High Hopes!
This is summer - I don't care what anyone says to the contrary. It hits that heat high enough to make the average person uncomfortable ONCE and I'm rejuvenated in a way I can't quite describe. I don't care if our AC unit was reading in the low 60s for the majority of today, it's SUMMER! My sweaters have been in storage (save for a few lighter ones) for a month now. I've been to the zoo with my family twice already. My squash plants are almost a foot tall. It's SUMMER. And for a number of reasons I will outline below, it's going to be the best summer YET!
My garden. My GARDEN. Dan and I reseeded the whole backyard last year, overturning the earth at least 6 inches deep and lining 2 beds. This year, we reclaimed the barren corner left from our neighbor's corn crops and outlined a third bed while reseeding the difference with grass seed. Our grass is still patchy in some places, but I throw down seed periodically, and the patch that was completely bare a month ago is now covered in green. As for the beds... Well... The squash that never grew that big last year somehow survived the winter and was several inches high by mid march. It's completely taken over the whole bed we gave to it, and is almost too high to support its own weight, especially when wet. I'm training it to climb some wooden stakes on the next reasonably dry day. Amidst that, growing wild, I found about a dozen sweet yellow onions. They are about as tall as the squash and should be big enough to eat by now, considering they were the size of a golf ball one month ago. The two rows of red onions I planted are about 8 inches tall already. I hope to get another 2 rounds after harvesting them. Behind them are 2 rows of herbs - sage and dill seeds that just got planted. Behind them is a row of freesia bulbs that should scent the whole yard. The shadier bed that wouldn't even support pregrown flowers last year is already COVERED in little green sprouts of a shady wildflower seed mix I was lucky to find. My spicy babies (jalapenos) are almost 2 inches tall and ready to be transplanted. I have 13. I have room for the 4 strongest, but they all look pretty good, and I'm trying to be rid of the rest so they don't get tossed. I also have a hanging basket sporting some sprouting petunias. AND I found some strawberry roots that I'm crossing my fingers for. I still have daisies and oriental poppies (I LOVE the red color!) that I want to plant in a big ol' pot, and I'm kicking around the idea of taking advantage of the cheap veggies at Walmart and picking up some banana peppers and broccoli for another big-ass pot. And this weekend, I'm picking up 2 tomato plants for the sunniest corner of the sunniest bed that I set aside before planting my onions.
I want to EAT from my backyard, DAMNIT! The tending of it is soooooo theraputic - I have to water with a can because the spout out back does not work (Dad said the turn-on valve could be under our kitchen floor, even, and I hate to bug the temperamental landlords), so it takes me about 8 cans worth and 30 minutes. BUT. I always come back inside smiling. I gaze out the kitchen window and sing to myself. Creepy, huh?
We also got 2 little solar lights and I want to pick up a couple of tiki torches. OH! And we also have some medium-sized bamboo windchimes... The sound is sooooooo much more soothing than the high-pitched tinkle of ordinary chimes, I think.
The Zoo. What can I say? I don't know who has the most fun out of the three of us. Rowan shrieks with joy the whole time and sleeps like a log after. Zoo membership is surprisingly inexpensive, so Dan and I actually bought one this year. It's WONDERFUL. I like the idea of being able to pick up and GO on any given weekend when Dan's at home - or if my parents decide to go on an afternoon while he's at work. He won't feel left out - we can go again that weekend! The joys of the zoo membership are amazing. We went once while his mother and younger brother came into town, and again with Heather and Troy. Rowan walked the whole Zoo (except for the last tiny stretch) all by herself. I want her energy. And she already has 2 new stuffed animals. We'll see how many she has by the end of the summer!
Our 2-year wedding anniversary.... Wonderful, old-people fun. We spent the afternoon at Phipps. I took almost a hundred photos. I have at least one of every breed of orchid they had. I ADORE ORCHIDS!!! This year, my favorite was the "Sorcerer's Apprentice". That is where we picked up the bamboo windchimes. Then we stopped at Giant Eagle and the liquor store for some supplies and headed home for the night. I made salad and prepared foil packets of red potatoes, onions, and mushrooms as well as asparagus, which were all grilled alongside steaks. We had slow-churned brownie fudge ice cream for dessert. And we busted out our blender for the first time and made frozen daiquiris with strawberry mix and coconut rum. And then we promptly passed out. From 7:30 until 10pm, we slept like logs, and only woke up long enough to do the dishes. Pretty much. Like I said, old-people fun. But an amazing day nonetheless.
