Category: Junk Drawer

Collecting or Hoarding?

~ Lenore Diane ~ 1 Comment

Dear Blogary,

When does collecting become hoarding? I’ve spent my morning going through a trunk-load of treasures, created by my boys over the past 4 years. I’ve also gone through storage bins and crates full of creations.

Blogary, how many drawings and created treasures done by one’s kids does one keep? I’ve managed to put many of the drawings in the recycling bin, using a ‘no name is on it’ kind of approach. Still, I have two bins (one for each kid) full of items that made the ‘save’ pile.

Joe starts Kindergarten in August, and he will come home with even more creations, drawings, writings, etc. Blogary, how do I determine what to keep? And, why keep it? Is this where the collecting/hoarding habit begins? I know I have at least three bins in the basement full of things I’ve collected over the years. I’m ready to throw all the stuff away, too. I’m just not ready to pull it all out of the closet downstairs.

Blogary, earlier this week I changed the boys’ bed sheets. Putting the sheets on Joe’s bed is a bit challenging. When the bed is made and the pillows are ‘perfectly’ placed, Joe’s bed looks normal. However, if you move the pillows, you will see his menagerie of treasures. And, every night before he goes to bed, he checks his collection, adjusting it as needed.

Much of Joe’s collection consists of stuffed animals, though if you looked through it you’d find a towel, a wooden snake, a note or two, etc. I suspect as he gets older, he won’t be as drawn to the stuffed animals as he is now. But, will he replace the stuffed animals with something else? That remains to be seen. And, Blogary, do I encourage the collecting or discourage the collecting? How much is too much? I suppose I had better check myself, and see what I keep in piles here and there.

Going through the trunk, bins and crates felt good. I collected quite a large quantity of paper for our recycling bin, too. Perhaps next week, I’ll tackle the closet downstairs. Blogary, let’s see if I am all talk, or if I am prepared to let go of what will certainly be memorable treasures.

Love,
Me

Laundry and Notes

~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

So, I am realizing two more components to Phase 3 (when kids begin school) includes an increase in laundry and notes.

When my boys were first born, we received countless outfits from friends and family. Because my boys had such a large wardrobe, I didn’t have to do laundry more than once a week. And, life pretty much consisted of changing diapers, nursing and napping. I was not overly active, during the first 12 months of my boys’ life.

Today? Well, the boys have fewer clothes, as the baby gifts are a thing of the past. The boys are also more active than their pooping, napping and nursing days. Having to change their clothes more than once a day is not uncommon, due to playing in the mud, water, etc. And, due to the smaller wardrobe, laundry is done at least twice a week.

In addition to an increase in activity for my boys, my activity level has increased. My paid gig keeps me busy, as does tending to the boys, tending to Rob, keeping house, etc. Today, while starting the third load of laundry, I realized I had notes scattered throughout the house. Little reminders here and there, helping me to keep from forgetting what tasks I have to tackle.

Call prospects for paid gig. Check paid invoices for paid gig. Get bday card for Dalton. Order cakes from Brusters. Pay bills. Mail insurance paperwork. Pick up flea/tick meds from vet. The 3×3 notes are everywhere. Sadly, these lists don’t ensure proper processing. After I dropped the boys off this morning, my first task was to go to the grocery store (list in hand). And now, I realize I forgot to buy something that was written on the list, which means I am creating a new note, reminding me not to forget what I forgot this morning.

Now, please excuse me. The bedsheets are dry, so I need to move what is in the washing machine into the dryer, and add another load to the washer. Then I need to make the boys’ beds. First, I had better write the note about what I forgot this morning. What was it again? Don’t hate me because of my glamorous life.

Thoughts About Sandwiches

~ Lenore Diane ~ 1 Comment

Have you ever tried a grilled cheese and apple sandwich? I had my first taste of one at my friends German restaurant. Yummy. You make it like you would a traditional grilled cheese, only you add thin slices of granny smith apples. Try it; you’ll like it.

Kids typically want the crusts cut off their sandwiches. However, I have found if I make my boys’ sandwiches a certain way, they will eat all of it, including the crust. The trick? Spread the peanut butter and jelly to the point that it oozes off the sides. And, use enough peanut butter and jelly so it will ooze even more when you put the slices of bread together. Try it; they’ll like it.

Do you like cinnamon? Do you like honey? Do you like peanut butter? Well, if you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you must try the ‘cinnamon/honey/peanut butter’ combo sandwich. Spread peanut butter on one slice of bread, and spread honey on the other slice of bread. Then, before putting the slices together, sprinkle cinnamon on either the peanut butter or honey slice. Put the slices together and enjoy! Try it; you’ll like it.

Another combo to try brings together jelly, peanut butter and marshmallow creme. Of course, I share this with you, assuming you’ve had both a peanut butter & jelly sandwich and a peanut butter and marshmallow creme (fluff) sandwich. If you haven’t tried a fluffernutter, please do so now. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

So, once you have enjoyed the traditional PB&J, and you’ve experienced the Fluffernutter, you are ready to shake things up a bit. On one slice of bread, spread out a good amount of peanut butter. On the second slice of bread, spread out a good amount of marshmallow creme. Finally, on the peanut butter slice, spread a good amount of jelly. Place the two slices together and enjoy! One of my sisters made this sandwich for me when I was a kid. She’ll make it for me, to this day, provided she is in town and the ingredients are available. Go ahead. Try it; you’ll like it.

It’s summertime, which creates all sorts of sandwich cravings. During the summer, I find I crave two specific sandwiches more than others. I’m not a huge fan of meat, though I’m not against the consumption of meat or other animal products. I prefer getting my protein through soy-based products, nuts and beans. Still, sometimes I find it hard to refuse freshly made bacon, grilled to a crisp, which creates the craving for a freshly made bacon, lettuce and tomato (BLT) sandwich. Mmm… And, in addition to my love for summertime BLTs, I crave freshly made gyros with [*sigh* processed] lamb. Mmm… tzatizki sauce.

I had hoped to post this earlier in the day, alas I had to break for lunch. I was hankering for a sandwich. Yum! What’s your favorite sandwich?