This is me...

...letting it go.

Imagine, if you will, a bonfire burning brightly. The orange and red tongues lapping at the thick air. Strange shadows being cast upon the dark walls from the sensuous fire's dance.

Now, imagine me taking a few heavy thoughts...a few things from the day, still fresh from the core and heaving them into the fire. The flames consuming them....taking them away, into a pillar of murky, black smoke.

Ashes to Ashes:

1. Having to make the call to let someone know they lost their job. They don't get to return to work after the holiday weekend and that I'll talk to her about it more on Tuesday. I couldn't get a hold of her on Friday before leaving work and I couldn't leave the message or send the email in a heartless, cold fashion. I couldn't do it. So, I tossed and turned all night - dreamed about it, lost sleep over it and basically made myself sick. It's behind me now, but it's been hanging over me still.

2. Connecting with an old friend; someone who you have known for years and feeling the sting of rejection and not knowing why. Interpreting* an email as cool, aloof and having it hang on my heart and whisper softly that maybe they just don't really care anymore. Or maybe they can't....or don't want to ?

This is me tossing these thoughts to the winds tonight. Letting them go. I'm not going to dwell on them. I'm not going to allow myself to be consumed with the empathy that I so often fall victim to.

*I interpret and feel a lot. I am often right and typically go with what my heart tells me. This has, of course, gotten me into trouble in the past. Since it's gnawing at me, I need to just let it go if I want to have a decent weekend. So, not assuming anything, but letting it go, for now.

Catacombs of my dreams

So last night, I finished off the night with Chapter 24 in Eclipse. Victoria. Riley. The standoff.

I turned off the lights and tried to sleep. Since starting the Twilight series, I'm having a hard time sleeping right away. Not in a bad way, but I feel like my mind is buzzing after reading -- I'm kind of hyper, so it takes a little longer to fall asleep.

My dreams were odd.

I was in an odd city much like Tai-Tastigon in God Stalk. I was being followed, hunted and the two people I was with were trying to keep me safe...trying to keep the hunters off my track. I remember them laying traps, dropping sharp tacks and other various items in the alleys behind us as we rushed through this odd city, making our way back to the location where it was all going down.

It was a home. A beautiful, strange Victorian style home.

It was mine.

We rushed to the basement which turned out to be more of a confusing set of catacombs. I remember running deeper and deeper into the basement. The descending path was a dirt floor. The beauty of the house had turned into more of a cavern now with a confusing set of labyrinth-like tunnels. I stopped and consoled the person who was with me - someone who now reminds me very much of Alice, but in my dream, she was actually more of a fairy type of being. The other individual was going to stay in the house, to delay them as long as possible.

The hall had opened up into a huge, relatively unfinished room with a few ornate doors set into the dirt walls and two paths that went down into a second level of the room. There were old, enormous gothic candelabrum lighting the room. I remember throwing my arms out and jumping a bit as I ran into this area - like I knew I had arrived to where I needed to be. The air was remarkably cool since we were so far beneath the ground. I remember the way it hit my face and comforted me - I was hot from running and the sudden chill was perfect. The floor went deeper in two areas and the area below were smaller rooms. The middle sunken area was one large room - it was open with no doors but not visible from the main room. One could enter this lower area from two directions, so it didn't feel very safe. The sunken area that was a bit farther back was different. It had several caged in areas that bordered the path that went through it. Within each cage were odd little goblin type creatures that were not necessarily friends, but not foe either. I remember their beady eyes staring at me as I walked through to see if this was a better hiding space. This area was darker, less open and felt safer.

I realized I had been carrying a book with me this entire time.

The girl who had rushed down with me had told me I should hide in the middle area, but I couldn't do it because of how open it was. I decided to hide in the darker sunken area in the back of the room in one of the larger cages and read the book while I waited for them to find me and for the fight to begin.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

So, if you've read Eclipse, you see where this dream is coming from. However, unlike Bella, I'm getting my way and being allowed to taunt my foes directly into the fight rather than spending my time in a tent far, far away :)

I love dreams where you awake nearly drunk with emotions. Dreams that speak to you - that are suddenly apart of your psyche - and more than just your regular standard issued dreams.