Art all Night was fun. Definitely. Some of the pieces were awesome. Some, well... But spending the evening laughing with friends, munching on cauliflower, and listening to live music was a night well-spent. I even had a painting in the show. Then to a dive bar for beers. Then back to the show. Then into Squirrel Hill to hang out with some more friends... This was the same day as the zoo trip with Heather and Troy, so all in all, I walked about 5 miles and got PLENTY of sun. You know, I remember when prom was pushed back to June because of a teacher's strike, and trying to lay out all May. I barely darkened a shade. Now, I'm out for 4 or 5 hours in MARCH, and even I was pink. My arms already have a healthy-looking bronze glow. I always feel so good with that warmth radiating from lightly tanned skin. Food seems to taste better, my energy is up, and I just sleep better. SOMETHING about it MUST be healthy! I don't care what anyone says! I will be (at least a little) tan this summer!!!
And, in addition to his work hopefully having another Kennywood Day, both of our birthdays, another Repo! theatre showing, and my determination to hit Sandcastle this year, we also have 2 more trips to look forward to. In a couple of weeks, we'll be going camping at his mother's in Ohio. REAL camping - like digging out a latrine and fire pit. It will be my first time and I cannot WAIT. We plan on being in the woods for at least 3 nights (and one or two indoors, depending on when we arrive) and his mom bought another head of beef this year, so there's a VERY good chance we can mooch a couple of steaks to cook over the fire.
ALSO, I am pleased to announce that, after YEARS (at least 5) of begging, my friends have won. I am finally in a position to get to Brushwood!!! Dan and I are going up to the hippie-pagan-nudie campgrounds for one of their biggest events - Sirius Rising! Sans Rowan, of course. I don't want to worry about her health and comfort in the potential roasting heat while trying to be debaucherous at the same time. Perhaps in a couple of years. I can't even begin to describe how well I thrive in this sort of environment or how badly I need this. Even Dan is pretty excited! I want to wear little else but a wrap, body painted, hair lank and greasy (but somehow looking beautiful in an earthy sort of way), no longer smelling after clean sweat has cleansed my system, feet covered in dirt, singing, drumming, drinking rum mid-afternoon, campfires at night, pool, hot tub, rituals involving large numbers of sensitive people, woad, belly-dancing, buying more semi-precious beads for the jewelry I make, sketching, taking photos, being vibrantly sexual in a welcome environment, exploring the faerie woods, helping my hetero-flexible friend explore (hopefully), watching my beautiful husband swing his claymore while shirtless and laughing, fire spinning, sleeping in a tent, and just... just... Where was I going with this sentence??? Oh, yeah. I CAN'T WAIT!
Speaking of jewelry-making, I'm using more and more beautiful stones and wear my creations on a daily basis. Why is it that in the heat, when jewelry should be more uncomfortable, that I feel the urge to drape myself in bracelets, necklaces, and elaborate earrings that make me sweat more??? Heh.
I also continue to lose weight. My waistline is much more elastic, it seems, and fluid day-to-day, but I have definitely lost another inch or two. I NEED to keep this up. My hair is almost long enough to reach my nipples now, and is thicker and shinier than it ever was when it used to be long. My legs are always shaved and moisturized, my nails trimmed short and filed, treated, and polished at least once a week. My skin is clearer than it has been in a long time... I just feel like taking better care of myself. And all my worries about the Mirena seem to have been dismissed. I just FEEL better, not being on hormone pills all the damn time. And NO SPOTTING like I was warned about! Just worry-free, healthier-feeling LIFE! I frankly don't even care if that's TMI. :)
And I'm trying to get a head start on my nursing school paperwork and whatnot. I'm still holding off on my FAFSAs for another week, because Dan and I have some bills to pay off from the build-up of money in our account, and I guess it makes more sense than to list an account balance that is in NO WAY reflective of our current lifestyle. But I was fingerprinted and registered for the FBI. Now all I need are the money orders for my other 2 clearances. And I should be (any day now) hearing about the meeting where the tuition loan forgiveness program will be discussed in person and I get the official paperwork to sign away my soul to UPMC. But, on the brighter side, they help take care of the taxes incurred when the loan is forgiven even, and job placement is still at 100%. Pell grant will knock out what I am responsible for each year, and a small loan (something that can be paid off in 2-3 years after graduation) will take care of bus passes and school books. I'm SET, baby! I'm already poking around Troy's old A & P textbook in anticipation!
