So yesterday I went shopping for a book. The book is called How High The Moon, by Sandra Kring. I love her writing and she is a friend of mine. Her book is one of Target's Bookmark books. I walked excitedly into the store and expected her new release to be featured on an end cap. Much to my dismay it wasn't there. What? Had not the whole world been waiting with anticipation that matched mine? I'm not kidding. I had cleared the calendar so that I could devote all of my free time to this new work.
Well, I saw some employees stocking new books, Cd's and DVDs. I said to myself, step away and let these folks do their work. Shop around a little and check back. If you've read any of my earlier posts, you know that I don't just shop willy nilly. I shop from a list and I shop with purpose. But here I was free from the shackles of my list and I was killing a little time. I wandered over to the clothing section. My sister had on a cute sweater the other day and I thought I might check those out. Found 'em. Found my size. Soon to be mine.
Back to the books. Not out yet. I've got to go. Other things need to get done today. A few more stops and I'm home. Perhaps I should try on the new sweater (and of course pick out one that I will be saying bye to---you know, one thing in, one thing out rule). I try the sweater on and holy torpedo! Yeah, I meant to say that. Not holy Toledo. Why did I not try this sweater on in the store? Why didn't I think about it for 24 hours? Should I consider reduction surgery? Isn't Madonna's "Vogue" out of style?" I'm pretty sure you get the picture. Man, do I wish there was some one I could call to come and see this.
Back goes the sweater. Bad impulse buy. Should have tried it on before I left the store. I'm headed back tomorrow. I should have stuck to my list. I haven't found a book that doesn't fit me yet. OK, maybe one, but that's another post for another day.
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Moment By Moment
Have you ever tried to explain to a child that they should live in the moment? First of all---most of the time they do, so this may seem like an unnecessary task. But I happened to have birthed a planner. Now that we have some direction in our lives, and know where we are moving, she wants to boogie. She's cleaning out drawers and lining up books by topic and wants me to get her boxes and a Sharpie. This girl wants to pack! I had to sit her down and run through some simple breathing techniques and gently remind her that it is two months until closing.
She needed to be told that if we pack up our whole house now, what will we live with day to day? I would rather wait a while longer and sift through things slowly. Get rid of some, sell some and pack the rest when it's time. That's a hard concept for a ten and a half year old to wrap their minds around. Actually, I talk a great game, but it's hard for my 43 year old mind to embrace, too. Our new town and new house are things to look forward to. But to leave the only house that she's ever known and the town where her family and friends are, these are things too painful to think about at times.
I explained the saying "hurry up and wait" to her today. It's like running in place, I said. You're supposed to be in the ready mode at all times until you get the call to action. It's exhausting, I told her. And it's sort of a waste of time, too. Kind of like worrying. So, today I suggested let's live in the moment. Let's take one day at a time and enjoy it for what it is. There will be sad times and mad times and hopefully lots of glad times. But if we take it slowly and remember to breathe, all will be accomplished, memories and plans will be made, and the packing will get done. In the meantime, we will have had two months of great moments in the town that we hail from. With the people we love. Gracie (and me, too), breathe in two three, out two three...
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
She needed to be told that if we pack up our whole house now, what will we live with day to day? I would rather wait a while longer and sift through things slowly. Get rid of some, sell some and pack the rest when it's time. That's a hard concept for a ten and a half year old to wrap their minds around. Actually, I talk a great game, but it's hard for my 43 year old mind to embrace, too. Our new town and new house are things to look forward to. But to leave the only house that she's ever known and the town where her family and friends are, these are things too painful to think about at times.
I explained the saying "hurry up and wait" to her today. It's like running in place, I said. You're supposed to be in the ready mode at all times until you get the call to action. It's exhausting, I told her. And it's sort of a waste of time, too. Kind of like worrying. So, today I suggested let's live in the moment. Let's take one day at a time and enjoy it for what it is. There will be sad times and mad times and hopefully lots of glad times. But if we take it slowly and remember to breathe, all will be accomplished, memories and plans will be made, and the packing will get done. In the meantime, we will have had two months of great moments in the town that we hail from. With the people we love. Gracie (and me, too), breathe in two three, out two three...
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
More or Enough
We're all living in the same economy right now and times are lean. I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know. We are absolutely barraged with this information every day on the news and in the papers. So I have a question for you. How do you shop? For more or enough?
