A Steamy Relationship

A sudden cacophony of voices erupting from the alarm clock propels him out of bed, dislodging me from sleep in the process.  He heads to the only object worth mentioning this early, while I follow, stumbling along blindly.  We enter the kitchen and flick on the lights, startling the cat dozing in front of the refrigerator.  She stretches languidly and shakes her head.  It is now time to begin our morning ritual. 

            It sits on the counter, well-used and surrounded by accessories.  The morning ceremony we perform is centered around it.  It is the reason we wake up each morning.  He opens a cupboard door and proceeds to pull out a handful of small, dark beans smelling of soils and far-away spices.  As he prepares the offering, I carefully fill up a glass decanter with water.  A few moments later, a loud whirring noise announces the transformation of those beans into a gritty powder. After careful measurement, he scoops the grounds into the basket above the carafe.  Quickly, the waiting water is poured into the reservoir in back of the machine.  Soon, a thick stream of murky brown liquid is dispensed into the waiting carafe.  We anxiously watch dribbles of coffee dancing down through the spigot.  As our morning beverage brews, alertness begins to percolate deep inside us.  

            So far, not a word has been uttered; words are not necessary for this process.  Tearing my eyes from the constant dripping, I pull down two mugs, warming them on the top of the DeLonghi coffee maker.  Glancing down at the digital display, I note that there will be time to enjoy my café while working a crossword.  “Creamer?” he asks.  The first word of the day has been spoken.

            A sudden, load gurgling announces the end of the brewing.  Desperately, we fill our glasses to the brim, with just enough room for a bit of sweet cream.  I slowly stir my coffee, watching the rich color dissipate into a warm, velvety milk chocolate.  I can still hear the hissing and boiling of the coffee pot as I take my first sip.  I perch on the counter-top with my eyes closed and hands wrapped tightly around the scalding ceramic mug, only to be nudged by the cat reminding me it is time for her breakfast.  Inhaling the steamy aroma of the coffee, I unfold myself and finish up my morning routine with one hand constantly gripping the gradually cooling cup.

When I am finished, I return my cup to the dishwasher and he follows suit.  Silently thanking the coffee pot, we leave the kitchen, ready to begin our day.  Stepping out into the parking lot surrounding our building, he kisses me and then we go our separate ways. 

A few hours later, I stand in line waiting for the barista to announce my order; I have come to pay homage to it again.

Applesauce Bread and Grandmas

Grandmother. Memere. Grossmutter.  Mommom.  Gran.  Nonna. Mimi. Nan. Grandma. Babushka. Abuela.  Nana. Mamaw.  Nonni.  G-ma.

We all have different names for our grandmothers, but in the end they're still our grandmothers. It doesn't matter if you knew yours or if she is still around.  It doesn't matter if she looks like Mrs. Claus or she runs marathons.  We love our grandmas (even if sometimes we are a little scared of them).

My Grandma means the world to me.  I've always thought so.  In my senior English class, I wrote a paper about her.  I wish I could find a copy of it or remember what it said, though I doubt it did her justice.  I lived with my grandparents for a while when I was younger, and she was there to help raise me.  She has been a source of strength to me throughout my life. Even now, she always makes a point to call and encourage me and to send me funny cards no matter where I'm living or what I'm doing. She probably knows what is going on in my life better than I do! 

Grandma has been an inspiration -- I don't know anyone as brave, hardworking, or down-to-earth.   My grandparents have never had much money, but they make a point to help everyone.  My grandfather still works on the school bus, and he always keeps an eye out for kids that might need some help or encouragement.  My grandmother cooks for a local drug rehab center, her church, and a local camp.  She spreads love though her food. 

One of my favorite wedding presents was given to me by my Grandma. She gave me her mother's recipe box filled with hand-picked recipes that either my grandmother or my great-grandmother had loved.


As a tribute to my grandmother,  I'd like to share a recipe that she gave me.  Actually, this one came from my Great-Grandmother.  I have tweaked it some, but it's still her's.

