Some Things

There are certain things that people should never have to do. Getting screened for parasites is one of them. That's all.

Christmas Time

Nick and I almost finished our Christmas shopping this weekend and I am happy to say that we have presents under our tree. We haven't had presents under our tree for a long time. Not since we lived in Columbia. Two years ago, we lived in Texas, so we shipped most of our gifts straight to Columbia so we wouldn't have to pack them, then we sent Daisy off to the kennel and hopped on our plane home. Last year, we were living in corporate housing and all of our decorations were in storage, so we did have a pile of presents, but no tree under which to place them. At least, last year we got to pack Daisy up in the car and drive her to Columbia with us. She loves her grandparents. So this year, we finally have it all together. All of our decorations are up, we have presents under the tree and we can pack up the car with Daisy and our gifts and drive to Columbia.

Good News

I got accepted into Grad School. I start in January.

Willie Willie Willie Willie!

Willie Nelson is coming to Virginia. I still kick myself for missing him in Texas so now we plan to attend every concert we can. He will be performing at the NorVA in Norfolk in March. I already bought my fan club tickets and I can't wait.

We had a good weekend!

Despite being completely exhausted this weekend, I still managed to have a blast with Nick. We decided to buy a new Christmas tree and ornaments. First, we had to decide how tall of a tree we should buy.



That should be about 7 and a half feet.
We found a great tree and some cute new ornaments. We do need a new tree topper though.



And later, this happened.

I wanted to post some pictures last night, but I fell asleep on the couch before I got the chance. The cold weather makes me so tired. But here is one of my niece with Santa. The older niece wanted nothing to do with him. Why are so many kids afraid of him?

I'm back!

I did it. I applied for grad school. I took my GRE on Friday. It was the soonest test day available for me to still turn in my application on Friday. It was a big day. I feel so relieved to have it over with. For a while now I have felt like I've just been waiting to begin my real life. My job now is good and you can't beat my office environment, but now I feel like I have the chance to start a career of my choosing. The program that I applied to sounds reallly intersting. Now, to get accepted.

Yay Turkey Day!!!

My sister is coming to Richmond for Thanksgiving. This is good for so many reasons. Nick and I don't have to go anywhere. I get to see my sister. We can make whatever we want for Thanksgiving dinner. Since Nick and I aren't huge turkey fans, he wants ham and I want beef. We are thinking ribs might be a compromise. We make great ribs. I am making a Mac and Cheese I made a few months ago and was a huge success. Nick wants stuffing and Carolyn wants sweet potatoes. At least, we all cook. Looking forward to it. What will you be having?

Wilmington Pics from Cassie

Office Celebrations

My office had a little celebration today in conjunction with our monthly staff meeting to celebrate our "new" director. I decided to make Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls for the occasion. Nick was more than willing to help out and ended up doing most of the work while I read the instructions. He never thought his days working at Mrs. Powell's would come in handy. Nick popped the cinnamon rolls in the oven this morning before he left and by the time I got them to work they were still piping hot. They ended up a success. I did skip the maple flavoring in Pioneer Woman's icing and opted for regular old vanilla, but the maple icing that she makes is delicious.

A Few Things

First, sorry that my posts have been so sparse. I am struggling to get everything ready and turned in for grad school in the next few weeks and trying to make holiday plans. Good news, we might be stopping by Columbia for Christmas.
Second, I met Cassie and Cindy in Wilmington, NC last weekend for a girl's weekend. We had a great time, sitting around, sharing stories. And it's a cute city. We strolled past the water front and did some window shopping. I will have to post pictures later.
Last, Nick and I made a delicious and easy dinner last night. Balsamic Poached Chicken . I bought the chicken breasts thinly sliced to cut down on my raw chicken touching. I hate it. I also substituted green beans for asparagus. If you aren't a big Balsamic fan, this recipe is not for you.

Some trick-or-treaters that I wish had made it to my house.

Candy

My mom called last night to ask if I had gotten any trick-or-treaters. Nick and I haven't gotten trick-or-treaters since we left Cedar Terrace 4 years ago. So I told her no, we didn't buy any candy this year because we didn't want to have to eat it all. She told me, "Well, you were smart. I bought candy and I have already had to eat some." Have the amount of trick-or-treaters decreased since we were kids or have I just not found the right neighborhood?

Talk about the Weather

We haven't had any rain in Virginia in about 6 weeks, but somehow we get our much needed rain during the exact same three days that Nick and I planned our camping trip. We decided not to go, since we didn't want to just sit in the tent for 3 days, but the time off was still much appreciated.

My Mom

My Mom on my sister's college roommate and friend.

"I think they are just modern girls."

And she means that in a bad way.

1 Year Anniversary

Nick and I celebrated living in Richmond for one whole year this last week. The most exciting thing is that we aren't even considering moving to another state or even city. We are even thinking about renewing our lease, something we have only done once in the five years we have lived together, and even then, it was month-to-month.

