Sometimes life sucks

Dear Mom-Mom,

Four weekends ago we celebrated my birthday. We ate yummy food, talked, and laughed, but you didn't quite seem like yourself. When it came time to say goodbye, I gave you a big hug and smooch and told you I'd see you soon.

Three weekends ago, just one day after my actual birthday, you called Dad and said you didn't feel well. You complained of chest pains and felt scared you were having a heart attack. Test after test came back negative. We thought you were in the clear and were so relieved to hear you'd be coming back home after three nights in the hospital.

But then the doctor decided to do a cat scan at the last minute. And that test finally showed something. Deep down in your lungs there were some spots, and those spots were pneumonia.

We were told not to worry. A few days in the hospital and some antibiotics would clear the pneumonia right up.

A few days passed. On the first Friday you were in the hospital, you were having a harder time breathing. Your doctor asked a very routine, but very scary question: "Do you want to be resuscitated should your heart stop?" Being wise and knowing you'd lived a long and beautiful life already, you said you did not.

But the seed had been planted and you were branded with a fuchsia "DNR" bracelet. You were scared and, convinced you were at the end of your life, you talked about your life with my dad and said your goodbyes.

Now the family was scared, too. We all rallied together. Aunt Karen came from Vanceboro. I came from Asheville. We talked and laughed and probably nearly got kicked out of the cardiovascular wing your room was on (we are, at times, a raucous bunch). By the time I came back to Asheville that Sunday, one week into your hospital stay, I knew you were going to be okay. When we said goodbye and I told you I'd see you in a few weeks, you still said, "I hope I'll be around for you!"

A few more days went by--some good and some bad, but nothing to really worry about. By the next weekend, though, you were really having a hard time breathing and it was decided you should be moved to ICU. As the days went by after that, things did not get much better.

I came home the middle of last week because we were beginning to face the facts: you might not get better. For a few precious minutes, you were awake and alert. We held hands and you looked from me to my cousin and back to me and you smiled. I could barely hold it together, Mom-Mom, but I'm so glad I came home and was able to have that moment with you. From that afternoon on, you were asleep, already on your way to heaven I think.

I quickly came back to Asheville to work for one day, but then came back to see you and to be with family, knowing it probably would not be long until you and Pop-Pop were together again.

You were physically alive when I arrived, but your spirit and mind were not there. You were knocked out on a cocktail of medicines to simply keep you comfortable. There was no physical healing that would come.

You passed away late in the afternoon, around 5:30 p.m. Dawn and Aunt Karen said they saw you smile toward the end. I hope you were seeing Pop-Pop and your family. Did you see Jesus?

We're all doing okay here. We are all still laughing and joking around a lot, but it is not the same without you. I still call the house you lived "Mom-Mom's house" and your room is still your room and your bathroom is still your bathroom. Your seat at the head of the table in the dining room is still yours and I got a little angry at Hanna when her 11-year-old self bounced down to the seat and took it over.

I do wonder what this Thanksgiving and Christmas will be like. Will we all still go to your condo?

One thing I do know: Christmas morning will be lonely and quiet without you. We've spent every Christmas day together since 1998. Mom-Mom, I will miss you so much.

You never were that warm, fuzzy grandma with fresh baked cookies in the kitchen. You were always kind of...arthritic and a bit slow. But you could shop like nobody's business. And you were brave and a fighter. You were always there for your family no matter what. And you could laugh. You could laugh with us and you could laugh at yourself. I love and admire that in you. I think I will miss your laugh the most.

I know that you will always be here with us in a way, like when we watch a movie together as a family or eat a yummy meal or see a butterfly flutter about, and especially any time we laugh.

You are the ultimate Golden Girl, Mom-Mom, and I love you so very much. I will miss you every day, but I know you are happy to be with Pop-Pop. And I especially know he's happy you're with him.

Love you forever,
Your granddaughter, Katie

Fabulous Friday

Oh yes. It's Fabulous Friday. Does Friday ever come as a relief to you? It's like the work week is the balmy, moist heat of summer in the south and Friday is the cool breeze that makes it all okay.

