Tag Archives: box wine

Horror, Valor…And Hope

Sept 11 plaque

I’ve seen many pictures honoring the brave men and women of 9/11, from the heroic first responders to the average citizens who immediately volunteered their services, but this one is probably my favorite. The other targets of the attacks are sometimes forgotten, but the stories of valor from the ordinary American citizens on those airplanes is truly astonishing and captures the American spirit. I’m proud to say I knew one of those civilians in New York that morning,  who rushed to offer his help where ever it was needed – an eighteen year old young man in his first year at NYU who witnessed the horror at the World Trade Center and, without hesitation, immediately organized fellow students to deliver water and any other need to the authorities. When news of his courageous actions reached home, we were so proud of him.  And, especially meaningful, is that his last name is Hope.  How fitting. We can never forget the tragic loss of innocent life on that horrible day.

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They’re Heeeerrrre…Invasion Of The Cicadas

cicada2I suppose I should text my son, Mike, to warn him about this post before it gets published. I wouldn’t want him to accidentally to read it without notice. Because, I’m pretty sure he reads my stuff. He says he does, anyway. Due to a series of unfortunate events, Mike has an almost debilitating fear of winged creatures. In order to fully comprehend the crippling panic he experiences upon being confronted on the street, along the magnificent lakefront of Chicago, or even on the page of a blog, I would direct you to a prior post, published 5/25/2012: Survival Of The Fittest…Or Why I’m An Indoorsy Person (https://boxwinebudget.com/2012/05/25/survival-of-the-fittest-or-why-im-an-indoorsy-person/)

Anyway, this most recent encounter with a horrid member of the animal planet happened just last Saturday. The day started out as most of our Saturdays do, with a stop at Caribou Coffee and a leisurely stroll down Third Street in Geneva, IL. My husband and I have been enjoying this ritual for several years now, the last couple years with our youngest daughter, Mary Kate along for the company. She has since left the security of home and Saturday morning coffees to begin a new chapter in her life at college. But, enough of her… This story is about me and the near-death experience I, ummm…experienced.

So, after a relaxing saunter down Third Street, we headed a little further south to a Farmer’s Market to say hello to our neighbor and friend who sells great hot sauce and salsa (http://www.slapyousilly.net/) Next stop was to pick up a few items at Fresh Market for some scrumptious dinners we had planned. When does this story get scary, you ask? In about two inches… Upon starting the car to head home, I notice something absolutely gigantic on my husband’s sleeve. It was just below the shoulder and took up the majority of his short sleeve. At first, I tried to make some sense out of it. What was it? Was there some sort of label or patch on his sleeve that I hadn’t noticed before? While my brain was feverishly at work, the car pulled into traffic and it was then that I understood. We had stumbled into the midst of some sort of Sci-Fi alien creature invasion. I tried to gently warn my husband that there was an enormous beast on his arm without startling him, but it came out sounding something like: “AAAHHHHHH”  Well, something like that, anyway. Managing to avoid a collision on the road, he frantically brushed it off his arm. And that’s when things got really ugly. This prehistoric creature FLEW across the car towards ME and landed on my ARM REST. I hope you’re noticing all the capitalized letters, because I really mean them. Safely strapped in with my seat belt (I may never wear one again), I managed to practically jump into the driver’s seat which wasn’t easy, let me tell you. But adrenaline is an impressive thing.  My eyeballs must have looked like two golf balls attached to my face as I quickly took action slamming my purse on top of the freak. I pressed with all my might, not letting go until the we were safely home & the car door opened. Logic dictated that this thing had to be crushed and beyond any possibility of retaliation, but my gut said otherwise. Fortunately, logic won.

What was this thing that had so terrified me and was almost the cause of a multi-car crash and also possibly a divorce? A CICADA. That’s right. One of those disgusting things that comes to life every few years to terrify we peace-loving people. My heart is still racing just writing about it. I hope this awful incident doesn’t make us re-think our weekly Saturday ritual. Mary Kate made us promise that after she left, we would continue to go for coffee while listening to The Swing Shift on WDCB radio. We have to…for her sake. Otherwise, the cicadas win.

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Roll Out That Red Carpet, I’m Coming…

versatileblogger11I’m so excited….And I just can’t hide it…..I’m about to lose control and I think I like it. Oh yeah. What is the reason for my unbridled joy? I recently received news that I’ve been nominated for a blogging award.

Actually, in the blogging world, actual awards are given to bloggers and I have been to some of their sites and think, “Wow, how did they get these?” I mean, some people have a lot of blogging awards. What I want to know is,  who’s in charge of this exactly who is doing the awarding? And, is it a statue? That would be cool. Even though I am among the elite favored, I admit to being in the dark about the whole thing.

