Summer 2012 - Part I

The school year ended in a delightful and excellent way - lots of fun activities, uniforms optional, lots of pomp and circumstance ceremonies. My children have learned and matured so much this year (dabbing away tears of pride) and are officially rising to their next grades.

I cannot believe what a lovely summer we are having. Since my last post, I have been spent most of my time with the following pursuits:
1. Managing the family.
2. Keeping the home.
3.Trying new recipes - many with success!
4. Making progress on that Rooster Needlepoint project that haunts me.
5. Reading books & blogs re: homekeeping, child development, summer fun, couponing, looking cute and appropriate, playing American contract bridge.
6. The most time consuming has been working part-time in the education and care of children as well as continuing research and activity (IE, altering resume as needed and applying for jobs) in an effort to gain employment/earn regular income. I am still so amazed and fully disillusioned by the reality of my having slipped into the status of what they call a "displaced homemaker." But, that's a stressful story for a different day.

Of course, this is not a complete list but it represents about 85% of my time since February.

Since mid-June, my boys have been out of school and it's been great! They seemed to have tired of extra TV and screen time within the first week. Yay! They actually prefer real life pursuits. I love that they will say, "There's nothing good on" and turn off the tv. Sometimes they come to me for something to eat immediately or to get an idea of something else to do. Usually they go for a ball - soccer ball, baseball, tennis ball. Sometimes "messing around outside" which might mean climbing a tree and acting like wild animals or digging holes in the ground for lost treasures. Sometimes just having a Luigi's Ice out on the deck is all they need before maybe taking a nap, calling/skyping Grammie or helping me prepare lunch or dinner.

We have met friends for rollerskating. They have been swimming countless times at a local indoor pool and at our neighborhood pool. We have visited our local library and selected books for the whole summer. They have done lots of nothing (IE, poking around in the backyard, lego-building and lego stop motion movie-making) and a bit of something (IE, yardwork, folding towels and clothes, general neatening).

On the 4th of July, we attended our first every Major League Baseball game. Well, first for the sons and me. We took the train in to DC and saw the Washington Nationals take on the San Francisco Giants. The Nationals won! Hurrah!!!

The next phase of summer took us to a family reunion weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Marriot- South Park was quite nice and the reunion activities were just right.

Now we are summering at our place in South Carolina at last. It NEVER disappoints. I am typing at the dining table as ceiling fans spins, the children pick up pine cones from under the palms outside my window and I await random family visitors to appear on our porch. (My husband is from this area with many relatives withing a 25 mile radius. Last evening we dropped in on his octogenarian aunt and uncle. This aunt ALWAYS has some kind of home-baked deliciousness at the ready. Isn't that just southern hospitality up and down? Well, last night, she asked if we would like something called Heavenly Pie that was made of fruit cocktail and whipped cream on a graham cracker crust. It was soooooo delicious and refreshing. Loved it. The boys went out to their "garden" which most people call a farm. They picked fresh (sweet delicious!) tomatoes and a variety of squashes. It was super fun. We've already decided to go back and get more tomatoes. Soooooo sweet. This is living.

We've been here for a few days. This year we decided to get library cards at the local library. What a fun experience that was. It's interesting to see a completely different selection of books. The fact that there are may older families here is reflected in the libraries offerings. Seriously, every popular British series since 1970 seems to be available there. And the cookbook selection is simply beyond. I checked out way too much.

The boys found some good DVDs most based on books.While the husband, found some terrific genealogy resources (his hobby).

After the library, we went to a little place the locals call "The Drive In" which is actually a little restaurant that has no drive through or walk up window at all. The fried chicken, french fries and onion rings we ordered were AMAZING. And the sweet tea that washed it all down - just right.

In a little while, if those silly rainstorms hold out, we will go to the driving range at one of the local clubs - it's just wonderful that we have access to two award winning tournament golf courses and a brand new tennis facility that will no doubt become an award-winning tournament tennis club in the very near future.

The guys are out taking a walk right now and expect me to be ready to go to the club for lunch upon their return so I'd better get my things together. I plan to post some pictures from this year's summer very soon.

I trust you are enjoying your summer as well.

~ Sylvie

Long Live Rowenta - Promaster 2011 Rules!

