Call me Fitz

It seems my family is developing a mother lode of traditions. My sis has taken the reigns and suggesting (over and over again) that when we gather that we all write some sort of Fitz memory.

She came up with a brilliant idea years ago while at the Lake House that each of us write an essay on why it is Fabulous to be a Fitz. After that, it was ON.

Around Christmas the theme usually includes holiday memories but it open for anything. My BIL brought in his family tree that has recently been researched by one of his BIL's. It was a fantastic spread of faceless names. "I know three of them" he commented as he unrolled the huge document. the bottom line was how we touch each other and how far our reach extends with out our being aware.

My essay (which I left in Memphis and I had to reprise from memory) went like this....

A friend of my on Facebook asked us to share our best Christmas memories. He went first and described how all he wanted was a pair of Beatle Boots and was told, by his Mom, that they were too expensive. It was all he wanted, all he thought about. And, like all great Christmas stories, on Christmas morning after all the presents were opened his mother directed him, just like Ralphie and his Red Ryder BB Gun, to a special package hidden behind the tree. That was the best Christmas ever for him, the year he got his Beatle Boots!

I tried to think back and remember a time when I received the best gift ever! When, on some bright Christmas morning when the day was brilliant with snow and cheer, I found the gift I had been hoping for all season! Was it that Chatty Cathy doll? Was it the Beatle album?....Was it the Frye Boots that were out of this world expensive? Bicycles being test ridden in the snow ruts? Was it....was it.....? What was it?

I closed my eyes and tried to rewind time and think back to when I was young enough to believe in Santa and gifts arriving in magical sleighs. How old would I have been? Eight? Nine? Six?

I remembered the Christmas day when my parents invited the young women from South America to share our Christmas day. They were students at the Women's College in the area and unable to return home for the holidays. My parents opened up our home to them and celebrated the birth of Christ with total strangers!

I think I was around seven or eight. I remember the pictures of me that day. Gazing up at the glamorous women, a doll clutched tightly to my chest, in a maroon dress with a matching cloth head band.

I also remember my mother inviting girls from my small grammar school, girls I never would have considered close friends! She invited them into our kitchen to help us make Christmas cookies!

Many years later it is not the Christmas gifts that I recall with vivid clarity.

It is my Mother's generosity and the true spirit of Christmas she held and displayed by example no matter what the holiday. No matter what the season.

And this is the gift she passed on to all her children.

Feeding my Addiction

Very interesting prompt popped up at the Blogher site asking the question Is blogging writing?

As I read a few of the posts I ran across one that raised the question of Where have all those bloggers gone?

I suppose I could be considered one of the missing. I am not lost, just in a very different place than previous. Not only with my career (what a laugh) path, but with my writing spirit. I feel that I jumped the shark somehow and now that shark is no where to be found.

I am reading this lovely book of short stories called The Springs of Affection - Stories of Dublin by Maeve Brennan. Now that is writing! I have only just begun but each story so far is like a tiny snapshot of life, an incident retold with a simple poignant clarity.

Then I was in the Goodwill Bookstore feeding my addiction and ran across The New York Times best selling author, The Pioneer Woman's memoir for $4.99. I thumbed through a few pages and immediately thought of Maeve Brennan and placed the book back atop the shelf for someone else.

My time is too precious.

But it begs the question, is this not what all bloggers are striving for? To be that Pioneer Woman? To be plucked from absolute obscurity by the hand of God and made into a TV star, a NY Times best seller and to make tons of money writing a blog? She is the most successful case I know of, I'm certain there are others. Like Waiters Rant (now that is some good writing!!).

But then there is the 99% of the rest of us who are just compelled to write because we have to. Something inside of us has to get out! We are compelled to write it down, commit it to paper and examine the soul.

Anyway, it's disheartening that I no longer feel the fierce need.

But I am encouraged that that need is still alive, just lurking.

Just Like "the Bishop's Wife"

I finally found someone who took the reigns and continued on with the tradition of Reverb. I came up with my own list of topics to write about, but as you can see I have not kept up nor have I been writing every day!

