These are my thoughts and ramblings; nothing is off limits. It might be what I made for dinner or some earth shattering self revelation. Let me know what you think!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
TerryT in Galveston: Game Changers aka Life Changers
TerryT in Galveston: Game Changers aka Life Changers: "Let's talk about game changers - you know that play in the third quarter that changes the momentum of the game. You know what I'm talking a..."
Game Changers aka Life Changers
Let's talk about game changers - you know that play in the third quarter that changes the momentum of the game. You know what I'm talking about, right? Or that double play in the inning that turns the game around or the home run that knocks out the starting star pitcher? Those kinds of game changers but related to life.
Life Changers are those events in your life that seem to rock you back on your heels or make you stop and reflect. They are those moments or days or weeks-months in your life that you can point to and say "Aha! At that point I started seeing my world in a different light", be it for the better or not. It's those events that cause stress, good or bad, but stress nevertheless.
At 50+ years and counting, I seem to have more of these life changing events coming closer and closer together. I think it's the piling on effect that is rocking me on my heels! I keep hearing my mom and grandma telling me 'that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger' and I have to wonder, is that really true? We used to tell my nephew 'it builds character' and he would do the infamous kid-eye-roll as he walked away. But seriously, why does it seem that the life altering events in our lives seem to come faster and closer together the older we get?
Let me define what I think is a life changing event:
Many years ago, Gail Sheehy wrote about Passages in our lives from the ages of 18 - 50. She has written other books, but her original book really spoke to me in my 30's and screams at me in my 50's! I am living those passages through life events. In a nutshell, my personal stressors are at an all time high. Life is throwing lemons and I can't make lemonade fast enough! AND I'm running out of buckets, barrels, pitchers and places to put the damned lemonade!!! How's that for cliched and snafud??
How do other people deal with these life changing, game changing events? Do they seem to come closer together as you get older or is it just me? I'll be curious to see who posts comments on this one. :-)
*******************************************************************************
Here is a site that rates the stress of events in your life: http://www.stresstips.com/lifeevents.htm
Or another site with a list of events and their point totals: http://www.stressaffect.com/Stressful-Life-Events-List.html
Life Changers are those events in your life that seem to rock you back on your heels or make you stop and reflect. They are those moments or days or weeks-months in your life that you can point to and say "Aha! At that point I started seeing my world in a different light", be it for the better or not. It's those events that cause stress, good or bad, but stress nevertheless.
At 50+ years and counting, I seem to have more of these life changing events coming closer and closer together. I think it's the piling on effect that is rocking me on my heels! I keep hearing my mom and grandma telling me 'that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger' and I have to wonder, is that really true? We used to tell my nephew 'it builds character' and he would do the infamous kid-eye-roll as he walked away. But seriously, why does it seem that the life altering events in our lives seem to come faster and closer together the older we get?
Let me define what I think is a life changing event:
- Learning to ride a 2-wheel bike with no training wheels
- Moving from Elementary to Middle to High School
- Getting a new baby brother or sister in the family
- Losing a favorite family member - aunt, uncle, cousin
- Losing a grandparent
- Moving out of the house to a college dorm
- Marriage proposal
- Graduating from college
- Getting married
- Having kids
- Getting a divorce
- Having to deal with teenagers alone
- Watching your parents age before your eyes [and knowing you might have hastened the process!]
- Moving more than a 5 hour drive away from home - to another state
- Major Surgery
- Menopause [sorry guys, had to go there]
- Losing a parent
- Making the choice to move back to your home state and then making it happen
- Having to admit that your living parent needs around the clock care, not at home
- Losing your second parent
- Experiencing catastrophic weather events like floods and hurricanes
Many years ago, Gail Sheehy wrote about Passages in our lives from the ages of 18 - 50. She has written other books, but her original book really spoke to me in my 30's and screams at me in my 50's! I am living those passages through life events. In a nutshell, my personal stressors are at an all time high. Life is throwing lemons and I can't make lemonade fast enough! AND I'm running out of buckets, barrels, pitchers and places to put the damned lemonade!!! How's that for cliched and snafud??
