Eyes are Everywhere!!

I was walking down the street the other day and had the feeling I was being watched.  Looking around, there was no-one in sight, and I continued on my way.  Apparently I was not alone, and the way I was avoiding cracks in the sidewalk in a hopscotch-like manner was more than a little shocking for one very sheltered bystander.  (At least I hope it was the way I was hopscotching and not one of my oblivious oddities that made the googly eyes pop out in such astonishment.)

Red Letter Day!

I love getting the mail on Valentine's Day:)

The Soiree

Tiny ice crystals came in with every sip of oxygen.  By the time the lungs had tamed the air from piercing stabs to sharp tingles, the breath escaped back into the night air.  Breathing is a continual process, but in this case there was nothing automatic about it.  Each inhale was a conscious choice and each exhale a reluctant gasp.  We were dressed in our finest making our way in a shuffle dance across the frozen landscape.  Many wore black tails signifying the most formal of affairs; however, the waddle steps belied any sort of somberness.  The waddling was not due to hot spiced rum (although I’m guessing no-one would have turned down a mug if offered), but rather the dance was another manifestation of the arctic conditions.  We were trying to walk without having our limbs touch the outer layers which had frozen stiff into icy shackles.  Some people call this soiree a march, but I prefer to call it a parade.  You can’t beat the exhilarating adventure that is the life of a penguin!

Photo Source

A Small Grouch

We picked up a small fellow on our recent travels and stowed him away.  He seemed a bit prickly at first which was part of his charm.  I was hoping his "grumpy old man" ways would cheer me up, and indeed they have.  Due to his size, he can only manage to be a slight curmudgeon which comes out as a "Hmpff" every now and then.  For that reason, we call him - Humphrey (and beyond the scaggles, he is a sweetheart).

Traveling Tales

You will not believe what happened to me!!!!!

I got to my hotel around 10:00pm – it is in old town (very cute during the day – so I’m told) and as I pushed the button for the rickety elevator I told myself, “be charmed not scared of the quirks”.  I landed on the “L” floor and took a complete trek around the swimming pool/hallway of cobblestones – yes my bag was rumbling along very loudly before I spiraled into the actual lobby.  There was a sign on the counter – “Be back in a few minutes”.  I sat down on the couch to wait as patiently as I could.  Eventually the guy came in and asked, “How old is your baby?”  I looked at him confusedly and then realized I was holding a mass of coats and a travel blanket in a crumpled heap.  I guess this could be mistaken as a baby if the mother (apparently me) was quite disinterested in the bundle of joy and perhaps a bit tipsy.  He gave me my key and told me to be careful with it since the machine was broken and there would be no option of replacing it.  

With a deep breath, I got back into what I hoped was not a death trap and took it to the 3^rd floor.  My room was right off the elevator.  The door opened, but the light would not turn on.  Through the darkened hallway it looked like there was suitcases next to the stand – further investigation showed me people sized lumps in the bed!!!!  I did a backwards crab scurry out of there.  As the door slammed shut, I thought, “No way did I see that – my imagination must be playing tricks.”  So, yes, I opened the door again – focused on the suitcase – took a mental snapshot and slammed the door again.  Now I was scared that I might have angered whoever was in there and they would be coming after me!!!  Thankfully  the elevator remained a perfect gentlemen and had waited for my bolting exit – I apologized for my uncharitable thoughts toward it earlier.  Back to the lobby – heart still racing – new room – seems unoccupied – now trying to calm down and enjoy a night of sleep!!!! 

P.S.  The lobby guy took my story in stride and never even raised an eyebrow of surprize!!!  I have triple locked my current room – but I am not sure sleep will be enjoyedL

Painting the World

Every year I look forward to reading a letter from myself from the previous year.  An unintentional trend is to describe my view of the world at the time in terms of a painting.  Here is a sampling of the last 3 years (including a sneak peak of what I will read next year in 2015!):

Jan 1, 2012

 "I think of the world as big, bold, beautiful colors and patterns"

Life was hectic but full of zestful living - not passive at all - I was just trying to keep up and dance in all the colors.

Jan 1, 2013

"I am living in a beige world and it is currently uninspired"

Jan 1, 2014

"The world is looking to be in varying shades of blue, gray and white"

 I love when the landscape looks like it could be a black and white photo.  It provides such a peaceful backdrop full of possibilities for adding accent colors.  

