The Art of Being Fancy

     Polish it so it’ll shine! Wrap yourself in it to dazzle your world! Jingle it in your pocket and sound loaded.  Then, use it, wear it, and spend it.

Scarlet O'Hara's Fancy Frock

     It’s either silver plated, gold plated, or copper/nickel coated.  Just as fancy now as I was when I sauntered into the Great Estate Roadshow, I share my findings most humbly.  Mandi, a new friend pictured here, held my millionaire status in the palm of her hand, literally!  Oh, what visions swirled in colors of instantaneous wealth sprinkled with sugar plums.  Dreams included a face-lift, perhaps body sculpting, and a cruise to an exotic clime, waited on by stewards and butlers, hostesses, and everyone within ear-shot!  
     The person who emerged, carrying a Victoria Secret bag filled with rejected jewelry, appeared as I was before, enjoying the fantasy of Fancy, doing everything in my power to influence my surroundings in that art. More is always better when it comes to fanciness, a trait infused into my genes through my mother.  She boldly influenced me to dream, saving heirloom jewelry, family silver, and a cache of really old coins such as Eisenhower dollars and Roosevelt dimes. 
     The jewelry is fancy, pretty, flashy, shiny, and appears highly valuable. It’s costume jewelry with some signatures such as Napier, but it’s still costume jewelry. Serving pieces such as ladles and meat forks can be polished and displayed on a wonderfully appointed dinner table, but even marked Reed&Barton, it’s not Sterling, unless it is marked so. Old coins must have the “S” mint mark (San Francisco) to be the best- perhaps 90% silver. Only certain dated coins produce any value above face value. And those Kennedy half-dollars minted during the Bicentennial, spend ‘em, baby.  Each is worth 50 cents. The bottom line:  All that “stuff” that Mother saved, that I saved, and locked in the safe inside a fireproof lock box is worth dreamy sentimentality. Which in and of itself, is not a bad thing, if you know that's the reason for saving it.
     The advice: gobble up all the “goodie” now.  What you think you may be laying up for your children on earth is exactly what God told us – it is of no value, plus, you can’t take it with you.   They will have to go through it and learn the truth:  it’s only make-believe.  Do you really want your “silver” trays and “diamonds” going to Goodwill?
      In my case, I contributed  5 pounds of very colorful costume jewelry to a local drama department!  I have saved some dazzling rhinestone earrings to wear when I next visit with the Queen.  And, I vow to wear several of the rings, all at the same time, just for fun and fanciness.  Polishing the silver will not make my weekly to do list, so think how much time I’ll have to put finishing touches on my “soon-to-be-best-seller!”  I’ll wear the rhinestone shoe clips to my first book signing!
       The lesson,though, is important:  live joyfully, celebrate each day, and dazzle yourself with whatever you wish to enhance your own daily pleasure. Be Fancy within yourself, sparkling, shining, and jingling with every fabric of your being!

Freezing Panic to Snow Peace with 6 Assurances

1.       The quiet of a snowy afternoon overtakes the buzz of an intercom announcement, “The busses will arrive 30 minutes early…”

2.      The softly falling flakes accumulate to silently cover everything, in comparison to the “peck, peck, peck” of sleet and freezing rain.

3.      The aroma of ham and white beans cooking in a stew pot waft into the den soothing any concern about supper and “picking up some KFC on my way home from work.”

4.      Listening to Sirius XM Radio rather than “School Closings” makes for a restful afternoon as I assemble Goodie Bags for Celebrate Music this weekend.

5.      As the snow event comes to a close, my garage doors are closed, as they have been since early afternoon with no cars or trucks navigating the streets and byways.

6.      Cardinals, buntings, and wrens share the bird feeders alternately taking their turns sitting in the trees, hopping on the ground, and dining at the buffet set out just for them.  Their instinctive patterns have plumped them up nicely, and they have no desire to gather milk and bread from Wal-Mart shelves.

                                In Summary:  Spell it  R E T I R E!

Looks Good to Me!

Push-pins & ‘looks good to me’ vs. little nails, a level, measuring tape, hammer, pencil, thread, & painter’s tape.

Being married to master perfectionist Marvin is like combining Marvin AND Goss Dansby, Tate Thomas, Todd Gatewood, and Holmes on Homes into 1 body to hang pictures in the hallway.  These pictures cluster (with 2” between each picture) around the word FAMILY with this quote:  “Simple moments create lasting memories.”  Marvin brandished a level to stretch thread across the wall; the thread marked the horizontal line of sight and was held in place by painter’s tape. 

The pictures are randomly balanced by size, family relationship and by colors in the picture (my contribution). They are a blend of action photos such as the one with Marvin doing the “1-2-3 Jump!” with 3 grandchildren as they think he will join them to inaugurate  the pool for the summer! Another shows Brooke’s face with birthday cupcake icing when we surprised her at her classroom.  There are several posed pictures of our grown children and their spouses and girlfriends. A wild Mexican Dominoes game is featured along with a line-up at the ticket booth for rides at the Labor Day Picnic.

