End of summer

Well, it's Labor Day weekend, the symbolic (albeit not official) end of summer... I don't have much time to post, b/c my snuggs will be home shortly and I have some clean-up yard work to do. I cleaned up some of our beds today, cutting out old growth, etc. and getting them ready for fall.
Developments since the last post:
The kids came to visit the week before my birthday. It was a hum-drum visit. They didn't have much moolah this time, and they didn't seem too excited about being here (esp. C). L stayed home with them during the week and they met me for lunch and did a lot of shopping. They did swim in our blow-up pool and do the slip n' slide (when Aunt Flow wasn't in town).

My birthday: 8-8-2007 my 30TH!!! It wasn't the traumatic day I was expecting. L ended up calling into work for the preceding 2 days (I think she needed some mental health time after having the kids and working too many days in a row), so she was relaxed, etc. for the big day. She decorated and made me a delicious yellow cake with a hybrid buttercream/ganache icing. We drank quite a bit of vodka on the 7th and had exceptionally fabulous sex. On the 8th we went to lunch at South, where I finally tried a mint julep (too strong at first, but the portion/potion at the bottom of the cup was tasty). Then we did some shopping at Triangle Town Centre (I abhor that spelling, but I'm trying to be accurate). We came home and exercised, then went to the late show of the Bourne Ultimatum, which was really exciting - a fun movie to see on the big screen.

Since then we've just been working and having our same routine at home. I don't want to bring up unpleasantries, but I will mention that it seems as though we've been fighting more this summer than we generally have in the past. We generally aren't a couple that fight - I mean sure I'll say something that will make L mad and she'll freeze me out for a night, etc. but we usually don't have big discussions.

I don't really know what's been different about this summer that has changed that. I do feel like that phase is behind us. I think sometimes couples can just get out of sync, although with us it didn't really feel like that. When we were fine, we were fine; there were just a few nights within a 1-2 month period that discussions kind of erupted. Sex certainly wasn't the problem :) I feel a lot of it was brought on by my negativity. I think getting close to my 30th birthday even brought some of it on. Part of the reason our relationship works so well is that we are supportive and considerative of each other. We make decisions based on their group impact, but we also recognize that sacrifice is a necessity in order to make sure we each accomplish what we want. We have been able to take leaps of faith together (i.e. moving to Wilmington, Charleston, Durham, buying this house, being out for so long, etc.) I think I misplaced some of that faith this summer and I really don't know why. I feel bad about it; I feel like I've overly burdened L and our relationship by being that way.

I love L more than I can ever articulate. I try to write it down (and I know that I'm not as diligent about this as I should be), so here goes:
The sun was close to setting the other evening when we were driving to dinner; it was behind us, and she looked at me and smiled. Her hair was fiery and golden red; her eyes were warm and brown and impossible to turn away from.
Her persistence in keeping our life photographed
Her perennial willingness to have a good time
The way she spoons me at night when we're falling asleep in our bed (heck, the way she does anything to me in our bed)
It's just the way that (she) loves me (thank you Ms. Abdul)

I'm asking for a raise at work on Tuesday; hopefully I'll get a positive response. If I do (and even if I don't), there's a real possibility that L is going to shift down to part-time hours. That would give us the weekends together!!!!

I know L is depressed about it getting dark earlier, and while I don't enjoy my day ending at 5, I am excited about fall! The cooler weather, the leaves (although who knows with the drought), the FOOTBALL! My snuggs' birthday (her turn to be an old lady), our concerts, our anniversary, Thanksgiving, Christmas... ding dang y'all!

Best baby award/fall plans

I know it's terrible to judge a person under the age of 12 months, but I swear that Melanie's baby boy is the sweetest most easy-going baby ever! He is able to entertain himself, and he doesn't seem to get irritated at much of anything. I really wish for one like that. I worry about us losing our shit over a screamer...

So in the past week we've spent shitload on SP concert tickets, although some of them were bought for other attendees. It should be something to look forward to in the fall. A road trip to Philadelphia followed by one to Asheville for the venerable NP and then to Atlanta again for SP, and possibly the NPs. I'd like to swing a visit to my granny's as well. I don't know what the venue in Philadelphia is like. They're playing the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. That should be a cool place to go around Halloween.

