Monday This and That

Good Monday morning on this week of Thanksgiving.  So much to do.  So little time to do it.  Saturday I finished wrapping all the little necklaces, earrings, and bracelets I made and all the little face creams, bath bombs, and bath salts that I am unable to use.  They smell so awesome, but I know if I sit down in that tub, it will be hell to get me up again. We have one of those big, deep old fashioned tubs that stand on legs.  It is so huge I need two shower curtains. I already have a problem climbing in for a shower.  It reaches halfway up my thigh.  

 I have a nice new blue rug to lay down when we finished the floors. 

I was totally shocked at the price of turkeys this year and ended up picking up a 16.40 pound for $30.  I ended up getting it for free.  Turns out if you spent $400 from September through now it was free.  I didn't have $400 on my Super Fresh card which I just got two weeks ago, but I did have money of my Key Food card (it was Key Food before they changed the name) and I put up a stink that they should honor it. No one had told me about the new card  and kept checking me in with the old card.  Not my fault.  They honored it.   Heck, had I known that I would have picked up a larger turkey.  LOL!!! 

Had a hard time stuffing the refrigerator.  Had to take everything out and re-arrange the shelving.  Even at that had to bend the turkey pan.   Lots of veggies in the background.  I am making lots of sides to fill hungry tummy's.

My church is getting ready to put up their tree.  Just so hard to believe it's that time already.

Have a good one.

Sunday Selections

Treat yourself like a goddess. That's the feeling I get every time I open one of my boxes from Divine Empowerment.  It's a tad expensive in my opinion, but the two ladies who run it are so awesome.  They used to send the bath salts in glass tubing, and one month when I opened the package, the glass tubing was broken and the bath salts were all over the pretty organza bag everything was packaged in.  When I notified the owners, instead of saying they would send me another bath salt, they insisted on sending me another whole bag.  I don't forget things like that.

This month featured the goddess Dana, the mother of the Celtic gods.  She represented the earth and fruitfulness; hence, this month was focused on growth an abundance.

Maiden Minx Inner Goddess Bath Salts which are crafted from Dead Sea Salts, Valencia Orange Peel, peppermint leaves and essential oils and is designed to release tension and toxins in  the body.  Mineral Dead Sea Salt detoxifies, cleanses, heals, and nourishes the skin.

I Ching Chinese lucky coins.  These three coins tied together represent Earth Luck, Heaven Luck, and Woman Luck.

Instruction were to hang them on your door knob to bring luck and fortune.  You'd best believe I didn't waste any time doing that.

Green Adventurine pendant. Promotes general well-being and calm.

Tiger Eye Stone.  This powerful stone helps to release fear and anxiety and aids in harmony and balance. 

Blessed herbal candle.  Brings abundance, focus, success, and knowledge.  Essential oil and herb blend of allspice, clove, and nutmeg.  Smells super yummy. 

Treasure Chest cone incense.  Imported from India.  Helps to focus the mind on achieving specific goals. 

Meditation oil. 

Saturday Thought

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. 

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Friday Roundup

Happy Friday everyone.  It sure has been a heck of a week.  Monday I was in so much pain I couldn't get to class.  Sipped peppermint tea and ginger ale to help stop the cramping.  It's been so long I'd forgotten how painful IBS can be.  Spent much of my day curled up in bed.  

Tuesday was cool and wet.  Again I stayed in.  Worked on planning Thanksgiving dinner, making lists, and continued some of my Christmas wrapping.  I used to wait until a week or so before Christmas to even start my shopping.  I love this way better.  The holidays are not so hectic.  Heck, I even have my cookies, cakes, brunch items, and candy ordered from Figi's and ready to be delivered on 12/21.  Everything is in order except for the decorating.   

Made my extra meeting on Wednesday.  It was good to bundle up and get out in the fresh air.  I have been staying in far too often lately and find myself contentedly settling into a rut.  I don't want that to happen again.

I eat a lot of boiled eggs and have a lot of trouble peeling them.  I buy Eggland's Best eggs, and for some reason, I find them tougher to peel than regular eggs, so every time I saw this on a commercial, I wanted to try it.  But, I don't order things on TV.  A store that I shop in always ends up at some point with the TV items so when I saw this, I had to buy it.  Not happy with it.  First of all, you have to use oil in them so the eggs don't stick, and even though I dump the excess, the eggs still come out not tasting the same as a regular hard boiled egg...and, they don't come out as pretty as on the television commercial.  In fact, they look very unappealing to me with little pock holes all over and coated with the brownish color of the oil.  Now, it may be me.  I may be doing something wrong, but I highly doubt it. 