So you get where I'm coming from, where my head is....on this lovely Friday morning.

Hyper Hyper !!

Truth

There is nothing for you to go back and live over, or fix, or feel regret about now. Every part of your life has unfolded just right. And so --now -- knowing all that you know from where you now stand, now what do you want? The answers are now coming forth to you. Go forth in joy, and get on with it.

Gently borrowed from the Abraham-Hicks Daily Quote.

I find this so wonderfully comforting in a way. In reality, there ARE so many things I've always thought I'd love to experience again...because of the beauty, the emotion, the sheer bliss of it all. Yet, when you ponder this idea, you have to accept the concept of taking the bad with the good and to experience everything again, I don't know.

Maybe ?

As I continue to blog about it, it's obvious I'm wrapped up in the world of Twilight. I'm actually fully aware that I will probably want to "revamp" (i.e., re-read the series - thank you TM) once I've finished Breaking Dawn. That is, unless BD makes me die a slow and silent death and I am unable to function ever again. I have always felt that life is too short to continue re-reading the same books. My list is long and I am surrounded by stacks and stacks of books -- but again, this is different.

This is Twilight.

I've attempted to quench my passion for the series by spending time at the TM forums. I don't know if it's just me, but I feel absolutely overwhelmed by that site. While it's refreshing and sometimes freaky to read posts by others in a similar state of mind, I find myself unsure of where to start, unable to find the "right place" to jump in and frankly, I just feel awkward. It's amazing and strange to read posts by so many others who are swept up into the world of Twilight like a zombie plague. There are individuals from all walks of life, all ages, all genders, all nationalities that can't seem to get enough. I also can't help but feel like I'm coming in to this whole obsession a little late. The momentum that this series has created is incredible and awe inspiring and I'm desperately trying to get up to speed while keeping my sanity. I have felt that I'm usually in line with or before the wave -- yet, this one I missed - completely. I can think back on seeing the books at Costco, Barnes and Noble, Borders....yet, I avoided them. The covers are lovely and I remember seeing them and admiring them, yet, I didn't bother looking further ?! (I have found some awesome books just by loving the covers). My lack of knowledge or foresight is nearly a paranormal experience in and of itself.

And now the true fan-grrl declaration: I can't help but feel that MY connection is so different. Almost like having a smug superiority complex, but not in the ultra-bitchy kind of way.

(I do hope that last statement doesn't land me on a few hate lists ! I just need to try to get the thought process down !)

Supporting evidence as to why I am smug, superior and (ultra) bitchy ?

Yes, yes...I know. But see, if I start popping off with WHY then I will be tossed away into a dark room and the key will be hidden somewhere smelly and forbidden and I'll be missed.

By someone.

Maybe.

The Adventure

I wanna have the same last dream again
The one where I wake up and I'm alive
Just as the four walls close me within
My eyes are open up with pure sunlight
I'm the first to know
My dearest friends
Even if your hope has burned with time
Anything that is dead shall be re-grown
And your vicious pain, your warning sign
You will be fine

Hey oh here I am
And here we go
Life's waiting to begin

Any type of love it will be shown
Like every single tree reach for the sky
If you're gonna fall
I'll let you know
That i will pick you up
Like you for i
I felt this thing
I can't replace
When everyone was working for this goal
Where all the children left without a trace
Only to come back as pure as gold
To recite this all

Hey oh here I am
And here we go
Life's waiting to begin
Tonight
Hey oh here I am
And here we go
Life's waiting to begin
Tonight
Hey oh here I am
And here we go
Life's waiting to begin

I can not live
I can't breathe
Unless you do this with me
I can not live
I can't breathe
Unless you do this with me
I can not live
I can't breathe
Unless you do this with me
I can not live
I can't breathe
Unless you do this with me
I can not live
I can't breathe
Unless you do this with me
I can not live
I can't breathe
Unless you do this with me

Hey oh, here I am (do this with me)
Here we go
Life's waiting to begin (do this with me)
Hey oh, here I am (do this with me)
Here we go
Life's waiting to begin
Life's waiting to begin

The Adventure, by Angels & Airwaves

Why ?

I'm slowly, slowly reading Eclipse...I think I'm on chapter 3. I find myself savoring each page, slowly. It's sick, isn't it ?