"If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it:

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

- William Morris

Continuing my search for a new iron was an interesting undertaking as I tend to want to become a subject matter expert when in acquisition mode. Suffice it to say, that based on my fantastic experience with my first Rowenta, I decided to just go to the Rowenta Website or perhaps return to QVC and pick up the latest version. This is when I discovered that over the last decade and a half, Rowenta has produced loads of ironing and/or steaming products at many price points with numerous variations. Some irons, some steaming units. Some made in Germany, some made in China. Some with a larger sole plate, some with a smaller one. Some with larger water tanks, some with smaller. There were so many variations and configurations regarding the steam holes. The list goes on and on. Still, I must replace my original iron toute suite as my sons wear uniforms to school and I will not have them receiving the award for "The Most Unkempt Student." Seriously,timely removal from the dryer can do only so much for pleated khaki shorts and 100% cotton OCBDs and polos with the embroidered school logo. A really good iron is a necessity. I have finally decided to stop beating up on my old iron and let it go. Thank you for your guidance, William Morris.

My Original Rowenta Professional Powerglider

R.I.P.

After (too) much research and evaluation, I decided to go back to my original source - QVC. At QVC, I could read reviews, maybe see a demonstration video and even do some price/feature comparisons. I am fully willing to pay a little extra for some of the peace of mind I have when shopping with "The Q." So after some clicking and viewing, I ordered this lovely new lavender (not my color choice; but, c'est la vie) iron; and in a few days, she was beginning her new life in my ironing room (a.k.a., our guest room). 

Rowenta Acti-Steam 1700w Steam Iron with Variable Steam Option

The Replacement

I immediately put the new girl to work. She put out good bursts of steam (although the bursts didn't feel as powerful as that of her predecessor. The sprayer worked well (that function hasn't worked on my other iron for at least two years). She got the job done. BUT, the buttons that engage the bursts of steam and the sprayer are narrow and awkwardly placed on top with some weird controller gauge between them. The gauge was so very petit that I operated it with my thumbnail. Then I realized that I was working harder. More passes over the fabric (we are big on natural fibers and that means wrinkles). More thumbpresses and more time being spent. I compared the sole plates and found that the new iron's was considerably smaller. Then I began to question my decision. So here's what - I love seeing pretty things. I enjoy using products that are beautiful and efficient. And, I LOATHE shopping. I like to just get the best that I can, that is the most right for me, in the most efficient way possible.

What I know for sure is that 1.) I shall be using this iron in earnest for at least 10 years on a nearly daily basis; and, 2.) this Rowenta Acti-Steam isn't quite cutting it. I feel like I need to fire her. But (and this takes me back to my days as a corporate manager), is it her or is it me? Do I have unreasonable expectations? Do I just need to get used to her and the fact that her ways are not what I'm used to? Will that sickly lavender/mauve coloring become irrelevant after a while?

As I'm pondering my next step, the craziest thing happened. I flip on the telly and what item is being highlighted on QVC as the Today's Special Value - cue the music - It's The Rowenta Fall 2011 Fashion Week Promaster Steam Iron. Oh, the presentation was awe-inspiring! This iron looks AMAZING! It has everything I would want in an iron (except the printing on the side that says " Mercedes Benz Fashion Week" on the side with that MB symbol since I'm no Fashionista nor am I a Germanophile or super label-conscious). But, no matter, this iron even has a feature that I never thought of - a precision tip! I couldn't order it fast enough. A couple of days later, I unpacked this little beauty.

Rowenta Fall 2011 Fashion Week Promaster Steam Iron

The Newest Member of My Team

I packed up that lavender replacement (turns out she was just a "temp") and off she went back to the Q. She might be fine and good for some families. But, we need an iron with a little bit more, well, just more. I've used my Promaster on probably 20 items in the last day or so and can see us making beautiful music together for the next decade. Enjoying the bursts of steam sending fragrant puffs of warmth through our clothes and into the air.

This afternoon, I think I'll watch my recording of an old Martha Stewart Show with a segment called Ironing 101. Ooooo, I can't wait to tackle the bed linens. C'est Bon! 

The End.

P.S. I know I shouldn't get this excited about ironing; but, I do!

Edited to note that The Martha Stewart Shows that I have recorded the ones from YEARS ago when it was shown on Sunday mornings. Those shows were soooooo much better than the current shows with the live audience. I find all the applause and gasps and ooooo's and aaahhhhh's from the audience - not to mention the stream of "celebrity" guests - completely distracting and wrong. Call me a purist. I miss the neat and articulate Martha who embraced keeping and enhancing things at home. Those wonderfully simple shows began with a single strumming guitar followed by Martha's soothing voice and the ocassional sound of paper or board being cut and tools being lain down on a worksurface. She treated her subjects/topics with the care of a college professor and invited us to take these tasks seriously, too. And, I love that about the old Martha. I am hopeful that she will see the error of her ways and return to why we all adored her in the first place.