Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Some days, I just need to be reminded of that.
Happy Sunday!
Archive | February, 2010
Asking for Help
27 Feb
One of the things I love about blogging is the relationships developed with people all around the world. I know many naysayers reason that these cyber-relationships aren’t real, but I’ve gotten to know people and families that I would go visit. It’s opened my world to friendships that would otherwise be impossible.
I’m always excited when I check my email and see that my inbox is full. The other day one kind reader lifted my spirits and encouraged me more than she could ever imagine.
“TRICIA, I never comment on blogs, I never send emails to blog authors…BUT… I just found your blog and I haven’t rolled on the floor laughing in a long time, even the dog wandered in to see what was so funny, she left the room shaking her head.
Love the disclaimer. I will be back to read…OH if any of this is spelled wrong, blame it on spell check!”
This message embodied everything I’d like to accomplish with this blog. If I can help someone smile, it’s been a good day.
The wonderfully talented Gabi with an Eye sent me a lovely hand-crafted card and I’ve got to say, I’ve never seen a card made so well. She could put Hallmark out of business. Gabriela is one of the most interesting and talented women I’ve met in blogland.
If you’ve never visited her blog, please click HERE. You’ll be addicted to her art for sure.
Because I don’t think you’ll be offended if I ask for help, I’m going to ask you a favor. At the bottom of each blog entry, you have the opportunity to rate my writing and my post. If you like it, you can give me one to fours stars. It’s completely anonymous! I have no idea who is giving me stars, so don’t feel bad if you think it’s a lousy post and you give me one star. I’m all about honesty here.
I’ve also been adding a little bar with several buttons beneath my signature. I’m not sure if anybody has noticed it and you may not know it’s purpose. It gives you the ability to Tweet a post, post it to your facebook, or add it several other social media networks you may use. I don’t think I’ve ever had a post Tweeted, but once a reader ‘Stumbled’ my post and it is my most well-read blog entry.
You know I’d like to write a book. It’s one of my goals in 2010, but I need a little help in networking my blog and ultimately my book. That’s why I’m asking for your help.
All I can offer is my sincere appreciation in return. So in advance, thank you for helping. I truly think I have the most awesome readers and friends in blogland.
If you’d like to read my thoughts on 2010 and my goals for New Year, Click HERE and HERE.
The long awaited & much anticipated…
25 FebCROCK POT RECIPE
Be honest, you would have never come over today if I titled this post Crock Pot Recipe. It sounds so boring, so Monday, but today is Thursday and deserves a touch of excitement. Today is also a snow day. Enough said.
I had a few emails and even a phone call requesting this recipe, so today I share. Actually FringeMan shares, because it’s his culinary masterpiece.
In warning, this recipe makes A LOT of food. Be sure to invite company or cut it in half.
SAUSAGE, CABBAGE, & POTATO MEAL
Ingredients:
3 lbs smoke sausage cut into pieces 1-2″ in length
1 Large head cabbage cut into small chunks
2 or 4 Granny Smith apples
3 lbs size A (small) red potatoes halved or sliced
1 cup apple juice
1/2 small white onion
1/2 stick butter
2 Tablespoons Rosemary
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Combine ingredients in large crockpot. Begin by layering sausage, then potatoes & onion, cabbage, and apples. Pour in apple juice and sprinkle your spices over the top. Allow to cook overnight on Low.
Next morning: stir to toss cabbage around so it cooks thoroughly. You can add the butter to the top before replacing the crockpot lid. Stir again about an hour before serving.
Yes, we cook this in the crockpot for a day and a half. FringeMan usually will only cook for a Sunday meal, so we generally eat in the afternoon around 2pm. You may need to adjust the cooking time depending on how full you fill your crockpot.
For the story behind the recipe, click HERE.
SAD or NUT-SO
24 Feb
There is a woman, perhaps a friend of mine (definitely not me), who has been driven to craziness this winter. I would diagnose her with SAD, a common seasonal mood disorder, but she’s more NUT-SO than SAD. She actually perks at the suggestion of Monopoly and considers playing Wii in the library to be an ‘event’. The other evening she played numerous games of Pitfall on her Atari Flashback and actually felt ten again, despite the children falling over themselves in dismay at her lack of ability. After all, these children are known to be dramatic. Their art teacher once suggested a film career may be in their future; however, they rather save their antics for a public audience in Wal-Mart, causing perfect strangers to question their mother’s parenting techniques.
