Clair & the end of ALC8 ~ June 2009

I am so, so proud of my sweet, fabulous husband!!!

He's been riding the AIDS/Lifecycle 8 ride from San Francisco to LA. I was there to see him off Sunday morning, and Ana & I drove down to Santa Cruz to see the boys after their first full day of riding. Unfortunately, I had to come back home afterwards (work & boarding big pups is expensive!!). ::pout::

I've been following along via twitters, FB posts, flickr photos, etc.! I must say that I've never been so glad to use/see all these online social networking sites as I have this week.

Anyways, he made it to LA! Woohoo!!!! He had an awesome ride today, and I am so, so glad to hear the excitement in his voice. This has been a great day.

Now, I just can't wait until he comes home! I've been saving up a week's worth of kisses! :-D



Congratulations, Clair!!! I love you!

Well, this is it (http://alc.tch3.com).

Today is my day to do laundry, pack a bag, and generally run around like crazy (print shop, board dog girlie, hair appt, etc.)... Because tomorrow we hop a plane for SF. Awww yeah! I love that city! And we had a blast last year with B & A ~ with whom we'll be staying again.

My super sweet hubby is a little insane, and for the entire next week, he'll be riding his bike from San Francisco to L.A. with B and all the other crazy bicyclists! A and I have plans to possibly see an exhibit while the boys do the whole orientation thing. Then on Sunday, we'll see them off in the morning, but we're going to drive down to their first stop to cheer them on some before I have to head back home (boarding pups isn't exactly cheap).

Next week is going to be weird. I guess we really *are* newlyweds because the idea of a week apart is strange. Hopefully, I'll get a lot done around the house while he's away. Maybe I will even find a smidgen of time to turn our dull backyard into a green oasis again. We did manage to pick up a grill over the weekend, and C has been trying it out. If we can get the house wrangled back under control, having friends over would be divine! That's one of our post-wedding/post-ride goals.

And thanks again to everyone that helped C meet his fundraising goal!!!!!

Untitled ~ March 2009

Hubby posted sunrise photos! Woohoo!!! This is from the first morning of our new life together! :-D

Almost four whole days away from the internet. Strange. Been a crazy, fun, exciting four days though.

Guy married - check!
to this girl - check!

Six months of planning done - HOT DAMN!!!! ;-)


Will post pictures when I have some. Until then, we're hiding away a few more days. Be home later. Eeeeeee!!!!!



Edit: Here are some teasers until we get home:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chigh/sets/72157615741723080/

Backyard ~ March 2009

I got my wish. Finally!! (And to think I had given up on this winter of ours.)

It snowed and snowed! With a little thunder and lightning mixed in too. And on the 1st day of March, no less. This is definitely a sign it is OUR month!!! Hell yeah!

In three weeks, we'll be married!!!

Life is great.
xo

The Dress ~ February 2009

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
OMG! OMG! OMG!!!!!! (A little excited? Yes!!!) :-D

I just picked up my gown today. It fits perfectly and looks simply amazing. I am soooooooo bursting with excitement! Can you tell?!?

You know how little girls make their Barbie and Ken dolls kiss? Lol. Yeah, so I did the clothing equivalent just now. I laid my gown out on the bed and then put C's suit and tie next to it!!! They couldn't have looked any more perfect! Eeeee!!!!

I can NOT believe that in 2 very short days, it is going to be OUR month!!!! And then you will never hear me carry on about wedding plans ever again! Next week, we're going to do the whole marriage license thing. ::bounce, bounce::

Holy crap, I'm excited!!!!


:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

Yesterday during our quest to find the ever elusive Christmas tree the weekend before Christmas, hunger overcame our trustworthy explorers. The Mercantile -- part gourmet grocery & part deli shop -- was between Point A and Point B, so it made for an excellent stop for food. He had the Druid Hills, and I had the Inman. So tasty!

While we were waiting for our sammiches, we wandered through the grocery half, and oh boy, did we score some treasures!!

I am in love with my new Great Lakes Herbs de Leelanau seasoning blend: "This blend of herbs contains those found in an Herbs de Provence, grown in the South of France. Fabulous for use in almost any Mediterranean dish, soup or stew. A fantastic addition to marinades, vinaigrettes, and with vegetable dishes. This blend also accompanies roasted poultry very well."

