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Tuesday Treasures

I love my library. They have a huge children's non fiction section. And if they don't have a book, it is rare that I can't lay my hands on it via inter-library loan.

They have a great audio book collection, including children's. Most award winning books are available.

We can use any library in the large regional system. So we opt for a smaller, cozier story time than the main branch offers at a different library that is an equal distance from home. Not as good as an upstate NY story time, but adequate. Very nice librarians.

I will probably never have another library as GREAT as Saratoga Springs, NY (is a cafe normal in libraries yet?) but Lincoln Public Library certainly meets our needs. Even when you factor late fees, our use far exceeds our tax contribution to this system.

Way Cool

Free radio that only airs what you tell it to play.

Words to be Avoided

Inspired by another blogger, I feel the need to share a word that should never be used around me. It is completely irrational and may, perhaps, give you a glimpse into my unstable mind. I have a list of such words, but I'll only reveal one at a time. I'm trusting that in sharing this, you won't squirrel the information away to be used against me at a later time.

I go out of my way to find synonyms so I don't have to utter such nails-on-a-chalkboard sounds. Because for me, it's mostly about the sound of the word, rather than the definition. This avoidance runs in my family. Megan replaces common words with more obscure vocabulary because she can't pronounce the first word correctly. Andy simplifies his orations when translating to print because he is spelling challenged. I opt for less appropriate words because the first one that comes to mind makes me crave Valium.

The word at the top of my list is pucker. Now, I truly dislike this word but I can tolerate it as it pertains to lips. But never, never use it to describe fabric. Since I claim responsibility for my own actions, I hold no grudge toward my mother for this. However, when I hear this word, I get this vivid mental image of her scrunching up her nose, which ironically causes the lips to protrude in a rounded fashion, when trying on a garment and being unhappy with the way it lies against the body. She was clearly displeased and stated that the dress puckered. Cringe.

So you are thinking that this is funny. I have a memory so insane and most likely diluted that it makes me avoid a word. But I don't like the way it sounds. The /k/ sound is a common thread through many of the words on my list. You'll notice that there is no trace of /k/ in the first names of any of my children. While the sound does rear it's ugly head in two of their middle names, which I incidentally like, they are family names. Although I am not bothered by my last name, I should have probably retained my maiden name.

Appropriate substitutions may be: gather, fit, bunch

Tuesday Treasures

I love my freezer. I know. You think I could come up with something better. It's only the second entry of Tuesday Treasures. But that's how much I love it. It's looking a bit sparse now but it makes my life easier every day.








We eat a lot. I thought that this peanut butter would last for 5 months. What was I thinking? 10 weeks. 43.2 ounces per week. And one of my kids won't touch it. We don't do crazy things like make peanut butter cookies more than once every 3 months. The vast majority goes to sandwiches, apples, and Graham crackers with banana.

Back to my beloved freezer. It helps me save money. We eat 20 loaves of bread per month. So the first Tuesday of every month while the kids are at piano lessons, I head to the bread outlet. For $20, I return and fill up the freezer with whole wheat. We bake a lot, so when flour is 69 cents for 5 pounds, 10 bags go in the freezer. 99 cent juice, to the freezer. Ice cream, freezer. We don't freeze peanut butter. I just had a picture.

My freezer allows me to double a recipe on nights that I cook and save the leftovers for those activity filled days when we barely stop in to eat. Did you know that you can put a meal in the oven at 3 PM, frozen solid, and have it piping hot by 6 and it tastes like you worked hard all day? So, my freezer helps me maintain the little sanity that remains.

If you don't have a freezer, I highly recommend the investment. Then you too can have company for dinner without cooking a thing!

Random Comments

I painted last weekend. It's a little more orange than I intended, but we really like it. The color in the picture looks a bit off to me.

Finally, Empire apples. Better late than never.


It's genetic. They want to learn to play Dungeons and Dragons. Dad couldn't be prouder.

Computer, End Program

I've lost my family. The older they are, the more addicted they are. The culprit, World of Warcraft. It's an online, interactive Dungeons and Dragons. They'll probably flame me for the comparison, but that's how I see it.

They are functioning addicts. They always go to work and school and perform well. They usually come to the table for dinner, although they may eat in 3 minutes and then disappear back to the computer. They even walk away to partake in a family activity most weekends, with minimal groaning.

The Trekkies among you understand how the Enterprise crew just talks to the ship and it responds. My family has graduated to a headset to communicate with their online companions. So from upstairs, it sounds just like Star Trek.

I draw the line at one subscription for the family. At least that way only one of them is completely absorbed and absent. Though, the player frequently has an audience for support.

Some weeks Friday rolls around and I feel like I haven't really seen most of them all week, even though we all sleep here every night. Does anyone know of a good 12 step program?

Tuesday Treasures

Welcome to the first installment of Tuesday Treasures. Blogging is such a great forum for complaining. But, I think that it is time that I share the blessings in my life. I'll shoot for every Tuesday and see how it goes.

I love our piano teacher. She is great with the kids. A retired classroom teacher, she truly listens to them and appeals to their interests. She learned that Ellen likes pirates. Before I knew it, she presented a new level appropriate music book that only contains pirate songs. It has pirate lyrics and the pieces sound like pirates. This accompanies the regular instructional series that she teaches and really helps hold the interest of the student.

When recitals and festival roll around, she lets the students choose from a few pieces that she has selected. In our house, the options have always reflected the tastes and personalities of the student. She even hosts 4 different mini Christmas parties where the kids play a holiday piece and music related games topped off by homemade cookies and punch.

All this at a reasonable rate! I hope that she never retires.

My Runner Friend

I have a friend who took up running. I'm not talking about a lap around the block or 20 minutes on the treadmill.

This is an old friend from high school. We attended our respective weddings, exchange Christmas cards and talk once or twice each year, at most. So, I have no idea what prompted this insanity. What I do know is that he has never done anything half way.

Yesterday he finished the NYC marathon. I admire his dedication, perseverance and stamina. Congratulations, Rich!