My love

I love my husband. He makes me laugh so much. I definitely need a daily dose of him to make me less serious.

Today, like many other days, I was bombarded by his old tupperware lunch left in the sink. Numerous times I have asked that when he gets home, he rinses out his tupperware. Because when it sits in the sink it develops nauseous gases that are extra putrid when opened. Yesterday he left a beans and rice tupperware in there. Today when I opened it I almost gagged. It smelled like armpits. I laughed because it was so nasty. At least my husband will eat home packed lunches and doesn't insist on eating out every day. I guess I can deal with the occasional sensory overload.

He went grocery shopping today with a list I had written. When he came home, I saw strawberries on the sink and thought it very nice of him to pick up an extra little treat. I mentioned how nice this was and he said, "Well you put it on the list." I laughed because I had not but it on the list, but rather straws which I have been missing when I drink my iced coffee. When I pointed this out to him, he said, "Well you put it right next to the bananas." I can see the logical jump, especially since I abbreviated bananas 'ban', so he figured I must also be abbreviating strawberries.

I also love his subtle ways of communicating things. We were making homemade pizza tonight. I made the dough but I asked if he could take care of everything else so I could work another hour. He agreed to it but asked me if I could please roll out the dough (which is usually my job) because I am sooooo good at it. Translation: Because he doesn't want to do it. Love him. He ended up rolling out the dough and I assure you it was just fine, it still looks and will taste like pizza crust.

Oh the joys of living with my best friend.

Good finds

I love garage sales. Some of my most favorite things I have found at garage sales and thrift stores. They especially seem to carry goods of the candle holder and appliance variety. I am currently into making iced coffee using a French press that I got for $3. I also have an espresso maker that I got for $5. I rarely use it but can't bring myself to get rid of it. As I sip my coffee I am reminded of the simple things and that something doesn't have to cost a lot to be absolutely wonderful!


It rains here a lot. I like the rain when I am inside, but it usually chooses to rain when I have to get to my car and carry lots of stuff. The only thing that makes me happy when I have to do that is the fact that I can wear my rain boots. My polka dot rain boots, mind you. I bought them in CA for $3 at a garage sale and wore them once. They have outpaid themselves here in GA. And even though the rest of me may look sloppy and wet (since I don't like to carry an umbrella), I still get many compliments for my rainboots. The funny part is that I usually get them from guys--both younger and older. So ladies, note to self that you can wear just about anything and then slap on some rain boots and still get compliments. Yes! That is my kind of style.

Severe Weather Alert

It is a beautiful spring day in Atlanta today. Other than the leaves stuck to every building and car and fallen trees and broken power lines all over the city, you wouldn't know how awful the weather was last night. We went out for a friend's birthday dinner early last night at 5 and were so thankful to have gotten home by 7:30 becuase the rain had turned into severe storms really quickly. Our power went out a little after and as we looked through the window it was so strange to just see empty darkness, no lights on in any building. The sky wasn't fully dark yet since the sun hadn't set but it was a really strange hue. We talked to a friend who had been in tornado areas before and she said the sky wasn't quite the right color for a tornado. But before we knew it, tornado alarms were ringing and the rain turned into very large pieces of hail flying so fast in the wind. In a matter of two minutes, hail covered the lawn behind our apartment and it looked like it had snowed. Our roof was being pelted as was our back door and porch and to see the debris flying so close to our window made Bob and I run into our bathroom for protection. Of course, the power went out and we lit all the candles. Luckily we are a candle family and had tons laying out already. It was quite romantic actually, except for the fact that we are dogsitting an extremely anxious dog that takes medication for this on a regular basis, so you can imagine how this was heightened by storms. Us, being the food lovers and cheapskates that we are, loaded our cooler with ice and perishables in case the power was going to be out the rest of the night. Things started to calm down and the power came back on, but at 2am we were awakened by more alarms. I peered out the window and nothing seemed to be going on. Bob and I both had awakened from a deep sleep and were to tired to figure anything out so we went back to sleep and luckily all was well. It was interesting to assess the damage today. The things that people have to be most careful about are falling trees--on cars, homes, etc. and broken power lines. We took advantage of the beautiful day today and in celebration of Bob taking his huge counselor's exam this morning (yes the morning after all this drama), we went to the zoo. We parked on a sidestreet near some homes and as we were walking to the zoo we kept hearing a popping noise behind us. We couldn't figure out what it was and chalked it up to someone working with a nail gun. However, on the way back we figured out the noise culprit. The popping was an exposed wire hitting a tree branch causing sparks. Nice. Right over our parked car. I thanked the Lord for not letting it catch on fire and we moved on out of there as fast as we could! We have now survived almost any kind of weather we could imagine!

