7th Day Surprise: TIME TRAVEL

BEFORE & AFTER

Who hasn't dreamed of traveling through time?

Fortunately for all of us
that's exactly what we get to do today.
So don't forget to turn your clocks one hour ahead...

Spring forward!

EASIER SAID THAN DONE

King of the castle
Sometimes I worry that in my return to
a life of  "leisure" I've become virtually
useless. While the days fly by I'm not
sure that much of what consumes my
time really matters. Then I stop - bitch
slap myself and say... isn't being happy
ALL that matters? And yet once you've
finally reached Nirvana - it's more than
disappointing to realize that happiness
may involve emptying the dishwasher
every morning. Post "retirement" I've
discovered that bliss is alive and well
far beyond the conventional hot spots.

The pause that refreshes
Oddly it's the simplest things in life
that seem to make me the happiest.
While I truly don't relish playing
Susie Homemaker on a daily basis
I do treasure the comfort keeping
things tidy. I've slowly slipped into
what some consider a domestic daze.
However I may have finally found
my groove. Every day in my rather
small world everything changes. So
simply watching the sun come up is
more than enough of a thrill prior
to sipping one's first cup of coffee.

Sucking the life out of me?
The fact is the very process of living
is rather time consuming. In the old
days I left the house before dawn and
returned long after sunset. Invariably
we dined out. Hence the house stayed
more than clean between the weekly
ministrations of our mystery maids.
On weekends we ran out and about
and therefore the house really never
got dirty as it really never got used.
Now that we're housebound, one has
to constantly tidy up or soon one's digs
can resemble an episode of Hoarders.

Just do it
We're blessed to have the weekly
aid of a talented professional who
keeps things under control. Yet
in between both of us continue to
play the role of maintenance men.
Simply keeping up consumes all
of our days. Frank's Mother once
advised that it was best to "Do a
little bit everyday." However the
basic function of clean living is if
nothing else quite a dirty business.
So we endlessly toil away and if
necessary - air our dirty laundry.

Close to home
While obviously busy, I feel guilty for
my lack of ambition. Over my career
I was able to almost anything if/when
given the opportunity to do so. Yet what
I'm slowly discovering is that this phase
of my life is all about doing things that
I couldn't do before. Most of my unspent
desires revolved around home. When I
finally unleashed my hidden homebody
I found happiness. And if that's enough
to zing my strings - why can't I merrily
cook and polish my way to a new me?
Or is such fulfillment a waste of time?

Rise above it
My life is nobody's business but mine.
How I opt to fulfill my dreams is all
about me. And as long as I don't have
to earn a living, I'm going to keep on
living. After years of hard work and
sacrifice it's finally my time. I have
family and friends who love me. My
husband is at my side no matter what.
Our home is beyond lovely. Therefore
I'm going to try my best to enjoy it all.
And if that means doing nothing of any
consequence - then so be it. Now. I'd
better get back to my menu planning.

STORMY WEATHER

Off the beaten track
What goes around inevitably comes around. Yet
when said return engagement involves a pseudo
blonde with questionable breasts, it can be quite
an unwelcome reunion. Let's be honest, all too
many men and women wander while in longterm
relationships. However as Seth Lords - the errant
daddy in the Philadelphia Story once said "What
most wives won't seem to realize is that their
husband's philandering -  particularly that of the
middle-aged kind - has nothing whatever to do
with them." While I doubt that such a statement
offers consolation a certain sobbing Slovak in
the White House, little could be wiser.

Oh daddy
We're all human. A fact that often causes some
of us to do quite inhumane things. Inevitably
infidelity is driven by a deepeset need within
the culprit themselves. Please note that I said
"themselves." I believe that most wandering
spouses are solely responsible for transversing
the line of decency and on to impropriety. To
be clear, in my experience trying to foist one's
sins onto their obviously much better halves is
simply an excuse. Said rational are but feeble
attempts to hide their motivation for breaking
their promise in the pursuit of happiness. Yet
many have no idea why they're doing what.

Old dogs, new tricks
As Phillip Barry penned - middle aged men
are particularly vulnerable to foolishness.
As one ages, the ravages of time slowly eat
away at one's sense of self. Causing many
a male to pursue extracurricular activities
that make them feel young. And the more
successful such fools are, the greater their
appeal to those who are ready and willing
to leverage their assets. And those who have
no problem overlooking a pot belly in order
to find a pot of gold at the end of another's
rainbow. Thus the reason one encounters so
many old and young duos at a country club.

Smoke & mirrors
In theory true love conquers all. However it's
ability to overcome all obstacles only grows
harder as both parties in a partnership age.
Most women do anything possible to usurp
Mother Nature's cruel advances. However
often the true culprit in their spouse's errant
ways is that familiarity breeds contempt.
Hence the grass is greener or in many cases...
the sex is theoretically better than back home.
And yet ultimately that's exactly where most
wandering fools return. Back to the one who
knows them best. And loves them for who
they truly are. That is if they accept... returns.

