bee in my bonnet.

my friend, creative peep. gathered her creative friends up today and included me.

i'm so flattered that she thinks i'm creative. because she is super duper duper. creative. and i feel super duper uncreative in comparison!

we had a good time. discussing projects and programs and ideas. meeting new people. being inspired. i wish i could bottle up all the good energy and vibes...

so. now. all day long. i've felt like i've got a bee in my bonnet. to do something creative. to get started. so full of ideas. so i'm making lists. that's a good place to start, right?

diane.

my thoughts and prayers go out to my friend, diane who lost her dad today.

this year has just been so sad. and what's left of my heart is breaking with hers.

i just want to send out my love and support to her. and i wish i could take away all of the pain and sadness...

mr. postman.

i love. love. love. getting mail.

not bills. but real mail. letters. cards. notes. magazines. even some junk mail thrown in there for good measure.

love walking to the mail box. pulling out a pile of mail.

love it at valentine's day when all the envelopes are pink and red.

love the idea that someone thought and went to the effort of putting something in the mail to me.

call me old-fashioned. oh, sure email. is good. but there's nothing better than getting your very own piece of mail.

and now. due to this darn economy. the post office might start delivering one day less each week. the day is to be determined. possibly saturday or tuesday. possibly only in the summer. only in some areas. and of course. this is all tbd. isn't it always?

but i am sad. another loss of tradition. of going to get the mail. remember when the mailmen (that's what they were called when i was a kid) actually walked the neighborhood? would put the mail in your door? would wave and smile and chat? knew you? would sometimes even bring lollipops?

yes, i know that makes me sound ancient. but it was routine. it was exciting to get a letter from a friend. or a grandmom. it was exciting that it was yours. and now.

well. the mail in our neighborhood is delivered by truck to a community box. and soon it seems it might come one less day...and for that i am sad.

really?

no more decaf? at starbucks?

apparently. in a cost-cutting move. starbucks will no longer be brewing decaf coffee after noon.

it says it will help to save $400 million by doing this.

i, for one. am an afternoon decaf drinker. i know they will brew on demand. and for that i am thankful. i will always get a fresh cup. but it still seems odd. that a coffee company wouldn't automatically brew decaf in the pm.

but really? who am i to complain? if it saves good coffee from being wasted and maybe??? (we could only hope) lowers the cost. i. am all. for. it. bring. it on.

gym etiquette. part 2.

incase you forgot. i think. there should be some kind of rule. about etiquette. at the gym.

more than just signs: limit yourself to 30 minutes. clean machines after use. put used towels here.

how about:
1. no nail clipping while on gym floor, while sitting on machines, while biking.

2. no lounging on machines for 30 minutes. if you are going to get on a machine use it. don't use it for a seat.

3. no babies on the floor next to your machine. i don't have anything against babies. i have some. but i do not appreciate small children (that should be in the nursery) taking up machines that other could use...

4. no talking on your cell phone while on the elliptical machine. especially if you seem to be discussing your job situation with your boss. first, shouldn't you probably be in the office? and second, do you really want everyone to hear how much you make and how much you soon won't be making apparently?

ugh. it's hard enough to get myself to the gym. especially on a cold, kind-of-snowy day. and unfortunately my ipod wouldn't drown the conversation out. good luck.

christmas. part ?

her: "mommy. guess what?"

me: "what? how was your day?"

friend one: "she said her name is christmas."

me: "uh huh. it is."

friend two: "for real?"

me: "for real. that's her middle name." (and it is. named after her grammy. her maiden name.)

her. "christmas, christmas, christmas. that's my name."

me: "where did this come from?"

teacher: "she introduced herself using her full name when she was helper today."

me: "ok."

her: "it's christmas. that's really. really. really it. and that just means that i have more christmas magic in my blood."

if only i could bottle this up. and keep it with me. i would laugh and smile all day long.

adventuring.

i've been thrifting a lot lately. i was way into it years ago. when i worked for the magazine. they were all about thrifting. and finding. iv'e always loved adventuring. i prefer to call it that. adventuring. because. you never know. what. you. might find. or run into.

last weekend. oh beehive dragged me out. i was home alone. with the littles. the spouse went west. for meetings and a game. and fun. and i was at home. with two small crazy people. lunch at andres. interesting people watching. purple hats. odd help. tables of confusion. but good food. and company. and after we dined. a run by anthropologie. its own kind of adventuring, too. a sale. a good sale. and then to the antique mall. she came across a great little table. marble top. i actually have the same table. from my grandmother. but she got a steal. a steal.

me? well, i found another p. well, actually, she found it, but i bought it. and a little vintage picture. it reminds me of someone special. so i had to bring it home.


and on the way home. i stopped at another thrift store. lots of goodies. no purchases. i was running late. but well worth the stop.

