Great Day

Image

Next time, we’re getting goggles! Photo credit: Chris Dods

Even though I’ve tutored for so long that my brain is mush, it’s been a great day!
1. I got on the scale at Weight Watchers and was down 4 lbs (total of 13 so far). Goooo me!
2. I enjoyed an amazingly yummy Frappuccino as an afternoon pick me up. Holy cow was it good.
3. I saw my first solar eclipse as an adult- and didn’t burn my retinas, thanks to this nifty tip from my hubby. (See photo) He’s awesome. Xoxo
3. I made a ton of money.
4. I only have two more days of real push before summer! Hooray.

Sultry Days of Summer

Sundresses, sunscreen, sunhats, and baseball. Sounds like summer to me! This week brought the first HOT temperatures of the year, and Chris and I celebrated tonight with friends- watching our friend, Matt, sing the National Anthem at the Oakland A’s game, drinking beer, eating hot dogs, and joining in all around merriment.

VD 2012

Aside

I’m freaking out a little, all because of a poem.  This was my bright idea, stealing a page from my Uncle Jim’s play book.  Each year, he writes his Valentine, my Aunt Nancy, a poem.  How romantic!  How lovely!  I wanted in!

People say, “Every day should be Valentine’s Day,” and while I can get behind the sentiment, it’s usually not.  When was the last time you got flowers, just because it was Monday.  Or bought a great gift because it was February 1st.  If that’s a normal part of your routine, good for you.  I’m proud of you!  While I wish we skewed toward romantic and lovey-dovey all the time, in my mind, Valentine’s Day still gets to be extra-special.

To be really honest, I’ve always loved the day- whether single or taken- and have good memories.  My mom always gave really cute gifts to her kids.  In Vegas, my first boyfriend gave me a Snoopy mirror and comb set.  In 3rd grade, Comninos Zachary gave me a beautiful, handmade declaration of lacy love.  (I don’t think we ever talked after that.)  In the past, I loved going out drinking and enjoying singledom with my girlfriends, and now, I spend the day thinking about how much my husband loves me.  It’s a lot, in case you haven’t met him.  It’s never been about the gifts, because (aside from the ones I already mentioned) I actually can’t remember anything that I’ve ever been given.  Oops!

Since I was working and Chris and I decided no gifts or cards this year, Valentine’s Day was shaping up to be pretty boring day. After reading about Jim and Nancy’s tradition, I asked Chris if it was something that he would like to do.  His response was “I’m on it.”  The man loves a haiku, what can I say?

Finally, mine is written!  We exchanged poems, and his is just beautiful.  He really has a sweet heart.  My was the first love poem I’ve ever written.  Enough said.

Honey’s to Chris topped everything off, though:

Honey Hearts Chris

Happy Valentine’s Day!

New Things

Aside

While I was standing in a redwood tree 100 feet off the ground on Sunday, I realized that this was not the first adventure that I had this year.  In terms of trying new things, I’ve had quite a successful year!  In fact, I am really proud of myself, because each of these new things was previously WAY outside my comfort zone.

1.  Scuba diving at night with the manta rays

Night dives scared the beejeezus out of me, because you can’t see what’s beyond your light.  Being underwater was daring enough for me, so I though that not seeing what was underneath me would be terrifying.  Turns out, I was totally wrong.  Aaron and Bee gave us a dive as a thank you present, so I decided I would be brave.

It was absolutely captivating and magical.  The manta rays are so graceful, agile and gentle- and ginormous!  They would swoop right next to you as they were feeding.  The excursion was also satisfying, because Chris said it was one of the best experiences that he’s ever had.  This wasn’t our video, but you can see for yourself here:

2. Rode an ATV and got muddier than ever

Growing up in Vermont, it was not uncommon to hear of some doofus who got drunk, rode his ATV in the woods at night, and serious maimed himself.  Needless to say, we were not allowed to go near 4 wheelers.  And, honestly, they didn’t appeal to me.  They’re noisy and dirty and dangerous.  So when Becca and Chris wanted to ride in Hawaii, I was not that excited.  But Chris and I really wanted to do something special for the little sis, so we went for it!

It was the best thing I have ever done in my entire life.  I drove full speed through puddles, laughing as the mud flew into my smiles.  I went full steam around corners, and I certainly didn’t want to stop.  This really surprised me.  I was especially caught off guard because all the sudden, I turned into a bit of an adrenaline junkie.  Now, I want to do things that go fast, challenge me physically, and get me I have a need for speed!  In fact…

3.  Ziplined in the redwoods

This was actually WAY tamer than I expected it to be, so I thought it was a bit boring.  Looking back though, I realized that I had a relaxing, enjoyable morning from a different vantage point.  Plus, it turns out that I’m not really afraid of heights, yay!, but that I still want to jump off ledges when I’m on them.  I know, that’s weird, but I have ever since I saw Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and they looked out of the Sears tower.

Really, 32 held a LOT of firsts, but these were the printable, publishable, big ones.  I am truly thankful that I was able to spend the year doing new things and growing in so many ways.  I’m sure this year ahead will bring some firsts- maybe not as adrenaline filled as last year- but firsts nonetheless.  The cumulative experiences made me realize that I am braver and bolder than I thought I was- and that I can rise to the exciting challenges that will present themselves.  I’m looking forward to it!

So Sweet

I LOVE opening presents early and since we were getting an early start on celebrating by going to Sonoma, I got to open some of my gifts on Thursday night.

Along with some chocolates that were soooo tasty, this is what Chris found me:

Panda spirit hood

That was funny and super warm, and we had a fun time playing with it…  but then, this is what his mother, Leigh, did for me:

Writer's Toolbox

I have to admit that I cried a bit when I opened it.  This is what was on the inside:

Contents of said toolbox

How thoughtful and sweet, huh?  I’m really thankful that she is supportive of what I’m trying to do.  And with the toolkit, I’m off to a great start for 33!

