Today...

Mmmm. I am sitting on my couch on a Sunday afternoon, after a very lazy morning. I have my green long johns on, also lavender hoodie and fuzzy warm socks. My hair is in every direction. I just made myself a big bowl of clam chowder with extra clams, and I am looking out the window watching snow fall as the neighbors across the way build a fence. I need to get up and go to work some designs, at least do the next load of laundry or the dishes. But here I will sit eating my soup, not doing anything on my “need” list, or even on my “should” list. Mmmm soup.

One Year Later

This weekend marked my first year anniversary. We had the fortunate opportunity to spend it on the same island, at the same resort where we got married, while at the wedding of close friends. The beautiful weather and great company started Thursday, and lasted until Sunday.

There were many benefits of being there as a guest rather then as the Bride. I got to do all of the things that I was too busy to do last year. I kayaked, I hot tubbed, I took long walks down the beach where I spotted a swimming Seal and 3 bald eagles, I slept in, and 2 nights in a row I skinny dipped in the phosphorescent sound. It was an amazing gift to be there and be part of the celebration for a couple who have become our Seattle family.

As for our year, it has been great. We have both had a stellar year career-wise, we even did 6 shows together. The last few months have been ridiculously busy, and both of us needed the vacation that the island wedding provided. We both have enough jobs lined up for the summer to keep us busy and fed, and we still should have time to relax and breathe. We just got a grill and plan to cook out and enjoy what Seattle has to offer. So CHEERS TO THE YEAR AHEAD!

Going Retro

I have been feeling very nostalgic lately. It might be the New Year; it might be my busy schedule and a longing for a time before cell phone and internet. I am noticing fashion trends having that 80’s flare that is oh-so familiar. Fluorescent colors, leg warmers, leggings worn as pants, blue eye shadow, Vans, etc are all being resurrected by the hipsters in my neighborhood. It makes me want to grab my ghetto blaster and head down to the pool in jelly shoes and an oversized tee tied in a knot at the waist. “Celebrate Good Times –COME ON”

In this new era of mass communication and instant access, I have been able to find many of the lost treasures in jpg form. I admit I have been geeking out for the last 2 hours or so lost in my 80’s quest.

Here are some of the important artifacts:

Here Comes the Flood!

The last 2 weeks our perfect summer in Seattle has been spent indoors with vaporizers and Thera-flu. The ever-popular summer head cold was introduced to our apartment by my fella, then I caught it, and now I am finally on the upswing.
This go around, we were also introduced to a new trick in old medicine. Have you ever heard of the Neti Pot? It seems to be a buzz word at the moment. I have heard a few people refer to them the last few months, then when this bout of sinus congestion came around it was suggested to us to give a try.
The idea behind it is to clean the sinuses by flushing them with salt water. But this is your nose we’re talking about... it is meant for AIR, not WATER. But then again, the congestion was getting so bad that air wasn’t getting through anyway, might as well try this mini- waterboarder.   Surprise!  Surprise! It is not a confortable thing to pour water through your nostrils.  However it does work and I appreciate the simple logic behind it. Go yogic medicine!

The best part of the Netipot discovery for me has been the pictures on-line of models smiling as they demonstrate how to use it. Some obviously don’t have water in them. My favorite is when they are smiling with they head tilted and water gushing out of their nose! I would so fire my agent!

Nice Work if You Can Get It

The wedding was fantastic, no big catastrophe, no drama, tasty cupcakes, and good company.  A lovely time was had by all! 

            I have been married for exactly one month, and have yet to return to a regular routine.  We have been house sitting again, a cozy house with an incredible view.   The amenities include a deck with a grill and a patio with a hot tub.  For the last month, the hubby and I have been grilling, watching sunsets, and hot tubbing in the moonlight. The weather has been an amazing 80 degrees or warmer and hardly a drop of rain for weeks.  The raspberries are in season and I have been eating my share right off the bush. Hard life I know!

            The month has been packed with parties, small get-togethers, and soirees!  Frankly, we have been movin’ and shakin’ nonstop, the other day we decided we needed to go into a cleansing cycle from all hotdogs and beer.  Man! I have gotten tan and plump. 

Work has started to pick back up and I have become a pro at procrastination.  All I want to do is bake, and eat!  The drafting table is calling and I will dust off my pencils, and get my head back in the game. 

            The rightful owners of the house get back in town on Wednesday, and we will return to our cozy one bedroom apartment.  I am looking forward refinding our day-to-day rituals. 

Sugar and Spice

I am getting married one week from today.  Things are going smoothly, I have the dress, we have 2 caterers, the photographer, a huge tent for bad weather, and an officiant.  GOOD to GO! (knock on wood)

We are not having cake, we are having cupcakes.  I have been in a cupcake delirium for the last week, I have been surfing the web drooling over red velvets, strawberrys, caramel crunch, cheesecake surprizes!  Trial cupcake 6 is in the oven now.  I have found the perfect vanilla recipe and now I am onto chocolate.  Yes, I want to stick with the simple flavors of chocolate and vanilla.  I am a novice baker and as we will need to have 90ish cupcakes, I don't want  to have more steps then Mix, Bake, and Ice, Repeat.  There are 2  trial icings in the fridge I will be trying a chocolate ganache frosting this afternoon.    MY APARTMENT SMELLS AMAZING!  

3 days and 4 chocolate cupcake recipes later...

Yes the apartment still smells amazing, but he not been able to capture the amazingness in the flavor.  Currently there is trial 9 batter in the oven and trial 10 on the counter waiting in line for oven time.  Hopefully these are not the chocolate hockey pucks that resulted in trails 7 and 8.  Fingers are crossed, standing with icing at the ready, and am covered with chocolate freckles!

Take a Good Look

Lately, I have been aware of a distinct lack of focus.  

I spend a lot of my day lost in details of things no more then 18 inches away from me.  Whether, drafting, model building, photoshopping, or goofing around on facebook my attention is usually right in front of my face.  I've recently discovered I have trouble seeing the big picture... literally.

I have been reading road signs by shape and length of words instead of actual letters.  I had been thinking "my eyes are just tired, because of drafting all day", but then I would wake up and think "my eyes just haven't had their first cup of coffee yet".  It has taken me a while to realize that there wasn't a time between coffee/tired eyes where there was good focus.  So off to the optometrist I went.  The results are in.... I am nearsighted with a slight astigmatism.  

Turning 30 has made me aware that I am not 18.  I realized that I should have known this since I was 19,  but the big 3-oh has made this fact sink in, more then any numerical digit has.  It's like my warranty ran out and now I'm starting to pay for the rough treatment of the machinery.    

A call last night informed me that my glasses were ready.  I picked them up and then off to the grocery store.  I put them on and walked around feeling like I was in a ridiculous disguise that nobody seemed to notice.  This must be how Clark Kent feels!  I was hoping the glasses would give me a mysterious allure, or a distinguished air.  There was no mystery, no air...  just a personal sense of new and unfamiliar.  I was so self-conscience that I could barely pick out bananas.  However, the most amazing thing happened... I could read the signs at the end of the aisles.  WOW!  The letters  had a beautiful clarity to them.  First FLOUR, SUGAR, BAKING NEEDS,  then  CEREAL, HOT CEREAL, ENERGY BARS, followed by FROZEN DINNERS, ICE CREAM, NOVELTY TREATS.  It was not the most efficient shopping I have done, but it was eye opening.  

So you may not recognize me out and about because of my new disguise, but I will sure as shootin' see you!