Note to self

In an attempt to identify the little things that bring me truck loads of joy, I am coming up with a list of things I enjoy but don't seem to do anymore.  Perhaps it will help me change things up a bit and uncover a little more joy out of my everyday tasks.

• Burn candles
• Listen to music while I cook
• Send more care packages for no reason at all
• Start running again because race season is coming up
• Wear earrings
• Actually send out the greeting cards I seem to pick up every time I go to the store
• Drink hot tea

If I just sprinkle in a few of these things into a boring Tuesday, I will appreciate the simple joys that make me so happy for seemingly no reason at all.

Man, She Is So Continental and Intergalactic!

http://www.geekologie.com/2010/06/girl_you_lookin_good_hello_kit.php

Hello kitty is SO my hero. She can do anything! My personal favorite is the R2D2.

Two More To Cross Off!

Yay! It's finally time to cross a few things off of my "50 things I wanna do" list. I just happened to be looking at the list and notices i have two more things to put a line through!

31. Rescue another cat- In honor of "The Boy's" third birthday, I brought a sister home for him! The animal shelter where I volunteer had this sweet kitty in a cage at Petsmart for about 6 weeks. I just adored her and would go to visit her a few times a week. She really took a liking to me and we became like peas and carrots. So, I talked the shelter into allowing me to foster her. She lived at the shelter for three long years. I think they forgot I have her, and I am keeping quiet. Little Alphie is a dead ringer for Nutty. She is a sweet, sweet baby and is always purring up a storm when she sees me. She's also one heck of a head-butter. She doesn't quite get that her breath is awful. She and The Boy are sweethearts. Punky and Nutmeg really didn't/don't care much for him; however, Alphie is his favorite play and cuddle mate.

42. Buy an antique diamond ring- just this past weekend, whilst antiquing, I found a delightful, delicate turn of the (last) century solitaire. It is so lovely and feminine. And, as luck would have it, it matches my great, great grandmother's wedding band that I already own-so now I have a beautiful set.

Baked Honeycrisp Applesauce

Looking for a way to enjoy the taste of HC all year long? Here is a recipe that you can make, enjoy and also freeze!

I think the trick to this one is the baking dish. I use a very heavy enamel/cast iron dutch oven with a super tight fitting lid. But, you could do this in the crock pot, if you wanted. You also could use a baking dish with a lid, or at last resort, a baking dish with tin foil. The tight fitting lid allows all of the yummy apple juice to remain in the sauce and really concentrate.

5lbs of apples-peeled, cored and quartered
2 Tsp cinnamon
Freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
Juice of one lemon+the lemon itself
2 Tsp vanilla, or 1/2 a vanilla pod
1/4 brown sugar
2 Tbs of honey

Combine all ingredients in your baking dish. Bake in a 400degree oven for 45 min. Remove from oven and mash with a potato masher to desired consistency. Fish out the lemon and the vanilla bean (if you used one.)

If you were doing the crock pot method, I would figure it would be 5-6hrs on low or 2-3hrs on high. But, your house is going to smell awesome, so I would go the low route!

If you use a sweeter apple, you could probably skip the sugar. You could use splenda or another sweetener if you prefer. I like to use a firmer apple because I like the sauce to be nice and chunky. I have used a combo of Fuji and Honeycrisp and then just Honeycrisp. They both equally delish! Don't shy away from the lemon because the acid really gives it a zing and complexity of flavor that you'll really enjoy.

I hate apple peelers and the corer. I prep the apples assembly line style. With a sharp paring knife, slice a thin amount off the top and bottom of the apple, so you have a flat surface. Then, use the paring knife and carve around the apple, from top to bottom. This will allow you to easily remove the peel in a few strokes. To remove the core, quarter the apple by slicing thru the middle vertically, and then turn the apple 90 degrees and cut again. You'll be able to see where the core is and just carve it out. Or, if you like the core remover thingie-have at it!

This freezes really well. I have eaten it hot and cold. I prefer it hot, with a little ice cream and a sprinkle of toasted pecans. Add a little caramel sauce and you have yourself a hot caramel apple sundae. Seriously. So. Good.

HoneyCrisp Recipe of the Week

2 slices of chewy bread
butter
1/4 of a large HC apple-paper thin slices
honey
2 or so slices of Gruyere cheese

basic grilled cheese sandwich construction:
heat a pan over medium high heat.
butter one side of each slice.
place one slice of buttered bread in the pan.
top with a cheese slice, then a pile of thinly sliced apple
drizzle with honey
add another slice of cheese
then top with the last piece of bread-buttered side up.

grill until toasty and delicious. probably best to let it sit for a minute or two so the cheese isn't too runny and the sandwich is ruined after one bite.

ps- makes a kick-ass sandwich if you use peanut butter in place of the cheese in the same mode of construction.

HoneyCrisp=Crack

I finally broke down last night and shelled out five bucks for three apples. I would have said "three lousy apples" but that would have been such a lie. These apples are the royalty of the apple family-they are HoneyCrisp apples.

I wrote about them a few years ago, because the first sightings of HC apples signifies the beginning of fall. Every friend that I have introduced to this apple is a fan-club member. And, since it got down into the 40's last night, I knew it was time to spend the money and buy them already!