What do I mean? Do you shop for more stuff because you can, because it's on sale, because it gives you comfort to have more? Or are you a shopper of enough. Enough to eat for a week. Enough to wear for a season. I'm an ENOUGH shopper myself. I know MORE shoppers though. I prefer my way because I like things simple and cleared out. I also have have environmental concerns that I often think about. Do you know that there is now a chip bag that disintegrates quickly in compost? Cool. What will they think of next?
I saw a show this weekend about a hoarder. Wow. I had never seen anything like it before. This woman's husband had died and because of the tragedy in her life she tried to fill this void by shopping. She never threw anything away. Rooms were stacked to the ceiling with not only material goods, but the garbage that was created by them. Even food garbage. So sad. Once she received counseling and help disposing of her things, the woman's life took a turn for the better.
So when I say MORE shopper I don't mean hoarder. I wanted to qualify that. And you know what? The MORE shoppers are the ones who always have things on hand. I know because they have come through for me in a pinch. When I have run out of something. When I didn't have enough. The more shoppers also buy things on sale and get great deals.
Now, as I get ready to move my household, to where I'm not sure yet, I am glad that I am an enough person. Less to pack, move and dispose of. But I do have to be thankful for the more people. We balance each other out. For me, right now though, enough is good.
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
What do I mean? Do you shop for more stuff because you can, because it's on sale, because it gives you comfort to have more? Or are you a shopper of enough. Enough to eat for a week. Enough to wear for a season. I'm an ENOUGH shopper myself. I know MORE shoppers though. I prefer my way because I like things simple and cleared out. I also have have environmental concerns that I often think about. Do you know that there is now a chip bag that disintegrates quickly in compost? Cool. What will they think of next?
I saw a show this weekend about a hoarder. Wow. I had never seen anything like it before. This woman's husband had died and because of the tragedy in her life she tried to fill this void by shopping. She never threw anything away. Rooms were stacked to the ceiling with not only material goods, but the garbage that was created by them. Even food garbage. So sad. Once she received counseling and help disposing of her things, the woman's life took a turn for the better.
So when I say MORE shopper I don't mean hoarder. I wanted to qualify that. And you know what? The MORE shoppers are the ones who always have things on hand. I know because they have come through for me in a pinch. When I have run out of something. When I didn't have enough. The more shoppers also buy things on sale and get great deals.
Now, as I get ready to move my household, to where I'm not sure yet, I am glad that I am an enough person. Less to pack, move and dispose of. But I do have to be thankful for the more people. We balance each other out. For me, right now though, enough is good.
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Price of Beauty
We certainly are a society of smelling good, looking young and just down right fighting the natural progression of our aging process, aren't we? Hey, I am not criticizing. I'm just stating the facts. I fall into the trap myself. I'm no fashionista. Prefer jeans myself. I do not wear much on the side of make up. Cherry chap stick and under eye concealer and a wisp of mascara are it for me. If I don't do the concealer and mascara, you may not be able to see if my eyes are open or not. Yes, I shave my legs. Oh, and I do color my hair. Yep, fell into that one a few years back.
It's hard to admit to the gray. It is distinguished for the fellas, but can make the ladies seem tired and older than they are. So, yes, I played around with color a little bit. First I was blonde. Way too much upkeep for me. Then more red. Which actually turned orange. No thanks. Back to the brown with a little tiny bit of red. That's where I'm at now. Every seven weeks, back to the shop for a tune up. Those roots are one thing that I can count on. You can set your watch to them.
Have you ever had your eye brows plucked/waxed? I did this once while waiting for the color to grab onto my stubborn grays. The stylist so innocently said, "Ever had your eyebrows waxed? It might be nice to shape them up a little." So, I calmly laid my head back on the soft towel and felt the warm wax being applied above my eyes. I actually thought at that very moment, life is good. Then the little strips of paper and within seconds---RIP! I can't really type the thoughts that went through my head. Oh my word! My left eye started watering like someone had turned on a faucet. It watered so profusely that my eye actually clamped shut. I looked like Rocky. Like I had taken a huge hit. Then my left nostril started dripping. Like, I'm not kidding. The kind of dripping that calls for shoving a Kleenex up your nose.
The stylist said to me, "Wow, I've never seen that kind of reaction before." Well, I said, you won't see it again either! Here's the thing. I didn't even need my eyebrows waxed. They are naturally kind of shaped and thin. No uni brow thing going on. I did it because everyone else does. Well, to answer the proverbial question, if everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you? The answer is no and I now say no to the eyebrow waxing, too. Just writing about this experience brings back a few tears to my left eye.
