Sunday Happy

Ok, I think I hit that wall. The wall that all of a sudden I am over it. I am ready for spring, like hella ready. I think what broke was the day I didn't need my coat outside or to wear socks in the house. I just realized how sick of wearing a coat every time I leave the house. And the day I was walking around the house barefoot without socks. Let me tell you, my feet couldn’t have been any happier. And then it got cold again and I am now, well, now I am done. Bring on Spring! (summer can wait, still not ready for that)

As for the week, it was up and down. It started off all good and well. Had a sister dinner at my moms house, we’re getting ready to leave for the week to go see my Dad and Grandmother, but before we got a chance to go, Grammy passed away. Sucky sucky suck. We knew it was going to happen, the old broad was 98 for pets sake, but still. We just thought we were going to be able to get down there and see her before it did. So yeah it’s been kind of a sad week. And because she passed we are waiting til next week to leave now because of funeral and all the jazz.

The rest of the went kind of unscripted and strange. We were all feeling sad and bummed. Also we didn’t have a lot planned because we thought we were leaving, but we also had (have) a lot to do so we tried to get some stuff done. We did take some time to go see green stuff at the garden center, walk in some woods, and hang with the littles. But towards the weekend, we both started to feel like garbage. The mr especially. He was ok and then he was not. The littles slept over Friday night and after we got rid of them Saturday, he crashed and spent the rest of the day pretty much immobile and I still felt like trash. So basically I cleaned house, he slept on the couch, we ate some dinner, we walked around the block before the sun went down, came home and crawled into bed. We watched Waynes World because sheyeah, right, and fell right to sleep. Nothing but boring old us to make your life seem exciting right? Haha.

Today so far I am feeling ok. As for the mr, he hasn’t woken as of yet (I am sure that he has since awaken while some of you are reading this) so I am not sure about him. I am hoping for a full recovery on his part and we can spend some of today doing that shit that we needed to do yesterday, like the chores, but maybe even a little hike or a little walk down by the lake. I need outdoors to wash the yesterday off me.

Links to stuff from the internet that don’t suck.

-Recipe Introductions Matter. Here's Why. If you don’t want to read what I write, well then don’t.

-History and study about the neighborhood where I grew up. ONE NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT

-You know what pisses me off? Going to the store and seeing that they are out of celery because it is now what everyone wants to drink. I just wanted to eat it. Is that allowed abymore> Actually, You Can Just Drink Some Water

-This is a thing and it is awesome. A New Book Explores the Wide Range of Charming Homemade Cat Ladders in Switzerland

-I love this TREE HOUSE

-30, no 60 (one for me, one for the mr) outfits that I need to make. AMAZING! HAHA 30 Laughable His-And-Hers Fashions From The 1970s You Wouldn’t Wear In Public Today

-The mr and I were just talking about making artificial coffee for when the world goes to hell and we can not longer grow the bean. Someone also had the somewhat same idea. Atomo: We hacked the coffee bean - invented molecular coffee

-You Can Now Book a Golden Girls Cruise, Complete with Cheesecake, Bingo and More!. A cruise I would take, just as long as I could still go to bed at 7pm. HA

-Poptarts? I guess so. In London, The American Food Aisle Is Filled With Nostalgia And Preservatives

-The dream. Sometimes. I bought a house—and then moved into a van

And some pictures of the week.

Keep it good.

-C

Sunday Happy

And it’s Sunday again. Time is just flying by.

The camping was amazing. I guess there are not a lot of people that go camping this late in the year because we basically had the entire Lake Carmi state park to ourselves. I think we were the only people there besides and old couple in a cabin far away from us. The weather was perfect, brisk, but not too cold, the sky was a grey, the colors were popping. We went for a jaunt in the fields and a hike in the wood, the mr went fishing off a giant tree, and we enjoyed a lentil and campfire squash for dinner. Simple and sweet and all the best of the world. Sure it rained that night, but we stayed dry and yes it started to pour in the monring while we were picking up camp but then it stopped and all was good. And really, what’s camping all the time without a rain day or two. It’s part of the adventure.

And is was Alex’s birthday, he turned 13, and he had a family birthday party, but we ended up not going cause I was feeling like crap. I think it was a crash and burn, but I was weary because everyone is getting sick around me. Snotty, coughing, grossness. I am trying to avoid it if at all possible.

