Renovation Update

Kind of an uneventful weekend around here- Mr. Fix doesn't hunt the Big Bucks, eh? So he stayed home this weekend and built more cabinets, while I did some hunting of my own for our Almost-as-Long-as-the-Presidential-Campaign Kitchen Renovation.

The photo above shows the very messy kitchen (where today, believe it or not, I actually made soup from scratch!) and the cabinets as they look now. The bank to the right of the stove are new and really just the shells. The stuff to the left of the stove has been in for awhile, but they have fancy new drawers now with fancy new European glides. And soon they will have fancy new hardware from Resoration Hardware . We chose the Gilmore Pull for the drawers (4" wide in the satin nickel finish), and the Aubrey Pull for the doors (also 4" wide in the satin nickel). We are still on the hunt (groan) for hinges and pocket door hardware.

Below is another shot of the kitchen, as seen from the dining room. The shelves to the left are new, too, and are waiting for the glass from the glass place before the doors get painted to match and installed.


Other things that have been occupying my time? Well, Daughter #1 had her first college open house this weekend in Chicago at Columbia College . In typical teenager fashion, she didn't have too much to say about the school, but managed to text me several times from Sephora , and even braved eating Sliders at White Castle . Say it with me on that second one: gah-ros-ah!

The rest of the day was spent running (a nice 5K through the park), wishing The Devil a speedy recovery from the little sick bug she caught (totally messed with our knitting plans!), mowing the lawn/downed leaves and mulching the garden one last time before the snow that has been falling actually sticks, making the afore-mentioned soup (a deelish vegetarian vegetable and barley soup I make from scratch!), and then...well, right here, right now blogging and stuff. It could be an early night.

However you spent your weekend, I hope it was productive in some shape or form. Have a great week!

White Gloves and Party Manners

I'm not kidding here: me and my sister, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force, each had a copy of this book growing up. I vaguely remember actual etiquette lessons, too. The author, Marjabelle Young Stewart, has a son, Billy, that we went to school with. I remember Billy's Miami Dolphin's coat (which I wish I could find a pic of online) more than his manners from that time period, but I'm sure- given the right setting- they were impeccable. He's a US Navy fighter pilot, now- just like he wanted to be from the moment he saw Tom Cruise in Top Gun.

Why am I telling you this? Blame it on the New York Times and this article: "All Apologies" . I, too, find myself correcting others' manners. People who are old enough to know better. I'm not talking about teenagers, here- its mostly other adults, young adults like Henry Alford mentions. And I, too, feel like an old fuddy-duddy (Although, would an old fuddy-duddy have just scored some sweet Citizens of Humanity jeans on eBay? I think not.) when I correct or gently prompt people.

I've often thought about conducting lessons for the kids I work with, and even bought a book with helpful tips for every day of the year. But I think the best way to teach is through example. I'm very conscious of saying "please" and "thank you" around the students, even the older teenagers. Sometimes, if I'm feeling adventurous, I'll say it in Potawatomi. Regardless, remember what your Elders taught you about manners and common courtesy. A little can go a looooonnnng way in making a positive impression.

Have a great week everyone!

I'm So Happy I Don't Have To Move To Canada

What a surreal night last night. I found myself wanting to be transported to Grant Park with all those people I used to curse at during the Taste of Chicago. And then to wake up this morning and realize I wasn't dreaming and Senator Obama had become President Obama...bliss with my morning coffee.

I planned ahead, though. I took the rest of this week off and left instructions with the rest of the staff at work: Do NOT call me. We'll see if they remember. I thought that I might have to start packing for my new life in Toronto, but since the election came out the way I had hoped, I'll be staying put here in Southern Canada.

What else? Well, Mr. Fix and I are going to a wine tasting with Fast Jessica and the Fast Doctor tonight. The food is being done by a woman who used to cater in Napa, CA and our hopes are high for a tasty evening.