Anger management
There is nothing more volatile than a lover
spurned. Rejection, especially by the one
you love stings with a venom that can kill
one's ability to forgive and forget. Yet in
the end infidelity ends in either rejection
or redemption. Some of us make mistakes.
And should said err spit in your face, one
should consider it a baptism of fire. Finally
you're forced to see them for who they truly
are. With such clarity one can move on to a
better place whether solo or with somebody
new. The opposite extreme is if one realizes
they're still willing to love unconditionally.

Falling in love again...
Some of us learn the hard way. Said process
of self discovery can takes us through peaks
and valleys. Plus a detour or two. However
most of us learn something along the way.
And come to the conclusion that we're more
than blessed. Especially if one has a better
half willing to wait as you weather life's
storms and finally figure things out. Those
loving and most patient of souls are in my
opinion true gifts from God. Who better to
grow old with than somebody who knows
you for who you are? And remains at your
side through both better... AND worse...

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Home ownership
If nothing else one's home is a reflection of
the owner themselves. Given perception is
reality, one's guests make a snap decision
immediately upon entering a room. Which
is why interior decorators use key pieces
to make a statement. It  can be anything
from a bold color to elegant rug to a work
of art to a major piece of furniture. All can
speak volumes about...
Check on the link below for the rest of
the latest C+V HOME blog entry.

https://cvhomemontana.blogspot.com

IT'S A MAD, MAD WORLD

Far from the maddening crowd
Given the state of this world, it's probably best
to keep one's mouth shut. After all, just when
one thinks things can't get any crazier... THEY
DO AND THEN SOME. And there are times
when even the most jaded of us are taken by
surprise. Take the other day. There on the TV
screen and internet was a subpoenaed former
Trump accolyte spewing his refusal to appear
before a grand jury. While beyond baffling,
said spectacle hovered between entertaining
and appealing. However most Americans took
said sight in stride. Given tomorrow is likely
to be even crazier. Have all we lost our minds?

Out of control
It appears that one thing is certain. Which is
that almost everyone associated with Donald
Trump seems to be seriously considering an
exit strategy. Including the First Lady who
seems to have evaporate post a tsunami of
porn star revelations. It has gotten so bizarre
that one wonders when things will reach the
point of no return. A possibility that has me
terrified. As such foolishness goes on in the
White House - scarier things explode on the
world stage. Be that Putin strutting his stuff,
Kim Jong Un suddenly softening. Or some
Russian spy being poisoned on a park bench.

Global consequences
How did we get here? Oh I remember, many
of my former friends and neighbors voted a
mad man into office. Hence we all forced to
view Donald Trump's presidential version of
reality television on a daily basis. A series so
ludicrous that few are rattled by resignations,
assignations, or condemnations. Within the
brief span of four hundred and eleven days,
one man made a mockery of our democracy.
Leaving us all shell shocked into a reluctant
form of submission. After all, it would seem
that things couldn't get worse. And yet they
do time and time again. Will it ever end?!

Circle jerk
I don't know about you but I resent being
pulled down by forces beyond my control.
Part of me prefers to pretend that none of
this is happening. Yet unfortunately I have
no choice but to face Trump's alternative
reality on a daily basis. And yet he is the
least of my worries. Last night I attempted
to watch Fox News in order to balance my
perspective. What I subsequently saw was
beyond a warped recantation of rumors,
lies, and conspiracy theories. The antithesis
of everything that this American holds near
and dear. No wonder we're so screwed up.

Long distance charges
I've no doubt that if most of us could sit in
a room and talk, things would get better.
Yet sadly, most of us prefer to sit in our
living rooms and watch the world go by.
My question is will it ever end? When will
we finally flip the switch and end all of this
foolishness. If for no other reason than that
it's time to hold ourselves and each other
accountable. A task that requires that ability
to sit down and talk things out. I'm actually
fairly confident that we're actually not that
far off from each other. We've been pushed
to the edge by opportunists stirring the pot.

Balancing act
I'm totally exhausted. Rather than argue
we must find that place between here and
there. One where we put our differences
to rest. Such a sublime state of mind isn't
as hard to achieve as some think. All that
is required is that we seriously consider
the consequences of our words and deeds.
In such a space we must hold each other
accountable to insure great things happen.
Bad becomes good. Bitter... sweet. And
in the end we're all the better for it. Easier
said than done, communication is key. So
could it be time to finally tell it like it is!

Like lambs being led to slaughter...

Are we there yet?
Yesterday we got another eight inches
of snow here in central Montana. Yet
on March first we enjoyed a "balmy"
day of sun with a high of forty one.
Post experiencing what's claimed to
be the worst of Montanan winters in
decades, hitting above forty seemed
tropical. Leaving many to wonder if
we entered March like a lion or lamb?
My hope is that we roared on the first
which according to folklore would be
a guarantee of no baaaaad weather by
the end of the month. Do ewe agree?

