Kim's Thoughts
Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down!
What’s on my mind…
I’m up in the middle of the night, again! I went to bed early (10:15 or so) and fell right asleep. When I woke up, it was still dark out, but I thought it must be almost time for the alarm to go off (alarm is set for 5:30 am) cause I was wide awake and felt rested. But, I looked over at the clock and it clearly showed the time to be 1:30 am! My reaction was that it couldn’t possibly be correct – I must have got it off kilter somehow! So, I pressed the button on the side of my watch to illuminate the face and it confirmed the clock time! It was, indeed, 1:30 am! Still skeptical, I wondered what the odds were that BOTH the alarm clock AND my watch were incorrect. Then, I noticed that all three girls were sound asleep – no stirrings or excitement that I was obviously awake! They, of course, are the definitive clock in our house – they wake at precisely 6:00 am, they insist on breakfast no later than 7:00 am, they start to get all worked up over supper at exactly 4:30 pm, and they start pacing around ready for bed by 11:00 pm! So, since they were not at all curious about why I was up, I finally conceded that it must NOT be time to get up! I tried to resist getting out of bed, but (as the borg taught us) resistance was futile! I tossed and turned and got myself all tangled up in the covers. I finally just gave up and got out of bed!
So, here I am – wide awake and wondering why I can’t sleep – AGAIN! Could it be the onset of the full moon – I believe it is supposed to be at it’s fullest tomorrow night…could have something to do with it! Or could it be that I have too many thoughts screaming to get out of my brain…maybe the fact that I was laying in bed debating with myself about whether or not my alarm clock and watch were correct is a strong indicator that might just be the case! So, let’s dump some of those thoughts right now…
Weekend Review:
I went to The Shops at Steele Street for the open house on Saturday to see what Amy had to offer. I had a nice chat with both Jonathan and Amy and bought some sweet treats and a couple dip mixes. Wise Amy (or maybe it was his idea – either way, it was wise) put Jonathan at a table right inside the door as the gracious greeter with samples….he’s such a sweetheart (with or without the samples)!
I also looked over Emily’s offerings from her new business – “A Charmed Life” (check out her announcement on her blog). She had some really nice things. I decided to get a set of wine glass charms for my nephew and his wife for Christmas – they are wine fanatics and I like to get them something that will enhance the experience for them. The ones I picked out for them are pictured in photo # 5 on Emily’s post. The charms in that set are all wine related – a wine bottle, a bunch of grapes, a cork screw, etc. (BTW – I feel confident I’m not spilling any beans, here – Bryan and Brianne don’t read my blog – at least I don’t think they do – well, just in case – Bry and Bri – if you ARE reading this, please act surprised and humor me when you open your gift!)
I’m glad I popped in – it is always a pleasure chatting with the Burns’ and I have my first Christmas gift taken care of!
Netflix:
I’ve been really pleased that I started doing Netflix! I have 50-some movies on my wish list – I get 3 in the mail and turn those babies around quickly to get the next bunch and make the most out of the membership price!
TiVo vs DVR Update:
A couple weeks ago I wrote a post about wondering which would be a better way to go — well, I have since found out that DVR from Charter isn’t an option at all… I called to see what it would cost and how it works and they told me it isn’t available in this area, yet! What? I don’t have a lot of complaints about Charter Communications – I rarely have outage problems or other issues that I hear others in the area have. But one complaint I do have is that they are WAY behind the times! Time Warner has sooooo much more to offer and the price (from what I hear friends in the Raleigh area pay for comparable service) isn’t all that much different! I don’t like the dish option at all, so I will stick with cable, but I just wish Charter would get with the program and give us the options that we could get if we were allowed the flexibility of choosing our cable company!
