Friday, December 18, 2009

Friday This and Friday That. If You Go Outside Wear A Big Rain Hat


Yeah. Raining again. But I'm not complaining! No, I swear I am not. It's not cold. It's a bit chilly, but the kind of wet chilly that a Goodwill cashmere sweater will take care of just fine. I always feel as if I'm getting away with some serious crime when I find a good-condition cashmere sweater at the Goodwill, hanging right there in amongst the acrylic Walmart sweaters.
And if you get your cashmere at Goodwill, you don't have to save it for fancy. You can feed the chickens in it. You can lay it gently over your sleeping grandson because it is so soft you want him to feel it and if he spits up on it- so what? Wash it and hang it up to dry and it's good to go for another chilly day.

So last night's little post about comments got quite a few comments and in the spirit of being contrary I'm not going to answer them all personally. I wanted to know if people read comments and if they go back and read my comments on their comments and I suppose a lot of people do. This makes me very happy. When I tell people about my blog I always say, "And read the comments! They're the best part!"
Which I consider to be true. We have fostered a community here with our comments and I love that. I have gotten e-mails from people saying they were too shy to comment which is fine. But I think we can all be fairly assured here that no one is very judgmental at the Church of the Batshit Crazy. We roll along and giggle together and we get to know each other and how we think and we shore each other up and we celebrate together and grieve together and that, to me, is what it's all about. In answering comments I am letting you know that I have indeed read them all. They are not just a number, a statistic. They are your thoughts on my thoughts and I am not only grateful for them, I appreciate them and learn from them.

So yes, it's raining and I suppose I should go to town before I need to pick up Owen today, see if I can gather in a few more presents. Speaking of Goodwill, I was thinking of going to one today and collecting a bunch of pillowcases to put presents in. I hate to wrap with a bloody passion and I am not as crafty or enthusiastic as Kathleen and May who make beautiful bags to put presents in. If I did that, I would just give the bags as presents because they're that pretty. But pillowcases are good, right? Everyone can use a new pillowcase. And so much greener, don't you think? Recycled and cloth and everything?
Plus, I just really love to go to Goodwill.
We shall see but it'll all be a moot goddam point if I don't get some more presents to IN the pillowcases.

Oh Lord. I just checked the weather forecast. It's supposed to get down to 27 degrees here on Sunday night. Can this possibly be true? We've gone this long without a freeze so we're way overdue. Well, the plants are mostly inside and the ones that aren't can be covered with sheets and blankets and that's that. You people who live up north where 27 degrees is a heat wave in December can go ahead and laugh your asses off at our wimpiness here. It's okay. We don't mind. But we'll do the same to you when you complain of temperatures in the nineties next summer.

They say the collards need a good frost to make them sweeter but I don't know about that. I made a big pot yesterday and they tasted sweet to me.

And really- that's it. I am neither wallowing in despair or out-of-my-mind with joy. So I guess I'm what? Normal? Not for me.

It's been a good week with Jessie here (and by the way- she made all A's again, that girl) and with visits from loved ones and a read-through at the Opera House and my grandson and I am grateful. I only went to town once and that was enough although I do have to go back. When Jessie and I were in the parking lot of Borders on Wednesday, a guy got out of his car and was cursing at his wife. "Bitch, bitch, bitch!" he said. "That's all you do!" She looked violently unhappy as she followed him meekly into the store where they were probably going to buy Christmas presents.

I wonder if she really does bitch all the time and if so, why? He looked sort of mean to me.
And that's Christmas. Brings out the best in all of us, doesn't it?

Happy Friday, y'all.
Love....Ms. Moon

19 comments:

  1. I'm at work and haven't had my coffee yet, but good morning. Yay for Jessie, all Aaaaas, that is not an easy thing. And good for you for not commenting again on the do you read the comments post. Silly bat.
    Oh, I love the pillow case idea, brilliant! Happy day.

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  2. Collards sound so good. Yummy.

    A good thing happened to me while driving the other day and I can't forget it because it just put stuff into perspective. I backed into a car I didn't see. I got a dent and scratch, the guy I hit had his license plate all dented up. After I offered to exchange names, call the police or pay for his license cover with a check, he told me to not worry about it because the season is stressful enough to have to think about a license plate cover. He told me to have a nice holiday. I thought that was so nice and rare and I won't forget it. We both drove our separate ways after that.

    I hate witnessing obvious disharmony and conflict between couples, so that interaction you heard would have tugged at my stomach.

    And, the Church of the BSC is quite cool and unique. I love the vibe over here. This comment by me is getting way too long, but I hope you have a great weekend, Ms. Moon.

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  3. Bethany- Jessie is the most dedicated studier I have ever seen. She EARNED those A's, I tell you! And good morning to you!

    Nicol- Now THAT is a lovely holiday story. Thank God for people like that. And comments can never be too long.

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  4. Ms. Moon, as a Yankee I have never gotten my greens to taste quite right to my tongue. How do you do them?

