Sawwww-reeeee

Well - I totally messed up last week's plan of blogging about the things I'm thankful for every day. This blogging thing takes up more time than I'd imagined. Once I post my blog I always find things I don't like so I go back and edit. And edit. And edit again.

One of my favorite things is finding errors in print. I like finding misspelled words. I like spotting the misuse of punctuation. I like when people totally use the wrong word or bad grammar. It somehow makes me feel superior and smarter. Who doesn't like feeling that?

BUT it's made me totally self conscious of my own writing since I'm so hard on others.

So yes. Blogging takes longer than I'd imagined.

Also, I'm having trouble coming up with topics that I think random people and my family/friends would enjoy reading. I had tons of ideas before starting this blog. And even in my sleep or in the car I'll come up with several blogging topics. But then I sit down to write and I'm blank.

So apologies for boring you and many thanks for staying with me. Stick around. I assure you it will get better...or more consistent at least.

Doin' the Rachael Ray

This Thanksgiving I'm thankful that I have a garbage disposal.

I've been cooking ALOT more since we've moved to L-town. There aren't as many places to eat out. We don't have many friends that we're meeting and eating with. My kitchen is HUGE! I have so much counter space it's ridiculous.

And I have dishwasher!

And I have a garbage disposal!

Both of which I've been without for the last 10+ years!!! So, I'm enjoying being in the kitchen much more often. And as a side note: I'm pretty good at this cooking business.

Anyway, in the last few months I've been taking a few moves from one Rachael Ray.

I have a TRASH BOWL.

It's life changing. Okay - that's dramatic. It isn't as life changing as the dishwasher or the disposal but it certainly changes the preperation of meals. Who knew? Besides Rachael, anyway? I just use any ole bowl out of the cabinet but I'd really like one of hers just cuz it's kinda fun...and funny.Don't ask me why but the use of a trash bowl reminds me of the scrap bucket at my grandparents house. Grandma didn't have a garbage disposal so all the food left on our plates went into the scrap bucket for Grandpa to take to the dog that stayed on the farm. I've been wracking my brain today trying to remember that dog's name. Myrtle. I wonder if poor Myrtle ever got any real dog food or if it was just scraps. I assure you she (he?) was well fed and well taken care of. And I'm sure the scraps were probably pretty tasty considering how good Grandma's cooking was. I don't really know but I'm thinking she was a lucky dog, that Myrtle.

Back to the bucket... To say the least, it was disgusting! Truly. My trash bowl isn't nearly as awful considering it isn't actual food all mixed in together. It's just egg shells and cans and paper and onion peel. And I'm not feeding it to anything!

I don't think it ever occurred to me at the time how truly foul that bucket was. But now, I'm gagging just thinking about it. So yes. This Thanksgiving one thing I'm thankful for is my garbage disposal (and many many other things we can cover later)! What are you thankful for?

Can you tell from the items in my trash bowl what I was preparing?

Toasty

We have a gas log in our fireplace and I L-O-V-E love it.

We have central heat so it's not like we need the fireplace. But it's oh so lovely.

I light it almost every morning because living in West Texas, it's 40 degrees at 8am and 80 degrees at 4pm. I'd be switching the thermostat from heater to air conditioner daily. Would that be considered high maintenance? Anyway...it's as nice and easy as the hair color. I can just light it with the turn of a knob and then turn it off just as easily when I need to run to the store.

NOTE: It's like a candle in that you shouldn't leave it burning when unattended.

If I had a wood burning fireplace it would hardly ever be used. Chris would have to bring in the firewood and light the fire and then put it out and then sit around to make sure it went out...Chris would do all the work. But with this gas log, it's all me!

Besides all the ease and convenience of this baby, it gives me a great feeling of home.

I love standing in front of it watching the girls play or watching tv. It reminds me of standing in front of the fire at Grandma's. If it was freezing cold outside then it would be freezing cold inside because she didn't have central air. But all you had to do was stand or lay in front of the fire for a few minutes and warm up. For some reason I feel like I always shared the space in front of her fire with either Dad or Grandpa. I'm sure there were others but those are the two that stand out.

I loved the fire at Gana's too. It was always burning on Christmas Eve. Most years it was TOO hot for a fire but one was lit anyway. I think the ceiling fan was usually on at the same time but by golly, it was Christmas. We needed a fire.

Memories of fires in those two homes create coziness and warmth in my soul. I hope my girls will relate someday. I hope they'll make memories around my hearth. And that simply standing in front of a fire will evoke such sweet memories for them too.

