What I learned today and other things I was reminded of...

1. A banana seems like an appropriate breakfast after several days of wanton food consumption.

2. Sam's Club isn't cranking out the free samples at 11:30am when the caloric energy value of the previous mentioned banana is spent.

3. That the husband does not need a new 55" flat screen TV (when we already own 6 TVs in our household), nor do I need a $500 elliptical machine that would ultimately become a very expensive towel rack.

4. That my feet are too wide for those cute little heeled ankle boots that are all the rage right now.

5. That the smell of Borders reminds me of my father and gives me an overwhelming sense of peace and happiness.

6. That I really enjoy the peppermint mocha frozen decaffeinated coffee-like beverage that they offer at above mentioned bookstore.

7. That about 45 minutes after the sugar rush peak from said frozen mocha wore off I was ready for a nap.

8. That the husband is patient and kind when I say " I'm tired, can we go home?"

9. An afternoon nap is delicious any way you look at it.

10. That leftover honey baked ham, green beans and mashed potatoes make for a perfectly tasty dinner.

11. That the dogs and cats equally love honey baked ham.

12. That sometimes you should just call anyway.

13. That I miss my sister...and snow.

14. That saving the other half of that chocolate eclair for dessert tonight was a show of good forethought.

15. That I have an ant problem in my boudoir.

16. That some things are never going to change.

17. And sometimes I just wish I was a cat.



Adam

Suddenly, she found herself standing in her bedroom. The room was pebbled with patches of moonlight, the avocado colored walls turned charcoal in the darkness, heavy wood furniture lined the walls looming like mountainous deep shadows. The carpet felt soft and cool under her bare feet. The large mirror on the dresser reflected what light was spilling through the window. The mirror stood like a vast pool of liquid against the wall pushing deep into the charcoal paint. She reached out to touch the mirror half expecting her hand to pass through it's fluid appearance into some unknown dimension. She only felt the cold smooth surface of the glass on the tips of her fingers. She stood there with her fingers still touching it and a distant memory deep from the core of her brain stirred, she closed her eyes and let it come...

A frosted window, her gaze long and serious, her fingertips tingling with delight from the feeling of the icy glass. The chilled surface stood in great contrast to the warm yearning that was emanating from her eyes as she peered through this winter portal. The sprawling old oak just beyond the window was standing ominously in a sea of white, it's branches gnarled, entwined, dark, spider-like and brittle from the weight of their ice. Such a fragile extension of life in the dead of winter. Then she watched as the ice miraculously melted away and the tree transformed, the gleaming ice that once covered the branches was replaced with leaves of green and foliage so thick she wondered at all the animals that would make this tree their home. She heard laughing in the wind, felt the warm air brush against her body, she could feel the roughness of this tree's trunk against her palm and almost tasted the oak pollen in the air.

She knew she wanted to remember more, she wanted to know why this tree had meaning, why she felt this heated yearning and sadness when she peered through that window, but something stopped her, she could go no further. She opened her eyes and pulled her chilled fingers away from the mirror, staring at her hand like it was no longer a part of her. She turned to sit in her grandmother's old rocking chair near the window. She stared out at the moonlit sky, a wash of memory pieces flooding over her...the laughter, the warm wind, and then his smile. She turned back to the mirror expecting to see him staring back at her, beckoning to her. Instead, she saw them dancing and chasing each other around that oak tree, laughter and squeals in the air, leaves rustling in the warm wind. Then in an instant they were gone. The leaves fell to the ground and the snow began to fall and all at once the tree had gone barren, it stood once again ice-covered, still and alone.

A cold shiver brought her back to reality, she could see the shape of her husband's body sleeping on their bed and could hear his slow, heavy, even breathing. She climbed back into bed wondering why she had been up in the first place, welcoming the warmth and softness of the blankets. Just before she fell asleep one fleeting word entered her mind..."Adam", and then she gave way to her exhaustion.

