#2650 five things about me - UPDATED

I’m doing a photo prompt challenge on IG. It is called #Decemberreflections2021, and it is put on by Susannah Conway, a woman I have been following for years now because I really like her content and what she puts out in the world.

Today’s prompt was “Five Things About Me”. When I first thought about it, I was going to talk about how I’m a mom and a wife, a loyal employee, yada yada yada, but then I decided to be real. So here are five things about me that you probably already know anyway, and they are all true. I’ll even post the photo I used!

🔆 I love cookies

🔆 My favorite cocktail is beer

🔆 I love to read and frequently read multiple books at a time

🔆 I love the ocean but only want to be in it up to my ankles

🔆 I have two mottos:

       🔅If you fail to plan, you plan to fail

         🔅 From the Dalai Lama - every year, go somewhere you have never been

  

#2647 travel Tuesday

MT and I are dreaming and thinking of our next vacation. We have two options currently in play: a week at an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean, probably the Dominican Republic, OR a Mediterranean cruise. We have pricing on both options, and surprisingly, they are pretty similar. There would be added expenses for excursions at each place, probably more on the cruise since we would go out and about at every stop. Also, the cruise option would end up being more because we would add on days at the start, or the end, or both. We want to maximize our experience!

The other thing that it on my brain is the Virus and the new variant that is starting to show up. Damn COVID! 

To be continued…

~~~

ALSO, today is the end of November, meaning the end of posting every day this month! I had a rough patch in there, but I think I recovered pretty well. There were some good posts and some crap posts and that is life in a nutshell, isn’t it?

In December I’m planning to write here on even-numbered days, so I’ll “talk” to you on Thursday the 2nd.

#2622 new food finds (5/30)

I tried a couple of new things this week that I want to tell you about. 

The last time I went to Trader Joe’s I saw this cacio e pepe pasta sauce. I’ve heard of this type of sauce, but haven’t tried it, so I thought, why not? We had it on Wednesday night during pasta night. I cooked up some chicken to go with it, and I thought it was dang tasty. Cacio is cheese; pepe is pepper. I think I would be able to make the sauce from scratch, if I set my mind to it, but this jarred sauce was a good introduction. I’ll buy it again. It made for a quick, easy meal.

You know, I drink coffee now. Costa Rica changed me! I bought some blond roast coffee beans from Starbucks. They ground the beans for me, and I brought the coffee home where I now happily brew coffee pretty regularly. I like my coffee milky and sweet, so I put in some milk and sugar. My friends at work told me about creamer, available at the grocery store in a variety of flavors. I found this vanilla caramel creamer and decided to give it a try. It’s pretty good! I think coffee, like many things, is an acquired taste. I am acquiring it! I am also looking forward to trying other creamer flavors. I’ve heard that there is a peppermint mocha creamer out there, and I am particularly interested in that one!

Speaking of peppermint mocha…

The red cups are back at Starbucks! To me, the red cups are the official start of the holiday season. This red cup was full of peppermint mocha and it was delicious. This wasn’t a new food find, but I couldn’t resist writing about the red cups. 

Have you tried any new foods lately? 

#2621 something quick and something slow (4/30)

I did have a fun idea for the post today, but I had obligations tonight, and now it is my bedtime. I’ll hold on to my fun idea for another time, maybe next Thursday since it involves three things, or maybe Tuesday, since it involves travel.

Until tomorrow, then, I’ll leave you with this photo of a sloth I saw in Costa Rica.

#2544 the best thing I ate this week

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that I didn’t like avocados, but it’s only been within the last 10 years or so that I have embraced the green fruit. I like to smear it on bread and put a fried egg on top - I know, I know, avocado toast is so four years ago, but I’m a late bloomer. And guacamole? Why did I deny myself the deliciousness all those years? There are few things as luscious as a perfectly ripe avocado. The smooth, buttery flavor is pretty damn great.

Yesterday, Thursday, was an avocado festival at my house. I had four perfectly ripe avocados sitting in the fruit basket, waiting to delight my taste buds. I fried a couple of farm fresh eggs, toasted some regular old white bread, sliced into one of the avocados and scooped the tender fruit from half. I spread it over the two slices of toast and sprinkled Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel seasoning on it. I topped each piece of avocado toast with an egg. The egg was enhanced with a dash of Trader Joe’s Cuban style Citrusy Garlic seasoning and a couple of shots of Marie Sharp’s green sauce. When I cut into the egg, the rich orange yolk oozed out over the bread and avocado. Every bite was amazing.

But that’s not even the best thing I ate!

Later that afternoon, I took the other half of the avocado plus another whole avocado and I smooshed it up in a bowl. I added a good squirt of lime juice, a generous sprinkle of the aforementioned Citrusy Garlic seasoning, and a healthy pinch of cayenne pepper. I mixed it all together and scooped some up on a salty, crispy tortilla chip. The crunchiness of the chip. The creaminess of the avocado. The flavorful seasonings. It was the best afternoon snack I could have had. I gobbled it all without remorse or regret. 

We still have two avocados left. We have to eat them tomorrow while they are at peak perfection.  I don’t think that will be a problem!

