So long and thanks for all the fish

Goodbye, 2008!

Today I am grateful for: my dad's birthday gift (from Etsy, of course) arriving in the mail, cheap travel alerts at SideStep, making decent coffee, being able to be of service, talking books with my girlfriends, buying a warm, comfy, and dressy wool wrap (is that a great combo or what?), fancy cheeses from Whole Foods, the person I don't see a lot but who gives great hugs, getting a referral for an awesome place to stay in Block Island next year (going for a wedding), having things to look forward to, making up my own Mad Libs, and having a nice chat with my BFF.

2008 Greatest Hits

Books
Middlesex
by Jeffrey Eugenides (I know this book was huge a few years ago but I was reluctant to read it until now)

This Charming Man by Marian Keyes


What is the What by Dave Eggers

Local Getaway
Trip to Philadelphia to see the Frida Kahlo art exhibit and eat cheesesteaks

Family Visit
Meeting My Heart's Desire's 97-year-old Great-Aunt in Florida. She's a pistol. I love how she just says whatever she thinks. And she made us fried hamburgers on buttered English Muffins.

Strangest vegetable we got from the CSA
Kohlrabi, or as My Heart's Desire called it, The Alien Baby Head


Thrift
Retail Me Not

Surprise
How many of my girlfriends (3!) got engaged this year

New Tradition
Monthly Tuesday night dinner with some of my favorite girls

Birthday Party
One of my girlfriends celebrated at the bowling alley, followed by cake and pizza. Super fun!

Flowers
The ones My Heart's Desire sent for our April Fool's Day wedding anniversary

New Food I Tried And Don't Have to Again
Moon Pies

Long-Running Gag
The small rubber chicken My Heart's Desire put in my birthday pinata, which we take turn hiding in places around the house where the other will find it. Endless amusement.

Guilty Pleasure
Watching CSI

Used Bookstore
Friends of the San Antonio Public Library


Afternoon Playing Hooky
(tie) Leaving work early to watch Vicky Christy Barcelona with a girlfriend

Spending the afternoon with my Mom and honorary grandmother having lunch at Levante's then catching a matinee of Happy-Go-Lucky

Earliest Birthday Celebration
6:15 am in Falls Church

Dreaded Experience... That Wasn't So Bad
Root Canal (I really expected it to be much worse)

Fancy cake at party celebrating family weddings


Breakfast
Huevos Rancheros at Guapos

Best Brunch
Firefly at the Hotel Madiera

Perfect Summer Evening
Having a picnic on the lawn with friends at Wolf Trap, dancing to the Gipsy Kings under the stars

Hotel
Fairmont Turnberry Isle

Today I am grateful for: being able to hold down the fort at work, the Hearst magazine sale, gmail, holiday music on Sirius, having nice chats with each of my mentees, whoever invented chicken panang, lemon cupcakes from the Randolph bakery, returning The Story of Edward Sawtelle to the library (I got through 8 of 18 CDs before I gave up), listening to The Third Angel (I'm LOVING it so far), watching My Heart's Desire take care of Charlie Cat, the old school ornaments on our tree, and my electric blanket.

Oh, so cozy by the fire

Today I went to work, got stuff done, had a doctor's appointment, listened to The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (disc 5 of 18), came home, faux cleaned the house (looks great... just don't peek in the guest room), two girlfriends came over, baked chocolate chip cookies, ate stuffed-crust pizza, decorated sugar cookies with homemade frosting (the really, really sugary kind, my favorite) red hots, sprinkles, candy glitter, tiny marshmallows, and more red hots, laughed a lot, listened to holiday music, did two loads of laundry, planned holiday menus, ordered birthday present for Dad, watched two episodes of The Simpsons with My Heart's Desire -- now, good night!

“I cannot live without books.” - Thomas Jefferson, 1815

Grateful

Today it is easy for me to be grateful that My Heart's Desire and I are happy and healthy.

Back to Mexico

Today it hit me that my mom is g-o-n-e and I'm blue.

Sunday!