Anyone seeing these pictures of our blended family with the smiles and genuinely happy expressions will know how much we love them all.  Surely someone will remark, “Oh, look how marvelously level those pictures are!”

Keeping Secrets!

              Cooking Television Personalities make it look easy. Super-Chefs publish Cookbooks with gorgeous photographs intended, it seems, for display on coffee tables. Beautiful barefoot kitchen divas prance through their kitchens in designer aprons. Their presentations, the cute white ramkins containing just the right ingredients at precise measurement…it’s enough to send the Viking Cooking School onto Fortune 500.  But, these stars rarely share any proven recipe “secrets.”  Some cooks purposefully “leave out” that one special ingredient when sharing a recipe, so the novice will always wonder what she did wrong!
              I watched my mother-in-law and wrote her recipe for “sweet rolls” and modifications thereof, such as cinnamon rolls and “sticky buns.”  There is a huge temptation to take commercially prepared Sister Schubert rolls in the aluminum pan, flip out her delicious treats in one fat-filled circle, doctor them up and call it a day, because it takes patience to watch yeast in action, more than we instantaneous types prefer. 
                 All that is prelude to a kitchen confession:  my pies have not turned out as they should have this year.  I blamed it on altitude and latitude, just like I blame my forgetfulness on “time change.”  Wrong!  Did you know that you can add too much sugar to a recipe?  How wrong is that! Mother’s secret ingredients:  “a pinch of sugar” and “Mexican vanilla.” Her mantra:  “If a pinch is good, a couple of pinches more would be even better!” Instinct and inherited nature compel me to follow her lead in my cooking since I first discovered what went on in “that cute little room.” 
                 So, yesterday, over lunch, we were discussing shelling pecans when I zeroed in on conversation about whipping up a pecan pie.  I garnered 2 prize-winning tips.  These two tips seared into my brain and I could not wait to experiment.  I sacrificed the pie shells I had set aside for chicken pot pie to 2 pecan pies, or as I call them “Karo-nut pies.”  One pie went to the Soup and Sandwich Night at church; the other we kept for ourselves.
              Best pecan pies I have ever made.  Period. 

              I am not a sexy, barefoot, kitchen maven, but I do have my secrets!

Blessed and Grateful: Retirement Reflection

              I had no concept of retirement except what I watched in the lives of others. I knew that it was time to embrace something different. My heart was pulling me further away from work routines. Routines comfort the psyche, but sameness that dulls must be dealt with.  A jolt of different usually works.
                For six weeks after Retirement Day, I slept.  It seems that when I sat down, I’d take a nap: hour-long sleeps, or more. I could not get rested.  And then, I was rested, revived.  Walks, fresh air, sunshine and peace can do a body more good than milk.
                 No one seemed concerned about me in retirement, but they thought Marvin would go nuts. Neither of us is any nuttier than we were previous to vacating the workplace.  Marvin and I have found that we stay occupied, and act more by what seems right to do than what we “ought” or “should” do. His projects are enormous, in my estimation.  The house is a man-sized adventure – inside and out, so his “self” stays stoked. His energy also channels into city enterprises, community outreach endeavors, and total immersion, as this is his Hometown.  Our families need our expertise from time to time, and we love having the ability to step in when we can do the most good. We have taken some cool trips and have more in mind.  Watch for us if you live “out West.”
                 My involvement reflects my interests, energy, and abilities:  Clay County Arts Council, Rector Community Center, Hemingway-Pfeiffer Writer’s Retreat, Writers Ink, some of Marvin’s endeavors (I’m secretary and side-kick) plus the church choir.  My calendar is as full as I want it, plus I read the paper and sip my coffee, starting my day in leisure. I’ve found several shopping Meccas and totally love my Amazon Prime experiences. Using my laptop for social interaction, shopping, writing, and exploring beats PowerSchool black and blue! 
                I am not “driven.”  I have nothing to prove and am not charged with righting wrongs or saving the world.  I can’t do that anyway, but always felt that I should try.  What an enormous responsibility lifted.

While there are friendly acquaintances here in Retirement Rector and surrounding area, friends of the caliber and strength I have in Memphis will not ever be matched.  We’ve lived our life with friends from “the past” and have roots deeper than time. These friends stick. Friendly folks here are enjoyable, but there is not time on earth or depth of experiences required for growing true friendships.  It’s fun to be sociable, but I am not looking to build abiding friendships such as those I have with cherished life-long friends.

