SpaceTricot

Pick me up...I've landed. I feel like I have been on another planet...

Here I am!!

So many things change...

and peeps...you know I fear change.

I like the steady rut of a good commute, the same fuzzy slippers, and the solace of the DVR.

I'm getting married. Like as in MARRIED. FOR REALS.

7/8/09! On a Wednesday!

Now and forever, Crazy or Sane...I do!

I guess I should elaborate on my story...

I was single. (duh)

I went on the plentyoffish.com

(under duress...someone said they would be putting up a profile for me!)

I completed my profile

I uploaded a picture...this is what I posted

I thought..cute...

I love video games...I am a star wars chicky...can even do it in heels. ha!

(Side Note: who doesn't love racing pods through Tatooine, I ask you?!)

I start looking on my "matches" I use this term loosely. It's really not a matchy matchy 29 dimension kind of site...more like an ebay kind of thing.

Ha...Ebay dating. Lots of pictures to provide you with endless WTF?! and OMG!! looking at the pictures and profiles. oh and it's free.

FREE is for ME!

I wasn't even on for 5 minutes...it was like really really really late say...after Midnight?

**Twink!**

Pops up this Instant messenger window.

"what are you doing"

um... I start clicking his profile like a mad woman...who is this person?! 

...He ended up getting my phone number that night and we talked talked talked (wait..that was me who talked and talked and talked)...until 2 am.  

On our first date I knew he was *something else*. I called my Best Guy friend right after our date and told him I'm soooo in trouble.

Fabulous.

No more Plenty Of Fish. I was hooked. Hook, Line and Sinker.

Which brings me to...almost 10 months later - engaged...getting married to a wonderful man, merging into a wonderful family and gaining a brilliant and super terrific stepdaughter.

How did I get so lucky?

Life couldn't be simpler (yes simpler) and more full of joy.

Our girls (I love saying that!!) are like peas and carrots. 10 months apart...irish twins. Like me and keowdie.

...

I've been out in the Metro DC area since 1994. Away from my family in Saint Louis when I was just barely 19 years old. Outside of Jenna's dad, I've been without family.

I've made great friends who adopted me into their families and I am so grateful for all their love and support over the years. Being 860 miles away from my sisters, my mom and aunt, my grandparents hasn't been easy. 

But for the first time since leaving Saint Louis, I feel like I have a family here - present - able to go out to dinners and only a few minutes drive. Gatherings full of kids, food, and booming conversations, and laughter.  

Oh dear...I am getting a little Verklempt. (sniffle)

I guess my message is - I am doing great!

Lots of change around the corner and I've restarted blogging because I just have so damn much to share!

Gardening

Knitting

Crazy Adventure!

Stay tuned!!

I like coffee with half and half. No sugar, no sweetener.

I've tried pods, espresso machines, gold filters, paper filters...it all works for me. 

I crave it all day long. I can drink it right before I go to bed.

What best I like is regular drip coffee, no frills, no barista. 

Maxwell House, Chock full o'Nuts, Folgers, Gevalia, Gloria Jean's, Timothy's...I'm a friend of all of them.

It's safe to say if you ask me for gum or a mint, I'm probably carrying. I may ask you to hold my cup of coffee while I root about in my purse for the last piece...

I love Dunkin Donuts coffee. Whether its in the store, or from the little bag of ambrosia that they sell at the food store...I'm all about the Double D.

Look up your favorite caffinated bev here! it's on the internet (everything is you know)  

Caffeine in Various Beverages

So why have I given up? What is my main reason??

Generally something of this magnitude in my life is attributed to my vanity. Not in this case.

Did you know Coffee is acidic? AND effects sleep (usually delays sleep onset, shortens overall sleep time, and reduces the "depth" of sleep). 

Sleep.

I read on this blog out at the end of the internet...that I can get up better in the morning by becoming caffeine free. Like without alarms and snoozes...I am about to have an hour commute one way to work...and I need to train myself to get up in the morning. 

 Another thing is that apparently my ruse with the mints, gum and excessive toothbrushing isn't really fooling anyone (ahem). and HONEY having the coffee breath, oh! that is NOT FABULOUS. 

I have been without coffee for 8 days.

EIGHT LONG DAYS

I have noted changes to my sleep patterns. I wake up at 6:30am every day.

I say I wake up...I didn't say I don't snuggle back into the covers and catnap until 7:00am.

BUT! I am not comatose and slamming the snooze. I think I need to start working on my vertical body placement once my eyes are open. That will be step two. Breaking the sleeping in cycle.

