Eternally Optimistic

On finding lost things

2012-01-22T18:14:00.008-05:00

Recently I had one of those weeks where something good happens and then another good thing happens and then yet another good thing happens and it seems like all is right with the universe and everything is falling into place. I had a good friend in High School who had actually been a classmate of mine since Kindergarten. Yep, we have known each other since we were five years old. Here we are in the 64-65 class portrait:

You can see I've hardly changed at all - I still have flippy hair and weird bangs. ANYWAY... back to my friend. We graduated and everyone went their separate ways. I saw Paul once shortly after graduation and then lost track of him completely. About 10 years later I started to actively look for him by searching on the Internet and posting on Classmates.com. No one could give me any information and once someone told me they heard he died. (Luckily that wasn't true.) I kept checking Facebook but he never turned up there. Finally I posted something about him and, in a strange coincidence, one of my other oldest and dearest friends happened to be in touch with him currently. I made a phone call and presto! - I was talking to my old friend Paul who used to make me laugh every single day in High School German class. We had the best time. He used to write "Un-dear Janis" letters and post them in funny places. Once I punched him lightly in the arm and he and his whole desk teetered over sideways and fell on the floor. So much fun. I had a delightful time catching up with him. He lives in the Midwest with his wife and son and I'm really hoping he'll come to our 35th class reunion this summer. Many of our classmates are gone now and I think it's important to keep in touch with those you hold dear - or Un-dear, whichever the case may be.

As I mentioned, that particular week was just one crazy good thing after another. Once I found Paul, I decided to scan our Senior Prom picture and email it to him. When I started digging around for the picture, I found my Passport which had been missing since 2002. As luck would have it, I'm going to Trinidad this spring and thought I was going to have to get a new one. Mine is still good until August which saves me time, aggravation and $165. That totally rocks. There was one more good thing that I'll tell you about in another post because it's huge and I'm not sure how that story ends yet. In the meantime, I'm very happy and grateful for everything that's happened so far and so thankful to have many wonderful friends. I hope they all know that even if we lose track of each other now and then it doesn't mean I've forgotten about them.

Art of the Deal: Demin Edition

2012-01-20T05:02:00.001-05:00

I really like Not Your Daughter's Jeans but they go for $130 on the Nordstrom website which is way over my flinch point for a quality pair of jeans so I buy 'em on eBay. I'm usually thrilled to get a pair with shipping for under $40 but this particular pair was an especially great deal. They were listed at $19.99 with free shipping - and incredibly, no one else was bidding on them. I had $15.40 in eBay bucks plus a $1.75 credit in my Paypal account from a shipping refund so my total out-of-pocket cost was exactly $2.84. I'm going to consider this an omen that 2012 will be a good year for finances.

Yeah, I'm still alive

2012-01-19T05:28:00.007-05:00

New Year's Resolution #1: walk more, eat less and generally try to get in shape and lose a few pounds.

Ammendment to Resolution #1: try not to let that "walk more" thing usurp all available time for blog updates.

The good news is, I've been walking a minimum of 10,000 steps per day and it feels great but to accomplish this I've learned that I have to get at least two miles in on the treadmill before I leave for work in the mornings. That means I'm up at five, have a cuppa coffee and take the second cup with me onto the treadmill, which totally cuts into normal blogging time. I've been watching Dogtown, which I would highly recommend because it's so interesting the time just flies by. It's a documentary about a no-kill animal shelter in Utah that takes in dogs that wouldn't make it in other places due to medical or emotional issues. It's fascinating and I've learned a lot about dog personalities and training techniques. (Of course watching it is one thing and putting it into practice is another, but we are trying to be consistent with Shelby and help her work through some of her anxiety issues.)

The other good news is that we're between projects in the house right now so everything is going along at a very even keel. We haven't even seen our handyman/electrician Frank in months and he used to practically live with us. I probably need to make him a punch list and have him come by so he knows we still care.

Vegan in a fur coat

2012-01-01T11:24:00.007-05:00

A few days ago my BFF Scotty entertained a group of us on a lovely boat cruise around the bay. (His brother conveniently owns a yacht and was persuaded to Captain us for the evening.) The vintage fur was a gift and had been in my closet for nearly a decade so I decided that this was the perfect occasion to wear it. I was cozy and comfy while all of those guys were huddled against the wind wishing they had warmer gear.

