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February 2007
Monday: Life in My World
Tuesday: Quotable Quote
Wednesday: Homemaking Tip
Thursday: Gift/Craft/Teaching Idea
Friday: Snippet from the Newsletter
Saturday: Sporadic posting—luck of the draw J
Burn It and Bounce It
February 28, 2007
I seldom burned food until the internet came along. E-mail, reading blogs and online newspapers have all taken their toll on my cooking. Just last week I burned a pot of beans. How can you burn beans? They swim in liquid. Alas, after I put them on to boil I went to the internet and lost track.
Thankfully, like millions of homemakers, I have gotten the forwarded e-mail that tells of the wonders of the Bounce® fabric softener sheets. Though I don’t know if a Bounce® sheet in your pocket will keep dogs from biting you, I do know it will help to scrub a pan clean.
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Put an inch or so of water in the pan that burned the food
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Add a fabric softener sheet
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Add a squirt of dishsoap. (I don’t know if it’s necessary, but it seems only right you should wash the pan if you’re going to use a dryer sheet.)
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Let soak several hours or over night. Bad burns can take a day or two
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Lightly scrub the pan with the fabric softener sheet and watch the particles float away
I’ve used this tip often once or twice and the burned particles always come off. I’ve used off-brand sheets as well as Bounce® and they all seem to work the same.
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Ah. I've lost many a good vegetable to the woes of the internet and blogging. And, yes, it usually is a vegetable that burns. I'll keep this tip in mind next time it happens. :) Nikki
I knew bounce sheets did many things, but never scrub pots clean. Thanks for the great tip. And I don't dare tell you how many things I have ruined for just sitting down and blogging for (ummm just one minute) yeah right. We all know 1 minute--is there such a thing? Jenny
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Self Portrait
February 27, 2007
The self-portrait challenge issued by Lelly this week was “Put Your Best Foot Forward.” I’m neither right nor left footed so both are featured. This picture (which is a bit sickening) is of me with my toes curled back. Though the depth perception is gone in the picture, my heels are upright and about 60 degrees perpendicular to the ground. When we were little, my brothers and sisters and I used to curl our toes under (like the picture shows) and race around the house with them tucked under like that. We could all do it, but with such short toes I seemed especially adept. One hundred pounds later, I can still curl them and walk, albeit running is no longer an option. It’s a small claim to fame to be sure, but it’s mine. I like to think it suggests I’m flexible and roll with the punches even when it hurts.
Another thing that this picture shows is nylons. Yes, though most of the world no longer wears them, that’s what is giving that silky sheen—nylons. I have a job that requires a dress and nylons. No exceptions. I thought only combat zones or assembly lines cared about your socks, but apparently not so. I’m not thinking the nylons suggest anything about me other than I am a tad bit old-fashioned.
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Jane, I am DYING laughing over your running around with curled toes!! Too funny!! So who came up with this game, do you get the credit? You are very adaptable, you roll with all punches and even when it hurts. That is dedication too! Love this post, I think I'll read it again. It made me smile! =) Melanie
(Melanie, who knows who came up with it! I'm thinking one of my older brothers or sisters did as some form of torture, but us littler ones were too dumb to recongize it and thought it was a game. My dad used to get a kick out of a half a dozen of us kids racing around the house like this, though.)
I had to laugh at your curled toes because I crack mine like that. Yikes! It makes my hubby cringe. I am so glad you took the challenge. I would have never guessed you had nylons on. You can't even tell. Jenny
i love your post with the curled toes! now, that is something i've never been able to do! i hope you'll join us for more challenges - i am overwhelmed by some of the responses from women i am just getting to know. --lelly
Jane...
Don't even think of doing this as a ditty *lol*
Darla
I have been thinking about your toes since your post. Apparently, I've been thinking about them so much that I even had a dream about them last night! I think, when I've reached that lull in the day where I'm so tired and can hardly think of what to entertain the children with, I may teach them to race around with their toes curled under. You are an inspiration!
Nikki
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Quotable Quote
February 27, 2007
All's well that ends well.
Ma used to always tell Pa “All’s well that ends well” in the Little House books. I’m still not sure I know what she meant, but I think she was saying “No need to fret, we made it through it and it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.”
