Saturday, December 29, 2007

Hope to save you some dough

While you're watching those fantastic football line-ups, I know you're going to start packing away all the Christmas decorations. Before you run out to get those pricey, yet seemingly essential Ornament Organizers, please check this idea out. I don't know exactly were I read about it many years ago, but it really works. I've been using this packing method about 4 years and I haven't lost/cracked/damaged an ornament by storing it this way so far. Here's what you do:
Get a cheap, plastic bin and fill it with plastic Dixie party cups (read: beer cup, not the kind you use to rinse your mouth when brushing!). Put paper towel in the bottom of the cup and wrap the ornament's sides with another one. Here's the visual (I just snapped it like 5 minutes ago!). Make sure all ornaments fit inside the cup area and allow for head-room when you snap on the cover. Notice that some of the ornaments are inserted "head down" for best packing stability. I put unbreakable ornaments in between the cups to stabilize them. For this photo, I took out several of the side paper towel "packaging" for you to best see the effect.

Hope it works for you as well as it works for me, Cupcake! Now, I've got one tree packed away; only one more to go.... Another day. Whew! Hard work!

Happy New Year, Divas and Dudes!!! May 2008 be the most delightful year yet!!! XOXO

Thursday, December 27, 2007

The Space Between

What is a diva to do between the Christmas Holiday and New Year's? My suggestions, random order:
  • Are you kidding? Shop. Man, they're just giving away stuff at department stores, except for what I REALLY want (designer purse, the particular pair of black Clarks clogs, etc.), but you will not leave disappointed. The Main Squeeze was treated to a shopping spree and got great stuff for half price - so double the present!!!
  • Visit friends, especially those in from out of town. Take wine, but of course. Swing by Diva Wine-Know's (Jennifer, do you like your Nom de Diva???) The Wine Cellar in Vestavia City Center near Publix. She and her staff are wonderful!!! While you're there, contemplate your mental plans for a wine cellar at your diva digs. A girl can dream.
  • Plan your Spring Break vacation if you haven't done so already
  • Make plans to send your kids to summer camp. Need ideas? http://www.alabamacamps.org/ Trained staffs will entertain junior for up to an entire month. Now, THAT's relaxing!
  • Travel. I'm heading to the beach with the extended family. My dad's feeling so well and all my sisters and brother will be there with everyone - thanks to all who've asked, emailed, and sent inquiries about my dad after his quadruple bypass surgery. He's walking 3+ miles a day. Amazing.
  • Do laundry. I'm trying to work it in between shopping excursions while the kids are away. It's tough to schedule, you know.
  • Take a long soak. I actually did this last night with Epsom salt and scents. Wow! It was a treat.
  • Get a mani/pedi
  • Shop for a new car. The dealers want to get rid of inventory. Want a Benz? I recommend Comer Automotive. http://www.comerautomobile.com/ Check out their fantastic prices. You will not beleive how excellent and fair their service is. Tell Greg I sent you. They have BEE-U-TI-FUL cars. (Tell Jeff I'll be calling for service work soon.)
  • While you're at Comer shopping, have Quinton to detail the car you want to keep. He does a splendid job.

Well, that should keep you busy for a little while. I've got more content to work on to post soon. Toodles, Poodle! XOXO

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

More Christmas Copying

Diva Katherine and Pink Drink Queen emailed me the Christmas Version of Getting to Know Your Friends. Thought I'd share mine with you, Poodle:

Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags until I run out or don’t have the right size
Real tree or Artificial? Both. I’m allergic to tree sap as we’ve previously discussed, but have a real one downstairs and a fake one upstairs, which I am delighted to report will stay in tact (just without decorations) and be stored in my ample storage space when ‘tisn’t the season.
When do you put up the tree? As fast as possible after Thanksgiving. I just LOVE Christmas and want it to last as long as possible and get here as soon as is un-annoying.
When do you take the tree down? My goal is to have everything down by Valentine’s Day. It really takes that pressure off and generally, I’m quite successful
Do you like egg nog? Not at all. I feel freakish about it, but I chock it up to lactose intolerance.
Favorite gift received as a child? Barbie Dream Condo (3 stories, thank you) with an elevator. Hands DOWN!!!! It was the BEST Barbie thing EVER. I simply cannot imagine why they don’t make it any more, except perhaps it was cheap and fell apart with great regularity, not that I cared one whit. I was the luckiest girl in the world. The other great Santa surprises were the strings that led from the stockings to the matching bikes that Caroline and I got one year. Mine = blue; Caroline’s = red. The next year, the string led to a TRAMPOLINE that was set up in the garage and was moved to the yard after the rain-soaked ground could handle the trauma of bouncing children.

