Beckie Lives and Learns

If it's not illegal, immoral, or blatantly stupid, I am willing to give it a try!

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  • About Me
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  • What I Made
  • Fun and games
  • What I Did
  • Other Stuff I Learned

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What I Did

Million Dollar Quartet

I love musical theater!  I love professional musical theater!  I love community musical theater! I recently had the experience of seeing musical history come to life before my very eyes…

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February 24, 2019
Other Stuff I Learned, What I Did

Trapped! (aka Broken Car Door Handle)

One recent morning, I arrived at my office for work, and when I tried to open my car door, I heard a strange noise, and the door remained shut.  Lovely.…

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August 15, 2019
What I Did

College Tour, Part 5: Last Stop–University of Louisville

The drive to Frankfort, Kentucky from Knoxville, Tennessee was uneventful (which is good).   We arrived at the Capital Plaza Hotel and decided to have a mellow evening. My husband decided…

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April 17, 2019

Categories

  • Fun and games
  • Other Stuff I Learned
  • Uncategorized
  • What I Did
  • What I Made
  • Working on Wellness

Recent Posts

  • 52 Ideas for Your Own Mini “Bucket List” Calendar–Make it Your Best Year Yet!
  • Shabbat Morning Services are Good for My Health
  • Accountability “Partners”–7 Ideas to Help You Reach Your Goals!
  • 8 Great Reasons to Plan a Game Night!

Previous posts

Recent Comments

  • Beckie on 52 Ideas for Your Own Mini “Bucket List” Calendar–Make it Your Best Year Yet!
  • Stephen Bergman on 52 Ideas for Your Own Mini “Bucket List” Calendar–Make it Your Best Year Yet!
  • 52 Ideas for Your Own Mini “Bucket List” Calendar–Make it Your Best Year Yet! on Want to Try a New (to you) Fruit? I Present…THE RAMBUTAN!
  • Shabbat Morning Services are Good for My Health on Joining a Book Club–A Great Decision for So Many Reasons!
  • Accountability “Partners”–7 Ideas to Help You Reach Your Goals! on Want to Try a New (to you) Fruit? I Present…THE RAMBUTAN!
  • RAMBUTANS
    What I Did

    Want to Try a New (to you) Fruit? I Present…THE RAMBUTAN!

    November 12, 2020 /

    My husband recently picked up a box of fruit when shopping at our local Costco.  He (correctly) thought that the fruits looked interesting, and, having been inspired by my desire to keep trying new things (I am working with the assumption that he is so inspired), he picked up a box.  It wasn’t until I actually looked at the label before I knew what they were–he picked up a box of rambutans.  At that point, that clarified nothing.  I had never seen nor heard of this fruit.  We were going to change that!  As I shared some initial information on Facebook, I learned that I am not the only one…

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    Beckie 5 Comments

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    A closer view of the old gas valve. This has to be removed in order to be replaced.

    Furnace Fixing “FUN”!

    February 9, 2020
    Just part of the view of the Fourth Lake forest preserve.

    Let’s Get Down and Dirty

    June 23, 2019
    University of Georgia memorabilia

    College Tour, Part 3: Peachy Keen–Visiting the University of Georgia

    April 13, 2019
  • I ordered a set of the insulated serving bowls. This included a 2.5 QT and a 1 QT bowl. In this bowl I served roasted butternut squash, red pepper, and tomato mixed with rice. Yum!
    What I Did

    Virtual Pampered Chef Party–Fall 2020! (Party-on while being responsible adults!)

    October 28, 2020 /

    I recently attended a virtual Pampered Chef party that my college friend, Barb, hosted.  I wasn’t necessarily thinking of making purchases, but I did think it would be fun to interact with others and interact again with Barb.  I figured that I might get some inspiration to help me in the kitchen; I was feeling a little stagnant.  When all was said and done, I did not buy anything, but I did want to host my own party.  I enjoyed the experience of participating, and I really enjoyed what the PC consultant did, so we set up a party for early September. This all took place on Facebook.  I did…

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    Beckie 6 Comments

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    The final hem!

    A-hem, Part 2

    February 17, 2019
    Cosmetics used to make me look pretty!

