Yeti of a Day

July 8, 2020February 25, 2023 / lauden322 / Leave a comment

Yesterday I had a yeti of a day. You know, those days that snowball into an avalanche of disappointments, mishaps and frustrations. And to be honest I’ve been having a yeti of a year.

2020 has hit me hard, and I’m sure a lot of you can relate. I haven’t written in what feels like ages (months I know). I’ve dealt with health stuff, a long and tough deployment, an upheaval of life (quitting a career I loved and moving to a new city), an extra tough real estate market, the loneliness and isolation that is COVID and the daily challenges of a toddler.

Now back to my day yesterday. It started with a rejected offer on a home. We have been searching for months. And we were hopeful on this one. We offered listing price the day it hit the market, but were later told a higher offer had come in. We’ve put in multiple offers on multiple homes, only to be queued up with other buyers and sellers wanting highest and best offers, almost always over listing price. Another roadblock…

Meanwhile, my husband is on a work trip to the eastern bloc. He started his new position in Indy months ago and I’ve been back in the ‘Burgh with a toddler 24/7/5, with two days off on the weekend. I didn’t get my days of this week, no reprieve for my sanity. My fuse is short.

Then the little stuff started snowballing in…

An erroneous Amazon order was delivered. I had ordered ground coffee and they sent me whole bean. I hadn’t been to the grocery store in over a week, my daughter and I have been down with a summer cold for several days. I was completely out of coffee and counting on this order for more mommy go-go juice.

My solution, order groceries for pickup. My fridge had been scant for days. The only pickup times available were in the evening. The 6-7 pm block was the only option with a toddler bedtime fast approaching. As my pickup window neared, I received a message that my order was delayed but would be ready later in the night. I was now facing no morning coffee or a missed toddler bedtime. Neither is a good option for an exhausted momma.

I’m trying to decide what to do about my grocery pickup while washing milk cups. Meanwhile, baby girl goes in and out of the house to her water table on the deck. It’s the only thing that has kept her attention for more than two minutes all day. I leave the door open for her, as the kitchen fills up with flies. I pull the swatter from its resting place. Swat…first fly down, but with it goes down a succulent plant from the window sill that I caught the corner of the swatter on. The pot empties, soil is all over the counter, all over the drying rack with clean milk cups and down into the sink. Shit I yelled. Shit, shit, shit. And Freya chimes in shit, shit, shit. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Okay, I wanted to cry. Later that night I dreamed of a Bigfoot chasing me. I had had a yeti of a day.

Now, let me preface this by saying I often dream of yetis when things get tough. They’re one of my biggest fears. When I was a child, my sister Sarah’s favorite movie was Harry and the Hendersons. She saw the comedy in it, but it just caused me to have bad dreams. Nightmares of yetis chasing me through woods of falling timber. It’s been one of those recurring dreams that pop up when things get tough.

This morning when I woke up, I knew I needed to let yesterday go. The yeti had to go.

I turned to my Bible app on my phone. Days and nights like these need encouragement, a clean heart and a calm mind. I spent a few waking minutes with Him. I prayed for the yeti to get off my back, knowing God is so much bigger.

Today has been a challenge too. Things haven’t seemed to let up lately and I guess that’s something I have to deal with. Yeti days come and go, but I just have to remember I’m never alone with a Bigfoot.

Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. —Psalm 62:8

A Redleg Christmas

December 8, 2019December 8, 2019 / lauden322 / Leave a comment

One of my best-loved holiday events I attend yearly is the St. Barbara’s Day Ball, a military formal affectionately referred to as “Redleg”.

Members of the Field Artillery are traditionally called “redlegs” with distinguishable scarlet-red stripes running down the pant legs of dress uniforms, a practice dating back to the Mexican American War and continued through the Civil War and post-WWI.

Saint Barbara is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers of the catholic church and is the patron saint of artillery. The church recognizes her each year on December 4th—St. Barbara’s Day. And, while warfare may be considered less than holy, there is much to be said for valor, exceptional service and camaraderie celebrated each year by artilleryman on the hallowed day.

