A Year of Blogging: November 30, 2011

November 30 is 'Stay at Home Because You are Well' day. Basically, it's a day to play hookey. Call the boss and tell him (or her) you're well and won't be in. Then enjoy the day! Maybe you want to do some Christmas shopping. Or maybe you have crafts to catch up on. Maybe you just want some peace and quiet while the children are at school. Let me know how it worked out for you. Bosses don't like it when we call in sick, I'm sure they'd really flip if you call in well. Of course, if you are lucky enough to have 'personal days', you can just take one of those and enjoy your time off. Perhaps it would be better to say you need to celebrate a special birthday. Here are a few for you to choose from: Mark Twain was born on this day in 1835, Winston Churchill was born on this day in 1874, Dick Clark was born in 1929. And one of my favorite relatives, my Aunt Vera, was born on this day in 1924.

A Year of Blogging: November 29, 2011

November 29 is 'Square Dance Day'. I'm going to fly my dork flag now. I enjoy square dancing. I always have. It was my favorite unit in gym each year. Most people dreaded it, but I loved it! In college, I took square dancing as a unit in PE for credit. Each summer one of the neighboring fire departments near Berlin had a block party. At least one year they had more than one band, and in one section of the hall they were doing square dancing. One of my friends was there with his parents and we square danced for quite a while. We were the youngest ones on the floor! One of my Aunts and Uncles used to belong to a square dance group- complete with the full skirts with tons of petticoats and the guys in matching outfits. I don't think they still do it though. At a party I tried to square dance with my grandparents and their friends. Did I get a lesson that night! I was spun almost out of the square. But it was so much fun! In our family, November 29 is special because it's my sister's birthday. She's 33 today. Although she says she's 29. We've had our ups and downs. What relationship that has spanned over three decades hasn't? There are some classic stories that we'll be telling for many more decades. When we were little and Mom asked me to clean Laura up after lunch. So I got her out of her high chair, and we went into the laundry room. I put her in the washer and was trying to reach the detergent when Mom realized she didn't hear the bathroom water running. (The bathroom and laundry room are separate rooms, but both off the kitchen.) She came in to find Laura standing in the tub of the washing machine, looking at me with a trusting look in her eyes. Or there's the time I tried to trade her for a brother. I was in second grade, and was tired of having a sister. She followed me everywhere! I asked Mom to send her back for a brother, and Mom explained that wasn't possible. One of my friends had a little brother who annoyed him as much as Laura annoyed me, so we decided to trade. The plot fell through when his brother, who wasn't yet in school, refused to get on the bus with him in the morning. When I started driving, we went exploring after school. My sister is incredibly nosy, so we drove around in the hollows and back roads. We drove all over the valley! The one day we went so far we weren't even on a real road any more, it was a logging road. You couldn't back up, so I had to do a three point turn with a mountain on one side and a cliff on the other. The whole time I'm trying to get us out of there (and praying a logging truck isn't coming down the hill towards us), my sister has her hand clenched around the door handle and she's screaming 'OMG We're gonna die!' Who else does that to you? That phrase, by the way, is one of her signature phrases. She does not find it so funny when you utter it while she's driving. And there have been times, I've really believed I was going to die while riding with her. We may look a little alike, but we really are polar opposites. We always have been. Dad used to say we were like night and day. Yet for all our differences, we can spot the same thing at the same time and react the same way. Sometimes, it's like we're in the other one's head. Even though sometimes we have huge fights, we know that if we need someone, we can always count on our sister. So Happy 33rd Birthday to my sister. I like to remind her of her real age. She likes to remind me that I'll always be older. That doesn't bother me. I look at it like this: I was such a joy and such a wonderful child, my parents decided to have another one. Then they had Laura and said 'two's enough!' .

A Year of Blogging: November 28, 2011

November 28 is 'Make Your Own Head' day. At first, this had me scratching my own head. Turns out, this is a day to get crafty. There are many ways to make your own head. Perhaps you'd like to try to make a likeness of your head out of paper mache. You could do it without actually covering your head in paper mache. Try blowing up a balloon and covering the outside of the balloon with paper mache. Once you have the paper mache as thick as you want, pop the balloon and pull it out. You could do some self-portraits with pencil, pen, chalk; whatever writing implement you have handy. You could carve your head out of wood. You could sculpt it out of clay. I suppose you could even knit one. There's no real explanation as to why today is Make Your Own Head day. Maybe someone was in a crafty mood as they made Christmas presents. Maybe it was a way to ward off the cabin fever that starts to creep in when the days get shorter. While it might be a little creepy, you could probably make your head and give it away for a Christmas present.

A Year of Blogging: November 27, 2011

November 27 is 'Pins and Needles' Day. It is to commemorate the opening of Pins and Needles on Broadway in 1937. Pins and Needles was a pro-labor play. However, apparently many people have forgotten the original meaning of the day, and look at it more as a day to be on pins and needles, or anxious. Maybe people are anxious that there is a month left until Christmas and there is much to do. ("How's that afghan coming?", you ask? Well, I'm getting there.) There's the shopping, the wrapping, the shipping, the baking, the decorating. The whole thing can leave you tossing and turning at night. Unless of course you don't sleep well anyway, and then it's probably not Christmas that is keeping you up, but just life in general. Children could be on pins and needles trying to behave, because after all, Santa is watching. Some parents even have Santa's number, so they can call him and report any bad behavior. It's no wonder this is a stressful time of year! Pins and Needles day sounds like a very stressful day. So here's something to make you laugh. According to www.History.com, on this day in 1911, Elizabeth Jaffray, a housekeeper in the White House wrote in her diary about a conversation she had with President Taft and his wife about President Taft's waistline. President Taft's weight varied between 270 and 340 pounds in his adult life. Biographers state he frequently got stuck in the tub and had to be lifted out by two men. Now, no matter how stressful things are in your life- at least you aren't getting stuck in the bathtub! I would bet most of the citizens of the US at that time didn't know this tidbit. Can you imagine how that would play out in today's social media?