Tomorrow I'll be attending the opening for the Northern Exposures exhibit . Both Mr. Fix and I had pieces selected for this juried show (me= "Glance (David)" and him="Media Generated Viruscape"). Mr. Fix will not be attending, just me and Tha Doctah (not Fast Doctor) and some of our "hippy-dippy-post-menopausal" friends (that's what Mr. Fix likes to call the staff at the arts center). Cash and prizes are handed out at this shindig, so maybe I'll have something more to report on Friday.

The rest of today will look like this for me: eat Greek yogurt with strawberries; drink more coffee (good, hot coffee- not the reheated stuff. Mr. Fix left his thermos here this morning...); paint the trim in the kitchen (my way of "helping" with the renovation); go to the YMCA and workout a little; finish knitting my sweater (see picture below); get dolled up for my date night; have Mr. Fix drive me home and put me to bed (because I'm a lightweight).


For all of you knitters out there, I couldn't afford to buy enough Noro yarn for the entire sweater when I started this project (um...about 18 months ago!), so instead I bought Lopi Lite wool in a heathered plum color (its actually got a bit of red undertones to it) for the body and sleeves, and bought Noro's "Kureyon" in color 148, which is a variegated yarn with the same plum as the Lopi, but with some purple, maroon, magenta, olive green, and black. I'm using that for the ruffled edge trim on the front of the cardigan, plus edging on the sleeves. I'll for sure post pics when its complete.

And now, I'm off! Its a beautiful day today- again, temps in the upper 50's/low 60's- and the sun is shining. Have a fantastic day!

Time For a Change

Do your civic duty and VOTE today! Smile while waiting in those lines at your polling place- it keeps people wondering!

Renovation Update, With a Little Love

For all of you wondering how the renovation is going, I present to you my new kitchen sink. It is a lovely 18-gauge stainless steel undermount single bowl, with a depth of 10-1/2". I know it doesn't look like an undermount, but that's because the concrete counters haven't been installed/poured yet.


Nice, huh? Mr. Fix has been busy framing out the cabinets with rift-sawn maple (that means its got this cool, wavy shimmer to it) while the rest of us have been smiling at the new appliances. It was a bit strange to look in the refrigerator the first few days we had it, though; we had no food (since I am the only person in the house who knows where the grocery store is. And the laundry hamper. And the recycling bin. I could go on...) and it looked like we just picked up the floor model. Its full now, and everyone is smiling at it even more.

Mr. Fix did, however, take the time to cook us dinner on Saturday night, and cooked it up with an extra bit of love:


Awwww....yummy fingerling potatoes planted by his hands, tended in the garden by his hands, harvested by his hands, and then lovingly cooked by his hands. I ate this one in one big, noisy CHOMP! *giggle*

Hope this starts your week out with a smile!

Greetings, My Fellow Witches!

And a beautiful and Happy All Hallowed Eve to you! Are you going trick-or-treating? I'm going to be working (yes, on a Friday night) on my department's project: "The Trail of Terror!" There is a nature trail that runs behind the school buildings and bus garage and the like, and my boss and other staff members have turned it into a haunted trail. Bonfire, hot chocolate, and hot cider at the end, if you make it out alive...

I wasn't going to post anything about my race last weekend in Cape Cod, because the race itself was kinda shitastic. But I've had time to think about it, and for your reading pleasure (and to help usher in this new season of "giving thanks") I'm posting here my "From The Editor" article from my running club newsletter.

Can you recall the last time you were let down after you allowed yourself to build on the anticipation and excitement of something new? I sure can: my latest marathon adventure. Yep, the one I was sooo excited about because of the key sponsor (Dunkin’ Donuts), and how I’d get donuts at the end of the race. The one where I was going with one sister, one friend-of-sister, two friends, one spouse-of-friend, three children-of-friends, and one mother-of-friend. The one in a beautiful location (Cape Cod). The one where I’d have all of my training come to fruition in the form of a 4:40 finish time.

Well.