The St. Barbara’s Day Ball is awash in yuletide color, as it is customary for women to wear red gowns, men wear red socks and greenery decks the halls. Redleg is also a popular event for engagement displays, and it was at this event five years ago that my husband popped the question.

Picture of the photo from our engagement night

With my redleg’s overseas absence, I regretfully decided not to attend the holiday gathering this year. I will miss the formalities of the event including the solemn recital of the items on the missing comrade’s table, the induction of new members into the Order of Saint Barbara, and of course, the ceremonial mixing of the infamous grog punch, where an alcoholic brew of a questionable nature is prepared.

We all know the party truly begins when the alcohol kicks in, and grog is an excellent conductor for a good time and comradeship. So sorry to have missed such a jolly event, but thought it needed a mention here in the ‘Dish. Here’s a big hurray for the caissons…cheers!

Love,
L.N.

Christmas Decorating

December 2, 2019December 2, 2019 / lauden322 / Leave a comment

I’ve been woefully absent from the ‘Dish for a couple weeks. I’ve been to a whirlwind of Thanksgiving get-togethers the past several days and am now enjoying a down day nestled away from the dreary late fall weather.

A few weeks ago I began my Christmas decorating early. Admittedly, I committed sacrilege in my families opinion, with pre-Thanksgiving yuletide decor. My younger sister even commented “you weren’t raised that way”, much to my chagrin…

We’ve been experiencing unusually cold, winter like temperatures for this time of year and already have had our first snow in Southern Indiana. The weather coupled with my husband’s military deployment spurred my early decorating, as I try to find my holiday spirit in his absence.

In years past, the weekend following Thanksgiving found us at the Christmas tree farm choosing a fresh fir. This year, I opted for a small flocked, pre-lit tree up on a table. Curious little baby girl hands are into everything these days and I took that into consideration.

I’m not one to go “all out” decorating for any holiday, as my style is more clean and low-key. Clutter causes this girl serious anxiety to be honest. I love decorating “tablescapes” and prefer that to be a focal point in the home with small pops of Christmas color and decorations elsewhere. Buffalo plaid is super popular this year, but I opted for a more classic tartan plaid and passed on being trendy.

We have a formal living room as you enter our home and a second living area upstairs—I decorated both. I also added some red accents in my sitting area off the kitchen that overlooks our lake. I spend a lot of time in my gray reading chair and wanted some cheer there as well.

My baby girl just turned ten months and will be celebrating her first Christmas. Of course I had to buy her her first stocking. Pottery Barn had some great personalized options and I opted for the clean look of ivory velvet.

I also purchased some LED glimmer strings from Pier1 and placed in oversized jars with bulb ornaments for her to look at. She loves when we turn the lights on each day, and I try to make an event of it. It’s never too early to inspire some Christmas wonder.

Love
L.N.

Veteran’s Day 2019: Reflections from My Circle

November 10, 2019November 10, 2019 / lauden322 / 1 Comment

I’ve always believed that I inherited my gift for words and love of reading from my mother. We share the same affinity for expressing ourselves through writing. As Veteran’s Day approached, I kindly asked her to share a story about my grandfather D. Dale Wooledge. His courageous service during World War II has always been a point of family pride. The following is my mother’s story, and at heart, his story:

“From my early childhood, I’ve always known that my father was in the army and was sent to Germany towards the end of World War II. But like many other veterans, he did not tell much of his story until he was an old man.

I had a very rosy view of my dad as a soldier. Dad had a chest with his army memorabilia. We kids excitedly sorted through the photos of army mates and smiling girls, uniform pieces and souvenirs. There were even a few medals. Most fascinating was an armadillo shell he saved from his basic training in Texas. (We don’t have armadillos in South Dakota, so it was very exotic to us.) But Dad never seemed too interested in talking about the things in that chest.

