Day 273...

I love laughing so hard I can barely breathe.

text conversation which literally JUST happened.

Midget: Bacon needs to come with a warning label

Me: What?

Midget: Hoppy just smacked me in the face with bacon and then chased me around the house with it and then threw it at my face. Bacon hurts more than you would think.

Me: Oh my gawd! I can't f*#@ing breathe!

Day 272...

The drive in to work this morning was foggy-misty-glorious-ness.

I stepped out my kitchen door into a cool, rainforest-like, dreamy-like, gray, foggy morning. 

I love fog. it's always been so mystical, whimsical, fantastical to me.

being inside a cloud.

Day 271...

My Tara sent me this today:

Day 270...

A short list of some of my favourite books:

1. Lucifer's Hammer - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
2. Belinda - Anne Rice
3. The World According to Garp - John Irving
4. The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls
5. His Dark Materials - Phillip Pullman
6. Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger
7. The Accidental Tourist - Anne Tyler
8. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
9. Jonathan Livingston Seagull - Richard Bach
10. The Bridge Across Forever - Richard Bach
11. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
12. Cane River - Lalita Tademy
13. Saving Fish From Drowning - Amy Tan
14. The Blood of the Lamb - Thomas F. Monteleone
15. White Elephants - Chynna T. Laird
 

Day 269...

Where I hope to visit for my birthday in March:

Where I'd love to visit next summer: 

Day 268...

New fabulous, yummy treat?

Cremini mushrooms stuffed with Gorgonzola.

oh.

my.

gawd!

I love bite-sized delicious bits of heavenly goodness.

Day 267...

I love my super snuggle-puff Stella. 

She's been ridiculously cuddly lately...it's terribly endearing and makes me fall in love with her sweet kitty face a bit more each time she hunkers down for a major snuggle-fest.

Day 266...

WICKED!!!


My mother took me to see The Music Man in the park when I was a little girl.

This was the start of my love of music and dance and stage.

Among my favourites are A Midsummer Night's Dream, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker (which I've seen more times than I can count, and it still holds me absolutely enthralled!) Mary Poppins, Cirque du Soleil, Phantom of the Opera...

Years ago, when I first read "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire, I quietly hoped to one day see the book turned into a film.

But no, even better, I learned they were making it into a musical! Which I wanted to see immediately, but...I had to wait...and wait...often just missing it on visits back to Seattle.

Long story short...I thought I was going to have to wait again...but yesterday, a co-worker approached me and said...what are you doing tomorrow at 2pm? Would you like to see Wick...

OH MY GAWD!!!!

my heart stopped. I nearly started crying. I couldn't breathe.

YES YES YES!!!!

So this afternoon I spent nearly three blissful hours entranced by the magic of Wicked.

It was beautiful! wonderful! amazing! spectacular!

I want to see it again. 

Day 265...

ten fifteen twenty songs that have the power to make me smile even in some of my darkest moments: (in no particular order)

1. Passe moé l’crachoir - Longue Distance
2. Jump rope - Blue October
3. Inner glow - Blue October
4. If I ever leave this world alive - Flogging Molly
5. Boys from Oklahoma - Cross Canadian Ragweed
6. Skyline Radio - Cody Canada & The Departed
7. Into the mystic - Van Morrison's or Mike McClure band's version
8. Across the Universe - The Beatles, Rufus Wainwright, Fiona Apple (it doesn't matter who is singing this song...I love it love it love it!)
9. Satisfaction - Benny Benassi
10. The Blower's Daughter - Damien Rice
11. Wonderful - Everclear
12. Fuck you - Lily Allen
13. Walking in Memphis - Marc Cohn
14. Twist and Shout - Mary Chapin Carpenter
15. Upside Down - Paloma Faith
16. CB Buddy - Swing
17. The Underdog - Spoon
18. Ho Hey - The Lumineers
19. Bloodbuzz Ohio - The National
20. Heads will roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs


oh man...I really could just keep going on this list. eventually, you's know every single song I love or have ever loved...

Day 264...

I love Fall!

I love crisp air and fat, fluffy sweaters...and warm, fuzzy socks.

I love sleeping with the windows open, and wrapping up in a warm cocoon of blankets.

I love eggnog lattes and homemade soup. hot cocoa, fudge and dozens of holiday cookies.

I love turtlenecks and patterned tights. knee-high boots. wool coats. the smell of a real wood fireplace.

I love trees changing colours and leaves crunching underfoot.

Autumn makes me peaceful. happy.  

Day 263...

16 years ago,
this...

September 19, 1996. Riley Thomas - one hour old. 

and now...

Happy Birthday to the best boy in the whole big wide wonderful world!

Day 262...

I love my Polar Bear.

We were friends in high school and kept in touch for about a year after I graduated (the year ahead of her) then lost track of each other for about 15 years.

Several years ago, thanks to Facebook or MySpace, we ran across one another again, and it was absolutely as though not a single day had passed.

She is there for me. I am there for her. We are sisters. We've gone through some seriously tough times together and I love her a ridiculous lot!

Oh, and! Her wee ones are two of the most fabulous little creatures ever created.

family. chosen.

it's a wonderful thing.

Day 261...

My cat, Gypsy, ummm...barks at me. 

