correction

I typed the wrong date in my post about Bruges.

I meant to type 1993.

Too tired tonight to figure out how to change it.



good night, sweet dreams.

something old

My ancestors on my fathers' side came to America from Bruges, Belgium. First stop was Ellis Island. While passing through the halls and completing the paper work, the family name was changed right then and there to Bridges. A more American sounding name.

While living in Europe, we had the pleasure to travel to Belgium. We toured Brussels, there we ate the local cuisine, Mr. Right learned new driving customs and we saw our very first Michelangelo carving in person. It took my breath away. That particular trip, I was short on breath. The handmade lace was amazing. swoosh, just like that, my breath evaporated.

The year was 1998 and son number one was eleven, son number two was eight years old.

We meandered, learned, dined, and explored the city of Bruges. It was a once in a life time experience. The lace, oh the lace, all hand made and valued. The needlework school demands that you tat and learn the art of lace making for 7 years before you can sell your wares and call yourself a professional lace maker. I went into several shops. Yes, I purchased a couple of pieces.

Mr. Right kept the boys occupied outside. Tell me, what 8 and 11 year old boy would be interested in lace? I went into one shop in particular. The ladies were kind and lovely to me. They listened to my plan with enthusiasm. Carefully and with precision, they lined up upon the counter, several handkerchiefs embellished with hand made lace. I left the shop. I came back in with one boy, the oldest. I said, "see those handkerchiefs? Which one is your favorite?" He pointed. The ladies took that one "out of the line up". I left the shop again. I took out son number one and brought back in son number two. I repeated the process. I said, "see those handkerchiefs? Which one is your favorite? I took son number two out of the shop. I went back inside to pay.

You see, I came up with a plan. I would have the boys each chose their favorite lace handkerchief. I bought the ones they chose. I labeled them with their names. Then carefully wrap them away in my cedar chest. Seven and a half years ago, I gave son number one "his" handkerchief to give to his sweetheart when they became engaged. She carried it when they got married.

Yesterday, I wrapped up the remaining handkerchief and gave it to son number two to give to his sweet girl. They became engaged yesterday. She is now the care taker of her handkerchief. I hope she chooses to carry it on the day they marry.

Life is full of decisions, and when you find you've got one right, it is worth
celebrating!

Introducing the new Mrs. Wilson (to be)

Son number two proposed tonight.

Miss Monica will turn into Mrs. Wilson in 2012!

WOOHOO

We are over the moon happy!!!!!!!!!

Did I mention we are HAPPY?

breathe

"If you are lucky enough to be at the
beach, then you are lucky enough".

My family and I will be taking
a few days holiday at the beach
to renew our spirits.

See you when we return.

pink

Tonight after Thanksgiving dinner, we were served special cupcakes before the traditional Thanksgiving pies, cookies and candy.

The cupcakes had pink filling!

We have more sugar and spice coming our way in the form of a new Grandgirlie!

Adelaide Erin Wilson will be joining us March 30th, 2012!

woohoo

words

I like the word serendipitous. I really like the word bliss. I love the word grace. Last night, while both baking in the kitchen, we were throwing out words that we liked and liked to use and hear.

The flip side of that conversation are words we don't like to hear. I do not care for the words "no problem". I don't care for the word "whatever". Mr. Right does not care for the word "especially". I really, really don't care for the word busy.

For some odd and strange reason, it has become a catch word. One that people feel pride in using. I would like to go on record as saying that I do not care for it, not one little bit. The word busy is not something to be prideful about.

It is used as an excuse. The word "busy" is used to make others feel less. I for one do not want to purposely make others feel less because of my words. It is not lady like nor is it full of grace. The word busy is used to tell the world you can not organized your time and calmly take on the tasks of your life. It screams to the world that you cannot be in the moment and handle each moment and event as they come about. It tells others you have over committed and have not gracefully learned to say no.

The older I get, the more I like learning to live in the moment.