    I Feel Pretty, Oh So Pretty

    May 5, 2019
    RAMBUTANS

    Want to Try a New (to you) Fruit? I Present…THE RAMBUTAN!

    November 12, 2020
  • Our last day together in front of Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. We are going to miss him, but I think he will have a great year!
    What I Did

    Heading to University of Tennessee in Knoxville!

    September 2, 2020 /

    I have definitely entered a new stage in my life.  I am now officially the mother of a college student.  My husband and I recently took our first born out of state to be part of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville Class of 2024!  Go, Vols!  (During this “getting him to school” part of the adventure, my daughter spent the week with her best friend.  She most likely enjoyed that more than she would have enjoyed travelling and doing college stuff with us.)  (If you want to read about how this all really began, check out this post from last year’s college tour!) In my family, I tend to be…

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    Beckie 10 Comments

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    Summer Community Theater–Excited to be Back on Stage!

    September 4, 2023

    Terrain, Terrain, Pull Up, Pull Up–Our Experience at Extreme Flight Simulation

    January 4, 2020

    Shabbat Morning Services are Good for My Health

    April 16, 2025
  • Sourdough Bread
    What I Made

    Sourdough Bread–Back In the Kitchen, Pandemic Series

    July 21, 2020 /

    I initially wrote this first part several weeks ago: Words which I never expected to say to my husband were recently said:  “Honey, the next time you go to Sam’s Club, can you pick up another 25 pound bag of flour?  We are almost out.”  When he first bought 25 pounds of flour, we expected it to last forever.  Well, as I had written and posted in the past, we have been taking full advantage of our quantities of flour and our breadmaker! (Our flour “projects” have included homemade pizza and French bread.) After sharing my humorous comment on Facebook, some friends offered me a sourdough starter since I have never…

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    Beckie 4 Comments

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    Vegan Lasagna--Just Before Baking

    Vegan Lasagna–SO GOOD!!

    March 12, 2019
    Janome Magnolia 7330

    Sew Cool!

    January 9, 2019
    Cozy #1

    Sew Cool, Part 2

    January 16, 2019
  • Fingerspelling in American Sign Language (ASL)
    Other Stuff I Learned,  What I Did

    Let’s See If I Can Learn American Sign Language

    June 27, 2020 /

    Back in high school, I studied Spanish.  I really enjoyed it and was actually quite good at it.  (For the life of me, though, I cannot roll my R’s!  It’s really frustrating!)  I was the kid who went out of her way to look up and learn additional vocabulary words.  In college, I took a one semester Spanish writing class.  I have always wanted to be fluent in the language.  I still can’t say that I am fluent, but I can still interact decently in Spanish if necessary.   For approximately five years, I worked in an office in which I spoke Spanish on a regular basis, and I became…

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    Beckie 10 Comments

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    My family's Passover Haggadah

    Aspects of Passover 2019

    April 25, 2019
    Local trees since we cannot travel currently

    Experience Five (Virtual) Tours of National Parks in Just One Hour! (aka How to Travel while Sheltering at Home)

    April 3, 2020

    Looking for Something to Read?

    January 24, 2020
  • I'm juggling!
    Fun and games,  What I Did

    Learning to Juggle (Literally, not Figuratively)

    June 5, 2020 /

    January 2020:  I have always been entertained by watching jugglers.  It always seemed like a really cool thing to be able to do.  When I was in junior high, I knew some people who could juggle, and one of my friends tried teaching me.  I had the juggling balls and everything.  I never progressed very far.  I don’t know where those balls are today, but every so often, I will try juggling balled up socks.  This doesn’t last long.  I have decided to once again make a concerted effort at actually learning how to juggle and keep something in the air! Nowadays, instead of turning straight to a book, the…

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    Beckie 5 Comments

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    Some of the classics!

    8 Great Reasons to Plan a Game Night!

    December 8, 2024
    Success with the Rubik's Cube!

    I am a 51 Year Old Woman Who Has Finally Learned How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube!

    March 22, 2021
    We found the geocache!