However, the gift that I have used FOREVER is my clock radio that I’ve had since I was 8. Thanks, Santa! It’s still by my bed. It’s huge and the numbers are a strange shade of green that has grown on me over the years. I think I’ll lord that over my kids and add to my “take care of your things so they’ll last a long time” lecture.

Favorite Christmas gift ever? PHOEBE!!! The cat that one sister found for me and named. She was the best pet for me. I just loved her! I still miss her tons!!!! She was the greatest present I’ve EVER gotten. So far, she’s the best pet I’ve ever had. Jingle, the cat-who-thinks-he's-a-dog is fine for now. Maybe a Sheltie will enter my world at some point and restore that exuberance of mommy-pet love that I know can exist.
Do you have a nativity scene? I have 3. The third, I hate particularly robustly, so I haven’t even gotten it out. It’s kind of like Precious Moments Nativity. Especially horrible. Why didn’t I force that on the ex-spouse? I dunno. Probably because I forced a plastic one with a light bulb on him from his childhood and felt some lingering feelings about trying to be fair and take a terrible one for myself. The problem is he probably doesn’t think the light-up plastic one is offensive at all. I digress. The others, though, are nice – one Italian one that a dear gave me when I got married and each year she adds another piece for a Christmas present. The other one, the mom-in-law brought back from Ireland. Heck, we had like 6 nativity sets. I divvied them up and freed up a lot of space in the storage area. I’m pleased to have the Irish one. Any takers on the “adorable” Precious Moments-esque one?

Hardest person to buy for? The Main Squeeze
Easiest person to buy for? My kids
Mail or email Christmas cards? This year it’s leaning heavily towards email. The mail cards haven’t gotten out reliably in 2 years. I get a batch or two out and then they wind up on my closet floor addressed and everything, just can’t seem to hit the mailbox from there. I don’t understand it, but it seems to be a thing.
Worst Christmas gift ever received? Well, I’ve never admitted this, but one year, I wanted a puppy so bad for Christmas. I mean REAL BAD. My dad HATES animals (But thanks to his wonderful wife, he’s since softened a little), so there was no chance in hell I was getting one, but I was still hoping that because I wanted it so badly, my parents would get it for me. No dice. I was 8 (same year as the clock radio). Santa brought me a placebo stuffed dog. White with brown spots and ears. I jumped up and down and put my face in it – only to hide my real emotion of sheer and utter disappointment (yep, I’m a total people pleaser). A few years later, a sister threw up all over it on a LONG car trip when my dad was driving on a curvy road like a bat out of hell (it was renamed Barfy at that moment – Seriously, my mother referred to it as Barfy the dog). We had to check into a motel just to clean up that poor wretch and throw that stuffed dog away. Hmmm… it’s not too late to turn this story into a country music song, is it?
Favorite Christmas movie? Love Actually
When do you start shopping for Christmas? I usually shop throughout the year due to sheer overwhelm of the Birthday Extravaganza of the boys’ Fall birthdays.
Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Most definitely. Bad wine that some lovely yet unsophisticated/cheap friend unknowingly purchased. I give it to another lovely yet unsophisticated friend and strongly suggest she cook with it.
Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Hooch dressing when possible. I also love oysters at Christmas – an adult onset thing.
Clear lights or colored on the tree? Both. See the two trees response. The fake one has mini colored lights. The live one has mini white lights. I do like Katherine’s idea of mixing sizes of white lights.
Favorite Christmas song? Well, I must start by saying that The First Noel bores the poof out of me. I just hate it a lot. On a more festive note: There is a simply gorgeous duet of O, Holy Night that about brings me to tears when I hear it. Then, there’s the Boston College University Chorale “theme song” Tolite Hostias (I have no idea how to spell it any more) which I am fairly certain you’d not be able to call that one up without some work with Google and then you still may not recognize it. It’s just festive and super fun to sing, which I have with my two BC Chorale alumnae sisters. Then, there’s the #1 Choral Hit of Christmas or Ever for that matter, the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also include Handel’s other best hit according to moi: For Unto Us a Child is Born. And in my heart of hearts, the solo I’m dying for someone to ask me to perform is Gesu Bambino (it’s the song that incorporates O, Come All Ye Faithful and has lots of pretty grace notes throughout). I sing that in the playroom to the toys on a regular basis (they’re a wonderful audience!). So, those are my top faves along with several secret musical confessions.
Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home for the event. Travel after a day or two of recovering from it AND while the boys are with their dad.
Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Yep. I also know the real words to the start of “Santa Claus is coming to town”
Angel on the tree top or a star? Stars on both. I would love an angel, but they all look like stupid, bad dolls and I just can’t bring myself to pay for cheap looking angels.
Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning.
Most annoying thing about this time of year? OH GOD!! Thanks for asking so I can scream this from the top of my hoarse lungs: those Radio Christmas Wish stories submitted by friends of people “in need” – like a dying couple, usually high school sweethearts married forever, still in love, who have been violently crushed by 1,000 pound steel coils (or something obscure and freakish), yet one is still miraculously working the factory production job with merely one arm and in a wheelchair due to her having no legs anymore while the husband is on a ventilator in ICU and their 8 children are in diapers, living with caring neighbors. SHUT UP!!! Like a turkey and a $200 Visa Gift Card are going to make a freakin’ dent!!!! GET REAL - HOW can they cook the stupid turkey in their conditions?! This is not helpful!!! They’ll have to puree it for Ventilator Husband! Where are people from their church?!?!? I swear, I think the striking writers are submitting these tales of woe. It’s NOT REAL! Give me a break. I can’t change the station fast enough. If I hear one more sobbing woman before 9:00, I’m going to find Barfy. Moving on….
Favorite ornament theme or color? I do several shades of red with gold. I collect Santa ornaments from around the world.
Favorite for Christmas dinner? Anything I don’t cook.
What do you want for Christmas this year? Here’s Katherine’s Response: I'll have to go with Molly on this one - are you kidding? I always want jewelry! ; )
I want a keyboard/piano. I was going to get it myself and found out that someone special was getting that for me. So, this year, Santa’s bringing me a faux fur throw from Tar-jhet (on sale for $19!), chocolates, maybe some music, and a piece of a garage organization system.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Christmas Copying