WHAT ONE WORK DESCRIBES YOU IN 2011.....

I have to admit it would be STRESS. 2011 began with an eminent relocation. Even though I was bored to tears with my job at the Mall and ready for a change I found I was not prepared for this type of shake up. I wanted it on my own terms.

The IRS wanted their money and I found myself in the position of looking for another job. I knew I could transfer to another Bucket, but it does not pay much. I found I was having a difficult time getting interviews let alone job offers. I know my resume looks suspicious, a two year employment gap and then a semi-minimum wage job in a retail shop.

I moved four hours further away from my family. My Mom is not in good health and I find myself unable to visist as much as I would like. I have seen her four times since moving.

I am stressed because I work two jobs and I have so many people inquire why I do this? I do not have the frame of mind to tell them I need the money to keep up with my crack habit. I have people who resent it.

I am so close to paying off the IRS and then I lost my renter in Indiana. She paid me the months rent under the promise I would pay her back a half month with her deposit. She tried to rent the house for me since I am six hours away from that home. She could not pull it off for me. Joe and myself had to take four days off and travel to Indiana and assess the situation.

I had not seen the house since renting it to A. I had the house painted and new carpet put in. To my absolute horror, the paint does not compliment the carpet! I made fun of my green carpet and yellow walls. The best thing you could say about that combination was it had personality! This combo was milktoast at best. I almost cried at what I had authorized to be done!! I had wanted a steel gray silver-ish carpet and it was not available or some such bull. Once I take possession of my house again (if ever) I am painting the walls some outrageous color!! And I am going to get some outrageous furniture to liven up that buttermilk carpet. Yuck one hundred time! no wonder why no one wanted to rent it.

Evertime I turned around Ihad some unexpected financial crises on the horizon!


My mothers advice to me was to not worry but to pray. Every time I felt a panic attack begin to creep up in me or I woke up from a sound sleep to toss and turn and agonize over things - I would hold my rosary and comfort myself back with Hail Mary's rather than "I'm screwed" mantra.

My new favorite Christmas movie, which incidentally I never saw before 2008, is The Bishop's Wife with Loretta Young and Cary Grant. To sum up my favorite part, there is a non believer who talks to the Angel (Cary Grant) about his agnostic beliefs and they debate the existence of God. Later on in the movie Loretta goes running to this Heretic who is a good friend of hers because the Angel had fallen for her (hence the title) and she was confused. The Agnostic brought out his bottle of port and showed her a miracle! He poured them two glasses of wine and the bottle when up righted was full again.

The Angel! God's hand at work.

My life and my money woes are like that bottle of port. There is always enough and there is always replenishment.

What me Worry??

So even though stress seems to have dominated 2011, so have Miracles.

Day 2

I'm Tired.

I realize it when I wake up in the morning. I realize it when my legs begin to cramp when I move them a certain way in my sleep. I realize there is nothing more important during a day then how your feet feel! After all, I am standing on my two all day long except for a thirty minute break and the drive to my second job.

I have been asked many times "Why do you do this?" and the reason is simple, I drink too much if I am at home.

No that is not true. The reason is that I did not work for two years and ran up some astronomical debt. I am paying the proverbial piper right now. Added to the mix is that I am over 55 and jobs for my age group are scarce.

People do not want to hire a Know it All.

Case in point. I work with a wonderful woman who is approximately my age. She lost a "good" job and continues to look for a replacement for that income. In the meantime, she works at this semi-minimum wage job.

She frequently interviews for great jobs in the Retail industry. She never lands them. I have a big notion why. She begins many a sentence with, "That's ridiculous!......." another is "That is the silliest thing I have ever heard!".

No body wants to hear that stuff.

I try to express my observations to her that I realize this place of work is like any other I have worked. i.e. "Don't tell me about the labor pains, just show me the baby"

Just shut up and do it.

Play the game.

Don't whine about how far it is to walk from one end of the parking lot to the shopping center. Don't flaunt your Handicap Card. Do not clock in and then drive 200 yards to the public parking lot.

People notice these things. It's OK to be disgruntled if you focus it to do something positive.