Dad always talked about his time in Europe as if it were one big adventure. He spoke of being in Holland, Belgium, Italy and finally Berlin, a long way from home for a South Dakota farm boy. He joked about kissing German girls who thought American soldiers were a great catch. He told me, “If I’d brought home one of those girls, you would have been a little German girl” (or Dutch, or Italian, as the story changed frequently). I had this picture of my dad romping through Europe with his friends, women sitting on his lap, handing out cigarettes and chocolates as they passed through the liberated towns.

Dad never actually talked about being a soldier. I knew he was trained as a tank driver, but he often told how the army discovered that he was the only one in his company who knew how to type, so they made him company clerk. He implied that this assignment kept him safely behind the battle front.

It wasn’t until Dad was in his late seventies that he began to share his war experiences. He finally told how he was sent to Europe just in time for the Battle of the Bulge. That he was a tank driver in a reconnaissance unit that went ahead of the troops to scout enemy positions. His unit was trapped across enemy lines, facing almost certain death or capture. They continued to fight and held on until they were finally rescued by General Patton’s troops.

Dad described how a sharp shooter’s bullet went right between him and a friend, narrowly missing them. And how one of his best friends was killed by a sharp shooter’s bullet the very next week. It turns out that he was not made company clerk until the very end of the war, and only for a short time.

Dad believed that God had His hand on him, even as a wild young man. He was on guard duty one night, and foolishly leaned his gun against a tree, feeling pretty safe with the war winding down. Then he heard a rustling in the bushes, and someone saying, “GI Joe! GI Joe!” He grabbed his gun and called out for whoever was there to show themselves. Out came three German soldiers with their hands up. He said they were exhausted, and knew they were on the losing side and wanted to surrender. Dad ended the story by saying, “Any one of those guys could have shot me from the bushes in the dark. I didn’t even know they were there. But God protected me for some reason. I just hope I have lived my life in a way to please God. There were so many who never made it home, and I know how blessed I am.”

Every veteran has stories to tell, good and bad. Things they regret and things they are proud of. Whether they choose to share their stories or take them to their graves, every veteran deserves our gratitude for risking their life for our freedom.”

Desmond Dale Wooledge
1924-2012

Love,
L.N.

On Perdido Key

November 8, 2019November 8, 2019 / lauden322 / Leave a comment

Back in Indiana today from ten rejuvenating days in Perdido Key. The island is a long-time favorite of mine for it’s stunning white sand, turquoise waters and super low-key atmosphere. And while I like exploring new places, my heart belongs to Perdido Key and I try to visit twice yearly for some biannual beach bliss.

My first visit to the area was nearly 20-years ago, when my mother and I spent an afternoon at the aptly named Perdido Key State Park. I fell in love with the area which is seemingly less developed and lacking the throngs of beach-goers that hit Gulf Shores, Fort Walton, Destin, PCB and other nearby hot spots. While there is a slowly growing number of high-rise condos, it is as yet untouched by mini-golf courses, go-kart tracks or department store sized beach outfitters offering tacky souvenirs. If you’re a ocean-lover like me and want to spend the better part of the day by unfettered beach beauty, then Perdido Key is your jam.

Perdido Key is flanked on the eastern edge by Johnson Beach National Seashore. A National Park’s Pass or Military I.D. will gain free entry and the dune views of the gulf on the south shore and the Big Lagoon on the north shore are outstanding. There is also a canoe/kayak launch that offers paddlers easy access to the Big Lagoon if you’re into that sort of thing. My husband and I did take our kayaks down a couple years ago and had a blast.

Nearby Pensacola is home to a large naval air station and some world-famous fly-boys—the Blue Angels. The Naval Aviation Museum is definitely worth a visit any day of the week, and the Blue Angels practice most Tuesdays and Wednesdays from March through November on-site.

On a past trip to the Naval Aviation Museum

When we do decide to get away from the beach for a few hours, the iconic Flora-bama is located on the island at the state line. The Flora-bama Yacht Club is always a pick for good eats and we went for a Halloween seafood dinner.

