Thoughts while trapped in snow traffic

While I was parked on Maryland Avenue waiting not so patiently to get off campus, after I finished a book and after my phone was about to die, I was left with only my thoughts to entertain me so I grabbed the Moleskine to write them down.

• Dear Lord in heaven, WTF is happening up there? Its a 4-way stop for the love of all that is holy and sacred
• Dude, thank goodness I decided I should start carrying a book with me for times when I might have to wait.
• After realizing I only had 1 chapter left in the book I had: Why didn't I grab a back up book?!
• Man, having a smart phone is nice in a situation like this
• DAMN! I wish I had grabbed my USB cord to charge this stupid phone
• I wish I had a ruler, I would get out and measure the snow. I'm sure that would look weird to people but what do I care. I want to know how deep that is out there
• I never notice how many hills there are until they're covered in snow and backed up traffic and pose potential threats to my forward progress
• Huh, at least that 180 just happened in the empty parking lot
• I wish I had a snack
• OMG! I have grapes in my bag
• There is no way in hell I'm driving anymore once the hubs gets in the car
• If I were in college, I'd totally be making plans to go out the the bars tonight.
• I was stupid in college

And then sweet relief, my driving duties were over.

Miss Independent

My family isn't really big on mementos, storytelling or sentimentality.  Granny, my mom's mom, was the family's matriarch and she didn't tolerate silliness or play or tears or complaining. She lived the motto "Just do it" before anyone knew what Nike was. I know very little about her relationship with my grandfather and for some reason, he popped into my head this morning. My grandfather passed away long before I was born and here was only ever one picture of him in my Granny's house. I don't know why but I swear whenever I asked about him, I was told 1 story, and one story only. So when I say "he popped into my head," I mean this story popped into my head.

At some point, in their later years, there was a night when my grandfather did not return home to the St. Louis city apartment he and Granny shared. At this point in the story, everyone adds in their speculation that he'd be stepping out or that he'd had too much to drink at the local tavern or been out gambling. Either way, he didn't come home. Sometime in the morning, I know its morning because I'm told the sun was up, he's walked up the sidewalk to their old school brick 4 unit apartment building. This is important to know because Granny was waiting for him at the window in the stairwell on the landing between the first and second story which looked out over the walk-way.  As he waled up towards the front door, Granny asks him where he's been, he responds with something that no one has ever found worth remembering or repeating and as he reached for the handle of the front door, Granny reaches down to the floor in front of her and grabs her soup pot, full of the hottest water should could get, maybe even boiling, but no one confirms or denies that, and she then dumps the entire container right onto his head. To my knowledge, the never spoke again because there are no other stories. Not even of his passing or funeral. 

And that is a snapshot of the most influential woman of my childhood. The seething anger, the righteous retaliation, its in my genes (I honestly typed "jeans" first, WTF!?). Thankfully I've learned to identify and manage the anger over the years and am less of the walking rage-ball I used to be but it's a miracle I have any friends or managed to meet a man who felt dangerous enough to marry me. Just from being my life, they're all just one mis-step away from me getting out the soup pot.

It was the best of times

...and it was the best of times. No seriously, last year when I randomly invited a soon-to-be college grad I knew from the office to come live in the new house I was going to buy, I didn't know how hilarious life would be. 

There were lots of things that were unknown but the hubs and I tried to be as open as possible from the beginning, it didn't eliminate the anxiety of returning to the world of housemates but I like to think it set us up for success. Even Sam thought so when she wrote about it here.


It was such a good experience that 6 months later, when Sam is now moving out, I feel so excited for her I could dance and but sad for the changes ahead in our relationship. And as for dancing, I actually did do a little jig today in her new apartment. She went to sign the lease, I tagged along for the momentous occasion and took pictures, like the first day of school, but different.

Sam in her new apartment!

She thought I was taking her picture here but I really wanted to get the thermostat in the photo. The awesome part of Sam moving is that she's moving into the same complex we left before becoming home owners except she got lots of things we didn't like new carpet, new tile-ish vinyl in the kitchen and bath and a thermostat that was not circa 1920.


Another reason I'm excited, is that her new place is a lot closer than Portland, a mere 15 mins away from my place. The hilarity and good times will continue and there will be fewer miles to cross. And hopefully Sam will feed me when the hubs is out of town.

New Obessions

I am currently addicted to the following:

• All things Serena and Lily
• Using Google Reader to manage my blog subscriptions
• Updating my syllabus and course schedule for SSC 1150: Learning Strategies for the College Student
• The Pantone Color of the Year for 2010: Turquoise. I have not yet decided how I feel about the 2011 Color of the Year: Honeysuckle.
• G-chat status updates
• My good friend Jenny introduced me to Young House Love which I loved, then forgot about for awhile, then they bought a new house and are doing it all over again, which brings me right back to where I started from, in awe of this couple and their house obsession.
• My living room. I love the fireplace and sea-foam green sofa. Otherwise I daydream about decorating it with all things Serena and Lily
• The Tulle Vintage Winter Coat I got for $13 dollars after using discounts and credits earned from spending way too much at Banana Republic.
• New bedding from Sam's Club for the guest bedroom (which has come so far from the crap-pile room lovingly known as upstairs left) takes it to a different level. I was worried that this deal was too good to be true but the featherbed, comforter and pillows are divine and machine washable. Come one, come all, we've always got room in the inn.
• Reading chick lit (not to be confused with Chicklit) / playing Diner Dash
  

Is it worth the hassle?

I'm thinking about reformatting my blog again. I'm pretty sure I've given just as much thought to the aesthetics as I have to the content of this this space. I abhor HTML but if I don't get more width up in here, I'm going to fight someone or just quit. 

It also provides a complex distraction to thinking about the year that has passed and coming up with something along the lines of goals for 2011.

Nothing says holiday like Walgreen's

Growing up, I lived in a house owned by my mother's, sister's husband, AKA my uncle. I don't know when it started but as long as I can remember, I've always called my uncle, Uncle. Others called him Uncle Carey or Uncle Cootie but to me he was and still is, just Uncle. It was a great house. A rambling ranch, with a basement. Plenty of room for adults to sit and talk and for kids to tear around like maniacs.  For many years, holiday dinners were hosted at our house and various family members would pile in to take on the ridiculously massive meal my Granny created.  No matter how much planning there had been or how many trips were made to the grocery or butcher no holiday meal was complete without a trip to Walgreen's on the day of. Wax paper, milk, eggs, cheese, plastic wrap, condensed milk, flour, and countless other basic items seemed to always disappear, right when we needed them. Often I'd be thrilled for the chance to ride along because it was a break from the hours of sous chef work I'd put in chopping onions, celery, carrots, and more onions. The best was when was able to drive by myself or take along my younger brother to make the traditional Walgreen's run.


This year, my younger brother came to visit me and the Hubs for Christmas at our house.  The menu was legit: Spiral sliced ham, beef rib roast, mashed sweet potatoes, wild rice pilaf, homemade parker house rolls, creamed spinach an apple chutney and a chocolate-almond torte for desert. We planned the menu a week in advance, we made a list and checked it twice, we shopped a week early and on Christmas day, we totally ran out of almonds. I didn't even have to think about it, I knew the traditional trip to Walgreen's would continue.