Yesterday, a friend stopped her studying for finals and four papers due, to have a couple of cups of coffee. Right smack in the middle of the day, she had the grace to disengage for a few moments and be in the moment. She needed the rest. I think we all did. Just a couple hours to calm down and regroup and laugh a little. Yes, it was right in the middle of her brain going 100 miles an hour. Thinking back on the time, it made us feel special. She thought enough of us to take a break and add us to her day. I think and hope, it made her feel special that we went over to "make" her rest her brain for a small amount of time, give her time to clear the cobwebs. She never once said, "I am so busy.". Yeah, we all know she has her plate full. College daughter home for the week, finals, husband, son, dog, birds, donating to others, her cupboards are bare and she says she needs to get to the grocery store to restock, an elderly mother needing time, .......I don't have to list it all. It is called life. We are all trying to keep all the balls in the air and juggle and juggle and keep some sort of balance. (There is another word I like "balance").

Today, I will give today importance. You just know I want to go on and on and on about son number two and daughter in law to be coming for a visit tomorrow. It has been way too long since we have seen them. I want to gush on and on about our upcoming holiday at the beach.

However, for today, Mr. Right and I will find out if we are going to be grandparents to another grandgirlie or a little grandson made out of snips and snails! We will relish today. Hey, there is another word I love "relish". Our niece has a call back job interview today. This could be a remarkable day for her. We will wait for her phone call or e-mail to tell us the results.

I am choosing to spend my time and thoughts in today. Oh sure we have wonderful things on calendar, even for the coming week. Anticipation is a great feeling. The planning and excitement of things to come. Thanksgiving dinner, the trip to the ocean, swimming in the warm pool, board games to be played, snacks to be enjoyed.
Two family birthdays, yes the list goes on and they will come one at a time.

We are only given as much as we can handle. I like to remind myself of that.

I could list all of the "things" that I have to do. I could go on and on telling the world that I am busy. Urgh. Or I could dig a little deeper and find the grace and kindness to give power to each moment of each day. Relish it. Enjoy & embrace it. When we look to the next event or commitment we steal some of the joy of what is happening at that exact moment. I want to give importance and joy and my total care and concern to what is upon me. I don't want it to hurry up and be over. (well, except for dental appointments). I want to be in the moment and "live" in the moment.

It does not make me more important or worthy if I am busy. It robs me of being in the here and now. Yes, it steals the joy from what we are experienceing. I like learning to take each day as it comes. Maybe by learning to enjoy and relish the good days as they come about, it will help teach me how to calmly and with purpose walk through the bad days & events.

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.

I want my days spent in grace.

first snow of the season

If we were still home schooling, today, we would read and
learn the poem "When the Frost is on the Punkin"
by James Whitcomb Riley.

Last night we got our first dusting of snow. Some of the white flakes landed on my pumpkins.

Since school is not in session, think I will just send a gentle reminder to son and daughter number 2, to toss in a warm coat into their suitcases. Four days and a wake up until we get to enjoy their visit. YIPPY!

Cheddar Spread.....Spread some Cheer!

The state was Oklahoma, the people are FRIENDLY. I learn everything you ever wanted to know about hospitality from the good folks in Oklahoma. We lived there about four years. We were invited, invited and invited all over again. People gathered for any reason, however "the" season to gather was the holidays.

Okay, our calendar dates were filled a month or two before. We even were lucky enough to be included in a couple parties on one day. I learned the first year, I had to get creative and inventive for hostess gifts, those babies could get expensive.

So, round about August, I started saving jars. Yep, pickle jars and mustard jars and jelly jars...every time someone emptied a jar, I yelled "SAVE THE JAR"!. I cleaned them and removed the labels and stored them in a big box.

I started buying boxes of fancy schmancy crackers sometime in early November. Oh yes, I used coupons and watched for sales.

Now, hello late November & here we go..............this is the remarkable goodness that I filled all those little jars and big jars and medium jars with:

Cheddar Spread

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 - 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sherry
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients until well blended using your mixer. Transfer to all your jars. Seal them with their air tight lids. Keep in the refrigerator.