Words Rush In

mel·an·chol·y
1. a gloomy state of mind, esp. when habitual or prolonged; depression.
2. sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness.
3. Archaic. The condition of having too much black bile, considered in ancient and medieval medicine to cause gloominess and depression.

  
Melancholy...I have always considered this word to be beautiful, it looks beautiful, and it feels beautiful when it rolls off your tongue; like the first bite of an expensive chocolate savored with each syllable. It almost sounds like something you want to experience just so you can say it. This word has been echoing in my brain all week. When I wake up, before my eyes have even opened this word floats through my mind, whenever I'm quiet and alone with my thoughts it creeps in. I spoke it out loud today hoping that uttering it's expression would deter it's haunting. Naturally, the next step is to write it, explore it, define it. Give it time in the spotlight, so it will leave me alone. The irony that such a beautiful word could be used in conjunction with "black bile" boggles my mind.
 
When my husband asked me why I had been so melancholy this week, it shocked me. Was this word oozing from my every pore? Was it so powerful that it had manifested itself through me? This had to stop, but the more thought I put in to clearing this intruder from my mind the more it appeared, teasing me, this word dancing through my mind linked over and over again in different colors, different fonts, different sizes and direction, taunting me and gaining power. What did I do? I gave up. I let the word flow over me like a storm surge; crashing in and waters rising until it came in calm waves lapping at my tears and bringing with it every word of it's definition, accepting it and embracing it. Then, and only then was I able to visualize it falling and swirling down, down, down into a whirlpool well of emotion.
 
A new word is what I need, an empowering word, a word that doesn't make my husband's eyes appear worried or concerned. A word that will leave both my thoughts and my husband content. Am I ready for this new word? What if the beautiful sadness of melancholy seeps back in and rubs it's pink eraser across it's new rival? Then this new word must be strong, it must not acquiesce to the taunting chocolate truffle that is melancholy. How bittersweet it can be to give in to that word, like wanting to stay under the covers on a cold winter morning...it's almost easier.
 
I think maybe "happiness" should be the new word and yet that seems to be too drastic of a contrast. Maybe "contentment", but how could just status quo "contentment" hold up to melancholy? So, I decide on "journey". A journey is always moving, always changing, sometimes it's fast, sometimes it's slow; it can hold it's own in the ring with melancholy; ducking, and dancing, and weaving around to avoid a strike. Yes, "journey" it shall be. Let me awake each morning to this word, wondering where it will take me each day; it's letters are bright, bubbly and the color of sunshine and promise. I will speak the word in a breathy whisper when melancholy comes calling, I will visualize it behind my closed eyelids and think of it anytime my world turns even the slightest shade of blue. Journey, this is a journey...and tomorrow there will be a new one.
 
jour·ney
1.an act or instance of traveling from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time
2.chiefly dialect : a day's travel
3.something suggesting travel or passage from one place to another, journey through time

Maintain appropriate levels...

It seems much easier to sit down at the computer and numb myself with endless hours of Bejeweled Blitz than to actually do some writing that requires me to think and process the latest events in my life. I'm having a really hard time accepting the fact that my father is gone. Everyone shares with me their thoughts and opinions on the grief process and much of it is very helpful and I can certainly recognize many of the stages that are mentioned, but I still feel off-kilter, like life isn't really normal anymore.

One of my good friends told me that death is easier to accept when we have a concrete belief about what happens to us when we die, herein lies my problem. I don't have a solid belief system. I would love to think of a place where we all meet again in a paradise world on another level, but the bottom line is no one knows for sure, they call it faith for a reason. My father was a scientist, he believed in concrete research and support of theories, nothing was ever fact, just supported research, thus much of his belief system rubbed off on me. I have a hard time believing in something I can't see or read a published research article about. I am holding on to the basic concept of energy to help me accept the finality of death for the human.