Just a Little 1988 for y'all

Does anyone remember the Lizard Man ?

Camping Again!

Nick and are preparing this weekend, for a camping trip next week. We are a little nervous because it is going to be cold at night, but the days should be mild and the leaves should be beautiful. We are bringing a lot of wool socks. Nick and I hand-picked our camp site the last time we were in the park and it is great. It overlooks the valley, so we have a great view. I am especially excited about getting ready for the trip. We are going to Gander Mountain, an outdoor store that just opened in Ashland. I even think that Nick is a little excited about going shopping for the trip, but probably just so he can see me as excited as a kid on Christmas morning.

The Wedding

Rhonda and Nick's wedding was beautiful and tons of fun. Pittsburgh is an intersting city and didn't look anything like it does in my head. We were able to bring Daisy with us since we drove and the hotel was very dog-friendly. She was fun to have around when we had everyone back to our room after the reception. I am sure we will all have some fun memories of this weekend for quite awhile. Anything that brings Nick's Duke friends together is well worth it. They are a hilarious and welcoming bunch. Me and the other "Others" are happy to say that we are part of this group. One of my favorite memories of the weekend was how many people asked me to get them drinks from the bartender, Mario, because they were sure that Mario hated them. Well, I'm pretty sure Mario hated me too. My other favorite memory was during our ride home. Nick and had a little tiff about his not-so-lost camera and I was studying the atlas instead of speaking to him, when I forgot I was ignoring him and asked him, "What is Lake Eerie like?" and he said, "Strange." I laughed for about 5 minutes and he was so happy that he had made me laugh while I was ignoring him. It was a great weekend, but I am just now getting caught up on my sleep.

So, I haven't had a lot to say lately, and I'm just plain tired. Nick and I have had a lot going on lately and we are really looking forward to sleeping and cleaning the house and going grocery shopping this weekend. It's been a while. We did make it to Pittsburgh this weekend for a lovely wedding for two of Nick's college friends. We had a blast as always.

I Knew It!!

I have always thought that being a pessimist has been good for me. I always argue that if I'm not expecting anything good to happen then I can't be let down and when things do go my way I am overjoyed. Of course, there is something to be said for being optimistic enough to actually try things, but I don't have that problem, I still try and it will either go my way or it won't, so maybe I'm not 100% pessimistic or is it that I'm not 0% optimistic. This article in The Washington Post on Monday reiterates my point and this quote hits the nail on the head.

Put another way, a hidden price of being happier on average is that you put your short-term contentment at risk, because being happy raises your expectations about being happy. When good things happen, they don't count for much because they are what you expect. When bad things happen, you temporarily feel terrible, because you've gotten used to being happy.

*My niece is probably not a pessimist, but I liked the crying picture.

Yummm!

Ever since I saw this sandwich the other day on The Pioneer Woman Cooks , I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.

Food!

So, I love food and I love cooking. The problem, I have no urge to cook anything healthy. I'll make a flank steak and veggies or a salad, but that's about as healthy as it gets. I hate cooking chicken or really anything without cheese in it and I don't eat seafood. So, I'm trying to eat better this week and Nick and I are trying a few Weight Watchers recipes. Sloppy turkey joes were good, but the whole wheat bun had a spongy consistency, and not in a good way. I'm hoping tonight's Chicken and shells go well and that Nick makes the chicken for us.

The Office

We have had a very important and busy day at the office today, discussing none other than last nights episode of The Office. I am happy to see Jim and Pam together, but I think that they gave it away too easily. A co-worker was disturbed by Andy's chaffed nipples and everyone enjoyed Michael's carb loading.

Sette

Last night, Nick and I went to The Edgar Allan Poe Museum for unhappy hour. It was the museum's attempt at attracting locals to the museum. They had a wine tasting and a band, as well as drinks for sale. The museum was interesting and I thought that visiting it at night with a glass of wine in hand added to the ambiance. Upstairs in one of the buildings is a hot, little, red room where you can watch a video of The Raven. Nick and I enjoyed that, but sadly had finished our wine by then and were getting very hungry. We jumped in Nick's car and drove a few blocks over to 23rd street to Sette for some fancy pizza. Someone in my office had been there for lunch and enjoyed it. The restaurant was cute, with brick walls and industrial inspired art work. We both started with a half size salad. I got the spinach salad with red peppers, mushrooms, sliced grilled chicken, Gorgonzola, candied pecans and honey-dijon dressing. The salad was huge, but the chicken was cold cuts and the dressing reminded me of the sandwiches my mom used to put in my lunch box. Nick ordered the Caesar salad and didn't realize that it was a grilled Caesar salad. Yes, they grilled the lettuce. He enjoyed it, but I thought it was gross. We split a Sicilian pizza for dinner, topped with Italian sausage, cappiciola, and salami and it was delicious. The toppings were generous and the crust was delicious, slightly sweet and crispy. We will have to check out the patio next time, it was really filling up by the time we left.

