Friday Gratitude

Michael comes home tonight! I haven't seen him in 2 weeks so I am a little excited and thankful that he will be HOME! This is the longest we have been away from each other and I have missed him like crazy!

The Secret Life of Bees

I finished "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kid. It was great! I enjoyed the characters..the themes...the story. It was just a wonderful story unfolding throughout the book.

A friend of mine was talking about love. And she has always felt the word love isn't adequate. We say we love french fries. And we say we love our family. Obviously those are different kinds of loves. We would hope that the love we feel for french fries isn't the same as we feel for our families.

Quote from the book:

"And i loved the color blue- the real bright blue like the hat May had on at the Daughters of Mary meeting. And since coming here, I've learned to love bees and honey." And I wanted to add, And you, I love you, but i felt too awkward. 'Did you know there are thirty-two names for love in one of the Eskimo languages?' August said."

I do wish we had other words for love.

Other quotes...

"Women make the best beekeepers, 'cause they have a special ability built into them to love creatures that sting."

"I am enough. We are enough."

"There is nothing perfect. There is only life."

"Some things don't matter much. Like the color of a house. How big is that in the overall scheme of life? But lifting a person's heart--now, that matters. The whole problem with people is ... they know what matters, but they don't choose it... The hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters."

"I believe in the goodness of imagination. ... I wake up to wonder every day."

"You've got to hear of these things before you can imagine them. You gotta imagine what's never been."

"If you need something from somebody, always give that person a way to hand it to you."

"You think too much. It would do you a world of good to stop thinking and just go with your feelings once in a blue moon."

"The only purpose grand enough for a human life... is not just to love--but to persist in love."

Forgot Lunch

Note to self...remember to eat lunch at a normal time or else you will feel like you do right now. I was busy doing things so forgot to eat lunch. About 3pm it hit me - low blood sugar - dizzy...dizzy...dizzy. I ate some turkey stuffed into a pita pocket and feel a little better but still shaking. Just typing this message many words I have had go over a few times. Silly self for waiting.

Tea!

I got mail love today! A pretty good sized puffy envelope stuffed full of different teas! I had commented to my friend Carolynn that a tea she described sounded very good. So she sent me that and many other kinds to try. I am so excited and today is actually a good tea drinking day as it is cloudy and stormy here.

Friday Gratitude

5 Good Things in my Life...
1. My sister celebrates her birthday tomorrow so have been thinking about her and hope she has a wonderful birthday!
2. The class I taught on Monday went really well and it was a good opportunity for me.
3. Ice packs as I have had migraines since Tuesday and thankful for having ice packs to help calm and numb the pain for a bit.
4. Fish...Michael doesn't like fish and while he is out of town I tend to indulge in eating it every chance I can....so I have been enjoying fish this week.
5. Talking to my Mom yesterday.

Green Neon

A long time ago our neighbor a very nice older man lost his job. His life partner has all sorts of health problems so they really relied on his income. At the same time his car died. Well my car had been just sitting in the driveway and we were unsure of what we were going to do with it. It had problems and I didn't need a car so it just sat there. Our neighbor asked about it and told us about everything going on and basically asked if we would sell the car to him. Michael said lets us discuss it that evening and suggested that I give our neighbor the car. Yes you read that right give him the car. Michael thought that was a good idea - not only nice but considering the problems they might have with it - we just didn't feel right selling it to him. The car was paid off. It was about 140,000 miles on it. The bumpers were starting to rust through. And I felt the transmission was going to go soon plus it had a few other problems. I told him ALL THIS. He is handy with cars so when I offered to give it to him he was very touched. I told him he might not be once he figured out all the work he needed to do (he looked it over when he asked to buy it so really he knew all the problems.) But he was getting a free car so even if it didn't work he felt he still was on the winning end of that bargin. Well he never got it to work right. Today I was hearing all sorts of cars....I would hear them revving up, I just heard idling motor but thought it sounded like a truck. I was in the middle of something at that moment but soon took a peek. My car was gone. He had another car in the garage in its place that it looked like he was working on. I believe the motor of the truck was a tow truck taking my car away but I missed it by the time I peeked.

It felt a little weird...I mean he has had the car a while but I always saw it. So it didn't really feel like it was gone. That car has went through big changes in my life and it really fit me. I don't even like to drive but I liked my car. So I feel a little nostalgic about it. Even though in the end I know that it was better off giving it to him because he really needed it.

Frustrated

Why must I get migraines when Michael is gone? Not that I want them when he is here. But I do really wonder if I get so worked up that he is gone that I cause king kong size migraines. Really this morning I felt it there low level and tried my darnedest to talk myself out of it but by 2pm I was getting sick to my stomach and could not ignore it any more. I am up brewing some tea right now hoping the caffeine will help.

This is day 3 of migraines and I am pissed off.

No spoons for me this week obviously!

Edit: He isn't coming home tonight and maybe not tomorrow either. Which means maybe not the weekend at all. :(

What Teachers Make....

A friend who is a teacher posted this to her blog and I thought of my sisters so posting it here...

Friday Gratitude

5 Good Things in my Life...
1. My friend Jessica is celebrating her birthday today and another friend is celebrating tomorrow....they are both very good things in my life and I am very happy they were born.
2. Ties and Shirts - I have a thing for them and Michael got several new shirts and ties today.
3. Spaghetti and meatballs - well technically we are not having them til tomorrow night but I did make the meatballs today...and they turned out really good!
4. For a good friend letting me borrow her car while Michael is out of town
5. Stickers to decorate envelopes for mail love!