Essentially we are all matter; so is the nightstand, the lamp, this keyboard, and my hot tea. All of these things are energy, the infinite compilations of the elements and their respective subatomic particles within each atom interact in a way to make something exist. Well, that energy has to go somewhere when it changes state, right? I am holding on to the idea that when energy leaves the body, when our life force stops it shifts either to a different place where it exists in a state that the human brain cannot even begin to fathom or is dispersed back in to our atmosphere and surrounds us. Both ideas are a comfort to me, but I especially like the latter. The idea that his energy surrounds us, complementing our energy adding his strength, knowledge, and intelligence to our own is deeply comforting. In either scenario he does not cease to exist, his energy now just exists in an altered state.

Yes, these thoughts are comforting to me. Yes, I feel that he is still here, and I especially feel it in my decisions, my thoughts, my strength and my convictions. I hear him in my thoughts daily telling me to "do this, or not that", "watch your tone" or "think it through". I never realized how many times a day I think of my father until now, how many times I pull my decision making and words from his education and guidance. I know he would not want me to go on and on about my grief and sadness, but rather to learn and accept from this experience. It is a daily process and I can hear him saying "Shell, you need to maintain the appropriate level of grief, but also set your sight on new goals of healing and acceptance. Research and study those avenues so that you will be best prepared for this journey."

I am Daddy, I am.

A Poem for My Father

For Daddy

By: Michelle Greene Hurd

The warm hues of green and blue will you embrace,
A warm and knowing smile forever on your face.
May you dance with the manta and the shark,
In the sparkling waves of sunlight
And the luminescence of the dark.

Let the waves rise up to meet you
In the powerful blue mist.
May you feel them touch your spirit
As our eternal kiss.

Though our hearts are breaking,
We know that you would want us to be strong.
We will make you proud with our choices, sir
And we will continue walking on.

For when the ocean we are near,
We only need listen to hear you in our ear.
The sharp cry of the seagull,
Or the sting of an anemone
Will forever bind us to you,
Through the spirit of the sea.

A Fresh Pair of Eyes

I am a contact lens wearer, without my contacts or glasses I am severely impaired. There have been several occasions when I have gotten out of bed in the middle of the night still in a dreamy sleep-like state and walked directly into a wall or tripped over the snoring dog causing mild injury to myself, the dog and possibly the wall. This generally happens because of the mixture of said dream-like state and lack of proper correctional eye gear. Most of the time I sleep with my contacts still in to deter these middle-of-the-night confusions or injury and yes, I know how bad it is for my eyes, but the truth is that most people (whether they admit it or not) will continuously wear their contacts for an absurd amount of time until one has no choice but to put in a new pair. A striking thought occurred to me as I was recently changing out my old pair of contact lenses for a fresh pair. When I placed the new lenses in my eyes everything was dramatically brighter, sharper, and clearer than it had been before and I began to see a resemblance in this "change" of contact lenses and my life.

The old pair of contacts had been in my eyes for some time and I'm sure when I originally put them in everything was bright, shiny and new-looking, but after some time things began to dull a little, lose their luster and their brightness and because this process happened so minimally over time, I did not take notice. Finally, I was aggravated by them, they felt uncomfortable, constricting and well, old. A change had to be made. So, I placed the new contacts in my eyes and marveled at the clarity that this change brought forth. I hadn't noticed the gradual degradation and corruption of my sight because it was happening on such a small scale every day. All I had needed was a change of view. So I think the optometrists are right when they say we need to change out our contacts often and on a regular basis and I think we should apply the same advice to our lives. We may not even realize that things have lost their luster, we just keep on motoring through every day, while our views of life dim, shift, and become blurry. Only when we make a change can the luster be restored and the clarity return. So as much as we lobby against change, in the long run we know it is what is healthy for us, and we know that everything will be better on the other side of it.

I vow to keep my prescription up-to-date and make changes when needed!

Chessy Cat & Cheese

Yes, I know it has been awhile…

It seems that I have been experiencing some type of writers block or maybe it is just sheer laziness or it could be that my 40 hour a week job has just sucked the creative juices right out of me. A friend of mine suggested that my lack of motivation for my writing is due to the fact that I am utilizing the strengths of my left brain all day, and now that I’m back at work in spreadsheet-ville my artsy creative right brain is feeling sad and neglected, and I think she is right.