Old time religion
I must confess that part of me believes
in the relevance of old wive's tales. As
stated prior, I try to starve a fever and
feed a cold. While I rarely peruse the
Farmer's Almanac - I tend to subscribe
to the theory that their predictions do
come true. Therefore given it's sages
predicted a mild start to our Montanan
March - and relative to the prior two
months we kicked it off warmer than
before - is it safe to assume that they're
not lion? And that we'll end the month
chilling in very baaaaaad weather?!

Special delivery?
I'm trying to be optimistic. Yesterday
in the midst of a blizzard we watched
a flock of Robins descend on our back
yard. Eagerly hovering against a south
facing brick wall. Was it to warm up
or to pluck out any dormant box elder
bugs still hiding in it's crevices? Did
they mistakenly arrive home early?!
My research shows that they've been
coming back earlier each year. Is this
proof of global warming? Could it be
that our spring bulbs will soon pop up
from two feet of newly fallen snow?!

Chop chop
As related to lambs versus lions, in
my opinion there's little as tasty as
a plate of grilled lamb chops. I grew
up on lamb stew, burgers, and roasts.
However many tend to avoid eating
wooly offspring. Honestly I wonder
why they think it's baaaad as today's
lamb seems mutton like it was in my
childhood. Ewe really ought to try
some given there's no longer mutton
to worry about. In the meantime we
can only wait to see how March will
end. And trust me... I'm not lion.

THE CURE FOR WHAT AILS ME

Out of sorts
Like any man I'm a big baby when I don't feel
well. Hence for the past days I've been moping
around the house as I'm fighting something bad.
While not running a high fever, I'm aching all
over. Plus I'm lethargic and have slept off and
on for forty eight hours. However there are only
so many hours of television that one can digest
before they hit the brink of insanity. Especially
when one binges on what felt like an eons worth
of the Food Network's Worst Cooks of America
celebrity edition. Post such a trauma I NEVER
want see nor hear Perez Hilton again! While
seemingly impossible he made me feel worse!

Instant replay
While I'm fairly certain that I don't have a cold,
I've been eating as if I have several. Either due
to boredom or a need to fuel my discomfort I've
been craving carbohydrates. Hence I'm certain
that this couch potato has gained more than ten
pounds in my feeble attempt to heal. And much
like viewing reruns, consuming my old favorites
warms my heart. There still are some times in
life when nothing will do but whats been sitting
waiting for you in the closet for probably a year
or so. And that's a box of Kraft macaroni and
cheese. Which must be "Classic" not "Deluxe"!
So NO liquid gold but only the powered potion.

Miracle elixir
This pre-packaged consumable may seem
to be the antithesis of my normal culinary
pursuits. Yet when assaulted by forces far
beyond one's control my best antidote is to
prepare and ingest said cheesy plastic treat.
So even if I feel awful, just a few minutes
of boiling and stirring said stuff takes me to
a better place. Of course I have to doctor it.
Hence my Kraft Mac & Cheese is made with
liberal doses of heavy cream plus cultured
butter. And when I'm feeling especially extra
awful, I take it to another level. I add some
frozen peas! And if really miserable... ham!

Iron man
For whatever reason unless I'm on death's door
I struggle to stay still. Thus while convalescing
I'm busy. Hence I spent much of my afternoon
in front of the TV ironing what once was dirty
linen. Little is as therapeutic as transforming
a sodden heap into a perfectly pressed treasure.
Now if only that could happen to the patient!
Next I decided to make dinner. Even if I felt
lousy I wanted to cook. After all I was bored.
Plus nothing is more comforting than comfort
food. So while sicker than a dog... I decided to
mix things up. Meaning that rather than lie in
bed, I whipped up a big, juicy turkey meatloaf.

Doctor's orders
My shift from meat to poultry had little to
do with eating healthy. But rather because
Frank had made us hamburgers the night
prior. Add that we were in the midst of a
blizzard. Therefore Frank was not willing
to exit the premises, nor in my weakened
condition to allow me weather said storm.
So I grabbed two pounds of ground turkey
from the freezer and raided the fridge for
the rest. And shortly after the Academy
awards started, we were eating like kings
before the boob tube. And whether the
food or company, I felt all the better for it!

Oscar's Turkey Meatloaf

2 pounds ground turkey
2 cups bread crumbs
1 large carrot grated
1 small zucchini grated
2 stalks celery chopped
1 small onion chopped finely
1 egg
2 TBS olive oil for loaf
1-2 TBS olive oil for saute'
1 jar of Major Grey's Chutney
Salt & pepper to taste
Ketchup

Saute carrot, onion, and celery
in 1-2 TBS of olive oil.
Season to taste
Cook over low heat covered
until onions are transparent.
Let cool (can do this prior).

Mix all ingredients in a large bow..
Use your with hands - do not over "smush."
But be sure all is fully integrated.

For a loaf on a cookie sheet
topped with parchment paper.

Top with a liberal "smear" of ketchup.

Place on middle rack and bake uncovered in a
pre-heated 350 oven for seventy five minutes.
Lightly cover with aluminum foil
and let it rest 15 minutes before serving.
ENJOY!