I finished harvesting the radishes from the garden yesterday. There is one radish that is so large it is practically a turnip. Yayy for actually growing good stuff!
The rest of the garden is both thriving and struggling. The cucumbers and corn look fantastic. The corn is already about thigh-high and the cucumbers have vined out and are flowering. All three carrot plants that took are also doing well, with large feathery tops.
One plant of five-blend lettuce is now large enough to make a decent salad for 2-3 people. Two other plants of lettuce are hanging on, but will most likely soon be overtaken by the cucumber vines. We lost all of the spinach plants, and roughly half of the broccoli plants. On top of the losses, much of the garden seems to be growing at a very shallow level, making the plants insecure. Not good when in the season of strong thunderstorms.
When we got back from the gym today Justin and I headed out into the garden to clean it up and put in a second planting. He and I both weeded out the few weeds, then while he replanted lettuce and spinach in the areas left open by the radishes and lost plants, I opened up a bag of potting soil we had on hand and shored up all of the plants that were growing to shallow. Justin rounded out the day in the garden by watering everything really well. Not quite half an hour of work and everything is back in order.
Hopefully the new lettuce and spinach plants take and we can have a lot of salads out of our garden around the end of August. If this second planting doesn't take, well, there's only half an hour lost.
We had some crazy weather here this past week. Tuesday was ridiculously hot, with temperatures in the high 90s. This in and of itself isn't too bad, but put 60 or 70% humidity on top of the ambient temperature, and you've got a sauna. Good sun-tea making weather, but suffocating to be out in.
Around 4 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon I checked the temperature online and saw on the radar that our area was about to get slammed with a giant thunderstorm. I called Mom to give her a heads up in case she wanted to try to beat it home, but I was too late on that call. While on the phone with her the sirens started going off in Cedar Falls. It seems there had been several reports, verified by Cedar Falls police, of a funnel cloud near the UNI Dome. Mom got off with me to head downstairs in her building and I got the local station on to see what was happening. It wasn't until many hours and sirens in Waterloo and Vinton later that it was determined there had not been a tornado, just something called a gustnado.
What is a gustnado, you say? Basically, a very weak tornado that forms at the front of a storm (typically, the really strong, damaging tornadoes form at the back of a storm). Gustnados are very short-lived and are often characterized by a small debris cloud near the ground.
Anyway, at the time of the storm everyone was operating under the assumption of a tornado, and subsequent precautions were taken. After watching the news for a few minutes, I stepped outside onto the driveway to check the sky for the front. Denver is about 20-30 minutes behind the weather in Cedar Falls, so I figured I could watch the front come in. If there was anything amiss, not only would I see it, but I'd be able to hear the sirens better should they go off.
When I walked outside there was a small breeze, but nothing significant. I looked to the Northwest, then West, then South, then East, then back to the West. As I finished circling and came back to face West I was slammed by a wall of wind. In less than 10 seconds we went from a 5 MPH breeze to 70 MPH winds. The Midwest girl in me went "uh-oh". Eyes back on the sky, which was turning a nice shade of green and brown. The clouds were swirling and twirling, but there was no sustained rotation.
The winds moved through first, and then came the rain. 1.5 inches in 20 minutes. Standing in the front room and looking out at the street I could barely see the houses directly across from us. It was ridiculous! The winds had loosened a large branch of the tree next to our driveway, and the rains finished the job. When they finally subsided the driveway was blocked by the branch. Fun!
Amazingly enough, only a few homes in Denver lost power. Cedar Falls and Waterloo weren't quite as lucky as falling branches brought down power lines, but overall the damage from the storm was mainly limited to tree damage. By 5:30 it was all over. Carrie went through the storm at work, just like Mom, only Carrie's experience was... enhanced by kids and parents huddling together in the bathrooms of the center. Gotta love summertime in the Midwest.
On Friday of this week Mom and I leave for New Hampshire! It's going to be lots of fun, especially since I have never been further East than roughly Ohio. Yayy for new experiences. Grandpa lent Mom and I his recently acquired GPS system, which will come in handy for getting around unfamiliar places like Boston. We are looking forward to meeting Norah and exploring the East Coast a bit. We'll be out there for roughly a week before heading back to Iowa.
That's about all the news I have. Nothing too exciting, but life as I currently know it.
Love!