Woke up at 5:10 am to say goodbye to Mom, watched episode of Brotherhood, ate sesame bagel with cream cheese, went back to sleep, friend called at 9:43 am and I acted like I wasn't sleeping even though I was, alarm went off at 9:45 am, taught Sunday School class, had huevos rancheros at brunch with some of my favorite girls, talked with a friend I hadn't seen since last summer, chatted at Starbucks with my mentor, went to the supermarket, put groceries away, did two loads of laundry, lounged on sofa with Once Upon A Day, welcomed the cats home from their vacation, had dinner with My Heart's Desire, and watched My Name is Earl.

Christmas Cookies - Part II

First we have the traditional holiday tree


If you squint a little you can see this is a snowman



Santa with a bag of toys



And, of course, the holiday lobster.

Gratitude

Today I am grateful for: shipping my first two holiday gifts already, planning a visit to the farm to buy or chop down (My Heart's Desire's idea) a Christmas tree, that I have so far avoided the nasty colds that are going around, people who stay home when they are sick, flexible spending, that so many women are coming to the brunch this Sunday, buying the last Obama handbag for my Mom, talking to my favorite new bride, having Chicken Souvlaki for dinner with some friends, talking about our Best Childhood Christmas (mine was, hands-down, the one where my sister and I got the Barbie Dream House!), and the great-smelling fire that My Heart's Desire made.

Sunday!

Got up around 9, had leftover Pad Thai from Amina Thai for breakfast, bundled up, drove to Baltimore with my Mom, it was an amazingly clear day to see the skyline, enjoyed the Bedazzled! exhibit at The Walters Art Museum, wondered why people don't commission cameos for their beloveds anymore, chatted with Mom over a leisurely, nummy brunch at Donna's (I had the breakfast rotolo), perused used treasures at The Book Escape, filled up my gas tank for $22.33, left Baltimore, stopped by the Georgia Avenue library, baked sugar cookies with Mom all evening, ran out to Safeway to buy food coloring, loved the way the house smelled when I came back, made icing, stood by the fire until my pants were really warm, iced some cookies, finished the leftover Pad Thai and had an apple with stinky/delicious blue cheese for dinner, kissed My Heart's Desire, passed out cold.

Today I am grateful for: rather being happy than right, getting a decent parking space at work, realizing that most things are not about me, feeling happy and calm, getting home before the rain started, making dinner with my Mom, clementines, my new Christmas stocking, and my pink plaid flannel jammies.

Gratitude

Today I am grateful for: Never Let Me Go book on CD I borrowed from the library, British accents, the white noise machine in my office that drowns out other sounds, communicating with old friends on Facebook, meeting a friend for dinner, cookies from the Heidelberg Bakery, the Target near my house that is open until 11pm this month, my very cozy breakfast-in-bed flannel sheets, and that My Heart's Desire holds my hand whenever I want.

Christmas Cookies

Is there anything better than homemade Christmas cookies? I didn't think so. The smell of the cookies, the fun of decorating, and of course the official tastings.

I recently borrowed a bunch of cookie cutters from My Heart's Desire's Mom, and now I can't wait to bake. In addition to the usual trees, snowmen, and stars, there's also a holiday cat and Christmas giraffe - how festive!

It's been ages since I made homemade Christmas cookies, usually I am too busy or just don't want a house full of cookies. This year, however, I am finding my cooling racks again. I'll wear the holiday apron my Mom made me, my house will smell like sugar, and I'll have lots of fun frosting.

Holiday Spirit

The holidays are here! I have plenty of holiday spirit to go around. I'm trying to convince My Heart's Desire we should buy a tree this week (Boy Scout troops are selling them near our house) and start putting up our decorations. And I bought a Christmas stocking that should arrive this week. And, of course, "Joy to the World 2008," my holiday mix is finished.

I'm hostessing a second annual holiday potluck brunch for some of my favorite girls next weekend, which was one of my favorite holiday events last year. It's easy and fun, people always offer to help clean up, and there's no drama or stress. All I do is: put out extra towels in the bathroom, bring up the extra table from the basement, make a fire (okay, I ask My Heart's Desire to do it), make coffee in my party-size coffee pot, bake something easy, and spend time with my guests, most of whom know each other. It's lovely.