Each time we were headed out to a party or gathering we took a box of crackers, grabbed a jar of Cheddar Spread. Each year I chose a different ribbon. Some years it was plaid, some years a rich, deep barn velvet red. Then I clipped a piece of evergreen to put under the bow on the jar. I had already made up a dozen or so tags, hand stamped. We were in business.

I have shared the recipe over & over & over. It makes for a really thoughtful gift for a neighbor or a quilt friend. It is just lovely to have a dozen or so ready to go in your refrigerator. You will not be sorry you planned ahead. Hopefully you saved one out to use just for you & your family.

Buckle up kids, the holiday season is upon us and everything is going to be just fine and dandy.

Spread some Cheer, give Cheddar Spread this year!

That which cometh from the heart will go to the heart.

The latest Before and After

Oh, we love being grandparents. Yep, we really, really do. Who knew it should be on every single person's "bucket list"?

The relationship is pure joy and happiness. All the time, you think about what you can do to make it even more fun and happy. You try and come up with silly things that will make that grand baby in your life squeal with delight.

I do some of my best and creative thinking in the shower. This idea came to me and instead of lingering under the hot steamy water, I finished lickity split and jumped out, toweled off and had to write everything down. This was the grandparent idea of the century.

We never discussed it, however neither of us, by unspoken agreement, wanted to be the kind of grandparents that had a white brocade upholstered sofa, chair and ottoman. We didn't want over the top expensive crystal figurines that were set about. We did not want white walls and glass topped tables nor did we want crystal lamps.

Oh sure, several wicker picnic baskets we have scattered around our home are no longer filled with candles, papers, magazines, seasonal items. They are now, every one of them, filled with blocks and plastic lizards and cars and rattles and plastic spoons and even a big goofy plastic crab. We have bristle blocks hiding in one basket under the end table.

The time has come to talk about the coffee table. Yep, Mr. Right built it and I love it. I love the two drawers. I love the display drawer with the glass top. I loved everything about it, that is until a certain Grand girlie came to visit.
We don't want to have to say no, no, no, over and over and over. She likes to make noise by slamming her little hands on the glass. We can't be "those" grandparents.

Idea.

Mr. Right went to Lowe's and bought some plywood, paint and a brush. We painted and waited and painted and waited, for three days...........oh the waiting. This morning he took out the glass table top and replaced it with a brand new chalk board!!!! A certain little miss sweet cheeks is coming over to play & have lunch.

Oh and if she gets bored with chalking............we remove the chalk board and underneath instead of fabric and silk leaves and grown up things............. there is a drawer full of uncooked rice with cars and trucks and little measuring cups to pour and pour and fill and dump for lots more fun.

This home is grand baby friendly. We are ready and happy to be so.

Bring 'em on...........we are hoping for oodles and oodles of grand babies. For now we will settle for one sweet Grand girlie.

Gotta go........she is headed this way.

Let the chalking begin!

remember

Today, Mr. Right went off to work with a bright red poppy pinned to his lapel. Every year, he remembers. When the boys lived at home, they wore a red poppy on their shirts. The Sunday close to Remembrance day, they wore the poppy to church.

While living in Europe we visited a different cemetery near this date. We were in Saint Avold one year and payed our respects to General George Patton another year. We remembered. We were, each year trying to teach the boys to respect & remember.

We have a lovely painting of a field of poppies painted by a Texas artist. It hangs proudly in our home. It gently reminds us to remember.

My grandmother (mother's side) could never remember my father's birthday. She always thought it was November 11. Actually, it was November 12th. Maybe she chose not to remember?

My husband sent out his Veteran's Day cards again this year and has received several. Sometimes for tough old Army guys it is easier to send a card, let Hallmark say the words and add a meaningful quote.

We had the boys memorize "the" poem. Yes, "Flanders Fields" was printed, chalked on the sidewalk, read and repeated & repeated & repeated. They were very proud to recite it to their Dad when they finally had it down pat.

