A Plethora of Pumpkins

Now that I’ve written off pistachio nuts as an expensive and dangerous food (see my last post, The Power of the Pistachio), I’ve turned to my favorite fall food infatuation – pumpkin.  It’s everywhere and in everything (and thankfully it’s too soft to break my retainer).

I love to put fall decorations around my house as a clever ruse to trick myself into thinking the weather has changed.  Pumpkins are a big part of that ruse.  Of course I only have to walk to the mailbox to realize it’s still summer like here, but I take what I can get.

Pumpkin Pleasures

I poured myself a cup of coffee with pumpkin spice flavoring in it and then it dawned on me that I am surrounded by plenty of pumpkins.  With that in mind, I made a little contest for myself to see if I could gather ten pumpkins/pumpkin featured items in two minutes.  I was up for the challenge and surpassed my number by four.  Here’s my list:

  1. Basket of pumpkins
  2. Can of pumpkin
  3. Pumpkin shaped tea light holder with pumpkin candle in it
  4. Picture of Mia surrounded by pumpkins
  5. Pumpkin votive holder
  6. Yankee Candle, Pumpkin Patch scent
  7. Pumpkin shaped bowl of candy
  8. Pumpkin shaped bowl of candy again
  9. Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin soap by Bath and Body Works
  10. Pumpkin topped Pez dispenser
  11. Light Yoplait Pumpkin Pie yogurt
  12. Pumpkin muffin
  13. Pumpkin cake
  14. Pumpkin Spice Coffee-Mate

I guess you really could say that I have a plethora of pumpkins.  Go ahead, say it, it’s as much fun to say as it is to eat pumpkin pie (almost).

And if that weren’t enough about pumpkins, this picture of my daughter-in-law in a pumpkin patch picking out a pumpkin reveals that she truly is the perfect wife for my son.  Every year she searches for the perfectly shaped pumpkin and it becomes the butt of many jokes.  Can you see why she fits in our family so well?  I love her sense of humor.

This one’s perfect. It’s a pumpkin, butt…

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by Bonnie Anderson on October 23, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on October 23, 2012

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The Power of the Pistachio – That’s a Tough Nut to Crack

I don’t know if you realize it, but pistachio nuts are very expensive.  I bought one of these big bags at Costco the other day and it set us back over $200.  Technically the nuts only cost $18, but the orthodontic bill was $195.

BIG, OPEN PISTACHIOS are what’s advertised, but nothing is mentioned about what percentage of them is open.  To their credit, I would estimate about 95 percent, which is a great improvement over those sealed shut, red-dyed beauties of days gone by; but somewhere in that five percent as I tried to open a nut, I opened myself up to trouble instead (including four trips to the orthodontist).

I’ve told my kids many times not to use their teeth to open things.  I wish I listened to myself more often, although now I do have concrete proof that I knew what I was talking about.  To sum up, don’t use your teeth to open things and especially don’t if you have a retainer fixed to the back of your upper teeth.  You may end up cracking more than a nut.

I knew right away what a stupid thing I had done.  I am crediting it to temporary insanity or going nuts, if you will.  What is the power of the pistachio that causes me to go to such great lengths for one little nut?  It’s pretty pathetic.  And it’s embarrassing.  The orthodontist will always, always ask how you damaged a retainer that is so securely affixed to your teeth.  I guess my love of pistachios is his bread and butter.

3 Comments
by Bonnie Anderson on October 16, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Stuff I Go Through
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on October 16, 2012

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Perfect Strangers

Have you ever come across Perfect Strangers?  I’m not talking about the 1980s sitcom starring Bronson Pinchot and Mark Linn-Baker as Balki and Larry.  I’m talking about day-to-day life.

Balki and Larry are cousins on the TV sitcom Perfect Strangers
Photo Credit: tvseriesfinale.com

Who are strangers?  Sesame Street tells us that “They’re the people that you meet when you’re walking down the street; they’re the people that you meet each day.”[1]  I’d like to introduce you to some of the strangers I have recently met.

1.  At church on Sunday I stopped to meet some new folks.  There were five of them – a young couple with a baby and a couple about my age (her parents).  Starting with the young man who was on the aisle, we introduced ourselves and then continued down the row ending with Kim and Andy.  This was a very friendly group.  They had big smiles on their faces, maybe a little bigger than what would be the norm.  Finally, Kim said, “I know you, Bonnie.  I’ve been to your house.”  Her daughter went to school with my daughter years ago.  Nothing like a little embarrassing moment to break the ice.

