Monday, August 30, 2010

Fall on the Horizon

This weekend was a precursor to some beautiful fall weather.  Highs in the upper 60s with sunny skies, lows in the 40s.  My little home cooled down at night and stayed comfortable all day.  Fall is my favorite time of year :-)  I am looking forward to the changing leaves, cool mornings, sunny days... We have a great place called Greenbluff which is made up of a bunch of farms where you can pick the produce and there are little shops, cafes...I haven't made my way there this year; however, I feel a day at Greenbluff coming on!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Artwork

In 1909, homes were built of lath & plaster.  This makes hanging artwork a bit of an undertaking :-)  My mom and dad are stopping  by to lend a hand (actually I'll be lending the hand - LOL). I am looking forward to having one more item crossed off my list in getting my home in order :-)  Colleen and I have spots picked out for all of the items needing to be hung.  Haha - she is having a day of fun at Silverwood so hopefully her mom has a good memory :-)  Home ownership - a joy and feeling of accomplishment!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Vegan in process

I have been a vegetarian for the past 3 years (in October). I have been working on being a vegan for the past 2 years. I continue to have trouble with dairy. Cheese is my downfall and I continue to eat it. I also eat seafood. Technically I can’t be called a vegan. I am putting myself down every time I eat pizza with cheese on it or have a veggie sandwich with cheese. I feel like a failure when I can’t adhere to veganism. I am coming to realize that maybe I should be labeled vegetarian and if I choose not to eat the dairy products…all the better for my body and the planet.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Dinner

What a fun time!  We have a restaurant called Clinkerdagger's that has great food.  It is a "special occasions" experience for the working class (us).  Our monthly dinner was there on Tuesday night.  We had a slight view of the Falls and the surrounding terrain.  Ate inside as it was still a warm 88 degrees outside with no breeze.  Not a lot for a vegan to choose from; however, I had the Iceberg Lettuce wedge with tomato and lemon vinaigrette with fresh pepper, a side of sweet potato fries (shared with the group) and their warm seasonal fruit cobbler (sans the vanilla bean ice cream).  The food was good but it is always the company that makes or breaks a dinner!  We had a great time, as always.  Chatting about this and that; there are a couple of hoots in the group that entertain the masses - wouldn't be the same without them - truth is, it has happened and it isn't the same (enjoyable, but not the same).  Thanks all for taking the time to get together :-)

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Cupcakes

One of the ladies I work with has a dream of her own bakery.  She is starting to make her dream a reality.  Over the weekend, she baked 3 varieties of cupcakes - gourmet ones.  A chocolate/peanut butter one, a smores one and a cookies & cream one.  Yummy for me, the cookies & cream one was vegan.  She brought them  to work today for the rest of us to taste test and critique.  She did a lovely job and we are proud of her.  She has decided to do a bit of tweaking on the cupcakes so she is going to work on one kind at a time.  Of course, she will still need her taste testers :-)

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Day Trip

What a blast - Colleen and I had a fantastic time driving over to Missoula, eating at Famous Dave's and touring Fort Missoula. There is so much history in the Pacific Northwest!  We try to go to 2-3 different places each year. It was a great mother-daughter bonding time.  Colleen has a classic IPod and the car has a USB port for plugging it in.  She has a huge portfolio to choose from and we had great music the whole day.  Conversations were enjoyable, entertaining and educational :-)

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Frustration

Aaahhhh!!! Sometimes working with a bunch of girls is frustrating. Beating to death an imagined incident is not my idea of amusing entertainment. Not enjoying today at work. Oh well, it happens very, very seldom. The day started off okay, but headed downhill quickly. My goal is to have a good evening. This post is short, but I had to vent a bit.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Craft Night

Years back when I was working for attorneys, a few of us ladies got together once a week for “craft night.” We had dinner and would do crafting, whether it was cross-stitch, quilting, crotcheting… or even reading a magazine. I am so happy to say that my sister and I have revived “craft night.” This is a wonderful time of crafting and fellowship! We are hoping to eventually bring other crafters into the fold. So often we get caught up in day to day stuff that our crafts get lost in the shuffle. This is a great way to get “me” time in this busy world.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Birds

This is my first summer in my little home and the lady across the street feeds the birds.  Yes, I know that there isn't anything wrong with feeding birds; however, she feeds them a mixing bowl of bread pieces about 6 times a day.  One day I mentioned to her that she was spoiling them and would have to feed them in the winter.  Haha - she informed me that she does.  Since they eat at her place, my yard/fence/carport...have become the outhouse for the birds.  I am not talking 5 or 6 - nope, more like 30 to 50!  I am at a loss as to what to do about these feathered friends.  Someone mentioned a bb-gun but I don't want to hurt them, just persuade them to poop elsewhere.  Any hints, tips...would be appreciated.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Heat

We know summer is here when the house does not cool down at night. For those of us living with screens and fans, there are some sleepless nights in the summer. I have come to rely on my ceiling fan and a damp, cool washcloth on my neck or forehead while I sleep. I have decided to “go with the flow” and not complain (too much or too loudly). There may be a time when I break down and purchase an air-conditioner, but not yet! I have a hard time purchasing something that is only used 2-2 1/2 months a year. We have cold winters and hot summers in the Pacific Northwest. I know that I will be able to pull up some “warm” memories this winter :-)

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Home

I was blessed to be a part of the first-time homebuyers credit this past year.  Owning a home is a rewarding challenge and I am still learning :-)  Everything costs more than you budget; however, I think I've figured that one out.?!  The inside of the home is almost completed.  My sister and brother-in-law are going to gut and redo my bathroom - I shall assist in a limited capacity.  The yard needs quite a bit of help - my project for next year. Actually, having my own home is liberating.  I can paint, decorate and come and go, as I please.  A completely different world compared to the last 9 years. What an exciting, enjoyable and freeing time in my life.  Praises to the Lord for His awesomeness!!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Always a first

This is my first blog posting.  There is a first for everything...first time at school, first friend, first birthday, first boyfriend, first breakup...  the great things about "firsts" are the anticipation, excitement and connection with others.  I have recently gone through a divorce (unfortunately it was a second  but to the same person, so maybe it still counts as a first - LOL) and am excited to be having "firsts" again!