Yesterday the pump men came out and put a new pump in. It was half the cost we’d feared. A friend of Calvin’s came and looked at the dryer and it quit making the horrible sound two seconds after he turned it on. He said it sounded like a toothpick dropped out of the fan and we should be fine now. And the car? Well, that’s what insurance is for. So, all in all, “All’s well that ends well.”
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Ouch.
February 26, 2007
This was an expensive weekend. The clothes dryer went out Friday. Ande backed into another car on Saturday. The pump (well) went out on Sunday. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.
But the good news is that 100 percent mercerized cotton is only $1.44 a spool and a size 3 crochet hook is only $1.28 and I’ve been crocheting leper bandages to my heart’s content the last few days as I have sat and waited for the clothes (artistically draped all over the house) to dry and listened to Ande’s story and wondered how to bathe and do dishes using jugs of stored water.
I’m poor at crocheting anything other than a basic chain stitch, but thank goodness that’s all a leper bandage requires and somehow my inconveniences of the weekend have been put into perspective as I realize the problems facing the person for whom I’m crocheting the bandage. It never ceases to amaze me what a bandage giving service is for your own problems.
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Jane, Ouch is right.. when it rains it poors. If you'd like you can use my dryer. It has 2 run two cycles to get them dry *lol*...Seriously, If there is anything you need, you know I'm here. Darla
Oh My Goodness!! Why is it that it always turns out that way? I wish I knew how to crochet, any stitch at all. I loved our Enrichment meeting. I needed to hear a lot of the things that were said. Today I started
checking out what I could do for my community. Daunting!! I hope a solution comes for you soon. Love, Susan
Ya ouch! My mom always says that bad things happen in threes. At least now you've had all three things happen and you won't have to anticipate what else. I think it's wonderful that you're crocheting leper bandages. I forget that there are those that still suffer from leprosy in the world until I see someone crocheting a bandage. I discovered when I was hospitalized in my pregnancy with Gabby and tried to crochet her a baby hat, that I can't crochet anything that's not intended to be flat. So, I should start on some leper bandages. I find simple crocheting very soothing. And I should teach my little ones. My mom taught me the basics when I was five. Thanks for the newsletter this week. It was wonderful! Nikki
So sorry about your rough weekend. Double ouch is right. Hey, at least you crocheted a beautiful thing out of it. I have no clue how to do such a thing. You have so many amazing talents. Hang in there--one bad day today equals a good day for sure tomorrow :) Jenny
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Sometimes It's Just Best to Zip It
February 23, 2007
Sometimes I talk too much—especially when I’m trying to make someone feel better. How well I remember the time I went to the hospital to see Grandpa; he was glum and I was trying to make him happy. I looked around the room and said, “Well Grandpa at least you don’t have a roommate and you have the TV and the whole room to yourself.” My aunt kicked me and hissed, “They carried him out an hour ago; he just died.”
When I curbed the verbiage, it seemed like unintended puns took its place. I had no idea I answered in so many idioms (“that’s a killer. . .”, “I’ll bet you died . . .”), until it was my job to “comfort those who mourn.” Knowing all this, when I go to visit people who are sad, I quietly repeat over and over, “Zip it, Jane, zip it. Just listen and nod, don’t speak.”
Knowing that some of my neighbors have had some sad news this week, I chose to “zip it” and just share pictures and let someone else do the talking in the form of a good quote. Here’s one of them:
Faith enables persons to be persons because it lets God be God. -Carter Lindberg
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Loved your newsletter . . . hope all the neighbors are doing better today. Deb
(Deb, thanks for letting me use your incredible picture)
Dear Jane, Thank you for your beautiful newsletter today. I loved it. Love, Susan
May I also say how special your newsletter was. I so enjoyed the pictures and quotes on faith. Sending Love......Ruth.
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Bridal Shower Gift and Game
February 22, 2007
Give me a good idea (or recipe) and you’re likely to see it served in some form for months to come. I run good ideas into the ground and take to heart the adage, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without” with the emphasis being on wear it out. Take the strawberry pretzel dessert for instance, I can’t serve it one more time or I will have mutiny at the supper table. My family insists it was only good the first two hundred times.
With that disclaimer, I’m going to share a bridal shower gift idea. Mind you, I posted this idea two weeks ago as a gift idea for Valentine’s Day, but modified it as a bridal gift the next week. It's one of those ideas that I'll just keep on using.
