Tuesday, January 27, 2015

I May Be Uncool, But I'm High Maintenance, Too. Tuesday Ten!

Bryan and I lived in a roach-infested, cinder block, ancient, 4th floor-no elevator apartment for three years. Including when I was pregnant with Phoenix.  That time in our lives showed us that we don't "need" a whole heck of a lot to live a happy life.

However, there isn't anything wrong with really, really liking to have some things.

This week's Tuesday Ten is "Things I Can't Live Without".  Or things that I would prefer not to live without. Or things that keep this train chugging. Or things that help me stay sane. Any of those titles will do.

1. As I sit here shivering, I must say my pink fluffy robe.  It is currently upstairs, which is dumb, seeing as how it isn't doing me any good up there. Normally, it is on my person every waking moment that I am home from approximately Oct. 15 through April 24. It only gets washed on those rare 50 degree winter days, soooo...maybe once a year.

2. My Eddie Bauer Puffy Coat.  If you doubt me, that link takes you to the Love Story I wrote about it.

3. My pillow.  While not as old as my Eddie Bauer Puffy Coat, it's pretty old.  I know.  I KNOW I am supposed to replace it on a regular basis.  But honestly, why the heck would I get rid of it just when it's getting to that perfect state of wonderful?  I keep multiple pillow cases on it and wash those frequently, so the pillow isn't that bad, is it?

4. My mud room. We lived ON A FARM for 7 and a half years without a mud room.  Everything, including chicken waterers covered with chicken poop and wellies covered in chicken poop and pig poop and farm shoes covered in dog poop trudged into my kitchen.  Granted, the kitchen was in horrible shape, and every day I am even more grateful for the new kitchen, (well, newish. It's been two years.)but it's the mud room I don't ever want to live without.

Full disclosure:  This was taken when it was new.  Picture it with more dirt, more things NOT in the cubbies, and just more stuff in general.
5. My Kindle.  I know all you die-hard, gotta-be-a-real-book folks out there don't understand it.  I get it!  I used to be one of you!  Until Bryan gave me one.  And as with the puffy coat, he knew what he was doing.  I've had it for years now, and whenever I have to read a paper book, I get annoyed. No joke. I don't ever lose my page!  I can eat with two hands, because I don't have to use one hand to hold the book open. It takes up barely any room, so I can carry it in my purse all day, and I don't have to lug a hundred pounds of pages on vacation. If I finish a book, all I have to do is download another one. No matter where I am.

6. My phone. I can't believe I'm even saying this, but it has become an important piece of equipment.  While I enjoy Instagram and getting on the internet, and the maps and email make life easier, it's really because of my ability to stay in contact with people that I chose this. I text and call people all the time. When something funny happens, I can tell any one of my kids, my parents, my relatives, or my friends all over the world in a matter of seconds. I can ask someone how she's doing. I can set up a breakfast with a friend. I can wish someone a happy birthday.

7. My vacuum cleaner. I went through several vacuum cleaners in a relatively short amount of time. A couple of days before Buttercup's First Communion, when loads of people would descend on our house, yet another vacuum blew up. I had had enough. I went out and splurged on a Dyson. Hands down, it was the best vacuum purchase EVER! Seven years later, it's going strong, sucking up all the filth and food my progeny deposit on every floor.

8. My Dixie Chopper. This is no regular riding lawn mower. It's fast. It's big. Not only does it mow our 7 acres in just a few hours, I can use it to haul wood and rocks and gas tanks.  Plus, it works like a charm when I need to drag a dead pig out to the back pasture.

9. My deep freeze. Can't imagine where I'd put 300 pounds of pork, fruit and veggie pies for the chickens, extra veggies from the garden, and extra meals I sometimes prepare without that behemoth in the basement.

10. My new washer and dryer. For almost two years, we lived with a washer that couldn't spin our clothes. We were ringing them out before putting them in the dryer. A dryer that was on its last spins anyway.  It took hours and hours to get our clothes dry. There was constantly a backup in the hampers.  I'm happy to report, NOT ANYMORE! I can wash every article of clothing in the house in half a day. Which means a serious backup of clean clothes on and around the couch that need folded, but at least those clothes are clean!

Wow. Looking this list over, I have to wonder..."When did I get so uncool?"

The kids would answer, "You never were cool."

Bryan would agree.

I'd retort, "Says the man who wore velcro-fly shorts through high school."

And then I'd realize they are right.  I never was cool.  If I were, I wouldn't have married a man who wore velcro-fly shorts through high school.

So be it.

What would you put on your list of things you don't want to live without?

To see what others thought, feel free to head over to Lisa's!


The Golden Spoons

Have a lovely day!

