Getting Rid of the Sh-t

I know my ‘headine’ must be shocking, but I knew it would grab your attention.

Today’s a good day to talk about leftovers. Right? After all, our refrigerators are filled with leftover turkey and ham, dried up stuffing, that traditional green bean casserole dish that everyone pretends to love so no one’s feelings are hurt, roles that have turned into bricks and gelatinous gravy.

Because of all the baking I do, my fridge often has leftover chocolate, peanut butter and butterscotch chips, maybe some little mint chips and an assortment of nuts – never enough for a full recipe, but together they make what my mother used to call “Leftover Cookies.”

After celebrating a holiday that’s completely based upon eating, eating and then more eating, you probably think I’m crazy to share a cookie recipe now. While most of you are likely thinking of ways to get rid of the 3-5 extra pounds put on during yesterday’s gastric-marathon, I’m looking ahead to the four Cookie Exchange parties I’ve been invited to and thinking about how I’m going to bake to impress.

I had actually forgotten about these cookies, until I cleaned the fridge to make room for my own turkey and fresh sides. I came upon some very small containers of those chips and nuts and suddenly remembered Mother making these cookies for my son’s bake sales at school.  So, there I was, once again side-tracked by a memory and had to go find her recipe. (I swear, I’m like a dog chasing a cat and then he sees a squirrel; so easily distracted.)

Here’s the recipe, but keep in mind that she didn’t use any measurements for the chips, nuts and cereals – just small amounts of all kinds of leftovers. But these cookies are delish, and baking them in my new convection oven made them even better!

 

Julia's Leftover Cookie Recipe:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
and any small amounts of chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, etc. chips you have, along with Rice Krispies cereal, nuts - whatever you want to throw in.

Preheat oven to 375-degrees
Cream together butter and sugar, beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually beat into butter/sugar mixture, add chips, nuts and cereals and stir in. Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. BEST COOKIES EVER!                      

So what about other leftovers?

Like clothes in my closet leftover from a time when I wore a different size? I took care of that this past week, too. Boxed them up and took them to a local thrift store run by a charity.

How about leftover relationships? Whether we’re willing to admit it or not, we all have them, too. Facebook sometimes makes it easy to rid ourselves of those relationships that mean little or nothing to us – just unfriend them and they’re magically gone. Or are they? I’ve been unfriended, wiped out, removed and assumed dead by someone on Facebook. I think that’s just a weird thing to do, but if it helps you de-clutter and get rid of the leftovers, more power to you. I just happen to think I’m worth the effort; I certainly think you’re worth the effort.

How about the stuff accumulated after 16-years at the same job?

 I’m a nester, so I had a lot to pack up when I left my former job as an editor, and I thought for sure I’d need it all in my new space. NOT! After lugging all that sh-t out of one place and into another, I realized I didn’t need most of it at all. Whew! That one really felt good.

Do you have leftover/unresolved issues? Be honest. We all do. Purging my refrigerator is one thing, cleaning out my closet is another, but changing jobs has been my catalyst for major change in attitude and life. You know the saying “Change your head, change yourself?” Well, that’s for sure what has happened to me in one short month. I haven’t felt this good about my life, my health, my love and my relationships in a very long time. The new job has removed me from constant deadlines, the pressure of always having to be somewhere else and managing three emails accounts that received upwards of 350 emails daily. Instead, I find myself realizing how wonderful it feels to live in the moment and live it with the man I love.

We have been so fortunate this year, traveling to Washington, Alaska, Canada, New Mexico and Colorado, being surrounded by loving family and friends and keeping ourselves in good health. My son and his wife, my brother, my cousins and my 'sisters' here at home have all helped lift me to new heights. Before we reach the end of the year, take the time to clean out your leftovers and then realize your own fortunes. It will change your head, your heart and your life.

I love you, Mom and Dad, and miss you every single day.

A Bushel, A Peck and a Hug Around the Neck

"I love you to the moon and back."
That seems to be today's popular saying by parents and grandparents to their children and grandchildren.
"I love you a bushel, a peck and a hug around the neck" is what my mother used to say to me and to my son when we'd say "I love you" to her.
I recently saw that quote on a hand painted sign at a craft show, a subtle reminder of days gone by, and I found myself frozen for a moment. Isn't it funny how the simplest of things can take your breath away at times? More than two years have passed since she left this earth, and although I'm 61-years old, I still miss her like it was yesterday and expect her to walk in the door any day now.

That being said, my recent visit to Colorado to see my cousin was just what I needed, and I'm so grateful for this new-found relationship that has come from my mother's passing. (This is the cousin that surprised me by visiting us here in Florida back in May. http://alwaysonmymindforeverinmyheart.blogspot.com/2014/05/discovering-family-good-better-best.html )
While we were in Colorado, they had their first snow of the season. The morning began with a hard and loud rain hitting the car (the largest drops I'd ever seen), but it soon turned to the silence of snow. I've seen and been in the snow, but I've never experienced the deafening silence of rain to snow. I had to get out of the car and play in it for just a while (well, long enough to build a little snowman).

From the top of a mountain, I was able to capture the surreal-ness of looking down on Silverton, Colorado, which took my breath away.

The next day, we took a drive over to Mesa Verde and visited the cave dwellings. My cousin kept wondering how many children fell off the edge of the cliff back in those days of nakedness and short life spans. Did they have leashes? From our vantage point, the dwellings looked like a child's attempt at building sand castles like those we see on our beaches here in Florida, and it was hard to imagine living in such harsh conditions.

My cousin and I spent so much time together, talking, looking at old photos, describing our mothers to each other, and hugging. But not wanting my husband to feel left out, I was also very grateful when my cousin's husband (a pilot) offered to take him high above the clouds (so to speak, because the sky was actually completely blue). They took flight and my husband took the helm at 10,000-feet; how thrilling for him!

Although I do have siblings, I have two cousins who connect me to my parents in a way no other person can; one living in Indiana and the other in Colorado. One is the daughter to one of my mother's sisters and the other is the daughter to one of her brothers. They are two of the kindest and most level-headed people I know - AND - they each carry keys to the 'locker' where family tales are stored. I learn from them, far beyond anything I can learn from my siblings. So, the connection is vital, but also warming.
The short trip was exhilarating - coming between a job I had for nearly 16-years and a new position I'm just starting.

With that feeling of renewal, I'm ready to tackle the pressures that will inherently come with this new job and do it with hug around the neck.


I love you, Mom and Dad - a bushel, a peck and a hug around the neck.