Crock Pot:
I bought a new crock pot a couple weeks ago. I used to have one and loved it – used it a lot! But, when it died, I never replaced it. Lindsay’s blog has a bad habit of making me think about wanting one every once in a while, so I finally broke down and bought one at Wal-Mart! It is a really cool one — Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 slow cooker! It has 3 different size bowls – a 2 qt, a 4 qt, and a 6 qt – so that you can have just the right size for whatever meal you are making – but, you don’t have 3 lids to make room in the cabinet for – they all have the same size opening, so one universal lid is all you need! You select the button for the size bowl on the base unit and it distributes the heat according to the size bowl being used – COOL! It has the normal “high” and “low” settings to choose what speed you want to cook at, but it also has a “warm” setting that I haven’t had on past crock pots – that will come in real handy!!! The bowls are pretty enough to serve in, too, and they nest together nicely for storage! I did a nice pork roast with potatoes, onions, and carrots that came out beautiful! I have a corned beef brisket in the fridge that I plan to pop in there one day this week. I just love my new crock pot! Here is what it looks like – the first picture is what it looks like when cooking and the second one shows the 3 bowls (FYI – this is a photo of the multi colored version – mine are all white and the base looks like the one in the larger photo):
DWTS:
I snoozed through Monday’s DWTS, so I didn’t post an opinion for who might get voted off, but if you are a friend on my Facebook, you may have read my comment that I thought Maurice and Cody would be in the bottom 2 and that Cody would be my choice for who will go home! Well, I was right about the bottom 2, but it was Maurice that went home! Jamie was right — the teenage girls with text messaging capabilities had more power than Maurice’s fans! But – he’ll likely go next week. My thoughts on the bottom two next week are Cody and Lance – in which case, Cody is sure to be the one to go! My prediction for the finals: Brooke, Warren, and Lance will go head to head for the final show and Brooke will, of course, win it!
Well, maybe I can get a couple hour’s sleep before the alarm is REALLY ready to go off…although, I’m not a bit tired, so I have my doubts!
Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton is undeniably the best and most influential guitarist in the history of rock and roll. His music transcends time and appeals to all generations in one way or another. I have had several triggers that made me think of Clapton and his music over the past few days – thoughts, scenes in movies, and hearing parts of songs on the radio or TV. So, I went searching for clips of some of my favorites and found a couple really good ones. All of these clips are live recordings – which is the best way to enjoy Clapton – along with thousands of adoring fans!
My very favorite one is “Cocaine”. OK, so I don’t condone the use of drugs, but it is by far one of the best songs to just zone out to and to dance to – when this song starts, you can’t help but let it take you over! It shows off Clapton’s incredible guitar talents and has a beat that rips right through you to take you to heights you can only imagine! Who needs the drugs – just let the music take you there – close your eyes, sit back, and let the music move you…
Another favorite that always reaches out and grabs me right in the gut is “Layla”. This is also a perfect example of why Clapton will never be forgotten and will likely never be equaled.
On the more mellow side – a perfectly romantic slow dance song is “Wonderful Tonight”. What a great way to spend time – in the arms of someone you care deeply for, swaying to the beautiful melody and lyrics of this amazing song — close your eyes and let it in — I dare you to try to not smile and feel the warmth and music touching your soul…
Movie Review – Soul Men
I went to see Soul Men at Spring Lane Cinemas this afternoon. I like Samuel L. Jackson in just about everything he does and think Bernie Mac is a hilarious comedian, so I felt like this was a sure winner! And I wasn’t disappointed!
Before I get into my thoughts on the movie, I feel compelled to extend this warning — this is NOT a movie for children or anyone who is offended by non-stop use of the “MF” and “N” words or blatant sex jokes. But – if that isn’t offensive to you or you don’t mind the kids hearing it, then this is a really funny movie!
It is the story of Floyd Henderson and Lewis Hines, played by Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson, respectively. The two were once part of a popular three man soul band in the 1970s. After their front man went off on a solo career, Henderson and Hines went on as a duet team called The Real Deal. They split up after they fought over a woman who was the love of both their lives – they went their separate ways. Hines ended up in prison and a down and out ex-con. Henderson became a successful businessman who’s nephew squeezed him out and took over the family business. The front man that went solo went on to be a famous solo artist. News of his death and a musical tribute at the Apollo Theater in NYC bring the two back together for a road trip across the country to perform together once again for the tribute show. During the trip and continuing when they arrive at the Apollo, the pair engage in a series of hysterical mishaps and confrontations – including discovering that the woman who tore them apart all those years ago has since passed away and that she had a daughter the perfect age for one of them to be her father.
