Has it been two days already?
I'm sitting here enjoying the new autumn along with it's subtle breeze, the falling and turning of leaves, the sounds of school bells off in the distance.
I live quite close to an over-two-hundred year old school which I used to attend in the early 2000's. It was the first place I brought my husband, funny enough. I don't know what it is about that particular place, but it gives me chills and a sense of such wonder that I am just drawn to it again and again.
Since I moved away I had been back to that same old neighbourhood with its looming churches and their gardens, the graveyards with elaborate tombstones (so worn that you cannot read the name of the soul which lays beneath), and the old town houses, nearly every weekend in fall. It's my favourite adventure, discovering new old things. I just walk quietly amongst swirling leaves at my feet, my scarf tightly wrapped around my neck, and ponder. Both my husband and Emma can tell you how much I enjoy my time.
(Note: Paddy town is the most beautiful place in the world. Almost as beautiful as the view of the tower and an old church amongst the pines atop of the hill on Main Street...)
Something captivates my heart; perhaps it's the sound of church bells that echo the same way on cloudy afternoons as they did ten years ago, as they did nearly two hundred years before that
I wanted nothing more than to live in the neighbourhood so I could absorb the feeling of wonder and serenity I got from it all, every day. Greedily. I never thought it possible, it was just something I dreamt about, beyond what I could attain.
I waited eight or nine long years and suddenly my dream came true. Nothing makes me feel more accomplished than walking to work every morning past pioneer burial grounds, vines that clutch and slowly climb everything, wrought iron gates covered in foliage, Victorian houses which have aged so romantically- eerily, even.
Then I enter the neighbourhoods with their manicured lawns and old houses, elderly people with fancy cars, and dogs so well trained they walk without leashes- it feels all too good for me. Everyone says hello here, everyone picks up garbage, everyone smiles. I like to think they feel as blessed as I do living amongst the old beauty that is our history.
Sometimes you get what you want, it just falls in your lap and the gratefulness you feel for such good fortune it beyond you. It surely has been that way for me.
I sit here with my husband, enjoying my favourite season, in my favourite place. Its hard to count your blessings when there are so many of them.
Fond moments and memories of my adventures here linger, they give me a warm feeling, and then an uneasy feeling of nostalgia- when I lived at home with my loving parents, when I was young, when everything was new. That being said, what I dreamt about then, I have it all now.
Whatever I did to deserve such a life, I honestly don't know.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Life Adventurer
Adventurer Emma, my sister, is currently in British Columbia. We are now 3 hours apart, which will take some getting used to. Apparently they have mountains and huge trees, and seals, but seals make me nervous.
I really miss her but it's not like she is gone forever and I'm so used to this 'all the people you love are a million miles away' thing- well, at least I'm coping.
The only thing that REALLY sucks is I just finished my living room and now I feel like I have no one to share it with.
Currently, my dearly beloved is in a coffee shop. I really want coffee.
Emma! I loved the Crème Brule coffee, it's orgasmic. It so buttery without being a nutty flavour so it'll be a nice change to my regular french vanilla and hazelnut.
Anyway, I'm really excited to visit her in B.C. because I've never been there. It's like another world, when you think of how vast our country is. I want to speak with whales.
I still have more cleaning to do, also, once I take a picture of my sexy nails I'll post it up.
Love love!
I really miss her but it's not like she is gone forever and I'm so used to this 'all the people you love are a million miles away' thing- well, at least I'm coping.
The only thing that REALLY sucks is I just finished my living room and now I feel like I have no one to share it with.
Currently, my dearly beloved is in a coffee shop. I really want coffee.
Emma! I loved the Crème Brule coffee, it's orgasmic. It so buttery without being a nutty flavour so it'll be a nice change to my regular french vanilla and hazelnut.
Anyway, I'm really excited to visit her in B.C. because I've never been there. It's like another world, when you think of how vast our country is. I want to speak with whales.