Today is a good day for a few reasons:
1. Pay Day. Need I say more?
2. The start of a fun weekend filled with.......
3. The boy.
4. The best friend visiting from out of town
5. and going to Nona Mia for dinner (with the boy) tonight. Having a meal at this restuarant, whose name translates to "My Grandmother" in Italian, is the ultimate in comfort food. We can't wait.
6. Another reason today is fabulous: I got a package in the mail yesterday from a friend ('twas a belated birthday present) and inside the box was a scarf and pair of earrings. Today I wore both. And then I somehow sipped a little too much coffe from my travel mug and dribbled all over said scarf and I was all bummed until I realized my scarf was navy blue and it didn't show up. Also, it made my scarf smell like coffee, so...win?

Hope your Friday is just as fabulous whether you are having a wild weekend or a quiet weekend at home.

Be well!

Throwback Thursday

Trying a little something new for the ol' blog to help me stay consistent with it: each day will have a theme or a specific title to give me a little blogging direction.

Today is Throwback Thursday where I'll recount a memory or something from my past.

This was right around 11 years ago (whoa...I.am.old.). My best friend and I convinced our parents that we should have a joint 16th birthday party. And, you've probably figured out that the theme was Hawaiian judging by our leis and cheap grass skirts.

This silly picture perfectly illustrates our friendship. We were (and are) nutballs. I showed this picture to Becky recently and said the only thing that had really changed about us was our hair. I now let mine go curly and free and she's cut her hair to a short adorable bob.

We've been through it all together: rough patches at home, boyfriends, breakups, high school at different schools, college at different schools, living our adult lives 4 hours apart. Sometimes weeks go by without us talking or emailing, but it never matters because we are cosmic friends and we were meant to be a support for one another.

Mostly, I think, God brough Becky in my life so we could laugh together. We are the best at laughing, that is for sure.

Okay, one last friend gush and then I'll get ready for work: 27 years and a few days ago I was born and I was named Katie Rebecca. Katie was my great grandmother's name on my dad's side. Luckily they didn't tack on the Thelma (no offense, Gram). Instead, they chose Rebecca. She was Katie Thelma's best friend.

It seems like it was kismet that a little girl named Katie and another little girl named Rebecca (Becky) should meet and become friends in the 6th grade. :)

Yes, I just used an emoticon. Becky makes me emote.

This weekend the plan is for Becky to visit and for us to have a ridiculously fun time together. I cannot wait.

Some bread and an outfit!

Here is a recent outfit of mine I liked:

I found a few cardigans on clearance at Target last week (good thing I haven't officially decided to only purchase clothes at second hand stores yet...). I couldn't pass this one up. It's flowy. It's long. It can be wrapped around you in a more snuggly fashion if you get chilly. It's also an interesting color: gray? olive? brown? No one can really figure it out. I've paired it with a whit tank, my "sailor" pants with the fun buttons, my comfy danskos, and a new gold necklace (also from Target, and also on clearance all because the necklace was tied in a knot!).

Also, please excuse my cluttered room.

Oh! And the bread. Ever heard of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes? I had, but only because that boy of mine has been an eager bread baker for over a year now. He uses their no-knead recipes and makes wonderful, delicious bread. One of my birthday gifts were the supplies I'd need to make loaves of my own. And now I've done it! I've made bread! I was nearly as excited about my loaves as I was about veggies growing in my garden. There's just something so satisfying about producing something that I hardly ever go without. I mean, people make special trips to the grocery store just for bread! And I. Made. It! Anyway, I highly recommend the artisan bread method. It really is very easy. Mix ingredients. Let dough rise. Put dough in refrigerator for up to two weeks. Retrieve dough. Sprinkle with flour. Shape into loaves. Ta-da!

I had some toast from my delicious loaves for breakfast, and it is so, so good. So much better than bread you buy at the grocery store. Patting myself on the back for this one. :)

Now on to tackle my Tuesday. In this order: clothes, coffee, work, cycling class, work/lunch, program, home, dinner, Jane Eyre.

What is your Tuesday looking like?