I am not crabby anymore in the morning. I don't have the headaches...but that could be attributed to my copious consumption of the Constant Comment Tea and Chai.

I also am not frantically rooting around with my nose in the bottom of my bag looking for that last lint covered piece of trident. Or causing massive fingernail damage trying to wedge open the altoids while I am driving down the road.

I get more kisses and $ave money by not constantly running in the gas station for a cuppa and cool sweet spearpepperfreshmint burst gum.

I do battle the feeling that something is missing when I am driving to work and NOT sipping on the sweet sweet ambrosia while listening to Morning Edition.

# things I attribute so far to my meager success #

                        drinking lots more water

                    substituting tea/chai for coffee

      not going places where I can smell any sort of coffee

My goal is to make it last.

Now if you excuse me, I must make a cup of tea. 

Dear Diary.

Today, I have learned something.

Sometimes getting what you want doesn't feel so great.

I have decided in the LIST OF THINGS...this is one statement I have to try to avoid hearing.

"Fine, Do what you want. I don't want to have to hear about it anymore."

It kinda sucks the wind outta getting what you want.

Thanks for listening Diary.

Oh, and ? I'm still doing it.

Just not with so many bells and whistles.

Quietlike, discreet, and with purpose and 2 day delivery.

yeah yeah.

Peace, Love and Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans,

Heather

Dear Diary,

I'm all over the place lately!

Here is an update on my coffee free existance.
I had one cup of cafe mocha yesterday.
It was like the BEST ever.
Still staying strong on Not drinking it. Woke up at 545am.
Nuff Said.

Went to the house on Thursday... (20 days until I am completely moved - eek!!)
It was really great.The whole team was assembled. Which we wont have for another couple of weeks. Then it's split summer and Camp for the Jemma girls...and a wedding! :)

Here are a few photo highlights from the Holiday Weekend...

Baby Kittens!
We have Baby Kittens next door.
Oh...yeah! Does anyone want a kitten or three?

How about a cat?

As you may have guessed..I didn't take these pictures...
But those are some super snazzy crocs!

We visited friends...who have chickens and give me a terrible case of coop envy.
Raising Chickens is something we will be doing when the renovations in our life have been completed and the dust has settled...I can't wait!!

Nice.
and now for some chickens....

I gotcha where I wantcha....closer...closer...
That is one determined chicken.
Her name is Edna? Mabel?
Who knew they loved grass/weeds so much?

Work it girl.

We had a fabulous time...
As evidenced by all the photos of me either........

stuffing my face with yumyums....

or blissfully enjoying my full tumtums...
(poet!)

I believe next time I will ask the staff photographer to do less candid and more pose!

Next stop?

Adventure here!
Camden Yards... Memorial Day at the Ballpark
Orioles vs Blue Jays

A boy at the game...

It was a wonderful weekend... Long ones are especially the nicest!

Love and Fried Chicken,
h

PS
The FunnyHaHa for the weekend...

The NoGoNobama...

hehe.

PSS
Here is today's note from the Universe... It's a good one!

It sure is hard to get really angry at someone, heather, when you can think of all the reasons you love them.

And you can -
The Universe

ttfn!

Dear Diary,

This weekend is going to be the first of many juggernauts.

I am the type (a) of person(ality) who has to have a task.

This is why I am happy at work. I am never without something to do... IMMEDIATELY.

I am gearing up for a move...Move.
How I dislike that word. I have moved too many times since moving here.
While I love the refreshing feeling you get when you drop off the UHaul truck and begin wedging yourself inbetween the stacks of boxes to unpack...

The PROCESS it's just not something I enjoy.
As a matter of fact...this is how I feel about MOVING.

However in an effort to not be a negative nellie, I will attempt to accentuate the positive.

Two or possibly three things about moving are good.
#1 : When you MOVE you get to clean your all your accumulated stuff/junk out.

For example, I packed up my shoes. I went through them and weeded out the pairs I no longer wear. This was a good thing because my ten year old Jen can right now wear my size.
YAY! This will save me money. Recessionista~!
I also think that this is good for the soul if you can freecycle all your junk, you give back, you get good karma.

#2 : Generally a MOVE means New beginnings
No matter how you slice it...once it's done and you can unpack... life feels like it's slowed down and you can once again redecorate.
Cheers to you new beginnings!

#3 uh...yeah.

Things about moving I dislike really have to do with the juggernaut feeling you get when you are faced with the daunting task of boxing up stuff and coordinating trucks, help and maintaining your decreasing stash of packing tape.

