Alert the media!
I say tomato, they say tomato,
Let’s call the whole thing off.
I tried to send you the photos again, even hit insert, no deal.
Enough, WP. Dee
Hello, tech support?
Category Archives: Editorial
Utensils
You’ve wanted this for a while. WordPress is making it difficult to access photos and write around them and my computer crashed last night (hear that, Apple?) so we’ll see what happens.
I do have many kitchen utensils. I bought a cheap metal toolbox years ago to carry my knives (in knife shields) when I traveled. Now I have a better means for that, a knife case and a roll I used in cooking school you don’t want to know when.
In moving, one encounters challenges. We have, and still have a few boxes hanging around. What I did with this is say, honey I’m here for the next ten or twenty years. I make lemonade. I’m in it for the long haul and if I can take a box and make it do-able for my utensils when I travel, it sends a message.
Have husband, dog, knives, utensils, computers and phones, will travel. I’m ready to stay or go at will.
Below are photos of my decoupage project (drying, not done yet) and the two paintings Dad gave me that I framed. One is inspired by Maori art, the other a seascape. The former is scratched and has lettering on the museum-grade glass.
I have called and will bring it back in today. They tried to blame me for walking three blocks to get there before re-opening it to clean up fingerprints, writing and scratches. We’ll see what happens today. I love the painting and frame and everything and would like to work with them again if they make things right.
Cheers from Dee, they won’t let me do that below, friends. Dee
ps Cheese, Louise, they won’t even let me upload photos anymore! Letter to WordNotPress, you made it so I can’t even use my own art anymore! These were the punchline to my story, Dee
Dear Dad,
Everything has a meaning. You and Mom gave us each an ornament a year. I finally got all those back but have not even tapped through the last twenty years.
You’ll see items from Kids for Kids, Texas and western memorabilia, and cooking things for me. Also a handmade mitten for Zoe, to benefit an ecological cause. Yes, I have a jingle bell wreath (2) inside, one with a recycled glass star.
Is it a Texas star? I don’t know. I love you, Dad. Merry Christmas. Dee
2012 Wreath
Posted in Cooking Utensils, Editorial, Education
Tagged Christmas, ecological cause, home, jingle bell, recycled glass, texas star, thanks giving, western memorabilia
Stay!
My husband says he’s allergic to Christmas trees, so for the past 11 years I’ve hung a wreath on the front door. Yesterday I purchased this year’s wreath, which looks quite like last year’s, fir branches with a bow and three pine cones.
We are currently living in a high-rise and share this floor with six neighbors, five since one pro athlete left after not making the Series.
I hung the wreath on one of those newfangled “doesn’t hurt the wall” hangers and picked out a few ornaments, some of which I hadn’t seen in 20 years, and got ready to hang them.
Our dog Zoe, who’ll be nine next month, was at my feet as always. She loves to go in the car when the weather cooperates but I often walk to the grocery store and she doesn’t come along because leaving her outside, she loves people and other dogs so much she could run off or go home with anyone, tail a-wagging.
Instead of going in and out, I propped open the door with old, dead UPS battery, placed the ornaments on the kitchen counter and decorated with holiday glee. There were the rocky mountains ornaments, a bear on a sled (mine), moose on a rainbow trout (hubby’s) and teeny handmade mitten (Zoe’s). Two hand-painted tag board ornaments from an event I created to help children 20 years ago. A reindeer in an apron with a tray of cookies, and a copper pan (mine, of course). And let’s not forget the Texas snowman with a lasso and cowboy hat.
I figured Zoe would be out in the hall sniffing around and greeting people. She didn’t leave the house. I didn’t even say “stay.” She just sat there and watched me like “what’s this crazy woman up to now?”
Reminds me of my dear old dog who died 11 years ago. I adopted her at age two after she’d been abused by a deputy sheriff and left at a shelter I volunteered at, for an entire year until even they threatened to euthanize her as a danger to herself, men and children. She had a home that day, for ten years. For a month, even though I had visited her weekly for a year, she thought I would kick her when I walked toward her. A few weeks of challenging her and I could run at her and jump over her without a cringe or even a blink. Just a look that said “what’s this crazy woman up to now?”
