I know we're actually more than half way through the month, but we've been experiencing warm, September-like days of late. It finally starting raining yesterday and it was chilly enough that I turned the heat on. All day I wished I had all the fireplace accessories I needed to use my fireplace, but it sat empty and cold. It did entice me to some online browsing to find fireplace grates, screens, and tools that I liked. I think I'll be heading back to Lowe's soon, since that seems to be the only place locally that has all of those things for something less than an arm and two legs.
But despite the chill, yesterday was a long-awaited day because my sectional sofa from Crate and Barrel finally arrived. Mom and I first saw the couch when we were on a Cincinnati scouting trip for my then-future condo. I was going to need furniture in a bad way once I moved in. But buying a couch wasn't on the agenda. I fell in love, however, and couldn't resist an offer that made it possible for me to have it. The delivery truck arrived early yesterday afternoon, and I must say that my productivity level went sadly downhill after they put the sofa in the living room. I had to test it out, right? Alas, no pictures, yet. However, all three occupants of the house definitely approve of the new addition!
Now if I can just get the dining room table and six chairs from Ikea set up and in place in time for Thanksgiving dinner at my place next week! The rest of the recently purchased furniture can wait awhile, but I think everyone would be very happy if there was someplace to eat.
"Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you." - Nathaniel Hawthorne
18 November 2009
November is Finally Here
13 November 2009
Decadence
Last weekend I and 14 women near and dear to my heart descending on Pigeon Forge, TN for the annual shopping extravaganza. I'm not a huge fan of shopping, and the miles and miles of outlet malls outside of Gatlinburg try my need for peace and quiet, but every year is a fun time of hanging out with wonderful women. The older generation of mothers has been going for twenty-five years or more. The rule was that their daughters were only allowed to join in on the fun once they were fully employed (and able to pay their own way). This is my 11th year. Over the years we've adopted good friends to join us, and each year there are good stories to tell.
Things have changed over the years, but much stays the same. Some outlets have closed, while others (I'm talking to you, Five Oaks) have become ginormous. Cell phones have helped us have more freedom to do what we want while keeping in touch. We shop less, play more games in the hotel rooms. We definitely start our days later than in the past.
And we eat! There must be more pancake restaurants between Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg, than pretty much anywhere else in the world. For the past few years we haven't gone to any pancake places because the hotel we were staying in provided breakfast for free. This year we tried a condo, which was a wonderful change and allowed for more fun and games, and decided to enjoy a couple mornings of pancakes. The photo above is supposed to be my mom's favorite cherry crepes. But as you may be able to see, they aren't very crepe-like. They are really pancakes in disguise. She was disappointed.
The photo was taken with my iphone using the "ShakeIt" app. I love it! It's so worth the $.99 just to play with what looks like a good old polaroid picture.
Anyway, though the miles and miles of shopping tries my patience, I can't wait for the hilarity to ensue again next year.
20 October 2009
Present Tense
- I finally own my own place. Check.
- I've achieved a position at work that I could easily stay in for the next 15 or more years, or until I retire. (Staffing for the state legislature is a very flat organization.) Check.
- I have family, friends and a city I love. I have no plans to move anywhere else. Check.
That's not to say that I don't wish for other things. I would love to be married to a best friend and I would love to have a child. These things may never happen, and I've made my peace with that, truly. I wish I was healthier and in better shape. That will always be a work in progress for me. And there are hobbies that I'd like to try, places I want to travel to. But...
Awhile ago my mother casually asked me, "What are you going to do with the rest of your life?" And while I've kidded her about asking me such a loaded question, the truth is that for maybe the first time in my life, I realize I don't have any huge goals lined up for the next 5 or 10 years. That certainly feels oddly foreign to me, the girl who has always had a future vision of her life. But the truth is, I find that I am content with simply trying to enjoy the here and now and allowing life's surprises to find me, rather than going out and striving for that next goal. I'm going to try to simply live in the present and leave the future for another day.
19 October 2009
Just What the Doctor Ordered
Friday night I joined two girlfriends for a little knitting and a lot of chatting. It was a great way to end the week. The rest of the weekend I spent holed up in my house. From Friday night through Sunday night, I didn't leave for one minute, and I loved it. I cooked chili, unpacked a bit, cleaned a bit, did a lot of laundry, and took care of a pet who was under the weather. I also watched football and read and knitted some more. It was just what I needed to recharge and refocus after several months of good but time-consuming distractions.
27 July 2009
For the Love of Books
It also made me realize that I never mentioned that I did manage to accomplish a few things on my birthday list that I created a year ago. Some of it I failed at, much of it is still a work in progress for this year too, and some things I accomplished. I read three "classics," and surprised myself by picking two nonfiction classics. I tend to gravitate towards fiction.
