My Midlife Crisis

After taking a moment to sit back and consider my life, I realized that I am having a midlife crisis.  Really, there's no need to panic - I think all of my "crazy" is actually what most would call normal.

When my mother had her midlife crisis, she bought tap shoes, a baton, and a hoola hoop.  She wore said shoes to work.  (I may need a pair...)

They looked something like these, if I recall correctly.

My midlife crisis looks like gardening, buying stocks instead of more shoes, planning out meals, and doing The Big Purge.  I'm not sure which one surprises me more.

As previously posted, I bought plants while out of my right mind.  12 out of 12 of the plants (Blue Hostas) in the front yard are happy and thriving.  The two butterfly trees I purchased are doing okay in the back yard.  I ordered 6 more plants - Mandarin Honeysuckle and Gardenia "frost proof" shrubs.   I really want a watering can and new water hoses. (WHO HAVE I BECOME?!)

I decided to start playing with the stock market.  Instead of buying more shoes I won't wear (I have over 60 pairs and rarely wear anything other than my tennies), I decided to buy stock.  I have no idea what I am doing, but I do know that I've already lost 42 cents in my first week of stock ownership.  It's bullshit, I say.

 While I was in El Paso, I bought a chalkboard weekly menu board with the intention of meal planning.  We typically go out 4/7 nights a week, with the remaining three spent ordering take out or fast food.  In an effort to increase our bank account balances and decrease our waistlines, the decision was made to eat in more often.

The Big Purge has begun.  I am a (recovering) make-up hoarder.  It took me two hours and several trash bags to clear out 2 of my make-up drawers.  I'm not done.  Next up will be my closet.  After that, the craft closet and office (summer project - gonna need time for that one).  

I don't know about most people's midlife crises, but I'm thinking it might be a good thing if mine become regular habits.

Another Food Triumph (Now with included recipe!)

I'm almost sorry we didn't have people over for dinner tonight.  Had we had people over, like we often do, I would have no leftovers.  That would have been bad after tonight's meal of apple and sage pork chops, sour cream and dill red skin potato salad, and macaroni and cheese.

Because you're all special people (I have no idea who most of my readers are... but you're nonetheless special), I'm actually including the recipe to part of tonight's feast.  Enjoy the eye candy.  I completely recommend trying this at home.  It may not be good for you, but it certainly tastes damned good.

(This actually came as part of a pre-measured spice pack - neat idea.)

Once upon a time I had said that if ever the highlight of my day were what I cooked for dinner, something had gone terribly wrong in my life.  I still stand by that.  However, tonight, I'll make an exception.  Apple and sage pork chops were awesome.

I Cooked, and Other Summer Projects

When asked, I typically say I don't cook.  For the most part, it's true.  Dan does all of the cooking or we go out.  The truth of the matter is that I can cook, I just don't like to cook.  Every now and then, I get bored enough to really cook.  I meant to take pictures of the "garbage" I cooked that turned into amazing Thai chicken and noodles in awesome sauce, but, alas, I used my energy on cooking the stuff.  Anyway, I did manage to get a picture of the Thai chicken and coconut-red curry soup I made today.  It was accompanied by Thai iced tea.  

When I went to go upload the picture, I remembered another picture I had taken and not shared.  My curiosity, sweet tooth, and self-hating love of wine (damned allergies), were all killing me.  I don't know where I got the willpower, but I didn't end up buying either one of these. 

While sitting around the house this summer, bored out of my mind, watching garbage such as "Toddlers in Tiaras" and endless cake shows, I've been trying to expand my craft repetiore.  (A side note - anyone who can sit at home, awake from 8 am until 4 pm, without children to take care of during those hours, I don't know how you do it.  My brain would be soup.)

I started to knit.  I failed to check to see how much yarn was needed for a scarf.  Thus, I ran out of yarn and have a "scarf" about 10 inches wide by 18 inches long.  

After finding the idea on the net, I made that book page-flower wreath.  That went well (I posted pictures in my last blog post).  However, I don't believe I'll be making paper flowers out of streamers and gluing them to styrofoam balls any time soon.  It takes WAY to long to make those flower things and I'd need WAY too many.

So, I went back to making jewelry.  I found some neat glass animal beads to make rings out of and fried some marbles to make into pendants.  

I've since made more of the pendants.  However, you'll have to go check them out in my Etsy shop (or via my shop's Facebook page - since you're there anyway, you may as well "Like" the page, too) later this evening when I post those pictures.