The perfect "storm"

Today found me heading home around lunch time - we have been without a dishwasher for weeks now and today was the day that it was to be raised from the dead.

Early this morning, I received a call from Man-Child.  He'd called in sick and was headed this way for a doctor's appointment a mile up the road.  He wanted to have lunch after his appointment; which would only work if I could be home between 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm.  We agreed to see how it worked out.

Turns out, as I was headed toward the house, he was just leaving the doctor...not quite enough time for lunch - as he wasn't hungry just yet - as he is suffering from a possible sinus infection coupled with a tough of the Norovirus.  So we met at the house and played some cards; rummy to be specific.

As he has the ability to see "three steps ahead" he won that first round handily.  I then fed him a sandwich and he took a nap.

Then, prior to dinner, he called for a re-match.  And this was tweeted out...

FYI...there is a CUTTHROAT game of rummy going on over here. Where DID this child of mine get that competitive streak from? 🤔

— Gigi (@gigirambles) January 29, 2019

And then he won the second game...

At that child? He is smug when he wins. Surely, he learned that from his dad! 🤣

— Gigi (@gigirambles) January 30, 2019

And, there you go.  When you can't beat a six-year old at checkers; don't try to beat a twenty-four year old at cards.

As a side note, win or lose, I LOVE playing games with him...and that he likes to play with me, especially now that he's an "adult."

— Gigi (@gigirambles) January 30, 2019

And it's true...there's no one else I'd rather lose too...even if he is smug about it!  But that next game?  That one is mine!

Acknowledging the big (and small) moments in life...it matters.

So today another co-worker and I took my co-worker friend to lunch for her birthday - which is tomorrow.  Keep in mind, that this is a BIG birthday...one that she is approaching with trepidation.  During this lunch my friend uttered something that broke my heart.

I realize that all families are different and, as such, have different customs/practices when it comes to celebrations.  I know that growing up, despite my family's dysfunction, we CELEBRATED everything...Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, etc.  I know that in her family things are a bit more...muted.  And I can respect that; to a degree.

In my little family, I have made sure that all the events are CELEBRATED - even though I generally shy away from a large production for my birthday; even a BIG one.  But I do want it acknowledged.  I think that's all any of us want; acknowledgment.

After being asked what her family had planned for her birthday she responded with, "Nothing really.  My daughter's birthday is on Friday.  My birthday really hasn't been acknowledged for the past 18 years."

As sad as that was; that wasn't what broke my heart.

The part that killed me?  We ordered a dessert for her and as she was divvying it up to share, she casually tossed out that she couldn't remember the last time she had a birthday cake.  And then she said, "Last year, I bought some cupcakes for my birthday and when I brought them home, my son asked what they were for..."

Her own son didn't even realize it was her birthday!

And that is when my heart broke.  Not only did he not know but no one in her family thought to acknowledge the day with even so much as a card, not to mention a cake.  In my mind, there is ALWAYS cake for a birthday.

My son - which was once the same age as her son - always knew when my birthday was; and his father's and his sister's and his grandmother's birthdays were - because he learned from a young age that these were IMPORTANT dates.

As it happens, she was one of two to make sure that my big day was acknowledged at work - though the majority of the company was blissfully unaware (fine by me; the important people to me knew - and that was plenty).  My guys, of course, lavished me with attention and love - and, since they know me so well, kept it fairly low-key.

I, of course, have plans in place to make sure that she feels loved and acknowledged tomorrow - so much so that she will get a cake, of sorts, tomorrow.  But it pains me that her family isn't doing the same.

No, as a family you don't need to CELEBRATE every occasion; but you should realize that the acknowledgment of the occasion IS necessary and needed - even if the recipient claims "it's no big deal."

Yes it is.  Its always a big deal.  Even if it is celebrated quietly; it's still a big deal.

Twenty-eight years....

Today is our anniversary...28 years.  Wow.  It seems like only yesterday that we were young and dumb and rushing headlong into marriage after only knowing each other for a fairly short amount of time.

Just a week or so after we were married - so very young!