Because I realize that the people who hire when they see a 50 something potential employee they also see the person I just described. There are many ways to gt around hiring you. Like "can you lift 25 pounds?" My friend would reply "Hell no, maybe 30 years ago!"

DAY 1

Old Friend From Far Away...

I am going to begin with "I Remember...." and see where it takes me.

I remember a time when I did not worry about a thing.

I would get up in the morning after my Mother yelling at me from the bottom of the stair case to GET UP! Threats would finally have me roll out of bed after a night of listening to the radio, positioned above my head on the small twin bed that was made for me by (I believe) Elwood House. It had a book shelf behind that was perfect for filling with paperbacks and lots of crap (I had lots of crap even back then), but the radio...oh how I loved that radio. Mom and Dad gave it to me as a gift after my sister Kitty was born. I helped around the house with everything while Mom recuperated and rested from her birthing ordeal.

The radio had an AM and FM dial. Which was fantastic in the mid-sixties! I found the first ever FM station out of Louisville that I listened to at night, imagining myself up on the stage performing with Dusty Springfield, the Beatles, Lulu, Diana Ross and the Supremes. It was a portal into the rest of the world. I stayed up as late as I could, listening to the radio fade in and out on the wave bounce until sleep would overcome my most valiant efforts to stay awake.

It made for a tough morning.

I remember being the last person to jump in the car as my Dad revved the engine in the drive way, the car filled with my brothers and the other two. We car pooled to the High School in the city, a Catholic High School that I hated going to.

But now, 40 years later, am so happy I did.

I had the best of both worlds. Living in a small town where everyone knows you and the opportunities of a large new circle of friends in a different city.

I remember hating the fact that back then it was long distance to call this other city so I never got to yak with my gal pals from Lexington for all hours. I remember the phone on the wall in our basement that I would perch myself on the old ripped up red bar stool from our upstairs "snack bar" and yak yak yak on the phone for hours with my Small town friends.

I remember one of my best girlfriends running from her house across town to my house to tell me to put the phone back on the hook that John Paul was trying to call me and the line had been busy for an hour! OMG!!  

JOHN PAUL!!  and not the Pope, y'all.

We use to take the phone off the hook so that Omega's nap time was not interrupted.

I remember that was how it was back then. Running or jumping on a bicycle to quickly get to someones house to deliver an important message. Ask our Mom's to drive us somewhere!?!! Surely you jest. It just was never done.

I remember everyone being very skinny. lol.

The List

Last year I participated in a terrific end of the year reflection exercise called Reverb 10. The website has been retired and it has been suggested that any interested party just sponsor their own Reverb.

With that in mind, I will make a list of things that I will concentrate on writing about in the month of December. They may be subject to change as time goes by.

1) Lessons learned this year.

2) High point of the year.

3) Progress on my 1001 days (begun over 1001 days ago!)

4) Memoir exercises - have this great book with a lot of prompts, so this will be my go to when I have brain freeze.

5) Plans for Retirement.

6) Reflections on my career path

7) Agism and its effects on my job search

8) Paths I did not take

9) People I would like to meet

10) My continued list of passions and hobbies

11) My attempts at cooking a new dish from one of my ten thousand cook books per week

12) Touring Memphis and area with me as I explore and discover

13) Forcing myself to pick up my camera and taking some fantastic shots!

14) My favorite TV show(s)

15) My thoughts on any articles from TIME magazine

16) List of five things I HAVE TO CHANGE in 2012

17) New people in my life

18) Where I would like to be this time next year

19) Cities I have lived in

20) What has changed the most this year in respect to my head (lol)

This is a list that can change at any moment, but at least a catalyst for filling the blank page every day!

Blah blah blah

I am going to do the Blog her thing and post every day for the month of December. I went home to Kentucky for the week end. It was the shortest visit ever. Six hour drive up, arrived around three thirty in the afternoon. Partied until 4am, got some sleep, up at 830am to cook the amazing stuffing dish for my family gathering to celebrate Thanksgiving and then on the road again at 315 and over seven hour drive home because I-65 was a parking lot so we detoured down the West KY parkway.