Sidetrack...
Speaking of packing tape... have you ever noticed that the tape is never around when you need it...
I am always wandering about muttering...
"where is the tape?....I just had the tape!"

Also that little tape roll is a deceptive menace.... you get down to where you can SEE the cardboard roll and are in the midst of taping the bottom of a box....and you think you have just enough...you get right to the middle and.......and ZING!! It's out.

The box cutter/scissors make a break for it with the striped tape, I want to know...where do they go off to? To have a nooner behind the dresser? To plot their next getaway?

Do they have a conference with the sock that has been MIA since last september?

Yes yes...I'm convinced of this.

Anyhooty, MOVING is something that I don't plan on doing again.

EVER. AGAIN.

A true recessionista needs to find creative ways to spend less to MOVE more.

- Find Boxes the old fashioned way - Taking them from the office and getting used boxes from a moving company PLUG: Advantage Movers.
- Freecycle all the stuff you don't want

- Give freely to friends/family the furniture you don't need...and give them a timeframe to pick up the stuff before the UHaul arrives at the door. You move less!!

- Drop off at the Goodwill - TAX DEDUCTION here we come!

- Donate books to the library or the elemetary school.

List and drop off! List and drop off!

Here's a little Bend and snap for ya on a friday!
Classic!

- When in Doubt - Throw it out!
(or recycle it)

- Search online for coupons for truck rentals.

- Focus on one room at a time - Clear Out first- Pack later

- Use a Pink, Purple and/or Orange sharpie (it cheers me up!)

In the chaos that is about to ensue....most importantly... I have to remember to take time to breathe and take breaks.

Today's Theraputic Fortune Cookie Message Reminds Me to...
Get your mind set -- Confidence will lead you on!

Good Stuff!

Today the score stands
5 boxes packed
21 left to goooooo!
3 packing tape rolls
and a partridge in a pear tree.

Chugga Chugga Chugga Chugga..........

Dear Diary,

I have lost my mojo.

I believe it is hiding with the tape, the MIA sock and the pink scrunchie Jen lost about 2 weeks ago.

I started a sock. AN ANKLET!
I have yet to finish the yoke on my tangled cardi....

This would be one year of knitting ennui.

Will it come back?
Shall I ever knit in earnest again?

Fondly I remember the burning NEED to knit...the anticipation of my hands reaching for the cool DPNs, the excited weaving of the ends, the accomplishment of a Finished Object...

Why has my ardor cooled? How does one stoke the flames of knitting mojo?
I am able to walk by yarn...without a second glance...oh the horror!
While my stash silently weeps for lack of use.

Find me Frantically searching in the couch cushions...
H

As I prepare myself to move out to the country, I have noticed a change in this city girl.

I used to care if a bug landed on me.
Now I flick them...***flick*** buhbye! Fly! Be Free!
I used to squeal and do the dodge and duck manuever when a winged insect flew too close. Now I just try to identify the bug. Was that a woodboring nantucket redwinged suchandsuch?
I have pulled ticks off me and simply asked...do you see a bullseye or a weirdie bump?

One change that I am not looking forward to is....
Dear Lord...I don't want to even say it out loud....

Living without Air Conditioning.

Yes. You read that right.

LIVING WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING.

My beautiful house that I will be moving to in a matter of a week and a half...

It's an OLD house... like 100years old or something...
The backyard view

Big gorgeous Cherry Trees (thankyouverymuchfortheshade)

It's a beautiful place to spend my days with my family...but that doesn't mean I won't be saving all my pennies to find an air conditioning solution that doesn't mar the insides of the house with ducts and industrial hardware.

BUT! Lest this post make you feel sorry for me...I do have to say that just this weekend...
it was 80somethinghotdegrees in Odenton, MD and in Boring, MD it was 72nicecooldegreeswithalightbreeze. Being up north is better. Not having yonks and yonks of asphalts is good too.

Country Livin' is the life for me...

Space Tweet of the day...
"There is no way we can hold ourselves or our contractors accountable for something we can't control."
Context: Speaking about severe blizzard conditions in McMurdo Antartica.

Good Call Buddy.
Cause I was about to blame you!

Dear Diary,

One of the things I am learning to enjoy are the little things that make life worth living.
I am living at a slower pace now.
It's good to take note and enjoy all of them.

I've never had a Dog before. Now I do.
There are many small pleasures about living with a dog.