Patina Grill

Nick and I met Adam and Rusha out for dinner on Tuesday night at Patina Grill. We went there some time last year with Adam and we weren't sure that we wanted to back since we weren't impressed the first time. Our waiter was very odd and while our appetizer, a beef empanada was delicious, our entrees were both very bland. This visit changed our minds. We started with another emapanada, this time stuffed with chicken, basil and manchego cheese. It was served with a Russian dressing on the side and Sriracha sauce as a garnish and it was delicious. The outside was fried crispy and the inside was soft and full of melted cheese. I couldn't taste any basil, but that could have been all the Sriracha sauce I was smothering my empanada in. For dinner I had the grilled chicken with red beans, arepas, glazed plantain, and roasted jalapeno la crema on the side. It was a very good meal and I convinced myself it was somewhat healthy. The arepa wasn't the kind that I was used to, but I don't know which one is correct. Nick ordered the pepper seared duck breast, shrimp, and crab gumbo over stone ground cheddar grits and he loved it. He said that the duck was juicy and tender and manged to finish all of the meat on his plate. For dessert, Rusha ordered the chocolate-chambord pots de creme with cherry biscotti, which came out with a small cup of coffee to dip the biscotti into and creme fraiche on the chocolate. We told her we wouldn't eat any of it, but couldn't resist after we saw it and could resist even less once we tasted it. It was all I could do not to eat the whole thing. It went well with my chocolate martini. You can't have too much of a good thing. The atmoshpere was nice and quiet. We had a dark booth, that despite the straight back was rather comfortable thanks to some cushions to sit on. Service was good and attentive, although, there was a communication breakdown between Nick and the server. He kept ordering the beer he had gotten at the bar when we arrived and she insisted on calling it by a different name. He still got exactly what he ordered and he did have the name right. The food was as slow as is to be expected at these prices. Dinner and dessert took about 2 and a half hours, but that gave us time to talk and enjoy our company. This visit to Patina Grill has changed our minds about what to expect and we will now consider another visit.

It is Such a Small World!

I went to a GRE strategy seminar last night, even though by this point I should have probably taken the GRE or at least, have some sort of strategy in mind. Anyway, The instructor had us introduce ourselves and say why we were taking the GRE and where we went to college. When I said I had gone to The University of South Carolina, he said he had too and how neat that was cause he doesn't meet many Gamecocks in Richmond. He looked really familiar, but I couldn't place which class we had together. Finally, it hit me. We worked at Harper's together, at least 7 years ago.

Wilmington

I'm meeting my friends in Wilmington in November for a girls weekend. If anyone has been or has ideas of what we should do, let me know.

Did I mention I love Richmond?

Nick and I had a great weekend. We spent Saturday shopping for winter clothes. We are going tent camping at Shenandoah National Park at the end of October and it will be cold, so we bought warm gloves and hats and coats and thermal underclothes and wool socks. It was very hard to get in the winter frame of mind with it being 90 degrees outside. Then Nick made some steaks for dinner. Yummy! It's been a long time since he enjoyed a steak and I enjoyed A1. It's a small addiction of mine, I eat food to eat the sauce that goes with it. I really don't care about how a steak tastes. Then we met our friend out at Metro Grill for drinks and she introduced us to all of her friends, which was nice. It was an eventful evening that eventually ended at someone's house with a skate ramp in the backyard. That was interesting. Sunday was a slow day, we laid on the couch for the first half of the day, watched The Food Network and looked up stuff on the internet. This was one of our finds, although we haven't had the nerve to order any yet, then they would be in our freezer, calling our names, everyday, until they were gone. So we had a fun weekend, but if you ask either of us, Sunday was the best day we've had in a while.

What a week!

I am so glad it is only hours from being over. I am still overwhelmed and stressed and to top it all off I have been extra busy at work. It is nice to be busy at work, I am not complaining about that. What I am really worried about is grad school. I keep thinking I should put it off for another semester, but the sooner I start, the sooner I finish.

I Need a Break

I am having an awful week. I feel completely overwhelmed by life in general. It's way too much trouble to have to refill the dixie cup holder in the medecine cabinet or clean the kitty litter boxes. Then again, that's always way too much trouble. I would really love to get rid of my cats. This week, the burden of thinking about how much their cat food costs is really getting to me. The burden of thinking about how much everything costs is really getting to me. I've thought about getting a second job, but then I worry that I will never find the time to apply to grad school. And then I worry about applying to grad school. And that's pretty much what its been like inside of my head this week. AAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I could use a break, from life.

NOOOO!!!!

It's only Wednesday. I'm never going to make it.