Yesterday, I drove to a nearby town & made a visit to the Old Soldier's Home. Every active duty soldier has 50 cents taken out of his or her paycheck every month. That money goes to take care of their own. Boy would they be proud of how their money is spent. The grounds are well groomed. The buildings are in tip top shape. The people, oh the people that work there are polite, very friendly and you get the sense that they are extremely proud of where and for whom they work. The order in which the place is run is of course, military precision. It seems to run like a well oiled and cared for machine. While on a mini tour of the physical therapy unit, every single thing was spotless, organized & ready for use. The residents as well as the workers welcomed me and were very proud to show off their unit. I certainly felt honored to be brought into their fold, their home. There were residents working at all the physical therapy machines. As I approached some working at rebuilding their body parts, the men of course started to stand to offer their respect and good manners to me. It was very humbling. The word humble is overused. I honestly felt humble. As I prepared to leave the grounds, I saw a couple of trucks and workers hauling out flag after flag after flag. They were preparing to put up all the flags along the drive for today, Veteran's Day. They were working hard, smiling, happy, very polite and oh yes, you could tell the moment you saw them, they were proud of their work. They had been called to do that particular job at the particular moment in time.

While I have come to appreciate & understand the commercialism of advertising a "free" lunch at Applebee's or a free donut for every Veteran at Krispy Kreme...
it is certainly a million times better than just ignoring our service members...
It is not how our family will remember.

You won't find Mr. Right nor his brother nor any of the men he served with having a free lunch at a pizza place or taking a free slice of pie from a Shari's. You will find them doing what they always do. They will be going about their business of being good husbands, good fathers, good grandfathers and good uncles. They will quietly go about their day. Oh don't for one moment think that their minds are not swirling with all those who have gone before them. They will never, ever forget. It is who they are. They have passed on to their children the message of honor and respect.

"We shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders fields."

Bliss on Wednesday

For a few years now, around the time when I switch from ice cold blended drinks to the warm drinks you can wrap your hands around, I somehow find my way to a nearby (or on a trip for that matter) Starbucks. Sure, who doesn't enjoy the new Salted Caramel latte?

Focus.

I am on a mission. Finding Bliss. Pure Bliss.
Okay in the food genre, pure bliss.

I really only want one, maybe two a season. They are that good.

I decided to bake a batch myself and maybe share with a friend or two. I have researched (maybe sampled) a couple of different recipes.

This particular recipe hits the nail on the head. So worth your time and effort and money for ingredients. This recipe also makes an amount that you can handle. There are several out there that will have you giving away Bliss Bars to every person you run into. This amount is much more reasonable.

Here is the recipe and Here's to finding your own "Bliss" this season. yum.


Cake
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup chopped sweetened dried cranberries
4 ounces white chocolate, cut into chunks

Frosting
4-ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup chopped sweetened dried cranberries

Drizzled Icing
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vegetable shortening


1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Make cake by beating the butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs, ginger, vanilla, and salt and beat well. Gradually mix in the flour and baking powder until smooth. Mix the chopped dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks into the batter by hand. Pour the batter into a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake is lightly browned on top. Allow the cake to cool.

3. Make the frosting by combining the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. When the cake has cooled, use a spatula to spread the frosting over the top of the cake.

4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chopped dried cranberries over the frosting on the cake.

5. Make the drizzled icing by whisking together powdered sugar, milk, and shortening. Drizzle this icing over the cranberries in a sweeping motion with a squirt bottle or fill a small plastic storage bag with the icing and cut off the tip of one corner.

6. Cover the cake and let it chill out in the fridge for a couple hours, then slice the cake lengthwise (the long way) through the middle. Slice the cake across the width three times, making a total of eight rectangular slices. Slice each of those rectangles diagonally creating 16 triangular slices.

Makes 16 bars.

Hands full

OOps. I know, I know I promised to share a recipe on Tuesdays.

Grandgirlie visits trump blogging. It is just the law of the land.

I will get to the recipe quick as a bunny today.

Here is the perfect reason I didn't follow through with the recipe yesterday.

baby it's cold outside

Just home from a spin around the neighborhood with Mr. Right.