Retirement:  It’s a next step.  It is a different avenue, a new path, and I thrive on a “little bit new and different.”  I am blessed that I have health, life, and ability to enjoy this new adventure.  I am grateful to God that my life has meandered down a winding path to this point. Twists and turns, segues and sojourns led me, and it is marvelous, beyond what I ever imagined. God has done this same thing with me forever.  He gave me my children, He gave me my health and life, He grew in me a gentler heart, and opened my understanding of the world to embrace what He gives, not what I plan.

The Occupying Army Has Moved Out and I Miss Them

      For a wonderful Christmas week, we have had the pleasure of being occupied by our family.  They visited with robust joy; they ate with celebratory vigor; they gifted with generous spirit, and were recipients with grace, charm, and grateful hearts. 

        What an absolute pleasure to watch 18 mo. Aubrey explore the hallway to her bedroom with toddler speed. Soon we’d recognize that where there was quiet, immediate investigation was required! She was more into ripping paper, pulling colored tissue from gift bags, and trying to grab her mama’s cell phone!  Zach was a very polite teenage guest, laughing along with everyone when we gave him a coupon for $10 off a Barbie Doll as a “gotcha gift!” Renee’ and Cheryl’s families’ conversations are lively and I’m glad they are “on my side.” I would not want these two plotting against me!
             When Marvin’s family drove away to their homes, we filled up the gas tank the next morning and drove over to Hwy 22 off I-40 at Lexington, TN, meeting Maureen and Richard to bring him in for Christmas.  At the same time, David and Colby were headed to us from Memphis. By 6PM, we were all gathered for Christmas Eve supper and a rousing game of Mexican Dominoes!  Marvin always wins, regardless of what position at the table he occupies.  He also keeps score.  Hmmmmm.
            Christmas Day was a delight! We did not awake at dawn-thirty but we were glad we had lots of batteries!  David acted as Santa for the Day.  Wow!  What a celebration of Joyful Giving. The gifts I was expecting to arrive had been delivered USPS at the n-th hour on Christmas Eve, so I was relieved. Everybody was so excited about their Christmas gifts.  It was quite simply:  Awesome! Christmas Night we watched the approaching snow storm as we began work on a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle, set out on the dining room table.

Richard got the DriveOut Tag for his truck and motored on to Memphis by 2PM with the highways being deemed “in good shape” after our 10” Blizzard in Clay County.  Memphis only had a dusting – 1” so his drive there to spend time with David and meet up again with Maureen was just fine.
         
We missed Maureen being with us, since she was with her family in Nashville.  Marvin’s son and family have a moved to Houston, TX, in a new job with a wonderful opportunity. 
                          Other than that, this Christmas ranks toward the TOP for being occupied by family, an experience I will always treasure.

 

ROCK This House

               Crank it up, Ladies!  Turn the volume on “In The Next County!”- as in, “Turn that record player down! They can hear it over in the Next County!”  Ok, Daddy.
               Blast your speakers out with David Foster and Mannheim Steamroller, Morman Tabernacle and Josh Groban.  Throw in Alvin and the Chipmunks, Theme from Home Alone! Don’t forget “I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas!” When the UPS and FedEx guys arrive, invite them in, if they can hear your invitation over “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.”  They will refuse, because you have flour all through your hair and splotching your face, plus, you have on a Santa Apron!
              My great-grandmother Gordon and the other Grand Matrons of Camden, Arkansas, developed a recipe for Christmas Cookies that are colloquially known as “ROCKS.”  At least 10 healthy pecan trees were laden with fruit, right there in the side and back yards of the Big House, so we always had pecans for recipes, and all the ladies shelled and picked out pecans. At least 1 cup chopped pecans should be loaded into the Rocks.  Also, cut-up pieces of candied fruit and about ¼ cup of “whiskey.”   Alas, I do not add the whiskey, though it was a standard in many Gordon recipes. I add some Mexican Vanilla, and it gives the cookies a punch.  Well, I rocked out this afternoon to the strands of “Tender Tennessee Christmas,” plus I made a batch of “icebox cookie dough” to top off the afternoon.  That dough is divided into 4-8 portions, wrapped in wax paper, and placed in the “icebox” to set up, prior to baking the next day. These mainstays of Christmas plus a batch of Peanut Butter Fudge will finish up my baking tomorrow.
              I saw on Pintrest a super-cute way to gift baked goods to neighbors, so I’m planning on that Saturday.  And sometime I have to wrap those packages the UPS and FedEx guys have so graciously brought to my door step.
              Now, I am going to ROCK myself to sleep in my comfortable chair, like Richard did one afternoon after pre-school.  He climbed into Poppy’s chair, and started rocking in wild fun, and the next thing we knew, he was asleep! I feel a nap coming on just thinking about it.
             Rock On, Ladies!  ROCK ON! Turn on the Christmas music, turn it up LOUD. Dance, Cook, and Enjoy the season.  It’s a sure way to jump start the Christmas Spirit, even if you’re having some Charlie Brown difficulties!