Tex-Mex Salisbury Steak

So, it appears that Nick and I don't always eat very healthy. I assure you that we eat very well during the day. Sometimes, we just need a delicious, filling dinner. And I don't tell you when we eat salad or chicken. Anyway, I found this recipe, for Tex-Mex Salisbury Steak while we were living in Texas and thought that it was fitting. I didn't have a job at the time or know anyone in Texas, so I spent most of time unpacking and planning and cooking meals for Nick. Anyway, Nick loved it. I have only made it two times since then, to his dismay. We made it tonight and Nick still loves it. And it's quick and easy.

What's Going On?

Just A few things that are going on my life:

• Nick and I had a delicious and easy dinner last night. I marinated a flank steak for 24 hours in Stubb's Beef Marinade. Then Nick broiled it for about 8 minutes on each side. When it was finished he sliced it against the grain, we threw it on some tortillas with sauteed peppers and onions and a little Seriously Sharp White Cheddar Cheese. I made a little Mexican Rice to go on the side. It made a very satisfying meal.
• My sister has gone back to college and is living in her first, ever apartment. My mom says she is quite the homemaker. I am very proud of her, even if she doesn't seem to know her own address.
• This weekend Nick and drove around Richmond to check out the locations of houses we had seen for sale online. We didn't see anything that blew us away. Bottom line, I don't think we can afford a house in the location we want, with the space we need, and the charm and character I want. Most of which the townhouse we are renting right now gives us. So we are back to debating whether or not we should buy a house again or continue renting until I finish grad school. It would be nice to not have to worry about yard work on the weekends when I have to study.
• I have been organizing my desk and files today. This should make working a lot easier. I am very pleased with my work.

Meatza Pizza

Tonight for dinner I made one of Nick's favorite old time dinners. Its quick and easy and can be made in one dish. I am copying this recipe directly out of my mother's-in-law cookbook, so I should give her credit.

• 1 pound ground beef, very lean
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 3/4 cup grated cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese

Mix beef, garlic salt, and bread crumbs, then spread in a 9x9 pan. Add evaporated milk and mix with a fork. Spread mixture over bottom of pan raising a rim 1/2-inch high around the edge. Spread ketchup over meat to the rim. Arrange mushrooms on ketchup. Place cheese over top and sprinkle with oregano. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan. Bake in a 400 degree oven for twenty-five minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Labor Day Weekend

Nick and I got to get out and enjoy the long weekend by spending a night camping at Shenandoah National Park in the Lewis Mountain Campground. We were lucky enough to get the last available sight in the park. Lewis Mountain is one of the smallest campgrounds in the park. Each site has a fire ring, picnic table, and parking spot. The campground has a restroom, pay showers, and a small store where wood, ice, and other supplies can be purchased. The weather this weekend was perfect. It was only about 70 degrees during the day, but got cold at night, about 50 degrees. Nick and I had a delicious dinner of Beer Brats and a salad. Breakfast was even better. We had hashbrowns, sausage and scrambled egg beaters. We only did one very short hike, about a mile, and it didn't have much of a view, but it's still nice to walk through the woods.


As is usual for Shenandoah we saw lots of deer.


Here is a picture of our campsite. The screen tent behind Nick's car is necessary if you want to spend time outside of your tent while the bugs are out, but we are hoping to find one that's easier to put up before we go camping again.


This is a picture of my tent with another completely necessary camping item, an air mattress. We couldn't make it without it. Sleeping on the ground didn't hurt so bad back in the days of Girl Scout Camp, but the first time Nick and I went camping together, we realized that it really hurts now.



This is Daisy trying to pretend that she knows how to act like a dog, just as long as she doesn't have to lay on the ground.



And last but not least, the beautiful view from Skyline Drive.

Toys

Is it completely wrong to want these?
Nick says it is and I can just imagine how he would react if he came home to find me playing with toys. But, it's not that much worse than video games is it?

3- Day Weekend

Does anyone have any Labor Day weekend plans? Here's a hint at mine.

OMG! There's Willie.

Last Friday, Nick and I got off of work early and headed down to Roanoke Rapids, NC to see Willie Nelson in concert. The venue, was nothing but a field, with a removable stage, but other than the heat it was fabulous. Willie absolutely blew me away and I wasn't the only one. The lady next to me, Joan, kept saying, "I just want to touch him." And we almost could have from our seats. The tickets said the show would start at 5:30, but Willie didn't roll in until about 7:30, so we had a lot of time to kill (drink) before the concert. The first thing that excited me was this.



That's right, all of us high rollers got our own special porta-potty section, not to be defiled by all of those regular lawn people. We had porta-sinks. I've never seen those before and neither had most of the people there apparently, there was a gentleman working at the concert that night whose sole purpose was to say, "the foot peddle, you turn on the water with the foot peddle."

The next exciting thing was free Koozies.

Then Merle Haggard came out.



The couple behind us were big Merle fans, but Joan and I were waiting for the best part.

Ohmigod! There's Willie.



There's Willie with his hand in the air.



I seriously, could have died after this concert and my life would have been complete. No one can do it like Willie can.

