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Today I got rid of a retro cookbook.  It was "Cooking for Boys and Girls."  I am a sucker for retro.  I blame it on my Cleaver childhood.  It was such a happy place for me that all things that remind me of it are good.

So, I had bought the cookbook to give to the girls at some point, but realized they were old enough to have graduated to real cookbooks with complicated recipes, etc.

Since it was still new in the wrapper, I sent it to my girlfriend in D.C. for Christmas.  She has young kids, the right age for something like this.  She is also a fantastic cook and a big fan of cookbooks.

It is not hard for me to imagine this book out on the counter and her cooking with her kids out of it.  Teaching them.

She is my best friend from college and I miss her and her children.  They are very far away and it is difficult to visit at that distance.  I talk to them on the phone occasionally, but it is not the same.  I pictured myself being more involved in her children's lives.  I was there right after they were born.  Someday soon.  In the meantime, I picture them with their mom in the kitchen, making something wonderful.

 

Today I got rid of the two small lunch boxes from the 31 days list.  One was free along the way, the Curious George I think I actually purchased.  I am not the only one with an affinity for the metal lunch box.  It congers up good feelings of being a kid and going to school and having mom make your lunch.

As an adult, I actually have a functioning lunch box for myself.  It is nice and big and insulated and carries like a purse.  Looks pretty good too.  I have occasion to use it.  Am glad to have it.  It doesn't have any good, warm, nostalgic feelings, but it is so wonderfully functional, it is hard not to like.

So these two lunch boxes, because new, went to toys for tots.  Not certain how they will work them in, but they need a home where they will be used.  They have no purpose here and I have no little metal lunchbox display.

Today I got rid of another stash item.  Very cute one.  Moose beanie baby.  We gave him to my very dear friend's son for Christmas.  I got him Felicia Bond's "If you give a Moose a muffin" book to go with it.

I love both.  Book and moose.  Krissy, I am counting on you and Michael to see that moose through as many adventures as Horse and Opal went on here.

It is officially Christmas season.  I had big plans for this one.  Get stuff done early and spend extra time enjoying the season.  Send out a few Christmas cards, have some people over for dinner.

It did not pan out that way for 2009.  Trying to get healthy.  Lots of couch time has given me plenty opportunity to think.  2010 will have to make up for it.  We will have to have those people over for dinner in January or February.  We will have to try to find ways to see more of those we love.  Some of them are so far away and we don't see them nearly enough.   Will have to find a way to close the distance.  I believe technology is on my side, here.

Merry Christmas Michael and Krissy.  I love you both very much.  Enjoy Moose.  Now you can be squirrel and moose.

Today I got rid of 8 tiny jointed bears.  They were on key-chains.  I always picked stuff up like that because they made great gifts for the dolls and animals.  I have mentioned them many times.  They have stockings.  I would be held accountable this time a year for a certain number of gifts for them.  It was important I didn't let anyone down.

They were in the leftover stash part of my life.  They went to toys for tots because they were NWT.  I am glad someone will have fun with them.  I am sad because no one expects me to have stuff like that here anymore.  Maybe someday, some grandchild will, but for now, it is not something anyone needs.

I was good at this.  Good at being that mom.  Good at Calin and Charlotte adventures.  Good at replacing horse's mane and tail.  Good at knowing the importance of having something tiny in Opal's stocking on Christmas morning.

Soooo, focusing on the good.  Today I got a handwritten thank you card from Heartland Family Services for making donations.  Handwritten.  Not short either.  It rambled on a bit.  They wrote more than any of my kids ever wrote in their thank-yous for graduation gifts.  More than I wrote for some of my wedding gifts.

It was very nice.  It was unnecessary and unexpected and it made me smile, which is all I really needed today. 

Flu - yes.  Voice - no.  Sleep - some.  This is a huge improvement.  I am a little concerned about the voice.  Had planned on using it this weekend at a swim meet.  It is the last one that I will officiate in USA swimming and it will be fairly anti-climatic if I cannot speak.

Today I got rid of lots and lots of green yarn.
It started out so very well.  A lesson I have learned over and over again is that if you are going to do a project, do it in a timely fashion.  There are very many reasons for this.

1.  You may run short of supplies and no longer be able to get replacements (in this case, a dye lot)

2.  You child may grow out of the item before you are finished with it.  Sadly, not the first example of this.

3.  You are causing brain clutter and household clutter by leaving projects left unfinished.

This started as a sweater coat for Gracie.  Beautiful, Debbie Bliss pattern.  I knitted and knitted.  Took breaks.  Knitted some more.  Years later, I get to the point where I have run short.  One sleeve left.  This is a sweater coat - big, heavy, hooded.  One sleeve left.  Oh - and I was assembling as I went so it would not take long in the end.

I hit the internet.  Ebay.  I acquired five different dye lots of the same color that didn't even come close.  It sat like that for a couple more years.  Finally, I frogged it.  Another year goes by.  Staring at the green yarn.

I sold it on ebay.  It had a bad history here.  It needed inspired hands.  Needed a second chance.  Or even a cat.

The yarn is officially cleaned out.  New projects will mean new yarn.  And immediate attention.  Immediate.