Even now I’m finding it hard to focus on my writing, but this could also be because I have a giggly 14-year old sitting at the computer next to me laughing hysterically every time she sets a house on fire in her Sims game…did you know that you can commit murder in these games? She even has urns and a cemetery, very morbid indeed.

Okay, so I am now continuing this blog several days after I started it, see what I mean? Total lack of concentration and motivation when it comes to my writing anymore. So, I am taking the advice of a good friend and just writing for the sake of writing even if it all just turns out to be crap at least I’m pouring out some thoughts in the written form. I’m thinking of renaming the blog so that the title encompasses something more solid and not fleeting like employment. I think I’m going to go with a spin off of Oprah’s “The Things I know for Sure!” except mine would be “The things I don’t know for sure…are absolutely everything!” I’m still struggling with it; I want the title to purvey a sense of smallness, the idea that what we really know of this world is absolutely nothing. For all we know we are the “virus” a la War of the Worlds style taking over a cell (our planet) in a vastness that makes up something entirely different that our tiny little brains can’t even fathom…lost yet? I am.

Or maybe a title completely off-the-wall, like “Cheshire Cat Thoughts and Good Cheese”. If I read a title like that it would catch my eye. Makes one wonder exactly what a Cheshire cat would think and how exactly it relates to cheese good or bad.

Disclaimer: No I am not on any medication over-the-counter or prescribed at this time; this is just stream of consciousness writing at its peek form.



On that note, I’m going to bed to ponder “Cheshire Cat Thoughts and Good Cheese”; it’s kinda growing on me!

Thoughts for Food

I received a phone call a couple of weeks ago that prompted me to reflect on my journey in this life. A phone call that enabled me to realize that when my life was chaos I never even became aware of it, until now. Now, I have to come to the understanding that I left that chaos behind me and everything from here on out is small potatoes. I feel nothing but straight from the heart empathy for those that still live in “that drama," whatever their particular drama may be. Whether it is a bad break-up, a divorce, a custody battle, a bad haircut, a bad job, a bad childhood, a bad tooth, a bad dog; any and all kinds of drama is just not worth it. You can only do what your actions drive you to do; you cannot let the actions of others define yours. I will reiterate that, you cannot let the actions of others define yours. This has been my mantra for some time now, these are some very wise words spoken to me by a very close family member, who has definitely been through “the drama” and made it out alive.

I was a slave to my ego and my drive for “more, more, and more”; I wish I had stopped to look around and see that I already had everything I needed. Fun-fact alert: Happiness experts report that it is not money, not material things, and not the high-powered 70-hour-a-week job that makes us happy, that gives us that feeling of fulfillment. Do you want to know what does makes us happy, gives us that warm fuzzy feeling and leaves us always wanting more? It’s simple, the possibilities surround us, and it’s called social connection. Yep, that’s right, relationships, social connection, dare I say “love”; those are the things that bring us happiness. If you have strong social relationships and families that support and continue to love you even when you have done some of the dumbest things ever (been there, done that, more than once) then you are golden, you have already won the prize.

Trying to spread this message isn’t easy, because if you're not there yet it’s like you have blinders on. Nobody wants to hear it. They say things like “You don’t understand, you’re married and I’m alone, it’s different." Well to this I say to my singleton friends if my husband left me tomorrow, yes it would suck, yes it would hurt, but I know I would be ok, I would still be alive, I would still have other people in my life who love me, I would remember that his actions can’t define mine. In essence, I would survive in the most basic of biological ways, my heart would continue to beat, I would still be able to breathe, and I would still have the ability to love.

