Flashback Friday: My mother in law, wine yeast and a storage shed

Published 2-18-2009. And MAN OH MAN IS IT AWESOME TO READ THIS. Because all my hopes and dreams came true.

This was on my "Daily art" desktop calendar.
It is called "The Worship of Venus" by Titian (1488-1576)
All sorts of chubby cherubs up there ;)

Last weekend, Valentine's weekend, we moved the bulk of our furniture up here.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I am telling you people, at the end of next month, we can put our house on the market. The house should sell easily enough. Our house is in a seller's market. (Read: big city everyone loves, economy good) Getting a house up here should be easy. It is a buyer's market up here. (Read: not such a big city and well . . .)

AND THEN THE HEAVEN'S SHALL OPEN UP AND GLORY DAY, GLORY DAY, A THOUSAND VIOLINS WILL BEGIN TO PLAY . . . .

All sorts of chubby cherubs will fly around, strumming tiny little harps. . . .

Meanwhile, I was tickled by this exchange that took place while my husband was dissembling our couch that looks like this:

That is a big bastard of a leather lazy-boy couch. Somehow, my husband unscrewed a bunch of things underneath and separated it into manageable pieces. It is not moveable in the solid chunk form.

It required some effort, this separation, what with the twisting and hunkering, all while the couch was tilted above him.

I know because I read to him from my Sephora catalogue while he worked.

GAWD!! I love the Sephora catalogue. I mean, the way they describe the items just blows me away. I mean, listen to this description (of face cream):

. .. Willowherb, a unique anti-irritant, helps to prevent sensitivities while wine yeast and marine complex combat against environmental damage. The combination of jojoba leaf, a powerful antioxidant, with Burdock root, silica powder, and other effective ingredients refine pores . . .

"Huh, wine yeast, huh. Well, can you shine the light over here?" says Mr. Hall in response.

(It was my job to hold the light btw, I am not completely useless :)



And there is this description of hand cream:

Enriched with 20% Shea butter, this super-creamy balm penetrates quickly to protect, nourish, and moisturize the skin. Honey, almond, and coconut oil are blended with Shea butter to create this unique and extremely effective moisturizer

LORD HOWDY! I mean come on, doesn't it all sound so dreamy? This Sephora catalogue, it is mentally uplifting.

I love the catalogue so much that I took it to dinner with my mother in law that night. Because I still feel tense around his family. Because my MIL didn't come to our wedding on purpose. I never held it against her cause she's kinda nuts. But, I just don't care anymore, I don't care about being tense anymore. And I wanted to continue reading my sephora catalogue.



And I tell ya, it's better than wine, this stuff. I was so relaxed during dinner as I read through the descriptions of the products. Ya see, I just don't care anymore. I am done trying to figure out my mother in law. Done being angry at the past. Done trying to figure out why she does the stuff she does. She was there that night. Really there. And all lovey dovey with Pancake. And that is all that mattered.

Either way, our glorious couch is 0.5 miles away from my work, tucked in a storage shed. It's best friend, our dark cherry wood sleigh bed, is nestling right beside her.

I see the light at the end of the tunnel people. I hear the angels tuning up their violins. And my queen size pillow top mattress? Oh, it's in there too. Happy to be near me again. Patiently waiting for us to snuggle again.

Sunday Brunch. There were mimosas. It was awesome.

My mother in law held a brunch on Sunday. It began at 10 am. You should have been there ;)

My MIL is a woman mad cooking skills yo. Her food, it is soo good so tasty so omg so layered with the herbs and tasty layers of divine goodness. Her food is so good that even when you are tired of seeing relatives, tired of catching up, tired of being with each other you- you linger. You stay put. Because her food keeps calling to you.

Then there were the mimosas.

My little sister in law made mimosas. In wine goblets. She is young and poured a lot of champagne and a little orange juice. I was smashed beyond belief during brunch. Unbelievably plastered. Face beet red and giggling all happy.


Why didn't anyone tell me about mimosas before? Champagne with orange juice? In wine goblets!!!! THAT'S EFFING BRILLIANT!!

I love my little SIL. I really do. We debated Twilight and Britney Spears. Got all huffy. It was such fun, arguing about nonsense. I bet this is why people get into bar fights :) tee hee hee...

And nothing smoothes over familial tension better than a few mimosas. And oh, the tension is there. Lots of women folk. And then there is the gigantic elephant in the room. And really, what family gathering would be complete without that?