Going through the Busy

The week has been very busy. Michael is getting ready to go out town for several weeks so been finishing up some work and then also getting him ready. I have a lot of scanning to do while he is out of town so I will be busy. But I also REALLY want to make time for art since it has been a long time. And I miss it so much!

The Lovely Bones

I finished The Lovely Bones and it was a truly amazing book. On the back one of the review quotes says: "The Lovely Bones is the kind of novel that, once you're done, you may go visit while wondering through a bookstore and touch on the binding just to remember the temotions you felt while reading it. Intensely wise and gorgeously written, The Lovely Bones is a heartbreaking page-turner. I envy the read who is about to jump into the world of Susie Salmon and her incredible family." (quote from Amiee Bender)

And that really sums it up for me. The emotions of this book and getting to know Susie and her family is an incredible journey.

Scattered pictures

We went grocery shopping this morning. I had some coupons that expired tomorrow that I wanted to use as they were things were low on anyway. And then the rest of my day was really spent working on a website. I had The Way we Were playing last night while working. I am a sap for that movie. Dinner last night - Grilled boneless skinless chicken breasts that I marinated in balsamic and smashed garlic. Served with zucchini that I sliced and then tossed with garlic, salt and pepper, a little parmesan cheese and olive oil. And also served with some white beans that I sauteed with tomatoes and chunked pepper.

Next Book on the Stack....

Thursday evening we went to the Farmer's Market....picking up quite a bit of fresh veggies. After the farmers market, we went to the library. I picked up 3 books. One book I wanted was a sequel to My Soul to Keep. Well both books were on the shelf -

My Soul to Keep

and the sequel and which book did I come home with?? My Soul to Keep! Facepalm...Doh! It was funny I climbed into bed with the book - open it to the first page - and read 2 lines and closed it. And moaned. Michael said, "already read it huh?" I said, "yes!" So I went on to one of the other books I picked up - The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. --- Okay side note just was doing a search for the book so I could include a link to a review of it and IMDB.com came up! It is so weird because last night while reading it I thought this should be a movie. And it is going to be - Ryan Gosling is going to be Jack. I will definitely want to see that movie. I am loving the book. The story - the main plot of it - horrid what happens. But how the story is being told....is such an interesting perspective. The emotions of the book...I feel the pain Susie's sister feels. I feel the pain of Jack. I am really glad I checked it out. (A video book review from blue rectangle and Wikipedia)

Friday Gratitude

1. Fresh Veggies
2. Library books
3. Water....I am grateful for water as I have been drinking a lot today
4. Airborne - I feel like I am getting a cold and been taking it
5. The scones I made this past week - they were a nice breakfast treat

Veggies

Michael has been busy with work. I have helped him out a little and then doing things around the house. We have been busy and productive and even had just quality time together. So nothing for me to really complain about.

Tonight is the Farmers Market so we will be picking up some fresh veggies..tomatoes and peppers I want the most. During the summer months main street is blocked off one night a week and then vendors set up tents and sell their goods. Most of it is fresh veggies and fruit. But there are things like chefs cooking with fresh produce. And then homemade good like soaps, metal or woodworking for sale. And there is always music...usually one or more bands or musicians set up for the evening.

Speaking of produce...we went to Sam's the other day. And we picked up a really big container of organic spring salad mix. It was much cheaper then buying the bagged ready to eat salad mix from the grocery store. And really I felt it was cheaper then buying all the things that would go into it making it from the different types of greens. The container is really large and packed really well. It is not air packed in it to make it look like a lot of greens. There is so much more in it then what we get with bagged. Plus this was so fresh, pretty, tastes great and it is organic! It is by Earthbound Farms.

This past weekend Michael installed a new shower head. And it is great! But it is going to make me look into remodeling our bathroom fairly quickly as the water sprays up on to the wall paper above the shower stall. I have always wanted to paint the bathroom. It will be a lot of repair work though to the drywall and such so - I know I need to start researching on what exactly I will need to do to make it happen.

Deals...

Michael found these links so just sharing them...
Free Shipping Materials from The Post Office
Coupon Cabin
Coupons.com

Chocolate Chip Scones

* 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
* 1 3/4 cup white all purpose flour
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 1/4 cup light brown sugar
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 2 Tbsp. ground yellow flaxseed meal
* 4 Tbsp. oatmeal
* 6 Tbsp. butter
* 1 large egg
* 1 cup nonfat buttermilk
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (such as Ghiradelli 60% cocoa or Nestle 63% dark chips)

Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, flaxseed meal and oatmeal. Cut in butter using two knives or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk and vanilla together. Pour into dry ingredients. Using a fork, stir until dough is moist. Stir in chocolate chips. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, kneading two or three times. Divide dough in half.

Pat each half into a circle, about 6 inches across. Cut dough into 6 wedges. Transfer to the prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 375 on middle rack of oven for 20-22 minutes.

Makes 12 scones

Celebrating!

This weekend was just very nice and relaxed. We went to our favorite brunch place that is a place we go to fairly infrequently - basically just to celebrate. Thursday was Michael's official 1 year of owning his business. So we went there and celebrated that fact. It has been so nice having him working at home. He is so much more relaxed too. It has been a good year! I am so very proud of him and happy for him!

Friday Gratitude

5 Good Things in my life...
1. Cupcakes with sprinkles that I made earlier this week.
2. I got a lot of work done today.
3. For the little summer nightie that Michael bought me a few weeks ago -- it is so comfy!
4. Pink and purple pens to make out postcards for friends
5. chick flicks to watch while Michael is out of town