cold legs?

I like to wear skirts.  The damp, bone chilling cold of the pacific northwest makes it hard to pull on tights & a skirt instead of my cords & knee high socks in the morning.  And it's not even winter yet.  I need warmth - the wool long john type of warmth minus the saggy bottom and $100 price tag.  Okay, so I'm a bit picky...I want warmth that is good looking, inexpensive, and comfortable.  Well, lucky me - I found it!

Take two wool or cashmere sweaters from the thrift store, cut the arms of each sweater, sew one arm from each sweater together to make legs. Then take the legs and sew them onto a pair of boy cut undies - bam! - you got some nice, affordable, warm long underwear.  And, they even have a fun look to them - don't ya think?

I made two pair - one merino wool and one cashmere.  I used XL or L sweaters for the top of the leg and S or M sweaters for the bottom.  They are incredible.  Warm, soft, and comfortable.

missing bobby

Yesterday I had to make a really hard decision.  It wasn't a decision I ever really wanted to make.   

Bobby has been with me since the summer before my senior year of college.  That was 1996.  It seems like another lifetime.  He was one of the really cool cats.  Everyone loved Bobby - not just "cat people" but everyone.  He was known to win over a dog lover or two with his ability to play fetch.  Over the years, he has always been there.  He was with me through a breakup, a move to the west coast, 6 homes, a wedding, two kids, two other cats, plenty of drama, lots of excitement...really, my whole adult life.  I remember thinking when he was kitten that he would be alive long enough to see me have children.  At the time, it was unfathomable.  Funny how life just happens and the days pass and then here we are...at an ending.

As for the specifics, he died of renal failure.  I guess it isn't that simple though.  About two months ago, we got his blood tests back and the vet spoke to me about cats & bad kidneys.  For some reason, I still expected him to pull through and live for years.  I bought him the special food and made sure water was always available as the vet suggested.  On top of the poorly functioning kidney, he had an issue with a tumor in his ear which we were symptom treating.  You could tell it was painful.  He spent a lot of time sleeping and resting under the coffee table.  Everyone once in a while, he'd cuddle up on my lap.  He had changed in the past months...I realized that I had an old cat.

Three days ago, I couldn't find him.  I noticed he hadn't touched his food since morning.  Rowan told me he had been under her bed.  He had stopped eating and drinking.  He couldn't walk without falling over.  I knew in my heart it was the end.  Strangely, I wasn't sad...after all, he was old and had a good life.   He was a cat and I always knew there would come a day when he would die.  I went to bed that night honestly thinking he wouldn't make it until the morning but somehow, he did.

I brought him to the vet and they said I could try to give him another round of antibiotics for the ear issue (the drops weren't working) and then we could put him on IV fluids and hope he gets better.  The vets version of what it meant to "get better" was not, at all, better.  What I realized at that point is that he wasn't really going to get better.  Sure, I'd have some more time with him.  But, he would have most likely still been in pain, he wouldn't be able to go outside, he might not have even been able to walk (and certainly no jumping).  He's a cat.  What kind of life is that for an animal?  So, I did it.  I held him with they gave him the sedative...and then while they gave him the injection to stop his heart.  There was one last big breath and then I cried.  And cried.  All day, I cried for him.

I was surprised at my sadness, at my anger (why the hell didn't the vet tell me it would only be months?), my regrets (why did I push him off my lap?  why didn't I love him more?  What happened after the kids were born?  how could I be so selfish and not give him the love he deserved?), and my guilty feelings (okay, good - no more pets, no litter, no cat hair).  It was a hard day.

Today Eric and I buried his body in the back field where our new house will be.  It felt good and gave me some closure.  There will always be a special place in my heart for Bobby.  He lives there now.  He was a good cat...oh yes, a very good cat. 