Breakfast with Danielle and Tyler
Poor Man Pancakes
6 eggs, well beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
½ tsp salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix ingredients together and pour into greased 11” x 15” pan. Bake 10-15 minutes until puffy. Serve with Best-Ever Syrup.
Variations: Place browned link-sausages on top of the batter before baking.
This is a sample page from a breakfast recipe booklet. The book is illustrated with several pictures of the bride and groom to be that I got from the bride's mother. Under each picture is a breakfast recipe. For information on how to make a booklet click here.
For a bridal shower game we played JOY. Going around the room, each guest introduced herself and then filled in the blanks of the following sentence starters:
(something that) Just happened to you . . .
One memory you have of Danielle . . .
You appreciate or admire Danielle because . . .
It was fun to hear the guests’ memories and admirations and the activity helped to create a comfortable atmosphere amongst the group.
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February 21, 2007
Nearly twenty-two years ago while I was in early labor and on the way to the hospital to deliver Abe, Calvin and I stopped at the store to pick up a couple of things—fingernail clippers, toothpaste and something for me to read in between contractions. I kid you not; my choice was Betty-Anne’s Helpful Household Hints. This book, however, was not a good choice for labor and delivery; it did not take my mind off the pain. I don’t think there is a good book under those circumstances, but nonetheless it was what I chose. I just found it the other day and here is one tip that I still use:
line your produce drawers with a towel (either cloth or paper)—your fruits and vegetables will stay fresh longer
It’s true. They do. The towels absorb moisture and work slick. I won’t be sharing any more tips from this book. Cali is reading the book behind me on the couch right now and keeps howling and saying, “This lady is on crack. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Listen to this idea . . .” and then she mimics. Right now she’s reading to me the tip about making sachets out of cheesecloth, herbs and mothballs for your luggage and then how you should wrap your luggage in brown paper to protect it from mars and stains in your attic. Cali said, “Luggage gets marred and stained being loaded and unloaded on the airplane not in your attic and the mothballs will make your clothes smell like they were in the attic. This lady doesn’t know what’s she’s talking about.” She paused all of two seconds and then said, “Oh gosh, listen to this. ‘Does it really matter how you pack your suitcase?’” and then she read aloud Betty-Anne’s advice to put the heavy things on the bottom and the light things on top. Cali’s observation? “This lady is an idiot.”
Cali does not know I’m typing her comments as she speaks and though this book doesn’t have much advice and no power whatsoever to appease labor pains, Cali temporarily forgot how hungry she was while she read it. I was truly going to throw it away after this post, but she quit bugging me to come help her fix something to eat while she read it so I think I'll save it.
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
I just love to read your blog. It's always full of useful things. I love your new system of daily posts. Honestly, I would have picked up the same book too while on the way to the hospital. It sounds like my kind of book! My mom taught me to line the bottom of produce drawers with paper towels. I've always done it even though I didn't know that it helped the produce stay fresh longer. It does make cleaning out the drawers easier. And I agree with Cali, the wrapping brown paper around your luggage tip is nuts!
On another note, I didn't realize you had an Abe in your family. We're thinking of naming this baby Abraham-- after Abraham Lincoln and of course the Abraham in the bible.
Anyways, you're so neat Jane! Thanks for keeping a great blog!
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Quotable Quote
February 20, 2007
“God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs.” —Spencer W. Kimball
Again and again I have been the recipient of others’ kindness. Sometimes it comes in the form of an e-mail, other times a note or card, still other times it’s a visit, a touch, an act of service or a gift.
Recently a gentleman shook my hand and that handshake spoke volumes. Another time I was silently considering closing the website when a series of unsolicited e-mails helped me gain perspective again. Still another time I was in the middle of a crisis when a friend came and mopped our floor. We had an immense white floor that needed mopped on hands and knees daily, I’ll never forget seeing her mopping our floor while I watched. It was very humbling and her love washed my heart as well as the floor. Another time I was visiting an elderly neighbor. He knew I was going Christmas shopping later in the day and he slipped me $100. He said, “It’s been my experience that women always need an extra $100 when they go shopping.” His gentleness and thoughtfulness still make my eyes mist. Yes, I know God does notice us, in part, because he has met my needs through others again and again and again.
