Happiest of Hours

Mozelle’s. 6:30.  Wine.

The text came at noon and I spent the rest of the afternoon in anticipation. 

I was there 20 minutes early, but luckily Anne was there already – as was an opened bottle of Pinot Noir.

Once our crowd grew bigger than the small tables indoor would hold, we switched to outside tables.  I already love Mozelle’s for their delicious incredible seasonal yummy food, I love them for their 1/2 price wine Mondays and $4 glass Thursdays, but I fell even deeper in love on Monday for the snuggly bright green fleece blankets on each chair outside. 

Southern hospitality?  You doin’ it right, Mozelle’s.

These are my happy hours: delicious food (Anne and I shared a fried goat cheese salad, and the table shared artichoke dip), great wine (thanks to Sonoma, I now appreciate why people always say red wine is for cooler weather… it just is) and most important, some of my most favorite people ever crowded around a table, talking and laughing. 

Hobbies

I am having fun.

In the last year, I think I’ve rediscovered just about every hobby I left behind in 4th grade. My favorite things to do as a kid: read and write stories, sew and take pictures. I don’t know when I stopped doing most of these things, but it was probably sometime around middle school or high school. (Enter: homework, internet, driver’s license, etc.) Throughout college and grad school, most of my free time was taken up with schoolwork and part-time jobs, and of course, hanging out with friends. Just a few months after I finished grad school, I started coaching training and diverted my free time to getting my business off the ground. I think I have forgotten what it was like to do things just for fun.

It’s a bit like being 12 again, to get lost behind a camera lens, in the whirring of a sewing needle, or watching my thoughts become strung together in a cohesive story as I type.

After our crafts night and spending an obscene amount of time perusing sewing blogs, I felt inspired to revisit my sewing machine. I’ve had that machine since middle school, but in the last 8 years, I think the only thing I’ve actually sewn is a set of curtains that Buddy tore down.

I didn’t really know exactly what I was going to do, but I had some inspiration from Lex’s blog. Matt and I had these bright blue matching t-shirts, the kind you buy at a crafts store, from playing on an softball team last year. I knew we weren’t going to wear them again, so I just started cutting his up and making ruffles out of the scraps. Eventually, I got brave enough to cut the neckline on my t-shirt into a v-neck and re-hem it, and then started laying the ruffles out on it and sewing them down. I was shocked to see it come together – I confess, I love it. Beginner’s luck?

Anyways, here’s the end result. By the way, it’s really hard to take a self-portrait without feeling like a giant goober, so forgive me.

I can’t wait to go home and tear apart something else in my goodwill pile.

Spring Has… Hinted At Its Probable Existence

My original title was “Spring Has Sprung”… but I’m not entirely sure that is true yet. There’s such a general consensus of relief, gratitude and giddiness pervading everyone today as we’re all enjoying wearing sunglasses and short sleeves for the last four days. It’s practically palpable. I hear rumors it’s not going to stay, but I’m putting my fingers in my ear and shouting LA LA LA LA at anyone who tries to tell me such lies. I’ve lived in North Carolina for eight years and this is by far the longest, coldest, grayest winter I can remember. It’s like Rochester or something….

“You’re from New York! You should be used to this!”

There’s a reason I used to go tanning in high school (I know, I know) and it wasn’t just because all-white cheerleading uniforms require a golden glow to look half-way decent. There’s a reason why I wear 3 pairs of pants to walk the dog, like to sit directly in front of the fireplace and own a Snuggie. There’s a reason I applied to college in the South all those years ago, and why I’ve joined everyone else on the complain train this last snowy spell. I love being warm.

So, the sun has shown herself for the last four days and it is glorious. This afternoon, my coworker/friend Lauren and I went for our training-to-train run (yes, I took so much time off from running this winter, that I am now training to get myself ready to train… pitiful). The sun was shining, the air had a touch of humidity and we were actually sweating. It was awesome. It was Springtime. It makes me start thinking of planning cookouts, wearing flip flops and going for long, quiet runs. Spring is hopeful.

Please, please, please, stay, Sun. At least for the next 10 months or so?

Toast

Two weekends ago, Pam, one of the winos and one of my best friends got married. (I can’t believe it’s been 2 weeks already, I meant to post this right when I got back!) She and Craig started dating junior year of college, and I don’t think I can even describe how much these two people complement each other, lift each other up and just fit perfectly together. The goodness of this marriage was practically palpable in the wonderful energy that their wedding weekend had. Despite being sick throughout the weekend, I just felt so happy and blessed to be surrounded by my winos, my best friends, witnessing another one of our friends start such a happy part of their life.