Summer so far

Well July 4th has come and gone, so in the eyes of merchants, it's the end of summer. I think that notion is ridiculous, but I am worried about not getting many more summer activities/memories in before the end. We've been to the g-parents' pool once. We've been to the farmers market a few times, and I'm sure we'll go again b/c my snuggs is a semi-professional canner. She lives for the ping.
But I can't help but long for the summer of schooldays' past. When you had a lazy break that was filled with (elementary era) library reading lists, pool time, sleepovers, etc. High school era - sleepovers, beach/pool time, MOVIE time, getting high/drunk time. College era - pool time, kid time, getting high time, sex... Not that none of these activities occur now that we're responsible adults. It's just a different structure and a SCHEDULE to always deal with. Mon-Fri 9ish -5ish for me, whenever for L, yard work 1X week, coozles all the time. I do wish for the days like we had in Wilmington when the only real thing we had to do was some schoolwork, class face time, etc.

But it is exciting in its own way to have your own house to do anything you want in. To have a yard you're responsible for, etc.

My birthday will be upon me before I know it. I saw a 30th b-day card in Wal-Mart the other day and was none too pleased. I hope I don't get any of those!! :(
I guess it's not that big of a deal to turn 30. I am usually not a vain person, but for some reason this one has me a little worried. Oh well, it'll come and go like they all do and I'll feel the same I'm sure.

I rediscovered a Sahara Hotnights CD today that we had never burned onto our Ipods. It's really been the highlight of my day. I also was able to download Burning Up by Madonna yesterday. I love a good dance song!

So what if I like to listen to songs over and over and over again? It shows dedication, and true love of a song. Until of course I move on. So I have all these pictures that I took over the weekend and now it's my job to upload them and send them to people and also get some printed for us. A lot actually turned out pretty good. What I'm thinking I'm going to do is buy some sort of foam or cork that I can affix to the wall and start putting pictures, etc. on it. It's something I have wanted to do for a while now, but I just keep...forgetting and procrastinating. I made a bunch of pesto today. I need to find some ice trays so that I can freeze it in small portions and use it as needed. And enjoy. I love pesto....love basil. We have a Japanese beetle problem and they're destroying our basil. So instead of laying down and taking it, I harvested the majority of the basil and made glorious pesto. Did I mention I like pesto? I was thinking I would bring some into work and see if anyone wanted any. We'll see. I hate to waste it all by letting it go bad in the freezer....get all freezer burned. We'll see. I'm really liking my camera, and this past weekend was my first real time to use it and see what she could do. I'm impressed. And I should be. We'll be paying on it for a while.
My extra day off today has been nice. I think that I really do need a day off by myself, at least once every two weeks. So I can do nothing, and do things that I want to do...without having someone structure my day. I realize the need for structure, but only on days when M and I are together. We have to pack in as much as possible on those days. But on my days off alone...I could be on the internet all day looking up music, news, financial stuff, and then spend the last hour before M gets home doing stuff so that it looks like I've been doing stuff all day. Of course laundry is different. You can't just start and finish laundry in an hour. But I can let it sit in the washer after it's done....while I'm doing nothing.
Oh, my cousins called us last night and when we returned the call, M talked to them and then when it was my turn the phone was intercepted by their mom who was telling me about how they were going to send us a check for the Gwen Stefani concert (since they couldn't go). Which was ok, and then she just SAT THERE SILENT. She always does that and that's why I always make M talk to the adults...even though they're my relatives. I can't stand it. Anyway then my uncle gets on the phone and is FUCKING HAMMERED...starts talking to me about how the kids are embarassed about how they didnt call to tell us they couldn't go, and how they thought we were mad...which we were kinda, but you know the kids have a shitty example set for just about everything. It sucks. And we try to be a positive influence in their lives, but it's hard. I just have to cross my fingers and hope all turns out well. But again...the examples have been set.

