Snippets Of Life

Good Morning, Darling

/ Ally Bean / 19 Comments

Zen-Den needed to get up earlier than usual to go to work.  He set his alarm clock, but I didn’t hear it go off.  He heard it and went into the bathroom to shower and shave.  While he was in the shower I woke up.  I often wake up early, so it was no big deal for me to get up.  I went into the bathroom where he was now shaving.  The following conversation ensued.

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Him:  Was it the noise from the light that woke you up?

Me:  No, it was the light from the water running through the faucet that did it.

Him:  Oh good.  I didn’t want to bother you.

Me:  Hmm…  *smile*

{a minute of silence}

Him:  What did you say?  How did the light from the water running through the faucet wake you up?

Me:  It woke me up because the noise from the light didn’t.  *snicker*

Him:  Oh.

{30 seconds later}

Him:  What are you talking about???

Me:  I’m talking about why I got up.

Him:  What?  Wait a minute… you knew what I meant!

Me:  Yep.  But it’s so much more fun to confuse you early in the morning.

Him:  You make no sense.

Me:  I know.  *giggle*

# # # 

… And who rocks at Mind Games 101?

I do believe that it is Ms. Bean.  

Oh yes, I do.

No Razzamatazz Here

/ Ally Bean / 14 Comments
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Today, instead of talking about pulse-pounding razzamatazz, I’m going to talk about the exact opposite, yawn-worthy dullness.

This current dullness has manifested itself in what I believe is a most ridiculous way.  You see, here at Chez Bean we are experiencing a dearth of twisty ties.  Yes, we have almost run out of those little wire doodads that you use to close plastic bags.

In fact, we only have FOUR unused twisty ties in the house.  That’s it.

We used to have about four hundred thousand million of those things floating around in various kitchen drawers.  But now they are so rare [and precious] that I even know what color they are: 3 beige and 1 orange.  I watch over them as if they were made of gold.

This is sad.  And dull.  And would not be worthy of note here except that it allows me to ask you, gentle readers, a question:

what kind of yawn-worthy dullness are you currently dealing with in your life?

I’ve fessed up.  Now it’s your turn to do the same.  In the comments below.  If you please.

My 2012 Yearlies List

/ Ally Bean / 14 Comments

[H/T to Chris at the Rude Cactus for this idea.  His list is here.]

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The Yearly Top Gardening Success:  Our in-ground sprinkler system for our lawn.  It took us years to have one installed, but now that we have one our yard remained green all summer– and I didn’t have to drag a hose + oscillating sprinkler anywhere on the property.  Not even once.

The Yearly Top Absurdity of Life:  Even though I didn’t go to Canada, I have a traffic violation from that country with a fine to pay.  I owe the Canadian Dept of Transportation 37¢ Canadian.  You see, Canada has a photo of a vehicle registered to me doing something illegal in their country.  The miscreant in this story is Z-D [or maybe one of his lawyer buddies] who went on his [their] annual camping cabin trip and somehow missed paying a toll along the way.  Because of this, I’m left holding the traffic violation.  And a bottle of maple syrup.

The Yearly Top Duh! Moment:  Cutie oranges.  Who knew these little clementines were so tasty?  Not me.  I thought they were only for kids, but thanks to J at Thinking About… I got some for our party, tried them and am now hooked.

The Yearly Top Annoying Term:  Guru.  If you believe yourself to be one, then you are not one.  This term is trite, hackneyed, pointless, stupid– and most of all, overused.  Don’t be a business guru;  you can do better than that.  Aim to add value, not gibberish, to the conversation.

The Yearly Top YouTube Video, Cat Angst Category:  Henri 5, The Worst Noël.  If you have ever been around a cat, then this series of videos will make you laugh more than you should.  Paws down.

The Yearly Top Expression Of Gratitude:  From a shy 10ish y.o. Boy Scout who came to the front door and sold me caramel corn + cheese corn.  A few weeks later when he delivered the products, he included a typed-out thank you note on a strip of paper, hand signed, which thanked me for helping him achieve his goal.  Very thoughtful kid.

The Yearly Top Home Improvement Project:  New light fixtures in the kitchen above the island & table.  Good-bye large weathered copper light fixtures with dingy uneven glass shades.  Hello sleek antique brushed nickel lights with etched white alabaster glass shades that spread the light evenly across the surface.  Such an improvement.

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So, what are your yearlies?  Care to share?

If The Fates Allow

/ Ally Bean / 25 Comments

I don’t feel like telling any stories today.  Instead, here are a few of the thoughts that are swirling through my head.  Keep in mind that Christmas is not my favorite time of the year, so if I sound cranky here it is because I am.  And quite frankly, why aren’t you cranky too? 

::  I haven’t started to address and sign our Christmas cards yet.  I thought that I’d leave that task until tomorrow when I have the morning to devote to it.  I like to send cards because they are personal– or at least they can be when done right.  The right way according to me?  Hand signed.  Group photos, if included, have the names of the people on the back.  A newsletter, if included, is succinct.  If someone does not abide by the above, then I tend to doubt that he or she is sincere when sending the Christmas card.  And I remember this.

::  I spent the weekend cooking.  On Saturday I tried a new recipe for roasted chicken with root vegetables that was a failure.  The only thing that we could salvage from it was the roasted red beets– the rest of it never cooked right.  On the other hand on Sunday, I jazzed up an old tuna noodle casserole recipe.  I turned a plain dish into a grown-up feast by using WW pasta, adding some white wine, throwing in some smoked paprika, topping with panko bread crumbs spicy chipotle pita chips + gourmet parmesan cheese.  *yum*

::  Anyone else finding the incessant Christmas music in all the stores to be especially annoying this year?  I dislike it to begin with, but in light of the Sandy Hook Massacre I find the jolliness of it to be inappropriate… rude… disrespectful.  Live music has heart, but this stuff is just wrong.  We are a nation in mourning this Christmastime.  And the music, which can easily be changed, needs to reflect this.

::  There is no sign of snow around here;  instead, we have lots of rain and lots of gray skies.  Some years December is like this.  It makes for a less than festive atmosphere during what I am told it the most wonderful time of the year.  While at night I enjoy the contrast of the bright outside lights juxtaposed against the late autumn gloom, during the day the grayness overwhelms me.  Any thoughts that I might have of Christmas merriment dissipate into the bleakness.       

::  We don’t exchange presents with very many people.  When it comes to family, all anyone wants is gift cards/cash so that’s what we get them.  EZPZ, no?  I so enjoy giving the gift of shopping to other people who enjoy going shopping– unlike me.  And as for the rest of our holiday gift giving, I am only beholden to find some small items which I either put into pretty bags with cheery tissue paper or wrap in simple paper with a wisp of ribbon.  For us, gift giving is the easiest holiday thing that we do. *hallelujah*