44 comments:

  1. How do you know what kind of shorts he wore in high school???

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    1. Hahahahahahahaha!!!!
      Legitimate question. :)
      It was a big joke started when I made fun of his Velcro wallet. He went through all the things he owned made with Velcro. I was just glad shoes weren't on the list!

      Delete
  2. I think you are so cool ...and who cares what's cool or not. You know what's cool; confidence. Confidence in being able to live on a farm and working it, confidence is wearing Velcro pants and rocking them lol. I think cool is one doing their thing and feeling comfortable...look at me I beat to my own drum and the ones that know me love me because of it. Love your tens....

    Psst I love my kindle too...wish I had a mud youes is awesome so big.

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    1. Aw, thanks Marisa. True, no one has ever accused me of not being confident. Or Bryan. He did rock those Velcro shorts! :)
      Kindles are the best.
      We turned the old smokehouse attached to the back of the house into the mudroom. I didn't think it was that big of a room when it was just an old, cold, mess of an unused room!

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  3. I can't live without my hubby. That was my first thought.

    I know you were thrilled when you got the washer and dryer. You washed everything except for your robe.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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    1. It was mine, too, but I didn't really want to dwell on not living with Bryan. :)

      You remembered! I'm impressed. I barely remember.

      Delete
  4. …multiple 10 Item blog Posts in the average week?
    (clearly I've been out of my league, time-organisational-istically speaking!)

    gotta go with (for gotta have) this here blogosphere-connected speaking tube, here

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    1. You have other talents, my friend. You can't be good at writing lists AND developing personality worldviews!

      I thought you might. :)

      Delete
  5. Anyone who has a blog name like yours is cool. And I totally hear you on the kindle. I love my kindle so much!

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    1. Well, thank you Amelia!
      It has to be one of the best inventions ever.

      Delete
  6. I love the first paragraph disclaimer. Needs are so basic. I love the list, too, though. (And your dad's question made me laugh!)

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    1. I had to put it in. There really are so few needs.
      I laughed a good long time after reading my dad's comment.

      Delete
  7. I sorta had a vacuum on my list...but I'd be okay without it for the most part. The kids enjoy vacuuming as long as I don't ask them to. They love our dustbuster!

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    1. I'd prefer I didn't have to use it, but since I do, I'm certainly glad to have it!
      Oh, dustbusters are loads of fun. (As long as Mom isn't asking for the kids to clean a certain area at a certain time!)

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  8. I like this post, Christine. Really love the organization in the mudroom. I can't live without my computer, my phone, my Kindle. I can't believe I am saying that either. And the washer/dryer. Eek! You know what you can't live without because you had to live without it for awhile. I link up with a Tuesday 10 that lists things. This requires a bit more thought, I think. Nice.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thanks! I just told the guy I wanted cubbies. He created it and built it. I never would have dreamed I'd have so much storage space!
      Hard to believe that just 5 years ago, I only had a cell phone for emergency use.
      The washer and dryer were life changing. For the kids. I never need them to do laundry anymore. (Except folding, of course!)

      I've seen your Tuesday 10! I don't know if it requires much more thought. Even if I did the beauty products one, I'd have to think, and I'd probably write just as much as I did for this one!

      Delete
  9. That mudroom is pure gorgeousness! Even if it's messier now. I have multiple pillows, but one of them has been around for ages. I'm sort of grossed out by it, but I can't part with it either. Known affectionately by the name "Squish." it can be molded into whatever shape and support I need.

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    1. It is the best mudroom ever. I sometimes stand in the doorway and just admire it, thinking, "All of this crap used to be somewhere in my house."

      EXACTLY! I am grossed out by mine a bit, too, but I'm not giving it up until I find a perfect new replacement.

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  10. You ARE cool Christine!! Not many people I know would say, let alone acknowledge, that they couldn't live without their vacuum, washing machine, and a pillow (i can totally relate to that one - I once owned a pillow for over 20 years!!) YOU A SUPER COOL! First time I have been on your blog, looking forward to reading more of "A fly on the {Chicken Coop} wall"!

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    1. Ha! And here I thought the vacuum is what made me uncool! :)

      I knew there had to be more pillow-hoarding people like me out there!

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  11. Great list and it's ok - am am way uncool, too! I am seriously jealous of that mudroom. The garage in our home was turned into a "rec room" in the 80s, so we don't really have a mud room either. My kids do their shoes right by the door as soon as they walk in!

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    1. I sometimes just stand in the doorway of the mudroom and smile. It's my favorite room in our house. Amazing what can be done with an old, dirty smokehouse! For over 7 years our front door was the gathering place for school shoes, school backpacks, and soccer bags. I feel your pain. Does that mean you, like us, don't have a garage?