The next day I woke up tired but feeling better and went about the day doing the this and thats and thats and running around here and there. The mr started a rat trapping job (not for any of our properties) that turned into a whole big week long thing and I just don’t even want to deal with that. I stay away from anything that involves animal. If I were to get involved, we would probably and up with a few pet mice and a squirrel or two. And definitely a skunk or possum. So again, I stay away from that stuff.

Then there was Wednesday. I had one of those days where everything was going wrong. To start my day I woke up with a door handle smashed into my hip which I then thought was broken (the mr sure knows how to open a door). When I got to the gym my toe started throbbing and opened up and starting bleeding again (gross), but whatever, not that bad. I then went and spent a few hours over at the loft cleaning the F out of it so that my dad had clean sheets, toilet paper, and no tools in the middle of the floor when he stayed. We are over there all the time, but something about being there that day was making me just super sad and nostalgic and I basically was just thinking about Washer and I might have cried a little. But that happens and well, yeah Then it was lunch time but I was not getting lunch, which is never a good thing with me, I was taking a trip to the dentist. Hooray for me! Good thing my teeth looked great, said I am doing a good job as usual taking care of my mouth, except I was told again that I should really consider smashing my jaw and my palette and get braces and wire my mouth shut and blah blah blah. Just give the dentist $500 million dollars and they will fix all my screwed up bite and jaw problems. Yeah, no. Dental stuff is a sore subject for me so I’ll just leave it here.. So dentist made me in a bad mood on top of being sad. But I made it home and made a cake for Alex’s birthday party (his friend party) which I ended up burning it. So ok, that shit happens too but then the second cake, looking all perfect when I pulled it out of the oven, well I dropped one of the pans, and burned myself a few time. And then I cried little more..Yup. Oh, and knocked over some greenware pots by my wheel because why not add some more misery to the day. I think after all that I just gave up and crawled into bed at like 730.

Thursday went a lot better. I managed to turn the broken apart cake into a single layer cake (genius) and make it actually look pretty good. I picked up farm share and got out to the fields before it started to rain (hurray for me) Barb came over and made me smile while we talked of all things Italy and I fed her broken cake bits. I hung up all my halloween bats and did some laundry and stuck a dent in paperwork and bills that needed addressing. A way better day.

Friday was a little hectic. The political stuff brought out a slight crazed rage over the craziness of the world and I am still trying to wrap my head around it (along with the last 2 years…) But besides begin little wild eyed, I finish decorating the cake for Alex. Worked at the studio where I loaded 2 kilns and then some. Dropped the cake off to Alex then went to the groocery store for food for the party the next day, and somehow got pizza dough to rise at just the right speed (in and out of the fridge all day) in order to have dough for pizza birthday party for Coco (he turned 2 on Thursday!) that night. The littles came over for just a small something special for Coco. We had pizza, cookies, and a buzz lightyear balloon. He was sick so he ate no pizza and cried at the candle on his cookie, but then he ate it and that sugar made him happy, even when he was blowing super snot bubbles from his little nose. . And then Erin brought him home so he could have a sugar crash and be sick at home and the other littles could sleep over. They watched a Wrinkle in Time, while I started prepping apples and pie dough for Dads birthday pie the next day. And then we all fell asleep early. These darker nights really make it easy to crawl into bed at an early hour. (not complaining at all)

Saturday went swimmingly. I woke up made a pie and a loaf of pumpkin bread all before the littles woke up for breakfast pancakes. Barb came over, they all ate, then off we all went, the mr and I, Barb, Miley, Judah, to the farm for wagon ride and pumpkin picking. It’s out tradition, and this year, we brought Coco too.(and Buzz light-year of course) The ride went great, the pumpkin patch was pristine, we all got a good pumpkin and some gourds, and no one fell off the wagon. A very successful pumpkin picking adventure. After that we all ran home and I got lunch ready, The rest of the family came, ate the food, made the mess. The mr thought it would a great idea for the medium kids to have something productive to do to keep them out of trouble so he gave them all shovels and let them dig a giant hole in the middle of the back yard because why not? Uh huh, yeah. So on top of the normal mess everyone makes, there was a heavy extra layer of dirt tracked in and out of the house. After everyone left, I got to spend a little extra time cleaning late into night. How they got mud on the bathroom walls is pretty impressive.

