641.5 -- BLT Bites

An easy appetizer that makes a great presentation Bonus: it's pretty much good for you, too!

Ingredients
16 cherry tomatoes
1 pound bacon (cooked and crumbled) *
1/2 cup mayonnaise (the low fat stuff is fine)
1/3 cup chopped green onions
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp snipped fresh parsley
(notice: there actually is no lettuce in this recipe :)

Directions
Cut a thin slice off the top of each tomato. Scoop out and discard pulp. Invert the tomatoes on a paper towel to drain. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; mix well. Spoon into tomatoes. Refrigerate for several hours.

*Hint: use the precooked, precrumbled bacon available near the condiments and/or salad dressings. It saves time and tastes just as good.

*Another hint: The tomatoes will roll around, being round on the bottom as tomatoes usually are. Next time I make these, I'm going to try cutting a sliver off the bottom to give it a flatter surface. If you try this, let me know how it works.

641.5 -- Pumpkin pie dip

This recipe was a hit at our last house party. Serve in a hollowed out pumpkin for a neat fall presentation. The original recipe called for gingersnaps for dipping, but I used apples. Yum!

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
15 oz can solid pack pumpkin
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp frozen orange juice concentrate

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and confectioners sugar. In another medium bowl, mix solid pack pumpkin, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and frozen orange juice concentrate. Thoroughly mix in the cream cheese blend. Chill in the refrigerator until serving. Makes about 4 cups.

747 -- Meme theme

In response to my friend Karen's Meme Mondays I am posting pictures of my favorite "orange-colored item, thing or place." Mine is our brand new (as of less than a week ago) guest bathroom. The tiles are actually a tan-ish color, and they are my favorite part of the room. What's your favorite orange-colored item, thing or place?

641.5 -- Easy appetizers

For the easiest appetizers known to man, get a Sam's club card. There you can find deli rolls (thaw and serve), mini egg rolls (heat and serve), mini quiches (heat and serve), and all manner of other foods that are easy on the oven and the taste buds.

With a borrowed Sam's Club card and three crock pots, tomorrow's party fare will be all too easy.

599.53 -- Dolphins at play

Bottlenose dolphins are generally regarded as social and playful mammals. But did you know they can make their own "objects of play" underwater? They emit a ring of bubbles from their blowhole, then draw other rings out of it, bandy it about, and finally take a bite out of it, making the ring burst into many small bubbles. They do this over and over again. Check it out!



How cool is that?!

508.2 -- All Fall Leaves Leave

Happy First Day of Fall!

What a great season! Beautiful colors. Pumpkin pie. Sweaters. Apple picking. Camp fires. Uncompromisingly blue skies. Family gatherings. Football (high school or otherwise).

Yup, Fall has always been my favorite season. Hands down favorite.

Surprisingly, though, Fall ranks third in Americans' favorite seasons. Come on, what's not to love?

641.5 -- Buffalo Chicken Dip

Here is an up-and-coming family favorite. Make it as spicy as you wish!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:
2 12.5 oz cans of chicken
2 8 oz blocks of cream cheese
1 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 bag tortilla chips (we use Fritos)

Directions:
Drain the cans of chicken. Using a fork, shred the chicken to a consistency like a shredded chicken sandwich. It has to be dippable! Heat remaining ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. When they are mixed, add the shredded chicken. When the dip is heated through, transfer it to a small crockpot to keep it warm. Serve with chips.

401.4 -- Word.

So, I'm beginning to suspect that I suffer from logophilia. Well maybe "suffer" is the wrong word, because actually, I embrace it.

Logophilia refers to a love of words. Which I do. I love words. If it was possible for a person to have any more words in their life than having been an English undergrad major, a library grad school major, a library employee for 8 years (and counting), a former spelling bee champ, and a recreational reader... I would. Because I. Love. Words.

I really like finding new ones -- or old ones I haven't seen or heard in awhile. I like saying them out loud and rolling them around until they feel comfortable. I even like foreign words and phrases -- ones that, by sheer coolness, have made their way into the English language. Words like schadenfreude, de rigueur, sturm und drang. When I find one I like a lot, I'll carry it with me until I can use it in regular conversation.