How do other people deal with these life changing, game changing events? Do they seem to come closer together as you get older or is it just me? I'll be curious to see who posts comments on this one. :-)
*******************************************************************************
Here is a site that rates the stress of events in your life: http://www.stresstips.com/lifeevents.htm
Or another site with a list of events and their point totals: http://www.stressaffect.com/Stressful-Life-Events-List.html
Sunday, June 5, 2011
More crockpot cooking on a hot Sunday
Yes, I cooked today. Well sort of.....I took a recipe I found online and did what my Mom used to do best - I ad libbed it!
So here it is - I called it "Enchilada Crockpot Bake"
3 lbs really lean ground meat
6 tortillas - I used the low carb flour ones
1 1/2 packages finely grated cheese
1 can refried beans
1 can chopped green chilis
2 cans diced rotel tomatoes
1 can enchilada sauce
2 pkgs taco seasoning
2 cups picante sauce
I browned the meat, drained and rinsed it off
Added the canned items and the taco seasoning and mixed it all up in a large skillet
In my big crockpot, I layered torn tortillas, the meat mixture, cheese and repeated 3 times. Set the crockpot on high for 4 hours and we will see how good this is!
So here it is - I called it "Enchilada Crockpot Bake"
3 lbs really lean ground meat
6 tortillas - I used the low carb flour ones
1 1/2 packages finely grated cheese
1 can refried beans
1 can chopped green chilis
2 cans diced rotel tomatoes
1 can enchilada sauce
2 pkgs taco seasoning
2 cups picante sauce
I browned the meat, drained and rinsed it off
Added the canned items and the taco seasoning and mixed it all up in a large skillet
In my big crockpot, I layered torn tortillas, the meat mixture, cheese and repeated 3 times. Set the crockpot on high for 4 hours and we will see how good this is!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Howdy from The Beach
Well, I moved out of DD#1 house into a 2bd/2ba apt on the Seawall....check out my blog post about the move - http://terryngalveston.blogspot.com/
Little brother is still hanging on BUT he does have a job at Target which is way better that nothing - which is what he had until 6 weeks ago. He has the little, tiny bedroom and I'm not making it very easy for him to stay.....
Gotta go dig thru another box and put some more schiznit away. {{{{HUGS}}}} to all the Sistahs!
Little brother is still hanging on BUT he does have a job at Target which is way better that nothing - which is what he had until 6 weeks ago. He has the little, tiny bedroom and I'm not making it very easy for him to stay.....
Gotta go dig thru another box and put some more schiznit away. {{{{HUGS}}}} to all the Sistahs!
Let's Talk About Moving
Let's talk about moving.
I have engaged in this 'activity' way too many times in my 50+ years. I've moved from one family home to another at the age of 8, then to a college dormitory, then to Beaumont with my new husband. After that we moved 5 times in 5 years with 2 kids in tow. Never out of the state and into places I left a piece of myself behind each time.
Then there was the heart wrenching move from The House we had built together that I thought was going to be where we lived in marital bliss and watched kids and grand babies grow up. NOT! I could not wait to get out of that house after he left; the memories were just too painful and the loss of all those dreams were devastating. After the divorce there was the house I bought all by myself. Those were great times; the girls learned to stay home alone; I made friends outside of my comfort zone and moved into a different working environment. After that was the mad dash to find a rental inside the loop because HISD stopped granting out of district transfers so, we moved into the area where my daughters were already established in school.
A couple of moves after that it was a move into my sister's house to help with the nephew - little sister was traveling about 75% of the time then. And then there was The Move Out of State.....OMG!