A Year of Blogging: November 26, 2011

November 26 is 'Cake Day'. That's a tasty day, especially when we're all so sick of eating leftover pie from Thanksgiving. I like cake. There are many kinds of cake. You could have a spice cake, a chocolate cake, a coffee cake, or a fruitcake. I couldn't choose just one cake as my favorite. I love the carrot cake my mom makes. The recipe was my great-Aunt Vivian's. Aunt Vivian was my Grandma Wager's younger sister. People paid her to make cakes for their special occasions. Later, she built and ran a restaurant across the road from her brother's saw mill. The restaurant was called The Pink Rose. There are still people who talk about her cakes, and about my great-grandmother's pies. I also like chocolate cake. Then again, there's very few chocolate items I don't like. I like strawberry cake or cherry chip cake. Both were special kinds of cake Mom often made for my birthday. There's something special about coffee cakes. They make me think of the coffee hour at Grandma's church. It was always a special treat to go to church with Grandma, because after the service we went across the road to the hall for coffee hour. The women of the church made the most amazing baked goods, including coffee cakes. All this thinking about cake makes me hungry. And all I have is leftover pie!

A Year of Blogging: November 25, 2011

The day after Thanksgiving is devoted to shoppers. It is called Black Friday. It is the biggest shopping day of the holiday season. When I worked in retail, it was the day I dreaded. I am not a morning person, but I always volunteered to work the earliest shift possible. The reason was I'd rather get it over with and leave the madness to someone else, than to come into the madness. We were never Black Friday shoppers. My mom usually had most of her shopping done by Black Friday. Yet most years we found ourselves at the mall, because my Grandma didn't start her shopping until Black Friday. She always wanted to go to the Berkshire Mall, which was closest to Mom & Dad's, because you saved on sales tax. Berkshire Mall is in Massachusetts, and you didn't pay sales tax on clothing. You only paid 4% tax on everything else. In New York state, you paid 7% sales tax on everything. So many people just drove to Massachusetts to save a little extra. Grandma would drive to our house and then we took her to the mall. Her list was written in birth order, so for the grandchildren, my cousin Terri was the first one. Grandma could only work on one person at a time. She would look in numerous stores for the gift, running back and forth through the mall. When she had the first person crossed off, she could move on to the next. My mother always sent one of us girls with Grandma. We were to carry her packages and help her. By lunch time, she'd maybe have four presents bought, but we would have made 20 laps of the mall. After lunch, we switched. Whomever had been unfortunate enough to go with Grandma in the morning got the afternoon off by going with Mom. I hate shopping on Black Friday. I don't enjoy the crowds and the chaos. If I don't have my shopping done by Black Friday, I buy the rest online. I won't go in a mall now til after Christmas. This year, I had all my shopping done by the first week in November. It was a nice feeling! I also think Black Friday is getting ridiculous. Stores opening earlier and earlier to get that almighty dollar. It is one of the things that really gets under my skin. Christmas isn't about getting great deals on presents. I think we've commercialized the season so much that as a society, we have lost sight of the real reason for the season. Apparently, I'm not the only person who feels this way, as November 25 is also 'Buy Nothing Day'. It's a 24 hour moratorium on shopping to protest the commercialism of Christmas. I wish I could say I participated in Buy Nothing Day, but I ordered my Christmas cards online last night. Next year, I'll have to remember to truly buy nothing.

A Year of Blogging: November 24, 2011

In 2011, November 24 was the fourth Thursday in November. That means it was Thanksgiving. Traditionally, it was a day to give thanks. The feast celebrated the harvest and gave thanks to God for another good year. Mom and Dad tell the story that when they were dating and were first married, they had to eat two Thanksgiving meals. First they went to Dad's family for dinner at 1pm. Then it was back over the mountain to Mom's parents for dinner at 3pm. They said you had to eat your fill at both places, or risk upsetting one or the other mothers. When we were children, we alternated having Thanksgiving at home and at my Grandma Primeau's. One year we would have dinner at home, and the next year we had dinner at Grandma's. Dinner at Grandma's was chaotic. The most memorable dinner though happened when I was about 13. I asked my parents for clarification, to find out if all of these memories happened at the same dinner. They both assured me that yes, it was the same dinner. My father is one of 8 children. There were 15 grandchildren, so this particular year the grandchildren ranged in age from 18 to 2. My grandparents have a very small house. The house is smaller with 32 people filling it! Grandpa had a farmer friend raise a special turkey for him. The turkey was 42 lbs. Seriously! That was the unstuffed weight. They had to build a special oven rack for the turkey. One of my uncle's is a lineman for the power company, so he brought some of the gloves they use. It took my father and his three brothers to lift this turkey in and out of the oven each time it needed to be basted. Grandma insisted on stuffing the turkey, so it was even heavier. Grandma & Grandpa have a double kitchen. The cabinets and appliances are in one side, with a table in the middle. The other section, which you could probably call the dining room, also has a table. It is open between the two rooms, giving the impression of one giant room. In the dining room, the tables would be placed horizontally across the room, which allowed you to get three tables in from the door to the other end of the room- of course, once you found your seat you were stuck there until everyone else got up. When the food was set around on all the tables and we sat down to eat, the meal was disappointing. Grandma, like her mother before her, had no sense of smell, so she burnt everything. The gravy was the consistency of roofing tar. When you put a fork in a sweet potato to bring it to your plate, a spout of water came out of the potato. And the turkey- it was so terribly dry. Add to this mix some alcohol, and it was an unpleasant experience. I usually took a book to read. I was painfully shy, and the whole family together terrified me. I sat in the corner of one of the couches, reading my book, and trying my best to blend into the 1970's floral pattern. This year, I had left my book in the car. I went out to get it, and the quiet once I got out of the house slapped me in the face. It was such a stark contrast to what was going on inside that house. Grandma and Grandpa kind of live in the middle of nowhere. You could hear every last sound of nature outside, and you could hear nothing. It was the kind of quiet that makes your ears hurt. It was so welcoming, I sat in the car reading my book. I actually fell asleep. It was so chaotic in the house that my mom didn't realize I was gone for a couple of hours. Once she finished washing the dishes, she asked my sister where I was. Laura said 'she's in the car reading'. That was one of the last times Grandma hosted Thanksgiving. I have many wonderful memories of Thanksgiving with my parents, but the Thanksgiving of the giant turkey was the most memorable!

