Bfth's Boring Blog

It's Thanksgiving and we're all thankful for what we have.  It goes without saying (or at least it should) that I am thankful for my family and friends, for my home (even though I may complain about how small it is and all the things that need fixing; I have a place that keeps me warm and dry), my job (though only part time will grow into something even better than it already is) and my health and good health of all those I love. But there are so many little things that I am grateful for.  Things that seem inconsequential on the surface, but in reality are so much more. For example, a friend of mine posted that she was off to work this morning.  She is a nurse.  I happen to have several friends who are nurses or in the medical field.  For those that have to work today, I am thankful that they are there for the people who need them.  For those who finally have the day off, I am thankful that after years of work that they can spend the holiday at home with family. And mostly

Thanksgiving is less than 24 hours away.  And I know that I have a lot to be thankful for.  I will count my multitude of blessing tomorrow as my small, but wonderful family gathers around my dining room table (the same table which generations before me gathered) for an unconventional, but delicious meal.  (Unconventional because my allergy to poultry means that no turkey will roast in the house and my extremely picky son will take a few forced bites of what is served and will then feast on the special Jello that always graces our holiday table.) Tonight I am thankful for one seemingly small and simple thing; a friendship that is fueled by Facebook that made my evening easier and cleaner. Let me backtrack to last Thanksgiving Eve (or maybe it was Thanksgiving morning...I honestly don't remember which is was) when I went to make my Frozen German Sweet Chocolate Pie.  I make this simple recipe (just Google it) pretty much every Thanksgiving (and most every other holiday too).  It&

I know...we're not even at Thanksgiving yet.  And I truly believe in celebrating one holiday at a time.  (No matter what the commercials may tell me).  I'm prepping for Thanksgiving today.  I *think* all the groceries I need have been bought.  (Not including the wine...that will come later.)  I've already done some "pre" cleaning and hope the guys will help me with some finishing touches on Wednesday and early Thursday.  (Remember my last blog???). But with life gets hectic.  And I just don't want to face shopping once Black Friday arrives and goes.  The last of my holiday gifts I will get BEFORE Thanksgiving.  And in all fairness, I have a very small family and a very small shopping list, so I CAN do this.  And my holiday shopping this weekend does sort of tie into Thanksgiving and the season of gratitude (which should continue all year long). The finishing touches of my holiday shopping will be done on Sunday...at church of all places!  Every year my chu

I love to write.  Why else would I have a blog?  I mean it's not as if millions are reading and heaping praise on me.  And it's certainly not a way to make money!  But as long as I can remember I've been a writer...OK, maybe not quite as long as I can remember, but at least since the end of 3rd grade when I started to keep a notebook (just like Harriet the Spy...which was my inspiration...thank you Louise Fitzhugh).  And I've been writing ever since. Good and bad.  (Mostly bad...especially through those teen years.) But I could never write as well, or as succinctly as what was said 150 years ago today: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We h

Or perhaps I should have titled this:  My Bad Habit:  LACK of a cleaning schedule. Please don't get me wrong.  I'm not a slob...or at least not a total slob (although my mother might disagree with me on this one).  I'm not going to be featured on any hoarders shows.  But I'm not going to be featured on House Beautiful either. The weekend has gotten away from me again and it's mostly because of this silly cleaning cycle that I have...and my bad habit. Here's the pattern...my family and I go around doing the day to day things.  Caught up in life as most families are.  Certain things just don't get done.  Again I say we are not total slobs.  The dishes get washed (although the clean ones tend to hang on the drying rack much longer than they should).  The clothes get washed, dried and (eventually) put away.  But papers and mail do tend to pile up (not bills or things that need to be returned to school, but those "things" that I haven't thrown

A friend recently pointed out to me that the next holiday after Halloween is NOT Thanksgiving, but Veteran's Day.  She is most definitely right, but how many Americans would know that (or even agree)? Veteran's Day is somewhat of a forgotten holiday.  Government offices are closed, but most businesses are open.  Schools are open (at least in my area).  Other than some commercials announcing the Veteran's Day car sale or department store sale, how do most Americans know about this Holiday? Do we know that Veteran's Day celebrates ALL men and women who have served in the military? That originally Veteran's Day was known as  Armistice Day, commemorating the end of "The Great War" (now known as World War I)?  That it was Woodrow Wilson who proclaimed the holiday on November 11, 1919? That it was Veteran Raymond Weeks who in 1945 came up with the idea that the day should honor not just those who served in World War I, but to celebrate ALL Ve

It's just after six here on the east coast as I type this.  The polls are open!  Yes, this is my friendly reminder to get out there and vote.  It (usually) only takes a couple of minutes to do and every vote really does count.  (Just ask the guy who ran for our town council and lost by one vote!  It's true.  And what's better is how gracious he was about it...no contesting, no whining just a public congratulations to the winners.  Now if only EVERYONE would be that gracious). I could go into a long wide speech about how important it is.  How this is a sacred right that our forefathers fought for.  But the fact is, you should know that already.  (And if you don't you should re-read your history book...or at least Google!) This is a chance for your voice to be heard.  No matter how small.  There may not be much we can do to influence the system, but this is the one thing we CAN do.  Small steps bring forth great things. So take that small step today.  Vote!  (I espe

Happy All Saint's Day! Did everyone survive Halloween?  Hope you had lots of POLITE trick or treaters visit your home and that your candy bowl is now empty!  (Because we've got to get prepared for the next food holiday -- Thanksgiving).  Sadly our bowl is still pretty full.  With all of the bad weather over the last few years, we were hopeful that this year would be the one where things returned to "normal".  And although my son and I went out and saw kids, our little block saw next to nothing.  Don't know where our treats are going to go! (I'm NOT going to eat them!  Or at least that's what I'm telling my waistline!) Don't forget that on Saturday night/Sunday morning the clocks get turned back.  While I love it being a little lighter in the morning (who doesn't?  It makes it so much easier to get up and out of bed!), is there anyone out there who likes the darkness rolling in so early?  Give me a week and I'll be ready for spring again