So, this crazy, numb sickness has me thinking. I've been wanting to post - to dive into all the ideas that are floating around in my brain - but it's too fresh. It's something I can't put a finger on just yet. So, I caved and went to TwilightMoms to read about what other "adults" had to say. One particular poster (imarriededward) seemed to say something interesting,

"As for this strange addiction.... I am an Educational Psychologist. I have been wracking my brain for why I have responded in this strange manner to a book. Why so many women have responded this way to a book. Particularly grown women. I myself was very embarrassed that I should feel this way about a Young Adult book. I felt I was above that, being a fan of the Bronte Sisters, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, etc..... Adult books. But these books have never affected me in this way. I have read Jane Austen's works several times, over and over, but never the same book just after I have finished it. I have never read them during the day, not able to put them down or complete my daily activities. But here is what I have come up with. You may not agree, but I am confounded by this response so many of us have. So this is the best I can do:

First of all, what seems to be so good about Stephenie Meyer's writing is that it is so easy to connect with Bella. You think something, and then you read that she is thinking the same thing. You feel something and then she feels it. The emotions and thoughts you are having are those that you may have had at a younger stage in life with a first love. That thumping of the heart, thrills sent down your spine, blushes rushing to your cheeks. These physiological responses are in themselves addicting. They feel wonderful. When you read Stephenie's books, you have these incredible feelings like you are walking on a cloud. Just like with a first love, you find yourself thinking about it all day long. Because just thinking about it evokes a shadow or trace of these physiological experiences.This is addicting. You read the books over and over again to experience these same physiological responses.

Now, why does it affect girls ages 12 to ?. While our bodies may be getting older, our minds do not, and they still are able to crave these experiences as though we were 18 and having them for the first time. In fact, they make us feel as if we were 18 again, which is reinforcing in and of itself for those of us who wish we were not aging so quickly.

Just a theory"

When I read this, I almost cried. Not because it was so spot on, but because it gave such a realistic, normal explanation to what I had been going through and suddenly, I felt old.

On a day to day basis, I don't feel old. I feel pretty much as I always have, with a few slight exceptions. Exceptions aside, I feel that I have become wiser and perhaps more insightful, but I don't feel old. I won't cave into this particular post from the lovely "imarriededward" 100%. (btw, odd that an "Educational Psychologist" chose such a chipper screen name ?) I have other items, thoughts, memories that send tingles up my spine as I read this series..........memories that are TOO spot on. Similarities in relationships that make me put the book down to rethink things. I often need time to sort my thoughts, draw the lines and try to move on.

These days, I often think, "why can't I be reading one of the books from the Southern Vampire series ?" I would be engrossed and tantalized, but not a walking zombie girl full of angst. *sneers*

In other news, this girly is off to the coast tomorrow afternoon to see my parents for the weekend. I will be equipped with Eclipse, a camera and an Americano big enough for Tibet.

Swooning

That's how it ends. After finishing New Moon, I'm swooning. And absolutely obsessed. I skipped through Twilight a bit slower, edging myself back and trying to read with an even and steady, but not devouring pace. I was up too late several nights, but I forced the breaks and was satisfied with my restrain. Regardless of the control, I felt like I was walking in a daze several days - caught up in the emotion of the book. At times, unable to keep myself from entirely sinking into the depths of it all.

New Moon - I started on Saturday at 9am and really had to force myself to stop last night - I read the last chapter this morning. While I can now say that I really enjoyed NM, I didn't feel that way the entire time. I was miserable while reading. I had a gaping hole in my chest also as I didn't really want to believe what I was reading. By the last few chapters, I was feeling better, hopeful.....alive again. I feel like it's ok to relax, that things are back the way they should be. There were several times in NM where I felt Stephenie added too many adverse emotions - it bordered on showing its true nature of being a teen novel. I was swept back to memories of Judy Blume books and the over written angst. Obviously, those were brief moments but still present, at times. Or perhaps those were my own emotions being interjected - the desire...no, the NEED to have things work out as I felt they had to and my irritation at the characters fighting the inevitable.

