observations

All the catching up is done.  I am officially caught up and have only my current workload for classes!  The travel was great, but it does get complicated when juggling deadlines. 

Registration for spring semester started this week.

Thanksgiving is next week.

Charlie won't step on manhole covers when we walk.

I was hoping to see meteoroids this morning.  I didn't.

Thanksgiving is next week.

Family wedding in October 2011.

I've started wearing long pants to walk to the gym in the mornings.  CCCCold at 5:00.

Also ccccold at bedtime - I've added another layer of light-ish blankets.

Thanksgiving is next week.

Yoga pants and hoodies. Turtlenecks.

I need color.

I need stronger light.

Dishwashers are wonderful!  Or maybe I'm just in that honeymoon stage - but why has it taken me 5 years to discover the delights of dishwashers!?



For whatever reason, I started using my dishwasher for storage when we moved into this house 5 years ago.  During a recent marathon weekend of kitchen work I was looking for options.  General strike, paper plates, something!  While we were at Jacob and Kate's, watching them load their dishwasher,  I had the classic enlightened moment - I have a dishwasher!  On our return home, school work and laundry shared that first day's busyness with finding a spot for the things stashed in my dishwasher. If I move this stuff here, then that stuff has to go.... Where is the soap the previous owner left behind?  (honestly, who keeps 1/2 a bottle of cascade for 5 years?)  But there it was...

For my birthday, Tim found a pretty little red-bound French English dictionary at the Goodwill.  I keep it at my desk and you'd be surprised how many times I've used it!

Friday the 13th

Tim and I were married on a Friday night - August 13, 1976 - a Friday the 13th.  So when the plumber replacing our hot water heater the other day, explained that he was late because he'd had trouble at the preceeding job by shrugging his shoulders and saying, "Friday the 13th!", I just smiled. 

We were both out of town last week.  I left on Saturday for central Iowa, returning Tuesday.  Tim left for Indianapolis on Sunday, back again Thursday.  I had his package wrapped and ready for him when I left for work on Thursday, knowing that he would be home before me.  And he had mine ready, too, when I got home that night.  Over the years he's done a pretty good job of finding some pretty good loot for anniversaries and such.  This year's will be one of my favorites.  Here's part of it - I wish the camera did them justice:

They simply sparkle.  These tiny ruby buttons are faceted cut glass.  They are gorgeous.

Sweet dreams

I love the fragrance of lavendar.  I have several planted in my flower beds. These are lavendar sachets that Naphtali gave me for Mother's Day. 

You can see that they are rather flat, which makes them perfect to tuck inside my pillowcase.

 I put them inside, about right there, and at night if I wake up tossing about, they release their soothing fragrance and I'm off to sleep again. Just. like. that. 

Wishing you pleasant dreams....

Illness Strikes Jordison Household

This is the orchid Tim brought me for Valentines Day. Lovely, non?
These pictures simply don't capture the delicate shading on the orchid's petals but I decided that even a poor picture was better than none.


Last night -- or rather the wee hours of the morning -- were spent in and out of my warm bed, grabbing a robe and rushing down the hallway to the accompaniment of whimpering and whining....think you have the picture??






Think again - Charlie is sick.
We came home from work to find him refusing his supper. Big clue!! Believe me. Listless evening spent at my feet morphed into dramatic appeals to be let out in the early morning. Four times. And then another time with Tim during his (official) morning routine. (official 'morning' not official 'routine') We're thinking he ate a spider. He is waiting for me to take a break and I think we will both nap on the couch downstairs.
I have an econ test to prepare for, formulas to write out, definitions to refresh. An english paper in the works. A library assignment to tidy up. Round and round she goes.....

old things new

several years ago my sister-in-law, leslie, passed along some of grandma helen's glassware. i've enjoyed having and using it. these particular pieces held makeup brushes and compacts.
manufacturers being what they are, one of my standard products changed in shape and size recently and i had to reconfigure my storage/display system. (i like things accessible but neatly 'away')(i like having a reason to use these things)


they have a new home, again, courtesy of leslie.
we visited in early october and after discussing several possible uses for it she sent me on my way with this charmer.

everything tucked neatly away. thanks, leslie!!