I guess we "knew" deep down that this one was for keeps. 

The Husband gave me a sweet card and wrote "How about 28 more?"  I melted.

What can I say about this man?  He loves with his whole being.  He can infuriate me at the drop of the hat...while also having the ability to make me laugh out loud at the same drop of a hat.  He is thoughtful and kind.  And, oh boy, can he cook!  He is an awesome father who would do anything, and I mean anything, for his children, his wife and his family.  As I said in my card for him, I made a very good choice.

At dinner tonight - we splurged and went to a very nice restaurant - he observed that we have been together longer than I was single...I really didn't need that reminder of my age, dear.  But yes, he's correct.

And yes, another 28 more sounds good to me.

At least I was kind of productive during this winter event...

Almost, to the date, a month ago we were hammered with a winter event which left us pretty much house-bound due to the 12-ish or so inches of snow.  This weekend we braced for another event - only this time we were being promised ice.  Lots and lots of ice.  And once again, despite our prayers, the forecasters were correct.

When I woke up, the trees were coated in so much ice.  As I wandered down the driveway in search of my paper, I thought the driveway didn't feel too slick.  And didn't think much more about it.  Until an hour later when the power went out.  Dammit.  At one point, The Husband wandered in, noticed the power was out and went back to bed for another hour or so.  All told, we were only without power for almost four hours - inconvenient, yes - but it's not like we had to spend DAYS without power (we've lived that nightmare before), so we are grateful.

Thankfully, the streets weren't too bad, according to The Husband, who braved the roads fool that he is.  I wisely stayed behind.  And not five minutes after he left I heard a HUGE crash.  I looked out the dining room window and saw that the tree tops had snapped under the weight of the ice.  I ventured out, hoping for a picture...

But upon hearing the trees to my left creaking, and the wind blowing, I got nervous so I was only able to snap this very unhelpful picture.  But you can the ice that is coating all the trees.

I called The Husband, and once he ascertained that the downed trees weren't near the house, acted like it was no big deal.  Until he got home.  The first words out of his mouth were, "It looks like a #$&%*( war zone out there!!!"  And then promptly went out to secure a better picture.

Note that all the remaining trees are leaning...

What this picture doesn't show is that this destruction is along the ENTIRE back perimeter of our yard.  The Husband looked at the destruction and declared that he is too old for this.  That this would be at least three weekends of work to clear.

There is a grove of trees off to the left which are leaving me worried about sleeping in our bed tonight - which is on that side of the house - I'm pretty sure, I'll head upstairs, to the opposite end of the house, tonight. And, as I type, I hear the hum of chainsaws in the background...in the very, very dark, background...that can't be safe!

I spent a good portion of the morning online (after the power came back on) but eventually got restless and decided this would be a good time to tidy up my dressing room/closet/whatever.  Which then led me to go through EVERY SINGLE dresser drawer (except the ONE drawer he is allowed to put all his "stuff," i.e. "junk" - not clothes, etc.) in the house.  And once that chore was accomplished, I turned my sights to The Hoarder's Husband's closet.  I thought about posting a "Before" picture but couldn't bear the thought that the picture would reside forever on the internet.

I will note, that through all this cleaning out and tidying, I did not get rid of anything of The Husband's without his express permission; albeit that permission may have been given while he had one eye on the game...

As a result, I ended up with two garbage bags full of stuff headed to Goodwill tomorrow and The Husband's closet actually looks like a closet...still an overstuffed closet...but progress.

Now I'm going to cross my fingers that the power holds out through the night and see what tomorrow brings.

The latest gadget to enter our home

In mid-December, as The Husband watched me struggle to open a bottle of wine before shooing me away and doing it himself asked, "Didn't we used to have a really nice corkscrew?"

And we did, kind of.  It wasn't fancy; it was from the Pampered Chef and I was able to use it easily because I didn't have to be tall enough to pull the arms down from a traditional corkscrew.

With this one I didn't have to be tall to use it.