~g
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Strawberries and Sunburns
We had quite the Saturday this weekend. We had been planning for the last week to do some strawberry picking this weekend since the berries are near the end of their season and Mom wanted to freeze enough to get us through the winter. A co-worker of Carrie's has a small patch on her farm only a few miles from us, and she told us we were welcome to come out and take as much as we wanted. So bright and early Saturday morning we headed over to Readlyn to pick berries. We got quite a few and all of us made friends with one of the farm cats that decided we were bent over in the berry patch specifically so we could pet him. The patch was small and we stripped it clean in very little time.
We didn't get enough strawberries from the farm patch to fill the freezer, so after dropping off the picked berries at home along with Justin and Carrie, Mom and I headed over to Heartland Farms to pick more berries. Three giant boxes and a few hours later, we had more than enough to fill the freezer and our bellies. After a quick detour on the way home to see a family friend, it was time to start cleaning the berries and removing the caps. Justin helped with the slicing and dicing, but it still took quite some time to get everything cleaned and ready for freezing. We crushed the berries rather than trying to slice them. Crushing the berries created more juice than slicing would have, which meant we needed less sugar to help preserve the berries. Good all around!
The entire time we were working with the berries Justin, Carrie, and I all kept getting redder and more uncomfortable. I knew I had been getting burned while I was out picking, but Justin and Carrie were a surprise. While Mom and I were at Heartland, they went up to the athletic complex do run on the track. While up there they both got really burnt. I must say, though, I ended up with the most interesting sunburn of the day. It seems, that while I was bending over picking berries, my pants and my shirt were not meeting the way I thought they were. I ended up with a 5-inch band of sunburn on my extreme lower back that is really quite uncomfortable.
Our Sunday was not nearly as eventful as our Saturday. Exhausted from the sunburns and the heat, Carrie and I slept the afternoon away. Justin made a new recipe for us for supper, and we followed that up by meal-planning for the rest of the month and making a shopping trip to get the groceries we needed. Lazy day!
This post is very poorly written. I am sorry for that. Pictures!
Love!
~g
We didn't get enough strawberries from the farm patch to fill the freezer, so after dropping off the picked berries at home along with Justin and Carrie, Mom and I headed over to Heartland Farms to pick more berries. Three giant boxes and a few hours later, we had more than enough to fill the freezer and our bellies. After a quick detour on the way home to see a family friend, it was time to start cleaning the berries and removing the caps. Justin helped with the slicing and dicing, but it still took quite some time to get everything cleaned and ready for freezing. We crushed the berries rather than trying to slice them. Crushing the berries created more juice than slicing would have, which meant we needed less sugar to help preserve the berries. Good all around!
The entire time we were working with the berries Justin, Carrie, and I all kept getting redder and more uncomfortable. I knew I had been getting burned while I was out picking, but Justin and Carrie were a surprise. While Mom and I were at Heartland, they went up to the athletic complex do run on the track. While up there they both got really burnt. I must say, though, I ended up with the most interesting sunburn of the day. It seems, that while I was bending over picking berries, my pants and my shirt were not meeting the way I thought they were. I ended up with a 5-inch band of sunburn on my extreme lower back that is really quite uncomfortable.
Our Sunday was not nearly as eventful as our Saturday. Exhausted from the sunburns and the heat, Carrie and I slept the afternoon away. Justin made a new recipe for us for supper, and we followed that up by meal-planning for the rest of the month and making a shopping trip to get the groceries we needed. Lazy day!
This post is very poorly written. I am sorry for that. Pictures!
Love!
~g
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Getting Ripped
Justin kicked my butt at The Gym today, and I am glad for it.
Marshall has been sending Justin a lot of information about free-weight exercises and, given high school weight training was quite awhile ago, I needed to relearn everything. Justin helped teach me today, serving as a spot as needed, and being an overall great encouragement. It's a good thing he was there to spot me, as I got into a bit of trouble when I let the bar drop a little too far down onto my chest, but overall it was a good hour and a half well spent this morning.
I figured out my baseline today when it come to the free weights, and I hope to keep working with Justin and improving. I'm definitely going to be hurting tomorrow!
