Masochistic Mondays: week one

The Stats (August 3, 2009)
Starting Weight: 188 lbs
Current Weight: 186.7 lbs

So far, so good. Though I must admit when I weighed myself yesterday, I was down 4 lbs - did it again today for an "official" reading and wii fit said I had gained 2.2lbs in less than 24 hours. Granted I went a couple days without jogging, probably ate too much bread, didn't drink enough water and was wearing jeans this morning instead of pj pants so a lot of things could be contributing to such a large change. I decided to go with the "official" Monday morning readout and put the glorious 4 lb drop behind me. Lesson learned, though daily readouts can keep your weight in check, perhaps during the weight loss stage it will only lead to obsessiveness - so Monday morning weigh-ins only (ok, maybe I'll do a mid-week one, just to make sure I'm on track & at least not gaining).

The transition has been tough at times, but bearable. 3 days of walking/jogging did not kill me, though had you asked me Tuesday, I was pretty sure I'd never be able to walk up & down stairs or use a toilet again. Miraculously after day 2 of Couch to 5K, I wasn't more sore, I was actually less sore - stairs no longer my enemy.

Speaking of friends and enemies, water and I are becoming more acquainted. We used to be BFFs, having me drink at least 2 - 32oz bottles a day, not counting what I may drink from a glass at a meal, but we've had a falling out in recent years and my consumption has been no where it should have been. I'm working on drinking at least one 32oz bottle daily, and then I'll work up from there. I have found that the more water I drink, the thirstier I am. Odd phenomenon, huh? My guess is my body has been perpetually dehydrated for years, and now that my cells are getting a taste of the sweet stuff, they want it bad…just in case.

And though food and I aren't enemies by any means, we are trying to "take a break" from each other. You know, not spend SO much time together each day. Instead of eyeballing serving sizes or ignoring them completely, I've been reading nutrition labels to find out what the proper serving is and then using the lovely orange digital kitchen scale my mom got me a couple Christmases ago (yes, I actually had an orange kitchen scale on my wishlist - what can I say, I like orange, especially in my kitchen) to actually weigh things out before eating. I find myself hungry at times, but I've started using SparkPeople to track what's going in so I know I'm getting enough calories, my body just needs some time to adjust to not eating anything and everything anymore. I remember my first go around with weight loss, a day I went to lunch with my dad at a hometown restaurant while home on break, and I couldn't finish the fries that were served with my BLT. Today I don't have that "problem" but I look forward to the sense of accomplishment I'll feel when without thinking about it or making the conscious decision there are fries left on that plate.

Quick, Easy & Homemade

I went through a phase several years ago, back when I was first getting into the whole crafting and cooking thing, where I just had to make completely from scratch lasagna (which is funny because I can't remember a single time eating lasagna for dinner growing up). My mother-in-law-to-be gave me an Italian cookbook as an engagement present, I was an unemployed college graduate, and my only job was to take care of my newborn nephew a couple times a week and cook my family dinner.

Not a shabby life, right?

You might think that having a newborn around might deture me from tackling a lasagna that took a few hours to complete. Where noodles were rolled out to cut before dropping in boiling water and meat & tomatoes simmered into a rich sauce.

But he was a newborn, he didn't required constant entertaining. He was quite content sitting in his high chair on the other side of the island watching me cook. Or as I use to say we would cook together.

With homemade noodles, lasagna turns into a very hearty meal. My noodles are thick, as I am without a pasta roller and my rolling pin skills are seriously lacking (you should see me try to roll out pizza dough every couple weeks). So thick that you might mistake them for a dense bread, but it is a welcome change from the store bought option. Especially when you have an afternoon to spare.

As my tenure of being baby-watcher and head chef came to a close, and I neared full-time employment and life with a husband, afternoons of creating homemade lasagnas also faded to be replaced by a handy (and much quicker version) utilizing store-bought noodles and, at times, sauce. Since that discovery I hadn't ventured back into the realm of homemade lasagna or handmade noodles, despite the desire to expand my horizons by making up my own ravioli or something similar.

1 cup flour + 2 eggs = pasta for 2

Then a couple weeks ago, an old friend posted about the joys of homemade noodles even on a hectic night, and that was just the push I needed after all these years.

So last Monday, our typical pasta dinner night, I set about making some noodles. And by the time my pot of water came to boil, the noodles were ready to be dropped in. Mike was skeptical, as he always is when I tell him one of my hare-brained work night dinner plans, but even he was pleasantly surprised when I told him that "no he didn't have time to weed the garden before dinner."

Dinner was ready in nearly the amount of time it took to cook our frozen garlic bread slices, and though our plates weren't piled high with (processed) starchy carbs as is normal, I walked away from dinner feeling fuller and much more satisfied.

Perhaps next time, my noodles will be tossed with a homemade pesto (as was the original plan, but I found half a jar of store bought pesto left in the fridge) and a couple slices of handmade garlic bread.

Though boxes of store bought past will still grace our pantry shelves, I'm thinking the handmade noodles will be showing up on our dishes more frequently…

Secret confession #2

I am so addicted to talk radio that every day at lunch I listen to Agri-Business Today on our local AM sports radio station (don't ask me to explain that one).

And let me tell you, don't start talking about this "swine" flu around me because I will promptly tell you about the affect that phrase is having on the pork industry. How pork futures are down, despite not knowing what a future really is.

I can tell you how corn planting is way behind schedule. Severely off the five year average and even off last year's pace which was behind too.