Applesauce Bread

1 1/2 c. applesauce
1/2 c. shortening, melted
3/4 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 c. raisins or craisins
1 c. walnuts (optional)

1. Mix applesauce, sugar, and melted shortening.
2. Dissolve baking soda in a little hot water.
2. Add all dry ingredients, then baking soda. Mix well.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-60 minutes.

** I use craisins -- it's less authentic, but sooooo tasty!

YUMMY!

"HUSH!"

Sometimes I have an uncanny resemblance to a stereotyped librarian. I never stop reading and always carry a book on my person. I even wear glasses, though not the horn-rimmed ones Hollywood has librarians wear. I enjoy making pots of tea.  I also prefer books to most people. Last, but not least, I always have to resist the urge to squash children who mistreat books.

However, if anyone calls me "Marian the Librarian", I will employ my vast knowledge acquired from countless murder mysteries and spy novels.

Trail Mix Cookies

Vacation is JUST around the corner and since we are planning on doing quite a bit of hiking, I decided to make Trail Mix Cookies to take along.  The best part about this recipe is that it can EASILY be adapted for a vegan or lactose-intolerant recipe.  I've included those directions.

A note about the trail mix:  You can use pre-made trail mix, but beware of the salt content in them.  I would recommend making your own (it's cheaper and better!!) using raw nuts and good dried fruit.  I used raw almonds, cashews, and sunflower seeds and dried cranberries, blueberries, and bananas. (You can see mine on the left.)

TRAIL MIX COOKIES! 

• 1 c. butter / butter substitute* (I used vegan Earth Balance)
• 1/2 c. sugar ** (Sugar in the Raw for better flavor)
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs *** (I used 1 egg and 1/2 mashed banana)
• 2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
•  1 1/2 c. oats
• 1 1/2 c. mixture chopped trail mix (I used almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, dried blueberries, cranberries, and semisweet chocolate chips.)

*  You can also substitute1/2 c. pureed fruit or applesauce with 4 TBLS of oil for 1 c. of butter.

** I usually add just a little less sugar than the recipe stipulates

*** 1/2 mashed banana = 1 egg in sweet baking; in this recipe I highly recommend the banana -- its adds great flavor!

1. Beat butter, sugar & brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 min), then add eggs and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet while mixer is on low speed.  Mix until JUST combined.
4. Stir in oats and trail mix.
5. Chill for 30-60 minutes.
6. Form into 1-1/2 inch balls and bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes.

Yields about 36

Buon Appetito!

Happy Anniversary!!

 

Our anniversary was in the beginning of July (as I mentioned in previous posts).  We took a five day weekend (yes, five) and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. The actual day of our anniversary was very low key.  So low key we opted for one of our favorite things in the world -- pizza.  In case you were wondering those are, in fact, ingredients for homemade pizza.  Since pizza is not known for being healthy, we've started making our own so we don't become the size of houses.  This also means we can monitor the freshness of the ingredients.  

One of our sillier presents to each other was this AWESOME Star Wars apron from Williams and Sonoma. 

...  And THAT was our anniversary!

Nerdiness, FTW!

The Game Cabinet

 I married a math nerd.  There's really no other way to say it.  He's a straight up math nerd -- loves PURE mathematics (real life application?!? THE HORRORS!!), plays D&D, calls himself a Mathemagician, plays a Mathemagician in D&D, worships Euler, paints miniatures, loves sweater vests, and names his pets Euclid and Bernoulli.  Me?  I barely kept awake during roll call in Math class.

One of the greatest things about my nerd is that he loves to game, and I'm not talking about RISK and WoW because those games are clearly for n00bs.  I'm talking about Trailer Park Wars and jigsaw puzzles.  I'm talking about Settlers of Catan and Munchkin.  I'm talking about Pass the Pigs and Bananagrams.  Haven't heard of some of these?  Look them up! 

I mentioned before that our anniversary is coming up and that we had decided to buy awesome things for our apartment.  I picked out an awesome desk, while Matt decided to purchase a cabinet to house all of his games (current and future).  It took us a while to find one that was in our price range, not hideous, and big enough to hold bulky games.  We decided for the easy route -- Ikea.  Build it ourselves.