    My Intro to Geocaching

    November 20, 2019
  • Freshly roasted garlic spread on freshly made bread. I can get used to this!
    What I Made

    Reunion with the Too-Long Ignored Bread Maker and Garlic Roaster

    May 1, 2020 /

    With extra time on my hands during the pandemic, I have been able to spend more time in the kitchen and realized it was time to revisit some wonderful kitchen “gadgets” that had not been forgotten but were so out of use that I would never think about them at times when it was appropriate to use them (I would remember them before going to sleep or in the middle of a work day when I could not do anything food prep related). First of all, I knew that in one specific drawer in my kitchen, I had a garlic roaster.  I knew it was there but simply had not…

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    Beckie 6 Comments

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    The painting, stamping, cutting, and decoupaging is done!

    Mixed Media Art Project–Painting, Stamping, Decoupage

    October 30, 2019
    Our pour painting success!

    Pour Painting–Easier and More Successful than Expected!

    January 10, 2022
    When forming the matzo balls, my husband made one especially for me!

    Matzo Ball Soup, Chicken Salad, and Some of the Most Amazing Brownies EVER

    September 14, 2019
  • PIZZA!! The final product--cut and ready to eat!
    What I Made

    Homemade Pizza Night!

    April 10, 2020 /

    (Personal disclaimer:  Currently, my family is celebrating the holiday of Passover.  This pizza was prepared and enjoyed before the holiday. During Passover, you cannot eat leavened products.) If you have been to a grocery store recently, you may have noticed the lack of cheese pizza availability.  Of course, this does absolutely nothing to diminish the craving for pizza. Other items people have had trouble finding recently, from what I have heard at least, include items for baking such as flour and yeast.  Well, as members of warehouse clubs, despite not being able to find these items at our neighborhood grocery stores, my husband DID find them at a big box…

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    Beckie 9 Comments

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    Avocado egg salad spread and almost ready to be eaten!

    Avocado Egg Salad

    June 26, 2019
    Our pour painting success!

    Pour Painting–Easier and More Successful than Expected!

    January 10, 2022
    When forming the matzo balls, my husband made one especially for me!

    Matzo Ball Soup, Chicken Salad, and Some of the Most Amazing Brownies EVER

    September 14, 2019
  • Local trees since we cannot travel currently
    Other Stuff I Learned,  What I Did

    Experience Five (Virtual) Tours of National Parks in Just One Hour! (aka How to Travel while Sheltering at Home)

    April 3, 2020 /

    I am in desperate need of a vacation, and with the world’s current turn of events, I will be waiting even longer than originally hoped.  Saying that, I decided that it was worth checking out one of the many sites available that allow for virtual tours, and I chose to play tourist from the comfort of a cushioned chair at home.  I won’t even pretend to imply that virtual tours were anything like the real thing, but I certainly enjoyed them and have a desire to visit these sites in person someday. I recently posted about multiple websites that might be of interest while we are spending more time at…

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    Beckie 3 Comments

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    Me and my sign--I watched how it was created from start to finish!

    It’s a Sign! (aka The Birth of a Banner)

    March 22, 2020

    WE ARE BEING INVADED BY EUROPEan buckthorn!

    December 18, 2019
    I can now fold this fitted sheet!

    I FINALLY Know How to Fold a Fitted Sheet!  

    December 12, 2021
  • Me and my sign--I watched how it was created from start to finish!
    Other Stuff I Learned,  What I Did

    It’s a Sign! (aka The Birth of a Banner)

    March 22, 2020 /

    I have known Andrew for quite a while (our kids have gone to school together since they were little), but I honestly never really knew what he did for a living.  Guess what. Now I know! When I posed the question on-line of who would be interested in teaching me something new, he offered to introduce me to THE WORLD OF SIGNS (my emphasis : ) )!  I had a behind-the-scenes look at a business about which I knew nothing. What is the name of your company?   Creative Edge Visual Solutions  http://www.creativeedgechicago.com/ How did you get into this industry?  Does your previous education/background tie in to your current work? After…

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    Beckie 8 Comments

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    Learning and Loving

    Great Decisions–We All Benefit by Learning about our World

    January 25, 2021

    WE ARE BEING INVADED BY EUROPEan buckthorn!

    December 18, 2019
    The Breathing Festival

    The Breathing Festival 2021–The Power of Our Breath

    February 7, 2021
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