An outfit

I've been doing some mega shopping recently--and I'm proud to say that I've only been shopping at Goodwill. I'm actually kind of toying with the idea of only purchasing clothes from Goodwill/consigment stores from now on...but I'll wait to say more on that until my thoughts are more developed. Anywho. Shopping. I've found some great pieces that I'm excited to wear and experiment with. I've been trying to be a bit more adventurous in my style and I have a few style blogs that I've stumbled across to thank for that:
What a Nerd Would Wear
Kendi Everyday
Sidewalk Ready
The Daybook

As I've done my shopping, I've tried to be more open-minded and I've tried to have a little more fun with my clothes. In the past I've been a strictly jeans-n-tee/tank kind of girl. And there is NOTHING wrong with that. In fact, somedays you just need your favorite pair of jeans and a tank top. I'm just trying to experiment a little more... Anyway, here are a few things I've bought that I'm enjoying:

Jeans are from Old Navy, top is from a consignment boutique called Reciprocity, belt is from a thrifted skirt (Goodwill), ballet flats were originally from Target, but purchased at Goodwill

 

The pink top is a Goodwill find, as is the red skirt. The black belt is the same as the one pictured above, and the shoes are from Payless. This is me chanelling Joan Holloway. I love this high waisted red skirt. I'm thinking about hemming it a little so I can wear my brown slouchy boots with it.

Last, but not least, floral blouse is from Goodwill (but originally Nine West), black pencil skirt/belt is from Goodwill, and bronze ballet flats are from Goodwill.

Do you enjoy thrift shopping as much as I do??

un recipe

I do love to bake. I'm not particularly skilled at it (as evidenced by the two times I attempted to make scones that ended up only being suitable for the garbage), but I do enjoy it. I dabble, really. Several years ago, when the kitchen was just the place I stored my boxes of cereal (i.e. I.did.not.cook.), I finally decided to try making muffins. And, I'm just going to be honest. These muffins are such an easy recipe, that you really couldn't call it baking. It's a standby favorite of my ma, and while these muffins are an adapted recipe from Weight Watchers, I am not making them because they help me watch my weight (but, you are rockin' that Weight Watchers bod, J. Hud.). No, I make these because they are good and tasty and because they are pumpkin and because it is nearly fall. So without further ado...
Here is what you need:

Just these three ingredients: one spice cake mix, one can of pumpkin puree, and a bag of chocolate chips (I chose semi sweet).

First things first: preheat your oven to 375. Now you're gonna dump the spice cake mix into a bowl. Then you're going to mix the pumpkin puree in with the cake mix. On top of that, pour in half a can of water. After that, mix it up, baby! It's super easy to mix by hand with a large spoon. Check it out:

Here's the cake mix + the can of pumpkin puree + half a can of water

And above is the mixing process! Once it is all mixsed together and there is no sign of the powder cake mix, add in your chips. Now, this is the part that makes these muffins not so Weight Watcher friendly. J. Hud. might not eat them if you add in, say, the whole bag of chocolate chips. However, I will not judge you if you want or need to add the whole bag of chips. No I won't. I added about a cups worth to mine.

After that, get out a muffin/cupcake tin. I opted to use cutesy cupcake liners for mine to make clean-up easier, but that's not necessary. However, if you don't use cupcake liners, I'd recommend spraying your muffin tin or grease each cup with a little bit of butter. You're going to distribute the muffin concoction like so:

I had a little bit of extra batter in my bowl so I topped off each muffin with a little extra and just chucked the rest.

Now bake for 30-45 minutes! These muffins are quite moist and dense, so it's good to check the muffins with a toothpick before you pull them out and turn the oven off for good.

Hope you enjoy your not so Weight Watcher friendly muffins! Wanna know a little secret? You can make devil's food cake muffins the exact same way! Just replace the spice cake mix with devil's food cake mix. I know, I know...devil's food cake and pumpkin puree? It sounds crazy, but it works. Don't forget the half can of water! Eat these plain, or, if you're really devious, add in some peanut butter chips. I dare you.

Nom Nom, says I!

This recipe is Kitty approved.

A few things...

Just because it's Tuesday. Well, now it's technically Wednesday, but no matter:

*My hair is finally getting longer--I can put it up in a bun and everything, but I'm thinking of chopping it all off.
*Tonight I ate 3 pieces of a $5 pepperoni pizza from Little Caesar's, and I feel no remorse.
*Possibly the reason I feel no remorse is because I took a cycling class today.
*In said cycling class, I huffed and puffed through an hour of encouragement like this: "Dont.stop.peddling! Keep moving! There's a tornado behind you! I can guarantee you'd keep biking if that were the case. Adrenaline!" Ummm, yeah, right...thank you cycling instructor.
*Some 76 year old woman in the cycling class kicked my ass. She is badass. I want to be her one day.
*Yeah, that's right...a 76 year old woman. And by golly is she buff!
*I have been 27 for four days now. It's suiting me rather well.
*Judging by my bulging closet, it's apparently time for a new wardrobe a la Goodwill. I like buying my clothes from Goodwill. It's far more ethical than spending money on clothes made in China or Indonesia. It's cheaper AND you can often find clothes that have much more character than clothes at the mall.
*But Lord knows if I had an extra $248, I would immediately purchase this coat. Yes, that's right. Immediately.
*I've painted my toes a deep purple/burgundy. It's just my simple attempt to welcome the cooler, more fall-like temperatures.