That sentence was longer than my visit.

I drove around my home town Saturday afternoon and a sudden overwhelming feeling of loss engulfed me. I began writing my blog while living in this town. I got married while living in this town. I had the best job ever while living in this town. I grew up in this town. I walked all over this town as a child and as an adult.

I know a lot of people spend most their lives running away. Who says you can't go home?

She's Cooking Again

Wow! What's with this new Blogger Look? Freak me out.

This week I have been watching "America's Test Kitchen" and made a Brisket in the slow cooker. Shout out to ATK - OUCH! That was so hot it made my eyes water! I can't figure out what gave it the fire unless it was a combo of everything! Next time I will slow it with my own rub. Otherwise, it was pretty neat.

Tonight I decided to pull out another cookbook. This time it was...

MEDITERRANEAN COOKING, from the Home Cooking collection, 1996

I decided to make Mushroom Risotto with Sausage Bolognese. I recall an episode from The Next Food Network Star where one made risotto and the other contestants raised eyebrows because of how easy it is to over cook.

And so.....

4T Butter or olive oil (I like to use both together)
1 onion
1/2 lb. mushrooms sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 cup short grain rice (I only have jasmine rice)
1 1/2 c. chicken stock (thank God for packaged)
salt

Sauce Bolognese
1T olive oil
1 onion finely shopped
4 Italian Sausages, casting removed (really?)
3/4 c pureed tomatoes
2 c. chopped canned tomatoes
1 t Italian herbs
S&P


Melt butter in lg. skillet over med. heat add onions and mushrooms. Cook 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add garlic and rice. Stir well and cook 2 minutes more

Stir in stock and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has been adsorbed. If still moist, raise heat to high and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. My jasmine rice cooked up pretty good in the 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat oil and saucepan over med. heat add onions and crumbled sausage meat. Cook, stirring, for 7 minutes (I just cooked it until it was done but I did time it....) drain off excess oil (I did not have any) stir in pureed tomatoes (surprise! I didn't have any so I substituted tomato paste and cooked a little in the middle of the pan, about 2/3 of a sm. standard can) then add the chopped tomatoes and herbs S&P. Simmer another 7 minutes.





Transfer risotto to a serving dish, top with bolognese sauce and serve at once (lol)



I give it a four star!! **** Tasty and very easy to make. It was probably a little sweeter than I would have liked due to the tomato paste rather than the pureed tomatoes. But, it was very good. Even Joe, who ate at the Chow Wagon Buffet for lunch (not really but I can't remember the name of the restaurant) with "the boys" - holy smokes they ate for two hours!

Yet, when he came home he was able to eat a small bowl and pronounce it "Good".

Look I'm Flying! I mean Blogging!

I don't know how long I will keep this up, but with the diminished hours at Elvis World, it may be everyday. I suppose the bright side is that it is good training for the Reverb Challenge next month.

And so, with so many cook books on hand I thought I would engage in Number Three of my Passions which is Cooking!





I decided to choose a cook book at random, which was the Farm Journal's Country Cook Book. I had a bag of green beans that I was using as a side dish to the pot roast I cooked the night before. Rather, I cooked over night in the slow cooker, yum yum yum. (Three yum's up) I settled on Green Beans in Sour Cream.

Onions....



My Secret Ingredient



Before oven....



After oven!



I halved everything:

2 lbs green beans cooked or canned
1 onion sliced
2 T finely cut parsley
1 t salt
2 T butter
1/4 pepper
2 T grated lemon rind
2 T flour
1 c thick sour cream
1 c buttered bread crumbs

Place green beans in a buttered 2 qt. casserole.Saute onions & parsley in butter until lightly browned. Add salt pepper flour lemon rind and sour cream. Heat until just hot. Spoon over green beans. Top with bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

I added garlic to the onions. I used onion crisps and my new favorite topping chow mien noodles instead of bread crumbs. I did not have a lemon but I did have a grapefruit! I never can tell how much I am grating and the first thing Joe asked "What is that zingy taste?"

Pretty good!