And Dan and I decided that it would be a-ok by him for me to get a head start in martial arts while going to school. We were going to start around the same time, when a new income would facilitate that, but there was one BIG FLAW. After getting that job, I wanted to start trying for baby number two. How could I spar or test for ranking while pregnant? What if I miscarry from a hard hit because I might not even know yet? Yeah... So, after sorting out my workload and class schedule, I will look for an evening course on a day that Dan has no commitments whatsoever. It'll be good for him to have some alone time with Rowan and his computer (bah! introvert...) and I'll probably NEED the stress relief from the pressures of school and my demanding standards of scholarly performance (I want A's, damnit!). And we both tentatively decided on the same art form before even consulting each other! Aikido! Besides, with Dan's superior physical ability and martial arts background, he will be WAY ahead of any progress I make in a matter of months. Not to mention the fact that I DESPERATELY need to loose weight to even daydream about a 12-hour shift on my feet. And that small student loan could free up some other resources as well.
Still haven't quit smoking. Oh, well. I'm going to try cold-turkey (the first time I've ever even tried to commit to it) during our camping trip because the physical withdrawal symptoms hamper my parenting ability and Rowan will be with his mother for the stay. And 3 days in the woods (with no city to get myself into trouble with during a fit of anger) is just enough time to get it out. Seriously. It sounds like a cop-out, but my vision blurs, hands shake, loss of depth perception, misplaced steps, mind-blanks that leave me unable to find objects right within my field of view, panic attacks... It's all too much with a squirmy child trying to climb up and down those steep stairs. I trip when it's by myself! I'm afraid to harm her in anyway from the clumsiness that gives me almost every bruise I get nowadays whenever I have a nic-fit. One step at a time, though. At least we are smoking a lot less.
We also have an AC unit this year!!! YAY! No more suffering through 95 degree days (I draw the line at 90)!
And Rowan is officially in the 90th percentile for height (still around midline for weight)! NINETIETH!!! NINE-ZERO! (please don't stop growing. please don't stop growing. please be taller than me. please be taller than me.) I do have this distinct impression that she will be tall like Dan and broad like me, and end up built like some sort of stacked Amazon. It would not be outlandish, considering...
And I finally got around to finding some cheap books online to finish out my collections of the Dresden Files and the Nightside series by Simon R Green. And yes, that includes the latest Dresden Files book (Turn Coat), but it won't be here for a couple of weeks! Shhhh!
I've also spent some time with some people I haven't seen in forever. Kate and I have a pretty healthy friendship that's still re-developing. I went out for beers (my newest social thing - a pitcher of beer and munchies, followed by dancing on the sidewalk) with Abby and Jen. I stayed up talking until 2am with Matt and his old roomate. He and several other old friends will be at Brushwood. Nina and I had 2 pitchers last night to celebrate her 21st and went back to her place to make crab alfredo pizza when we got the "beer munchies" (she even drove, so I did not have to involve Dan driving in any way that night and he got to bed early - he was pleased with the evening). She will be at Sirius Rising as well! I'm making new inside jokes and showing off baby pictures 5 minutes before showing off my tattoos.
Summer is infectious, and I am being productive as hell!!!
Now for the token cute Rowan story: On our anniversary, when she was at my parents, they told me that she snatched a framed photo from one of my proms, got real excited, and started marching around the room, pointing at it and saying "Mommy! Mommy!" She then sat down and stared at it while mumbling for almost 10 minutes. They could not take it away. LOL!