I moved out of state for all the right reasons, or so I thought, at the time. This was one of those, you make a decision based on the facts in evidence, you pray and talk it over with those who you trust and you make the leap of faith! Northern Alabama was a very interesting place to live; I made some new friends and got re-acquainted with others. During that time I lost my dad and wasn't there for my Mom but I got myself back to Texas as quickly as I could! I laughingly tell people that I "did my 18 months in Huntsville......Alabama, not Huntsville, Texas" LOL
Newly arrived back from Alabama, I shared a house with my oldest daughter to 'help with the dogs whenever she was on call' and found my HOME on Galveston Island! From the moment I moved my belongings into that first little place in the 'hood, to the house she bought while in residency to the small 2 bdrm 2 ba apartment I am in now, I Am At Home on Galveston Island!!!
Each time I have moved I find that I pitch more material things; I cling to the family heirlooms but ditch the other 'stuff' I've accumulated. I find things that I've misplaced or lost along the way - this time it was the 2 gift cards to Target and Bed-Bath & Beyond I found while packing my dresser.
One week after the latest move, I still have lots of boxes everywhere but can function in the kitchen and my room and bathroom. Most of the boxes will be unpacked and those that are not will get stored in closets until I can let go of those items that I still hold onto even now.
If you've made it this far, thanks for putting up with my ramblings. I am enjoying writing these missives and I really need to do this more often!!
I have engaged in this 'activity' way too many times in my 50+ years. I've moved from one family home to another at the age of 8, then to a college dormitory, then to Beaumont with my new husband. After that we moved 5 times in 5 years with 2 kids in tow. Never out of the state and into places I left a piece of myself behind each time.
Then there was the heart wrenching move from The House we had built together that I thought was going to be where we lived in marital bliss and watched kids and grand babies grow up. NOT! I could not wait to get out of that house after he left; the memories were just too painful and the loss of all those dreams were devastating. After the divorce there was the house I bought all by myself. Those were great times; the girls learned to stay home alone; I made friends outside of my comfort zone and moved into a different working environment. After that was the mad dash to find a rental inside the loop because HISD stopped granting out of district transfers so, we moved into the area where my daughters were already established in school.
A couple of moves after that it was a move into my sister's house to help with the nephew - little sister was traveling about 75% of the time then. And then there was The Move Out of State.....OMG!
I moved out of state for all the right reasons, or so I thought, at the time. This was one of those, you make a decision based on the facts in evidence, you pray and talk it over with those who you trust and you make the leap of faith! Northern Alabama was a very interesting place to live; I made some new friends and got re-acquainted with others. During that time I lost my dad and wasn't there for my Mom but I got myself back to Texas as quickly as I could! I laughingly tell people that I "did my 18 months in Huntsville......Alabama, not Huntsville, Texas" LOL
Newly arrived back from Alabama, I shared a house with my oldest daughter to 'help with the dogs whenever she was on call' and found my HOME on Galveston Island! From the moment I moved my belongings into that first little place in the 'hood, to the house she bought while in residency to the small 2 bdrm 2 ba apartment I am in now, I Am At Home on Galveston Island!!!
Each time I have moved I find that I pitch more material things; I cling to the family heirlooms but ditch the other 'stuff' I've accumulated. I find things that I've misplaced or lost along the way - this time it was the 2 gift cards to Target and Bed-Bath & Beyond I found while packing my dresser.
One week after the latest move, I still have lots of boxes everywhere but can function in the kitchen and my room and bathroom. Most of the boxes will be unpacked and those that are not will get stored in closets until I can let go of those items that I still hold onto even now.
If you've made it this far, thanks for putting up with my ramblings. I am enjoying writing these missives and I really need to do this more often!!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Is the earth tilting? I was in the kitchen tontie!
Have you ever had one of those middle of the night epiphany's where you come up with a dish that you hope and think might be good?
Well I had one this last weekend. So, while at the store I grabbed some stuff - half dozen zucchini, a thing of baby spinach, a bag of Roma tomatoes, some ricotta, some Italian mixed cheese shredded and some jar sauce.
Tonight I sliced the zucchini lengthwise and browned them in a little EVOO and some Italian flavored bread crumbs, then I layered the zucchini, spinach, chopped olives, all the ricotta, some sauce [most of one jar] and most of a package of cheese. The next layer was zucchini, spinach, more sauce and some sliced Roma tomatoes and topped it all with cheese, lots of cheese.
