Date:        Nov. 25, 2008

Subject:    Extensions

To:           Dwight Eubanks

Mr. Eubanks,

Janet Jackson called. She wants her hair back.

...then why does a cotton & bamboo throw I got  today have a label reading DRY CLEAN ONLY?

Aw heck, it  was on clearance (even less than the price online) so once it begins to reek of dirty feet and dog hair, I will try a bit of woolite in cold water. Or maybe DRYEL.

[Yes, I did know it said *dry clean* before I bought it anyway. After seeing comparable throws in Restoration Hardware and other shops at a local shopping center, I could not beat the $28.99 price tag for the perfect color throw to keep me warm while reading on my living room sofa. It did the trick nicely tonight, on that level of functionality, btw.]

I dont really *get* all of these trends in DRY CLEAN ONLY bedding and accessories. I mean, dont people sometimes get nasty in and on a bed? I want to be able to WASH that stuff, or at the very least, spot-treat it with tide-to-go or something! Plus, in our home, our dogs and cats sleep on/in the bed with us at night so I like to be able to rid the area of fur and dander every-so-often, you know?

I lucked into a really beautiful and functional quilt coverlet and matching pillow shams for our bed last year. I wash the coverlet about every 3-4 weeks with a touch of Oxy-clean in the wash. It has not faded at all and comes out just beautiful.

I have been looking for a solid and large-enoug throw for our sofa to replace the homemade and now sort-of wrecked (via an enthusisatic vacuum cleaner) afghan we used on chilly nights. Virtualy everything that wasnt wholly *bedroom-ish* was of some fussy fabric like chenille or velvet or alpaca. I fell in love with a chenille thow in Restoration harware but I could tell instantly that the long fringed ends would be bait for two very naughty cats that live in my home.

For now, I am quite thrilled with my eco-friendly bamboo throw, but I am still puzzled and slightly amused by the idea of a very NON-econ-friendly dry cleaning process to clean it!

I was over at MemeGirl and laughed aloud at her mere mention of HAMLOAF!

Since I went out on a limb and bought a turkey BREAST-ONLY today to prepare and somehow cook stuffing with it that doesnt dry out, I thought participating in this meme she followed might be fun.

#1. What's the worst tasting food you've ever eaten?
#2. Share a funny or embarassing story about a meal you've made.
#3. What food do you burn or have problems cooking most often?
#4. Name two foods you'll be eating on this Thanksgiving.

1. I once caved at a farmers market and purchased a very expensive piece of handcrafted cheese, because I was too embarrassed to balk at the cost, after the semi-snobby cheese purveyor (in a food-snob sort of way) had already cut and wrapped the item. I took it back to my mom*s house, spread some on a cracker and nearly gagged. It was not just the most expensive cheese I ever ate, it was the WORST!

2. Years ago, I attempted to make a homemade dessert to go with the usually successful Sunday dinner I made weekly for my family plus my father-in-law. I have no idea WHY but I attempted to make a jewish Kugel(a noodle pudding.) The problem was, I use too shallow of a baking dish, and pretty much ended up with a lovely platter of dried-up tooth-shattering former-noodles.

3. I am not great at cooking bacon (unless it is part of a recipe, where I cut-up the bacon to add flavoring for a dish, then I do OK.) or eggs. That is likely due to the fact that my husband has assumed hot breakfast duty on most weekends over the years. Despite my discomfort cooking scrambled or fried eggs, I am QUITE good at making French Toast (one of my specialties!)

4. The ONLY casserole my husband likes and REQUESTS (Lasagna doesnt count, in his book, as a casserole) is Green Bean Casserole - canned soup, and all. We will also be having (for the first time) a turkey breast ONLY. NOT a turkey ROAST or LOAF. But a whole breast, that I hope I can cook without drying out. I am VERY good at stuffing and cooking a whole bird. But the volume for three people is ridiculous and unneccessary.

 

I was sitting here typing at the dining room table while my daughter happily played with Barbies in the adjacent living room.

She was making the dolls have a conversation among themselves as she dressed and posed them in various outfits.

Made in Indonesia?! Why is that stamped on your butt, asked one Barbie to another.

Because my dad is Chinese, came the plastic dollie reply.

I am one of the many irritated-bordering-on-furious American Catholics dealing with the recent news stories about certain U.S. Bishops deciding to ignore virtually all other DIRE social issues (unemployment, hunger, natural disaster, home loss, etc) and kvetch over Catholics who voted for Obama (or any not-explicity-pro-life candidate.) Furthermore, they are making various threats of *war* against the future administration if their *trump card* issue is not dealt with to their liking.

I do not wish to get into an argument of pro-whatver. My point here, is that their proclamations do nothing but create more division in our own church, and our own communities, which are already suffering financially and emotionally due to the current economic crisis and resulting plagues of unemployment, hunger, domestic violence, crime, etc. In no way does their yammering directly help the suffering of anyone, whether not-yet-born or already here.

The hierarchy has ALWAYS been my sticking point; the area where I find my faith wobbling. And then this pre- and post-election noise from the fellows in fancy dress and funny hats...oh man, it really took me to the edge of my level of trust and commitment.