The Many Passions of Alphawoman - Part II

The Birth of Kit and Mollie Vintage

I have three days off in a row and I am giddy! Tomorrow night I go into my 2nd job for five hours but I am FREE until then.

How have I spent the last 24 precious hours? Besides driving around Memphis and mistakenly not taking the right ramp and ending cruising over the mighty Mississippi landing in Arkansas? I have been spending time playing with my vintage jewelry. Sitting under a very bright high voltage light bulb and turning the pieces this way and that holding the jewelry loupe to my eye, trying to read any hidden markings. Sometimes so miniscule they seem hidden.

I caught the vintage bug last winter. Bored and alone at a computer screen with little to do, I found a marvelous site (it remains a secret that I only share with my bank!!) that every so often I feel like I hit the lottery.


Take this lot of earrings that I bid $6.99....



............and won. The green drop earrings caught my fancy and the bidding was so low that I could not help myself. To my credit, it had been over seven months since I have fueled this compulsion - I mean passion.

After shipping, I think it came in under $20 (the only beef I have with this site is that the shipping charges are extremely high with "handling & insurance" added into the mix - boo).

When they arrived I was thrilled with the haul. The top center earrings, which unfortunately look a lot like Bridget's baby teeth (yes I saved them, I am a semi-nut case), are marked "Japan" and I tend to think they are cultured pearls. Score!

The drop earrings are stunning - just like I suspected.

But the coup de la fabulous is the big gold brooch - its a Les Bernard! Worth at least twice what I paid for the entire lot.

My big plan is to some day have a cute booth at some little festival. Joe retires in one year, ten months, three weeks and four days! I am hoping that we will hit the road in a RV, that is if I can talk him into it. My big plan is sell my vintage jewelry along the way. I also am going to sell on the ESTY site - as soon as I make myself get it up and running.

I already have a name, Kit and Mollie Vintage. The name of my two Grand Mothers.

Cool, huh?

The many Passions of Alphawoman

I have a new hobby! Once I looked at a friend of mine who was suffering from infernal boredom and I offered a suggestion that they find a hobby. Sitting in front of a TV and consuming beer was not a hobby. Maybe a sport, but not a hobby. What are you going to do when there is nothing of watch worthy and you don't have a dime for beer, or as they would say in Memphis "What you gonna do when ain't nothing on the tube and you dry..."

My hobbies aren't that expensive. A lot less expensive than playing golf or consuming expensive wine.

Some might say I jet past hobby and embrace passion when it comes to collecting Cook Books.

When we left C-ville the Goodwill received most my extensive book collection. I could not bring myself to (once again) rent a storage area to house thousands of books. I tired Abe to sell them off, but it was terribly time consuming and cost me out the wazoo as I priced them as collector items and could not compete with Amazon. Damn Amazon.

So I gave them away and kept only the Travel books, the Mystery books (i.e. my Sue Grafton collection, Sara Parensky collection etc) and odds and ends (first edition To Kill a Mockingbird). When it came to my Cook Books, they made the trip to Memphis and thank God, not in the car as the crazy Cat. (another story).

And so the saga continues with frequent trips to this marvelous Goodwill Book store in NE Mississippi. I can find the most unusual assortment of culinary marvels donated from uninterested inheritors. I have to look at it that way.

What would be the explanation for the following poignant inscription inside the cover of "COOK COUNTY HISTORIC COOK BOOK" (December 1989)

"To Kelly Anne F*******, my Grand daughter From Mama Jean. May you enjoy using some of these recipes in your cooking in years to come. I hope you enjoy reading the history of the different Homes and tows of Cook county, in the state of Georgia. My place of birth and where I live. Love you, Mama Jean"

And the Cook Book is exquisite. 380 pages in a spiral bound jewel weighing about two pounds!

I may even start using them in the future!

We Inturrupt this Silence with an Update

What I have been up to as of late

Work work work. And it's a drag. I certainly miss the days when I jumped into a company car and drove around spreading the love on a daily basis. When I was finished or just ready to kill some time I would find a public library or a hotel with a business center and attend to my blog. Remember the good old days? Before Face Book and Twitter when you blogged? Times have changed and so have I. I really don't know how to use Twitter and I usually only comment on Face Book.

