My Husband Made Me Cry So I Got A Massage (or Two)!

 

A couple of weeks ago right after I found out my work load was going to increase I was having a time with trying to decide what to do….quit or try and work around a schedule agreeable with me and the office.      I was sitting in a McDonald’s parking lot at lunch talking to my husband on the phone (as we usually do on my lunch hour) crying and carrying on about the situation….on one hand I didn’t want to give up my job, but on the other hand I am not going to work full time (and he doesn’t want me to either).     So he just started asking me what I wanted to do and giving me some very good advice….he said whatever I decided to do he was behind me 100% and would support whatever decision I came to.     It felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders….just knowing I wasn’t in this by myself (and I knew I wasn’t anyway…it just helped to hear him put into words what I couldn’t) has made this change a little easier for me.     I then started crying like a baby but they were tears of  gratitude that I had someone in my corner during this stressful time.

Of course, two days after I started my “new” hours started is when my mama fell and broke her arm so that took care of the 8-5 hours they wanted me to work and I was able to stick with the hours I originally wanted.    

But that night after our conversation, he had arranged for a masseuse to come to the house to give me a one hour massage!!!!    And then I got another one the next week…..in fact he wants me to have one every week since I’m so stressed……ahhhhh….(or maybe I should say “meow”) I think I can handle that!

Searching For The Perfect Sofa

Sofa, couch, whatever, we’re looking for the “perfect” one to replace ours that is about 10 years old.    I’m about to embark on a big re-do in the den.      Our house was built in the 1980’s so there’s a wood chair rail that will be removed.    Also, all the door trim and baseboards will be painted as well.     Our den is pretty big, about a 20x20 with a cathedral ceiling.    I’d love to have beams added but that probably won’t happen.     A couple of years ago we did replace the carpet with hardwood floors that I love.     I have a seagrass rug with a neutral color border and have been implementing a lot of Pottery Barn-ish accessories and tweaking my bookcase.       In addition to looking for a sofa, the room is going to be painted in a color very similar to the 1st photo below along with creamy white trim.    I have an UGLY fireplace that will get painted as well.     Further down you’ll see some photos of painted brick fireplaces.     What I’d really like is to have a wood “surround” built like in this 1st picture….but we’ll have to see how much that would cost.

Here are some images I’m drawn to for the look I’m going for…

I love EVERYTHING about this room!    (Via Milk and Honey Home)   I wish I had room on either side of my fireplace to have some built in bookshelves added but I don’t. 

 

The ceiling in this room is much like mine….and I like that sofa too!

 

I have a chair very much like this one that will be recovered in an old German grain sack….as a matter of fact it looks a lot like the one on this chair!    I just have to decide if I want to leave the chair stained or paint and distress it….

 

I believe Melaine’s sofa is by Pottery Barn….but hubby doesn’t want a sectional

 

 

 

(via)

I’ve been recovering my books with brown Kraft paper like this for my bookcase

 

Love, love, love this room!    I have floors this color and look at those beams on the ceiling, I’d love those too!    Plus I love that painted brick fireplace….the wall color is very similar to the one I’ll be using so I think it would look good to paint the brick in the same color with contrasting trim.    There are no windows in the den, just two openings on either side of the fireplace that go directly into the sun room so we get light from that source

 

 

This is the sofa I’m seriously considering…we saw it last weekend at Rooms To Go.    It’s the Cindy Crawford line.    Very comfy and I could upgrade it to a sleeper if need be.    Price was VERY good compared to PB!    It also has good on line reviews.   (I would not be using the striped pillows)

 

 

This is the JC Penney's Linden Street “Friday” sofa…which I’d get it in the “natural” color instead of red.    I actually had put this in my “cart” but the on line reviews aren’t too encouraging.    Apparently the slipcovers don’t fit too well and I’m up in the air about buying something I haven’t seen in person.

 

This is a sectional sofa by J.C. Penney…very reasonable but again, a sectional which hubby doesn’t want.   

 

Here’s the PB sofa….can you tell the difference in this one and the one by Rooms To Go?    Me either!

 

Now for some painted brick fireplaces….I like the idea of painting it the same color as the wall and using a white painted mantel  (mine is already painted white) or possibly stain it a dark walnut color

 

Here’s another painted brick I like…what do you think about painting fireplace brick?

 

I’d love your thoughts or suggestions on any sofas you have or could recommend.  

Feel Good Ham and Potato Soup and White Chocolate Pecan Pie

If you’re still working on your New Year’s resolution to stay on a diet, this post isn’t for you!    But since I’ve had a “little” stress in my life recently, I felt the need for some comfort food.

Tonight I tried two new recipes….one from a friend and one I got from a magazine.    So let’s get right to it…

HAM AND FEEL GOOD POTATO SOUP

• 1 ham bone with visible meat (I didn’t have a ham bone so I used cubed ham and salt pork for seasoning)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds or 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 5 medium red potatoes, cut in 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups half-and-half

1.    Place first 6 ingredients in Dutch Oven, bring to a boil over medium heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until meat easily comes off the bone with a fork.   (NOTE:   SINCE I DIDN’T HAVE A HAM BONE I SKIPPED THIS STEP.   INSTEAD, I JUST PUT ALL THE INGREDIENTS IN A LARGE POT AND CONTINUED ON TO THE NEXT STEP).