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Jane, My very favorite quote! I would have a list as long as yours. Thanks for posting this today, I want to look around more for ways I can answer other people's prayers. I feel so blessed when others are in tune to me! Awesome post! Love, Mel
Great post Jane. I too love that quote. Any chance you could send that elderly man my way? j/k. Thanks for the inspiration--things like this always make me want to do better.
Jenny :)
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It Shouldn't Take Too Long
February 19, 2007
One standing mistake I make is to think something won’t take long. Whether it is painting a room or writing a post, I enthusiastically tell myself each time, “Oh, this won’t take too long” and then when it does I’m always surprised. This last week I had several projects that wouldn’t take too long. One of them was an album for Trevor.
 
These are two pages that are section headings (Big Brother and Son) for Trevor’s album.
Each tab names another section heading.
Sadly, it took too long and won’t make it in time for Trevor’s birthday, but it’s finished and though I nearly bagged it two different times and thought I’d save it for Christmas, I’m glad I hung in there and finished it for his birthday.
This morning Cali and I went on a four mile walk instead of two or three. It was cold and took a little longer than we'd originally planned, but it was worth it--the visiting and cold were invigorating.
A couple of weeks ago I bought Malt-0-Meal cereal for 50 cents a box. Few things excite me like a grocery bargain. I wrote about the deal to Abe and he wrote back and asked if I could mail him a few boxes because the cereal in the Philippines isn’t very good. We loaded up a computer paper box with $10 worth of cereal and mailed it for $55. Good thing I only paid 50 cents a box.
Today on this very fine President’s Day I’m catching up on ironing, laundry and organizing. I love catching up; it’s akin to finding a grocery bargain. And since none of these projects will take too long, we're going to see a matinee this afternoon.
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Only a loving mother and caring sisters would even think about spending $55 on shipping for cereal to the Philippines. Abe will be so popular and feel SO loved when he gets it! You are the best. It makes me smile thinking about what I'll do for my boys when they are serving missions! Love, Mel
I have a good friend who's a real optimist. She runs into the problem of running on best-case-scenario-time regularly! I'm going to have to share this post with her.
Barb
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Imagine
February 16, 2007
The newsletter this week was about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln—two of my favorite heroes.
Last February, after my class had just finished saluting the flag, I was teaching them a little about George Washington. I said, “Imagine, for a minute, that I’m George Washington. . . .” and then continued to tell them some facts and stories from his life.
The class gave me their undivided attention, imagining, except for one young man. He was busy doing something at his desk. I looked over a few minutes later and he had a little piece of paper between me and his face with one eye closed. The young man next to him was smiling. Then this young man showed me what he’d done—he’d taken imagining to a whole new level. He’d drawn the picture that you see above and torn out a hole in the place where the face should be. By holding the paper up fairly close to one eye and closing the other, he could see my face through the hole with what appeared to his eye as the clothes of George Washington on me.
I asked him if I could make a copy and he gave me the original. I thought it was a great idea (and funny) and have hung that little puppet-like picture on my fridge all year to remind me of the event and the idea. I can’t wait to use that teaching strategy in other ways--useful at home or in a classroom. I’ll have the kids draw the character of whomever we’re studying, making a hole where the face should be, then have another student give a biography sketch with everyone looking at the student through their drawing. Or, I could have them draw a place (such as a cave, building) and have a group of students act out a scene with everyone observing it through their drawing. Brilliant, I thought it was J
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Jane, that is hilarious and a very good imagination! You are a great teacher, I know from first hand words, the kids love you! Mel
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Showers
February 15, 2007
This week I’m helping to give two showers—one baby and one bridal. Here is an idea for a baby gift and a baby shower favor.
Baby gift:
 
photo album cover photo album page
This is a photo album for the new mother. All she has to do is add the pictures and journaling. As you can see, the embellishments are simple. Some of the other page titles (in addition to bathtime) were aunts, uncles, grandparents, proud parents, so many toys—so little time, sleeping, peek-a-boo, home-sweet-home and hands. The album is an inexpensive one ($1.96) found at Wal-Mart and I used pastel colored paper that I already had on hand.