2.  On the cruise Bob and I went on back in August, we ended up seated at a table for twelve during dinner.  Two ladies who are sisters were sitting with us.  One, Gina, lives about three miles from me and the other lives in New York and is a teacher and author of Christian children’s books.  Her name is Tina Crayton.  You can check her books out at www.tcbutterfly.com.  I love meeting other Christians.  It’s like being introduced to a long-lost cousin.

3.  And then there’s Todd and Scott.  These two had literally missed the bus when we found them sitting by the Wekiva River one evening.  They had rented canoes up the river and somehow missed the van that was to take them back to their car at King’s Landing.  They assured us that they were fine, even though the van was supposed to pick them up at 5:30 and it was now 6:15.  We talked for a while and then decided to drive them to their car, which was about a 15 minute ride from there.

The Fearless Canoers

As they piled into the back of our car, they expressed their gratitude.  They asked what we do around here and I told them that we pick up strange guys along the road, give them a ride someplace and then lift their wallets off of them as we say goodbye; that is if we take them to their desired location at all – it varies.  This did not faze them one bit.  They informed us their wallets were in their car and were pretty much empty anyway.  We loved interacting with these two.  We even talked religion.  They said they didn’t care for organized religion.  I told them with all the mess in the world, I didn’t want any part of disorganized religion.  Organized religion isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

4.  Next there are some of you who are reading this right now.  When I started writing my blog I didn’t realize I would be making new friends.  Thank you to those of you who have never met me yet stop by and read this.

We all have to start out as strangers, you know.  So when was the last time you met a stranger who became a friend?  Or, in my case, re-met a friend.

[1] Sesame Street’s People in Your Neighborhood

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by Bonnie Anderson on October 10, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on October 10, 2012

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And the Winner is…

Competitiveness has taken on a whole new look in our family.  We all pride ourselves on being serious game players.  Whatever we’re playing and whoever we are playing against, we play to win.  I know we’ve passed down this quality to our kids (sorry, kids), and they’ve even married people who fit in with us quite nicely.  But, like I said at the outset of this post, we’ve just taken it up a notch.

At a recent family gathering my eldest son asked a simple question to his siblings, “How many of you have visited Grandpa at the Assisted Living Facility?”  It was a two-two split, with an edge given to the son who lives out of town and hadn’t visited the ALF.

I think the inquirer was hoping for a little company in his non-visiting status, but leave it to him to make a new competition out of the situation.  Next he asked, “Let’s see who the most pathetic really is.  Who reads Mom’s blog?”

Here he was left as the lone hold-out.  It’s not like he’s not supportive of my writing; he is.  He’s just not into reading blogs so I think he was a little surprised to be the only non-reader out of the seven kids.*  Surprised or not, he proudly declared himself the Most Pathetic.  Yep, that’s how our family is – if you’re going to do something, or not do something, do it all the way, you know, win.

I think we’re going to have to come up with new criteria for the Most Pathetic award, though, because the following week he subscribed to my blog.  He might even be reading it.  I guess I’ll find out for sure after this post, so this is my thank you to him for reading and a welcome to my blog.

*Four of whom I gave birth to, three of whom married my children, all but one of whom had actually read at least one blog entry.  Such reading may or may not have been coerced, but it still counted in the contest as points for having read my blog.  But now that I think about it, my one son-in-law was awfully quiet during this exchange, but since he had visited the ALF, he still was ahead.  The final opinion of the judges stands as no instant replay of this discussion is available.

3 Comments
by Bonnie Anderson on October 2, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Contests, Family

Posted by Bonnie Anderson on October 2, 2012

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2012/10/02/and-the-winner-is/

The Going-Away Party

I went to a going-away/retirement party last week.  It was out-of-town, about an hour’s ride from my house; and it started at the ungodly hour of 7:15 am.  I guess when you’re retiring it’s hard to break the habit of rising with the sun and blasting off into your day.

The night before, I checked my travel route, set my coffee pot and alarm, and went to bed early.  Surprisingly, it was easy to awaken at 4:30 in the morning – a little blessing to start my day.  I was out the door by 5:00 and on my way.

By 6:30 I was in place and mingling with the other guests.  We shared our stories about the guest of honor.  Everyone had a memory and all were choked up with the thought of the end of an era.  It’s amazing the impact this old friend had on people, as evidenced by the variety of guests present.  We were a motley crew – a mother with grade school children, a pilot, a few photographers, a retired man from New Hampshire, housewives and reporters – all gathered at the beach and hanging out together on the Cocoa Beach Pier.  Actually, there was one more man, a surfer who came into our view as the sun began to rise.  He was happy sitting on his board and riding the occasional wave, and he didn’t seem to mind sharing the water with a shark.  Seriously, he either didn’t know or didn’t care and was apparently deaf to the “Shark!  Shark!” cries from those on the pier.  The shark didn’t mind sharing the waters either and left the man alone.

