Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Country Gal by Vanita Blundell Jan. 1, 2008

The saying for the year- Never put off what you can do today that you can put off tomorrow. I am not sure what that means but I think I like it. I have a favorite shirt with a motto printed on it, that reads, “Procrastinators unite-- tomorrow”.
This is a new year with new beginnings- We started the year with friends- we had a great time and I learned a couple of new games which really taxed my mind. The guys played pitch and I think they really enjoyed themselves.
I hate New Year’s resolutions as I tend to break them before the week is out. I went on-line today and looked at the headlines some were for weight loss- find a date- how to get ahead at work and looking at your horoscope for the year of 2008. The merchants are looking for all kinds of ways to get their product to the general public. Since I do not like to make resolutions -But---- this year my plans are to dejunk my house. I am not sure that I can get it done in a year. I am totally disgusted with myself by having so much junk around me that I do not want or need. So my plans are to tear each room apart - clean, throw away trash, get rid of the clothes that I will never, ever wear again. It is amazing what you can accumulate without even trying. So this might be a good time to invest in the “tote” stock market since I will be buying several totes to store things away. This does not sound like I am throwing much away, now does it. So you can see where the ‘rub’ is. The worst thing about getting rid of stuff is that you will probably be buying it back within six months.
Since Giz and Jennifer have been living with us, they watch home improvement shows this may prove to be not so good for Jim. I have seen all kinds of fun projects for him to do for me. After thirty years of marriage, mine may not be able to stand up to the pressures the home improvement shows are handing out. I want to do something different with my house and I do not do ‘change’ well. I am not really open to change. So you can see how difficult this is going to be. I can do it, I think, but it is going to take hours, maybe even days and possibly weeks of looking at color charts- floor types- paint samples and then thinking that maybe everything is just fine the way it is now. I think that I am a hopeless. Now that I am thinking about all of this I think I will get great things done. I will make a huge difference - I am going to put the fear in every dust bunny in my house -I think I will get started tomorrow.

Country Gal by Vanita Blundell Dec. 26, 2007

Another Christmas has come and gone and as we grow older Christmas is not the same as it was when we were young. My kids have said that Christmas just does not feel the same. Well, welcome to adulthood, that is the way it is. It is not a bad thing really; it is just a sign of growing up. I think that I fail to get the same enthusiasm as when they were little. This Christmas started out a little different and could have ended in disaster. As I got up and went to the kitchen to turn the coffee pot on and put the turkey in the oven - I needed the lid to my roaster. I went to open the door of the garage which is the kitchen door, as well, and there was a skunk- I yelled and he ran without spraying- thank goodness! I got Jim, and told him to do something I was not sure exactly what I wanted him to do, but something. He opened the garage door so the little visitor could leave on his own.
We had a nice Christmas, after I settled down a little. It was just the kids and us. It was our turn to have Jeff and Chelsea this year and it was really quiet, even though Jeff was here. Chelsea has been a wonderful addition to our family. I think that she is starting to get use to us. Jennifer’s husband, Giz, is certainly becoming one of us, as well. We are fortunate to have our kids close to home so that we can all get together; it makes for a nice Christmas. After we opened our presents and ate our lunch- we put a puzzle together as we always do - then we watched some new movies that were gifts. I have found that I do not follow movies that leave the realm of reality. I was so confused by the end of one movie that I had no idea what had happened. The kids laugh at me and point out that it must be a sign of getting older- I tell them that I am just too smart for the movie makers. So that is about all that we could do for this year. I hope that you all had a good Christmas.
This year we have had a few additions and sadly some subtractions to our family it makes me wonder what the New Year has in store for us. But ready or not here it comes.

Country Gal by Vanita Blundell Dec. 18, 2007

I am proud to report that I have electricity this week. I am ashamed to say that it is extremely difficult for me to write without my computer, in fact, it is almost impossible. But I feel that I must say a huge thank you to our electric co-op. We had power out all over the county and they worked until we were up and running again. I asked one the crew how much sleep he had and he told me that he had four hours in 48 hours. I cannot imagine having a job that I would be my busiest in the worst conditions that Mother Nature has to offer and to top it off with little or no sleep. I think our power company CMS is the best around.
With Christmas right around the corner I want you to watch your family table manners. While I was in northern Kansas cooking for hunters, I noticed something that really bothers me. In camp there were only four hunters and two guides so I set the table just like my mom had taught me when I was a little girl. They did not sit at the table and pass the food, not even the salt and pepper. Each one got up from his chair and got the food that they wanted on their plate. The first night I thought maybe they were not sure what was going on, but by the third night they were not doing any better. It got me to thinking why this has happened and the only explanation I could come up with is buffets and restaurants. People do not eat at home as much as we used to and I think that we have lost something. As a child growing up some of my favorite memories was at the table. Mom always had good meals; we always had meat, vegetables, fruit and dessert at every meal or almost every meal. We raised sheep so it was not uncommon to have lamb or mutton or our own farmed raised chicken, beef or pork. The folks never made a big deal over what we were eating- We ate heart, other parts, and once in a while, we had liver and onions too. After I was older that was not one of my favorite meals. Mom made sure that there was something that we would eat. I can not remember any time that there was any trauma over what we ate or would not eat. We took what we liked- It seems to have worked out okay as there are very few things that I do not like. Dad always bragged on Moms cooking so if I did not take something dad would brag on it and make me feel like I must have really missed out on a delicacy, so I would make sure and try it the next time. Not only did we have our own meat we had eggs- and milk, too, which meant we had lots of fresh cream- and one of dads favorite menu items was gravy.
At the table was when we talked about our day- either what we did or what we were about to do. Mealtime was never the place where correction took place, unless it was on our table manners. In the morning at the breakfast table Mom would read the daily devotions and the daily scripture. The one rule that Dad had was that we were never to sing or hum at the table- but once in a while we would play some sort of a game at the end of the meal- I would want us to do something fun and long, especially if it was my turn to do the dishes. I wanted to put that chore off as long as possible.
One time I was at a friend’s house and meal time was when the dad would point out to each family member what they had done wrong that day. I can tell you that the meal that his wife had worked hard on did not set well, at all. It was an uncomfortable feeling and it made me feel bad for everyone concerned.
When you sit down at the family table the next time, watch and see if you can actually pass the food to each other and remember to enjoy the food but more importantly each other.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EACH OF YOU!