I can't do it justice on this blog...but suffice it to say, it is truly like a tiny, yappy, short bark...which sounds like a short, sharp "merh!" as opposed to a bellowing "maowwwwwwr." 

and it makes me giggle every time.

Day 260...

Floyds Fork Park - 9.15.12 - keg

Day 259...

 Today...

 a lovely drive and a stop for a few photos at Floyds Fork Park.

9.15.12 - keg

9.15.12 - keg

Frog! I almost stepped on him...teeny little fella...about an inch long. 9.15.12 - keg

Day 258...

I believe I am swiftly falling head over heels in love with Doctor Who.

I am on my third episode (of the 2000's series not the 1960's series...I've not seen that at all)

It is quirky...ridiculously cheesy...horribly graphic'd...and completely endearing, fabulous and perhaps one of the most wonderful things I've ever seen. 

of course, I have a serious weakness for anything bbc...

Day 257...

I've been feeling creatively constipated for a long time now. like all my words have been trapped behind some stupid barricade I can't get around or break through.

It's been frustrating. to say the least.

I've been processing a lot of grief this year...and what I learned today, after spending hours writing a few lines, putting my notebook away, coming back to it, reading what I wrote, editing, writing a bit more, putting it away again...repeat repeat repeat...what I learned is that anger is ridiculously easy to write about...but grief. grief is a bit more elusive.

today, I finally broke through. and wrote the first of many pieces that have been bouncing around in fragments within me.

it is both cathartic and heartbreaking to visit those emotions...to look at them head-on and put them on paper.

but it is better to be writing than not. because I don't feel "normal" when I'm not writing.

Day 254...

I love the look of my new tumblr blog.

it's a project I'd previously had posted to Flickr, but decided Tumblr might be the better venue for it.

The Trashed Project

it's and on-going project.

Day 256...

Today I received my signed copy of Dead Birds Fall from the Sky - selected poems by Stephan Cox

I'm so thrilled!

Some of you know about my friend Stephan's Thing a Day project of 2011...Stephan collected his favourites from the year and turned that project into DBFftS.

Stephan, I'm so happy for you! I'm so proud of you!

Day 255...

September 11.

I stumbled across this today. It is quite beautiful. and tragic. and I struggled over whether to share it or not, because this blog is supposed to be about things that make me happy, and though I love how all the elements of these videos come together to paint this story, I also ache re-watching the pieces of that day unfolding. however, since drawing a smiley face over the top of it doesn't erase those images from my memory...

today...I remember.

Out of the Blue by Simon Armitage

(I would caution here...these videos contain images and phone calls from 9.11.01 - it's beautifully done, but it is an emotional ride to revisit in such vivid words, sounds and visuals.)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Day 253...

I hate shopping.

but I love a bargain.

tonight, I purchased a super cute shirt on clearance for $5.55

and

a pair of jeans on clearance for $7.60!

that's a whole freaking outfit for under twenty dollars! I'm feeling pretty awesome today. yay me.

Day 252...

Today was so lovely. wonderfully perfect weather. an outdoor street festival. a couple of antique stores. scouting a bunch of photo opportunities. the most amazing Mocha blended freeze from Highland Coffee. a delicious lunch at The Cafe. a little bit of shopping. and now home to a lovely glass of wine - Panilonco Malbec Merlot blend...so ridiculously yum!

Day 251...

This morning's bakery creation...

Blueberry Mango Almond Scones.

ridiculously delicious.

I love baking.

Day 250...

This morning, I received a text that made me giggle out loud.

It was from one of my darling Texans - it read:

"Hi, lady. Are we wearing jeans today?"

To which I replied:

"Ha. Well, yes. But I think you meant this to go to someone else. :)"

And then, the glorious reply:

"Shit! You are right! Good morning Karen!"

It was the perfect way to start my Friday...with a giggle and a smile.

Day 249...

This song makes me ridiculously happy.

Pass me the Spitoon (passe moé le crachoir)

Day 248...

It's been really steamy here the past few days. The air feels and smells like New Orleans; sultry. makes me desperately want a weekend with my best girls in that beautiful city. I think I'm going to need to take a roadtrip.

Day 247...

As I was getting on the freeway this evening, I noticed a grasshopper on my windshield.

I begged the little guy to jump off while I was still on the the clover leaf, and therefore, travelling slower.

He didn't.

Once on the freeway, I was convinced that he was about to be blown off the windshield any second. It was a very stressful drive. I was ridiculously concerned about the fate of this bug...and I really don't care much for bugs.

My eyes kept going to the road. Back to the bug. The road. The bug. There were several breath holding moments when I thought for sure he was about to lose his hold...

But he kept hanging on.

12 miles later...down the exit ramp to the stop light...the grasshopper still there...I congratulated the little guy for hanging on. He jumped off at the stop light.

I named him Bruce Lee.  Until my fella told me that it was actually David Carradine's character in "Kung Fu" who was called Grasshopper. Sigh. How should I know...I never watched any of those shows...I always thought it was Bruce Lee who was called Grasshopper. 

I'm still naming him Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee the valiant little green bug.

I kinda dig the lesson. Thanks, Bruce Lee.

Day 246...

Back in June I posted this.

and today my little brother sent me this:

along with the caption, "I think we have an Elf problem."

I giggled until tears ran down my cheeks.

Day 245...

Picnic Point. 8.15.07. keg

Port Townsend. 6.27.09. keg