~~~~

One more thing..

I wrote a haiku today, so in the spirit of National Poetry Month, here it is:

Last day of April

Sitting outside on lunch break

Sun feels warm on me

(Takes little bow)

Last thing...

Tomorrow is the first day of May and I have decided to challenge myself to write every day in May. Why? Well, I attempt to write every day in November each year. It’s fun to do that because the holidays are upon us and it’s getting cold and wintery, so it’s kind of a snapshot of 30 days in the preparation for winter. May and November are six months apart. May is the gateway to summer. I think it will be fun to do a 31 day snapshot of the late spring/early summer in the intermountain west. 

That said, I’ll talk to you tomorrow!

#2543 a poem

Here is my final offering for this National Poetry Month. I drafted this poem back in 2017, and it has been on my mind since then. I have changed it a little, but it is still mostly the same as when I first wrote it.

Should

I hate the word should.

It hints at negligence:

You should have seen the signs.

It implies judgement disguised as advice:

What you should do...

It makes me feel guilty:

I should wash those dishes.

So when I hear or think the word should,

I stop.

Because maybe I did see the signs and

didn't realize I was missing something.

Because your advice is likely sound and good and

I would benefit from following it if I didn't feel judged.

Because I know those dishes need to be washed and

I just want to rest and I can wash them later.

And you know what?

I'm doing the best I can and

I'm not gonna should all over myself.

  

#2539 a poem

My mom said the last poem I posted had a Twilight Zone vibe to it. This one might have that vibe also. This poem is also based on a dream I had. I guess I've kind of been in a dark space. LOL

They

My phone buzzes

Waking me from an afternoon nap.

I say hello, my voice quiet and rough with sleep.

Listen to me, he says with urgency.

Take the baby and leave right away.

They are coming for you and

They will hurt you. 

I've made a terrible mistake and

I can't pay and

They are coming.

A jolt of understanding.

An unexpected sound.

An unfamiliar tread on the stairs.

Down the hall, my son cries.

They are here.

#2535 a poem

In March I had a couple of vivid dreams that lead me to write poems about each of them. Here is one. I don’t know if it is strictly considered poetry since there’s no specific style. It’s kind of all over the place. #freestyle

The Memo

The memo comes by email, high priority

To be seen by everyone in the company

At all the business units in all the states.

=

To: All Employees

From: Management

Subject: Person X

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY 

After lengthy and substantial investigation,

It has been determined that Person X has

Fooled everyone all along.

What passed as knowledgeable and proficient 

Was, in fact, an elaborate deception.

Person X has been reassigned to a role that

Will not require communication with you.

Do not speak to Person X.

The opinions of Person X are not to be considered.

If Person X approaches you, walk away and immediately report

The interaction to your manager and Human Resources.

=

I read the memo.

I shake my head.

I shrug. 

I return my attention to my new assignment.

I am Person X.

#2531 a poem

April is National Poetry Month. I've heard that poetry is for everyone, and that it is good for the soul. It's true also that not all poems are good, just like pretty much everything else in life, amiright?

So here's a little poem that I wrote. I hope you like it.

My Garden

On Saturday afternoons in the summer,

I sit under this tree

next to the fountain.

Grief sat beside me 

on that bench

and invited me to mourn.

Every week I walk

along these paths and

observe the passing of time.

The garden’s residents

show themselves to me:

quail, bunnies, and squirrels.