If you are interested (Marshall, I figure pretty much only you will care), here's the breakdown -
Bench Press: 3 sets of 10 reps at 45 pounds
Incline Bench Press: 3 sets of 10 reps at 45 pounds
Shoulder Shrugs: 3 sets of 10 reps at 8 pounds
Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 10 reps at 8 pounds
Bicep Curls: 3 sets of 10 reps at 8 pounds
Hammer Curls: 1 set of 10 reps at 8 pounds, 2 sets of 10 reps at 5 pounds
Tricep Extensions: 3 sets of 10 reps at 5 pounds
Close-Grip Bench: 1 set of 8 reps at 16 pounds
Decline Crunches: 25
Exercise Ball Crunches: 20
Exercise Ball Squats: 3 sets of 10
Tomorrow who knows? We'll give our muscles a break for a day, but there may be some sprints on the new track in our future.
If we keep going like this we are going to end up toned, slim, and sexy. Here's hoping!
Love!
~g
Marshall has been sending Justin a lot of information about free-weight exercises and, given high school weight training was quite awhile ago, I needed to relearn everything. Justin helped teach me today, serving as a spot as needed, and being an overall great encouragement. It's a good thing he was there to spot me, as I got into a bit of trouble when I let the bar drop a little too far down onto my chest, but overall it was a good hour and a half well spent this morning.
I figured out my baseline today when it come to the free weights, and I hope to keep working with Justin and improving. I'm definitely going to be hurting tomorrow!
If you are interested (Marshall, I figure pretty much only you will care), here's the breakdown -
Bench Press: 3 sets of 10 reps at 45 pounds
Incline Bench Press: 3 sets of 10 reps at 45 pounds
Shoulder Shrugs: 3 sets of 10 reps at 8 pounds
Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 10 reps at 8 pounds
Bicep Curls: 3 sets of 10 reps at 8 pounds
Hammer Curls: 1 set of 10 reps at 8 pounds, 2 sets of 10 reps at 5 pounds
Tricep Extensions: 3 sets of 10 reps at 5 pounds
Close-Grip Bench: 1 set of 8 reps at 16 pounds
Decline Crunches: 25
Exercise Ball Crunches: 20
Exercise Ball Squats: 3 sets of 10
Tomorrow who knows? We'll give our muscles a break for a day, but there may be some sprints on the new track in our future.
If we keep going like this we are going to end up toned, slim, and sexy. Here's hoping!
Love!
~g
Friday, June 12, 2009
Garden Update
It has now been 20 days since my and Carrie's day-o-gardening in the rain. The garden has since been weeded (although I can't seem to stay ahead of the crab grass), watered several times (we had a week solid of rain at one point - yayy for free water!), and the space between the plants and rows covered with grass clippings to help reduce weeds and retain moisture.
Carrots (Orange): Not as many of the starts took as I had hoped. Once the garden began getting watered regularly after the week of rain, the remaining starts settled and the tops have gotten taller and fluffier.
Cucumbers (Green): The foliage looks great. Haven't seen much evidence of the actual vegetable yet, but there's plenty of time.
Five-Blend Lettuce (Blue): Only one of the starts really took and looks like it may actually produce something. There are a few other starts that are hanging in there, but they are pretty pathetic.
Radishes (Red): Holy cow did the radishes go insane! They are about done and ready to be harvested. Crunchy, zingy salads, here we come!
Romaine (Pink): Of the two lettuce varieties we planted, I'm glad the Romaine is the one that really took. I prefer Romaine to all other types of lettuce. It was touch and go with these plants for awhile, but they seem to have settled in and are coming along nicely.
Corn (Yellow): What would an Iowa garden be without sweet corn? The corn plants are looking great and growing noticeably taller by the day.
Broccoli and Spinach (Not pictured): Both the broccoli and spinach plants are surviving, but beyond that I am not really sure how well they are doing. For both the broccoli and the spinach, very few actually started, so that already put the harvest potential at a great disadvantage. Very few of the people I have talked to have actually tried to grow either of these vegetables, so we are all watching to see what happens.
This weekend I think I will be trying (once again) to get the crab grass under control. We have some Miracle Grow food in the garage that I will most likely be utilizing as well.
Karen, I hope I have been descriptive enough that your vicarious gardening tendencies are satisfied.
Love!
~g
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Ventilation
Preface: I love you all and know you love and care about me.
No, I am not planning on becoming a bum.
Yes, I am looking for a job.
No, there are no serious leads yet.
Yes, I am planning on being employed by my birthday.
