Blogging, Gratitude, Joy, Live Concerts, Music, Wine

A Bottle of White, A Bottle of Red

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Who enjoys their wine?

I do. I mostly prefer a dry white, but OMG sipping a full bodied pinot noir or merlot is an exquisite experience.

I could happily talk more about wine here. When I first began blogging, there were topics of great interest in my mind, ones that I was certain I was going to write about all the live-long day. Food/Drink was one of those. Now, I certainly have written much in this space about my unbridled enthusiasm for cooking and baking, sometimes sharing my best recipes. But that’s not what this post is about, actually.

It’s about how I, along with my beautiful sister-in-law and Mr. None of the Above, got to see two icons-live!-in concert earlier this month: Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks (which I later learned entitled their concert “Two Icons One Night”).

You may (or may not) have read my little piece in this space where I expressed my enthusaism ahead of getting to experience this concert.

I figure “before I forget” (a common phrase for anyone who knows me IRL), especially since my brain right now is all about ChristmasChristmasChristmas, I figured I’d share my impressions of this concert.

It. Was. Awesome!

Stevie Nicks performed first. She sounded great, just like she does on the radio and her albums. She appeared quite dimunitive, and charmed us all with her chattiness between songs. She had such a fast way of speaking, though, I likely didn’t catch it all. She and Billy performed “Stop Draggin’ my Heart Around” as pictures of Tom Petty were displayed on the huge screens. She also performed a cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth”, prefacing it with something to the effect of “I don’t care how you vote, but we are in some very hard times in this world right now”.

Stevie performed many of her greatest hits as well, like “Gypsy” and “Gold Dust Woman”. I was amazed by how long they each performed. Her performance was about 1 1/2 hours and Billy’s was well over 2 hours.

I loved that when Billy Joel performed “Zanzibar”, everyone seemed to be singing and swaying along. I don’t believe this was a top 10 hit for him, but it’s always one I’ve loved. I felt such a sense of community, singing off-key alongside this massive crowd. It really fed my soul.

At one point, Billy stood at the microphone and shared that he was feeling anxious about performing the next song, because as he’s gotten older, his voice has gotten deeper. And this song, “An Innocent Man”, has some very important high notes. He nailed it!

I was, of course, along with everyone else in the crowd, ecstatic when Billy performed “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”. It was brilliant!

We also got treated to a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”, performed by Billy’s bandmate, Mike DelGuidice. As a Zeppelin fan, I thought this was amazing.

This whole experience was thrilling for me. I’m so grateful I got to experience it. Cheers to these iconic American treasures!

Blogging Community, family, Gratitude, Holidays, Lifestyle, Thanksgiving

The Best Holiday is Upon Us

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When anyone asks me what my favorite holiday is, I always say it’s Thanksgiving. How about you?

Thanksgiving, to me, is all about baking and cooking copious amounts of food and feasting with my friends and/or family. It’s simple. It doesn’t include the stress of finding just the right gifts for my loved ones. It doesn’t come with a slew of events that proceed the actual day that I feel obligated to participate in.

It’s a time to enjoy hearth and home, and consider all the things for which I’m grateful.

As Jen Sincero, author of “You Are a Bad Ass” says, “Gratitude is the gateway to Awesomeness”. And I firmly believe that. A blogger I follow, Erin, of https://existentialergonomics.com/, recently wrote on the Sharing the Heart of the Matter blog, “when we pay attention and we track our progress, even the worst days are filled with reasons to be grateful” Attitude is everything, don’t you think?

A short (ish) list of the things for which I am grateful as Thanksgiving approaches:

  • The teachers that have patiently worked with my grandson to ensure that school is a place that he likes to be. They believe in him, and support him to be the best he can be. They appreciate his intellect and sense of humor. He is thriving, and one of the primary reasons for this is the dedication, patience, and kindness of his teachers.
  • Work. Not just for me, with being able to work part-time in a healthy non-profit organization, but for my family members. Both kids and Mr. None of the Above are supported and appreciated by their employers. They have been empowered to be autonomous in their day-to-day work decisions and they enjoy what they are doing.
  • Community. From having neighbors we can count on when we need help of any kind, to the generosity I witness from our volunteers on the daily in my work, to the doggies in our neighborhood who come to visit Radar at least a couple of times each week.
  • The community of bloggers I engage with. I often learn new things or new ways to think about old things from you all. I often feel inspired and encouraged by what you put out there in the blogosphere, and for that I am grateful.
  • The many great in-person conversations and laughs I’ve gotten to have since last year at this time with friends and family. These would have not happened had Mr. None of the Above and I not moved here to Minnesconsin in 2022.
  • That our daughter is in a loving and healthy relationship now with a guy we all think the world of. She had not experienced that in her life until she moved here (when we did, in 2022). To see her being appreciated and emotionally supported the way he does is so meaningful for me as her mom.
  • 33 years of marriage to Mr. None of the Above. We have experienced our trials and tribulations as we navigated adulthood, parenthood, grandparenthood, careers, moves to different states, deaths of family and friends, and everything in between. And we remain a strong unit.

What is on your list of gratitudes this Thanksgiving?

***Header image courtesy of https://www.rd.com/list/thanksgiving-quotes/***

Happiness, Lifestyle, Live Concerts, Music, Rock and Roll

A Bottle of Red, A Bottle of White

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Guess who I’m seeing live in concert on Friday night?

Any of you who are fans of this artist can likely guess this based on the title of this blog post.

It’s Billy Joel! The “piano man” himself!

A significant benefit of living here in Minnesconsin is our proximity to the Twin Cities, which allows us to easily attend concerts and other happenings in Minneapolis or St. Paul. It’s not much more than an hours drive away for us.

Months ago, my wonderful sister-in-law purchased the tickets online for us and Mr. None of the Above. SIL is also a big fan of BJ’s and had seen him perform live several years ago and told us it was probably the best live concert she had ever seen.

To top it off, Stevie Nicks is on this tour as well. I’m so curious about what songs (his or hers?) they will perform together (assuming they do this at all, but they will, right?!).

Side note: I cheated and googled these two artists and learned that at other venues on this joint tour, they performed “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”, Stevie’s song with Tom Petty. I’ll let myself be surprised by whatever other songs they perform together on Friday night.

Let me just tell you, I have been a huge Billy Joel fan since I was probably 12-years old. In fact, “52nd Street” was one of the first vinyl albums I purchased to play on my turntable in my bedroom. I remember reading the liner notes, singing each song along with Billy. Before long, I knew all the words of all these songs by heart.

In fact, the first album I bought when Mr. None of the Above got me my requested gift of a turntable for Christmas last year, was “52nd Street”. My original copy is now in possession of another, as I donated it to charity along with the rest of my vinyl collection and old turntable many years ago when we were downsizing in preparation for a move.

The song I’m perhaps most excited to hear live is “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”. It’s always been a favorite of mine. I recall sitting atop my yellow gingham-checked bedspread with the canopy above it, listening/singing to this song. It would get me dreaming up a romantic rendezvous with a young, dark-haired stud at an Italian restaurant in NYC. It was just one of those songs that painted a specific picture for me, one that was, of course, fueled by teenage-girl hormones.

Really, all of Billy Joel’s songs tell a story, which is why I am so drawn to his music.

Have you ever seen him live? If so, tell me all about it in the comments! If not, share your favorite song of his instead. I’d love to know what yours is!

***Header image courtesy of https://quotefancy.com/quote/1228037/Randy-Harrison-Storytelling-with-music-is-a-really-powerful-device***

Dogs, Gratitude, Humor, Lifestyle, Love, Pets, Photography

Monthly Subscriptions and My Good Boy

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This past Sunday morning, as I was spewing out my thoughts and feelings into my personal draft folder, I caught a glimpse of the most precious thing.

Or, to be more exact, the most precious furry being there ever was: our good boy, Radar.

This is what I wrote:

I just got distracted by Radar. Normally the distraction is in the form of an unanticpated barking session. But this one is sublime. He’s curled up and sleeping next to the front door. Basking in the square of sunlight that landed on the green carpet he’s laying on. With his front paws beneath his head, and his right paw laying atop one of his most favorite toys. That tough navy and bright green wheel thing he got in his monthly Bark Box.