Was waiting for the bus yesterday morning and happened to look down to see this.  It was so awesome.  A symbol of peace and unity. Love of all.   Brown hand, white hand, and yellow hand.  Tried to pick it up, but it was stuck to the ground so I settled for a picture. 

Later we had our first snowfall of the season.

Didn't amount to much, but it sure made it slippery.  Was fun to watch from my window, but glad I didn't have to be out in it.  

Snow is all gone this morning.

Have a fantastic weekend.

Thursday Odds and Ends

 Look at this strange cloud.  What do you see in it? 

My ex boss.  I used to work for a company called Red Tape Cutters.  It's no longer there.  Closed up around 9/11.  It was an amazing job.  We got car registrations for rich people and the major dealerships in New Jersey, visas, passports, and whatever else those with money didn't want to do themselves.  I remember back when I was in charge of getting visas for James Taylor and his band when they did their European tour.  Was running around to all the different consulates.  Sometimes, in those cases where it took time, an extra incentive such as his latest CD was offered for faster service.  It was a race against time, but I did it.  Other customers included Ralph Lauren (we took care of all the registrations for his antique car collection), boxer Julio Chavez, and Donald Trump, one of our most demanding....and cheapest...customers.  

This was my good bye party.  That's hubby next to me when he still had hair. Still had that clock until they rewired my apartment.  First the broke the hands off, and then the clock itself just disappeared.  I'm mad as heck because that clock meant something to me.

 My great great grandmother, Constance Mary.

 My precious little handmade crone.

My daughter and her husband.  Usually only my son from the Bronx and his girlfriend come for Thanksgiving dinner as all my other kids live so far away.  However, this year my son told me to get an extra large turkey as he had a surprise for me on Thanksgiving.  All I could get out of him was two extra people were coming.  I have a feeling it is these two.  I hope it is.  Would be the first Thanksgiving we spent together in 50 years.

 Some of the Christmas gifts I made. 

 My goodness, look how high my hair is.

Made this for my son.  The apartment next to his caught on fire several months ago, and he was homeless for a couple of months.  Had good apartment insurance though, and first they put them up in a hotel, and then an apartment that they could rent for $1 a month.  So, I thought the Phoenix was appropriate.  It, too, rose from the fire.

Wordless Wednesday: The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie

Tuesday Ramble

I won't be hitting the new French bakery anymore, at least for anything creamy.  Two weeks ago I stopped and got a yummy croissant filled with strawberries and cream.  The next day my IBS was acting up.  I thought maybe the strawberries had not been fresh as I'd had no problems the first time I ate something from the bakery.  The, last Thursday as I passed by I got the urge for something creamy so I stopped in and bought a couple of twists filled with cream.  The next day I woke up with my IBS acting up even worse than the week before.  I went to bed on Friday doubled over in pain.

Then it occurred to me.  It MUST be something they put in the cream.  They list the calories on every item they sell, and I have to say, they are quite low for something as creamy as their pastries are.  They have to be using some kind of sweetener in the cream that is triggering my condition which has been in remission, aside from an occasional one day bout, for many years now.  So, no matter how good the pastries taste, I won't be eating them anymore. 

And, I have to watch the ice cream.  Sunday I was feeling so much better that I ate half a pint of Ben and Jerry's chocolate marshmallow ice cream.  By the time I went to bed I was doubled over even more than the day before.  Laid awake the entire night and ended up feeling too miserable for class.  I did call and offer to mail the ticket back, but the leader told me to hold onto it.  The party is two week's away and who knows how I will be feeling, even if I come out for just one day.  Felt good when she told me my friends have been asking for me. 

Actually, I ordered a beautiful red top to go over my black pants and a pair of dressier shoes.  I only have sneakers.  I am definitely going to make it to that party come hell or high water.  And I am going to make it to jewelry making class next Monday.  The clothes I bought will double for Christmas day family reunion.  Of course, I am definitely getting ahead of myself as nothing has been planned yet.

Fall is finally showing its beautiful colors here in Brooklyn. Took awhile, but the leaves they are a'changin.  Took this picture on Sunday while waiting for the bus.  Always looks more beautiful in person.  My next phone will definitely have a better camera.

Have a good one.