I'm not sure why I like talk radio so much. Why I prefer to listen to podcasts and audio books instead of music to get through the day. It's just the way I've always been (besides that brief fling I had with alternative rock/pop stations in high school). When I was young and my dad drove me to school we'd listen to Jonathon Brandmeir and when I was lucky I'd get to hear Kevin Matthews at mid-day, and they'd make me laugh. And laugh pretty hard. I'd relish in the days off school when I could listen to the whole line up, from the morning drive right thru the drive home.

I like being able to laugh. To learn the news in quick bits. To just hear people talk. To hear the soft rhythm of a voice.

I guess I've always just been a listener.

Exciting.

Though these were released for Easter of this year, I've finally just gotten my hands on a couple.

Exciting why, you ask. Because I designed these (and plenty more) of these GelGems in the spring of 2007, while I was unemployed and working a little freelance.

This little chick is actually my favorite one. I'm glad I found him today.

Though I have no use for gel window clings, he definitely came home with me (and a second to send my mom).

And what's more exciting than see my designs in actuality (I had been curious if they even ended up using my designs)…it's seeing my name on the product!

Cool, huh?

The Queen

Trying to keep me on task, Nibbler sits and watches while I work…and then she bites me.

It's amazing how gung ho I can get about one thing when I really should be doing a hundred other, more pressing items.

But instead of recovering our living room chair, knitting Christmas presents, making table linens for Thanksgiving or cleaning the house, I am taking photographs of individual PEZ dispensers, editing those pictures and cataloging them on Flickr.

A whopping year and a half after I initially decided on the method and spent the cash to get a pro account.

I really am the queen of procrastination.

A Vacation: In Pictures…and A Lot of Words.

Is it too late to blog about our vacation. We've only been back a week, but it seems so far away.

Above is a pictorial review of our week-long Bahamas cruise. The highlights are as follows:

Sunday
- We left for our 6AM flight at 2AM. Downtown was hopping while we drove through.
- It started to pour right when we crossed the Mississippi.
- Check in and security went easy-peasy at the airport…except Mike almost left his wallet.
- The ride up to cruising altitude was like riding a roller coaster, lots of stomach drops, but it could have been worse, right? The oxygen masks didn't drop, so it couldn't have been that bad.
- I managed to hold myself to only looking through 2 of my 5 magazines on the first leg of our trip. That took much self-control.
- We were able to check into our Miami hotel room 5 hours early. Upon arriving we ate a lunch buffet that included cheesecake, took a dip, then crashed for 5 hours before getting up and ordering room service to go along with our Vince Vaughn marathon. During that time I also managed to finish knitting one of Braydon's birthday presents, a Meathead hat (see that post soon), which I started on the plane.

Monday
- The next morning we went to the conveniently located Miami Mart (we were staying in the Miami Mart Airport Hotel) in search of a sun hat for me. Found one immediately for $7.50…a bargin.
-Took a shuttle at 11:30 to the Port of Miami, this was the first of many times Mike and I had to crawl to the back of one of those conversion vans. This time was understandable (all the old people); all the others times…not so much. I guess we're just really nice midwesterns.
- Boarded the Norwegian Sky with ease, and immediately went to enjoy our first of many buffets and hand sanitizer baths.
- After finally finding our room, we changed for a quick dip and lay in the sun while waiting for all the others to finally board. Then changed again (we did A LOT of changing) for disembarkation. No fancy send off. No waving crowds. Just a couple of old,drunk Norwegian women making bets on which way the boat would turn.
- Dinner in the main dining room, where we enjoyed a rather nice, 3 course sit down meal…you really can't go wrong with a creamy pasta. Though our "dinner mates" would beg to differ. The old couple whom were seated at the table next to us, complained from the moment they sat down. About Everything.
- The night ended with an introductory variety show of sorts. A british emcee, singing and dancing, a young Korean guy singing Johnny Cash's Folsum Prison song, and of course, a comedian who seemed to yell every word that came out of his mouth.
- We headed to the pool deck before heading to bed, tripod at the ready, hoping to catch some of those unbelievable night sky's everyone said not to miss, but were sorely disappointed. The first of many cloudy nights that prohibited the stars from shining. And then we were perplexed to find the deck void of all people and the pools netted and drained. Hmmm…