And that's all for today. Kitty says goodnight.

In No Particular Order...

This weekend I:

1. Ate too much (Mediterranean pita wrap, scrambled eggs--with creamy goat cheese, tomatoes, and bacon, enchilada con salsa verde, pork chops and veggies, and birthday cake)!
2. Missed muh kitteh.
3. Went for a walk with my boy.
4. Hugged my grandma (and bought a card to send to her, too).
5. Spent time with my parents.
6. Shopped at Goodwill with my mom (which deserves a separate post all its own because I found some amazing things!).
7. Bought some grandma slippers, which only intensifies my excitement for fall and cooler weather.
8. Saw the movie The Help (and I think you should as well because it is nearly as wonderful as Fried Green Tomatoes).
9. Drove through the rain and the lightnin' and said some Hail Mary's even though I'm not Catholic.
10. Was reunited with muh Kitteh.

And it was good.

Goodnight!

These Days...

I can count on several things to make the corners of my mouth twinge and stretch up, exposing my teeth and making what is otherwise known as a smile. In no particular order they are:

- A trip to the Chocolate Lounge downtown. Lavender Honey Truffle? Yes, please. Chocolate dipped shortbread cookie? I'd love one; thanks. Maple liquid truffle? Alright, alright...don't twist my arm. I'll have one! Sheesh. Seriously, though, this place is my happy place. It is my heaven. You used to always be able to count on the Chocolate Lounge to be a quiet little shop to read, sample some wonderful chocolate, or catch up with a friend. Now it's one of the most popular places to go downtown for both locals and tourists. Even with a line that snakes through the first level dining room, out the door, and up the sidewalk...it is worth it every.single.time.

- Cool, crip mornings that whisper the beginning of the end of summer. I think my little Katie soul can sense the change of the seasons (and the time of the Virgo!) and it's all I can do to not rush outside with a those orange glowstick things and wave autumn on in for a safe, smooth landing. Fall means no more shorts and sticky weather. No more not wanting to cook or bake for fear of passing out in my un-airconditioned home because I used the stovetop or oven. No more sleeping on top of my bed covered only with the skimpiest blanket I can find (and still sweating). Goodbye, summer. I will not be sorry to see you go. I want my sweaters and hot coffee and hot tea and blankets and wooly socks. Oh, and I want to sleep under my comforter again. So, goodbye...until we are forced to meet again.

- The layout of my new bedroom. I was feeling awfully antsy recently and wanted--no, needed to change something. Changing my nail polish wasn't enough. I needed something more. Getting a haircut was a pretty good idea, but it was Sunday and I've been saying I want to grow my hair out, plus my former stylist/hair whisperer moved to another salong (that I can't afford!). And then I knew: I'll change my furniture around. Lord Almighty, it has made such a huge difference. I have so much more space to move around in now. It was a truly satisfying Sunday afternoon project that made a big difference in my mood.

- All of the greenery in my room! I have 3 plants in my bedroom, plus a cute terrarium inside a lightbulb! I just love having the plants in my room. Why have I never had them before? Sure, I tend to kill anything I put in a pot and neglect put out for decoration, but these plants are very low maintenance and I just love them. Here's my new lil' early birthday present terrarium:

- Keeping a journal again. Whether I felt like I was too busy or put too much pressure on myself or judged the outcome, I let journaling go. I'd pick it up now and then, feeling a sense of urgency to write something, but would then feel disappointed when I reread it and wasn't bowled over by my literary genius. I'd tell myself that I was too busy and that the writing would be bad anyways, so why bother. Well I should bother because I love it--not because I'm trying to win an award or save someone's life with my words. That's all ego and it's bologna. I should do it because I love it and that's that. And so I am. And it's been nice carrying around a journal again.

You know, I could go on and on. Tonight I have an endless number of things on my Smile List (my scarves, my kitty--duh, planning my future, photography, camera daydream shopping, yadda yadda), but I'll stop now. It's 10:05 and I'm going to do my weary body a favor and go to bed early. Well, I might watch an episode of Golden Girls, but THEN I'm going to sleep.