And blogging has almost gone the way of the dinosaur.

Honestly, I miss it quite a bit.

Quickly, yesterday I was distraught and so close to a teary breakdown that it is a miracle that it did not happen.

He reminded me of my Dad. He was elderly and ill, his puny body being pushed by wheel chair into the entrance to the Airplane Exhibit at Elvis World. I held open the door and he looked up at me from his slumped over position, from under a frumpy hat that covered his thinning white stringy hair, with runny eyes and a face that was wasting away with age.....and he gave me a beautiful smile. So much joy at being - here, at E-land.

And it hit so close to the bone.

My Dad would have been 92 on Friday. I miss him so much.

Where the Southern Cross the Dog

Saturday August 27th

13/365

1) Day trip!! No where to go, nowhere to be. Unable to go to Hot Springs so just headed south and took off. Packed a bag just in case.

2) First stop was Tunica - but we just wandered around one of the casino's and shrugged and left.

3) Went across the Mississippi into Arkansas and found this little restaurant in West Helena called the West Helena Fish Market. A hole in the wall, funky with one big round table for eating in. The action was the take out. At three o'clock in the afternoon it was non-stop. The fish plate, for a cool $10, included five pieces of fish, slaw, hush puppies, french fries and a 20 ounce Mt. Dew (sorry Coke but you won't return my calls)



4) Then on Clarksdale and the Delta Blues Museum which was fantastic.

5) Then to Ground Zero Blues Club where we had a couple of beers and soaked in the atmosphere. This is the Crossroads, Baby!

Up with The Birds

Friday August 26th 12/365

Grace in Small Things 2011 version

1) Went to bed way too early last night and woke up at 3am and could not go back to sleep. I was up before the birds! But I ironed clothes, washed dishes, paid bills, made breakfast and lunch and an extra sandwich for the Bucket, and made certain I packed a bottle of 5 hour energy drink in my purse.

2) That baloney and cheese sandwich at lunch was sooooooooooo good! I make sure I pack the tomato separate so it does not make a soggy mess.

3) As I have mentioned it has been slow at G-land, so I got to read a little of this book while tending a gift store for an associate that called out - I learned some great facts about the reasoning behind G-land.

4) The weather seems to have been hipped that summer is nearing a close. A sweet breeze today.

5) At the Bucket I was on the front porch having a one woman event selling bubbles and checkers. I was shooting myself in the head with a bubble gun. I really need to buy a couple of those for the Grand kids.

August 25th

Grace in Small Things 11/365

1) Today is an old friends, (from the very distant past) ( a long long long time ago), birthday and I smile each time I remember. I am unable to contact this person as I have some idea where they are but sleeping dogs are best let to lie.

2) Went to work at G-land thinking I would have to work a register (pull a drawer) all day but that is not how it worked out. In many ways this made the day drag by, but at first it was a relief to not be chained to counter all day long.

3) One of, maybe my most favorite, "associate' did work the drawer in my store.

4) There are Popsicle's in the freezer for everyone everyday!! I got a blue one for the ride home and did not worry about my blue tongue.

5) Bag of scones at Kroger end of the day special about 10 of them for 99 cents!

Mama says eat Your Veggies

Wednesday August 24th 10/365

1) Because we are so slow now that Elvis week has concluded and everything has slowed down considerably I was sent home two hours early.

2) So I took a leisurely drive home and ended up at the Farmers Market. A misleading name for this International Super Grocery Store, but they certainly have the best selection of vegetables I have ever seen. An array of spectacular color and bin after bin of mind boggling cornucopia from around the world - or so it seems. I have never seen cactus laid out for inspection before. Have you? The question is...have I bought cacti? No. But I do purchase stuff I have never seen before but a little tamer. I love that place.

3) Made one of my all time favorite dishes with squash, onion, and corn scraped fresh off the cob, fresh basil and tomatoes. Instead of using butter to cook it all in, I used two slices of bacon. This stuff is plate licking good. I do not cook the tomatoes into a stew like existence as the recipe calls for, but just toss them in at the end to loosed them up. I like it like that.