Now, it's in the oven baking at 350 for 35 minutes more or less......did you feel the earth tilt just a bit? YES, I was cooking!!! Now, I hope it's edible LOL
Well I had one this last weekend. So, while at the store I grabbed some stuff - half dozen zucchini, a thing of baby spinach, a bag of Roma tomatoes, some ricotta, some Italian mixed cheese shredded and some jar sauce.
Tonight I sliced the zucchini lengthwise and browned them in a little EVOO and some Italian flavored bread crumbs, then I layered the zucchini, spinach, chopped olives, all the ricotta, some sauce [most of one jar] and most of a package of cheese. The next layer was zucchini, spinach, more sauce and some sliced Roma tomatoes and topped it all with cheese, lots of cheese.
Now, it's in the oven baking at 350 for 35 minutes more or less......did you feel the earth tilt just a bit? YES, I was cooking!!! Now, I hope it's edible LOL
Friday, April 8, 2011
Vacation not Stay-cation!
Vacation as defined by Merriam Webster is "a respite or a time of respite from something" .....MY definition of vacation is testing the limits and learning to "let go"....so, I went to Costa Rica to visit family in a little Pacific Coast town called Jaco. Jaco is about 2 hours west and south of San Jose. Jaco is more civilized [according to the natives] than the coastal towns on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.
Jaco is a sleepy little surfing town that attracts the rich and famous and the not so rich and famous, namely, me :-) The condo village I stayed in was about a 5-10 minute walk to the local grocery store, coffee shop, ice cream shop and other establishments. As I walked into town with my sister each morning for coffee and pastries, I caught myself asking one question.......could I live and thrive in this area? Believe it or not, the answer was yes more than it was no!! I could let go of the things that complicate and learn to simplify, if motivated strongly enough to do so.
The other thing I found myself doing was hiking into the rain forest about a mile to a beautiful waterfall and then hiking out again....drenched in sweat but reveling in the wonder of that waterfall and the cool water that was the reward for the long arduous hike in.....then there was the beautiful vistas up and down the mountain roads. Did you know that Papaya grows in huge bunches on trees not much taller than me? [no short jokes please!] AND did you know that bananas in their groves are wrapped with plastic bags on the trees? No clue why but you can bet I'm going to figure that one out.
We saw iguanas and macaws in their natural habitat; crocodiles by the dozens under a highway bridge. I learned a few basic Spanish phrases and felt humbled by not knowing the language. I watched towering waves on a black sand beach and just "got away from my reality".
Now, I am on my way home....to work, family, friends.....reality. Vacation, for me, was a way to rest my mind and give peace and quiet to my soul and learn to appreciate a simpler way of life. Enjoy the zip line video attached to the blog today!! The zip line experience thru the canopy was, for me, the Ultimate Act of Letting Go and trusting the guides and their equipment!!!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Family, Home and other stuff
Like I said in my first post, I have lots to say. Now confession time, no real plan of what to say or how to say it. One thing I learned from my Mom and Dad was to have a plan and a backup plan and sometimes a backup to the backup!! So, I thought I would start with what is precious to me my family and my 'home'.
BTW, is there an etiquette to these blog posts? I hope that I don't offend anyone; that is not my intention. My initial plan is to just write what is on my mind, sort of a stream of consciousness and to tell my story, share my travels and share my family. With that said, let's get this thing started!
Let me start with home....Home is where the heart is and those that know me well know my heart is in Texas and more specifically, Houston where I was born and Galveston where I live right now. I am a city girl, no doubt about it, first and foremost. I have to have the large malls to shop in and choices of restaurants and lots of entertainment. BUT, I am also a die-hard beach bum!! I never thought I would have loved living on Galveston Island as much as I do but I cannot imagine living out the rest of my life anyplace else and of that I am 100% sure. I've tried living in other places in Texas and enjoyed some more than others. San Antonio and Fort Worth were special because my babies were born in those places. College Station/Bryan because I love being an Aggie and I do bleed maroon. Beaumont [sorry Wiz] was the worst place in Texas I've lived. And then there was my ill-advised move out of state. Suffice it to say that I came home and left some good friends behind but I can always go visit or stay in touch online. I can say unequivocally, I will live out the rest of my remaining years in Texas!!!