This is a really good story – very funny and even has a touching side! The best part for me was watching tough guy Samuel L. Jackson in shiny suits singing and dancing to perfectly synchronized 1970s Temptations-type dance steps! It was a hoot!
I recommend it for anyone who is looking for a good laugh and is OK with the warning noted at the beginning of this post. I give it a B- rating – I took off a little because of all the bad language – I’m not necessarily overly offended by it in a movie setting (I tend to just overlook it in movies), but I think it was a little over done. Otherwise, a very enjoyable movie!
Songs that grabbed my attention today…
After work, I drove from work to All Animals Veterinary Hospital to get some dog food, then home, and then to Cafe 121 and back. So I spent a good amount of time in the car listening to music! There were three songs that caught my ear and took me to “another place”…and all were instant “sing a-longs”!
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The first one was right when I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot at work. It is a song that was a favorite of mine when it was a hit – I was about 10 – 12 years old. My cousin, Gary, my brother, Kevin, some other neighborhood friends, and I had a “lip sync, air guitar” band that put on concerts in Gary’s garage all the time. One of our regular and most requested hits was Sam The Sham and The Pharaohs 1966 recording of “Lil’ Red Riding Hood”. Whenever I hear it, I can see us giving it all we had with over exagerated theatrical showmanship…it brings back great memories!
- The next one came on and I rolled the windows down and cranked up the volume! I absolutely LOVE the intro and the instrumental sections – not to mention that it has a really great message, too! It is Norman Greenbaum’s 1969 release of “Spirit In The Sky”! It is one of those songs that the minute it starts playing, you just feel it down deep in your soul, it grabs you, and it gets you swaying!
- And the last one was on the way to dinner and instantly put me in a mellow mood. It was Mama Cass Elliott’s “Dream a Little Dream of Me” from 1968! Beautiful song, beautiful voice, beautiful memories – and a really cute video of her singing it to Tommy Smothers (from the Smothers Brothers fame) taped much later than the 1968 release of the song – probably in early-mid the 70s!
Devil Dog and Other Topics of Interest
Of course, I wasn’t able to get a photo… Amy, the one that is usually calm, gentle, and sweet, exhibited signs of being a Devil Dog a little bit ago!!! I heard some of the strangest sounds coming from my sweet girl and I looked over at her laying in the chair – sound asleep! She was curled up with her head on the arm of the chair – her eyes were open, but rolled back so that you could only see the white part and that was all blood shot – her face was twitching wildly and scrunching all up making her look down right evil – and she was making strange muffled, throaty growls! I thought that she was either having a bad dream or a seizure!!! I said her name to see if I got a reaction out of her and she lifted her head and rolled her eyes back to the normal position and she was my sweet little Amy, again!!! She came over and sat beside me, I put my arm around her, and she laid her head on my shoulder……Devil Dog Gone!!!
Megan has started this cute little thing in the mornings — she’s been doing it about a month now! When they try to wake me up and I try to ignore them and make them think I’m still asleep, she attempts to get at my face and I have my hands over it, so she gives up after a couple attempts. Then, she turns around and sits on my hip (I lay on my side and she is in front of me) – she just sits there with her butt on my hip like she’s standing guard or something! It is so cute I can barely keep from laughing – which would let them know I’m awake and that would be the end of trying to pretend I’m still sleeping! She’ll sit there like that for a while and then try again to see if she can get me to wake up – when the new attemps fail, she goes back to sitting on my hip to wait for another chance! She’s such a character!!!
I went to Cafe 121 for dinner tonight – first time in a couple weeks! I had the brown sugar glazed ham special with mashed potatoes and his signature fried green beans – YUM!!! But I made two really great discoveries while I was there!
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First – he will be open on Thanksgiving! Ronald, Lisa, and I were just talking this past weekend about seeing if anyone was going to be open for Thanksgiving cause neither of us want to cook – we usually have Thanksgiving together and one or the other of us cook! But, since one of the boys isn’t around here anymore and the other usually makes other plans, it ends up being just the three of us and not really worth the trouble (and we end up with WAY too many left overs)! So, we were thinking of going out for dinner, instead… We just might make a reservation for Cafe 121 – unless our plans change cause Lisa might have to work. Anyway – if anyone is interested, they will be open from 11:00 – 3:00 and are taking reservations for Thanksgiving dinner in the restaurant OR orders for taking an already cooked meal home for the family to reduce your time (and mess) in the kitchen!