Tuesday
- An early wake up call, in order to make our excursion time. Breakfast, yes, I said breakfast. I ate things like french toast and eggs with no prodding. Perhaps I am growing up?
- Headed off the ship in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island and queued up for our kayaking excursion. Then was loaded on a coach bus and driven out into the middle of nowhere.
- We were dropped off on the side of the road, and loaded into another conversion van. And yes, again, Mike and I ended up in the back. The way back. Our tour guide was incredibly friendly, with a wonderful Bahamian accent and but that girl sitting in front, with all her questions. Ugh she was another story. 'How much do you make?' 'How old are you?' I'm surprised she didn't ask him for his medical history, that's how personal her questions were getting.
- Kayaking the ocean inlet in the two-person kayak (isn't that just a canoe?) went surprisingly well. Meaning we didn't tip as I tend to do in small boats. I have a feeling Mike was getting annoyed with my "help" at times. And my directional dyslexia did not help (it's a real thing! We read about it). But we DID NOT tip! I did manage to make a tree branch break Mike's glasses though. So that's something.
- Our reward for making it through some very narrow man-grove paths was a beautifully secluded beach. Crystal clear water where you could walk out a half mile without getting your hips wet. That and sandwiches with very domesticated raccoons. These things were practically human. Oh and I got a bonus…sunburned shoulder blades that peeled all this past week in a miserably itchy mess.
- Upon being returned to civilization, we headed back to the boat early. Showered and CHANGED, relaxed and explored a bit before heading to dinner. Where we were once again lucky enough to sit near Mr & Mrs Complainer-Pants.
- I also dragged Mike to a educational seminar at that gym about, well it turned out to be about detoxing your body. I learned it is completely normal for Mike to poop several times a day, and not normal for me to not poop everyday (is that too much information?) and that I will probably die of colon cancer because of this. We also learned about this amazing thing that would eat all the toxins in around my fat cells, thus getting rid of cellulite with diet and exercise and make me all around healthier…this amazing product is called Green & Red Algae! And will detox our bodies thus helping in weight loss in 6 months. Available for only $500 for a 1-person 6-month supply! Besides the sales pitch, in sounded pretty legit so we decided to look into it when we got back…surprises! It's not! Goodbye, miracle.
- The evening ended with a Broadway song and dance number, then I made make go back to the room and practice some 70s dance moves with me. And we were welcomed back to our cabin by a towel puppy, wearing my sun glasses. Cute, right?

Wednesday
- Another early wake up call, another real breakfast. Then off the boat in Nassau in the hopes that our excursion wouldn't be canceled because we were the only people on a boat of a couple thousand that thought a Segway tour would be fun. Luckily we weren't. Just all the other cool people waited until after 7PM the night before to book the tour.
- So we crawled into the back of another conversion van, and were dropped off at the side of the road again. Where we were promptly led to a small building and outfitted with knee pads, elbow pads and helmets and given a short lesson on how to "trust" the Segway.
- After only about 20 minutes they had us Segwaying down the road and unlocked our speed regulators. All in all, Segways were awesome. We didn't see much of Nassau in our tour, but we were given plenty of opportunity to zoom around. I know understand why GOB never got off his.
- When our tour ended we ventured around town looking for conch (which our kayak tour guide raved about). Conch salad was not available at the establishment we went to, but we did have conch fritters and fried conch. Yummy, just like any other shellfish. But I am a bit disappointed that there was no fresh conch salad.
- As it got hotter out, we wandered through the Straw Market trying not to peter out on the port too early. The Market stressed me out, as most similar situations do. Tiny aisles. People harassing you to buy their goods. Lots of crap. And even more "pretty lady, pretty lady." The best thing I ended up with was a real Bahamian license plate, hopefully not stripped of somebody's car that morning (the second best: a Bahama Mama ornament, made of pinecones, with giant boobs).
- After returning to the boat and CHANGING into swimsuits this time, we spent some time in the pool before having a body assessment on board. Yup, that's my idea of a souvenir. Mike gets shot glasses and I find out my body fat percentage by having electrodes shot through my finger tips and toes. Seriously though, I've always been curious and we were offered a deal (2 for $35) at our detox seminar, so I went for it.
- So right after we found out how fat we really are, we got dressed up and headed for a fancy dinner at the on-board steakhouse. Crabcakes, Clam Chowder, Salmon and Crab Legs, you can't go wrong…unless you order the molten chocolate cake. Not as good as I thought they would be. I should have guessed, considering I don't like cake, let alone chocolate cake.
- Upon returning to the room we were great by another towel creature (an elephant), and CHANGED again to go to the comedy show and then the "white Hot party" on the pool deck. Which was not our thing and we left before it began to "snow." I actually think we went back and watched "Definitely, Maybe" so at least I don't need to add it to my netflix queue.

Thursday
- We didn't have to get up early, but we did and were greeted by nothing but the ocean from our window. Our last destination was the Great Stirrup Cay, a private island of the cruiseline. We caught the first tender to shore, grabbed our snorkel gear and staked out a hammock in the shade.
- A day at the beach was relaxing as ever imagined. We snorkeled by ourselves, just puttering around in the crystal clear water until we got freaked out by how close the fish were getting. Then napped in a hammock in partial sun. Mike went on a "hike" to a lighthouse. I believe he put it as "hiking through a desert to a lighthouse you couldn't get close to." I chose to read magazines and nap. We had an island buffet with such exotic, native delicacies as…pizza and burgers. And then we splashed around in the water (and in the crowds, by then) until the seagulls started to "attack." With the beach and water so crowded, the water cloudy and several hours of sun under our belt, we decided to call our day on the beach quits and beat the tender rush back. But before we left, I had Mike covertly steal a bag of sand from the beach for our trip jar.
- As we wiled away the rest of the afternoon aboard, we tried out a trivia game (which we sucked at, the only answer I knew was Val Kilmer - who played Batman in Batman Forever?) and thought we'd stay for bingo. But not bingo for like $40 minimum with no chance at winning. So we walked out and checked the Cubs game out in our cabin.
- Our final dinner aboard was spent awaiting Mr & Mrs Complainer-Pants arrival, but to my surprise they didn't show. I think our dinner "out" the night before threw off our sychronization. There is no way they would have paid a cover charge for dinner.
- We went to one last show (another song & dance number) - where they finally suckered me into the Instant Win Pull Tab game. A winner on every ticket, with a chance to win $2000! For $20 I got 6 tickets and an NCL white tee shirt. I won $6. So really I bought a $14 white tee shirt with a small "sports at sea" logo on the chest. Maybe next time, right?
- Mike had tried to play craps at the casino the night before only to lose his money while playing by himself, so I promised to go with him our last night. We still ended up playing by ourselves, but Mike re-taught me to play and guided my bets. When a couple guys joined us, I did well and won them money. They did bad and lost me my money. All but $4. Stupid men. Then it was Mike's turn, and he managed to win my lost money back in like 5 minutes (he was by himself…AGAIN), so decided to take his chance at a couple different games. All in all we were down 5 bucks for an hour or more's fun. Not too bad.
- Our night ended shortly after that and we headed to bed with no set time we had to be off the boat.