We anxiously awaited the guest of honor, who was fashionably late by seven minutes.  Murmurs gave way to cheers announcing the arrival.  All eyes looked north as from off in the distance he came.  His head was in the clouds and then he broke through bathed by the morning light.  He flew right by us like we weren’t even there but low enough to give us a good view and bid a fond farewell.  I guess that’s what you do when you’re the Space Shuttle Endeavor mounted aboard a 747 heading to California and retirement.

I watched with a lump in my throat as Endeavor flew past.  It was a slow-motion moment but even at that it passed all too quickly and then it was gone, and just that fast I relived five decades of the space race.  My pier peers and I looked hard to the south as Endeavor headed to Patrick AFB for a final goodbye there.  We didn’t want to say goodbye, but it was time.  As we gazed into the heavens that chapter closed, but we know another is coming and we’ll be here ready to offer a prayer of Godspeed for the next group of astronauts.

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by Bonnie Anderson on September 25, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on September 25, 2012

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Famous People Who Almost Know Me

This morning for some strange reason, I started trying to list in my mind all of the famous people I have come in contact with.  I’m sure this has something to do with the fact that I’ve been watching the Orioles in their pennant race and listening to Jim Palmer do color commentary during the games.  I once met Jim.  I’m sure he remembers.  Anyway, here is the resultant list of famous people who almost know me and the moments when we sort of met.

#1 – My Ah-choo Moment – One day I was walking through the mall and I heard a sneeze.  To my surprise it came from Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson.  Now normally I would never (probably never) approach a celebrity while out with his family, but you can’t let a sneeze just hang there without a proper caring response.  So, yes, I was able to give Jameer a blessing – a “God bless you” blessing.  Surely that would not count as an invasion of privacy.  Now since I am a fan, and I’m old enough to be his mother; and especially since this happened during the play-offs, I added, “You need to make sure you’re taking care of yourself.  We need you to stay healthy.”  He thanked me.  I’m counting that as a conversation with an NBA superstar.

Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard
Photo Credit: Wikipedia

#2 – My Stand-Out Moment – Traveling home on a plane from Atlanta, I was in coach sandwiched between my husband and a young man of about twenty.  As I engaged him in conversation, I discovered he was a close friend of Dwight Howard and was, in fact, traveling with Dwight, who was enjoying the additional leg room offered in first class.  Dwight would often fly this fellow back to Atlanta with him so that they could both visit their families and friends there.  I think that’s pretty stand-out of Dwight – it could only be sweeter if he flew him first class, too.  As we disembarked, we saw Dwight sitting on a bench with his buddy.  Dwight’s knees were under his chin.  He was way too tall for that bench which was designed for mere mortals.  Of course, the entire story is now tainted by Dwight’s inexcusable flight from Orlando to Los Angeles, but since I did wave goodbye to my new friend as he sat with Dwight, this still counts as Dwight almost meeting me.

#3 – My Jab-in-the-Ribs Moment – A few years ago while visiting Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the stadium of my beloved Baltimore Orioles, I was thrilled to see All-Star first baseman Boog Powell manning his restaurant under the green tent behind the centerfield bleachers.  Boog’s BBQ is famous for ribs and, of course, barbeque.  The big man himself was happily greeting passersby and I was able to introduce myself to him and shake his beefy hand.  I spent my tenth birthday watching him and the rest of the 1966 Orioles playing at the old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore.  My mother is the quintessential Oriole fan and has pioneered the art of fandom in our family, so this was quite the day for me.

#4 – My Squirrelly Moment – Bob Ross is best known as the painter of “happy little trees” who offers painting lessons on “The Joy of Painting,” but he is lesser known as the guy to whom kids took injured squirrels.  Bob Ross died in 1995, but before that time he was a resident of our little neighborhood.  I did not know that he had an affinity for needy squirrels and birds, but my kids figured it out.  They had witnessed him opening his front door to them with a squirrel on his shoulder.  I never met him myself, but I’m counting him.  We still refer to his house as “The Bob Ross House.”

