Ten on Tuesday ~ Ohio Edition

Ten things I loved about going to visit my grandmother a couple of weeks ago (in no particular order):


1. Escape from the 150° (only a slight exaggeration) heat in So Cal. Even the rats were wilting, and they are hardy creatures.

He looks dead, but he's just laying there bemoaning his existence in the horrid heat.

2. Time spent with family. Almost the entire California contingent trekked out to Ohio for my grandma's birthday and annual family reunion. It was great catching up.



3. Spending time with this lovely lady in purple and red.

Ninety-five years young, she is. And still sharp as a tack, too.

4. Getting to see that my 95-year old grandmother is still very active. When not traipsing up and down the halls getting her daily exercise (the nurses call her Speedy), she can be found doing puzzles, chatting it up with residents and employees alike, and trying her hand at pottery and other crafts.

Squirrel, by Angeline Kuhel

5. The FOOD. Yes it needs to be in ALL CAPS. Not only because it was all delicious, but because there was so much of it!

Kielbasa and pasties are traditional Slovenian dishes served at most get togethers.

6. Receiving a stone from the foundation of my grandmother's original homestead up in Michigan.


7. Watching old black and white movies, just Grandma and me.


8. Getting to see my grandma meet my brother's wife for the first time.


9. Getting to look through my brother's wedding album for the first time.


10. Coming home to a wonderful family and remembering how much I love them. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

Ten on Tuesday ~ What Gets Me Through the Day

Ten things (people are a whole different post) that get me through each day, for which I am forever grateful.

In order that they appear:


My Reliable Alarm Clock
It's never failed me or had an off day. [Knock wood.]
I hate it at 3:30 AM but recognize it as a necessary evil.
It's just doing its job.

Hot water/shower
When I lived in Colombia, my hot-water tank was about the size of a gallon of milk.

Most people there take cold showers.

Voluntarily.

One time I called the maintenance guy to look at it because it wasn't working. He asked incredulously, "You want hot water?"

Yes. Yes I do.



Coffee

I don't care if it's instant, comes out of a vending machine, or is three days old. (Most of the time I drink the cheapest instant kind the grocery store carries.) I need it for the caffeine and the other drivers on I-10 at 4:30 AM thank me.




My 1994 Toyota Camry
She's a workhorse, that one. Pushing 180,000 miles and still drives 120 miles a day without rattling. I am so thankful for a car with good gas mileage that gets me to and from work each day.

And speaking of...


My Mechanic
(Okay, so I don't have to see him everyday. Thank God.)
But he deserves honorable mention because he is honest, kind, and makes sure I'm driving a safe car.
Worth his weight in gold.




My Computer
(work and home)
Pretty self explanatory.
For the most part we can't get by without them nowadays.
Most of my work is done on computer.




A Working Refrigerator
We've had many instances with the opposite, so I am thankful that this one is still going strong.


And while I'm at it:

A Working Stove
As much as cooking is the bane of my existence, I do appreciate the fact that I have the tools to make healthy meals for my family.




Lotion
This can actually be inserted in about 10 different places on this list.
Dry itchy skin = obsessed, dysfunctional Heather.




Trazodone
(antidepressant to help me sleep)
At this point in my life, my insomnia still rages and trazodone comes to the rescue. I am weaning myself off of it, but for now this is what works.
I also like that it's not a typical "sleeping pill" so I don't wake up all groggy.
No sleep = zombie-like, dysfunctional Heather



My Warm Bed
It beckons me each night and lets me rest my weary body upon it.
I really try not to take this for granted.

It's the little things, ya know?

What gets you through your day?

Check out more gems at Beyond Black and White.

Ten on Tuesday: Thanksgiving Addition

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Ahh, the holidays. Everywhere people are talking about the season of gratitude and being thankful for every blessing. It's truly inspiring to read so many blogs that discuss the importance, nay, the necessity of having an attitude of gratitude.

And then I step out the front door.

Into a world where everyone is so stressed out that they are driving like complete idiots and practically foaming at the mouth in the retail stores.

The thing about that is, we (okay, I) choose to let it get to me. I hated admitting that.