No, I still don't know what I want to do with my life.
Yes, I am keeping my options open and looking in a variety of locations and fields.
No, I am not going to wait for that "perfect job" to roll around.
Yes, I will take something temporary if I need to.
No, I am not planning on just settling and giving up on figuring out what it is I truly want to do.
Yes, I may end up with a short-term job that is "below" my level of education.
No, I am not forgetting I am a currently living on the kindness of my family.
Yes, I am making my job search a priority.
Hopefully that answers everyone's questions and we can now have conversations about something other than my current employment status.
Love!
~g
No, I am not planning on becoming a bum.
Yes, I am looking for a job.
No, there are no serious leads yet.
Yes, I am planning on being employed by my birthday.
No, I still don't know what I want to do with my life.
Yes, I am keeping my options open and looking in a variety of locations and fields.
No, I am not going to wait for that "perfect job" to roll around.
Yes, I will take something temporary if I need to.
No, I am not planning on just settling and giving up on figuring out what it is I truly want to do.
Yes, I may end up with a short-term job that is "below" my level of education.
No, I am not forgetting I am a currently living on the kindness of my family.
Yes, I am making my job search a priority.
Hopefully that answers everyone's questions and we can now have conversations about something other than my current employment status.
Love!
~g
Friday, June 5, 2009
Goals
When Justin said he was making a list of 101 goals to be completed in 1001 days, I said to myself, "Self, that's just a darn-tootin' good idea. Maybe you should just go ahead and do the same."
Ok, maybe there was a bit less imagined Old West twang, but you get the idea.
I sat down and I pulled up a Word document and I started typing. Less than a day later there they were, 101 goals to be completed in 1001 days.
I have the same start and end dates as Justin (how could one not want to end on February 29?). Rather than another blog to share my goals and progress, I decided instead to create a website. Google has this handy little website creator feature that allows even the most technologically illiterate people (See Exhibit A) create and publish a simple website.
I am not finished adding content to the site, and I definitely think the formatting and colors will be changing, but the basic information is there. If you are interested, click here.
Love!
~g
Ok, maybe there was a bit less imagined Old West twang, but you get the idea.
I sat down and I pulled up a Word document and I started typing. Less than a day later there they were, 101 goals to be completed in 1001 days.
I have the same start and end dates as Justin (how could one not want to end on February 29?). Rather than another blog to share my goals and progress, I decided instead to create a website. Google has this handy little website creator feature that allows even the most technologically illiterate people (See Exhibit A) create and publish a simple website.
I am not finished adding content to the site, and I definitely think the formatting and colors will be changing, but the basic information is there. If you are interested, click here.
Love!
~g
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
3 posts in one day!
This is just getting ridiculous. If you by chance missed the first two June 2 posts, make sure to scroll down.
I baked today. I love baking. When I am happy I want to bake. When I am sad I want to bake. When I am angry I want to bake. Maybe I should have become a baker's apprentice rather than an MPA.
Today I made a new recipe, taken from one of the cookbooks Grandma Mabon gave me for my graduation. Although it was a bit of a long process (2 hours to chill the dough, another hour to let the dough rise once the coils had been made), it was well worth it. These delightful danish-esq treats came out beautifully light and airy and creamy.
Dad has already told me to write up the recipe and pass it along, so I guess you can look for that in the coming days. Karen, I'll send it to you for your Exchange page and anyone who is interested can get it from there.
Love!
~g
I baked today. I love baking. When I am happy I want to bake. When I am sad I want to bake. When I am angry I want to bake. Maybe I should have become a baker's apprentice rather than an MPA.
Today I made a new recipe, taken from one of the cookbooks Grandma Mabon gave me for my graduation. Although it was a bit of a long process (2 hours to chill the dough, another hour to let the dough rise once the coils had been made), it was well worth it. These delightful danish-esq treats came out beautifully light and airy and creamy.
Dad has already told me to write up the recipe and pass it along, so I guess you can look for that in the coming days. Karen, I'll send it to you for your Exchange page and anyone who is interested can get it from there.
Love!
~g
For These Times
I have always been a big fan of Martina McBride. I have had the opportunity to see her perform live twice - once when she was just breaking out as a solo artist and once after she had made it big. The difference in the venues alone was amazing. The first time I saw her she was playing McElroy Auditorium at Cattle Congress, capacity 7000. The second time I went to her concert she was playing the UNI Dome, capacity 24,196. Both concerts were amazing.