I resisted my usual temptation of grabbing my phone and snapping a picture. I decided it was unnecessary; and besides, the chances that he’d still be there in that exact position by the time I was ready to snap one were slim to none.

I did get this one a bit later in the day, however, as he was laying on the floor as Mr. None of the Above and I watched the Vikings vs. Packers game.

Look at the gorgeous mane!

Here’s one in which he’s wearing his “day of the dead” bandana while sharing the love seat with me and his favorite afghan, which was made by my mom.

Ain’t he a beaut?

Back to the Bark Box subscription. We signed up for it back when we lived in Colorado. When we moved to Minnesconsin in 2022, I re-started it. Not at all making any note whatsoever on my calendar so I could consider if it ought to continue after six months. So of course, that date came and went and I noticed a charge on our bank account for another six months. Radar had accumulated so many “tough chewer” toys via this subscription, but here it was already paid for. So we’ve been periodically sharing the treats and toys with other doggie friends because we simply don’t have the room for so much!

You should see this dog when the monthly Bark Box comes. He knows what it is when he sees it. He pounces, barks, wagging his tail as he expresses his jubilation. I have this little fantasy in my head that one day he’s going to manage to open it up all by himself, you know, after he grows thumbs, but for now I unseal it, then set it down on the floor for him to finish. It is the most hilarious thing ever and I’ve captured it on video but am not sure it’s good enough to share in this space.

I’m just so darn grateful for this goofy pooch of ours.

Baking, Comfort Food, Food, Halloween, Lifestyle, Middle aged belly fat, Recipes, Weight

Thursday Thoughts from a Good Cooker

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I’ve got so many tabs open in my brain as I begin writing this blog post. Tabs about our Halloween costume options (crap, it’s less than a week away!). Tabs about upcoming plans and shopping for Christmas presents. Tabs about how to express what I want to say to a person I love and miss so much who has distanced themselves from me.

For this week’s blog post, however, I’d like to focus on hearth and home. Domesticity. Cool air and the rust, amber, and scarlet leaves falling outside while we remain cozy indoors inspires this in me.

Being indoors, cooking and baking, heck, even going through my raggedy-ass recipe binder is my jam right now. It comforts me and keeps my mind occupied.

I remember, years ago, while our oldest (probably 8 or 9 at the time) was enjoying whatever supper I had just put on the table, she said “Mom, you’re such a good cooker!” It warmed my heart and gave me the giggles. It remains a family joke, tossed around liberally when any of us makes something another deems delicious.

I do have a recipe to share with you here today, fellow foodies. I’ll put it at the end of this post.

First, though, I’m going to be real with you here. I’m overweight and conflicted about it. I go back and forth in my brain on a daily basis about it, frankly. On one hand, I’m not that overweight. 13 pounds, to be precise. Just 13 pounds. I keep a food diary to keep myself honest but it’d be dishonest of me to say that practice is the secret to any weight loss. At this point it’s more like a compulsion.

There’s plenty that I like about my body, my shape. I have the ability to dress myself in ways that camoflauge my mid-section, where my extra pounds tend to gather. I’m able to easily walk a couple of miles without needing to take any breaks. My extra weight does not hinder me from doing anything really.

On the other hand, I’ll catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror sometimes and cringe. Or a picture of myself. I’m sure at least some of you can relate.

But this is the time of the year when I start to dream of all the goodies I can bake. The hotdishes that bring to mind growing up in Minnesota and adulting in Wisconsin. Showing my love for others via tasty comfort food.

Suffice it to say that my commitment to losing weight by eating healthier is waning as the temps decrease here in Minnesconsin.

Ok, folks, it’s time for the promised recipe. It’s a classic recipe for bars I’ve made numerous times over the years and it does have oatmeal in it, so it’s not entirely unhealthy. I just made a batch the other day and brought 75% of it to work (lest I gobble it all up myself in the kitchen late at night).

M ‘n M (or is it M and M?) bars:

Mix up the following and put 1/2 of it in a 9 by 11 inch baking pan:

2 Cups Quick Oats

1/2 Cup Flour

1 Cup Butter, slightly melted

1 tspn. Baking Soda

3/4 tspn. Salt

1 Cup Brown Sugar

Bake that at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.