We followed our meal with a short drive over to Orange Beach on the north side of Bayou Saint John for a visit to Pleasure Island Tiki Bar—it seemed like an appropriate choice, as my daugher was costumed as a hula girl. The bar has live-music most evenings, draws a good crowd and is a fun little beach-themed watering hole.

As I wind down on this post, I find myself rehashing my favorite moments once again and waxing a wanderlust for my next seaside retreat.

Love,
L.N.

A Grand Sea Couplet

October 31, 2019October 31, 2019 / lauden322 / Leave a comment

Is there anything as grand as the sand?
Is there anything as grand as the sea?

Is there anything as grand as cerulean waters?
Is there anything as grand as the brine?

Is there anything as grand as a seashore sky?
Is there anything as grand … or more?

You, my dear, are more grand than the sand.
You are more grand than the sky.

You are more grand, my sweet little one.
You are more grand than the ‘shore.

You are more grand, than briny blue waters.
You are more grand to me.

And when I take your tiny hand, and rock you like the waves …
I softly say you are more grand, can’t you see…

Love,
L.N.

Bob Marley, Bloody Mary and the Skeletons in My Closet

October 30, 2019October 31, 2019 / lauden322 / Leave a comment

Every family has folklore, or a few skeletons in the closet, destined to make their way out. With Halloween on the doorstep, I thought I’d dish a few. And I just want to say right now, “Bob Marley is mistaken.”

Now, I’m sure you’re scratching your head right now, wondering where in the h-e-two hockey sticks I might be going with this, prattling on about family secrets and the reggae king … and heads might roll a little more (pun intended) when I tell you I’m related to the folklore legend Bloody Mary, said to appear in a mirror if you chant her name, and also Mary, Queen of Scots—famously beheaded.

But first, let me take you back to the beginning. A couple years ago when my mother purchased DNA kits for Christmas, I was elated. I hopefully looked to the ancestry.com website and my results to compile a longer paternal tree and verify or discredit a few family stories.

Growing up, I remember mention of my roots in America linked to a passenger on the Mayflower—this remains unverified and I have no knowledge of where this legend might come from.

Other notable ancestors of family lore include two Mary’s. Mary, Queen of Scots, famously beheaded after a plan to assassinate her cousin Queen Elizabeth I, and Mary the I of England—also known as Bloody Mary. After diving into my DNA results and the ancestry.com database, these legends have been verified.

Upon tracing my father’s lineage to a Sarah Stafford and ultimately to Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland, an English nobleman and military commander during the War of Roses, I discovered a definitive link to the English royal family. Henry’s mother, Elizabeth Mortimer, was the daughter of Lady Philippa Mortimer, granddaughter to King Edward III.

The House of Lancaster descended from Edward’s third son, John Gaunt. While, the House of Tudor descended from John Beaufort, one of the illegitimate children of John of Gaunt.

The most notorious Tudor royal was the portly and amorous Henry VIII. Henry VIII sired two daughters who both became queens. Queen Mary I, also known as Bloody Mary, was daughter of Henry’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Queen Elizabeth I—cousin to the aforementioned Mary, Queen of Scots—was conceived from Henry’s third marriage to Anne Boleyn.

Before I bore you too much longer with my genealogy and relation to the two Mary’s, I’ll move back to Bob Marley and the juicier dish. I’ve always been a history nerd, consider myself a wordsmith and have a deep affinity for music. When I put the three interests together, I often find myself singing silly songs and revising lyrics to more appropriately describe what might have happened in any given instance.

You’ll be shocked to know (insert sarcasm) that I am in no way related to Marley, but have a deeper family secret than a distant link to a royal apparition who school girls summon in the mirror for Halloween entertainment. A known relative—in a not so distant time and a not so distant place—shot a sheriff. The sheriff died, but I just want to say, the deputy did survive, just not unscathed.

