"Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Writing Well"
I had a nice surprise in the mail yesterday:
(Isn’t that a fun way to wrap an ornament?)
I opened them (I had three) and this was what was inside:
These are my new favorite ornaments!! I love them!! THANK YOU to my ornament exchange person, Lisa from Adventures in JuJuBoo!
This was the first time I had participated in Kailani’s ornament exchange, but it won’t be my last! That was too fun!
I’ve made a powerful enemy. Even now, this enemy is staring hatefully at me from a distance. I can hear it whisper my name – I can hear it’s velvety smooth voice tease and goad me.
I’m not sure what I’ve done to deserve this enemy, but there is no doubt in my mind that it’s sole purpose in life is to taunt and torture me.
Even though I know the goal of this enemy is to hurt me, to make me curl up into a fetal position and cry like a baby, still, I can not resist it’s seductive lure. I can’t resist it’s creamy goodness, it’s luscious taste, or sugary goodness. Or the short, but powerful spurt of euphoria that shoots through my body whenever I consume it.
My new found enemy?
Chocolate.
I’ve always had a sweet tooth. In fact, it’s safe to say I was born sucking on a candy cane. I can’t remember a time I HAVEN’T been consumed with the urge to stuff every single sweet thing into my mouth.
But we were pretty poor, er, financially challenged, back in the dark ages (i.e. late 60’s) and we couldn’t afford regular food, let alone junk food.
However, that didn’t stop me. I soon discovered that baking chocolate? Satisfied my chocolate hunger. Oh sure, it was a bit bitter, but I ignored that part. It was creamy and it had cocoa beans in it – I was good to go.
And then, my mom went on a diet. And she bought these chocolaty square diet aids. In fact, they were called “Ayds” – I’m assuming it was because they were meant to “ayd” you with your diet. (Talk about a poor choice of name, right?)
But I remember sneaking into my mom’s top dresser drawer (as if hiding them was going to discourage me from eating them – HA!) and tossing those puppies back like they were popcorn. My mom would then go to eat a few whenever she felt the urge to eat something only to find (several) empty boxes.
Let’s just say, she wasn’t happy with me.
In fact, I was pretty much a pig any time there was anything even REMOTELY sugary around. I routinely ate more than my fair share and my gluttonous habits got so out of control that my folks actually had to lock the junk food in a canister so I wouldn’t eat all of it.
And no, I’m not exaggerating.
So I grew up always craving junk food. I suppose some of it had to do with the fact that we didn’t have it around very much, but there has always been a hole inside me that MUST be filled with junk food from time to time. I simply CRAVE it. It’s hard to explain.
After I moved out, I bought six-pack of candy bars and ate them, IN ONE SITTING. This went on for WEEKS. I pretty much existed on chocolate. Of course I gained weight and walked around with a semi-permanent stomach ache but oh, I was happy. I was getting my fix.
Finally, I had had enough. And though I didn’t exactly stop eating chocolate, I certainly learned to control myself.
And then, I met my husband. And we fell in love. And we were (are) perfect for each other.
But he doesn’t like sweets. In fact, he still doesn’t understand my overwhelming urge to shove chocolate down my throat.
Get this, he doesn’t even like chocolate that much.
Talk about the epitome of irony.
He would grumble and complain about the amount of sugar I consumed. In fact, he would get pretty upset with me whenever I ate junk food because I tend to gain weight easily and whenever I got into one of my binges, POP, there went the hips and puffy face.
So, to keep the peace, I started hiding my sweets from him. I wasn’t about to stop eating them, in fact, I knew if I tried to stop myself it would only make it worse and I would end up eating more than I wanted simply because I was depriving myself.
It’s a sickness, I’m telling you. (Well, I don’t really believe it’s a sickness, I think it’s more of a self-control issue and back then, I simply didn’t have much self-control).
Life continued. I snuck my sweets, the husband was never the wiser and we were all happy.
Until I turned 40.
And then all hell broke loose.
Actually, my intestines went on strike.