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Second – Cinnamon Apple Cider!!! The paper table cloth covers had “Try our new cinnamon apple cider” written on them — when I got done with dinner, I asked if that was hot and found out it WAS — so I ordered one for dessert — then I was asked if I wanted it with or without the caramel — OMG — of course I wanted it WITH the caramel!!!! This was an AMAZING drink!!! It was too hot to drink right away, so I brought it home and sipped on it while I was checking emails and blogs….it was in a large coffee cup, so I got a lot, but was still so sorry I didn’t order TWO and wished I had MORE! It was scrumptious!!! You gotta try this — go by the coffee bar in Cafe 121 and get yourself one!!! It is like drinking a delicious, fresh out of the oven, homemade apple pie!!! YUM, YUM!!!
If you haven’t seen Footloose at the Temple, yet, you’d better hurry — this is the last weekend! Final shows are Friday at 8:00, Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00, and Sunday at 2:00 — then, it is done!
WOW – I just saw an interesting tip on Food Network — Alton Brown had a little snippet on there between commercials! It was about oatmeal – he said that he likes to have a bowl of oatmeal every day, but that isn’t easy when traveling – until now! He mentioned that most hotel rooms now have coffee makers in the rooms – he said you put two envelopes of instant oatmeal in the pot, add a individual packet of honey, add an individual packet of jam, put one herbal tea bag of choice (he suggested orange) in the part where you usually put the coffee pouch, and pour in 8-10 ounces of water (depending on the consistency you like) in the water resevoir and turn it on! When the water stops, you can stir it and eat it right out of the pot! AND – it stays hot on the heating pad until you are ready to eat it or if you want to eat a little now and a little later! hhhmmm — I just might take some instant oatmeal and the other ingredients with me the next time I travel so I can give it a try!!! (oh, wait, I don’t have to wait to travel to try it – I have a coffee maker at home that I rarely use…..not a coffee drinker)
Guess that’s it for now….
Thoughts for Thursday
I was reading Lindsay’s post about breakfast for dinner and it got me thinking and hungry for just that! I love breakfast at dinner time and am always so sad to find that there isn’t anywhere in Sanford to get breakfast whenever you want it (except the recent addition of the Waffle House, of course). My Mom used to fix breakfast for dinner every now and then — she did it because it was a cheap way to stretch the grocery budget, but she made such a big deal out of it that it made it super special to us and we would think we were getting away with something that just wasn’t supposed to happen! ha-ha She would fix eggs and fried potatoes and toast sometimes. But the one that we always begged for and loved was what she called “Corn Fritters”! She would make pancake batter and add a can of nibblets corn and a sprinkle of sugar. Then, she would fill a large iron skillet with the batter to make one HUGE pancake for each of us (we would have fun watching her try to flip a pancake that big, but she was a pro and always flipped it perfectly!) – then, when she served it, she would cut a small hole in the center! This was a the result of a genius at work because the pancake was so big it filled a plate and without the hole, the syrup and butter would run off the pancake onto the table! So we would spread the butter on the pancake and put the warm syrup in the center hole for dunking and it would also soak into the pancake from the center out! It was GREAT and we loved them!!! I’m thinking there is a dinner of Corn Fritters in my near future!
What a lovely Fall day this is going to be! I am sitting on my couch looking out the window to the back yard and marveling at the natural beauty that is spilling all over my neighborhood! The yard and deck are peppered with colorful leaves. I have a tree perfectly centered in my view that is almost completely yellow – there are a few remaining green leaves, but not many. My Weeping Japanese Maple and the bushes behind it have turned red. There is a totally red tree in my side yard that is positioned nicely right in front of a totally yellow tree to make for a breath taking blend of colors. And the sun is shining through an array of colorful limbs. It is cool now, but not cold, and is supposed to warm up into the low 70s. A perfect day to play hookie – but I won’t – well, I “would”, but I shouldn’t and can’t with what is on my plate today!
Here is a sample of the beauty in my yard this morning — it is too pretty to keep private — it begs to be shared:
What a great way to start the day — it promises to be a good one, for sure!