And there will be even more tomorrow.  Woo hoo!

It’s Sunday Night

Reasons I am not posting a thoughtful, contemplative note this evening:

1.  I had an extremely busy and fun day, and I’m spent.  We went soaring through the redwoods while ziplining this morning at Sonoma Canopy Tours (my first time ever!) and had an awesome and humungous lunch at Howard’s Station in Occidental.  Then I drove all the way home and tutored.  Plus, after all that, Chris and I spent 1.5 hours cursing IKEA and saying WTF as we put together our new bed.

But look!  We did it!  It is great in our room, and even though it doesn’t match any of the rest of the furniture, it somehow pulled it all together.  The room feels proportioned; the bed is the right height; and we even get some under-the-bed storage.  It sure makes me thrilled about my new plan to get our house in order…  Except the vacuum broke again.  Damn you, Hoover!

Honey and Chris enjoying the bed

2.  I keep forgetting that tomorrow morning starts a 9 day cleanse with my friend, Chandra, who lives in New Jersey.  Since I just remembered (for the zillionth time in the last 3 days) that it begins so soon, I am spending some time planning and steeling my mind to the challenge ahead, i.e. no coffee, which she just reminded me of.  It’s a good thing that I (actually remembered for a brief moment on Friday and) ordered extra veggies and fruits from the CSA for the upcoming week.

This is the plan:  2 days eating raw foods, 5 days juicing, and 2 final days eating raw foods.  It’s an interesting way to end year 32 and begin 33!

3.  See numbers 1 and 2 above.  Nighty-night!

Red Champagne

Chris and I have been taking long weekends in Sonoma for the last 3 years. I’ll share more about them in a future post, but I want to tell you about one of the most important things we do each time. We drink this champagne:

Korbel's Rouge Champagne- best food ever!

We like sparkling wines that may be fancier, but this one holds a special place in our hearts. The Korbel winery was the first place we ever went tasting together (in 2009, on our first long weekend away), and we spent a leisurely afternoon eating lunch and drinking red champagne on their patio with Honey at our feet. Plus, the champagne is beautifully sparkly. AND it’s actually so yummy that I forgot to take a photo to show you. Oops!

Up close, in case you want to buy some

Chris and I started dating after an evening drinking champagne, so it seems fitting that a fabulous start would grow into a wonderful tradition. Today, our first stop in Sonoma was lunch and tasting at “our” little spot. It was an amazingly gorgeous day, and we sat outside under the redwoods with Di—- (doesn’t want to be mentioned) and Montana as we sipped. After the drive from San Jose, we were able to unwind and get into relaxation mode.

Gorgeous day!

Knowing that we wouldn’t be back for a while, we bought some for home… Come over, and we’ll introduce you to a great treat. {In case you’d like to order and live in a state that’s not run like it’s 1925, click here.}

House (Beautiful)

I live in a lovely little home.  On the outside, it is kinda ratty, but inside is open and light.  It has a built-in hutch and an actual dining room, and the kitchen holds every necessary appliance (rice cooker, coffee pot, small food processor, large food processor, panini machine, air popcorn maker that makes the worst popcorn ever, and tea kettle).  It is colorful, which is just the way we like it.  The art hung on the wall is soothing and vibrant; our midcentury TV stand/bookshelf is amazing.  If you come on a day that it’s clean and you keep your eyes off the ancient carpet, it looks great!  The 1930’s bungalow suits us well because of its layout and all the sunshine it lets in.

If we could own it, we would!  (We keep trying to convince our landlord to sell it to us, to no avail.)  I had a really fun time decorating when we moved in, even on a limited budget, and this summer cleaned out all the crap from the closets.  It’s been a nice home to entertain in and grow with Chris.

Chris' graduation party- Because it was raining, our plan for dinner under the stars was foiled. Instead, we cleared out some of the furniture, rented some tables and chairs, and had set up for 14 people to eat. It was a great celebration!

I am the problem in this relationship, though.  For the past 6 months, we have been looking for a new place to live.  I’m sure you’ll find out why in future posts, but we have our reasons.

Because of this, I have spent 6 months avoiding making any major furniture purchases, doing meaningful organization, or making it my home.  I honestly believe that as soon as I find a place for everything and have the perfect pieces in each room, we will move into a house that won’t fit what I’ve bought or will not match the new place.  And that would really stink.

I realized today that this is a bad plan.  I looked around at all the little projects that I keep putting off- going through the boxes in the closets, repackaging things, weeding more stuff and donating it, getting a bookshelf for Chris to use next to his desk, buying a bed.  The procrastination just adds to the clutter and disorganization of our lives.

Some of this is due to lack of funding for the remodel- boxes, bins, furniture, and the likes really add up!  I try to find things on Freecycle, Craigslist, or at thrift stores, but those don’t have it all!  I know that the chaos really affects Chris, yet still, we don’t tackle it.  So, even though we’d like to move, I decided that we are worthy of feeling settled in our own home.

Right now, I am trying to find a new job while working full time and don’t have many extra hours in the day…  I’m going to endeavor to make a dent in these projects.  The peace of mind that will come from knowing what we have, where it is, and that everything has a place will certainly be worth it.  Instead of being a source of frustrating or guilt, my house will provide a place for us to thrive.  It will be restful, a comfort, and an escape.

Today, I finally bought the bookshelf for Chris.  Abby and Susan had to help me get over the pain of parting with an extra $70, but in the end, I’m really excited.  He is going to love it!

And in place of apathy, I am taking action.

The Dods in a clean, cute home