While that’s baking, mix up the following:

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/3 Cup Peanut Butter

Pull the baking pan out of the oven after 12 minutes and pour that sticky goodness over the top.

Then take the other 1/2 of the oatmeal crumble mixture that’s left and mix in a cup of M&M’s (I use the Halloween colored ones because I’m fancy). Sprinkle that on top and then put it back in the oven for 18 minutes.

Enjoy and Happy Halloween!

Blogging, Facebook, Lifestyle, Time Management, Work Life Balance

Lamentations and Yaks on a Walk

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I’ve given myself an hour to come up with a blog post for this week.

Please forgive the weird title I gave this blog post. It can be such a challenge to come up with these sometimes. But, I do promise at the end of this post you will see a picture of yaks out for a walk. Though my hope, as always, is that you will read this entire post first.

Let me start by saying that I recognize the frequency of my blog posts has gone down. I didn’t publish anything last week (or the week before).

Sorry about that, my readers. I have no intention of abandoning this blog of mine, in case you wondered.

I knew when I started working again that it was likely my blog would suffer. I just don’t have as much free time as I used to have, when I was (mostly) basking in the glory of full-time domesticity here in Minnesconsin.

I’m completely accepting of that fact. Having so much time to myself was getting old. Life in general was becoming sort of dull.

This part-time job I now have is a great fit for me. I appreciate having my weekends off to spend with Mr. None of the Above, Radar, and the rest of the family. I’ve still got two week days to myself, since I work on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

It’s how I’m spending my Tuesdays and Thursdays that has me frustrated-with myself. I make my personal “to do” lists on these days and then wind up spending half my time looking at Facebook reels (which reminds me of that potato chip commercial that says “you can’t stop at just one”). Or I decide I have enough time to add another thing or two to my list, which then leads to a thing or two that was originally on the list not getting done.

Side note: On one of the Facebook reels I watched recently, a woman was emphatic that everyone had to try this delicious low-carb snack “hack”. She claimed that she ate it daily for months on end because she was “obsessed!”. I tried it, and she was right, though I can’t imagine eating anything every single day for months. So, there is some value in my going down that Facebook reel rabbit hole 🙂

I just want more time, people!! Is that too much to ask?

Yes, it most certainly is. These are first-world problems I am lamenting about today.

I know, I know, it’s about prioritizing. Staying on task. Mentally letting things go and trusting that everything will be alright.

So that’s my story for the week. Nothing new, nothing exciting. Just adjusting to the new reality I suppose.

And now, for the yaks on a walk picture.

Yaks taking a stroll with their owners in Amery, WI last weekend. I have so many questions!

***Header image courtesy of me. Taken of the sunset through our picture window earlier this month***

Birthdays, Death, Fathers, Lifestyle, Love, Spirituality

Celebrating 92 and 28 Today

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Last month, I went to the Minnesota State Fair with Mr. None of the Above, our grandson, and our daughter. We met up with our best couple friends, who drove over from far northern Wisconsin.

As we were strolling along, taking in all the sights and sounds, we came upon a booth where a friendly pastor-type older gentleman began proselytizing to us. In spite of being a Christian, when people I don’t know attempt this with me, I cringe inside. I was ready to start slinking away when my bestie, Sara, began chatting with this man.

As she was speaking with him, I learned that he was from “up north”, near where I was born and raised and where Sara and her husband live. He mentioned the town of Silver Bay, Minnesota and then how he had been a chaplain at the Veterans home there.

The Veterans home is where my dad, “Babe”, was living when he passed away. Naturally, I mentioned that. He then went on to tell me how he knew my father, having spent time praying with and for him during his final days. He talked about how my dad loved the music of John Denver, and how while my dad was no longer verbal at that point, he sensed that my dad was a man of great faith. This chaplain, Randy, also relayed that he knew my sister, as she also worked at the Veterans home.

I was so moved by this. My heart swelled, thinking of my dear dad lying there as he was about to cross over, with this kind man bearing witness and providing him comfort. It also brought me sadness at the fact that I was unable to get there to kiss and hug my dad before he passed.