Today we are doing something with Dad and his other children. Either a bike ride or hike, not sure yet, but something outside that will involve trees. After that, the mr and I are going to try and find a place to camp tonight. The weekly camping is just too good. We can’t not. Plus after a full week of people interaction, I could really use a night of peace and quite in the woods.

Internet from the week.

-Pumpkin Knowledge. The Best Pumpkins for Baking and Cooking. And 3 Ways to Use Those Pumpkin Guts. And What's Actually in Your Canned Pumpkin Purée?

-Wigstock, 'An Iconic Piece of Drag History,' Lets Its Roots Show At 2018 Revival. Oh my.. SO amazing. I wish I could be there!

-100% agree with this, it really is the best brand. The One Flour You Should Buy, According to a Professional Bread Maker

-Have you heard? Drunk birds are wreaking havoc in Minnesota

-Yeah, I would live here (that tree!) or definitely in this row house (the front door!)

-Most Introverts Would Like to Be More Extroverted. Yes and no. I love being alone and do not find it lonely, but I do wish I didn’t get completely drained and feel like I have ran a marathon from being around people.

-DARK MATTER IS A HUGE MYSTERY. THIS DEVICE IS TRYING TO DETECT IT. This makes me think of the His Dark Materials Books by Phillip Pullman. (read them if you haven’t, they are in my top 3 favorite books of all time)

-I kind of love this. Banksy auction prank leaves art world in shreds

-I follow this families adoption and it is so heartwarming and amazing and I just love them (Their daughter is so freaking cute, it kills me). And they are adopting again! I love how she does a Q and A about the whole thing.

And some pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Anyone else have a kind of strange week? Maybe not strange per say, it just seemed a little off. But maybe it’s the weather changing and it being pretty much October already and the state of the world being all crazy. Or maybe I am just losing my mind a bit. It’s probably that, and a little bit of everything too.

Last Sunday was camping at Underhill State Park. The place was packed during the day with all of the hikers, but that night, dead silent. It was probably one of the quietest places we have stayed yet. The only sound I heard all night was that of the stream nearby. And the hiking around there, well that is why you go. Unfortunately we got there kind of late so we were not able to hike to the top of Mansfield, before it got dark, but we did hike up a bit, and just turned around and watched the sunset through the trees. Good things happen while hiking in the woods. It is always hard to leave and come back to not camping life, but we do it.

When we got back to the world, it was all hustle and busting. Trying to get in things that needed to be done done. There was a lot of raining so not much painting happening which was kind of ok because there are a ton of things we needed and still need to get done so we did what we can do. I also had a giant unicorn cake and letter shaped cookies to make for Miley and Coco’s birthday party. Miley tuned 11 on Thursday and Coco is turning 2 next week so we did a 2 for 1 family party. It was lots of baking, making fondant and frosting, powdered sugar just getting everywhere and making everything sticky. There was a lot going on in the kitchen this week.

The mr spent one of those rainy afternoons making a unicorn piñata for Miley. That was it’s own mess in itself. But besides the mess, I think he should quit working and just make piñata for a living. The unicorn came out so awesome that I was a little hesitant to let him give it to her to beat apart. He was very excited for it to get smashed and it was all his deal so yeah. And honestly I think I was a little jealous. I hope he makes me a piñata for my birthday, but fill it with like carrots or something. A carrot piñata filled with carrots. That would be amazing.

Friday was work at the studio and then the party. Before work I spent another hour or so with the cake good thing the cookies were already done,, and then had to drop the cake off at Erins before I went to to work. Got to work and loaded and unloaded kilns and felt like I was running around with my head cut off, then straight back to the Erins for the party. Finished assembling cake then that was it. The people showed up, we played and danced around, coco was stealing cookies when no one was watching, Miley and Judah were eating the extra unicorn horn of sugar because why not, and all the kids were high as can be on sugar. Especially Miley. After the mr gave her the piñata, she hung it in her room because she did not want to smash it. But then after cake and all that sugar she took it down, brought it out the the front porch and just body slammed it and starting ripping it apart. It was shocking, and a little scary and made the mr oh so happy. He said it was meant to be destroyed. Lucky the head survived. Miley is going to mount it, like a trophy on the wall. And eat the 5 lbs of candy that were stuffed inside of it.

