Every day I'm...

Strangely happy.  Despite many reasons to be the opposite.

I'm trying not to question it.

Woohoo!!!  Got it yesterday!!!!

Is this a freaking carob chip?  What, are you trying to buy our love with hippie chocolate?  You idiot.
~ Schmidt, New Girl

TEXAS

I just got back early this morning from the great land of Texas, where I visited my good friend Sarah (college roommate) and just took a couple days to relax.  It was marvelous.

Sarah and me

I also got to meet her three children....

Jayden, the oldest, is 5.  He never stops talking. 

Abran, the middle child at 4, is the one who I could identify with most.  He's a sensitive kid.

And the baby, Gabriel, who is 2 (almost 3), and gets into everything. 

The boys did nothing but talk, get into everything possible, wrestle...

And throw rocks whenever possible.

 I didn't have too many things on my agenda, so I basically just hung out with Sarah and her family, and did fun things with them...

Jayden and Abran's soccer game.  I think the end score was like 47-0. 

Abran

We went to an airshow.  Pretty cool.

With fireworks!  I don't know why I love fireworks so much.  Simple pleasures.

We ate Texas food.  Barbecued turkey and brisket.  Mmmmm....

Oh yes, we drove to Austin so I could get a tattoo. 

We talked about the differences between WA, TX, and IL (where Sarah used to live).  One thing is the tremendous amount of political signs EVERYWHERE.

We went to Pedernales Falls State Park.  Beautiful.  Oppressively hot.

In fact, it was in the 90's every day. 

It was nice.  Yes, I sweated profusely every day, but I enjoyed the change in weather.  I needed sun and heat.

A lizard!  Simple pleasures, right?

Abran picked me a wildflower. 

Sarah and I went to Goodwill to pick up some plaid tshirts for "going out"....

We went to Denim & Diamonds, which hilariously to me is right next to Harvest Church in the stripmall.  The bar was everything I expected about Texas.  Oh, and in order to get in I had to "join" the membership club.  I expect I'll get a certificate in the mail this week.  *shakes head*

On the last day we went to a lake to cool down.  This is the last 20 seconds of Gabriel and Abran completely dry.  Soon after they both tripped and spent the rest of the afternoon in wet clothing.

All in all, a good relaxing weekend!  I have one day to adjust my body back to dayshift though....my 8 day workweek starts early tomorrow morning at 4am. 

Oi.

"Jayden, go get Aunt Alicia a beer." ~ Sarah

Hole

I'm forming an acid hole in my stomach.  Work stress coming at me from about 12 angles.  10 more work hours, and I have 6 days off.  Keep thinking of that.... 

Today I led a group meeting at work.  I learned some details of Tony's murder that made me sick to my stomach.  I was glad to be privy to this information, but still.  Sick.  And then went to Pilates to de-stress afterwards and was asked to be the demonstrator for the class (my instructor is 6 months pregnant and can't do many of the exercises anymore).  Which means I'm up front and she says "look at Alicia do *this*".  I'm much happier in amongst everyone else in my own little bubble where I think no one can see me.  Pilates helped ease the acid hole, but made me highly self-conscious.

Have many things to do but just about no desire to do them.  I need to come up with motivation to last me 10 more hours at work.  Then tomorrow maybe I can clean and do the wash and pack etc.  36 hours I'll be at the airport. 

Just keep thinking of that.

"You felt no reality, no knife of sorrow cut your intestines to bits.  Only a weariness, a longing for a shoulder to sleep on, and a pair of arms to curl up in."
~ Sylvia Plath

Sad news

My neighbor is moving.  Several states away.

Happy for them.  Sad for me.

No more shared dinners.

No more random kitchen wisdom.

No more craft stuff.

No more drop-ins.

No more lawn-mower-borrowing.

No more girl conversations.

No more 2-year-old wisdom.

*Sigh*

The friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you.  ~ Elbert Hubbard

Rubbing hips with the rich and green...

Today a friend and I went to Bainbridge Island to take advantage of all the island has to offer.  Bainbridge Island is the "in" place to be...full of wealthy elitests wearing birkenstocks and paying $20 for what costs $5 anywhere else.  But, the place is beautiful, clean, and full of unique things...

First stop...Bainbridge Organic Distillery...

Release day for their organic whiskey...sells out in one day, and one bottle allowed per person.  We got there an hour early to make sure we each got a bottle.  No, I'm not a whiskey person, I just wanted to get in on it....

I'm more of a vodka person.  Supposedly this stuff is so good it would be a crime to mix it with anything.  We'll see...

Lunch.  Yup...I drank part of mine.  And no, thats hard cider, not weak beer. 

We also stopped at the Bainbridge Farmers market, where I picked up some herbs to start my indoor herb garden...rosemary, thyme, varigated oregano, and chives...

mint...

And apple mint.  Hopefully my sunroom will smell delicious in a couple of days....

Atticus wisely stayed outside while I planted.

Yay!  Indoor garden!  (and outdoor crazy dog!).

2 hours til I meet another friend to watch the Sounders game (on TV, not going to the game....that is a goal though).  So I have 2 hours to figure out what to make with all the veggies in my fridge.

4 more days of work til my vacation.  I NEED IT!

The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.
~ WB Yeats

Thats right...

...I finally planted my garden.

*crosses fingers*

Sometimes it seems the harder you try to hold onto something or someone the more it wants to get away.  You feel like some kind of criminal for having felt, for having wanted.  For having wanted to be wanted.  It confuses you because you think that your feelings were wrong and it makes you feel so small because its so hard to keep it inside when you let it out and it doesn't come back.  You're left so alone that you can't explain. 
~ Henry Rollins

A pretty good start

Using this tutorial, and the motivation from my upcoming trip to Texas, I took...



This...

And changed it to this...

 

So simple.  5 minutes and 2 rows of stitches.  I didn't even change out the hot pink thread on my machine...

 

This...



To this...



This...

To this...

All were 99 cent goodwill specials - one that I had previously gussied up with some fabric paint.  Less than 30 minutes and I had 3 new tank tops!

In food news, this week I tried....

Creamy mashed cauliflower.  Pretty good.

Vegan carrot cake balls... YUM.

I have a super busy weekend planned.  Hope to get everything done before my last week of work before my mini-vacation to Texas! 

"You can pay me in vegan cakeballs." ~ my neighbor