I Want Wednesday: August 1, 2012

**I haven't the first idea of where I would hang these, but every time I see these prints, I Want them.


**After doing a lot of reading on various tutorials and blogs, I am fairly certain this would be the next lens I Want for my camera.


**Also, I Want to play with a star filter.


**I have long been fascinated by Disney's poster art. I Want this book so badly I can taste it.


**Another print that I am drawn to with no clue where it would possibly hang. Wouldn't work in my kitchen, but maybe in my laundry room...? I don't know. I just know every time I look at it, I Want it. It's just so fresh and clean.


**Now *this* one I would love to hang in my dinging room or my kitchen. I Want art that reflects that we enjoy and there is zero question that Epcot's Food and Wine Fest is one of my most favorite things ever. Every year, I look at their commemorative prints for sale, and I like them, but something about this one I really love.


**I try very hard to remain disciplined and to be selective about the souvenirs I purchase at Disney World. Living so close by, it is easy to be tempted by the new releases that arrive in the shops with each new season. I stick mostly to useful items, like t-shirts, and I've been good. I really only have three (though I have liked many more than that). My most recent, I bought at last year's Food and Wine Fest, after eyeing them for years. The others I had liked all right, but the one I got, I fell in love with. I'm glad I waited. For months, they teased me with the mens version of the t-shirt depicting what is one of my most favorite things about one of my most favorite places. The mens cut would be fine for lounging around at home, but I wanted a ladies cut that I could wear to the parks. Finally, *finally*, here she is and I Want this. Yes, I do. Difficult to argue it isn't meant for me!


**I've done my fair share of baking, but I've never truly ventured into the art of pies. And it is an art. Trust me. I spent my childhood in the kitchen of a master. My Gram's pies were (locally) legendary. I keep thinking that I Want to master this skill, as a tribute to someone so dear to me. So I window shop lovely pie dishes and dream. Look at this one, so cheerful in a cherry red...


**Someone mentioned this book to me. Now I am curious. I Want to flip through it.


**I admit, I am intrigued. I think I Want to see this movie.

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Snapshot from Along the Broken Road: July 2012

A photo of me:

Love her! (photo by Dan Kane Photos)

1) Candle scents this month:
French Vanilla. Honeydew Melon. Fruit Fusion. Sweet Strawberry. Juicy Watermelon. (I have so many delicious fruity scents for summer. I don't know what happens. I guess it's too hot to think about lighting a flame? I just don't go through as many when it's warm out.)

2) What I am reading this month:
The first book I read was Up Till Now (William Shatner with David Fisher), Shatner's autobiography. I found it informative and very entertaining, but if you aren't a Shatner fan, it's probably not for you. I followed that with another cozy mystery from a different series: Bundle of Trouble (Diana Orgain). I flew through it because it was quick and easy, a nice, light read. I really enjoy this genre. And now I have two books going at the same time. One is Knuckler: My Life with Baseball's Most Confounding Pitch (Tim Wakefield with Tony Massarotti), which is Tim Wakefield's autobiography. I have always been a big fan of Wakey, but I like him even more now. What a humble man. Goodreads tells me I'm about a third done with this one and I am thoroughly enjoying it. The other is The Help (Kathryn Stockett). I am telling you, this book deserves all the attention it has received. I just finished chapter nine and I don't want to put it down. I want to know what happened to Constantine, what was in the pie, what Miss Celia is doing up there and why she won't tell her husband. But I can't just tear through this one, because I am reading it with my friend, G, so I am waiting on her to catch up before I get more.

3) Top three songs I was drawn to:
"Bless the Broken Road," by Rascal Flatts -- I just keep thinking about this blog, why it has the title it does, and just how far down this broken road I've really come. "Crazy Girl," by the Eli Young Band. "Glass," by Thompson Square.

4) Movies I saw:
T & I went with my mom to see Ted while we were all on vacation. This movie was funny, but so so wrong. I am still scandalized. And still horrified at myself for laughing about it even now.

5) Favorite tv moments of the month:
"The Price You Pay," Dallas - JR Ewing is endlessly quotable. I love it. "The best way to understand a man is to talk to his friends...and his enemies. My friends are in the State House. My enemies are gonna be harder to find." "Time has not been kind to your face, but I do recall the smell of brimstone and crazy." "I'll be there when they put you in the ground, Barnes. Listen close. I'll be the one dancing on the dirt overhead!" "Bullets don't seem to have much of an effect on me, darlin'."

6) Something yummy I made:
I didn't do much making this month, between the heat and the being away for over a week.

7) Restaurants where I ate:
Michael's Restaurant and Pub (Stockbridge, MA). Village Harvest Cafe (Hancock Shake Village, Pittsfield, MA). Water Street Grill (Williamstown, MA). Chandler's Tavern Cafe (Yankee Candle Flagship Store, Deerfield, MA).

8) Five things I am loving this month:
1. Seeing old friends, some that I haven't seen since high school graduation, and others that I just haven't seen in too long. Makes my heart ache with happy.
2. Dancing with my guy and seeing the photos. *I* get to  be the girl he looks at like that. More happy heart.
3. Vacation time!! I had barely more than a breath off from work from New Year through July fourth, but I paid the piper and now I get to play! So much time off for the rest of this year! And so many wonderful things planned.
4. Seeing the gold medal ceremonies for the Summer Olympics. Seeing the stars and stripes be raised up while the national anthem plays gets me every single time.
5. Fresh summer fruit. Cherries and nectarines and cantaloupe and pluots. So much yumminess!

9) A goal I had for this month:
Finally get that darn file cabinet organized. It's done done done! (Pretty sure T is at least as thrilled about this is as I am.)

10) This month I looked forward to:
Seeing some wonderful friends, some of whom I haven't seen in far too long to comfortably mentions, others of whom I haven't seen in simply far too long (a couple of years). I looked forward to hugging them. And meeting my two-year-old nephew. And seeing my Dad. And dancing with my guy.

11) Something I want to remember about this month:
We borrowed my mom's car while we were vacationing with her at her timeshare in the Berkshires. We plugged in the GPS and headed toward the grocery store. Or so we thought. Until we crossed the state line into Vermont. Leave it to me to get us lost *with* a GPS! But we laughed and set our course again. Because we're easy like that. I want to remember to be grateful for someone who doesn't lose his cool when the plans don't go exactly as they should.

12) A photo I took this month:

This butterfly was so cool--he was transparent!!

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 9 Weeks

I have read my fair share of blogs, magazine pieces and books. Women on the brink of huge life changes--like weddings and giving birth--frequently mention that they start have weird dreams related to the impending event. I've had some life-altering events in my life, though neither of these in particular, but I can't say I've ever started dreaming about them. (At least not that I can recall upon waking.) So I chalked it up to "one of those things other women do for which I am missing the proper gene in one of my X chromosomes," like, for example, shoe shopping.

And then.

Hello, crazy dreams!

Of the two I can vividly remember, the first went something like this: Positively everything went wrong. The minister didn't show up. I showed up but I wasn't wearing my dress. Only five people actually came to the wedding. I hadn't given the venue my final headcount. No one could find the flowers. It was just one thing after another. And while everyone around me was freaking the heck out, I looked at Troy and said "Whatever, let's just get married."