I still have more cleaning to do, also, once I take a picture of my sexy nails I'll post it up.
Love love!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Husband Count Down!
FOUR DAYS!
Almost 3 DAYS!
AM I READY?
not really. Cleaning my arse off.
AM I EXCITED?
Oh yeaaaa!
Can't wait to see my husband again, it' been since March- much too long.
And he'll have to leave again.
But I'll have time with him, and every moment in life is valuable. That's what I've learned from being apart.
People feel sorry for me or ask me how I could have so much patience. Well, in my mind, neither of us are dead so we still have plenty of time. Every moment counts, every memory is precious. Distances keeps us from taking each other for granted. Either way, God will make things easier in time.
Now to put up shelves.
Clean the litter.
Do the rest of the dishes.
And... beautify. Hardcore heavy duty.
Seriously guys, I've let myself go anticipating his arrival!
Much to do, much too excited. Time is passing very slowly!
C'est la vie!
Almost 3 DAYS!
AM I READY?
not really. Cleaning my arse off.
AM I EXCITED?
Oh yeaaaa!
Can't wait to see my husband again, it' been since March- much too long.
And he'll have to leave again.
But I'll have time with him, and every moment in life is valuable. That's what I've learned from being apart.
People feel sorry for me or ask me how I could have so much patience. Well, in my mind, neither of us are dead so we still have plenty of time. Every moment counts, every memory is precious. Distances keeps us from taking each other for granted. Either way, God will make things easier in time.
Now to put up shelves.
Clean the litter.
Do the rest of the dishes.
And... beautify. Hardcore heavy duty.
Seriously guys, I've let myself go anticipating his arrival!
Much to do, much too excited. Time is passing very slowly!
C'est la vie!
God Save the Grated Cheese!
Tip Tip #3
Cheese:
I love grated cheese. Haven't you ever noticed that when you grate cheese it takes on a completely different flavour? It's pretty amazing. Like I've said before, I'm no scientist so don't ask me why that is.
When large (massive) bricks of cheese are on sale I grab quite a few! If a brick is 8$ and I find it for 3-6$, and I buy 4- I have saved a lot of money. I'm also not a mathematician, so don't ask me how much. It's a lot, and it's incredible how much cheese I can actually eat, so I really need to buy that much!
I love buying a variety of cheeses, my favourite 'home' blend consists of the flavours my husband and I enjoy, as well as what my parents like too. The blend is: Old Cheddar (white and aged), Mozzarella (limited flavour, desired stringiness and melting potential), and some good ol' Orange Cheese (also cheddar, never aged or particularly fantastic but its cheese so I love it!). I am a cheese expert, so I can tell you why I enjoy this variety of cheese and what I do with it.
(Of all the thing's I'm good at, I am very, very good with cheese.)
I keep the nice cheeses in the fridge, they get demolished pretty fast. I've never frozen soft cheeses like goat, labneh, or brie- and I never would. But bricks of cheese, like Black Diamond and the likes, are expendable and I use that kind of cheese in recipes and grilled sandwiches.
I take the bricks and I grate them, luckily at my mother's house there is this amazing Cuisinart with a cheese grating attachment and it does the job in a matter of minutes. If I'm stuck in my abode, I'm forced to use a hand grater, and that takes considerably more time. But it's cheese, and it's worth it.
By the time I'm done I've got a massive amount of grated cheese. People who are gluten free, don't eat flour, blah blah- skip this step or use an alternative though I'm not yet quite sure of one. If you have one let me know! I take a couple of tablespoons of white flour and I toss it in with the cheese. There is a good reason for this, like for everything I do!
When the cheese is frozen it tends to freeze in a clump. The flour makes it so that this doesn't happen- don't ask me why... yeah you get it.
I put the cheese in whatever is available, I don't bother portioning it because cheesiness depends on the day and how healthy I'm feeling! This cheese can last up to 3-5 months. It doesn't need to be put in the freezer immediately, however I would freeze it after a week tops.
