Simple Pleasure Thursday

My simple pleasure for today is trees in a rainstorm.  I cannot seem to find (and neglected to take) a picture of this phenomenon, but I would imagine people know what I mean.  I love when the wind is blowing, the sky is dark, and the maple trees have flipped over their leaves.  It's one of those old country wisdom tips that I just adore.  Driving home yesterday, there was a whole hillside full of them, and it was gorgeous.  The trees are also just starting to get yellow highlights.  If it's not flooding again tomorrow, I may just get out there and take some pics.

A Word of Caution and a Loooong Overdue Post

When we first moved in, my dad warned us about a chunk missing out of our sidewalk.  It's a triangular, about four inches deep and four inches wide.  It actually helps me park my car without going into my neighbor's area.  Well, we've been in the house over a year, and we haven't done anything about it.

I had to put windshield washer fluid in my car on Saturday.  As I went to open the hood of my car, I fell into this crater and slammed the hood on my arm.  This is my arm three days later.  Most of the black is gone, there's still a bit blue, and it's mostly yellow.

 

So let this be a lesson - do not put off until tomorrow (or next year) what you can do today.  We'll be patching that hole this weekend...

So while I'm talking about home maintenance and taking care of one's self, I took the initiative to turn a night alone into something useful - I finally organized the pantry.

I'm somewhat ashamed at how long it had been since I last cleaned out my pantry.  Because I hadn't cleaned it, I had no idea what we had.  We lost a grocery bag's worth of food.  I know better for next time.  This is what the pantry looks like now:

It's much, much different than it used to be back when we had the blizzard here.

Unbelieveable

The recent changes that have taken place in my house are simply amazing.  I even find it hard to believe from time to time.  But it's true - my house is clean and enjoyable, and has been that way for several days.  I have far less guilt about our living conditions.  It either used to be perpetually messy, or *B* would clean it after a hard day's work.  I can now say that we've done a good job cleaning together (with me doing a more than fair amount of the work).

We got some very inexpensive, festive pumpkins for the fall season.  Wicket liked them so much she decided to look at them while she inhabited our charity clothing basket.  The clothes were put in a box with *B*'s old toys and will be donated tomorrow morning.

The living room is tidy and vacuumed.  The windows are open so that fresh air can come in.  The fans are to keep up the circulation of air.  

The kitchen floor was swept and mopped today.  I cleaned out the fridge a few days ago.  All of the dishes are caught up, and tomorrow's dinner is ready for the stove top.  

Even the cats approve!  Well, as much as they ever do...

Bad Decision?

I sent out the wedding invitations on Tuesday.  We're almost there!  As the wedding is drawing near, I'm starting to question an early decision we made.

When we first discussed wedding plans, we decided not to register.  I've been on my own for three years, *B* on his own (well, with me) for two plus years, and between the two of us, we have all of the necessities for a home.  It made sense then not to register.  In not registering, we were hoping to avoid that awkward "are we asking for something too nice or something too trivial" debate.  There are things I would like that are too much and somewhat unnecessary (Lenox Bellina China - I can't get enough of it), and some things that are practical but seem inappropriate (I'd love better shelves in our pantry).  Now that my grandparents and aunt are starting to ask about gifts, I'm starting to regret our decision.  Instead of having that worry once, we (I) now worry every time someone asks for gift ideas. And now that we're 84 days out (according to theknot.com), it seems to close to the date to register.

Another of the unending, untold downsides of being cohabitators...

The Big Game

Today was the pep rally for the big homecoming game.  My ears are ringing so badly!  Our freshmen really showed up.  They "stuffed the fence" - shoving over 3000 cups into the fence in our colors with our athletic motto, school logo, and '14.  It was amazing!  More than that, they actually listened to the teachers who lead the freshmen, and created an amazing effect at the rally.  Most kids wore blue, then a select few wore gold.  They stood out and spelled "14".  It was so cool!  So proud!

Simple Pleasure Thursday

I'm in that habit, again, of starting four or five posts and not finishing them. Today, this one will be published.

My simple pleasure for today is being entranced by a blog who reminds me of:

"A world where men were men and women were cherished and lovely.... A world of romance and beauty, of tuxedos and chiffon, a perfect world. "  -The Stepford Wives

Okay, not perfect maybe, but a satisfying world.


I've been reading the archives of Destination 1940.  While the blogger hasn't posted since May, her previous posts are fascinating.  In her experiment, she picked up a period housekeeping manual and a menu planning book.  Week by week, she's been adding more chores to her workload.  As I've been reading through, I've started on some of the suggestions.In some respects, she's got me doing more housework than I've done in a while. 

For example, I've started:

• opening windows as soon as I wake up
• pulling back the covers to air out the bed
• making the bed after my shower
• tidying up each room I leave (e.g. I took DVDs downstairs with me this morning)
• doing dishes before they pile up
• caring about how I do my laundry (I'm ashamed to say that I don't even break it down into darks and lights)

It's my hope that to some extent I can adopt some of the housekeeping strategies that she presents in her blog. Never know - maybe I'll have to stop feeling so guilty that *B* does most of the housework :o)

The World Has Gone Crazy

As if things weren't already weird this week, it got weirder.

It's spirit week here at my high school.  Today is student-teacher swap day.  Most kids were party poopers and came as "gym teachers."  The teachers, however, went all out.  Since we have a uniform at my school, many teachers (male and female alike) are wearing the girls' uniform, which is a khaki skirt, a polo, and knee socks.  Of course, they wear it the same way the girls do - untucked, with shorts showing underneath, and sleeves rolled to expose a non-regulation t-shirt.  We do, in general, attempt to discourage this manner of dress.  But then again, it's fun once in a while to josh the kids.

The kids, on the other hand, are going nuts.  Who would have known wearing a uniform (or the inverse) has such an effect on them?  I couldn't get their attention any better if my hair were on fire.  It's as if wearing a ratty t-shirt and sweatpants allows them to plug their ears for the entirety of the day.  NB:  Our gym teachers never dress like that.  They are always well put together, even when in workout clothes.  Not that the kids notice...or care...  :o)

For the rest of the week, we have a TV character day, decades day (I get stuck with the 70s), wacky tacky day, and colors day.  I have yet to decide what to wear, but I will post pictures for the other days.  Posting my school's uniform for today just felt like I'd be overstepping blogger boundaries.

So what do you say?  Any ideas for TV character day?