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  12. I want your MUD ROOM!!!!!!!!!! Oh my heart be still with that room, and your kitchen is to die for :) As for the vacuum cleaner YES!!!! I traded in my Dyson for a Shark, I killed my Dyson :) Did I say I was a neat freak? I am, if you stand still to long I will vacuum you !!! Just saying !!!!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Ha! My five year old runs when I turn the vacuum on because I have actually vacuumed him. ;)

      I get a bit embarrassed when people see our kitchen. It is a nice one. But did you see what we had before??? It had to be fixed!

      The mud room: My little bit of heaven on earth.

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  13. Wow. Im not sure if there's anything. ... maybe phone....not having one for emergency reasons kinda freaks me out.

    Laughed at Dad's comment!

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    1. Woohoo....maybe now that im prepared with a copy my comment goes through first shot!

      Delete
    2. Good point. Emergency situations. Why didn't I think of that much better reason?

      Me too! :)

      Aha! You've outsmarted your phone!

      Delete
  14. I love your list. I think I love the vacuum best. LOVE a good vacuum!!

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  15. I'm so glad you like your Dyson, but I have to say I HATE THEM!!

    As a professional cleaner of 25 years I've used many different vacuum cleaners in many different businesses and the worst ones have all been Dysons. I've always been able to unblock/repair any vacuum cleaner I've used but a Dyson? - no chance! They seem to block up very easily and when they do they do it good style - and whoever it was who advertised them as giving '100% suction 100% of the time' should be prosecuted under the Trade Descriptions Act! Personally I wouldn't give one house room - maybe yours the exception to the rule :)

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    1. ACK! You are the first person I have heard who dislikes them. Yes, mine definitely has lost suction, but only until I clean it out.
      Maybe they are different in England, seeing as how you Hoover instead of vacuum. :)

      Delete
  16. Oh wow, what a great list! And I have to say, I'm with you on a mud room and that Dyson vacuum. I tell every young couple I know, not to waste their money on a vacuum that they'll be replacing in less than a year, get a Dyson from the get go. My only regret is that I didn't discover them sooner. - Oh, and I can't live without my sleep mask! I must have total darkness when I close my eyes even though I've got Netflix going with my creepy crime shows.. Go figure.. ;)

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    1. No joke! That is great advice.
      A sleep mask? When you have the creepy crime shows on? That makes no sense. But I think you probably know that. :)

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  17. I am so with you on the Velcro shoes. Shorts though eh??? Hmmmm....having a hard time visualizing that one. ;)

    At this point in my life I have to say that I could not live without my handheld Brookstone fan. How uncool am I and I'm not talking temperature wise. Baahaahaa!!!

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    1. I wouldn't recommend imagining it. :)

      Hahaha!! The post about your fan is one of the first, if not THE first post I read of yours! You had it in a Monday Listicle post!

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    2. Wow! What a memory!!! Just wait another 10-15 years. ;)

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  18. I have mud room envy!
    Isn't it something how our pleasures become so specific as we get older? I also love my vacuum and washing machine and my new mattress on my bed.

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    1. I have screened in porch and garden and gigantic barn and woods envy, so I'm thinking we're even.

      Specific and boring. :)

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  19. I have mud room envy, too. And vacuum cleaner envy, although I'm thinking of getting a Shark.

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    1. I don't know anyone who has a shark, but if they have their own 30 minute commercial on loop on cable, they must be good!

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  20. Hehehe bless your boots. I remember the photo of you lying in a state of absolute bliss on top of the table in your new kitchen. Has it REALLY been two years since the mud room happened? Wow!

    I'm glad you got it, and I'm still looking forward to trying the mower :)

    Wishing you warm days so you can wash your gown again soon, my GownBear friend (*wrapped in Pink Blanket as she types*).

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    1. It has been two years. Shocking, isn't it? While I don't lie on the island anymore, I do love it as much as I did back then. :)

      I'm looking forward to you mowing, too. Give me a chance to take a nap.

      Thank you!

      Delete
  21. Well I think you're cool. I love this list, even the pillow only because my husband won't let me change his out so I understand. Maybe if Iayer it with pillowcases I won't be grossed out about how old it is. I bought a Dyson when Christopher started to crawl. So I'm guess mine is at least 9 years old. Still love it. I love my Kindle too. I participated in a Women's Bible Study where they book was included and was something we had to read and discuss each week. I just couldn't. I downloaded the electronic version and happily read from my Kindle.

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    1. Thanks!
      The layers of pillow cases totally negates the grossness.
      I have a few books Bryan bought at the library sale. I haven't made myself read them yet, even though some look pretty good.

      Delete

Thank you for taking the time to tell me what you're thinking!