We were inseparable until the day she died, and I carry with me a teddy bear with her ashes under a felt heart and lace and tiny beads a dear milliner friend made for me, also a collage she made. They are both given a special place wherever we live. Zoe got hold of the bear one day. A friend who was helping us move asked if it was OK to let her tear up a stuffed animal. I said that they were old and I’d done multiple “surgeries” on all of them, if it eased her moving tensions, fine.
Then I asked her “which one?” She said, it’s this huge brown teddy bear with a red felt heart. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
So stay, little one, and know you’ll be close to my heart forever as well. I may be able to take you to the grocery store now because you are forever by my side, unless someone says “squirrel.” Cheers and enjoy the holiday season. Dee
p.s. to Zoe, your ashes will probably be in a black, indestructable Kong! Yes, many years from now, little one.
Tagged Christmas, Dog Training, holiday wreath, home, milliners, pets
Cookies
Yes, over the holidays I have been roped in to a cookie exchange. I do not bake.
Any ideas? If I have to do this I’d at least try to make it interesting. After much research, as I do not make cookies, I’m looking at both lebkuchen and pecan shortbread cookies.
I remember apple shortbreads were always a hit, also my molasses ginger cookie recipe from decades ago is in one sister’s hand, just short of a scanner to send it back.
Our containers were amazing. All came from our great uncle in Switzerland who sent lebkuchen every year. Pirate treasure chest, traditional Swiss tins, they were used to keep many holiday treats safe from weather and young children.
Those containers held mincemeat tarts, Scandinavians, apple shortbreads of course, date squares, snickerdoodles and many more to go from Thanksgiving to Christmas and beyond.
Butter, sugar, eggs, flour and flavorings. I can do cookies. It’s easier to have an oven that actually works. Holiday cheer! Dee
PS Anyone for latkes?
Posted in Editorial, Recipe Ideas
Tagged cookies, date squares, latkes, mincemeat tarts, pirate treasure chest, Recipes
TO:
Governor Walker, Madison WI
You may as well have my name and address. It’s there. I voted. I tried to write your office and was told you needed all personal details about my life and everything was to be sent to the press or otherwise subject to disclosure. But thank you for contacting me, says your web page.
You said recently that you wish to overturn a 36 year-old law that allows legal American citizens and legitimate Wisconsin voters to register on election day.
Two of your cohorts will introduce legislation to do just that. I ask you one thing. When you vote for them, remember that their families are on the line because we pay their salaries, also yours. What you have done is say “Elect us, now prevent other citizens from voting so we can win next time around.”
For politicians of all stripes, who carry that flag and kiss babies, suppressing voters is not the way to win an election. Even if it is, it’s anti-American and the least patriotic stance one who represents voters (who have bought your house and put food on your table) can have.
I just read that 19% of Wisconsin voters registered on election day. Remember that policies are important, not exclusions, and that these 20% are registered for life and are looking at you next time around. You may survive a recall but beware of what you’re doing to honest and caring citizens in your state who have earned the right to vote. Not so cheery on this one, Dee
Posted in Editorial
Tagged Gov. Scott Walker, governor walker, politics, voter registration laws, wisconsin voters
Election Day
It came and went. Wednesday morning quarterbacking in the newspapers and on the internet ensued. One article I found quite interesting said that if the Republicans lose the presidency this year (if you’ve been sleeping, they did), they have to get a new strategy other than getting new voters to not be able to register to vote.
A month later, we find Mitt Romney in seclusion at his La Jolla compound (I once lived there but in a 600 sf condo). His staff knew he would win so he didn’t even bother to have a concession speech ready. Really?
Apparently Mr. Romney has no taste for re-making the party into a winning one. Today I found out that the state legislature in Wisconsin is trying to ban new voters from registering on election day. The governor, who just survived a punishing recall electon, agrees with the bill but says it’s not a priority.
I worked in politics for years. I thought I was in policy and I was, for the most part, but I got out before it became solely about the politics. In my mind, the issues matter. Everyone who is of age and meets non-arbitrary eligibility criteria such as living in a state for 30 days should be allowed to vote.