I do not know very many details surrounding the “affair” leading to the untimely death of a sheriff, and I do not have news clippings from the original incident to share. However, a story ran by the Olney Daily Mail in 2002 briefly chronicles the happening. A letter to the editor suggests there was in fact a different chain of events culminating in the death of a sheriff and ALSO the shooting of a deputy … cue the miscued lyrics…

So, there you have it, my family’s biggest skeleton, just in time for Halloween… “He shot the sheriff, AND he shot the deputy…”

Love,
L.N.

Image attribution:
By Unknown – Reproduced in Bill Ellis, Lucifer Ascending: The Occult in Folklore and Popular Culture (University of Kentucky, 2004). ISBN 0-8131-2289-9, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2321965

By Ueli Frey – http://www.drjazz.ch/album/bobmarley.html, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1899036

By Sten Rüdrich – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=563034

Sandra + Harry + Coconuts = Love

October 29, 2019October 30, 2019 / lauden322 / Leave a comment

One of my first major girl crushes as a teen was Sandra Bullock. Sure, my knee-high socks and school girl mini I rocked for a short minute might suggest otherwise, but my Cher Horowitz in Clueless impression didn’t stick. It was Bullock playing Lucy who stole my heart in the breakout romantic comedy “While You Were Sleeping”—released the same year. Sandra’s chemistry with a young, dreamy Bill Pullman made my heart sing. The movie remains one of my top Christmas faves.

Three years later, Bullock starred alongside Nicole Kidman in “Practical Magic”. With their long flowing locks, bohemian style and enigmatic powers, Sally and Gillian were undeniably cool. I watch Practical Magic nearly every year as my Halloween flick of choice.

My favorite scene in the movie includes a blender, midnight margaritas and of course the wildly popular Harry Nilsson tune Coconut. Coconut has been one of my go to requests for Alexa to play these past few weeks, as my excitement for my beach trip builds.

If you want a taste of just how brilliantly strange Harry Nilsson can be, check out this version—assuredly fit for Halloween.

Now, I would be remiss not to mention a scene from Reservoir Dogs, when song-dropping Coconut and YouTube does have a great fan video posted … but sorry guys, I will forever associate the tune with midnight margaritas, belladonna and my love for Bullock.

Lastly, I will admit that in no way do I believe Practical Magic is a cinematic masterpiece. And Griffin Dunne clearly can’t hold a candle to Tarantino. But, the movie is a guilty pleasure that I partake in yearly, if only to feel the uncomplicated nature of a teenage girl crush on a star she’d love to be.

Love,
L.N.

A Bite of Humble Pie

October 28, 2019October 28, 2019 / lauden322 / Leave a comment

I anxiously scanned charges on my bank app in disbelief. Damn, I thought, my husband’s bank card must have been swiped through a skimmer. Three large charges—much larger than the commissary snack purchases appearing every few days—glared back at me. I futilely tried to make sense of the foreign words detailing them.

I took a quick screenshot, circled the amounts in a vivid red and quickly sent my husband a picture message. “Are these charges legitimate”? “No, I don’t think so”… he messaged back a short while later.

I found myself immediately fretting about the money and the headache I faced disputing fraudulent charges from halfway around the globe.

I will forever be a “financial worrier”. As a young child, my mother supported our family of four on a meager secretary’s salary, while my dad attended medical school in California. We often relied on the kindness of family, friends and church members who lovingly gave boxes of hand-me-down clothes, food and housewares.

It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I finally felt like we had reached a middle class lifestyle. My husband and I live comfortably, but the nervousness I felt regarding money growing up “poor” has remained.

On a phone call later that afternoon I inquired again about the charges. My husband recanted, “yes, those charges are right, I made a couple of ATM transactions,” he said. I instantly wondered why he needed that much money, as he is on an overseas military deployment. Frustration slowly began to creep in. “He should know we are on a budget,” I vexed to myself. I recently took a hiatus from my art director career and admittedly fear relying on just his income, even though the numbers easily balance in our favor each month. I became angry.