I ask you…what are the odds that this would happen? I do believe in coincidences, but I’m not convinced this was one.

Of course, I had to snap a selfie with Chaplain Randy.

I tell you all this story today as it would have been my dad’s 92nd birthday today.

What I wouldn’t give for my dad to be here, celebrating at my house in Minnesconsin. He had such an appreciation for the beauty of nature and I know he would love the view from the big window in our living room. I’d love to be able to sit with him, drinking Bloody Mary’s with beer chasers (a “snit” is what Dad called it) on our little deck as Radar barked at all the squirrels and birds that stopped by.

It just so happens that our daughter’s boyfriend also has a birthday today. He turns 28, so it’s his golden birthday. Dad would have loved this guy. He would have welcomed him into our family with open arms. He would have been impressed with Dylan’s work ethic, how he’s a wonderful role model and father figure for our grandson, and how much he adores our beautiful daughter.

September 28 is a special day indeed.

And now, for my dad’s favorite John Denver song.

Cheers, Dad. Love you lots.

Americana Music, Baking, Gratitude, Happiness, Lifestyle, Recipes, Simplicity

A Sweet Tuesday

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The Tuesday before last, while Mr. None of the Above (my husband, AKA my “hubs”) was out of town for work, I had myself a lovely day.

My work schedule (it makes me so happy to type those words, you guys) is 9-4 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. This means on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I am free to do as I please, especially when the Mr. is out of town.

I was so grateful for that day.

That Tuesday was the first day of the fall season here in Minnesconsin that felt like fall. It was overcast and about 60 degrees out.

A perfect day to do one of my very favorite things in the world: bake.

This past summer, I published a blog post about the rhubarb patch in my front yard. I found some great recipes for said rhubarb, which included a delectable and simple-to-make rhubarb sauce. In that post, I mentioned a recipe I found for orange bread. It was handwritten by my mom, bequethed to her by her father. Grandpa Frazer, it turns out, was quite the baker. I wrote about how I’d like to make that orange bread “one of these days” and pair it with the rhubarb sauce.

A slice of the finished product!

So, on that sweet Tuesday, while listening to some chill tunes on my Google nest, I did just that. Gosh, it was such an enjoyable experience. A simple pleasure. Very K.I.S.S. of me.

The bread, as well as the rhubarb sauce, was delectable. It was a beautiful pairing of sweet and tart.

Here’s the recipe:

Mix together 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon shortening. Add 1 egg. Add in 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Once that’s all mixed up, add 1/3 cup (and per my mom’s instructions, add water to make 1 cup-or just add 2/3 cup of water-ha ha!). Grate some orange peel and add it to the mix. Once it’s all nice and mixed up, put it into a greased and floured bread pan and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Now, for the rhubarb sauce:

There’s not much to it at all, as you don’t need to do much measuring.

Put 1 1/2 to 2 cups diced rhubarb, a little sugar, a little water, and a bit of orange or lemon juice. Cook it up on the stove, smooshing the fruit as it cooks (unless you like chunky fruit in your sauce). I added some sliced strawberries for a little extra sweetness, but it’s not necessary.

As I said earlier in this post, while baking that Tuesday (I made banana chocolate chip muffins that day too), I enjoyed listening to some chill tunes. Along with some of my favorites (The Avett Brothers and Dawes), I hummed and sang along to songs from the great Minnesota rock band, the Jayhawks.

Here’s one of their best songs, IMHO. Enjoy!

Fall, Gratitude, Happiness, Lifestyle, Photography, Summer Fun

Wrapping up Summer and Forging into Fall

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My new reality began yesterday, as I’m back in the workplace after a sweet hiatus (aka Gap Year). I prepped myself ahead of time for a few days by setting my alarm for earlier and getting my butt in gear within a more reasonable amount of time. My closet has been over-hauled as a new job means work appropriate clothes needed to be excavated.

I get to wear my nicer clothes again! One of the simple things to be grateful for.

I think this job is going to suit me very well. My new co-workers welcomed me with open arms. I was given a new magnetic name tag which made it more real. I’m excited to go back tomorrow!