A Year of Blogging: November 23, 2011

November 23 was 'Eat a Cranberry Day'. There's no real indication why we should eat cranberries. They are a staple at Thanksgiving tables, so maybe it has something to do with that. Of course, when we think of cranberries, we think cranberry sauce. There are opposing viewpoints about cranberry sauce. There are those who think it should be a whole berry, or perhaps even something you make yourself. And then there are those who believe cranberry sauce is the jellied version, the kind that comes out of the can and maintains the shape of the can. For me, cranberry sauce is the jellied kind. That's what we always had. Mom said Grandma used to make her own cranberry sauce, until the Ocean Spray became so readily available. Grandma worked full time, so anything she could use that saved her some prep time was wonderful. A couple of years ago, we had Erich's family over for Thanksgiving dinner. My parents were here too. As they left, Erich's nephew, who was about 7 or 8 at the time, thanked my mom for a wonderful dinner. He told her that he especially enjoyed the cranberry sauce, it was the best ever. We all got quite a laugh out of that! Cranberries are good for so many other things than just sauce though. I like to have cranberry orange bread with our Thanksgiving meal. At times, I have made a fruit stuffing of apples, oranges, and cranberries and stuffed the turkey with that. Cranberries are a nice compliment to a pork roast. And I've even baked cookies with cranberries. Cranberries are one of only three fruits native to North America. Cranberries reach their peak in flavor and color in the fall. This explains why they are a staple for Thanksgiving meals- they were part of the fall harvest. Cranberries grow on vines in bogs. The bogs are flooded the night before harvesting, which allows the cranberries to float, creating an easier harvest. I have never seen cranberries harvested, but I've heard it's a neat thing to see. Celebrate the cranberry today by eating your favorite recipes using this superfruit. They are good for you, and taste pretty good too!

A Year of Blogging: November 22, 2011

November 22 was 'Start Your Own Country' day. It was started as a humorous thing during the 1939 World's Fair in New York. You may not know this, but I do have my own country. It's called Amyland. It is a fictional place that exists in my head. At least, that's what Erich says. If I do something that seems not quite normal to him, but it's the way I've always done it, he says 'is that how they do it in Amyland?' Of course, right now, I can't give any specific examples. But it seems he says it a lot. I guess that just confirms I'm not normal. I picture Amyland as a nice place. It doesn't get stinking hot in the summer. There's no humidity. Beagles run in huge, fenced in yards, trailing bunnies until they are exhausted. But they never get out of the fence, so you don't have to worry about them. You are greeted at the border of Amyland by someone holding a plate of fresh baked cookies. It's ok to wear your pajamas all day long. In fact, only comfortable clothes are allowed in Amyland. There are no bras, no pantyhose, no high heels. People are not judged by their looks, but rather are appreciated for the person on the inside. There is a state in Amyland called 'Christmas'. In this state, pine trees are always covered with a thick blanket of snow. Christmas lights adorn every building, creating dazzling displays. We don't rush around buying this and that. You can sit back and enjoy the magic of the season because it's always Christmas time. And of course, I am the queen in Amyland!

A Year of Blogging: November 21, 2011

November 21 is 'World Hello Day'. This is a day to promote world peace. It was created in 1973 during the conflict between Egypt and Israel. It was created by Brian and Michael McCormack who believed peace starts with communication. On World Hello Day you are supposed to greet 10 people. Walk up to them and say 'hello!' I don't know if it would lead to world peace, but saying hello to someone is certainly more polite than looking in the other direction or pretending to be on your cell phone. Maybe it's worth a shot! However, if chaos is your goal, you might be interested in 'False Confession Day'. If you're not having an affair, or didn't commit the crime, today is the day that you can confess. I don't understand why you would want to. Depending on what you confess to, it could create havoc and confusion. Think of this: if you falsely confess to something, how can people believe you in the future?

A Year of Blogging: November 20, 2011

November 20 was 'Beautiful Day'. There's no real explanation for the day, so I guess you can interpret it however you like. I'm a little behind on my blogging because my parents are visiting for Thanksgiving. Sunday was a miserable day here. It was raining and foggy. Most of the trees have lost all their leaves- so everything just looks gray and dreary. Yet, I would say Sunday was a beautiful day. My parents and I went shopping. Sure, shopping is more Mom's and my thing, but Dad likes to come along. Mom says she brings him to carry the packages. He likes to see what deals we are getting, and it's a way to spend time with me. Sunday night we went out for dinner. We enjoyed a delicious steak dinner. It wasn't fancy, but we enjoyed each other's company. When we came home, Mom and I got into our jammies and talked. We ended up talking for several hours. We talked about anything and everything- some serious things, some silly. I didn't get to do any knitting Sunday night, but I wouldn't trade the time I spent talking with my mom for anything. A couple of coworkers who are older than me told me they were envious of me. Their moms are deceased, and they said they envied that I was able to sit and chat with my Mom for hours. It's the simple things we take for granted that can be the best. Maybe that's what 'Beautiful Day' means. Any day can be a beautiful day if you look around you and count your blessings.

A Year of Blogging: November 19, 2011

November 19 is 'Have a Bad Day' day. This day was actually created to encourage people to wish others 'Have a Bad Day'. Apparently, the creators wanted salespeople to tell their customers 'Have a Bad Day' instead of 'Have a Good Day'. Well that's just downright rude! Sounds like it was created by someone having a bad day! I try to always tell the salesperson to have a nice day. Or a good day. I know there are times I fail, but I think I succeed more often than I fail. I remember what it was like to be on the other side of the counter. I've worked in customer service since I was 16, and there are days that the public can break your spirit and make you feel like you've been crawling around with slugs! I know most people think of the clerk as just a blip on their radar of things to do today, but they are people too. I think the world would be in a much worse state if we all started wishing people to have bad days.

