blogging from 13 inches below...

Well its that time of year. I pack up my sleigh (the focus) full of presents, and LOTS of warm, heavy clothes...and make the 8 hr drive up to MA. With benadryl in the doggies tummy, and Erin by my side playing "mommy bird" (thats another story for another day) we made it in pretty good time...almost exactly 8 hrs. Connecticut was seriously bumper to bumper from the time we entered the state till the time we exited.

The dog finally woke up, poor guy...to a rude awakening of cold cold weather and a potty full of snow and ice. He slipped, he slid, he skidded as he tried to lift his leg. Had to crate him in my bedroom since he slept 8 hrs driving up, and was wide awake all night.

Up this morning, and out the door...think he's finally resigned to making yellow snow, cant find any grass anywhere to water. I'm excited, the snow slows him down enough that I can just let him righ out the back door and he cant run away anywhere. We had a nice off the leash walk in the woods on the trails behind my house. Then went to the soccer field and played "catch me."

I think Emmitt could get used to this living out in the woods in a nice neighborhood. Hes calm, and happy to be off the leash. Doesnt go too far from me, and always always comes right back when I call him.

I know where I'm going to move him next....! (and no, there wont be snow)

Well addressing the 13 inches below...we are getting a BLIZZARD with wind and snow and everything. I shoveled the deck only 30 min ago, and already its past my ankles again....Tomorrow I will wake to snow up to my knees...so sad. I can deal with the inch that was on the ground already....up to my knees; not cool!

Blog slacking

Its been too long, I've been a blogging slacker.

I apologize...tho this isn't read by many...

Well Erin or (Eryn) as she writes it, is visiting me. Helping me schlep the doggie up to MA for christmas. Emmit and Eryn love eachother...we baked peanutbutter dog biscuts yesterday for our neighbors dog's for Christmas, (yes I am one of those people...) First the cookies for Drew's coworkers, then the cookies for the dogs...Did I mention I love to bake. I like "winging' it too. I usually look up a recipe and then sort of edit it in a way I think would taste better, or at least be slightly healthier. Usually my expiraments work out, sometimes not so much....
Think I get it from my dad, we have a general knowledge of what foods do what things in recipes ie what are binders, what help make things rise or give it certain tastes, and then with that knowledge we apply it to random foods. Each time I go home I usually do this. Last year we altered the Gingerbread men recipe. The traditional one calls for so much LARD! (thats tons of saturated fat by the way) not good for my dads already partially clogged arteries...so we substitured a "lighterbake" ingredient (its basically mashed prunes) they tasted really good, they were still soft, but didnt have that "lardicious" flavoring.

Anyway so back to the dog biscuts, mostly just peanutbutter, flour, egg water, and a bit of bran. Emmitt was a big fan, he wasn't happy about sharing them with his friends. Guess he'll have to learn that to be a good puppy we must share our favorite things with our friends sometimes.

He'll get over it.

We have been walking by all the decorated houses on our nightly walks lately. Someone decided to put out fake deer, not the ones that are white and light up and move, they look like real deer. Emmitt wanted to chase them, but then noticed they weren't running away...I went up to touch them to show him it was ok. He wasnt cool with that, started barking and proceeded to freak himself out. Guess he only likes deer when they give a good chase.

Monday night he got to chase some in our back yard. Drew went out the sliding door that leads to the back yard to take out the trash. Usually Emmitt will sit and stay with me while we wait for Drew...however monday...he saw a deer, or a squirrel. I'm still not sure, all I saw was a flash of a white tail, and then a flash of a white dog, and lots of leaves rustling around and being kicked up....There was a moments panic from me as he charged into the woods. I couldn't see a thing since it was so dark, just the eerie glow of his eyes from time to time. Fortunately he must like the food we feed him, because a moment or two later he was back, so happy to have chased something, even if he didn't get to bring it back for us. Haha, good dog!

Its been a loong time..

