Today is the LAST DAY of NaBloPoMo and this marks my 30th blog post, this month. Deep breath, exhale, repeat. I realize that there is way more news-worthy stuff going on in the world at the moment and, honestly, can think of at least several other note-worthy achievements I'd rather claim, like: Inventing a dust repellent (totally safe, unless you are dust, of course!) While I'm at it, making lint, split ends, blogging over the age of 40 and wearing pajamas to work totally fashionable and uber-trendy (also, bringing back the word uber!) Creating a sarcasm font (balanced by an... Read more →

So, remember how I decided to redo the bathroom/library a few days before hosting a houseful on Thanksgiving? Aaaaand, then I was just sitting there, minding my own business and preparing a mental list of things to forget....GASP!!!! When I realized that, after taking the poor beat up old pantry (up there) out to the garage....I mean....storage area....there was absolutely nothing to lean on while, you know, thinking. Then, my husband Garth (NHRN) had a brilliant idea. "Why don't you just take the door off and put those basket thingies in it?!?" [blink, blink, blink] BRILLIANT!!! So, on Thanksgiving Eve,... Read more →

Todays Prompt: describe an heirloom that has been passed down through generations of your family. What is its significance to you personally? This is my grandfather's fiddle. Although, my father doesn't remember his father ever playing it (then again, my dad escaped Hungary when he was 19) as the family genealogist, he passed it on to me. Violins play a prominent role in Hungarian folks songs -- especially, gypsy music. One of my favorite childhood memories is going to see Gypsy Joe and his orchestra play at the Hungarian Club and dancing the Csardas (ch-ahhr-dahh-sh) with my grandmother, on New... Read more →

Decking the halls, walls and/or anything that stood still long enough at my mother-in-law's house on Friday. But, wait, there's more! Hope all decked-out and taking a well-deserved break before dinner guests arrived at our house, last night. But, not quite finished yet. Because, today at their Mama's and Papa's house, the kids are getting REAL GOOD at trimming trees. Anyone else need any help? Got hot chocolate? A dozen cookies, or twenty? Home again, all snuggled in my favorite chair and enjoying a hot cup of tea. Let the holidaze begin! In the meantime, I'll be right ovuh-heh, unable... Read more →

My husband, Garth (NHRN) worked the last 2 weekends and spent Black Friday putting out one fire after another at the bank. By the time he got home, well, you know that saying about getting away with poking the bear once? Nope. They lied. I just hope my eyebrows grow back by Christmas. So, on penalty of dismemberment, I asked the kids to...please, for the love of all things holiday...let their father sleep in, this morning. The kids insisted I wasn't telling them the truth. "What's wrong with him? Is he sick? No, really, did you even check if he's... Read more →

My mother-in-law gave me simply the best compliment, yesterday. "Your house is always so warm and inviting." Seeing that it is basically held together with spit and Elmer's glue. Seriously, having tacked up the loose wallpaper on Thanksgiving Eve, I am not even kidding. Stupid Hurricane Irene! So, besides telling me that I look way thinner, it really was the nicest thing you could say to me, at the moment. "I just don't have your energy, anymore." What do you say to that? To a woman who, as long as I've known her and even way before then, has loved... Read more →

We've hosted more than a dozen Thanksgivings (yes, on purpose!) however, this year marks a first. We were ALL seated and eating by 1:30 p.m. My in-laws aren't comfortable driving at night, anymore (we live in Jersey, I don't blame them) and I'm not comfortable with my parents driving the 45 minutes to get home (give or take an hour, which is equal to about 45-50 miles, if you're not from Jersey) either. Still, in our minds, each moment we get to share, with each other, is a gift. So, my husband Garth (NHRN) and I decided to have dinner... Read more →