I love it.

I'm sitting in the spare room with the windows wide open with a light breeze rustling the curtains. It's so quiet outside. This neighborhood is so unbelievably quiet. I love it. I love it so very much. It's my favorite thing about our new house. It makes me feel content even amongst all the construction and chaos. It reminds of growing up and small towns. It's like I managed to find my own little small town right here in the 'burbs. At first it was kind of eerie. Especially when you combine it with the fact that EVERYONE in the neighborhood is super nice. Like one of those movies that start out all sweet and cheery and then all the sudden everyone is getting killed or there's a crazy ghost or evil spirit that haunts the neighborhood at night. Nope. Didn't happen. Everyone's super nice. and it's always super quiet. And I love it.

This weather would be perfect for camping. I'm really craving a weekend of campfires, s'mores, long hikes, and just hanging out with nature. We usually try to take at least one trip in the late spring and another in the fall, more if we can fit it in. But this spring and summer has just been too busy with the house, plus I don't even know where to find all the camping gear amongst the piles of boxes in the basement. We tentatively scheduling a weekend get away in mid September. I think we just have to make it happen.

This weekend we're booked up with GrandPop's 90th birthday party and finishing up a lot of little projects around the house. Changing out the light switches, hanging a curtain rod, perhaps installing a dimmer switch in the kitchen. Sounds like fun, right!?

Summer Night

I'm loving this weather!! Cool and crisp with a splash of sunshine. A perfect way to start the weekend...

After successfully installing the recessed lighting fixture, we decided to take advantage of the
beautiful weather and spend some time relaxing and just hanging out.

We took SoFee dog to the park then fired up the grill for a Friday night feast.


On the menu: grilled salmon, yukon gold potatoes, asparagus, red pepper and onion, and fresh sliced tomatoes. Using as many herbs and veggies from our little garden as possible....Yes, it was just Jim and I, but in our defense, we rarely eat lunch on Fridays so we were both ready for a hearty meal.

The lovely 'patio' tomatoes picked from the garden were fan-freakin-tastic. Sliced and served with a just a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Fresh tomatoes. It's reason alone to love summer...


We rolled the potatoes in olive oil, fresh rosemary, salt and pepper; putting them right straight on the grill whole. I whipped up a little 'sauce' with sour cream, fresh rosemary, butter, salt and pepper in the food processor.

We splashed the salmon with a simple squeeze of lemon, lime, and olive oil and grilled 4-5 minutes per side. The asparagus, a summer favorite around here, also rolled in olive oil with a dash of salt and squeezed with lemon after grilled.

Delicious. Every single bite!

It was especially nice to just spend a quiet evening together, enjoying good food, a glass of wine, a good conversation. It's been such a busy summer...it's hard to believe it's almost mid-August.

Thursday's thoughts

I really need to change the songs on my iPod.

I have nothing planned for dinner.
I wonder what it's like to have a personal chef?

I think I am incapable of making a decision on new countertops for kitchen.

My hair is super duper frizzy today.
and I don't even care.
I wish I had been around for afros.

I want to go back to Vermont.
In the Fall
and go apple picking.

I just got a little surge of excitement just thinking about Fall
and candy corn.

Now I can't concentrate.

What was I thinking about?

Is it really only 2:30?

Dunkin Donuts ice coffee is the best.

Points on a wonderful wife

(edit. Jim accidentally posted this on my blog last night instead of his. It now rightfully appears on The Garden Club, but I thought I'd leave it here too. It makes me happy. Jim makes me happy)

I just got back from the Phillies game with my wife, Rachelle. Rachelle, when you read this I want you to know that I love you very very much. My wife and friend. You are the only person that I can hold a conversation with for more than 30 minutes. I don't know how you tolerate my wackiness sometimes. I see you, looking at me with slightly squinty eyes, wanting to tell me what to do but allowing me to make my own decision like a big boy, like a grown up, like I should. I know you see me look up at you with my head bowed down while I try to read your expression to see if I should continue with my decision. Sometime ago I was putting on my dress socks. They had a little hole in them over the big toe. Rachelle can not stand for holy socks. She has consistently thrown away perfectly wearable socks because of a few minor holes. No one sees my stockinged feet but you baby! Anyway as I'm putting the socks on I catch myself looking to see if she's watching me, feeling guilty about wearing these unacceptable socks but knowing if I can get my shoes on before she sees I can be home free for the rest of the day. She didn't catch me that time but she has in the past.

Rachelle, your musical knowlage has grown significantly in the time we've been together. Whenever I ask her "who sings this" and she doesn't know, she knows to guess The Grateful Dead, probably because they have multiple singers and a lot of different sounds which makes them hard to identify unless you know the song. I would say she is about 75% correct in playing our game and can nail all Beatles and Dylan songs. Tonight she missed on CSN's Suite Judy Blueeyes, but had acceptable guesses with The Dead and The Allmans. Nicely done Rachelle, but I do love to stump you now and then.