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  5. Nola- Here is how I cooked mine yesterday: I cut them up, of course, after washing them well, of course, and I added a can of diced tomatoes, probably three tablespoons of olive oil, and enough water to mostly cover them. A sliced onion, good-sized. And then a few good slugs of Dales Seasoning, some roasted vegetable bouillon base and (okay, this is cheating but I love it), a package of Lipton vegetable dry soup mix. The Knorr type is good too.
    And then I cooked them for hours. And actually, there were collards AND mustards both in there.
    Sometimes I add some balsamic vinegar at the end for more sweetness.
    I save the juice from these to make soup out of.

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  6. I love the fact that I do not care enough about Christmas to let it stress me out!

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  7. The first time Steve talked to me like that would be the first time I punched him in the fucking mouth and left him at the store so I could go home and pack his shit UP. But perhaps she IS a bitch, or bitches all of the time. I think I am, and I know I do, but still, it wouldn't occur to Steve to say that to me.

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  8. And from a Yankee turned Southerner, I just saute mine in a bit of olive oil and garlic and then cover them and turn the heat down very low so they end up cooking in their own juices. I just cook them until they seem like they're cooked. It's so amazing to watch a huge pot of them shrink. Ms. Moon's sound more interesting, but I probably would never have all those ingredients at the same time. Don't forget to make cheese grits to go with them!

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  9. Thank you Ms. Moon and LoPo! Very helpful!

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  10. The pillow idea is beyond brilliant. I hate wrapping with a passion.

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  11. I hate when people air their grievances in public. Probably because that's when the ex and I always got in a fight--at the damn grocery store. I used to cry in public. How embarrassing. But I couldn't stop it.

    Tell Jessie I said that we are all very proud of her and many congratulations.

    Love, SB.

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  12. @ ms moon

    totally love the pillow idea..because i m really bad at wrapping presents..actually when i wrap them it looks like a car has driven over them..years ago i wrapped something for mini-santiago and he looked at it and said: have i been bad??????

    poor little thing..:-)

    so overthere its chilly and wet...take a train hop a plane..and come over..here its snows since about two days and it looks like well have a white christmas this year

    ps: collards actually really need one night of freezing until they taste perfect..no shit sherlo..its like that..:-)

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  13. I saw this woman cuss out some guy driving a big ole truck today at the publix. I don't know exactly what happened, but I think either he almost ran over her by accident, or she just almost ran into his car trying to get out of the rain and pulled that power play of I'm the pedestrian thing. I do not think he saw her though, because as she was cursing him, she stopped to take a breath and he said out his window: "That's not very nice!" Which started her on yet another tirade! So sad.

    But I'm glad you're feeling better and good for you for going to Borders. I love that place. The used bookstore smells much better though, like old books. :-) yummy!
    xo

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  14. Congratulations to Ms. Jessie! That's no easy feat, to get all A's.

    Happy Friday!

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  15. Ms. Dish- I'm getting there. Believe me.

    Kori- I know! How rude! I'm sorry but no man who would speak that way to a woman in public is worth keeping around. That's what I think.

    LoPo- See- I think that all the greens but collards can be cooked that way. However, I think that collards are somehow too substantial and need a lot of cooking. I don't want to fight with my collards. I want them to melt in my mouth. They don't cook down nearly as much as the other greens- mustards, turnips, kale. But I'll bet your collards are fine and yes, cheese grits go with them perfectly.

    Nola- You are welcome! You could just boil 'em with some ham and they would be delicious. For a long time. With some vinegar.

    Nancy- Glad to help you out!

    Ms. Bastard- Well, that sucks. I wish you hadn't had to cry in the grocery store. Ain't fair. And I know you still have a good relationship with the ex and that's okay but dammit, he should not have made you cry in public! Or in private, either.

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  16. I'm so glad I read the comments. I am printing out your collard recipe right now. I grow them but can never think of anything creative to do with em so end up giving a lot to my bunnies. That seems like a shame. I love your green eating ways.
    Oh and this made me laugh, ..."and theb a few good slugs..." in your recipe. I had a huge slug problem this summer, and was picking heaps of them off plants in the rain every single night for 2 months, in pjs, wearing plastic gloves, carrying a flashlight. I thought you were telling her to add a few good slugs to the recipe at first!

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  17. Danielle- Pillowcases. I'm telling you. Let's start a new trend. We can buy pretty ribbon to tie them up!
    And I don't think I will be enjoying a white Christmas but please, post pictures. And we're about to get our first frost so our collards will be perfect.

    Ms. Fleur- That sounds exciting and not in a good way.
    All bookstores are holy places, as are libraries.

    Ginger- I know!

    Bethany- No. No real slugs. Please.

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  18. ha..i will...maybe i ll post christmasmarket pictures as well..:-)

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  19. I do not come back to read the comments, usually, because I am forgetful and not very smart. But I mean to. I do mean to. That's why I often email people my comment replies when I can.

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