I already feel absolute dread for Breaking Dawn. It's all unfounded - I haven't read a thing about it, but just knowing that others are so unhappy with it, I'm already fearful. I shouldn't get ahead of myself though - Eclipse is next....today. I'll try to pace myself a bit more again since I already feel the intense fear of reading too quickly, having it all over too soon and being left alone.

In other news, I haven't done a damn thing this weekend other than read, sitting in front of my beloved a/c unit. Part of me would like to do the same thing today as soon as I get my hands on Eclipse, but I won't....I can't. I need to give my head a break from the fantasy - I have laundry to be done and I need to get out to remind myself of what I really have going in my little corner of the world. May I add that it was HOT yesterday - like, really, really hot and muggy. I suppose that made it easy to stay perched in front of the icy breeze. Today should be better....still hot, but not as unbearable.

The Bag and The Messenger

The perfect messenger bag - resolved. I found this at at Barnes & Noble tonight (the store, not online). Finally, the right size bag, several compartments, not just plain and boring, but not stupid, plastic and girly. Snapped pockets, a zippered pocket, places for pens/small items, a key hook, an outside zippered area........ah. The design which appears to be grey in the picture is much more subdued in person....it's perfect !!

Also, New Moon.

I'm nearly done with Twilight, but not quite. I knew I could NOT finish Twilight without an arsenal of words to follow it......so, that's handled for the time being.

For those who may have not heard, Twilight the movie is being pushed up to November 21st, 2008 while HP is being nudged back to next year.

Sorry, Harry.

Zen & Blood

Zen

I realized that the airing of negativity may be wrong for this little corner of my world. Actually, I struggle with the rightness/wrongness of it all. While I think it can be healthy to rant, I also listen to the idea that you will harvest what you sow. Or more eloquently put, "When you focus upon lack in an attitude of complaining, you establish a vibrational point of attraction that then gives you access only to more thoughts of complaint. Your deliberate effort to tell a new story will establish a new pattern of thought, providing you with a new point of attraction from your present, about your past, and into your future. The simple effort of looking for positive aspects will set a new vibrational tone that will begin the immediate attraction of thoughts, people, circumstances, and things that are pleasing to you. "

So, is it harmful or helpful to get the irritation out of one's mind by writing about it or not ? Allowing it to bounce around in one's head isn't the answer. Not allowing yourself to label it as irritating in the first place is the best answer, but I'd have to be Ghandi to achieve that level of awareness and peace.

Ranting is part of my love for writing - the freedom to express - freedom to be sarcastic - the ability to take a moment and lay the words across the screen in a way that makes everyone who reads it feel that moment as if they were witness to it. As my mom has and will continue to say, "Kimberley, don't be so critical". But, but....that's just who I am. I suppose the previous post just bothered me -- like, I came back to my little corner and fouled the air here with garbage that means nothing.

nam-yo-ho-renge-kyo
________________________________

Blood

While so many of the thoughts running through my mind will seriously label me as a pathetic fan-grrl, I have to share.

I am so loving Twilight.

There, I said it. It's nearly indescribable how it makes me feel and all the scattered pieces of memories it brings back from various times in my past. The butterflies have yet to cease and as so many have said, I find myself obsessed with reading and reading and reading. The writing is simple and fast, yet somehow the story is magical. I would not have expected a "teen novel" to carry quite so much emotion/drama and have the ability to have such an intense hold on me. That sounds completely insane, doesn't it ? My love for vampire literature goes way back, but Twilight is special...somehow.

I'm staring at the blinking cursor and am completely at a loss for words. Perhaps I should stop my Twilight update now....without going into pitiful descriptions there's not much else to be said.

Handbasket

I'm going straight to hell for venting but dammit, it's MY blog and if I want to vent, I just will.

1. Admit you're wrong. Seriously, there is nothing that I hate more than to have a conversation where someone is wrong and they won't admit defeat. I recently had a conversation where it went down that there was NO possible way that it was the way I said it was.

Well, it is.

But, I couldn't start shooting off links to prove my point because I'm just not like that AND I didn't want to be the annoying girl that always has to be right. So I will quietly bitch about it here.

2. Annoying message board girl. Ok, we've seen 15k pictures of you. The sheer magnitude of space used is enough to choke Google. You're young, hip and think you are just about the best thing since Sham-Wow. Get over yourself. We GET that you love your cat but honestly, each time the cat meows, you don't need to start a new thread about it.

