Throughout the weekend

I'm at a loss for words tonight, mainly from being humbled after reading Shauna James Ahern's new book, Gluten-free Girl: How I Found the Food that Loves Me Back...and How You Can, Too. The way she twines words together is indescribable. Her entire book is absolutely delicious, simultaneously humbling and motivating.

So, rather than trying to dredge up suitable words, I'll leave pictures.

First, a few of my favourite recently-thrifted things:


John, such a creature of habit (as am I) has half a glass of juice every morning -- before coffee, even! I saw two of these Declaration of Independence (other side of the glass) and Liberty Bell Bicentennial glasses, and had to get them - I knew my history nerd would love them. And I was right!


I am a sucker for small vintage plates. These are about the size of salad plates, and we've been using them for the past few weeks (and they were $0.49 each, as were each of the thrifted items in this post. How much better does it get?!).

And these, these might be my favourite.

This was the view through the window in our study yesterday. At my parent's house, the trees have been naked for weeks; yet in spite of the bursts of cold weather here, the leaves are still clinging to the trees.

And the view from our bedroom. My heart just thrills every time I see a tree that's such a glorious, vibrant yellow as this one, and I love getting to wake up to this view.

And yes, yes, I did hang up the Christmas lights. Lights: check. Pine-scented candle: check. Music: fetch Christmas CDs from library before leaving work.

I also knitted a hat this weekend, but the picture I took of it turned out horribly (I took it while I was waiting for the bus and discovered that the bus was about to pull up to the curb). So, until I get a different, better picture, I'm not going to put one up, as the hat's much cuter in life than this picture would have you think.

Things I'm looking forward to: Thanksgiving break (two days of work, two days off, one day on, two days off. !!!!).

Photo Vignettes from Sunday Afternoon

Doesn't he look studious? Please note the remote, just next to his hand, ready anytime we hear a burst of yelling from the apartment next door, meaning that something exciting/bad happened in the Patriots/Colts game, the studious look is shattered as he un-mutes the tv and joins in the jubilation/disappointment.




Dress: New, on clearance; marked down from $36.00 to $3.60. Necklace: Vintage, free-thrifted (lifted?); it was my Mom's when she was my age.



Mexican Lovebirds. From Mexico. Obviously. Nestled (haha, nestled) together on our living-room endtable.

Gluten-free Pumpkin Spice Muffins:

Two years and counting...

From this:



To this:



And this:



Then this:



And, now, this:




It just keeps getting better and better. Happy two-year anniversary, baby! I love you.

An Ode to Accomplishment and, again, strange dreams.

Lately, with getting another year older (at least, I hope that's the reason), I've had innumerable flashbacks to my childhood. Things I hadn't thought of for years; memories that had lay dormant for so long I wasn't aware of their existence. And thinking back to the little girl I used to be, I realize how important it is for me to have the motivation and courage to do what I've always wanted to. It's not impossibly inaccessible; it would just take passion, effort, and a lot of committment (and really, doesn't marriage have those exact requirements, as well? And the marriage area here is amazing - I love, love being married). In another 23 years, and another 23 after that, I don't want to look back and still wonder what would've happened if I'd tried to pursue my dream. I have John, his love, and his support.

So here I am. I'll practice. I'm working up the courage. I'll give it my all. And we'll see what happens.

--

Almost every night, I have ridiculously vivid, strangely violent, horrific dreams. Two nights ago, the first night back here in our apartment after our trip (and oh, I can hardly tell you how good our bed and pillows felt!), I dreamed:

I am having a normal off-work day, putzing around the house, when I feel something brushing my left elbow. I look down, and there it is, like a tiny transparent hot air balloon, tethered to the outside of my elbow. It has the look and consistency of a blister, but in an inverted teardrop-shape, waving gently in the breeze, and a bit bigger than my thumbnail. My arm itches, and I reach to scratch, but even as my fingernails graze my arm, my heart catches in my throat, and I stare, horrified, for along the three pink tracks my fingernails just brushed, sprout more miniature balloons. Starting out tiny, like the seed of a tomato, then growing rapidly, noticably, until they are all the size of the first. I panic, fear and horror welling in my throat, and as I turn to get help, I notice more of these tiny blister-balloons tethered to other parts of my body. If I bump into anything, more of these balloons appear; if something even lightly touches my body, they spring into existence.

I wake up with panic filling my throat and mind, and hold my left arm up close to my face so that my glasses-less eyes can inspect and, by the weak beams of the night-light, ensure that my arms aren't, actually, covered with miniature balloons.