Menu Monday (#2) - January 25 - 31st

Insanity has once again claimed my house.  Our schedules are crazy!  But instead of stay focused on making my menu plans I let the chaos take me over and our mealtime has shown that lack of thought.  So here I am again, posting my meal plan and hoping that some organization will calm the storm and make part of our day relaxing.  Check out the menus posted at Menu Monday to get some more great ideas.

Monday -  Sweet and Sour chicken on rice
Tuesday -  Spaghetti with Alfredo or Meat Sauce
Wednesday - Beef Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and Yorkshire Pudding
Thursday -  Pancakes
Friday - Beef Soup with Bread
Saturday - Leftover
Sunday - Turkey Dinner

Let's see if I can stay on track now........

Windows into New Worlds

I was an only child growing up with my grandparents and even though life was good (even better than I realized after growing up) it was often lonely.  My grandfather was an immigrant from Norway.  He didn't have a huge education, but enjoyed life and all it had to offer.  My grandmother had to drop out of school at age 12 when her father disappeared.  Off to work she went to help support herself and her mother.  Both grandparents craved knowledge and books were like gold.

Just after I started grade one, I remember my grandfather saying he had something planned for me.  We walked down the street hand in hand and my excitement only grew bigger with each minute because I had no clue what he had in store for me.  We entered a large brick building downtown and I was hooked.  This was our local library.  Shelves upon shelves of books surrounded me.  My grandfather took me to the front desk and purchased my first library card - something I have never been without since that day.

He saw this as an opportunity.  A gift of knowledge! 

As the years past I couldn't get enough from that building and all it had to offer.  And over the years I graduated from Richard Scary and Enid Blyton to the Nancy Drew Series, to historical biographies to romance like Barbara Cartland.  I challenged the librarians often to order in books that they themselves deemed upfit for me to read (ie, I fought for 2 weeks to get them to order in East of Eden and finally won the battle and had victory when the librarian read it herself) 

My comfort with the library led me to work at the local library as a teenager and to later in life volunteer at my new town library.  I still get that overall warm feeling of being surrounded by "old" friends and "new".

Reading was something I took for granted until my daughter started to read herself.  It didn't come easy or natural for her.  I found it heartbreaking that she didn't share the same enthusiasm I did for the written word.  To her it was just a struggle she didn't want to have to deal with.   Only with the Twilight craze has she started to have moments of craving for books.  Who would of thought a vampire/werewolve flick would open her eyes to the possibilities.

Anyway....for 2010 I wish to open my eyes to new worlds, new challenges, and new experiences.  So in true form I am making lists of things I want to accomplish.  The book challenges online are vast.   And with great restraint I am limiting myself to 4. 

Nymeth from Things mean a lot here and  Chris at Stuff as Dreams are Made on have joined in to host Graphic Novels Challenge 2010   With my daughter's reading challenge, many teachers have guided her to read these types of books to ensure success and encourage excitement.  I have listened to her and her friends talk about characters and storylines and decided before I even knew about this challenge that this year I would explore this new world.

So - rules and guidelines:


The challenge starts on January 1st 2010 and ends on December 31st (but we don't mind you starting early.)

You don't have to make a list beforehand (but you can, of course! Lists are great because they give ideas to people who aren't sure what to read. And if you do make one, don't feel forced to stick to it!)

We simplified the levels of participation: you can be a Beginner (3 Comics or Graphic Novels), Intermediate (3-10) or an Expert (10+). You're more than free to adjust your level of participation after the challenge has begun.

There will be mini-challenges! Look for a post with more info on that soon.

Overlaps with other challenges are totally fine.

We also wanted to ask participants whether they'd rather post their reviews to the blog like we did for the past two years, or if we should post a monthly/bi-monthly Mr Linky where you'd enter your reviews like some other challenges do. We'd be fine with either option - just let us know in the comments which one you'd find more convenient, and we'll let the majority decide.

I have a list of 4 series that was recommended by some of Ms. S's friends.  Let's see what the year brings.

1.  The Record of a Fallen Vampire
2.  Vampire Knights
3.  Bleach
4.  Fullmetal Alchemist

The next book challenge was so created for me.  I love books but honestly my love affair with movies is just as strong if not stronger.  Read the book, see the movie is just an exciting concept.  Honestly keeping the books and movies separate and reviewing them as an entity of there own will be difficult but fun.

