Living Simple

My friend wrote on her blog about a decorating style she admired (http://houseitemsandroomsilike.blogspot.com/2008/12/this-is-gorgeous.html). I agree. Simple is MUCH better, but it is really suprisingly hard to do. Do you think so too? Like losing weight, something I know a little about. The weight creeps up and up without one hardly noticing, but it is so hard to lose it. It's the same thing for me with clutter. It starts with one pile of mail I can't deal with right this minute, then a stack of magazines, shoes that need to go upstairs, linens I don't really have a place to store. . .

I spent a week on a 42' sailboat several years ago. There were 3 adults and six teen-age Boy Scouts. It was a blast, but it also inspired me toward a more uncluttered existence. Why do we need two or three of everything? On the boat, you have to be able to put everything away, every day. A place for everything, etc. He (the captain and boat owner) didn't have two cookie sheets, much less the six I have in my cupboard, three of which don't even fit in my oven. I think I'm going to go start a Good Will box right now.

Cookies, again

Here's the snowball recipe:
http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1565831

and the pine nut cookies. Same cookie base, but pine nuts instead of coconut. I piped the leftover white chocolate on top. I hate to be wasteful!

Cookies

Alright, pipe down. I know I don't stage food as nicely as Martha's minions staged hers, but I thought these turned out o.k. Zack said they were lame, but he's also sporting a mohawk so I don't have to take him too seriously. I tried to find recipes on her website with no luck. I got them as an insert to my magazine subscription invoice. The ones on the bottom were supposed to look more like snowballs. Again-- oh well. They did taste good.

Poetry for Plumbers

I don't know if you'd feel this sentimental about your plumbers, but I thought you'd appreciate the poetry. Made me laugh, as I'm getting ready to redo my bathroom.

http://www.elabs7.com/functions/message_view.html?mid=604262&mlid=499&siteid=20130&uid=502144dea9

I need a shot of frenetic energy, maybe to be a Type A personality for a bit. I want to not resent the fact that I can't spend the afternoon in front of a nice warm fire with my stack of magazines and books. Or when I do blow off the world for an hour, not to feel bad about it.

Perfectionism is Paralyzing

I don't know why I feel that I can't post a message without having a picture to go along with it. Perfectionism is paralyzing. Everything that has to be done for Christmas (for me) is exciting to think about at any other time of the year than now. Too many holiday events, too much to do at work. . . whine, whine, whine. I think what I need to do is make a list. I find it very distressing when my sieve-for-a-brain lets too much get away from me.

Decluttering

I'm lamenting a recent urge to declutter. You've heard of "buyer's remorse" I'm sure, but this is more like tosser's remorse. I got rid of a box full of cookbooks, including one from my mother, her Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. You know, the one with the red and black checked cover? I think this edition dated to the '60s, maybe ten years after she married my dad. I don't have a lot of sentimental value to many things related to my mother (a long story for another post. Maybe another blog.), but there were some recipes in this cookbook I'm realizing I miss. I saved the page with the apple pie recipe. Funny, since this one I know by heart, but why didn't I save the page with the banana nut bread recipe? Everybody has their favorite recipes for banana bread, and this was mine. I'm sure I'll find it online, but it would be comforting, right about now, to be able to pull that old dinosaur cookbook off the shelf and consult its wisdom. Yes, the pages were stained and illegible in places. Yes, the tabs were crumbling away so the book had no real organization anymore. But I knew where the tuna noodle casserole recipe was by feel! Well, o.k., the "feel" was the crustiness from leaving the cookbook out too close to the mixing bowl, but you know what I mean. Three-quarters of the way through the book was the "casseroles" (or was "one dish meals"?) Whatever. I'm sorry now I put it in that box. I can replicate the recipes, but not the "feel."

Gone to the Dogs

So here are the spots. Aren't they cute? Notice the spot on the carpet. Thanks Molly. Molly is the group of spots on the right. Mosby is the forlorn beast on the left. I do love them, though I do not love the spots they leave behind, if you know what I mean.