The challenge is that I am having a hard time actually consuming the apples. They are such gems that I don't want to waste them on just any snack! I literally just walked to the kitchen, picked up the apple in question, gave it a sniff and decided that it wasn't a worthy enough time to eat the apple.

These suckers really are crack.

personified sadness

i just finished reading this beautiful memoir of a writer who loses her baby a few days before he was to be born in april of 2006. she wanted to write a book about the experience because she didn't want that sweet little soul that never had a chance to be born to be forgotten or dismissed as anything less than an important life. as much as the book broke my heart, it was so beautifully written that it allowed me to read it and love it.

as it often does, there was a passage in the book that really spoke to me. when i read it i ached to write. it's about sadness and she personified it so perfectly.....

perhaps it goes without saying that i believe in the geographic cure. of course you can't out-travel sadness. you will find it has smuggled itself along in your suitcase. it coats the camera lens, it flavors the local cuisine. in that different sunlight, it stands out, awkward, yours, honking in the brash vowels of your native tongue in otherwise quiet restaurants. you may even feel proud of its stubbornness as it follows you up the bell towers and monuments, as it pants in your ear while you take in the view. i travel not to get away from my troubles but to see how they look in front of famous buildings or on deserted beaches. i take them for walks. sometimes i get them drunk. back at home we generally understand each other better.

to read more, check out elizabeth mccraken's new book- an exact replica of a figment of my imagination.

number 29 completed

i successfully made crepes! i also trashed my kitchen in the process! i filled them with warm grilled bananas and homemade whipped cream! yum!

#50- accomplished!

i found myself with a bit of a redheaded tan in bonaire this november. i even had tan lines from my swimsuit and they lasted for over two weeks. seven long days of nothing but relaxing, sunning, reading and swimming.

oh. what i wouldn't give to go back right now!

a kind poem a friend sent me this week in honor of punky-cat

Marla & Punky At Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when Punky suddenly stops and looks into the distance. Her bright eyes are intent. Her eager body quivers. Suddenly she begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, her legs carrying her faster and faster.
You have been spotted, Marla, and when you and your special friend, Punky, finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress her beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of Punky, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then Marla and Punky cross Rainbow Bridge together...

an update on 50 things i want to do....

Without even trying, i knocked a few off the list

6.25.2007

someday i'd like to
1. witness a baby being born
2. swim in the pacific ocean
3. see yosemite
4. take some really impressive photographs with a fantastic camera
5. have a niece or nephew---yay! honorary nephew and godson 9/12/08
6. sing karaoke all by myself
7. master a british or australian accent
8. run a mile without shortness of breath
9. live in santa monica california
10. drive cross country
11. touch a redwood
12. go to greece
13. buy a couch from ikea-----woohoo! she is a beaut! 11/2007
14. write a short story that is actually good
15. give up my diet coke addiction for good---------i have been off the sauce for about 4 months
16. sew a dress for myself
17. bring home a boy and have my grandma approve of him
18. use an elliptical machine without falling off---accomplished 7/2008
19. volunteer for a good cause on a regular basis
20. develop an appreciation for coffee-----done. i can drink iced lattes without gagging!
21. learn to play the guitar
22. sing in a choir again
24. see a broadway show
25. become a morning person
26. read a book each week, or at least 3 per month
27. learn to knit-----woohoo! i can still crochet better....but i caught on to knitting in minutes
28. find an organized religion or spiritual group that i can believe in---completed 4/2008
29. make crepes
30. have a dog
31. rescue another cat (but not for a while!)
32. wash my dishes when i am done with them and not allow them to sit for days (or weeks)
33. use excel without wanting to kill someone.----accomplished. kind of.
34. learn to do custom framing
35. reupholster a chair
36. pay off all debt and be debt free--my student loans are finally under 10K! only 4 digits now! all credit card debt is paid in full each month.
37. go to grad school
38.kayak------not yet, but i am doing it in Bonaire in just 12 short days!
39. i guess i probably should go camping at some point
40. own a vw bug------my mom bought one instead. so this is coming off the list
41. purchase a hybrid vehicle
42. buy an antique diamond ring
43. find a sports bra that actually works
44. find a way to enjoy a football game that doesn't involve booze
45. learn to wrap a present and have it look pretty
46. grow a vegetable garden
47. have pink gerber daisies in my house once a week
48. work for myself
49. have a personalized license plate
50. somehow tan my skin that only burns

is it just me??

have you seen the commercial for the new season of nip/tuck? i have never watched the show, but i am digging the "wicked game" cover they are using in the commercials.

check this out

all i can say is "bad, bad babies!"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070806/ap_on_fe_st/odd_hello_kitty_cops

ushering in a little change

please visit www.fuzzylikeapeach.blogspot.com

let me know if you would like to subscribe to my new venture.

yea! vacation day!!

i finally took a vacation day!! and i am actually going to do stuff for me!!

i guess getting your drivers license might not big kicks for most folks, but i am pretty geeked.

can you say "ikea visit??"

the best decision i made all week

i went to trader joes and decided against buying sangria.

this was clearly the best decision i made all week.

i probably wouldn't stop drinking until some point mid-week (next week)

gotta love work stress and trying to get your new georgia plates stress.