Random Bits

I'm dropping in to say hello. Things have been busy lately - but in a good, happy, kind of way.

We've got a huge building project in full swing happening on our property. I managed to do what I do best and tack on an item that's been on my wish list to the project that is going on...so soon there will be a staircase that goes from the deck that is off of our master bedroom down to our patio below. I think this will lead to the deck being used more frequently. It's something I've thought about for a while now, so it's fun that it will soon be a reality. The husband is happy beyond measure to be back in his building groove again. His exhaustion after a long (and sometimes stressful) day is woven lots of joy...so his is a tiredness that comes with a contented smile. I think that's what it is like when a person is doing the job they were made to do.

Speaking of work that we love to do, my garden is full of growth, and my greenhouse is looking fuller and more green with each passing day. It is such a rewarding and happy place for me, I love spending time there. I'm sure in the coming weeks I will have lots to share - especially come June which is when I plan to transplant most of my seedlings from the greenhouse into the raised beds.

Job-wise, things have been busy in a good way also, but even with long hours, I feel like I have found balance in that realm lately. No, I'm not yet working my dream job, but somehow I have a sense of peace. It's hard to believe what a difference the last year has made. Looking back, the experience of losing my job was depressing and paralyzing in many ways. It was worse than a bad break-up, but like a bad break-up, time has made the difference in the healing process. I'm a better person today than I was when all of that happened. I still have moments where I feel angry, sad, or disappointed with myself, but those moments are usually overshadowed by feeling right with where I am now. Or, maybe content is the word.

The weather for the past several days has been gorgeous, mostly sunny and blue skies with the occasional marine layer drizzle. I stayed outside until 8:30 one evening last week doing yard chores...it was so nice outside that I just didn't want to go in. We've been using the grill for dinner lately, I actually planned 4 out of 5 dinners this week to be made (at least in part) on the grill.

I've been doing a bit more sewing lately, I hadn't sewn at all in recent months, so even a bit of time at my machine is something. I made another pair of lounge pants and decided to use elastic in the waist instead of a drawstring. It was a cool idea, but I think I cut the elastic too long, it didn't seem to be "tight enough" to keep the pants up. Or maybe it was that the elastic was old and so it didn't have the well...elasticity. I think picked it up at a thrift store a while back. I am guessing that could happen. I also just bought a book about making skirts, the title is: Sew What! Skirts. It was a recommendation from Lisa of Polka Dot Cottage, whose blog I read. The idea is to make patterns that are customized to your own measurements. Can't wait to get started on reading the book and then making myself some skirts for summer - woohooo!

My chickens are happy with the increase in sunny-afternoon-free-ranging they've had lately, and I feel a little bit better about allowing this now that the little ones aren't so little anymore. In fact, when I was at the farm supply store the other day, I had to take a peek at the chicks and ducklings they are still selling...they are so tiny when you first bring them home. It's been over two months since we brought home our 10 new Buff Orpingtons, their size now compared to my 4 older hens is impressive, they are definitely going to be large chickens when they are full grown. Also, I think we may have a lead on someone who is interested in adopting a rooster to be able to breed and hatch chicks. Our little rooster has not yet started to crow, I imagine it will be a couple more months until he does. But, after all of the fiascos with our (late) rooster, Berkeley, may he rest in peace, the husband and I had agreed that we were going to have a rooster-free flock. The chances of bringing home a rooster in our group of 10 chicks were unfortunately pretty good, even though they sex the chicks, there's no 100% guarantee. So, rather than giving the little guy, who hasn't done anything wrong and seems to have a great temperment, to someone who will turn him into a meal, I'd prefer that he has the chance to live a happy life. I think any rooster would rather have a harem of hens than end up in a stew pot!

That's about all I can think of right now...I'll be back around soon!

Snow in May...

The past few days have been full of strange weather...wind storms that lead to power outages, torrential amounts of rainfall, thick fogginess, and tonight, snow. Very wet, slushy snow. I'm glad I held off from putting any of my little seedlings that have been growing in the Pod into the ground. As it is, I'm pretty sure that the ice pack is not a good thing for the spinach, lettuce and swiss chard that I started from seed in raised bed. Most of it was intended for our chickens anyway, so it's not a huge loss. But, this does make me more empathetic with farmers...how frustrating it would be to lose an entire crop to a freak spring snow storm!

The baby chicks (who are big enough now that I really should stop calling them baby chicks) were pretty wigged out by the snow - it was the first they'd ever seen. They were hiding in the hen house while the snow was falling. I brought them some bird seed to scratch in the covered run under their house and that seemed to lift their little chicken spirits.