Friday
- At who-knows-when-in- the-morning, we jerked awake and were able to see Miami asleep. I was basically asleep, so I only vaguely recall Mike saying "look at Miami," then craning my head around and dropping back to my pillow.
- Despite no set time to leave, it seemed we had to be getting off by ten. So we packed up first thing and ate a leisurely breakfast. Then walked right off with our three bags. Disembarking was easier than ever imagined, though our same birthdays and Mike's undeliberate lie about tobacco products almost caused some problems at customs. It didn't and they let us back into the US just fine.
- By that time it was only 9:30, but we didn't have much choice for what we could do. So we hopped in a cab and went to our hotel. 5 hours early. And this time we were denied ealry check-in. We tried re-booking our flight, but not for $170 extra each. So I coaxed (a pouty) Mike out to the pool area, where we sat in the salty shade and read (and I napped) for 3 hours. At which time I tried to check us in, and was happily given keys.
- We crashed again, just lounging in our separate double beds (I wasn't going to take a handicap room just for the king bed! What kind of person would I be?). Knitting for me, watching Home Improvement for Mike. We ordered room service (which took over an hour so we got it free). And then slept. When we awoke, we watched more tv, ordered more room service for dinner and bought an in-room movie (Baby Mama) and then slept again. Perfect way to wind down before our flight back the next afternoon.

Saturday
- We woke up at our leisure and spent the morning repacking our bags from 2 carry ons and 1 checked, to 2 carry ons and 2 checked to avoid having a bag over 50 lbs (which would have a hefty charge). Our checked bag on our way had been 51, but the man was nice and let us slide.
- At the airport several hours early, went smoothly again. No wallets almost forgotten this time, yay! And the flight had not a bump or drop.
- We got home with plently of time to play with Nibbler, though she did bark really mean at Mike when he went in to let her out to me. But she was over it in no time. And we were a happy, relaxed family for the rest of the weekend.
- All in all, I came home with two completed knitting projects, 5 read magazine, a sun tan (and a bit of burn), and relaxing week spent with Mike with virtually no arguing (had one spat after spending all day in the sun kayaking but it was over within a half an hour).

The End.

Yikes…Diving into the Design Archives.

An ad I designed at Junior (H.S.) Job Shadowing Day back in 1999

Last night I took a trip down memory lane. After lugging 2 file boxes of college design paper files to 5 locations in 4 years, not to mention the three years of transport to and from ISU, I decided to dive into the archives one more time…and purge.

And boy was it a scary trip.

Quick indian ink sketch to do my first logo work - First Project, Design 1.

All I could think while going through dozens of file folders was "If this was good work, what did the bad work in class look like."

At least I now know I've progressed. Because sometimes, it doesn't feel like it. But I have.

Look, I've had a love for fancy, unusual packaging since the beginning. Final Project, Design 1

You may notice I'm not showing any actual work. I did have good work that I'm still proud of today, but that's in the portfolio and wasn't purged.

Chicago skyline concession men for poster design - Design 2 (thanks for the idea, Gavin!)

Not much of what I saw last night was good. It was a learning process though. It was interesting to see OH SO MANY thumbnails and roughs, all on layout paper. Thicker than tracing paper, but still see-through, and required a trip to Paintin' Place, which is no longer near campus.

The evidence of a nightmare project in the hours before it was due (note the times on the CDs). Enclosure Book - Design 3

Surprisingly, all but a small amount of mounted pieces that I'm hesitant to recycle still, fit in a medium-sized Nordstrom's shopping bag. Perhaps I got rid of stuff before, because some classes (most notably the train wreck of a class Poster Design) have absolutely no paperwork.

I probably tossed that stuff as soon as I walked out the door on the last day.

Being my worst class experience in my entire educational career.

Now I move forward. And the file boxes and dozens of hanging folders will now be used to keep our "archived years" of household files.

I sound grown up now, right?

Beat.

It's my birthday, and I'm definitely feeling like this.

Dead beat.

Still sick. I don't feel too bad except for a cough that keeps me up half the night.

Family birthday get together yesterday. Yummy grilled food, lot of time outside, ice cream cake…and presents!

Family house guests overnight. A full house. Made even fuller by a very rambunctious three year old…and a puppy. Together. Yikes.

Museum trip and a nice birthday day capped with storms both in the morning and night.

Tomorrow I try to convince Mike to take it easy before his crazy week at work. And enjoy a day of freedom before it's back to the grindstone.

I hope to sleep in past eight. With no little nephew popping in to say "good morning, it's time to get up, aunt sarah" I should be able to.

Where We Find Comfort: #2

Books have always been a source of comfort to me. I love immersing myself in the author's world. It's nice to escape from reality, curled in a favorite comfy spot, becoming part of a story. Learning things you never knew. Dreaming of things that could possibly be.

I've been recording the books I've read each year since 1999. And since I'd enjoy seeing what other's have read, I'm going to share the books I've read so far this year (Perhaps later I'll share the entire 9 year record).

