Our Charactecture

News on Wall Street is grim. I'm sitting here trying to comprehend an almost 780 point drop in the Dow and how that's impacted the B's. And the rest of the nation.

But, I'm not going to pontificate now on that matter; gotta think it over some.

In the meantime, Mr. B and I went to a fund raiser for the Durham Symphony Orchestra last night. A nice surprise was that they had a charactecture artists there who drew charactectures for free for any who wanted one for (tips welcomed, of course!)

Here is ours. Mr. B thinks his face looks fat; I am not really sure it looks all the much like me. But, it was fun AND the first time I've ever done this. I told Mr. B that charactectures are supposed to emphasize in an over the top way something about a person's face/style. So, of course his face is not that wide (nor are his glasses that big). What about me? I'm not really sure what the "over the top" emphasis was on me.

Any thoughts?

Mrs. B

Somewhat of a Surprise

So, y'all know I've been doing some consulting work with a company down in Greensboro since mid-August. So far, it's been going pretty well; I've settled in to a routine with them that works for all of us. And, of course, it was certainly exciting receiving my first payment from them a few weeks ago; the first time I've earned money (my own choice, of course) since August 2003.

Anyway, the guy that I'm working with there, Dave, who I used to know in a past life, asks me this past week while I was there if we could talk. This in and of itself posed a dilemma since, as the company culture there is "bull pen" (cubicles) conference room space is at a real premium. So, we ended up in the mail room (I kid you not) with him basically blocking the door (he's a big guy) and shooing away persistent employees who felt a need to come in and collect their mail.

The bottom line is, he is going to leave HR and go into sales (for this same company). He seemed very excited about it and I don't blame him; being more of a recruiter than a generalist, I'm sure his current position has caused nothing but headaches and stress for him. Sales is a perfect option and, in reality, that is somewhat what recruiting is; he'll just be selling the company's product as opposed to selling the company.

Anyway, as I was standing there wondering how much longer they'd be needing me (the new HR person might not really want to pay my rate or have someone else in mind), he asked me if I'd considering taking his job. I was a bit taken a back by this.

He went on to say that he really needed to have a slate of candidates to put before his boss. I'd be one of them and they already knew me (or of me) and I already knew something of the organization and plus I had a lot more generalist background then he did, etc.

He also said, somewhat sheepishly, "Hey, I know you're just now getting back into this, but, I have to ask you and if you'd at least consider it, I'd be grateful". He's no idiot. He knows that I really don't have a desire to drive to and from Greensboro every day (about an hour and ten minutes each way), nor, after basically retiring 5 years ago, would I really want to jump back into this? And, this would be a huge leap, folks. We're talking a lot of hours, a lot of politics, a lot of stress; frankly, a lot of you-know-what that this chickie doesn't want.

Not to mention, I really don't think they could pay me enough to entice me, despite the promise of a company car and company paid gas (in this day and age, that would probably lure me more than a bonus plan!)

I gave it the thought it deserved, though. To be fair. I weighed the pros and the cons. Mr. B said, "If you really want to do this, we could move to Greensboro". Yeah, that would make his commute a hoot! I don't think so. Besides, the most important thing here is, "How does this make me FEEL?" And, really, it makes me feel FREAKED OUT!

I was also asked to think if I knew anyone else that might be interested. Actually, this is a lot more fun to think about! Yeah, I do know some folks, one person in particular, who would be great for this position (although I don't know if he could be lured from Southern California to North Carolina).

So, when I go back down to the office next week, I'll have to see if I can secure the mail room so I can tell Dave that it's not for me, but, I'll work on a list of names for him.

And, hey, it WAS flattering to be asked.

Mrs. B

Velveeta

Lacking anything of real significance to blog about today, I'm gonna write about Velveeta.

Huh?

Really, what I mean is, how ironic it is that, in my life, I've known two people whose name seem to be some sort of derivitate of Velveeta.

Many years ago, a good friend of mine's mother in law's name was VELTA So, Velveeta minus the "vee".