You can use this for:
Everything.
Now, I have a rant.
BAGS OF GRATED CHEESE! WHAT THE HECK? A BRICK OF MASSIVE CHEESE OF THE VERY SAME BRAND IS 5-8$, WHY, FOR A MEDIOCRE SIZE BAG OF GRATED CHEESE MUST I PAY 8-11$. I'M NOT STUPID, IT'S LESS CHEESE! NOT ONLY IS IT LESS CHEESE, BUT WHO GRATES THIS CRAP? IT'S NOT CONSISTANT OR APPETIZING. I'M APPALLED BY THIS THIEVERY. WOE IS THE WOMAN WHO WAS WASTING HER MONEY ON A LARCENY! A CHEESY GOOD FOR NOTHING JIP! RAAA! Eat up.
Cheese:
I love grated cheese. Haven't you ever noticed that when you grate cheese it takes on a completely different flavour? It's pretty amazing. Like I've said before, I'm no scientist so don't ask me why that is.
When large (massive) bricks of cheese are on sale I grab quite a few! If a brick is 8$ and I find it for 3-6$, and I buy 4- I have saved a lot of money. I'm also not a mathematician, so don't ask me how much. It's a lot, and it's incredible how much cheese I can actually eat, so I really need to buy that much!
I love buying a variety of cheeses, my favourite 'home' blend consists of the flavours my husband and I enjoy, as well as what my parents like too. The blend is: Old Cheddar (white and aged), Mozzarella (limited flavour, desired stringiness and melting potential), and some good ol' Orange Cheese (also cheddar, never aged or particularly fantastic but its cheese so I love it!). I am a cheese expert, so I can tell you why I enjoy this variety of cheese and what I do with it.
(Of all the thing's I'm good at, I am very, very good with cheese.)
I keep the nice cheeses in the fridge, they get demolished pretty fast. I've never frozen soft cheeses like goat, labneh, or brie- and I never would. But bricks of cheese, like Black Diamond and the likes, are expendable and I use that kind of cheese in recipes and grilled sandwiches.
I take the bricks and I grate them, luckily at my mother's house there is this amazing Cuisinart with a cheese grating attachment and it does the job in a matter of minutes. If I'm stuck in my abode, I'm forced to use a hand grater, and that takes considerably more time. But it's cheese, and it's worth it.
By the time I'm done I've got a massive amount of grated cheese. People who are gluten free, don't eat flour, blah blah- skip this step or use an alternative though I'm not yet quite sure of one. If you have one let me know! I take a couple of tablespoons of white flour and I toss it in with the cheese. There is a good reason for this, like for everything I do!
When the cheese is frozen it tends to freeze in a clump. The flour makes it so that this doesn't happen- don't ask me why... yeah you get it.
I put the cheese in whatever is available, I don't bother portioning it because cheesiness depends on the day and how healthy I'm feeling! This cheese can last up to 3-5 months. It doesn't need to be put in the freezer immediately, however I would freeze it after a week tops.
You can use this for:
Everything.
Now, I have a rant.
BAGS OF GRATED CHEESE! WHAT THE HECK? A BRICK OF MASSIVE CHEESE OF THE VERY SAME BRAND IS 5-8$, WHY, FOR A MEDIOCRE SIZE BAG OF GRATED CHEESE MUST I PAY 8-11$. I'M NOT STUPID, IT'S LESS CHEESE! NOT ONLY IS IT LESS CHEESE, BUT WHO GRATES THIS CRAP? IT'S NOT CONSISTANT OR APPETIZING. I'M APPALLED BY THIS THIEVERY. WOE IS THE WOMAN WHO WAS WASTING HER MONEY ON A LARCENY! A CHEESY GOOD FOR NOTHING JIP! RAAA! Eat up.
Onions and Pepper mix
Tip Tip # 2
Onions and Pepper mix:
If there is ANYTHING I've gained while working in the food business it's preparation (and admittedly most of these beautiful tips!)