2008
-Alexander & The Wonderful, Marvelous, Excellent, Terrific Ninety Day; Judith Viorst (NF)
-The Amateur Gourmet; Adam D Roberts (NF)
-Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince; JK Rowling (F)
-Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows; JK Rowling (F)
-Playing for Pizza; John Grisham (F)
-Plenty; Alisa Smith & JB Mackinnon (NF)
-Thursday Next: First Among Sequels; Jasper Fforde (F)
-How to Make Books; Esther K Smith (NF)
-Puppy's First Steps; Nicholas Dodman, BVMS (NF)
-Border Collies: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual; Michael DeVine (NF)
-Dough: A Memoir; Mort Zachter (NF)

And Sometimes There is Art…

Being at my parents' house this weekend, reminded me of this lithograph print I did 4 years ago. There are 4 prints in existence, I believe. The first resides in my parents' downstairs bathroom, a birthday gift to mom years ago. A second resides above the fish tank in the apartment dining room of an old classmate. She bought it off me at the end of the school year, it was weird to go to her apartment shortly after moving last year and seeing it hanging in someone's home. In a place of prominence. I actually didn't recognize it at first. Mike had to point it out to me. And the last two prints are stashed away in my Lithography 101 portfolio, which may or may not be in our new house.

I'll have to look. It would be nice to have some of my own art hanging in my own home.

I remember the frustration that led to this print, in a certain graphic design teacher. Nothing was ever right or good…the entire semester. It was a tough way to end my years in college. Trying so hard, but coming out only average. After a particularly tough assignment, I put ink to stone and was graced with a very emotional piece that came together without even trying.

It was one of the only times I felt like an artist. "To Hell…" really drove my interest in lithography. Before it the semester felt like it might be a wash (ha ha - that one's for anyone who's familiar with the lithography process), but after my drive was pretty intense. Saturday afternoons in the studio alone, grinding my stone. Circling figure eights. Very methodic. I ended up spending a lot of time in the studio. I even did two extra projects. I even became comfortable washing my image off without consultation from teacher or grad assistant, which the majority of the class was not (all those design students and art ed students aren't always comfortable if the hard core art stuff). I wished I had discovered lithography before my last semester.

The Goods

A shot of those fabulous awards I briefly mentioned in my last post. And yes, I snuck a tripod into work yesterday and waiting for my boss to leave before I threw off my coat and posed for the camera!

I did it for Mike, who continually asked me all week if my boss would be at work the next day so he could come and take my picture.

This is what the company brought home that night. Don't be fooled, these babies are acrylic!

Warm and Cozy for the Weekend

Not much going on around here, huh?

Not so much in real life either. Work has kept me busy doing publication design for the past two weeks (one of those weeks, being alone at the office as well having to deal with other things that popped up). I worked all last weekend, so this week has been especially tough to get through. Being confused on what day of the week it is. Needing to crash early and sleep late the next day. Swearing at people (in my head) who think I can magically make things work with too much copy, ugly ads and not enough pages.

Luckily the publication goes to press Thursday, files to the printer on Tuesday.

Then to top off a long two weeks of work, the beginning of this week made it seem like we bought a money pit. First the dishwasher stopped working mid-cycle (turns out the outlet it and disposal are plugged into is shot). Then the very next morning, after tornadoes up north destroyed our favorite apple orchard and we had just bad storming, we found our basement had taken water, lot of water. Lots of water soaked up by area rugs in Mike's video game area. Luckily I didn't have to deal with it, I had already gone to before Mike saw what had happened.

I spent the rest of the week super cleaning after work. Dishes had piled up. Laundry needed to be done. Christmas stuff had to be put away.

I've made it through the week. Whew! I plan on super relaxing this weekend. Sleeping in, knitting, reading, maybe a bath, and…using my new fondue pot!

As my treat to you for being so neglecting as of late, I give you the recipe for some yummy chili and homemade tortilla chips to keep you warm and cozy for the weekend.

Funny story before I start…
When I was in second grade, my teacher did fun stuff with us regarding food. We made tamales and peanut butter that I can recollect, I'm pretty sure we did more too. The student teacher was telling us about tamales, how they're made and everything and about other Mexican food. She kept referring to tortillas as tor-till-las, so I raised my hand having had tortillas my whole life and said, "It's pronounce tor-tee-yas." She never got it wrong after that…being schooled by a 7 year old.

On to the recipe…this is the third chili recipe I've tried in about two months. This one is my favorite. Perfect (to me) chili consistency and hearty, perfect with chips and a dollop of sour cream.

Chili with Homemade Tortilla Chips
• 1 Tbs vegetable oil + approx 1 cup
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbs tomato paste (must invest in the squeezy tube for future reference)
• 2 Tbs chili powder
• 2 Tbs cocoa powder
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 cans (29 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2 cans (29 oz) pinto beans, drained & rinsed
• corn tortillas, cut into quarters (I usually do 4 whole tortillas for each person)
• shredded cheddar cheese, for sprinkling
• sour cream, to dollop and dip

1. In a large, heavy bottom pot, heat 1 Tbs oil on med-hi. Add onion & garlic and season with salt & pepper. Cook approx 5 minutes, until soft.

2. Add tomato paste, chili powder & cocoa powder. Cook, stirring about 1 minute.

3. Add turkey, break up, and heat until cooked through. It get a bit tough to tell because the cocoa powder makes everything very dark.

