There's a First Year for Everything

I think this is the first year since I've officially designated myself as a quilter that I haven't had a quilted gift in the works for someone for Christmas.

I'm sure most everyone is breathing a sigh of relief.....

My family for not having to put up with my last minute raging sewing.

The recipient who most likely would have preferred a store bought gift or a gift card....oh, and a gift that is actually finished and gifted on time.

I can't say that I haven't felt the urge to make something for someone.  I have and the urge has been actually pretty intense, but I've resisted it so far.  I have seen some really cool quilts and gift ideas in my travels to shops and blogs.

Yes, I'm experiencing the joys of another year not being organized or ready for Christmas.

There's always next year....

Queen of Mashed Potatoes

My record remains intact.  I have never cooked a turkey.  .....Haven't needed to as my mom always has it covered.

When M and I first got together, we celebrated multiple Thanksgivings with family.  We're down to one, but it's screwier than ever.  It would have to be, right?

We've evolved to my mom cooking everything at her house, including the turkey, and then bringing it to my house to eat.  Why not just go over to her house and eat?  She's a hoarder and there is nowhere to sit and eat.

It is what it is.  I try not to be upset about anything, because it's just one day a year.....  My mom identifies with her cooking skills.  Her health dictates the situation.  There are many reasons.....

I didn't breakdown until yesterday morning.  M tried to make it all better with a Venti Gingerbread Latte.

I was doing okay with the situation until I learned that she wouldn't be coming over to bake pies on Wednesday.  We still had the pies...... but, not anymore as of this year.

Part of the problem is that she is almost immobile.  I live in an old house with two sets of four stairs to get into my house.  (She even fell yesterday on the way in!)

I made M's apple pie yesterday.  We prefer ham so I cooked that--well, heated it up.  I also made him his chili (a family traditional dish for him that he puts on his mashed potatoes....can you believe it's the first year that I made it for him?!)

I am also the Queen of Mashed Potatoes.  I get to make them.

I had my fuss in the morning and got over it throughout the day.  I should have been happy because I didn't really have to cook.

And, yes, I totally got over myself when we sat down to eat.  It's easy to forget, forgive, and get over all the drama as soon as that first mouthful of delicious mom-cooked food passes my lips.

Happy day after Thanksgiving everyone!

Tangled up in love

S and I went to see Tangled today.  I loved it!  I think S liked it, too.

I'm a huge fairy tale fan....the more romantic the better!

Is it possible to be in love with an animated character.  Flynn Rider...be still my heart!  I suppose if I can be in love with a fictional character, Edward, why not an animated one?

I didn't realize that this was Disney's 50th animated film.  I didn't realize it was CGI until I got home to see some of the interviews about the film.  I thought the animation looked different.  We didn't see it in 3D as I'm not a fan.

I thought Mandi Moore was perfect as Rapuzel.  I've always loved her voice and acting.  I couldn't picture who Zachary Levi was so I had to look him up...oh, Chuck.  Donna Murphy, who?  She is delightful as Mother Gothel and rivals any other Disney villain.

The story was developed just enough.  The were just enough songs.  The comedic parts were well placed.  Rapunzel was rescued but did enough rescuing of her own and was just enough of an independent heroine.  Flynn Rider isn't a perfect hero, but he ends up coming through in the end as any true prince would.

How good was it?  I would see it again!!  I rank the movie up there with my favorites, Beauty and the Beast and Anastasia.

No Such Thing as Family

I tried to plan a family outing yesterday.

I should have known better.

I suggested to all that we work together to get the house at least presentable for Thanksgiving.

We would go see Harry Potter on Sunday as our reward.

The boys kinda picked up their room on Saturday and sorta cleaned the sink and back of the toilet on Saturday.  C did a couple of loads of laundry and yelled at S to pick up her side of the room.  I puttered around the house.  M did nothing.

Sunday morning rolled around.  I was annoyed.  C was trying to figure out how to go to the movie AND do something with her friends even if it meant that we change the time we were going to go to the movie.  S didn't want to go to the movie because she wanted to go swimming with her friend and she thought she would be too scared AND oh, by the way, she's not into HP.

When I expressed my "sadness" to M, I got an unsympathetic lecture.  Kids will be kids.....  C is a teenager and it's typical for her to want to do things with her friends instead of us--HE WAS THE SAME WAY.

I put on my martyr hat.

It's hard NOT to be pushed over the edge when we talk.  One of the other things he said to me was that

he didn't know that our going to the movies was meant to be a family outing.....

He can't be that much of an idiot.

Dear Family,

Excuse me for wanting to do something as a family with you ALL.

I didn't want to necessarily go to see a movie with you ALL either, but in the interest of being a FAMILY and trying to do something as a FAMILY, I suggested a movie.

See if I EVER do it again!

Mom

C and I got into an argument.  S went swimming with her friend and then to play after.  M took C, Z, and A to the movie.  I stayed home.  (I did some laundry.  I cleaned up my sewing area by putting everything away--that's a whole 'nother story.)