 

Life vs Existence

Thoughts have been circulating for some time about finding the perfect location to live.  There may be a weather related theme but this came after a week of living in a house that would not warm up - only to realize our back door had blown open for who knows how long!!!!  (I'm still a little scared that a raccoon lodger may have moved in).  Below in no particular order are some of the swirling thoughts:

-  "I can't believe I live in Idaho!!!!"
-  "Wouldn't it be great to spend a year in Seville or Perth or the Caribbean..."
-  "I want to live in the same city as my sister!!!!!"
-  "I think I could be less of a couch potato if the weather outside was more inviting"
- "It would be great to live in a place where Winter was only experienced on fun ski vacations"
- "It would be a little sad to move out of our Eaves Drop House"
- "Would living in a tree house be a fun adventure?"

Then in my readings, I came across a quote that saddened me but served as a reminder of the importance of fully living regardless of location.

"We have a beautiful existence in Paris, but not a full life..."

Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik

I can't help but think True Beauty will only be found in a Full Life.

Happy New Year!!!

We celebrated Christmas in Montana - it was snowy, cozy, and overall amazing!  This snow couple appeared at the bonfire/sledding party.  At first they were shy and just tried to blend in.

After the snowmobile missed them by mere centimeters (more than once) they were convinced to show themselves more clearly.

Christmas cards are still in progress - but in the meantime - Happy New Year!!!!!

Pre-Holiday Rant

I am not immune to the aggravations of air travel, although most days I can be amused by fellow passengers and general airport absurdness.  There is also the excitement of going places that usually keeps my spirits up.  A few days ago I was flying on an unfamiliar airline with a boarding pass that assigned me to "Group 2".  Though mathematically "Group 2" should be near the front of the line, I suspected by the time I found my seat there would be no room for my carry-on bag.  It was an inconvenience but not the end of the world, and I was not ready to pay an additional fee to upgrade to "Group 1" (just to avoid the hassles of baggage claim).     

On a whim I re-printed my boarding pass at the airport and was re-assigned to “Priority Access”.  Yay!!!  Neither my bag nor I would not suffer from separation anxiety – and I joined the end of the security line with a sense of calm.  At the gate, the pre-boarding announcement was my clue to gather my stuff together.  The boarding process began and the categories were announced in the following order - one at a time…

•         First Class
•         Those Needing Extra Time
•         Those with Small Children
•         Those in the Military
•         Business Class
•          Elite Partners
•         Executive Members
•         Diamond Alliance
•         Platinum Members
•         Sapphire Alliance
•         Gold Members
•         Priority Access

 By this time they had run out of overhead bin room and were checking all carry-on bags.  I reluctantly took my place in the non-linear mob.  I can only assume “Group 1” was after “Priority Access”, but am seriously wondering who would pay extra for this dubious spot in line.  I would not be surprised if those in “Group 3” had to join their carry-on luggage in the baggage compartment.  Hopefully numbers have actual meaning in the cockpits.  (I may have discovered a reason for the November Navigation Troubles:)

Happily Travelling!!!! 

2014 Calendar Page

Introducing this year's Calendar Page...

Due to time constraints (seriously expected from a calendar page) and Phin's positive encouragement, this calendar page was done all electronically.  I have mixed feelings about this as the theme does lend itself to using actual glue, colored pencils, scissors and fun paper scraps.

Favorite Things

Instead of “whiskers on kittens” I would favor “paws without claws”.  Seriously, cat paws are one of my favorite things (even the term “paws” is fun for me to think about).  The paws and coming up with a name is almost enough to make me want to get a cat.  On the whole, however, cats make me uneasy, and I could never acquire one as a companion.  (Probably a good thing since I’m struggling to keep our two house plants alive and we have a fish-only pet policy.)  This does not stop me from dreaming up names such as Sassafrass, Purrrabola, and Mauers.  Perhaps the time has come to get a fictional cat – on a trial basis of course.

Hidden Amusements

It would not be surprizing to discover an octopus at mini-golf, but my imaginative coworker found this sad guy at a regular resort.  I don't know much about golfing, but I predict being trapped on the links would cause consternation for anyone.

No, it was not the sand that got him but the grading contours - perhaps the work of a mischievous engineer!

P.S.  Should I finish creating a fun coloring book from seemingly mundane engineering designs - or is this taking my amusement too far???