and yesterday. another day of adventuring. this time with the other yulie. to a small area in town of antique stores. some treasures i'm still contemplating going back for. and then lunch. and good conversation. and then we headed out. to some well known and well blogged about antique stores.

eech! they were crazy. crazy people. crazy. smelly. smelly. smelly. and then a shop that we had read about, heard about. were dying to go to. we went. and we won't go back. so unpleasant. so unfriendly. if you could even call it friendly. so unbearably rude. and confusing. we couldn't even figure it out. and we are shoppers. i tell you. shoppers. and nothing was marked. nothing tagged. nothing in any sort of reasonable, sane order. and help? there was no help. no inkling of even an interest in selling anything to anyone. is this how places stay in business these days? i'll give you a name if you email. i will. i promise.

but we didn't let it damper our enthusiasm.

for adventuring. we plotted our next adventure on the way home. east we decided. we'll head east.

let me know if you want to join in.

baker.baker.

i'm a baker. cookies, cakes, cupcakes, pies. i love experimenting. i love the smells, the satisfaction of a good recipe. delivering home-baked cookies to friends. but i've wanted to branch out. try something hard. challenging.

so, lately i've been baking bread. something i've never done before. well sweet breads, yes. but real, yeasty, rustic breads, no.

i must admit. i was a bit nervous. a bit hesitant. the "what ifs" running. through. my head. but hey. it's just flour and yeast. no waste. i can always start over.

and start over. i did. the first try didn't work out like i had hoped. it didn't rise like it should. i think the problem was the yeast. i bought new and better. upgraded. and tried again.

here's some pictures of the process:

the sticky dough.


rising. yes. blue saran wrap. i bought it in error. whoever thought of this product was nuts.


rising again. two loaves in the making.


and.

well.

presto!



and if i do say so myself.

gorgeous!



just. like in the bakeries. but it tasted better. i think because i made it.

i have two more loaves rising right now. a regular white flour variety. and. an experiment. half whole wheat. half white. i won't bake until later this afternoon.
it's a long proofing time. you have to figure time out backwards a bit, if you want them for a meal. but well worth the effort. and so impressive. if i can brag a bit. oh, and if you want the recipe. just leave me a comment. it's well worth it.

change.

isn't the peaceful handing over of power in this country amazing?

the pomp and circumstance is something we rarely see in this democracy. the inauguration is the closest thing we have to big time, all hands-on tradition in this country.

it was lovely to see.

congratulations mr. president.

and as little one says "change my life!"

where are you spring?

i know.


it's only a month (barely) into winter.

but i'm done. finished. had enough.

we woke up to 9 degrees and snow. at least it was snowing. because if it's going to be this blasted cold, it might as well be pretty and snow.

by tuesday it's supposed to be 65. we'll all be sick i'm sure. of it.

remembering.

i'm still sad. so sad. i'm not sure i'm ready to come back to this space. but i miss it. i miss so many things right now. especially my little twink.

but i'm trying. i'm trying. and that's the best i can do right now. my friends have been such a support to me during this. the flowers and meals. the calls of just checking in. the emails. the prayers. it has made this more bearable. if that's possible.

i'm trying to remember the good things about twinkle. the things that she did. that made me smile and laugh and love her to pieces.

she was sweet and silly.

cuddly and warm.

she always listened to me and waited for me.

she barely passed puppy class because she was too busy doing other things.

she'd steal my spot in bed as soon as i got up. everyday.

she had a favorite toy that she'd carry around for hours.

she flew home with me once. the flight attendants served her. but not me.

she would lie at my feet for hours. she would snuggle in on cold or warm nights. when i was sick or recovering from surgery.

she loved oranges and treats and cheese.

she loved to climb up on us and lick our noses. she was little and fluffy. and loved to run round the yard.

when it snowed, she would go head first into the biggest pile of snow.

she loved to pull off and steal your socks.

when she was a puppy she was so little i could fit her in my LV bag. she once got kicked out of ben and jerry's.

when little one was born, she would snuggle up and sleep next to her. she'd steal binkies and rattles.

she loved to be carried around and fawned over. this was not tough to give into.

she loved to ride in cars and hated going to the vet. even though they loved her, too.

she had her favorite blankies and beds and spots in the house that were hers.

she would sit for hours in the window watching for us to come home.

she loved going for walks. she also loved for us to carry her after about half way.

she was a colorado native and relocated to the midwest with us. she adapted fine, although i think she, too always missed the mountains.

but most of all. she was our family. and now there's a big empty hole in it.

and now we miss her. so. so. so. much. but she'll always be here with us.

heartbroken.

hi friends.

i'm signing off for awhile. not sure when i'll be back.

i'm just so sad and i don't have anything to say or write about now.

i lost my little twinkle yesterday.

and i'm just so sad. so sad. and so heartbroken. i hope you can understand the bond we had. the specialness. she was my best buddy for a long time. my little.

so that's it. be well. until the gloomies leave. and i can write about all the good things and memories i have about her.