4. Add tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer until thickened. Approx 15 minutes.

5. While chili is simmering, heat remaining oil in large shallow pan until a drop of water will pop off it. Fry 6 or so tortilla quarters at a time. Salt both sides immediately after taking them out of the oil. Set on paper towels to absorb extra oil. Sneak one or two while they are still warm…yum!

6. Serve chili garnish with a sprinkle of cheese and a dollop of sour cream and chips on the side. The fresh chips taste especially good dip in sour cream, their warm, salty crunchiness paired with the cool, creaminess is a great pairing (use low fat sour cream and you won't feel so bad).

Enjoy! Have a cozy weekend. I'll be relaxing, but will hopefully have some new stuff to show you soon. I started a new knitting project so there will eventually be some craft content again.

Hot Cocoa Swap: The Questionnaire

1. Hot Chocolate, 2. Hot Chocolaté -1-, 3. French Hot Chocolate, 4. Irene's Cup Of Hot Chocolate

Cocoa:
1. What is your favorite way to drink cocoa? Prepared with milk? Water? from home made recipe or store bought?, In a tea cup, or big mug?
-I'm partial to store-bought hot chocolate. I tried making homemade hot cocoa mix before but the store only had dark dutch processed cocoa powder. It was not good, guess I'm not a fan of dark chocolate. I usually try and follow the directions on the mix. I have some "fancier" mixes that call for milk, but with like Swiss Miss I just use water. I really don't have a cup/mug preference, it really does depend on what is clean…I do have 3 hot chocolate cups though, one is tall, one holds a normal coffee cup amount and the last is one of those big cappuccino mugs.

2. Marshmallows or whipped cream?
-Even as a very little kid I preferred whipped cream. One of my mom's favorite stories to tell when hot chocolate season comes around is about the waitresses at a local restaurant we used to frequent when I was a toddler. They would bring me a cup of just the teensiest amount of hot chocolate and then overflow it with whipped cream. That being said, I don't turn down marshmallows, they tend to be easier to keep in stock in the pantry.

Yarn/Knitting/Crochet
1. What is your favorite type of yarn? In what colors?
-I'm very project based, and I tend not to make anything for myself (another resolution this year is to make something for myself). I did enjoy knitting up yarn that contained wool, but I don't dislike knitting cotton or even acrylic. I guess I'm not experienced enough of a knitter to have preference. Colors on the other hand depend on the project, pretty much anything that's not florescent or fun fur might be used.

2. Do you knit or crochet (or both)?
-I knit. Though it is on the list of things to do to teach myself to crochet, maybe this will be the year.

3. What are your favorite type of needles, would you like to try something new?
-I like the portability of circulars, being lucky enough to be gifted a Denise Interchangeable Set very early in my knitting career. I also love bamboo needles but have a difficult time finding them in the stores here.

4. Do you have a healthy supply of notions?
-Not really. I have a few, but they're so small I often misplace them.

5. What one thing do you keep thinking you need to buy for your knitting habit (outside of yarn)?
-A ball winder. Or one of those project bags that is drawstring and can clip onto a belt or purse strap.

6. What is your favorite 'quick knit/crochet' pattern (quick gratification)
-My inexperience will shine now…Hats or maybe a Knitted Babe, but those still take a few days.

Miscellaneous
1. What is your favorite thing to do in the Winter?
-Sit in my tree lit living room with a snuggly blanket, a mug of hot chocolate and a book.

2. What is your favorite animal?
-I don't really have a favorite animal. I like dogs, monkeys and penguins, I guess.

3. Do you get the 'winter blahs'?
-Doesn't everyone?


4. What is your favorite way to beat the blahs?
-Burrowing in bed with a book or book on tape and some warm chocolate chip cookies. Or a hot bubble bath and a good book and a cup of cocoa.


5. What is the thing you are most looking forward to this spring?
-No more poor driving conditions because of snow and not being constantly cold.

6. What are your favorite treat?
-Ice cream or chocolate chip cookies

7. What is your favorite board game?
-Cranium

8. Do you have any children (furry or human)?
-No

9. Do you have any allergies or special considerations you partner should know about?
-Heavy perfume smells and cigarrette smoke make me sneeze.

And The Conclusion Is…

Are there roads that follow the border of the state?

Awoken quite suddenly this morning, trying to fall back asleep, I laid in bed thinking. Eventually my mind finally ended on this question.

How, you might ask. Well, here was my line of thought, all happening within a minute or two.

• Was thinking about the farmer's market I was planning on visiting this morning.
• I decided I must try the White Hot Cocoa at Moxie.
• What a nice way to stroll the market, warm cocoa on a chilly fall day (yes, fall has finally arrived here!).
• Oh, how nice it will be next week, when I drag Mike to the farmer's market, to stroll hand in hand with my love, sipping hot cocoa on a brisk morning.
• Wait, I think we might be going camping near St Louis next weekend.
• I wonder where we'll camp.
• I wonder if we can some how make it to another state to camp, probably not. We're pretty much in the dead center of the state.
• Hmm, I wonder if there are roads that follow the border of the state?
• And how long would it take to drive around the entire state?


Above are the goodies I picked up at the market. Fall veggies, to try some new recipes. On the drizzly, grey day, Mike and I gave our new kitchen a cheery facelift. Pictures to come, once things get put away a little more.

The End of a Season, The End of a Bag…

The Cubs' season is over. Technically summer is too (though you wouldn't be able to tell from the 90 degree heat). So it's time for the changing of the day bag. To something hardier. Roomier. And all around more autumnish.