We had a lovely time that included champagne, red wine and many gourmet snacks. The Miami skyline was gorgeous, it was wonderful to spend an evening cruising around without a care in the world and now the fur can go back into storage indefinitely - or at least until the next December boat ride.

Parties galore

2011-12-13T05:52:00.002-05:00

Apparently National Blog Posting Month really took a lot out of me, since I haven't been able to dredge up even a fluff post for 13 days now. Actually I was busy scurrying around making preparations for that employee luncheon we do every year that involves coordinating hundreds of people and caterers and disgruntled customers who think there should have been more dressing on the salad. It's not easy trying to keep people happy who paid $7 for a steak lunch - they are discriminating customers who demand value for their dollars. Bah! Humbug!

At least it's over with and I can concentrate on a much smaller soiree we are planning here at home. We are inviting all of the neighbors in our cul de sac in for cocktails on a Sunday afternoon BUT - here's the fun part - almost all of them have small children. Some of them have VERY small children. We are welcoming kids and dogs because Shelby knows all of the neighborhood dogs but oh my goodness, I have a feeling I will be very stressed watching the little children make fingerprints all over my house. It's hard when you're not used to small people running amuck and some parents these days take a rather blaise approach at discipline. Oh well - in the spirit of the holiday season, we will grin and bear it and perhaps slip them a little gin when their parents aren't looking. Unless you would recommend something stronger. Let me know.

I'm walkin'...

2011-11-30T05:38:00.003-05:00

I am making friends with my treadmill again (thanks to my Netflix streaming queue) and my new goal is to hit 5,000 steps before I leave for work every morning. Yesterday I made it to 3,400 so I need to get busy a little sooner this morning. Seen any good movies lately? I would appreciate recommendations!

No more tangles

2011-11-29T18:30:00.002-05:00

Mr W dropped Shelby off at the vet today where she got her teeth cleaned, nails clipped and a lion cut in one fell swoop. I got to be the hero and rescue her at the end of the day but she was so groggy she didn't make much of a fuss when I got there. She can't eat until tomorrow and her pupils are still dilated so she looks funny. As soon as we got home she curled up on a blanket on the floor of the family room and stayed put, which is very unusual for our little guard dog. She'll be back on the job tomorrow keeping us and the cats in line and making sure Mr W and I don't get too affectionate.

Bits and Pieces

2011-11-28T20:19:00.008-05:00

Woo-wee it's going to be a busy week at work. It's time for the annual holiday luncheon where we serve up lunch for everyone in the whole compound and that takes some serious planning. This year we are having it catered so we just have to sell tickets and get everything ready, then relax and enjoy the day. That is if you count setting up, cleaning up and constantly supervising everything throughout the day "relaxing."

In other news, there is a Cointreau class at Cinco in the Gables this Wednesday and I am dying to go. They teach you how to mix three drinks and then you get to drink them, along with happy hour hor's doeuvres and to top it all off they send you home with a Cointreau goodie bag. Mr W didn't think the class would be a wise investment of either time or money since we have a lot going on this time of year and I was really disappointed we couldn't fit it in. Oh well. Maybe next year.

I also just realized that we do not have any plans for Christmas Day yet. (Or New Year's Eve, for that matter.) I'm pretty sure I want to stay in on NYE, but I guess we'd better start making some friends before the 25th if we want to have a festive Holiday dinner. I'm absolutely certain that neither of us are going to be cooking a turkey.

Who wants to play "What's that bug?"

2011-11-27T08:02:00.001-05:00

This morning I was looking at a football-shaped white spot of paint on the gray tile floor when it stuck it's head out and started inching along. A quick check of the great and powerful Google revealed it is a casebearer moth. They form a larvae made of silk that looks like a flat diamond/football and carry it around with them. They're not particularly harmful unless they get into the closet and start feasting on natural fabrics and of course the little buggers have a preference for the good stuff - silk, wool and cotton. I'm not pleased but we only saw two of them and the good news in they're not termites. One recommended method of getting rid of them is to make the house inhospitable by reducing the humidity. (Apparently in addition to their discriminating taste in fine fabrics, they love a relatively humid environment.) I keep telling these cats to make themselves useful - and here's a chance to have some fun with little inchworm creatures while simultaneously earning their keep by getting rid of them - but do they listen? That would be a big HECK NO.