I've been pretty busy lately, I just got done helping the husband for two days with a job he had installing crown molding. It was hard work, but we work very well together on projects of that sort. The experience actually put us both in the mood to do some crown molding in our own house. I've always wanted to finish our dining room ceiling - I think we may just get around to it one of these days.

In addition to being a "carpenter's assistant" for a couple of days, I'm still subbing a few times a month, doing my online teaching job, and working a couple of days a week at a greenhouse supply store. It's a lot to juggle, but I'm happy.

Today is a quasi-day off for me, I still have some online work to do, but nothing that will take me away from the house. So I've been having a slow morning. Plucking my eyebrows, spending time with the cat, making banana bread, and mixing up the spread that we put on our toast. I use 1/3 butter to 2/3 extra virgin olive oil. When I first mix it in the food processor, it is pretty runny, but the olive oil thickens when it is refrigerated. So by the time we need it to spread on our toast (or freshly baked banana bread!), it is a perfect spreading consistency.

Later I may work out a bit on the ellyptical and then head out to the chicken coop to see how my feathered friends are today. I'll probably intentionally let myself get distracted in the greenhouse after I stop at the chickens. It's nice to have a day where I can linger a bit, even if it is still pretty chilly outside!

Rainy Wednesday

Outside, it is raining sideways right now...yuck! I spent yesterday substituting for a middle school teacher that teaches a random mix of classes - Film, Music Appreciation, and Fitness. The last class of the day was the fitness class, the plans directed me to have the students walk around the track for the entire period...so walk we did, it may have been the first time I've ever been paid to exercise. It was nice and sunny, a good thing because I have been fighting a nasty head cold. If I'd had that sub job today I would have had a hard time convincing myself to follow the teacher's plan. Instead, I spent the first part of my morning in a science classroom - half day sub jobs are the best, it's short and sweet and I still get my day. The rain hadn't started yet when I first came home, so I mixed up some dormant spray for our trees...several of them are starting to bud out, below is one of our plum trees. I'm hoping that the spray had the chance to soak in and dry a bit before the rain began, otherwise the spraying was a waste...I also put another 15 primrose plants in our front beds - they were an early Valentine's Day gift from the husband. The color has been refreshing, even though the first round of flowers was my idea, the husband has appreciated how the flowers brighten things up, he wanted to add a bit more color to make it even more cheerful.We are going on a get-away trip to Hawaii in about a week, so I think our Valentine's Day celebration will be postponed until we are there. The s-son is with us for the upcoming three day weekend. Having a 12 year old boy around hardly makes for a romantic setting. I'm looking foward to the warmth, the beautiful colors, the delicious fruit, and being alone with the husband.!

Happy Groundhog's Day!

I heard that old Phil saw his shadow so we are in for 6 more weeks of winter. With the kind of winter we've been having here - wet and mild with days of gorgeous sunshine mixed in - I can honestly say that I'm already mentally moving into spring. I suppose it really wouldn't matter much if temperatures dropped off a bit and we even had a bit of snow, this winter realy hasn't been too harsh.Today I spent the first half of the day substituting for an elementary music teacher. The closest thing I have to musical talent is a tiny little drop of rhythm, I can snap or clap to a beat. I'm really not qualified to be a music teacher. BUT, it was still a very fun day. The lesson plans were easy to follow, playing a few specific songs for each class so the students could vote on a few ideas about the songs, then taking requests from a list. The lesson time was followed by what was basically a junior karaokee/dance party. There was lots of singing along and shaking it going on all day. I have never had the chance to get my groove on as a teacher in a classroom before, it was fun! I loved being goofy and dancing with thirty 3rd graders...they are still young enough to forget to be self-conscious, today they made me feel that way too.

A Morning Off

I have felt a bit quiet in this space for the last couple of days. This morning I was thinking about why that was and honestly it's because I have been busy with life's tasks, there hasn't been a ton of time for creativity or reflection. It hasn't felt like there's been much to share. The fact that I even came to this conclusion was probably because I took the morning off. No work, no substitute jobs, no Zumba. Instead, I spent more time than normal putzing around outside with the chickens, watching the sun come up, playing a bit with Bam in the yard, and then making a nice breakfast for myself and the husband - red potatoes with onion and green pepper, eggs (from our hens of course!), and thick sliced bacon from our town's meat shop - yum!