So, I decided to do a little investigating, but didn’t get very far…probably because I googled “blooging awards.” But  I did eventually reach the ultimate source of all information: Wikipedia, which states that, “like film or television awarding committees, blog awards are started by a certain body, usually composed of blog enthusiasts.” Which is kind of cool…and that “the nominated websites, varying from independent servers to provider hosted are scanned by a selected team of judges.” Which is also pretty neat. But, then according to Wikipedia, “the filtered nominees are then announced online or by other means such as newspaper or radio stations.” OMG…newpapers??? Radio stations??? The knower of all things continues, “Other bloggers or Internet users are given the opportunity to vote for several categories such as Best Single Post, Best Blog Site, Best Design, and others. The winners are announced in a ceremonial night usually held in large venues and online.” What?? A ceremonial night held in a large venue? I…I don’t know what to say…”I’d like to thank my family and my, ummm…oh, my readers, of course and the nice blogger who nominated me.  Yeah, especially her. She seems totally AWESOME…”   Wow, this is all happening so fast. I’m going to need to buy a new dress…

Oh, wait. Hmmm…Wikipedia goes on to say “there are also blog awards initiated by small groups of bloggers in certain locations. The nomination and selection process is usually the same with major awarding bodies but the awarding is usually less extravagant.” Yeah…that would probably be me. Actually, the more I’m reading, the more I see that there are probably millions of blogging awards. There are the MAJOR ones: The Bloggies and the BOBS (Best of Blogs – that’s really a biggie), and then there all the rest: the Environmental and Land Use Law Blog, the Tax Law Blogs, the Expat Blog (“Celebrating expats around the world”) the Bob Loblaw Law Blog (just kidding) among many, many others.

But, I don’t care. I’ve been nominated for a blogging award that alone is pretty astounding. And I can honestly say, it feels great to be nominated and the upside of probably not celebrating my victory at a large venue is that now I don’t have to go shopping for a new dress. I hate shopping. Just read my previous blog, I Feel Like A Woman…Well, Sort Of. Thanks again to all of you Box Wine Budget fans 🙂

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I Feel Like A Woman…Well, Sort Of…

Woman Crying picOver the years, I’ve often wondered if, perhaps, somewhere in the dark recesses of my chromosomal make-up, I might be harboring an extra Y marker. I say this because I’ve never been the mom who gets weepy on the first day of kindergarten,  high school, college or graduations from said institutions. In fact, when my youngest was headed for all-day kindergarten, I could barely control my euphoria. Move-in day to college has never been an occasion for multiple boxes of Kleenex.  Is there something wrong with me?

Continue reading

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You Might Be From Chicago If…

Chicago-skyline nightI wish I could take credit for this, but, truth is, I saw it on Facebook and just had to share it on my blog. It is SO true! Parentheses following some of these are my own comments.

You Might Be From Chicago If:

1. The ‘living room’ is called the ‘front room’.  (Or, as we always said, Frunchroom)
2. You don’t pronounce the ‘s’ at the end of Illinois and, you become irate at people who do.
3. You measure distance in minutes (especially ‘from the city’) and you swear everything is pretty much 1/2 hour away.
4. You have no problem spelling or pronouncing Des Plaines
5. You go to visit friends, or family, down south and laugh when they complain about the traffic.
6. You understand that no person from Chicago can be a Cub fan AND a White Sox fan.
7. It’s ‘Kitty corner’ not ‘Katty corner’.
8. You know the difference between The Loop and Downtown.
9. You eat your pizza in squares, not triangles, and you never refer to it as ‘pie.’
10. You own celery salt. (I do..didn’t think that was a Chicago thing…)
11. You understand that the primary is the official local election. (Is there another election?)
12. You have drunk green beer on St. Paddy’s Day.
13. Stores don’t have sacks, they have bags.
14. You end your sentences with an unnecessary preposition. Example: ‘Where’s my coat at?’ or ‘Can I go with?’ My English teacher had fits with this one.
15. Your idea of a great tenderloin is when the meat is twice as big as the bun, ‘everything’ is on it and a slice of dill pickle is on the side.
16. You carry jumper cables in your car. (Ugh, unfortunately)
17. You drink ‘pop’- not soda.
18.. You understand that I-290, I-90, I-94, and I-294 are all different roads.
19. You know the names of the interstates: Stevenson, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Dan Ryan, and the Eden’s.
20. You call the interstates ‘expressways.’
21. You refer to anything South of I-80 as ‘Southern or Central Illinois.’
22. You refer to Lake Michigan as ‘The Lake.’
23. You refer to Chicago as ‘The City.’
24. ‘The Super Bowl’ refers to one specific game in January 1986. (Have there been others??)
25. You have two favorite football teams: The Bears, and anyone who beats the Packers.
26. You buy the ‘Trib’, not the ‘Tribune’ or the ‘Times’, not the ‘Sun Times.’
27. You know that despite being on the lake, there is no such place as the Waterfront.
28. You think 45 degrees is great weather to wash your car.
29. You picnic or ride your bike in the ‘forest preserve’.
30. You cried when Bozo was canceled on WGN.
31. You know what goes on a Chicago style hot dog.
32. You know what Chicago Style Pizza REALLY is. (And, don’t EVEN try to say any other pizza reigns supreme)
33. You know why they call Chicago ‘The Windy City.’ (Hint: it ain’t cuz of the windy-ness)
34. You understand what ‘lake-effect’ means.
35. You know the difference between Amtrak and Metra, and know which station they end up at.
36. You have ridden the ‘L’.
37. You think your next door neighbor is a cousin to Tony Soprano. (Well, I’m pretty sure he is…)
38. You can distinguish between the following area codes: 847, 630, 773, 708, 312, & 815.