I recently had someone tell me that they could never picture me getting angry. “You’re so mellow, so laid-back, you seem very at peace." I was completely shocked; I had never been described this way in my entire life. I didn’t even realize that I was oozing this quasi-Zen-like quality. I had always been described as the “anxious one," stressed out, too emotional, too sensitive. This was a hard pill for me to swallow. Could I define myself as this new rational, mellow human being? I slept on it and decided it would suit me (and all this without one yoga class!) So, I leave you good folks today with the mantra…, well, you should know it by now. Find your happiness, pick up the phone, and know that there are people out there who care about you, and also know that they could take the form of a complete stranger or already be your “best friend."

I don’t think anyone could have said it better than Anne Frank: “Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart."

Let it go and take a look around,
The Blissful Formerly Unemployed Now Working Housewife

The Blog is Back

After several attempts to get in touch with my editor to ask why my blog posts weren't being updated and after several weeks of not receiving any answer and not to mention NEVER getting an answer about my traffic or blog pay e-mails, I have decided to no longer publish with Creative Loafing (not that I really had a choice...), I'm unsure of who's cheerios I accidentally peed in, but whatever. I need to write so here I am!

The Blog has moved...

Hello everyone! I wanted to let you know that my blog is now being published on The Daily Loaf through Creative Loafing. I will only be posting it there. Just click on my picture below to check it out! Don't forget to join my group page on Facebook as well!

Diary of the Unemployed Housewife



Thanks for all your support!
The Unemployed Housewife

Written Friday, January 15th

Ahhhh...scampi goodness indeed. I had all intentions of learning to make the husband's famous shrimp scampi last night, but really, why mess with perfection? It was delectable as usual and well, I can always learn next time.
After dishes, laundry, and general housewifely duties were done this morning I decided to get out of the house, it is a beautiful sunny day in St. Petersburg with a high of 71, joyous, truly joyous weather. I am waiting for the husband to meet me here at the Nola Cafe in downtown St. Pete, there is a shrimp po'boy with my name on it or maybe red beans and rice or maybe both hmmm...decisions.
I am feeling very optimistic today like I may have possibly experienced an "Aha Moment" as Oprah would say. Yes, that's right, might as well put it out there now, I love Oprah, I watch her show, I read her magazine (thanks to my sister's yearly Christmas gift, thanks sissy!), and I am a proud member of her book club. A person once called me an "Oprah Lemming", I think they meant it as an insult, but honestly there is no shame in my game. I see nothing wrong with Oprah or her empire, she's educational, entertaining, one hell of an entrepreneur and an amazing philanthropist. So, hell if I could learn just a little bit of what Oprah puts out there to the universe to achieve her success, then yes, I will gladly follow her off a cliff!

It is now after lunch and both the red beans and rice and the shrimp po'boy won out, therefore I bid adieu to my husband and took my unemployed self for a walk in the park. I mean who else gets to do this? I brought my camera along with me today and "played tourist" as I walked along the waterfront.
It's amazing the things you can do when you aren't spending eight hours rotting away behind a desk or in a cubby hole. Not to get all metaphysical and stuff, but just being in the sunshine, listening to the water, and breathing in the salty air, had the same effect as an hour of yoga (without the worry of flatulence or injury).

The Vinoy stands in it's classic grandeur looking out towards the water, reminding me of...reminding me of...when I used to have a job there. Crap. Why is everything reminding me of work? That's right I worked at the Vinoy in their Resort Shop many moons ago, one of the many stops in my colorful employment history. I loathed that job, selling IZOD shirts and cigars to the men and Brighton accessories and high-end designer "resortwear" to the women. I would be rich if I had a penny for every implant and Botox injection that came through that door. They say the place is haunted, I don't doubt it, probably by the ghosts of facelifts past...it was definitely creepy.
Are you all glad the weekend is here? I am, and not because I have a job or anything and I've been working like a dog all week, but because it means I get to spend time with the husband and kiddo [insert small sappy "awwwww" here]. As far as what we have planned for the rest of the weekend, I see walking involved, lots and lots of walking (as I ponder those last bites of po'boy and red beans and rice).