I threw a small bit into scrambled eggs this morning, and it was DAMN tasty!!! This is going to be a fun additional in my culinary arsenal. And I love that it has lavender flowers in it. Yum!!

Also added to said arsenal is now some Wickles Relish. The idea was courtesy of my mom, and she was spot on with this one. It's a great addition to tuna salad - which we had late last night.

C's gem was the P.B. loco Peanut Butter with Jungle Banana. Granted, I don't personally dig that whole banana & peanut butter combo, so I'm just going to have to trust him on this one.

Needless to say, I am very pleased how yesterday's little side trip turned out. We'll definitely be heading back to the Mercantile in the future!


Excessive use of exclamation marks is probably a decent indicator of too much coffee. :-P

After the week of driving all over Florida in search of a wedding location and the emotional stress that comes with trying to make everyone happy, I was ready for a quiet weekend. Granted, I had a lot of freelance work to catch up on (and still do), but I figured a balance between work and relaxation could be met easily enough.

So on Friday, I went to sleep assuming my forecasted weekend would play out as I saw it: waking early on Saturday, walking Johnnie, puttering in the overgrown garden patch out front, and then swinging by the bridal shop to order my gown.

Instead, the phone rang at 12:34 - just after I had dozed off.

"Jennifer?"
"Yes."
"It's Peter?"
"Peter?"
"Yes, Peter Golley."
"Oh, hi. What's up?" (As my mind is racing to figure out why he's calling so late.)
"My mom died."


I met Ruth and Frank Golley my freshman year of college. As the circle of families I babysat for grew, they remained central figures the entire four years. They were my surrogate family here in Atlanta, and their home was my safe place. When my credit cards got out of control, the Golleys paid me more generously than they should. They were one of two families that made sure I always had access to decent washing machines. They even attended my graduation.

When I left Atlanta for NYC, Ruth gave me her NYC sister's contact info in case I ever needed anything. And when I finally moved back to Atlanta, they had me housesit (aka - made sure the boys didn't burn down the house) when they went out of town.

As the years passed, our roles began to shift. Ruth helped me find my house (she was diagnosed with cancer the following month), and her oldest son housesat for me. And somehow I have become the adult, that Ruth was for me, for her boys.

It's weird, but I can't imagine the world without her. She and Frank were my role models for so long. They travelled, had great parties, and were very successful in their careers, and they had the kind of relationship I hoped to one day find.

Her memorial service was yesterday, and I can't thank C enough for going with me. I told him I thought it would probably be 30 minutes, but that stretched into a long hour and a half. I have never seen so many people packed into a church for a memorial service. The church was full, including the balconies, to where there were people standing in the back. I guess that's a real testament to how fabulous she was and how many people she (and Frank) touched.

Needless to say, I didn't relax or get any work done this weekend. In fact, I feel more beat up than I did before the weekend began.

Ruth, you are, and will continue to be, greatly missed.

Her obituary.

Between leafing through the pages of wedding magazines and searching for styling instructions for finger waves and pin curls, my brain finds reprieve in the lyrical melodies of Gyula Krúdy's writings. I picked up Sunflower at City Lights when C and I were in San Francisco back in May. However, if it's not the escapism found fairy tales and children's stories, I haven't felt enticed to delve inside. This spell of unemployment, self-employment and partial-employment has left me too stressed and brain-fried to focus on anything beyond the simple.

Then we got engaged, and everything changed.

Focus sharpened to a razor-fine point on all things wedding. Hopefully dress, date and location will all be nailed down within the next couples of days, and then I can sit down and write about some of the things I have learned so far (needless to say, I had no idea what to expect).

Anyways, I miss the long bus rides to work which would afford me ample time to read. Nowadays, I feel like I am stealing time from some other more important task if I sneak a few pages from this book or that. And the pile of books from my Powell's Indiespensable subscription is slowly growing.

I don't know what it is about fall that makes me want to lose myself in stories or travel to far away lands...

I love working from home on these lovely rainy, dark days. The studio gets just the right amount of light, and with the windows all around, it's almost like working outside without the getting wet part.