39.You have, at some time in your life, used your furniture . . . or a friend’s body, to guard your parking spot in winter.  (Ugh, unfortunately…)
40. You respond to the question ‘Where are you from?’ with a ‘side’. Example: ‘Westside,’ ‘Southside’ or ‘North Side’. (Then once honed in on which Side, the question is: “What parish are you from?”  My personal favorite actually said to me: “I’m Jewish, but I’m from St. Denis.”)

(Annnnnd….finally….drum roll…)

41. You know the phone number to ‘Empire Carpet’! (588-2300 EM-PIRE!)

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Livin’ The Dream Or Certifiable Nutjob? You Be The Judge…

funny music prof picWell, it’s been a while since I’ve written on this subject. Mainly because I kind of thought I was done with it. I don’t know why I thought that. We all knew from day one, when our son chose music as his college major (or, more accurately, music chose him), that this was an all or nothing academic endeavor. That is, he went in knowing that he would need, at the very least, a Master’s degree, or more likely, a Doctorate, in order to be able to create a fulfilling life in music. People ask me all the time what his plans are when they hear he is a Percussion Performance major. And truthfully, I answer that we’re not one hundred percent sure right now. With an advanced degree, more doors are opened to him. If I tell them what I really think he could do, I get frightened looks from people who have suddenly come to the realization that they are speaking with a deranged, or at least, delusional person. You know the types who are convinced that their high school football playing son is destined for the NFL and you’re thinking to yourself, “Yeah…he’s probably not, so…” Continue reading

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Confessions Of A Salon-Hopper

horrifying_hairdressers_640_11Yes, yes, it’s true. I admit it. I am a salon-hopper. I wonder how many others are like me, hiding this shameful secret. Of course, I imagine many who know me would not be surprised by this revelation, based simply on my lack of hair-chic. I’m not really sure when it all started. I do know that I have yearned to be like other, normal females for a very long time. You know…the kind who have a regular hair stylist to whom they bid their undying loyalty. And visit, without hesitation, every 6 weeks. Or is it 4 weeks? Three weeks?? That’s right: I don’t even know the correct interval of proper hair maintainance. And this is my shame.

I guess my problem is that, as much as I would love to have a really great hair style, I’ve always had a bit of an adventurous streak in me, combined with an aversion to spending a sick amount of money on hair. I can easily go from below shoulder-length too super short without blinking, reassuring the nervous hairdresser that everything will be just fine.  If I feel like a salon is mid-level high-end, that is, a step above the chains, but without the snobbery or intimidation factor of the super-glamorous places,  and offer mid pricing, I feel comfortable walking in, sitting down and saying to the complete stranger grasping the scissors, “Do with me what thou wilt.” or something like that… Continue reading

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First Blast Of Press Releases…Next Up, Entourage Openings…

Living The Dream Book CoverAuthors Casey Quinn & Petrina Collins Offer Free Sample Chapter Of Their Latest Book

Added: (Sun May 19 2013)

Pressbox (Press Release) – St. Charles, IL May 19, 2013

BookDaily.com is pleased to announce that Casey Quinn and Petrina Collins will be featured on the popular book sampling site, joining the ranks of some of the most famous authors in the world.

As featured authors, a sample chapter of Quinn and Collins’ book is now available to thousands of readers to sample – free of charge.

Casey Quinn and Petrina Collins are now promoting their book, Living The Dream On A Box Wine Budget, a humorous collection of short essays about the foibles of family life, sure to resonate with readers and tickle their funny bones as they nod in relief in the realization that they are NOT alone! The sample chapter featured for visitors to BookDaily recounts the unexpected repercussions of ignoring notices from Animal Control, entitled: Dog Court. You can visit their website at: http://www.boxwinebudget.com.