Then it was off for some fun errands. My first visit to a small but wonderfully stocked and priced antique mall (I left with a few small treasures), then to a Food Co-op to pick out this summer's vegetable seeds - I can't wait to share what I picked out and even more I can't wait to get started with planting, our mild temperatures lately are giving me spring fever. I also hit up Joanne fabrics with my 50% off coupon to finally get an OLFA self-healing rotary cutting mat as well as quilt batting for the master bedroom quilt I want to soon start. There was a quick stop for lunch - tacos and then over to Costco. We went in for ground cover fabric, it's needed to line the new raised beds that are going in. While in Costco, I also checked out their selection of office chairs - I've been dealing with some neck/back/shoulder/hip pain lately, I think it's been a combination of the constant Zumba-ing and other working out, and sitting at my desk in a horribly unsupportive chair, working for hours.

I think life gets that way sometimes, the things you feel like you *have* to do can make your neck/back/shoulder/hip/etc. hurt. Sometimes it's nice to stop doing the things you have to do and go get a new chair instead. It also didn't hurt that buying vegetable seeds made me excited for spring to come or that getting set up with the cutting mat is making me excited to start my dream quilt. The morning I just had left me quite re-energized!

I hope your day is filled with things that take the pressure off rather than adding to it! Happy Thursday!

Sunny Day, Sweeping the Clouds Away...

I mentioned yesterday when I blogged that it was beautiful but cold outside, which was true...but it wasn't so cold that I could resist when the husband offered to set me up with an adirondack rocking chair on our upstairs deck so I could enjoy the sunshine...isn't that beautiful!?Folks, you have to remember that this is January in Washington, so sunshine is at a premium. Who needs a corner office in a fancy skyrise building when this view is available!? This was one of those occasions where the benefits of working from home are just too good to fully explain.

I brought out a few pillows and a down throw to cuddle up with.
My little buddy Bambino even got to come up to enjoy the view with me (this is a big deal, he's never allowed upstairs in our house).

Once I set down the camera (hard to do) I ended up getting about an hour and a half of work time and a healthy dose of sunshine-provided vitamin D.

The husband even joined me up on the deck for a while...spending his time planning and running numbers for some upcoming business stuff. I like how casual his drink and calculator look sitting on the railing in the picture below, somehow it works.

I feel lucky in so many ways right now...that we have such an amazing home with beautiful views and that our schedules and job responsibilities leave time for us to sit quietly together outside to enjoy the sunshine and crisp air on a beautiful winter afternoon. It was very peaceful.

A Year Ago Today...

It was a year ago today that our 44th President took office. I remember turning the television in my then-classroom to CNN to watch the innagural ceremony. I also remember all of the uncertainty I was feeling, on a personal level there was uncertainty about my future employment and the survival of the husband's business in a dead economy. On a broader level, I remember feeling like I was living in a society that had been altered by war and poverty. In the days that have made up the last year, I have been able to get closer to having a balance that I was missing in my life a year ago. I thought I'd reflect just a bit...it's a beautiful and sunny (but cold!) January day outside, the kind of day that gives you hope for spring. I recently saw the first of my tulips beginning to peak out of the ground. In the next few weeks/months, the husband's business related work will be amping up again. Changes seem to be on life's horizon right now, so I suppose I'm in the mood to process all that's gone in in the last year.

My marriage has gained strength in the struggles the husband and I have had in the last year. We have both seen the other hit lows and still be able to reach deep to find strength. We have found ourselves going through things that have made us vulnerable to each other at a new level. It has been a good year for us to learn together to live on less and to find joy in what we already have. The pressures that we have at times been under have transformed into an ingenuity that probably would not have blossomed otherwise. I can clearly see how this whole "marriage thing" is dynamic, the relationship changes as time passes, maybe that's something I didn't fully realize before.

I have been able to take several steps to being content and happy in my professional life. This is an ongoing process, but I am happier in my job situation than I have been since I moved up to WA two and a half year ago. 2010 is a year for me to continue to seek out balance between my professional life and my personal life. It is the year for me to go to the next level.

There are numerous outlets for my creative side. I don't feel as "pent up" as I used to. I have made space in my home and in my schedule to be able to put into physical shape the ideas I have in my head.

Physically, I am in better shape than I was a year ago. Though I will forever be on that journey, I have been much more active since the end of the summer. Since the beginning of December, I have been sticking to my goal of exercising 5-6 times a week. Zumba classes and the ellyptical we have here at home are my current modes, but as the weather improves I want to get back to my outdoor walks and jogs, Bambino will be happy about that, he likes to come along.