I love onions and peppers, I love them all year around. There is nothing like the sweetness of a red pepper in a dip or some green pepper on a pizza.
Peppers are really expensive however, and when they are on sale it's like an event. You buy as many as you can, but a lot of it goes to waste. I try by best to be frugal and not to waste anything, also- my freezer is my best friend.
What I do is when I find peppers on sale (or just when I find some fantastic peppers and I'm feeling a little spendy wendy) is I buy them all at once and take them home. (Duh?)
When I get home I wash the outside of the pepper (it's important to clean whatever you're about to freeze or keep for a prolonged period of time, you want it immaculate! That isn't to say that you should not always clean your food the very best you can...) I cut the pepper into strips. While I do this I grab a few red onions, white onions, a Spanish onion- it really doesn't matter, but it can't be a green 'spring' onion because they are really atrocious when frozen (limp and blackish). I also cut the onion in strips.
Once everything is a uniform size, I rinse it all and get rid of seeds. I pat everything dry and leave it in paper towel for 20 minutes, this ensures that we won't get ice crystals.
The mixture goes into a bag and the bag goes into the freezer. Voila!
Some things you can use this for:
Mexican food of all sorts.
Stir fry.
Chicken with peppers.
Salad.
Pepper steak.
Rice and peppers.
Quick sauteed peppers as a side dish.
Really, it depends on how much you like peppers- if you're like me and my husband the options are limitless. We like peppers in omelets and having them all cut up saves our fingers on particularly lazy mornings.
The best thing about this is that you save all of the nutrients that are in the peppers.
One thing to keep in mind is when you defrost your peppers they will be limp, this goes for onions as well. I'm not a scientist so I can't tell you why that is, but they wont be those firm and crunchy peppers you once had. This is a disappointing discovery, like so many things in life.
But still! They are convenient and enjoyable!
Eat up!
Onions and Pepper mix:
If there is ANYTHING I've gained while working in the food business it's preparation (and admittedly most of these beautiful tips!)
I love onions and peppers, I love them all year around. There is nothing like the sweetness of a red pepper in a dip or some green pepper on a pizza.
Peppers are really expensive however, and when they are on sale it's like an event. You buy as many as you can, but a lot of it goes to waste. I try by best to be frugal and not to waste anything, also- my freezer is my best friend.
What I do is when I find peppers on sale (or just when I find some fantastic peppers and I'm feeling a little spendy wendy) is I buy them all at once and take them home. (Duh?)
When I get home I wash the outside of the pepper (it's important to clean whatever you're about to freeze or keep for a prolonged period of time, you want it immaculate! That isn't to say that you should not always clean your food the very best you can...) I cut the pepper into strips. While I do this I grab a few red onions, white onions, a Spanish onion- it really doesn't matter, but it can't be a green 'spring' onion because they are really atrocious when frozen (limp and blackish). I also cut the onion in strips.
Once everything is a uniform size, I rinse it all and get rid of seeds. I pat everything dry and leave it in paper towel for 20 minutes, this ensures that we won't get ice crystals.
The mixture goes into a bag and the bag goes into the freezer. Voila!
Some things you can use this for:
Mexican food of all sorts.
Stir fry.
Chicken with peppers.
Salad.
Pepper steak.
Rice and peppers.
Quick sauteed peppers as a side dish.
Really, it depends on how much you like peppers- if you're like me and my husband the options are limitless. We like peppers in omelets and having them all cut up saves our fingers on particularly lazy mornings.
The best thing about this is that you save all of the nutrients that are in the peppers.
One thing to keep in mind is when you defrost your peppers they will be limp, this goes for onions as well. I'm not a scientist so I can't tell you why that is, but they wont be those firm and crunchy peppers you once had. This is a disappointing discovery, like so many things in life.
But still! They are convenient and enjoyable!
Eat up!