Recently, at a work conference, I asked a presenter if his library's social networking sites received many disingenuous comments or friend requests, and how they were handled. I'm not going to lie to you... my heart started palpitating when I got to use the word disingenuous in a room full of colleagues.

Just the fact that the word logophilia has been added to the lexicon, makes me think that I am not alone in this. (Apparently American Idol David Cook is a self-professed word nerd. Love that!) But how about any of you? Anyone?

641.5 -- Broccoli Salad

Welcome to the first ever Foodie Fridays! (Otherwise known as a pre-established topic for an otherwise unbloggable day.)

Below is the recipe that has carried me through cookouts, parish picnics, family gatherings, birthdays, welcome home parties, and all sorts of other summer fêtes.

When Jackie brought this to a cookout two years ago (two years already!?), I instantly loved it. Since then, I've shamelessly passed it off as my own with great success. Even people who don't like broccoli (or vegetables of any kind) love this dish.

Salad Ingredients:

• 5 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (I usually leave these out)
  
• 1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
• 1/4 cup of red onion, chopped
• Optional: throw in a cup of thawed peas if you're looking to add more substance or veggie power!
  

Dressing Incredients:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar

Preparation:

Combine broccoli florets, raisins, sunflower seeds, crumbled bacon, chopped onion, and peas in a large serving bowl. In a separate bowl or large cup, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well; chill thoroughly before serving.
Broccoli salad serves 4 to 6.

025.3 -- Closet nerdiness

-- OR --

The time I spent all day at my library job,
then came home to catalog my own books.

Actually... that day was today. And it was a pretty good day. Sure, it took four and a half hours to unpack eight boxes of books, find the ISBNs, shelve the books, and add the ISBNs to Shelfari ... but look how pretty!


And how exciting to finally have a log of all the books Matt and I own. You know, in case we ever have to lend one! Unfortunately, I ran out of physical shelving before I could get to the last two boxes of books. That was upsetting. I must have more shelving. My books are feeling neglected :(

394.2644 -- Bier and brats, kraut and kartoffelpuffers

Outside of actually being in Germany, there's no place I've been that's more proud of their German heritage than Cincinnati. Greater Cincinnati boasts at least seven Oktoberfest celebrations -- all on different weekends for maximum German food/beer/music/culture enjoyment. The biggest (but not the best in my opinion) is Oktoberfest Zinzinnati -- the largest Oktoberfest outside München.

Every year, downtown Cincinnati is crammed with revelers. The party usually spills over the Ohio River into Newport, Kentucky, where you will find the Hofbräuhaus. You know... in case you haven't had enough German food, drink, and music.

Anyway, so far this weekend, we have made the first of two visits to Germania's Oktoberfest, the oldest and most authentic in the area. We listened to German music, were surrounded by lederhosen and alpine hats, and oh-my-God the food. Friends joined us for dunkel, kartoffelpuffers, apfelmus, goetta, and bratwursts with sauerkraut. Yummmm!

Unlike Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, often overrun with the college crowd interested only in taps overflowing with beer, Germania's crowd was more interested in reveling with fellow German-thusiasts. Just the way we like it. Prost!

796.357 -- Down grade

Last week, I poked a little fun at my dear husband. One of his favorite Reds players was traded, and I asked him if he was in mourning. Har har har. This week, when one of my favorite Reds players was traded, it wasn't so funny. Dunner, I will miss you... and your rockin 80s music theme songs.

I am puzzled. Despite being mired in controversies regarding strikeouts, injuries, and fielding ability, Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn are -- well, were two of the strongest hitters on the team. Coincidentally, they are the two that have been Reds the longest. Maybe they are just tired of being good on a losing team. Or maybe the management really is crazy. The guys we traded for are virtual no-names in baseball. Some are minor leaguers.

What is going on here, Reds?