Baby favors:
 
These shower favors are disposable baby bottle liners filled with nuts and pastel m&m’s. A small piece of paper is folded over the top and stapled in place. A small baby carriage is glued to the paper. The baby information may be written at the bottom of the bottle liner.
Next week I’ll share the bridal shower ideas.
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
baby bottle liners I'm repeating those words over and over in my head so that I'll remember that idea down the road. good one.
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Homemaking Tip
“Preach to the eyes, not just the ears”
February 14, 2007
Last year I listened to a talk given by a curator at a well-known museum. The talk was given to women and the central message was “Preach to the eyes, not just to the ears.” He explained the power of having art throughout our homes that teach principles, values and traditions. He reminded us how easily it is to reinforce those things we verbally teach in our homes by having visual objects that exemplify it. The speaker then showed us a slide show of art that he has in his home and the implied messages. I was quite fascinated with his presentation. I came away with a stronger desire to decorate more meaningfully and I learned that I don’t have to be a great artist or own fine pieces of art to preach to the eyes—there are dozens of things in our home that teach without making a sound. Here are seven pieces of art—using the term very loosely—in our home with a message:
This wooden beehive was made by a good neighbor and represents industry, thrift and hard work.
Family is everything and everyone remembers that every morning as we kneel at the breakfast table for family prayers and eat supper together and discuss the events of the day each evening. The milk bottle comes from Calvin's grandfather's dairy and the scales from my grandfather. Next time we're all together we'll teach the kids something about their greatgrandfathers so that those two items can also become works of art instead of simply ornamentation.
We keep a full cookie jar in our home because it means “You’re always welcome and expected here.”
This primitive-stitch wall-hanging hangs above the toilet in one of our bathrooms and well, you can’t help but be reminded to be thankful several times a day J
This one is subtle and I didn’t even figure it out until a few weeks ago. I always kept our piano books neatly stacked in the basket next to the piano until recently and then thought, “Whoa. I’ve been missing a place to preach to the eyes and opened up a hymn book and left it on the piano ledge. I periodically turn the page so that a new message is taught. (Remember earworms from that newsletter a while ago? Potential for big earworms here since we all walk by the piano several times a day.)
This picture hangs above the piano. It is a picture pedigree starting with Calvin’s grandfather in his WW I uniform, followed by his father in his WW II uniform, followed by Calvin in his Viet Nam uniform and then Abe and Ty in their War on Terror uniforms. The final frame says, “The greatest glory of a freeborn people is to transmit that freedom to their children.”–William Harvard. It speaks volumes on the price of liberty.
These pilgrims sit out year round in front of a reproduction of the Mayflower compact reminding us of our heritage. It’s pretty hard to hate America when your folks helped found it.
We have several beautiful pictures of the Savior that hang throughout our home as well as other important religious pictures. Preaching to the eyes is a so much easier than nagging.
If you have ideas you’re willing to share, please do. I’d love more.
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Quotable Quote
February 13, 2007
“The Family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another’s desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.” —Erma Bombeck
I wrote about this idea several months ago in a newsletter, but thought I’d repeat it because this quote by Erma Bombeck reminded me of it. I had asked my brothers and sisters to fill in the blank of “You know you’re a Chadwick if . . .” with characteristics and quirks familiar to our family and send me their answers. I then took old pictures of our family (converted them all to black and white so that they were uniform) and put the captions underneath and copied everything into a booklet. Captions included things like “You know you’re a Chadwick if . . .
- Blue, Shag, Candybar, Spider, Tomahawk and Sunset Beach are typical pet names.”
- you have your own cheering section at ballgames.
- your favorite meal is hamburger, mashed potatoes, white gravy and frozen corn.
I'm excited to do this project with our own children in a few years. The kids have already started using the phrase in everyday language, “You know you’re a Payne if . . .” and filling in the blank with our idiosyncrasies.
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Well, you got me! I took your 5 things challenge, then tagged Darla - we'll see if she links us to her blog ;-)
Thanks for spurring me on to another post - I am still a bit slow out of the blocks, so this was good! Heather
That is such a great idea - I'm totally doing that one.