Now, if I so much as NIBBLE on chocolate, my insides blow up like a balloon, my intestines grumble so loudly you can hear it from across the room and I spend the majority of my day in the bathroom … with no results. If you catch my drift (and please, catch it because I can’t describe it – that would be in the too much information category).
In short? It’s terrible. And it hurts. And I’m so uncomfortable I can’t think. And I’m not hungry, even though when I eat it actually helps because it helps push the gunk through faster.
And I’m like an alcoholic chugging liquor – only I’m chugging Pepto-Bismal.
I have no idea what happened? But I think my body has just had enough. It’s rebelling against me. In fact, my body is so pissed off at me, that I can’t eat anything at all to do with legumes or I turn into a walking grenade.
I’ll let you picture that one for a minute. *ahem*
Of course, there are times I forget about the evils of chocolate and eat it anyway. Like now. And then I suffer for a full three days (which seems to be about the time it takes my body to process crap).
And it’s ESPECIALLY hard to refrain from eating the one thing I love most in the world around the holidays. Because I’ve got chocolate lying around just waiting to be stuffed into stockings. And the old craving rears it’s ugly head and before I can stop to listen the rational side of my brain, I’ve consumed SIX of the Hershey’s Chocolate Santas.
I’m like a crack whore, only with chocolate.
It’s so not pretty.
But oh so worth it. Just to taste that creamy smoothness once more.
*sigh*
Christmas song #12 I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Josh Groban
Have you decorated for Christmas yet? I have, sort of. I don’t really go all out like a lot of people do – we put up a tree, outside lights and I hang stockings …
And that’s about it. Pathetic, right?
However, if you’re the kind of person who likes to stuff every nook and cranny with knick knacks, (mom, I’m looking at you), then I’d like to pass on a few ideas from Family Fun.
I thought this was a cool idea, especially if you have old bricks lying around. Which, we all do, right? 😀
This project– painting a brick– is pretty much the epitome of a simple craft: almost anyone can do it, and no special patterns or materials are required. Younger kids can simply paint abstract designs, while older kids may want to create detailed characters, geometric patterns, or wintry landscapes.
MATERIALS
Newspaper
Acrylic paints
Paintbrushes
Two bricks
Glue
Felt
Cover a clean surface with newspaper and set out the acrylic paints and paintbrushes. Stand the bricks vertically, so that your child can paint on her designs. Remember that the surface of the bricks is porous and can absorb a good amount of paint.
Your child may need to apply several layers to create a solid covering. Or, if she prefers a splotchier effect, stop painting while some of the brick’s surface still shows through. Once the paint dries, trace around the brick bases on felt and cut them out. Glue the felt squares on the bottom of each brick to prevent the brick from scratching your bookshelf or tabletop.
Customized for the holiday of your choice, these delightful — and washable — napkins look great whether at the kids’ table or next to Grandma’s best china. They make great gifts for grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
CRAFT MATERIALS:
Felt
Scissors
Fabric glue (we used Fabri-tac)
Set of machine-washable napkins
Sequins
Mini pom-poms
Time needed: About 1 to 2 Hours
1. Cut decorative shapes from the felt, such as a dreidel, Christmas tree, or reindeer (or use our templates).
2. Glue the shapes to a corner of each napkin and decorate them with glued-on sequins and/or mini pom-poms.
With all the plates of Christmas cookies Santa samples, it’s no wonder he’s a little soft around the middle. Here, Santa offers a few treats of his own–a sampling of jelly beans or other Christmas candy–stored beneath the fuzzy brim of his hat.
MATERIALS
Felt in assorted colors
Glue and scissors
Glass jar with a lid
White faux fur (available at craft or sewing stores)
1. To make the hat, cut out two red felt triangles. Make sure the base of the hat will be big enough to fit over the neck of your jar. Glue together the sides of the two triangles, then trim the hat with a strip of faux fur around the bottom and a bit on top for the pompon.