Fall doesn’t “officially” begin until September 23rd. Yet, with the leaves beginning to morph from green to gold and reddish hues here, along with starting my new job, it is starting to feel like fall to me.

All of the time I got to hang out with family, friends, and neighbors these past few months made for a great summer.

I’ve been aiming to include more photos in these blog posts. Due to struggles with getting our internet to comply with my frequent “save to drive” attempts, I don’t have as many photos as I’d like for sharing. Just a little downside to this country/lake lifestyle. But here’s a few showing the highlights from our first full summer here in Minnesconsin.

My Splashing Strawberry from a “Sip and Paint” experience at Dragonfly Winery
Mr. “None of the Above” (formerly known in this space as “Hubs”) and me riding the bus to the Minnesota State Fair
Weird Barbie at the Minnesota State Fair
View of our lake on our maiden voyage with the new pontoon
Five frightened baby raccoons climbing a tree in our backyard
Floating and Motorboating with the fam, Labor Day weekend 2023 (Jimmy Buffet was on repeat all day) #RIPJimmy

My daughter and I will be meeting up with my sister and one of our cousins next weekend to visit family in central Minnesota. We’ll be staying overnight at our uncle Jim’s cabin. This has been an annual trip for my sister and cousin. Every single year, as we were always living too far away, I was envious of them for getting to go. No more!

There’s other things happening in these parts over the next several weeks as well. Namely, a couple of fall festivals to check out. I’m looking forward to enjoying these with my family and neighborhood friends.

A few blog posts ago, I mentioned that I was making a list of all of the local places I want to check out here in Minnesconsin. I got a good start on that list and intend to get cracking on it ASAP. Cross your fingers that I will be able to capture great pics and memories to enjoy and share in future posts!

And now, I present to you my favorite, well one of my favorites, Jimmy Buffet songs.

Changes, Empty Nesting, Frugality, Gap Years, Grandparenting, Gratitude, Happiness, Home, Lifestyle, Self-Reflection, Work

The One Year Anniversary of House Number 8

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Last Saturday was our 1 year homeowner anniversary.

If you’re new to my blog, here’s the story of why I refer to it as “house number 8”.

What an enlightening year it’s been. Another “Gap Year” for me (a year in which I was unemployed). Similar, yet different, to the “Gap Year” I enjoyed when we moved to Colorado in 2016.

Hubs and I got to experience a full 4 seasons here, for which I have much gratitude. Here’s a few images of the seasons in this beautiful place that we get to live in.

The primary difference between these two “Gap” years is that the one I’m in now is quieter. It didn’t start out that way, with me caring for our grandson while he was struggling with emotional and behavioral challenges. Over time, gratefully, his village of supporters grew and he began to thrive.

The more recent calm and quiet of my day-to-day life has given me the opportunity to pause and reflect. To sit with my thoughts and get curious about them. It’s led me to more fully embrace “K.I.S.S.”, my favorite mantranym, which, in this instance, stands for “Keep It Simple Sister”.

What does that look like? How am I consiously keeping things simple?

It looks like making meals at home that don’t have an inordinate amount of ingredients or steps. It looks like breaking up household chores in smaller increments. It looks like planning and executing un-fussy get-togethers with our neighbors. It looks like leaning into a more frugal lifestyle by consciously spending less money and time shopping. It looks like not over-committing socially, to allow for time to marinate in the peace and quiet of this country/lake life.

I realize this might sound boring to you all, but it works for me as well as my Hubs. A simple life=a happy life for me and mine.

As we celebrate our 1 year ownership of this home, the “Gap Year” that I’ve been in, here in Wisconsin on the edge of Minnesota (aka Minnesconsin), is drawing to a close. Employment is coming to me soon. I’m ready for it.

I start a new part-time job as an office assistant in a local non-profit next Wednesday. I feel really good about this new chapter of my life.

The most gorgeous flower bouquet ever, courtesy of my wonderful in-laws to congratulate me on the new job

These lifestyle changes I’ve made (and there’s more yet to be made, mind you) in the last year are sure to serve me well as I make my return to the work force.

I am grateful, grounded, and geared-up.