Frozen Potatoes
Tip Tip # 1
Potatoes:
So, usually every month I go on a big grocery shop. During this little spree I buy baby potatoes, the ones that come in the small bags. Sometimes I get fingerling potatoes, which I see a lot of in autumn, but there is such a great variety of 'small' potatoes in the store- all of them are very versatile.
I grab one or two bags, and when I'm lucky, I find 'double bags' which are usually on sale and combine both red and yukon potatoes.
So how does one consume this many potatoes in a short period of time (you can only count on baby potatoes to stay fresh for about fifteen days- beyond that you're facing eyes and black bits)? Well, in my brilliance, I've devised the perfect shopping day for myself which combines organization AND my little grocery list. This is how it goes:
Buy enough baby potatoes to last a month.
Freeze the baby potatoes to prevent eyes.
But, like everything in life, there are steps which one must take less you want to make a muck of things. I froze the potatoes raw and, well, they took nearly two hours to cook. Baby potatoes are small, but they are hard so they take a while to cook in the first place. Cooking the potatoes from frozen is just asking for an extra thirty minutes on top of things.
What I do is as soon as I get home I have the things I want to freeze- before I've even left the house to shop I've cleaned out my freezer and my refrigerator (also helps me make a grocery list based on what we need in the fridge)- and I lay it all out on the counter. I take out my big stock pot and fill it with water. I don't salt the water. I scrub the dirt of my baby potatoes and I take out all of the black bits, anything mushy or protruding, and I rise them off. All of the potatoes go into the pot, and I boil until the potatoes are 3/4 cooked.
(You can tell when that is by sticking a fork into a potato, if it falls apart you've cooked it much too long, and if the fork doesn't easily slide out of the potato and makes a crunching sound on it's way in- the potato needs a bit more time. Keep an eye on it, this part is worth noting.)
Now, there are a couple of reasons why we must let these cool. A lot of people don't believe in letting things go cold before putting them in the freezer, but boiled potatoes ARE hot, so freezing left overs isn't as detrimental as hot potatoes- the potatoes WILL warm up the freezer. Potatoes take a very long time to get cold, and they also let off a lot of steam- condensation turns into ice crystals which makes your food prone to freezer burn. You think only your babies will suffer? Try all of the food around the potatoes that has been warmed the slightest bit.
Let the potatoes cool for at least an hour and a half before bagging them. Bag them in meal sizes: three to four potatoes per a family member. One of the best things about letting the potatoes dry and cool is that they will not stick together in clumps, so you can also easily just grab three or four out of a large bag, but I enjoy the convenience of 'ready counted bags'.
Now, not only will the potatoes be light and fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, next time you go to cook them they will cook in a fraction of the time (15- 20 minutes for roasted potatoes!). No more eyes, no money lost, no more time consuming potatoes.
Here are a few things you can do with your new freezer potatoes (other than save the 3-4 dollars it costs to get frozen baby potatoes in the freezer isle- the bag of potatoes has more than the freezer bags and they only cost $2-3.50, where as the pre-made ones cost roughly around $4-6. You're getting less for your money, people! And you don't know who cleaned those potatoes!):
Make hash browns but slightly defrosting the potatoes (I'm talking 10 minutes, not until they are soft). They are so easy to grate and cut into little squares while semi frozen.
Make roasted potatoes- throw them in with your chicken and by the time it's all done you've got perfectly cooked potatoes (as opposed to when they are still hard while everything else is now slightly mushy *grunt).
Make mini twice baked potatoes- awesome for a party and now a million times more convenient.
Easy sauteed mushrooms, onions, and baby potatoes are a great side dish any time of year. Throw it all into a frying pan!
Potato salad- no boiling on those hot summers days! Defrost and use your favourite potato salad recipe and you're off!
Potato skins/ potato wedges: cut into 1/4 and season, put int the oven and cook for 10 min on 400 c.
Quick mash potatoes- I love my mash with the skins inside, especially yukon gold potato! Try boiling the frozen boiled potatoes in milk for extra creamy and thick mash! If you dont like the skin it's easy enough to take the skin off now that the potatoes are cooked.
