Greysen

So much potential. 16 months ago

I’m not much of a cook. I’m more of a open-a-can-of-green-beans-and- call-it-a-night kind of gal. In my mind, fancy cooking would mean pouring the green beans into a bowl and microwaving them for 45 seconds. Maybe adding some pepper.

It’s not that I CAN’T cook, more that I would rather use my time doing something else. Something with less clean-up time involved after.

For Christmas I received The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. I tried not to read into it too much. I murmured all the platitudes: “Thank you so much” and “I could definitely use a cookbook of this quality” and “This will be very useful”. Then I set it aside.

The second gift I opened, from a different person, was an immersion blender.

OK. Fine. I get it. Everyone is sick of me bringing soda and paper plates to all the family dinner functions and company potlucks. I can take a hint.

Last night I made Beef and Vegetable Stew from the ATKHealthyFam. It took FOREVER, but it was absolutely the BEST stew I have ever eaten, hands down. Sorry mom.

I’m not just saying that because I was the one that made it either. It was freaking GOOD.

The best thing about any ATK recipe is you know if you follow the directions exactly, it is going to result in the best freaking whateveritis you’ve ever eaten. Using ATK Healthy Family Cookbook and ATK Best Simple Recipes Cookbook, I plan to cook at least twice a week. 16 months ago

Here’s my newest curse word substitution: Son of a Boogery Biscuit. It popped out when I knocked over my glass of water at the dinner table.

My nephew seemed to find it hilarious. Then again, he’s six. 16 months ago

TAH-DAH!

You’d think it was that easy, judging from my big gap in entries.

One day empty field and then…

ALLAH-KAZAM!

...next day, HOUSE.

Yeah. No. Not so much.

Particularly if you’re a complete DIY novice and paying as you go as much as possible to try and minimize the debt.

Worth it, no doubt, but a painstaking process for someone as instant-gratification as myself. Definitely one of those “learning experiences” they talk about.

It’s still not done. The exterior is complete and the interior, too, except for a thousand little things. There’s still touch up painting to be done, bits of trim to install, shelves to put up, and we won’t even talk about the yard…

I was told last week when lamenting the fact that I was ready to Just. Get. Finished. Already. that now that I’m a homeowner I will never be done.

“WHAT??!” I asked.

“You’ll never be done,” they repeated. “It will always be something. The landscaping, the hot water heater repairs, mowing the lawn, refinishing the floors, patching the drywall where you plowed a hammer through it trying to hang a picture… There will always be something going on with the house that needs to be done. You are never going to be officially finished.”

Oy.

But I have the satisfaction of knowing that it’s mine. I love it; Every quirky, tiny, 1,025ft square foot of it. For the first time, my gypsy feet have a permanent home. 16 months ago

This is Obi.

Short for Oberon. Or Obi Wan Kenobi.

Or Obedient. Which would be what’s known as irony.

But I love him anyway.

(Stupid dog.)

He was a rescue. If you want to read about his story (it has a happy ending) you can check out my blog entries “The Stray Dog Saga” at http://travelingduewest.blogspot.com. 16 months ago

I ranked at Level 2 in my initial test with between 6-14 pushups. I might have been able to squeeze out a few more but I was a little worried I might have an aneurysm. Tomorrow I start the Week 1 Program. 16 months ago

My application was accepted. I’ll be attending at the Dhamma Siri center, outside of Dallas, Texas, in March.

WOOT! Oh, I mean, OM! 16 months ago

I signed up for Weight Watchers online. It seems pretty comprehensive, but I think I need the accountability of stepping on the scale in front of someone (HORRORS!) to keep me on track. 16 months ago

I refer to the the second bedroom that is supposed to serve as both a bedroom and an office as the rec room because its wrecked. For the last 6 months, I’ve been throwing everything that doesn’t have a home into that room. Something has to be done. 16 months ago

T.V. is the devil. I love it, but it’s the devil. It sucks me into it’s gravitational field to lie boneless and drooling on the couch for hours.

Not good.

Step #1: I have cancelled my cable, which should eliminate hours of endless flipping through hundreds of channels only to find that THERE’S STILL NOTHING ON. I now have to rely on rabbit ears and Netflix for my viewing pleasure.

Step #2: I am only allowed a maximum of two hours of television a night and I must choose what I wish to watch ahead of time using my TV Guide app. Or Netflix.

Step #3: I will not bother turning on the television at all if there is nothing pre-selected to watch, not even for background noise. If I need background noise, I’ll put on some music. Or rattle some pots and pans. Or listen to the neighbors fight. 16 months ago