She was sort of an odd person and my friend didn't really get on with her all that well. Although not one to complain a lot, she did grouse about her MIL from time to time such that, on occassion, I'd ask her how things were going with her. The thing was, I had a hard time remembering what exactly her name was so, the first time I asked, I said something like, "Hey, how's it going with Bob's mom Velveeta or whatever the heck her name is?" My friend thought that was hysterically funny and from then on out, we always referred to her (now ex ) MIL as "Velveeta".

Yesterday, down at "the office" in Greensboro, I was sitting in my cube working on a project. A few weeks ago, a new gal moved in "next door" (also in HR). She's real friendly. Anyway, she spends a lot of her time calling prospective employees to follow up on missing paperwork and/or checking their references. As such, I hear her announce her name A LOT. "This is Veeta (so and so) from (so and so company)".

VEETA?

Someone else in "the office" said to her, "Hey, how exactly do you pronounce your name?"

To which she replied,

"It sounds like Velveeta except without the VEL but I'm just as smooth and creamy".

That just cracked me up! And, I suppose it was a good thing she didn't say instead, "...but I'm just as quick and easy!" (see the picture above).

Mrs. B

Random Thoughts for a Monday (Mostly Rambling About Halloween)

I usually write, "Random (fill in the day of the week) Thoughts" but I realized as I was typing that out that the sentence structure is not correct! Although it may sometimes feel that way, the day of the week ITSELF is not random!

Anyway, here goes:

Ah, today is the first day of Fall, and it's a beauty of a day here in North Carolina. The weather report originally said it was going to be 80 or so today but I doubt it'll get that warm. Mid-70s, perhaps? Absolutely delightful weather!

In honor of Fall, I got out my Fall decor and placed it around the house. I didn't, however, bother to get out the Halloween Tree since we won't be here on Halloween this year. We'll be celebrating at the Welk resort in Escondido. My friend Peri was wondering if they had a costume party where everyone had to come dressed up like a "character" from the old Lawrence Welk TV show. And, would a bubble machine be set up? There would have to be bubbles!

Frankly, Halloween is not my favorite "holiday"; after I turned 12 or 13 and stopped Trick Or Treating, it sort of became a drag. Although, I will admit, I have gone to a few rocking Halloween parties.

Writing about Halloween has set me to trying to remember the various costumes I've had over the years. Hmmm. I know when I was a kid, I "went" as various princesses and fairies and the like. One year, I was a Genie (as in "I Dream of Jeannie",

not the big blue thing from the Disney movie "Aladdin" (which didn't even exist then, anyway).

I think I was likely a cat once, or a mouse. One year, lacking creative skills, I wore my Girl Scout uniform and went as, guess what? That was in 6th grade when we were living in Kentucky. I think just being in that state sapped my mental abilities.

As I grew older and into high school, it became quite important to go as something "cute". Sexy wasn't allowed, but cute was. So, one year I went as a little girl. Boy, I thought I was something.

Another year, I dressed up as Ace Freely (from Kiss) and, along with three other people, we went as, well, duh, Kiss! That was fun; I still remember my mom wrapping my boots in tin foil.

One year during college, my friend Peri had a costume party. This was the year that the movie "Mommie Dearest" (a rag on Joan Crawford's maternal abilities) came out. So, I dressed up in a 40s suit, pulled my (then very long hair) up into a very severe bun, slathered on a lot of heavy make-up and smeared bright red lip stick haphazardly around my mouth. I carried a baby doll in one hand and a wire coat hanger in the other and walked around the party beating the doll with it shrieking (in my best Joan Crawford/Faye Dunaway imitation), "No more wire hangers EVER!"

Another year, my ex husband and I plus two other girlfriends of mine dressed up like punk rockers and went to a party. Us three girls spent the entire night following him around, fawning sex slave/groupie attitudes. He ate it up, until some drunk guy told him he looked "queer". That ended our attendance at that party.

The last costume that I remember was going as Julia Roberts' character from "Pretty Woman" while my ex dressed up in a business suit and went as a lawyer. That was pretty funny.

