Friday, August 18, 2017

Always in Your Mamories: Fly on the Wall



Let me tell you a little story about how important proofreading is.

A friend had written a heartbreaking and heartfelt post about the recent death of her husband. She talked about feeling him close and about her memories of their many years together. I was leaving her a comment about how he is still with her in her memories. Just before I hit "publish", I noticed that I was actually telling her that he is still with her in her mamories.

As typos go, that one would have been particularly unfortunate.


I was sitting in the den when College Boy came in, grabbed some paper out of the office and turned to me:

College Boy: Mom, I just want to warn you,
Me (interrupting him): Go back outside and fart.

Made him laugh!


Hubs has a giant big screen TV in his man cave in the basement. I really didn't want to hang it on the wall so we had it on an old buffet table temporarily, until I could find just the right stand. I'm all about aesthetics so I hated the old table it sat on and I really didn't feel it was safe there either. I made it my mission to find just the right stand.

I finally found exactly what I wanted and bought it. That night, Hubs was setting the TV up on the stand and I went upstairs to empty the dishwasher. I came downstairs and saw he had the TV stand pulled far away from the wall. It looked ridiculous. 

Me: Why is that so far out from the wall, we need to push it back.
Hubs: The TV is supposed to be 25 feet from the couch for optimal viewing. That's 25 feet from the couch.
Me: It looks stupid.
Hubs: It's set up for optimal viewing. 
Me: But it looks stupid.

Hubs: But it's set up for optimal viewing. 
Me: I don't like it, it looks stupid.

Hubs: I like it, it's set up for optimal viewing. 
Me: I don't want it to look stupid.

Hubs: I want it set up for optimal viewing. 
Me: It looks stupid.

Hubs: It's set up for optimal viewing . . .


Me (yelling down to Hubs): I think there's something wrong with the washing machine.
Hubs (yelling up from the man cave): OK.
Me: Do you want to come up and look at it?
Hubs: Not really. I'm exhausted.
Me: It's leaking.
Hubs: I'll look at it later.
Me: You know it's directly above that big screen TV down there.

. . . and Hubs comes flying up the stairs.


I swear my kids and their friends have a sixth sense when it comes to chocolate. They can be out anywhere, but when I'm pulling something chocolate out of the oven, boom, there they are.

I was trying a new recipe the other day, Whipped Peppermint Poke Brownies. I was making the brownies but then I had to cool them completely before I could add the frosting inside or the frosting would just melt. 

Silly me. In the door walks College Boy and some friends. They grab forks and start digging in to the hot (I mean really hot) brownies. By the time I stopped them . . . well, see the 4 brownies pictured below? Yeah, that's about all I ended up with.

Later, after finishing making the brownies I had the 4 of them on a dish. The boys came back and finished them off.

College Boy: Mom, there's only 4 of these squares here. That's not nearly enough. You should have made more. 
Me (sarcastically): Yeah, what was I thinking just making four?
College Boy (shaking his head): Really. I mean that's just a tease. Mean, really.
Me: Get out of my kitchen!!

{{I may have said that chasing after him with a rolling pin in my hand, but if so, I wouldn't admit it, of course.}}

Whipped Peppermint Poke Brownies, thick chewy brownies infused with whipped peppermint frosting and topped with crunchy cookie crumbs | Recipe developed by | #recipe #dessert #chocolate

Whipped Peppermint Poke Brownies

Me: Would you like to stay for dinner?
College Boy: Sure.
Me: Great, happy to have you.
College Boy: What's for dinner?
Me: Turkey Cutlets with Raspberry Sauce.
College Boy: I do like those, but I notice you have some of my favorite Baked Hot Wings left over in the fridge. Can I have those?
Me: I guess.
College Boy: What else are you serving?
Me: I made Festive Pea Casserole.
College Boy: Would you mind if I just had a salad?
Me (getting exasperated): If you make it yourself.
College Boy: What's for dessert?
Me: OUT! Love you so much but I rescind my invitation. B'bye.


Hubs was going out to do some errands and I had a check that needed to be deposited at the bank.

Me: Want to take this check to the bank for me?
Hubs: Yeah, I actually have to go in there anyway.
Me: Oh, and you signed that check, btw, just so you know.
Hubs (looking at the check): I did?
Me: Yes you did. Don't turn me in. I don't want to go to jail.
Hubs just looks at me with a weird expression.
Me: What are you doing?
Hubs: Practicing my poker face, I'll try not to give you away.
Me: That's your poker face? We need to play poker. How much money you got?
Hubs: Depends on how much of this check that I . . .  ahem . . . signed you're giving me.
Me: Is that a threat?
Hubs: Would it work?


PurDude spent the summer doing an internship for Honeywell in Cleveland this summer (I may have mentioned that once or twice or two hundred times). He does all kinds of fun things but never takes pictures. Not only would I like to see them, but in the future I'm sure he'll want to have them too. 

Before he left I spoke to him once again. Told him that he'd never been to a Great Lake, he should go to Eerie. That whatever fun things he does, he should take pictures.