The 60th Birthday Party

Ok, so these types of experiences don't come around too often. At least not for me, or us I guess. We can be such pessimists, and are always expecting the worst from everyone. But often times that's what ends up happening. I know what to generally expect from people. Especially people who I deal with on a fairly regular basis. M's mom will say something outrageous. A will talk about how he doesn't eat much/is so buff/is so busy/ and will ALWAYS fall asleep in the car. Miguel will never call, will be loud and over the top. My sister will bring up conspiracy theory crap. My mom will accuse me of being a closet conservative. These things are just....truths. So anyway, I was expecting more problems this weekend, but was pleasantly surprised. We got there and hung out for a bit, and went for a spin on the golf car that was rented just for us. Took it to our rental house which was farily decent. We cleaned up there and then met at the marina for our booze cruise. It was a relief. Water bottle filled with vodka and plent of cool chasers. Pretty soon it didn't matter who was on the boat because I had a lot to drink. And not much food. I met the Cgrove cousins...well the other two. I had met the middle in Italy 2000. They definitely like to get their drink on, which was ok since we do too. I couldn't keep up though. So we go eat some dinner after the cruise and then end up back at our rental. Did I mention that we had a golf cart? YESSS.. So we get up and head over to the house for brunch, eat and listen to Heater talk to Miguel like he's her son, or retarded, or both. It's just hard to hear that. But whatever. We go outside, take what is FINALLY a decent picture. We go to Beaufort and get the pics printed at Walgreens. Head over to Sonic which is delicious, but FUCKING HOT because there's no indoor dining. So we sweat and eat our tots and drink our delicious beverages.
We get our pics, head home and then decide to go to the pool. The first place is ok, and Michele gets me a daiquiri. Soon though we leave in search of better pool experience. We meet up with M&H at the cabana pool which is nicer and shadier. I wanted to see if she had the nerve to wear a bikini, but no. Oh well.
We go back to the house and get ready for the party. M&H had gotten recruited to help and unfortunately for us we were not. So we show up and Liz is barking orders and it is so GD hot....and it's hotter inside the little building where all the tables are. So we have to decide between sweating and burning out in the sun or broiling in the shade of the Peg Leg's building. Tough call. I drank too many vodka on the rocks, and then I had some vodka and cokes, and then a vodka with cranberry juice. We toast, tear up, talk, and the night continues at D&E's house. More drinks. More conversations about movies, music, getting shot, wrecks, working (and not working) all the drama in Italy....forgiveness. H wants to talk to M about....well I can only speculate, but prolly about how we have no relationship with her, and Miguel too. But it doesn't end up happening. She wasn't THAT bad, but she's just not someone with whom I'm interested in making an effort. And I'd say I speak for both of us on that. Anyway, we get back home and shower and (I) collapse into the bed, only to wake up seven hours later. Drinking sucks in that sense. We go to the house, visit and say our goodbyes. All in all it was....pretty good. Definitely not as bad as I imagined. Drinking helps I think. But still the contact was limited, and there were so many people that there wasn't a lot of one on one time. Definitely have to have full use of the golf cart, and also would PREFER to have our own place to stay. But we'll see. We just got back and I'm not even interested in going back any time soon.
But if we do....

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So we went to go see knocked up this past week. It was pretty funny. I have been working nights for the past three nights, which has - phew - taken its toll on me. I'm tired of getting home late. And still getting up early. Anyway we're about to leave tomorrow for Fripp island. We're going there for M's dad's birthday....something I'm not looking forward to. Michele and I just had a long conversation about why I am or am not going to be friends with T at work. I just feel like it's ok, and if I am wrong then I am wrong. We talked about how he's a friend who we're not really both friends with, even though I think that's not really true. I mean I see him at work and she doesn't, but it's not like we don't do stuff outside of work....all three of us. Maybe she'll post on here and give her own views on the subject. I personally am tired of discussing the entire situation and will look forward to a day when it's just all ok.
So after three tries I got a bathing suit that doesn't ride up and does not seem too small. Or too large. Or too short. My last complaints with the last two suits. Anyway, it was worth the pain. We both have suits that fit and look mildy attractive. So....
Hopefully they'll last a few years....
Dear diary, I can't wait to come back and dish about our trip. I'll take good notes about everything and make sure nothing goes unnoticed. I'm looking forward to the drinking and "family" time. I'm not looking forward to the real family time. The face time so to speak. But who knows. It might be ok. Think positive.
I went to the dentist today and sorta sounded like a freak. Asked about how to keep my teeth. I'm a retard, but everything looks ok otherwise. Phew
Will write more soon......
-L