In the other, I was in my hotel room, trying to get ready for the wedding. There were people buzzing around everywhere, getting themselves ready and fussing over me (which really just stresses me out) (fuss over me, that is, not getting themselves dressed). And for some reason, my giant phone with the switchboard that sits on my desk at work was sitting on the bed. Ringing. Non-stop. My phone has a caller id screen on it and the screen kept showing that one of my co-workers was calling me from his desk over and over. I kept answering it only for him to ask me for a rootbeer. I had some choice words for him the fifth time he phoned in his request. I confronted him about this at work the following morning (for real, not in my dream) and here's the part that gives me the heebiejeebies: He hasn't had a rootbeer in years; Sprite is his soda of choice. But the night before, they were out of it at his house, so he had some of the "special treat" soda they had bought for their daughter. Rootbeer. What now??

I think I'm going to go back to staring at my mailbox, willing the last half of the response cards to appear.

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The Great Butterfly Escapade

On our last day in the northeast, we had some time between when we checked out of the timeshare and when we needed to be at the airport. We decided to stop along the way at the Yankee Candle flagship store (I didn't buy any candles since I would have had to figure out how to then transport them on the plane when our luggage was already packed, but I did get to sniff all the new scents so I know which I like when I buy online!) and after we browsed and ate lunch, my mom wanted to bring us to a place called "Magic Wings" to see the butterflies. They were beautiful and amazing, but I spent the majority of the hour we were there on a mission to get a photo of this one type of blue butterfly. The challenge: they never seem to stop MOVING. And when they finally land somewhere, they close up their wings so you can only see the outside/bottoms of them which are *not* blue.

But I was determined to get a good shot.



I am certain I looked like a lunatic...





...chasing the butterflies around with my camera...



...getting photos that were blurry or over/under exposed, as they darted from light into shadow.



Trying to time my finger to the unpredictable flapping of a resting butterfly.





But even though it isn't perfect, I finally felt victorious.

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 10 Weeks

This past Sunday, my mother and stepfather threw a Jack and Jill for us. I got to hug some really awesome people that I haven't seen in varying degrees of far too long.






(photo by Dan Kane Photos)

I got to dance with my Dad.

(photo by Dan Kane Photos)

And then there was this...
(photo by Dan Kane Photos)

I get to the be the one he looks at like that. How lucky am I?



Before you ever came along
I was living life all wrong
The smartest thing I ever did was make you all mine
(from "Crazy Girl" by Eli Young Band)

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A few peeks at what we've been doing...

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 11 Weeks

It's funny, when you hear people go on and on about how crazy and time-consuming it is to plan a wedding, what fails to come across is how much sitting around there is. Oh, there are still items on the list but it is either to soon to work on them or they are completely at the mercy of the final headcount, which is still over a month away from being due. Sure, we still need to get wedding bands and I need to pop something in the mail to a crafty friend for my hair, but that encompasses Everything I Can Actually Do Right Now.

So, I am killing time, reading blogs and various wedding-related tidbits on social media. I can see how, for an easily overwhelmed bride, this would be a bad idea. There is a *lot* of information out there. And an eternal list of ideas to inspire you. And a ludicrous number of "must have details" that they neglect to mention can only be afforded by someone of celebrity status. I am secure in what we're doing. I feel it focuses on the important part of the day and celebrates who we are as a couple. If anyone in attendance cannot see that, then I have sorely misjudged their need to be on this guest list.

Anyway.

In all my time-killing but keep-the-wedding-spirit meanderings, there is one trend around which I simply cannot wrap my head. Two dresses. Let me get this straight: I pay an obscene amount of money (even if I get a really good deal) (which I did--on both counts) for a dress that I will wear for a limited number of hours ONE DAY OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. Unless I birth a daughter who is not only relatively the same size as me, but also likes the style dress I wore *and* is ok wearing an old dress, the only way this thing ever gets used again is if I sell or donate it. So why, in the name of all sanity, is there a trend that says the bride changes into a more casual party dress for the reception?! Now, not only is she spending even *more* money (on another dress which, let's be honest, may or may not also be worn just the one time), but she will wear both of them for even *less* time? I have to tell you, I love my dress. I am thrilled this is what I will wear on my wedding day. But I intend to squeeze every last second out of wearing that dress on the day I am married.

This? Is why I am never going to be a trend-setter.

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 12 Weeks

When you first get engaged, there is this weird expanse of time during which you do a whole lot of nothing. And then there is suddenly so much to get done: dress and invitations and attendants and venue and the list just does.not.stop. There is an endless parade of details and decisions. And then just as suddenly, you plateau again. I am in the waiting game. The next batch of to-do's depends on the head count. The response cards have been steadily rolling in, about a third of them have been returned. The break is welcome. I feel like I'm catching my breath.

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Snapshot from Along the Broken Road: June 2012

A photo of me:
I tried. I just didn't get any I wanted to keep.

1) Candle scents this month:
French Vanilla. Bahama Breeze.

2) What I am reading this month:
Finished Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez). It had some parts that dragged and others that kind of horrified me, but I really liked the meat of the story. I stopped at the library and picked up a few books. The first one I read was Farm Fresh Murder (Paige Shelton), which was a "cozy mystery." It was a light, entertaining read. It's part of a series and I will definitely look for the rest.

3) Top three songs I was drawn to:
"Somebody That I Used to Know," by Gotye. "Ours," by Taylor Swift. "How Great Thou Art," by Carrie Underwood (which actually made me cry the first time I listened to it).

4) Movies I saw:
None. I've been finishing some shows still on the DVR, mixed with working my way through my Boston Legal DVDs, when I'm not watching the Sox.

5) Favorite tv moments of the month:
Hatfields and McCoys - Violent and tragic, but utterly fascinating.
"Brave New World (2)," Fringe - The best season finales are the ones the leave you with a thousand questions, dangling, waiting impatiently for the next season to start. Mission accomplished.
The return of Dallas - It's pure brain candy. Frivolous fluff. But it fills me with a tremendous amount of nostalgia, because the writers and producers have nailed the older characters to the letter. And they kept the theme song and the opening image sequence, precisely as I recall it from my childhood perch on the couch between Gram and Gramp.
"Christmas Waltz," Mad Men - The scene with Joan and Don in the bar was fantastic, maybe my favorite from the entire season. Their chemistry throws dazzling sparks.
"The Other Woman," Mad Men - I may not have agreed with the decision made but that was some fantastic acting! Christina Hendricks owns the part of Joan Holloway Harris. She is magnificent.
"The Phantom," Mad Men - Possibly one of the most quote-worthy episodes of this show ever! "Not every little girl gets to do what they want. The wold cannot support that many ballerinas." - Marie Calvet. "You had no right to fill a man like that with ambition." - Rebecca Pryce. "Don't leave here thinking you've done anything for anyone but yourself." - Rebecca Pryce. "Well, I'm President of the Howdy Doody Circus Army!" - Pete Campbell.

6) Something yummy I made:
I have no idea what took me so long to finally make my own meatballs, but I certainly won't be buying them pre-made anymore!

7) Restaurants where I ate:
Ruby Tuesday. Five Guys.

8) Five things I am loving this month:
1. The Dallas theme song. They nailed it. Music the same, images used the same, other than a few updated versions of the originals. I love how nostalgic it makes me! 2. The new porch swing T built for our screen porch. I'm going to love it even more when it's not summer. 3. The library. I always forget how much I enjoy leaving with a small stack of books tucked under my arm. 4. A freshly organized kitchen. Now that T has finished the awesome new cabinet for the kitchen, and we've been living here for a few months, I have a much better feel for how I move about the room. So with more space and armed with this experience, I did some rearranging to make things more convenient and intuitive. Loving it! 5. Response cards coming in the mail for the wedding!

9) A goal I had for this month:
Get the invitations in the mail! DONE!

10) This month I looked forward to:
Getting back on track. I've felt scattered lately, with so many out of the ordinary things going on.