Yesterday the mr and I did our yearly jaunt to the Harvest Festival in Underhill. Everyone in the town is out having yard sales, there is music and marching bands, freshly pressed hot apple cider (we didn’t get any this year.. I don’t know why) and a view of the prettiest color changing mountains. I scored big too with a sweet 50 cent sweater and a free scale to weigh out my clay. Nothing better then finding something you are looking for, and for free to boot. And did I mention the colors? The trees are really starting to pop now. The reds and oranges, it’s gonna be a fire on the mountain soon.

After we got home the mr ran to fix some toilets and I started cleaning. Boy did we need to clean. To some, my house seemed perfectly fine, but to me, I could feel the days and days of sugar powder and paper mâché mud on everything. Every surface just felt sticky. And while I was doing my cleaning thing, I started a load of laundry in the basement and stubbed my toe (the toe next to my big toe that is still healing from the bender dropping on it). Not only did I stub it, I think I spilt it in half. It hurts, it really really hurts. Then I had to wipe up all the blood too. A great way to end the week.

Today is a new day. My toe is throbbing, I slept like shit last night because of the throbbing toe, so I am feeling kind of exhausted already, but that is ok because we are going camping tonight so I don’t have to think too much. I am going to go do a few morning chores, go to the gym ,and off we shall go. Maybe I will let myself have a mid day tent nap, or not. I am just happy to get away again. And this might be the last weekend we get to camp for a while so we really got to make it count.

Internet that interested me from the week.

-These Are All the Foods Being Affected by Trump’s Trade War. The list is long.

-I think there should be a ban everywhere! I don’t know how many time I have almost gotten into an accident on my bike or in the car with someone because they are using their phone while biking. It is stupid and dangerous. Netherlands Proposes Legislation To Ban Use Of Phones On Bicycles

-These Moths Drink the Tears of Sleeping Birds. Doesn’t that just sound like tragic and magical and crazy?

-If you are ever in a bulk section of spices and there are different types of cinnamon, try them, they taste very different. Did You Know That There Are Different Types of Cinnamon?

-No shit. Study: Roundup Weed Killer Could Be Linked To Widespread Bee Deaths.

-This little wood fire stove or this wood fired stove are my kitchen goals in life.

-Every Adult Should Have a Bedtime. Mine is 9, but I will crawl into bed earlier and read. That may seem early to a lot of people, but I wake up at like 430 everyday so yeah.

-Will a Baked Potato Really Explode If You Don't Prick It? I have had a many things (eggplants for sure and spaghetti squash) explode due to not pricking, and also tons of stuff not.. Take the risk?

-Apple Cider Doughnuts Are a Lie. I often wondered…

-This place would totally fuck with my head. A Cafe in Seoul Uses Clever Contour Lines to Appear Like a 2-Dimensional Cartoon

Pictures from the week’

-C

Sunday Happy

The mr and I have had ourselves a very busy busy week.

Sunday afternoon we packed up the camping gear and headed for the state park. We even brought the kayaks with us. When we got to the camp site, we ditched our stuff and launched the boats for a leisurely afternoon paddle.  It was nice, but not as nice as when we woke up and brought the kayaks to watch the sun come up over the water. That was pretty freaking fantastic, especially with all the birds we got to watch. Good camping, epic kayak ride. 

And then we returned to life for the day and spent an hour waiting in a traffic jam to return bottles. I saw a new side to Winooksi that I don't think I want to see again. pooooof.

Tuesday the mr was finishing up a job so I grabbed Barb and we did a epic bike ride. I biked to her then we biked to the causeway and I bike her home then I biked back home. 5 hours on a bike, oh man was my ass numb, but it was so lovely and fun and the perfect cool breezy day for it.  Once I got home, I had just enough time to run a few errands and get food ready for dinner with  Barb and the little (So, Miley, Judah, and Coco). Spaghetti, corn. watermelon, and ice cream sandwiches, all of which made its way all over my house per usual. What are you gonna do? I can't not feed them, can I? Ha, no, I need them to help me eat all the food, especially the melons, that I have been getting from the farm and garden. They may be little, but they sure can eat. 