Please take a moment to read the following:
(and if you're in Decatur this weekend, maybe I'll see you at
the Poetry Atlanta "Pay What You Can" All-Star Wordsmiths Fundraiser.)

We need your help to save our bookstore.
"As to our ongoing efforts to raise enough capital to keep Wordsmiths
Books around, we're nearing the 60% mark and if we get a good push
this weekend with our in-store efforts to raise money (here's the list
of events in case you missed it), we should be in a position to get
ourselves facing forward once again. Please continue to help us
spread the word and remember that it doesn't have to be a large sum to
make a difference. And if you would prefer a helpful alternative to
our cause that isn't simply a donation of funds, you can join our
Friends of Wordsmiths program, purchase books, or email me directly if
you're interested in investing in the store and becoming a part of
Wordsmiths Books.

"Special thanks to Lynn Neary and NPR for broadcasting our story on the
air Monday afternoon. Another well earned thanks to Mark Sarvas for
becoming a champion of our cause and the rallying voice to support
independent bookstores worldwide. Mark, the next drink is on us. To
Bobbie Henry and Koko (the poetry loving poodle): you made my day
today and I promise to do everything in my power to keep the dream
alive.

"Keeping an independent bookstore alive and functioning is a challenge
faced by more than just our store here in Decatur. It is, in fact, a
concern all over the country. It's easy to get that book at B&N, or
any of the department stores (or grocery stores? Really?) you may
shop in, and some time-most times likely-you will save a couple of
dollars. But you won't get what you get at your local shop. You
won't feel the attachment to that book without the passion offered you
from the bookseller who sold it. And most importantly, your money
won't go back into the community in which you live. We're all slaves
to convenience and it would be an impossible plea to expect every
shopper to shop at their local shop before hitting the Big Boys; but
if you can take a moment, just one moment every time you purchase that
book and reflect upon where that money goes, and on the truly hard
working souls who would love nothing more than to have the opportunity
to talk books with you and recommend titles you would not likely hear
of anywhere else, then perhaps you might divert some of your purchases
back their way. We can't change if we never think of it. Just think
about it.

"In the meantime, thank you all once more for your support and please
help us to continue this drive with a successful finish!"

Zachary Steele, Owner/Operator Wordsmiths Books
zach@wordsmithsbooks.com
Website: www.wordsmithsbooks.com

Bazaar ~ May 2008

I have a chimney guy. He is awesome.
One big stress down.

On to the next one. :-P

From My Sweetie ~ July 2008

Been staining studio furniture this evening a luscious ebony shade. All the art supplies are against the far wall for now, the floors are swept, and the new "desk" is taking shape as are the revamped shelves. I am considering a change in wall color also. Call this Plan B.

Some aspects of life are sweet! Others are simply becoming interesting.

xo

I have a sick tree -- thanks to the drought, and I spent the better part of last week completely freaking out. I called an arborist, but they were booked for three weeks. I went ahead and made the appointment, but then I went to the Dekalb extension office to find answers. With the name of my problem in hand, I called the arborist back.

It seems my freakout was completely justified. Someone will be here tomorrow!


I just polished off the last of my blackberries. I may have to raid C's frig now. :-P
Fortunately, I have fresh, frozen blueberries to nosh upon in the meantime!

I don't know why it is so cool outside, but it is lovely.
I wish it would stay this way for a little longer. Please.

Future Berries ~ June 2008

To welcome the new season properly, we went berry picking!

An early storm threatened our efforts. As we drove through it, I commented that it wasn't a good sign. Fortunately, he was not deterred and kept driving. Then when we arrived, they told us there were only raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries. We wanted blueberries! So when the older gentleman came over to assist us and hand us our buckets, I asked about the blueberries. He told us that we were welcome to try but the berries were already picked over. "If you find a bush with berries, stay put. Otherwise, you'll spend your entire day hunting."


Berry Picker! ~ June 2008

We had no problems whatsoever!! Obviously most people just don't know to crawl up under the bushes because there were so many beautiful berries.

For $34.00, we walked away with roughly 11 lbs. of blueberries and 9.5 lbs. of blackberries. Not bad for two hours!


Fresh from the Oven ~ June 2008

The best part... I have finally found the perfect berry-picking partner that can keep up with me. He has an even harder time walking away than I do. Awww yeah... we're going to have loads of berries this summer!!