So, yes, Bobby, rest in peace.  We will miss you here.  And, for the record, I wish I had loved you up a bit more before you left.  It's my one standing regret.  You taught me an important lesson (that I thought I knew - perhaps I just needed a reminder?): love 'em while you got 'em...yes, LOVE them. 

the last photo I took of him

bread

I can finally write about baking bread now that my oven is fixed and my home is once again filled with the amazing smell of fresh baked bread.  I've been doing without bread, cookies, pies,  roasted veggies, and homemade granola for well over three weeks now.  Honestly, I think I missed the act of preparing baked goods more than I have missed eating them.  My kitchen is overflowing with squash, beets, and potatoes from our CSA food subscription so now it's time to start eating my fall favorites.  I digress...

...so yes, back to the bread.  Let me start by saying this is an incredible discovery.  I am so thankful to my neighbor for letting me borrow her bread book ("it's my bible so I need it back in a week at the most").  Two loaves and three days later, I ordered my own copy and patiently awaited it's arrival.

The book: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day (Jeff  Hertzberg & Zoe Francois).  The title didn't grab me - "yeah right" I thought, that's not possible.  Artisan bread?  In 5 minutes?  You mean, yeasted bread that is both good and easy?  Sure, I have made "easy" bread before but honestly, it wasn't that good nor was it really that easy.  And yes, I have done the whole sourdough thing too - it's great bread (amazing really) but too much work, especially when you have two young kids underfoot.  But, it's true, this bread is delicious and incredibly easy.  Yup folks, we are going to be eating our fair share of fresh, homemade, delicious bread around here.

People have asked for the recipe.  The thing is, you really need the book.  Check it out...and if you are a neighbor, I might just let you borrow it.

our halloween in photos

the pumpkin

the tiger

the autumn sparkle fairy

trick-or-treat

treat for sure (her first pixie stick!)

FIVE

Five cheers for my beautiful girl - she rocks my world!

Dear Rowan,
On your fifth birthday, I am reminded of the day you were born.  The day that changed me forever.  It seems like yesterday and a lifetime ago all at the same time.  I barely remember what my life was like without you in it. 

At five years old, you are an incredible image of life.  It's impossible to summarize all the things that make up the wonderful and magnificent Rowan...but here are a few of my favorite parts of you...

• You love to create.  You'll spend hours painting, stamping, gluing, cutting, taping, building....creating things for yourself, your friends, and your family (though, you are certainly more into the process than the finished product).
• You enjoy being active and learning to move your body in new ways.  You have been practicing your headstands recently (getting close!) and this summer you learned to hula hoop.  You can't wait to go skiing this winter.  You scare the crap out of me when you ride your bike down the hill by our house (so fast!). You hiked 5 1/2 miles (twice!) this summer.  You have been practicing flips on the trampoline. Oh - and the new favorite - monkey bars...you've certainly got those wired!
• When it comes to learning, you are a sponge.  Right now, you are learning to add.  You can add 5 + 2 and 4 + 6 and even 7 + 12.  When we are on long car rides, you'll say "mom, can we do math?" - yes, Rowan, we can!  Just recently you have been experimenting with what happens when you have 5 peas and you eat 2.  
• You and Charlie have the most amazing relationship.  It's been incredible watching your relationship with him grow this past year.  You truly enjoy playing with him and involving him in every aspect of your life.  You have fun together, you protect him, he looks up to you. 
• Your favorite afternoon activity is having playdates with friends.  You'll play for hours and typically prefer to play with just one friend at a time.  You like to pretend - your favorite games are "mama-baby" and "hospital." 
• Like most kids your age, you live in the moment.  It's all about right now...not tomorrow, not yesterday, not later.  It's refreshing for us adults...after all, "now" is all we really have.  What a great teacher you are.
  
• Last, but not least, you are a good listener (yes, really!), you have respect for other people, and you are usually impressively patient.

Here's to 5 years of wonder, adventure, love, spunk, and magic.  

How did I get so lucky?

falling into fall

For the past few weeks, it's been amazing around here.  The air is crisp, the sun is shining, and the small amount of rain we have gotten has felt cool and clean.  I. Love. Fall.







One of my favorite fall time activities is apple picking.  I have fond memories of this from my childhood....climbing trees and silently eating apples while watching the people below me fill their buckets.  Macintosh.  Yum.  Apple after apple.  Drinking cider in the barn before piling into the car and heading home to bake mass amounts of apple pie.

