November 30, 2011

the last day of november

Today is the last day of November, and everyone knows that the last day of November is the day you dump all your leftover fall-ish photos, and then accompany those photos with random bits of blather that have been floating around in your noggin. That way, your brain and your blog are fresh and clean and ready to be all sparkly and cinnamony and full of glitter and Christmas cheer come December first.

Which happens to be tomorrow, by the way.

Eeek.

1. First and foremost, I finally found my sock monkey slippers.


I have been looking for my sock monkey slippers since the middle of October. I did such a fabulous job last spring of putting away my winter wardrobe that I couldn't find my slippers or any of my wool sweaters or my two favorite Target Christmas t-shirts. And believe me, I've been looking. For weeks and weeks. But the other morning, by the light of my cell phone aka flashlight, as my hubby was still sleeping, I found them tucked neatly and safely away in the trunk in my bedroom. Which is where I always put my winter sweaters and my favorite Target Christmas t-shirts, and pretty much everything else winter apparel related, so I'm not quite sure why it didn't occur to me earlier to look there for my sock monkey slippers.

I guess it's just another nail in the I'm losing my mind coffin.

Or maybe it's just another brick in the wall.

Yes, I've had too much coffee this morning. Why do you ask?


2. Dave's bread. Yes, I'm going to talk about Dave's bread again.

I'm sorry.

On my road trip earlier this month, I bought so much Dave's Killer bread that we can barely get our freezer closed. I couldn't even stock up on ice cream when it was on sale last week. That's how full my freezer is.

As soon as I got home from my road trip, I got a call from a friend who was shopping at our local grocery store, and she told me she was standing in front of a table where they were giving out samples of Dave's bread because our local grocery store was going to start carrying every single kind of bread that Dave makes.

Needless to say, I'll be holding a slightly smushed frozen Costco twin pack Dave's bread giveaway any day now.

Be watching for it.


3. I'm also going to talk about soup pots again.

I know.

Because I got such a killer deal on my 7.25 qt Caribbean Blue Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Round French Oven, I still had a very substantial Macy's credit left. So I once again popped onto Macy's site and discovered that the smaller but equally useful 5.5 qt Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Round French Oven in the lovely Caribbean Blue color was back in stock. In addition, they were offering a bonus gift of two - TWO! - Enameled Stoneware Baking Dishes - a $160.00 value!!! - if you spend $200.00.

Sign. Me. Up.

I'm a sucker for a bonus.

I'm also a person who pretty much goes by the picture and doesn't always read the fine print or even the not so fine print for that matter, and therefore just assumed that my bonus baking dishes were a 9x13 and a 9x13's little sister. Please tell me that for a $160.00 value you'd be tempted to think you were getting a 9x13 out of the deal?

You wouldn't? You'd actually read the description beneath the picture of your $160.00 valued bonus?

Well then.

I actually burst out laughing when I opened the box and found a very cute and little 5x7 baking dish and the somewhat larger and perhaps slightly more useful 7x10.

They are adorable, that's for sure. They're also a very pretty bright and shiny red. If anyone has suggestions for what one might bake in a 5x7 sized baking dish, I'd love to hear them.

I should probably finish up this story by telling you that the day after my Bonus Baking Dishes arrived, I went to TJ Maxx and saw the exact same 5x7 dish for $7.99.

$7.99.

Not 79.99.

$7.99.

Occupy Macy's!


4. Are you getting tired yet?

Me too.

I'm almost done. I promise.


5. We put the Christmas tree up on Monday, and true to form, we had lighting issues from the get-go. I amazed and impressed myself by changing out the fuses in one of the misbehaving strings all by myself. That was after I amazed and impressed myself by actually finding extra fuses in the first place. Normally, changing out fuses is a job I would hand off to my hubby, but he'd already been to town that morning just to buy a piece of fresh ginger for me, and therefore was quite behind in his plans for the day. Electrical skills don't usually dwell in my wheelhouse, and there was a moment of alarm when I almost put a screwdriver through my hand whilst trying to get the fuse holder thingy open, but the Christmas tree lights are on.

Yee.

Haw.

6. Then I had these two...


... help me put the ornaments on the tree. We had a lot of fun, and it was nice to have help because I have a lot of ornaments and it takes forever and a day to put them all on by myself.