Ok, so I think last I wrote Drew and I were in "eviction" hell...we wasted our fun, January vacation money on a hotel, a moving van, and lots of days waiting to move into a place. I just want to skip all that...fast forward to now. We are happily moved into our new townhouse...a whole .20 mi from the last 2 places we have lived in the last 6 years. What are we, nomads? Seriously we are like in the Kelley tribe that moves around the planes of Owings Mills, searching for...buffalo? hmm think thats the wrong state...guess here we are searching for...hmm a way out of here..so far no such luck. However, having 3 floors means the dog can run up and down the steps still he passes out, he can play tug of war as rough as he wants, and he has 2 doors to get to the outside through! He couldn't be happier...well really he could be, because now hes seen snow...and he HATES it! First he growled at it, then sniffed it, then tried to bite it...Apparently the snow won, because he has been going hours upon hours with out going to the bathroom (lets just say this little pup normally does his business 4-5 times a day, sometimes twice on one walk...and im not talking about coloring the snow yellow...) Fortunately today (after 3 days of holding it so long he could not sit down) he found his friend Regan, a Mastif having no problem browing the snow, so he decided he too could get in on that action! Good thing!

Well moving on from the dog's ass...Its getting to be Christmas time! (hmm interesting transition there...) Anyway, as far as I'm concerned once I break out the big hubbard squash for Thanksgiving, its Christmas. Nothing like a 15 lb squash to get you in the mood for gingerbread and other goodies..This year we are giving all our friends, neighbors and coworkers homemade cookies and fudge to save money. Tomorrow I am starting on the chocolate meringue snowflakes (martha stewart's got nothin on me!) Yea thats right, I am going to pipe the cookies into snowflake shapes...tho maybe I should wait to boast till after this expirament! Then its onto peanutbutter munchies, and peanutty buckeye bars, and maybe some chocolate thumbprints, and some fudge and finally some turtles! Good thing New Year's is just around the corner..all his coworkers can resolve to go on diets after this cookie extravaganza!

Anyway, merry Christmas, and here's to loosening our belts this time of year!!

craz y election today...

So weird, I feel like every election I have witnessed has gotten crazier and crazier....I remember the Bush election, where everyone thought he lost...and then, somehow...hmm in florida where his brother was governor...he ended up winning? that was a shady election...how the hell did we elect that moron the first time, nevermind for a second term?! Then the next election...somehow Osama made some remark about not electing him again, Im gonna go with that was a made up announcement to help his campaign by some really twisted campaign manager...the Bush friends are so slimy.
So here we are in 2008, and we had a female running for democratic candidate, a black man, an old fart, and a midwestern hick that I swear has hay stuck between her teeth every time. I keep expecting her to wander out in overalls and a plaid hunting jacket. I know she somehow hits a chord with lots of americans...hmm guess that says something about the majority of people that live in this country. Guess the "no child left behind" from the bush administration, forgot the parents behind or something...
Anyway, so back to 2008...I think this is the first time I dont hate either candidate, or love either. I have no strong feelings about either. I think that Obama doesn't have the expirence for where we are in the economy, and the world at the moment, and Mcain is at such an advanced age hes way past obama's green. yes hes very expirenced, but hes so far over the hill that he may croak before he actually gets sworn in. I am completely ignoring both running mates...I mean comon never in my lifetime has the vice pres ever even had much of a say...most americans couldnt name the last 3 vp's. So I will ignore them. Guess the choice is, someone who will learn from his mistakes in the next 4 yrs, or someone who may not make it 4 more years. Coming from somone who usually votes liberal...guess I have to fall back on whatever happens, happens. I live in Maryland, my vote doesnt count...its been decades that MD votes democrat, and i dont mind it.
must agree with hilary tho, if you dont vote, u forfeit your right to bitch and moan!

moving, packing, where to live stress..?