11) Something I want to be thankful for this month:
T is such an awesome travel companion. And that we live on a hill, considering we exceeded a foot of rain from midday Saturday June 23 through Tuesday June 26, the majority of which fell on Sunday and Monday.

12) A photo I took this month:

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 13 Weeks

Most of the time, this wedding feels like it's happening to someone else and I am just offering opinions from the sideline. Maybe because that's the role I am used to. It's only been someone else. I've been ok with that (mostly) because I never wanted a wedding for the sake of "joining the club." Not at the price of a Very Bad Decision. It's not that I didn't want to get married. It's that I didn't want to end up discovering I had committed myself to the wrong guy. (There were a couple of close calls, but deep down, I always knew.)

Today, I put on my wedding dress. Not a too-big version, clamped and pinned and awkwardly poking out in places and pooling under my feet, tripping me up. This time, the dress fit me like a glove. It hugged all the right places. It fell, smooth and feminine, just brushing the ground in the front, trailing gently behind me. I turned slowly in front of the mirror, watching the dress move with me. We pulled the train out full. We bustled it.

And just for a moment, I saw a glimmer of myself as a bride.

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And the Ortiz stands alone.

And so it came to pass that only one David Ortiz remains from the Red Sox 2004 Championship roster now that Youk has been given new Sox to wear.

I am conflicted. It's hard to say goodbye, because even gruff and mostly unlikable, he was ours. From that bald, sweaty head from which the helmet to be slammed to the ground following a strikeout to that crazy, twitchy batting stance that every non-NESN announcer made mention of. But on the other hand, we simply cannot mortgage the future every time this situation presents itself. It was going to have to be Middlebrooks or Youk. A choice had to be made. Middlebrooks would have only stagnated, whether left on the Boston bench or shuttled back to Pawtucket. His time is now. He is younger, cheaper, healthier...and let's face it: carries none of the baggage of 2011's collapse or the ruffled feathers with Valentine (not that I don't heartily sympathize with that).

Sometimes it happens. The young kid, so much glowing promise, pushes out the veteran fan favorite. It's the nature of this game, which is designed to break your heart over and over. (Truth be told, I lived in fear of this very scenario playing itself out with Mike Lowell a couple of years ago. It brought me immense relief when he retired instead.) We couldn't have scripted a better farewell: playing dirt-dog hard, smacking a loud triple, and being lifted for a pinch runner to a roaring ovation from a curtain-call-demanding crowd. I hope those cheers ring long in his memory.

Youk will get a fresh start, away from the nagging fishbowl media of Boston and their hunger for dredging up drama. He will get more playing time without wondering who will be penciled into the lineup at which position tonight, and who will spend the game on the bench, hoping for a late game pinch hitting opportunity. And thought it will be weird to see him in another uniform, I will gladly cheer him with a hearty YOOOOOOUK every time he returns to the friendly confines of Fenway Park.

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 14 Weeks

We passed the 100 day mark on Thursday. Double digits now. I'm stressed over the party but I don't have an ounce of doubt about the guy. I know it's a Big Deal. I know it's One of the Biggest Deals in one's life, this commitment, these promises. I may not have a smidgen of experience in hosting a party of any size, but I know this is the best right decision I've ever made.

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Summer rememberies...

...Homemade coleslaw. Potato salad. Bacon and lettuce (Gramp's favorite). Tomato salad. Tomato sandwiches (still my favorite) with tomatoes still sun-warm from the garden (I miss that most). Cucumbers with sour cream or oil and vinegar. Corn on the cob. Shelling peas. Blueberries, the darkest midnight blue and plump with juiciness.

...Walks to Carvel. Walking to church. Walking all the way to the far end of Perkins Street, past Chapel Street, past the change in the pavement, down the hill to "the Witch Doctor's house," spooky and made of stone.


...Dew-soaked lawn in the morning. Bare feet all day long. Hot-footing across the driveway, making the last leap into the cool grass. Running. Riding bikes. Playing catch. Paper dolls and playing school. Reading Rainbow. Invented games with brightly colored plastic playground balls. Combing the orchard on hands and knees in search of tiny wild strawberries.


...Baseball games in New Britain. Four-hour road trips to Cooperstown. Frequent trips to the library.


...Windows open all day and all night. Reveling in the lush, green world. Storm clouds gathering, the low rumble of thunder, quickly unplugging the organ and the television. Clover, purplish-pink and lavender-white. The big fan with the clear blue plastic blades, oscillating, back-and-forth back-and-forth. Songbirds singing the world awake. The busy hum of honeybees and bumblebees. The unpredictable flight of a butterfly, dancing on the unseen breezes. Fireflies twinkle-glowing over here, then over there, lighting the hush dark with sparks. Crickets and katydids chirping a lullaby.

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 15 Weeks

Invitations and dress fittings. Buy the stamps, find a better pen, practice each address first. Make sure to bring the shoes. Write until your hand feels like it will disconnect from your arm at the wrist, then take a break and come back for more. Stand still, hold this layer of the skirt, don't look down. Check and double check: spelling, address, everything inside. Do not lose weight, do not gain weight, stay exactly the same for the next fifteen weeks.

No pressure.

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I Watch TV: 2011-2012, Finale (Part One of Four)

It has long been my television-watching mantra that I don't watch shows for their realism. I live in reality. My life is filled with lots of reality, some of it more welcome than the rest, but reality all the same. When I watch tv, that is my down time and I want to be entertained. I don't mind if that entertainment makes me think (to a point) but I am perfectly willing to suspend disbelief for the sake of keeping me engaged, even if it means the subject is embellished, improbable, inaccurate or impractical. Reel me in. Make me laugh. Drop my jaw. Keep me balanced on the edge of my seat. So long as I get to escape the demands and responsibilities of the life I lead as an adult (not that my life is terrible, but let's be honest, there are some rather bland and not-so-fun parts to being an adult and leading a responsible life, even when that life is pretty amazing and awesome), then we're good. This is specifically why I don't watch a single "reality" show (not any more realistic than any fictional show I do watch, I might point out, but reality shows just cast a spotlight on all the drama I pointedly avoid in my own real life, so watching on the screen seems rather counterproductive to me). And if I wanted actual *realism* in a tv show, I would find myself a documentary.

Glad we got that out of the way.

Disclaimer: You shouldn't read if you don't want to risk spoilers!

I thought long and hard about how I wanted to summarize my thoughts. So many different ways to approach a series of posts about television shows. I could rank the shows and post in groups of five or ten. I could classify by genre. I could group by long-running series, new shows with renewals, and cancellations. Breakdown by network won.

I'm going to start with ABC. Why? I don't know. We'll say it's because it's owned by Disney and my  affection for Disney is no secret.

Once Upon a Time (season one): I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this show. It was new and it was certainly very different from anything else I watch. But then again, if anyone can pull off a show about fairy takes and magic and ornate costumes, it would be a company owned by Disney, right? So I jumped in with an open mind. I was hooked immediately. I love the way they weave the familiar fairy tales into a whole land, where all the characters interact. They have created connections and back stories. And even when they stray a bit from the original stories, their improvisation just works. And the imagery they use is fabulous, so many little details to watch for. I was a little shocked that they broke the curse in the first season (though it was the season finale) and I am so curious where they will take us next. The possibilities seem limitless. There *must* be more to this story than just the curse. I will absolutely be tuning in for season two!

Favorite characters: Sheriff Graham/The Huntsman. Mary Margaret Blanchard/Snow White.

Best episodes: "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter." "The Stable Boy." "An Apple Red as Blood." "A Land Without Magic."