One of these children, the boy, has mastered the art of choking on nothing until his face turns into a puffy red tomato and clutching his throat, he drops to floor in obvious suffocation. Stranger stand stunned, more by the fact that his mother is completely ignoring the scene unfolding before her very eyes than by the child choking and dieing in aisle three of Wal-Mart.
The point is that this woman longs to wake up and see a blade of green grass, but awakes to more snow and school delays day after endless day.
What is she to do?
Out of fear of accidentally torching the house, her husband will not allow her to increase the wattage of her lightbulbs. She can attest to the fact that all light therapy treatments that include a pen light DO NOT work. The upside is that the risk of skin cancer being related to pen lights is low.
Today she clings to the promise of Spring. The snow that coats her world is heavy and wet, a Spring snow. She knows there is hope in a Spring snow and she momentarily smiles. By dinner all hope may be lost, so she will gladly accept invitations to visit warm places.
Any suggestions for combating my friend’s low melatonin levels are welcome. She also wants to know…
Are you sick of winter??
For The Love of My Thighs
23 Feb
Every time someone mentions the words diet or exercise, a thousand Rocketts begin dancing across my mind, each leg kick higher than the last. My thighs are my troubled half and believe me, they carry at least half of my body weight. Unfortunately each of my thighs resembles a tree trunk with the consistency of a Twinkie.
About twice a year, I go on a reconnaissance effort to take back my legs – once in the spring when I know beach season looms near and once again in the fall when I try to squeeze back into my jeans. Liposuction has always been a consideration; however, I’ve never been able to fully convince my insurance company that cellulite of the thighs is correlated to sudden death. They don’t realize that I am doing squats at deaths door.
It was during one of my ‘slim my body in a hurry’ panics that I discovered my library had an exercise video targeted directly at thighs. The Rocketts rejoiced. I began squatting, lifting, kicking, and crunching with near immediate results. If such a thing is possible, it seemed the Twinkies were turning into Twix. The only problem was the video could only be checked out of the library for two days at a time. Renewals not permitted.
One night after I’d just washed an arsenal of age-fighting makeup down the drain and changed into paint stained yoga pants, I realized that I needed to exercise. I couldn’t risk another day without making my cellulite scream in defeat. With bedroom eyes and the sweetest tone I could muster, I begged, pleaded, and groveled at my husband’s feet. He finally conceded to run to the library and pick up that video. After all, he enjoyed the benefits of a firmer and more agile me.
Furtively glancing around the library, he sheepishly slinked up to the counter and wordlessly placed the video in front of the librarian. You can never quite tell what a librarian is thinking. They are assumed smart, and are respected because there are few other people who can master the library ‘whisper’. With a smirk, she told him he could keep the video for a week this time. Apparently his thighs looked to be in worse shape than mine, and I scolded myself for not sending him sooner.
A few days later my unsuspecting husband returned to the library with my son. As he walked up to the counter, she looked up past her minty green glasses and asked, “How are your thighs doing?”
And that is why I love FringeMan. He puts kindness into action as he sacrifices his reputation for my thighs. It is also one of the many ways he shows me how much he loves me.
This post is linked to Tuesday’s Unwrapped hosted by Chatting at the Sky. Go visit for stories much better than my own. It also linked to a one word blog carnival – Click HERE for more posts on kindness.
Gentle Introductions & FringeMan Cooks
22 FebI’ve spoken of my cooking cycles so often that you are all probably scared to death that I may invite you to dinner. Unfortunately I was in a cooking funk this weekend. I even managed to ruin a pot of soup that I merely reheated. FringeMan had to add a quarter cup of pepper and a pound of parmesan cheese to make his palatable. You can imagine my panic when I remembered that we invited a young couple to our home for dinner after church on Sunday.
Yup.
My stomach bunched because when you invite people to dinner they usually come hungry and expect food. Not good when the only meal I rocked this weekend was a bowl of Captain Crunch.
