepodgers.  Thank you, Joyce!
Care to join in?  I'd love to see your answers!  

What impresses you?

Children who still recite the Pledge

U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds ... wow

When a runner sacrificed a medal to help his rival cross the finish line

Where are you in your family birth order?  Do you fit the stereotype of that particular slot?  In what way?

I was an only child, which according to Google ...

".... are often labeled as being lonely, unable to form friendships, unwilling to share with others, self-centered, less empathetic and more anxious than those with siblings."

I was definitely lonely.  Anxious, too.  Sometimes I struggle to share.
To the rest I say, "hogwash!"

What motivates you more:  A reward or a consequence?  Elaborate.

Definitely a reward.
I've spent too many years regretting the consequences of my actions.

May 14 is National Buttermilk Biscuit Day.  Who thinks biscuits deserve their own day?  Do you like biscuits?  Make your own?  Grab one for breakfast at a drive-through now and then?  Which drive-through makes the one you like best?  What do you like to put on a biscuit?  What's your favorite food or dish that calls for buttermilk?

I adore a good biscuit, but don't make them or even buy them so often.
I thought it almost impossible to beat McDonald's sausage and egg biscuit ...
until I tried Chick-Fil-A.

The only time I buy real buttermilk (v. powder) is when I make my mother's banana nut bread.  Moist for the win!

Are there any weddings on your summer calendar?  What's your favorite part of a wedding/wedding reception?

I'm not aware of any summer weddings.
My favorite part of a reception is the father/daughter dance  .... and cake!

Insert your own random thought here.

Hugs, Myra

Monday thoughts

Hey there!

... just popping in with a glimpse of our days.

Friday morning found us back at Montgomery's VA.  I'm so thankful (that) everyone from the receptionist 'on up' is so cordial.  We hardly had time to sit down when they called Tom's name!


Not 15 minutes later I was speeding up I65 to get to our favorite deli in time to order breakfast.

A favorite of seniors, I enjoyed eavesdropping on the occupants of the booth behind us, discussing the previous night's severe weather:  "I slept through the first wave, but the next one at 3 brought me to my feet."   As a youngster I used to eye-roll old people who talked about the weather ... and now I am one.

Not sure if it was lack of sleep or relief for a good doctor visit, but my appetite was a 12 on a 1-to-10 scale.  I enjoyed a 3-egg omelet filled with Conecuh sausage, shredded cheese and nearly burnt (my request) hash browns.  Then because no-one was looking, I blanketed it all with buttery grits.  Oh my!

Does anyone else struggle to open those itty-bitty butter (or jelly) containers?  I couldn't resist trying a hack I saw on television last week:  "Forget trying to peel that film off the top and instead, stab it with your knife.  Squeeze and enjoy."  (It works!  ...and I didn't spray anyone in the process.)

💫

So, I'm not going to get rich answering questions but I'm up $4.50 in PayPal ..... with $25+ promised by June 11 from the good folks at eSearch.com.   The 'reward' for 10-15 minutes of my time is usually $1.50 ... and the surveys are a bit of a yawn.  Then again, so is my life.  Ha.

Imagine my surprise when I saw a honest-to-goodness One Dollar bill in last week's mail from Nielsen, inviting me to complete their on-line survey for a promised $5 more.

It's been 30 years or more, but I remember when my mother was approached.  This before the internet, I think they placed a device on her television that monitored when and what she was watching.   Yes, I was envious -- but because I worked for a network television station, I was ineligible.

Not realizing how detailed their little survey was, I sat down at the computer yesterday morning -- and was nearly late for church.  After the first 45 minutes, I thought about bailing, but no way was I going to forfeit that $5.  

💫

Speaking of church!

Does anyone remember their high-school yearbooks featuring, "Most Popular", "Most Attractive", "Most Talented" and the ever-coveted "Mr. and Miss LAHS"?   

Looking for something/someone in my old yearbook recently, I came across those full-page honors.  And not for the first time in yesterday's service, my mind got to wandering.  

Looking around at familiar congregants -- many who've become dear friends -- I mentally began my own list of nominees.  "Most talented"?  A given!   .....
"Most Attractive"?  That bears little-to-no resemblance to someone's physical attributes.....
A struggle to identify just one "Miss Congeniality."

I'm feeling pretty fortunate to have landed here in small town Alabama.

... and here with y'all.  Quoting Sarah Ban Breathnach, "I'm so happy and grateful we found each other, even if it's just on the page."

 

Hugs, Myra

    

Changes in Attitude .....

 

..... changes in latitude!
(Remember that Jimmy Buffet classic?)  

So, you might ask, what prompted this flashback?

Day before yesterday I tried a new stove-top recipe for Parmesan Garlic Mushrooms.  (Intended to be a side dish, we postponed grilling the pork chops and consumed the whole skillet full.)

I smile to myself, reflecting how, for most of my life, I loathed mushrooms.   Like tomatoes.  I could spy my meal and pick out the tiniest morsel of offending matter.     |

'Not going so far as to say I'll actually eat a tomato sandwich, but isn't it curious how our tastes evolve with the years?    Music ... fashion ... even political.  (Nope, not going there!) 