(But potato skin is the most nutrient part of the potato! The rest is just starch! Don't skip out on it, and make your kids eat it!)
Believe me, once you've got your hands on these potatoes you'll come up with countless recipes you can make.
Everyone is always so amazed how quickly I can make dinner with 'fresh' ingredients when all it really takes is preparation. All of my organic food and garden gets frozen- I waste nothing this way and I still save the nutrients, flavour, and money that I spent buying expensive produce.
There is no reason to be frivolous and waste hard earned cash on the freezer section of your grocery market, especially not when it comes to 'frozen vegetable medleys', spinach, potatoes, carrots, and peas. What you pay for is convenience and labour, things which you could accomplish in a matter of a half an hour and where you can ensure these things are YOUR choice of produce, washed, and guaranteed by you. There is nothing better for your family, I'm serious!
Whether you're living alone or a family of ten, saving money and accomplishing something that will make your life easier is always appreciated.
Eat up!
Potatoes:
So, usually every month I go on a big grocery shop. During this little spree I buy baby potatoes, the ones that come in the small bags. Sometimes I get fingerling potatoes, which I see a lot of in autumn, but there is such a great variety of 'small' potatoes in the store- all of them are very versatile.
I grab one or two bags, and when I'm lucky, I find 'double bags' which are usually on sale and combine both red and yukon potatoes.
So how does one consume this many potatoes in a short period of time (you can only count on baby potatoes to stay fresh for about fifteen days- beyond that you're facing eyes and black bits)? Well, in my brilliance, I've devised the perfect shopping day for myself which combines organization AND my little grocery list. This is how it goes:
Buy enough baby potatoes to last a month.
Freeze the baby potatoes to prevent eyes.
But, like everything in life, there are steps which one must take less you want to make a muck of things. I froze the potatoes raw and, well, they took nearly two hours to cook. Baby potatoes are small, but they are hard so they take a while to cook in the first place. Cooking the potatoes from frozen is just asking for an extra thirty minutes on top of things.
What I do is as soon as I get home I have the things I want to freeze- before I've even left the house to shop I've cleaned out my freezer and my refrigerator (also helps me make a grocery list based on what we need in the fridge)- and I lay it all out on the counter. I take out my big stock pot and fill it with water. I don't salt the water. I scrub the dirt of my baby potatoes and I take out all of the black bits, anything mushy or protruding, and I rise them off. All of the potatoes go into the pot, and I boil until the potatoes are 3/4 cooked.
(You can tell when that is by sticking a fork into a potato, if it falls apart you've cooked it much too long, and if the fork doesn't easily slide out of the potato and makes a crunching sound on it's way in- the potato needs a bit more time. Keep an eye on it, this part is worth noting.)
Now, there are a couple of reasons why we must let these cool. A lot of people don't believe in letting things go cold before putting them in the freezer, but boiled potatoes ARE hot, so freezing left overs isn't as detrimental as hot potatoes- the potatoes WILL warm up the freezer. Potatoes take a very long time to get cold, and they also let off a lot of steam- condensation turns into ice crystals which makes your food prone to freezer burn. You think only your babies will suffer? Try all of the food around the potatoes that has been warmed the slightest bit.
Let the potatoes cool for at least an hour and a half before bagging them. Bag them in meal sizes: three to four potatoes per a family member. One of the best things about letting the potatoes dry and cool is that they will not stick together in clumps, so you can also easily just grab three or four out of a large bag, but I enjoy the convenience of 'ready counted bags'.
Now, not only will the potatoes be light and fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, next time you go to cook them they will cook in a fraction of the time (15- 20 minutes for roasted potatoes!). No more eyes, no money lost, no more time consuming potatoes.