I probably won't see it until it comes out on DVD.

Couch Number ?????

M and I have been together for 18+ years.  I moved in with him in 1992, I think, and we married in 1994.

I think we are on our seventh couch.

M's mom gave us a couch and M took my brother to get it today.  We are very thankful to be sure.  FREE is free.  We were down to two cushions on the one we've been using since the third one got peed on by Ginger, the diabetic dog.  One of the arms was down to the foam rubber.

M and I were trying to remember how many couches we've had.

He said he had a rattan couch when I moved in, but something happened to it.  Next we had another couch, but we think the dog destroyed it one day while we were at work.  After that one, we got a metal futon.  It had two pads.  We lived in a rental together for  six months before we moved to an apartment.  We took the futon with us to the apartment for a year and then to another rental before we bought our house.

After C was born, I bought a couch.  I loved that couch!  It was a rose color of all things and was a sleeper--I had always wanted a sleeper couch.  I think we had it a couple of weeks before it was "ruined" when one of the dogs pulled a greasy roast bag out of the trash to chew it up on the couch.  I could never get the stain out.  I cried and cried.

We replaced that couch with another hand me down from M's mom.  I don't remember how long it lasted.

I got a couch from a friend for $100 dollars after that one.  It lasted a year or so.....

The next couch was another hand me down.  I used to work for a company that delivered furniture for interior designers.  Sometimes people would donate their couches to Habit for Humanity or other places.  Many times they didn't want to have any extra time charges and would just pay another $50-$100 for disposal.  Sometimes the couches didn't even make it back to our warehouse for proper disposal (not kidding, guys said they would just open up the van doors and shove stuff out in an alley and race away.)  I put the word out that I was looking for a couch in good condition and finally one was up to be "disposed".  This couch is the one that we've been using.  It lasted three years--a record!

The "new" couch is cream colored.  M is supposed to be getting us a cover for it.  We've had it in the house for a couple of hours.  No LIE.......I have already cleaned poopy paw prints from one of the cushions and yelled at the dogs at least 25 times to get off of it.

One more instance where I can cheerfully say....I LOVE MY LIFE.

One More Time with Feeling

The standard symptoms of depression: Persistent sad or “empty” mood Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling “slowed down” Sleep disturbance – sleeping too much or too little Appetite and weight changes – either loss or gain Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, irritability Thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts.


Is the lack of direction the worst part of depression?

A: Oh, no. The most horrible part of living with depression was that I was not a good parent. That is one of the most devastating aspects of depression—no matter how I seemed on the outside, to other people—inside my brain I hurt so bad and was so scared that I was incapable of being the loving and nurturing parent I wanted to be. Depression affects not only the person who has it, but everyone they deal with.

You came close to suicide several times. Could you share some of your thoughts about this?

A: There were many times when I didn’t want to live. It’s not that I wanted to commit suicide. That requires at least a certain amount of planning and action, and I was incapable of doing that at the time. I just wanted not to be, to escape that terrible mental pain. Suicide causes immense pain to the survivors, who often blame themselves. But I don’t think most people who commit suicide do it to inflict pain. They may actually believe they are doing their loved ones a favor. When you are in the bottom of that black hole of depression you incorrectly believe that you are totally helpless—that is, nothing you can do will change anything—and totally hopeless—it will always be that way. So if that is the way you are understanding reality, then suicide becomes, in a way, a logical choice. That sounds twisted, and it is. Suicide is a permanent solution for a temporary problem.

Depression Visible - The Ragged Edge

Maybe I should make a therapy quilt?

The Other Half

M and I went to dinner last night.  We were invited out by his boss and her husband in celebration of the new company.  It was a real treat!  We went to ChoLon Asian Bistro.  M and I probably never would have gone on our own, not because we don't like Asian food, but because we tend to stick close to home and we usually can't justify spending a lot of money for dinner.

The food was excellent!  The recommended course of dining is to go along with the family style type of service.  You are supposed to order a bunch of dishes and share.  I'm not a fan of lamb, but I ate it last night.  I even had lemon grass, brussel sprouts, cocunut jam with egg cloud on toast, and sea bass.  I drew the line at beef tartare.  I think my favorite of the night were the shrimp cakes, the coffee with condensed milk, and the bread pudding.  I had a few food orgasms and left in a food coma.

We even had wine with dinner--this is where I question sanity at dining at places like this.  We had two bottles of wine between the four of us.  I overheard that one of the bottles cost $78.

I did enjoy myself immensely, but my blog friends know me well.  I tried not adding up prices as we ordered.  I was glad not to have to pay the bill.

I thought to myself wouldn't it be nice to go to places like this and not worry about the bill?  If I had money, would I ever worry about the bill?

After dinner, we went home.  We thought about going somewhere else to make the most of the night, but I wasn't up to drink anymore and we were both in food comas.  M's boss and her husband were going to the Four Seasons.  The Denver location had its opening this week.