I really don't judge any one's need to care for their body. People want to look good. Of course we want to smell good and not offend. I truly don't even care if people want to put themselves through some medieval types of maintenance, surgery, whatever, if it makes them feel good. I think that the world is full of beautiful people. I love the variety.
Personally, though, if I'm armed with my chap stick and concealer---ok and a little bit of hair color, I feel pretty good.
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
It's hard to admit to the gray. It is distinguished for the fellas, but can make the ladies seem tired and older than they are. So, yes, I played around with color a little bit. First I was blonde. Way too much upkeep for me. Then more red. Which actually turned orange. No thanks. Back to the brown with a little tiny bit of red. That's where I'm at now. Every seven weeks, back to the shop for a tune up. Those roots are one thing that I can count on. You can set your watch to them.
Have you ever had your eye brows plucked/waxed? I did this once while waiting for the color to grab onto my stubborn grays. The stylist so innocently said, "Ever had your eyebrows waxed? It might be nice to shape them up a little." So, I calmly laid my head back on the soft towel and felt the warm wax being applied above my eyes. I actually thought at that very moment, life is good. Then the little strips of paper and within seconds---RIP! I can't really type the thoughts that went through my head. Oh my word! My left eye started watering like someone had turned on a faucet. It watered so profusely that my eye actually clamped shut. I looked like Rocky. Like I had taken a huge hit. Then my left nostril started dripping. Like, I'm not kidding. The kind of dripping that calls for shoving a Kleenex up your nose.
The stylist said to me, "Wow, I've never seen that kind of reaction before." Well, I said, you won't see it again either! Here's the thing. I didn't even need my eyebrows waxed. They are naturally kind of shaped and thin. No uni brow thing going on. I did it because everyone else does. Well, to answer the proverbial question, if everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you? The answer is no and I now say no to the eyebrow waxing, too. Just writing about this experience brings back a few tears to my left eye.
I really don't judge any one's need to care for their body. People want to look good. Of course we want to smell good and not offend. I truly don't even care if people want to put themselves through some medieval types of maintenance, surgery, whatever, if it makes them feel good. I think that the world is full of beautiful people. I love the variety.
Personally, though, if I'm armed with my chap stick and concealer---ok and a little bit of hair color, I feel pretty good.
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Feeling Disconnected
I'm feeling disconnected a lot lately. I don't mean on the phone or the computer, just in life. I'm almost always a very calm and laid back person. I make decisions and I make them quickly. I use my gut instinct probably 90 percent of the time. I am not analytical. I do not comparison shop. I am always thinking that there is someone that I would like to spend time with, or a book that I would rather read, or a charity I want to work with. I want to hold my almost 17 year old dog more than I want to spend time comparing prices. And I've mentioned before that I really don't shop much anyway, so this not comparing doesn't bother me too much.
What bothers me is not knowing which direction my family is headed. My husband took a job in another town and is enjoying the work. We miss him---a lot. We have our house up for sale because we know that there is not work in our town for him and apparently not for me, either. We have some options, but you see that's what is making me feel disconnected. I don't know where we are going. It's unnerving to not have some kind of idea where you are headed. I can hear it now from many. The future is not mine to choose. Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans! I've heard these sayings. And to some degree they are all correct.
I guess for the first time in my life, my gut can't tell me much. I haven't trusted it over the past year and maybe this is karma. The moment that we are living right now is sort of like the ninth month of pregnancy. Everything is ready, car seat is installed, feeling uncomfortable---let's get this done! We can't wait for the next chapter. We are fortunate. We are blessed with great family and friends. Scott has a job with benefits. Finances are secure. We have a lot to be thankful for. Just not liking the hurry up and wait mode we're in.
It would be a relief to know what our future holds. But instead of wasting any more time worrying, I'm going to go and hold my old dog and enjoy the moment.
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
What bothers me is not knowing which direction my family is headed. My husband took a job in another town and is enjoying the work. We miss him---a lot. We have our house up for sale because we know that there is not work in our town for him and apparently not for me, either. We have some options, but you see that's what is making me feel disconnected. I don't know where we are going. It's unnerving to not have some kind of idea where you are headed. I can hear it now from many. The future is not mine to choose. Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans! I've heard these sayings. And to some degree they are all correct.
I guess for the first time in my life, my gut can't tell me much. I haven't trusted it over the past year and maybe this is karma. The moment that we are living right now is sort of like the ninth month of pregnancy. Everything is ready, car seat is installed, feeling uncomfortable---let's get this done! We can't wait for the next chapter. We are fortunate. We are blessed with great family and friends. Scott has a job with benefits. Finances are secure. We have a lot to be thankful for. Just not liking the hurry up and wait mode we're in.