Getting crunchy

Georgia is definitely not known as a granola culture place where people are concerned with health food, or even health in general. I saw a sign the other day that said that part of being southern means that you think macaroni and cheese is a vegetable. Even when vegetables are served they are slathered with butter and cream. I am not sure if that cancels out the health benefits, but regardless getting good food for your body is not on the top of the list. So the fact that I have started to lean a little on the crunchy side strikes me as interesting. However, just like anywhere, there are pockets of almost any passion that one can have. I have met some fun friends and come across books and stores that allow me to feed this interest. Did I mention before that I am doing a 90 day fast from shopping-- this includes shopping from clothes and home goods (throw pillows are my drug of choice). So in some ways I have definitely seen this bleed over into grocery shopping. I have always loved shopping for food because within reason, you don't have to justify to yourself or your husband spending money on food. I mean, afterall, we do have to eat. But now that money is not going to my other shopping bad habits, I have found a passion called Dekalb Farmer's Market. This awesome indoor market brings in foods from all over but I have particularly fallen in love with their whole grains and beans in bulk. These are inexpensive and organic thingfs like oats, wheat, millet, dried pintos, kidneys, etc. There are also all sorts of spices and fresh pasta (not dried) that is to die for. We have also enjoyed buying free range meats that were humanely raised. I have really loved having the time to learn more about these things and to use them. It is a much less expensive way to shop for organics to buy in dried bulk but it means a couple of things. You definitely have to plan ahead to make meals because if you decide 10 minutes before dinner that you want a bean and cheese burrito, well you pretty much have to either have a crunchy one or make it a quesadilla. You also have to have to learn about different ways to use the grains or have a way to make them into flour. Learning about whole grains freshly ground into flour has been really interesting to me. I've heard before that you've really become a homeschool family when you grind your own flour to make bread. Well, I must be official now because I made my own bread today. Unfortunately, I don't have my own grain mill (they are a whopping $250 new-- a bit less than that used) but I do have a friend with a Vitamix, the awesome blender that has its own superpowers. So she let me use it today to grind some grains and beans to make Ezekiel bread. The bread is amazing! If you have ever had Ezekiel bread from the store it tends to be a little dry, but this bread is not in the slightest. It has a slightly sweet taste and has the texture and density of cornbread. I was so pleased with it! I also have some other wheat that I am going to make into a loaf. I have been baking so much bread lately that our freezer and fridge are packed to the max (including other things of course--man cannot live by bread alone). I was so proud of myself last week when I made Bob's breakfast bread of choice--whole grain English muffins. We have been buying them at the store for years and I was able to make them for way less and they taste just as good. However, I need to work on the size of them (he has to eat two or three instead of the usual one). So now I am begging for a grain mill for something, anything... I have been trying to persuade Bob it is a good half birthday gift (May 11 for anyone who wants to know) but he keeps trying to convince me (I'm not buying it) that my family was the only one that celebrated half birthdays. I think you've got to milk anything for all it's worth. Am I allowed to receive a gift in celebration of Bob graduating? I found one on Craig's list for $165 which is a great deal compared to the new price but I am trying to find a way to a) convince myself this is a worthwhile purchase--I think I am almost there and b) convincing my husband--the scary part! Last time I was faced with a big purchase like this in deciding on getting a KitchenAid, my parents got it for me and it turned out to be the best gift I have ever received (besides my hubby and the ring he gave me). I would even still say that if I had been the one forking over the dough, figuratively speaking :) I have also started making my own kefir, which is like a liquidy yogurt, from kefir grains given to me by a friend and I've been sprouting some lentils as well. It has been fun to go back to much of the original ways things were made and eaten. I do understand and appreciate the convenience that the pre-made stuff can bring, especially when people don't have the same kind of time on their hands that I do. But there is something so satisfying for me about making something from scratch, learning how to do what the store has done for us for years for much more money. Maybe I should take all the money I am saving and put it toward a grain mill. Ha! I would love to hear some things you have made from scratch that made you feel proud and saved you a pretty penny.

Lesson Learned: Men's Skincare Products not intended for women (duh!?)

I officially work solely from home now, which has its definite benefits and drawbacks. Allow me to share part of my day in the life of working at home. Bob received some samples of manly skin products from a guy he knows, which have been sitting on the bathroom counter for weeks. For some reason he has not wanted to try these, maybe because they had titles such as "Beard Lube" and "Exfoliating Scrub". While seeing as a girl always needs a good exfoliation, I decided to finally use the neglected products. After marinating (as one friend affectionately calls it) in my pajamas until noon, I decided to take a shower and get dressed. This was a step in the right direction, since it often takes me until the hour before Bob comes home to decide to put on clothes. Really, what is the point when you are not seeing anyone? Some people say they just feel better about themselves when they do so, but I don't think it gets much better than being in pjs... Anyway, bad choice in using man exfoliator because, as you probably already guessed, it smells like a man. Which now so do I. In all honesty, I did recognize this the minute that I put in on my hands and still chose to rub it all over my face. Again, working from home is not inspiring for these minor details. And now I just get to pretend that Bob is here with me instead of recognizing the reality that I am the one who smells like cologne. In an effort to have a reason get dressed, I try to plan something little every day even if it is just going to the bank. We will see how many looks I get today when I walk by smelling like a man. Does it matter if you get dressed and look cute when it appears you are wearing men's cologne? I might have well just stayed in my pajamas.