This is what I emptied out of my bag this afternoon. A few noteables (click on the photo for an indepth, noted image at flickr) include:

• a service receipt for my broken iMac
• a business card holder with cards from my old job
• a few bucks in loose change
• 2 To Do List notebooks
• a wallet I was given in, like eighth grade - 12 years ago

I've wanted to expose myself in this manner for awhile, and today presented the perfect opportunity. I was listening to Satellite Sisters podcast from Friday and they had on a women who wrote a book on why women carry the world in their purses. Plus since real fall doesn't see to want to bear its face and the Cubs blew their World Series chance this weekend, it really was time to change bags to something more seasonally appropriate.

Z is for Zero.

Image scanned from my SchoolHouse Rock lyrics book.

• # of times I've broken a bone.
• # of times I've been drunk (if you combined all the alcohol I've ever had into one night, I still couldn't get drunk off it).
• # of times I've been knocked out/drugged/etc in the medical sense (even when my wisdom teeth were extracted I was fully awake just numbed with 7 shots of novicane).
• # of times traveled abroad for purely recreation (though I did have fun while studying abroad in Italy, I did go there to learn!).
• # of pets I currently have (I want my very own puppy).
• amount left on my car loan.
• tolerance for pancakes.
• # of concerts I've attended since graduating college (from junior year in high school on I went to at least 2 concerts a year, if not more).
• # of Charles Dickens books read, let alone picked up.
• # of James Bonds films seen.
• Preferred soda - Sprite or Coca Cola varieties (we even have some Sprite Zero in the fridge now, I cracked yesterday and bought some when I had an upset stomach).
• # of She-Ra doll or My Little Ponies I still have (She-Ra rocked, I even had one of the playsets. And I still think about the one MLP I had that was blue with a rainbow on the butt and rainbow hair).
• My Hero, Zero - a SchoolHouse Rock song (not my favorite, but it fits). Seriously in love with SchoolHouse Rock. Have been for since middle school. Helped me in freshman biology class getting through a test on the cardiovascular system. "In through the arteries, Out through the veins. The heart pumps the blood than it does it again. Come ON! Everyone! Exercise your BODY for circulation." When we have kids, they will watch the shows too.

Y is for You…and a Pay It Forward Swap.

Never one to pass up a chance at free stuff…or for making stuff for other people, so when I saw CorgiPants post about the Pay It Forward swap, I jumped on the chance. Not only to receive a little goodie, but also to bestow some goodies on some others.

As you might have noticed, I have a difficult time crafting for myself. But I really enjoy making things, and other people offer the motivation I need. What's more fun than giving something you made to someone else that you know will appreciate it.

That's why I love the blogosphere and all of you within it. It helps me connect with people like me. You offer inspiration, and laughs when I most need it. Daily good reads to let me forget about what may be stressing me out at the moment. Recipes, book ideas, and even advice, whether intentional or not. It's amazing that technology has given us the ability to connect with people all over the world in just a few mouse clicks. That you can become friends with people you'd never have met otherwise. That you can relate with people who are eerily similar to yourself.

I appreciate everyone who stops on by to read what I may have to share on any given day. Thank you.

And I offer you the opportunity to take part in a "real-world" representation of what the blogosphere does electronically everyday for me. If you'd like to experience the Pay It Forward action, here's how it works:

I will send a handmade gift to the first three (3) people who leave a comment on this blog expressing interest in joining in on the Pay It Forward exchange. I don't know what the gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days. And that is a promise! The only thing I ask in return is that you Pay It Forward as well, by making the same promise on your blog.

And I'll connect with you, and you with three others, one happy mail day package at a time.

There's nothing I look forward to more than a package sitting on my doorstep (or more accurately a package slip sitting in my mailbox informing me I need to pick something up at the post office). And I'm sure many of you are the same way. I mean, who can resist a package full of goodies!

So I will email the first three people to comment to this post, get your personal info and mail you out something great!…but only if you do the same.

And thanks again for sticking with me during this past month. I'm sure you've learned a bit more about me than you've ever wanted to know. But I'm proud of myself, I've only fallen 2 days behind in my month-long encyclopedia journey. Quite an accomplishment for someone who had trouble posting once a week. Hopefully the regularity will continue on once tomorrow's Z is over.

X is for Xmas

Perhaps my favorite time of year…though I do enjoy Halloween an awful lot, it's just tougher to get into it at this point in life.

I enjoy the coziness that emits from a tree lit up in the corner. Coming home to it after a long day. Being with family, the togetherness that is automatic, but not forced. The food that is rich, involved in creating, yet so delicious and comforting. Hot chocolate with whipped cream. Peppermint ice cream. Burning fires. Carols streaming constant happiness. Stockings bulging along the mantel. Finding and creating gifts for each family member and friend. Piles of crumbled paper and stacks of new things to be thankful for.

I look forward to Christmas this year. If all goes as planned, we will be settled in a house of our own well before the holiday season creeps its way upon us. And I can't wait. Last year, we didn't have much of the Christmas spirit. We were trying to sell our condo and preparing to move in just a couple weeks. The only hint of the season could be seen in the corner of our living room atop a table, a little fake tree gleaming with white lights, a couple cheap ornaments I received at my company Christmas party and a little stuffed reindeer that farts when your squeeze it (I still have it, Sarah). Things were lonely during the holiday. I was home alone while Mike was working here, the only thing that made it better was that little tree and its welcoming twinkle as I'd walk up our stairs. That little tree stayed up until the day we moved.