As far as food, the husband and I have come close to elliminating from our diets any meats that come from feel lots that could be contaminated. There is a wonderful meat store minutes from where we live that sells only organic, grass-fed beef and pork, and organic free-range chicken. People literally drive from hours away to buy their meat at this store which is so convenient for us. Though we've been through some difficulties with our chickens (a story for another day), our hens are continuing to lay plenty of eggs to meet our needs. We had a successful harvest from our vegetable garden last summer and have plans to expand it further this coming season. We are also eating mostly foods made from whole ingredients, there are still some processed foods in our pantry and refrigerator, but because of the husband's migraines, we haven't bought foods containing preservatives or nitrates since we were married.

I can't imagine having the challenges and responsibilities that President Obama faces each day, and even though he is not without his flaws, I am still proud to call him my leader. I also fully support the efforts of the First Lady to improve the physical and nutritional health of our nation's children, it's a huge undertaking, but I think that her leadership by example is fantastic.

I think it will be interesting to see what the next 365 days hold, for the society around us as well as personally. I have to finish this post with the true but cheesy *Yes, We Can!*

Tired, But Drinking Tea

I just spent one of the longest "school days" of my life substitute teaching for a fourth grade class. I took the job last second without much thought. These kids were fine one-on-one, pretty sweet actually, but as a group they gave me a run for my money - literally. You can tell a ton about a teacher by the way her student's behave when she is not there, and this teacher has definitely got her hands full. If I were her I'd probably take the Friday before a 3-day weekend off too, I'd need the rest from that group of darlings. I was glad when the bell rang to let the students out for the day, it couldn't happen soon enough. So now I'm catching my breath, marginally helping the husband prepare dinner (steak fajitas), and allowing myself to sit down for a cup of tea. Tea has become a recent habit [again] for me. There's something soothing about a warm cup of tea. I'm also trying to not talk myself about hitting a Zumba class tonight with my neighbor...even though I'm tired, I need the exercise after a day like today. So thank goodness it's Friday and thank goodness I'm not that 4th grade teacher!

School Day

Yesterday I found myself back in a "brick and mortar" school classroom for the first time since last June when my former job ended. I spent the day substitute teaching for a middle school Social Studies teacher. I got the job at the very last second, probably because the teacher woke up ill, the call actually woke me from a dead sleep at about 6:30 am. It didn't help that the night before the husband and I had stayed up until about 12:30 am talking about all of life's rewards and challenges...luckily he got up with me and helped me gather a few things as I was rushing to get ready. I only had about 50 minutes to get dressed and get to the school on time.

So, I really didn't spend much time thinking about what the experience of being back in a classroom would be like for me until I was driving home at the end of the day. I realized that if I'd had more time to anticipate going back into a school I would have probably been more anxious. Schools always feel familiar to me, even if I've never been to a particular school before, it is a familiar environment. But since I went through so much with my last job ending and now teaching online, I wasn't sure if it would feel strange or sad or whatever to be in a classroom again. But I think stepping back into that world as a substitute was good for me, it's a pretty low commitment situation, typically one day and that's it. There's no extra work with grading, no follow up with struggling students. You get to show up, fill a role for a bit, and leave. You don't even have to go to faculty meetings or make yourself available before and after school for students that need help. I also realized that I don't miss school bells. So much of the day in a typical school is spent hurrying to get somewhere or finish something before a bell, or anticipating the bell that will tell you when the next thing happens. School bells do not leave much room for organic timing...I'm glad I no longer have to spend my days being managed by a bell. My day of subbing made me appreciate my current job even more. I love my freedom. I love it that I don't typically have to rush through my mornings. I love it that there is time for me to go grocery shopping if I so chose. I love it that I have been able to devote myself to some regular exercise and get back on a path to being in shape (Zumba classes as well as doing cardio on our home ellyptical have helped me lose a bit of weight in the last two months!) I am going to be continuing to substitute teach as jobs come up, and I'm not dreading it at all, I think it will be an interesting use of my time and the money will help us stay on target budget-wise. I also think that being in and out of classrooms as a substitute will be a great regular reminder to appreciate my online teaching job even more! And that, boys and girls, is a lesson I had to go to school to learn!