Barb
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Life in My World
February 12, 2007
A friend told me that she was making me a surprise quite some time ago. The other night we were at a church dinner and she said, “It’s finally done” and said she’d bring it over the next afternoon. My goodness! I was very humbled when she handed me a 6’ x 3 ½’ crocheted flag. I had no idea she was making me something requiring so much time and thought and effort—it is dozens and dozens of neatly crocheted granny squares carefully sewn together. Description will not do it justice, but it is beautiful. She created the pattern herself and said it was a thank you gift, but I assure you nothing our family has done warranted a thank you of that kind. It was an act of pure, unselfish love.
Yesterday while we were sitting on the bench at church, Calvin looked down to straighten his tie and noticed his pants were unzipped. It wouldn’t have been too bad, but he’d been up in front of the whole congregation for five minutes grinning from ear to ear without knowing it was down. We both got to sniggering so hard that I had to scoot away from him. Every time he looked at me sideways it made us laugh all over again. Twenty five years ago when I first met Calvin’s dad, I was showing cattle in Phoenix. I had run up to my motel room to shower and change clothes while Calvin and his dad waited for me at the bottom of the steps in the pickup. I thought I looked so cute coming down the steps and when I crawled into the pickup between Calvin and his dad, Calvin leaned over and whispered, “Your pants are unzipped.” I was certain he was teasing and didn’t look until he said, “No. Really. They are.” Sure enough, they were open and gaping. Yesterday Calvin finally felt my pain and it was painfully funny. Don't you hate it when you get to laughing hard in places where it is not appropriate?
Remember I told you that Ty was in the Mr. Single’s Ward contest a few weeks ago? He won. He and a fellow contestant danced My-Little-Buttercup from The Three Amigos as their talent. He said the talent must have won it because it definitely wasn’t his question and answer points. I asked him what the questions were and he said, “One of them was, ‘if you could be any actress who would you be and what character would you play?’”
I waited a minute and when he didn't offer any information asked, “What was your answer?”
He said, “I don’t want to tell you, it’s too embarrassing.”
I assured him I would still love him.
He finished, “I said the first thing that came into my head--Lady Cluck from (Disney’s) Robin Hood.”
Oh ho. You have to know Ty. He wasn’t kidding. He loves Robin Hood, right next to the Force.
And there you have Life in My World.
*Oh woops. I forgot when you get tagged your job is to tag someone else--been too long since I've run on the playground I guess. Heather M., how fast can you run? Do you want to be it?
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Jane, I love your curvy feet! Those measurements are every woman's dream! hehe I am NOT a risky eater. I'm a marinara girl at Italian, tostada girl at Mexican, sweet and sour girl at Chinese and a steak will suit me fine at the others. Too funny, I liked this list too!
I am laughing so hard at the zipper incident! I guess it took a long time but at least you got some turn around on that one. I have gotten the giggles in the wrong place, wrong time many times before. They take forever to go away! I knew Ty would win, he is a catch for a girl someday down the road. Oh and that flag, absolutely gorgeous! What a dear friend. I have
told you many times before and I'll tell you it again. You don't know how much you touch people's lives. They want to give back to you and this is very fitting. Can't wait to see it in person!
Love Melanie
Thank you, Melanie...thank you. jp
Beautiful crocheted flag! I loved your post. You have such a wonderful way with words. I felt like I was right there trying not to laugh too! I love the way you used the word "sniggering". It was absolutely perfect for your description. And it just seems to happen that I'm always in Sacrament meeting or Sunday School when something hits me as uncontrollably funny. And if it happens when I'm pregnant, I have to leave because I just can't stop or the laughing may turn into crying-- happy crying of course. And there may be snorting as well.
Congratulations to Ty! That is so awesome. I love Lady Cluck as well. ;) Nikki
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5 Random Things
February 10, 2007
Nikki tagged me to tell five random things that you may not know about me. It’s taken me several days to come up with them—between the 100 list, weekly newsletter and blog I don’t think there is one thing left to tell you, except
1. I have curvy feet. They are the shapeliest thing on my body. When I cross my legs and let my feet dangle over my knee or rest on a stool they look exactly like Betty Boop. My toes curl up to the sky which thrust the already large pad out even further and then the pad curves into a high arch . . . I’m guessing they’re a 42-24-38.