What shouldn’t surprise me but does is that the elephants, instead of coming up with rational ideas that rational people may vote for, are choosing to to the opposite. Down with health care! Down with Medicare and Social Security! Yeah, let’s get those Commies who have paid taxes for the past 45 years! Don’t teach children about birth control. Home mortgage interest credit – abolish it! Above all, letting those “homos” marry is a threat to the American family! Huh? Also, fire your lawn guy, he’s probably illegal anyway. We need a big, huge fence, I tell you.
How many times can we play this 78 record when Best Buy doesn’t sell record players anymore? I can’t even listen to it on my 8-track. Give Americans something to believe in and we’ll vote for you! Did you hear that or was your hearing aid turned off or was Rush Limbaugh too loud on the 60″ plasma?
Don’t encourage people not to register to vote. In my mind, that is the most un-American thing a representative we hired to represent us, can do. Thanks for reading. Dee
Three O’Clock in the Morning
That’s when I get my best ideas. One came years ago as a consultant to a non-profit theater. It’s youth program didn’t have many students and no-one but parents were attending performances.
I bought out the house, gave free tickets with a donation of juice boxes and food and clothing to a local charity. The newspaper picked it up, I lined up sponsors and we even had a tree donated and the kids painted grocery store gingerbread people that volunteers stuffed and sewed. We celebrated Chanukah with an electric Menorah (it was a theater, no candles allowed lest someone yell “fire!”) and Kwanzaa.
The Board leader’s executive assistant insisted on making a donation in memory of the son she had lost. Today when opening a long-stored Christmas box was the playbill for that performance of The Firebird and the Christmas Roses. It is signed by all the actors but not the director or others integral to the play and its charitable endeavors.
Today I want to frame that playbill for me, the initiator and coordinator. It really belongs to the donor who made it happen (and bought the Menorah out of her own pocket) and the Director who now works nearby.
I married my husband not because we walked along the beach and the top of my head makes a good chin rest as we stand and watch the sunset. We both have ideas. Not money, but all we need is one great idea and we can make such a difference in the world.
Those 3:00 a.m. ideas keep coming, though a pad and pencil, iPhone or not yet an iPad has yet to be decided. With inspiration in mind, let’s take a photo of this sunrise and let it be day. Dog, where are you? Let’s go out! Wake up Zoe! Dee
No Chili Party
My competitor flaked. Interesting because I planned to lose to his bison chili and have him meet new neighbors and perhaps even a nice girl.
You know what is said of the best laid plans of mice and men. Also holds true for trying to do good things.
We’re going to have a party anyway, and I have the perfect use for the jacuzzi tub I’ve never used. Fill it with ice and beer and wine!
Spinach balls this morning, at least 72 to freeze for the holidays. Also 3# of chuck steak awaiting grinding for meatballs (freeze) or something I’ll think of after I have breakfast. All for the moment, as the sun comes up. Dee
Freedom
We don’t actually have freedom in the great US of A. We natives give it up at birth, and heaven forbid the illegal aliens and their freedoms. My mother got a Green Card from Canada over fifty years ago to live here and experience our freedoms.
We earn a license to live here, one to drive and to work and to pay the government a good portion of our wages. Part of that is to Social Security, which we’ll never see because our government chooses to spend our “lock box” money elsewhere.
Our government also says we are subject to God. I don’t mind that, but don’t want my government telling me that. Worship is one thing I can do without government interference, especially as it was contraindicated by our founding fathers. Who is anyone to print on our money “In God We Trust.”
Why did we have no founding mothers? Did these founding fathers spring from the gods as did Zeus?
Back to freedom. We have no freedom to take care of our health or well-being. Our lives may be insured by employers but not to make things right for a spouse when one is hit by a bus.
Perhaps employer-based health and other plans are bound for obscurity but until there are alternatives, I’m ok with that. Right now it’s a scary world out there and the next person who says “I can’t talk to you, you’re ONLY the wife,” I’d like to at least throw a glass of water in their face.
If we don’t have choices, we don’t have freedom. Can I leave the country and become a citizen elsewhere? Probably. Do I want to? No. I want our country to be all that it can be for all of us. Make it work.
A few weeks ago we hired a lot of politicians to speak for us. Let’s make sure they do. Then freedom is a word we may be able to use again. Dee
Posted in Editorial
Tagged current-events, freedom, government, human-rights, lack of choices, politicians, politics
Cooking with Dee 