not dark yet

heartland tomato. my first homegrown tomatoes.

this house is quiet.  i have a list of thirty things i’d like to do in the next 12 hours.  henry & i are spending time alone at home tonight.  we went into town, picked up some chicken tikka & garlic naan (because jay can’t stand it when i have indian cuisine), ran into kate as we were walking into “sizzling india” (so great), & rented “the best of gilda radner” for 50 cents at family video.  we watched some of the sketches during dinner & chased each other around the table for awhile.  it’s so nice to have individual time with the kids.  

and now i don’t feel like doing anything.  i don’t want to be tasky…i wanna go to bed or sit on the front porch & watch the cardinals chase each other around.  listening to: ace of base.  what has come over me?

our tulips & daffodils have bloomed.  the tree in front will have leaves by monday.  it’s really happening again.  

the sole picture of our weekend in chicago.  (see–i wasn’t lying–i really wear that jacket cheryl gave me all the time!).  

this was after talking/walking 13 miles + eating lots of food (hearty breakfast walk pizza & beer for lunch walk a lot turkish coffee & baklava walk a lot more share tasty salad for dinner walk more rock n roll concert decide to take the L back, where the picture was taken).  sunday morning, sitting at borders on michigan avenue was another highlight.  looking at books & enjoying a sleepy morning.  oh, and this guy was picking his nose like mad…for at least 10 minutes.  seriously: if you can’t get it out in the first minute, it’s not there.

one reason i loved this weekend away: we stayed in a college dorm (thanks brit!). not a lot of shopping.  not a lot of hype.  no agenda.  no plan.  just laughter & heart-to-heart & AMAZING run-ins.  you want examples?  i’ll give you three: (preface: chicago is a very big city)

-get off the bus & decide to check out the happenings across the street.  we walk.  we run into an old friend from asbury days!  

-walking near wrigley park & see my cousin across the street (she was wearing a great red jacket, talking on her cell phone)!

-morning after the show we go into starbucks to get an espresso & run into musicians from the night before.

and since i had the bride with me, i got her approval on a dress to wear to that epic event.  i love anthropologie.

i realized that, though trying to just list what’s happening, most of what came out was sorta negativo.  SO. here’s all the great!!!! stuff happening:

•  i just started watching “the sea inside” & it is so interesting.  i have no idea what i think.  but i like the story.
• thought i was watching my neighbor’s kiddo this afternoon.  she cancelled.  instead i’m heading into  p-town by myself (aaaah!) to exchange fabric & get a new heater for henry.  
• had a great morning at the MOPS spring tea party.  sometimes i am totally amazed at the way my heart is changed to like stuff that i would normally be very cynical about.
• we are having pork chops for dinner
• cheryl is coming to visit at the end of march.  i cannot wait.
• kathleen edwards has a new album out in 2 weeks!!!

get your minds outta the gutter!jason has the day off.  we had a slow breakfast & made a plan for maximum efficiency–so he could do stuff he wanted to do & i could get stuff done here.  he piled the kids in Big Green, driving all around central illinois, looking for some game expansions.  meanwhile, i’ve been ruling over my house…blasting kanye & making order.  aaah.  monday! 

finn came over. we had candy hearts & the kids watched a show, ate lunch, took naps. and i got some little projects done. started cleaning up the basement room where the writing desk is (which involved digging through boxes of special junk) & hung up this cork board in the kitchen.

goofed around with this new typewriter i got from a dude on freecycle. he likes to fix up typewriters for hobby.

found this little tin. inside: a key to all of the places i have lived in my life. i know, you’re supposed to give those keys back…but i didn’t..

also found this little bag full of money from different countries that daphne gave annabelle once, along with some baby-sized bangles.

organized my writing desk. this is “order” to me.

as fun-lovin’ as i am, i love a good routine. the one i never let go is this:

1. wake up, put water on to boil for coffee.

what are some things you love in your routine? (let’s focus on YOU for a bit…right now i’m a little too sleepy & crabby to say much)

cabin fever solution: set the tent up in the family room.

henry’s almost ten months old & is so cheery & delightful & chubby.