Here are a few things you can do with your new freezer potatoes (other than save the 3-4 dollars it costs to get frozen baby potatoes in the freezer isle- the bag of potatoes has more than the freezer bags and they only cost $2-3.50, where as the pre-made ones cost roughly around $4-6. You're getting less for your money, people! And you don't know who cleaned those potatoes!):
Make hash browns but slightly defrosting the potatoes (I'm talking 10 minutes, not until they are soft). They are so easy to grate and cut into little squares while semi frozen.
Make roasted potatoes- throw them in with your chicken and by the time it's all done you've got perfectly cooked potatoes (as opposed to when they are still hard while everything else is now slightly mushy *grunt).
Make mini twice baked potatoes- awesome for a party and now a million times more convenient.
Easy sauteed mushrooms, onions, and baby potatoes are a great side dish any time of year. Throw it all into a frying pan!
Potato salad- no boiling on those hot summers days! Defrost and use your favourite potato salad recipe and you're off!
Potato skins/ potato wedges: cut into 1/4 and season, put int the oven and cook for 10 min on 400 c.
Quick mash potatoes- I love my mash with the skins inside, especially yukon gold potato! Try boiling the frozen boiled potatoes in milk for extra creamy and thick mash! If you dont like the skin it's easy enough to take the skin off now that the potatoes are cooked.
(But potato skin is the most nutrient part of the potato! The rest is just starch! Don't skip out on it, and make your kids eat it!)
Believe me, once you've got your hands on these potatoes you'll come up with countless recipes you can make.
Everyone is always so amazed how quickly I can make dinner with 'fresh' ingredients when all it really takes is preparation. All of my organic food and garden gets frozen- I waste nothing this way and I still save the nutrients, flavour, and money that I spent buying expensive produce.
There is no reason to be frivolous and waste hard earned cash on the freezer section of your grocery market, especially not when it comes to 'frozen vegetable medleys', spinach, potatoes, carrots, and peas. What you pay for is convenience and labour, things which you could accomplish in a matter of a half an hour and where you can ensure these things are YOUR choice of produce, washed, and guaranteed by you. There is nothing better for your family, I'm serious!
Whether you're living alone or a family of ten, saving money and accomplishing something that will make your life easier is always appreciated.
Eat up!
Now here's a beginning...
Today was hot, walking down the hill sweating and all dressed head to toe in modest clothing was not the easiest thing. It was humid, the clothes just stuck to me. Disgusting. By the time I got home I was dripping sweat. It's not as if those gigantic trees that surround my neighbourhood and gaze at me from above and up ahead provide me any means of shade or coolness. 45 minutes from work to home, home to work, every day. Summer is the most difficult time of year for a walker.
I could take a bus but it would have to stop until it reaches the other side of town- the opposite side that work isn't- and I'd have to wake up early anyway. Taxi is easily 10-12$ which isn't worth it. Walking is the best bet.
Truly, I don't mind. If it keeps my glutes nice and toned. Joking.
But seriously, it wouldn't have been so tiring if I hadn't been up all night decorating.
Last night Robert, my adorable younger brother, came over to help me put together my new furniture.
Last night marks the day (night!) when my apartment was completely finished. Bathroom, bedroom, living room, and kitchen. In all of it's 'spaciousness'. Being so pressed for space, I was nervous when my awesome (and way too generous) parents got me all of this furniture for my birthday.
Needless to say, it's beautiful. Everything fit nicely. I couldn't sleep at all last night, I was anticipating waking up and seeing the living room in all of it's beauty- in the morning sunlight, I even left the blinds open while I slept so I could get the full effect. Oh it was like Christmas as a kid. You know you're getting old when...?
So, the black couches and black brown furniture compliment the brown walls and earth accents. The rest of the house is sage and light green, the kitchen is white, the bathroom is fresh, everything ties together well while remaining individual. I enjoy having diversity, and I know it's against the 'rules' of interior decorating to make every room different but I couldn't help myself. The colours match, though. The styles are what differ.
