Up-Cycled and Uplifting

I'm guilty of disliking movie-makers who just recycle old movies instead of putting decent screnewriters to work to produce something new and exciting. But tonight I realized, what's old can be new again – when up-cycled the right way.

Case in point: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie.

Some Robyn-pedia background for you: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (titled The Worst Kids in the World in Australia, New Zealand and the UK) is actually a children's novel written by Barbara Robinson way back in 1972. That's why the title sounds familiar. 

The book (and many movie and stage versions) all tell the story of six misfit children who volunteer to star in their town's Sunday school Christmas pageant, and end up teaching the town the true meaning of Christmas.

The 2024 movie version of it is both entertaining and inspiring. I was glad I could enjoy it tonight with some 70 people who signed up through my church to attend for free. Great crowd and great movie. Lots of laughter and even some tears. So well-made!

As a bonus I got popcorn for supper. I'm still eating from the Bland Foods Group. Lunch was a small order of french fries. And dinner was a small popcorn. Just right. 

If you get a chance to see this one this holiday season, do it! Also on my list is the Red One Christmas movie and, of course, WICKED! Popcorn might become more popular than turkey for dinner this month!

Get Your Fresh Popcorn He-eere!

I love that every year in early March my company celebrates the successes of the previous year – with a fun theme.

This year it's "Carnival." So yes, I may or may not have had cheese popcorn as my midmorning snack!

Our department also got together this afternoon for some business – and pick a duck prizes. I won a fabulous Hawaiian music CD while others snagged some nice shirts and pullovers. Oh well. I think it's been established I have too many clothes anyway. 

And CDs? Well I'd love to play them again but I don't think I have time to listen to all 239 or so. Good thing I know someone having a garage sale soon. Perhaps I should've purchased two rolls of masking tape instead of one!

Other than the fun, it was nice to be back in the office in general. Good to see people I feel like I haven't seen in a month. And my workload will keep me busy for at least another 30 days. Ha. (Actually, not funny.)

We'll see what else the Carnival brings this week. I hear there's cotton candy coming and cake. Always cake. That's how we celebrate success at my work! 

Hope you're finding some fun (carney inspired or otherwise) this week!

Unusual Delays

This is the season where lots of things are delayed – from Christmas packages and flights to middle school basketball games. Yup, there's a story...

It wasn't long after I stepped into the gymnasium for the 7th-grade boys game that I smelled burnt popcorn coming from the lobby concession stand. Not overpowering, but you know the scent, it's just annoying. I didn't give it much thought because once the game started, it got interesting.

And not just the score.

Before we even reached halftime, we had our first delay – a fan was ejected from the game. How does this happen at a 7th-grade game? I guess people are passionate. Just haven't witnessed it at a pre-teenage competition. Hmmm.

In the second half, we had another unusual delay...

Yup, the fire alarms went off in the middle of the 3rd period. After half the gym was evacuated, they started turning around and coming back in. The culprit? You guessed it – burnt popcorn!

And even though there was no danger, it took a few minutes of suffering through the annoying alarm noise before it was safe and quiet to resume play. Crazy, crazy. At least our boys won that one.

The other delay today is probably not that unusual but it ticks me off.

Last Monday I sent a small package to the kiddos in Raleigh. Part of it was a St. Lucia Day gift so I paid extra for two-day shipping. Guess when it arrived? Yup, you read that right – tonight! A full week later! I don't want to be that nagging customer who complains when it's clear they're overstressed and understaffed. Still... why the heck would they go to the East Coast by way of a mail center in Houston, Texas? Not kidding. I've been tracking this daily!

Sigh.

Just a reminder to focus on what we can control – and pray for patience on all the stuff we can't. It is the most wonderful time of the year after all. Right?!

Be careful out there!

Dinner and a Movie

About once a decade (not an exaggeration) hubby and I go to a movie together. There's rarely one we both want to see. And rarely one where we can't wait for it to come out on one of the streaming platforms. But tonight we found ourselves sitting through a nearly 3 1/2 hour history lesson.

I was surprised when Jim mentioned wanting to see this. We had just talked about this in book club not that long ago. I hadn't read the book, but now we both want to. The book/movie was based on a disturbing true story. When oil is discovered in 1920s Oklahoma under Osage Nation land, the Osage people are murdered one by one—until the FBI steps in to unravel the mystery.

The movie was slow-paced and kind of drawn out. But of course the acting was stellar. 