Submitted by:Marilyn Naughton

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Money Can’t Buy Me Love…But I’m OK With That

money picHave you ever received one of those emails from the son of a Prince or King of some far away province? Usually these poor guys are in some sort of trouble requiring them to flee their homeland at the risk of losing their fortune,  which, naturally, leads them to seek assistance in salvaging their wealth. This most often involves requesting permission to transfer gobs of money into a (your) personal bank account, with the promise of a handsome payout for the abettor (that is, the email recipient…you). I think we’re probably all familiar with these life-changing offers. And, hopefully, we all recognize them for the scams they are.

But, I have some exciting news that makes me think my ship has finally come in. And, no, I didn’t just fall off the…umm…the…I’m thinking it’s some sort of farm vehicle that I just did not fall from. A hay truck? Is that a thing? Anyway, I did not just fall off that thing. No, I know this is for real because my email did not originate from some off-shore royalty, but a real-live government agent. Yes, a United States government agent. I know this, because in the “Sent” column of my email, it clearly states AGENT JOHN EDWARD with the “Subject Line” stating GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY. Yes, in caps. This guy means business and it appears rather urgent that I get back to him. Immediately. So, naturally, I do NOT want to keep him waiting. And, since the message is simply oozing authenticity and is, quite obviously, pressing, I’ve forgiven the frequent typos. I mean the WHITE HOUSE (yes, more caps), Homeland Security, and the  IRS are all involved in this covert operation. This is clearly important stuff.  I’ve included the email for your perusal. This just shows to go ya: sometimes good things DO happen to good people.

So, my dear BWB friends, this may be my swan song to blogging. Oh, I  may, for frolic, pull out my laptop for a post now and then. Maybe just to let you know in what tropical paradise I’m currently sunbathing. And please, don’t hate me for my good fortune. Just keep your eyes open in your Inbox. Your day will come… For now, I must to be on my way. Got a pretty important email to respond to. Note to self: do NOT forget the G11 code. It’s for my own good.

FROM AGENT JOHN EDWARD GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY?.
I received an INTEL MEMO from the WHITE HOUSE in my office today and I must advice you as follows:
1: I received an Intel from our wiretap internet protocol office that my communication with you have been breached by impostors which have prompted immediate action from my side to make sure that this transaction is secured. Today, I issue you this code for communication (G11) which must be contained both in the subject and at the end of any of my email letter to you, This is for your own good.
2: With instruction from the White House and the United states Department of Homeland Security, I am informing you that you due consignment box containing your total payment fund of US$10,000,000.00 (Ten Million United States Dollars) is approved for release and delivery to you as soon as you fulfill all “OBLIGATION” and offset the refundable “TAX CLEARANCE LEVY” mandated by the IRS on all consignment that has been in our vault over 3 months.
Note that as i write you now, your funds contained in your consignment box is presently in our maximum storage vault in Atlanta, GA and will only be marked cleared for release once you fulfill all “OBLIGATION” stated on your release questionnaire by Homeland security.
Once I hear from you, I will instruct further.
Regards,
Agent John Edward

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Living The Dream…

 

Living The Dream Book CoverFirst, let me wish all of our Box Wine Budget friends a Happy Mother’s Day. Now, on to the more important matters of the day…me. I have the perfect gift idea for all of our selfless mothers out there: it’s immediate, inexpensive and will bring a smile to their faces. My BWB partner and I have co-authored a humorous look at family life entitled…you guessed it…Living The Dream On A Box Wine Budget. This blog was actually born from the book. Real stories taken from the pages of our lives will resonate with anyone who has ever parented, been parented or been a member of a family and bring a smile to your face. That should cover just about all of you. We’re confident you’ll either nod your head thinking, “I’m not alone” or recognize the good fortune in your own life as you read the mishaps in ours. Either way, you win.

Some of the topics covered:  Dog Court, pets, allergies, over the top classroom parties and family vacation nightmares. We had a lot of fun writing it and I’m pretty sure we succeeded wildly in embarrassing our children. It’s a quick read and guaranteed to make you chuckle at least once. And, the best part? It’s now available for download on Kindle & Kindle apps for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, PC, Mac, Blackberry & Android-based devices for only 0.99.  I mean, come ON…it’s 0.99 for goodness sake. Please don’t say you or your beloved mother aren’t worth 0.99. Seriously, do NOT go there. And it’s SO easy to do. Just visit http://www.amazon.com & search:  Living The Dream On A Box Wine Budget by Casey Quinn and Petrina Collins. Yes, those are psuedonyms (writer talk for pen names) and we chose names that were meaningful to us. Try to guess who’s who.

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