Speculation…
The results show for Dancing With The Stars usually runs on Tuesday, but due to the election coverage, it was postponed to tonight. I didn’t post my opinion of Monday night’s show cause I was tired after the show and then there were more important things to write about (i.e.: irritating political phone calls, etc.). So, before tonight’s show airs at 8:00, I’m gonna post my thoughts…I know you’re all hanging on the edge of your seats and just LOVE to read about this! (and if you’re not, oh well — check tomorrow for a different topic that might be more appealing to you)
I thought that Susan Lucci did an amazing job on her Paso Doble – she brought out her theatrical side and nailed it! She got a lot of praise from the judges, but they still only gave her a 24 (three 8s)! Her performance in the team dance didn’t help her, though — the team she was on didn’t do well at all (except for Lance Bass) and the 20 point score that her team earned is added to her individual score — OUCH!
Warren and Cody were at the bottom of the individual score leader board – 21 and 22 respectively! Warren was on the winning team dance team, so he’ll have 29 added to his 21, but Cody was on the losing team dance team and will have 20 added to his 22 – which lands him in the true bottom of last night’s leader board!
Brooke was at the top with a perfect 30! She’ll have the 29 from the winning team dance score to add to that and will be assured a chance to stay!
The one I disagreed with most, though, was the 25 that Maurice earned…not thinking Maurice should make it much longer! He was on the winning team dance team, so he faired well overall for his score! I didn’t think he deserved it – so there!
My prediction for tonight? I think Cody or Maurice should go and predict it will be Cody…but, unfortunately, there is strong chance the voters just might go with Susan!
Update: Susan went home (that was a shame, but understandable) and Cody was with her in the bottom two! We’ll see how he does next week…
It is over…
Dare I say it? It’s not like everyone doesn’t already know, afterall. It’s no secret. I really can’t say “you heard it here, first”. But, if I actually say it, maybe it will jinx something and I’ll have to retract my declaration. Should I chance it? Is it too soon to announce a victory on this?
Aahh shoot, here goes! THE FLOOD OF MESSAGES ON MY ANSWERING MACHINE AND LATE NIGHT POLITICAL CALLS ARE OVER!!! Yep, I said it! Tonight I will come home to a quiet answering machine and I won’t be irritated by the phone ringing off the hook all hours of the evening with calls from everyone from Kay Hagan assuring me that she DOES believe in God to someone warning me about the threat of unions in our workplace to Gretchen Wilson urging me to vote for McCain (well, actually, that one was kinda cool – it was the only one I listened to all the way through – I was impressed that Gretchen actually made a “personal” call and plea to little ole me like I was one of her BFFs or something – “Let me get a big ‘hell yeah’ from the redneck girls like me, hell yeah”)!
So, let’s all breathe a collective sigh of relief — and then hold our breath until they come and take down all those signs littering our landscapes!!! Well, maybe you’d better not actually hold your breath – that could get a tad unhealthy for you…it might be a while!
Election Day Activities
I got up early this morning to go in to vote before work — I had a 7:45 meeting to go to, so I had to get done early and I didn’t want to wait until after work cause I signed up for a 2 hour shift at the CIS Kid’s Voting Booth and didn’t want to get tied up in a long line and miss relieving the person before me!
So — I was at BT Bullock school to cast my vote right when the polls opened at 6:30 — I was voter # 12 by the time I signed in, filled in all my preferred circles, and scanned my ballot! I was in and out and sitting in my office at work by just about 7:00! Woo Hoo!
Between going in early and the company benefit of getting an hour off to vote, if needed, I was able to leave work early enough to go by the house and take care of the girls and throw a pork roast into the crock pot for supper (more on that later) and then I got to Bullock to do my shift for Communities In Schools’ Kids Voting Event by about 4:00 (I was supposed to get there at 4:30, so I was nice and early)….. It was so much fun watching the kids voting! The really young ones were so precious! Some of their comments were “oh, look, this one has the same name as Daddy – I’ll vote for him”, “I’m gonna vote for the one with the American Flag, he must be a good American” (btw – the kids voting ballots had photos for the national and most of the state races – one of the gentlemen had his picture taken with a flag in the background – I forget who), “Mommy told me to vote for all the Republicans, which ones are Republicans?” and so on…..I had a blast!!!
