Hey, Brother & Sister!

Seems to be my week for causes.....

#1.  I am a breast cancer survivor.  I am fast approaching my 4 year mark following my surgery and radiation treatments.  

#2.  I'm doing fine, thank you.  I recently had a visit with my oncologist, and she says everything looks OK.  Personally, I'm glad we've cut our little visits/chats to twice a year.  I like the people who work there, they are all very nice and professional and all, but I wouldn't shed a tear if I never had to see them again.  ~Maybe in the grocery store or the mall or something would be OK.

#3.  I'm still working through the effect having cancer has on my brain.  I didn't have chemo...and I thank God everyday for that...but it changed me.  Some for the better, some not.  I sometimes have bouts with depression.  I notice I'm a little more paranoid these days.  But, I'm working through it, and doing my best to keep my thoughts positive.  I'm truly a natural optimist.

#4.  I have an awesome family and group of friends that support me.  I can't thank them enough for everything they've done for me...I try to bake, or do little things I think of on the spur of the moment to help them get through their weeks too....

#5.  Last, but not least.  I thank all of my blogger friends for the laughter and tears.  Mostly the laughter, because most of you are a crazy lot...just the way I like it!

Thank you!

Love, 365

I Pledge ......

This is easy, 'cause I never ever shop on Thanksgiving.  And, neither should anyone else, in my humble opinion.

I know that retailers progressed to the point that opening at midnight on the Friday after Thanksgiving wasn't good enough for them, and decided (by some dimwit in marketing or sales or the CEO or COO (funny, sounds like a pigeon)) to open on Thanksgiving to get a head start.  Although it seems so freaking obvious, this means people that normally would have been off, enjoying our thoroughly American holiday, would have to work or possibly lose their job.  If you've never worked retail, then I think it's hard to understand what it's like.  Oh, you might have an idea, but then, no.  It can be a lot of fun ~ I loved my year (part-time) at Williams-Sonoma, especially working with the manager of the store I worked in...the incomparable Mary Ann.  She is a lovely, wonderful person.  Even when she's not giving you a stellar review, she's just so darn nice about it.  Unfortunately for the Uptown Mall in Albuquerque, Mary Ann no longer works there, due to changes in policy that lead her to the conclusion that another job was in order.  Ok, I sort of went on a tangent, on with the story.   Anyway, working retail is tough.  It doesn't pay much.  Usually there are several people who are full time and have access to benefits, most of the employees that help you find things, sell you stuff, and so on are strictly part timers.  This is one of the many ways retailers keep costs down.  It's expensive to operate a store.  Profit margins aren't as high as you might think.  The owners/corporation wants to squeeze out every penny, and believe me when I tell you it's not in the payroll checks of the majority of the employees.  So, asking them to work on a holiday like Thanksgiving, is just plain UN-AMERICAN.   So, stay home people.  Lets send a message that the retailers like Walmart, K-Mart, Target (& all the others) that we don't want to shop on Thanksgiving.  Partly because, well damn, we have all kinds of time to shop.  We don't want to take time away from our families, and we don't want the employees of these inconsiderate bastards to take their employees away from their families either.  

I think that wraps it up!

Love, 365

Thanksgiving comes first!!!

To read the original blog, go here.

Wow, it seems like I was just posting this a few months ago....it's amazing how the year will fly by!  

The first time I read Jim's posting, I thought "yeah!".  Ever since then I've posted a "Thanksgiving Comes First" every year around this time, although this is the first time on this blog.

I LOVE THANKSGIVING.  Why?  Well, it's about family and friends getting together over an awesome meal (or not, depending on the cooking skills/desire of the participants).  The meal could be awesome because you have people who enjoy cooking ~ and maybe showing off a little on their culinary skills (like me) ~ or folks who don't have any desire to cook, so order a meal from their local market.  Either way, it's enjoyable in the extreme.  Games, eating, more games, football on TV, and the all important dishwasher, which really gets a work out at my house on Thanksgiving.  No fancy decorations are required, no gift buying....it's just a relatively stress free event.  Even with those large families where squabbles break out are entertaining.  If you served turkey, at least an hour or so later, everyone is feeling so sleepy, it's hard to maintain the irritation/anger you might be feeling at so and so.  (I highly recommend turkey though, 'cause it's just so delicious, and you haven't had an entire roasted/fried turkey in nearly a year anyway).  Just to be clear, I've never fried a turkey, but I'd like to.  I've hear it's very juicy and tender, and not greasy at all.  Someday.....

So, Jim, I salute you for starting the push to give each holiday it's own time without infringement.

Boo to:

Costco, Target, Walmart, K-Mart to name a few establishments that have already stocked up on Christmas trees and decor galore.  Shame.  

Love, 365

Dis-organization.