Brown Thumbs, Inc

2011-11-26T15:45:00.003-05:00

So. We killed an artificial Christmas tree. How, you ask, is that possible? Well, this tree used to be white. It was (by all accounts) regal, stately and as pristine as the driven snow. I bought it second-hand last year when we were in the middle of the renovation and we didn't set it up since we were living out of boxes. (Not to mention the fact we didn't own any actual ornaments for it.) This year I was really excited about it because it's been awhile since I've had a tree at home - like 20 years. I bought a bunch of vintage turquoise ornaments on Ebay and was all set to decorate but it was not meant to be. The tree apparently baked in our garage over the summer and turned completely brown. I can't flock it because it's pre-wired and the lights would get covered, plus it would probably make a mess and still look brown. We're going to forget about a tree for this year and I'll keep an eye out for a cool vintage silver one on Ebay. They're out there now but they seem to be the hot item for this season and the prices are out of control so I'll wait for summer and buy one then. In the meantime, we'll put some bowls of shiny turquoise balls around and call that our holiday decor.

Black Friday Siesta

2011-11-25T14:37:00.002-05:00

I don't do retail, especially brick and mortar retail so Black Friday doesn't really mean anything to me. It was really interesting to see the news reports of people lining up 24 hours in advance to get in and get good deals. I'm all about a good deal but there is no way I would invest even a few hours of my life waiting in line just to fight the crowds for a bargain. I decided my day would be better spent catching up on some Netflix movies and checking out my DVR queue. Miss Potter snuck into my Netflix queue sort of by accident (I meant to delete it but never got around to it) and it turned out to be a charming little movie about a talented and independent woman well ahead of her time.

Gratitude

2011-11-24T17:13:00.009-05:00

We took a walk on Thanksgiving day and talked about how very grateful we are for our house and our neighborhood. We're also thankful we live here in South Florida where we don't have to worry about ice and snow and everywhere you look there is an explosion of greenery. Here are some shots taken on our three block stroll through the hood.

Of course the thing we're MOST grateful for is our little wonder dog. We love her madly, even when she has cat litter on her nose.

Mom

2011-11-23T05:28:00.003-05:00

Here's a picture of my mom, probably ca. early 50's. She always looked so put together and I'm pretty sure I inherited my love of all things with shoulder pads from her.

Brazilian Ball

2011-11-22T05:42:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned before, we had a great time at the Charity Ball. It's very rare to have entertainment, live or otherwise so it was a real treat. I think the ticket price probably should have much more than it was.

These girls look like they never go to the gym, right? Good thing they're getting a little on the job cardio workout. Seriously, they were great. I feel sorry for the organizers of next year's Ball because there is NO WAY they can top this one. The only thing that could be better than a Brazilian Ball (in my very prejudiced opinion) would be a Trinidadian Calypso fete.

Quinoa. It's what's for dinner.

2011-11-21T19:32:00.005-05:00

Yes, National Blog Posting Month, I will not give up. I will regale you with stories of my exciting life, like this vegan dish I just created for dinner tonight. It's a very highbrow recipe. You take two cups of cooked quinoa (use a rice cooker so you don't have to stand over the stove) and dump in one small can of Mexican Lime Cilantro Rotelli, one large can of Petite Diced Tomatoes and use the kitchen shears to snip up some fresh cilantro. It was actually quite tasty and for less than $5, I will probably have enough left over for lunch for the next two days. Now that's a bargain - and I didn't even have to turn on the stove.

A departure from the norm - in a good way!

2011-11-20T16:27:00.000-05:00

We had a thing to go to yesterday, the annual Charity Ball at the lodge. It's a formal affair that's usually fun but not over-the-top fun, if you know what I mean. This year was different. The theme was Brazilian Masquerade and they pulled out all the stops. There were amazingly talented dancers - male and female complete with drummers and they managed to get almost the entire audience participating one way or another. It really took the Ball to a whole new level and I can't imagine anyone topping it. The organizers deserve kudos for a job done spectacularly well. I was hoping to have some pictures to post but Glennzo hasn't sent me any yet. Stay tuned.

Whoville

2011-11-19T08:13:00.005-05:00

It was absolutely wonderful seeing my friend, Ms. Pizza last night. (She's actually a gluten free vegan so pizza would never be on her diet but we call her that anyway.) She showed up with this delightful Dr. Seuss-ian style bouquet:

Let's have a closer look at that green puffy thing. Her co-worker who is quite knowledgeable about these things says it is some kind of mutant carnation. I think they totally rock.