Summer is here, and the cocoon is OFF! I feel the potential of a raging volcano in my veins. And simultaneously, I feel the peace of a cup of tea, sitting at my kitchen table and reading a good book. Summer is my time, and that range of positive emotion is just one reason I love it so. Look out world! Er... Pittsburgh! Er... Whatever social circles I still move in! The Dove is BACK!
My garden. My GARDEN. Dan and I reseeded the whole backyard last year, overturning the earth at least 6 inches deep and lining 2 beds. This year, we reclaimed the barren corner left from our neighbor's corn crops and outlined a third bed while reseeding the difference with grass seed. Our grass is still patchy in some places, but I throw down seed periodically, and the patch that was completely bare a month ago is now covered in green. As for the beds... Well... The squash that never grew that big last year somehow survived the winter and was several inches high by mid march. It's completely taken over the whole bed we gave to it, and is almost too high to support its own weight, especially when wet. I'm training it to climb some wooden stakes on the next reasonably dry day. Amidst that, growing wild, I found about a dozen sweet yellow onions. They are about as tall as the squash and should be big enough to eat by now, considering they were the size of a golf ball one month ago. The two rows of red onions I planted are about 8 inches tall already. I hope to get another 2 rounds after harvesting them. Behind them are 2 rows of herbs - sage and dill seeds that just got planted. Behind them is a row of freesia bulbs that should scent the whole yard. The shadier bed that wouldn't even support pregrown flowers last year is already COVERED in little green sprouts of a shady wildflower seed mix I was lucky to find. My spicy babies (jalapenos) are almost 2 inches tall and ready to be transplanted. I have 13. I have room for the 4 strongest, but they all look pretty good, and I'm trying to be rid of the rest so they don't get tossed. I also have a hanging basket sporting some sprouting petunias. AND I found some strawberry roots that I'm crossing my fingers for. I still have daisies and oriental poppies (I LOVE the red color!) that I want to plant in a big ol' pot, and I'm kicking around the idea of taking advantage of the cheap veggies at Walmart and picking up some banana peppers and broccoli for another big-ass pot. And this weekend, I'm picking up 2 tomato plants for the sunniest corner of the sunniest bed that I set aside before planting my onions.
I want to EAT from my backyard, DAMNIT! The tending of it is soooooo theraputic - I have to water with a can because the spout out back does not work (Dad said the turn-on valve could be under our kitchen floor, even, and I hate to bug the temperamental landlords), so it takes me about 8 cans worth and 30 minutes. BUT. I always come back inside smiling. I gaze out the kitchen window and sing to myself. Creepy, huh?
We also got 2 little solar lights and I want to pick up a couple of tiki torches. OH! And we also have some medium-sized bamboo windchimes... The sound is sooooooo much more soothing than the high-pitched tinkle of ordinary chimes, I think.
The Zoo. What can I say? I don't know who has the most fun out of the three of us. Rowan shrieks with joy the whole time and sleeps like a log after. Zoo membership is surprisingly inexpensive, so Dan and I actually bought one this year. It's WONDERFUL. I like the idea of being able to pick up and GO on any given weekend when Dan's at home - or if my parents decide to go on an afternoon while he's at work. He won't feel left out - we can go again that weekend! The joys of the zoo membership are amazing. We went once while his mother and younger brother came into town, and again with Heather and Troy. Rowan walked the whole Zoo (except for the last tiny stretch) all by herself. I want her energy. And she already has 2 new stuffed animals. We'll see how many she has by the end of the summer!
Our 2-year wedding anniversary.... Wonderful, old-people fun. We spent the afternoon at Phipps. I took almost a hundred photos. I have at least one of every breed of orchid they had. I ADORE ORCHIDS!!! This year, my favorite was the "Sorcerer's Apprentice". That is where we picked up the bamboo windchimes. Then we stopped at Giant Eagle and the liquor store for some supplies and headed home for the night. I made salad and prepared foil packets of red potatoes, onions, and mushrooms as well as asparagus, which were all grilled alongside steaks. We had slow-churned brownie fudge ice cream for dessert. And we busted out our blender for the first time and made frozen daiquiris with strawberry mix and coconut rum. And then we promptly passed out. From 7:30 until 10pm, we slept like logs, and only woke up long enough to do the dishes. Pretty much. Like I said, old-people fun. But an amazing day nonetheless.