Then I came home to the most amazing smelling house!!! That pork roast was about an hour shy of being done and it was driving me crazy!!! I rubbed the roast with pepper and garlic powder, put small new potatoes, baby carrots, and onions in the bottom of the crock pot and then put the roast on top of the veggie – then, I made a mixture of onion soup mix, worstershire sauce, and water and poured it over everything — then put the crock pot on high to be sure it would be done before bed time! I just fixed myself a plate and it is INCREDIBLE!!!! Soooooooooooooooo tender and FULL of flavor!!! YUM YUM YUM!!!
I got on Facebook and was thrilled to find my favorite veterinarian and dear friend Dr. Cindy McNamarra is a new Facebook addict and sent me a friend request! WOO HOO!!!
Now I’m enjoying my wonderful dinner, checking blogs, and watching election results by flipping back and forth between WRAL and Sanford coverage by Woody and Wayne!!!!
It will all be over soon — one way or another!!!
Reflections
I didn’t have a lot to say this weekend because I did absolutely nothing this weekend — well, except, of course, going to the Temple Theater to see Footloose on Saturday evening. I had planned to go to the Brush and Palette Show – I didn’t – first time I’ve missed that show in years! I also planned to check out the open house at Floral Designs By Eddie – I didn’t – now I’ll have to wait until next year to find out what that was all about! I planned to start on my Christmas shopping – I didn’t – I did, however, go to Wal-Mart just to wander around Sunday morning after I met some friends for breakfast and bought myself some jeans, a couple tops, and a crock pot! So – the weekend was one of those “lounge around and watch LifeTime movies” weekends!
Some things I learned this past week:
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The West Wing is now being run on Bravo – I watched just about an entire season on Saturday as it ran in a marathon of West Wings! I loved that show and was so very disappointed when it was canceled!
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Caller screening is a very useful tool — I do not screen my calls! When the phone rings, I pick it up! Sometimes I’m sorry I picked it up, but I do pick it up! But — I have gotten so sick and tired of having my answering machine FULL of recorded messages from candidates trying to sway my vote and the quantity/frequency has increased substantially! After the first one that called me at 10:30 at night, I started screening my calls!!! I won’t pick up ANY call from ANY phone # that I don’t recognize until after the election is over! The phone rang FOUR times AFTER 9:00 last night – SUNDAY NIGHT – all were either 800 #s or local unrecognizable #s and all left (or attempted to leave – I hit delete as soon as they started) recorded political messages!!! Do they really think they are going to win people over by disturbing our quiet, family time?
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My bulk pick up day is WEDS, not THURS! I had a love seat in the garage that the girls had “eaten” and it also had a broken arm. I was keeping it in the garage until I could decide what to do with it — well, being in the garage was keeping me from being able to PARK in the garage and I was getting sick (already) of having to defrost my windows in the mornings! So, I decided to just put it out for pick up and called to find out what the rules were and when to set it out there. The girl asked me when my normal pick up day was and I said “Thursday”! Since I was calling on Weds, she said to put it out there that evening and it would be picked up the next day! Simple! I didn’t want to wait until I could get some help putting it out to the street, so I attempted to just “shove” it down the driveway to the street! Well — that was more of a challenge than I thought it would be — the legs were no longer on it, so the bottom scraped along the cement driveway to the point where I could only shove it a couple inches at a time! Some kids riding their bikes on my cul du sac saw me struggling and asked if I needed some help — the three of us struggled and got it to the street! Thursday came and went and it wasn’t picked up — Friday came and went and it wasn’t picked up! So – I called them back Friday evening and in the conversation discovered that when the other girl asked what my normal pick up day was, she was referring to the “bulk” pick up day — I didn’t know it was a different day from the “trash” pick up day — so, the love seat has been sitting out there all week and will sit out there until WEDS!!!! Apologies to my neighbors, but I was NOT about to attempt to shove it back UP the driveway to put it away and then struggle to get it back down the driveway on Tues evening!
I know there were more revelations this past week, but I can’t think of them off hand…
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