Then there is family. I am so very blessed to have a large extended family - my own precious children, a wonderful son-in-law, brothers, sisters, niece and nephew, cousins, aunts, uncles and that's just the biological family. Then, there is my chosen family, of which there are many members, scattered far and wide across the U.S.A. My parents and grandparents molded a very strong sense of family from a very young age. When you are part Italian, part Irish and part Cajun French you can't help but have an enormously strong sense of family. I was the oldest of 4 and was lucky enough to know so many of the aunts, uncles and cousins that my younger siblings never knew and for that I am ever so grateful. My only regret is that I didn't record some of 'those conversations', you know the ones where Aunt So-and-So tells you those old family stories. If Only...If Only....I had recorded or had written something down.......so, one of the things I will focus on in my blog posts is to re-tell family history, as I know it. IF you get bored with my family ramblings, just skim on down and I will respect that this isn't very interesting to some....or most.
There you have it, my first official blog post. That first one last night was only a test. I hope this is the first of many to come!.
BTW, is there an etiquette to these blog posts? I hope that I don't offend anyone; that is not my intention. My initial plan is to just write what is on my mind, sort of a stream of consciousness and to tell my story, share my travels and share my family. With that said, let's get this thing started!
Let me start with home....Home is where the heart is and those that know me well know my heart is in Texas and more specifically, Houston where I was born and Galveston where I live right now. I am a city girl, no doubt about it, first and foremost. I have to have the large malls to shop in and choices of restaurants and lots of entertainment. BUT, I am also a die-hard beach bum!! I never thought I would have loved living on Galveston Island as much as I do but I cannot imagine living out the rest of my life anyplace else and of that I am 100% sure. I've tried living in other places in Texas and enjoyed some more than others. San Antonio and Fort Worth were special because my babies were born in those places. College Station/Bryan because I love being an Aggie and I do bleed maroon. Beaumont [sorry Wiz] was the worst place in Texas I've lived. And then there was my ill-advised move out of state. Suffice it to say that I came home and left some good friends behind but I can always go visit or stay in touch online. I can say unequivocally, I will live out the rest of my remaining years in Texas!!!
Then there is family. I am so very blessed to have a large extended family - my own precious children, a wonderful son-in-law, brothers, sisters, niece and nephew, cousins, aunts, uncles and that's just the biological family. Then, there is my chosen family, of which there are many members, scattered far and wide across the U.S.A. My parents and grandparents molded a very strong sense of family from a very young age. When you are part Italian, part Irish and part Cajun French you can't help but have an enormously strong sense of family. I was the oldest of 4 and was lucky enough to know so many of the aunts, uncles and cousins that my younger siblings never knew and for that I am ever so grateful. My only regret is that I didn't record some of 'those conversations', you know the ones where Aunt So-and-So tells you those old family stories. If Only...If Only....I had recorded or had written something down.......so, one of the things I will focus on in my blog posts is to re-tell family history, as I know it. IF you get bored with my family ramblings, just skim on down and I will respect that this isn't very interesting to some....or most.
There you have it, my first official blog post. That first one last night was only a test. I hope this is the first of many to come!.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Inaugural Blog post
My first ever blog post. I have no idea what to say or how to say it but I have something to say!
Check back later and I may.....or may not....have something profound to take away.
For now, a saying I found online today:
Check back later and I may.....or may not....have something profound to take away.
For now, a saying I found online today:
Don't make a lateral move from one "average" friend to
another.
Start collecting friends w/better character and drive!
Those who challenge you to do more and be more!
Hang w/people who enjoy helping other people and do so
without expectation of repayment.
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