Here is the toast we gave to Pam and Craig at their rehearsal dinner. I think it does a better job summing up how much we love our friend, and this union, more than any other update I could do.

There are certain qualities that come to mind when one thinks of the types of characteristics that they would want in someone they were going to spend the rest of their life with. Craig, we have known Pam as long as you have and we think we know what those special qualities are that made you fall in love with Pam and ask her to be your wife.

For starters, Pam is one of the most loyal people we know. If any of you have ever been with Pam when she comes across someone who just so happens to cheer for any team other than Wake Forest, you have witnessed this loyalty first hand. Some where in Boston there is a young man who may never wear a Duke Basketball shirt out to a bar again, for his own safety. Craig, you are a fortunate man to be on the receiving end of this type of loyalty. Make sure you stay there.

Another trait of Pam’s that we know you have fallen in love with, as we have, is her honesty. There is no one who tells a story like this girl can – and whether the person in the story is herself, a co-worker, a neighbor, or some random stranger she happens to catch in the act of something embarrassing – we know when Pam tells a story, there will not be a single fact left out. Appreciate this honesty, but just remember – we hear all her stories too.

Pam is also a very nurturing person. Now this many come as no surprise to any of you who have seen her carry Ruby around on her hip or issue Craig a packing list 3 weeks ahead of the honeymoon, but even back in college Pam has always been the one to make sure that everyone is taken care of and happy, whether that meant driving us back and forth to Target or making sure no one “unwelcome” was line jumping to get into the Lounge.

Pam, we have been fortunate enough for many years to be recipients of your loyal, honest and nurturing friendship. You have brought so much to each one of our lives through your friendship, and we know that you and Craig are going to have an amazing marriage together by virtue of these same traits that have made you our best friend. We wish you both a lifetime of happiness together.

Thankful Thursday

Happy Things, Today:

- having Matt home for dinner all week
- the person who left their Sbux treat receipt on the couch I usually sit on… $2 drink for me!
- Buddy after a bath
- fried goat cheese salad
- chatting with my momma
- health insurance
- Kona coffee
- mid-day cat naps
- libraries
- my camera
- Buddy barking a little bit less
- plums
- faith
- Grandma S. I miss her.
- a happy marriage
- clean sheets
- Lauren, my coworker
- my parents health
- air conditioning
- wanting to hear a song and it just so happens to come on the radio
- winos
- health
- celebrating a 71 lb wt loss with someone today
- Dad’s advice
- ballet flats still being in style
- having a great relationship with my in-laws
- a peaceful mind
- booking a trip to Utah next Feb
- no matter what kind of a week it is, Friday always shows up just in time

Party Dog.

Better than Ever, Better than Ezra

A few weeks ago I saw that Better than Ezra had updated their tour dates on their facebook page and they were coming to Raleigh….and it was FREE. I’ve pretty much been doing a happy dance in anticipation for weeks and weeks for this show. The last time I saw them they opened for Hootie and the Blowfish (which was also amazing), and I just loved seeing them live. I’ve been dying for another chance to see them.

I talked my friend Heather into going, and gave her a list of songs to listen on Grooveshark to get her warmed up. I’m still forgiving her for incessantly pointing out that their Greatest Hits albums has two of the same songs on there twice, and really only features six individual songs. WHATEVS. (You can probably guess the two; they may be the only two BTE songs you know.)

I made a pit stop in Durham to pick up Heath and see her new gooooorgeous apartment. (Exposed brick. I’m envious) Heather indulged me with a trip to my favorite Durham eats, Cosmic Cantina, and after a delicious but nauseatingly large chicken burrito, we headed over to Raleigh. There we met up with JP and a bunch of Heath’s friends who lived a few blocks from the square where BTE was playing.

It kept raining all night and I was growing more despondent by the second thinking I was a mere 2 blocks away from KG and the boys and wasn’t going to see them. But finally around 10 the rain let up enough that we scampered over there and saw them. Sigh. I love them. They were so delightful. By the time we got there, they were playing a lot of their new album, Paper Empire. (Listen to “Turn Up the Bright Lights” if you want a starting point.) But I did get to hear some of my regular faves, including Extraordinary, Desperately Wanting, and a great cover of Laid.