This one, replaced the other one and required me to stand on my tippy-toes

But, as with anything plastic, after years of use the Pampered Chef corkscrew broke and we resorted to the traditional corkscrew - which is fine for anyone who is an inch or two taller than me...unless I want to carry the bottle, glass, and corkscrew to the kitchen table - then I probably could use it without a problem since the table top is much lower than our counters.

All that to say, it gave me an idea for a Christmas gift for The Husband...and the hunt was on.  I knew I wanted a nice one that wasn't complicated.  I saw some that looked like this

Look at that...Pampered Chef has upped their game

and they intimidated me.  So I found myself at Bed, Bath, and Beyond with coupon in hand and I came across this

Cuisinart Cordless Wine Opener

After a quick consultation with Google - who told me that this particular corkscrew had plenty of good reviews - I bought it, took it home, wrapped it up, and put it under the tree for The Husband to open on Christmas morning.

The "cordless" part is a misnomer kind of, in that the base has a cord which requires the item to reside on my counter, plugged in.  And, as I'm sure you all know by now, I hate for things to be on my counter as permanent fixtures (this is one area where The Husband and I don't agree, at all - since he wants EVERYTHING out that he might possibly use) - except for my coffee maker and KitchenAid Mixer...until now.

I LOVE this thing!

Yes, I realize it was a gift for The Husband - and, for the record, he loves it too - but the ability to push ONE button and the cork is removed and to push another button and the cork slides out into your hand and there are NO tippy-toes involved? Love it.

Another plus?  It's pretty low profile, so it doesn't STAND OUT that it is residing on my kitchen counter.  Although, I do have to say, the foil cutter that is included?  Meh, not so great - but still the actual product? Fabulous.  

So there you go, even though it's WAY too early for a "gift guide" for Christmas post - tuck this away in the back of your mind for next Christmas.

*crossing fingers that I haven't doomed this product to it's early demise on my kitchen counter with this post.*

Huh...really?

We've all heard it a thousand times - get yourself measured for a bra every couple of years.  Sadly, this is usually low on my priority list.  I've been the same size for YEARS.  And it's been fine.  Now, I'm not gonna lie - for the past year or so I've had a hate-hate relationship with my bras.

One day, one would be fine.  Great even.  And then it wouldn't.  As I've rotated between the ones that were great some days and not so great on other days, I came to hate them all.

Today, I finally decided that enough was enough and headed to Soma to be fitted.  The clerk was friendly and helpful...and informed me that I was a completely different size.  EVERYTHING was different - the band size, the cup size - EVERYTHING.

Upon her recommended size, I tried on a few and found one that seemed to be okay.  Now here's the deal with trying on bras.  You only have it on for a few minutes...and in that minute or two everything seems to be fine; so you buy it; which I did.

When I got home, I ripped off that hateful bra that had been driving me crazy and got into the new one; figuring THIS was going to be glorious.  And while it was...better; it still wasn't quite right.  If the bra manufacturer's are to be believed, you aren't supposed to be aware that you are wearing a bra...I think they LIE - how could you NOT be aware that you are wearing one?

Now considering I have tried to measure myself numerous times and my results have fluctuated wildly - I'm wondering if I should go somewhere else to be measured.  Because to be honest; this result flummoxed me completely and from the time I put the new one on until I put on my pajamas, I was TOTALLY aware that I was wearing one.

So I'm thinking this weekend, I will find another place for a fitting and see what they say.

In other news, I head back to work tomorrow *sob* and wondering why I can't work from home (bra-less)...

Happy New Year!  And here's hoping this is the year that I can find a bra that I don't realize I'm wearing...we all have our dreams.

Post Christmas Update

We had a lovely Christmas and hope you did as well, if you celebrate.  We are now eagerly waiting for the new year and, hopeful that it will be a good one.

Man-Child gave me the greatest surprise this Christmas.  I've only been asking for one every weekend (and EVERY gift-giving opportunity in between) from anyone who would listen for the past three years to no avail - he bought me a pressure washer!

Yes, I know.  It is generally frowned upon to give a woman an appliance or a tool - which may explain why I've not received one before now; but I maintain that if the item has been specifically requested by the woman; then, and only then, it is an acceptable gift.  And this one was - tears sprang to my eyes when he walked in with it.