A Year of Blogging: November 18, 2011

November 18 was 'William Tell Day'. I remember hearing about William Tell; he shot an apple off his son's head with an arrow. But why did he do this, I wondered? So I did a little research to find out more about Mr. Tell. William Tell was known as an expert marksman with a crossbow. The Hapsburg emperors of Austria were trying to dominate Uri, a state in Switzerland. Uri was also William Tell's home. Albrecht Gessler, the newly appointed overlord of Altdorf, raised a pole in the center of the village square. He put his hat on this pole and ordered everyone to bow before the hat. William Tell did not bow when he passed the hat, so he was arrested. As punishment, he was told to shoot an apple off his son's head. If he didn't, both he and his son would be executed. If he made the shot, he would be free. On November 18, 1307, Tell made the shot. However, Gessler had noticed that Tell had removed two projectiles from his crossbow when he made the shot. Gessler asked Tell about this, and Tell told him that if he had missed the shot, he was going to use the second projectile on Gessler. This angered the overlord and Tell was bound and put on a ship for Gessler's castle. A storm came up, and the crew asked him to steer. He used it as a chance to escape. He traveled by land to Gessler's castle, waited for him, and when Gessler arrived, Tell killed him. William Tell is a folk hero in Switzerland. I had no idea! I learned quite a bit today (many thanks to Wikipedia for supplementing my knowledge). I do wonder, though, how his poor son felt sitting there with the apple on his head!

A Year of Blogging: November 17, 2011

November 17 is 'Electronic Greeting Card' day. I have to say, I've really stopped sending e-cards because there were so many cases of viruses attaching to them. I used to send quite a lot- and possibly while I was sending e-cards the price of Hallmark stock dropped! About 10 years ago, I was a Platinum rewards card holder at Hallmark. One of the things about having a big family- there are a lot of occasions to celebrate. And I don't even send cards to every Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin! When Hallmark came out with their card software, I bought the software and started making my own cards. Now I do about half and half. Sometimes I make my own cards, sometimes I buy them. I love to send cards. I love to receive them too. I am like my Mom in that respect. She will read every card in the store looking for the perfect card. My sister is more of a 'pick and go' person- she walks to the 'Grandma' section, picks a card, gives it a quick scan and puts it in her basket. Mom and I read the whole card, think about it, put it back and try the next one. I want it to be meaningful and to sound like me. (Which is one of the reasons I sometimes make the cards.) For example, I don't buy cards for my Mom that say 'Mother'. I have never called her Mother. She is Mom. So the card has to say Mom. You will often find me in the Hallmark store tearing up as I read cards. A few weeks ago I went into Hallmark for my 'end of the year crunch'. I handed the cashier a big stack of cards, and she said 'Oh, this must be for several months'. I told her it would get me through November and December. She couldn't believe it. I was a little surprised that buying about a dozen cards was considered a lot at Hallmark! A good way to celebrate today would be to send a greeting to someone. You can send an e-card or actually mail one to them. We've got to keep the post office in business, after all!

A Year of Blogging: November 16, 2011

November 16 was 'Have a Party with Your Bear' day. I think the person who created the list I've been working from likes bears as much as I do. I didn't know there were so many days! Teddy Bear Picnic, Hug a Bear, Take Your Bear to Work day... it's good to see the bears getting some love. November 16 was also 'Button Day'. It's a day to celebrate buttons- those fasteners that keep our garments closed. The only time I really think about buttons is when they fall off. If I actually see the button fall off and am able to retrieve it, I bring it home. Then I open the bottom drawer of my jewelry stand and toss the button into the drawer. I don't know why I keep the button. I never sew them back on. If you look in that drawer, you'd think I was a button collector. I have all shapes and sizes. I think I need to make a point to clean out that drawer. I know you can make all kinds of neat crafts with buttons- yeah, like I need another project! So now you have pictured me running around with raggedy clothes, with buttons missing here and there. Actually, I don't wear a lot of clothes with buttons. I would say the clothes that have buttons are skirts or cardigans- and cardigans are ok if you lose a button, especially since I usually have it layered over another shirt and rarely button the cardigans anyway. If the article that is missing the button is something I particularly love, or has no other buttons to pick up the slack of the runaway, I will sew the button back on. But that is a very rare occurrence!

A Year of Blogging: November 15, 2011

November 15 is 'Clean Your Refrigerator Day'. Yeah, I need to do that. That shelf that we store milk and drinks on is getting a little funky. It's not the easiest thing to clean. The bottom shelf on our refrigerator is glass, a big piece that fits the width of the frig. The problem is, I don't have a lot of room to push the refrigerator door back far enough to get the glass in and out easily. Tackling the refrigerator is not one of my favorite jobs. Maybe I'll just kind of wipe it off, instead of going for the all out 'tear it apart' cleaning. I know there are no containers with mysterious fuzzy things in the frig. Nothing is green that shouldn't be. I'm very good about keeping up with all of that. I live by the rule of four days with leftovers. If it's been more than four days, I throw it out. To avoid a lot of waste, we do our best to eat up leftovers quickly. If you don't know when you last cleaned out your refrigerator, today is a good day to do it. After all, we need to make room for all those Thanksgiving leftovers!