Midway through the Paleo Expedition

Hello from the Paleo Expedition where the journey has been an adventure.  Though technically not an official expedition (for one thing the crew did not include a specialized cook -major mistake, and for another we have not left the comforts of our North End home), the following experiences are in my mind comparable to a romantic voyage to parts unknown:   

Restaurant Void:  It is with mild astonishment that I have gone two whole weeks without any restaurant meals.  If this trend continues for the rest of the expedition, I will set a personal record for “not eating out”.  I think the last time I even came close was when I was still living with my parents (and not responsible for providing all of my own meals).  Even as a poor college student, I would buy the $5.00 Domino’s pizza that would set me up for a couple of days (although I’m not sure Domino’s fits under the “restaurant” category).

Sailing on the Five Cs:  I have had to restock my spice rack since cooking has taken over most of my free time.  It is strange that all of my recent purchases begin with C - Cinnamon, Curry, Chile Powder, Cumin, and Cayenne Pepper.  We have not experienced drastic amounts of sea-sickness, although a Curry/Carrot combination did not go over too well. 

Dangerous and Delicious Discovery:  I had vaguely heard of Jicama  and may have eaten it once or twice, but still thought of it as some kind of Jamaican Flower.  However, several sources in Paleo cookbooks called this vegetable a great potato substitute, so I casually chopped one up and placed it in a soup.  It was so yummy that after dinner I did some research on Jicama and learned the leaves and peel are poisonous.  When I casually mentioned my findings to Phin, he immediately began experiencing stomach pains.  I had some doubts on the carefulness of my chopping, so it was with great relief that after more investigation I was able to assure Phin I had not poisoned him.  His relief was short lived when I told him my reasons for knowing with such certainty - ingesting the peel is associated more with death than mild stomach pain.  I do plan to use Jicama more frequently in my cooking, although “Food Safety Phin” is now in charge of the chopping.  (A Jicama chainsaw that could also be used for pineapples would be a handy kitchen appliance.)

The Value of Adrenaline:  The first week was kind of a bummer with headaches, fatigue and general moodiness (I’m not saying who experienced what symptoms).  We discussed the probability that we could survive on a diet of meat, vegetables and fruits, but the fact that it was so difficult made it seem worth it.  We could tell our bodies were in the detox process and that made us eager to get over this phase and experience the benefits of healthy eating.   

Treasure Hunting:  Finding breakfast meats without sugar or soy products was much like a treasure hunt.  It was a happy moment when we discovered a small selection in Whole Foods.  This joy was tempered slightly when we realized we would have to embark on a different kind of treasure hunt to pay for this extremely valuable find, but savoring sausages made this a worthwhile splurge. 

In conclusion, we are surviving and not yet reduced to eating tuna fish out of a can (although in some ways that sounds easier).  I would love to send a postcard to all of you, but so far post offices seem scarce and carrier pigeons have long ago disappeared (bird seed is not encouraged here).  Suffice it to say, we are having a wonderful time and wish you were here. (Well the last part of that statement is true.)

A weekend conversation turned to a month's resolution!

P:  What do you want to do this weekend?

R:  Something fun and exciting.

P:  Can you give me ideas of what activities you would consider to be in that category?

R:  I’ve been waiting all summer to go to The Foreigner and it closes at the end of September.

P:  I hate to break it to you – but it is the middle of October!

R:  What????  Where did September go?  I can clearly remember August.  But what happened to September? 

P:  I don’t know what to tell you.

R:  We have to slow down time – this is getting crazy.

P:  And how do you propose to do that?

R:  Let’s make the next 30 days super slow – I think if we go on a Paleo Diet and I get up every morning at 6:00am the month will creep by!

And that is how I convinced Phin to go on a Paleo Diet with me.  I'll let you know how it worked to slow time down (and make us feel healthier) in 30 days!  At this time I cannot comment on my rash decision to get up at 6:00am everyday...

August in the Alps

Here are some highlights from our trip to the top of Europe (where sadly I did not master the yodel).

Views from the train had us all spellbound.

Mountains were filled with wildflowers including my favorite - the wild bluebells.

Cows in pastures near the top of the mountain made quite a ruckus with their big bells.  

One little cow was able to match the ruckus level without using a big bell.

Another outdoor dining experience with an amazing view. 

AHHHHHH!!!!!!

There is a website that analyzes your writing.  It compares the word choices and style of your sample piece to that of published authors.  Of course in the end you find out which author, according to the program's statistical analysis, your writing mostly resembles.  I was curious to see if my writing style would match any of the many authors who I admire and love to read.  Imagine my surprise, at this outcome....

I write like

To be fair, I have never actually read any of Stephen King's novel because I am a huge scaredy cat.  The level of horror I can handle is not much above finding out that I write like Stephen King - and even this news is bound to give me nightmares.