Goodnight, nonexistant readers. Sleep tight.

When my Words Fail Me...

There is always Mary Oliver, to say what is bubbling inside me, like champagne in a bottle ready to be uncorked:

"What we love, shapely and pure,
is not to be held,
but to be believed in."

Also, there is music. Blessed music. My new band obsession: Fleet Foxes. My new Fleet Foxes song obsession:

I can't get enough of this song...and I love Robin's toe-tappin'. (The video ends kind of abruptly...which is annoying, but the toe-tapping makes up for it.)

I also loves me kitty:

meow.

Final (unoriginal) thought of the day: "I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way."

On a Mission

I am going to reclaim myself. I am actively and unapologetically (is that a word and, if it is, did I spell it right?) on a mission to find me.

You see, it's just that...I am oh so tired of being wishy washy, of letting life happen to me and then adjusting to whatever conditions I find myself in.

Opinions? I've got them. I need to start sharing them.
Intuition? I've got that, too. I need to start listening (and trusting it).
Dreams...wishes...desires? Oh yes, I've got a bushel full. It's time to take them off the shelf and dust them off. Try them on. See if they fit.

This will be fun--and it will be scary. In fact, most days I will probably want to just glide through my day, unnoticed. I do so hate being a bother.

But it's just that I've got this mission, and I need to stick to it. I do hope you understand and empathize.

Haven't you ever had to go on a search for soul?

And, if you have not been enchanted by this adventure--
your life--
what would do for you?
- Mary Oliver, "To Begin With, the Sweet Grass"

my elephant ring that sits on my left ring finger when i need a physical reminder to be strong.

Keeping my door open

I am just not myself.

Do you ever feel that way?

Your day may be perfectly decent--perhaps even good. You may have even accomplished another item on your master "To Do Before the End of Fall" list. You may have cooked a satisfying meal that leaves you feeling so perfectly full, that it's all you can do to keep your eyes open as you watch an episode of Gilmore Girls. You may then even feel so adventurous as to take on a quick dessert making venture: homemade Reese's peanut butter cups.

And yet,
despite all that,
you still feel blah, ho-hum, melancholy, unbalanced, disatisfied.

Lately I feel like I'm going through the motions. I go to work because that's what I do during the week. I eat food when it's time to eat. Laundry, cleaning, tidying: I do all that as needed. I laugh at the punch line. I play along.

But it doesn't feel authentic. I feel like I'm walking through each day in a fuzzy haze.

A lot has changed as of late. Friends have moved. Work kicked into high gear and has been stressful. I found out I'll need to look for employment when this upcoming school year ends because the program I work with lost funding. I'm thinking about moving. I'm trying to settle into adulthood and I'm trying to do it gracefully and perfectly (because I'm a virgo and that's what I do!).

I have to remind myself that it's ok when life gets messy. It's necessary to point out to myself, from time to time, that life is cyclical. We can't always be up--sometimes we will be down. And that's ok. It's part of the process.

Don't shut it out. Don't close yourself off. Keep the door to your heart unlocked. Shoot, keep the door ajar. Let in the light. Because just as sure as the sun rises each morning (whether or not clouds cover it), light will come.

Tell me: Do you ever feel this way?

Very briefly...

My, my but it's been a while. How am I doing, you ask? Oh, I'm doing alright. So is Kitty. She's snuggled up in the chair next to me.

The summer has been...eventful. After school program transitioned to summer camp: 4 days a week...10 hours a day. I'm not going to lie: It was a bit maddening. Waking up at 6 a.m. every morning...making sure everything was planned perfectly and having plans B and C in mind in case plan A imploded...having to deal with the kiddos for 10 (ten...TEN...TEN) hours each day...getting off work and not wanting to do anything that dealt with talking, listening, or moving in general. It wasn't terrible--most days were actually pretty fun, but by the end of the summer I definitely felt (and felt I resembled) this:

Pleased to meet you.

On top of work, nearly every weekend was booked solid: roadtrip to MI to visit the boy's family, a mountain excursion weekend with my mama, a family reunion, helping the boy move, visiting a friend in NJ, etc...etc... To say I feel drained is an understatement, but I wouldn't have been able to do half of those fun weekend trips if I still worked at my former place of employment, so I'll just keep my mouf shut!

