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Archive for October, 2012

Linus would be proud!

October 27th, 2012 at 03:27 am

Remember the comic strip "Peanuts" where each Halloween Linus awaits the "Great Pumpkin?"

I would say that the person who owns this home must really like Halloween. We saw this in Arthur, Illinois, which is about 28 miles away from us.


Resisted temptation

October 25th, 2012 at 12:37 am

It's been a wild week so far at school. Not that it is bad, but I have come home very tired.

Tonight on my short drive home I thought, boy, a nice hot pizza sounds good for supper. Bet DH would go for that!

But, alas, I had already planned and had a chicken and dressing casserole in the fridge waiting to be baked.

Pizza sounded better to my tummy, but the casserole was better for the wallet.

We had the casserole. :-)

Remember Grandma

October 21st, 2012 at 09:20 pm

Like many of you, I take my lunch to work. Having read so many of the news stories, I attempt to heat my leftovers at school in glass which means my lunch is a little heavier, but I feel safer.

One of the younger teachers has been sitting next to me and comments on my lunch most days. She has been commenting on some of my containers.

Many of my containers are either Corningware or Pyrex containers and if they didn't belong to my grandmother, I bought them used.

Anyway, this teacher said she has been capitivated by my lunches because of the containers...most of the folks bring those freezer read to microwave meals. She has commented on the designs and such and finally the reveal: they remind her of her mom and her cooking and her dishes.

I know some of my cookware was my grandmother's. I often wonder if she would be pleased I'm still using and enjoying these items.

I also wonder if more people would say the same thing if they saw dishes from their childhood and if it would bring back good memories. I know that is my case.

A Prada Purse

October 17th, 2012 at 12:57 am

Saturday DH and I had the opportunity to take Amtrak to Chicago for the day. We had a lovely luncheon at the Walnut Room at Macy's and then walked around in some of the stores.

One of the buildings on State Street has escalators that either go to TJ Maxx or down to Burlington Coat Factory. We went to both to look around.

At Burlington there was a Prada purse with the marked down price of $1134.

Not being familiar with Prada, this kind of surprised me. I mean, I know Prada is pricey, but I guess I didn't realize it was that pricey, and that was the marked down price.

Yikes!

I looked at it and it was nice, but I'm not sure it was THAT nice.

At lunch yesterday at school, we were discussing it. One gal we work with is always buying expensive purses. But, the concensus was we couldn't see spending that much money on a purse.

We had a variety of reasons:

1. If we paid that much, we'd have to stuff it with newspaper because we wouldn't have any money left;
2. If we paid that much we'd have to carry it until it wore out and we'd be sick of it;
3. If we paid that much, we'd be sick because we don't like to spend more than $50 (and usually less) on a purse; and
4. Name brands aren't THAT important.

Needless to say I am Pradaless which is just fine.

Validation!!!

October 6th, 2012 at 02:10 pm

Dear Abby in her column yesterday had a letter about the home selling parties and how the writer should just say they had other plans! So between the comments made on my previous blog and her column, I feel I have had some validation.

Weather in Central Illinois the past couple of days has been, to say the least, interesting! On Thursday we had a high of 80-82 depending on which weather forecast you listened to. It was warm, whatever the thermometer listed. Yesterday it dropped to the low 40s and we had a little shower of ice pellets. Yikes! Can't say it is boring, anyway.

One of the ladies I work with told me that the people who eat lunch with me always are interested in what I bring for lunch. I kind of laughed and said, "Really?"

She smiled and said it was because I bring such good leftovers. She said the other day I was the envy of the table for my homemade mac and cheese. I'm wondering if this could be a new business for me...making lunches ... after all, Paula Deen started this way! :-)

Enough Already!

October 2nd, 2012 at 02:30 am

As if the ongoing drone of political ads aren't bad enough, I'm tired of answering the doorbell.

Let me warn you, this is a rant.

Seems the doorbell has rung 3 times at 7:10 in the past three weeks...twice it was the neighbor kids doing fundraisers for their school. Two different fundraisers, I might add. Then, the mother sends over an invitation to one of those parties where you are guilted into buying their product.

Last week it was another child selling a third type fundraiser for their school district. This one was earlier.

I get it that schools need money. I live in a different district than I work, although I'm only about 4 blocks away. My own school has had a fundraiser. Read this: "a" as in one. Single. This district has had 3 since they started school.

I'm the bad guy. After DH funded all three, I told him that was enough. We've given enough for right now.

Part of me is irked at the neighbor. Two of the three kids were hers. She is always hitting us up for something. Yet to hear her tell it, they are broke and can't buy anything. But, she doesn't think anything about sending her kids over to guilt us into buying stuff. I'm polite and kind to the kids, but when is enough enough?

I think the flyer to the stupid party was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. I like to support local business owners and such, but attending one of these parties isn't my idea of a good time. And for a family that complains they are broke, owning a boat, two cars, the biggest house on the block and having a multitude of Halloween decorations (lights and all) out, isn't exactly broke. She has come over to visit in my yard with booze on her breath. And every Christmas she has the extravaganza of Christmas lights and blow ups and music and stuff. I don't really feel it is my responsibility to finance her lifestyle by attending one of her parties.

I just emailed her a nice response saying I couldn't make the party. I was polite and didn't comment.

As for the doorbell, I hope it doesn't ring for awhile!