And so was the popcorn for dinner. We certainly didn't need the 64-ounce "small" drink cups to go with it. There was minimal sipping. Had to make sure my bladder lasted 206 minutes! 

Now it's off to bed because that was a lot of excitement for this old bird on a Friday night. Have a great weekend!

Three Popped Meals a Day

It's not unusual for me to have popcorn for dinner. But breakfast... that's a new thing.

I rushed out of the house this morning so I could get to church to practice our choir song since I was out of town for practice this week. Then right after church, we had our annual meeting and my committee report was last on the agenda. The kept glancing at my phone clock because I needed to be home so my neighbor could pick me up at noon to go to a movie.

I got home at 11:55 a.m. and had time to use the restroom and then Cindy was there at noon. We got the theater and ordered the Robyn-sized popcorn bucket for my breakfast and lunch. And later, my dinner, too! No shame.

We have been looking forward to seeing A Man Called Otto for quite some time. Our book club actually read the original book – A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman – back in March 2017, giving it an average rating of 4.5 out of 5. Backman is a Swedish author so they did do a Swedish movie version of the book but it wasn't fun with the subtitles, so I didn't see it all. 

The Americanized version features a name change – Ove to Otto – and a stellar performance by Tom Hanks as the lead. The movie didn't follow the book exactly (they never do), but this time it was OK. They needed certain visuals to better tell the story. 

I think we both forgot how moving the book was. The movie had us tearing up and close to sobbing at points. Really well done. See it if you can. Both heart-warming and heart-wrenching.

Plus, you could come out of with at least 2 meals already popped, er planned.

Just Poppin' Around

This is so fitting today. First because the temperature was 88 degrees or so and the humidity was 880% or so! Oh, and also, we had our first corn on the cob for the season. 

You know you're a non-farmer from Wisconsin when you buy your corn off the back of a pickup truck parked at a saloon. And yes, we recommend what they're selling at Johnny's. Good and sweet. Yum!

I really am surprised I didn't see corn popping today. So hot and humid! I think I mentioned that. 

When I saw the weather forecast this morning, though, my biggest concern was seeing the 100% chance of rain pretty much all day Sunday. So after going to the funeral visitation for my friend's 20-year-old son (heartbreaking as expected), I got to rearranging the rest of my weekend schedule. 

Stock car races were canceled for tonight before noon so we knew we weren't going to Wausau to watch Colin tonight. Looking to Sunday evening when it's still supposed to still be raining, I had a senior photo shoot on my schedule. Luckily, the boy was able to do it last minute late this afternoon and we beat the rain. Almost melted, but we beat the rain.

And it wasn't a bad way to spend 90 minutes. I swear all these senior boys this year could be models. I think I mentioned that before, too. Ha. Tough job. Glad I'm the somebody who's gotta do it.

Have a great Sunday, everyone. The thunder is rumbling now so I know my flowers are starting their happy dance! 

Be careful out there.

Gratitude Challenge Day 22 :: Smell

Today's Gratitude Challenge is kind of a trick question. The sense of smell has become very important these days.

Day 22. A favorite smell.

While the delightful fragrance of a Farmhouse Pumpkin Patch is wafting through my house, we're all grateful we can smell anything since loss of smell is one of the common symptoms/side effects of COVID-19.

So I'm super thankful I can smell this and, knock on wood, will smell the pumpkin pies baking and turkey cooking later this week. 

I do really love the smell of certain things baking. Chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake or brownies, my Hornets Nest Cake, and banana break. I'm thankful when I smell things baking because it usually means something special is about to happen – a birthday, a potluck for work (when I was AT an office), or a cookie exchange. (Looking forward to our annual family one this Saturday!)

I love the smell of lilacs because it means spring is here. The smell of fresh cut grass because it's a sign of summer. I love the smell of jasmine and ginger – but only on Maui, ha. The smell of an orange as you're first peeling it.

I'm grateful for the smell of buttered popcorn because that means I'm at a movie with a friend. Or about to sit in my recliner and relax for a bit (which may or may not involve a Hallmark movie).

I'm probably getting way too many food-related smells here. So I'm doubly thankful I do not have the double-whammy of losing smell and taste as part of the fun virus.

Be careful out there. And be grateful!

#gratitudemonth

Gratitude Challenge Day 3 :: Food

Let's dip right into it. Here's the scoop on today's Gratitude Challenge. 

Day 3. A food you love.

Really no surprise here. I mean you know I love ice cream – whether it's 95 and humid or 20 below windchills. (By the way it truly is never too cold for ice cream!)