A Bit of Reflection

It's Monday again, but it is the Monday before Christmas, which makes it a better Monday than usual! We had a fantastic dinner with our neighbors last night...it was somewhat of a progressive dinner, we started off with drinks, appetizers and gifts at our house...they brought over some fantastic cheese and crackers, and I tried a recipe for amazing potato skins that I found over at epicurious. They were quite the hit and I will definately make them again, hopefully soon! We next moved the party to their house for dinner, venison marinated in balsamic vinegar and an amazing mixed green salad with gorgonzola. For dessert I'd made creme brulee the day before, but the fun part was everyone getting the chance to use the torch to melt the sugar on top of the custard the way they wanted to. We all had so much fun using the torch that I will definitely have guest torch their own creme brulee in the future, who doesn't like to play with fire?! The creme brulee turned out great, better even than the first time I made it. The s-son had a friend over to spend the night, the husband had picked up on of those take 'n' bake pizzas and a couple of movies for the two kids, because I'd trippled the recipe for the creme brulee, we also set them up with that for dessert. While we were hanging out with our neighbors in the front room, the boys were in the kitchen having their dinner, I went in there for a minute and saw them with pizza in hand happily munching away, and empty creme brulee ramikins sitting by their plates. They admitted with grins on their faces that they'd had their dessert first. Can't say I blame them, it was the first time the s-son's friend had ever had creme brulee.

So it was a great weekend, full of friends and celebrations. There was also a couple of positive moves in the realm of the husband's business. We've gone so long with nothing but forced patience and an ever tightening budget, that even though it was positive news, I still experienced a bit of sleeplessness and anxiety. I guess in a way I've gained a sense of pride that we have been able to trim our expenses and live on less, I've felt a regaining of the same drive and determination that got me through my college years when I truly had almost nothing. In the last day or so the husband and I have had quite a few conversations about our current and former life styles and we are on the same page about keeping things simple as they are now, even though we aren't going to be under the same kind of forced pressure. I have learned a ton of discipline with my spending. There is a lot more scrutiny about needs vs. wants, and honestly, it feels right to put anticipation, saving, planning and patience in their rightful place with spending and financial decisions. With the affect of a recessed economy, I've also been able to see at a deeper level the material that my husband is made of...he's struggled with the increased stress and burden, but he has also shown me his strength and determination. I trust him more because of the past year. I think we have learned (and are continuing to learn) lessons that will affect us for a lifetime. Living simply and learning to do more things for myself is satisfying, I have a higher regard for my own skills as a homemaker. Professionally as well, I have a deeper sense of my own worth. I lost a job that was providing a comfortable income, but at the same time it was robbing me of the things that I love about teaching and the things that make me a great teacher. In the last few months I have come closer to finding a balance between my professional life and my personal life. I did not and never would have chosen to lose my job, it was painful, hurtful, and stressful. I can see now though, that it has all lead to me becoming a better and happier person.

So the rest of this week will hold the wrapping of some gifts, a still sort of suprise shopping trip and a stop at a dive store to have a zipper the husband's dive vest or BCD repaired - both are parts of the series of advent gifts I've been giving him this month - the gifts have been progressively getting better the closer we've gotton to Christmas. There will also be a few rounds of Zumba, a good way to offset the feasting that will happen, we are going to have the husband's parents join us for dinner on Christmas Eve before we go to a candle light service at our church. I also have a couple of much anticipated beauty appointments, one to get my hair cut, another to have a professional pedicure - something I haven't had done in over a year! I have also planned to make and can my annual batch of cranberry chutney to give to friends and family, in addition, I plan to try making lemon curd from scratch for the first time...I'll report back on how it turns out. There will also been some work in there, I don't anticipating having too much since most of my students will be taking a break for the holiday, but I do have a couple of special projects that I will be able to tackle with the extra time. I also want to spend sometime tidying up and organizing my office/sewing room. It has been severely neglected in that area for the last couple of months. I'd like to start the New Year with a work space that is neat, I work so much more efficiently and effectively in a clean environment! I may even post some before and afters so you can see in my mess how human I am!

Lastly, I'd like to say Happy Winter Solstice to you...the song that has been going through my head today is the Beatles "Here comes the sun". After today our daylight grows day by day...I love winter, it is cozy, but I'm always happy to see spring come along!

*****************************

"Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it."

~Goethe

Cat on the Roof, Cat in the Window

Ever since I began working in my upstairs office at home, Figaro has been doing this thing. You see, it used to be that it wasn't uncommon for him to be on the roof to greet us when we came home. From time to time he has also climbed over the roof to our back upstairs deck, he then meows quite loudly and waits at the french doors that lead into our bedroom until we let him in...and let him in we do, so I suppose we've kind of trained him in a way for his newest trick.So, I think one day when he was on the roof he heard my voice through the window to my office as I was having an online meeting. He realized that I was in there and decided that I should let him in. His meowing got louder and louder as he paced back and forth on the roof in front of my window, all the while I was trying to give a student an algebra lesson, the student heard the meows and thought it was funny when I explained, let's just say it was distracting. So because the husband happened to be hanging out in my office, probably working on his laptop and sharing the wireless signal with me, he decided to let Fig in through the window. That was after he'd gone outside and tried unsuccessfully to [quietly] call Figaro down from the roof. The only thing is, now Figaro kind of expects that he'll be let in, no matter how cold it is outside or rather, especially when it is cold outside, and no matter if I am in the middle of a meeting or a phone call. I suppose that's just the way cats are, rather than being trained, they are the ones who do the training. All I can think is, oh my, we've created a bit of a monster. At least he's a sweet and cuddly monster.