4) Have I every mentioned before (lol) how much I use the public library? With my Mom being Super Librarian I was indoctrinated at birth. Every city I have lived in I have a library card. And some that I didn't! That is tricky but at times you can pull it off. I was able to check out several books regarding sightseeing in the area. The Internet is good for information but there is nothing as satisfying as holding a book. At least to me. It's one of life's greatest pleasures for me.

5) One of my all time favorite people needs help. I am able to help out a little. Instead of just doing it I discussed it over with my husband. I am starting to get this marriage thing.

August 23rd

Tuesday 9/365

1) Addicted to the FaceBook Page "Louisville Old Hippies from the 60's & 70's". Love the pictures and the stories and the memories. One "memory" was what song do you most associate with that time and I immediately thought "White Bird" and sure enough so did someone else and the video was posted. I loved that song.

2) Boo to my hometown page that for some inexcusable reason blocked me out! I addressed the issue with the administrator and he said he tried to get me back in but FB would not let him. Damn I was having a great time throwing out "memories" to the rest of the old farts from my home town. maybe a good thing I am blocked because I spent entirely too much time there.

3) Found the live stream from the terrific radio station with one of the old Hippies from Lou! yay.

4) My brother in law gave everyone these beautiful prisms for the window. It is held in place with a suction cup and when the sun gets to a certain point the prism starts dancing! The cat ( alas, not our beloved Indaka, but the cat known as Kitty who showed up on our door step in the middle of a deep freeze with a nap sack on his back and a note from his distressed Mama - please help a little defenseless kitty, hence Kitty) The cat goes nuts trying to catch the moving colors!

5) Met another set of guys writing a blog about traveling around the country. They were from Brooklyn. I asked if they were writing a book about their experience. they informed me "writing a book" was passe, they were writing a blog! Well, hell I always thought you write a blog hoping to get a book deal? Ask Pioneer Woman or Waiter Rant. When Joe and I hit the road I will decidedly be looking for a book deal. lol lol lol and lol again.

Double Entry for August 22 - b/c I'm confused

Grace in Small Things

Monday August Something Maybe the 22nd

1) because my life is so dull at times, having two jobs and all, I will probably think this is the high light of the day a lot of times! Along with the food I eat/cook! With that being said, I ran about two miles in about 25 minutes. I think it was because there were three good looking guys doing a work out routine on the track at the first curve. I wanted to hustle around to get a good look from behind my shades.

2) I got to work early at the Bucket because I thought I had to be there at 530pm and as I was racing down old Goodman road (Joe says we can really haul a** because we have Indiana tags and people assume we are part of the Indy 500 Koolaid set) I realized I was scheduled for 6pm. Wow! Work early for a change.

3) My cash drawer from G-land was perfect! I love that for some crazy reason.

4) Learned there is an Elvis trivia that if you answer correctly you win a free great big lunch from one of our restaurants. Game On!

5) Finally read the Sunday paper

Uncle Buck Packs my Lunch

8/365 & 1/52 Monday August 22

First week completed 51 to go of Grace in small things

1) Woke up at 5am and jumped out of bed. Much like Julia Child as portrayed in the movie "Julia Julie". The Julia parts were the only good parts.

2) Pack my lunch daily for G-land. Some time it verges on the absurd with left overs. At times I have a little tupper wear of beets, a salad accompanied with a bottle of salad dressing, fruit cocktail etc. As I was eating the beets I felt like Uncle Buck packed my lunch. Uncle Buck is one of those movies that I will watch whenever I find it showing. It never fails to make me laugh out loud! John Candy was one of the funniest guys ever.

3) Had lunch with one of larger characters at G-land. She is leaving, retiring. She mainly works in the jewelry shop and I have learned quite a bit about the Elvis bling from her. I will miss her when shes gone.

4) Had a tight window this morning so I went to the track and ran two miles in about 25 minutes1 I am getting stoked.

5) Made the stretch goal at the Bucket.