She is unbeatable at connect 4, also known as "four in a row". Overall, she is surprising smart. Up until recently I think I thought in the back of my head she was barely literate because she is from Ohio and Ohio seems like a very red neck place to be from. I don't know how much they work on reading skills instead of picking corn or fixing cars out there. But I can not beat her at connect 4. One game she could have beat me three different ways! It was like I was a toddler. There was a 9 year old little boy I used to babysit at the Quaker meeting who could beat me at Guess Who every time. That little kid was impressive. I wish I could find him and make him play, and beat, Rachelle in a board game war. That would wipe that smug grin off her face. Haha, you have no such grin Rachelle, only a beautiful smile! Haha.

Best of all, she is always watching out for me. She made me understand that using the same pair of tweezers to pluck my unibrow as to pick the ticks out of SoFee was a bad idea. My arguement was that the tweezers never touched my skin, but she pointed out that they were only 99 cents at the supermarket and it probably wasn't worth the risk of slipping and jabbing a pair of tick infested tweezers into my forehead. Good one chelle.

You are clean and healthy, tidy and interesting. You give excellent advice and still listen to all my blabber. All in all Rachelle you are my favorite person in life.

Rachelle + Jim

08.10.10

Monday...

"Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."

~Will Rodgers

Merry Go Round

This made me laugh...

A little playground humor to get the weekend started.

Happy Friday!

Spoiler Alert

Do you watch True Blood?

It's one of the reasons I love Sunday nights. Crazy twisted love affairs. Lots of blood and dramatic deaths. Plus they're are Southern accents involved and a large bowl of popcorn...

Did you watch last nights episode?

Bill seemed pretty unemotional about almost killing Sookie, don't ya think?!

He was ready to marry the damn girl and now a after a few days amongst his vampires and his Mr. Tough guy is his fancy jumpsuit. I was expected some bloody vamp tears when he showed up at the hospital. "I can help." Really?!

Maybe the emotion is yet to come in next weeks episode, but...

I don't trust Bill Compton.

I've been suspicion considering he was hiding a secret file about Sookie and her family tree, but his lack of emotion after draining Sookie into a coma just pushed me into fully not trusting him.

Besides, I think Alcide is pretty good looking...

and I can see that there's some potential for a little romance to unfold between him and Sookie...


What/who the heck is Sookie anyways? I enjoyed getting a few more clues about her secret powers and her secret dream world but still so many unanswered questions....

Monday...

"The bravest thing that men do is love women."

~Mort Sahl

FRIDAY!!!

Yippee.

Another fun filled weekend of home renovations. The living room and foyer area are just weeks away from being livable, so there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

And in our foyer!!!

(before)

(during)

(now/not quite after yet)

ShowGirl

Today my worst nightmare came true.

I opened up my gym back after a nice 45 minute cardio work out and started through my routine. I quickly realized I was missing an essential item....my bra!!

At some point in my life this probably wouldn't have been such a big deal. A day of free spirit, hippie loving and dancing through a field of wild daisy. Heck, on most weekends I'm bra-less 75% of the time.... But spending the next 9 hours wearing my doctor hat??!!

I quickly assessed my options....
(Keep in mind that I live a hour away and I'm suppose to be at the office in less than a hour, so stopping back at the house is out of the question.)

1) Wear the sports bra I worked out in. The gross, sweaty, unsupportive square piece fabric all balled up in my gym bag, just didn't seem viable at this point.

2) Go to work with no bra on and hope no one notices. Maybe I could hide it by wearing my white jacket all day...

3) Find the closest Target/Walmart and buy a new, which would most likely result in me being late for work.

I rushed through my shower and out of the gym with no make up, no hair fixin', and no bra, opting for #3. First things first. Where is the closest Target/Walmart? I send a ridiculous text message to my receptionist. no response. I call her until she's annoyed enough to pick up. She's laughing. "Get yourself a bra girl!"

and I did. Three actually. Fearing that one wouldn't right and I had no time for trying on. I chose a neutral cotton one by Gilligan & O'Malley. It's rather nice actually.

Sizzlin'

It's been one sizzlin' hot summer!

"The world's hottest June on record followed the hottest May, April and March, making the first half of 2010 the warmest such period since 1880, when record-keeping began, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration." ~Philly.com, July 16, 2010

"Tuesday's oppressive heat climbed to 102 at Philadephia International Airport, marking the third time in 44 years temps hit 102 or higher." NBC Philadelphia, July 7, 2010

"Oppressive heat travels up and down the east cost for another weekend...High temperatures coupled with heat indices that reach in the triple digits, many are calling it the hottest summer that they have ever experienced. Weather officials say that this summer will indeed be one for the record books." V101.9, July 24, 2010

I really don't mind the heat so much, in limited doses that is. I actually rather enjoy a few hours of sweaty labor work on the weekends (followed by a nice dip in the pool!). It somehow makes me feel more accomplished. Slaving away on landscaping, exercising, or enjoying a day poolside is one thing, but being hot, sticky, gross, and sweaty while wearing business attire, no fun.

It makes for unhappy people.