Oh, and I had new roommates this summer. Four of them. The first two did NOT work out...and so then I got two more. That is another story for another day, though.

There's so much more I could say--things to say about my job and how the program I work with lost funding, things to say about "growing up" (I may be nearly 27, but I still don't have this "adult thing" figured out), things to say about stress, things to say about having my two best friends move away, things to say about how excited I am because I'm taking a photography class this Saturday...

But we don't have to have all the fun right now. We'll save some more for later. Until then, heeeeeeere's KITTY:

Oh, hewo

I've been out of my old job for a full work week now. And I'm happy to repot I was able to partake of my first (but thankfully not my last!) Saturday/Sunday weekend. It was magnificent. I chose to spend my first weekend of freedom with my parents since I had not seen them since Christmas (yes, CHRISTMAS!). Here is what we did:
1. Dinner at the always delicious, La Botana. We've been going to this restaurant since it was a little nothing hole-in-the-wall place you'd miss if you didn't know to look for it. We've watched it grow and gotten to know the staff (my parents have gotten some of the servers to sign cards they sent me).
2. Went to the cheapie movie theatre and saw Unkown with Dad and Mom-Mom. It was an exciting, sit on the edge of your seat, cover your eyes with your fingers kind of movie--not wholly memorable, but definitely worth the $2.50 we paid to see it.
3. I bought two must-have movies from Wal-Mart: Bridget Jones's Diary and Sabrina (starring Audrey Hepburn).
4. Shopping the the nice, new, swanky Goodwill. I bought 3 pairs of pants and 3 shirts for $24. THEN I went to the outlet center right next door and found a beautiful yellow chenille bedspread that is easily 60ish years old. The outlet center charges by the pound. The bedspread was 3.7 pounds and cost a whopping $5.24. Here's a picture of it:

It is perfectly lovely and makes me want to be a refined lady of the 1950s who dresses like this:


and bake things like this:

Yum!
5. Bought some delicous loose leaf tea (butterfly lavender green tea) and bought mom some cherry black tea.
6. Ate a yummy lunch at the Carving Board.
7. Went shopping with Mom at Stein-Mart and she was kind enough to buy me this dress:

8. Then my wonderful Joshua joined us for dinner (he was in town reffing a soccer game). We ate at a Mediterranean restaurant called Mooney's. It was pretty tasty. I had chicken over fetoosh.
9. Sunday was supposed to be warm and sunny, but it was anything but! Dreary, foggy, dampish...it just made me want to go back to sleep. I persevered, though, and decided to take myself out to Cafe Roche. They were playing Mumford & Son, had a Sunday paper out to peruse, and also had some declious baked goods. I got the vegan chocolate banana muffin.

10. From there, I decided that while it was a bit blah outside, the weather wasn't so terrible that I couldn't go to my favorite place in Winston-Salem: Reynolda Gardens.

I always make a few trips there throughout the spring/summer to snap a few flower pictures. One might say, in fact, that I am a teensy bit obsessed with flower pictures. And they would be right. I was hoping more would be in bloom yesterday, but found that the garden hadn't quite had its spring awakening yet. I did snap a few nice ones, though.

11. From there, I enjoyed a taco soup and grilled cheese lunch date with my parents and grandma, and caught the tail end of the original Father of the Bride. It's a pretty delightful movie, though I'm not sure it beats the Steve Martin version.
12. From there I hopped in my car and drove to Shelby. Josh and I had a great afternoon and evening which included the following: time out on the patio to put our tent together, a spontaneous bike ride, dinner at Chen's, and evening patio time to enjoy a fire in the chimenea (and a discussion about Buddhism and Christianity).

All in all, it was a pretty perfect weekend.

Coming up this weekend at the new job: a 2 night/3 day Campus Crawl tout with the high school group I work with. College tours! Family Fun night! Swimming! Brixx pizza! Bobcats game! It will be hectic and fun. Coming up this weekend is........NOTHING IN PARTICULAR! I'll have a 3 day weekend (Friday-Sunday). Friday will probably be recovery from the trip, which may or may not include a massive room cleaning. Saturday will be tailgate markets and simply enjoying the town I live in (weather permitting, of course). Sunday will be bakery (duh) and beginng to ready myself for the upcoming FLORIDA trip.

Oh, there are many things to look forward to. And I am thankful for them.