A Year of Blogging: November 14, 2011

November 14 was 'Operating Room Nurse' day. It seems as we get deeper into the year, we are getting more specific with the days. We've already had Nurses day. In fact, I think now they get a week. I'm not opposed to giving them recognition, I just wonder how specific we're going to get. If you're having an operation, be sure to thank your nurses! Maybe I'm a little cranky because I feel like I'm burning the candle at both ends. Working all day, coming home at night trying to get the house ready for company this weekend. I'm so worn out I fell asleep within 30 minutes of climbing into bed last night. For me, that's as close to 'as soon as my head hit the pillow' as it gets. I had been hoping Erich would help me with some of the cleaning, and now he thinks he's sick. He's been whining about it all day. Nurses are the worst patients, I have to say! Let's see if there was anything historical worth writing about. Hmm.. on November 14, 1851 Moby Dick was published. I know it's a classic, but I've never read it. It was one of the free books offered when I bought my Nook, so I do intend to read it. Only recently did I discover that Melville had an Albany Connection, having lived there and attended school as a boy. That makes the book more interesting. I like to read books by Albany authors. He also lived in Pittsfield, MA (which is actually closer to my hometown than Albany is) and was friends with Nathaniel Hawthorne who lived nearby. Ok, now I've just added a few more classics to my 'must read' list. That list keeps getting longer and longer. Interestingly enough, Moby Dick was initially a flop. That gives me a lot of hope for my own aspirations!

A Year of Blogging: November 13, 2011

There are several things you could celebrate on November 13. It is Sadie Hawkins' Day, Gaming Day, Indian Pudding Day, and World Kindness Day. But for me, it has a more personal meaning. November 13 was my Grandma Primeau's birthday. Today she would have been 82. So we are on another of the Grandparent birthdays. When, just a few years ago I had a grandparent celebrating a birthday in October, November, December, and January; now I have a lot of reminders. We're still in that dreaded year of firsts with Grandma Primeau. We're two-thirds of the way through the year, but with the birthday today, we entered the hardest part of the year. In another two weeks, Grandpa will mark his 64th anniversary, the first without his bride. When I interviewed them for the family history, Grandpa said they got married two weeks after her 18th birthday because he wanted to make sure she was 18. Then of course, we go into Christmas followed by Grandpa's birthday on New Year's Day. Add to this is the punch that Grandma was diagnosed shortly after Thanksgiving last year, so the memories are a bit overwhelming right now. Grandma was inquisitive. We all joked that having a conversation with her was like playing '20 Questions'. She loved details. You couldn't tell her you went out for dinner. You had to tell her where you went, what you ate, and who went with you. She was always talking. She used to only make long distance calls after 9pm, when it was cheaper. This irritated my Dad, because my parents went to bed around 9 because Dad was up at 4 or earlier. Grandma could call at 9pm and talk to you for an hour. Both of my Grandmothers were talkers. It has been said my gift of gab came from Grandma. We've never specified which one. Grandma didn't mind chaos. Which is a good thing, given that she had 10 children (two died as infants, so we usually say she had 8). She told us stories of my Dad growing up, and I had to wonder why she had more children after him. Then I wonder what kind of stories she told my cousins about their own parents. By the end of her life, the family numbered just under 60. At a time when others were reaching for Excedrin or alcohol; Grandma sat there smiling. The more the merrier. She truly believed that. Grandma and Grandpa used to have a Labor Day party every year. There were years that 300 people came to those parties. The parties were held at their house, well, in the yard. Once we were about 10, my sister and I asked Grandma if we could bring friends. She never minded. We could have brought 10 friends each and she would have smiled and said 'get something to eat'. Everyone called her Grandma. My friends, my sister's friends, my cousins' friends. She opened her arms and gave everyone a hug. And food. Food would solve all your problems. I find it funny that I connect food with Grandma Primeau. Grandma Wager was an amazing cook. Grandma Primeau was not. In fact, Grandpa did most of the cooking (Dad's sisters cooked as they were growing up). If they went to a church picnic, it was my Grandpa who spent time baking pies. The only person I have ever met who could burn a chocolate cake was my Grandma Primeau. Grandpa used to put his cake in a bowl and pour milk over it so it would be moist. Yet, Grandma was always trying to feed people. If you stopped over, she always asked 'can I get you something to eat?' There was a funny thing with Grandma. When she held a baby, they cried. I'm not just talking a little fussing. We're talking flat out wailing, shrieking, head turning bright red crying. It didn't matter who's baby it was, or what the baby's temperament was. I've watched her take the most passive, happy baby in her arms, and it turns into this noise machine. We teased her about this. You don't expect a woman who has raised eight children to have this effect on babies. Grandma had 15 grandchildren. There were times I felt lost in the crowd. I was number 7 out of 15. We connected in a special way on the family history. My Grandmother was a living family almanac. She could tell you everyone's birth date, who they married, their anniversary, the names and birth dates of their children. Not just for her own descendants. She knew all the details of her cousins' families as well- an amazing feat because her mother was one of 14 children, and her father was one of 15. I've been working on the family history for years and I still don't know how many first cousins my Grandma had. I haven't had the time to count them all! When I started working on the family tree, I asked Grandma to tell me what she knew of her side of the family. She sent me eight pages from a legal sized notepad; the front and back of each page covered with her handwriting. She was a wealth of information on the family history. Until the last couple of generations, the family stayed close geographically. So it's no wonder she thrived in our big family- she grew up surrounded by family. I miss her so when I'm working on the ancestry. Especially when I'm going through the church records of her church, and have a question. She's not here to answer them now, I have to figure it out on my own. Most of the family gathered at Grandpa's church where 8am Mass was said for Grandma. Then they went for breakfast and to the cemetery to put flowers on her stone. I decorated for Christmas. Grandma loved Christmas, so I think it's appropriate.

