Thursday, June 5, 2008

Trying to un-grump

Okay, people, I have been grumpy lately, so I need to write things I am grateful for. Bear with me or log off now, as I realize this is a totally self-indulgent blog post today.
1- Friends- what would I do without them? Some I talk to every single day, some not so often, but still, they sustain me.

2. Cherries- yes, cherries. Red cherries, Mt. Rainier cherries, black cherries, I LOVE cherries. Had them for breakfast, and may have them again tomorrow for breakfast. I LOVE CHERRIES!

3. G in her glasses. There is nothing sweeter than G curled up in a chair, engrossed in a book, with purplw wire frames perched on her nose. She hates wearing them in front of friends, but I think they are the cutest thing ever. That being said, she left them in the floor, and I accidentally stomped them at five this morning. Grrrr. She may be wearing adorable new glasses very soon.

4. Yankee candles- Give me a yankee candle in a yummy scent, and I am a happy girl. The funny thing is that I usually dislike strong scents, but Yankee Candle? Even the sign gives me shivers ;-). Sweet smells, savory smells, clean cotton, I adore them all!

5. Working in restaurants- I know I am an absolute headcase to like waiting tables, but I really do. I also realize that I don’t want to be a sixty year old server, so I should really figure out how to segue that into something else. Owning my own restaurant, bed and breakfast, being a denny’s waitress in thirty years… KIDDING! Seriously, though, I love the hustle and bustle and chaos, and everchanging free-falling world of restaurants.

6. Rain- It has rained twice here in the past week, and I just want to bottle up the cleanness of it all. Love the smell, and how everything seems so bright and reborn after a good rain.

7. EatPrayLove- Elizabeth Gilbert writes magic. She writes in a way that makes me want to be her best friend, drop everything and run to an ashram in India (but run in a very thoughtful and meditative way), eat fresh pasta and cheese in Italy (gluten-free be damned!), and find myself in Indonesia.

8. Rooibus tea- since I am giving up caffeine, which could merit a passing glance in the “Why am I so grumpy?” department, I have rediscovered teas. Rooibus is an African Leaf tea, caffeine free of course, and I truly believe it has kept me from being a total witch through the caffeine free attempt.

9. Foxes- I cannot get enough of all of the foxes that live close to me. It is like having my own little National Geographic Special. Was at the restaurant today, looked out the window and watched four foxes trot by. Must have been a mama and her kits, but it was simply breathtaking to know I live in that place.

10. People who care- a group called frerc.org is trying to stop drilling at the base of Mount Herman, where we live. Without them, none of us would know anything about the drilling until it had contaminated our water. I admire people who work so tirelessly on something- we should all be so passionate!

Posted by everydayjill in 22:30:12 | Permalink | No Comments »

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Is it the Plague???

Oy vay, my head is pounding. Could be several things (and yes, horrible nature-borne diseases have crossed my hypochondriac thoughts). First, I decided to be healthier, and give up sweets and caffeine and anything else remotely bad. Kind of a teensy weensy cleanse without all of that gross colon stuff. Have pretty much given up coffee, but maybe not to the degree that I thought.. If that is the cause of my head splitting wide open, then I need a double mocha with whipped cream STAT.
Second, two nights on an air mattress with N digging his cast into my head do not make for a sweet slumber under the stars. Then I promised him I would sleep with him last night- who can say no to that sweet rough and tumble one-armed boy??? Umm, after last night, I can. He seriously whacked me in the back of the skull with that obnoxious cast during one of his crazy dreams. Not good.
Third, could be stress. Methinks I have too much on my plate. The hard part is, I kind of like everything on said plate, so what to get rid of….
Posted by everydayjill in 23:20:40 | Permalink | No Comments »

A real camping trip

How easy it is to forget what an amazing place I live in. Day in and day out, I go about the everyday stuff that we call life, and I forget where I live. We went camping this weekend, and it was a slap in the face of a reminder- I live in one of the most beautiful places around. Craggy mountains covered in towering pines and aspens, snow covering the peaks, waterfalls crashing down, overflowing from the winter’s heavy snowfalls. Creeks rushing by, green meadows dotted with farmhouses in between the mountains.
We stayed in a place called Chalk Lake- little hidden gem that no one knows about. Shady campsites, beautiful creek running through, an islet that G and some newfound camping friends decided to inhabit. By inhabiting, they meant setting up a tent in the middle of the mud, some ‘lookout’ chairs, and a log bridge. Every time that N Dawg navigated the log, I prayed we did not have a second broken limb. Whew!
No broken limbs, but G did end up with a funky and itchy rash- I am utterly convinced that she got into Poison Oak, but that hours in the Hot Springs right after lessened the misery. She also has some serious wounds on her knees, like the child slid down Chalk Mountain on her knees. And N did eat it face first by the campsite- will hopefully get my pictures up in the next day or two. He looks so rough and tumble, strawberry skid on his forehead and cheek, broken arm in a stinky cast, various other scrapes. By the last mishap, all that I could think of was when Drew used to say that it wasn’t a real ride (or fishing trip or snowboard run or whatever…) unless you drew blood. I guess that means this was a real camping trip. 
Posted by everydayjill in 04:18:30 | Permalink | Comments (1) »