Where does the time get away to? Seriously! So much in just one week…it’s silly I haven’t hopped on here and updated – my apologies.
I’ll start with the super fun dinner I made myself Thursday night! I made vegetarian Sloppy Joes!!! And ya know, I used Hunt’s canned Slppy Joe mix and added some Lawry’s chili seasoning – it did the trick. REALLY brought it up a notch – on mini buns topped with American cheese? Yeah…soooooo fun, such a flash back to child hood at my friends houses and ended up being way better than I could have imagined it would be!
Friday I had the day off – rock! I can’t recall what all I did right away…I know I slept in, then I cleaned a little…re-arranged the pantry and such…hm…what else? Why can’t I remember?
Saturday I cleaned some more (after sleeping in…god, I love sleeping so much) and then got stuff together to celebrate the lovely, wonderful and INCREDIBLY STRONG AND BEAUTIFUL (not to mention gifted, talented, funny and amazing) Hillary Douin. She’s my girl. She’s my soul friend. She has loved me through things perhaps only a mother could love their child through…she’s been there for me and I cannot thank heaven enough for bring her into my life. THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE HILLARY EXISTS!!! Do you hear that world??!!! NOW…let’s show this girl some EXTRA LOVE!!! WOO HOO! (needless to say, I took several “shots” for the team…Hill wasn’t drinking so I did some for her, along with the 312′s I was taken out like it was my job (and one that I was very enthusiastic about no less…eesh).
Sunday – oy…recovery started with two large fries, a coke and a double fish fillet sandwich (hold the tarter, sub mayo) after driving back home form the south side and Hillary…slept in laaaate (big smile), woke up and ended up meeting a friend down at Midsummer Fest (so unplanned, very spontaneous but much fun was had including TAKING OUT a delicious ear of corn AND freshly made gaucamole and chips!), then off to meet up with Haley and hubby for some yummy dinner (thank you Z) and wine (mmm mmm good) and some melty wax time! Haley taught me a bit about encaustics which I enjoyed a lot. I’ve done all the reading there is out there on the subject, but I’ve never actually gotten my hands dirty so to speak. It was fun. Then I walked to the Howard el stop relatively late at night which is ALWAYS a joyful experience!!! (or at least, colored with wonderful flavors…I love Rogers Park).
Another part of Sunday was spent just walking on my own…through my neighborhood, soaking up the much missed and needed sunshine and thinking. Oh man…it was fantastic. I forgot how much I love to just be by myself and think…let my head wander, my feet roam and smile at the loveliness that is the RP in the summer. Yeah…it was good. Soul searching is ALWAYS good…
Monday…hm…work…work…lots of work really. OH, but then Monday got goooooood. I ran some errands, including picking up t-shirts for my beach volleyball team. I need to design our logo asap and paint them on, but I’m excited we’ll have matching shirts. All bright red. WOOT! I ALSO went out to Walmart! Now, I KNOW they are supposed to be an evil coorporation and they are terrible to their employees…but they DO have killer prices. Damn. I’m sorry guys, I caved…I went to Walmart and I spent some money. Not only did I get the fruit of the loom t-shirts, but I also made an impulse purchase – a realy inexpensive food processor! I’ve needed one for years…and I’m so happy with it! My friend always makes this amazing olive dip stuff and I know she must food process it so now I can make the stuff too. YES! I also picked up TONS of cat food (the Petsmart out on Touhy is REALLY well stocked) and …drum roll please…I PICKED UP GOODIES FOR A BIRD!
Yes yes, it’s true…there is a new little man in my life! His name is Jasper June Sky (yeah, kinda like Jasper John only different…) His name was totally inspired by Jasper Johns Green Target (a personal all time favorite art piece) and this little guy is gorgeous! He is a rescue. My friend Heather and another girl along the bike path found him. He’s tagged and everything…finger trained, loves to sit on shoulders, sings to himself in the mirror and is just an all around joy to my heart. Seriously, he brought tears to my eyes…TEARS…his new home is all set up now and he’s happily inside, tweeting to himself before he falls asleep. Sometimes I feel my heart swell up so much and I think, how can it get better than this. I’m a lucky girl…
Tuesday – more work and a lot of praying to the weather gods for rain. Yeah, that’s right, you heard me. I was actually PRAYING for rain. My volleyball team was gonna be SERIOUSLY short handed and we would have been forced into a forfeit – BUT, mother nature obliged and badda bing – game rained out! YES! I walked home with too many bags in my hand (vball stuff in case the game HAD happened, produce from the market, duck eggs from the market, CHEESE from the market…) and by the time I walked through my door I was exhausted and soaked.
I took a nap with Jasper on my pillow…then he flew above me to the ceiling fan and watched me from below before falling asleep himself. Have I mentioned what a joy he is? That cats aren’t even phased by him which is great! I’ll post a picture of him soon – once I take a good one that is! After napping most of the night away I finished setting up Jaspers tank and then officially called it a NIGHT!
That brings us to today – Wednesday. Long day at work, got some sad movie news that really bummed me out (Julia Roberts is set to play Elizabeth Gilbert in the movie adaptation of Eat Pray Love and my heart SANK…like the Time Travelers Wife, I will not go see this movie…Julia will only make me angry with her hideous performance of a most beloved character …gah! HOOLLYWOOD…WHYYYYYYYYY???!!!), worked some more, had a great chat with the lovely ladies of Argo Tea in my building (they always make me the yummiest drinks and are just so nice!!!), then a great chat with one of my co-workers who I think is just such a sweetie, then more work, then ….then…met up with my friend to help him pick out shoes and final things for his big awesome amazing trip to SOUTH AFRICA where he will be working on a documentary for this monkey sanctuary…yeah! Then we grabbed a super quick bite to eat and watched the movie The Hangover, which I just gotta say, is really freaking funny! The cast had me rolling…seriously, I’m excited to see what they do with the sequel (which they’ve been developing even before the first movie dropped).
GOOD TIMES.
ANYWAY…I’ve also come across some great blogs lately – I’ll share them tomorrow! They are inspirational and positive and wonderful! It’s important to share those sites don’t you think?!?!
Well…this is long and rambly (big surprise there right?) but that’s because I’m tired and in a good mood. My conflicted heart took the night off and I’ve just been enjoying little Jaspers warmth and delightful little chirping which has just given me the right amount of perspective to pull me out of these blasted Chicago weather winter blues!!! Really, life is pretty good, I’m a damn lucky lady, I have amazing friends, I have amazing kitties, an amazing tortoise and now an amazing bird, I have an apartment of my own, I get to curl up in my bed and snuggle in, go to a job that treats me well, work with some awesome people, eat delicious organic veggies…ah…the summer time in this place is fantastic.
I have a new love for the beer Dos Equis Amber (with extra lime) and have always loved “the most interesting man in the world”…and while he always says at the end of the commercials, “Stay thirsty my friends” I would like to piggy back that marketing genius with my own little tag line:
Stay lovely my friends…