While I enjoy it – a lot – I hadn't ever thought of being grateful for it. But I guess I am.

Sometimes it's a reward for doing something good. Sometimes it comforts me (not necessarily a good thing). Other times it leads to socializing (a very good thing). Or even meeting new friends (awesome). So I suppose I am grateful. 

But mostly I just love it.

And no, I don't have ONE favorite flavor. I do like most varieties of mint chocolate, blueberry cheesecake or crumble, coconut, caramel, and on and on. As with all the things I'm grateful for in this challenge, I'll include the disclaimer that this list is not all-inclusive.

And as far as food goes, I also could eat these every day:

• Pizza
• Popcorn
• Buffalo chicken anything
• Fiber One Cereal

Just seeing if you're paying attention. I'm just grateful for food on the table (or in the freezer) every day and never having to worry where my next meal comes from. 

Except when King Cone and DQ are both closed for the season!

#gratitudemonth

Girls Night In, Definitely In

While the man of the house is away, the girls will play. And by play, I mean grab a comfy spot and stay there. All night.

Since Jim had to work his church fish fry tonight (dishwasher), we girls decided to take advantage of having the house to ourselves and, more importantly, the remote.

So after a walk in the sunshine and 40-degree temps, I ran (drove) into town to the movie theater to get a curbside pickup of popcorn. While waiting for a stoplight, we probably looked like two bags heading out for a good time. Or at least the bag part.

Got home and Sylvester claimed her spot on the heated tile floor (she can have it) and I turned on Netflix. I finished the Emily in Paris series. Really liked it! Watched 3 episodes of Firefly Lane and haven't decided if I'm committing to it yet. 

And yes, I am one of those people who can stop watching a movie in the middle or quit reading a book halfway through if I'm not into it. My time is valuable. To me. So why waste it? It should give you joy, as Marie Kondo is fond of saying. Well, back when I listened to her at the beginning of this pandemic.

Since I'm so restless, though, and had nothing to multi-task with – except the eating part – I am on an episode break right now. Got the house vacuumed and am blogging. And will resume my regularly scheduled Friday night momentarily.

Oh snap. Just heard the door. Darn fish fry got done early!

There's always next week.

P is for Plenty

 

We're more than halfway there! Alphabetical gratitude month continues today with the letter P which means I have Plenty of blessings to be thanks for.

A = Autumn, Austins, Assumption
B = Ballots, Books, Book Club, Bible
C = Casey, Clay, Carter, Church, Creativity, Camera
D = Dad, Daughters, Deck Chair, Dar, Design
E = Eggs, Election, Energy, Empty Nest
F = Family, Friends, Faith, Flu Shot, FastForward
G = Games, Golf, Guilty pleasures
H = Hugs, Hurricanes, Humor
I = Ice cream, Impromptu Invitations
J = Jim, Jokes, Job, Java
K = Kindness, King Cone, Knock on Wood, Karma
L = Laughters, Love
M = Mom, Masters, Musicals
N = Nieces, Nephews, Neighbors, Norse Force

Pigging Out: I never said that every blessing that brings me joy is good for me. By sheer coincidence, I have been Pigging Out this week on pizza (Monday night dinner) and popcorn (today's lunch AND dinner) not to mention Pumpkin Spice coffee. And, next week, here comes Pumpkin Pie! Perfect! 

Passport: I will never take for granted my ability to travel "wherever I want" thanks to my passport. Because, what good is a passport 2020? No place to go abroad and nobody wants us. That's why I'm so grateful I got two trips to Europe stamped on my passport – Norway, Sweden, Denmark two summers ago, and Germany and France 18 months ago. So amazing to expand our horizons! It has opened my window to the world. Cannot wait until this global pandemic is replaced by global travel! 

Phone: I do panic a bit when I leave the house and realize I forgot my phone. It's not like there's that many people besides telemarketers that actually call. But I get plenty of texts. And yeah, I what if a photo op comes up and I don't have my phone (aka small camera)? Guess I just picture it in my mind, right? (Unless I'm traveling somewhere a passport's required. I need share that image somehow!) I am grateful that smart phones especially have made it much easier to stay in pretty constant contact with my siblings and, uhm, parentally persistent contact with the boys.

Hey, it all pleases me today. 

#gratitudemonth #gratitudealphabet

My Princess Diary

When you start the day with an 8 a.m. appointment to get a crown, you know it's going to be a princess kind of day!