My first choice was an easy one: Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." Okay, a very easy choice! Especially since I have the BBC mini-series version practically memorized, and it stays very true to the text of the novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it in written form, though I do believe that I had read it once before. I didn't remember that until I was deep into the story again, so I'm counting this one. I also purchased Austen's "Mansfield Park," but didn't delve into it after reading the foreword and learning that it's one of her most controversial works, and not quite as light-hearted as her others. I've picked it up again this weekend, and plan to tackle it for this year's classics.
Next up I chose Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood." I've not seen the movie (of the killing or the author's biopic), and knew just the bare bones of the story. I was enthralled and couldn't put it down, in the "accident on the side of the road" way of horrific voyeurism. I enjoyed it, as much as one can a story where you know 'who dun it' and what's going to happen, but the gruesomeness was hard to think about.
You might think that my third choice followed in the same line, and I did read them back to back, mostly because I'd procrastinated and time was short. But I don't connect Capote's telling of the murder of a family with Elie Wiesel's "Night," which is his autobiographical account of surviving a Nazi concentration camp. I've had the book for over a decade, buying it at a time that I was reading a lot about that horrible period of world history. I could never bring myself to read this personal account, however, because I knew how it would tear at my heart. To be honest, the only reason I finally read it was because of all the "classics" I have waiting on my bookshelf to be read, this was the shortest one, and I was down to the week before my birthday. It was a gut-wrenching, horrifying, and terribly beautiful story. I'm glad I read it, but oh how it has haunted me.
So, at least I can check that task off for my 35th year, though I want to match it for this year as well. Possibilities include the aforementioned "Mansfield Park," "All the Kings Men," "A Tale of Two Cities," and "The Picture of Dorian Gray." There are probably others on the bookshelf as well, but these come to mind.
23 July 2009
I Got Nuthin'
Over July 4th weekend Mom and I went up to Cincinnati to shop at all the great stores Louisville unfortunately doesn't have, like Ikea, Crate & Barrel, West Elm, and Restoration Hardware. While we spent two whole days shopping, we honestly didn't buy too much. It was mostly a planning and documenting trip with plans for a repeat visit once I have the condo, and more importantly, the first time home buyer's money! In terms of big ticket items, we found a couch (unplanned), a dining room table, and pieces to make a "mud room" sort of bench/cubby combo. I did buy the bed I wanted, because I didn't want to move a full size bed and only weeks later have to remove it for the queen that I'm splurging on. The best part was that I was able to use my iPhone to take pictures of all the items I want to purchase next time and their information tag, in the case of Ikea products. That will make the return trip much easier to handle.
In the meantime, the house is a wreck and awash in packing boxes, piles to be sent to Goodwill, yard sale items (those are Lisa's; after last year I swore no more yard sales for me), and stuff to be thrown away or recycled. I'm trying very hard to take only what I need or what I love. We'll see.
In the craft department, I've packed up most everything I have, mostly to make sure I'm not tempted to procrastinate the packing process too much. The one item I left myself was a very large, long-term knitting project that is for someone who reads this blog. So I can't even show you a picture of that, because even if I didn't identify what it was, she would know it was for her because of the color.
Anyway, be forewarned that any future posts, at least through September, are likely to be house and moving related. I'll try to at least post pictures to make it visually appealing. This will be easier once the place is actually mine and I can get into it at any time, without the help of my realtor and permission from the seller's realtor.
In the meantime, enjoy your summer!
22 June 2009
Rainy Days and Mondays
I took this picture probably a month ago. Back when I still owned a camera separate from my iphone. Sigh. I hope whoever found it enjoys it thoroughly. But other than the fact that the flowers have raindrops caressing the petals, it has nothing to do with anything. I just thought it was pretty. Oh, and it's. still. raining. here. Daily. But also horribly hot and humid. Talk about the worst combination of summer.
Anyway, despite the heat, I found myself making French Onion Soup on Saturday evening. I had four Vidalia Onions that needed to be used. I had beef stock. Like always, it was a match made in heaven. I had to get a little creative with the cheesy toast, however. All I had was a dense oatmeal wheat bread sliced for sandwiches. But I wasn't deterred. I broiled it with provolone cheese on top, and it served as a successful substitute to the typical French bread.
I just finished having a second helping of my soup, along with a salad featuring veggies from my community supported agriculture half of a half share for dinner. At work. With no end in sight. These would be the Mondays when working for the state legislature doesn't seem nearly as great of a career choice. I think I'll be here for several more hours while the legislators debate. I just love special sessions.