I won! I won!

I recently have been checking a blog called the local cook, in which she highlights learning how to buy and use food from your area. She is not in the Atlanta area but has some good inspirations for different recipes and things. You can find more about the local cook at http://thelocalcook.com/

Recently, she had a post that you could comment in order to apply to win a book called, Eat Where You Live: How to Find and Enjoy Local and Sustainable Food No Matter Where You Live by Lou Bendrick. I just got an email this afternoon saying that I am the one that won it! The excitement that I responded with made Bob think that I won money or something and he couldn't quite understand why I was so excited about a book. It is not just about what a great book it will be, but also the feeling of being chosen (whether randomly or not). I am still giddy about the "win"; I guess it is the competitive side in me even though I didn't do anything to deserve the W in this case.

After I read it, I will have to let you know how it is. Can't wait to get it in the mail!

Friendship

Friendship is something that no one ever really teaches you about. Learning how to be a friend is something that happens through trial and error, with lots of joy and pain along the way. I love watching little kids make friends. They can't talk to each other but just start to repeat actions of what the other is doing. And like magic, they are friends. One of my favorite things on Sunday mornings at church is to watch the kids play. One will start running in the hall and pretty soon there are a team of five two year olds running back and forth. They haven't spoken a word but have communicated in ways that are so uninhibited. Sometimes I wish I had that die hard attitude when it came to friendships, thinking, "Of course, we will be friends, why wouldn't we?" It is so sad how past hurts can get in the way of that. Our own insecurities, the perfections people display about themselves that actually make you not want to be around them, our expectations that to be a good friend you have to have a certain amount of time, or see each other this often.

I was blessed yesterday by two phone conversations with friends I haven't talked to in months. These are friends I usually communicate to in other ways, through mail, blog checking, etc. but I was so touched by both of their calls. Even though I haven't talked to either of them on the phone in a long time and we talked less than half an hour, it was amazing that we just picked up in the present. I don't know why I am always surprised at the ease of this--that we still are who we are even if we don't know the daily details of each other's lives.

Moving has taught me so much about who I am, how I approach (or avoid) friendships and the definition I have now of friendship is so different than the one I had a few years ago. My closest friends don't necessarily have to be the ones I talk to the most often. They are the ones that KNOW me, the kind of knowing that is that childlike without-words kind. Where we could just sit and be quiet and still be communicating. And friendships are slow. The more I try to force them the less fluid and life giving they become. It takes a long time to really get to know someone and that process cannot be hurried. I hope that the more I grow and learn about myself and humanness, the more I can give and receive friendship. I know I really cherish these relationships.

Good things--March 8

Yesterday was Fat Tuesday (the day before Lent starts). Bob decided to give up red meat for Lent, so we gave it a last whirl at our guilty pleasure, Steak and Shake. There have been a few times where I have truly enjoyed Steak and Shake rather than feel utterly ashamed for eating there: 1. When Bob and I first moved here and tried to go a million other places that were too busy or full or weren't quite what we were looking for. Our date ended up being at Steak and Shake for a 9:00 dinner and cards. Awesome--truly loved it after the rest of the night fell apart. 2. After running my half marathon--nothing beats, a burger, fries, coke, and a shake after running. I am sure that I over exceeded the calories I burnt but at that point I didn't care. 3. On Fat Tuesday, of course. I haven't eaten a burger in months and it was delicious. I had to tell myself the whole time to enjoy it and not feel guilty. As you can see from my post yesterday, I am reading more about local and sustainable foods. Steak and Shake is not on the menu for that. Call me a hypocrite, because I am. Bob and I had a great time, though!

Good Things-- March 7

I have been reading the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver about her journey in eating and farming local foods. It is very inspiring and a fun read. I try to get in a little bit every day. It is amazing how many foods we eat out of season just because our recipes call for them. It has encouraged me to do a little more research and find places in the area to buy local foods. I can't wait for Farmer's Markets starting soon!

Goodbye Maggie

My childhood dog had to be put to sleep this week. Even though I haven't lived with her for years and she was always really more of my mom's dog than a family dog, it makes me sad. Just another reminder that childhood is gone, long gone really. And a reminder that life is fleeting, that the things/people you love are not always around. It is so hard to mourn in life--I don't think you can ever really get good at it.

She was a fun dog for us. She loved to run and play soccer and when she was a puppy she would get up on the dishwasher to lick the dishes. She liked to lay by the fire and on top of the couch. She was a very particular pup and would often say no to treats or take them and "bury" them somewhere around the house.

It is hard to say goodbye to something you cared for even if it is not often present in your life.

Pray for my momma, she is sad...