This weekend has been a fun one so far...we went to a family Christmas party during the day, and then over to a neighbors house for a cocktail party. It was a rainy and foggy day, leading into a cozy night. Right now I'm cuddled up on the couch with a blanket and my Bam and Fig, the husband is down in Seattle hanging out with an out-of-town friend at the opening of another friend's lounge, and the s-son is tucked into bed for the night. Tomorrow is going to be full of more friends and fun holiday celebrating. I hope your weekend is full of warmth, no matter how cold it may be outside!

Enjoying Slow Cold Mornings - A New Tradition!

It is getting quite cold at night lately. This morning was the kind of morning where if I still had to commute to work (or if my commute involved driving a car rather than walking down my hall), I would have requested that the husband drive me to work because of the icy roads. I grew up in California, you see, so I have yet to become really comfortable with slippery conditions. Because I didn't have to go anywhere, the frost on the ground was kind of nice, even cozy. It wouldn't have even bothered me if it had been an inch or two of snow. The sun came up bright in a clear blue sky and the air was so cold and crisp it was almost piercing. As a teacher, I'm used to being home in the summertime, but having the chance to slow down a bit and enjoy a winter morning still feels like a treat. Of course there is still work for me to do, I can't sit and blog all day, but I do have a few pictures to share, it was such a pretty morning that I was inspired!

14 Items

A summary of my random recent happenings:

1. I've been asked to do a couple of custom pieces for Bungalow Bay recently, some onesies and an apron, those opportunities make me feel good!
2. I recently upgraded my laptop from Windows Vista to Windows 7...in the process I lost all of my bookmarked pages - kind of a drag! But, I do like the new version much better, I'm having an easier time getting online with our Verizon mi-fi card now.
3. Two friends recently asked me (separately) to make nursing covers for them to give as presents to new mama's. Like #1, this makes me feel good!
4. I am already decorating our house for Christmas in my head...when I get the chance, I hope to sew up a couple of new decorations.
5. This Saturday the husband and I begin a two day (consecutive Saturdays) course to learn to be snowboard (me) and ski (him) instructors. I spent a little time the other night previewing some of the course materials with the husband before we went to sleep. It will be the first time we've done a class together like this, I'm excited about it. If we get jobs for the season together it will be even more exciting.
6. On the same note as #5, one of the mountains nearby, Mt. Baker, opens tomorrow (Thursday), it is an early opening, made possible by the recent storms that have passed through...our plan is to go up on Friday...the first day of riding for the season is always a big deal to me!
7. I have been kind of quiet on this blog lately, but it's not because I've felt quiet, I've just been busy. I've really thrown myself into the work routine in the last few weeks...the job has already proven to be a good fit, I have a fantastic mentor and I get along well with my boss. Working at home rocks!
8. One of the reasons working at home rocks has been my flexible schedule. For the last few weeks I've been heading to Zumba classes a couple of times a week in the mornings (and one evening class last Friday night). Zumba is a dance based exercise...it's great cardio. I leave each class completely sweaty and feeling amazing from the exercise endorphins. I like being in a room full of women who are having a good time burning calories. Sometimes I have trouble catching on to some of the routines, but generally I've been pretty pleased with how I've been able to catch on and learn the steps/moves quickly. My core region is tightening up which is an amazing feeling. I'm one of those people who kind of likes having sore muscels because it means I worked hard and am on my way to being in shape.
9. Oh and #8 is going to help a ton with the upcoming snowboarding season...Zumba involves a good amount of squats, an important part of a good snowboarding stance.
10. After finding an amazing deal on plane tickets to Oakland, the husband and I decided to head down to the Bay Area for a few days next month. Family stuff can be complex, hopefully the visit will be a good one.
11. Our friends/next door neighbors just got engaged...the wedding will be on their beautiful property late next spring - Memorial Day to be exact. I'm already starting to brainstorm a wedding gift I can make...
12. Lastly, the picture above was taken last night at Mallard Ice Cream in Bellingham...we went there after having a delicious and much anticipated meal at Fiamma Burger. I love the vibe in Mallard, it reminds me of places I went to when I lived in San Luis Obispo during college. Their flavors are unique and delicious. I had a scoop of Strawberry Rose in a waffle cone. It tasted like a summer garden, which when I write it sounds strange, but believe me, it was delicous!
13. Before heading home from Bellingham last night, we made a stop at Trader Joe's...always a treat! While we were there I was inspired to do an original "advent calendar" for the husband...we are trying to keep Christmas more simple this year, so I'm trying to go heavy on the creativity factor. I'll write more as my ideas progress.
14. That's it for now...hope you're having a great Wednesday! Happy Hump Day!