Remember, when in doubt...order both!
(and next time save room for the beignets...)
The Unemployed Housewife

All dressed up and no place to go...

Just got home from the job fair downtown at the Coliseum. It really is a sad state of affairs out there. I passed out some resumes and talked to quite a few people, but there just doesn't seem to be much in the way of HR or accounting/admin available right at the moment. It did however feel pretty good to get all dressed up and spiffy looking. I even straightened my hair (no easy feat!) I wasn't ready to come home...I even called a few friends to see if they were available for lunch, but "oh that's right" everyone else has jobs! Silly me :)

The husband hurt his back on Tuesday while attempting to fix a leak underneath our kitchen sink (the plumber finally came and fixed it yesterday). Are all men complete babies when they are in pain? It's like I'm getting a flash-forward to when he's in his eighties...all hunched over, moaning, "get me my heating pad and ibuprofen...". Good Lord! He fell asleep with the heating pad on last night and I had to do some interesting maneuvers to get the thing turned off. The last thing we need is an electrical fire in bed! I know...I know...they are supposed to be safe and all, but I won't even leave the house unless the dryer is off and the toasters unplugged! Neurotic? Me? Nooooooooo. Anyway, I hope he is feeling better tonight.

So, here I sit among my animals in our fairly cluttered computer room pondering whether to have tuna or chicken salad for lunch...or maybe an omelet...hmmm. Actually, an omelet sounds pretty darn good...I think I have some chives, mushrooms, and swiss...oh yeah...an omelet it will be! Time to refuel the brain.

Enjoy the day!

The Unemployed Housewife

My glass is on the average half full...

They say you have good days and bad days when you are unemployed. I'm pretty sure yesterday was a bad day. This economy is rough. I think I have submitted over 50 resumes to positions that I qualify for...and nothing, not even a peep. It it quite disheartening, I am usually the upbeat glass is half full kinda gal, but as I approach the one month mark of being unemployed, it becomes harder to stay chipper. I don't think I have ever been unemployed for this length of time, I think the max amount of time I took off between positions was 2 weeks. One month and counting...I just keep telling myself the longer I have to wait the more rewarding the opportunity will be when I finally get a phone call and I WILL get a phone call :)

In other news the kiddo returned home on Sunday evening and now life is complete again. For those of you who may not know I am also a stepmom. The kiddo has spent every other week with us since she was 5 years old and I miss her terribly the weeks that she is not with us. She is 14 now going on 24...and although these teenage years have been to say the least "interesting" so far, she is overall the best kid ever! I can't believe she will be going in to high school next year and getting her learners permit...ugh. Husband is already planning on ways to scare off potential scuzzballs (aka young suitors). Every night we eat dinner together and I think it is my favorite part of the day, there is always laughing, snorting, and sometimes very humorous critiquing of the meal...last night I made Julia's version of "French Hamburgers w/Cream"...at first the kiddo was like "Ewwww...creamy hamburgers!", but it satiated all of our palates quite pleasantly I will boast...and it was asked to be a repeat guest on our dinner menu! On the schedule this evening we will be attending her school's basketball game to watch her cheer, and then we have already planned to play LIFE while watching American Idol after dinner (whatever that may turn out to be tonight!).

Now, I must get ready to attend the first day of my last class at USF. Hallelujah! The end is in sight! Graduation is just around the corner. Wish me luck as this class has a rough reputation...Experimental Design and Analysis. Pretty much statistics on steroids.

May your glass always be half full!

The Unemployed Housewife

To see snow or not to see snow...

We are definitely not used to these temperatures in Florida! I think it took a good hour for me to get my legs warmed up after sitting outside with friends for a few hours last night. I'm not kidding, husband said it was like crawling into bed with a side of beef. Alas, we did not see any snow ourselves, but there were a few sightings around the area. Honestly, I don't miss the cold weather like they have up North, as much as we complain about the heat in the middle of August and how you can't leave the house without your "face" melting off and don't even get me started on my definition of a "bad hair day", our weather is considerably mild. I would much rather take a couple weeks in the mid-30's than an entire winter season with below freezing temps!