So we all went out and had some vegan food and Jeff ate a burger and it was a lovely, lovely time. Somewhere in there we agreed that she will come over and cook with me for a day so I can learn to make some actual vegan entrees and not just survive on hummus on toast. Maybe I'll learn to make hummus, too. That's a great idea!

Fluff post

2011-11-18T18:09:00.003-05:00

Busy day at work but we're having dinner tonight with a friend we haven't seen in ages. Really looking forward to it!

It's Scruffy Dog!

2011-11-17T05:51:00.003-05:00

SOMEONE is overdue for a bath, a pedicure and a haircut but we haven't had time to take her in. The vet has to do her grooming because she requires a shot to calm her down before anyone can brush her. The end result is that the bill for her stylist is higher than mine.

Gratitude

2011-11-16T06:08:00.004-05:00

There are some exceptional people in this world and I am privileged to know one of them. I included her in my email about the little family that desperately needed help and yesterday this truly amazing woman deposited $640 directly into their bank account. $220 of that came from contributions from people she works with who have absolutely no connection to this family. (She even got her HR department to send an email asking all of their employees to help.) When she made the deposit, the account was overdrawn by $110 so they actually had less than nothing to live on. It brings tears to my eyes that this incredible person reached out to help a family of strangers just because she cares.

The kindness and generosity that so many of you have shown is overwhelming and it makes me want to be a better person. This money was donated for a trip to Disney World but the mother didn't feel she was ready for that so my friend gave them the cash instead. We are also still doing a series of gifts for the 12 Days of Christmas for them with many other donations that have come in. It's what the season is all about and I hope it eases their pain just a little.

So long ceiling fan...

2011-11-15T05:37:00.003-05:00

Hello Mid Century pendant light!

We used to have a traditional ceiling fan in the master with four fancy fluted lights and needless to say, the fancy fluting clashed with our mid-mod decor so Frank installed this last Sunday. It's actually three separate pendants I bought at Menards and he wired up for me. The only way to turn it off and on is with a remote control, which is an excellent system until it gets lost under the mattress or the dog carries it off on one of her excursions. HOPEFULLY we won't get stuck with all three bulbs blazing brightly and no way to turn them off.

Who gets excited about broccoli?

2011-11-14T20:13:00.003-05:00

This recipe claims to be the best broccoli of your life and it does sound pretty darn good. I recommend you make it and then let me know what you think. Best Broccoli.

I would have to substitute non-dairy cheese but the rest of it looks really good. BTW, I'm still doing the vegan thing and am really happy about it. I'm thinking about going gluten-free for a few weeks to see whether that might be an issue for me. So many people seem to think that they feel better when they avoid it, I thought it might be worth a try. Must do some research though since I don't want to risk ending up only being able to eat leaves off of organically grown plants.

Thrift store Sunday

2011-11-14T05:36:00.000-05:00

This called out my name at the thrift store yesterday and I bargained the price down to $20. It also fit in my car so that was a total score. It needs some TLC but I think it will lend the perfect little pop of aqua awesomeness wherever we decide to put it.

And we could possibly put the car in there, too.

2011-11-13T17:01:00.003-05:00

Here is where I spent the last four weekends - painting, organizing, unpacking and cleaning. You might not be able to tell that from the amount of clutter that remains but it is WAY better than it was before. Frank worked with me all day Friday hanging that cabinet on the wall and doing a couple of other things. We went to both Home Depot and Lowes so that's always a good indicator of stuff getting done. I am thrilled that there is actually open space in there now and can't wait until we do the really fun part which will be installing shelving and other cabinets on the laundry side and getting all of those things-we-have-to-keep-but-don't-know-where put away. There's also a peg board that isn't up yet for even more organization so someday it will all fall into place. In the meantime, I am taking a break from all garage related tasks for at least two weeks.

Featuring a spot of Mid Century sunshine

2011-11-12T10:29:00.006-05:00

It's not quite 10:30 and Shelby and I have already walked about a mile, straightened up the house, had a bath (her) and a shower (me) and were thrilled to take delivery of this:

It's only been here about half an hour so I'm not sure yet about the arrangement but I am hoping the clever and talented Jane will come by and give me some professional advice. It will need some throw pillows to tie in the colors and possibly a new painting behind the couch but I am loving the Danish Modern simplicity and the pop of yellow against the gray wall. Shelby wasted no time in jumping up to make sure it would suit her needs for napping. Presumably it passed the test because she settled right in and didn't move until I called her.