Over the years I have developed a method of easing new people into our lives. The FringeFamily can be overwhelming, so we attempt to make the transition into friendship gentle on unsuspecting people. The first time you come to my home, I clean and cook. That means I remove all cobwebs, scrub the floors, and use real dishes. The second time you come for dinner, it’s usually paper plates with pizza, and I may or may not have found time to dust. After the induction process has ended, you may be cooking with me, taking the dog out for a walk, and don’t expect to eat off of anything that requires washing. That’s just how it goes. I expect people to make themselves at home and let’s face it, sometime home is less than pristine.
Because I knew Sunday lunch had to be edible, I snuggled up to FringeMan on Saturday morning and said, “So what are we going to cook for dinner tomorrow?”
“I don’t know.” He replied with a standard answer, because menu plans are up to me, tomorrow’s lunch is the furthest thing from his mind, and he’s forgotten that I’ve invited people over.
I took a deep breath, planted a big one his lips, crossed my fingers, and subtly suggested he make one of his crock-pot meals. Thankfully he came through.
FringeMan is king of the crock-pot. My expertise lies in meals that require six pans and thirty-two ingredients. FringeMan’s expertise lies in wild game and one pot meals. He didn’t disappoint. He made a pot full of sausage, cabbage, small red potatoes and apples. Let’s just say that we all had seconds and ate much more food than recommended by the portion control nazis.
So thank you for coming through for me FringeMan. I love you and your crock-pot meals too!
Since he tries his best not to read my blog, I’ll have to send him this link. I don’t blame him for not wanting to read my words, he listens to them everyday, live. Sometimes I think he wishes God created me with a mute button.
Did you eat anything special this weekend?
For more on my cooking cycles, click HERE.
Custom Clothing – eShakti
21 Feb
Would you like to buy boutique clothing customized to fit your body at department store prices?
Who wouldn’t!
Today I would like to introduce you to a fabulous online clothing store, eShakti.com. I am not being paid to promote their website; however, the people at eShakti.com were kind enough to send me a dress to enjoy and review. My dress is probably the most well made garment hanging in my closet. It’s beautifully designed and fits like a glove.
eShakti is a unique women’s online apparel store that allows custom changes in the style of the garment – sleeve, neckline, length can all be changed by the customer to her preference. They also offer the full size selection from size 0-26W and custom size too.
I don’t know of another company that allows you to customize your clothing and have it made to fit your body perfectly without charging enormous prices. Even custom clothes are shipped in 3 days!
The special appeal of eShakti designs are the embellishments they give via print, embroidery and fabric texturing. So its designer-wear that is not readily seen in stores. Unlike other stores, they are never stocked out. All the hottest colors of the season in every product and style and in every size is always available.
Consider this little black dress with a ruffled neckline – click HERE.
Here’s a really cute turquoise maxi dress – click HERE.
I love THIS jacket and THIS ONE too.
They even offer a really cute ruffled skirt – click HERE.
The nice thing is that they have YOUR size, no matter if you carry your weight in your middle or thighs. Every item can be custom ordered to fit your exact measurements. I chose a ready-made dress according to the sizing chart provided and it is just as described. eShakti also offers a great return policy in case you’re not 100% satisfied.
Go check them out, have fun shopping, and tell them I sent you!
Fashionable Frump – Style Alert
19 FebI rarely speak of fashion, because frankly, I’m not the one to pick out your wardrobe; however, if you’d like to go shopping, I will definitely give you my too big opinion and force you to try on hideous outfits that I’m sure will flatter your figure. It will be loads of fun and I’m available for consult…wait, let me check my schedule…any time.
Being awake before the birds is something I loathe. If you’ve been visiting the domestic fringe for any length of time, you know I’m not a morning person. It’s no use pretending otherwise, because if you ever call before 9am, I will utter gibberish and we’ll have to repeat the conversation later in the day. Today I was up before dawn. Thankfully no-one spoke to me.
In my pre-coffee, blurry eyed state, I realized that fashion was the topic of the day. Perhaps it’s because retailers are uncompromisingly hopeful that the freeze-misers will release their frigid grip from our land and the daffodils will once again bloom. I don’t know for sure.