Then he began sharing about the migrant workers he encountered pumping gas, cleaning bathrooms, and making a meager wage. He described the elderly men from places like the Philippines, India and Bangladesh working humble jobs in the more affluent middle-eastern nations. He went on to say, “I pulled out extra money so that I am able to tip well…I want to help them.” At that moment my heart began to beat a little faster, my ire dissipated. I was left only with love for my husband, his golden heart, and a big bite of humble pie for getting angry.

You see, my husband—who necessitates no accolades for HIS sacrifice and the hardships of a deployment—only ever wants to give more. He is the guy who buys your coffee if you’re lucky enough to pull up behind him in the Starbucks drive-through. He is the guy who walked down the street to buy me breakfast when I didn’t care for the menu at the vegetarian restaurant he chose. I thought he had gone to the restroom—I watched as his food grew cold before he returned. He handed me a bag with some strips of bacon, but I definitely ate humble pie that day too. And later, at that same cafe, he flagged our waitress over and discreetly motioned to the people whose breakfast he’d like to buy…a single mother, a young family, an elderly couple…

After spending a few years as a military girlfriend and now wife, I believe there are two types of people who join the armed forces—those with the heart of a warrior and those with the heart of a servant. My husband has the latter, and it is one of the things I love most … he undeniably has the better heart in our marriage and I guess that’s a bite of humble pie I can bear to swallow.

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
—Hebrews 13:16

Love,
L.N.

Packing for Perdido Key

October 27, 2019October 30, 2019 / lauden322 / Leave a comment

Two things I love—the beach and fashion. In a few short days, I’ll once again be sipping mimosas, soaking up rays and breathing the salty air in Perdido Key. The Write Dish will decidedly not ever be just a fashion blog. However, a few posts on “what I wore” may filter in on occasion.

A favorite tale my mother tells about me as a young child is when I toddled into a room with an outfit on and plainly stated “this is not the look I was going for”… I think I was three…

My two sisters and I rocking some killer early 90’s fashion

Despite this love for fashion, I have always been the penultimate packer. One vacation found me in Florida with a stuffed suitcase and only a few things I was able to piece together for a passable outfit.

Which leads to my next post. In the spirit of embracing adulthood—and the skill of planning ahead I was recently required to adopt when I gave birth nine months ago—I present to you “packing for Perdido Key.” I’ve curated a collection of actual outfits that include pieces other than the embarrassing sweatpants, t-shirts and gym clothes I’ve been almost exclusively living in since baby girl came.

When it comes to beach fashion, I’d best sum up my style as bohemian-casual. Think flowy kimono robes pulling double-duty as cover-ups, band t-shirts and jeans. I aimed to pack pieces that are low-key, comfortable and versatile.

Novella Royale Jane Robe, Paige button-fly jeans, Susto acid tee

A brand I absolutely adore is Novella Royale. I seriously lust after each new pattern when it’s launched. The price point is high, but I’ve acquired a piece here and there when sales hit and have a growing collection.

Novella Royale Linda trouser, Novella Royale Alice tank, Gola cheetah print sneakers

And keeping my mommy-style real, I’ve packed my “fancy” sweats and a few super casual outfits for just hanging out. I’ve also packed a jumpsuit and Frye slip-ons that are super comfortable for daily wear, but stylish enough for a glass of wine at an upscale restaurant.

I don’t leave home without my Patagonia baggies. They’ve seen me through many adventures, and are as good as everyone says they are. Z-Supply is always a go-to brand for tees and Snoozies slippers are LIFE for this momma!

So, there you have it…what I’ve packed for the beach. And I didn’t forget to pack underwear, but some things are better left un-photographed…

Love,
L.N.

The write dish

Serving up a slice of my life, one dish at a time

Yeti of a Day

A Redleg Christmas

Christmas Decorating

Veteran’s Day 2019: Reflections from My Circle

On Perdido Key

A Grand Sea Couplet

Bob Marley, Bloody Mary and the Skeletons in My Closet

Sandra + Harry + Coconuts = Love

A Bite of Humble Pie

Packing for Perdido Key