Here's how to join:

1. Select a challenge level:

Matinee: one book/movie

Double Feature: two books/movies

Saturday Movie Marathon: four books/movies

Film Festival: eight books/movies

Festival Jury Member: ten books/movies

2. Copy and paste the Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge button to your blog. (Optional. If you don't have a blog, you can still sign-up and play along. You can post reviews here.)

3. Sign up using Mr. Linky below. Please list your challenge level in a comment.

4. Get together a list of books/movies that you plan on reviewing. (Optional. You can just see what comes along during the year if you'd rather.)

I am going for the Festival Jury Member and have chosen the following as my list for the year.

1.  Angela's Ashes
2.  Angels and Demons
3.  DaVinci Code
4.  Anna Karenina
5.  The Color Purple
6.  The Green Mile
7.  My Sister's Keeper
8.  Great Expectations
9.  The Handmaid's Tale
10.  The Time Traveler's Wife

The A to Z Challenge 2010 is a godsend because no previous lists are required.  If you are reading, you are participating.  This works well for me because with my volunteering at the local library, I am putting books back onto the shelves and often bring home many "treasures" I wouldn't have known about otherwise.

January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010.

How does this reading challenge work? Choose the option that works best for you...

Authors -- Read alphabetically by author. Commit to 26 books.

Titles -- Read alphabetically by title. Commit to 26 books.

Authors & Titles -- Commit to reading 52 books

I have decided to do both books and authors

And finally the challenge I do each year - To Be Read Challenge 2010 (TBR)

I have piles of books to read in my craft room and lists of books that I wish to read in my reading book.

For this challenge you should…

** Pick 12 books – one for each month of the year - that you’ve been wanting to read (that have been on your “To Be Read” list) for 6 months or longer, but haven’t gotten around to.

** OPTIONAL: Create a list of 12 “Alternates” (books you could substitute for your challenge books, given that a particular one doesn’t grab you at the time)

** Then, starting January 1, read one of these books from your list each month, ending December 31. )
By the end of the year you should’ve knocked 12 books off of your TBR list! (of course, if you’re anything like me, you’ll have added *at LEAST* 12 more to the ever-growing pile by then! LOL).

The good news is, though, that you’ll be making some progress! ;o)

Additional rules/guidelines for this challenge:

* the challenge is to read 12 TBR books in 12 months — you can read those all in one month if you want, or one a month, or however you wanna do it.

* you should have a list posted somewhere for others to see

* you CANNOT change your list after January 1st, of the current year!!!

* you can create an Alternates list of MAXIMUM 12 books, if you want, in order to have options to choose from (you can read these in place of books on your original list).

* audiobooks and e-books ARE allowed

* re-reads are NOT allowed, as they aren’t TRUE “TBRs”

* you CAN overlap with other challenges

* OPTIONAL: you can join the Yahoo! Group created for participants of the TBR Challenge, if you want to have a place to keep your list, or just to share with others about how you’re doing!


My list......
1.  The Color Purple by Alice Walker
2.  The Stand by Stephen King
3.  Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
4.  Memoirs of A Geisha by Arthur Golden
5.  The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
6.  The Silver Wedding by Maeve Binchy
7.  Have A Little Faith by Mitch Albom
8.  The Adventures of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
9.  The Happiness Project by Gretchin Rubin
10.  Beloved by Toni Morrison
11.  Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
12.  To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I am looking forward to the year and the challenges ahead.  Let's see how things go.

Menu Monday (#1)...January 4 - January 10

It is time to start the new year getting back to basics.  Having a menu makes life so much easier, especially with my dear daughter's busy schedule.  I am hoping to utilize things I already have in my pantry and freezer - clean out the old to make way for the new.  Also, I am looking forward to reading everyone else's creative menu ideas.

This week we are having.........

Monday - Pasta with sauce
Tuesday - Ham with scalloped potatoes
Wednesday - Pancakes
Thursday - Turkey soup and buns
Friday -  Hamburgers with home fries
Saturday - Out to friends ( I bring dessert - lefsa)
Sunday -  Turkey and fixings

A New Year......A New Beginning!

With 2010 fastly approaching all I could think about was what it all meant.  A new year!  A new beginning!  A fresh start!  A blank page!  Starting over! Making improvements!  Revising past mistakes!  These are all positive ways of viewing a new year.  With that mentality we make lists upon lists of things we want to change and we make resolutions that many of us have full intentions of keeping.  But as the days, weeks and even months flow past, we fall back into those past habits that didn't serve us very well in the past year or years. 