No....

I haven't disappeared, at least not completely. But, after being gone last week, I've felt the need to put my focus on my work, I have quite a few more students now. I'm enjoying this new job more and more each day. My focus has also been on spending time with the husband, it seems like lately we've been in one of those lots-to-talk-over seasons, which means even more talking than normal, he's my best friend, I need him like that some times...alright, most of the time. All is well though, I am re-enjoying the fact that we have beautiful seasons in Washington state...I'm glad I don't live in a part of the world like Egypt where the seasons are "too hot" and "pretty darn hot". We've had quite a bit of rain, but it hasn't dampered my spirits like it did the last couple of years...it's actually felt cozy. Good weather for quality chats. I haven't done any sewing since coming home. I think the weekend will be a good time for that. Right now we are planning on a day trip to Leavenworth on Friday to enjoy the colors of the changing leaves...and perhaps a beer at a German restaurant. My chickens don't seem to mind the rainy, cold weather right now...we've had 6 eggs a day for the past four days...Keep it up ladies, your eggs are the best! So I'm here, complete with my random-stream-of-consciousness-style blogging and a couple of trip pictures to share, what can I say, the camels found a way into my heart while I was in Egypt, they are quite cute. They kind of remind me of overgrown cats, grumpy but sweet all at the same time. Maybe you had to be there. I will show up again soon, maybe a little later in the week, you can't force these things, you know?

Last Minute Project

I'm dropping in very quickly today because I have tons to do as I get ready to Leave Tomorrow!

I will be working as I travel, which means bringing along my trusty laptop. The laptop bag that I have had for a while won't fit into my suit case or my carry on bag, it's too bulky. So, I made this simple zippered pouch to keep my laptop safe inside of my other luggage. It was made pretty quickly this morning, but I still managed to add a couple of pockets inside with some scraps from a skirt I made a while ago. One pocket is for a pen and pencil, the other is a good size for my air card and other small accessories. I'm not bringing much else, just a spiral notebook, so this pouch is minimally sized. This was the first project I'd made for myself that I used one of my tags on...I like the way it looks! If I'd had a bit more time I would have added handles, an exterior pocket, and envelope-style flap over the top.

Bambino leaves to stay with the husband's parents tonight...Figaro is going to stay here with a good friend of mine who will be house sitting. We've figured out over time that this is the best arrangement for us and our pets when we travel, everyone is happy.

I'll stop by again tomorrow for a quick hello, and then it's Bon Voyage for me!

Monday Morning Tradition in the Making...

It is relaxing to me to watch tea leaves slowly fall to the bottom of my french press. It is comforting to me to hold a warm cup in my hands as I begin my work day. It is soothing to my somewhat sore throat to drink herbal tea on a crisp fall morning.

Here's to Monday traditions in the making! Also, this is my 150th post! Man that was fast! I didn't really see it coming, so nothing special planned this time. But, I'm already anticipating #200, there will be some sort of fabulous giveaway!

One last note...the husband leaves for Cairo tomorrow...I'll be alone for 10 days and then I'll leave to meet him there. I'm excited for his upcoming adventure, and I'm excited for my part of it, but being alone is not exciting to me, it's just kind of sad. I am going to come up with a solid routine so that the days don't feel so empty...

Fresh Cut Flower Friday, Welcome to Fall!

In honor of the seasonal change this week I have two fresh cut flowers photos to share...the top photo is three bud vases filled with crimson dahlias on my autumn themed runner in the dining room. The second is more dahlias, this time rose and crimson mixed, in a ceramic pitcher on a crocheted cloth I inherited from my Oma, set in the breakfast nook of the kitchen. I guess I have been in a nesting kind of mood this week, even with a busy schedule, I can't seem to help it...changing colors on the trees outside, made from scratch meals, and of course fall flowers have been making the transition to fall very cozy.

