an absolute hodge podge of thoughts...

a friday night at home...

alone.

well, with the mcdoggles...

watching pride & prejudice.

sigh... 

it. is. exquisite. 

(sorry for the delay in my writing, mom & dad.) 

(i've been working nights lately, which has drained me of any creative thoughts.)

bear with me. 

here's a random collection of recent happenings: 

A. the weather in the city has been quite agreeable lately. i ran outside yesterday in shorts . the change couldn't have come at a better time. i was feeling suffocated by walls & concrete. i meandered through our neighborhood & over to the lake michigan trail. what a refreshing sight! water! expanse! mind you, the chopping waves were the color of green tempered glass...but it was breathtaking nonetheless. 

II. i got a library card last weekend. 

oh, happy day!! 

here is the first book i checked out.

and then i spent an evening at a coffee shop with a dear friend while she studied. 

and i read for sheer pleasure. 

i didn't study. not one bit. 

i used to daydream about those kind of nights when i was in grad school. 

i reveled in every single second of it. 

3. d gave me this for my birthday 

& I.LOVE.IT: 

"The Path of Life charm is emblematic of life’s zenith and nadir moments, this charm illustrates life’s twists, turns and unexpected winds, all the while complimenting the beauty in its pattern. The emerald charm has been known to calm a troubled mind bringing the wearer reason and wisdom. A sacred stone of the goddess Venus, emerald is thought to preserve love and is a symbol of hope."

D. i had a barrage of excellent happenings today, 

each of which made the sun shine a little brighter...

i called the IRS. there was a mistake. they were wrong!! 

AND

we scored tickets to see Florence & the Machine 

AND 

Airborne Toxic Event

AND

Jay Nash. 

BUT

the news that my dear friends are making 

a trip here this summer 

to do THIS....

MADE.MY.DAY. 

holy guacamole! 

if i had an orchard...

I was raised up believing
I was somehow unique
Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes
Unique in each way you can see

And now after some thinking
I'd say I'd rather be
A functioning cog in some great machinery
Serving something beyond me

But I don't, I don't know what that will be
I'll get back to you someday soon you will see

What's my name, what's my station
Oh just tell me what I should do
I don't need to be kind to the armies of night
That would do such injustice to you

Or bow down and be grateful
And say "Sure take all that you see"
To the men who move only in dimly-lit halls
And determine my future for me

And I don't, I don't know who to believe
I'll get back to you someday soon you will see

If I know only one thing
It's that every thing that I see
Of the world outside is so inconceivable
Often I barely can speak

Yeah I'm tongue tied and dizzy
And I can't keep it to myself
What good is it to sing helplessness blues?
Why should I wait for anyone else?

And I know, I know you will keep me on the shelf
I'll come back to you someday soon myself

If I had an orchard
I'd work till I'm raw
If i had an orchard
I'd work till I'm sore

And you would wait tables
And soon run the store

Gold hair in the sunlight
My light in the dawn
If I had an orchard
I'd work till I'm sore

If I had an orchard
I'd work till I'm sore

Someday I'll be
Like the man on the screen 

I'd rather be stuck up in a tree than be tied to it.

today...

...i drove less than 15 miles & it took me 80+ minutes...but the length/drama/danger of the journey is always worth the joy of coming home to my boys.

...there was a little snowstorm here. not sure if you heard about it. 

....d & i bundled up & ventured out to trader joe's just because i felt like baking. and he loves me. so we made these delicious cookies. and i ate too much batter to eat a single cookie.

...then we tried our hand at stew for the first time. i'm pretty sure it was a success.

...i fell in love with this song:

...the snow has yet to cease:

...i wished for a warm & safe evening for those i love.