Norman Rockwell is one of my favorite artists. This photo at present seems to describe life because the days are so short when Dustin comes to visit! And there is never enough time when he's around!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Little Sunday Time
 |
| Self portrait |
 |
| This is Tony, my awesome brother who is giving us directions and how to's in the kitchen. He is good at this. He's gruff, he's funny and I love it. Not that I listen to him, but he returns the favor and doesn't listen to me. It's a good time! |
 |
| I'm not sure what is going on here... Lynae finding Tony's hunchback perhaps. In disgust she says, That's your SPINE! |
 |
| Mom trying on my new glasses and she couldn't see herself in the mirror! Hilarious! |
 |
| Dustin is so IN with the family. He plays 'bears' with Whiski. It's her favorite game. |
 |
| Little Whiski is Soooooo tired. And cuddly. |
Weekend of Warm
We had everything from rain to shine the two days we spent filling up the basement. It was hard work but great fun to spend with Dad and Dustin. I think filling up the basement with 4 chords of wood will get us through till April and then we'll have to have another wood gathering.
 |
| In order from L-R. elevator, truck, Dustin, chomper and pickup |
 |
| One of dads many inventions. Elevator to process the wood without having to handle it one more time. Still do though... |
 |
| Showing the sleet and rain we had. Dad running the chomper. It didn't occur to me to get photos of it working. :( |
 |
| Dustin is having fun. We were soaking wet and cold and he still smiles! |
 |
| He's so tough. |
 |
| I missed the moment, but the elevator kept jamming. I was running the controls and dad came back, wrenched a crow bar off the side of the chomper and runs up the elevator saying, "let me take care of this thing!" He fiddled around and low and behold it worked! Below, Dad in his element and handsome boyfriend smiling |
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Thertie
So. A blog is to jot thoughts. And on this jot, it's a filing of a complaint. A grievance that I can't get out of.
Seriously. I have never been so close to a particular birthday. 30. Thirty years of age. Three score years. Thartie The 3-oh. Thirty. In about 2 weeks actually. It's not a word I can really wrap my head around. The worst of it I have been teased about this day since I turned 27 and announced to my mother, more of a lament actually: "MOM! I've never been so close to thirty!" I swear I'll be 92 and still have that panic tinged, edgy loud voice that only works with the word MOM!
And my mother, being the incredible woman she is, paused for a half of second and says to me with a no-duh dead pan look, "You're Right"
Since that day, it's been announced at regular intervals. By my siblings. By my dad, my mom and those that have heard the story. Seems that all of them find a perfect excuse around the dinner table to tell company...
"Carmyn guess what! You've never been so close to thirty before!"
"OH! Wait. Right now!"
"And again!"
"Wow you're so close! No, closer!"
"Again and Agi- Again!"
It's like they were waiting for that moment for me to make that statement so they would have some appropriate blackmail. This is not what I had meant at the time. I was just amazed that I was no longer in my early 20's which is not something I had considered would actually happen. I knew it would, don't get me wrong. I was just thinking it would happen to someone else. That I somehow had the elixir of youth? Who knows. But for 3 years now I've been teased of this comment and in 2 weeks I will have done it. Like achieved Something. Great. Awesome. Waking up to one day and achieve a milestone of 10 decades? What, waking up the other 364 days a year each year was not enough??!
Birthdays are weird. I've never liked them. Maybe I did until I was about 26, then it was over for me. I lied. I liked them until I was about 10. Now I'm being asked what I want to do to celebrate? I don't know what I want! It's a birthday. The day before Valentines Day which is the only holiday that I really don't like at all. And Christmas. Okay, so I'm an Unromantic Scrooge. However, no V-Day has ever been a good one, so maybe if I go to bed on the 12th, I'll wake up on the 15th and all will be well! I'm not complaining (maybe a little bit) or wanting sympathy (seriously none), I'm just stating my opinion. Who dreamed up birthdays in the first place?! and even worse, who dreamed up Valentines' Day. Preposterous. I broke up with a guy on Valentines' Day once. It wasn't very nice, but then I don't pretend to always be nice.