My mother in law didn't come to our wedding. On purpose. That was almost 9 years ago. Noone talks about it. I have seen this woman on a monthly basis since then. On purpose. I still have trouble making eye contact with her, but I want her in my life. In the kids' life too. Draw your own conclusions there.

But, again, the food. OMG so delicious. I just want to spend five days eating there. The woman carmeled the apples, roasted the almonds, foundue'ed the chocolate, and smashed the pumpkin to make the pie. I could just eat for days.

Plus, my mother in law teaches after school programs. She has about 10 billion toys for the kids to be entertained with. And Mr. Hall, he says to me, "Babe, sit, drink your mimosas. I got the kids." OH I could just die I love that man o mine.

Then the kids lay down for a nap. Then I was looking around at all the couches and spare chairs. But they were filled with puffed out party goers. The floor looked like a good option.

But, then I spied a lawn chair. A metal lawn chair with fabric stripes. With a tiny pillow resting upon it's seat. And a thousand violins began to play.

I passed out cold. Was the best 20 minutes of my life. The chair was so comfy. When I woke up my pillow was wet. "What the hell?," I thought. Oh, I had drooled all over the pillow.

Drool on the pillow is the quintessential hallmark of a freaking awesome nap!

At this point I was much sober and it was 4 pm. Time to pack the kiddies and drive home. Thus concludes another party at my MIL with the food I could just die for. So tasty, so devine.

Can't wait for thanksgiving. By then I should be hungry again ;)

My mother in law, wine yeast and a storage shed

This was on my "Daily art" desktop calendar.
It is called "The Worship of Venus" by Titian (1488-1576)
All sorts of chubby cherubs up there ;)

Last weekend, Valentine's weekend, we moved the bulk of our furniture up here.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I am telling you people, at the end of next month, we can put our house on the market. The house should sell easily enough. Our house is in a seller's market. (Read: big city everyone loves, economy good) Getting a house up here should be easy. It is a buyer's market up here. (Read: not such a big city and well . . .)

AND THEN THE HEAVEN'S SHALL OPEN UP AND GLORY DAY, GLORY DAY, A THOUSAND VIOLINS WILL BEGIN TO PLAY . . . .

All sorts of chubby cherubs will fly around, strumming tiny little harps. . . .

Meanwhile, I was tickled by this exchange that took place while my husband was dissembling our couch that looks like this:

That is a big bastard of a leather lazy-boy couch. Somehow, my husband unscrewed a bunch of things underneath and separated it into manageable pieces. It is not moveable in the solid chunk form.

It required some effort, this separation, what with the twisting and hunkering, all while the couch was tilted above him.

I know because I read to him from my Sephora catalogue while he worked.

GAWD!! I love the Sephora catalogue. I mean, the way they describe the items just blows me away. I mean, listen to this description (of face cream):

. .. Willowherb, a unique anti-irritant, helps to prevent sensitivities while wine yeast and marine complex combat against environmental damage. The combination of jojoba leaf, a powerful antioxidant, with Burdock root, silica powder, and other effective ingredients refine pores . . .

"Huh, wine yeast, huh. Well, can you shine the light over here?" says Mr. Hall in response.

(It was my job to hold the light btw, I am not completely useless :)



And there is this description of hand cream:

Enriched with 20% Shea butter, this super-creamy balm penetrates quickly to protect, nourish, and moisturize the skin. Honey, almond, and coconut oil are blended with Shea butter to create this unique and extremely effective moisturizer

LORD HOWDY! I mean come on, doesn't it all sound so dreamy? This Sephora catalogue, it is mentally uplifting.

I love the catalogue so much that I took it to dinner with my mother in law that night. Because I still feel tense around his family. And I just don't care anymore, I don't care about being tense anymore. And I wanted to continue reading my sephora catalogue.



And I tell ya, it's better than wine, this stuff. I was so relaxed during dinner as I read through the descriptions of the products. Ya see, I just don't care anymore. I am done trying to figure out my mother in law. Done being angry at the past. Done trying to figure out why she does the stuff she does. She was there that night. Really there. And all lovey dovey with Pancake. And that is all that mattered.

Either way, our glorious couch is 0.5 miles away from my work, tucked in a storage shed. It's best friend, our dark cherry wood sleigh bed, is nestling right beside her.

I see the light at the end of the tunnel people. I hear the angels tuning up their violins. And my queen size pillow top mattress? Oh, it's in their too. Happy to be near me again. Patiently waiting for us to snuggle again.