weekend was a bust

I feel like I am treading water. It isn't that we didn't get stuff done this weekend - we did - just not around the house. We did get some shopping done.

Today was the grocery store. We saved about $30 on $100 worth of groceries thanks to our Ralph's card coupons. We had about four pages of coupons and we spent some time in the aisles trying to figure out which ones to use. For example we had coupons for $1.00 off fresh vegetables when you bought either three or four dollars worth. I am sure anyone watching was laughing at our debates, especially in the toilet paper aisle. Why does that have to be so confusing? We determined that the dollar 4-packs were not the deal. Best deal was 5-pound sack of russet potatoes for 75 cents.

Saturday we had a fun day shopping. We found something for the nephew that is living 9000 miles from his parents. We even figured out a way to get said present to him - hopefully even by Christmas day. I guess that is progress. I hadn't thought about it when we bought said present, but leaving it here could have caused all sorts of problems. Would the parents take it back to New York or would the grandparents take it back with them? Give me bonus points for avoiding that scenario.

We also found this amazing little restaurant. It's called Pie 'N Burger. We were actually hoping to go for breakfast, but arrived about 15 minutes too late. As the review promised, it is a bit reminiscent of The Apple Pan. It certainly has the counter and similar service. I'd say it reminds me a little of the recently closed Walkers of Albany California. We got a slice of cherry pie to go. Oh my - pie!

The list keeps growing, and it looks like I am going to lose a couple of days to a side trip to San Diego. Probably need to make myself sparse around the Internet for a day or three. I can get this done.


on the night stand :: Olivia Helps with Christmas by Ian Falconer

i made a list

And I think I can check one item off as done. My list is over three pages long, and growing. How ever am I going to get this all done over the next eighteen days?!

The dishes seem to be one of my pitfalls. It feels like I keep washing the same dishes over and over again. Part of my problem is that I am cooking things that while not extremely difficult, do take a bit of effort, and lots of pots, pans, and bowls. Ugh.

Tonight, for example, I made corn pudding. It is a souffle, but it isn't hard. It does take a pot, a bowl, the Cuisinart, and the souffle dish though. I served that with leftover roast pork from Thanksgiving. It leaked all over the bottom of the oven and made a lovely black stain. I knew I had to clean the oven again, but grrr!

Progress today included finding a place to drop off the extra canned goods I need to clean out of the cupboards. I have until this weekend. Then I can head over to Vromans bookstore to drop them off. They are collecting food all weekend at their locations. That's one less thing to worry about.

Why am I cleaning out the cupboards? Well, we are in a recession, and people who were once donors, are not clients of many food banks around the country. But truly it is because B's parents, his father in particular, gets really upset if there is more than one of the same thing in the cupboard. He spent one morning cleaning out the cupboards and got ballistic over two boxes of brown sugar and three kinds of flour. It was insane.


on the night stand :: Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard

nineteen days

It's sounds like a long time, but really it isn't. Nineteen days is the amount of time I have to get this house back in order. The time I have left to mentally prepare myself for the arrival. To convince B that we should just head north or east. Be anywhere but here for the holidays. All we need is an Internet connection.

I have a list in my head of all that needs to be done. I need to commit it to paper. I have been so anxious, I just haven't been able to let myself do that.

I also need to prepare for Christmas. I promised myself I would get my cards out on time this year. I have the blanks. My address book is a mess though. And of course I need something to go on the front. That's the hard part.

There is also the question of the tree. This has been a big issue with me and B for years. When we thought B's nephews were coming for Christmas, it seemed like a no brainer. Now, it seems like something I could be judged for as being frivolous or taking over a house that isn't mine. Of course it didn't stop me from bringing home three reindeer ornaments from Starbucks today. I have this idea in my head of having a Twitter themed tree. Very high brow. No one would get it.

And of course there are thoughts of what happens once they arrive. I am a planner by nature. For better or worse, I like to know what is going to happen. I think this is what is driving me crazy. Although this is major progress - getting almost a months notice - we still know little about their plans. So the question remains do we just plan as if they weren't here, or do we keep our calendar open? Either way, I think we are screwed.

Today's progress included taking in the recycling, which required going to two centers. The first was not accepting glass. I also got some tips on taking a preschooler to Disneyland. I apparently need to get bandaides.

Nineteen days is roughly 456 hours or 27,360 minutes. Nineteen days is less time than they will be here.

It's really a pity I don't drink.


on the night stand :: More Information Than You Require by John Hodgeman

the year of the family

As 2007 came to a close, B declare 2008 "The Year of the Family". So far little progress has been made. When B's parents and sister were here this spring, we couldn't even get them to sit down and have dinner with us. When we invited them out to The Getty Center for B's birthday lunch, they couldn't wait to leave. They didn't even stay to enjoy the art, gardens or special exhibits they have to offer. It was heartbreaking to watch.

It seems we get another chance to see "The Year of the Family" goes out with a bang. They are returning for the holidays. His sister, brother-in-law, and four-year old son who live on the east coast will be joining in the fun. They reportedly want to take their son to Disneyland for the first time. Not sure when they head back. But that reminds me I need to check out Alltop's new Disney page - just in the nick of time. Neither of us have been to the Magic Kingdom in over 20 years, and never with a small child.

At this point we have a couple of dates. The parental unit (which we believe includes the other sister) arrive on the 20th. The east coasters arrive the day after Christmas. B needs to be in Vegas for CES the first week in January, and since his office is on the Rose Parade route, I plan on seeing that parade come hell or high water.

To add to the mix, B's father wants to visit his brother in Oklahoma, who lost his son this year. We have no idea if they plan on heading out before or after Christmas.

We have been told to just go on with life, but that would mean we were taking a trip to New Mexico or the Bay Area. Still the question becomes how do you plan the holidays around this without ending up in the movies eating Chinese food on Christmas? Honestly though, that doesn't sound so bad.

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In case you are wondering, B's sister does have two sons. The younger one has been baby snatched by his grandparents, like his older brother before him. We thought the parental unit would bring him back, and that this was the 'Reunion Tour'. Apparently not so.


on the night stand :: Iodine by Haven Kimmel.