Fondue

My cousin, Katy, turned 29 again last week. She wanted to celebrate this special occasion that only comes once by having a girls' night at her parents home in Tahoka. Captain Awesome kept the kids and shoved me out the door a few hours early so I could buy a gift for the birthday girl and shop a little. I didn't get a whole lotta shopping done except paint at Lowe's and a snack mix at World Market. I did however find a birthday present. AND, I treated myself to a mani. I needed fresh polish.

After driving to Tahoka and changing into this dress I was ready to par-tay.

After some yummy apps and a glass of wine, we sat down at the dinner table for a Fondue feast. Katy has been to Switzerland and a few dinner guests had been to The Melting Pot http://www.meltingpot.com/. This however was my first experience with Fondue. We had sausage, potatoes and bread for the cheese/entree and then out came the chocolate and caramel (pronounced car-mul) dessert. I dipped apples, stawberries and angel food cake into these oh so yummy sauces. Truly, it was a great night of fun. I even ended up spending the night so the fun could last longer!

I definitely recommend Fondue for your next get together. It's casual and family-like since you're all eating from the same pot! I didn't even experience any germ issues...

And all through the night my inner actress kept saying, "Yo, Fondue" from the Grease song "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee". I'm so glad I was saying it in my mind because when I looked up the lyrics here: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/g/grease/look_at_me_im_sandra_dee.html I discovered that the words are actually, "Hey, Fongul..." Who is that anyway?

Reading Rant

Chris sent me on an errand this morning to get a book at Barnes and Noble in Lubbock. Their new location opened just yesterday at the mall. It's ginormous. It's new and clean. It's spaced out with lots of room between the aisles. The cafe has more to offer and the children's section is much improved with toys and games and puzzles. They carry movies on blu-ray and are promoting the "nook" which is the new computerized book. There are several areas with comfy chairs to cozy up and read in...unless you have germ issues like me and choose the un-comfy wooden chairs ;0)

This bookstore is impressive.

But it's AT the mall...it's at the front of the mall right next to the main entrance. For those of you familiar with South Plains Mall, it's in the old Luby's. So on the occasion that I'm at the mall it will be nice to mosey on over and shop at Barnes.

But on the days/nights that I have just a moment and want to grab something quick (like Tuesday afternoon when I found myself in Lubbock without a thing to read and headed to a solo lunch) there's no way I'm gonna want to fight mall traffic and hunt for a parking place just to run in and grab a magazine. That quick run could take forever. It will be faster to go in a gas station and get the latest "People" or other gossip rag I feel like wasting my time with.

Although I've always considered books as an investment, I think this may be a sign that I should stop buying as many books and start checking more out from the library.

And on that note...

When we first moved to Levelland the girls and I made our way to the city library to get a few reads and apply for a library card. The clerk wasn't very friendly and didn't understand why my driver's license didn't have my current address. Uhhh, cuz it's a new address. I had to give an emergency contact and phone number. I didn't know anyone in Levelland so had to give my mother-in-law's info. The clerk was perturbed that she's not a Levelland local. Seriously, I felt like I was applying for a job with the FBI. But perhaps they take great pride in their books here at the Levelland library. They want to take great steps to ensure the enjoyment and education of our citizens. That's why my shiny new library card says in all caps, "The patron is responsible for all items borrowed with this card, to PROMTLY report any address change or lost card....". Seriously.

Why Not?

So, why not? Everyone, well almost everyone, has a blog these days. I've been debating starting a blog since I saw "Julie & Julia" and was encouraged by a blogger friend to start one. I read several blogs that I've been introduced to by friends, Google Reader, Facebook etc.

Lots of blogs are really interesting.

Most. are. not.

I'm not sure what you'll find here. I'm not sure what I'll write. I'm not the most eloquent of writers. I don't have the deepest of thoughts or insights. I'm not the funniest girl in the classroom or in my own house for that matter. I don't have the most interesting life.

BUT, I'm a good storyteller.

So starting tomorrow, I hope to treat readers with the stories of my life. The day-to-day mundane, the hysterical/emotional/chaotic present and past. I'm sure I'll embarrass myself and those dear to me along the way. Apologies. Maybe I'll change the names to protect the innocent, er, guilty parties!

Anyway, I'd like to share recipes, movie and book reviews and general stories from the goings on of all things Abby.

Enjoy!

PS - I don't scrapbook so I'm looking forward to getting my blog all cutiefied. Any helpers???