It would be awesome to be somewhere in a city shopping and milling around and sight seeing- just a vacation! Eating good food (would be trickery cause of this GF stuff now) but nonetheless a change of pace now and again never hurt anyone's outlook. However, time off is a problem, and all the girls of mine are working or have their own plans with their significants. It's especially a problem when you have Mr. Wonderful who is 700 miles away and takes a little more than 2 days of the weekend to see him because I like him and want to spend more than 48 hours with him. Plus he just left a couple days ago and i don't think He can get time off again so quickly. (I know.) Valentine's Day is around the corner. It's best to not have expectations. Cause I really really REALLY like him and no matter what, if he brought me broccoli for a flower, I'd probably still think it was adorable. (Weird)
Anyway, I feel better now. I don't have all the things that people chalk up to being thirty- house, hubby, 12 kids, 72 loads of laundry per day, a mangy dog, kittens, 30,000 acres of wheat in the field, bread in the oven, a dinner party to plan for 22, house to clean, the rugs to wash, the panic that the cows and horses got out again, running lunch to the harvest crew, getting the pivot unstuck.... OMW! Sounds like so much fun!!! (except I'm never having kids, just for the record) But, Thirty is probably do-able. They say lots of good things happen when you're thirty. It's got 365 days to prove it.
PS Don't make any comments to Mr. Wonderful Re: Broccoli. He would totally try it.
PPS I wonder what other comment my siblings will trip me up with now after this "you've never been so close to 30" phrase has been closed....
Seriously. I have never been so close to a particular birthday. 30. Thirty years of age. Three score years. Thartie The 3-oh. Thirty. In about 2 weeks actually. It's not a word I can really wrap my head around. The worst of it I have been teased about this day since I turned 27 and announced to my mother, more of a lament actually: "MOM! I've never been so close to thirty!" I swear I'll be 92 and still have that panic tinged, edgy loud voice that only works with the word MOM!
And my mother, being the incredible woman she is, paused for a half of second and says to me with a no-duh dead pan look, "You're Right"
Since that day, it's been announced at regular intervals. By my siblings. By my dad, my mom and those that have heard the story. Seems that all of them find a perfect excuse around the dinner table to tell company...
"Carmyn guess what! You've never been so close to thirty before!"
"OH! Wait. Right now!"
"And again!"
"Wow you're so close! No, closer!"
"Again and Agi- Again!"
It's like they were waiting for that moment for me to make that statement so they would have some appropriate blackmail. This is not what I had meant at the time. I was just amazed that I was no longer in my early 20's which is not something I had considered would actually happen. I knew it would, don't get me wrong. I was just thinking it would happen to someone else. That I somehow had the elixir of youth? Who knows. But for 3 years now I've been teased of this comment and in 2 weeks I will have done it. Like achieved Something. Great. Awesome. Waking up to one day and achieve a milestone of 10 decades? What, waking up the other 364 days a year each year was not enough??!
Birthdays are weird. I've never liked them. Maybe I did until I was about 26, then it was over for me. I lied. I liked them until I was about 10. Now I'm being asked what I want to do to celebrate? I don't know what I want! It's a birthday. The day before Valentines Day which is the only holiday that I really don't like at all. And Christmas. Okay, so I'm an Unromantic Scrooge. However, no V-Day has ever been a good one, so maybe if I go to bed on the 12th, I'll wake up on the 15th and all will be well! I'm not complaining (maybe a little bit) or wanting sympathy (seriously none), I'm just stating my opinion. Who dreamed up birthdays in the first place?! and even worse, who dreamed up Valentines' Day. Preposterous. I broke up with a guy on Valentines' Day once. It wasn't very nice, but then I don't pretend to always be nice.