Well let's see, its been quite some time since I last wrote. Emmitt is getting better and better each day. We have taken him to a BIG dog park where he definitely thrives! He found an Italian Greyhound that he Looooves chasing after, finally someone he cant catch and doesnt tire! hehehe. Hes walking very well on the leash now, almost consistantly either walking directly next to me, or slightly behind.
We have fought, and sort of in a way won, against our neighbor below. For 2 years since we moved in every time we walk to the kitchen or to the bathroom, no matter what time of day, if shes home she bangs on the ceiling. We never intended on staying in our condo more than the 2 yr lease we signed, so I feel as though we have won...got the least extended for a few weeks, and she hasn't knocked or even been home in the last month or so!
Drew is currently at his first job interview since after college! Bayer cropscience. He seems very excited and very comfortable. After sending what seemed like millions of resumes to millions of companies, Bayer finally responded! He would be working directly for the head of IT of their north american companies...dude sounds pretty important...got his phd an all... they phone interviewed him like 4 times and really sounded excited about him....but of course...only time will tell.
We have a back up plan of course...Drew stays at his current company with his boss he cant stand...and keeps looking for as long as it takes to get a different job...but OH if it worked out! we'd be sooo happy! We would finally be able to begin our lives! Finally settle down somewhere, rather than live in transition...I mean comon, we live across from a grocery store..I still feel like I am not comfortable in my own abode...can't ever really relax, theres no privacy no quiet, I feel like I have been living in a dorm for the last 10 yrs...Drew and I are both tired of this life here. We are so so so so ready to move on!

Good doggie...

What a good boy! Last weekend we went up to PA to visit the fam :) Emmitt got to take his first long car ride since we brought him home. He was so good in the car, but unfortunately is prone to carsickness...poor dog. Fortunately he loves visiting, new smells, new sounds, and kitties!! He loved gamma's back yard, and was so good. Hopefully he will grow out of the carsickness...or something so we can take more trips up to PA.
We had a great time with everyone, including Dwight too who was nice enough to leave the city to come out and see us "regular folk" hehe jk!

Welcome Emmitt!

I am soo excited! We finally adopted a dog. Hes great!! Looove him. He has only been here since Sat and is making the adjustment very fast...He has loads of positive energy, and actually I hadn't really heard a peep from him until today. There was a crazy blow up arm guy out along our walk...u know, the ones that are propelled by a fan and their arms flap. He did not like that!
However, his is a fast learner...very eager to please. He sits at the door now to wait for it to open. He knows "sit" "down" (as in lay down) knows his name, "off" "no" and a host of other words. He is very smart, though can be very stubborn...although he knows many commands, he still doesnt always want to obey. Love his personality though, he loves belly rubs...walks....short runs...and always gets so excited when drew comes home....mostly he just wants to be loved and played with.
Well off for another walk....

Obsessed with my "roots"

Ok, so all my life I have had this insatiable curiosity to know where I come from. I mean not where I was born or what my parents were like. I mean what or who gave me my physical attributes. I know my small stature comes from my great grandparents who were petite horse trainers/jockeys from France, I know my blue eyes come from my relatives from Whales, Scotland, and England. My hands and feet are most definitely small copies of my mom's much larger ones, my curly hair, eye shape, nose and hair are all from my Lebanese side, and my stubbornness is from the Brits as well. I mean who all these people really were. I think this curiosity started in higsh school when we had to trace back our heritage as far as we could, I went all the way back to the beginning of this country. I am somewhat ashamed to say that my relatives were "wealthy Tories" who believed that America was insane, and they had to flee to Nova Scotia where they were "seamen" and whalers hahahah!! Too bad they lost all the money the apparently had..damn. Unfortunately, I also found some other things they used to trade on their fleet of ships...but we won't go there...bad...
I've always meant to go visit our "cove" up there, tho I'm sure no one in my family owns any of that land anymore.
So then my family history popped up again when I was in college. There I was, sitting in class, minding my own business....when my great uncle popped up in my book...what? huh? Albert Pinkham Ryder..yup that's him, born in New Bedford MA to whalers. Hmmm interesting man, apparently my "eccentricities" and some of my artistic qualities come from that side of the family. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Pinkham_Ryder
Also bumped into that painting when I was visiting the art museum down in DC a few years ago.
No wonder I like to paint to music and dreams, and have this need to rework paintings over and over...and yes, I have my artwork all over the place...good thing Drew is such a neat freak. I could see myself getting old and totally lost in all my art. HAHAHA!!
As for the other side...don't know a lot about them. They are a mixture of French, Scottish, English, and Lebanese (hence my bad nose and crazy hair :) Hmm, the search continues, damn Ancestry.com charges for this info, already found my great grandmother on there....