* the welcome home wag
* good morning kisses
* always up for a hug or a pet
* never lonely when the dog is around
* stepping over him because he wants to be near
* watching him take his toys out of his basket
* when he has a bad dream and M tells him it's okay
* walks
* watching really little kids pet him
* see him play (really they do) with Carrot the Cat
* learning read his body language
* see how excited he gets when he hears "outside?"
* when he comes when I call

This is our very own Ox...Otherwise known as McLovins

That McLovins...he sits so cute - Please may I direct your attention to his feet out to the side.

He does weird things with my stuff sometimes. He loves my pear smelling deo and always manages to winkle a pretzel from me...although...don't tell M that I am not "accidentally dropping them"...and I always feel like when I am down or feeling off, he knows just that putting his head in my lap will make me feel better.
What a McLovins!

Small Pleasures from The Garden

Snap Peas and a Yummy Strawberry
It's always like a treasure hunt going out to the garden and finding a little prize!
Walking out to the garden, It's the second thing I do when I get home.
First.. I greet my boys! Miles and McLovins!!

Small Pleasures of having flowers on the dining room table.
The peonies were my favorite this spring...Big and Gorgeous.

Here is what I have on there now....

This makes me happy to cut them and put them out to enjoy.

Small Pleasures of going on an impromptu date...
Saturday strawberry picking with Miles...

One for me - one for the basket!
num num nums
I love it when he takes me on adventures...it was something I hadn't done before.
Simple small things like these make me happy.

What are your small pleasures?

Today...I have decided to...

....Grab my friends and hold them tight at least once when you see them. You never know what is out there to snatch them from you.

I wish I could with one of my friends now. Thoughts and prayers girl...we gottem in bunches

...Remember at least one nice thing that someone random did for you while you were on the road.

I consider funny bumperstickers, licence plates or even a stranger picking his nose all nice little jems to giggle at. Providing me with some mirth as I creep along...this one I took on Memorial Day - I drive 2 hours daily. DAILY on the beltway. This is my prozac that and listening to Anna Karenina on my Ipod.

...Take the time to ponder the stars up above when I am taking my dog out to toiley at night.

recently I have been been wide eyed and all kinds of jumpy - staring at the woods behind my house thanks to watching a discovery channel program on rabid foxes...Gus has been taking forever as a result, 'cause he is looking out there too...SO Last night instead...I looked up and remembered how I wondered at the stars when I first met my husband...way out in the country.Also not watching discovery channel shows titled "when animals horribly attack perfectly normal people minding their own damn business" would help too. Also don't google Rabid Fox attacks in 'insert County here'...yeah. don't do that either. seriously.

...Learning that studying for algebraic foundation tests CAN be a way to spend time with my child

Work in progress....Maybe I need to let her and I have a "chocolate break" - nothing makes happy like chocolate can.

lastly...Indulge in some online virtual retail therapy

- this is where you go on all the stores you love so dear, shop and get what you want, fill up your cart and then close the window. Poof! That makes me so happy.

now if you will excuse me... I hear down the hall people are having fun and I must go join them.
toodles!

Things I have said recently...

...no you may not be excused...what is all this left on your plate?
...you are going to eat that because there are starving children in The Sudan.
...you can have dessert after you finish doing your online math study quizzes...
...for the last time, don't look at the dog while you are eating...you are encouraging him!
...yes, of course you may have another helping of brussel sprouts.
...as soon as I shovel this poop into the woods I will come check your homework...
...the dog doesn't care if you are naked...hurry up.
...there comes a time when I can tell you these things, and now is not the time.
...why do you need three towels?
...my guess is you would not be using so many towels if I make you fold the laundry.
...what is the dog doing...get up and check.
...you can't expect the dog to go potty in 3.2 seconds...he likes to sniff around.
...get back in (the shower) and rinse ALL the shampoo out.
...when I call your name I expect to hear lots of thumping and see you in front of me.
...curling irons are hot honey, very hot.
...are you sure you know how to make macaroni and cheese?
...lets bring back the sandwich...the sandwich needs to be in your lunch.
...that is not poop, that is a leaf... now pick it up and throw it out.
...yes, fearless with spiders, not so much with frogs.
...what were you singing in the shower? yes you were I heard you!
...how was math today?
...I want to see the entire binder...right here in my lap
...we're not watching that ferb show. icarly yes, ferb no.
...ooh super nanny is on - hurry up
...what are the deets? oh details.
...no you may not have a yahoo account. Chat from Gmail.
...i love you honey.
...have a great day - you are the best
...hurry up!! is that the bus?
...use my glasses - I'm not that old.
...g-d I need some cowgirl time...
..snuggle closer

I love my daughter...so much.