Since coming home in August with a new knee, lots of things have changed for the better. Only a couple things have changed for the slightly less better.

cold. The titanium in my knee seems to conduct cold and with the position into the bone, sends a chill down and up my leg. So much so, that I get the shivers and have to turn the heat on high.

With the heat on high, the poor driver is in a t-shirt and over heated. He sticks his head out the window every 15 minutes or so.

Solution. It came in the mail today.

Gorgeous Red Plaid, electric blanket for use in the car. It works PERFECTLY. It kept my leg and the rest of me warm and toasty. Oh my goodness. Where has this been all my life? I really, really love it.

Have I mentioned lately, that I am one lucky girl?

tips in life

Since I have lasagna cooking in the slower cooker for dinner and the washer and dryer are doing their things, thought I would sit down and write for a moment.

Several years ago, we had just finished dinner at an amazing bistro in North Vancouver, BC. It was the most wonderful dinner we had enjoyed at a restaurant up to that point. The service was the most gracious we had ever received. So when the bill came, it was not really a shock to see Mr. Right had decided to include a tip that was just shy of the amount of the total bill. We were that pleased. It was a pleasure to have gotten the chance to eat at such a fine establishment.

Saturday night has somehow become Sushi night out for us lately. We found a great (new to us) restaurant that is not far from our home. It makes indulging a little bit easier & convenient. The owners and service workers are kind & considerate. They are friendly and welcoming. The food is remarkable and the Sushi chef is top notch. You already know what I am going to type next, Mr. Right over tips. Yep, every single time, no matter the total, no matter how many people we dine with, he over tips. Yes, the service Saturday night was once again, flawless. When the owner came over with a newly created Sushi dish, she offered it to us and asked us to give it a try. It was a pleasure to try something we may not have ever ordered. It was delightful and a bit spicy and interesting and delicious. It was very generous of her to serve us something they are adding to the menu. As always, we ended the meal with generously over tipping.

Who on earth is willing to pay $4.88 for a blended latte? That is madness. That is crazy. Okay, so I am talking about me. Yep, every once in a while I am more than willing to shell out a few paper dollars to buy a coffee treat. Nope, I am not willing to put money in a tip jar for coffee. Yep, I know it sounds weird and odd, now that you know I/we tip for fine service. No, I don't tip the dentist. Yes, I take him some homemade bread every once in a while. No, I don't tip the mail lady. Yes, I bake homemade cookies or treats for her several times a year. For some reason, I just don't have the urge to tip for a $4.88 cup of coffee that took the person 2 minutes or less to prepare. Now, don't get me wrong, once in a while when I have come into unexpected money (found $7.00 once), I tipped the Barista the whole 7 dollars. No, I am not a scrooge. I just can't wrap my head around seeing the tip jar front and center and being served a coffee with an attitude. It does not make me want to fill the jar.

While living in Europe, it was somewhat awkward getting used to not tipping after a lovely meal. It is included in the cost of your food. Several times we have eaten at the Culinary School in Seattle where our daughter in law teaches. You pay for your meal, however NO tipping. They are learning and earning a grade and credit to prepare and serve the fine meal. It feels unusual and thus we are jumpy about not leaving a tip. However, a really lovely thing happens, each time we have made the time to thank them sincerely and look them in the eye and shake their hands. We choose a portion of the meal or an item that was exceptionally good and mention that. We bring on our very best manners and offer our gracious thanks for a service well done.

The whole idea of not tipping forces us to be very sincere & to be outwardly thankful. When buying a big, fat, luscious bouquet of flowers at Pike Place Market. You pay a price. Usually $10 or $15 dollars. Tax is included. The vendor has brought them to the market, spent their time and talent to arrange the bouquet and then sells it to you. Every single time we pay, we also reach across their bounty to shake their hand and look them in the eye and say a grateful and sincere, Thank You.

I was caught off guard this morning. I had my lasagna going and chores were under way. The door bell rang. It was a neighbor just stopping by to share a extremely large box of just picked apples. Oh my. After he said they were for us, my first words were THANK YOU for sharing. I did not once think about tipping him. Once I closed the door and gazed at the huge box of goodness, I did think, oh, I should make a really great thank you card with apples on it.