Oh, the things that I can do with this machine!  I can't wait for it to quit raining long enough for me to try it on the driveway!  

And that is the point where we segue to the weather...

It's raining...AGAIN.  I swear this year has been the rainiest on record and I would be right.  The local newspaper just did a story about how we have broken the record for rain in a single year.  I am SO over the rain - but, of course, the forecast is calling for more on Sunday and Monday - with nary a sunbeam in sight tomorrow... *sigh*

I honestly didn't need the news story to tell me that we broke the record - just driving through the neighborhood this afternoon told me all I needed to know - what with all the flooded out yards and such.  Yes, I'm observant that way, you know.

This afternoon found me on a mission to "un-decorate."  Since I put very little up this year - other than the tree - it took no time at all.  Now, I will admit that our naked, pre-lit tree is still standing in all it's glory but that's only because The Husband remarked, as he does every year, that I was "rushing" it.  I told him the tree could remain standing and naked, but for the lights, until this weekend; but the rest was coming down because once I go back to work I knew I wouldn't want to deal with it.

*Let me butt in here to tell you, I bought these hooks last year for our ornaments and I seriously love them! (This isn't an affiliate link, I just seriously love these hooks - WAY better than the traditional hooks!).*

And then, I turned to continuing to wade through the MANY boxes and whittling things down.  I was able to pare the ten boxes down to eight.  That may not sound like much BUT those boxes were STUFFED with things that we never used.  So these eight boxes are MUCH lighter than they were before.  And, to be honest, if it weren't for the four ornament boxes (which I keep because I need one for red ornaments, one for silver, one for gold and one for "family" ornaments) we could probably whittle it down to six but I like to have them separate...because that's the way I roll.  

I did find it odd, considering we usually only decorate our porch with lighted garland (which we didn't do this year since I never did track down suitable garland - oh well, next year maybe), that we have an inordinate amount of lights.  We even have multi-colored lights - which we never use.  Since I was fairly certain Goodwill wouldn't accept the lights - even though I checked that they all worked - I boxed them up for storage.  I didn't know what else to do with them at this point.

Long time readers will recognize that December is usually the busiest this blog gets since I take so much time off.  Long time readers will also realize that The Husband and I rarely take vacation at the same time unless we are traveling together (which is also rare).  The Husband and I have been home together for the past FOUR days.  I now know WHY we are rarely home together for any length of time.

This morning found me ready to kill him for eating toast.  Seriously?!  How can someone make eating toast into a LOUD activity?  When I called him out on it he responded with, "Well, it's not like I'm eating celery!"  No, but it certainly sounded like it.

Spreading Christmas cheer...it's easier than you might think.

Yesterday I was talking to my friend (two doors down).  She is a younger mom with younger children (all under 12 with youngest not even two yet).  With children who were out of school all last week thanks to the snow...and then were out again this week due to illness.  And will now remain out of school thanks to the Christmas holidays.

When we spoke she was overwhelmed.  She was behind on gift buying, gift wrapping, house cleaning...she was behind on all of it.  She wondered how I seemed to be ahead of the game.  I laughed and said, "I've been on vacation and don't have small children."  We chatted about other things and hung up.

And as I was telling The Husband about our conversation, I remembered how it was back in the day, with a small child.  Snow days, sick days, holidays,,,being stuck in the house for days with a child.  It could be SO overwhelming!  And here I was, with an evening stretched out in front of me and no small people under my feet and no one making demands of my time.

So I sent her a text right then and there asking if she wanted to sneak out of her house and come on down that I would help her wrap gifts.  She was amazed and grateful.  She came bearing various gifts, wrapping paper and ribbon.

We spread out on the living room floor - with Christmas music in the background - and wrapped, chatted and laughed.  When she left a couple of hours later, her relief was palpable - that one task was done.

And it's that simple...look around and see what you can do to help.  Buy food for the food bank.  Help an overwhelmed mother.  Open a door for someone whose hands are full.  Smile at strangers.  Slip a couple of bucks into the Salvation Army bucket.  It really isn't that hard.