Like I said, I don't really like Halloween and it's been ages since I've dressed up. But, if I ever did again, I'd want to go as Queen Elizabeth I.

Do y'all remember any of your costumes? Which was your favorite? I bet there will be a lot of Sarah Palin costumers at parties this year, or pigs with lip stick on, or Obama, or McCain. I hope, though, that people will figure out something a bit more original!

Mrs. B

Wine Thief

Nah, no one's been stealing our wine. I just wanted to blog about this fantastic Cabernet Franc we tasted at Chatham Hill Winery a few months ago

So, this past June, Mr. B and I went to a new members reception and dinner at Chatham Hill Winery. I may have mentioned this place before but it's in a real unusual location; a commercial building near the airport. Believe it or not, though, their wine is quite good. They use grapes mainly from the Yadkin Valley (where a lot of other very decent North Carolina wineries are located) but they also import some in from California.

Anyway, at this event, they were doing what is called a barrel tasting. This is usually done when a wine is just about ready to be bottled. The wine maker decides to let folks sample it; probably to see if they fall over and die (an obvious indication that something is seriously wrong with the wine). All kidding aside, I'm sure, similar to movie studios that show their movie to test audiences to decide what ending to use, the wine maker is likely gauging the reaction of the tasters to determine what, if anything, should be done to modify the wine. Say it's a bit too bold and full of tannins; add some soothing and mellow Merlot. Or, it's too watery. Blend in some Cabernet Sauvignon that's been aged in oak for a few years.

At least this is what I suppose they are doing; it's what I'D do if I made wine!

So, after dinner was over, all present trooped into the back of the building where they have the wine in vats and barrels and where they do the bottling. On this particular occasion, they were barrel tasting a red wine, the Cabernet Franc I mentioned.

Picking up a fresh glass and moving in a line towards the barrel, we all listened to the wine maker discuss this particular wine and what he'd done to it so far. For those of you who don't know, a Cabernet Franc is a fairly mellow wine but it can have considerable depth to it. It's a bit fruity, a bit peppery, but not too much of either. For lack of a better description, it's somewhere between a Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon. The grape is more common to this region of the United States (I don't even think they can grow the grapes in California). It's probably the grape Thomas Jefferson used to make the majority of his wine. This makes sense, and perhaps he even brought some grapes back with him from France (where it is quite popular).

Cabernet Franc Grapes

In order to dole out the tastings, the wine maker used a device call a Wine Thief.

In essence, it's a fancy glass turkey baster. Each person held their glass near the barrel opening, tilted, and the wine maker shot the sample into the glass using the thief.

Mr. B and I swirled and sniffer and observed color (a very nice ruby red) and slowly sipped. Our eyes probably rolled back into our heads in ecstasy. While we were near orgasmic over the wine, others were looking like they were going to hurl. Now, why would that be, do you wonder? Because you have to understand that most North Carolina wineries are forced to make sweetie wines because that is what most people from North Carolina like to drink (they grew up on sweet cloying grapes like the Muscadine). Hey, some of those sweetie wines are not bad (as I've blogged about before) but some of them, well, you may as well drink Strawberry Hill from Boone's Farm or Annie Green Springs or the like (it would be cheaper, anyway).

Chatham Hill Winery is no different; they offer a variety of very sweet fruit wines like Blueberry, Peach, Raspberry and Pomegranate (this one actually isn't too bad; it'd take pretty good mixed with a bit of Prosecco or Champagne).

So, many of the people in that room with us that evening were NOT fans of dry red wine.

So much the better, we said to ourselves, as this meant they wouldn't be rushing in to buy up the Cabernet Franc if it ever got bottled. More for us!

A week later, we took Mr. B's parents to the winery. Yey! They were barrel tasting the Cabernet Franc again! Mrs. Senior B enjoyed it but Mr. Senior B is more into Rieslings and the like. But, he nicely got a sample of the wine so that we could split it, which meant almost a full glass each of this beauty!