Who remembers color-coordinating their 'undergarments' ... choosing handbags that matched our heels  ... when silk stockings were the norm.  I still have several pair -- and unlike some -- don't consider them uncomfortable.   Rather, I tend to agree with the blog friend who remarked:  "I think women who wear dressy outfits without wearing hose look unpolished."

Because tennis shoes have replaced my heels, these days I take pains to find fun socks that match my top.
Imagine my delight to win a blog pal's recent give-away!

Best-est ever!

All this to say,

I'm reminded of a 1994 writing exercise, my favorite teacher/mentor presented:

Thought Completion

When I was .......

By the time I was .......

Now that I am .....

Either publicly or privately, how would you answer these prompts?

Time's a thief!

🧡

Postscript --

Long before the internet (my siren song), I adored attending the Personal Life Story writing program.  There's still a thick, battered notebook secreted in my desk drawer -- crammed with exercises and references ... even 'report cards.'   For example, "You really could make this easier for me, Myra.  If you'd flub up once in a while, I'd have something to contribute to your effort besides the cheers I wholeheartedly have for the communication coup you're accomplishing."

30 years later, M's words still make my eyes water.  I wish she hadn't been taken so soon, that I might tell her what an effect she made on my life. 

Hey, it's almost Friday  ... hang in there!

Hugs, Myra

Tuesday 4 ... What's Cooking?

 

Welcome, welcome! 
Who's ready for another round of Toni Tadeo's Tuesday 4 questions?

Annie asks, "Could we discuss cooking and kitchens today?"

How did you learn to cook?

At my high school's Home Economics cottage.

I wasn't very good ... but that where I excelled?
Let's just say, my parents grew weary of finding people to gift jars of my grape jelly!

(Identical to that apartment kitchen where I grew up -- copied from Realtor.com)

Owing to the size of our kitchen -- and the fact my father worked second shift -- little cooking took place.  A normal supper menu included your choice of pot pie, TV dinner, grilled cheese or hamburger.

I suppose I presumed everyone else did the same.

Do you have a favorite cookbook?

For sentimental reasons only, those belonging to my mother and grandmother.

  These days, Facebook and/or television are my go-to's for new and novel meals.

What is your cooking specialty?

Cheesy meatloaf .....
Missippi Pot Roast.....
Hatch Green Chile stew

Is your kitchen well suited for you; and if not, how would you improve it?

It's not designed for two persons -- and I've love more cabinet space -- but that's not a priority.

If I won a HGTV make-over (ha!), I'd love having a big farmhouse-style kitchen and feature something like this:

Postscript!

(May I add a postscript?)

It's been a while since I did a give-away.

Nevertheless, I'd love the opportunity to re-home this:

I remember buying it on a lark.
It's not new, but I never actually used it.

Quoting the publisher, "..... a celebration of American food from the 1920s through the 1950s, a salute to the days of lunch counters and the times when Sunday dinner was hearty and special."

If you'd like me to add your name for a chance to win, please let me know in the comments!

I'll do a drawing next week and announce the winner Friday the 17th.

'Til next time ... have a great day and please, stay safe.

Hugs, Myra

Monday Matters* (Vol. 10)

 

*Matter:(noun)
An affair or situation under consideration; a topic
--------------------------------------------

G'morning!   I've a few minutes before Bible study, but wanted to pop in my favorite 'neighborhood.'  How the heck are y'all?

I'm afraid it's going to be another hot one; we're supposed to set a new record day after tomorrow -- 92*.    Makes one wonder just how much of Arizona I brought with me ....  

Speaking of which! 

Has anyone else seen that piece where a British Twitter user decided to describe every U.S. state without consulting Google.  For instance? 

"To the best of my knowledge, Arizona is famous for being where Satan vacations to get some heat."

and --

"To the best of my knowledge, Alabama is famous for crossing their fingers when they surrendered."

You can check your own state here.

I've been biding time in the closet ... resurrecting 'stuff.'  Trying to decide what's worth saving ("will they really want any of this?") or selling.   A while back I put my father's collection of cigar boxes out on eBay.

Unfortunately, there wasn't a nibble.

While I'd no idea what I was going to do with them, I saved several -- believing the answer would come in due time.

I'd no idea the answer would come so quickly!

At last week's study, Jennifer Rothschild was sharing a personal testimony.   When she got to the part about free-floating anxiety, well I sat up a little straighter.  (You mean, I'm not the only one?)

What looked like an old recipe box became her "Trust Box" -- born out of anxiety.  She spoke about waking up with an unexplained, overwhelming sense of dread.  Her heart races.  Is it Fear of the future?  Fear she's losing her memory?

We watched as she demonstrated writing a word or two on a white card which she then deposited in the "Trust Box."  Once and for all.  She doesn't need to re-read or amend anything ... because, of course, she can't see them.   The act of letting go is so freeing; her way of praying instead of worrying. 

If you'd like, you can watch a little 1+ minute video here.

I knew exactly the purpose of daddy's box!

After all, he was the one who first told me about the mustard seed.

(Just so happens I've a seed in a tiny vial sitting here on my desk!)

Well, I'd best grab my water bottle and get moving.

Have yourselves a sweet day ... I look forward to chatting a little later!

Hugs, Myra