Since Ikea was easy AND cheap, Matt and I rewarded ourselves by buying more games and jigsaw puzzles.   "Ticket to Ride (Europe)" is a new spin on a well-played game.  "Mr. Jack" is a two person version of clue, which is perfect for a young married couple!  It has the added bonus of being about Jack the Ripper.  We haven't yet played "Galaxy Trucker", but it looks to be a riot.  The cat puzzle was because Matt and I are sucker for cute kitties, and the bone puzzle is for me!  (I have another anatomy puzzle, but I wanted one specific to bones this time. People are always patella'n me I'm a nerd.)

(I know, a thousand nerds are casting "lightning bolt" at me for blaspheming them so. Luckily, I have a the Shield of Ennui which makes me Level Infinity +1.)

I've gnome all along I could succeed!

Sherlock Gnomes deducing my success.

Almost two months ago, I mentioned that Project Picturesque Porch had commenced. Let the official records now show that I am capable of keeping a garden alive for AT LEAST 6 weeks.  As one can clearly note in the picture to the right, my plants are not only surviving, they are thriving!

It helps that I have a little assistant, Sherlock Gnomes (also pictured).  He's been my faithful bookcase companion for these past three years, however I recently realized that I had not been properly utilizing his talents.  Instead of (poorly) guarding my books from the evils of dust, moths and cat paws, he has now been assigned to Oasis Observer out at the Garden Garrison.  

For the record, even though I only pictured one pot, I promise everyone is in good health.  Even Pothos the Plant is superb!  (My mother yelled at me for keeping an inside plant outside, but apparently she does not understand the dangers of a hungry cat.)

Still working on that list ...

My husband and I are getting ready to celebrate our anniversary (July 3rd), so naturally the subject of presents has been foremost in our conversations -- mostly because we love any excuse for presents!  The problem was we couldn't seem to find things we wanted within our price range. Either too cheap or too expensive or too boring or too impractical or too purple.  Finally, a few days ago Matt suggested that we scrap all of our ideas, and buy awesome things for our home.  One of the options was to get me a nice desk (pictured right).  On a tip from a friend, we went the Belfort Furniture and found one to our liking!  Now, it has a new home in our bedroom!

Several weeks ago, I posted a list of Things That I Want To Do Around The House This Summer.  I even posted a few pictures of ones I accomplished (Project Picturesque Porch, key hooks, and even last Saturday's new summer quilt).   Today's accomplishments also touched our kitchen.  Since our apartment is a rental, painting isn't really an option, so we've been trying to pick up pretty and colorful items to hang on our walls.  The four pictures below were found at Home Goods!

Our apartment is in a constant state of change.  If we were in physics class, you would say it's dynamic.  (Luckily we're not in physics class so we can call the apartment whatever we damn well please.)  For example, we have a very heavy (and pretty) chocolate brown comforter on our bed (as shown below).    Thick comforters and chocolate brown do not exactly shout, "Summer."  Soooooo, Matthew and I decided on a new theme for the summer.   One step closer to re-doing our home this summer!

Before

After

Project Picturesque Porch

(If you can't tell, I love to name things.)

Almost a month ago, I posted a list of things I needed to do around the house.  Finals are coming upon me, so I am now currently smack dab in the middle of re-doing my balcony.  The goal is to transform a "blah cement rental" into a  "beautiful city oasis". Okay, I didn't even convince myself on that one...

I'm not so good at growing things (even my cat is stunted), but I decided that this summer I would attempt a balcony garden. Actually, this all started because my mother gave me a plant (Pothos the Plant) a few months back, and despite my best effort in killing it, Pothos the Plant lives on.  I have decided that since I have been able to keep Pothos alive against all odds (the odds being my forgetfulness and my hungry cat), then I should be able to attempt a balcony garden. Right?

So, I now have Pothos the Plant and all of his new plant buddies ready for potting and growing and stuff.  I have to do something during finals, right?!