2. Decorate Santa’s face by cutting out and gluing on a faux fur beard, a pair of felt eyes and a felt nose.
3. Fill the jar with candy, put on the lid, then top it all off with Santa’s hat.
These elegant trees are so versatile — you can make them in a variety of sizes and with almost endless decorating possibilities — they’ll fit in any (or every!) room in your house.
CRAFT MATERIALS:
1 large piece of drawing paper or poster board
Clear or double-sided tape
Scissors
Hot-glue gun
Small ornaments, garlands, fake jewels, or ribbons
Dowel with a 1/2-inch diameter (ours were 3 feet long)
Decorative bucket or flowerpot
Small rocks
Cotton batting
Time needed: About 1 Hour
1. Roll the paper or poster board into a cone shape (make sure the hole at the tip is less than 1/2 inch wide), then tape the seam and trim the bottom so that it’s even.
2. Decorate the cone by hot-gluing small ornaments, garlands, fake jewels, or ribbons to it. (If you’re using bulb ornaments, glue the top of the ornament, rather than the bulb itself, to the cone for a stronger hold.) Let the glue dry.
3. Stand the dowel in the bucket and fill the bucket with enough rocks to keep the dowel upright. Cover the rocks with the cotton batting, then set the paper cone atop the dowel.
Have you made any Christmas decorations lately? Take a picture and blog about it! Don’t forget to leave a link!
Next week: last minute Christmas tree ornaments
One of my nephews, pausing to offer a cheesy/cute/mischievous grin. Taken this past Easter.
I found this comic at Mother Scribe:
I am torn between two worlds – mine, and the scholastic world I’m paid to occupy.
Christmas is indeed a naughty word in our schools and it breaks my heart.
Well, I do. Photos have always interested me – there’s so much STORY behind them and the great part? Is that the interpretation is endless.
As usual, any fiction I post on this blog is inspired by true life events – either from my life, something I’ve heard or something I’ve read. In fact, it’s safe to say that the fiction I post? Is my way of telling you what’s really on my mind.
With a little dramatization thrown in for good measure. *grin*
Are you ready? Let’s get started …
****************
Picture prompt for this week:
Gwen softly fingered the blood red leaves on the poinsettia plant. The leaves felt like well-worn silk – there were some spots that felt a little fuzzy, other spots were smooth and thinning.
“Do you think she’s being controlled??” she asked the man on the sofa.
“I think you’re making a mountain out of a molehill, Gwen,” the man said and snapped his paper in irritation at her interruption.
She sighed and idly rearranged the plant. “I think he’s manipulating her. I just can’t believe she’s not coming down for Christmas. I mean, I could understand it if she had to work but …” she shook her head and turned around to face her husband. “What about the girls? Don’t we deserve to see them?” she choked back a sob at the thought of not seeing her granddaughters.
“Gwen,” the man said patiently and lowered his paper so he could see her over the top. “We don’t know what’s going on. I really think you’re jumping to conclusions.”
“But,” she sniffed, “ever since she got together with that,” she paused and tried to search for a word that would describe her daughter’s new boyfriend, “man,” she spat the word out deciding it was probably safer to stick with a more generic term as opposed to the non-Christian description she had in her mind, “came into her life, she hasn’t been the same. She hasn’t called,” she ticked the reasons off on her fingers, “she hasn’t emailed me. She hasn’t given me a straight answer about anything since he started coming around. She won’t even let me talk to the girls!”
“You talked to them last week!” he said, a note of exasperation in his voice.
“No I didn’t.”
Her husband put the paper down and gave her a straight, pointed look over the top of his glasses. “Gwen Michelle Lane, you most certainly did talk to those girls last week. I was sitting right here and heard you!”
She shrugged and stuck her lower lip out in a small pout. “It wasn’t the same.”
He continued looking at her, not saying a word.
“It wasn’t!” she said defensively. “Normally, they talk my ear off, and giggle. My lord, those girls can giggle whenever they get going. I can’t remember the last time we talked and they didn’t giggle over something.” She broke eye contact with her husband and looked down at the small table, idly tracing a finger through the light layer of dust that had accumulated since last week. She made a mental note to dust before the children arrived.