I like her as an artist for several reasons. First and foremost, I love that her music actually says something. Sure, she has a few of the typical country songs (especially in her earlier albums), but as she became an established artist her songs became more meaningful. She was one of the first to take on the issues of domestic violence and emotional abuse with her music ("Independence Day" and then again with "Broken Wing"). She does not sugarcoat life as we know it ("Love's the Only House"). Most importantly, many of her songs speak to finding the best that is within yourself and rising above whatever it is that stands in your way or holds you back ("From the Ashes", "Anyway", and "Beautiful Again"). I am in awe of her voice and of the musicality of her music. She truly has some of the most talent musicians playing behind her in every song.
I have lately become enamored with a particular song on Martina's 2007 CD, Waking Up Laughing.
To watch the music video of this song (in which you don't see Martina at all!) click here.
The lyrics are as follows:
In these times in which we live
Where the worst of what we live
Is laid out for all the world on the front page
And the sound of someone's heartbreak
Is a soundbite at the news break
With a close shot of the tears rollin' down their face
Blessed be the child who turns a loving eye
And stops to pray
For these times in which we live
In these most uncertain hours
Where the balance of power
Is a fight that is fought every day
And freedom is a word
Some cry out and some whisper
And some are just too quick to give away
Blessed be the one who stands by the one
On the battle line
For these times in which we live
Well give me a heart full of tender mercy
And arms I will open wide
For these times in which we live
Seems like the only answer is
Givin' up on findin' one at all
And we hide behind unsure
Pull the blinds and lock the doors
And hang a pleasant picture on the wall
Blessed is the believer who knows love is our redeemer
And the only breath of life
For these times in which we live
Well give me a heart full of tender mercy
And arms I will open wide
Yeah give me words full of loving kindness
And hands ready to hold up a light
For these times in which we live
For these times in which we live
Love!
~g
I like her as an artist for several reasons. First and foremost, I love that her music actually says something. Sure, she has a few of the typical country songs (especially in her earlier albums), but as she became an established artist her songs became more meaningful. She was one of the first to take on the issues of domestic violence and emotional abuse with her music ("Independence Day" and then again with "Broken Wing"). She does not sugarcoat life as we know it ("Love's the Only House"). Most importantly, many of her songs speak to finding the best that is within yourself and rising above whatever it is that stands in your way or holds you back ("From the Ashes", "Anyway", and "Beautiful Again"). I am in awe of her voice and of the musicality of her music. She truly has some of the most talent musicians playing behind her in every song.
I have lately become enamored with a particular song on Martina's 2007 CD, Waking Up Laughing.
To watch the music video of this song (in which you don't see Martina at all!) click here.
The lyrics are as follows:
In these times in which we live
Where the worst of what we live
Is laid out for all the world on the front page
And the sound of someone's heartbreak
Is a soundbite at the news break
With a close shot of the tears rollin' down their face
Blessed be the child who turns a loving eye
And stops to pray
For these times in which we live
In these most uncertain hours
Where the balance of power
Is a fight that is fought every day
And freedom is a word
Some cry out and some whisper
And some are just too quick to give away
Blessed be the one who stands by the one
On the battle line
For these times in which we live
Well give me a heart full of tender mercy
And arms I will open wide
For these times in which we live
Seems like the only answer is
Givin' up on findin' one at all
And we hide behind unsure
Pull the blinds and lock the doors
And hang a pleasant picture on the wall
Blessed is the believer who knows love is our redeemer
And the only breath of life
For these times in which we live
Well give me a heart full of tender mercy
And arms I will open wide
Yeah give me words full of loving kindness
And hands ready to hold up a light
For these times in which we live
For these times in which we live
Love!
~g
Preventative Care
I have spent several days in the last few weeks in various medical offices, catching up on some over-due appointments while I still have insurance. I have been to the dermatologist, my family doctor, the optometrist, the hospital for blood draws, and soon I'll be back at the dermatologist. I know it's much better to have all of these appointments before there is a problem, but I am awfully tired of forms.