New Niece Picture!

Jaywalking, Litter, and Traffic Violations

Schools Back In!

How to Leash Train your Cat

I thought this article was funny and I already know that I won't be taking part. Between the most willful cat ever and the most scared cat ever, I don't think I would get too far. Once, Nick and I were looking for a little entertainment, and put one of our dog's old harnesses on our cat The Sir. Instead of trying to get it out of it, he decided that his best defense would be to play dead. He stood for a moment and then flopped on his side and refused to move. Now that's survival. Nick and were literally rolling on the floor laughing for 20 minutes. We didn't get out much that year. Another cat story. Stop reading now if you can't take anymore. When I was growing up, my parents had a cat, Noodle, who was routinely quarantined because he attacked neighborhood children and the guy living on our couch. Around that time my parents started leash training Noodle and Bon-Bon (the mother of all cats, in more ways than one). It was interesting to say the least, walking a cat on a leash, since they are notoriously skittish and we probably looked pretty strange, thinking we had a cat who could be taught dog behavior. If we had kept it up, the cats might have gotten the hang of it, but the thought that at any moment you could have a scared poo-less cat hanging from the seat of your jeans was none too appealing. They did become "line trained" or we tied them to a tree in the back yard so they could enjoy the great outdoors. That went on until a neighbor cat wandered into the back yard looking for a fight. My mom scooped Noodle up, to save him the embarrassment of being a "line trained" cat and Noodle decided to try to eat my mom's hand. She actually had to have surgery because the infection she got was so big. My parents now have a screened in porch. But walk your cat if you want to. I'll be laughing at you.

Lauren

I finally have some pictures of Lauren.

Kaitlyn's Belly

Pictures of my other niece for the time being. I still don't have pictures of the new one. Her father took her to two specialists to make sure that there was nothing growing in that belly.

Happy Birthday Nick

My Niece

I have another niece. She was born August 14, 2007 around 2:00 PM. Her name is Lauren Neve. Lauren after my father-in-law Lorin and Neve after her other grandfather Nevio. She is 6 lbs. 10 oz. I don't have any pictures yet. I can't wait to meet her.

I'm an Aunt!!!

For the second time. More news to come, hopefully.

Salad Dressing

I don't like a lot of salad dressings. I don't know what it is about them. Can you taste preservatives? Anyway, I found this recipe for Greek dressing last night and Nick and I both like it, but I must warn you, it is very lemony and I used 5 lemons, which only got me to 3/4 of a cup of lemon juice.

Seattle

So, I'm ready to post the pictures sooner than I thought. Nick and I had a wonderful first full day in Seattle. We visited Silver Lake Winery, Columbia Winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, and Red Hook Brewery.




Then we headed off to the wedding. Megan's wedding was beautiful and fun. I wish we had a picture of their dog Kumo, he was the ring bearer.




Carolyn and I decided we should look at each other longingly in this picture.








We spent a lot of time dancing with the bride.



After the wedding I passed out and Nick and Carolyn took silly pictures of me. I have spared you the worst of them. Apparently, I deserved it for my alcohol-induced behavior.




This is Snoqualmie Falls. Gorgeous isn't it. We met up with my two aunts and my cousin and second cousin here. This is also where Travis proposed to Megan in a beautiful lodge at the top of the falls, not pictured.

On a different note

The drip pan for the air conditioner in our apartment got clogged last Sunday and filled our utility room with water, which leaked back onto our living room carpet. Maintenance fixed the leak on Monday, but ignored the two inches of water in the utility room and our complaints of soaking wet, mildewey carpet. On Tuesday, they sent maintenance back over to check how wet the carpet was and told me the carpet cleaners would pay us a visit on Wednesday or Thursday. Well, it's Monday again, still no carpet cleaners and lots more mildew. So, I think Nick and I are finally ready to buy a house again.

I'm Back

Seattle was beautiful. The wedding was beautiful and the bride was beautiful. I'll post pictures as soon as I get my life back in order.

Rare Olde Times

Melissa and I spent our first, ever Girls Night Out at Rare Olde Times, an Irish Pub not to far from our houses. Our girls night out was a success, but I think Nick was jealous and she completely forgot to tell her boyfriend. I hope he figured it out before I showed up to pick her up. The decor was exactly what I would expect from an Irish Pub and it was comfortable, but a little warm. The wait staff was friendly and helpful. They have live Irish music on Thursday nights and that was a real treat. Melissa and I were the youngest patrons there, except for a few children, until the band started. We decided to have dinner there and only one of us was dissapointed. Melissa ordered the Sheppard's Pie and loved it. I ordered the Irish Dip, which sounded delicious and would have been, if it had been made to the specifications on the menu. Unfortunately, they left off some ingredients on the sandwich and didn't give me any Au Jus dipping sauce, kind of the point of the dip. Oh well, we still had a good time.

Question

Do you let your spoons spoon in the dishwasher?