He went to a concert. Did he take a picture? No. He went to Quicken Loans arena when the Cavaliers were playing in the championships and did not take a picture. He went to some fireworks at his apartment complex on the 4th of July and didn't take a picture. 

I actually do have some pictures of some of his experiences. In order to have any idea of what he's doing, I check snapchat daily. If he posts something he's doing, and he often does, I try to take a picture with my camera of the snapchat on my cell.

Yes, it's come to that. I'm cyber-stalking my own child.


PurDude called one Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago. He happened to mention that he went to Lake Eerie the day before.

Me: Oh, did you take pictures? I'd love to see it.
PurDude: No.
Me: Why? I asked you to take pictures. I'd love to be able to see some of your new experiences.
PurDude: I just didn't think of it. 
Me: You know some day you're going to want to have these memories yourself.
PurDude: That's OK, I'll remember them.
Me: They're still with you in your mamories?
PurDude: Huh?
Me: Nothing.


I've talked before about Hubs and how he cannot go to a store without calling me at least once.

Last Saturday he went out to get a battery for his car remote. Of course he called. And then again. I figured we were safe so I got into the shower. I took my cell with me to the bathroom so my actual out of reach time was just the 10 minutes or so I was washing. I got out of the shower and yup, a missed call.

On Sunday he went out again. This time I jumped in the shower as soon as he left figuring this would be my best chance. I got out of the shower and nope, no missed calls.

Panicked, I called him immediately.

Me: Where are you? Are you OK? Having car trouble? Do I need to come get you.
Hubs: No, I'm fine, but as long as I have you on the phone . . .

Ah, reverse psychology. Well played, Hubs, well played.


Menopausal Mother 
Searching for Sanity
Spatulas on Parade
Never Ever Give Up Hope 
Bookworm in the Kitchen 
Cynful Thoughts 
Evil Joy Speaks  

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Whipped Peppermint Poke Brownies
1 box brownie mix (or your own mix)

2 cups powdered sugar
2 - 4 TBSP milk
4 TBSP butter, softened
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2 - 4 drops red food coloring

5 Oreos

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8 X 8 baking dish.

*Mix your brownies as you normally would, or prepare the boxed mix according to the directions. Spread evenly into the pan and bake as directed.
*Remove from oven and cool completely. Place in the fridge.
*Crush the cookies. Set aside.
*Beat the powdered sugar, 3 TBSP milk, softened butter, peppermint extract and 2 drops red food coloring until fluffy and smooth. If needed, add the additional TBSP of milk and/or drop of red food coloring.
*Place the whipped frosting into a sandwich bag and seal.
*Remove the cooled brownies from the oven. Using the bottom of a thick wooden spoon, make about 25 holes in the brownies, don't break through to the bottom of the pan.
*Snip the corner of the sandwich bag and pipe the frosting down into each hole. Spread the remainder of the frosting over the top of the brownies. Top with the crushed cookies.
*Store, covered, in the fridge and bring to room temperature for serving.


  1. I just love your family!
    And now I'm craving brownies . . .

  2. What is it with men and their TVs?? My guy crammed a big screen TV into a small space in our living room, and I feel like it's right on top of the couch. I already have poor eyesight....I'm sure this won't help.

    1. I'm so glad to have ours down in the man cave instead of in the living room. Can't imagine the problems that would bring.

  3. A leak over the TV, boys and food, optimal viewing huh? LOL
    Now IF I were not on the keto way of eating, I'd jump all over these brownies.

    1. Yeah, I don't think these brownies are on too many diets. Well, except my chocolate diet.

  4. I loved learning about your family and there is nothing better than hot burn your mouth chocolate Brownies, Cake anything... But only 4 mom? Geez we needed more LOL as for calls and hubby mine is just as bad drives me up the wall. But at least he loves me right? As for the Man Cave I wish hubby had one and all lives here revolve around the TV and they would put it in the middle of the room if they could.

    1. Well, as unhappy as I was about them eating almost all of the brownies, I have to admit that brownies actually are best eaten hot.

  5. So did "optimal viewing" beat out "looks stupid?" Good call on mentioning the TV to get immediate help with the washer! Sounds like a good month!

    1. Yes it did. I just don't go down there any more. What I don't see can't hurt me, right?

  6. I love the back and forth script. I'll have to try that one time in my blog posts.

    1. If you ever want to join in a Fly on the Wall post, you know where to find me.

  7. If you ever need to commiserate with me on the death of someone, please spell memories as mamories. I will need the laugh desperately.

    1. I hope that day never comes, but if it does, me and my mamories will be there for you. . . that may not have come out right either.

  8. So glad you caught that mamories error. How awful that would have been. Sounds like you know how to make men 'jump' when you need them to! But then again -- he makes you take the phone to the shower with you!

    1. Yes, I don't know how I ever would have gotten over the embarrassment of that mamories one.

  9. My husband does the exact same thing! It drives me crazy. We're 1/4 of a mile from the grocery, I write him a list, and he still calls three times every trip. Can't wait to jump in next month! I hope my household is as funny as yours!

    1. Don't worry, if your husband isn't funny you can always count on those twins. Can't wait to read yours.