Weekend

So this past weekend was actually pretty nice. Friday night we went to the ES and had some drinks with my parents, aunts and uncles, and Kelly. She lives around here but for some reason we can't ever seem to get together. We're trying to work on that, but you know how schedules are. She's in school and works full time. I work odd hours, Michele works regular hours. Blah, blah. Anywho, we got some dinner on the way home and then pretty much went to bed because I had to go into work early. Michele's aunt and uncle and mom ended up coming by on Saturday while I was at work. When I got home I caulked the siding that we had replaced on Thursday. Which is good because it ended up raining that night. Now we just have to get some primer for masonry, and then see if the paint that is in the shed is the right color. If not we'll be able to get more, but hopefully it'll be in there and be enough for what we need.
So we napped and then we got up and headed to Winston-Salem. I'm glad we went because I really like Bloc Party, and they sounded really good. But I hate that venue. And I'll really have to like like like someone before I go there again. We were talking about how the crowd is all very frat bro, and really rough. And that sucks. I like the Cat's Cradle. I like the Orange Peel. I like general admission, but I like people to not touch me a whole lot. And if they do touch me I want it to be as they're passing by to get to another area, not because they're an asshole and just not willing to move. So many people wanted beer but then they wanted to get back up front and it just really wasn't possible. Dudes kept tying to reason with other more inebriated dudes and it backfired. People just need to either commit to not drinking and being up front, or to drinking and chillin' in the back. Either way people...you can't have it both ways. Anyway, we got home went to bed and the didn't get up until late this morning.
We ended up going to the farmers market in Raleigh, and got some produce. I made pickles and blueberry/raspberry jam. We also got some beets and I'm going to pickle them too....but not preserve them. And some time soon, we'll have zucchini on the grill.
Oh yeah, there's a new place right at the farmers market that sells a bunch of outdoor stuff. I don't know what the name is but we're definitely going back when we have some cash burning a hole in our pockets...
I go back to work tomorrow and then work until Thursday. That's ok since I have the entire weekend off. Not too excited about it though We're going to Fripp Island to see Michele's dad for his birthday. I'm SURE I'll have some comments to make about the visit. I can't believe I'm taking vacation time to do this....the sacrifices of love!!!

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Hmmm...well all's well here. My parents came up yesterday to work on the house. We had some siding that needed to be replaced. And it had been out there, staring at me for MONTHS. Anyway, that's fixed; now all we have to do is prime and paint the siding. We also had the lines on our clothes line tightened. I guess it's good that my dad was a boy scout. It's nice to have someone in the family that can do these types of things. Plus I feel like I can learn some stuff in the process. We had a good dinner with myriad food items - steak, fried oysters, macaroni salad, potato salad, grilled zucchini, sliced tomatoes, and rolls. I was full but not that full.

So the past few days at work have been good. Not too many crazy customers, and not too much aggrevation from management. I've been talking to T at work, and things seem to be ok there too. It's just weird. I wish things could just go back to being the same as they were before, but of course they can't. It's just going to take some adjusting...some feeling out. Some akwardness. Things seem ok for now, and I guess that's all that matters.

Later we'll go to the Embassy Suites where my parents are staying, and have some drinks. Then on Saturday I'll go to work and then come home and nap and then go see Bloc Party in Winston Salem. Hopefully it won't be as crowded as it was when we saw the Shins. I'll report back later.
Peace out, yo....

I guess we'll just have to adjust...