2. I really enjoy older people. When I was twelve years old a woman broke her leg and called my mom to see if someone could come and sit with her while she convalesced. I spent the nights with this woman, cleaned her house, washed the dishes, fixed her supper, baked her cookies and watched Lawrence Welk with her. Through the years she often had surgeries or ailments or periods of loneliness so I would stay with her. From her I learned to respect the older generation and have really appreciated my friendships with older people ever since.
3. I’m not a very adventuresome restaurant eater. I hate to be disappointed when money is on the line, so I go for the same things over and over—chicken Alfredo at Italian restaurants, chicken enchiladas at Mexican restaurants, sweet and sour chicken/fried rice at Chinese restaurants and a sirloin steak and baked potato at the others. (At other ethnic restaurants I order the thing that looks safest.) I’m game to try a bite off other’s plates (we’re a family of plate swappers), I just don’t want to be responsible for a bad choice.
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The Schedule
February 9, 2007
Here’s The Neighbor's Blog schedule for the next two months:
Monday: Life in My World
Tuesday: Quotable Quote
Wednesday: Homemaking Tip
Thursday: Gift/Craft/Teaching Idea
Friday: Newsletter related (either an additional comment or a snippet from the newsletter)
Saturday: Sporadic posting—luck of the draw J
NJP Newsletter Tip of the Week
Not roses, lobster or fine chocolates, but a few thoughtful tokens of love nonetheless . . .
- Write a list of positive experiences shared with someone you love and send it to them. It’s like reliving the happy times all over again.
- Give a Valentine gift to an unmarried or uncommitted friend. Valentine’s Day is often the loneliest holiday for single people.
- Put a few drops of red food coloring into your children’s bath.
- Ask your parents or grandparents how they met and fell in love and record the story. Keep a copy and then give them one.
- The phrase “all because two people fell in love” is popular. Stitch the phrase into a wall hanging, or print the phrase in a special font from your computer and frame it, or make a vinyl graphic and apply it straight to the wall. Hang the phrase underneath a picture of you and your spouse (or parents or grandparents) and create a collage of family pictures around it.
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I figured it out!
February 8, 2007
I have reached a decision. I have had the hardest time figuring out what is pertinent to post and what isn’t pertinent to post in blogworld. Where my blog is not my journal, the line seems even more confusing to me. Where I write a newsletter each week that people pay for I need to not tread on that ground. The NJP website is already chock full of tips. What to do? What to do? But, I have finally figured it out! I am going to run my blog like a newspaper—the part that runs a different section every day (like Outdoors, Food, Health, Family, etc.), not the part that carries news, arguments, and intelligent interviews.J
I'll post a schedule tomorrow if you care to know it . . . (I would, because I never check the “Outdoors” section on Thursday of my hometown paper, but I do check the “Foods” on Wednesday and seldom miss the “Family Life”on Sunday). If you have a suggestion, I'd love to hear it.
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14 Step Valentine
February 7, 2007
For Valentine’s Day this year I am making Calvin and the kids a “Twelve Things I Love About You” booklet on our computer. Using digital pictures taken within the past year, the booklet is a simple way to remind them that they are appreciated and loved.
Here’s a sample page from Calvin’s booklet:
Twelve Things I Love About You . . .
1. You’re adaptable.
One thing I love about you is how you adapt to the kids’ likes. You have your own likes and dislikes, but you adjust to the kids’ personalities so that you can do things with them that they enjoy instead of expecting them to always adapt to the things you enjoy. For example, you will watch chick-flicks and even ROMANCES with Ande if she asks you . . . not once, not twice, not even three times . . . but as often as she invites you. You can even speak the lines before they play in the movie (“Brinkley . . . Brinkley . . . Don’t cry Shopgirl.”) If anyone is watching a movie you don’t want to see when you come in, you’ll sit and read a book quietly until it’s finished and then make your selection. You gotta love a man that will adapt to his kids.
To make your own inexpensive booklet on a computer, you can follow these simple directions
- Open Microsoft Word program
- Click on File, Page Setup.
- Click Landscape and then OK
- Click Format, Columns.
- Click Two and then under Spacing increase to 1” and then click OK
- Now you have the format in which to make a booklet. Choose your font style/color and type in the words you want to say.
- Insert digital photos by clicking on Insert, Picture, File
- You can use regular photos by leaving a blank space and then pasting the pictures in place after you have printed your booklet.