A Year of Blogging: November 12, 2011

It's the time of year I find myself busy with holiday preparations, so I suspect my daily blogging may occasionally skip a day. I apologize in advance. November 12 was 'Pizza With The Works Except Anchovies' day. Another very specific day. Apparently, if you order 'pizza with everything' or 'the works', you will get anchovies as part of the 'works'. If you don't want dead fish on your pizza, then you have to specify 'except anchovies'. Now you know! I've never ordered a pizza with the works. I prefer meat on my pizza to vegetables, and I never choose anchovies! We had pizza for dinner last night, although we ordered an all the meats pizza. It is not the best choice, but I had been busy rearranging the living room and decorating for Christmas and had forgotten to eat lunch. So all of my calorie (and probably more than my sodium) intake for the day came from dinner. 'Pizza With the Works Except Anchovies' day is a day for indulgence. We did that by ordering all the meats instead of just pepperoni or sausage. As my Mom says, sometimes you have to treat yourself! November 12 was also 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' day. I don't take this as a literal day. Chicken soup supposedly makes you feel better when you are sick. I say supposedly because I do not like soup. I very rarely eat soup, and when I do, you know I'm feeling lousy. My take on the whole Chicken Soup for the Soul thing is that you do things that make you feel good. If your spirits are low, do something you enjoy. With that in mind, I decorated for Christmas this weekend. I love Christmas. While it's a hassle to move two couches and a table and then assemble my 7 1/2 foot tall tree, it is so worth it to have the tree up in the corner, adding a beautiful soft glow to the room. Even though I'm incredibly stressed right now trying to prepare for company that is coming next weekend, I still feel a sense of peace when I look at the tree. I guess it's a way of indulging my soul.

A Year of Blogging: November 11, 2011

November 11 is Veteran's Day. Germany signed an Armistice Agreement at 5am on November 11, 1918 to end WWI. Arms were laid down on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Nine million soldiers died in WWI. Another 21 million were left wounded. At least five million civilians died from disease, starvation, or exposure. World War I was called 'The War to End All Wars'. The destruction was so great that people thought it would be enough to keep countries from fighting. Sadly, that wasn't the case. A mere 21 years later, countries were at war again. There are a couple of generations that saw two world wars in their lifetime. As I work on my family history, I frequently find draft cards for men from both WWI and WWII. While they may have been teenagers or men in their 20's during WWI, they were nearing middle age when they were drafted again. Today is a day to honor Veterans. There are several Veterans in my family. My Grandpa, my Uncle Don, Uncle Frank, and Uncle Ray. My cousin Keith and his wife Marci are still in the military, Keith in the reserves and Marci is active Navy. I have friends who have served, or are still serving. I am grateful to them each and every day for their service. Freedom isn't free, and we all need to remember that. So while it's great to say Thank You to them today, lets also remember our Veterans and Military people tomorrow and six weeks from now. Saying thank you seems so insignificant for the sacrifices they have made. They say there is strength in numbers, so if we all say it, then our simple expression becomes a powerful beacon for those keeping us safe.

A Year of Blogging: November 10, 2011

November 10 is 'Forget Me Not' day. It's a day to remember family, friends, and loved ones. You can use the day to get in touch with people you've lost touch with. This day seems a little less important now that we have Facebook. Over the course of my life, there are a lot of people I've lost touch with. Facebook has helped me reconnect with family, friends from high school, and friends from college. Although, be careful what you wish for. While I know more of what is going on around my hometown, I also know things about other friends and family members that I might not know if we were just say, writing letters back and forth a few times a year. We know the ups and downs, and maybe even learn things about others that's a little concerning. But it is nice catching up with people that I've lost touch with. November 10 is also USMC day. On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the creation of the Continental Marines. Even though my family is a Navy family, I have always thought that the dress uniforms of the Marines are the best looking. If you know a marine, or see one, thank them. On November 10, 1969; the way children viewed television changed. It was on this day that Sesame Street debuted on TV. I was born 7 years later, and Bert & Ernie, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch were part of my childhood. We only got one TV station at home, but in the winter sometimes we could sort of tune in PBS. We could hear the show, and knew the big blue blotch in the snow was Cookie Monster, and the yellow one was Big Bird. When we went to my Grandparent's house, we were able to watch Sesame Street as long as we wanted. Sydney didn't really get into Sesame Street. I suppose learning to count from fluffy puppets isn't as interesting as learning Spanish with Dora or Mandarin with Kai-lan. She did enjoy a few Elmo toys. I'm trying again with Drew. I bought him a Cookie Monster toy for Christmas. Cookie Monster remains my favorite Sesame Street character. I find it incredibly sad that he's been PC'd and now has to eat cookies 'only sometimes'. That is just so wrong! When I was in Myrtle Beach last month, I found an ornament of Cookie Monster holding an arm full of gingerbread cookies. I thought it was cute, Erich thinks it's disturbing because all the gingerbread cookies are smiling, and you just know Cookie Monster is going to eat them. As much as I love Cookie Monster, Big Bird always got on my nerves! And now that the song is in my head, here it is for your own journey down memory lane:

Sunny day, sweepin' the clouds away On my way to where the air is sweet. Can you tell me how to get how to get to Sesame Street?

A Year of Blogging: November 9, 2011

November 9 was 'Chaos Never Dies' day. It's a day to acknowledge that there is always turmoil in your every day life. Maybe it's running errands, or deadlines, or just the routine of going to work. Right now, I feel like things are chaotic as I prepare for Christmas. Although my preparations are a bit early, as my parents are coming to visit for Thanksgiving. They are driving, which means I can send the NY gifts back with them. So I've been frantically shopping, wrapping, and let's not forget knitting to get everything done. I also want to have my house decorated for Christmas by the time they arrive, which just adds to my list. Yet, when I think about it, things always seem stressful. Last winter it was my Grandmother's illness, in the spring it was trying to get ready for Sydney's visit. In the summer I felt like I was always heading out on vacation or just returning from it. Now it's the holidays. I had a follow up with my primary care physician this week. We're trying to get my blood pressure down. It was pretty high in the office, and I said I'd had a bad day at the office, a very stressful day. I also told him the last month had been very stressful and I didn't check my blood pressure because I knew it would be high. He said 'But really, when does the stress ever end?' I realized he was right. The stressors may change, and the levels of stress may change, but there is always stress. There is always chaos of some type. Since we can't eliminate chaos, the trick is learning how to cope. Find some way of getting some order in your life. Even if it's something as simple as organizing your coupons in the binder. Or alphabetizing your DVD collection (or your books). It doesn't have to be anything big. Just a small step. Once you have control of one little thing, you'll be able to tackle something better. At the very least, it won't seem like everything is totally out of control!