Pan Am (season one): Another new show this season. I know everyone wanted to hop on board the coattails of Mad Men. This was the only one that caught my eye. It seemed like it could be something like "Love Boat," only in the air. I'm not sure why it never caught on, though I think Sunday nights are tough on an established show, let alone a new one trying to build a viewership. After all, it's competing with Sunday Night Football. And while most of us have the ability to record what we want to see and watch when it's most convenient, thanks to the wonder that is DVR (not to mention OnDemand, online, Netflix, iTunes, Hulu, etc), those don't seem to factor into ratings. unfortunately (a topic which bothers me, but suffice to say, I think they should update the way they calculate ratings to consider the way we watch television now, instead of the archaic methods they still employ). And so I am sad that this one didn't get a renewal. It was a fun show. A new location every week, a cast I mostly enjoyed, single-episode plots mingled with ongoing threads that lasted the whole season. I was happy that they gave us a season finale that allowed for closure in a way, not yet knowing the ultimate fate of the show.

Favorite characters: Kate Cameron. Colette Valois.

Best episodes: "Ich Bin Ein Berliner." "Unscheduled Departure." "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang." "1964."

Body of Proof (season two): This is one of those shows that I like for background noise. I don't feel obligated to watch each detail or not miss a second of the action or the dialogue. Truth be told, sometimes I even doze off and miss part of an episode or the ending, and I don't bother to save it to re-watch. This show seems to teeter on the chopping block often. It's supposed to be coming back for an abbreviated season three. I will record and watch as I have the first two. I will grant that this season had a heck of a finale cliffhanger. And now I've read that half the case is being cut, so that takes away some of the suspense. Unfortunate casualty of the information age, I guess.

Favorite characters: Dr Curtis Brumfield. Peter Dunlop (who is not coming back--oops, guess he stops clinging to life after that stabbing).

Best episodes: "Identity." "Going Viral Part 1."

Last Man Standing (season one): I've been a hard sell on comedies since the Friends left their keys on the counter. It's difficult to replace a cast that stuck together from start to finish and truly became to feel like, well, friends you visited each week. It also seems sitcoms have gone the way of raunchy humor, being gross and revolving around just plain stupid. When it came about that Tim Allen was going to be part of a late release show, I had to check it out. It's exactly what I expected: he'll always be Tim the Toolman Taylor, only know he has a houseful of daughters instead of sons. It started strong and then faltered a little, but it makes me chuckle, and with its renewal, hopefully I will continue to chuckle through the sophomore season too. It's just such a relief after the way other shows have grown to disappoint (more on that when we get to other networks).

Favorite characters: Vanessa Baxter. Eve Baxter.

Best episodes: "Home Security." "House Rules."

Private Practice (season five): I followed Addison over to the beach from Seattle, lo those many seasons ago. And I've always liked her, even when she hasn't been very *likable*. This has been my least favorite season at Oceanside Wellness so far, and mostly because, even though Addison's dreams have all come true, she's *bugging* me. She has two guys eating out of her hand and she's leading them both on. That's just not cool. (I am partial to Jack over Sam who only decides what he wants when someone else makes a play for it.) Violet and Pete have irritated me to no end with the constant bickering and inability to communicate with one another. It's time for them to part ways because if I have to endure one more spat, I may have to slap them both...and that makes me look crazy, because they are inside my tv. While Private Practice is in no danger of losing me as a viewer, this season threatened to make this less of a "must see tv" for me, and more of a "Body of Proof" type show. Enter Jack and Amelia and...wow. They rescued this season for me and made me want to come back for the next.

Favorite characters: Addison (though I liked her less this season than I ever have before, either on this show or her time on Grey's). Charlotte (she may be a real witch but I love the straight forward way she expresses herself). Amelia (her character is difficult to watch, painful even, but Caterina Scorsone acts the *heck* out of that part). Jack.

Best episodes: "The Letting Go." "Drifting Back." "Gone, Baby, Gone."

The Middle (season 3): I had a tough time getting into this show. I didn't watch the first season at all and I only watched the second season sporadically for the first half. I think I was having a difficult time with Patricia Heaton as Frankie Heck when, in my mind, she will always be Debra Barone. She still is but Sue and then Brick started to grow on me. This show is still hit or miss with me, but there have been more hits lately, with some making me laugh right out loud. There will be a fourth season of Hecks, and I will be back for it.

Favorite characters: Sue. Brick (::whispers:: Brick.).

Best episodes: "The Map." "The Sit Down." "The Telling."

Modern Family (season 3): So many people call this the funniest sitcom running right now. I don't know if I feel quite as strongly about it. There are definitely shows that make me laugh more and this one comes up short sometimes. I didn't see much of the first season. I saw more of the second. I saw all of this one, and, as irony would have it, I didn't like it as much as what I saw of the previous season. While Cam and Mitchell can be funny, especially as such polar opposites, they are just as capable of annoying me. Luke and Manny often feel expendable to me. Gloria and Jay can grate on my nerves separately, although together they make me laugh. Modern Family dropped off with a real bombshell. I wonder how Cam & Mitchell will react to Gloria's pregnancy, given that they have struggled to adopt all season and took it pretty hard in the season finale. This show is supposed to be funny and that's a pretty heavy topic.

Favorite characters: Alex Dunphy. Claire Dunphy. Phil Dunphy (about half the time).

Best episodes: "Dude Ranch." "Hit and Run."

Scandal (season 1): This was a short (seven episodes), late-season show. Another Shonda Rhimes creation, but departing from her penchant for medical dramas. Olivia Pope and her "gladiators in suits" clean up messes in the messiest place there is: Washington DC. I loved the quick dialogue, the "onion layers" to each of the characters who have only begun to be revealed to us, and the depth of the stories. There is always more that you don't know and when it comes to the surface, it leaves you with your jaw on the carpet. I am so excited for a full season of this show. I can't wait to get to know these characters better.

Favorite characters: Olivia Pope.

Best episodes: All of them. When I tell you this show just got better each week, I mean exactly that. And it started out strong. If I had to pick, the last two episodes, "The Trail" and "Grant: For the People," were probably a wee bit better than the rest, but not by much.

Grey's Anatomy (season eight): One of my perennial favorites. I didn't get on board with this show til the second season (though I went back, bought the first to catch up and now own them all) but I've always felt a kinship with Meredith. Not in the physical sense, but in the emotional one. She was dark and twisty at the same time I was, and we've both climbed out of those trenches almost in unison. I love the opening and closing monologues, always have. And even though it's unrealistic, sometimes gross and often heart-wrenching, I love it. I don't know if I can say I loved this season. There was a lot of pain. But the acting was raw and that deserves some credit. And that ending... I get it--contracts end, actors are ready to move on--but it's still so hard when the characters make you like them or at least get attached to the role they play. I'm glad it was Derek (I was worried) but I'm sad that Teddy and Lexie won't be back. And with all the residents looking as if they are prepared to scatter, I just can't imagine where season nine will start, never mind where it will take us. I assume it won't end in the wilderness though. 

Favorite characters: Meredith Grey. Derek Shepherd. Jackson Avery.

Best episodes: "Dark Was the Night." "Suddenly." "If/Then."

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I Want Wednesday: June 13, 2012

**I Want this outdoor clock. I do not want to spend that much for it though.


**I Want a "Fenway Park 100 years" t-shirt. I don't want to spend that much for that either though. (Planning a wedding and being a new home owner makes one quite frugal. I feel like money is being sucked out every time I open my wallet.)


**It's silly, but I Want to have a copy of the big anniversary celebration they did at Fenway on DVD. It seems like a good addition to the commemorative collection I have from the 2004 and 2007 Championship seasons.