The Countdown and a Kitty

Mmmm, yes, the final countdown. As of the end of work today, I now have four (4!) days of work until I move on to new employment. Mmmhhmmm..four more days until a normal Monday-Friday schedule. Four more days until health insurance. Four more days until I am restricted to only working 40 hours/week. Four more days until I can say buh-bye to customer service, cleaning, and unreasonable demands. Four more days until I can begin to piece my sanity back together.

And now, before I present the "Kitty" portion of this post, here is a list of things that are or have been keeping me sane throughout my crazy, chaotic 13 months of employment (in no particular order)
1. Golden Girls

Thanks for the laughs, ladies.

2.chocolate

Thanks for tickling my tired tastebuds.

3. Ma & Da...and my bootiful family

Thanks Ma & Da for the empathy and love, and thanks to ERR'BODY else for just be generally delightful and wonderful

4.My FWIENDS

This is just one of them...I am fortunate to have several quite wonderful and magical friends. So to all of them: THANKS for fun times, laughs, good talks, and distraction from the negative

5. My Joshua

To simply say thank you is not and will never be enough. But I think you know that. Shawty, you da best.

6. And last, but not least...KITTY!

Dearest kitty, thanks for the cuddles and for being a good kitty model and letting me take dozens upon dozens (if not hundreds upon hundreds...) of pictures of you and for being super cute.

The End.

Wait...no it's not:

FOUR DAYS!!!! Mmk...NOW it's The End.

A List

1. This list is about nothing in particular.
2. I've had shoe shopping on the brain.
3. Been thinking about checking out the spring dresses at Target.
4. Switching jobs and taking a bit of a paycut...so forget numbers 2 and 3.
5. Getting ready to go on my first vacation in over a year and a half...to FLORIDA!
6. Here is a picture of where I'm going:

That right there is a photo of Bonita Springs, where my boyfriend's parents have a vacation home. They offered to fly me to visit them (along with my boy, of course).
7. Yes, I know that makes me one lucky lady.
8. And no, I haven't yet decided what to do to show them my eternal gratitude.
9. An aside: The Golden Girls lived in Florida, you know.
10. That makes ME a Golden Girl:

See? There I am!
11. Let's end this on a prime number, shall we?

And now it's time for ice cream!

"Is that poop on your pants??"

Relationships are about compromise. Give a little...take a little. Josh, my boo, is just about the most giving-est guy out there. He constantly surprises me with fun out-of-the-blue gifts, treats me to meals out, and just generally makes me feel like one lucky lady. Well, with all that giving, comes the taking. And what this boy likes to take is the last bite of my ... *insert meal or snack here*.

Last bite of my eggs...
Constant bites of the meal I ordered while he only picks at his meal...
Sips of my wine...
Stealing the last bit of my eggs...
And the other nice, he tried swiping the last bite of my chocolate dipped shortbread cookie from The French Broad Chocolate Lounge.

I don't always catch his sneakery--I must cough or blink or be people-watching in the exact moment he decides to take my food. This time was no different. One second my last chocolatey shortbread morsel was there...and then it wasn't! I knew exactly who the culprit was. He played coy, pretended like he didn't know what I was talking about, but there was no way he couldo deny this. I gave him a hard time about it, but we eventually laughed about it and left the Chocolate Lounge.

Later on, back at my house, I noticed some brown marks on the back of Josh's khaki pants...right smack-dab on his ass. I pointed them out and told him he must have sat in something. He then walked somberly over to my bed where I sat and sat next to me. He said, "Well, Katie, there's something I need to tell you. Remember that chocolate cookie I took from your plate?"

"Of course I do...it was my cookie that I wanted to EAT!"

"Well," he said, "I didn't eat it. I ended up throwing it away when we left the chocolate lounge."

And then it alllll made sense. He took my cookie. I caught him red-handed before he had a chance to  eat it. As he held the chocolate cookie in his hand, it melted and he ended up wiping the melted chocolate from his hand on the back of his perfectly khaki pants.

HA! Karma'll get you! Those were the only pants he brought with him for the weekend and so he spent the rest of his time in Asheville walking around with what looked like smeared poo.

The End.