The weather outside is frightful.  The kids are at school.  The flu battles on.  Most times, I am certain it is winning.  My voice seems to be on permanent vacation.  Am going to force myself to baby-step through some minor household activities today.

Today I got rid of Martha Stewart Blueprint magazine.  It was on the market for 8 issues that spanned almost two years, I believe.  I had all eight, so they were an easy sell on Ebay.

I think they mark her time in jail.  Something new they tried.  I could be completely wrong about this.  I really liked the first couple of issues and then it seemed to run out of steam.  I maintain that her greatest efforts were, Baby, Kid, and the first couple years of Martha Stewart.

I have already mentioned being a huge fan.  I am sad about not having a more Martha Stewart Christmas this year.  Between the jury duty and this flu, I will have to be happy to pull it off at all.  Anyway, I was watching her a couple of days ago (will watch anything on tv while convalescing) and she was sick.  Had a cold.  Lost her voice a bit.  Carried on.  I didn't know whether to throw my dirty Kleenex's at the television or applaud her.  I ended up half laughing, half coughing, which is my reaction to almost everything these days.  Go Martha.

So, off I go to try to be a tiny bit human today.  Not certain I remember what that is.  To my family - I will call you when my voice is back.  For now, e-mail.

Still here.  Still sick (seriously, hunh?).  No voice whatsoever.  And, in case you wanted details, food doesn't taste right.  Hasn't since last Tuesday.  Makes eating seem pointless and silly.  Or like they got my order wrong.  Very very wrong.

I love Barbie.  I don't know why.  I love the early Barbies.  And their clothes.  Every once in a while I will buy something because it looks like something our Barbie would have worn.  I have a barbie coat.  And two blouses.  Seriously, she would like them.  Borrow them.

When they started reproducing the original Barbies, I bought them.  Just the first couple.  I knew pretty quick into it that it was stupid, but they made me smile to look at them.  Luckily, they are in their package and going to toys for tots.  I hope they can use them.

When Mattel makes something, they make the heck out of it.  Most barbie stuff has no resale value, which is bad for me, but very good for toys for tots.

I do have a bunch of images.  I love the artwork as much as the actual Barbies.  I guess the image of her on my sister's barbie case has the same good feeling as the actual barbies.  Maybe it reminds me of being a kid.  Maybe I just like it.

I did get a reproduction lunchbox years ago that I do use in the sewing room.  It has great pictures on it.  That will due and also has a function, which is nice.

So, hopefully, soon, my sense of taste will return to normal, with my voice and my general good health.  If Chow Mein Noodles really did taste like that, trust me, no one would eat them.  Have a nice day.  Enjoy dinner.

Hey.  Am still very sick today.  And my voice is gone now.  So, this will be short and sweet.

Today I got rid of Sam the Snowman key-chain from the 31 days list.  He went to toys for tots.  I am inspired to write about his exit today because Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was on t.v..  I have done nothing but watch t.v. for the last five days, so be impressed that anything stands out as inspiring.  I always loved Rudolph.  I don't know why.

Anyway, here is little tiny Sam.  He was part of the great stash that was dissipated for the better good.

There will be quite a few entries to toys for tots.  It is a good organization.

If you haven't watched Rudolph lately, take a half hour and watch it to get in the Christmas spirit.  I will join you as soon as I am able.  I have some catching up to do.

Today I got rid of a ninja turtle toy.  Something someone had given the boys later in life, when they were grown, to be funny.  It never got opened.

I have every one of their childhood ninja turtles.  I think they always have loved them.  They went from being beloved toys to beloved nostalgic toys overnight.  Never an awkward  period of being uncool.

We love the turtles so much that I am not certain if there was ever a year where someone didn't own a ninja turtle t-shirt or towel.  They never skipped a beat here.   Ruby and I just calculated that currently everyone owns a ninja turtle t-shirt except my husband.  Hmmm.  Christmas is still over a week away.

And, of course, I can still sing the ninja turtle song.  Genius lyric writing sticks with you.

Turtle Power.

Today I am very sick.  Didn't sleep at all last night.  Went into the doctor first thing and I have strep and an ear infection.  So, Jury duty has ended for me.

My kids got another day off, because the wind-chill was so very cold.  The girls did go to afternoon swim practice.

Today I got rid of more American Girl Stuff.  I had two AG, girl of today bears and  notebook I threw in. 

These are more things from the stash.  I had probably over-bought for Christmas or a birthday, when they went on sale.  It has made me feel good to resolve these things.  Ebay can be a wonderful place.  It can also be a huge pain.

While all of this was going on - Jury duty, the flu, my friend's son dying - I had a buyer on ebay harassing me about an item.  I finally refunded a chunk of the money just to get it resolved.  I looked at her auctions and she buys and then sells the stuff.  It is her living.  Sometimes those people can be hard to deal with.

If this was an isolated sale, I guarantee you, I would be soured on ebay for a while.  Luckily, I have had lots of good transactions to water this one down.  Also, as you can imagine, the things that I have listed, have made me put things in perspective.  This one auction is not that big a deal.

Anyway, the one with the bears and notebook went well.  Hopefully I will begin to mend tomorrow.  And perhaps, the girls education will continue.