And if you INSIST on posting another 15k pictures, quit with the duckbill-lips look already. We already have the creepy twins to epitomize this picture perfect moment for all of eternity.

/rant

See, the second part is why I really should stay far, far away from message boards and have my lovely online friends visit me here :)

Twilight

As many individuals recently have, I started reading Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I've been reading Working for the Devil and for whatever reason, it's been oh-so-hard to get into. Perhaps it's that I try reading when we go to bed - and by that point, I'm ready to collapse most nights. Or maybe it's because I just can't get into the style of writing. Or perhaps it's something else. Either way, I've been missing that desperate feeling one gets when they want to read the book they have going on because it's so gripping/good/enjoyable (or pick a different word that works for you - there are several to choose from and they're small).

For the record, I find Twilight teases me enough to continue reading....urging me to turn yet another page and another. The beautiful characters performing in just a way across the text that makes it quite difficult to put down. And with that said, I guess it appeals to my inner vampire fangrrl....my young, pale skinned, wide eyed girl that eats up a good vampire-in-love-tale as the next. As crazy as this sounds, I think I can literally feel the butterflies in Bella's stomach as the tale progresses. I can nearly taste the yearning for acceptance, for excitement, for something new outside of what life has currently offered.

Yum.

From what I've seen of the pictures from the upcoming movie, I'm not entirely impressed with the selection for Edward.

He's not handsome enough.

Dude, at all.

Ummm.....ew.

/inner vampire fangrrl

Aside from the disturbing picture above, as I've stated previously, I am totally enjoying the writing, the quick reading and the fun, easy drama that is woven throughout the fabric of the story. It's what I needed. At this point, I totally see myself devouring this saga of books for awhile.

Prior to Twilight, the last vampire saga I was involved with was Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Series. From what I've read, they are similar in the sense that they are quick, enthralling and written in a way that makes it fun for the reader. Purely from a reading and longing standpoint, Edward is much yummier than Bill. Yet, at this point, Bill's maturity from being alive quite as long as he has, is more attractive than Edward. I haven't actually learned how long Edward has been around just yet - but if I had to guess, not as long as Bill. Eric, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. He has the fiery, young masculinity that makes my heart go pitter patter.

What more could a girl ask for ? (especially a girl with a hungry inner vampire grrl). Go, buy Twilight and join the herd as I have. Don't be ashamed, we have cookies over here.

Lexicon Devil

I should have posted about this on Friday - for the movie's debut.

I'm a lexicon devil with a battered brain

And I'm searchin' for a future-

the world's my aim

So gimme gimme your hands-

gimme gimme your minds

Gimme gimme this-

gimme gimme tha-yea-yea-t...

I want toy tin soldiers that can push and shove

I want gunboy rovers that'll wreck this club

I'll build you up and level your heads

We'll run it my way cold men and politics dead...

[Chorus]

I'll get silver guns to drip old blood

Let's give this established joke a shove

We're gonna wreak havoc on the rancid mill

I'm searchin' for something even if I'm killed...

[Chorus]

Empty out your pockets-

you don't need their change

I'm giving you the power to rearrange

Together we'll run to the highest prop

Tear it down and let it drop...away...

[Chorus]

Jumping down the rabbit hole...

I have this distant memory of being a little girl in Sweden one summer. We were at my Mormor's summerhouse in Särdal and there was an organized event that really captivated me. One of those memories that come back to you and give you a warm, loving hug. Over the years, I've desperately tried to figure out what that was and piece together the mental images. It was like a scavenger hunt, but only in the forest and slightly different. I remember there were many people from the community taking part in the event and we were kind of paired off - especially since there were several young children (me included) that were with adults. I distinctly remember coming to a tree that had a piece of paper attached to the trunk with a picture/sticker of a rabbit on it and that was a clue or item that we were otherwise meant to find. This paper told us which direction to go next and almost like a riddle of what we should find next. As far as I can remember, each "team" had to take note of what they found throughout the exercise and the first to finish and get all the "clues" essentially won.