Today can only get better

See my optimistic attitude. I've been working on it. I couldn't fall asleep last night and then had one of those restless nights where I couldn't figure out if my dreams were dreams or just thinking. Then I woke up at 5 AM and couldn't stop thinking that Nick was soaking one of my baking sheets in the sink and they can't soak, cause they fill with water and explode in the oven. So, I had to go downstairs to check, and he wasn't soaking it, cause he also knows they will explode if we soak them. So much for having a little faith in him. Then I just laid in bed thinking some more. I guess I finally went to sleep because I woke up to Daisy throwing up in her bed. I cleaned her bed and got ready for work, but forgot to do half of the stuff I do to get ready for work and forgot my lunch. Once I hit the cobblestone road on my way to work I had this weird feeling that I wasn't wearing my bra, thankfully I am, I can't imagine explaining that to my boss. I am groggy and really need to concentrate, but my mind keeps wandering and mulling and thinking about stuff that I really shouldn't be mulling over. Stuff that I can't change now, a lot of it stuff that happened years ago. Anyway, so today can only get better, I hope.

Nick's B-day

What the heck do I get Nick for his birthday? I mean I know him better than I know anyone, I know all of interests, but still, I have no idea what to get him. I've been thinking I could give him a free weekend of nothing but video games and watching the history channel and drinking beer, but that's a little cheap and way too easy.

Let's Eat

Food is one of my favorite things. I can probably put it before camping because one of my favorite pre-camping activities is meal planning and prepping. Nick can tell you that I usually have a picnic of some sort planned if we are hiking or road tripping. Although, once I only brought powerbars and Slim-Fast, a tad dissapointing. One of the hardest things about moving to a new city is finding new restaurants to go to. Nick and I always try a couple and just stick to those. I think it is time to branch out a little, nothing against Mexico, our version of San Jose. So, I think I will write reviews of some restaurants we have tried. I hope this doesn't bore you non-Richmonders, or everyone that reads this. I think I will even add any good recipes that I try, starting with this recipe for Ten-Minute Bruschetta. It is quick and easy to make and I have seen it disappear.

Northern Neck Wineries

Nick and I went to Virginia's Northern Neck to visit some wineries this weekend. The Northern Neck wasn't as pretty as Charlottesville, but was enjoyable none the less. We started out at Oak Crest at the top of the Northern Neck. Then we made our way down to Ingleside. I thought their labels were cute. We finally ended our day trip at Belle Mount. Nick's GPS chose some interesting "roads" to get us there.

Game Night

I first heard about Apples to Apples on this site. I apologize for not being able to find the exact post, but you'll enjoy the other stuff she has to say too. I have since had two exciting nights of Apples to Apples fun. My only gripe, that the minimum number of players is four. I guess I will just have to keep kicking Nick's butt at Scrabble.

Two Things I am Really Enjoying Right Now

One. These bars are so good. I have been eating them for breakfast since too many of my cartons of Lactaid were bad. I love the Peanut Butter Pretzel.




Two. Our office is doing this. We have been taking our tests and have a meeting next month to discuss everyone's strengths. It is right up my alley and really pertains to the work my office does.


On another note, I am completely at a loss for what to do this weekend. I'm thinking wineries or hiking. Hiking is healthy and Daisy can go, but we might get rain. I love wine, but my co-workers are starting to suspect I have a drinking problem. I guess I could always just tell them I went hiking.

Name Game

Nick and I went to Columbia a few weeks ago for my dad's 60th birthday. Everyone had a blast, my dad especially. Nick and I saw a lot of people who were at our wedding 3 years ago. I've known these people my whole life, but Nick met most of them on our wedding day. Anyway, back to my dad's party. Nick would be having conversations with people that he thought looked vaguely familiar, but could not remember any names, so he would find my sister and ask her who he had been talking to. The first time it was Bob Noe, he accepted that, but the second time was Bob Vaughan. Nick thought that Carolyn was just making up people's names, calling them Bob and giving them a last name.

None for me, Thanks.

How to use a Bidet


I have always wondered about this, but now I'm pretty sure I will never use one.

Summertime

This summer has flown by. Not in a bad way. It has been fabulous. I can't remember a weekend when I didn't have something to do. I don't know if should attribute it to Richmond, because life was not like this in Texas, or if Nick and I are just older now and better at filling our time. The Anderson family trip to the beach was wonderful. I will post pictures soon. First, I have to get ready for a visit from my best friend. She would probably like clean sheets and towels for her visit.

Lost Baggage

After my flight out of Las Vegas was 3 hours late and I stood in lines for an hour and a half with a hang over and about 3 hours of sleep, I finally made it to Richmond, to find my luggage was missing. They have finally located it and I can expect it anytime between 4 PM today and 6 AM tomorrow. Just as long as I get before I go to the beach. Bathing suit shopping doesn't need to be done more than once a year.