Because I care about you, I want you to know that I’ve heard it rumored that pleated pants with tapered legs are on trend for Spring. (For my source, click here.) At best I follow trends loosely. If you looked into my closet, you’d be hard-pressed to find a style or even a decade. Let’s just say that I blur the lines between couture and thrift; however, I just finished teaching FringeMan how walk into a store, find a pair of flat-front pants and purchase them. It’s the only style advice he will now heed. Don’t tell him pleats are back and whatever you do, do not tell my legs tapered pants want me. They are perfectly comfortable lounging in a wide-leg denim. Thoughts of tapered legs automatically reduce blood supply to my feet and increase the size of my hips by six boxes of Twinkies.
I’ve also heard that there’s “a big new idea” in the fashion industry. It’s called, and I quote, “Modesty”. Who would have thunk it? What will we look at if women’s cleavage no longer captivates our eyes? (For my source, click here.)
That my friends concludes my chat on fashion. Anytime you want up-to-the-minute style advice, give me a call. I’d be happy to discuss your wardrobe as I sit in my sweatpants, fake fur-lined crocks, T-shirt from 1993, my sister-in-law’s cast-off red sweatshirt, and my Victoria Secret’s heavy bathrobe circa 1997.
What?
It’s cold.
Kids on Vacation = Brainless Posts
18 FebI wish ‘winter break’ came in sunny June when there is something to do other than paint my white floors with dirty, slushy snow. I feel the need to spare you from a colossal mistake called white wood floors. Unless you live in the pages of the latest issue of Scandinavian Home, have a full-time housekeeper, and are willing to sell your children on Ebay, do not and I repeat, DO NOT paint your floors white. Common sense, I know, but I lack sense on Monday’s, Wednesday’s, and Friday’s. Unfortunately I painted the floors on a Friday.
Today is Thursday and should be filled with sense; however, my kids are on school break and want to know what we are going to do today. They also want to know if I’d like to play Monopoly again, if they can use my computer for video games, and if I’m done with this post yet. A certain blue-eyed boy hanging on my neck is the reason I have failed to type one descent post this week. Forgive him. He will be back to school on Monday when I will join the angelic Hallelujah Chorus.
We’ve been ice-skating.
In an effort to blend, FringeBoy wore head to toe camouflage.
Living in my town is like finding a hidden bag of M&M’s after the children are sleeping. It makes me happy. We enjoy ‘skate parties’ in the park, FREE of charge. The town provides a tote of skates to borrow and people bring snacks to share. I bake cupcakes, because kids like cake mix; however, one lovely woman brings hot food in a crock-pot. I’m talking enough chilli and ziti to warm your tummy when it’s fourteen degrees. She’s my new best friend. I even squished my size 8 feet into a pair of size 6 skates and hit the ice. I couldn’t resist, but after only two times around, blood ceased flowing to my feet and my shins were on fire. Maybe it is the result of small skates, but maybe it is because I haven’t been on the ice in eleven years. Doesn’t matter.
It’s been a big week for the figure skater turned hunter. He went to the eye doctor’s for the first time. The second he hugged a tree thinking it was me, I knew he needed glasses. No were not tree huggers in this family, we’re slug sympathizers.
Slug sympathizers with new glasses.
Have a great day! I’m off to attach a Crest White Strip to my teeth.
Olympian Dashes World-Wide Dreams
17 Feb
Moore dashes the hopes and dreams of pregnant women world-wide. I’m not sure she realizes how high she has raised the bar for women using their baby bloated bellies as a reason for laziness. I just know that it’s a sad day when you can no longer use morning sickness as an excuse not to workout.
I fear this will change the human perception of pregnancy forever. Think of the implications. No longer will you be able talk complete strangers into fetching you a glass of water. You’ll never get that parking spot close to the entrance of the grocery store, and no bag boy with a heart will ever again offer to push your eighty pound grocery cart to your car.
I’m just glad I had my children back in the day when my coworkers and friends would bring me snacks!
Are you watching the Olympics?
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Grab a Button & Join us in Fiction Friday
I’m an Erma! Writing @ An Army of Ermas
Me – FringeGirl
Meet FringeMan
FringeLove – Our Story
FringeBoy
FringeKid
FringePup
My Sister-in-Law’s Blog
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