I can't wait to have that twinkly, Christmas feeling at full force!

W is for Woodstock.

I spent the first 24 and a half years in my town. Give or take the four years at ISU, where I only lived there for a few months each year.

I always like my town.

I remember a time, maybe eighth grade or so, when one of my good friends who had moved from Chicago a few years earlier, started to declare that Woodstock was so 'hick.' And then other friends started picking up on it as well. It always made me mad.

It really is far from hick. Try the town of 300 I spent summers in for a couple years. Or some of these towns as you work down the state. Those towns you can call hick.

I know there aren't things like chain sit-down restaurants or places to shop for clothes (unless you count Kmart, and now Walmart - ick). When I was younger, you had to drive at least 30 minutes in light traffic to go to a mall for the latest back-to-school fashions. You had to drive to the next town to go out to dinner. But we had multiple stop lights (something I've learned real hick towns tend not to have). Presentable homes, both historic and new. And a serious lack of rusted out pick up trucks and bathtubs in yards (though as I type that, I must admit someone in my parents' neighborhood does have a bathtub in their yard!). People don't have the stereotypical drawl you might associate with 'hicks.'

Things are pretty suburban without being an actual suburb.

I mean, you really can't be a suburb when you're 60 miles from Chicago and only a 20 minute drive from Wisconsin.

We had green. Corn fields and trees. And I never really thought too much about it until about 2 years ago, when Mike and I rescued a couple of his grad school friends from being stranded in Chicago. Four of us crammed in Mike's little pick-up truck driving from downtown to Woodstock to drop me off before they headed back down to Springfield, and the two city dwellers simply stated as we entered Woodstock, "wow, it's really pretty out here."

And though I was never really bothered growing up there, I never intended to stay. I thought I'd move on. Somewhere away from a 30 minute radius from the family. Growing up we were always with family. I wanted something different. I wanted a different state. That was until Bray showed up. He changed a lot of things, but made it hard to imagine leaving where I'd grown up. And Mike and I stayed, we started to lay roots.

But things changed rather quickly, and though at the time it was tough, it turns out that it was probably for the better. Not even just in the long run, but in the short run as well.

Before we left, even though it was the middle of winter, we had some really great weather. I went walking around town. Needing to capture a couple picture of things I always loved in my town. The most important being the photo at the beginning of the entry. That is "my house." The house I always dreamed of owning. Just a few blocks from the Square. A couple blocks from the library. A couple blocks to church (and the Dairy Queen). It was perfect. I even tried to talk my mom into buying it when I was younger and it was for sale. It was the spire, I think. Imagining doing something, like reading, curled up in the sun in my circle room. Or perhaps the porch. The large windows. The curved drive. I'm not really sure. But I've always been drawn to it. I have no idea what it looks like inside, but I knew it was perfect.

Now, we live, not in another state, but several hours away and are starting to plant some roots again. My loyalty will lie with Woodstock for a long time. How could it not. 24 years is a long time, but to top that off Mike and I were married there. We talk about it often, being able to take our children to the park where we were married while visiting their grandparents. A brick lays there to commemorate that day, and I think it will be an even more special trip, as we will have to make a trip to see it.



…and what entry on Woodstock would be complete without the obligatory mention that the movie 'Groundhog Day' was filmed there. It's our claim to fame.

V is for Vibe.

Image created at Pontiac.com

My car. The First. The Only. The Vibe.

And it's all mine.

I didn't really have a hand in picking it out.

I was managing a Blimpie, walking distance from home, but was going to start working at American Girl 45 minutes away at the same time mom was starting a new job after being laid-off for a few months. Transportation was necessary since I wouldn't be able to use Mom's baby if I needed to.

Mom and Dad took care of the finding of the car, since I was working pretty much full-time at the sandwich shop by myself. They would bring cars around that they thought I would like while I was at work. I would run out to the parking lot and sit in them and decide if I wanted to test drive in the evenings.

Mom picked this one out for me. She thought I'd like it because of the sun roof…and she was right. I would have gotten a cool color like neptune blue, instead of frosty, but the dealer had this on the lot, so my dad was able to get the car for cheaper.

Basically all I did was pay for it.

It's actually turned out to be a pretty great car. Roomy and comfortable. Great gas mileage. And very spacious. The back seats fold down and you can cram it full of stuff. Just as much as an SUV, just maybe not as tall of a pile.

The funny thing…I had never heard of a Vibe before, but as soon as I bought it, I saw them everywhere. It was like me and the entire population of McHenry County bought our Vibes on the same day. And now, 3 years later, they're even more numerous. At every stoplight there's at least one other Vibe besides my own.

I can understand why, they're fun in the way VW Beetles and Mini Coopers are (well, maybe not as fun), but they are way more affordable and practical.

Hopefully The Vibe will last awhile. Mike's convince we'll have our respective cars for at least 10 more years. I'm not as optimistic, but I'd like her to last. The Vibe is a good alternative to the dreaded mini van or a gigantor SUV.

PS…I had intended to take a picture of The Vibe today, as it is my half day, but I ended up only getting out of work 2 hours early and then it started to rain, after we've been in near drought while the northern part of Illinois has been flooded out. Ah well, thank goodness for "create your own Vibe" on the Pontiac website.

PPS…Please note, you will refer to my car as The Vibe, note 'your car,' 'Sarah's car' or 'the vibe.'