Las Vegas

The Bachelorette/Bachelor party was a blast, from what I remember. At least I have some pictures to remember it. We spent a lot of time at the pool, played some slots, had some of the best cocktails ever and some of the scariest cocktails ever, and had tons of fun. It was great to spend some time with Megan.

Carolyn and I got room service to pre-party while we got ready to go out.



We also went to Bobby Flay's restaurant, Mesa, where I had the best steak of my life.




All followed by a tearful goodbye at 3 AM. I can't wait for the wedding.

Family Visit

The family visit was wonderful, though not long enough. We spent a whole day near Charlottesville visiting wineries. My Mom was a little tipsy halfway through the first one. The country out there is beautiful. We started out at Barboursville, where we sampled seventeen wines. No wonder Mom was tipsy. I enjoyed their Merlot, Reisling and Chardonnay. Then we went 2 miles down the road to Horton. Mom and I only sampled the fruit wines. It was something new for both of us. While sweet, the Blackberry and the Blueberry were very good. The Pear was also good, reminding us of most white wines. Her favorite was Strawberry. Then we had to sit outside to allow Mom some time to sober up.


I like this picture. I am the shorty of the family, but it makes me look taller than my sister and my mom.

Then we went to Keswick. Keswick was by far the favorite. Mom liked that they had bar stools and food pairings. We bought a bottle of Chardonnay for our picninc and a bottle of their Heritage Red for later. We had a fabulous picnic at the vineyard. Italian Sandwiches, pasta salad, and Bitter Orange Crostata. We had a wonderful time, and enjoyed the nap on the way home while Nick drove.

On Hold

I realize that when on hold, a phone system has to have music or some sort of noise so you know you are still holding and haven't been disconnecting. I am pleading with you, phone system makers, please don't make this the most annoying, repetitive, hold music on earth. I still need to be able to think when I finally get to talk to an actual person. And when that actual person puts me back on hold to figure something out, maybe you could switch the song up a little. How does the song never end? Don't all songs end?

Email from My Husband

"omg..

omg i just wrote omg"

The Roberts are coming!

My family is coming this weekend, all of them. My mom, dad, and sister. They should be driving up here as I type (when I really should be working). I am so excited. I have a wonderful Virginia weekend planned. We will do a little sight seeing tonight and then head out to dinner. Nick and I haven't been able to agree on a restaurant yet, so I'll let my family decide. Of course, I will make the places I want to eat sound delicious and the places Nick wants to go sound awful. Tomorrow is brunch at my favorite breakfast place and then we are heading towards Charlottesville to visit wineries and have a picnic. My sister is a wine steward, so it is a learning experience. After we get home, we will grill out, sample more wine, listen to music, and most likely, make Nick regret marrying me as we all break out into the Roberts' Dance. I can't wait.

Complaining

I guess it's wrong to complain about people complaining. That makes me a complainer. I get that we all have bad days, or bad jobs and we need to vent. It's not that kind of complaining I'm talking about. I am so tired of other people complaining about other people. There I go again, being a complainer. I don't mean like how I complain about Nick leaving change all over the house, I mean like complaining that the person in the car in front of you won't go when you think they should. Isn't it their choice? Maybe they are having a seizure, we just don't know. We never know what another person goes through, or why they make their choices, but unless they hurt you, they are their choices. I just wish we could all get out of each other's lives and just be happy for ourselves. Live and let live right.
I have made huge leaps and bounds in this area in the last few years, as I have been the new girl for the last 2 years. I've realized that my life is so much more whole when the focus of my life is, well, my life. The more I focused on other people the more miserable I was. I noticed that the less I complained about other people, the less I also thought that other people might be happier, or have better lives than me. Works both ways, I guess. Anyway, I'm sure you all already know this/do this. I just happen to be a late bloomer, but the happiness that I have experienced from making this change is amazing.

Work Out

I still don't know if the exercising is getting easier, but the results are starting to show. Nick and I have both lost 5 pounds and my wine belly and his beer belly are greatly reduced. I think I am starting to like this, the results anyway.

Great Weekend

Nick and I had a great weekend. We went up to DC for a night to celebrate a friend's wedding. While we weren't invited to the small wedding or the family reception, we did meet everyone out for drinks. Here is the happy couple:

They have a hard two years ahead of them while Andrew is in Iraq, but it's good that they have will each other to support.

We also got to see these guys.

We were a mess. But we had a blast and this weekend made me even more happy about living in Richmond.

Iditarod Dreams

Daisy has big dreams. One of which is to be the world's first 30 pound sled dog. This makes our walks somewhat unpleasant for me. Until I found this:

I'm talking about the collar that goes around her nose. I put it on her and she was instantly transformed. She doesn't pull at all anymore, although sometimes she think that we are playing freeze tag. But, I keep telling her, no one tagged her.

No Regrets?