At least the soup was good. And the air conditioning is working.
14 June 2009
A Home of One's Own
11 June 2009
Good Tidings...
Oh, where or where to begin?!? First, happy belated birthday to my dear friend Kat, who spent her birthday on Sunday enjoying Portland's Rose Festival by dragonboating. Such fun. My birthday was on Saturday. I managed to extend the celebrations from last Thursday through this coming Friday. Talk about a successful birthday bash!
While I intended to blog about her regardless, the sadder reason for using this picture from my April visit to Portland is that I think I've permanently lost my camera. Boo hoo. There's still a possibility that it's at a particular restaurant, but it hasn't been seen since Friday night, and I just realized that yesterday. And unfortunately, the money isn't there to replace or upgrade this camera at the moment. So we may be stuck with iphone pictures for awhile.
There's good news, though. The reason a replacement camera isn't in the budget right now is that the budget is completely devoted to the condominium that I have a contract to purchase on! Woo Hoo! I should be closing sometime in August. Pictures to come - I downloaded some onto the computer, but was too lazy to upload them onto flickr a few weeks ago.
I'm very, very excited about my new place. So far everything's going along fine. There are a few things I want the seller to fix, but the place is in really great shape. I am definitely hoping to have enough time between closing and moving to paint throughout, but that's about all the work that will need done prior to occupany.
As you can imagine, the last few weeks have been a whirlwind of looking, making an offer, getting financing lined up, having the home inspection, etc. Being totally new to this process, each step is like a new discovery to me. Oh, I need to do that now? Okay. I can't imagine selling a home while buying another one. The buying alone is complicated enough. May I live in this condo for years to come!
Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes. Here's hoping that one of them helps me find my camera. But at least I'm finally moving towards the "home of my own" goal!
13 May 2009
What I Did On My Blogcation
Apparently this is just going to happen from time to time, these unexpected absences. There are several excuses, such as the awesome vacation I had with my good friends in Portland, or the fact that I lost my camera cord for a couple weeks when I returned and couldn't download pictures (and was too stubborn to go and buy another cord when I knew it had to be somewhere in the house). Then there was the evil illness that befell me. No, it wasn't swine flu (no matter what you say, Mom), but it was bad enough that even though the computer was within reach, I had no interest in turning it on. For two weeks.
But really, the biggest reason for the absence is this little toy that I got a couple months ago. I love, love, love my iphone. I love how convenient it is to pop onto facebook or the internet, and jump off again. It's so bad that I've basically stopped turning on my laptop, because I can do just about everything I want to do on a computer on my iphone. But blogging from my phone, though totally do-able, is tedious. I promise, I'll try to do better! Promises, promises.
06 April 2009
Who Me? Intimidated? No Way!
31 March 2009
My Peeps
I'm talking about the peeps I had lunch with after church on Sunday, the peeps that aren't family but might as well be, because I consider the older adults to be other parents of mine, and those that are my age are good, good friends. I've known these people my entire life. My mother joined a church when I was three months old and soon found a Sunday School class where she felt comfortable. One of my earliest church-related memories is standing outside of my mother's classroom, with other children, jumping as high as we could because our parents had ignored the bell that told them Sunday School was over and we were beginning to wonder if they were ever going to come out so we could go to worship service. Talk about reversal of roles.
The "fathers" have helped me move, gone with me to court when a man assaulted my car and I pressed charges, offered advice on how to fix things, and generally have played the role of father that my own father didn't. The "mothers" have consoled me when I found out I had diabetes, told me how to get stains out of clothes and quilts, given me ideas on substitutes when I was half-way through a recipe and realized I was missing a key ingredient, and share recipes and homemaking tips. I've gone on trips with these lovely people, taken "retreats" with some just we so could go play cards, eat food, and talk. I've babysat some of their children. I remember a childhood full of times spent at their houses, during adult parties and play dates.
Their daughters (and oddly enough, they almost all had daughters) are dear friends. We weren't always that way, but thankfully we are now. I go on trips and retreats with them, too, and dinner parties, back yard barbecues, movie nights, game nights, and on and on. They hold me accountable to my values, and are always willing to listen when I'm whiny or down. They lift my spirits and support me.