I should have suspected things were not going to be as they seemed when The Double Dee lost her ID at the airport in Marquette. No, wait- it dropped into a security bin and she wasn’t allowed to look and try to find it because the gate agents said “We’ve already checked, and its not there.” Liars. By the time we landed in Detroit, the ticket counter had called and said- oh, gee!- they found the ID in a security bin.

Another bad sign? When my sister, Katie texts us “Boston is $*!!@# “ and has to do four laps around the airport before being able to pick us up. Another stick in the spoke of us Midwesterners? Traffic round-abouts.

The hotel (the host hotel, even) had our room ready, but the toilet was leaking, and we had to change rooms. And even though the place needed updated decor and a good hosing down with Febreeze, it was quiet and the shower was hot.

The race expo was small but sufficient. Dunkin’ Donuts had fresh coffee and donuts for runners coming to pick up race bibs and timing chips. It was here that another sign showed up: two of our running posse would not be running. One strained IT band, and one nasty case of plantar fasciitis. An afternoon of shopping up and down Main Street, viewing little cuties in their costumes for the Halloween Parade, and an encounter with a store devoted entirely to cupcakes (Cup Capes of Falmouth) brightened spirits all around.

Saturday night the rain came down in sheets and the area was blanketed with thunder and 60 mph gusts of wind. Sunday morning broke with a light drizzle, 94% humidity, and volunteers and spectators wishing everyone “good luck.” I honestly didn’t think I’d need it.

Fast Jessica started waaaay ahead of us (and finished that way, too, in a fantastic time of 3:36), and then I left Katie and Kimmie at mile two. Things were going great, the rolling hills were really tough, I was hitting every mile right on pace, and then just past mile 17, but before mile 18, my left hip went *ting* and popped like a shoulder impingement. My leg literally buckled, and I had to catch myself. Talk about being caught off guard! I managed to get to mile 18 and the next water stop, but resigned myself to the following pattern: running until the pain came back, walking until it went away. I crossed the finish line in 5:24 a bit sore, a bit tired, and absolutely ready for my donut.

Guess what? No donuts. Nope. As a matter of fact, the finish line area went like this: 1) Cross the finish line. 2) Volunteer places finisher’s medal around your neck and offers congratulations; you smile and say, “Thank you.” 3) Volunteer wraps space blanket around you, while another volunteer removes your timing chip. 4) Walk past a table set up with cups of water and Cytomax, mixed in too weak a solution. 5) The End.

No donuts. No bananas. No oranges. No bagels. No “Six Pack Running Posse.” No 4:40 finish time. How do you salvage such a disaster?

You remember to be thankful for being able to finish (my sister and her friend dropped out at mile 16). You remember to be thankful for having friends to comisserate with afterwards. You remember to be thankful that the rain stopped, and the 65-degree sunshine came out to smile on your shoulders. You remember that you bought two cupcakes yesterday, but only ate one. You remember the mantra: “Any day I can run 26.2 miles is a Good Day.” You remember to be thankful for experiencing something new, even if you’ll never repeat the experience again.

And so the rest of the weekend was uneventful. With that behind me, I can focus on my next marathon adventure and the coming of the new season, Winter. I know that after the rush of anticipation and excitement of these big, new things- and any disappointments along the way- I’ll remember to give thanks for the smaller, more familiar ones.

And there you have it. Have a great weekend, everyone.

It Is Time

Itineraries are printed off and double-checked. Fast Jessica and the Fast Doctor are already in Boston, and me, the Double Dee, Katie and Kimmie (how cute do they sound?!) are touching down tomorrow.

Breathe in tonight, crisp Great Lakes air; breathe in tomorrow, salty Cape Cod sea spray. Breathe in and out Sunday morning; repeat for 26.2 miles (approximately 4-5 hours).
Breathe in, cross the finish line; breathe out, catch your tears of joy.
Breathe in, delicious donut smell; breathe out, and begin planning the next run.

So goes the weekend for me. I'll report back on Tuesday (unless I get all fancy and update from my crazy-too-many-functions-for-one-piece-of-technology phone) and let you know how everything was, donuts included!

Have a great weekend!