IF the children arrived.
“Maybe they just didn’t have anything to laugh about.”
“Exactly!” She said, excited that he was coming around to her way of thinking. “I think there is so much sadness in that house since” she waved a dismissive hand “what’s his name came into the picture that, well,” she paused and bit her lip, suddenly unsure of her argument, “that they’ve just been …” she shot him a frustrated look, “different, that’s all.”
He grunted and she continued.
“Look, I can’t describe it, okay? A mother just knows these things. Something’s not right with Samantha and the girls, I feel it.”
“Alright, assuming for a minute you’re right, and” he held up a hand to stop her when she started to say something, “I’m not saying you are. But just because I’m in the mood to argue with you, let’s say you are. What was her reason for not coming down again?”
“She said,” and Gwen couldn’t help but roll her eyes, “that what’s his name had to work the day before and the day after Christmas and she didn’t want him to spend Christmas day all by himself.”
He nodded and continued to look at her.
She defiantly held his gaze.
He finally huffed after long seconds passed. “And?”
“And what?”
“And that’s it?”
“Well,” her superior expression melted into uncertainty, “yes.”
“It’s a new relationship, Gwen. Don’t you remember how hard it was for us to do anything separately when we first started dating?”
Despite her concern, she smiled softly. “Yes, I remember.”
“Well, it’s the same thing for her. She wants to spend as much time with … what IS his name anyway?” he asked while arching a bushy brow at her.
“Kelvin,” she supplied with a long-suffering sigh.
“Right, Kelvin.” He snapped his fingers. “I knew it was something weird like that. Well, she just wants to spend time with Kelvin. After all, it doesn’t sound like the man is going to get a lot of time off and she wants to make the most of it.”
“But what about the girls?”
He sighed. “That is unfortunate.”
“I can’t stand the thought of not spending Christmas day with our granddaughters, Randy. We’ve spent every Christmas with them since they were babies!”
“Well,” he put the paper down and struggled off the sofa cushion to stand up. “Times are changin’. They’re getting bigger. They may not want to spend the holidays with a couple of old coots like us.” He slowly hobbled over to her.
Gwen shook her head and looked distracted. “I don’t think that’s it. I just think he’s turning their lives upside down and Samantha is so relieved to have someone else take charge for a change that she’s allowing him to control her.”
Randy placed his arm around his wife’s small shoulders and hugged her close to him. “Samantha has had a really hard time since the divorce, Gwen. Let’s cut her some slack, okay?”
“Did you hear he took Dana’s books away?”
“What?”
She nodded firmly before continuing. “He felt like she was spending way too much time in her fantasy worlds and not enough time in the real world. In fact, he cut up her library card!”
Randy’s brows arched. “That seems a little extreme.”
“That’s what I thought. She’s a bookish-sort of person. She enjoys books. She’s a good girl. She doesn’t do drugs, she’s making good grades, she doesn’t hang out with a bunch of trouble kids, she’s always in by curfew …” she shook her head. “It’s just not right.”
“What does Samantha say about all of this? I thought she was encouraging Dana’s interest in books. Didn’t she even say something about pursuing a career at the library?”
Gwen rested her head against her husband’s shoulder. “That’s the weird part. She agrees with Kelvin. In fact, every time I ask for her opinion, she always refers to what Kelvin wants. It’s like she doesn’t have her own mind anymore. It’s creepy.”
“Well, I’m sure there’s more to the story. We don’t really know ….”
His words were cut off by the phone ringing. Gwen snatched a tissue out of a nearby tissue box and quickly wiped her nose before answering.
“Hello?”
“Grandma?” A small, female voice asked.
“Yes? Is that you, Dana? Speak up honey, I can barely hear you. Why are you whispering?”
“Grandma?” the voice sobbed. “I’m so scared!”
Christmas song #11 Linus & Lucy by The Vince Guaraldi Trio
photohunt
