Archive for the ‘Personal’ Category

My Love List

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008

Jenn over at Free and Flawed has been posting her love lists over the past few months. Since today is my birthday and I’ve been kinda bummed lately, I thought it would be a perfect chance to focus on all the good things in my life and post my love list.

If I remember correctly, though, you can’t list any family, friends, husbands, children, etc. So, within those boundaries, here is my love list.

I Love...I love sunny days and puffy clouds. The sound of wind blowing between treetops. Walking through grass in bare feet. Lazy days where doing nothing is doing something. Getting things done and the feeling of accomplishment afterward.

I love swinging in hammocks. The beach and walking along the shoreline. Wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Silly-looking socks. My Macbook. Blogging and reading other blogs. The sound of a cats purr. The feel of fluffy fur. Making connections with people. Making friends with animals. Bringing shy animals out of their shell. Making people happy.

I love a fully-stocked food pantry. Volunteering. Flowers, especially wild flowers. Plain yogurt with honey drizzled on top. Melon, but especially watermelon. Grapes. Nature. Taking photographs on my digital camera. Swimming in warm water. Wading in icy cold creeks. Black beans and Spanish rice. Warm soup on rainy days.

I love my baby bump. Warm slippers. Vanilla frozen yogurt with berry compote. Herbed rotisserie chicken. Trees. Watching butterflies and dragonflies. Our house. Our neighborhood. Reading a good book on a cold day while drinking a cup of hot tea.

What do you love?

It’s My Party and I’ll Cry if I Want To

Tuesday, September 16th, 2008

I hate my birthday. There, I’ve said it. I can’t remember a time in the past 7 years (since 9/11) that I’ve really enjoyed my birthday.

This year I thought it would be different. I told myself that I’d make sure I would have a fun birthday, past 7 years be damned! I even bought a gluten-free cake mix (vanilla, of course!) from Whole Foods so I could actually have a birthday cake. I can’t even remember the last time I had a birthday cake. I also picked up some of the oh so bad frosting (vanilla, of course!) to smear on top. You know the kind.. partially hydrogenated, sugary, just awful for you, but oh so delicious.

Well, despite my best efforts, my plan to have a birthday cake has massively failed. I just finished wiping up the entire top of the cake that crumbled when I tried to slide it out of the pan onto the cooling rack. I followed all of the directions to a T, cooling it in the pan for the recommended time.

My ruined birthday cake.

My ruined birthday cake.

So, see.. I just hate my birthday. Not much seems to go right around this time of year for me, so for the past 7 birthdays I have yet to be excited or look forward to that supposedly special day when I was born.

Can I just pick another day and start celebrating it on that day, instead? Maybe sometime in Spring? Because, seriously, I give up. September 17th just isn’t a fun birthday anymore.

In Memory of Sophie

Thursday, September 11th, 2008

Sophie at Rainbow Bridge
April 1, 1994 – September 11, 2002

Rainbow Bridge

There is a bridge connecting heaven and Earth. It is called the Rainbow Bridge because of its many colors. Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge, there is a land of meadows, hills and valleys with lush green grass.

When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this place. There is always food and water and warm spring weather. The old and frail animals are young again. Those who are maimed are made whole again. They play all day with each other.

There is only one thing missing. They are not with their special person who loved them on Earth. So, each day they run and play until the day comes when one suddenly looks up! The nose twitches. The ears are up. The eyes are staring. And this one suddenly runs from the group.

You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet, you take him or her in your arms and embrace. Your face is kissed again and again and again, and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet.

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be separated.

Moving Date is Set

Monday, July 28th, 2008

Now that I’ve unpacked from our trip, I have to turn around and start packing again – to move out of our apartment and into our new house! This past Friday we had our “final walk-through”, and it went very well.

Our contractor brought a pack of little green dot stickers to mark everything we think needs some extra TLC before we move in. Nothing too major, just little stuff like paint touch-ups and some polishing here and there.

So, this week, the builders will be spiffing everything up and by close of business day next Friday, we will be holding the keys to our new home! With keys in hand, we plan to move-in next Saturday or Sunday, so it might be a bit quiet around here for a couple of days next weekend. 😉

Also, I’m working on processing photos for the baby shower and our trip to the Sequoias and should have all the details posted today or tomorrow. 🙂