We were so unproductive today simply because we didn't want to leave the house to brave the elements, but it was also nice to have a lazy day at home with the husband. We thought about going to see Sherlock Holmes, but again that would require trekking out of the house away from our central heat! I did catch lunch and a movie on Friday with my father. We went to see Avatar, I really enjoyed it. Yes, the plot was predictable, but it was a great story and the imagination that went into the film was something beyond this world. It was aesthetically the most beautiful film I have ever seen, two and a half hours flew by! I highly recommend it.

As for tomorrow, husband leaves for his weekly male-bonding session at disc golf and I get a few hours alone (not that I have had a shortage of this lately!). On the menu tomorrow Cuban roast pork with black beans and yellow rice...ahhhh...behold the glory that is the crock pot!

I bid goodnight to you all as I can no longer concentrate because husband feels that now is the time to get our two dogs riled up into a "barking let's fight over the ball" frenzy, despite my very calm requests that they KNOCK IT OFF! Really? Really?

The Unemployed Housewife

Chef du Jour

Just before I became unemployed I saw the movie Julie & Julia and I was inspired to learn how to cook. Previously, I was able to cook the hell out of the following dishes: scrambled eggs, spaghetti, tacos, and beef stroganoff. That is about it...I couldn't even make a decent grilled cheese sandwich (in fact I once fused said grilled cheese sandwich to a pan, and threw my spatula at husband out of frustration...not a pretty scene!) After seeing the movie I was determined to learn how to cook decent food, and not just any food French food! I asked for Julia's cookbooks for Christmas, and apparently Santa felt I needed to broaden my culinary palate as well! I have been a cooking fiend ever since...quiches, pastry dough, heavy cream, and butter everywhere you look, it's fabulous! Every night is an experiment that (knock on wood) has turned out surprisingly well...very minimal cussing, no broken dishes and no flying spatulas (husband is super happy about that!). On the menu this evening was potato gratin with swiss and cream and a pan-seared steak with a white wine shallot butter sauce...it was delectable and I can't believe I cooked it! Of course we didn't eat until almost 8:00pm, so it seems I need to work on my timing, but in my mind it was so worth the wait! This is a plus side of being the unemployed housewife...time to cook and time to learn how to do it!

Bon Appetit!
The Unemployed Housewife

How much TLC can one person watch?

So, here we are...my very first blog post as the "unemployed housewife". I was laid off from my job of almost four years just before Christmas...yay...Merry Christmas. I think it is a blessing in disguise though, because why on earth would I want to continue to work with people that would lay off a long term employee right before the holidays? I mean, that is just crappy. As Forest would say "that's all I have to say about that". I am not going to waste any more time discussing the negative because after all, there is nothing but positive in my future! (and Karma is a bitch people!)

Right so now we have to discuss the future...hmmm..what will the future bring? I have not a clue, but I can tell you one thing this "housewife" bit is getting old. At first, I found the idea intriguing, attractive really...the house will be immaculate, dinner on the table for the husband and kiddo, I will have extra time for hobbies and projects...but in truth, it sucks. I have come to realize June Cleaver I am not! I need contact people! Human contact! I'm looking forward to my trip to the bank and the dry cleaners today, so I can have a little face time with someone other than my two dogs and cats who by the way , are extremely annoyed that I am home all day, taking up valuable couch space that they could be utilizing when no one is home!

Indeed, I do need to get moving, I have steak defrosting in the sink and laundry to be folded and an Oprah coming on at 4! I'll check back in tomorrow, meanwhile pray that I am not tempted to watch anymore TLC, because I am starting to believe I may be pregnant from watching so many episodes of "Birth Day" and I'm seriously rethinking my wardrobe choices after watching "What Not to Wear"...over and over again!

Rainbows and Fruit Roll-ups to all!
The Unemployed Housewife