Does our enthusiasm for change and a fresh start overtake us with such vigor that we set ourselves up for failure before we even have begun.  I know only from my own personal experience that these words are so true.  I make HUGE lists of changes.  I want to lose weight...and not just 5 or 10 lbs but I set myself up to lose 40 - 50 lbs in 4 months.  I plan on eating better.  But in that quest to make healthy meals I forget that I am a creature of habit and love my junk food.  Deprivation from that vise completely is never a good thing for me.  I plan on improving myself by reading self-help and self-improvement books, but my list is so large that I might finish 3 books before I crave some "fluff" to indulge in.  I plan on....I plan on....I plan on. 

My intensions are always good but in the back of my mind I have already seen myself fail and so I think a part of me already has decided what the future will bring.  Disappointment in failing to meet my ideal goals, turns me to food, which in turn makes me depressed, which in turn has me sitting on the couch feeding my face and not accomplishing anything.  It is a vicious cycle!

So this year I have decided I have one and only one resolution...and that is to just enjoy life and write atleast once weekly in my personal blog .  If I lose weight....great!  If I read a self-improving or enlightening book...awesome!  If I try a new experience....terrific!  But if I just accomplish that one resolution of being the person I already am and being happy with the direction I am heading then 2010 will be a complete success!

Here is to a new year...a new beginning....a new (relaxed) me :-)

Tackle it Tuesday!

THE ONLY WAY TO EAT AN ELEPHANT IS ONE BITE AT A TIME!!!



This last week while trying to accomplish one of my tasks, I became very frustrated. I was struggling to find all my pictures. Where were they? It is a sad state of affairs when you are still unpacking 1 1/2 years after moving. Sigh!!

While stewing over this lack of organization hubby said tackle the problem one box at a time. Simple isn't it!?!? But hubby couldn't be right...could he???
I think someone was trying to get a point across to me this week because the very next day I was watching Peter Walsh from "Clean Sweep". He was asked "where do you start an organizational job?" and his response was "my grandmother always said the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time!" Lightbulb flashed overhead. The only way to get from point A to point B is one step at a time. Hubby was right...but please don't tell him ;-)

With this new affirmation leading the way I have since taken time each day to empty, sort, purge and fling one box daily. Some days I have been lucky and done a few more. It took time to get to this point - it will take time to get where I want this house and my life to be.

So this week other than my daily box I want to clean off the baker's rack in the kitchen. It has become a catch all for many things. As you can see its time to do the recycling too.


BEFORE





AFTER



Okay is anyone else finding this project tackling addicting???
Now what to do next.......

For more inspiring tackles check out Tackle It Tuesday

#24 - cook an ethnic meal

Cooking has always been a source of enjoyment for me, but lately I have noticed that I cook mostly the basics or tried and true recipes. My sense of adventure and curousity has been limited. So on this journey, I have decided to make an "ethnic" meal at home atleast every 2 months.

One of our family favorites is Chinese food. I have noticed lately however that much of what we get as take-out does not meet our standards and we have been left disappointed. So I thought why not imitate a couple of these family standards.
Sorry...no recipes. I just tossed in a bit of this and that til my tastebuds said YES!




Firstly I made homemade egg rolls with store - bought wrappers, coleslaw mix, shredded chicken and spices/sauces to taste. After assembly I fried them in some oil till golden brown. Hubby asked if they were store bought :-) Not sure, but am taking that as a compliment.



Fried rice is another standard of any Chinese takeout. My only complaint of most fried rice is that the veggies/meat are few and far between. I sauted ginger and garlic with some onions. Cut up waterchestnuts, bamboo shoots, carrots, baby corn and broccoli and sauteed this ginger/garlic mixture...added rice and soy sauce. Yum!



Finally I made hubby's all time favorite - Pineapple chicken. VH sauces now has a Pineapple sauce. I lightly battered small chunks of chicken breast and fried in oil til golden. Then I added to warming pineapple sauce.

All in all...the Chinese feast was a hit and I will be doing this again for sure.

Menu Monday - Mach 30th - April 5th

Surprize! Surprize!! I actually followed my menu this week. LOL
And it made my days much more pleasant.

This week is using up items in the freezer so grocery shopping was for fresh produce, milk and snacks only.

