If I'm cleaning a closet, I want a cupcake, too!

My gosh, it's been a busy time for me. I thought I'd begin the New Year by NOT sitting around and by being much more responsible when it comes to cleaning out all of those nooks and crannies, you know the ones, that seem to never be explored until you've lost something and can't find it. So, yesterday began my journey into the black holes that are often referred to as my closets and cupboards. I tied a rope to my ankle and then to my bed-post, because you never know when something in one of those dark places is going to want to pull you in! Once I had crawled to the back of my walk-in closet, true to form, I couldn't just sort and toss away quickly; I had to sit on the floor, flashlight in hand, to read and to touch and to think and to go down memory lane...just a little bit. Rosemary, my Lassie kitty (that's another story), played with ribbon she found in a box and then curled up on my legs to take a purring snooze as I drifted into a place in my heart that held memories, oh, so dear. Crochet, knitting and craft patterns were held in my hands almost reverently. Patterns I had used to make gifts, patterns I always wanted to use, but didn't, and some that still made me yearn for a comfy seat, a crochet hook, some quality yarn, and the utter pleasure of creating with your hands a goodie for someone who is near and dear to your heart.

I browsed oodles of patterns and pattern books for making all sorts of doll clothes, most are crochet which is my craft of choice. I was brutally honest with myself, and kept in a little pile the ones that I know for sure that I will eventually make for my grandchild, Rachel, and those that were orphans, no home and no purpose and in desperate need of someone to love them and use them and appreciate them. It looks like I have my work cut out for me for the rest of the week. I'll be scanning and editing and loading the ones that I would like to pass to someone else into eBay for auction; hoping that there is someone else on this planet that enjoys crochet and dolls and little girls just as much as I do. I waited a long time for Rachel to be born. She's the only girl out of my seven precious grandchildren. God, in his generous blessing on my heart, gave me just what I wanted and prayed for: a six pack of little boys with one little girl, as perfect as a pink rose, to sweeten up the mix.



It will probably take me a month of Sundays to accomplish all I hope to do this brand New Year but that's OK. Along with the clean closets and cupboards I'll gain a deep satisfaction in knowing that my long-stored goodies and crochet and craft patterns with either be used by me or will find a new home.

And, being one who always enjoys a little rainbow waiting for me at the end of particularly arduous task, in the late afternoon I let my fingers do the walking on my laptop looking for recipes and ideas for cupcakes. Why cupcakes? Oh, you know they're all the rage now, but that wasn't even close to my desire to find just the place to search out a nummy cupcake recipe along with an easy, decorative hint...one that little hands could easily manage. When I have my grandsons for a sleep-over, it's fun to do something a little (skip this if you have sensitive eyes) artsey-fartsey. I found a blog filled with so many recipes that I'll have to live to be one hundred to make, bake and eat all of them. If you love cupcakes and you enjoy reading recipes like I do and you see little cupcakes as mini-works-of-art, slide on over to Cupcake Recipes believe me, you are in for a treat! This talented lady "from across the pond" has several blogs filled with recipes, but cupcakes was what I was after and cupcakes is what I found. Just don't go there hungry...you'll be sorry if you do! Aren't they just the sweetest works of art? It's going to be difficult to pick a recipe for the boys and I to make so I think I'll select a few and let them make the decision for me.


OK, now back to the closet...did I just hear something rattling around behind the door? Now, where's that ankle rope? You can never be too cautious!

Inflaction, recession, no money, OH MY! Waste not, want not...

It's not often that something I buy exceeds my expectations, but this little gadget received an A+ from me and an 11 on a scale of 1-10. I live alone since my last son married, so all the good, quantity buys at the grocery store were usually passed up. If I bought ten pounds of anything, by the time I got to the last package I had to toss out the contents because it had freezer burn or it had discolored or inside it looked like tiny Eskimos had set up housekeeping and built ice condos all over the place.

I hate to toss out money, who does? And, I don't like to cook food that looks like it should be buried and buried DEEP! There is just something about eating "something" that I just had to beat on the kitchen counter to break the ice crystals before I could even guess what was in the wrapper in the first place. I've bought "freezer bags" in all shapes and sizes. I've double wrapped food, especially meat and fish. Hey, I've even done a little dance in the kitchen with a candle in each hand to ward off the Freezer Burn Fairy. Not a thing worked to keep my food looking fresh and edible until...until I bought a little goodie that I thought might work, but if it didn't I wasn't out an arm and a leg in cost and I was willing to give it a chance. The Reynolds Handi-Vac Vacuum Sealing System really is all that it says it is and what it will do for you.