Taken near Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

A few weeks ago I received notice that my payment was due to UNM for classes, and my credit card on file had expired.  So, I began the search for my replacement card so I could update my payment info with the bursar.  After a few hours of fruitless search, I called and explained to the representative what was going on.  I explained that I had not noticed any activity to the account that wasn't my own, but I just couldn't find my new cards.  He cancelled the account and issued a new card, which is probably in my mailbox as we speak.  Not 15 minutes later I found my cards.  ARGH.  How typical.

It has been a long week, and very busy.  I keep thinking of the upcoming trip to New Orleans for a convention for work.  I love Louisiana (it is where I was born, after all).  Great food, great culture, great music.  The only thing I'm not looking forward to is the return trip home, which leaves at 6am.  :-(

Fall is in full swing here in Albuquerque.  Trees are turning golden, red, and orange.  I love this time of year, with the cool mornings and warm afternoons.  For some reason, I also end up baking and planning to bake all kinds of goodies.  Thanks to Krusteaze & Costco, I have made 5 pumpkin quick bread loaves and distributed accordingly.  I still have one mix left, and although it doesn't truly fit the bill of "baking"(implied from scratch), my family and I have enjoyed them immensely, and they are so easy to do.  In a recent issue of Sunset Magazine, I saw a recipe for pumpkin bread pudding, which I want to try soon.  If it's as good as it sounds, I'd like to make it for Thanksgiving, but I think my husband will be a bit put off if I don't make the usual pumpkin pie.  

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Love, 365

Ah, Saturday....

Let's go!!

Ahhhh.  I've had 2 cups of coffee and some delicious pumpkin bread.  Had a slight issue with the coffee pot this morning, as someone (me) forgot to empty it the last time we made coffee and it ran all over the counter.  Had to wash everything out and start over.  In the meantime I made some pumpkin bread which finished up about the time I had my second cup.  Delicious...thanks to Costco and the huge box of Krusteaz pumpkin bread mix ~ it'll make 4 loaves, so I plan to take some to work on Tuesday.  Can't be eating it all ourselves!  To prevent the overflow issue with the coffee pot, I put a label on the inside to remind me to check the pot to make sure it's empty.  My husband mentioned "alzheimer's", which I didn't find at all funny.

****I somehow allowed myself to get roped into a racquetball tournament this weekend.  I won my first match last night, but the games I play today and tomorrow will be much more difficult.  It should be fun, though.  

***I watched a video on this guy cutting bread, burritos and cake with dental floss.  No joke.  If you want to watch it, go here .  This guy is quite serious, but I think I'll just stick with my knife.  They made sure to mention you shouldn't use flavored floss.  Really?  If you're going to use floss for slicing food, you need to be told not to use flavored floss?  Then on the other hand, yeah, I suppose you do, ha ha.

****Weird job loss stories:

1)  2 girls put on their bikinis and took a soak in the company wash sinks (which are apparently quite deep) and then uploaded the sexy video to Myspace.  

2)  An employee of Subway was fired for putting his penis on the bread for a sandwich, then uploading it to Instagram.  

3)  A TV news reporter in South Dakota said "f***g sh**t live on the broadcast ~ his first and last day of work.

4)  A South African man went on Facebook and called his boss a "serial masterbater".  

5)  A Cold Stone Creamery worker referred to President Obama with the "n" word on Facebook and said she wouldn't care if he was assassinated.  

6)  A Washington state gym teacher was fired when went to work drunk, with a .15 blood alcohol level.  He fought it by saying "he did not engage in "flagrant misconduct".

7)  A IT guy for Farm Bureau Financial Services was fired after being caught on video urinating on his female co-workers chairs.  

Feel bad about something stupid you've done?  Well, in comparison, I'd say we should give ourselves a break.

Love, 365

Fall fun.....

Rancho de las Golondrinas (ranch of the swallows)

We did it again ~ we love going to the Harvest Festival in Golondrinas!  The day was truly beautiful, sunny and cool.  We spent about 3 1/2 hours wandering around, listening to the museum volunteers explaining how the Spanish colonists managed to survive in New Mexico during the 17th and 18th century.  

I know, but I've always been fascinated by cat tails.  

Hand died wool, from their own sheep, hand sheared, carded and spun.  I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

I'm diggin' the hand stamped wall decor on the plastered walls.  

In the past, they decorated this root cellar with pumpkins, but there wasn't enough rain for pumpkins this year.  Using gourds was a clever, if not as colorful, idea.  Hey, I like change!

Wagon rides, pulled by this beautiful pair of draft horses.  

The pond was clear and pretty, with a few trees turning gold.  

As usual, we went to Santa Fe for lunch.  I had a green chili burger for lunch at the Plaza Cafe....

Why chop the chile when you can just drape it over the meat???  I've never had one prepared this way before, but it was delicious.  I added onion, tomato and lettuce.  The fries were wasted, because I'm one of those weird folks that doesn't like potatoes.  

It was a great weekend!