Sunday: Meatloaf burgers, home fries, broccoli, coleslaw
Monday: Roasted chicken thighs,gravy, mashed potatoes, salad, corn
Tuesday: Salmon, rice, green beans, coleslaw
Wednesday: Pierogis, sausage, coleslaw
Thursday: leftovers or wraps
Friday: Homemade pizza
Saturday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad

For more appetite pleasing ideas check out I'm an Organizing Junkie

Friday's Feast #13 (185)

Appetizer
What does the color dark green make you think of?

The color dark green makes me think of nature and all its calmness.
Trees, grass and all the serenity that goes with the experience of world around us.

Soup
How many cousins do you have?

Many....LOL
8 first cousins on my mom's side
5 first cousins on my dad's side
And then their kids, and their kids' children


Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how honest are you?

I rate honesty very highly and strive to been honest as much as I can.
Of course there is the occasion "white" lies do happen....the phone solicitor you just don't feel like dealing with or the ones we share with our children (tooth fairy, santa, easter bunny)

I would say I rate about a 9 on the honesty scale.

Main Course

Name something that is truly free.

Happiness because your happiness comes only from your state of mind...nothing else.

Dessert
Using the letters in the word SPRING, write a sentence.

Some People Realize Inspiring Notions Generally.

For more feasting check out Friday's Feast

Booking through Thursday #11

This week’s question comes from Julie, who asks:

While acknowledging that we can’t judge books by their covers, how much does the design of a book affect your reading enjoyment? Hardcover vs. softcover? Trade paperback vs. mass market paperback? Font? Illustrations? Etc.?

Book design usually has very little do with my reading enjoyment. My library is full of hardcovers, softcovers, plain covers, eleborate pictured covers, fonts of varying sizes and literature that is main stream and off the beaten path. I am often drawn to a book by the author, or how catching the blurb is written inside the jacket. At times I pick a book just on a whim or something recommended by a friend/family member.

The only time I think book design has any effect on me is when I am travelling and my space is limited. Then I look for small paperbacks. Something that is light and takes up a small space.

For more viewpoints check out Booking through Thursday

Wordless Wednesday #9

#23 - New Dessert Each Month

As part of my "101 things in 1001 days" project, I wanted to start cooking more...and new things! Things that I have never tried - but always wanted to.

For March's new Dessert I wanted to go with something that I could use to celebrated St. Patrick's Day. Oh we all know the typical stuff of Corned Beef and Cabbage with Soda Bread. But what is a typical dessert? I browsed the internet and came up with this recipe.


Rhubarb and Raspberry Jam Roly - Poly

Filling: 1/2 lb rhubarb, chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
1/2 cup raspberry jam

Dough: 2 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
10 tbsp frozen unsalted butter
2/3 cup ( or more) iced water
1 tbsp whipping cream with 1 tbsp sugar

For filling : Combine rhubarb, sugar and 1 tbsp water in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Cover; cook until rhubarb softens to thick pulp, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Mix in jam. Cool. Can be made one week ahead. Cover. Chill.

For Dough : Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into large bowl. Using large holes in box grater, grate frozen butter into mixture; stir to blend. Cover and freeze atleast 15 minutes. Add 2/3 cup iced water to flour mixture, tossing to form soft dough. Trasfer to floured surface and knead to form ball. Roll out dough to 12 x 9 rectangle.



Spread 6 tbsp filling over dough leaving 1 inch border all around. Starting at long edge, roll up jelly roll style; seal seam. Place seam side down and seal ends. Brush with glaze. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes. Cool briefly.





Vanilla Custard Sauce

1 1/2 cups half and half
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar

Place half and half in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat, cover and let steep 30 minutes. Whisk yolks and sugar in medium bowl until thick. Gradually whisk half and half with vanilla bean into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Stir custard over low heat until thickened enough to leave path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 6 minutes. Do Not Boil! Pour into bowl. Chill uncovered until cold, atleast 2 hours. Discard vanilla bean before using.




Reviews: DD loved it!
Hubby said was good but thought with custard, an apple filling might be
better. Time to search for an Apple Roly-Poly :-)

Tackle it Tuesday!

Another week! Another tackle!!
This project of tackling something each week, started as something "fun" to do and has now grown into a compulsion. Each Monday night I start looking around the house for something that needs to be completed. Believe me...my list is endless!!

This week's projects....