sunday evening

i have sheets yet to put on the bed but have otherwise finished my 'chores'.

there's no use trying to summerize the previous week beyond tim was gone, time was alternately well-used and wasted, we're glad to be all in the same place, again. i will add that tim was elected (by his peers) to a 3 year term on the president's advisory committee for vetter heatlth services.

this next week is shaping up to be busy, as well.

today we made mu shu pork, one of my favorites. tim went for new tires and came home with mushrooms, fresh ginger and all sorts of good stir fry ingredients for the week. we chopped and slivered and woked our way to a delicious dish. we even made our own 'pancakes'!! roll 2 three inch circles (from the log of dough), brush with sesame oil and stack oiled sides together. roll to 6-7 inches and cook in your hot skillet. flip once. they separate (like magic!) after cooking. tender, fresh, yum!!

too icky for any serious yard work - after our snow on thursday. but i did rake a few leaves and charlie and i enjoyed a couple walks.

i do have to mention the early birthday surprise that came this week. valerie sent a lovely (and i do mean lovely) hermes scarf!! it will make the trip to connecticut with us in 2 weeks.

for those of you who kept hoping for photos we have arrived at the bottom and there are none!! so sorry.

thank you

at some point i introduced my friend, marg, and she in turn her daughter, megan, to a delightful site called parisbreakfasts (you're welcome to visit, too.) carol gillot does an amazing job of capturing small moments from daily life in paris in which macarons play a big part.
megan (bless her heart) was recently in las vegas when she ran across a bakery with a display of macarons!! and she (very thoughtfully) brought some back for us to enjoy.
when delivered to my house did I immediately think of my camera and the amazing photo op i'd just been handed???
mais, non!! i simply ate it.


it wasn't until the last bite was 1/2 way to my mouth that i thought i should chronicle the

appearance of a real live macaron in my humble abode, giving megan credit for her thoughtful generosity. sad but true.
it was delish!! thanks, megan!!

valentines day

lest you wonder if valentines day went unmarked at our house this year - of course not!!
tim and i have settled into a pleasant rhythm for february. he decries the forced sentimentalism and commercial expectations created by slick marketing execs and i deluge him with small, relentless reminders of the inevitable. works for us. we both know there's no pressure - an annual ritual that we play out with good will and fun. i will say that tim is a pretty thoughtful partner all through the year and i agree with him that pressure placed upon husbands, lovers, boyfriends leading up to this ultimate declaration of love is unfair. i will further add that i've scored some pretty sweet gifts over the years. this year was no exception but that story will wait.

tim 'suffered' through a variety of cards sent both to his office and home, there were m&ms and assorted sweets/nuts and these shortbread which were divine:
1 1/2 c flour
1 c unsalted butter at room temp
1/2 c cornstarch
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla - optional
cut together. roll to an even thickness ~1/4 inch and cut out. chill on baking sheet about 15 minutes before baking in a 350* oven for 8-12 minutes depending on how thick you rolled them. sprinkle with sugar before baking.
i baked them as a whole sheet (piercing with a fork to avoid bubbles) and cut the hearts just after they came out of the oven. (closer to 15 minutes)

he also got a chef's knife which he skillfully used to prepare 2 delicious chicken dishes that night.


when tim realized that i wasn't leaving he changed his plans (he was supposed to tape a friend's basement) so we could hang out together. we went to get the oil changed and he said his idea was to get a bag for my computer(which he had given me for christmas). i told him i had one but if he could find something better i'd be happy to let him upgrade me. and then i remembered something and made a proposal. he has a vintage, leather attache case that i found in a thrift store on a visit with naphtali. i love that bag and had tried my laptop in it after christmas, adjusted the straps, looked in the mirror...

so there in the middle of the store we shook hands and made the transfer of ownershop official. (his staff had given him a laptop/briefcase for christmas the previous year so he's covered.) i'm happy, he's off pretty easy, we could call it done and go home......

but our outing wasn't finished. i also came home with 2 cds - a tony bennet and a collection of 'classic' love songs - and a wireless printer. we had a fun day just wandering around, ate well, took a walk this morning. a good weekend.

thanks, aidan

aidan gave me this turkey dish last year so i thought i'd show him that i have it out and am using and enjoying it!! thanks, sweetie!!