Michele's been off work sick for practically the entire week. While it's been nice, I can't help but think about the weekend, and how, of course, I have to work. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. I swear, if I don't ask for specific time off, I just get totally fucked each and every week. One of the many reasons I love working at blank. It wasn't that bad before when Michele was in school and she could skip, or put off studying to be with me. But after about a year and a half of her working and me working, and neither schedule meshing with the other, well..it's starting to take its toll. I go back and forth about quitting my job. I mean of course I'd have to get another one, but who's to say that another job won't be equally as bad, if not worse than my current job. That scares me. I also have thought about going part-time at my job, and telling them that I can only work on the week days, but they could totally give me five hours a week and there's nothing I could do. Plus, the part time employee insurance is really expensive for what it is. Basically it covers going to the doctor, but what if you actually develop a condition? You're totally screwed. So that's another reason that I've put it off.
The truth is I haven't been happy at my job for a while. There are a few reasons why, and while I know them and talk to Michele about them, perhaps writing them out and looking at them for reals would be beneficial.
1) I hate dealing with customers that are total assholes. This goes without saying. We work in an environment that naturally caters to the people that are closest to the establishment. Basically nouveau rich people - i.e. (former) rednecks that might have started a business (landscaping or construction??) ten or fifteen years ago, and have become "successful". By successful, I mean they have the finest KB home money can buy (or some other crappy builder), and they have a Navigator that the wife drives, mainly ALONE, probably leased. The wife does the majority of the shopping with the kids in tow. Said kids are totally uncontrollable in the store and the frazzled and bitchy wife/mom is late for a tennis match/pedicure appointment/boob job consultation/play date. Well that just breaks my heart. Let me see if I can't move whatever line you're standing in FASTER THAN I ALREADY AM so that you can get to your appointment on time. Don't forget to fill up your big ass rig on the way since it gets, what, ten miles to the gallon? The problem I have with these people is not that they're total bitches, etc, it's that they know that we cater to them and they know WHAT we HAVE to do to make them happy and they demand it. I just know now that, having worked in retail for a few years, it's not for me. Not when I can't ever tell someone "no". Not when I have to give a person whatever they want just because. Where I work is a great place to shop if you're not an employee, but it sucks to work there.
2) As aforementioned, I hardly ever have weekend days off. If I could have one off every week, I'd be happy, but I can't get one really without asking. Therefore I must bitch.
3) I don't like the fact that I can work any time at any day. Most people in my department work fairly set hours. Not the people in my section though. I feel like we're the "bitches" of the department. When other people are off on the weekends, or if there aren't enough people to work in a section, then one of us has to go help out. I don't mind helping out, because it breaks up the monotony, but I'd like to see other people jump in and help when it gets busy in our area...it's just not fair. I can see people leaning up against counters and talking for thirty minutes while I'm busting my ass alone making sandwiches. WTF?
4) The schedule making is really crappy....holes everywhere. How do you expect the chef's case to get set up if YOU DON'T SCHEDULE SOMEONE??
5) Christian. Gone now, but still dealin'...jesus christo. What a terrible terrible manager/person. What a psycho. It really sounds bad to say this, but I don't care - whatever happens to her, she deserves. I'll leave it at that.
6) My relationship with a former friend/co-worker. It's been a very strange shift. It was the middle of March last year when one day he came to work and announced to everyone he was "through with people". Whatever that meant. I guess what it meant was that he didn't want to be my friend anymore because from what I could tell our relationship was the only casualty of the day. And I tried to talk to him afterwards; I could just tell, I just knew that it was the end of things between us. No explanation, no nothing. Weird. I ceased to exist. I later found out his dad was sick and wished that I could have been there for him. But I just never wanted to risk being hurt by the situation more than I already was. It's been really difficult for me to go to work every day and know that there's someone there who 1) I used to be be friends with and 2) no longer wants to be friends with me. I've not had to experience much rejection in my life, thank goodness. But in this instance it's like not only do I have to be reminded of the fact that we're no longer friends every day, I have no explanation of why things are the way they are. And would I even want to know the reason?? I have no closure. Nothing. I told Michele yesterday that I was just blown away by the fact that he asked me about geting SP tickets. Out of the blue, after not talking for over a year - 14 months to be exact - he asks me this, and I just don't know how to respond. Is this an invitation to begin speaking? It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Communication is essential when you work with someone, but we've done our best to avoid it. When it did happen, there was, in my opinion a lot of akwardness. I just think about how it really sucks to not be friends, but as bad as it is, at least that's something I can control. If we were to be friends again, how easy would it be for things to go back to the way they are now? That's too scary to think about. Phew.
7) Sanitation issues. I won't elaborate. Suffice it to say that I wouldn't eat there. Just sayin'

Ok, so there are my issues....having read through them they're bad...terrible actually. If one thing out of all of them could change, things would be so much better. For instance, if the powers that be actually made an effort to give people weekend days off FAIRLY, that would make things better. Or if the schedule could be made without major problems, that would be fabulous. Things like that....

Fever in, fever out?

Well, seeing as my better half has posted 2 entries, and I none, I feel obligated to do so, especially as I'm convalescing.
One not so pleasant thing about living in the woods are our insect neighbors, namely ticks. Sunday I mowed our yards and the ditch by our road. For the rest of the afternoon I felt like I had been struck by a Mac truck. Repeatedly. The very marrow in my bones hurt.
Monday I still felt shitty, and even felt like I had a fever, but according to our $7 thermometer, no such luck. Side note: isn't it true that no one really buys someone's illness unless there's a fever involved (hence the ridiculous kid movie trick of the thermometer on the inefficiently hot incandescent bulb)? Or some intense documentable bathroom action, which I'm happy to report hasn't been the case.
So on to work for me on Monday. Came home and took a 4 hour! (no real sleep the night before) nap with L. I woke up hot as hell and now the thermometer reported my temp. as 102.5.
To the doctor yesterday - after a siphoning out a couple of vials of blood, the diagnosis is either an unknown viral infection, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, or ehrlichiosis. I won't know for a few days if it's one of the 2 latter.
But, at this point, the fever and aches are worth having a rooster for a neighbor and seeing a handwritten 'missing peacock' sign at the end of our road...