This time of year doesn't bring out the best in me, either. So what better time to practice being thankful? It's so easy to be thankful when things are going great, but we are supposed to be thankful in all circumstances. Hard, huh? Please tell me it's not just me.


Today, I'm choosing to be grateful for things that have helped me stay safe and sane (so far) this season.

I am thankful that I came across this blog post by Mary Southerland today. She discusses the issue of the stress of the season, complete with Sandpaper People. I think she hits the nail right on the head.



I am thankful that I also came across this post by MckMama, wherein she discusses how we can choose to look at our situations in one of two ways, "Either as atrocious experiences or as adventures." Well put.



I am thankful that, even with the craziness of the season, Ralph and I have done our daily 120-mile commute without incident. Believe me, that's saying a LOT.



I am thankful that so far I've only had a small cold in terms of illness, and Ralph and the boys are healthy as horses. A blessing indeed!

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I am thankful that the boys are off from school for the entire week so that I don't have the added insanity of homework each night. Suh-weet!



I am thankful that Ralph is AWESOME at researching and finding gifts online, which makes giftgiving exponentially easier. (Maybe just for me.)



I am thankful that Ralph's aunt just e-mailed and asked if I could bring yams for Thanksgiving dinner and I happen to have a few boxes* of sweet potatoes** needing to be used up since apparently the men in my house hate them.

*Is it bad that I only make stuff that comes in a box?
**Those are the same thing as yams, right?
A chef I am not.


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I am thankful that I don't have the burden (I know, some of you love to do it and don't see it as a burden) of hosting Thanksgiving at my house because I tend to either under cook things or burn them to a crisp, and then cry about it. I'm sure all of Ralph's family is thankful that I don't offer to host either, as they aren't particularly fond of food poisoning.



I'm thankful for the extra day off on Friday. Many people don't have that option, especially retailers. (Did you know Black Friday starts on Thursday evening now? Many stores are opening at 10 PM. Pretty soon we're going to forgo the meal altogether...)



And of course, I am thankful I'm not a turkey.



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Ten on Tuesday

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I just realized it's been quite a few weeks since I did a thankfulness post. And there really is so much to be thankful for, even when, especially when, life throws crazy curve balls at you. That's why I always want to remind myself of that with these posts. I'm so glad Crayl does this every week.

1) Election Day
As much as I take it for granted, I really am thankful that we have the freedom to vote in our country. And the fact that I don't have to worry about getting death threats on the way to the polling place is an added bonus.



2) Election Day
I'm thankful that today means the end of the bazillion phone calls from candidates, sheriffs, city council members, etc. telling me who to vote for. Oh, and the end of those horrid commercials, too.



3) I'm thankful that Ralph's cast came off on Friday! He walks around like Frankenstein with his "boot," but he's walking!



4) I'm thankful that the boys are too cool nowadays to go trick-or-treating and therefore are not hopped up on sugar for the entire week.



5) I'm thankful that coworkers brought their leftover candy to the office so that I can be hopped up on sugar all week.

Awww yeah.

6) I am thankful that an important event I'd been stressing over went off without a hitch.



7) Strange but true: I am actually thankful for getting a late start to our commute today, because it reminds me how much more pleasant our commute is when we leave earlier. (The crazies like to sleep in a bit more.)



8) I'm thankful for Ralph's quesadillas. He made them for me for the first time this weekend. Heaven.



9) I am grateful for the boys' health and safety. You never know with teenagers, but thankfully these guys have good heads on their shoulders, even if their main goal in life is to make me believe they might do something dangerous at any moment.



10) I'm thankful that all my friends back in the Bay Area get to celebrate breaking a 56-year streak with no Series title. Just thinking about how happy everyone must be today makes me smile.

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Happy day.

Ten on Tuesday ~ September

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Last week Crayl listed ten things she's thankful for about September, and I thought I'd follow in her footsteps.

1. Change.
September signifies the end of summer and a move towards cooler months. I love that it begins a whole new season. To me it's the most dramatic change in the year.

2. Aaron's birthday
He'll be 19 this year. I met him when he was a mere 15. He's my oldest stepson and an amazing young man. He is a great role model to his two younger brothers and he has a kind, sweet spirit that just makes you feel immediately comfortable around him.