Then, I woke up the next morning and realized we hadn't put the garland on, so I took the vast majority of the ornaments back off the tree, because they're all glass and there was just no way I could get the garland on without a pretty significant casualty count.


7. I was also going to tell you about the crazy zombie dreams I've been having lately and ask if anyone knows what it means when a middle aged woman has zombie dreams on a fairly regular basis, but I'm pretty sure most of the dream analyzers checked out somewhere between the Dave's bread and the mini baking dishes, so we'll just leave that for another day.

So, there we go! My brain is now empty of pre-December thoughts and starting tomorrow I can be all Christmas all the time.

Thank you for listening.

Happy last day of November!

42 comments:

  1. You make me smile. :) Have a great day!

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  2. occupy macy's!!
    you crack me up!

    love the sock monkey slippers.
    doing a google search right now to see where i can get my hands on some!

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  3. Oh please take a minute and check out my post today! It will be a big help!!!!!! Your tree is beautiful and this post was hilarious! xo

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  4. Occupy Macy's ! That's way to funny.

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  5. Love all your beautiful photos....need me some sock monkey socks! Where are these cuties from ... other than your trunk!

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  6. Love the slippers Teresa! So awesome! It's good to know that I'm wasn't the only one having issues with getting the tree up this year. ;)

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  7. You're my kind of girl, as far as forgetfulness goes...as for the zombie dreams, that's my sweeties' territory! Check out your medications. Benadryl and those kinds of meds are very bad about causing nightmares and panic attacks...some pain pills do too.

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  8. Occupy Macy's! Ha! Funniest thing I've heard all day.

    I generally only have really CRAZY dreams when I'm pregnant....just a thought. ;)

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  9. Yep, let's Occupy Macy's!! Love the monkey sock slippers!

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  10. I like your sock monkeys, I like your couple, I like your bread, and I like your tree. Thank you for sharing them with us. But if it was me, I'd feed some of that freezer bread to the birds and get me some ice cream. Just sayin'.

    :)

    Mary

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  11. But how do you still have cute yellow leaves on your red-berry trees??

    We have snow on ours.

    R and his lady-friend are too beautiful for words. All around.

    Occupy Macys! ??? Funniest thing I've heard all week.

    I boo hoo'd last night and in the midst of it all eked out an, "I want to go see Teresa". I know I say this all the time, but it's because it's true. And saying it is (not at all)as good as actually doing it.

    xo

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  12. Love your post, makes me laugh... You can bake fruit crisp in your little pan, or roast a few veggies for dinner, or fill it full of bread crumbs and feed the birds. Just saying. Thanks for the laughs. xx

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  13. You. Crack. Me. Up. Honey-girl, I would be back on the train to Macy's so fast, you have no idea!!! Don't you have the original box and receipt? Seriously? No. Seriously!!!!

    Okay, moving on. Glad you found your slippers. I have mine, but can no longer wear them as they give me leg-aches extraordinaire. Nice. They were kinda big clod-hoppers... Yeah. so. That's good information for you to have. Moving on...

    Happy last day of November. Tomorrow, I get some ME time to go Christmas shopping. Hurray. HUGS to you! ~SallyWally

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  14. Those slippers are so cute! Nothing like cozy slippers and when they are cute, thats a double bonus.
    Great post.... the pictures are all just beautiful.

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  15. Oh, gosh. That's just crazy about the cookware. Your tree is beautiful! I'm not even bothering with the other Christmas tree with lights on it cuz it's way too frustrating to get all those lights working. Ya, I miss the bling, but the grandbabies won't care because I put up the Teddy Bear tree for them to play with. Happy Holidays!

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  16. What a fabulous tree you have! And I love the framing on your windows.

    And you gotta love Marshalls to have the deal breaker of the century. Perhaps you could bake some breakfast yumminess in your petite baking dish? For a breakfast in bed surprise for the Mr? That'd be my idea. Good luck with that.

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  17. Loooove the sparkly tree pics!! As far as the 5x7 baking dish goes, we really like creamy tomato soup (fave is Pacific Organic) poured in, an egg or three cracked into the soup, and baked for about 20 mins. Then shave some fresh parmesan on top and serve with sourdough toast. Or Dave's. Since you seem to have plenty. ;)

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  18. You made laugh out loud! Getting tired yet? Ha! Wishing you restful non zombie filled nights ahead!!