Specifically an unhappy Jim. His tale can be found here.

Monday...

"I hate to break it to you, but there is no big lie, there is no system, the universe is indifferent."

~ Don Draper, Mad Men

The great thing about having a pool....

you can take a nap in your underwear on a raft if you want.

(How long do you think before Jim demands I remove this picture?! )

SugarFoot...

...my new favorite lunch spot!

It's a tiny cafe with the best sandwiches and salads. Tons of fresh greens and veggies (which is a rarity in the area surrounding my office!)

It's a bit pricey and I'm usually a brown-bagger, but it's a delicious special treat. My favorites are the turkey BLT, roasted vegetable salad, and the AMAZING oatmeal raisin cookies (which I'm sure are totally fat-free!)

If for some weird reason you're every in Wilmington, DE it's really worth checking out.

In other food news...

I'm also really digging brussel sprouts these days (I use a version of this recipe).

and mango sorbet!! seriously good stuff.

Hit List

My agenda this week: reclaiming lost and stolen funds.

Lost or stolen because other people are idiots and/or have ripped me off.

My targets:

1)American Signature Furniture.

Less than a year ago, Jim and I bought a new couch (for a steal of deal, I might add!) and a new mattress and box spring set.

Couch=awesome.

Mattress=absolutely terrible.

It's impossible for Jim and I to be in bed together without sinking into the middle. and it just keeps getting worse. Last night I had to leave one leg hanging out of the bed to keep from being sucked in.

it's like sleeping in a taco shell.

and I'm getting old and my back hurts.

It sucks.

2) Pillar to Post. our home inspection company.

The jolly 'ole dough boy who did our home inspection missed a major structural issue in our kitchen and the fact that our AC didn't work.

Resulting in weeks of sweltering heat and sleepless nights, tearing our entire kitchen ceiling down, and dropping a fat wad of cash on getting a stupid beam replaced in my kitchen.

I blame it on a combination of laziness and not being able to get his fat head into the crawl space.

3) Tax man.

The local tax man at least. Our taxes are way to freakin' high, even compared to similar properties in the area. And if I'm denied, you better damn well believe I'm submitted complaints for every little thing that needs fixed in this neighborhood.

High taxes and a crooked stop sign. I don't think so.

4) Anyone who owes me more than $10.

If that's you, just pay up now. I'm on a warpath.

Monday...

"I'm not so think as you drunk I am. "

~ John Squire

Escape

What's the best way to handle kitchen renovations.....

VACATION!!!

We had a great 4th of July vacation with my "adopted" family, the Smallcombes.

Six days of soaking up the sun and chugging down Coronas. Who can ask for more?

Pictures to come.

and a video of me and Jim singing @ karaoke night.

oh the suspense!

Monday...

"If you want your dreams to come true, don't over sleep."

~Yiddish Proverb

Overexposed

Today...

Introducing Naked Lady

Going to the gym before work and then showering and getting ready for work in the locker room can be a challenge.

Lugging around all the crap that is just unfortunate necessity for any professional women:
makeup
haircare products
blow dryer
flat iron
neatly pressed work attire
And complete all the required hygiene and beautification steps in a shared space.

In general I don't have a problem if you want to be naked in the locker room.
If you don't care I don't care.

Personally, I prefer a light short robe that I picked up at Marshall's. It's small and thin enough to fit in my gym bag. It hangs easily on the hook outside of the shower stale and keeps me covered up until I'm ready to switch over to my work clothes.

Naked lady does not use a robe.
or a towel.
or shower shoes.

In fact most of the time she doesn't even shower. She uses the crappy brown paper towels and does some kind of 'sponge bath' in the sink. If she does shower. She prefers to drip dry.

Really?
I mentioned that this was a shared space. We're talking about the locker room at the gym. Not a hotel room or some kind of private spa.

I don't really understand her cleansing methods, but again, not really my problem.

Where the problems comes into the scenario is when your nakedness starts to have a direct impact on me.

First incident
Me: leaning over my gym bag which is on the bench between the lockers.
Naked Lady: walks over to her locker and bends forward. directly in front of my face.

Yes. that's right. Naked Lady's butt (more specifically the crack of her ass) in my face.
Traumatized. It's taken me months to even talk about it.

Second incident
Me: Walking to the shower wearing my cute little robe, carrying my towel, shampoo, etc.
Naked Lady: Burst out from behind a shower curtain and walks right into me.

Third incdient
Me: Applying makeup and fixing my hair. Again, wearing robe.
Naked Lady: Crowds my space, although the whole mirrored area is open and starts a conversation about her cellulite. Making sure to point out all her worst areas, contorting and bending her legs as needed to make sure I get the best view.

I now avoid Naked Lady whenever possible. I literally dread seeing her in the gym. I try to time her workouts so I can either be done before she makes it to the locker room or spend another 20 mins on the treadmill hoping she'll be on her way out, even it means being late for work.

I just can't say enough about how uncomfortable I am with Naked Lady.
There's just somethings worth avoiding.