It's crazy to think, but in exactly three weeks I'll be heading down to the airport to catch the first of two flights that will eventually land me in Cairo. This will be the first time that I've flown anything but coach overseas, thank you frequent flyer miles for the upgrade! I'm traveling the first leg of my trip by myself because the husband will have already been there for ten days for his Habitat for Humanity build. His departure date is less than two weeks away...it will be weird to be away from each other for that time, we dated long distance for the first couple of years of our relationship, so it's not like we've never been apart, but since we've been married we've never been apart for more than a couple of days. Another odd piece to this situation is that his birthday happens while he is in Egypt. He will be traveling with his oldest buddy then, so at least he won't be alone, the two of them are planning on doing some diving in the Red Sea. As for me, my friend and neighbor has assured me that she will be around for lots of girl hang out time. I think it will also be a good time for me to focus on getting my routine of work, housework, exercise, sewing, etc. all established. The past few weeks I've been pretty productive, but I haven't settled into a predictable schedule yet. It's been more like that game at Chuck E. Cheese where when the little furry animals pop out of their holes the goal is to bonk them on the head. Tasks kind of have been popping up in front of me and I've been able to stay on top of the head bonking, okay that sounds weird, enough of that analogy. The point is that I want to take the time to evaluate what it is that I accomplish each week and come up with some kind of predictability to it all.

Okay, enough said for a Friday! I'll be around here a bit this weekend, probably doing a bit of "power blogging" - it's not my favorite way to manage this fun part of my life, but at least that way I can still share what I want to, even if it isn't in real time! Hope you have a great weekend!

Welcome to Fall

We returned from a very quick, last minute, one-night trip to Portland yesterday. It was the perfect chance to get away in the Jeepster and get a bit of a break from normal responsibilities. I like it that my job allows for a bit of spontenaity. We actually packed lots of good stuff into a trip that ended up being only about 32 hours away from home. I'll try to get around to sharing bits and pieces in the next few days.

Until then, I thought that because it is now officially fall (even though it's more of an unusual sunny than a typical fall rainy here), I'd share what I put into the slow-cooker for dinner tonight.We have an overabundance of tomatoes and other random garden yumminess that has needed to be used before it's too late. So this morning, I chopped and chopped vegetables galore, ground in some pepper, threw in some course kosher salt (my favorite), half a bottle of Syrah that I didn't finish last week, a couple of all-natural free range chicken breasts, fresh basil and rosemary, and set the cooker to 10 hours. As I type, the delicious aroma of fresh vegetable chicken catetori is filling the air, even all the way upstairs at the other end of the house, the effect giving my senses the cozy and crisp feeling of fall.

Now I've got to get back to work...things have picked up considerably in the last few days. I'm stoked to be getting into the rhythm of this job.

Turkeys Come To Visit

Funny thing...As I was finishing up some work in my office upstair this afternoon, I was distracted by the sounds of turkeys and a few chickens calling to each other as they made their way down the driveway and through our front yard...

I guess things like this are pretty normal in the country, but the city girl in me is a die hard and the sight of turkeys strolling through is still funny to me. Pictures were in order...

Figaro came along as I took pictures, he's pretty much done with the idea that he'd like to hunt one and eat it, now he's more interested in following turkeys and chickens around - possibly he wants to be one of them?!

I don't ever look out my windows and people watch like you could do in a busy city, but on the flip side, if I were in a busy city, what are the chances I'd get to see my cat hanging out with turkeys?

Oh! One other thing...check out the new banner, I finally took a little time to learn my way around powerpoint enough to put this together. It was actually pretty easy, I'm kind of suprised that it took me as long as it did to put out the little bit of effort. I guess the part of me that is sometimes a little intimidated by new things was in charge of that... Speaking of which, I am busy with many new things on the job front. I have real courses and students now...teaching online is such a different experience, in many ways I can't believe how much more smooth and relaxed it feels. While on the other hand, there are lots of things for me to learn and remember. I have been enjoying the challenge. I didn't expect to feel so connected to other people while working at home alone...a nice suprise, I was a little worried I'd feel isolated. The flexibility has been a huge relief as well. I have been getting up at about seven each morning and reminding myself that in my former job I'd be walking out the door at that time. The work was a little slow to get going this week, so I have been using the extra time to get things around here done, it's been a nice relief, especially because I was feeling so completely overwhelmed last week! Yesterday I was able to do some thorough house cleaning and Monday we were able to finally end our search for our next car - I plan on sharing a bit about that later this week. The chickens are doing well and have a very tidy coop - I just collected our 6th egg this morning and boiled up a few to go with my lunch today.

It's Wednesday (already?!) I will most likely see you Friday with some more flowers!