394 -- Holiday Shmoliday

A Tyson foods plant in Tennessee has agreed to swap out one of the eight paid holidays its employees receive per calendar year. As a result of a union request, the employees of the Shelbyville plant will receive Eid ul-Fitr as a paid holiday in exchange for working on Labor Day. See the full story as originally reported in Shelbyville.

Some people are really upset. Some people wonder why other people are so upset. Some people don't want to be upset, because after all, the US is a democracy and the plant voted in this holiday swap; and yet this just rubs them the wrong way for some reason. (Can you tell which I fall into?)

Maybe my discomfort with this situation lies in that they (the union, the workers, whomever) chose a federal holiday for the swap, instead of an even religious-holiday trade. Because maybe you're not Christian, and you don't celebrate Easter (for example). But aren't you still American, and shouldn't that include celebrating federal holidays? I'm just saying...

What do you think?

628.535 -- Adventures with Radon, part 2

-- OR --
Murder by high-end kitchen counter top

I don't know that granite counter tops were ever really an option in our budget kitchen. Still, this article from urban legend debunker Snopes.com has given me pause. Apparently, radon emissions from some types of granite counter tops have tested at levels much higher than is suggested. And after our previous radon adventures, I'm even more fond of our cheap laminate!

And yet, an update will be in our future, because the counter tops we inherited with our house... let's just say they are showing their age. Who knew home ownership came with life-threatening design choices?!

394.13 -- Absinthe

Wired.com reported today on the anniversary of the legalization of absinthe. It hasn't always been legal in the US, and for awhile it was legal in only some states. We still haven't found it in any area liquor stores, but its ready availability in Kentucky inspired a taste test at our Fourth of July party this year.

After all the hype I'd heard, I was less than impressed. After all, wasn't this the libation that had inspired the genius (?) of Hemingway, Manet and Oscar Wilde? Wasn't this the very drink that resulted in Van Gogh's "ear incident"?

Actually, it isn't. It turns out that the chemical that gave absinthe its "bad boy" image is really only marginally present in distilled absinthe. And it didn't even taste that great. Next time, I'm buying amaretto.

770.9 -- The joys of Snapfish

I wasn't as much of a photo hound five years ago as I am today. Still, when my mom took my brother and me on a four-week whirlwind tour of the British Isles, we used up more than a few rolls of film. Not to mention several megabytes of digital images.

Last month (a full five years and one month after the trip had ended), I ordered almost 350 prints of the trip off Snapfish. Leafing through pictures with my family was like a reunion tour. I still have to put them in a photo album, of course, but at least they're developed... and in order :)

If I ever find the pics of my 2004 Korea trip, they're next!

Whitby Abbey (this is one of my favorite photos of the whole trip!)

004.678 -- The Internet

Two Google-related bits 'n' pieces I came across this past month:

The first is an article titled Is Google Making Us Stupid? by Nicholas Carr. The questions posed and assertions posited by Carr made me, for the first time, miss the scholarly debate characteristic of my college days. What did you think of the article? Would someone like to assign suggest an article that counters or expands upon this one?

More recently, the Google blog reported that their electronic search henchmen had located 1 trillion unique URLs on the Web. Surprising? Not really. Just myself, I am responsible for at least 20 of those unique markers. And considering there are over 6 billion people on earth, 1 trillion is really kind of conservative if I'd had to guess.

306.85 -- Family time

Owing to a confluence of events (namely my brother's graduation and summer vacation), much of my family was in town over July. My mom and her husband (who usually live in Hemel Hemstead, England), my cousins (who usually live in Harrogate, England), and my brother (see last post for his geographical story) all made their way to Ohio this July.

My extended family has always been pretty close, but having far flung family in town just gives us that many more reasons to get together. So for me, it was a month full of restaurants, swim parties, back yard BBQs, movies, and of course games. Because it isn't a Bresler family gathering without at least one game of euchre.

The cousins minus 2

355.10973 -- Congratulations!