1. DD has FINALLY cleared out her closet. 4 bags for donation later and a bunch of other stuff boxed and waiting patiently for a home somewhere in the room, I was able to remove the existing clothes hanging set up and put patch fix on the walls. Today I plan on sanding down the patched spots....reapply patch fix if necessary and picking up white paint to finish off the walls.

2. A project that cannot be put off any longer. My side of the family is having a family reunion in June and a cousin is piecinig together a Memory book. Each family needs a page put together and I have been putting off this task. But it is needed before April 1st...so today out comes the photo albumns and boxes and I will be going down "memory lane" and putting together a page of my family.

3. If time allows I would very much like to reorganize, clean and purge the fridge freezer.

Happy Tackling everyone. Pictures of my finished tackles to follow.

To see more things that people are accomplishing...check out Tackle It Tuesday

Menu Monday : March 23rd - 29th

It's Monday again. Another week and another menu. Yup! Reoccuring theme!!!
Last week's review....wasn't a week I followed the menu very closely. Started the week okay, then I wasn't feel great and then we were home and it just fell apart. Friday we snacked on hot wings because I wasn't in the mood to cook much. Saturday, we ate out for lunch and no one was very hungry come supper time.

Monday I did make the "Irish" stew and potato rolls.
Stew was pretty standard but the rolls were from a new recipe. And we will definitely be having them again.



Potato Rolls

2 small russet (baking potatos), peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
5 - 5 3/4 cups bread or all purpose flour
2 pkgs active dry yeast
2 tbsp butter, melted

In a small saucepan, cook potatoes, covered, in enough boiling water to cover for 15 ot 20 minutes or until tender; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Using a fork, mash the potatoes; set aside. Add buttermilk, the 1/4 cup butter, sugar and salt to the hot cooking liquid; heat until warm and butter almost melts.

In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour and the yeast. Stir in the buttermilk mixture and mashed potatoes. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining four to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic ( 6 to 8 minutes total) Shape dough into a ball. Place in a buttered bowl; turn once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 hour)

Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease three baking sheets ( or line baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 10 x 6 inch rectangle (3/4 inch thick). Cut each rectangle of dough into fifteen 2 - inch squares. Place squares 2 to 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Brush tops with the 2 tbsp melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.

Bake in at 375F for 15 - 18 minutes or until golden. Immediately remove rolls from baking sheet. Cool slightly on a rack. Serve warm.

Oh well....time to try again. LOL

Sunday: Tacos, Mexi-fries
( I know its Easter but I still have turkey and ham in the freezer from Christmas and New Years, so we dared to be different)
Monday: Fritatta, Salad
Tuesday: Pork chops with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, broccoli
Wednesday: Egg Rolls, Fried Rice, Pineapple Chicken
Thursday: Leftovers or wraps with veggies
Friday: Chicken thighs, gravy, mashed potatoes, beans, salad
Saturday: Steak, baked potato, salad, corn


More menus can be found at Organizing Junkie

Friday's Feast #10, #11 & #12 (182, 183 &184)

Feast One Hundred & Eighty Two

Appetizer
If you could be any current celebrity for one whole week, who would you want to be?

I would want to be Oprah. She is making strong changes in the way people think and how people interact with others. Not only is she successful but she is enlightened and compassionate. A great combination!

Soup
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you enjoy talking on the phone?

Depends on who I am talking to. If I am talking to family and friends, then it would be a 9 or 10. If I am talking to solicitors or strangers, it would be about a 2 or 3.

Salad
Name a charitable organization to which you have donated (or would like to).

Any organization that has to do with children and helping make their lives better is high on my list of worthy charities.

Main Course

What is a food you like so much you could eat it every single day for a month?

Shrimp. I just love shrimp! Anyway!! Anyhow!!
Kind of makes you think about the scene in Forrest Gump doesn't it. LOL

Dessert
Have you or anyone in your family had the flu this year?

We haven't had a full blown case of the flu but we have had a couple days of sniffles and just not feeling very good.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Feast One Hundred & Eighty Three

Appetizer
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how much do you like your own handwriting?

My handwriting is a combination of printing and writing. Hated it growing up because I was forced to change my style because a teacher felt it was too small. Now I write back handed and large. But as my daughter has gotten older, I have learned to appreciate it more. Reason???? She commented one day that forging my signature would be almost impossible for her. Dang I love my handwriting! :-)

Soup
Do you prefer baths or showers?

Hot bubble baths all the way.