Recent artworkings.

These are two paintings I have been working on. Unfortunately blogger doesnt arrange them very well. I have been starting this process paitning by watercolor first on the paper. Then it dries, and I use pen and ink on tissue paper. Then the tissue paper is glued on, ie the tree or the shell...and the with acrylic paints, and beads I decorate on top of the watercolor and ink.

Territorial Pissings

So last night Drew and I were soo tired of the rain, we decided to do something that is completely unheard of for us(except at Christmas when we love to shop for others)...we ventured out to the HUGE outlet mall near us and went shopping. Originally we were going to look for my mother's birthday present...but it turned to reminiscing and buying clothes for ourselves.
Not that we really went wild, we each got 2 things...shoes and a tshirt for me, and a nice shirt from banana republic for drew and some shorts from quicksilver.

So onto the topic of territorial pissings. Somehow we got onto the topic of college and how he used to feel that he had to constantly exert his male dominance to prove to every other guy that hit on me that I was with him. Its so funny looking back, I did very much feel like a tree that he was lifting his leg on where ever we went. He didn't like my "going out" clothes, tho I'm sure he felt that it would just mean more work on his part to fend off every single guy that glanced my way.
I can imagine it was exhausting...hehehe. I think we started having this discussion because he was trying to get me to wear something more revealing and I said 'wait last I remember you didn't like me wearing low cut, or body hugging clothes..." and that's what launched the little trip down memory lane.

Funny how things change. I don't think he'd even really notice if someone was checking me out now, he'd probably just think nothing of it..whereas, if it was 6 years ago...he'd probably go straight to me, and put an arm around me or something to let others know I was "his" so cute now...such a pain in my ass then :) Good thing he gained confidence and got over it.

I think we all need more long weekends....

Oh thank god it the long weekend...Drew and I are itching to get outta our "urban" area and off to the mts, so we are excitedly going to hit the Appalachian trail for a little hiking, biking, and picture taking. I tell ya, I can't WAIT to get outta here and get our own house more out of the city. Hopefully then I won't be so antsy to drive hours into the woods all the time :)

Anyway, here's to hoping the rain will stop and the weather will be beautiful for our hikes and bike ride this long weekend! Can't wait to take pictures!

oh my oldness...?