Is there anything better than dancing in a muddy field to your favorite band LIVE with two of your best friends? Pretty sure that would be a resounding “no.”

Thankful Thursday

Happy Things, Today.

- quiet sky on walks in the morning
- buddy’s happy dance when he sees the puparoni bag
- skinny jeans
- coaching session epiphanies
- laura beth (my most competent, amazing, works her butt off student)
- good health (3 yrs, 4 months)
- itunes genius
- sister getting a job
- polka dot riesling
- my hubby (esp after listening to a girlfriend lament a he’s-just-not-that-into-you rship… )
- fresh market
- my car
- not doing girl push ups anymore
- all august bills paid
- trader joe’s hummus
- getting a present in the mail from a friend who puked in my car – nice to have your hard work (cleaning up vomit at 2 am) recognized
- a new swaptree book is on its way to me
- reading HeatherD emails
- new PINK running shoes
- my camera
- Better than Ezra
- hot cocoa with homemade whip cream
- my parents
- running again
- that feeling of getting in bed and knowing you’re going to be asleep in a few seconds

27

I remember a conversation I had with an acquaintance at Wake as we both approached graduation. We had both just turned 22 and were talking about what we thought post-college life would be like. I recall her saying “I always imagined by the time I graduated college, I would be married and shopping for mini-vans.” (Please keep in mind that I did attend college in the South, where the phrase “MRS degree” is sometimes used without the slightest hint of sarcasm.)

I never really have had expectations about at what age I would get married or have babies or achieve certain things, and it didn’t even cross my mind that there was some unspoken agreement among the female species that there were certain “times” to have accomplished such things. I guess that’s why the transition from my young 20s to my late 20s has been kind of anticlimactic. I emotionally steeled myself at 25, expecting to have some kind of “quarter life crisis” as I had heard so often about, but I blew out my candles in 2007 with nary a hint of sadness as I strolled on in to the latter half of this decade. I expected again at 27, to have some kind of “OMG, ALMOST THIRTY” moment… as if that is some kind of cut-off for something? But no, nothing. My birthday came and went on Saturday, and while I was blessed enough to be surrounded by family visiting for Matt’s graduation, and some of the best LOLcards with warm’n'fuzzy and kind messages, and an amazing red velvet cake… I slipped into 27 quietly, almost as if I was already meant to be here.

I have enjoyed my 20s. I remember 20 for a life in Spain. I remember 21 for my first knock you on your ass relationship. 22 for my colitis diagnosis and graduation from college. 23 for making a home in Baltimore on my own. 24 for rekindling a relationship that turned into a marriage. 25 for that marriage. 26 for launching a business. I am ready for you 27. Bring me something good.

My To Do List: The Beach Version

Today I woke up in Myrtle Beach, SC. *Cue the Hallelujah chorus.*

Myrtle Beach has been my family’s traditional vacation forever – starting with my mom going with HER parents. (Then: camper. Now: 3 story house on the beach with kegerator by the pool. I like my version better.) It is so much a part of our family’s tradition that I threw an all out fit when I was in 3rd grade because my parents planned a family trip to Hawaii instead of our usual MB vacay.

Yes, that’s right, I was enraged at the idea of going to Maui over the Redneck Riviera. What can I say, I’m a suckah for tradition. And oh yea, I was 7. What did I care about volcanoes and mai tai’s?

In the last 8 years, other members of my extended family starting joining us, until gradually we grew from a family of 5 in one house to last year’s grand total of 20 in two side-by-side houses. This year we’re going for a major dice roll: 19 family members. One house.

Since college and this little thing called “employment”, I’ve only been able to come down and stay with my family at the beach for a long weekend. This year, the stars collided (i.e. I rearranged my teaching schedule) and lo and behold, I was able to get the whole week off. Pretty much, I could not be more tickled. I’d probably still at 26 years old, take an entire week at Myrtle with my fam over a few days in Maui. Although I do anticipate needing those mai tai’s with that many family members in close proximity.

My plans for the beach week include: reading approximately 7 books and 4 magazines, revisiting my neglected journal, using up an entire bottle of SPF 50, getting sand in my running sneakers, teaching my 5 year old cousin Amelia how to use my (old) digital camera, playing race cars with my 4 year old cousin William, playing princess with my 3 year old cousin Mae, getting sand dumped on my head by 2 year old Scott and trying to figure out a way to bottle up the precious new baby smell of 6 month old Charlie.

As you can see, I will be very busy this week.