Art all Night was fun. Definitely. Some of the pieces were awesome. Some, well... But spending the evening laughing with friends, munching on cauliflower, and listening to live music was a night well-spent. I even had a painting in the show. Then to a dive bar for beers. Then back to the show. Then into Squirrel Hill to hang out with some more friends... This was the same day as the zoo trip with Heather and Troy, so all in all, I walked about 5 miles and got PLENTY of sun. You know, I remember when prom was pushed back to June because of a teacher's strike, and trying to lay out all May. I barely darkened a shade. Now, I'm out for 4 or 5 hours in MARCH, and even I was pink. My arms already have a healthy-looking bronze glow. I always feel so good with that warmth radiating from lightly tanned skin. Food seems to taste better, my energy is up, and I just sleep better. SOMETHING about it MUST be healthy! I don't care what anyone says! I will be (at least a little) tan this summer!!!
And, in addition to his work hopefully having another Kennywood Day, both of our birthdays, another Repo! theatre showing, and my determination to hit Sandcastle this year, we also have 2 more trips to look forward to. In a couple of weeks, we'll be going camping at his mother's in Ohio. REAL camping - like digging out a latrine and fire pit. It will be my first time and I cannot WAIT. We plan on being in the woods for at least 3 nights (and one or two indoors, depending on when we arrive) and his mom bought another head of beef this year, so there's a VERY good chance we can mooch a couple of steaks to cook over the fire.
ALSO, I am pleased to announce that, after YEARS (at least 5) of begging, my friends have won. I am finally in a position to get to Brushwood!!! Dan and I are going up to the hippie-pagan-nudie campgrounds for one of their biggest events - Sirius Rising! Sans Rowan, of course. I don't want to worry about her health and comfort in the potential roasting heat while trying to be debaucherous at the same time. Perhaps in a couple of years. I can't even begin to describe how well I thrive in this sort of environment or how badly I need this. Even Dan is pretty excited! I want to wear little else but a wrap, body painted, hair lank and greasy (but somehow looking beautiful in an earthy sort of way), no longer smelling after clean sweat has cleansed my system, feet covered in dirt, singing, drumming, drinking rum mid-afternoon, campfires at night, pool, hot tub, rituals involving large numbers of sensitive people, woad, belly-dancing, buying more semi-precious beads for the jewelry I make, sketching, taking photos, being vibrantly sexual in a welcome environment, exploring the faerie woods, helping my hetero-flexible friend explore (hopefully), watching my beautiful husband swing his claymore while shirtless and laughing, fire spinning, sleeping in a tent, and just... just... Where was I going with this sentence??? Oh, yeah. I CAN'T WAIT!
Speaking of jewelry-making, I'm using more and more beautiful stones and wear my creations on a daily basis. Why is it that in the heat, when jewelry should be more uncomfortable, that I feel the urge to drape myself in bracelets, necklaces, and elaborate earrings that make me sweat more??? Heh.
I also continue to lose weight. My waistline is much more elastic, it seems, and fluid day-to-day, but I have definitely lost another inch or two. I NEED to keep this up. My hair is almost long enough to reach my nipples now, and is thicker and shinier than it ever was when it used to be long. My legs are always shaved and moisturized, my nails trimmed short and filed, treated, and polished at least once a week. My skin is clearer than it has been in a long time... I just feel like taking better care of myself. And all my worries about the Mirena seem to have been dismissed. I just FEEL better, not being on hormone pills all the damn time. And NO SPOTTING like I was warned about! Just worry-free, healthier-feeling LIFE! I frankly don't even care if that's TMI. :)
And I'm trying to get a head start on my nursing school paperwork and whatnot. I'm still holding off on my FAFSAs for another week, because Dan and I have some bills to pay off from the build-up of money in our account, and I guess it makes more sense than to list an account balance that is in NO WAY reflective of our current lifestyle. But I was fingerprinted and registered for the FBI. Now all I need are the money orders for my other 2 clearances. And I should be (any day now) hearing about the meeting where the tuition loan forgiveness program will be discussed in person and I get the official paperwork to sign away my soul to UPMC. But, on the brighter side, they help take care of the taxes incurred when the loan is forgiven even, and job placement is still at 100%. Pell grant will knock out what I am responsible for each year, and a small loan (something that can be paid off in 2-3 years after graduation) will take care of bus passes and school books. I'm SET, baby! I'm already poking around Troy's old A & P textbook in anticipation!