Orienteering seems to be the closest I can come to what this event was. Oddly enough, wiki's history says it originated in Sweden ! This must have been a lite version of Orienteering and for some funny reason, this is one of those memories I love. First of all, it occurred at my favorite place in the entire world. Also, it absolutely appeals to the part of my brain that loves a good puzzle...and better yet, a hands-on, Alice-in-Wonderland type of riddle.

To add to my cerebral hedonism, I stumbled upon this during my feverish searching.

Do you ever wonder how one goes about finding what they are meant to do ? Or what one is really good at ? A bit off topic, perhaps, but I've always wondered how others found their passion. Like the story of the man who picked up a piece of wood upon being bored and ended up whittling a beautiful animal with no previous training ? The wood spoke to him, his knife and hands were the instruments that created a new life out of an otherwise boring chunk of timber ?

Right, so my point being - what if this delectable memory that has been floating about in my brain, reoccurring ever so often, has been there because that is something I should be doing ? An activity that will speak to my desire to be out, enjoying the beauty of nature and also incorporating the richness of the riddle. I won't know until I try and if it's a flop, then I will treasure this memory as I always have. Of course, this brings about the idea that I'll have to be social to a degree and gather up the nerve to actually attend one of their events. Don't take this as a deal breaker by any means - I can be gregarious when life calls for it.

I Can Transform My Own World for Me. . .

Make lists of positive aspects. Make lists of things you love—and never complain about anything. And as you use those things that shine bright and make you feel good as your excuse to give your attention and be who-you-are, you will tune to who-you-are, and the whole world will begin to transform before your eyes. It is not your job to transform the world for others—but it is your job to transform it for you. A state of appreciation is pure Connection to Source where there is no perception of lack.

This brought to you by my daily Abraham-Hicks quote. Go there now and be inspired.

ZOMG !

This blog has officially survived One Month !
Happy Anniversary and thanks for visiting.

Recipe Recap (finally !)

First of all, for the love of potatoes, can you all run out and try this recipe RIGHT NOW ? Please ? Because I can't be the only crazy girl in love with this simple, perfect recipe. I digress, let me move forward to some photographic evidence:

Before going into the oven:
Now, for some crazy reason, I only have "afters" of the potatoes ! The steaks were lovely, really -- just no evidence of them !



The other new, exciting item of interest that makes the Mr's heart go pitter patter.


Our very own hot dog cooker. The buns steam under the red and white stripped canopy as the dogs rotate on the warmer. I don't know if I should feel like the local 7-11 as we prepare for dinner or perhaps just like I'm spending another night at the circus. Either way, the dogs came out quite nicely and the buns we perfect. I also have to add that finding hot dogs with no trans fat and sodium below 400mg is next to impossible, sadly. This is a "special occasion" type of meal since eating this way too often will likely shorten one's life drastically. However, if you're feeling dangerous, you can run right over to Amazon and get your very own. You'll be the belle of the ball - the hero of the neighborhood.

On another note, I wanted to thank the powers that be for sending me some positive vibes today. While it was a challenging day, I had some great things happen that I really needed to have happen. So next time you forget:

The reason things always work out for the best, Kimberley, is because this is actually the highest of all spiritual laws.

Any apparent exceptions are simply evidence that work is still in progress, whether or not it can be seen.

Always,
The Universe

Annoyed

So I was going to do this fun post with pictures of dinner from last night etc, etc...........however, Blogger is having an "internal issue" uploading my photos [insert annoyed smiley here].

I shall move forward, as scheduled, with a different post about a different subject.

Dear Mr. Next Door Neighbor With The Really Loud Motorcycle:
Why do you start up your chopper and drive away and then come home SIX TIMES a day ? Do you have MPD ? Do you forget where you are going ? For the love of Harley Davidson, does your motorcycle need to be so loud because each time you start 'er up, I feel a little piece of my life escape me. Living on the edge, I think I may follow you one day, just to see where such a cool guy such as yourself goes six times a day.