It's not all that often that a product comes around where you buy more of the same thing just to give to friends and family because you are so thrilled with its performance. It's not all that often that you like something so much that you are willing to tell perfect strangers about it if you happen to meet in front of a product display at your local discount store. I know...it's strange, but I really have talked to strangers (shhh, don't tell) and happily shared my experiences with this little machine to just about anyone who would stop to listen.



I now buy my food in quantity knowing that it will stay fresh, keep it's "just fresh/frozen" look and color and not appear as though it was auditioning for the winter Olympics. I don't use this little gem just to separate large packages of fresh items to get ready for the freezer, oh no, there's more! A light went off in my head (don't tell my kids) that I could also keep freezer burn at bay by taking already frozen food (fish sticks, waffles, pancakes, veggies) out of the original box, cut out the cooking directions, and then re-pack it in one of the Sealing System bags. Works like a charm, honest! I know, I know, isn't it great? No more funny smelling waffles or toaster pastries. No more frozen potatoes or veggies or bacon or sausage of questionable quality. It's all good! I love it!

Some complaints have been that the bags (quart and gallon) are a little pricey. I'll tell ya what, tossing out food in today's economy is pricey; so costly that it nearly brings me to tears! I got a little inventive, too (probably out of my delirium). You have to lay the bag on a flat surface in order for a good connection to suck out the air for a tight fit. Well, I wanted to freeze a liquid. So, I filled the bag half full, held it vertical against my kitchen cupboard and viola' another little wonder! In addition, you can keep your cheese and lunch-meat from ending up like an audition for a Lego brick! Again, so the juice in the meat doesn't get siphoned out of the bag, just hold it tight against a hard, upright surface and you're good to go.



Except for the bags I use to freeze meat, I'll wash the bags and tuck them away for another time. Great for cookies, candies and...ta-da...wonderful to keep a washcloth moist when you are out of the house and have a little one along with you. The bags can be re-sealed over and over again. So, yes, they may be a bit more expensive initially, but you don't have to toss them out once you have used the contents.

If you do nothing else today, go out and buy one of these now! I promise, you won't be disappointed. Oh, and a little caution, don't be fooled and buy the similar item made by Zip-Lock. You'll be sooooorrrrrry. How do I know? Trust me. You'll be sorry. Oh, and watch what you are doing. I didn't realize how powerful it was until I got distracted packing some muffins to send home with my son. We got to talking and I flattened them into hockey pucks! Waste not, want not...my dogs were in canine Heaven munching on buttermilk muffins for a snack.

A New Year, full of promise and wonder

Strange, it was the end of the year that inspired me to take on new challenges, change some old habits, nourish my creative side that had been on the back burner and to just jump in with both feet first learning new things and taking the chance that I would fail. You'd think that I would have begun last year making changes, but, nope, not me, did it at the end of the year instead. Sometimes I felt as though I was playing "beat the clock" because the end of the year was creeping up on me, but plod on I did, and I am so happy that I kept my goals in sight.

One of the new things I tried last year was blogging and, I must say, it's fun! I had read My Romantic Home for a couple of years and always thought that Cindy was so creative and imaginative and inspiring. Every now and then I'd pop over to her blog to see what she had been up to and I'd think to myself that I'd love to have a blog but I didn't know if I'd be able to create one that I would be proud to say was mine. (I'm a very fussy person.)

But in June of last year I happened to discover a diet site, SparkPeople. I needed something, but I didn't know what at the time, that would hold me accountable and to help my lose weight that I had put on due to inactivity from an illness and from quitting smoking. Over at Sparks members received a blog page along with the FREE membership. Didn't know if I wanted to do something like blogging but decided that I had nothing to lose. Well, I got hooked, but still wasn't confident enough to generate a blog that would be more exposed.

After six months of blogging on Sparks, and loving it, I decided to just "do it" and I produced what you see before you. I do have to say that it sure is an experience; one that takes a lot of patience, exploration, and humility, yes, a little of that, too. I still have so, so much to learn, but I'm on my way and as Martha would say, "It's a good thing". I am just amazed at the volume of blogs that have been created by some very informative, sweet, and generous people. Sharing, it seems, is a given. I like that because I have always been someone who shares, believing that whatever you give away comes back to you one hundred times over.

Either today, or tomorrow, I'll be trying something new for me. I'm going to share a product that I use all the time and couldn't live without in my kitchen. It's one of those things that you tell your friends about and when you do, you sound like a paid commercial.

Happy New Year, it's going to be special, I can feel it in my heart.