It would be awesome to be somewhere in a city shopping and milling around and sight seeing- just a vacation! Eating good food (would be trickery cause of this GF stuff now) but nonetheless a change of pace now and again never hurt anyone's outlook. However, time off is a problem, and all the girls of mine are working or have their own plans with their significants. It's especially a problem when you have Mr. Wonderful who is 700 miles away and takes a little more than 2 days of the weekend to see him because I like him and want to spend more than 48 hours with him. Plus he just left a couple days ago and i don't think He can get time off again so quickly. (I know.) Valentine's Day is around the corner. It's best to not have expectations. Cause I really really REALLY like him and no matter what, if he brought me broccoli for a flower, I'd probably still think it was adorable. (Weird)
Anyway, I feel better now. I don't have all the things that people chalk up to being thirty- house, hubby, 12 kids, 72 loads of laundry per day, a mangy dog, kittens, 30,000 acres of wheat in the field, bread in the oven, a dinner party to plan for 22, house to clean, the rugs to wash, the panic that the cows and horses got out again, running lunch to the harvest crew, getting the pivot unstuck.... OMW! Sounds like so much fun!!! (except I'm never having kids, just for the record) But, Thirty is probably do-able. They say lots of good things happen when you're thirty. It's got 365 days to prove it.
PS Don't make any comments to Mr. Wonderful Re: Broccoli. He would totally try it.
PPS I wonder what other comment my siblings will trip me up with now after this "you've never been so close to 30" phrase has been closed....
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Bread? No. Chocolate? No. Coffee? No. How does one Live?!?!????
So, I won't make mention of this again, but I'm pretty sick. And no one knows what's going on. I'm on a battery visits of Doctors- every doctor. From MD's to homeopathic and all in between (except Voo-Doo) that's too far fetched for me. Do what you will, but the thought of someone dancing a jig/salsa/inuit/jitter dance on a toothpick while I walk over hot coals and they have me swat a balloon in a northerly direction isn't my idea of healing.
I'm finding out that one of the major issues is I'm unable to eat wheat, including and not limited to: bread, Crackers, muffins, pie... Problem? Oooooh Yeah. I LIVE for bread. . It's too bad the bread lives in me. Literally. I cannot digest it. And so it sits there, and the only way out is, um... yeah not fun.
So anyway, it makes life VERY interesting. Like who would have thought soy sauce has wheat? And why does canned food, pretty much all canned food (not that I cook much with canned food, but a Cream of Mushroom does have its uses! And tomato soup, sauce and sometimes canned tomatoes) have wheat in them? And the saddest of all? Those amazing truffles at Trader Joes? Or the truffles found at Costco? Off limits. Forever.They're filled with wheat. And I can't eat breakfast which is my very favorite meal of the day. I'm on a hunt for a 'legal' sourdough starter. And experimenting with pancakes. I love pancakes.And waffles. And bran muffins. I found legal bran muffins. Too bad that a packages costs $5.96 for four. I will persevere and figure out how to make it from an ingredients list posted on the back. People say well just by the gluten free mixes. I say No. I will learn how to make it myself. Thank You. I have too much of my economical mother in me.
The Plus Side? You ask if there is a plus side.......
**Well, I enjoy cooking. And this is an entirely new life recipe now. A new challenge to make things really fabulous and yummy. There is a lot of experimenting going on, but who would have thought that chocolate chip cookies are AMAZING with buckwheat flour and quinoa grain? Seriously, we've eaten them all. My family loves them. My boyfriend? Skeptical at best!
**I no longer feel like I'm 900 pounds. People think I'm ridiculous complaining that I'm fat all the time. Well, you are what you eat I've heard and when it doesn't digest in your body? Fat happens. So that's relief there.
**I drink a TON of water. Probably a gallon per day. Literally feel like I'm drowning, but water cleanses.
**I'm off caffeine which I do not like at all. I never knew one could miss coffee so much.....but I feel better
**Makes you loose weight. Pretty much without trying. It just happens and I don't have much to loose.
**Never ever using a microwave. (Yes this is actually a Plus) Food tastes better! Even reheated on the stove tastes better.
**..................... give me a week. or Month. Or a year. I'm only on day 5.
Nonetheless, I have found a fabulous blog. glutenfreemommy.com
It's beautiful, simple and totally do-able. The thing that's interesting to get used to is the flours. To make bread involves 4 or 5 different kind of flours or starches: potato starch, tapioca flour, sorghum flour, sweet rice flour, millet or buckwheat.
I'm just glad to have a point of reference to go from. When I gather recipes that are tried, true and yummed, then I'll start on a cookbook which has always been one thing I've thought would be fun to do. WITH photos. None of this stuff without pictures now.... So here's a picture.