A Year of Blogging: November 8, 2011

November 8 was 'Cook Something Bold' day. I also saw it referred to as 'Cook Something Bold and Pungent' Day. The idea is to fill your home with warm, homey odors, especially for those of us who live in northern climates and have closed up our houses against winter's chill. I do not consider odors which are pungent to also be homey or warm. 'Pungent' is defined as 'having an intense flavor or odor; acrid'. (Acrid is sharp, biting, or harsh). Suggestions I saw for Cook Something Bold day included using garlic and or Limburger cheese. I don't know, maybe I'm odd- but these are the last odors I want filling the house when I can't open the windows! When I think of pungent, I think of the way the house smells when we make pickles or relish. It smells like onions and vinegar for days. And that's even in the middle of the summer when we can open the windows! I wouldn't want to smell that when it's too cold to open the windows. If I were going to cook something to fill the house with scent, I would go for pleasant aromas. Something with comforting spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. Maybe some pure vanilla extract. The smell of fresh chocolate chip cookies. Or possibly even something with apples. To me, these scents are comforting. I feel wrapped in warmth by these scents. And that's what I want when the house is closed up- not something that smells for days!

A Year of Blogging: November 7, 2011

November 7 is 'National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds' Day. Wow. That is extremely specific. Today is not 'chocolate covered nuts' day. No, it must be bittersweet chocolate with almonds. I have no idea why. I'm not fond of either bittersweet chocolate or almonds, so maybe there's something else today. Today is also 'National Hug a Bear' day. Much better! I didn't find an explanation as to whether we are supposed to be hugging Teddy Bears or real bears. Most of the information I found referred to teddy bears, so I'm going to assume it is meant to hug teddy bears today. After all, hugging a real bear is just dangerous! I am a teddy bear lover, so I may be biased, but I think you are never too old to hug a bear. It doesn't matter the size of the bear- they respond with love whether big or small. Hugging a bear can lift your spirits. It may not solve all your problems, but it will make you feel better. Maybe it will even make you feel younger, and that's not exactly a bad thing either. Among my collection, I have three bears that are 36" each. If you are an adult and want a bear hugging you, I recommend a 36" (or larger) bear. I can almost curl up in the arms of these bears. If you're not into hugging bears, you could always give bear hugs to the people in your life. Just try not to crush any ribs!

A Year of Blogging: November 6, 2011

November 6 is 'Marooned Without a Compass' Day. If you are a person who does not have a good sense of direction, or frequently gets lost, then you might feel right at home on this day. Although, in our modern world, how many people still use a compass? Perhaps it should be updated to 'Go Without Your GPS' Day. That would probably freak out a lot of people! Everyone has a GPS these days, even delivery people. I remember Mom and Dad having to give very detailed directions to maneuver through Berlin to their house (which is on a dead-end). Last month, when Mom's washer went out, and she tried to give the store directions, the salesperson told her 'Oh, they'll just put your address into the GPS'. Mom told them that wouldn't work, as their bridge was washed out by Hurricane Irene and you honestly 'can't get there from here'. I don't have a GPS. I do, however, have a very good sense of direction. I always have. Dad has always been so proud that I can find my way out of almost any place. When we went on trips, Dad and I sat down with the atlas and planned our route. I have always been the navigator. My mom preferred to sit in the back seat with my sister, allowing me to sit up front with Dad and navigate. I'm usually very good about figuring out my directions. For example, if I'm on a road driving west and get detoured, I know when I'm heading west again. I do not easily get lost. That isn't to say I've never gotten lost. I have. Usually in cities like Dayton or Cincinnati. When I do get lost, I have to sit for a moment, take a deep breath, and get my bearings. If I think of where I started, I can work through how to get back to where I need to be. Another way to look at today is that it's a chance for you to sit back and relax. Take a break from the rat race. We're entering the busy holiday season, and you may not have much time to just relax. Maybe even turn off your phone and computer, and just veg. You might find that being marooned isn't so bad!

A Year of Blogging: November 5, 2011

November 5 is 'Book Lover's Day'. If that sounds familiar, it's because there are apparently two days for Book Lover's. One was August 9, and the other is the first Saturday in November. Maybe there are so many book lovers in the world that we need multiple days to celebrate! Today is also 'Gunpowder Day' and 'Guy Fawkes' Day. Which, according to www.holidayinsights.com, are one and the same. I have to admit, this is another one that has me stumped. When King James I took the throne of England in 1603, he started persecuting Catholics. The Gunpowder Conspirators, led by Guy Fawkes, were Catholics who plotted revenge on the King. They planned to blow up the buildings of Parliament when the King and his supporters were in them. The plot was uncovered on November 5, 1605. Guy Fawkes was arrested just as he was about to light the gunpowder. So I guess there was no reconnaissance work going on. 'Hey, you! What are you doing over there with that match?' So now you know! I know you will sleep better tonight knowing what Gunpowder Day means. Don't forget, it's time to 'fall back', so tonight you will have an extra hour of peaceful slumber.

A Year of Blogging: November 4, 2011

November 4 was 'King Tut' Day. Once again I found myself wishing for an alternate to write about. While I like history, I've never really gotten into Egyptian history. So I had to do a little research. King Tut's real name was Tutankhamun (alternatively spelled Tutankhamen). He became King in 1333 B.C. He was nine or ten years old when he ascended to the throne. Nine or ten? When I was nine or ten, I was still playing the 'Purple Glove Bandit' game with my friends on the playground. I had sleepovers on the weekend. I was allowed to ride my bike to the end of the road. I can't imagine ruling a country. Granted, it was a long time ago and things were very different, but still... King Tut died at the age of 19. It's not known what actually caused his death, although tests done in recent years have shown that he had broken his leg before his death and the leg had become infected. There were also traces of malaria in his system. It is also thought he could have had numerous birth defects, as his parents were actually siblings. The cause of his death is likely a mystery that will never be solved, even with our advances in medicine and testing. His tomb was discovered on November 4, 1923, which explains why November 4 is King Tut Day. Take time to learn more about this child king, or if there's an exhibit near you, go see it. Of course, you could also try your hand at archeology and see what you can dig up!