Sometimes being sincere and grateful are enough of a tip.

"Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal.
It is a way to live."

Three months ago today, I received a new knee. Yep, only a short 90 days ago. After recovering a couple weeks, I went back for a check up. Things looked good. I gave my surgeon a heartfelt and grateful thank you note. Mr. Right & I both shook his hand and looked into his eyes and said we were grateful and appreciative.

I was thinking of him today. He is in Afghanistan serving our country. He is doing his real job. He is a soldier and his job is to defend our country to the best of his ability. He is there to repair our hurt soldiers. He is one of the good ones. You and I WANT him on our side. He is smart and is well trained. He is a man of honor.

If I had an appointment with him, I would tell him what I did today. I did 22 minutes of yoga this morning. I made the bed and took a shower. I did laundry and made breakfast. I did the dishes. I vacuumed the entire house and storage room. I worked outside for 2 1/2 hours doing heavy yard work. I pulled weeds and picked up branches and moved old pumpkins. I blew off our circle driveway. I swept and pulled more weeds. I shoveled up pine needles and filled our yard waste container. I came in and made my lunch. I cleaned the laundry room. I have a batch of dog treats made and baking in the oven. It is only two in the afternoon. There is still plenty of time to create and make and accomplish a whole lot more today.

My knee is working well. I am walking the dog daily about 1 3/4 miles. I am doing my exercises and working on balance and stretching.

My surgeon would be proud of me. Heck, I am proud of me. In 90 days, I have turned a bad situation into a positive one. Okay, so I am still managing a bit of pain now and then. I am having to learn all over again about getting cold and trying to stay warm.

Today, I am grateful for modern medicine. I am grateful for tytainium knee replacements. I am grateful for a skilled surgeon. I am grateful that I live in a free country, where as a woman I can walk my dog every day by myself.

I have much to be thankful for.

Have I mentioned that I am a very lucky girl?

I am choosing to be grateful and celebrate today!

bliss

Sunday's Child is sharing Treats on Tuesday. A recipe with zero guilt.

Lucky me. I happen to have a wonderful wrought iron chandelier hanging over my bathtub. Mr. Right hung it up with a pulley system. So once in the bath, you can lower it down to a level just above the bubbles. When lit, it casts the most becoming light & shadows all around the room. It is not electric. It is to use with candles. So each of the little pedestals holds a candle. Imagine this, you put on some wonderful relaxing piano music and you glide into a bath tub filling with warm water. Under the water, you pour in some of your home made bubble bath. Why homemade you ask? Because in this recipe you don't add any chemicals which will soak into your body through your skin. This is a no guilt recipe. No chemicals or additives, nothing harsh, just pure goodness.

I found some bottles at the local brewing shop. For a few Christmas gifts, I am making homemade bubble bath for some girls in my life. Now comes the creative part of adding a bit of girlie touches to the bottle. The label you ask? Of course, I am designed it myself. She happens to be a lovely curvaceous mermaid with lots and lots of curly hair.

Sweet Dreams Bliss Bubble Bath

This bubble bath has lavender and patchouli oils to relax you before bedtime. Use soft music and lighted candles in your bathroom for a soothing effect.

6 drops of lavender oil
3 drops of patchouli oil
1 quart of distilled water
4 ounces liquid castille soap
4 ounces liquid glycerin

Directions: mix the water, soap and glycerin together and stir.
Now add your essential oils to the mixture. Add to your bath and enjoy every single moment of bliss. When your fingers begin to look like prunes or you have run out of hot water, which ever comes first.....

Towel off, wrap up in a fluffy white robe and go find some sumptuous lingerie to slip into. Sleep perchance to dream.


Next week, I will share a recipe for Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars.(excuse me, my mouth was watering a bit while I typed that) Between now and next Tuesday you will need to find a friend to share with. The recipe makes too many to eat yourself. The season is upon us. The time has come to start sharing some goodies and kindness.