The bedroom is classic, and everything in it is heavy dark wood. With the green walls it's like stepping into a mystical forest- the dim light streaming through the curtains like light might stream through heavy foliage, the dark heavy wood like trunks of trees while wrought iron winds into it like vines with delicate leaves. I love it.
The Bathroom is fresh, very subtle green in a very white paint makes for a fresh look in such a tiny room. Mixed with orange roses and coral- it's very clean looking. I hate a dingy bathroom.
The kitchen is kind of country/folk with light green walls and cute white cabinets. I stencilled white roses on things (everything, maybe?) and it has accents of delicate flower colours- pale pinks and yellow, green, and baby blue.
The Living room, is modern and clean looking yet cluttered in a way. I like clutter, and small places. I must get that from my mother! It's earthy too, which was hard to encompass. The colours make the best of it. Merrill, my sweet baby kitty, hasn't destroyed anything as of yet... except for the carpet. Carpet I don't mind, but the furniture is new!
We actually are in a mutual agreement now, though. Treats before I leave for work and she'll sit lazily under the coffee table until I return home. Much of her energy is expelled when I get home (pent up, she has to let out before bedtime or we're both doomed), that obedient little thing, and it's for the best. The more I can keep my eye on her...
Either way I'm so happy, I love where I live, I love my home. I miss my family but, this place is feeling more and more comfortable. I thought the time would never come!
I could take a bus but it would have to stop until it reaches the other side of town- the opposite side that work isn't- and I'd have to wake up early anyway. Taxi is easily 10-12$ which isn't worth it. Walking is the best bet.
Truly, I don't mind. If it keeps my glutes nice and toned. Joking.
But seriously, it wouldn't have been so tiring if I hadn't been up all night decorating.
Last night Robert, my adorable younger brother, came over to help me put together my new furniture.
Last night marks the day (night!) when my apartment was completely finished. Bathroom, bedroom, living room, and kitchen. In all of it's 'spaciousness'. Being so pressed for space, I was nervous when my awesome (and way too generous) parents got me all of this furniture for my birthday.
Needless to say, it's beautiful. Everything fit nicely. I couldn't sleep at all last night, I was anticipating waking up and seeing the living room in all of it's beauty- in the morning sunlight, I even left the blinds open while I slept so I could get the full effect. Oh it was like Christmas as a kid. You know you're getting old when...?
So, the black couches and black brown furniture compliment the brown walls and earth accents. The rest of the house is sage and light green, the kitchen is white, the bathroom is fresh, everything ties together well while remaining individual. I enjoy having diversity, and I know it's against the 'rules' of interior decorating to make every room different but I couldn't help myself. The colours match, though. The styles are what differ.
The bedroom is classic, and everything in it is heavy dark wood. With the green walls it's like stepping into a mystical forest- the dim light streaming through the curtains like light might stream through heavy foliage, the dark heavy wood like trunks of trees while wrought iron winds into it like vines with delicate leaves. I love it.
The Bathroom is fresh, very subtle green in a very white paint makes for a fresh look in such a tiny room. Mixed with orange roses and coral- it's very clean looking. I hate a dingy bathroom.
The kitchen is kind of country/folk with light green walls and cute white cabinets. I stencilled white roses on things (everything, maybe?) and it has accents of delicate flower colours- pale pinks and yellow, green, and baby blue.
The Living room, is modern and clean looking yet cluttered in a way. I like clutter, and small places. I must get that from my mother! It's earthy too, which was hard to encompass. The colours make the best of it. Merrill, my sweet baby kitty, hasn't destroyed anything as of yet... except for the carpet. Carpet I don't mind, but the furniture is new!
We actually are in a mutual agreement now, though. Treats before I leave for work and she'll sit lazily under the coffee table until I return home. Much of her energy is expelled when I get home (pent up, she has to let out before bedtime or we're both doomed), that obedient little thing, and it's for the best. The more I can keep my eye on her...
Either way I'm so happy, I love where I live, I love my home. I miss my family but, this place is feeling more and more comfortable. I thought the time would never come!
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