Pothos the Plant is the guy in the wobbly basket.

 Thanks to my husband for the picture update!!  Check out his blog to see other pictures he's doing for his 30 day photo challenge!

(P.S. In case you couldn't tell, I love parenthetical sentences entirely too much.)

SPECIAL SPRING DOUBLE ISSUE!!

In this week's issue ...

•  Operation Fat Ass (OFA) works even for the lazy people? (See pg. 23 for details)
• Project Picturesque Porch has commenced!  (Pg. 47 for the full scoop)
• World's only drooling cat! (Pictures inside)
• NEW!  158 ways to procrastinate exams!  (Eventually read pg. 86) 
• Who's America's secret Royalty?  Find out inside!
• 666 conspiracy theories you HAVE to know about (use the secret code key located on pg. 13)

"A good marriage appears boring on the outside."

Marriages are just like every other interpersonal relationship -- unique. I can't write about marriage in general, but I can write about mine (the little that I know). I have been married for over 15 months, which I have now discovered to be nothing! Strangely enough, I think I can honestly say that I "knew" more about being married before I was married than I do now. I am not even sure if anyone ever truly knows what it means to be married.  My grandparents (coming up on 50 years!) told me over Christmas that marriage is very much a dynamic process; you are never done learning.  My grandmother is still finding out things that she never knew about her husband!

Everyone thinks they know what marriage will be like -- I know I did.  I spun my practicality through my misconceived idea saying, "Oh, I don't really know much, but I do know that marriage will have ups and downs. Marriage will be frustrating.  I'll be mad when he doesn't unstack the dishwasher and when he leaves the toilet seat up.  But, I'll look past it and love him in spite of it."   I think one of the biggest revelations I've had (the first of many, I'm sure) is that marriage is not me putting up with a frustrating husband, instead marriage is me trying not to be that frustrating wife.  I wrongly assumed that marriage is all about tolerating and embracing the other one's faults.  It's much easier (and healthier) to change yourself than to change the other person.

The idea of change in a marriage was tricky for me.  Are you supposed to change?  Are you not? How does your relationship change?  Is there such a thing as being too comfortable?  A lot of things changed after Matt and I were married, but I've found that change is not a bad word at all. Even though we are married, both of us will still be constantly discovering who we are as individuals and as a couple, for I've found that it's not always that people change necessarily, it's that they are discovering and accepting who they truly are. I am not the same person a year ago and I won't be the same in another year.  I think the key might be to make sure that I just don't put him in a box declaring that I know who he REALLY is, for if I do that I stop learning and trying and discovering all that I could about my husband and my best friend. I would end the potentiality of our relationship.

Getting back to the title quote (I won't tell you I heard it on Bones because that would probably destroy my pseudo-credibility) ...  I love my marriage.  I love coming home to a place that Matthew and I have created together.  In our relationship, comfort works.  In fact, comfort more than works -- that's what helps to sustain us. Now, I'm not saying that I am ready to rest on my laureates and that I'm done -- quite the opposite.  Creating a place where we both feel comfortable takes being in tune with one another and the willingness to work.  Creating a comfortable life that we love takes a lot of work!  I had assumed that comfort was the same as compliance, status quo, or even laziness.  Quite thoroughly the opposite with us; without constant communication and the willingness to be flexible our home would not be the same.

To make a marriage work, you have to put it first in your own life. And sometimes, that makes you look like a very boring person.

Move over, Martha Stewart!

Just kidding.  I wouldn't dream of competing with "Lady Martha Macaroni".  But in all seriousness, I actually completed my key hook picture frame on Saturday night! (See my previous post)

Matthew and I decided to go visit some of the little antique and decor shops in Vienna yesterday, and this is the result of all that wandering! One project down, 90 million to go.



And speaking of projects, the end of classes is approaching very quickly and that means I need to whip out a crack-ton of papers.  (Don't ask me how many a crack-ton is; it's seriously immeasurable.)

Forget Spring Cleaning ...