To quote my 5 year old, I'm poofed! My dad had a quadruple bypass last week and I cooked for and hostessed a Christmas soiree to end all for the Main Squeeze within the last week. I can't feasibly get anything else in my garage (car? HA!). The laundry is somewhere in one of my storage rooms and the 5 year old is out of underwear. SO, I'm going to post a quick little entertainment that I got from a Diva on email to tide you over until my head's above water (and hopefully the decongestants kick in and don't make me sleepy!). Here are your Christmas Party Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door where they're serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy . Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it.
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. They're just God-awful. I mean, have some standards.
10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Gingerbread Cookies

Wonderful aromas from the kitchen are a great childhood memory of Christmas. You know Santa is on his way when you dress up for a Nutcracker performance and decorate gingerbread cookies. This is an old family recipe served up for you Divine Divas. Mmmm! I can almost smell the baking gingerbread. Ooh! Do I hear sleigh bells????? I just LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!!

½ cup shortening
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1½ cups dark molasses
⅔ cup water
7 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Combine shortening, sugar, and molasses. Stir in water. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Chill dough.

Roll dough ¼-inch think on lightly floured board. Cut with cookie cutters - I dip them in flour each time before cutting. Place far apart on greased sheets. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes. Yield 2½ dozen.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Spreading Cheer

Food for thought:

If you're feeling blue, worried about troubles, I highly recommend you volunteer at a battered women's shelter, soup kitchen, or homeless shelter - pronto, Pumpkin. The Gorgeous Creatures (aka Choral Group) and I sang this morning at such a place, and it was a spiritual treat. I can't tell you who felt better at the end. Tissues were passed around both for the guests and for the performers. One of the women there told us after the performance that she was crying not because she was sad about her situation, rather that she felt happy for the first time in a long time. I'll tell you, it certainly serves up instant perspective.