And it really shouldn't only happen at Christmas...

"Over" you much...how to give your child a complex in one easy step...

I was ready to send Man-Child a text when I realized I wanted to reference a previous text and came across THIS gem...

Over you much?! Thanks spell-check...that should have been "Love you much."  And I wonder why this child might need therapy...

FINALLY

I have been trying really hard to find the Christmas spirit - but I gotta say shopping or errand-running in monsooning weather makes that hard.  As does being boxed in to a parking spot - not once, not twice but FOUR times in ONE day - since the line of cars refuses to let you out...unless, of course, they want your parking spot.  Or the rude and inconsiderate shoppers that elbow you out of their way.  Or the fact, that my tree STILL wasn't up.

To be honest? By the other night (and again last evening), I was fed up.  As evidenced by this Tweet...

If I don't get the damn Christmas tree up this weekend then it won't go up at all!!

The problem resides in the fact that I need other people to move a piece of furniture first. As the mom I'm supposed to pull off the magic but when other people are involved it becomes tiresome.

— Gigi (@gigirambles) December 15, 2018

And that, pretty much sums up where I was last night.  Done.

I had asked Man-Child to help his dad move the heavy chair when he was here on Monday night.  Apparently, they forgot about it.  Which was understandable as there was SO much going on with the ridiculous amount of snow and The Husband being sick (he's a bit better - we'll give it few more days and see if those antibiotics kick in).  I had assumed that we would see MC at some point early this weekend.  He had a wedding to attend that I wrongly assumed was in Raleigh...turns out it was in the mountains instead.  I knew I couldn't help the sickly husband move the chair (the darn thing weighs a thousand pounds...what? No, I'm not exaggerating!)  Once I realized that MC wouldn't be coming here, I had decided that this would be the Christmas without a tree!  

Because, although I would like the tree to stay up after the new year, I know me.  I would rather have that tree down and out of the way before I return to work on January 2nd.  Otherwise, that tree could possibly remain standing until July (ok...maybe I tend to exaggerate a TINY bit...).  But seriously?  What would be the point of putting up a tree next week only to take it down the next?

The Husband, sensing my frustration called our neighbor two doors down (I'm thinking I should give them the acronym of ONTDD...nah) and asked if he could help.  He was willing and able.

And saved our Christmas.  Because, I wasn't kidding...if that tree didn't go up this weekend, it wouldn't go up at all.

As soon as our neighbor left, The Husband immediately put the tree up - which I then trimmed this morning.  That coupled with the return of the sun, lifted my mood immediately.

Sadly, our angel decided not to light this year - you'll note she's missing from the top of the tree.  I have The Husband on a mission to find fuses - I'm hoping to save her.  But have resigned myself to the fact that we may have to replace her.

But as I stood in the garage and looked at the TEN storage bins of Christmas decorations, I declared - out loud, so it would count - that this is the year I finally wade through and start donating.  I have said it every year (but not out loud) since we downsized but the task is a daunting one which falls by the wayside with the decorating, shopping, wrapping, etc.

So I did a quick run through of all the boxes and was able to fill three grocery bags.  Later this afternoon - after discovering that my favorite lighted garland had also decided to die filled eleven more bags of things - bringing the total up to fourteen bags - including non-lighted garland, linens (SO MANY linens - linens I'd forgotten I even owned!) and knick-knacks.  All of this will be hauled off to Goodwill bright and early tomorrow.

As of today, I believe I have finished my shopping - except for the hunt for lighted garland for the porch and, possibly, a new angel.  I have one more package to wrap after it arrives tomorrow.

I have given up on the thought of getting Christmas cards out this year.  I had good intentions as we took family pictures over Thanksgiving - but unfortunately, NONE of them came out with a high-enough resolution for cards...so I have set that chore aside with absolutely no guilt.  Maybe next year.

So, finally...I am getting there...and finding that Christmas spirit.  Some years it takes a little longer than others, but eventually it always shows up.