**I Want something that will allow me to dust under the refrigerator and stove. I think this Oxo Slim Duster might work.

**I can't even remember where I saw the "ServeItUp" but I Want one. What's not to love about a porcelain stand that will turn bowl or dish into a pedestal?? Cake dishes are awkward and take up a lot of space to store but this baby is so versatile, much easier to store when not in use, and the possibilities are endless! In fact, I would like one large one and one small!

**These ice cream bowls from Crate and Barrel make me so happy. I Want to open my kitchen cabinets and see a little stack of these waiting cheerfully to serve up a frosty treat.


**There aren't even words, just squealing, to express how badly I Want these dish towels in my kitchen all summer long.

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 16 Weeks

You know what I've learned? The moment you start addressing wedding invitations, you hate every pen you own and you can't stand the way your own handwriting looks.

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 17 Weeks

We have been inching along with the details, but this week, *so* much got accomplished! Invitations arrived. My first fitting got scheduled. We settled on someone to do hair and makeup. We got to meet with the contact at the venue to discuss times and menu options and room arrangement and napkin colors. We had an appointment with the DJ and made some progress in the music department.

And we ate cake. Oh my word did we eat cake. And frosting. And fillings.

And this is what I can tell you:
1. We signed our contract and we *love* who we chose.
2. We are locked in on our flavors and I am so excited!
3. I don't want to see anymore cake until September.
4. Fondant is seven levels of nasty. Why do people willingly coat their cake in that...waxy gum??

And here's my bit of advice when it comes to shopping for your own cake: Ask what their contingency plan is if, say, something cuts them off on their way to deliver or they trip while carrying it in. Because we went to one bakery where, I kid you not, the answer was "We'll supply you with a dummy cake for display and photos, and refund your money." A fake cake?! Ummm...pray tell, what will I give my guests for dessert?! Wrong answer, madame baker.

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Snapshot From Along the Broken Road: May 2012

A photo of me:

T and me in front of the Godspeed, docked in historic Yorktown, on the York River.

1) Candle scents this month:
Lilac Blossoms. Garden Sweet Pea. Bahama Breeze. Buttercream.

2) What I am reading this month:
Getting down to the end of Love in the Time of Cholera. Just one "chapter" remaining.

3) Top three songs I was drawn to:
I have a playlist of songs related to the wedding. It's been on a fairly constant loop for most of this month.

4) Movies I saw:
Man on a Ledge - We watched this at T's sister's house, while we were there. Decent movie. Held my attention and I didn't doze off.

5) Favorite tv moments of the month:
"Onward and Upward," Harry's Law - Series finale of this show. Only two seasons. I'm really bummed about this. And I'm sorry more of you didn't watch it.
"Flight," Grey's Anatomy - I have a difficult time calling this a "favorite" and yet it will resonated with me. It was a painful and sobering, but important. It's nowhere the best season finale of this show, or even just regular episode, but some of this acting was too good to go unacknowledged. Part of what is most poignant for me is that this show has been allowed to exist for long enough that I actually get attached to the characters. I wish more shows had that opportunity.
"An Apple Red as Blood," Once Upon a Time - The way they weave this story, even when the deviate from the well-known versions of fairy tales just sucks me in.
"Mother's Day," Blue Bloods - This episode is a microcosm of everything I love about this show.
"Grant: For the People," Scandal - I didn't even multitask while watching this episode. My attention was glued to the tv.

6) Something yummy I made:
I feel like between the heat, an angry stomach, and all the time I spent away from home in May, I didn't really make much of anything!

7) Restaurants where I ate:
Kouzzina (Disney's Boardwalk). Tutto Gusto (EPCOT, Italy Pavilion). Raglan Road (Downtown Disney). Biergarten (EPCOT, Germany pavilion). Yak & Yeti (Animal Kingdom). Narcoossee's (Disney's Grand Floridian). San Angel Inn (EPCOT, Mexico pavilion). The Island Cafe (Yorktown, VA). McDonald's. Wendy's. Arby's. (Can you tell we were on a road trip? Ha.)

8) Five things I am loving this month:
1. Rain on the roof. 2. Disney with good friends. 3. Season finale cliffhangers. 4. The dresses my girls picked. 5. The shower gift T and I received from his sister--so thoughtful!

9) A goal I had for this month:
Choose a baker for the wedding. Mission accomplished...three bakeries, 20-something cake flavors and twice as many frostings and fillings later.

10) This month I looked forward to:
Spending some time with my west coast friends, and five days with T in Virginia.

11) Something I want to be thankful for this month:
All that T's sister has done with the preparations for September.

12) A photo I took this month:

Father of our country.

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 18 Weeks

126 days left on the clock.

Whoa.

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 19 Weeks

I have been thick in the heart of hunting for a baker for the wedding. I suspect this process will be more fun once I am engaged in the tasting part. For now, I have narrowed down the contenders, received quotes, narrowed it down further and have set appointment for tastings later in the month. There are many things I will either accept by recommendation or allow someone else to handle in my stead. Dessert? Is not one of those things. I take my dessert seriously.

One of my girls has chosen and ordered her dress. (Love!! She is going to look stunning.) The other two have appointments to do the same tomorrow. I cannot wait to see what they find and how they all look together.

I keep trying to decide which pair of shoes I want to wear so I can return the others but I'm just not convinced. I am also secretly afraid this means none of them are the right pair. I am a disappointment to women everywhere because I really detest shoe shopping.

I have a few loose ends dangling that I hope can be tied up soon. Loose ends make me twitchy.

And if you want an insight into where I am, mentally, in this process: The random, disjointed, half-formed thoughts above sum it up. Planning a wedding--even a small, fairly scaled back wedding--is not for the faint of heart.

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20 Questions: May 17, 2012

1. Name 5 things you don't care about.
Just five? Fine. 1. Who won The Bachelor, Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol or any other tv competition-type show not named "Top Chef." 2. The opinions of Joe Buck, Tim McCarver or the Tampa Bay Rays broadcast team. 3. The latest Hollywood gossip. 4. Anyone's latest drama. 5. Anything Dr Phil has to say.

2. I wish I could stop:
Deleting the first four answers I typed here.

3. What is your favorite kind of peanut butter?
If it's not in a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, then I prefer Jif. It can be creamy or crunchy though, unless I am making a dessert with it, in which case, it must be creamy.

4. Pick a color that best represents your mood today.
Grey. A sleepy dusky shade. I could go for a nap.

5. Look to your right. What is the first thing you see?
A box in the windowsill waiting for the customer to pick it up. (I'm at work.)

6. What is your favorite "fair food"?
Fried dough with tomato sauce. Which, since you brought it up, they apparently only sell at fairs in the northeast. People in Florida look at you like you're a lunatic when you ask. Down here, it's only served with cinnamon & sugar or powdered sugar.

7. Who was the last person to send you a letter in the mail?
I don't even remember the last time I wrote out a whole letter, but I did include a lengthy note and some photos in the birthday card that I sent to my high school boyfriend's mother. She's a Leap Year baby and I always send her a card when her actual birth date comes around, even after all this time. One of the nicest, sweetest, kindest ladies I have ever met.

8. What did you order the last time you went out to eat?
Monday, for dinner, I shared the Dalkey Duo (battered cocktail sausages with mustard dipping sauce) and the Scallop Forest (battered scallops with a citrus lime dipping sauce and some kind of chili pepper jam) with Nichole and Daniel, and then had some Keen Eye for the Shepherd's Pie (less than half because, holy heck, was I *stuffed*.)