Grace in Small Things

Sunday Aug 20th (I hope this is the correct date)

1) Ran at Shelby park with Joe. Did the 2.75 mile route in approx. 35 minutes. I'm getting there.

2) Perfect cash drawer. When I was hired at G-land I found out that at times I would have to "pull a drawer". Since then I have only been off a penny and a second time I have been off a Quarter! I am good with change.

3) Caught Neil Young on a music channel for several songs before Joe changed the channel. I had never heard either before and they were beautiful. I wanted to hear "Hurricane" but it was not to be. It was too late and I was too tired to be totally blown away anyway.

4) I left G-land early when my store was closed first. I love being treated like an adult and trusted to do the right thing.

5) Since I am season and my days are numbered I was encouraged to stay by one of the supervisors. "I want you to stay!" That was so sweet.

Saturday Aug. 20

Grace in Small Things 6/365

1) Passed the silly PAR test at the Bucket. I have avoided taking it for two years (!!!!) because I was either too busy or did not want to give up any of my off time to go in. Anyway, the truly nice people at the new Bucket asked me constantly if I had taken it and I finally caved. For some odd reason, it made my happy!

2) Jasmine rice. I'll never go back to long grain.

3) Elvis pens - the ball point kind.

4) Food Network on line. Found the Beans and Rice recipe from a show I once saw a long time ago and folks, it was easy and so good.

5) My knee did not hurt today. Must have just slept on it wrong - lol.

5/365

Grace in Small Things Friday August 19th

1) Soap I bought at trader Joe that is lavender fragrance and has little nubs all over and is just wonderful. A mini massage every day.

2) Priceline - even though it's time may have past, deals like Five Star rooms in Miami for $25!! ...it still will save you money if you are willing to take a risk. A huge risk. Will report back next Monday.

3) Finding out you have a week-end free and no where to be...so you make plans for a mini-vaca.

4) Decided it was too hot to wear anything but a sun dress. Found a dress in the closet that I was coerced into buying in Jamaica - hand made for me - fit like a glove back then, and it's loose now!! Yay,, all this running is paying off!!

5) Yellow butterflies and orange/black butterflies.

Thursday Aug 18

At least I think that is the date yesterday.

Grace in Small Things (and big things) or You Don't Know Nothing About Goats!! (I was being chastised by my friend D. when I asked if his goats ate tin cans...)

1) My friend D. had a brain bleed two weeks ago and is now out of ICU and into a hospital bed. Then out of the bed into the Rehab hospital. On FB it was posted that if he is up to it, he can go to the State Fair to see his kids show their goats. That is some great fantastic news!

2) The University of Memphis Jazz station on the radio. Always perfect.

3) Day off after working 12 straight days at G-land.

4) Took a wrong exit off the expressway and ended up at a Panera Bread! The one most major thing I always thought wrong with C-ville was it was not big enough or had the correct demographics for a Panera Bread. I had a cinnamon raisin bagel - toasted.

5) Went to the Goodwill Bookstore and found "The Playboy Gourmet" 1971. A real unusual book to add to my collection.

Wednesday August 17th

3/365

Grace in Small Things

1) Rainbow on the way to work.

2) Yellow rain slicker, that I found quickly, complete with hoodie. Heavy rain a-falling as I bolted out the door!

3) Elvis week is ended and the fans are leaving the building (lol). There was this one small group of three women who everyday dressed alike in outfits they made themselves from T-shirts purchased at G-land and then embellished. Is the correct word bedazzled? As they walked around the G-land areas they reminded me of a gang. A well maintained, polished and coiffured gang, but a gang just the same. Much like the gang of girls from GREASE - only Rizzo and troop are not teenagers any longer, they are 60 something groupies. I amused myself all day with this thought.


4) My car was acting up after work. I think it was the transmission and I had to drive home on an alternative route and work the shifter that I never use that comes with the Sonota. But when I arrived home and Joe checked the transmission fluid (good) and drove the car around it was all GOOD. Maybe I should stop letting my gas tank get so low -

5) Joe answering his cell phone when I needed him!!