Overall I have been decreed rather healthy, if a bit overweight. The optometrist was by far the worst appointment, but that was mainly due to the fact that I have a real issue with anything near or on my eyes. I have been having a problem with bright lights lately; too bright of light and my eyes kind of bug out and I end up losing my peripheral vision and see nothing but flashes of light. Turns out this is something called a silent migraine. Basically, my eyes are reacting to bright light like they would react if I was actually having a migraine. All the symptoms, none of the pain. I guess I prefer it that way, but it's still annoying. Given this increased sensitivity to bright light, prescription polarizing sunglasses are in my near future, as are new reading glasses. I am hoping I can take advantage of a few deals at local glasses stores and get what I need for relatively little money. There are a few places offering 2-fers, which I am hoping include sunglasses. Regardless, the expense must be made so I can see well. The optometrist informed me that I may not pass my next visual exam without my glasses when I go to renew my license, but I will cross that bridge when I get to it. I have also been cautioned against extensive night driving. Yayy for hereditary night-blindness! I know Dad is night-blind, and I believe Justin is as well.
Oh well. On to other things. The vegetable garden is doing so-so. The cucumbers, radishes, and corn are excellent. The lettuces, spinach, and carrots seem to be struggling. I may have to replant these, but there shouldn't be a problem with that. It is still cool here and we have had more than enough rain. Karen, I will post a picture of the garden as soon as my camera battery charges and I have a chance to pull a few weeds. :)
This week I am spending cleaning and organizing some of the stuff I brought home from Chicago. We are also in Week 1 of our meal plan, so there will be some cooking of new and familiar recipes going on. Tonight is enchiladas, made with the shredded beef of a slow-cooked chuck roast. The roast is currently in the slow cooker, and everything else is already on hand and ready. Maybe. Crap. I just realized that we may not have sour cream. Oh well. We can pick that up with a quick run to Bender's. Today's lunch consisted of tuna salad in a pita with a side of carrots and fresh-brewed iced tea.
I have decided one of my project this summer is going to be transcribing all of the hand-written recipes Mom has. I will, of course, keep the hand-written treasures, but I would also like to ensure the recipes do not get lost. By the time I am done I will most likely have a book of family recipes, as many of the cards attribute the recipe to Renee, Grandma Kole, and Grandma Mabon. Renee has already promised me more recipes, which I suggested she send to Karen to be put on the Exchange page. Karen, when I get done transcribing everything I will send you the document. Maybe you can PDF it and post it so everyone has access. Dad, I will probably be using your recipe template for this project, although for many of them I may not have back stories. We'll see. Cary, I tried your Sunday Night Breadsticks a few weeks ago. I added Italian seasoning to the dough and brushed the sticks with butter and sprinkled Parmesan on top before baking. We had them with spaghetti. They were good, but a bit dense. I know I probably had a bit too much flour in them, but I also think I did not roll the stick out enough. The next time you make them, could you please take a picture of what the breadsticks look like pre- and post-baking? I'd appreciate it!
Another project means picking up my crochet needles once again to complete Dad's long-overdue afghan. I crocheted an afghan for Jody for Christmas a few years ago, and Dad so liked it that he requested one of his own. We went shopping and he picked out his yarn. I had his afghan nearly finished when I decided it looked terrible, so I ripped the whole thing out and will be starting from scratch. I have a new pattern in mind for the three different yarns I am using, and when I am finished it will look nothing like Jody's afghan. Dad, you're going to have to trust me on this one.
As far as my job search goes, it really doesn't right now. I receive daily emails with job announcements for federal jobs, as well as positions within higher education. I look at them carefully but as of yet have not been moved to do more. Admittedly, I am a bit overwhelmed by the whole idea of searching for a full-time position and what that will mean for my life. I still feel very much like a student on a summer break. I will try to get my act together in the coming weeks but I also do not want to make the mistake of rushing this process and pushing myself into a place or position that does not feel right. I have always been very good at realizing what I should do or what the "smart" choice is, but more often than not this has put me in positions where I am not really that happy. I want to try to break that cycle and think instead for once about what I really want. This time around, I am not going to let others guilt or pressure me into something, nor will I be making decisions about my life based on making others happy. I guess this means I am growing up.
On that note, it's time for me to get busy with something. Heh. I am still adjusting to not having to rush from place to place and task to task. I should be loving the freedom, but honest to goodness I don't know what to do with myself!
Love!