9. How good are you at delaying gratification?
About 95% of the time, I have no issue with it. I would rather save up for something than go into debt to have it, and I would rather be sure I want it than to suffer buyer's remorse. And really? I enjoy window shopping and wish-listing far more than actually parting with the cash.

10. What was the last thing you baked?
Some brownies. Back at the apartment. Wow. I've been in the house over three months and I still haven't baked anything in my my awesome new oven?? This must be rectified very soon. (Understand: I define 'baked' as in desserts. We have baked all manner of dinner-type foods in there: chicken, fries, fish, pizza, just to name a few.)

11. What did you last receive in the mail?
Junk, a couple of magazines, a new copy of my insurance card, and a Mother's Day card from my god daughter.

12. Are you a good speller?
Most of the time. There are a few words that trip me up. My boss calls me "Webster" every time he calls me to ask how to spell something. Because he never believes what his spellcheck tells him.

13. When was the last time you went sledding?
I think it was my senior year of high school. It was really snowy that winter and I think I went up to the high school (very hilly campus) with my old neighbor and some of our other classmates.

14. How many times have you been called for jury duty?
Twice. The first time, I was chosen to serve on a jury. The second time, I was dismissed *because* of the jury I had served on (the defense dismissed me because of the verdict we reached on my first jury).

15. Scrubs, ER or Grey's Anatomy?
I watched ER until they killed off Anthony Edwards' character. I tried to watch it a season or two later, and the first episode I tuned into, some doctor got his hand chopped off by a helicopter. I never watched again. I am hopelessly addicted to Grey's Anatomy, though. I own all the seasons that have been released on DVD and have watched them more than once.

16. What do you try to stay away from?
People who are overly dramatic, negative or otherwise toxic.

17. What is your favorite magazine?
I have a well-documented addiction to magazines.  It would be difficult to choose just one. In the running for favorite would be "Everyday with Rachael Ray," "Real Simple," and "Redbook."

18. Do you set your alarm clock on the weekend?
Only if I have to be up for an early appointment. I'm usually awake and out of bed by 7am under normal Saturday circumstances, though, so I rarely need my alarm. It's more of a security blanket for my peace of mind.

19. When you attend a wedding do you tend to give cash or buy something off the registry?
I buy off the registry for the shower, and give cash (in addition to a "sentimental gift" if it's someone I am particularly close to) for the wedding.

20. Have you ever shot a bow and arrow?
The fact that I am alive to answer this question indicates that I have not. I would find some way to shoot myself if I tried. I lack all sorts of grace and coordination.

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Menu Plan Monday: May 14, 2012

Monday: I will be at Disney with Nichole and Daniel. Don't think T has allowed me to forget that he will be scavenging for food all by his lonesome.

Tuesday: Brown Sugar Glazed Pork, asparagus and rice.

Wednesday: Going for a nice light dinner of honey mustard chicken wraps. I swear it has been too hot to eat.

Thursday: Spaghetti and meatballs with a salad and some bread.

Friday: I will be back at Disney.

Saturday: Still at Disney...

Sunday: Who even knows. I will probably be so stuffed from all that Disney that I will just watch T eat while I sip some water.

Notes from last week's...oh, who am I trying to kid. I slacked off for two weeks. Because, like I said, it's hot, which vaporizes my will to eat.

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 20 Weeks

I can't believe how much has gotten done in the past two weeks! Planning a wedding is so strange. You get engaged and then you have to plan a few major details, and then it all just grinds to a halt for a while. All of a sudden, though, momentum picks up and you're crossing tasks of the list like someone set you on fire.

In the past two weeks, I secured the officiant and submitted the ceremony layout to him for his approval. I chose my flowers, after thinking I knew what I wanted, but when I saw these, I no longer thought, I knew. (Best rule of thumb I've discovered is that when you know, you *know*. And when you *know*, you don't wonder at all if you're going to wish you'd chosen something different.) I gave my final ok on the the invitation proof. I scheduled all my trim and highlight appointments with my regular stylist from now through the wedding as my hair continues to grow out. I got blocks of hotel rooms set up at two places. I am getting quotes back from bakers so that I can narrow down my options and set up some taste tests to make the final decision. We're working on getting quotes to decide on professionals to do our hair styling and make up. And just today, T bought his suit and was fitted by the tailor, and Nichole chose and ordered her dress!

One of the less conventional aspects of this wedding is that I am planning it from a distance, so I have done very little of the legwork myself, purely because I'm not able to. It feels really good to not only be getting things done, but to actually feel like I'm putting in some of the effort.

I'm holding my cards close to my chest, because I don't want to give it all away before the day arrives. I like people to wonder, just a bit, what its all going to look like, so I share the information and gather opinions here and there, only as needed. I can't wait til I have some photos to share after it's all said and done!

140 days and counting...

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Snapshot from Along the Broken Road: April 2012

A photo of me:


1) Candle scents this month:
Lilac Blossoms. Clean Cotton. Tulips. Fresh Mint. Blueberry Scone. Lavender Vanilla. Midnight Jasmine. Garden Hideaway. Vanilla Cupcake. Meadow Showers. Coastal Waters. Drift Away. Cottage Breeze. Beach Wood. Strawberry Buttercream. Blueberry Scone. Egyptian Cotton.

2) What I am reading this month:
Making progress with Love in the Time of Cholera. Some of it is...disconcerting? The actions of one of the characters, that is. The emotional conflicts, though, are completely fascinating.

3) Top three songs I was drawn to:
"Real Live Woman," by Trisha Yearwood. "Awful Beautiful Life," by Darryl Worley. "She's Got a Way," by Billy Joe.

4) Movies I saw:
The Ten Commandments - I try to watch this every year, even though it's super long. because it's a classic and I remember begging to stay up to watch it as a child. The first time I watched it as an adult, I realized there were two hours of this movie I had never seen before, because I had never managed to stay awake for it, despite the pleading.

5) Favorite tv moments of the month:
"The Stable Boy," Once Upon a Time - Possibly one of my favorite episodes of this show so far, it explains *so* much.
"Sweet Baby," Scandal - Very few shows suck me in, right out of the gate, like this one did. I felt like I already knew the characters.
Frozen Planet on The Discovery Channel - Pure amazement.
"A Short Story About Love," Fringe - I wanted to stand up and cheer. That's how happy this episode made me.
"Chapter Thirteen," The Firm - This has been an intense show all along, but it has really kicked up a notch. To the point that I can't wait to see what happens next, but I can't watch it right before sleeping due to the adrenaline rush.
"Support System," Grey's Anatomy - Sandra Oh did some amazingly believable acting as Cristina in this episode.
"Enemy of the State," Scandal - Whoa. Just...whoa. This show is getting *really* good. The quick dialogue and the twists and turns are fabulous.
"The Dream Team," The Good Wife - What a season finale cliffhanger!! What on earth is on the other side of that door?!

6) Something yummy I made:
I tried my hand at cole slaw for the first time. I was actually kind of impressed at how easy it was! I'm a tough sell when it comes to cole slaw because I hate when it's overdressed.

7) Restaurants where I ate:
Miller's Ale House. Golden Corral.

8) Five things I am loving this month:
1. Baseball. Back on my tv. Hello, old friend.
2. Easter lilies! They are such cheerful flowers. They make me smile.
3. An unexpected cool snap. A little over a week of wonderfully comfortable weather!
4. The subtle change in color we used for my last set of highlights. It's a little warmer that what we've been doing for a while now. So much hair change lately!
5. Finally some sunlight in the morning while I get ready for the day. It makes such a difference in my general outlook.