- Print booklet on front and back of heavy, white cardstock.
- Crease pages in center.
- Fold
- Make a cover out of colored cardstock and embellish as desired. Put pages of booklet within cover.
- Staple two times in center of booklet with a long-armed stapler (if you don’t have one, you may have to go to a copy center and ask them to do it for you).
- Decorate the cover of booklet and sign with a personal note if you wish.
(The reason I chose twelve things is because it uses three sheets of paper front and back with double columns. Another option is to simply make the booklet in your own handwriting and bag the computer all together.)
Other fun and inexpensiveValentine’s Day ideas can be found here and here and, as always, check out Rocks in My Dryer for other Works-for-Me-Wednesday tips.
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
What a great idea! I would try and copy it, but I am just too lazy. I did enjoy reading about the ones you are doing though :) Jenny
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Quotable Quote
February 6, 2007
When I do good I feel good.
When I don’t do good I don’t feel good.
-Abraham Lincoln
This sums it all up.
Two things that make me feel good:
visiting shut-ins
teaching someone a new idea
Two things that don’t make me feel good:
criticizing
gossiping
How about you?
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
I love how you posted about imaginary friends. Brilliant! Kristi
I love good quotes. And I really love Abraham Lincoln. Thanks for an uplifting post!
Nikki
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What's Been Happening in My World
February 5, 2007
This week Calvin and I are practicing for next year. Ande has gone on a trip with two of her friends, Kelsey and Kylie, and Kelsey’s parents. We had to take the three girls over to Seattle on Saturday to catch a flight to meet Kelsey’s parents. The flight left early Sunday morning, so we stayed in a hotel with a great shuttle. When we got to Seattle, the girls wanted to go to IHOP’s for supper, Calvin didn’t want to waste a meal out on pancakes, so he and I went to Sizzler. We don’t have Sizzlers around here, so it tasted really, really good to have a fresh salad bar.
After supper, we met back at our motel and watched TV—Planet of the Apes, they tell me. I didn’t last that long and fell asleep soon after getting into bed. The girls had never seen the show and it kept them entertained. We had a really cheap, but nice motel. I felt so spoiled and luxurious—good food and a good, clean room. Sometimes it just hits me how much American’s have compared to so many other people in the world and Saturday night was one of them. The motel continental breakfast was a great one, too—I don’t think I will ever quit marveling over convenience foods for breakfast. When the kids were home, cold cereal was considered a luxury while oatmeal or biscuits and gravy were a staple, so whenever a motel offers oatmeal in little packets along with twenty items that will pop in a toaster, I think I’ve found a goldmine. And juice on tap? definitely a luxury. I know, I know, I’m telling quite a bit about myself on this. It’s just that when you get your grape juice out of a mason jar a tap seems plush.
Early Sunday morning when we went to get on the shuttle to the airport, the hotel desk had miscounted and there wasn’t enough room for me. I kissed the girls goodbye on the sidewalk and went back in our room to wait for Calvin to come back from checking them in. They had the funniest shuttle bus driver—she made me laugh and I only got to see her long enough for her to tell me she didn’t have enough room. She wore her hair in hundreds of tiny, long braids and gave birth to triplets ten months ago. Naturally. No fertility drugs. She already had three other children—some in their teens—so she made sure the doctors fixed it so she couldn’t have any more children after the triplets because the specialists warned her the older she was the more eggs she would drop at a time and she wasn’t about to conceive four or five the next time. She told this entire story to Calvin, mind you, on their return trip to the motel. She was a funny gal and worked 11 pm-7 am and then went home to her babies. We both admired her.
The girls made it to their destination and Ande wrote an e-mail saying they’re having a great time dipping their toes in the ocean. We’re glad she had the opportunity to go and I have only sniffled once or twice when I’ve gone into her empty room and realized that next year it will always be empty. This is definitely a new era in our lives. Calvin and I will enjoy the time together alone, but we have really enjoyed raising our kids.
Today I had a good long visit with a friend—mostly about the revolution of the universe and other trivial matters like thatJ. She’s one of those friends where you talk about ideas and thoughts rather than people, places or events.
I’m making a fun, inexpensive Valentine’s Day gift for Calvin and the kids that I’ll post in a few days.
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