Oh my goodness, so Drew and I were innocently checking the mail...and there it was, my 10 year high school reunion invitation. 10 years? 10 years? How did I get that old? Well lets see, my youngest baby cousin that was born when I was starting high school, is now himself, going to high school. We are no longer in the same century I was born in...fortunately we all lived past the Y2K think, thank god (tad bit of sarcasm here) I got through college, paid off loans, own my own car, got married, Yup I guess thats where that all went.
Oh well. I guess its gotta happen anyway. I was looking through facebook at all my old class mates, several have 1 child, some have 2 children, and even 3?! WOWZA! Actually I guess its pretty cool. They are all doctors, lawyers, biologists, teachers, artists, techies, and government agents now.
So now the question is...do I dare go? I have been a bad friend, bad alumni...I don't keep in touch, I don't call, and when I go home, I don't get together with anyone. Its funny how for a brief moment at my graduation I realized life would never be the same. I was no longer my parents "monetary burden" anymore. College would be my loans, food would be my bills....and starting a new life in Arizona would be my next job. Admittedly I was scared...but I think more than anything, I was excited! New adventures, new friends, new sights. I mean I was going to be in Tucson...thats a loooong way from New England in more ways than one.
I think once I graduated and that chapeter of my life was over, it really was for me. Life keeps moving forward, and thats all we can do as well. Past memories are nice...but do we really want to go back? No no no! No I don't want to have to live by my parents rules, no I don't want to have to go to 8 periods of classes, no I don't want to go back. It was nice, it was fun, I am oh so greatful for my wonderful childhood. Though I am so much more grateful for my life I have now. Now I can make money, and spend it in the ways I see fit. Its MY money, my hard earned money and thats something greater than anything that could be given to me.
Its also my freedom. Ever since I can remember I wanted that. I started "picking" my car when I was 13. Sitting in the back of our proverbial soccer-mom van, I would imagine I was graduated from college, on my own...free to do whatever I please.
Don't get me wrong, I love love love my family. I am so happy God gave me the parents I have...but i think whats even better is that I know that the help and love they gave me is what got me here. I know that nothing makes parents prouder than seeing their children grow up, move out and succeed with the love and knowledge they imparted onto us. Growing up is scary at times, but I look back and realize I have come such a long way, and it wasn't as bad as I was afriad it would be back at that moment at my high school graduation. I wouldn't change it for the world, and as far as I'm concerned...you can't really ever go home, if you are lucky, you can just visit.
So maybe I will go to my reunion...afterall...I have the best husband in the world now...GOTTA show him off. :)

runnin down memory lane..

Last night I had some crazy weird dreams. I think they were brought on by the discussion of our 10 yr HS reunions coming up. Drew was all excited to go to his, and mine, whereas...well I have lukewarm feelings about attending mine. I have a great curiosity about his, but I really didn't stay connected, and the friends I did have were all a year older, so I missed that reunion.
Anyway, so after talking about HS and thinking about it, I had a dream that drew and I were 19 again.
Of course this was the last thing I was thinking of before I ran early this morning, so I just totally got into the thinking zone. Sometimes on good runs I do this. I love to run out by the woods, the shade, and the trees are my favorite places to run through.
I thought a lot about how things have changed. Drew and I met at 19..we were such different people with such a different relationship dynamic. Really we just were friends, tho I still can remember always somewhere having that feeling that I couldn't get too far away. I thought about dinners watching the sunset on top of the old union at UOFA. Our dinners long since finished, we would sit up there until it got dark and cool, all the eateries downstairs closed and quiet. We just discussed everything...classes, people, hopes for the future...
I cant remember when the friendship feelings melted away leaving behind something more...19 year old drew, so funny...his longish hair that I used to put in poneytails, I always knew it was him no matter how far away I was. I could be at one end of the campus, and he at the other, and just by the bounce in his step and the way he carried himself; straight with both thumbs hooked under his back pack...always knew it was Drew walking off to class somewhere..
Now its funny, we would kind of make eachother slack off...he with studying and me with running. He always had a way of tempting me not to run; "comon, wouldn't you rather just hang with me...wink wink..." bad drew!

He's graduated again, this time with his MBA, and I am so proud. He's worked so hard, I don't know how he kept up the 3.89 gpa through all the things that have happened the last few years. We got married, and moved. Bigger than that though, he lost his dad. Wow, what determination. I know that motivated him in a way, his dad was one class away from his MBA, and I think drew might have felt by finishing up, and finishing with such a strong gpa he did it in part for his dad.

Yes things have most definately changed...though it still feels at the core of everything...things are somehow the same, deep down. We can still talk for hours about nothing, poke fun of eachother, get mad at eachother...and cuddle at night.