2.     Add diced potatoes and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender.

3.    While potatoes are cooking, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat being careful not to brown.    Add flour, stirring constantly until incorporated well.    Bring heat to medium/high and gradually stir in half and half until creamy, thick and bubbly, stirring constantly, being careful not to scorch.   Once it thickly coats the spoon, remove from heat.

4.    When potatoes are tender, stir the sauce mixture into the potato pot over medium heat, stirring constantly.    Let simmer until soup reaches the desired consistency.    Add milk to adjust if needed.

And that’s it!    I added some salt and pepper at the end but it was so rich and creamy.     This is a great soup to serve on a cold winter’s night.     I was going to make some cornbread but didn’t have any cooking oil so I just made some crescent rolls instead.   

 

 

Hubby’s favorite dessert is pecan pie and I got this recipe out of a magazine at the beauty shop the other day….this is so easy and delicious!

WHITE CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

• 1  9-IN piecrust
• 2 cups pecan halves
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Layer pecans and chips in piecrust.   In a large bowl quickly whisk eggs until just combined

2.    Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and flour.    Stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed.

3.    Pour over nuts and chips.    Bake 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is set in center.    Cover with sprayed coated foil after 25 minutes of baking.    Cool completely approximately 2 hours.    Store in refrigerator.

 

 

 

 

Mine turned out just a tad dry (I thought) so next time I will take it out sooner.    But apparently hubby loved it!

I will be adding both of these recipes to my tried and true recipe files.

His Eye Is On The Sparrow

 

…and this past week I can say there is no doubt in my mind about that.    This past Wednesday my 91 year old mama fell at her assisted living cottage and broke her arm in 2 places.    I got the call at work around 10:30 a.m., grabbed my purse and ran out.   I called hubby who left work to meet me at the cottage.     In the meantime, I called her doctor to say we were coming in because he would have to refer her to an orthopedic surgeon to get his opinion and see what needed to be done.     The orthopedic could not see her until 3:30 that afternoon so we got a prescription filled for pain and settled down in her room to wait.    Fortunately the pain medicine made her somewhat comfortable so she wasn’t in too much pain until we could get to the orthopedic’s office.    

Once x-rays were taken they revealed two breaks, one a clean break and one a jagged break.    The doctor said ordinarily he would operate and put in screws and plates but because of her age and condition he did not want to do that nor put her to sleep.     The decision was made to put a cast on her and hope for the best (his words).     We go back next Thursday to see how things look.    As a last resort, he will have to operate.

After getting her back to her room, hubby and I ran out to Wal Mart for some front snapping gowns, a few camis she could slip on easily (to wear in place of a bra), more self-adhesive gauze wraps, a new raised “potty” to set on top of her existing toilet, a bed pillow with arms so she could prop up in bed and read, and some other things.     Imagine how life will change for her for the next 6-8 weeks….but she has yet to complain!    I go by every morning to see that she gets dressed and take care of bathroom business then back in the evenings to check on her.       

Falling and breaking your arm is not a good thing, but think how much worse it could have been.   

If you could please say a prayer for her for the next few months that she heals and that we can make her as comfortable as possible I would really appreciate it.   

Thank you

New Year Brings Big Changes

Some of you may know that I’ve been a legal secretary for some 25+ years.    Up until about 8 years ago, I worked a typical 40 hour week.    When I remarried my husband didn’t want me working full time and I was lucky enough to go to work for an attorney friend 32 hours a week (off on Fridays because we like to travel).    Then I had a slip and fall at work (fell down 18 stairs) and was on workman’s comp for 6 months and then unemployment for another 6 months.    I knew then I didn’t like being home full time.     Then I went to work for a real estate company for about 2 years Monday-Thursday 9-3….eventually that led me to working for the real estate owner’s cousin, who is an attorney, 2 days a week for him and 2 days a week at the real estate company.    Eventually the attorney needed me more than 2 days a week and I chose to work for him 3 days a week and left the real estate company.

Fast forward 4 years and last March my attorney “boss” and I took in another attorney, a retired judge.    I continued to work 3 days a week which has worked okay but just this week we added another attorney to our little firm!    What all of this means is that they need me more days and hours.      I take care of my 92 year old mom on my “off time” which is a full time job itself.     Not complaining, just stating a fact.     

Today we had a little meeting and I was informed they need me Monday-Thursday 8-5….and I’m not a happy camper!    Hubby and I talked and he has left it up to me as to what to do.     I love my job, I love the guys I work with, I just don’t like giving up my Mondays and those extra hours a day.     However, I have decided to give it a try with the understanding that I can be off whenever I need to.    Since I haven’t worked full time for the last several years, I have obligations, mainly involving the care of my mom, that cannot be done after 5:00.     

I know this new change will probably affect how I blog.   I won’t get to do as many projects as I normally would.    It’s just going to be hard getting back to the 8-5 grind.     I know in today’s economy there are some people who would love to be offered the opportunity I am being afforded but fortunately, I don’t have to have the 40 hour a week job.

So if I don’t visit your blog or comment as much or you don’t see as many posts please know that I have not gone anywhere, I will just have to learn how to balance my time better.    And if doesn’t work, then I will just do something else.   

Frankly, I’m not ready to completely quit working and be home “all the time”.     I love what I do and I’m good at it.     I just got spoiled with my perfect days off and perfect hours!

We’ll see how this works out.    Once it starts affecting my ability to care for my mom or takes time away from my husband/home, then I know what I’ll have to do!