I'm finding out that one of the major issues is I'm unable to eat wheat, including and not limited to: bread, Crackers, muffins, pie... Problem? Oooooh Yeah. I LIVE for bread. . It's too bad the bread lives in me. Literally. I cannot digest it. And so it sits there, and the only way out is, um... yeah not fun.
So anyway, it makes life VERY interesting. Like who would have thought soy sauce has wheat? And why does canned food, pretty much all canned food (not that I cook much with canned food, but a Cream of Mushroom does have its uses! And tomato soup, sauce and sometimes canned tomatoes) have wheat in them? And the saddest of all? Those amazing truffles at Trader Joes? Or the truffles found at Costco? Off limits. Forever.They're filled with wheat. And I can't eat breakfast which is my very favorite meal of the day. I'm on a hunt for a 'legal' sourdough starter. And experimenting with pancakes. I love pancakes.And waffles. And bran muffins. I found legal bran muffins. Too bad that a packages costs $5.96 for four. I will persevere and figure out how to make it from an ingredients list posted on the back. People say well just by the gluten free mixes. I say No. I will learn how to make it myself. Thank You. I have too much of my economical mother in me.
The Plus Side? You ask if there is a plus side.......
**Well, I enjoy cooking. And this is an entirely new life recipe now. A new challenge to make things really fabulous and yummy. There is a lot of experimenting going on, but who would have thought that chocolate chip cookies are AMAZING with buckwheat flour and quinoa grain? Seriously, we've eaten them all. My family loves them. My boyfriend? Skeptical at best!
**I no longer feel like I'm 900 pounds. People think I'm ridiculous complaining that I'm fat all the time. Well, you are what you eat I've heard and when it doesn't digest in your body? Fat happens. So that's relief there.
**I drink a TON of water. Probably a gallon per day. Literally feel like I'm drowning, but water cleanses.
**I'm off caffeine which I do not like at all. I never knew one could miss coffee so much.....but I feel better
**Makes you loose weight. Pretty much without trying. It just happens and I don't have much to loose.
**Never ever using a microwave. (Yes this is actually a Plus) Food tastes better! Even reheated on the stove tastes better.
**..................... give me a week. or Month. Or a year. I'm only on day 5.
Nonetheless, I have found a fabulous blog. glutenfreemommy.com
It's beautiful, simple and totally do-able. The thing that's interesting to get used to is the flours. To make bread involves 4 or 5 different kind of flours or starches: potato starch, tapioca flour, sorghum flour, sweet rice flour, millet or buckwheat.
I'm just glad to have a point of reference to go from. When I gather recipes that are tried, true and yummed, then I'll start on a cookbook which has always been one thing I've thought would be fun to do. WITH photos. None of this stuff without pictures now.... So here's a picture.
 |
| photo courtesy of glutenfreemommy.com |
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Siblings
 |
| I love how attentive whiski is and Lynae is just sitting there "thinking about it" |
 |
| Uncle Tom H at Boring this year. Special time! |
 |
| Out in the canoe with one of my beautiful sisters |
 |
| Tony and I. He's always SO excited to see me!! haha |
 |
| Lynard Skynard with her blue blue eyes and quick wit. |
 |
| The temp was COLD- somewhere in the minus but we're well bundled! |
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Best Quote Ever
A successful man is a man who prays,
A successful woman is a woman who finds a praying man.
Monday, January 3, 2011
A little New Year
For the first time since um... 13 years ago, maybe longer, we had the quietest little New Years' in history of Gamma New Year Traditions. Six people in total. A bunch of appetizers, a few puzzles, a movie and a whole lotta knittin.' Probably not quite the thing to imagine when the last Sleigh ride we had there were 97 people.... My oh my. Back in the days when I was younger and had lots of energy.... Um, make that, Mom had the energy. Someday I hope to be like my mother. I've had 29 years of practice and so far I think the only thing that's rubbed off is we have identical smiles. All four of us kids do.
But 2011 rolls in like any other day does:
*My pickup wouldn't start because it hit 19 below on New Years eve (Friday), the fuel gelled and Sunday night got a tow down to the shop where dad hooked up the battery charger and 12 hours later, it finally started.
