4th on the 5th

I hope all of your 4ths were as relaxing and interesting as mine.

The rest of my week is also jam-packed...I anticipate another photo dump soon.  I have lots to share!

"But I must admit I miss you quite terribly.  The world is too quiet without you nearby."
~ Lemony Snicket

Today

I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul.
~ Pablo Neruda

Homemade but not entirely healthy

Today's food haul...

Crispy edamame.  Basically I'll make anything with "edamame" in the title.

Cheesy zucchini rice.  Perhaps my newest staple....

Salad.  I would say it was boring, but it includes romaine and varigated romaine from my CSA, some sort of beet greens and cucumbers from the farmers market, carrots, mushrooms, cheese (sadly I only bought them at Trader Joes), chicken, & eggs (from my CSA). 



Oh yeah...with homemade honey mustard dressing.  That highly resembles that sauce at Chick Fil A. 



Looking for a recipe for these CSA strawberries.  They don't look like much but they're surprisingly tasty.  Perhaps I'll just continue to snack on them...

And like that, meals for the week are done.  Whew.  If you want any of the recipes, there are links in each of the descriptions - just click on the blue or purple font.  I can't remember what color it turns.

"I tried to forget
But you grew roots around my ribcage
And sprouted flowers
Just below my collarbones
All day I pluck their petals
But I have not yet ascertained
Whether you love me
Or not."
~ Anna Peters

The great American past time

Yesterday a friend and I went to the Mariners/Red Sox game.  It was one of those events in which everything fell into place perfectly...from start to finish.  We made all the ferries on time, traffic was good, tickets were AWESOME and fairly cheap, weather was good (although they did close the roof because it was sprinkling), etc.  I know it sounds silly, but it was like one of those things that was meant to be. 

Maybe we both needed the break from reality. 

First pitch

We were in row 6, the second behind the visitor's bullpen.  Which was perfect.  We were rooting for the Red Sox.

Modern day baseball.....  Guinness on tap...

Garlic fries and deep fried mushrooms. 

This guy was awesome...

He gave the people in front of us his bat...

Some awesome Sox fans.

Ichiro

Bobby Valentine

Jayme was in a haze the whole time.  She's from Boston and grew up a Red Sox fan.

Unfortunately the Mariners won.  Bottom of the 9th.  Scoreless the whole game til the very end.

Jayme told me today that one of her patients recognized her on TV.  Sweet!  We were on TV!!!

Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady.  I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there.  And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women.
~ Nora Ephron

Answers

So I've been looking for an answer to a question I've had recently.  I thought I had prepared for any answer I would get. 

Apparently I didn't prepare enough.  Drowning my feelings in Pilates, Pizza, and Beer. 

Trying to tell myself that definitive answers, no matter how unwelcome, are better than no answer at all.

"Expectation is the root of all heartache."
~ William Shakespeare

The weekend so far...



Road trip first stop - Fat Smittys. Its a local burger place. 




Its a tradition at Fat Smittys to tack up a dollar on any available surface.  No, I didn't.  They will occasionally take down the money and donate it.  Last haul was over $10000.




MMMM...half a Fat Smittys burger.  We split one.





Next stop...Forks, WA!  We stayed at this awesome little bed and breakfast.  I didn't know til after we got there that its the Cullen House on the Twilight Tour.  If you have no idea what that means, don't worry about it.  If you do, just realize we encountered way too much twilight memorbilia.




A map of the world with all the B&B's visitors.




Same thing, only a map of the states.




Next up...we hiked down to second beach in LaPush.





I used to think Washington had the most depressing beaches in the world.  I mean, I grew up with beautiful sandy east-coast beaches.  I now think WA beaches have their own beauty.




Part of the hike.  Since we go down a mountain, someone a long time ago thoughtfully made a trail.




Next up...  the beginning of the hike into Cape Flattery.




View from the very northwest point of the continental USA.  Beautiful.




Erin and I happy to have another goal crossed off the list.





Michelle's wedding:  my girl gang.  Erin, Jayme, Michelle, and myself.





Jayme and I were passing time by instagramming. 





Just call us "legs".





Ahh...and today.  Making roasted vegetables for lunches this week. 



I took a deep breath

And listened

To the old bray

of my heart.

I am.  I am.  I am.

~ Sylvia Plath

A white blank page

It's been awhile since I've written too much of anything on here.  I guess it's been awhile since I've had anything really to say.

Life has been good and stressful and sad and hopeful and so many other things all rolled into one. 

If I could compare life to my Pandora stations, the past couple months were my Pitbull/Lil' Wayne mix: fast paced and busy.   

Recently I've changed that station to Band of Horses/Mumford and Sons:  slow paced, sweet, and more thoughtful.

What does that mean for me without all the analogies?  I have two very good friends leaving in a month.  I'm trying to spend as much time with them, as they are also trying to get their last Washington experiences.  But instead of a frenetic pace, we seem to be taking it slow - one day and experience at a time.  Giving us all time to breathe and enjoy each other's company, and cherish the rest of our time together.  Cheesy?  Yes.  Oh well. 

Later today (after dropping Atticus off at a kennel for the 3rd time this month), my friend Erin and I are going to take a road trip to Forks.  We have absolutely no plans except to enjoy our time and find cool things to do.  We come back tomorrow (Friday), and then Erin, Jayme, and I will be watching our other friend Michelle get married on Saturday.  Its going to be a full weekend, but hopefully relaxing as well. 

The next several weeks have a wine tastings, fancy dinners, museums, festivals, and barbecues in the works. 

I no longer have a trainee at work.  So its actually been nice - to work the radio, socialize with my peers, and get stuff done.  I have new projects in the works, and I'm trying to work AHEAD of time, instead of constantly trying to catch up.  I learned a lot of new things at the conference, and I hope to use that knowledge instead of hoarding it.

The following is one of my recent favorite songs for your enjoyment.  Lyrics helpfully included, although no - don't read anything into them.  I just think the song is pretty. 

I'm trying not to be sad my friends are leaving.  Erin is actually going to Philadelphia (mom, I told her she could visit you any time she wants) :), so I know I'll see her again.  Jenni is off to North Carolina.  I'm happy that they're following their dreams and fulfilling goals, I just know life will be different here. 

In other news, my garden is growing!

Yay!

I'm still cooking.  What feels like all the time.  Always looking for the next recipe and idea.  Trying to be less clinical with recipes and learn to substitute and experiment.  I didn't take any pictures of the feast I made for this week's lunches:  roasted veggies, twiced baked sweet potatoes, more edamame dip, and rhubarb mint applesauce.  The rhubarb mint applesauce was my own creation, and I got to use rhubarb from my CSA and mint from my garden.  Pretty good.

So I guess thats about it for now.  Just know I'm trying to pack my life with experiences and memories and happy and struggling all at the same time.  I guess we all are, maybe. 

I have three weeks of vacation coming up in August that I'm also trying to fill.  I'm hoping to catch up with old friends and do some travelling.  Onward and upward!

Atticus dreaming in the sun on a freshly mowed yard.

And if your strife strikes at your sleep
Remember spring swaps snow for leaves
You'll be happy and wholesome again
When the city clears and sun ascends
~ Mumford and sons