Well, not exactly.

The crown is not a tiara. And it goes on my tooth – not my head.

So it was just a regular work day after all. Since that's what we peasants do. Then I did get some royal treats later. Had some blueberry cheesecake with the birthday boy Mike across the street.

Got my bag of popcorn from the movie theater for supper the next few nights...

Precious cargo, indeed!

And, since hubby had a last-minute golf outing, I decided I'd stick with my princess theme, tune into Disney-plus and watch some movies I haven't ever seen. Tonight's pick? The Princess Diaries, of course! I might have to dig into that popcorn bag tomorrow night and watch the sequels.

Hey, sometimes we princesses have to be girly. Not just royal pains.

Tuesday Treats

Pretty sure I was the only one happy that it was raining when I woke up. Actually, make that me and 9,999 other Twins fans who waited in line for Prince umbrellas. It wasn't purple rain, but it was a good enough excuse to use my new umbrella.

And show it off, of course.

College Boy was happy about the rain, too. He got to nap in my recliner until the sun came out at noon, then go to work.

My second treat after the umbrella came at lunch. My co-worker (who shall remain nameless and shameless) and I got our steps in the hard way. Hard ice cream that is.

Yup, from our office to King Cone, it is 1.08 miles. So 15 minutes there, grab the goods and return... all the way licking away any evidence it was anything more than a lunchtime walk. For the record, the Butter Finger-Licking Good flavor is amazing.

Final Tuesday treat was tonight when my kickboxing Wonder Twin and I finally got to see our life story on the big screen. Yup, finally saw Wonder Woman! Gwen and I both give it two thumbs up. Good story, action, humor and a little mushy stuff to tie it all together. Oh, and yummy movie theater popcorn.

Gotta love a Tuesday where you have ice cream for lunch and popcorn for supper. You might be surprised at how often those are my main food groups for the day.

Hey, I have to get these Wonder Woman super powers from somewhere.

Making Scents

If you would have asked me earlier today what one of the worst smells is, I would have said the paper mill.

Living in a paper mill town, you'd think I'd get used to that sulfuric acid odor, but I don't. We get spoiled living "out" of town and only smell it when we occasionally are down wind or something. Today, when we took a walk break at work, we were definitely in its path. Eww.

Of course, any mill worker (or their family members) will tell you "It's the smell of money." That may be true but I prefer my odorless cash and credit.

Tonight, though, I have the windows open not to let that smell in, but to let a different smell out.

I guess it takes an undomestic goddess like me to burn microwave popcorn. Not sure how I did it. But the evidence has lingered in the air a good hour.

The thing is, I am home alone since Jim is in Marshfield visiting his uncle and Carter is at a friend's. I was just trying to make a light, easy supper after my run. Even though I technically had popcorn for lunch today, too, I guess I forgot.

Just like I guess I forgot to keep an eye on the popcorn!

I had just opened the box. You can select the bag size on our microwave. So instead of 3.5 ounces, I chose 3 to be safe, and walked away. And let it burn. Well, it definitely is not a snack-size bag (1.75 ounces), but when I threw out the black hulls and tried again, I had to stop it almost a half minute early on that 3-ounce bag setting.

So there's your Consumer Report notice of the day. If you buy the Pop Weaver brand, keep an eye on it!

You know, I never have this problem when I have ice cream for supper. That doesn't smell. And it doesn't leave a trace of undomestic evidence. Guess I'll stick with that.

Makes scents to me.

Snack Size Does Not Equal Fun Size

What do you get when you cross a teenager with a snack-size bag of popcorn using a microwave that has only one "popcorn" button for regular size popcorn bags?

First a near-fire of sorts as the bag and all its contents burn, burn, burn. What's the point of shutting off the microwave if the timer hasn't gone off?

Second, you walk into a house late Friday night and it smells like burnt popcorn.

Third, you take the garbage out the next day and the house still smells like burnt popcorn.

Fourth, you run the diffuser with air freshener on maximum setting for three days ... and the house still smells like burnt popcorn.

Fifth, everything you microwave smells like burnt popcorn.

Sixth, just 72 hours later.... you guessed it... you get a new microwave...

with THREE popcorn settings! And the first thing you do is show your teenage son how to make popcorn!

Good thing we've been considering getting a newer, bigger microwave for some time now. So even though our hands were forced a bit, I am sure we'll like it. It was time.

Anybody need a used microwave? For FREE? It works. It just, well... smells like burnt popcorn!!