Salad
What was the last bad movie you watched?

I would never label a movie "bad". Each one has its own redeeming qualities. Some just don't appeal to me. The last movie I was glad I rented and didn't pay full price to see was "The Comebacks". It was spoof funny but not worth $12 at the theatre.

Main Course
Name something you are addicted to and describe how it affects your life.

Food. It can be a downer sometimes...especially when trying to lose weight.

Dessert
Which instrument is your favorite to listen to?

Guitar and piano
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Feast One Hundred & Eighty Four

Appetizer
Given the choice, would you prefer to live in the country or in the city?

I prefer neither. Right now I enjoy the community I live in.
It is a smaller community about 15 minutes away from the city. Best of both worlds. Country close by when needed and city with it conveniences just as close.

Soup
Who is the cutest kid you know?

My daughter of course. She was adorable from day one! Big eyes. Infectious smile! Pebbles pony as she was roaming through the toddler years. Even during her awkward elementary years she had a smile that could light up a room. As she matures that smile and zest for life follows and I know we are in so much trouble as these teen years descend upon us.

Salad
Fill in the blank: I couldn’t believe it when I heard (a motorcycle buddy was involved in an accident).

Main Course
If you could star in a commercial for one of your favorite products, which one would you want to advertise?

Something from the Body Shop

Dessert
What type(s) of vitamins and/or supplements do you take on a regular basis?

Calcium, Glucosamine Chondroitin, Vitex and Time-released vitamin C

Booking through Thursday #11

You’ve just reached the end of a book . . . what do you do now? Savor and muse over the book? Dive right into the next one? Go take the dog for a walk, the kids to the park, before even thinking about the next book you’re going to read? What?

(Obviously, there can be more than one answer, here–a book with a cliff-hanger is going to engender different reactions than a serene, stand-alone, but you get the idea!)

I am a rusher! I usually have the next book lined up ready to read. Mulling over the ending of books can happen for me....but usually days later, even weeks and months later. But this mulling never stops me from reading something new.

Tackle it Tuesday!

This week I have decided to clean off my bedside dresser. It has become a catch all for everything and anything. Ugh!



So out came the wipes, wood cleaner, and garbage bags. I sorted, purged, relocated and found a dresser top. Wow! It looked so amazing when I was done that I continued the surfacing cleaning and worked my way around the room. Looks great :-)

Menu Monday: March 16th to 22nd

Another week and another menu. It is helping - when I decide to follow the plan ;-)

Sunday: Pizza
Monday: Irish Stew, Potato Rolls
Tuesday: Spaghetti with meatsauce, salad
Wednesday: Salmon, Rice, Beans, Coleslaw
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Egg Rolls, Fried Rice, Pineapple Chicken
Saturday: Roasted chicken with gravy, mashed potatoes, broccoli

For more ideas check out Menu mondays

101 in 1001

Recently I have been thinking a lot about life. What have I accomplished? What do I want to accomplish still? Last week I celebrated 19 years of marriage. Last summer I turned 42. As I look back I think about all I still want to do.

Then I stumbled across Day Zero, the home of the 101 in 1001 days project. What a great way to keep a person focused on their goals. So I set out to make my list.



The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Jamie's Journey of 101 items in 1001 days

Starting March 13th, 2008
Ending December 9th, 2010


FINANCIAL

1. Save $1 into Sheridan's savings each day
2. Sell something I made
3. Save $1 each day for something for just me
4. Set budget and stick to it for 6 months
(hopefully it will become a habit)


HEALTH AND FITNESS

5. Lose 40 pounds
6. Join a gymn
7. Take a yoga class
8 Take a tai chi class

TRAVEL

9. Trip to Disneyland
10. Trip to Las Vegas
11. Trip to Greece

PERSONAL

12. Have a facial once a year
13. Have a professional massage
14. Get a tattoo in honor of the boys when weight loss is complete
15. Professional bra fitting
16. Have eyes tested to see if I can have lasic surgery
17. Wade in the ocean
18. Visit Matthew's grave on his birthday onto earth (Aug 26) and
his birthday into heaven (Oct 15)
19. X-mas shopping finished by December 1st for 2008 and 2009
20 Buy a piece of art/sculpture I love
21. Plan something special to celebrate Sheridan's 13th birthday