    Www.northerncottage.bloodspot.com

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  19. "Occupy Macy's" made me smile . . . laugh . . . giggle . . . into one big heap of happy. I totally enjoy you and your musings . . .

    our tree is up
    guess what
    one pocket of space on the tree . . . lights are NOT lit! UGH!

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  20. bahahaha, I love your posts :) and I have the exact same sock monkey slippers, I love them. If I had a 5x7 baker I'd bake the one salmon filet (my husband doesn't like it) or the one chicken breast in it. And as for the zombie dreams...stop watching "The Walking Dead" on Sunday nights! (I have those same dreams!) Have a sparklie December - laurie

    llsbaskets@comcast.net

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  21. OMG, thought I was the only one who walked around in the dark with my cell phone light. Ha! Love the Dave's bread story. Now you can get it very locally. Your tree is breathtaking lovely. I want some sock monkey socks like yours. They look cozy.

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  22. Oh, my gosh, you totally crack me up!
    And your kitchen is absolutely GORGEOUS!!
    I have that very kitchen from the magazine saved with all of my magazine "some-day wish" pages.

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  23. I have those exact same slippers! p.s. You really need to lay off the coffee. :) (just kidding. you're hilarious! thanks for the laughs.)

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  24. Today is my birthday; I 've entered the Medicare phase of my life so while I wasn't the least been unhappy about turning 65 (it beats the alternative), I was feeling a little melancholy, no, that’s not it --pensive? Yeah that’s it pensive-reflecting about my life and thinking how at 40 65 seemed ancient. Anyway I ramble, that happens when you are 65. So tonight, I read your blog and laughed out loud--really laughed and decided that I must have sock monkey slippers – how could I ever get melancholy—No- pensive if I had sock monkey slippers on my feet??
    Oh BTW your tree is absolutely beautiful.
    Ruby Sugar

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  25. I so enjoyed reading this post!

    I LOVED your sock monkey slippers! Now where in the world an I going to find some? I want - really want - very few things but these I must have. (So must my daughter ....I suspect it's time to set up the sewing machine) :)

    The picture of the cuties -- my oh my what a couple of beautiful people!

    Thank you for the sweetness you have added to my evening.

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  26. Love your sock monkey slippers! Your tree looks beautiful! Your small baking dishes would be perfect for warm appetizer dips and spreads, and your photos are gorgeous as always! Happy December!

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  27. Oh, good grief...you just startedmy day off with a good chuckle! Thanks!

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  28. See, I was chuckling so hard, I forgot how to type!

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  29. Oh my, I have fallen in love with your blog, and I don't think I ever want to leave!

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  30. You are killing me here. Jim is worried about your zombie dreams. Well, worried and a little jealous I think. Happy December to you T!

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  31. That was a fun read!! Love your slippers. We get our tree later in the month and my husband does the lights......thank goodness.
    Happy December,
    Annette

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  32. oh, I adore thee and your one brick shy of a load. I have those monkey slippers but I forgot I did. I gotta get to digging. TJMaxx is the bomb diggity. At their price you can't afford not to buy it! Have a great one.

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  33. This was such a fun read! I LOVE sock monkeys, so those slippers are right up my alley. As for the late TJ Maxx find...it happens to the best of us (but I have seen those exact dishes you're talking about there).

    And as for the useless sized dish...i would make a miniature cobbler...that way you don't feel obligated to share.

    Happy December!
    Allyson
    http://cupcakescandycanes.blogspot.com

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  34. Oh my word...you are so funny!

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  35. Make a hot dip in the pretty mini, put it on a larger platter and surround it with chips/crackers! Happy eating and Merry Christmas!

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  36. Mom, You're nuts but I love you anyway. Maybe if you watch a good zombie movie they'll leave you alone in your sleep. I like the Cat-tail covered in snow.

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  37. After reading everything you had to say, all I could think to myself was "How did you get your husband to go out for just a piece of ginger?"

    How did you? :-)

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  38. Love your monkey feet, photographs are amazing, pretty tree, but most of all you crack me up, laughing to myself till some family member has to come in and see what I'm laughing about. Thanks so much! Just found your blog from your beautiful barn & I'm the other Meadowbrooker, I think I'm gonna enjoy reading your blogs :D

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  39. BTW, Occupi Macy's is hilarious!!!!!

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