9) A goal I had for this month:
At the end of March, I made a pact with Alison and Heather that we would make sure we spoke on the phone at least once a month, starting in April. Lives get busy, schedules get complicated, technology gives us multiple ways to stay in touch when our free minutes don't match up. But sometimes you just need to talk to a real voice. Mission accomplished.

10) This month I looked forward to:
Holy Week. Those four services -- Palm Sunday. Maundy Thursday. Good Friday Tenebrae. Easter Sunrise. -- move me so deeply. There is so much introspection, so many thoughts. They run the gamut of emotion. They remind me why I hold tightly to my faith.


11) Something I want to be thankful for this month:
The people who love me and put up with me even when I am a whiny brat about being tired and needing some time off. Lots of us work hard. We're all tired. The simple fact that they tolerate all my whining and keep cheering me on until my next scheduled day off  is a testament to their awesomeness.

12) A photo I took this month:
I had to pick three favorites this month. I just couldn't decide!

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 22 Weeks

Weddings are supposed to be all about the fun little details, right? Well, no, weddings are *supposed* to be about the commitment of two people to one another. It sure seems like that "little" fact gets lost in the To Do Lists and the party planning and the sorting out of a hundred little decisions every time I turn around, though. For the most part, planning a wedding is fun, I guess. Until it's not. Until the first time in this whole process that I completely psych myself out.

I hate to disappoint people. It's a fundamental piece of who I am. I would rather "go without" or compromise my own preferences than to put someone else out. That may the core reason why I rarely entertain. Really, only those in my closest circle visit me where I live. People for whom I am certain I can provide and relaxing and enjoyable visit. People that are comfortable enough to walk over to my refrigerator for something to drink and not be offended if I don't catch their empty glass in time to do it myself. People who will take me seriously when I say "the snacks are here and here and here so please rifle through any time you're feeling munchy," because I mean it. I am a grazer and there is nothing worse than being a little hungry when you're in someone else's home and not being able to grab a snack when you need one.

I digress. Wedding planning. It has become startlingly obvious to me that attending a wedding comes with expectations on the part of the guests. And I am asking nearly *all* of our guests to do some traveling if they wish to attend. And now I am starting to put pressure on myself. What if the party I am capable of putting together falls short in their eyes? What if they travel all this way and feel...short-changed? I don't believe very many would ever reveal it to *me*...and that worries me too, because I may be disappointing people AND NOT EVEN BE AWARE and that right there is going to be the subject of several nightmares over the next five months, mark my words.

And, holy cow, this whole thing just really weighed me down this past week. Is it even normal for the "cold feet" to have nothing to do with the ceremony and everything to do with the reception?

The bottom line is that I have an exact vision of what I want, and it's enough for me. (And thankfully, T, who has just been the right amount of agreeable with what I say and offering opinions when he needs to.) But sometimes I pause and I wonder what everyone else is expecting, and if what is enough for me will come up short for them. And then I feel badly for thinking that this carefully selected group of people, people I love dearly, people who have seen me through some of my worst days, would be anything other than happy to celebrate this day for what it is.

See? I've done it. I've pysched myself out. Brains need off-switches.

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In which I wish I were lying under a tree.

I was puttering on Facebook, and one of the companies I "like" there (Aveeno) posed the following question: "It's Arbor Day! What's your favorite type of tree and why?" I very nearly added this to my arsenal of "20 Questions" ideas, but then I thought that perhaps I would like to give this one a bit more thought than just a rapid-fire, quick response.

I love trees. A yard entirely devoid of them always feels vacant and lonely to me. Despite all my grousing when I lived in the apartment (let me refresh your memory: two windows in the apartment, facing directly into the trunks of mature trees, made me feel as if we were cave dwellers), I loved them too. They shaded my apartment through the long (looooong) Summer months, keeping my electric bill a little lower. They provided privacy and protection (except when I worried, during particularly violent thunder storms, that they would drop one of their hefty limbs on my roof--and subsequently my head). I loved watching the squirrels race through and around them, and catching glimpses of hawks, owls and woodpeckers perched on their branches. So many reasons to love a tree.

But to pick just one? (Have we met before? Do I ever pick just one favorite anything?)

I recently shared how I feel about the magnificent sequoias.

I've sung the praises of orange trees. In March, their sweet, white blossoms perfume my whole world with their heavenly fragrance. I am not even joking when I say that I stand in my wide-open windows or stop dead in my tracks outdoors to breathe their scent deep into myself, trying to burn it into my soul. I get this mental image like I am a cartoon and if I inhaled enough, I would suck everything around me into my head. (Which is weird, because surely that would cause some congestion, but I never claimed I was normal, so there you have it.) But they aren't my only favorite trees.

There are the stately evergreens. I love them in the winter, edged in snow. Though they quietly blended into the background most of the year, during the drab New England winter, with its muted neutral palette, they became a more obvious pop of color, but when it would snow, they would transform into the stuff of Christmas card images, the sparkling puffs of white like garland, their needles shimmering with a frosting of ice. And when the snow fell heavy, driven by icy gusts of wind, one whole side would be coated in white diamonds, looking so much like the branches Gram would flock for decorating her home.

I have long been fascinated with the cherry trees in Washington DC. One day, I would love to see them proclaiming "It's Spring!!" (I imagine them with cheerful voices, like cousins to the Easter lily.) (I am starting to wonder if I should maybe stop sharing my imagination, before you start thinking I spend my evenings pretending to be the caterpillar from Alice's Wonderland...Ahem. I don't. I swear.)

Another harbinger of spring that I always found so lovely were the dogwoods. We had one in our front yard, right next to our driveway, when I was growing up. Every spring, it would flower. Its petals were creamy, edges tinged with the softest pink, like the color inside a bunny's ears. With each gentle breeze, a shower of petals would flutter to the ground. My dad would grumble (Lord only knows what adult aggravation this may have caused, but my child's mind knew nothing of such things, so my memory remains innocent) but I still dream of planting one in my own yard.

Gram and Gramp had a pair of white birch trees in their front yard, and I was always drawn to their uniqueness. The ringed stripes. The narrow trunks. The way their soft bark would peel away in strips. The golden leaves in the autumn. But what struck me most was how, no matter the amount of snow and ice Mother Nature heaped on them, they would just bend gracefully beneath the burden. Sometimes their tops would bend all the way down to the ground, but when the wintry mix would melt, they would bounce right back up toward the sky. It amazed me that they never snapped in two or were any worse for the wear.

And then there is the more ambiguous "Autumn in New England," when I love all the trees in their symphony of color. Hues from soft brown to flaming red, golds and oranges, varying in vibrancy, the whole world on fire with warm colors. One last joyful blast before the hibernation of winter. Leaves ablaze overhead. Leaves crunching underfoot. Big old shade trees, under which I whiled away the summer afternoons, and wee-but-spunky saplings all joining in the game. One of the things I miss most about no longer living in the northeast.

Happy Arbor Day, friends. Today, I am going to be thankful for trees.

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20 Questions: April 24, 2012

1. Have you ever ridden in a limo?
A few times. At least three times for weddings (that I can recall). Once for my senior prom. Once for my friend, Gosia's, bachelorette party. And I think I rode in one from the church to the cemetery following my Gram's funeral...?

2. When is the last time you slept at someone else's home?
This past December when I visited Nichole and Daniel.

3. What was the last thing you spilled?
It scares me a little that I can't think of anything, which means I am overdue. Now I'm going to be paranoid every time I drink my evening glass of grape juice, because that stuff stains.