After spending half the morning cleaning up the previous days sticky melon mess, I then proceeded to completely trash the kitchen again while blanching, and roasting veggies. I had a few piles that needed to be dealt with before we could leave, so after dong that I then I had to clean up that big ass mess. I was doing that while the mr was ill in bed with something that might have been allergies? We are not sure, but he was not doing so good. So I cooked and cleaned and stocked my freezer and just let the mr be to get over his whatever... He needed to not be sick, to much to do. Ha. 

Lucky Thursday morning he was much better so sticking to our plan we early moring  hopped into car and drove to PA to see Dad. It drive was good except for the slow moving traffic and the something or another that we drove over that ripped a plastic cover thing(?) nearly off the bottom on the car and dragged for a the rest of the drive. Other then that, great fun. And lucky when we got there, the mr an Dad where able to scoot under the car and zip tie it back Ito place. No harm done, or so I am hoping. 

The visit was good. After waking up and walking the neighborhood and seeing a million deer, we headed to the to see my aunt Tina at here farm. Checked out her grain harvest, talked to the chicken and the solar panel fixer guys, and treasure hunted through family heirlooms. After that it was off to see grammy. Talk of peppery peppermints and her trying to get us to take her to the store to buy us beer. What  a broad, that lady. Nearly 98 and still she wants a beer. 

That night after all the visits, we went for a long bike ride then assed the F out. Woke up while it was still dark and ventured into NYC for the day. We basically just walked around for 8 hours, drinking coffee, checking out building, and galleries, got lunch, hung out near the river. Most of the time when we go to the city we have more then whatt is possible on our schedule of things to do. This time we were going to go the a few museums but it was just so nice out that we just decided to walk our butts off and just do whatever. It was a nice change. And after our feet nearly fell off, we hopped back into the car, drove a nice drive home, and passed out.

Now I am awake, still kind of  tired, my feet have a few blisters, but am going to get raring to go. I have a few too many chore that need to be done today, a garden that is overflowing form my being away, a trashed car, plus I told Erin I would cut Cocos hair this afternoon.And  I really must get to library because I am on the last pages of my last book and me without a book when I need it is not a good me. Then maaybe if I get all my shit done  enough today, I'll have a some time to just be home and chill. It was a fantastic, but long week. I am a little worn out.  Good thing I have all the coffee to drink. 

Interesting internet finds.

-Making plans for this bike ride. Lamoille Valley Rail Trail

-I am pretty sure I NEED these joggers. 

-‘We Are All Accumulating Mountains of Things’.... AAAGGGHHH! I am so glad that I hate stuff and hate shopping.

-I say it all the time. The Problem With ‘Hey Guys’

-I never want to fall this far, but I guess it's not a bad thing to know  to not land on your head, you know, just in case. How To Survive A 10,000-Foot Fall

-An unlikely fable, in which Birkenstocks become cool and double sales overnight..I wore nothing but my Birkenstocks between the age of 12-25 (year round, with socks when warranted). I love that they make vegan one now so I can wear them again!

-Got some land and want to make some money? These people will hook you up. Tentrr

-Yas oh yes I am. SO very very much. Obsessed With Cabins? You're Not Alone

When we were at my aunts farm, she showed us a funky corn fungus called corn smut... I guess some people really like to eat it... I don't know if I would be down with it, but hey, never know. 

So rad. Air Guitarists Compete For Fame And Glory At World Championships

All the pictures from the week 

Bye

-C

Sunday Happy

I do not ever want to have to deal with that heat for that long ever again. It almost fried my brains out.  I mean, the freaking toothpaste and soap got boiling hot. It was unreal. And the poor mr, having to deal with over heated me. All rational thoughts get lost in my heat rage. Things were said, loudly, and not so nicely, but the mr, he never let it get to him. I vocally vomited and he just turns the fan on me and smiles. I can be such an asshole, but the mr, he knows how to tame (or at least mostly ignore) the beast. We have some great kind of love. 