Le weekend

Well I was off on Saturday, and it was a really pretty day outside. We got up and went out to lunch with M's mom and brother (he just returned from a semester abroad). Cheesecake Factory. I enjoyed seeing bro, but I can't help but get annoyed with their mom quelquefois. And I know I'm not alone in that, I just sometimes feel a tinge of guilt about it. Sometimes.
We're almost thirty, and thinking about kids....and it makes sense that I'd stay home with them. Because I'd be working to pay for daycare. I will not be a conventional mom. And I admit that, yeah, it would be great if M could stay home and raise the chitlins, because she is a mom. She always has been. But is it fair to say that she would be "better" than me since neither of us have ever parented?
When we talked about it at lunch on Saturday, I just sat there thinking that I didn't need someone questioning my parenting capabilities. I'm not even a parent yet. You can read books, etc., but nothing can really PREPARE you for having a child. That's what I think anyway.
We got back from lunch, came home and put our blowup mattress out on the front lawn. We laid on it and it felt so nice - cool and breezy. I wish we could have taken a nap, but I kept thinking about snakes swirling around my feet, and Angus wasn't there.
Later we got up and had strawberry shortcakes for dinner. Yeah dinner. That night we went to a concert at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro. The Rosebuds. They're a local band; husband and wife duo. This time around they had a couple more people in the "band", but it rounded their sound out. They sounded good. I think they were cheesing it up somewhat because people were filming the show, but it was still good. Their new cd is called "Night of the Furies" and is pretty good, although at nine songs, a little short. Their 2005 release "Birds Make Good Neighbors" is definitely worth checking out. It has a lot of nature references throughout and ideas of home and love and togetherness. So much of that I can relate to, especially since we moved into our house around the time we discovered their music. Here we're so close to nature which can be such a comfort. And I do think our relationship with nature has brought us closer together. We've always made a home wherever we've been, but now it truly feels like home. A family that I love so much...one day bigger, unimaginably filled with more love...I love your guyses so much!!!

Before the winter takes hold, and the figs all dry up cold
The birds all meet in the tree and confess love's what they need
The form lines on the limbs, and sing one of love's true hymns
If you listen close, you can even here them say
Will you ever not treat me right?
Are you ever gonna hold me down?
Will you ever get tired of holding me tight?
Looks like the story of love grows all right
Will our love ever end?
Will you let the cold shake our tree?
Will you stop being my best friend?
Looks like the story of love never ends......

Tuesday. May 15th.

Best day in a long time. First we got up late, had a doughnut from the night before (krispy kreme, after the Gwen Stefani concert....yeah we like her, so what?). The we got out of the house and went to:
1) Pick strawberries at Jean's Berry Patch $18 (and got sunburned)
2) Eat lunch at Tacos Mexico in Apex $30
3) Buy various gardening supplies at Lowe's $45
4) Buy groceries and other home stuff at Target $67
After all that shopping, etc. we were tired. It's hard though because we're rarely off on the same days. So we have to do all we can when we are together. And it seems of late that if we are off at the same time then we're of course doing something that we are obligated to do (deliver a wedding cake and attend the wedding), or work on the house when my parents are here helping. I'm not complaining about the help or the money from the cake, mind you. Just sayin'.
So anyway, we came home and planted a bunch of tomatoes and realized we didnt have enough pots or dirt. We went up to Ace and looked at pots (too expensive) and lusted over Smith and Hawken patio furniture (way too much $$). I know it's expensive, and yeah I know we're not made of money, but for God's sake, if you're going to get patio furniture, why not get PATIO FURNITURE? I feel like if you're going to buy something like that, you might as well get the best they make. In that sense I am definitely not my mother's child. We want something timeless and solid and.....teak. And teak isn't cheap. Sigh...
Anyway, we came back, had steaks and hot dogs (M) on the grill. And then I made strawberry jam from all of the strawberries we picked earlier in the day. I had never used pectin before in jam recipes, but it helps fruits that are low in pectin jell better. Tastes like shit though. The pectin. Not the jam. The jam is good...life is good.

Creation of This is the Modern Age Blog

Well, so this is our blog...something that I (L) have been wanting to set up for quite a while. If you happen to stumble upon this blog on accident, please feel free to read, reflect, and comment. Note however, that this blog was birthed because of my desire to keep a diary of sorts. But in this modern age, who has time for paper and pen? We're two twentysomething girls living in an impossibly small house in the woods outside of the triangle area, NC. We like to go to concerts, work outside in the yard, try new restaurants, and spend time with our pets (especially when they're not annoying the shit out of us).