Apple picking isn't quite the same out on the west coast in 2010 as it was in Vermont in 1985.  Oh no....not even close.  There are about 20 different varieties of apples to choose from (at one single orchard), the trees are pruned for easy picking (which means you can't climb them), you can actually drive around the property in golf carts, and you don't even need to pick the apples yourself (in fact, they prefer if you buy a bag to go).  Although quite different from how I remember it as a kid, it still remains a necessary fall time outing.

A quick house update...

...because everyone keeps asking.

Everyday, I drive by the construction site at least once.  It's so fun to see it happening (finally!) and I just can't resist.  Today there were probably 10 people working on various things around the site.  The job of the day (as it pertains to our particular home) was slinging rock into our foundation.  Early next week they should be pouring our slab.  I can't wait until they are framing! 

The best part?  THEY.  That's right...they are slinging rock, they are pouring our slab, they will be framing.  Not us.  Nope, not us.  We are busy too, however.  We are busy making decisions on things like flooring, wall finishes, door handles, cabinet layout, counter tops, lighting...the list goes on.  Those decisions, my friends, are certainly fun to be making!

foundation prior to the "rock slinging"

Ginger Biscuits

Okay, so they are actually scones but I can't stop calling them biscuits.  I think it has to do with the fact that I like biscuits better than scones (and I like scones).  The fact that I keep calling them biscuits is an indicator of how much I love these little treats.

A bit of history on the recipe...
About six years ago, I went on a search for the perfect scone recipe.  About a year and many many scones later, I found it.  As time has gone by and I have gotten more confident with my baking skills, I have modified the recipe to suit my needs & desires.  I almost always make cranberry orange or blueberry scones.  A good friend recently had a baby and I wanted to make some scones for her and her family.  I thought they would be perfect because they are not too sweet but sweet enough, a little bit healthy (at least compared to a cookie...we are talking snacks here), and can be eaten anytime of day (before breakfast, between meals, after dinner...after all, we need to keep those mama's fed!).  Her flavors are not cranberry and blueberry...her flavors are lemon and ginger.  No lemon was to be found so I went with the ginger.

At this point, I *think* I can claim this as my own recipe.  I have changed at least 3 ingredients and have modified amounts.  Anyone know the "official" rule on that?  Anyway...without further ado...

Ginger Scone Biscuits

3 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick cold butter
1 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup sugar (plus a bit more for the top)
2/3 cup plain yogurt or milk (I use yogurt)
1 egg

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry knife or fingers until it's a fine meal.  Stir in ginger and sugar.  In a separate container, beat egg and mix in yogurt.  Add yogurt and egg mixture to dry ingredients.  Mix just until a dough begins to form (do not over mix).  Knead the dough a couple of times on a floured surface.  Pat into a rectangle about 1/2 inch (or perhaps 3/4 inch) thick and sprinkle the entire rectangle with sugar.  Cut into squares and place on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes (until they are just turning brown).

Two important notes
1. Don't over mix (did I already say that?).  The less you handle the dough, the flakier the scone will be.
2.  I like them best when they stay soft after they cool.  To achieve this, you will want to really watch how long you cook them and try to catch them before they start browning.  It's harder than it sounds because they often brown on the bottom before the top so it takes a bit of guesswork.  This doesn't always work out for me and I'll tell you...they are still delicious if they are browned a bit.

simple laptop bag

A while back, Eric asked me if I could make him a small protective case for his work laptop.  Well, yes, of course!  Another project to add to the queue.  Finally, after months of putting it off and then forgetting about it completely, I managed to create this simple little padded bag.  It's a bit big but he wouldn't let me fix it and told me it was perfect (perhaps he was worried it would take another month or two even though I assured him that it would only take a minute or two).  At any rate, it should do the trick!

The best part is that I am finally getting good enough at sewing that I did this without any pattern at all (and it even has a zipper!), didn't make any mistakes, and finished it in under and hour.  Oh, and I didn't need to go to the fabric store either.  A complete success!