Ok, I'm rambling. The point to all of this is, when Mr. B went to pick up our wine club shipment the other night, lo and behold in the package was a bottle of 2006 Cabernet Franc.

SWEET!

So, tomorrow, we're gonna head over to Chatham Hill Winery and buy as much of it as they'll let us (they have limited quantities) while it's at its discounted price.

Mrs. B

My Adventures In Italy: The Passing of Grandpa T

Grandpa T and me in happy times

I meant to post this earlier (but my current life is "getting in the way") to coincide with the five year anniversary of Grandpa T's passing. He died while I was in Italy (the last week I was in Verona). Following is my accounting and thoughts plus the poem I eventually managed to get written (a few days later while in Sienna) and sent off for his memorial service (which I missed being that I was on a plane en route/coming home to the States).

I was truly lucky to share a wonderful relationship with Grandpa T. I am thankful I was (I hope) able to make his life a bit better during those final years he lived in California.

Hey, Grandpa!

"Horseshit!"

Love ya and miss you.

Mrs. B

11 September 2003
A sad day for me; got word from Dad that Grandpa T died on Tuesday. Although it wasn’t unexpected, and, as is often the case when folks get very old (91), almost a relief, it still shook me up a bit. Memories came flooding back; especially of the times we spent together in 2000-2002 in Escondido playing cards, talking and going out to eat. I am very sorry that I can’t be there for his (and a belated one for Grandma T) memorial service on 9/28.

Today I felt very very far away from home. I wish I could be with my family.

I’d like very much to be able to send a poem or something to be read for me at the service since I can’t be there. I hope I can get something out. I really did love him and I’d like to be able to honor him, somehow. I need to think about what type of poem.

Death always brings about a hodge-podge of emotions. Sadness, concern for others, realization that, in the end, death will eventually come for even me; fear, and sometimes even some amusement as fond memories are remembered. I don’t have any bad emotions; no remorse, guilt, shame or anger; when I think about Grandpa T.

I am pretty sure that he was ready to go. I hope, wherever he is, he’s playing cards with Grandma, puffing away on his pipe with his eye half on the Reds game while anticipating the chocolate cake he’s going to get his fill of now.

Because of this news, all of my earlier problems don’t seem like such a huge deal now. Somehow I have faith everything will be ok.

I went to St. Anastasia this afternoon to think and to reflect. It was peaceful.

St. Anastasia. I walked by this church every day on my way to school; it seemed fitting to go into it when I needed some peace

Just One More Time

I knew that it was coming
The day when you’d be gone
I thought I was ready
To receive the news
But in this, of course,
I was wrong

I am far away in Italy
I’m mixed up and feeling strange
And as I wonder
If I told you good-bye
I keep hearing
This refrain…

Just one more time
To see you
To visit you again
Just one more time
To play Gin Rummy
Even though you always win

Just one more time
To drive you through
The town of Escondido
Just one more time
To your favorite restaurant
For a margarita and a shrimp burrito

Just one more time
To eat M&Ms
Out of your mushroom candy jar
Just one more time
To smell your pipe
The essence of who you are

Just one more time
To watch you devour
A big piece of chocolate cake
Just one more time
To hear you tell me
“You’re a good kid, when you’re awake!”

Just one more time
To walk behind you
To make sure that you don’t fall
Just one more time
To tell you I love you
Just one more time, that’s all

Dedicated to Carroll L. T
My Grandpa
And my friend

Amy C. H
16 September ‘03
Sienna, Italy

Me outside the hotel where I wrote the poem in Sienna, Italy

Debbie's In REMISSION!

My good pal Debbie

Yey! She called me and left a message today to say, although she's still feeling sorta punk, she's officially in remission (lymphoma).

So, for all of you who know my great pal Debbie and have been pulling for her and sending positive thoughts her way, thank you thank you thank you.

You know, news like this makes everything else that might trouble one fade away.

Oh, and Mr. B and I will see her at the end of October when we're in California for our fall get-away.

Now, we can really celebrate!

Mrs. B