Leaks and flying squirrels and cute hair

Yesterday was just another Wednesday at the children's museum. Except for the fact that it was pouring buckets. It rained the ENTIRE day. I know this to be true because we done sprung a leak directly in front of the front desk. First there were 2 little drips, side by side. That problem was solved when I put a bucket under them. Then there was another...and another...and another! The leak from the skylight above the front desk spread along a beam, measuring in around 5 feet long by the time all was said and done. One bucket turned into 2, turned into 3 and then 4. And then, before we knew it: *plop* ... *plop*

Mmmhhhmmmm...another leak. Enter buckets 5 and 6. LOVELY.

But that's not the half of it.

There was also a flying squirrel. A grandpa and a grandma brought their grandson to play at the museum. Grandpa looked like he'd had his teeth bonded about a dozen times. This grandpa looked like Donald Sutherland...

and had the quintessential southern draw that sounds refined instead of honky tonk redneck. He approached the front desk where my co-worker and I stood and said, "I proooobably have broken a few ruuuules heeere at the muuuseeeeum." Thinking he was making a joke about the fact that he was such an old man playing at a children's museum, my co-worker and I simply laughed politely.

And then...and then he showed us why he was breaking the rules:
He had a pet baby flying squirrel in his pocket!

He starts rambling on about how this squirrel likes to hang out in his pocket and sometimes on his chest just under his shirt and then says, "And if ya like crittahs, you can hold herrrr." And then I realized he was talking to me. Stunned, I held out my hands and he placed the squirrel in my hands, where she stayed for about 4 secods before FLYING out of my hands and back to the Donald Sutherland look-a-like. He said she'd "bonded" with him...whatever that means.

AND THEN he put the suirrel on my left shoulder. She quickly scampered across to my other shoulder and then DOWN my sweater. Yeah. Down my sweater. Thankfully she didn't bite me or anything. Mostly, it just tickled. But that didn't mean I wanted that thing down my shirt. Finally after a few jittery seconds the squirrel migrated to my right armpit, at which point I held my arm out and sort of jiggled it a bit, encouraging her to exit the premises. All the while, Donald Sutherland look-a-like is explaining that his little pet sleeps during the day and is NOCTURNAL, which means she's awake at night (thanks for the explanation, Gramps). I finally jiggled her down my sweater sleeve and then frantically said, "HERE!" and shoved my arm in Donald Sutherland's face.

And thus ends my close relationship with the only flying squirrel I'll probably ever meet.

Thankfully I got to leave work early yesterday to get a haircut--my first haircut since July. Yeah...kind of overdue. It's cute, bouncy, short, and curly. I like it, but I'm kind of afraid it's a little too close to Shirley Temple.

Que sera sera!

The Time Has Come!

After 381 days, I can now say BUH-BYYYYYYE to the job that very nearly sucked my soul away. My job was, if you will, a dementor and every time I went to work I felt like I'd never be happy again. I got by with a little help from my friends (and parents and boyfriend and Golden Girls). However, in the process I became one of those people who stopped cleaning out their car, collecting such flotsam and jetsam as a million mugs and travel mugs, clothes, shoes, lip balm, a satchel of lavender, and other things that need not be mentioned. I stopped cleaning my room and stopped making my bed, which is NEVER a good sign for me. I also stopped reading (a former favorite pastime), hated putting any effort into making meals, and just generally felt BLEH.

But tomorrow I will sit in my boss's office and say that I've had a job opportunity arise that I cannot say no to. I have come full circle and will be returning to work (full time WITH benefits) to the after school/summer program for at risk high school youth. My heart soars. I will be back working at a nonprofit that I support and identify with. I will go back to working with colleagues and the same students I worked with over a year ago (and will get to know some new ones). I will only be required to work 40 hours per week. I will have regular weekends on Saturday and Sunday. I can go to the doctor and only need to pay a co-pay!

Life is beyond good.

Also, I just bought my very first camping sleeping bag. Thank you, REI-outlet.

And with the gushing of good news comes the resolve to get back to the Katie-approved life I had before The Job of Terror. This includes keeping a junk-free car, making an effort to organize my room and working to keep it orderly, taking time to invest in the hobbies I love, and challenging myself to dive into new projects instead of slinking off to bed, too tired to contemplate anything other than whether or not I want to fall asleep on my right side or left side.

Oh, don't think I'm on cloud 9, too high to face reality. With any job comes frustrations and bad days, but I'm so relieved to be going back to the frustration and challenges of working with these high school kids.

And now I'm going to make my bed so that I can get in soon, sleep, and then test myself on whether I'll make it in the morning!