Here we regale you with all things big and small that bring us joy, that we are loving in the moment!
Loving Impulsivity
Today what I love is that sometimes I can be impulsive. Yeah, yeah, it’s not always my best feature, but right now, I think it is.
Let me tell you that I just walked the vacuum cleaner I have long hated directly to my trashcan and have zero regrets. I care about landfills and global warming and not being wasteful. I also care that I am sure this thing is going to catch fire every single time I plug it in. And so today (I guess it will be yesterday when you read this), I just reached my limit. I unplugged it, dragged its useless accessories with it, and planted them all in the garbage. I walked back into my house with smug self-assuredness and parked myself in front of my computer to purchase something new.
Amazon is delivering that something in a cordless variety tomorrow.
I am loving that I just decided I have had enough and didn’t mull it over or ask my husband what he thought. I am confident I cannot recall one time he’s vacuumed in our entire lives together so he doesn’t get to vote.
I believe that sometimes being impulsive is exactly what is required. Stop lamenting, considering and pondering, just do it. There are ways we suffer unnecessarily in this life with sheets we hate, towels that are scratchy, ugly dishes, and vacuum cleaners that suck in all the ways other than they were intended.
I am also grateful to have the financial ability to decide like this on a dime.
Here’s to split-second decisions (as long as it’s not getting bangs!)!!
Fresh Flowers
Something that I love and that you will almost always find in my kitchen is fresh flowers.
I have always loved flowers and would get them periodically, but a couple of years ago, a dear friend gave me this beautiful wooden box that says, “Thankful” and it has 5 mason jars inside. I also really love this box. You could use it for anything, but I use it for flowers.
Every few weeks, I purchase a large bouquet from Sam’s club because their flowers last for at least two weeks and they are gorgeous. Of course, I am at the mercy of whatever they have in stock, but there are usually holiday colors, roses and a mix of wildflowers. They rarely disappoint.
A couple of weeks ago, they still had an overflow of Christmas themed flowers as well as some early Valentine bouquets, but they also had the most beautiful bright orange, yellow and pink flowers. They just looked like spring and I had to buy them.
They are such a bright spot in my kitchen, especially with all the cold and snow we have been getting.
So, here’s what you have to do: When you get home with your flowers, take the little packet of flower food and sprinkle it into your vase. I disperse it evenly throughout the five jars and then add warm water to each. I give each jar a quick stir to be sure that the flower food dissolves.
Then I spread my flowers out and sort them by color. I cut each stem at an angle and place them in the jars. I prefer to put an individual color in each jar and then take one of the brightest colors and sprinkle throughout. No, I have never taken a flower arranging class and likely this is the opposite of what you are supposed to do, but it’s my way of doing things and it works!
Flowers are just a small thing, but they add so much to any space. Give it a try and see if you don’t smile every time you walk into the room.
The joy of the ice cream scoop
All hail the mighty multi-purpose ice cream scooper. Some of you may be questioning this and wondering why I’d make such a weird statement. But if you know, you know. And if you don’t, well, hang in because I will tell you!
For years, I have watched countless TV chefs and cooks wax poetic about the ice cream scooper and its myriad uses. It seemed useful, but honestly, I didn’t bake enough cookies to make it worthwhile, and that’s mostly how I had seen it used.
I thought it was simply an ineffective gadget for me.
Until last fall, when at my parents, my sister was using an ice cream scoop to make muffins, and it was a game changer. You get evenly distributed batter in each cup, and with just a couple of pulls of the trigger, out comes the batter efficiently without getting it all over your hands.
If you have never filled 18 tiny muffin cups with batter by hand with a regular spoon, then you don’t know the tedium.
Friends, I was bewitched into buying three of my own in varying sizes.
Every single time I use one, I can’t stop myself from telling whoever is near what a genius idea that is, and whoever discovered it first really should be canonized or something.
It may not be as exciting as an easy bake oven, but it won’t burn your house down either!
Lowi & G 