Eureka, now I know why my nana is Crazy! :)

So growing up, I always heard stories of my great grandma Ryder and talent for cooking. Now I like to cook, well really bake, so I always listened to how she made wonderful cookies and pies, and every other thing. Having only met her briefly around age 4 when she had Alzheimer and was in a nursing home (thinking my mom was my nana,)I was always a rapturous listener of her younger years. I heard stories of her playing under the table with my mom and always singing while she cooked. I also knew if she ever saw elbows on the table she would stab you pretty hard with a fork, funny how things like that were important at the time.
Anyway, I am getting off subject here...Back to my nana and her, shall we say "endearing eccentricity."
I offered to transcribe an old hand written recipe booklet my great grandma wrote, with all her secret recipes. Here is a sampling of some entries, Prune Bread, Date Bars, Peach Dumplings, Date Torte, Chocolate Russe, Ginger Molasses Cookies...wait...I swear this could be what would write...each and every one of my favorite flavors...Peaches, Dates, Prunes!? Hmm...could I be related? Though, I do have to say, she was into her SUGAR!! Every single recipe is loaded with sugar...I tend to like less sweet tastes.
So I am flipping through this great book, complete with worn, aged, and stained pages (yes this was written in 1930 so the pages are that great coffee brown color). I come upon a rather strange recipe...a cold remedy? Hmm, I think to myself, this should be interesting....
I read,
One pound fresh lard----eww but lets hope this is not to be ingested, open mind this was the
1930s
Melt with one ounce of campher gum...ewww
"Take of the stove" is in bold...hmm?
add one ounce of turpentine...."wait, turp? I paint with this?! it makes me sooo SICK!
I continue to think...good thing she rememberd to take this off the stove, i think an explosion wont cure a cold...
finally ammonia is added to this concotion.
Fortunately this is to be applied to a face cloth and left on your chest 2 times a day...
I know I say fortunately, though, man no one should be breathing this no matter how sick they are!
So that explains my nana, her mom killed all her brain cells...haha!
Maybe thats why shes an artiist, she longs for the smell of turpentine :)
Now for all you reading, do not try this at home, it will not cure anything, though I may try to paint with it......

Livin on Groffs Mill Rd now...

Ok, so in the 3 years since I last wrote, LOTS has happened! To start, I no longer live on Appleford Cir, I moved a whole 1 mile away to Groffs Mill Circle. I like the name Appleford better though, Groffs Mill is so hideous sounding...plus everything out here is a "mill" hmm still hate Maryland, it still hasn't grown on me. I have gotten married, changed jobs 3 times, and now have my very own brother in law! However, not everything has changed...still am in love with Drew, and still am in love with painting..it has changed a tad though too.

I was always so fascinated by beauty in nature and colorful fruits and veggies, tho i still am, I have been trying out watercolors lately. susie gave me some great watercolors and some vibrant acrylic paints, and I LOVE them! shes got great taste in bright colors, and im so excited to use them. rather than just paint, i have been doing a little mixed media, painting first, then on tissue paper, drawing with pen and ink, and glueing it to the watercolor, and acrylic over it...rather abstract..but i like it. ive been into looking at home decorator books and magazines and have been inspired by some of the designs on fabric, pasilsy, stripes, even toile which ive never liked before. anyway its interesting...

I am so excited that Drew has finally graduated! I have been so lonely here by myself at night, I mean i always call my mom at night while hes out, but its lonely not seeing anyone really from 8am till the next morning since Drew usually got home after i was asleep...or id try to stay awake to say goodnight...
I am so PROUD of him though. He really has worked so hard! He has put so many hours into studying, reading, writing papers, putting together presentations etc. He has learned so much, and grown so much and gotten many different perspectives on work and life. Much has changed in him, all for good.
As much as I bitch and moan about how lonely its been for him, I really am happy for him in the end. Plus that means, its my turn next! Hmm..interior design school? Art history masters? pastry decorating? we'll see whats to come.

Mostly I am looking forward to many many more years together, still growing up, and moving on with our lives...ever forward. A house perhaps soon? A dog to go with it? ahh what wonderful things does the future hold for Drew and I?