Bob Ross
Photo Credit: Wikipedia

#5 – My Hall-of-Fame Moment – Back in the 1983, Oriole pitcher and now baseball Hall of Fame member, Jim Palmer, endorsed Jockey Underwear.  He was making an appearance at the local mall, and I made it my mission to get his autograph for my mother.  I strapped my daughter in the stroller and took my four-year-old son by the hand and waited in the long line.  Thankfully the kids were happy, so happy that the local news station caught us on film and we made the six o’clock news that night.  “We” is an overstatement though, as it was only my daughter and I who were on the news.  My son was brokenhearted as he watched and there was not a glimpse of him.  I’m pretty sure that was the birth of sibling rivalry in my family.

How about you?  Who is on your list of famous people who almost know you?

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by Bonnie Anderson on September 18, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Celebrities, Family
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on September 18, 2012

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2012/09/18/famous-people-who-almost-know-me/

No Such Thing as a Free Prescription

My daughter Dena is one of those crazy (in a good way) young moms who isn’t afraid of anything.  Last week she and I were chatting on the phone.  As we were winding up our conversation she said, “I have to go.  I’m heading to the doctor in an hour.”

When I asked her why, she said she was sick and running a fever.  I offered to come and get the three older kids so she would only have the baby with her, but she said the nurse said to bring them, that she’d be in and out quickly.  I offered again, but like I said, my daughter’s crazy brave.  On hindsight, I should have rushed over and taken them anyway – the fever probably worked against her decision-making process.

Things went fairly well in the doctor’s office, except for the part where she was in the examination room and the nurse informed her that her daughter looked out the window and saw they had left the van door open.  That’s not exactly what you want to hear while you are donning a paper outfit; but that was easily resolved with the key fob.

Next she headed to Publix where many antibiotics are free and decided to pick up a few things for dinner while she waited for her prescription (making the price of the free prescription now about $28.50).  This was the point where her launch window closed.  Conditions were no longer favorable for a safe trip.  The mission should have been scrubbed.  But she pressed on.

While they were waiting for the prescription, the melt down began.  During that time there were a couple of injuries and numerous complaints from the kids.  The freezer section left them frozen.  They were tired from their day, not to mention starving.  Thankfully, a good distraction was found next to the prescription window – the chair with the blood pressure monitor was just begging to be sat in.  One child tried playing in it and that looked so exciting to three-year-old Jett that he ran across the floor, tripped and slid head first into the hard chair.  As he’s screaming and the manager is approaching, Dena is still waiting for her drugs (at this point the more the merrier).

So with voices crying, “I’m hungry.”  “I’m cold.”  “I have a concussion,” she headed home with deli chicken and medicine, and of course the cold, hungry, and concussed children.  Just another day.  When she told me about it later, I was so tempted to say, “I’ll bet you were kicking yourself for not letting me come get them.”  But that wouldn’t have been kind.

I confess, I said it anyway, along with a thank you for the blog post.

8 Comments
by Bonnie Anderson on August 28, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on August 28, 2012

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2012/08/28/no-such-thing-as-a-free-prescription/

The Family Secret

Time reveals the effect your words have on others.  As I spent the day with Ella, my nearly seven-year-old granddaughter whose picture is above, she let me in on how my words had affected her.  It all started many years ago, before Ella was even thought of.

When I was a young mother, I tried to find ways to encourage the kids to respect their dad.  Kids are so oblivious to all fathers do for them; it helps to point things out.  One night as we finished our dinner I told the kids they had to remain at the table because it was time to tell them the family secret.  They were alive with anticipation (or were they complaining because they wanted to go outside and play, either way they were a captive audience).

I glanced at my husband at the other end of the table and then I began, “Kids, you are about to hear something so incredible you may not believe it, so before I tell you, you must promise never to tell anyone what you are about to hear.”

They promised and then I told them, “Your father is Superman.”

They had disbelief in their eyes, but I explained how they never see their dad and Superman in the same place.  Dad wears glasses.  He likes to help people.  I went on and on about him, but I don’t think they really believed me.  Since I never cracked a smile and was not in the habit of lying to them, it gave them something to think about.

Flash forward to Father’s Day this year.  We had all of our children and our six grandchildren over and I felt it was time for the grandkids to know the truth about their “Bumpa.”

I brought a wrapped present to the table.  Bob opened it and revealed a Superman coffee mug.  With that on display I said, “Kids, I think you’re old enough now to handle our family secret.”  I made them raise their right hands and promise never to divulge this to anyone.  The kids being 9, 6, 5, 4, and 3 (we didn’t make the two-month-old raise her hand) were happy to comply.  I poured it on good, and their wide eyes revealed that they believed every word.  I explained how it only looks like Bumpa is going to play golf or working.  Often times he is out saving people.