4. Would you rather have a nanny, a housekeeper, a cook, or a chauffeur?
I have no use for a nanny. I just don't think I could get used to having a housekeeper (I had one for a little while when I lived in a furnished apartment and I cleaned before she arrived--defeats the purpose, no?). I like to cook and T easily does at least half the cooking anyway. I could do without the hassles of driving though, so it appears the winner is chauffeur.

5. What is your favorite holiday cookie?
Nichole makes these really awesome cookies.


6. Name the best television sit-com.
Currently airing new episodes: The Big Bang Theory. Ever? Friends. Honorable mention: Frasier and Everybody Loves Raymond.

7. Do you have a love/hate relationship with anyone?
Carl Crawford (Red Sox - great effort...and then he starts speaking).

8. How good are you at keeping secrets?
The best. I am a vault.

9. What was the mode of transit for your last trip?
Airplane.

10. Five foods I refuse to eat:
Bananas. Spam. Bologna. Lamb. Veal.

11. Do you have a short fuse?
Not at all. In fact, I probably should reach my limit long before I actually do. However, if you push me far enough to reach it? There's a mighty explosion.

12. The only thing better than a cookie is:
A whole box of them! Or See's...

13. What do you usually order when you go out for breakfast?
I always check to see if they have waffles. If not, then either a veggie omelet or the very standard scrambled eggs, toast and either (crispy) bacon or hashbrowns.

14. What color is your car?
White.

15. Someone holds out a box containing a dozen donuts, offering you one. Which one do you choose? What was your second choice?
Unless they are Dunkin, I'm probably not interested. If they are though, Apple and Spice is always my first choice. Second would be either, Chocolate Glazed, Lemon-Filled, Chocolate Frosted or an Old Fashioned. (Oh come on. I picked a favorite. Asking me to pick a second choice, there was no choice I could limit it to one.)

16. What is your favorite kind of muffin?
The pumpkin muffin from Dunkin that they only sell in the autumn.

17. Do you get distracted easily?
I can't even joke about this. I am very easily distracted much of the time. And the more mentally taxed I feel, the more susceptible I am. Unless I'm watching the Red Sox.

18. Have you ever been so mad that you cried?
This is one of things that annoys me most about myself. When I get really ticked off, I cry, which makes me *more* mad, and well, vicious circle, as you can see.

19. What websites do you visit on a regular basis?
Gmail. Facebook. Google Reader. Blogger. Google Docs. Picasa Web Albums. Twitter (via Tweetdeck). Miso. My bank. TV.com. Goodreads. Mint. ESPN Fantasy Sports. Pinterest. The Knot (that's where my wedding planning checklist is).

20. If you could have personally witnessed one event in history, what would you want to have seen?
Either the birth of Christ, the first Easter morning at the tomb, or the creation of the Declaration of Independence.

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Menu Plan Monday: April 23, 2012

Monday: We had a dozen eggs in the refrigerator (because we always have eggs on hand) and T suggested egg salad sandwiches. Sometimes a light, easy dinner is the way to go.

Tuesday: T is going to make some fish sandwiches so we can use up the last of the buns from last week's burgers. I have been craving some fresh summer squash. And since we had half a head of cabbage leftover from last week, I asked T if he would shred it up for me so I could try my hand at homemade cole slaw.

Wednesday: I am going to try the Creamy Pesto Stuffed Shells again. This time hopefully without all the drama. We almost always have a salad and some garlic bread with pasta, so we likely will with this as well. That's just how we roll here.

Thursday: Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. We haven't had them in ages and they are so yummy...and easy.

Friday: T is going to marinate some chicken to grill, and we'll steam some fresh broccoli and have some wild rice on the side.

Saturday: We don't know what we'll feel like. Maybe we'll go have dinner out somewhere.

Sunday: Breaded bay scallops and some Mini Farfalle with Tomatoes and Corn.

Notes from last week's menu: We followed the menu exactly, although I realized I need to add the recipe T uses for the cabbage.

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 23 Weeks

I was so excited when September 30 fell on a Friday in 2011...until I remembered that 2012 had a Leap Year, causing September 30 to jump over Saturday to Sunday.

Why the fascination with September 30?

My beloved Gram and Gramp were married on September 30, 1940. I thought I would get the opportunity to honor these two amazing people, who were a model marriage from which to learn, by making my own vows 72 years later. Alas (aside: the word 'alas' does not get used nearly enough!), the calendar would not cooperate, and due to the fact that nearly all our guests will be traveling to attend, one day shy of September 30 will have to do.

I only wish my Gram and Gramp were still here to share in this day. Instead, I will feel them in my heart and know they are looking down on me, and I will find small ways to weave small tributes to their memories into this day.

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Small.

This past December, I visited my friends, Nichole and Daniel, in California between Christmas and New Year. They took me to Sequoia National Forest to see the trees. And while you might not think there is anything truly noteworthy about trees on a mountain, it's taken me nearly four months to put it into words.

We spend a lot of time worrying about things we can't control, things that feel overwhelming. We spend a lot of time rushing around, making mountains out of molehills. We spend a lot of time focused on self, but not really looking inward, not really seeing ourselves. Our priorities often get skewed. Our thoughts often get sidetracked. We feel like these moments we live in are enormous and pivotal, and we whirl through our days, not taking the time to see more than the blur rushing past.

Here in this forest, even with many people present, it is hushed. There is a stillness. And with the stillness, comes peace. Because when you stand at the base of these giants, gazing up and up...and up even more, you can't stop the quiet gasp of awe. It happened to me each time I stopped and looked heavenward, to the faraway tops of trees that seemed to touch the sky. I took hundreds of photos, attempting to capture the feeling, but I've come to believe it just isn't possible, because a photo, no matter how large you make it, is never going to duplicate the largeness, and it is in the largeness that the secret lies. Even the trees who have fallen, victim to time and the elements, still tower over heads, the trunk bases and roots with wide circumference, long trunks stretching away into the woods for hundreds of feet.

We started out on the General Sherman Trail.  General Sherman is the largest volume living tree on Earth. That statement means very little in print, mostly because I just don't believe it is possible to imagine the reality without standing beneath it. What gave me even more pause, though, was coming to the realization that I was standing in the shadow of a tree that was already between 300 and 700 years old when Christ was born, and still thriving. It humbled me. I keep trying to elaborate on it, but the truth is as simple and pure as that. It humbled me.

We continued wandering among these regal giants along the Congress Trail. There is no racing among the sequoias. The altitude steals your breath, forces a slower, more deliberate pace.

So I walked, taking it all in. Marveling as I passed beneath a fallen tree. Stopping to enjoy a handful of snow. Taking in the sight of The Congress and The Senate. Standing solitary or in dignified clusters, these trees are magnificent and astoundingly beautiful.

Most poignant for me were the trees scarred by fires. The trunks are blackened, some with spaces burned clear through, large enough for a man to pass through with ease. They stand tall, strong, defying the fury of fires. Fires which ravage nearly everything. And yet these trees, they survive. They go on as if it didn't happen, more of their mass unaffected and alive than the parts that bear evidence, even when those very parts dwarf a grown person. What's more, these trees *need* the fires. Without them, they would eventually cease to exist. Only the heat of the fires is capable of opening the cones, releasing the tiny seeds from which these giants grow. It's a lot to ponder. Not being consumed by the events assumed to devour you. Holding yourself proud, head held high, even as the scars show what's been endured. Seeing that being held to ferocious heat can be the key to growth and new life, that sometimes that is the only way these may come about.

So many lessons lie among these rich, red trunks, their green branches a serene canopy overhead. Lessons to be learned in the hushed stillness, surrounded by important reminders of how fleeting our lives, what specks we are within the scope of a much grander world, spanning space and time.

There is much to be gained from feeling small.

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