FOOD

22. Eat at 5 new restaurants
23. Make a new dessert each month
24. Plan a full ethnic meal every 2 months
25. Make sourdough starter and use it
26. Take a cooking class
27. Start an indoor herb garden
28. Try 5 new vegetables
29. Use juicer every 2 weeks


HOME/ORGANIZATIONAL

30. Make a control journal
31. Redecorate/paint each room in house
32. Declutter each room
33. Declutter and organize under the stairs
34. Put all photos into scrapbooks
35. Trace family back atleast 5 generations
36. Blog atleast weekly
37. Send out Christmas cards in 2008 and 2009
38. Make place of honor for my angels
39. Frame picture of kids and hang by front door
40. Make changes to make our home "green"
41. Create home filing system
42. Steam clean family room couch

SELF-IMPROVEMENT

43. Learn to swim
44. Learn to speak basic Greek
45. Learn to play the keyboard
46. Take learner's motorcycle class
47. Learn to ice skate
48. Learn calligraphy
49. Take a cake decorating class
50. Take a first aid/ CPR class
51. Take a car maintenance class

SPIRITUALITY/CHARITY

52. Read/Study course of miracles with Marianne Williamson
53. Personal affirmation weekly
54. Make a vision board
55. Do charity knitting every 4 months
56. Give blood twice
57. Adopt a family for Christmas 2008 and 2009
58. Take 6 spirituality classes
59. Send 30 Make a Child Smile submissions
60. Do a charity walk
61. Start a gratitude journal...journalling 3-5 things daily
62. Learn to meditate

Creative

63. Make a quilt
64. Knit 3 sweaters for me
65. Make Level One of SWAP
66. Publish a short story
67. Take a pottery class
68. Take a photography class
69. Crochet a blanket out of granny squares
70. Do a knitting project with beads
71. Make cards
72. Make Ukranian eggs with Sheridan
73. Update recipe box
74. Make ceramic mozaic table
75. Refinish vanity
76. Refinish kitchen table and chairs

CULTURAL/FAMILY/FRIENDSHIP

77. Take Sheridan to see The Nutcracker
78. Take Sheridan to see Swan Lake
79. See 3 Stage West performances
80. Put together 10 puzzles with Sheridan
81. Take family portrait in 2008 and 2009
82. Have a game night with Sheridan every 2 weeks
83. Build a snowman
84. Go Sledding
85. See an Opera
86. Fly a kite
87. Perform a RAK with friends/family once a week
88. Coffee or lunch with Cindy monthly
89. Visit Chris every 2 months
90. Make a Will to protect my loved ones

BOOKS/MOVIES/MUSIC

91. Read 150 of 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
92. Read 15 books from Oprah's Book Club
93. Read 20 books from the Banned Book List
94. See 50 movies from Ebert's 102 movies Before You Die
95. See 50 movies from IMDb 250 Top movies by users
96. Record all vinyl and cassettes onto CDs or hard drive
97. Read 5 books of poetry
98. Read Newspapers & magazines at library weekly
99. Read Bible every morning
100. Attend a live music concert
101. Listen to a new singer/composer every month

102. Make new 101 in 1001 list

I hope to update my accomplishments and this list every 2 months.
Looking forward to the journey :-)

Booking through Thursday #10

Suggested by John :

How about a chance to play editor-in-chief? Fill in the blanks:

__________ would have been a much better book if ______________________.


Playing editor of a book is a dream....directing the course of characters, plots, etce. But as I ponder what book I would change, I stop and realize that most books, whether I agree with the components of the book or not, I could not change. Like in Back to the Future....changing one event/character could have an enormous effect on the final outcome. Would Gone with the Wind be the same if Rhett didn't leave Scarlett at the end? Would Pride and Prejudice have been more effective if there hadn't been so much miscommunication and assumption. What would of happened if Alice hadn't followed the rabbit, in Alice in Wonderland.

Now that being said, I recently read one book that had me seething at its completion. It affected me so profoundly that I still feel the rage bubbling when I think about it....

The book I talk about is Bastard out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison.
The experience of Bone are heart-wrenching....but the choices of her mother at the end baffles me. For a mother to choose her "rapist" husband over her child is unforgiveable to me.

So.....Bastard out of Carolina....would have been a much better book if....Anney Boatwright had put her child before everything else. To me it was horrendous that the mom would think that a birth certificate would make it all better for Bone in the end...instead of being there for her daughter whenever she was needed.

For more editor fixing attempts check out Booking Thru Thursday

Wordless Wednesday #8