I hope you're wearing your helmet.
Signed,
Me

__________________________

Dear Crazy Cat Lady Who Lives Behind Us:
Why must you call for your animals (since we can't figure out if they are cats or dogs) 12 times a day starting in the early morning hours and ending late in the evening ? Obviously, you have a backyard, that is fenced in, where they can roam, scratch, pee, poop and otherwise frolic without needing to be screeched at on a regular basis. We imagine your pets must cringe as we do as your bellowing, shrill voice carries throughout the neighborhood. Do they not listen - because surely they hear you (as half of Oregon does). Your choice of names are precious. In fact, I bet nobody else on this bloody planet has been quite as clever as you.

RICKKKY ! LUCY ! RICKKKY ! LUCY !

I hope you've had your shots.
Signed,
Me
__________________________

And with that said, I shall post tasty yummies for your enjoyment at a later date :)

Sunday, lovely Sunday

The previously mentioned beautiful garageless house is currently occupied, so there shall be no spying or peeking through windows without written permission and a Guest badge. The Realtor says that this can be scheduled - just let her know. Oi. It gets nerve wracking but we're just looking ! Right ? We drove by not once, but t w i c e yesterday. Not stalking, just looking. The Mr. loves it in person too. What's not to love though, really. (minus the missing garage)

Yesterday was pretty low key. I have found a new amazing website to add to my list - The Pioneer Woman. I've been reading about this site for awhile from LCF. The recipes have been raved about over and over and I guess I just had a block because the name just didn't "appeal" to me (or something). It brought up images of camping or complex backwards ingredients so I just never went there. I can't remember the thought process, but something drew me to check it out and I'm so glad I did ! I have mainly focused on her recipes. I love the pictures and step by step commentary of how she creates each different item. So....I will be making her Crash Hot Potatoes (don't they look to-die-for ?) to accompany a Pan Fried Ribeye Steak for today's enjoyment. I purchased two succulent steaks yesterday, baby red potatoes and fresh rosemary (since I can't seem to keep one alive no matter how hard I try).

She really does a beautiful job on her website -- it's clean, pleasing to the eye and everything is elegant without being in-your-face. I would like my site to aspire to be similar. Blog/Cooking/Otherexcitingthings. Not the same, because that's just creepy, but similar in the sense of being a blog with more. I'm in the midst of domain name brainstorming, so we'll see where this takes me.

I'll report back on the cooking and maybe I'll even have some pictures.

IE7 Errors with Sitemeter and Saturday

I was irritated last night because even though it was my verylovelyfridayevening extraveganza, I couldn't get to my blog. I kept getting an "Operation Aborted" message. Egads ! So, after deleting my last post, my Weeds widget, and weather widget without prevail, the Mr. told me to back away from the blog and deal tomorrow. I absolutely did not do a search, which would have answered my conundrum quite quickly.

And in the frenzy, I deleted the last cross post to Ryan's Punk Music Blog and to Russia making emo kids cry. Read it. You'll giggle.

So back to last night -- work has been stressful. I'll leave it at that. The point is, I knew I was bound for a dismal Friday evening if I didn't get my head in the right place. This was a 911 emergency if I ever had one. The beautiful moment was upon driving home, I thought back to Susan and a story she had recounted to me only a few days ago. Nothing major, but a snippet from one of our conversations was her telling her son that she needed to go for a walk to get some good endorphins flowing because she was in a bad mood. [sic] So, I let Mr. know to keep his distance and that I needed to walk off the day. I was out the door in merely a few moments. No headphones, no phone. I decided silence was the answer this evening. It was overcast, but not too cold and not too hot - just perfect, really. Not only did I snap the funk, but I also spied possibly the most lovely house for SALE that I've seen in months. An English Cottage, to be exact. Possibly 10 minutes from where we live now. I'm not going to go into huge details and warp my mojo, but it really is lovely. I came home and left the broker a message that we'd like a viewing after He agreed that it really IS perfect. The ONLY downside that I see so far - and this is a big one - no garage. I didn't realize it until I got home and we were looking over the informational flyer I had picked up. Why oh why would this be the case ? Ah well.....as said many times to me by my parents, "we'll see". And now, it fits.

As typical for me, there are no plans yet for today. There are options.....oh yes, but no hard set plans as of yet. My immediate need is to savour this coffee (that I ground with our NEW burr grinder) and click around for a nice recipe to make this weekend.

And maybe I'll take another walk....not because of a grouchy mood, but perhaps because I want to.