And Dan and I decided that it would be a-ok by him for me to get a head start in martial arts while going to school. We were going to start around the same time, when a new income would facilitate that, but there was one BIG FLAW. After getting that job, I wanted to start trying for baby number two. How could I spar or test for ranking while pregnant? What if I miscarry from a hard hit because I might not even know yet? Yeah... So, after sorting out my workload and class schedule, I will look for an evening course on a day that Dan has no commitments whatsoever. It'll be good for him to have some alone time with Rowan and his computer (bah! introvert...) and I'll probably NEED the stress relief from the pressures of school and my demanding standards of scholarly performance (I want A's, damnit!). And we both tentatively decided on the same art form before even consulting each other! Aikido! Besides, with Dan's superior physical ability and martial arts background, he will be WAY ahead of any progress I make in a matter of months. Not to mention the fact that I DESPERATELY need to loose weight to even daydream about a 12-hour shift on my feet. And that small student loan could free up some other resources as well.
Still haven't quit smoking. Oh, well. I'm going to try cold-turkey (the first time I've ever even tried to commit to it) during our camping trip because the physical withdrawal symptoms hamper my parenting ability and Rowan will be with his mother for the stay. And 3 days in the woods (with no city to get myself into trouble with during a fit of anger) is just enough time to get it out. Seriously. It sounds like a cop-out, but my vision blurs, hands shake, loss of depth perception, misplaced steps, mind-blanks that leave me unable to find objects right within my field of view, panic attacks... It's all too much with a squirmy child trying to climb up and down those steep stairs. I trip when it's by myself! I'm afraid to harm her in anyway from the clumsiness that gives me almost every bruise I get nowadays whenever I have a nic-fit. One step at a time, though. At least we are smoking a lot less.
We also have an AC unit this year!!! YAY! No more suffering through 95 degree days (I draw the line at 90)!
And Rowan is officially in the 90th percentile for height (still around midline for weight)! NINETIETH!!! NINE-ZERO! (please don't stop growing. please don't stop growing. please be taller than me. please be taller than me.) I do have this distinct impression that she will be tall like Dan and broad like me, and end up built like some sort of stacked Amazon. It would not be outlandish, considering...
And I finally got around to finding some cheap books online to finish out my collections of the Dresden Files and the Nightside series by Simon R Green. And yes, that includes the latest Dresden Files book (Turn Coat), but it won't be here for a couple of weeks! Shhhh!
I've also spent some time with some people I haven't seen in forever. Kate and I have a pretty healthy friendship that's still re-developing. I went out for beers (my newest social thing - a pitcher of beer and munchies, followed by dancing on the sidewalk) with Abby and Jen. I stayed up talking until 2am with Matt and his old roomate. He and several other old friends will be at Brushwood. Nina and I had 2 pitchers last night to celebrate her 21st and went back to her place to make crab alfredo pizza when we got the "beer munchies" (she even drove, so I did not have to involve Dan driving in any way that night and he got to bed early - he was pleased with the evening). She will be at Sirius Rising as well! I'm making new inside jokes and showing off baby pictures 5 minutes before showing off my tattoos.
Summer is infectious, and I am being productive as hell!!!
Now for the token cute Rowan story: On our anniversary, when she was at my parents, they told me that she snatched a framed photo from one of my proms, got real excited, and started marching around the room, pointing at it and saying "Mommy! Mommy!" She then sat down and stared at it while mumbling for almost 10 minutes. They could not take it away. LOL!
Summer is here, and the cocoon is OFF! I feel the potential of a raging volcano in my veins. And simultaneously, I feel the peace of a cup of tea, sitting at my kitchen table and reading a good book. Summer is my time, and that range of positive emotion is just one reason I love it so. Look out world! Er... Pittsburgh! Er... Whatever social circles I still move in! The Dove is BACK!