You might know me from my hits...

While perusing Twitter today, I saw Nicole's tweet and thought how fun!  But instead of playing along on Twitter - I thought it might be fun to play with you.

Hi, I'm a yoga teacher. You might know me from my hits "move with the breath," "opening up through the body," and the chart-topping "inhale...exhale..." https://t.co/Jgc60WdnJB

— Nicole MacPherson (@NicoleBoyHouse) February 29, 2020

Hi, I'm an Administrator for a corporate Legal Department.  You might know me from my greatest hits, some of which include:

• How many times do I have to tell you?  ONLY an officer of the company can sign a contract!
• Please turn in your time sheets today.
• You can't open an Excel document with Word.
• Please approve that invoice immediately.
• If you didn't give me a copy of that contract, I will NOT be able to provide a copy to you now that you are looking for it a year later.
• Turn in your time sheet please.
• You need to have this signed again, you aren't an officer of the company and don't have the authority to do so.  Yes, I mean it.
• You did what?!
• No sir, I cannot help you to sue our company.  
• Please approve that invoice - you've been sitting on it for 20 days already.
• No, I don't have a copy of that contract.  Why?  Because you never gave it to me, despite me asking for it REPEATEDLY.
• No, I have no idea why a recycling can mysteriously appeared in the handicap stall. (A year and half later, it's still there)
• Yes, I know where that confidential document you printed is - it's been shredded.  What?  You've been TOLD not to leave confidential documents on the printer uncollected for days at a time.  As an attorney, I thought you would know that.
• Approve that invoice RIGHT NOW. Please.
• Turn in your time sheet RIGHT NOW. Please.

and the list goes on.

What are some of your greatest hits?

One of my life's "minor annoyances" - solved

What is the witchcraft behind doing your nails to perfection one day; only to break one the very next day?  It's the story of my life - said as I sit here with nine nails manicured and perfect and that ONE raggedy nail nagging me. 

And, obviously, none of the above is why I am here "talking" to you today.  I just wanted you to know about my suffering.

***

After four years of being annoyed by a door that was out of alignment on a hutch, today was the day I decided to deal with it. 

Yes, I noticed that door was out of alignment soon after we moved here FOUR YEARS AGO but after all the moving, unpacking, arranging, etc., I was NOT about to take everything out of the hutch just to fix a "minor annoyance."

Well, over the years that "minor annoyance" grew and grew, until today when I said, "ENOUGH!"

While I was removing everything from said piece, I also sorted out what we absolutely did not need or use and set it aside for a trip to Goodwill.  To be honest, it was shocking to see what was actually residing IN that cabinet that we had never, ever actually used and I'd forgotten about.  What was equally shocking, what went back INTO the cabinet that we rarely use but I'm not quite ready to part with yet.  Do I really NEED or use those wedding day champagne flutes?  No.  But, our wedding day flutes! (Says the woman who completely and totally forgot about her own anniversary...) That fancy china that must be hand washed and rarely sees the light of day - but occasionally comes in handy?  Stays.  Why I kept the matching cups and saucers is beyond my comprehension - those have NEVER been used.  But I didn't want to break up the collection?  Yes, I confuse myself.

The Husband, of course, was shocked to walk in to the kitchen to find glassware EVERYWHERE.  I explained the purpose behind the chaos - turns out he never even noticed the "minor annoyance" that has slowly been driving me insane for the past four years. Figures, doesn't it?

Now, theoretically, the fix to the door alignment is to spin the levelers (is that what they are called?  The little spinner things on the bottom of the legs?) until everything levels out.  It should be noted that The Husband scoffed this plan - he did not think this was the fix. *shaking my head. One of these days, he will listen to me* (Note, this will never, ever happen - but I can dream)

After removing everything and trying to spin those things we discovered this cabinet did not have them.  After some brainstorming we shoved something under the one leg and, lo and behold, those doors DID align correctly! *me, looking at The Husband with smug satisfaction. See? I DID know what I was talking about!*

Wisely, I refrained from actually gloating about this fact.  But you and I both know, I knew what I was talking about from the beginning.

Then we set about finding something less obtrusive to shove under that leg to deal with my "minor annoyance."

And here we are, four years later, and that "minor annoyance" is dealt with - and some of the stuff we don't need is gone.

Now, to figure out the "minor annoyance" of a broken nail of a fresh manicure.  Those "minor annoyances" are all a part of life as we know it, I suppose. 

Anxious baking...it IS a thing.

Let's back up...

About a week ago, The Husband ran into the middle child of my dear friend who tragically died in 2018 - and promptly invited him to dinner.

WHY has it taken two years (seriously? TWO years already?! To me it still feels like yesterday - so I can only imagine it only feels like two seconds to him.) for this to happen?

Mainly, because we didn't have a direct way to reach out.  But still...this kid was a huge part of our lives for so very long.  And, he's missed us -- desperately - especially since his mother's death.  His younger brother went to California to live with his father and other brother.  Leaving this young man here with his grandmother.

So, why the anxiety, you ask?  Because I wasn't sure how he would receive us.  I wasn't sure if this evening would be a total disaster and awkward.