*I'm still trying to find #1 diesel in this town......
*I made it to work.
*I couldn't find my black belt to go with my black shoes: again. For the 2nd time this week.
*Whiski still barks at every little sound especially at 2 am.
*I made cinnamon rolls last night because it was Jewel's bright idea! They're really good I must say.
*Again considered getting the white Tiger/Siamese kitty at mom and dads. Considering has taken 5 months.
*Wondered if I will see a big change soon...........
*Wishin I had my belt right now.....
*Snowing again... the start of a 10 day run according to weather.com
*Still haven't found any patience today.
*I have a million pictures from the last 2 weeks of which 4 are of Dustin and I and they're not very good
*I have a million pictures of the cutest nieces and nephews in the world that I need to edit to send to their grandma and mother..... maybe by next year. If we're all lucky.
*School starts tomorrow.... oh where did the two weeks of reprieve go?!
*Found Number 2,308 reason of why I'm never having kids: they will end up like me.
*I got my sewing machine back new years eve. And I can't find it in the house.
*I have 10 major sewing projects to finish and have for at least 7 months....
* Perhaps in the next month I'll finish knitting my Christmas Presents.
*Went snowshoeing on the lake and literally paddled back to shore. There is 6 inches of water/slush on the ice that is hidden by the 12 inches of snow on top. Kind of heart pounding experience for 30 seconds.
*I have the best camera from the best boyfriend and I'm still unable to use it properly....
*2011 still doesn't have enough hours in the day.
*I should post the pictures, but my camera is at home with the card plugged into the computer and I'm at work. My arm does not stretch 55 miles away.
*I look at a website everyday for some unknown reason. stylemepretty.com (that's so weird)
*I still am trying to figure out Corel Photo which I really like as a photo editor, but again, patience got lost
*Wonder how many changes there will be in 2011....
HAPPY NEW YEAR
So, yeah, just like any other day..... pieces of a paradise.Someday they might all fit together.
But 2011 rolls in like any other day does:
*My pickup wouldn't start because it hit 19 below on New Years eve (Friday), the fuel gelled and Sunday night got a tow down to the shop where dad hooked up the battery charger and 12 hours later, it finally started.
*I'm still trying to find #1 diesel in this town......
*I made it to work.
*I couldn't find my black belt to go with my black shoes: again. For the 2nd time this week.
*Whiski still barks at every little sound especially at 2 am.
*I made cinnamon rolls last night because it was Jewel's bright idea! They're really good I must say.
*Again considered getting the white Tiger/Siamese kitty at mom and dads. Considering has taken 5 months.
*Wondered if I will see a big change soon...........
*Wishin I had my belt right now.....
*Snowing again... the start of a 10 day run according to weather.com
*Still haven't found any patience today.
*I have a million pictures from the last 2 weeks of which 4 are of Dustin and I and they're not very good
*I have a million pictures of the cutest nieces and nephews in the world that I need to edit to send to their grandma and mother..... maybe by next year. If we're all lucky.
*School starts tomorrow.... oh where did the two weeks of reprieve go?!
*Found Number 2,308 reason of why I'm never having kids: they will end up like me.
*I got my sewing machine back new years eve. And I can't find it in the house.
*I have 10 major sewing projects to finish and have for at least 7 months....
* Perhaps in the next month I'll finish knitting my Christmas Presents.
*Went snowshoeing on the lake and literally paddled back to shore. There is 6 inches of water/slush on the ice that is hidden by the 12 inches of snow on top. Kind of heart pounding experience for 30 seconds.
*I have the best camera from the best boyfriend and I'm still unable to use it properly....
*2011 still doesn't have enough hours in the day.
*I should post the pictures, but my camera is at home with the card plugged into the computer and I'm at work. My arm does not stretch 55 miles away.
*I look at a website everyday for some unknown reason. stylemepretty.com (that's so weird)
*I still am trying to figure out Corel Photo which I really like as a photo editor, but again, patience got lost
*Wonder how many changes there will be in 2011....
HAPPY NEW YEAR
So, yeah, just like any other day..... pieces of a paradise.Someday they might all fit together.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)