My husband and I have fallen in love with home stores -- Pottery Barn, West Elm, Restoration Hardware, Crate and Barrow, and of COURSE Ikea. (Don't tell him I said that, he'll deny it until he dies.) It doesn't really help that most of these stores are within 2 miles of our home ... le sigh. Since we have so many things around the house that need updating and so many other things that we just LIKE, we needed to start creating a list. Sooo, here it is. The List. (Or more accurately The [Evolving] List.)

1. First off, lamps. We need new lamps all over the house, especially since there is almost no overhead lighting. This will be a big purchase for two reasons: one, they're expensive and two, they're hard to find. Pretty lamps, within a reasonable budget, that a couple can agree almost don't exist.

2. Slipcovers. This is the next big step--mostly because I will probably have to pull out my sewing "skillz" in order to get what I want (for the price I want). I'll probably model them after these loose slipcovers from Pottery Barn. After I have our couches renovated, I can start with the littler (and cheaper!) details, like pillows! I have two crocheted squares that I can transform into pillow covers, but then I'd also like to add some edgier details like these pillows from Z gallerie or Pottery Barn. (DONE!)

3. Hooks (for keys and otherwise). Currently, we have three rather hideous nails in our entryway used to hang up our keys. Another summer project will be to create a pretty key hook. Real Simple gave me an excellent idea using an old picture frame! There is also NOTHING to hang pot holders/rags/etc. in our kitchen. I found this idea from Design Sponge! How adorable would are those? (DONE!)

4. TV Stand or a new China Cabinet. Currently, our poor (old) TV sits on an (older) microwave stand. We have two options: Buy a china cabinet to house our china and use the current hutch for it's proper use -- a TV stand. ORR, we could just buy a TV cupboard. **UPDATE: This has been somewhat accomplished?  We threw away the microwave stand, if that counts. 

5. Another project is to update our linens. All of them -- kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, dining room, etc. Lucky for me Kate, my mother-in-law, works at JC Penney's and get great deals on a lot of those. I highly recommend the Pure Perfection Towels from Penney's. They are made from clouds -- so soft and fluffy! (DONE!)

6. Dining Room Chairs. I'm thankful that we didn't have to pay for our table, and while it's not gorgeous, it is big. Besides, we have these wonderful things called table cloths. What we need is different chairs. I don't care if they match, I just want them to be cheap.

7. I'd also like to transform my porch into a welcoming and beautiful place. Right now, it is ridiculously utilitarian with NO greens. I'd like to put out a few brightly colored pots (like these ones from Anthropologie and Crate and Barrel) filled with plants that are very easy to maintain. My goal is to also have a small herb garden. (DONE!)


I have a long and empty summer ahead of me, so maybe I will be able to start transforming my home soon! I'm not sure if I'm more excited about the small detail like these adorable measuring cups or tackling the BIG projects. Either way, it's going to be a long, slow process that's never actually done!

Goals are for the weak minded ... that would mean me.

Operation Fat Ass has begun. I had not realized how sedentary my lifestyle was throughout the winter until I decided to start running again. And I thought that walking across campus a few times a day was doing something. Le sigh.

The hubby and I have a plan. It's called the Stop-Being-Such-A-Fat-Ass-And-Go-Do-Something plan. It has a nice ring to it, eh? Not only do we have a plan, there are options!

1. Option 1 --I've been attacked with P90x advertisements / referrals for the last few weeks (PANIC), so that is an option. I like the idea, but hate the price tag. If I was going to spend that much, I'd join a gym where I would have the privilege to pay an exorbitant fee so I could smell hundreds of other people's sweat. Yeah, that sounds fun. However, I like the idea of staying home to workout.
   
2. Option 2 was today's pick. Go run outside for free and then using workout videos I already own to supplement. This has the added advantage of being a) free and b) still free.

So, the bottom line is this: Goodbye evenings on the couch watching T.V. Hello sweaty gym clothes and and tired muscles.

Poor Old Blog

In the 5 years or so that I've had this blog, it's sad that I only come back a very few times a year ... if that.

I'd vow to write everyday from now on, but we all know that's a lie.