Today, I went to a local low-price grocery store to stock up on some essential pantry items. I saw a slightly familiar-looking man and his wife each grab a grocery cart and start hefting cases of yams, apple sauce, stuffing mix, green beans, and cranberry jelly into the carts. I could only guess that perhaps they were part of a church food pantry, organizing a dinner for the needy for Thanksgiving.

After I checked out of the store, the couple was carefully loading their stacks of canned goods into their car, parked next to mine.

Are you making a community dinner for Thanksgiving, I asked.

Well, sort of, the man replied. These are for Thanksgiving baskets for needy familes.

Oh, what church are you with, I continued.

As it turned out, the couple was from MY parish! The man runs the food pantry program here in Arlington Heights that benefits our *sister* parish on the South Side of Chicago. Our parish collects food each month, and volunteers bag it up and drive vans down to the parish food pantry, where the food and household items are distributed to all comunity residents in need - not just parish members.

We are putting the baskets together after 7:30 mass on Sunday, the man explained.

Maybe I will come by to help, I offered. See you then!

I am humbled and grateful for the reminder of WHO and WHAT church really is: regular people helping other people.

It is no secret that I am an animal over. I also enjoy Christmas, and, although we really have no room for one in my home, I admire Nativity sets and recall playing with the figurines hidden in the hay of the set we had in display when I was a child.

I received a catalog yesterday from a gift/housewares company. Thumbing through the pages of attractive topiaries and other traditional Chrismas decor, I came across something with more, uh, NOVELTY.  Now,  I love kitsch, but this is just...WRONG:





If you cannot make it out from the photo, it is a nativiy scene of DOGS, including a Golden Retriever puppy as baby Jesus, Virgin Mary in Dalmatian form, St Joseph as some sort of Collie, and the wise men represented by a Boxer, German Shepherd, and Pug. Then we round out the visage with shepherds of a Schnauzer and Labrador Retriever, and a Cocker Spaniel angel.Besides some borderline sacrelidge, that which is *wrong* are as follows:To me, the Greman Shepherd and Collie should be Shepherds, since they are, in fact sheep-herding/guarding breeds. The Black Lab could represent the black king, and of course, I think another king should be a poodle.Maybe what is REALLY wrong is how much I am overthinking the arrangement of this tacky trash!

It seems like EVERY fall, I get sinusitis. This one is not exempt.

I have the typical:

• aching pressure in my face
• clogged nose
• headache
• swollen eyes
• aching upper teeth/gums (yes, this is a real symptom)

Thankfully it is the weekend with little to do except watch some dvds I picked up at the library. And drink tea - LOTS of tea! I will also try some saline spray, which has helped alleviate symptoms in the past.

Strangely enough, I do not have pollen allergies, which is a common trigger of sinusitis. My only environmental allergy is two two types of mold; so I asume the piles of rotting, wet maple leaves outside the hosue might have something to do with that???

My husband is still in Europe: Italy today then tomorrow he departs for a week in Copenhagen, Denmark. He called me about 45 minutes ago and kept recounting his trip today to Como (Lake Como) and how I would just love it and he wished I was there. Maybe someday, if I ever get around to obtaining a passport, I will accompany him on one of his International adventures - hopefully, without a sinus infection!

I just read in the newspaper that my town is planning to increase its tax levy over 3% for 2009 due to dwindling revenues.

Wonderful.

Times like these, I am so glad I live in the smallest, lest expensive - and thus, lowest property taxed - house in the neighborhood!

I have to remind myself of that when I find myself grumbling about our closet space situation...

With all of the horrible economic news that blasts out of my radio and tv, I am already in a pessimistic mood. But yesterday I got an email alert from my local police that we had an armed robbery attempt at a local community bank. That scares the crap out of me, for two reasons.

Burglaries, in general, have been on the rise in our area, but most have been break-ins of parked cars. I fear that as joblessness goes up, so does desperation.

And secondly, there are two banks I visit in the neighborhood; one almost always with my daughter, because she has her savings account there. The first thing upon entrance is a receptionist desk. I doubt the cheery lady behind the circle of formica is packing heat along with the lollipops she gives out!

On another note, I am SO incredibly glad that this year, my family decided to do Pollyana/Secret Santa for adult gift-giving instead of the insane present pile we have done in years past. I got the wish list of the people assigned to me and my husband and with the bonus of free shipping coupon codes, I ordered gifts off the list in about 30 minutes online, and had them shipped to my moms house where I will wrap them in the days before Christmas.

I only now have a handful of gifts to buy: for the hubby, my 2 nephews and my mother-in-law.  I already jumped on a sale & free shiping offer a few weeks ago to get gifts for my daughter on their way to Pennsylvania for the Holidays.

Why on earth would I think that I could buy jeans - JEANS! - online/via catalog? My size has changed, and even with taking measurements, jeans are one of those things that has to be TRIED ON.

Anyway, in case things do move forward in terms of any surgeries, I am sticking with comfy-but-decent-looking knit pants (velour, cotton, fleece, etc) until I either happen upon some miracle jeans that fit and flatter at the right price, or until I lose weight and fit into some oldies I have stored in my attic.