Last July, Matt and I cut short our trip to Germany to be back in time for my little brother's graduation from Army basic training. That included a hot, sticky few days in South Carolina. (The AC in my car was on the fritz!) But it was SO worth it! After basic, he only got a couple of days off before heading out to Ft. Huachuca, Arizona for military intelligence Advanced Individual Training.

So this year, my mom and grandparents were able to fly out to Arizona to see James' AIT graduation and briefly tour the Arizona environs. Luckily for everyone who couldn't make it out west, James was able to come back to Ohio for a few weeks of leave before his next duty station... a bit farther away than Arizona!

Congratulations James! And good luck in Korea!

598.47 -- Penguins!

Our "staycation" this year included a trip to the Newport Aquarium in Kentucky. To make it extra cool, we opted for a penguin encounter! About half way through the aquarium, we broke from the herd to meet our behind-the-scenes guide. She took our group (about 12 people) back into a special room where we got to meet (and pet!) three adorable penguins!

Also included at the aquarium, an underwater look at the big tank, where two divers in full scuba gear talked to us over water-proof mics. They pointed out the fish, sharks, tortoise, rays and shark-rays swimming all around them.

We got to pet sharks, horseshoe crabs, and starfish, too! The glass tunnels were the most unique part. Seeing all manner of marine life swimming over, under, and around us was almost like being under water. I wanted to take tons of pics, but taking pictures through glass is not always easy.

Below are some of the pictures we took walking through the last tunnel. Amazing views! What a great day!

006.7 -- Feast or famine

Since a particularly harried July left me a long, long way from my goal of 10 blog posts a month, I'm doing a mad blog-posting dash toward my August goal. Here goes!

747 -- The Reveal, part V

The guest bedroom before

The guest bedroom after

Want to see more pics of the after guest bedroom? Click here!

747 -- The Reveal, part IV

The kitchen and dining area before

The kitchen and dining area after

Want to see more pics of the after kitchen? Click here!

747 -- The Reveal, part III

The second bedroom before

The second bedroom after

-OR- the office

Our cool office project -- the magnetic message board
(click on the picture for a detailed look)


Want to see more pics of the after office? Click here!

321.92 -- Were they just unpopular in high school?

Is it just me, or does it seem like China's control issues mask deeper feelings of insecurity? Or maybe they're just very, very Type A.

I mean, yes you're Communist, we get it. But some of the Olympics Games-centered regulations border on the ridiculous. Most bizarre is the government-sanctioned cheer routine, which they hope all Olympic Games attendees will adhere to, foreign and domestic. (There's even going to be a training session so no one screws it up.)

And once you can control unruly spectators wishing to shout the occasional "woo hoo," it's a very small step to China's most outlandish guarantee that they will also control the weather. Most useless? The government issued pamphlet listing government-sanctioned English language translations for local menu items. Wouldn't want to get too authentic when visiting a foreign country.

On the serious side, the Chinese government is also insisting that foreign journalists hire government-sanctioned translators. Oh, and those with mental or communicable illnesses (like AIDS? a cold?) will not be let in, whether they're holding a ticket to the Games or not.

I've asked around for public opinion, but most people just shrug it off. It will be interesting to see what transpires.

551.5 -- The heat is on

Actually, the heat is not on... it's just that the air conditioning is off. Or more precisely, it is broken.

Last week, it was a stifling 90 degrees -- with a heat index of 95 degrees, humidity at 60%, and only the slightest of breezes. And inside the library, it was a little cooler, with less breeze. And in my car, it was much warmer with almost no breeze at all.

After last week, I have newfound appreciation for the behemoth that the nice heating and cooling guys installed at our home several weeks ago. (Is this not the hugest air handler you have ever seen?)


Thank you residential HVAC guys! It's working like a dream! (A pox on the commercial HVAC team that will not be installing the library's new air conditioner for several more weeks.)

This week is shaping up to be much nicer. Not only is it a comfortable range of mid-70-degree weather, but there are ample fans in the library, and my car air conditioner will be fixed by tomorrow! Woo hoo!