I was on pins and needles all day yesterday in anticipation of this dinner.  This, coupled with the fact that I was not exactly sure how many people would be here - we had also invited the friends two doors down, as we knew they would be delighted to see him again.  I asked Man-Child to come as well, but he had other plans unfortunately.  I was also not sure if he planned to bring his grandmother

At any rate, this meant that dessert needed to be planned.  And, with the uncertainty of exactly how many people would be here and when - I went on a baking frenzy.  After two batches of brownies were made - having Suzanne's bundt pan dilemma in the back of my mind, I decided that the lemon pound cake would be perfect.

So Suzanne, here is a cake that will work beautifully in your bundt pan.  But really any type of cake recipe will work - put preferably one that doesn't need icing - as that would probably be a pain.

Cake Ingredients

• A yellow cake recipe or if you want to make your life easier - and who doesn't? - a yellow butter cake mix (my personal favorite?  Duncan Hines Buttery Golden mix)
• 1 cup of plain flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 3 eggs (room temperature)
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1 stick butter (softened)
• 1 teaspoon of pure lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix it all together well.  Generously (and I do mean GENEROUSLY) spray the pan with Pam with flour.  Pour the mix into the pan and bake for one hour.  Put a plate upside down on top of the pan and flip it over.  If you greased the pan well it should just slid right off the cake.

Glaze Ingredients

• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup of sugar (it really doesn't matter, I promise either portion will work)
• juice of a lemon
• lemon rind grated
• confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)

Put the first four ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil; stir in powdered sugar (just eyeball it) stirring until the powdered sugar melts completely.  Pour over hot cake.

Yum!

After this cake was done, I moved on to the cornbread which was to accompany The Husband's dinner of fried chicken.

So, as you can see, anxious baking IS a thing.

But the anxiety was for naught.  The dinner and the company was perfect.  It wasn't terribly awkward after the first few minutes.  He and his grandmother were delighted to see us and the friends two doors down.  I may have sobbed after they all left due to all the emotion that was brought to the forefront of my mind - but all in all, I would say the dinner was a success.

They did tell us that his father wants him to move out to Oregon, where he and the other two boys moved to recently.  His grandmother seems to think he would have better opportunities out there.  I'm not so sure; but then it's not my call to make.  We shall see if his father comes through.  His track record isn't the best regarding follow through though.  

Luckily, he is completely aware of his dad's flakiness and won't be devastated if the plan falls apart.  We also told him, we would help him figure it out if it came to that - as his grandmother hopes to move to Arizona to be near her sister and niece.

So, K - if you are listening; your boy is doing very well.  You would be so very proud of the man he has become.  I know I am.  And we will continue to keep an eye on him and the others.  Love you.

A title eludes me for this one...

I went to SteinMart on Sunday - technically, I was killing time before meeting The Husband for lunch in town.

I decided to see what I could find that would work for the weird weather we've been having lately.  It is either decidedly winter weather or it is decidedly spring weather.  Last Friday, we had a tiny bit of snow.  Sunday it was in the low 50s.  Wednesday it was in the mid 60s and today the high was in the low 40s with crazy wind.  As I said, weird weather.

Basically, day to day lately, we all are at a loss as to whether we should wear spring/summer clothes or fall/winter clothes - or some combination of both.

It's been a real conundrum, I tell you.

At any rate, that's the long way around to get to the point of this post.

As I was checking out, I noticed an older gentleman hovering around.  He had an air about him that tugged at my heartstrings for some reason.  After I had paid and was tucking my wallet back into my handbag and gathering my belongings, I heard the cashier ask him how he was doing (apparently, she knew him personally).  He replied, in a shaky voice, that he was okay.

The cashier, sounding very concerned, asked why only okay.  He replied that he had lost his wife a few days ago.  The cashier apparently knew the wife had been ill and was devastated for him

I sneaked a peek over my shoulder as I pushed open the door, the pain and grief that etched his face brought tears to my eyes - and, to be honest, as I type this out, I still have tears.  I wanted to say something, give him a hug...just something.  But I didn't - because I didn't know how he would react to a complete stranger intruding.  I wish I had though.  It may have given him a bit of comfort to know that his grief was shared - even with a stranger.

If I had to guess, and I'm a horrible guesser, he had probably been married to his wife for forty or fifty years.  But even if they had only been married two years, his grief was palpable and all encompassing.

Based on the short glimpse I had, I could tell that he was at a complete loss for how to go forward.  And my heart aches for him.

I had a feeling that he didn't know what to do with himself that day - or really any day since she had died.  I also had a feeling that he and his wife frequented this store often and he wound up there out of habit and an intense need to share his loss with anyone who had known his wife.

And tonight, as I sit here typing away, I can't help but think about this man and his loss.  And I grieve for him and his wife - both of whom I've never met - but I will remember the love he had for his wife - and his absolute, utter grief - forever.

To have spent that much time together as a couple and then suddenly *poof* the other half is gone.  And there you are - left to figure out how to go on.

We do though - go on.  But that doesn't mean it's easy.  It can't be.

Needless to say, when I met up with The Husband that day, I gave him a giant hug and told him how much I loved him.  Because you just never know what the next moment might bring.