It would be a relief to know what our future holds. But instead of wasting any more time worrying, I'm going to go and hold my old dog and enjoy the moment.
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
Monday, March 15, 2010
A Commercial Break
Howdy, it's me. So, the other day I kind of got overambitious and wrote two entries to my blog. I'm sort of afraid you'll miss the first one if I don't mention it. It's called, "Yep, It's That Time of Year---Again." I guess it deserves special mention because right now at this very moment I am in the thick of it. Getting ready for the almighty garage sale. Enjoy this glorious Monday. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, it's like 50 degrees out and I'm---you guessed it, in my basement getting ready for the big one!
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Just Call Me Julia!
All right. Sit down. Don't drink anything---for fear of choking or just making a mess. Are you all settled? All dangers of hurting yourself are at bay? We can continue.
I am not a cook and never have been. But I do like to eat. Here's a little personal history for you. My Mom is a great cook! So is my sister. Where did I fall short? They cooked and I set the table. The utensils were placed correctly, napkins folded neatly, nice flower arrangement. And then the three of us would get to talking and I would just sit back and watch the two of them spin their magic.
Fast forward. College. The food at the time was really bad. Mystery meats and such. Captain Crunch for breakfast, salad bar for lunch and dinner. Post graduation. I found myself a job with a restaurant in the building. My favorite benefit to the job. Never kept more than soda and cereal at home. Then I met my man. I had lived in my apartment six months when I met him. We were out on a weekend and brought a frozen pizza home to make. The next weekend we did the same thing. I went to turn the oven on to preheat and much to my amazement it already was---preheated. I had left the oven on all week! I should also tell you that before the pizza incident, the oven had never been on. Remember, I lived in this apartment for six months before meeting the love of my life.
Well, lucky me. I landed a man who can cook. Whew! And he is a great cook. I mean it, I'm not just buttering him up now. But he didn't have the time. So with that little kick in the rear I got somewhat motivated. Love to grill. Crockpots are great. Eating out is ever better, but expensive. So I have finally come to a point in my life where I cook because I have to, and I do it BIG! I bought my big stock pot at Target. It allows me to quadruple soup recipes with nary a spill. Love it. When I buy meat I separate, marinate and freeze. Ready made meals in a jiffy. When I make casseroles, meatloaf, spaghetti, I make amounts like I'm serving a Lenten supper at church and freeze it.
I bake under the same rules. And I'm a huge advocate of the big bowls of fruit and veggies in my kitchen. Plus those heaping bowls of fresh produce double as the centerpiece to my correctly set table!
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
I am not a cook and never have been. But I do like to eat. Here's a little personal history for you. My Mom is a great cook! So is my sister. Where did I fall short? They cooked and I set the table. The utensils were placed correctly, napkins folded neatly, nice flower arrangement. And then the three of us would get to talking and I would just sit back and watch the two of them spin their magic.
Fast forward. College. The food at the time was really bad. Mystery meats and such. Captain Crunch for breakfast, salad bar for lunch and dinner. Post graduation. I found myself a job with a restaurant in the building. My favorite benefit to the job. Never kept more than soda and cereal at home. Then I met my man. I had lived in my apartment six months when I met him. We were out on a weekend and brought a frozen pizza home to make. The next weekend we did the same thing. I went to turn the oven on to preheat and much to my amazement it already was---preheated. I had left the oven on all week! I should also tell you that before the pizza incident, the oven had never been on. Remember, I lived in this apartment for six months before meeting the love of my life.
Well, lucky me. I landed a man who can cook. Whew! And he is a great cook. I mean it, I'm not just buttering him up now. But he didn't have the time. So with that little kick in the rear I got somewhat motivated. Love to grill. Crockpots are great. Eating out is ever better, but expensive. So I have finally come to a point in my life where I cook because I have to, and I do it BIG! I bought my big stock pot at Target. It allows me to quadruple soup recipes with nary a spill. Love it. When I buy meat I separate, marinate and freeze. Ready made meals in a jiffy. When I make casseroles, meatloaf, spaghetti, I make amounts like I'm serving a Lenten supper at church and freeze it.
I bake under the same rules. And I'm a huge advocate of the big bowls of fruit and veggies in my kitchen. Plus those heaping bowls of fresh produce double as the centerpiece to my correctly set table!
© 2010 Ann M. De Broux
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