In my early twenties, I used to tell myself that I would never live my life with regrets. That I would never think back and say , "I should have" or "I wish I had" or "why didn't I." Because what's the point right, we don't get a re-do in life. What I didn't realize then, was that those moments were already passing me by and if I didn't take every single one of them, there would always be something to regret. Now I have learned that, while there are still things I regret, not going away to college, not studying harder, not finding my dream job, I am very happy for where I have ended up. If I had chosen any other road, it's possible it wouldn't have lead to the life that I have now, and most importantly, it might not have lead me to Nick.

Bumps, Fives, Cheers

Nick and I went to the Richmond Beer and Seafood festival this weekend. Yum! Who would have thought that Virginia would have so many drinking festivals? Anyway, Nick and I ended up with an enormous amount of beer tickets and started giving them out at the end of the night. The first people we gave them to gave Nick bumps. The next people we gave them to gave Nick fives and the last group of people we gave them to cheersed us. Bumps Guy, Fives Guy, and the Cheers Girls.

Exercise

Nick got me back into running about 5 years ago. I would get off of work at Rosewood Market and drive over to Nick's place, reeking of health food, and go for a jog around his neighborhood. I would be yelling at him to stop and walking and faking injuries, anything to get him to let me go home. He would be running circles around me, literally. It was annoying and embarrassing. Then we moved in together and he stopped running and I kept going. I ran alone or with Daisy in Cedar Terrace, in Gregg Park, in Charlotte, in Dallas, and then in Richmond. Until, we came across some running buddies and amazingly, Nick was out from under his laptop and running again. We just recently discovered the gym at our apt. It is really nice and not too crowded. We have been going a lot and working out very hard. After all, I have to wear a bathing suit in 4 weeks and he has to wear one in 5 weeks. I am so proud of Nick and well me. I love the feeling of calm I get after I finish. Nick thinks I'm crazy when I say that. He feels drenched and sore. But it is so nice to do this together and support each other. We both keep asking each other, why didn't we start this sooner.

Viva Las Vegas!

I'm going to Las Vegas next month to celebrate the last few weeks of singlehood of one of my oldest friends. It's going to be a blast, I'm sharing a room with my sister. Quality Vegas/Sister time. I'm very excited, but I'm also kind of nervous. It sounds like there will be some pool time and I haven't worn a bathing suit in 5 years. Not only is the bride-to-be beautiful, she happens to be a personal trainer. I don't want to wear a bathing suit in front of a personal trainer and I'm sure she has personal trainer friends. Also, my wardrobe is not the least bit Vegas friendly. Its a mix of Old Navy, J. Crew and Ann Taylor. So, I look like I'm going camping, going to the beach, or going to work. None of that works for Vegas. And lastly, I will miss Nick. Its hard to imagine a vacation without him, but I just keep reminding myself that I am still young and there probably aren't a lot of Vegas Bachelorette Parties in my future. Now, if I can just get through the next 4 weeks of Weight Watchers, extreme exercising and bathing suit shopping.

Fantasy Shopping

Does anyone else fill up fantasy shopping carts online? Just today I racked up $1,700.00 in wishful thinking on Nordstrom.com. I really like the websites that remember you and your cart is still full the next time you visit the website. I've been working on one at Jcrew.com and Zappos.com for about a month now.

I live in a zoo

Nick and I have two cats and a dog. The tabby is Spidey. Spidey is the first cat I got when I moved out and the first cat that Nick ever had to live with. In Spidey's mind, she is always in control. Then we got The Sir, the black cat. He's a laid back guy with a squeaky voice and a life-long need for prescription cat food. Before we got our dog Daisy, the cats used to play twins, they also used to sleep on the bed.

Now we have Daisy, the cats have been replaced and she has taken over the bed. Daisy is our first dog and the only dog that I have ever lived with. This is her playing where's the Daisy.

I really love my pets, they brighten up my day, but every now and then it would be nice if they would clean up after themselves.

St. Ives

Does anyone remember St. Ives Apricot Scrub? It was the first exfoliant I ever used, back when I didn't even need exfoliant. I haven't used it in years. I didn't know they still made it, but I just bought some to get my legs beach ready. The smell really takes me back. I wonder what ever happened to the friend that first introduced me to Apricot Scrub. By the way, spell check thinks exfoliant isn't a word.

Anniversary trip in Pictures

Our anniversary trip was fantastic. We started out at a beer festival in Strasburg at a plantation surrounded by cow pastures. It was actually a festival of history and ale. I think the history part was tours of the house. We stuck to the ale part. Screw history. Just kidding.

The next day we went to Shenandoah National Park. Here is the view from out hotel room.

We stayed for a few days and did some hiking. This is Rose River Falls. It was so peaceful and serene, until I twisted my ankle and had to limp back to the car.

Then we went to Charlottesville to visit some wineries. It was gorgeous out there and the wine was very good too.

It was a wonderful trip and since I planned the whole thing, Nick has decided that I should plan all of our trips. Thanks Nick.