~g
Overall I have been decreed rather healthy, if a bit overweight. The optometrist was by far the worst appointment, but that was mainly due to the fact that I have a real issue with anything near or on my eyes. I have been having a problem with bright lights lately; too bright of light and my eyes kind of bug out and I end up losing my peripheral vision and see nothing but flashes of light. Turns out this is something called a silent migraine. Basically, my eyes are reacting to bright light like they would react if I was actually having a migraine. All the symptoms, none of the pain. I guess I prefer it that way, but it's still annoying. Given this increased sensitivity to bright light, prescription polarizing sunglasses are in my near future, as are new reading glasses. I am hoping I can take advantage of a few deals at local glasses stores and get what I need for relatively little money. There are a few places offering 2-fers, which I am hoping include sunglasses. Regardless, the expense must be made so I can see well. The optometrist informed me that I may not pass my next visual exam without my glasses when I go to renew my license, but I will cross that bridge when I get to it. I have also been cautioned against extensive night driving. Yayy for hereditary night-blindness! I know Dad is night-blind, and I believe Justin is as well.
Oh well. On to other things. The vegetable garden is doing so-so. The cucumbers, radishes, and corn are excellent. The lettuces, spinach, and carrots seem to be struggling. I may have to replant these, but there shouldn't be a problem with that. It is still cool here and we have had more than enough rain. Karen, I will post a picture of the garden as soon as my camera battery charges and I have a chance to pull a few weeds. :)
This week I am spending cleaning and organizing some of the stuff I brought home from Chicago. We are also in Week 1 of our meal plan, so there will be some cooking of new and familiar recipes going on. Tonight is enchiladas, made with the shredded beef of a slow-cooked chuck roast. The roast is currently in the slow cooker, and everything else is already on hand and ready. Maybe. Crap. I just realized that we may not have sour cream. Oh well. We can pick that up with a quick run to Bender's. Today's lunch consisted of tuna salad in a pita with a side of carrots and fresh-brewed iced tea.
I have decided one of my project this summer is going to be transcribing all of the hand-written recipes Mom has. I will, of course, keep the hand-written treasures, but I would also like to ensure the recipes do not get lost. By the time I am done I will most likely have a book of family recipes, as many of the cards attribute the recipe to Renee, Grandma Kole, and Grandma Mabon. Renee has already promised me more recipes, which I suggested she send to Karen to be put on the Exchange page. Karen, when I get done transcribing everything I will send you the document. Maybe you can PDF it and post it so everyone has access. Dad, I will probably be using your recipe template for this project, although for many of them I may not have back stories. We'll see. Cary, I tried your Sunday Night Breadsticks a few weeks ago. I added Italian seasoning to the dough and brushed the sticks with butter and sprinkled Parmesan on top before baking. We had them with spaghetti. They were good, but a bit dense. I know I probably had a bit too much flour in them, but I also think I did not roll the stick out enough. The next time you make them, could you please take a picture of what the breadsticks look like pre- and post-baking? I'd appreciate it!
Another project means picking up my crochet needles once again to complete Dad's long-overdue afghan. I crocheted an afghan for Jody for Christmas a few years ago, and Dad so liked it that he requested one of his own. We went shopping and he picked out his yarn. I had his afghan nearly finished when I decided it looked terrible, so I ripped the whole thing out and will be starting from scratch. I have a new pattern in mind for the three different yarns I am using, and when I am finished it will look nothing like Jody's afghan. Dad, you're going to have to trust me on this one.
As far as my job search goes, it really doesn't right now. I receive daily emails with job announcements for federal jobs, as well as positions within higher education. I look at them carefully but as of yet have not been moved to do more. Admittedly, I am a bit overwhelmed by the whole idea of searching for a full-time position and what that will mean for my life. I still feel very much like a student on a summer break. I will try to get my act together in the coming weeks but I also do not want to make the mistake of rushing this process and pushing myself into a place or position that does not feel right. I have always been very good at realizing what I should do or what the "smart" choice is, but more often than not this has put me in positions where I am not really that happy. I want to try to break that cycle and think instead for once about what I really want. This time around, I am not going to let others guilt or pressure me into something, nor will I be making decisions about my life based on making others happy. I guess this means I am growing up.
On that note, it's time for me to get busy with something. Heh. I am still adjusting to not having to rush from place to place and task to task. I should be loving the freedom, but honest to goodness I don't know what to do with myself!
Love!
~g
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