What I’m Thankful For

I’ve been totally slacking these last couple of weeks. Well, the honest answer is, I’ve been getting a new blog up and running. A blog to migrate this blog over to. One that makes a bit more sense for the here and now, considering I’m no longer “life-ing” in Westchester. I promise it will still be all the snark and sass you’ve come to love, and I’ll be sharing it with you soon.

In the meantime, it occurred to me that this might be a poignant last post on Westchester Life — a glimpse into things in this new life phase. So here goes. I’m thankful for:

• Skype. And FaceTime. It’s allowed me to stay relatively connected to some friends and family whom I’ve just been missing terribly.
• The concept of “time out.” Which really is more for me than it is for my toddler, right? By insisting he go sit and think about his behavior in a chair in the other room means I can go chug a shot of whiskey to dull the pain from all the whining, and he doesn’t have to witness mommy’s lush-ishness.
• GPS. Seriously, thank the LAWD for this invention. Do you guys remember having to go on MapQuest and print out directions to get somewhere (which almost always ended up being six pages long, which required collating and of course, then fumbling in the car with multiple pages of commands.) Or, even before MapQuest, I remember having my glovebox stuffed with actual, fold-out maps (yes, the paper kind) and having to pull over to pull out a map and squint through trying to find your current location, then try to find your destination, then try to refold that stupid map back up properly?? WTF? Now that I’m in a new town, in a new county, in a new state, I don’t pull out of my driveway without first programming my navigation. I don’t care if I’m just going to Target down the street. You never know when someone can get lost… I don’t take my chances.
• The chance to redecorate a bit. Here we are in a new house, unpacking our life… this is the perfect time to shake things up a bit. Like putting the booze cabinet in my bedroom. Why not?
• Renting. We are renting our house here in North Carolina, because really, we don’t know a thing about this area so how would we know where we’d want to buy a house? And truthfully, we still own our house in Mount Kisco, and one damn house is plenty to worry about. So we’re renting, which is such a refreshing change to home ownership. I love that when the water pressure is a little too soft, I can just make a phone call to Miss Landlady and kindly let her know. Seriously, home ownership is overrated. (You heard it here, all my NYC rent stabilized friends.)
• Bacon. I’m having an extramarital affair with bacon. Probably because people here put it in EVERYTHING. Seriously, I’ve had Benton’s bacon cornbread, bacon scones, bacon mashed potatoes, bacon wrapped bacon… it’s a bit scandalous. Shhh….
• My friends. Who check in on me often enough to feel they haven’t forgotten all about me just yet. I am going through a lonely phase down here, with no one to meet for coffee or pals to have GF date nights with. I know it will happen but right now I’m grateful for all the check-ins to make sure I’m staying sane, aren’t eating my weight in bacon, and haven’t converted over to mom jeans.(Sort of, maybe a little, not a chance in hell… in that order.)
• For not having been in Westchester during Hurricane Sandy. On a serious note, seeing the destruction caused by this bitchy storm has me dumbfounded and feeling so helpless this far away. But I’m also incredibly thankful my family wasn’t put out, and no one was injured, and our house survived. And for everyone who suffered damage and loss and inconveniences, I’m so sad, and I hope that your recovery is speedy and that you and your family are safe and warm this holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! What are you thankful for this year? Please share your words of wisdom, here! 

Random Thoughts. This One Goes to 11.

1. I’m tired of being asked by blogs and websites and Mother-Theresa types, “Do you ever let your toddler watch TV?” Like it’s a bad thing. Honestly. Didn’t we all grow up on Sesame Street and Scooby Doo? Cut a working mom some slack. TV is my friend, and Jack’s too. (In moderation of course, yada yada yada…yawn.)

2. The Hunger Games. I just started the book and I can’t put it down. Ridiculousness. And what kind of name is Peeta? I want to shmear him with hummus.

3. Speaking of books. is anyone other than me tired of hearing about 50 Shades already? Yes, it’s racy, and yes it’s sexy. But it’s also so poorly written I found myself red-penning the entire thing in my head. (Did no one edit this book before it was published??) So please stop, people. Go have sex with your spouse or significant. Get tied up. Then move on, let’s talk about something else. Like vampire babies.

4. Tupac’s back. Thank god for that, because I was afraid I’d never see him again.

5. Did you know you can bake with bacon? I didn’t either. Until now.

6. I wish it could just be Sunday already. You know why? Because the bitches are back.

7. My hubby has been doing this weird Paleo diet where he eats like a caveman. He’s lost weight. I’ve been doing the diet, sort of, in a non-committal way, by default. I haven’t lost any weight. How is this fair? Don’t answer this question.

8. I think there’s a spray tan in my future. I’m a firm believer in SPF protection, but not at the expense of looking like Casper’s sister. Which I kind of do.

9. It’s my birthday next month, and I really want this, because I used to have one when I was like 17 and I’d like to pretend I’m young again. Can someone tell my hubby please?

10. Seriously, my culinary weakness in Mt Kisco is without a doubt the bipimbap at NEO Bistro. I guess it’s quite possible this answers question #7.

11. Does anyone else find Jacuzzi tubs creepy?

Talk amongst yourselves…