Heat wave week was not so productive to say the least. Or at least not for me. The mr was out there in the world almost everyday, working outside like an idiot, building outdoor showers and shit. I, on the other hand, decided I could care less about pretty much anything and spent a good amount of time sprawled out on the kitchen floor, barely clothed ,in front of the basement door with a fan blowing sweet cool air from the basement all over my dying body. When I was not on the floor, I was vacuuming behind and the back of the fridge (because we had to pull the fridge out and blow a fan on the coils to prevent it from overheating), watering my plants and garden to keep them alive, and talking to dip shits on the phone, trying to figure out billing questions and testing every ounce of patience that I have. Those phone calls were rough. I was so close to giving up on life and running to the Alaskan wilds.

When we were together, we tried to stay somewhat sane and cool. No hot food all week which means that mr ate cold noodles and sandwiches and I ate grated zucchini covered in mustard. One day we took an afternoon trip to Mills river to eat a picnic with our feet in the water. We went and got coffee in air conditioned shops, and enjoyed the wilds of the car air conditioner.  I hung at the library or the studio and spent some quality time in the walk in color at Costco. 

Fourth of July came and we had the littles over for some sprinkler relief. Qui and Adriana came over too and played with the littles, took out the tandem bike (sometime solo) and did a double scooter down the middle of the street. Now the littles are aware of more dangerous activities they can partake in with those damn things. Thanks for that Qui. The mr worked more on the tree house (there are stairs now!) and we decided that we could care less about fireworks and went to bed early. 

Thursday night came and brought the sweetest relief. Thunderstorms and a break in the heart and humidity. I was able to cook some lentil, do a load of laundry (All laundry production was halted due to the fact that I was not willing to turn the dryer on and have it ruin my cool basement flows) and step outside with our wanting to immediately stop drop and roll because I felt like I was on fire. Then Friday was then a  a trip to the airport to drop off some goobers on their way to an amazing advernture and a day of catch up of things that needed to get done that were not done all week but it wasn't so bad because the weather was fine fine fine. Nothing like a break in the heat wave to turn a frown upside down. HA

Yesterday after I got out of working at the studio, the mr and I packed a picnic dinner and headed for the mountains. On the way we stopped at a thrift store and I found a old welches jelly jar with a dinosaur on it and brought it home to make me happy. Once we hit the mountain, we kicked it by a river, had our picnic, then watched as 20ish hot air ballons bobbled around the sky as the sun set.. We did a little chasing as well and got pretty darn close to some of them. Hot air ballons are so cool. I wonder if I Would ever have the guts to go up in one....Maybe someday

Today I am just going to enjoy whatever because it is not 100 degrees out. A nice bike ride into town to the gym, then I need to mow the lawn and weed the garden a bit, but then maybe I'll just read or throw some pots or paint a fish. Maybe I will even make some bread. ( I haven't made bread in days.. I bought bread for the mr this week so I didn't have to turn the oven on. It felt so wrong)  I am excited, just to chill and do whatever. It's going to be a good day.

Interent reading from the week. 

-I have been waking up with charley horses for the past few weeks.. It's terrible and makes me want to cut a leg off. CHARLEY HORSES MAKE YOUR LEGS WANT TO DIE. HERE'S HOW TO STOP THEM.

-Why No One Answers Their Phone Anymore. Because I don't want to talk to you is why. Ha

-To have a giant empty room to play in... That would be too good. Eclectic Dream Barn House in the Louisiana Countryside

-Watch: An NYC Baker Creates One Very Realistic Polar Bear Cake. I found the mashed cake patties really grossed me out, but that's just me. Cute cake tho. 

-Care less, enjoy life more. Mastering the Art of Caring Less

-Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. Heard this guy talk on VPR earlier this week. Seems like a cool dude and should be a good read. I got it on reserve at the library for me right now.

-Agreed that I never cared about the hearth claims.. I just really love their liquid aminos. The Mysterious Hippie Food Brand That's Never Let Me Down

-I don't know dudes, I am all about a cool floating devices but a coffin? Not sure about that. A Millennial Pink Coffin Float Exists, So Now You Can Ponder Your Mortality In Style

-Many Common Sunscreens May Harm Coral. Here's What To Use Instead. Read your labels!

-Outdoors equal bugs. No other way to get around it, but try we will .How to Make Any Outdoor Meal a Bug-Free Zone with 8 Natural Tips

Pictures from the week