Irises ~ June 2008

The calendar is not yet in accordance with the arrival of summer despite the blistering heat, the arrival of wee hummingbirds during our morning walk, the lavender oil smeared into my skin to mask the bitter itch of fresh mosquito bites, and the heat lightning dancing through the darkening skies. Oh no, that's still several weeks away!

However, in my humble opinion summer has officially begun. And not because of any of those things.

This evening as I absent-mindedly walked the pink bag of warm doggie poo to the garbage at the street, I gazed upon the matching pink sky just visible over the distant line of trees. From the edges of my vision, a dark shape dove at me, or so it appeared. Considering the insects that creep from their hiding places en masse with the advent of summer, I turned my head to see this new horror more clearly, and that is when my first firefly of the season lit up!! It is summer!! Woohoo!

Now if only all the wonderful summer things were possible without the insane heat...

Heaven ~ June 2008

Initially, I did not swoon over San Francisco. I wanted bigger, taller... more. I don't know what I was expecting, but the city that greeted me was not It. Granted, as we explored more and more of its nooks and crannies (and its many -- and wonderful -- bookstores), it really took hold of me. What a wonderful place!

The one thing I went there knowing that I HAD to do was visit the Recchiuti shop in the Ferry Building. C was not nearly as impressed as I, but then again, I've been admiring these chocolates from afar for quite some time.

I picked up one box for myself, the chocolate bar trio for C, and selected a few tasty morsels for Right Then. C snapped a very silly photo of me licking my fingers as we sat by the pier. What I would give to be able to walk in there any time I wanted one chocolate!!

And then we came home... :-(

When did it become summer here?!? Geez! When Johnnie and I go for our daily walks, I point out all the things I love about this place. The magnolias and gardenias in bloom, the jasmine wrapping delicate tendrils around fences and mailboxes... Otherwise, I wish I lived elsewhere, in a city where it doesn't get so hot, where there are endless places to walk and see, where wine country is a quick car ride away, and where a very sweet chocolate shop is within reach.

So yesterday I cracked open my little green box of heaven, but I couldn't bring myself to partake of its contents. Today however, I had no such compunction. I quietly nibbled on the Star Anise & Pink Peppercorn one like a mouse with a prized cheese and dreamt of its silent companions awaiting similar fates. Mmm... I can't wait!

Sun in My Belly for breakfast. Druid Hills home tour walked. New books acquired. Dog bathed. Movie about to start. Alcohol imbibing has begun...

Chocolate martinis make me "feel pretty..."
::giggle::



Saturdays (with my man) are swell!

Untitled ~ March 2008

As we were enjoying our second homemade "C&J special" pizza last night while listening to Hanne Hukkelberg, I realized that I hadn't mentioned last weekend yet... :-D

Last weekend was the annual Winter Park Art Festival. Since I missed it last year, there was no way I was going to let it pass me by again. So I asked C if he wanted to go home with me -- to which he readily accepted.

Yup, you read that correctly. I finally took a guy home to meet the Fam. And it went smashingly well. Granted, I booked a sweet little room at the Eo Inn rather than maneuver the potential pitfalls of staying at the rents' house, and for his birthday, I had booked a massage at the spa. The entire weekend was heavenly.

My sister's recommendation for breakfast at Aroma was spot on! George was a great host, and he even sent us on our way with coffees to go! We wandered through Urban Think, and as usual, I bought too many books. Although I have to say, from what I've read so far, I am in love with Anne Fadiman and her gem of a book At Large and at Small.

At the art festival, we both managed to find something we wanted. C bought a photograph, and I a wee bird sculpture. I'm going to call her Muriel. I'll snap some photos of her soonish. Until then, here's a set of meager photos we snapped together. ::wink::

Oh, and guess what?!?! We hadn't even left yet, and his parents asked when we were coming to visit them... Eep!



Ok, time for me to shower, so we can forage for breakfast. We're thinking West Egg...
xo

One perfect rose ~ November 2007

One rose on a rainy day when the downpour has ceased just long enough for a walk around Hyde Park. Perfection.

Even in its imperfection, it is perfect.

Some moments just come together like that. And I've been blessed to have an abundance of those in the past six months. :-)

On a wing ~ November 2007