3. Football season
Not because I like it per say. I like the fact that the season starts because it's Ralph's and the boys' favorite sport, and it makes them so happy to watch it and/or play it.

Side note: All of the men in the house have been rabid Raiders fans since early childhood. One of Ralph's friends was making a joke recently about how much he hates "La Traitors" as he calls them. Another one of Ralph's friends looks at him and says, "You know Raiders fans stab people, right?"

In honor of such people, I give you this:





4. The weather
It will finally start to cool down. Not until the very end, but I'll still weep with joy when it happens.


5. Back to School
The boys, of course, don't share my feeling on this. But I am happy that they are in school and not laying around the house playing video games for 14 hours a day (or whining that they're not allowed to play video games for 14 hours a day). Or beating the crud out of each other. Or all the other summer activities they loved to do.


6. Soup
Yes, soup. Other than ice cream, it's my favorite food. And it's a bit hard to eat when the temps soar above 100°.


7. The changing colors of the leaves
We don't have a whole lot of that out here in the desert, but when I do see a little peek of color, it makes me so happy.


8. It's a reminder that the holiday season has almost begun!


9. Survivor starts another season!

10. I get to see everyone's fall decor around blogland!

Head over to Beyond Black and White to see more Septembery thankfulness.

Thankful Thursday ~ The Zany Z!

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I can't believe I made it to the end of the alphabet! I'm going to have to reuse some of my Zs from last year, but I am still thankful for them, so it's all good.

ZINC oxide
Since I'm paler than a full moon on a snowy evening, I depend on this sunscreen ingredient daily.

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Lemon ZEST
Yum!




ZIPPERS
I love some of the zipper jewelry I've seen around blogland, too.

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People with a lot of ZEAL!
They are very exciting to be around.




I'm also partial to ZANY people.
They make everything more interesting.




ZEBRAS

Even though they are often the victims, they make for lively Nat Geo shows.

Did you know that no two stripe patterns are alike? Amazing!

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ZIP codes
They make it so much easier to send mail.




ZOOT Suits
I love the style.

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Being in a ZONE
This doesn't happen to me often, but when it does, it's totally awesome.



Catching some ZZZZZZZs
Since I have horrible insomnia, when I do manage to sleep, it's absolutely precious.


Crayl always has amazing thankful lists. Check her out at Beyond Black and White.

Ten on Tuesday ~ The Yawping Y

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Almost to the end of the alphabet. Ten Ys for which to be thankful:

I think I used this one last year as well, but I love it still. From Walt Whitman:

I sound my barbaric YAWP over the roofs of the world.

YARN for knitting and crocheting

It's kept me busy many a time when I would have otherwise been bored out of my mind.

our YARD for the wild animals dogs and boys to frolic in

YAMS

delicious, especially as fries

my old YEARBOOKS

so I can take an embarrassing trip down memory lane any time I want

YEAST

the better to bake bread with, my dear

YOGURT

frozen, that is

YOUTH

too bad it's wasted on the young

YELLOW jackets

the boys' football teams, not the insects

YARD sales

I find the best, cheap stuff at them!

Crayl has awesome thankful lists on her blog, Beyond Black and White. Check 'em out!

Ten on Tuesday ~ The Tempestuous T

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For some reason my brain isn't functioning too well today (yeah, I know, what else is new?) and nothing leaped right to mind when thinking of Ts to be thankful for. But I suppose thankfulness is actually something to be thankful for... Anyway, here are the first things off the top of my head:

deTANGLER

green TEA ice cream

Leno's Rico TACO
best tacos and burritos anywhere!


TRUFFLES
the chocolate kind, not the ones pigs root for

Yes:
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No:

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my TEETH and TONGUE
the better to eat you with, my dear


any and all kinds of TAPE
awesome invention; don't know how people lived without it


knowing how to TYPE


TWINKLING lights


the TRUTH


TOLERANCE


THUNDERSTORMS
(but I do prefer that I'm inside during them)

Catching Up

A day late and a dollar short, as usual. Here are last week's and this week's lists:

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POPCICLES™
With warm weather approaching, these are a necessity.

my youngest stepson PAUL
He is a free-spirit, full of enthusiasm, easy to laugh, quick to forgive, and 100% all boy.



