New theme and post wedding ponderings
I'm not sure about this new theme, there is that giant cisco stamp thingy in the corner, but I'm drawn by the swirling greens so I'll give it a go.
summer has proven to be the same battle between my love of fresh produce and hatred of heat and humidity, but with some interesting twists....
Mom broke her ankle a few weeks ago while climbing an embankment by our house, so now I'm looking after her, mostly to make sure she doesn't move around too much and exacerbate things. She's been bribing me to do some gardening for cookbooks, and since I can't resist a good cookbook I find myself out in the one place I hate, full sunshine just when our humid season is beginning. My friends that live nearer to the equator than I do, can laugh at me now, since my summer is probably your early spring.
I've been to two weddings this summer, and this week the third just got canceled and the fourth just got a sure date. I went up early for the first one, my cousin's to help out, mostly to keep my aunt sane and bake a fuck load of quiche. Since my cousin's now husband is in the army they had to work around his deployment schedule and thus had two weeks to pull everything together, and did a pretty impressive job of it. They're evangelical chirstians, so the ceremony is not what I would have picked, but it was small and everyone pitched in, so there was very much a relaxed atmosphere and sense of unity.
The second was in Indiana, my old house mate from college, actually one of the people I went to London with the first time (as an adult) I went. I stayed with other old house mates for a few days before and it was good to see people and catch up, but it definitely reminded me of why I was so glad to leave indiana when I graduated. I think it's a combination of me being me and being described as a staunch new englander, I never really fit in there (kind of an odd feeling cause I loved my school and my time there). Once, I was told by a Texan that my state didn't exist, mind you this was on my first day and I have to admit that I was possibly even more the snooty new englander then and it didn't help my view any. In any case, this wedding was small too, and a little less about submitting to god and obeying the husband (they had a friend get one of those online minister things and do a non denominational service). After both of these and looking forward to a full on New Jersey/Chinese wedding in a few months, I think I can safely say that if and when the day comes that I decide to get married, I will be eloping. I was torn for a bit, cause I can see the importance of public sharing and acknowledgement, but ulitmately I don't want to spend that kind of money and stress or go through the expectations on/for that one day. Sure, I'll throw a party afterwards, but the event itself will be between me and the mister and as long as we have an understanding that is tickety boo in my books.
So now I'm back, and back to the same problem I have every summer (well okay, except for the last one cause I was in Scotland, which met all my needs), I hate heat and humidity, and while we only have it for three months max here, I become a pile of lethargic goo when it goes above 75 degrees and wish for snow and get laughed at by everyone else. On the other hand, there are fresh berries and rhubarb to make into grunts and crumbles and produce from the garden and the possibility of doing vat dyeing without freezing my fingers off. So I find it a battle of whether I'm enjoying it, or just want to crawl into the basement and die, but then autumn comes and the issue is resolved.
Well, I'd best make the most of it, so I'm making a stash of Pimms and lemonade and all the things I can bring myself to love about summer :)
summer has proven to be the same battle between my love of fresh produce and hatred of heat and humidity, but with some interesting twists....
Mom broke her ankle a few weeks ago while climbing an embankment by our house, so now I'm looking after her, mostly to make sure she doesn't move around too much and exacerbate things. She's been bribing me to do some gardening for cookbooks, and since I can't resist a good cookbook I find myself out in the one place I hate, full sunshine just when our humid season is beginning. My friends that live nearer to the equator than I do, can laugh at me now, since my summer is probably your early spring.
I've been to two weddings this summer, and this week the third just got canceled and the fourth just got a sure date. I went up early for the first one, my cousin's to help out, mostly to keep my aunt sane and bake a fuck load of quiche. Since my cousin's now husband is in the army they had to work around his deployment schedule and thus had two weeks to pull everything together, and did a pretty impressive job of it. They're evangelical chirstians, so the ceremony is not what I would have picked, but it was small and everyone pitched in, so there was very much a relaxed atmosphere and sense of unity.
The second was in Indiana, my old house mate from college, actually one of the people I went to London with the first time (as an adult) I went. I stayed with other old house mates for a few days before and it was good to see people and catch up, but it definitely reminded me of why I was so glad to leave indiana when I graduated. I think it's a combination of me being me and being described as a staunch new englander, I never really fit in there (kind of an odd feeling cause I loved my school and my time there). Once, I was told by a Texan that my state didn't exist, mind you this was on my first day and I have to admit that I was possibly even more the snooty new englander then and it didn't help my view any. In any case, this wedding was small too, and a little less about submitting to god and obeying the husband (they had a friend get one of those online minister things and do a non denominational service). After both of these and looking forward to a full on New Jersey/Chinese wedding in a few months, I think I can safely say that if and when the day comes that I decide to get married, I will be eloping. I was torn for a bit, cause I can see the importance of public sharing and acknowledgement, but ulitmately I don't want to spend that kind of money and stress or go through the expectations on/for that one day. Sure, I'll throw a party afterwards, but the event itself will be between me and the mister and as long as we have an understanding that is tickety boo in my books.
So now I'm back, and back to the same problem I have every summer (well okay, except for the last one cause I was in Scotland, which met all my needs), I hate heat and humidity, and while we only have it for three months max here, I become a pile of lethargic goo when it goes above 75 degrees and wish for snow and get laughed at by everyone else. On the other hand, there are fresh berries and rhubarb to make into grunts and crumbles and produce from the garden and the possibility of doing vat dyeing without freezing my fingers off. So I find it a battle of whether I'm enjoying it, or just want to crawl into the basement and die, but then autumn comes and the issue is resolved.
Well, I'd best make the most of it, so I'm making a stash of Pimms and lemonade and all the things I can bring myself to love about summer :)