Bob (Bumpa) just sat there receiving their admiration.  They asked him questions and he told them just like he told our children, you never see me and Superman together.  Now you know why.

I had no idea how seriously these words were taken.  My daughter Dena informed me that her kids were asking if she also had superpowers – it only stood to reason that she would.  She told them they were not ready to know the truth just yet.

So back to Ella.  She was over the other day and asked where Bumpa was.  I told her he was playing golf.  She moved close to me and whispered, “You mean he’s out saving someone, don’t you.”

She thinks about this all the time.  She asked me if I had superpowers and I had to admit that I do not.  “I’m more the Lois Lane type,” I explained.

To top things off, I took Ella to run errands with me recently and she told me, “Grandmom, I almost told our secret!  I came so close, but you’d be proud of me because I didn’t.”

I will never forget that conversation.  I hugged Ella tightly and was tempted to tell her my secret, the one where I made up the whole thing, but I couldn’t bring myself to burst her bubble.  So please, if you see my grandkids, keep my secret safe.  Thank you.

8 Comments
by Bonnie Anderson on August 21, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on August 21, 2012

https://lifeonthelighterside.com/2012/08/21/the-family-secret/

Oops! Sorry Donald!

Hello again.  I just realized that I forgot to announce the winner of the contest from last week’s post .  The winner is Donald Brorsen.  I am so sorry for the slip-up, Donald.  Donald was the only person who calculated the correct answer.  As a matter of fact he was only one of two people who even attempted to do the math!  Way to go, Donald!  I hope my readers will check out his blog at Rebooting This Crazy Life.

I have learned something interesting from this little contest.  It seems most of my readers are a lot like me.  I’m not sure I would have done the math either.  Most likely I would have had Bob do it and then kept the gift card for myself.  I’m sure that’s what Bob would have wanted.

2 Comments
by Bonnie Anderson on August 14, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Contests

Posted by Bonnie Anderson on August 14, 2012

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My Olympic Memories

These past 16 days we watched a lot of the 2012 Olympics.  Following are my personal top ten memories, in no particular order:

Favorite Olympic Commentator Name:  Rowdy Gaines – I wondered what kind of parents name their kid “Rowdy?”  I looked him up and his given name is really Ambrose.  Then I wondered, what kind of parents name their kid “Ambrose?”

Favorite Spectator:  No, it’s not Aly Raisman’s parents, it’s the poor guy who had the bad luck to be seated behind them.  Hey, don’t judge this guy, he finally got to go to the Olympics and didn’t really get to see them after all.  And to top it off, the entire world watched as he had one of the most frustrating moments of his life.

“Hey, down in front!”

“I spent hundreds of dollars for this!”

Favorite Sport that I don’t think should be in the Olympics:  Rhythmic Gymnastics – I like watching it, but it makes me wonder what is next on the Olympic competitive field.  Maybe break dancing, which is also very physical, or possibly even synchronized break dancing.

Sport that I surprised myself by getting into:  Women’s Beach Volleyball.  Something about those three-time American champs who are in their thirties and still at the top of their game!

photo credit: Matt Kryger, USA Today/US Presswire

Favorite Athlete that I didn’t know before these Olympics:  Lolo Jones.  She didn’t get a medal but worked hard and, win or lose, displayed poise and grace.  I love her stand for purity and hope she’ll be a role model for young women today.

Favorite Team:  U.S. Women’s Track and Field – Individually these ladies show a lot of class, but when they work as a team like in the 4×400, they’re just amazing.

photo credit: cbsnews.com

Competitor I felt the most sorry for:  Stephan Feck from Germany.  This poor guy may have to change his name.  I hope he remembers that he beat out a lot of people to get his spot on the team.  Everybody has a bad day now and then; unfortunately for Stephan, his is down for posterity on YouTube.

Most Entertaining Person:  Usain Bolt.  Anybody else would sound arrogant and unbelievable saying the things he says.  He only sounds arrogant.  I love to watch him run.

Usain’s Trademark Lightning Bolt is Everywhere

The person I’ll miss most at the 2016 Olympics:  Michael Phelps.  Will there ever be another swimmer like him?

Michael Phelps – the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time
Photo credit: Jorge Silva, Reuters

Words I can’t bring myself to say no matter how many times Bob Costas refers to the Olympics this way:  “These Olympics.”  I can’t picture myself saying, “Hey, do you want to come over and watch “These Olympics” tonight?  Nope, I just won’t say that.

What are your favorite Olympic memories?

6 Comments
by Bonnie Anderson on August 14, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Bonnie Anderson on August 14, 2012

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