Be merry, Cupcake! You have many blessings. I for one adore you!
XOXO

Monday, December 3, 2007

Shopping Strategies

Out of the gate, I am compelled to tell you that I am a kamikaze shopper. I really don't like the malls. Stunning, n'est pas? But, they can come in handy around this time of the year - disgusting as they may seem (I have to pass a mall twice a day and dread it more and more as the traffic gets worse and worse). As a giving diva, I share my closely-guarded efficient shopping secrets with you, Poodle.
1. Of course, I find what I can on the internet - but that's sometimes more time-consuming than the mall (shriek!)
2. For those special people on your list, instead of giving a gift, give a memory. Which reminds me, Saucy Diva, when do you want to reschedule your birthday horseback ride? Oh! Back to the group ... a play, dinner out, a dinner in. For my kids, we put up the play tent in the living room, fill it with pillows, pop corn, and have movie marathons. They love it. 2 years ago at my nephew's, we watched Polar Express and ate s'mores that we cooked in the fireplace. We still talk about it with great fondness.
3. On that mall-avoiding note, you can create personalized gift certificates (my dad named them Goodfer's years ago 'cause it's "good for" something). Create a hiking outing, walk in the park, drive to the beach /mountains /country / Tuscaloosa, a knitting lesson, help decorating before a party ....
4. Visit locally-owned and operated stores. Katherine would love for each of you to call her at Jonathan Benton Booksellers and she will recommend books and take your order. (How much do you love me, Katherine????)
5. Shop at off-peak hours. Avoid lunch and post-school or post-work times. The least crowded times at the mall are when the stores just open. Check the paper or call the mall office for hours as they change closer to Christmas. In the same vein, shopping after 9 p.m. will avoid crowds.
6. Plants can make a nice gift for your gardening enthusiast (this Dish, though, kills inside plants, yet they flourish outside where they belong - so know your recipient on this).
7. Gifts in the Adult Beverage category are also great for us imbibers and do not require a trip to the mall.
8. Martha Stewart endorses homemade gifts. I plan on giving homemade salsa and tomato chutney made from items grown in my garden. I yearn for Divann's homemade cookies and treats. If you're at Chez Dish and you see a plate of delicious items from Divann - BACK AWAY. It has MY name on it, not yours. I'll share just about everything else, but not that. Dem's da berries.

Parking at the Mall
1. Don't try to find the closest spot. It does not exist. Plan on hiking and burn off those party calories.
2. Don't enter the first entrance. It's always more clogged.
3. Take a look-out when possible.
4. I seek those spots near the cart return and call that efficient (at Tar-jhay, of course!)
5. Do one loop and then give up - park at the back of the lot. Gas is getting expensive, my little Elf!

Good luck, Tinsel! XOXO!

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Tree Tips, El Segundo

Keeping that Fresh, Sprucy Tree … Fresh
Once you’ve selected your tree, make sure the tree “professionals” cut about 1 inch off the trunk above the base while you’re at the lot. This removes clogged wood from it that prevents the tree from taking in water.

I know it’s exciting to take your tree home and put it up right away, but DON’T! (if you didn't cut it down yourself). The first day at home, your tree should absorb about a gallon of water. I do a lot of flower arranging and the same is true with fresh cut flowers. Cut them, then plunge your fresh item into a large bucket of water. Check every 4-6 hours to see if re-watering is necessary.

Why is this important? A tree that is well hydrated is less likely to become a blazing inferno. Really, isn't this what we're all after?!

How to keep a tree fresh and perky:
~ Regular tap water without anything added is fine as long as you do not allow the tree to dry out (if it dries out, it can’t absorb moisture as well once re-watered)
~ If you are compelled to add stuff to your tree, then save your change and mix up 1 quart of water, ½ cup light corn syrup, and 1 TEASPOON liquid bleach. Why? Water keeps it watered. Corn syrup gives it sugar (and everyone needs a little sugar to spice up life now and again!). ~ The bleach kills all the growing science experiment that forms when water stands, becomes room temperature, and dust or whatever else from the ornaments falls into it. Just make sure your cat/dog keeps to the toilet bowl for her drinking water.

Ready to light that baby up?
~ Of course, check the lights. You already know that.
~ If you don’t want your forearms looking like you have a pox upon you, then don dishwashing gloves (they also help save your manicure, Precious!)
~ Work from the inside base and move to the outer edges. There’s a big debate in my family whether to wrap individual branches or string the lights in a spiral manner, but I’ll spare you.
~ For a 6 foot tree, you need about 400-600 lights; for an 8 foot tree, 600-800
~ Once the lights are on, add the garland. For a 6-foot tree, you need 85-90 feet of garland; for an 8-foot tree, 130-145 feet.
~ For ornaments, start with your filler ornaments (solid color balls, apples, etc.) then add your special ornaments.
~ You need about 20 “filler ornaments” for every 2 feet of tree. Or an overall total, for a 6-foot tree, you’ll need about 85 total ornaments; for an 8-foot tree about 200
~ To add dept and interest, hang ornaments both on the outside of branches and on the inside of them

I am feeling very good now that I have taken my kids to a Christmas parade and completed TWO trees (one fake, one live). On to decorating the outside of Chez Dish.