Having this group of people who have known me my whole life, who love me, sometimes in spite of myself, who laugh at and with me, and who will be there no matter what, is such a great blessing. I've come to realize that more and more these past few years, as I've seen some of them less and less. You see, for some very messy reasons, I no longer attend the same church they do. It was a hard decision to move on and find a new church, but I don't regret it. What I do regret is that not being in the same pew as they are week after week means that I don't see some of them for months at a time. I miss them. It had been a long time between visits when we were finally able to get together this past Sunday. I'm so glad we did! In fact, I was enjoying myself so much that it didn't even occur to me to get my camera out and take a picture or two!
05 March 2009
Green Week 4 - Green with a bit of "Red"
04 March 2009
A green kick, with lime
The salad I had at lunch was delicious and exactly what I needed. But I didn't want to get too crazy and be healthy all day long! Haha. So when the legislature allowed us to get home at a decent hour on Tuesday, Lisa and I met at our neighborhood Mexican restaurant and I broke my 6 month ban on margaritas. It totally hit the spot!
03 March 2009
Green Week 2 - Ripening
01 March 2009
Green Week 1 - Where, oh where, to begin?
25 February 2009
Forty-One and Definitely Counting!
23 February 2009
Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!*
Happy Fat Tuesday, everyone! My only form of celebration will be a work pot luck where there will be no jambalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice, crawfish, benets, or muffulettas! This is the educational sign that hangs in the French Quarter grocery that supposedly created the wonderfully delicious muffuletta. No matter how you celebrate, eat, drink and be merry!
* Let the good times roll!
20 February 2009
A Hint of Yellow
It snowed again this week. Thankfully, it didn't last long. But as I've said, I'm ready for spring at this point, which always means tulips for me. I think I may have to splurge this weekend and buy some to put in a vase...on a high shelf where the cats can't eat them, or knock them over. I didn't get a chance to download more pictures last night, so I dug around in my archives and found this little shot. I love the almost technicolor quality of the red, and that one blaze of yellow! Yellow Week has been so much fun. Thanks Erin, for hosting it! (Check out Erin's banner, too. I love all that green!)
19 February 2009
Yellow Week 4 - Yarn Love
Don't forget to jump over to Flickr to see all the other great pictures from Yellow Week! I'm so impressed by the submissions. It's like we're willing spring to come.
18 February 2009
Yellow 3 - Tonight's Dinner
17 February 2009
Tea Time - Yellow 2
A mug of lemon tea was a welcome respite to a stressful day. Made all the more so because my computer and/or internet has been giving me fits for days now. Just when I commit to uploading pictures daily for Yellow Week, my computer doesn't want to let me link to pictures on my blog or upload them to Flickr. A borrowed computer was the only way to solve the problem!
16 February 2009
Yellow Monday
Erin is hosting a color week. I jumped in at the last moment, knowing that it would be a challenge for me on several levels. It would require me to post daily, and it would require me to put my photos out there amongst other much more accomplished photographers with much nicer cameras than my little point-and-click Sony Cybershot.
Don't get me wrong, I love my camera and it's more than enough for me, personally. But when I look at other blogs with pictures taken with cameras that create immensely better photographs, and are taken by people who know something about taking a good picture, well, it's a little intimidating. But mostly, I knew that I am sick, sick, sick of winter and ready to embrace spring. The warm weather from last week was just a flirtation. So I knew I needed to go looking for spring, and Erin's color week was just the thing to help me find a few moments of spring in my days.
I took these shots in and around the state capitol, since I knew I wouldn't be getting home tonight until after dark. I at least wanted my yellow to look cheerful. I was surprised that I found so much yellow lurking around me!
08 February 2009
This and That
20 January 2009
These Hallowed Halls
But today is a historical day, no matter how you voted on November 4, 2008 (or if you voted at all). Our country's history is scattered with moments that turned on racial issues, for the worse and for the better. And while many people supported Barack Obama's presidency because he was an African-American, and many people did not for the very same reason, many more supported him or didn't for reasons that had nothing to do with the color of his skin or the fact that his father was froom Africa and his mother from Kansas. Today is another turning point. It makes me proud to participate in representative democracy. It makes me proud to be an American and know that the people did have a choice, and the choice means another barrier has crumbled.
Happy inauguration day, everyone. I'll be watching from the attic of the capitol in the state where Abraham Lincoln was born. The Great Emancipator would be proud of his country, and so am I.
16 January 2009
Baby, it's COLD outside!
15 January 2009
Honor Thy Father
08 January 2009
Coveting is Bad, Right? Giveaway Alert.
UPDATED: I didn't win. And I'm jealous. But I'm filing away the information about this wonderful toy/machine, for later. Maybe by then something bigger and better will come along and this beauty will be discounted!
06 January 2009
Christmas Knits in Review
I had bigger handmade plans, but I'm pleased that I got these done and am going to finish up some more gift items to give at random times to a few patient friends and family members!