641.5 -- Home-made deliciousness

I offer this most excellent dish to you exactly the way it was passed to me from a coworker. My notes are in blue. It really is yummy! One 14-inch skillet recipe serves about 4 people.

Please feel free to experiment with this pizza. In place of or in addition to the spinach, on that layer, feel free to add anything that you wish--broccoli and canadian bacon, pepperoni and red onion, sausage and olives, the sky is the limit.

Oven temperature: 375 degrees

Dough

• 3 t. sugar
• 2 pkg. yeast
• 1 1/4 c. water
• 3 1/4 c. bread flour
• 3 t. salt
• 4 T. vegetable oil

Stuffing

• 1/4 lb. fresh spinach, chopped
• 8 oz. grated mozzarella cheese

Sauce

• 2 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes I used two 14.5-oz cans of diced tomatoes pre-seasoned with oregano, garlic and basil.
• 2 T. oil
• 1 t. oregano
• 1 t. bail
• 1 t. salt (optional)
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated

Dough
Proof yeast in warm water and sugar. Mix dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Add
oil to proofed yeast and mix into dry items. Blend and put in covered mixing
bowl until dough is doubled in size. (About 1 1/2 hours)

Stuffing
Prepare and mix, set aside. I put the layer of cheese down first, then a solid layer of turkey pepperoni. Turned out great! Next time, I may use more cheese ;)

Sauce
Drain tomatoes in colander and mash; add other ingredients. Because I used the pre-seasoned tomatoes that were already cut and nicely textured, I just drained them and they were good to go.

Divide dough. Roll half of dough and place in cast iron skillet that has been prepared. Add stuffing. Roll rest of dough and place over stuffing. Wet edge of first layer of dough and press crusts together. Cutting slit in center of dough to vent. Spoon on sauce. Bake on bottom rack of oven 10 minutes. Move to higher rack and bake 30 minutes more or until golden brown.

Side notes from the voice of experience.

1. Salt is necessary in the dough to make the dough rise. If you want less salt, don't add it to the sauce.
2. Frozen spinach that has been thawed and drained works just as well as cutting fresh spinach. Just remove the spinach from the freezer when you begin to proof the yeast.
3. Bread flour is not necessary. Regular flour works just as well and isn't as expensive.

Enjoy!

747 -- The Reveal, part II

The Master Bedroom
and Master Bathroom Before

The Master Bedroom and

Master Bathroom After*

* Our walls are depressingly bare... still working on that!

Want to see more pics of the after master bedroom and master bathroom? Click here!

747 -- The Reveal, part I

The Living Room Before

The Living Room After*

*Not quite done. We still have to find a small table for the receiver and record player.

Want to see more pics of the after living room? Click here!

303.4834 -- Information

So yesterday, we had a little bit of a technical snafu. Our computer wasn't working. To be specific would take to long, but there was a problem between our hard drive and the monitor, though both seemed to be working fine independently.

I thought, "It's a brand new computer. I'll just call tech support." And I trotted off to the computer to look up the number...

That's right. My reliance on the Internet is complete. Even when it isn't working, I still depend on it.

A little short of breath and starting to overreact, I though, "No problem. We can fix this. I am a problem solver." And I found my cell phone, because 411 is a great thing. I asked to be connected to a toll free number for Hewlett Packard tech support, and they connected me to some 800 number for free!

Except that it was the wrong number AND it had been disconnected from whatever company it had been connected to in the first place. So I called back. They tried again. This time, the call went to an independent tech support call center that charges $3.50 an hour for their service.

As I was thinking, "Wow, some psychics make more money than these poor geeks" I dialed 411 again. Because now it was becoming a thing with me that they should get this right. They gave me three more numbers. All of them had been disconnected.

More than a little peeved, I did what I should have done all along. I dialed another information number, and got to talk to a real human being who was able to give me the correct number in less than a minute. And for free.

So the next time you need directory assistance... call the library.

796.357 -- Instant replay

Today, we got an impromptu invitation to see a Reds' game. So the two of us, along with two of Matt's friends and their significant others met up and drove down to Great American Ballpark to see the home team SWEEP THE BRAVES!