A Year of Blogging: November 3, 2011

November 3 is 'Sandwich Day'. Sandwiches are a lunch staple for many people. In our house, sandwiches are eaten any time. Erich eats a lot of sandwiches. We go through a couple of loaves of bread a week, and it's just the two of us. Granted, the bread we buy only has about 20 slices per loaf, but still, that's a lot of bread. When I was in school, I didn't take sandwiches. I did in elementary school, but not in high school when I was old enough to make my own decisions. I like fresh sandwiches. I don't like sandwiches that are pre-packaged, or have been hanging out for a while. In high school I took crackers, fresh fruit, maybe a pudding. But never a sandwich. As an adult, I have decided that some nights it is perfectly fine to have a sandwich for dinner. We have a lot of variations of sandwiches. There are cheese steaks on hoagy rolls, turkey melts on sourdough, pizza burgers on hamburger rolls. Sometimes I fix a cold sandwich and then put it in the oven for a different taste. It's a good thing Erich likes sandwiches! One of my favorite things to order out is a turkey club. At home, it depends on my mood. I like to interchange meats and cheeses. Turkey and swiss are a favorite, as long as we have bacon to put on the sandwich. Ham and swiss goes back to my childhood. Then there's the ultimate sandwich: roast beef, cheddar, and thousand island dressing. (I'm like the old lady with the hot sauce who says "I put that **** on everything". Except I do it with thousand island dressing.) And of course, when I want the ultimate in comfort food, it's a grilled cheese sandwich. Have you had dinner yet? If not, make your favorite sandwich and give yourself the night off!

A Year of Blogging: November 2, 2011

November 2 was 'Look For Circles Day'. There's no explanation as to why it is look for circles day. I think some middle management or administrative person somewhere felt trapped in their cubicle. They were tired of being boxed in, confined. So they decided to start looking for circles. Circles have no beginning and no end. I've never really thought about it, but as I look around, I see a lot of circles. I see the 0 and o on the keyboard. The base of the lamp next to me is a circle. The doorknob is a circle. The little pouch I carry in my purse filled with candy has polka dots on it- which are really just a lot of circles. Turning around I see the jar candle we are burning. Another circle. My cup is sitting on a round coaster. I've decorated the house with pumpkins. I have snow globes sitting on the shelves. Suddenly I feel surrounded by circles! It's ok to look for circles today. But remember, it is look for circles day, not run around in circles day!

A Year of Blogging: November 1, 2011

Sometimes I am amazed at how quickly time flies by. It seems like yesterday that we were packing away the sweaters and thrilling in the feel of our feet in sandals. Then in the blink of an eye, here we are at November. Two months left in the year. Less than two months to Christmas. Oh I think of all that I have to do, and the stress starts building. Yet, I love this time of year. Does that mean I'm a person who thrives on stress??? I never thought of myself as that, yet perhaps... November. When I look at the calendar, it is filled with birthdays and special days for our family. Somehow, we seem to be a little bottom heavy when it comes to the calendar, with a lot of events occurring in the fall. It seems we won't only have a lot of family things to celebrate this month, as November has it's share of celebrations for everyone. November is Aviation History month. The Dayton, OH area has a lot of ways to celebrate this month. You could go to the Wright Bicycle Shop, or to Hoffman Prairie where the Wright Brothers tested planes. The best way to celebrate would be to go to the Air Force Museum. I have been once, and it was great. I hope to take Sydney and Drew when they are older. Since you are in old airplane hangars, I don't recommend going in the middle of winter (some lessons you learn the hard way!) Maybe you're more of a train person. If you build or enjoy model trains, then November is your month! Happy National Model Railroad month. I could celebrate this day locally as well. Just a few minutes from my house is EnterTRAINment Junction, home of the world's largest indoor train display. I still haven't been there yet. It seems like the kind of place to go with children, so someday, when the munchkins are visiting me, we'll go see the trains. November is Peanut Butter Lovers month. Which is kind of lousy, because Monday October 31, most of the major peanut butter companies increased the price of peanut butter by at least 20%. The price increase was due to the poor peanut crop this year. I know the price of peanut butter went up because Sunday Erich read an article about it and took off to Sam's Club to stock up! We now have six large jars in the pantry. Between Erich and the dogs, we go through a lot of peanut butter. November is National Novel Writing Month. That's great, but with everything I am doing to prepare for my parents' visit at Thanksgiving, as well as for Christmas, I don't have time to write my novel! Although I have made substantial progress on my novel this year, I won't make the self-imposed deadline of having it published by the end of the year. I am not being too hard on myself though. At least I have been 'writing' (or typing) semi- regularly because of this blog experiment. So the practice has been good, and maybe next year I'll get the novel done. Even though I've been blogging about the various things for the month of November, I cannot forget that November 1 is a very important day. It is my dog, Onyx's, birthday. Her 'unofficial' name is 'Bloodaxe's Demon Princess Onyxia'. I say that's her unofficial name because she is not registered with the AKC. (Her brother's unofficial name is 'Primeau's Cobalt Cuddlebug of Happiness'.) When we brought her home, we weren't sure she was going to be a good fit for us. She was a terror! Her face was mostly black, with some brown. She looked more like a Rottweiler than a Beagle. Except for those beagle ears! That's how 'demon princess' was added to her name. She has ruled the roost from the moment she put a paw down in the house. She also provides a lot of laughter for us, although I'm sure her brother Cobalt doesn't think she's so funny. This year we celebrate 10 years with her, and I truly hope for many many more years.