PANCAKES
(especially when eating them in my pajamas)

PAPERBACKS
Best companions anywhere

PARAMEDICS
I hope I never need one, but it's nice to know they're there.

PASSPORT
in case I need to flee the country

PASTA
I don't care what Dr. Atkins says, it's delicious.

PILLOWS
No explanation necessary.

PLANTAINS
especially when they are fried in butter and brown sugar and topped with cream


POETIC license

Ha!

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my QUADRUPEDS
all 6 of them

Blue, Coco, and Rhino the Destroyer


Big Fat Fatty Zoe



Ninja


Daisy


QUAINTNESS

QUALITY people, products, etc.

QUENCHING my thirst

peace and QUIET

QUICK-wittedness

QUILTS for cold winter nights

QUININE- flavored tonic water

the QWERTY keyboard

the line, QUOTHE the Raven, "Nevermore."

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For more quotable Qs (and any other letter, really) head over to Beyond Black and White.

Ten on Tuesday: The Notorious N

In no particular order:

NEIGHBORS
We have the best ever.

NOVOCAIN
With all the dental work I've had done, you'd better believe I'm thankful for it.

NACHOS
Delicious and easy to make. My kinda meal.

NARWHALS
Proof that God has a sense of humor.

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NOVELS
My favorite things with which to pass the time.

NUZZLES from my critters.

NATIONAL parks and all the glorious NATURE they contain.

NERDS candy (although I'm also partial to human nerds).
Grape and strawberry are my favorite.

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My NOGGIN; I know I'd lose it if it weren't attached.

NONSENSE
It just makes the world a little more fun.

For more nutty Ns, head over to Beyond Black and White and read Crayl's list.

Ten on Tuesday ~ The Magnificent M

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It's a day late, but that appears to be my MO anyway, so it shouldn't surprise anyone.

In no particular order, my favorite M's:

MOUNTAINS
I love living close to them. They are beautiful.


MARSHMALLOWS
Delicious, especially in Rice Krispy treats


Learning from my MISTAKES


MATTRESSES
I need something comfy to sleep on.


The scent of freshly MOWED grass


Car MECHANICS
A good, honest one is a Godsend
(If you live in the OC, Jeff at Personal Care Auto in Westminster is the best. Check out a review here.)


MEMORIES
Unfortunately, my memory seems to be deteriorating at a rapid rate.


The Little MERMAID. My favorite Disney movie.
It's funny how Disney changed it from the original gruesome ending to a child-friendly one.

Sebastian is da bomb.


MODERN MEDICINE


MIXED-breed dogs, a.k.a. MUTTS
Best dogs ever.

For More Melodious M's, check out Crayl's list at Beyond Black and White.

Ten on Tuesday ~ The Lithesome L

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In no particular order (well, except the first one) I'm thankful for the following L's :

LOVE.
Duh.

LIQUIDS.
Drinks of any kind, but mainly water.

Hand-written LETTERS.
Don't see many of those anymore.

The Incredible Mr. LIMPET.
I don't know why it had so much of an effect on me, but I remember being fascinated by it since it had real people as well as cartoons.

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And is it just me, or do you see a resemblance around the eyes?

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Moving on...

Being LEFT-handed.
Even though I write funny and had to learn how to do a lot of things right-handed (like use scissors since there were never any left-handed ones), I still like it. I especially like that I inherited it from my grandfather.

LABELS.
Make it so much easier to find things.

LITERATURE.
There is not a moment in my life that hasn't been defined by what I'm reading at that time.

LAUGHTER.
Especially childrens'.

LIPSTICK.
My lips fade into my face otherwise.

LEADERS.
The movers and the shakers.
We wouldn't have much of a history without them.



Other L's I'm particularly fond of:

Lifesavers candy
the smell of lilacs
linen fabric
lemons
lockets
lollipops

For more luscious L's, head over to Crayl's blog, Beyond Black and White.