Now, I don't want to jinx anything here, but it seems like the Reds may have a not-sucking year! Which makes it all the more fun to be a fan :) The seats were good, the game was great, and the weather was perfect. What more could you ask for?

Plus, we jumped on a chance to run the bases after the game. Got the certificate to prove it. How cool is that?

016.394 -- Happy Birthday Jackie!

640.73 -- Buying stuff

A new no-interest credit card has prompted the purchase of several things we've been putting off, including new ceiling fans and a new mattress set. While Matt and I were fumbling with the former, Charlie was enjoying the latter.

910.4 -- I laughed, I cried

I cannot recommend this book more. It gets a little supernatural at the end of the chapters on India, but all-in-all, it's extremely insightful... and funny!

796.357 -- SWEEP!

My husband loves baseball. In New York, he subscribed to the Reds games on the Internet. When asked his favorite season, his reply is "baseball." Little wonder we ended up with a partial season ticket package this year: 3 series, 3 games each, plus Opening Day.

But these were not just any three series. We're talking admission to some of the most popular series the Reds will play this season. This weekend, for instance, the Cincinnati Reds played interleague rival the Cleveland Indians in the "Ohio Cup." Because we had tickets to the entire Reds vs. Indians series, we got to go Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Except Matt had National Guard on Sunday, so he didn't get to see

THE REDS SWEEP THE INDIANS!!

Now, if you know me, you know that I'm not really a die hard sports fan. Baseball is probably my favorite, and I'm getting more and more into it hanging around that guy I live with. It's just not something I ever grew up with or paid attention to, no matter who was winning.

But, man... that game was cool.

I didn't have a camera for any of this weekend's games, but these are from the game we attended last year over Block Leave. (We were right on the dugout!)

Adam Dunn, Brandon Phillips, Norris Hopper, and Ken Griffey, Jr. after a spectacular base-clearing play.

There he is, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. 30/30 himself ready to wallop another one. (One of this weekend's games was Brandon Phillips 30/30 Bobblehead night... which is the only reason I know what 30/30 means).

Last year, rookie pitcher Homer Bailey (whose name I cannot hear without thinking of donuts) was touted as being the next big thing. He's back in the minors this year. These are stills of him pitching that I threw together for effect.

635.9647 -- The grass is sometimes greener

The projects around the house continue.

For the last week (dodging rain drops) we have been working on the large bare spot in our back yard. It is approximately the size of an above ground swimming pool. Which leads me to believe there was once an above ground swimming pool there. (I know, I should be a detective right?)

Anyway, we started by killing the legion of weeds that had made their homes in the sandy, rocky and very clay-ey soil. It took two coats of Roundup to get everything. Earlier this week, Matt used a borrowed tiller on the area, and ... SURPRISE! There was healthy, moist soil underneath all the crap!

Then it rained for about 5 days straight.

Last night, we borrowed a wheel barrow and removed all the clumps of dead stuff (and a lot of the sand), re-raked it, and sprinkled LOTS of grass seed (the tall fescue variety). We're supposed to get some more rain today and early next week, so hopefully that will work to our advantage.

Fingers crossed!

(image (c) Photographing My Way Through Life | used with author's permission)

394.2628 -- Mothers' Day

Happy Mothers' Day!

Mom and me in front of the Jefferson County Bulk Milk store


Grandma Bresler, and me, and cousin Micaela at my brother's graduation from Basic Training

cousin Samantha, aunt (and Godmother) Sharon, and me outside of Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford

mother-in-law Terrie and me posing for a birthday picture for Matt

394.10973 -- Hometown proud

Click here to read the story of one woman's quest for the best burger in Ohio... and how it led her to the Kewpee!

YUM! Road trip to Lima anyone?

016.394 -- Birthdays and Anniversaries

Today is a special day around here! I was born exactly 27 years ago up in Lima, and my husband was born exactly 27 years ago in Cincinnati. How cool right? Although we haven't always been able to celebrate together, we've had some pretty unique birthdays.