Less frequently and more memorably,

hawks and eagles

and once, a bobcat.

These flowery bushes are alive

with hummingbirds, butterflies,

and bumblebees.

Take a deep breath.

Can you smell the sweetness?

Can you hear nature?

My garden reminds me to

be present and thankful,

humble and delighted.

#2409 thanks Lizzie!

My sister commented on Monday's post that we DID in fact see The Police in concert for the Zenyatta Mondata tour in maybe 1979. I had forgotten about that! I do remember it now because I bought a t-shirt at the show that was stolen from the clothesline when we were in Spain a year or so later.  Thanks for the reminder Lizzie! I can't believe I forgot that!

Since I'm a little behind schedule tonight, I will just wish you a pleasant evening. 

#2113 untoward

Untoward definition from Dictionary.com: unfavorable or unfortunate

Untoward is the prompt today. I didn't even know what the word meant. It sounds kind of old fashioned. All day I have been thinking about this word and how to use it in a sentence and if I could incorporate it into my vocabulary and use it in a conversation. I'm not sure if I have the skill!

If I used it incorrectly it would be sort of untoward.
People might look at me in an untoward manner if I started using this strange little word frequently.

Merriam-Webster.com defines untoward as "difficult to guide, manage or work with".

T may be a bit of an untoward employee in MT's opinion. 
I'm fortunate that I don't work with many untoward people.

A second definition is "marked by trouble or unhappiness".

I know a person whose very life is currently untoward. (This is true, by the way.)

This word is strange to me. I don't think I'm down with it.

The results of the Utah football game were untoward this afternoon. 


Goodness. I didn't think those 10 minutes were ever going to end!

getwords.com

#2111 maybe it's not a thing anymore

There used to be a thing called National Blog Posting Month (NABLPOMO for short). It was a challenge to bloggers to write every day in November. There was a site that offered prompts to help out on days when you just stare at the white space on the screen and can't think of one dang thing to say. I googled NABLOPMO just now and I couldn't find anything current about it, so maybe it's not a thing anymore. People still have blogs, right? Maybe now they are just more focused and not as random as mine is. Whatever. I still like to write here and send my random thoughts out on the interwebs.

So I'll challenge myself to write every day this month. If past efforts are any indication, there will certainly be some days that are not so fantastic, but I'll be here all month, trying to entertain myself and the seven of you.

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of prompts. In that spirit, I googled November 2018 writing prompts and found this cute site with this fun list. To make my daily writing even more fun and challenging for myself, I think I will use this list to write.

~~~

COUNTDOWN

It seems like every day is a countdown to something new. I wake up in the morning and I think about what I'm going to do that day and I look ahead to the weekend, or the next holiday or something big that is on my mind. In November, there are lots of things I'm counting down to: MT's backpacking trip (this weekend), a dentist appointment, Thanksgiving, my sister's birthday, football games, changing the clock back an hour, all the books I want to read. It's like by counting down the days I'm looking forward to what's coming. Sometimes in the morning I will think, "And this weekend I will..." then I pull myself back and say, "Gotta get through today first, Sandy. Make it count."

Mostly when I think of the word countdown I think about Christmas. I love the Advent calendars that give you a little piece of chocolate as you count down the days until Christmas. When I was a little kid I looked forward to Christmas more than I do now. When you're a "grown up" it seems like Christmas kind of takes on a different meaning and there is more stuff to do to prepare for it.

Last Christmas was bittersweet because it was our last Christmas with my dad. This Christmas my mom and my sister will be here in Utah at my house and I am looking forward to having them here. Before Christmas, though, the three of us are going to Savannah, GA. I'm definitely looking forward to that!

See what I mean? I get ahead of myself!

MT's brother Kevin is here tonight. They have been planning a backpacking trip for a couple of months. They were supposed to go in September, then the day before they were going to go, MT fell off that ladder and the trip had to be postponed. They are leaving tomorrow to go out into the desert of southern Utah, around the Escalante area. It's gonna be cold at night, but they are really looking forward to it. I'm glad that they will get in some good bro time.

~~~

Okay, I kind of stayed on the topic of my prompt. I set a timer for 10 minutes and just started writing. It was fun. I think the main point is just to write. Well, we'll see how this goes. :)

See ya tomorrow!

tenor.com