P.S.  After recovering from the shock, I had various other writing samples analyzed and never got the same author twice.  It made me feel much better because I don't think I would make it in the horror genre.  I once wrote about a troll and had a good friend review it.  He commented that my troll is never believably scary - and after reading my story I had to agree.  However, it was too frightening for me to create a scarier version.

35 and a Day

When I was younger, the day I reached "35 and a day" was going to be significant.  This was the day I was supposed to get married to a Tommy Lee Jones type of guy.  I was going to meet this guy the day before my birthday, and get married after a 3 day courtship.  I mostly dreamed up this plan so I wouldn't have to worry about dating nonsense for a long time (and I thought I would never be so old).  Also - just to be clear - I'm pretty sure my friend added the Tommy Lee Jones part, although I did love how he talked in movies.

Happily, I did reach this significant birthday and celebrated with an amazing weekend sans dramatic marital twists!  We escaped to a distant city and had a relaxing weekend.  A favorite moment was dinner on a patio with the most fantastic view I think I've ever experienced in restaurant dining.

So, according to my 18 year old self - I am now officially an adult.  This means I should seriously think about getting married (yay - already done), can stay up as late as I want, and eat an entire jar of black olives by myself - even when it is not Thanksgiving.  

Cozy Corners of the New Home

With temperatures consistently in the triple digit range, moving was a bit of a challenge, but also fun when applying a broad definition to that word.  To avoid the heat, we moved in the middle of the night, and I for one pretended it was a covert operation.  Once again, we were made to realize what great friends and family we have - our life is seriously blessed with amazing people!!!!

After a couple of chaotic weeks, the corners of our house are ready to be displayed.  The dining room is organized in a sense; all the stuff that was cluttering it up is now stashed in a closet for sorting at a later date.  But, we can now comfortably invite dinner guests over:)

One of the best features of this house is the claw-foot tub, which thanks to a master carpenter can now be enjoyed in solitude with a fully functioning bathroom door.  (Yes, it is the quirks of old houses which makes me enjoy them, but some modern conveniences like working locks are still necessities.)

This entry makes it easy for our non-committal friends to drop in and take a moment to decide if they dare continue.  The area also serves the shy who can sit and warm up before fully entering the conversations of the house.  (OK - I will probably be the one using this "warm up" area, but watch out for witty conversations after my rocking time!)

And finally, with much assistance from a master gardener, my lifelong dream of planting sunflower seeds has been realized.  It has yet to be seen if a totally different, yet not unrelated, goal of seeing sunflowers in my own backyard will also be realized - sadly the master gardener had to go home.

Overall, it has been fun to organize (using the broad definition again), and although they are clean and spider-free, we promise not to stick you in a corner if you happen to visit.   

Goodbye to Jump Rope Pl

Once again, it is time to revise your address books.  Thank goodness things like this are going digital since I probably long ago used up my allotted space.  (On a side note - I am having serious issues trying to remember my own new zip code -who said engineers were good with numbers?)

I was definitely losing the skip in my step while living at Jump Rope Place.  Despite the fun name, it was not the place for me.  It is so exciting that by putting my eavesdropping skills to good use, we have successfully escaped and found an amazing place to live.  In fact, if certain people (I believe you know who you are) would move to the City of Trees, I could see myself staying here long term - and yes, long term means at least a year!

Is it strange that I never noticed our garage doors were different colors until the photo was taken to sell the house?  It then started to bother me!!

 The other survivor - hopefully as happy as we are in the new home!

I do not eat jello or pudding, however, whenever I move there are always one or two packages in the back of my pantry.  How do they get there?  I always donate them to the food bank so I know I'm not just moving them from house to house...  Any information on this mystery would be appreciated!

We are now open for visitors - let us know if you are going to be in the area!!!

Beware of the Theoretical!!

On a recent road trip, Phin and I were asking each other theoretical questions.  The question I had to answer was, "Who would you like to be sitting next to in a plane crash?"  I'm afraid Phin freaked out when I said I wanted to be sitting next to him.  After a week of trying to explain that answer (which really has no explanation), he is still half convinced I want to murder him.  Not only do I wish I had answered differently to keep Phin's mind at ease, but I am also no longer convinced he would be a good plane crash companion.  I may have been mistaken about the calming presence I had envisioned him bringing to this scenario.  For our next road trip, I will make sure our Ipods contain hours of entertainment and continue my usual policy of never answering questions - theoretical or not.