04 January 2009
Goodbye to Time
Okay, so that may be an exaggeration. But this is the first year since law school that I feel like I've had a Christmas break. Being a single person without children and a very small, flexible family, I'm always the one who happily works during the weeks of Christmas and New Years while others take time off. But this year I've been away from work for a week and a half, and most of the days have been rather unstructured (Read: A few days have been spent in PJs, knitting away and watching football and movies). It's gotten so bad that my roommate and I have been confirming with one another what day of the week it is.
Added to the sense of being out of the normalcy of daily life was the short trip I took with my mom to Daytona Beach. She had to go for a high school boy's basketball tournament for which she was keeping the score books. I "had" to go because it meant a few days staring at the ocean, walking on the beach, enjoying fresh seafood, and generally loving life. It was all of that and more. Our seventh floor hotel room had two walls of windows overlooking the beach, and a long balcony to sit out and enjoy the ocean air. The weather was beautiful, and there was always a nice breeze. The water was pretty darn cold, but I didn't do more than dip my toes. We drove on the beach, explored back roads and ritzy developments, and took in a movie (Doubt: very good acting, mesmerizing story, but you leave with as many questions as you have throughout.). It was the perfect tonic to the gray and cold winter weather of home.
But tomorrow the alarm will go off while it's still dark as night outside and I'll be forced to wear work clothes, put on makeup, and do my hair. I'll be getting to work around the time the sun rises, and I'll leave when the sun is setting. With the legislature coming back to the capitol this week for the beginning of the legislative session, it will be busy. Time to jump back into the regular tempo of life with both feet. As I sat in church this morning, after having taken communion and waiting while others were served, I have to admit my brain started racing on all the things I need to do this evening to prepare for the week to come, and all of the errands that must be done. Sigh. It had to come to an end at some point, and the day has almost arrived.
But first, one more moment of time away. This afternoon, the University of Kentucky plays the University of Louisville in men's basketball. In this basketball-crazed state, this is *the* game of the year. Time to go root, root, root for my team!
02 January 2009
Simplify
There was an article from the October 2008 copy of Southern Living magazine (I can't find a direct link to the article) entitled "Less is More" by Jan DeBlieu. It's a commentary, the kind frequently found at the end of a magazine. She starts off quoting a cross-stitch sampler from her childhood which said "Use it up/Wear it out/Make it do or/Do without." That phrase certainly speaks to me today after spending hours wading through the accumulation of paper from the past year and bringing a certain degree of order to chaos. I love feeling organized, but I'm very lazy about staying organized, so for me these days tend to require Herculean efforts. Tonight I'm feeling good about what's been accomplished and trying not to be overwhelmed by all that has yet to be done to bring order to the house in general.
It also speaks to me as I begin to prepare myself for packing and moving later this summer into a condo of my own. Having moved many, many times since I graduated from high school (4 official addresses in 1998 alone, as I graduated from law school, moved back to my hometown, moved to a small town near where I work, then moved a block away from where I work. Ugh.), I know that I don't handle the rush of packing that every previous move has required, and end up so exhausted by the process of getting everything ready for the move that I live amongst boxes for months afterwards, not caring to see my possessions again. But I want this move to be different because it's finally going to be my stuff in my place, and I want it to feel like mine as soon as possible. So I'm hoping small steps of packing as I purge makes the pre-move period a little less stressful. And as I go through everything, my mantra is to be brutal. I want to take only what I need or love, and nothing more. Sorry Mom, because I know the pack rat in you shivers at the thought of what might be given away or tossed. What you don't know can't hurt you.
01 January 2009
2009. It's About Time.
I'm excited for the new year. But I always am. I love those times during the year that signal a new beginning - the new year, my birthday, the start of school in the fall (doesn't matter that it's been 10 years since I had a fall term, it still gets me all excited). Yes, I have goals for the new year. They fall under the categories of Health, Create, Simplify, and Learn. I have not set myself up for failure by expecting too much from myself with these goals. I am hopeful, and know that if I even complete half of them, it will be a very good year.
2008 had it's struggles, worldwide, within my circle of friends, and personally (though I am grateful they were not plentiful on the personal front). But I am wealthy in so many, many ways that count more than the stock market or my bank account. And I am deeply grateful for all that has been given to me during this past year and in my life. I am hopeful for what 2009 holds, despite the fears and difficulties that the news brings daily.
I wish nothing but the best for you, my friends, and will let you in on one goal for this new year - I will keep you better informed, right here, on what I'm up to in my corner of the universe. Happy New Year to one and all!