Thursday, June 23, 2011

Monday Morning Staff Meeting on Thursday

Yes, I know that's lame. A Monday Morning Staff Meeting on Thursday? Oh well, that's life around here.

The first thing on the agenda is always food. This morning we're going to be enjoying some Whoopie Pies.

Photobucket

These aren't just any Whoopie pies, they're two month old Whoopie pies! I just didn't have time to bake and so, through the magic of archived photos we'll enjoy these goodies!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thanks to everyone who participated in the "Name Those Coasters" contest. There were some great suggestions. I chose "Cool Coasters" and that means Vee is the winner. Congratulations and thanks for giving my weak brain a rest.

Photobucket

Vee, I'll get a set in the mail to you. Thanks again everyone.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

About that closet/pantry project. I've got two closets and one pantry painted and re-organized. There's one pantry to go. Thanks for all your encouragement on all these in-house projects. Sometimes it seems like they'll never end but as you have pointed out the results are worth all the hard work.

Vee - you were right in your assessment about what was going to happen in the paint department. The reason I moved to the laundry room closet is because I had lots of paint left over from the front hall closet. After painting that closet I still had paint left over and so I moved on to one of the pantries. As you predicted I've run out of paint! To finish the second pantry I need to buy another gallon (a quart will not be sufficient) and that means I'll have paint left over again! The cycle will repeat. I'll troll around the house for another closet to paint.

I had posted this photo of the newly organized laundry room closet.

Photobucket

Crossed commented, "I understand two crock pots, but two George Forman grills?"

Omigosh, I had to go back and look at the photo myself because I didn't realize we had two grills. Actually, one is a George Foreman and one is a waffle iron.

But Crossed is pretty much correct because in general we have TWO of everything in this house. Seventeen years ago we combined households when the Other Mother came to live with us. The problem was compounded by the fact that she worked for Sunbeam for 40 years and accumulated multiples of household appliances, purchased at the company store. She brought irons, electric fry pans, egg cookers, coffee pots (the percolator type), blenders, electric knives, mixers (stand alone and handheld) and more. I had my own version of this collection due to the fact that she gave household appliances as gifts over the years.

It all gets more complicated because the Other Mother was raised during the depression which means she cannot part with anything. I understand this tendancy but it has a hoarding aspect and after awhile something's got to give. Some of the older items have mysteriously disappeared and reappeared at the local Goodwill store. Since she hasn't actually cooked in 4 or 5 years they're not missed. Phew!

REBECCA left me a comment on the Big Reveal post:

"So happy for you - your place looks great. Enjoy :)
I used to visit your blog now and then. I got a new computer and lost you."

I'm glad you found me again Rebecca. I had the same thing happen to me when Bloglines shut down. My attempts at transferring my list to Google Reader fell a little short and I lost a few people along the way. The problem is that my memory is so affected that I can't even remember who I lost. That's sad.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A story appeared recently that was a great reminder to stop and smell the roses, or in this case listen to the music.

A man sat playing the violin in a Washington, D.C. metro station. Not unusual, street musicians can be seen in all the large cities. He played for 45 minutes and performed six complicated Bach pieces.

Can you guess what happened? A few people slowed their pace and listened for a few seconds and hurried on. One woman threw a dollar in his till and continued walking without stopping to enjoy the music. The only people who stopped dead in their tracks were children!

The violinist collected $32 from twenty different people who put the money in the till without slowing their pace. Only six people stopped for more than a few seconds. At the end of the 45 minutes he stopped playing. No one noticed and no one applauded.

Of course there's more to the story. The violinist was virtuoso Joshua Bell and his subway performance had included one of the world's most complicated pieces and he was playing on a violin worth $3.5 MILLION DOLLARS. Just days before he'd played a sold out concert with tickets that were $100.

Do you think you would have stopped? It seems that our lives are so busy that it's hard to break that "gotta go... gotta go" cycle.

Stop and smell the roses, and listen to the violinist.

JOSHUA BELL'S SUBWAY CONCERT

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thanks everyone for being loyal readers. I appreciate the fact that you take time from your busy day to visit with me.





7 comments:

Mary Rex said...

I love visiting with you Suzanne, it is always time well spent. Yum, that whoopie pie looks delicious, thank-you for the calorie free treat.

I have to laugh at the story of the home appliances. My mom and I live together, so I have a similar situation...but my closets are no where near as organized as yours!

That story about Joshua Bell is sad in a way...but people were on their way somewhere, in the Metro Station, in a hurry, late for work, or on their way home. They are probably kicking themselves now, but at least they can see some of it on line. Thanks for sharing that. He is amazing!

Lisa D. said...

Mmmm, whoopie pies. I'll take one of those!
I used to think more like your mother-in-law, but a tiny house with 4 children, and a husband who also likes to hold on to stuff is curing me of my pack rat tendencies. I too have found that the mysterious diappearance route is often the best one. Rarely is anything missed.
I've heard that subway story before. It reminded me of how easily swayed we are to let someone else tells us what is of value and worth. If we have to pay $100, then it must have value. If it's free in the subway station, and no one else has stopped to listen, then it must not have value.

Leslie T. said...

Once again I have to commend you on your stellar efforts. Painting the inside of a closet has never crossed my mind. Kudos to you for tackling all of these jobs and making things look so nice. We have painted every room in our house, but nary a closet. We've put up chair rails, bead board, and knotty pine. We've put up crown molding, and installed new baseboards. The rooms look great. The closets? Hmmmm, I don't know because I put blinders on when I open the closet doors. :)
Your whoopie pie is making my stomach growl. Now I'm gonna think about that whoopie pie all afternoon. Well, at least it'll keep my mind off of my dingy closet walls.
Happy Thursday Suzanne! I enjoyed the Monday Morning Staff Meeting!

Vee said...

I am truly honored and will put them to good use immediately. Thank you.

The story of Joshua Bell made me shake my head. I'm sure I would've stopped. I'm really almost certain of it. Oh I hope I would have stopped.

I'm going to bless you with the recipe for the most delicious whoopie pie filling and it's not that one. I can tell! I'll send it along in the thank you card IF I remember. ;D

Paint out? I just knew it!

Terri said...

I don't think it's a matter of how much there was to be paid for the concert... he just chose the wrong venue. People in the subway halls are in a hurry. They don't saunter or amble... they are on the way to work, or in a hurry to get home and cook dinner for their families. It's not that we don't want to stop and smell the music, it's that we don't have the time right now. If you are retired, and nobody is at home waiting for their supper, well then we could enjoy the freedom to stop. I'm sure lots of people enjoyed the bit of the concert as they went through the corridors. What a treat that would be.
I thought I recognized those whoopies from a previous post. Still just as yummy!

Where in the world is Jefferson City, Missouri said...

Yeah..... your pictures are back for me......have a great week end and no more whoopie pies unless they are sugarless........

Ant said...

Mmm, whoopie pies look yummy even after two months in photo storage!
I will have to try one soon. I hear they are wonderful!