Because 27 is no magical milestone birthday, I won't be waxing nostalgic or getting sloshed this evening. But in thinking back on the past year, it's been jam-packed full of craziness!

One year ago in April, I was completing my grad school internship, and was preparing to graduate in May. Of course, the most exciting part came in June with Matt's safe return from his 16-month deployment to "Crapghanistan." We were fortunate enough to score tickets to the Army Birthday Ball, so we drove down to D.C. for that (and lots of site-seeing) after he got home. July brought even more traveling! We had a huge party in Ohio where Matt got to see all the family and friends he'd missed over the last 16 months. A few days later we followed that up with a 2-week trip to Germany! We got back to the States just in time to see my brother graduate from Basic Training in South Carolina. August passed pretty uneventfully, except for saying goodbye to good friends, lots of packing, and tons of "leaving the Army" classes for Matt. September was the big move. The two of us managed to pack up our entire house and haul it into a ginormous Penske trailer. We moved into temporary quarters with family and started the job hunt. October brought some interviews, but little else. November I got a job in retail, just in time for the holiday season discounts! We had lots of fun spending holidays with family last fall. We moved into another temporary living arrangement in December, which required a lot of work, but was completely worth it. Luckily, we were moved in by Christmas, so we could host family and friends for a couple of parties in January! In February, I got my current position! I couldn't be happier with the job, and the people I work with are great. We started house hunting shortly after the job news came, and by March we had decided on a house and gotten the ball rolling on all the requisite paperwork. We closed on the house in early April, and just moved in this week!

Phew! What craziness! Hopefully this year will be just as exciting, but lots less hectic!

152.4 -- Anger

Some facts: *

• 6,000,000 pregnancies occur in the US each year
• 468,988 babies are born to teenage mothers (8%)
• 820,000 mothers-to-be smoke during their pregnancy (14%)
• 221,000 mothers-to-be use illegal drugs during their pregnancy (4%)
• 757,000 mothers-to-be drink alcohol during their pregnancy (13%)
• 240,000 fathers-to-be abuse their pregnant partners (4%)
• 458,952 babies are born to mothers without adequate prenatal care (8%)
• 1,200,000 pregnancies are voluntarily terminated each year (20%)
• An estimated 906,000 children are abused and neglected each year in the U.S. An estimated 1,500 children die as a result. **

And the kicker:

In the United States, 6 million women deal with infertility. SIX MILLION women who want pregnancies have to jump through hoops, possibly never getting the chance to be parents.

Bullsh*t? I think so.

* (All statistics taken from American Pregnancy Association unless otherwise noted.).
** (from http://www.a-better-child.org/site/963922/page/787931)

028.162 -- It's raining books!

TheCalifornian.com recently published an article on the new trend in baby showers for "modern moms." Book showers, wildly popular with those who have experienced them, are popping up all over the country. Pros include a more emotional shower experience as family and friends share special memories of books they loved as a child (or books they loved to read to their child). Cons include a low net number of diapers, bibs and other baby sundries.

So what do you think? Would you throw a book shower? Would you want one?

While you ruminate on the above, here's something to bias your opinion. (If you don't want opinions on books, don't ask a librarian! Hah! :)

From a recent Buffalo News article by columnist Margaret Sullivan,

"Two of the best possible gifts for children, I’m convinced, are the love of reading and the presence of books in the home. This is true now, in the Internet Age, every bit as much as it was in the 1970s when I got to know Hamlet and Macbeth. In fact, it may be more valuable now than ever, since reading develops a child’s attention span, balancing the effects of the fast-flickering digital world that 21st century children increasingly live in. Seeing my own children — both teenagers now — reading for pleasure has been one of the great satisfactions of motherhood for me. That’s because I know it has helped them, making them better students, more informed citizens and more interesting people."

So... books as the it shower gift of the season... yea or nay? I think they sound like a fab idea! Bring on the free books!

643.12 -- First time home owners!

We closed on the house about a week ago. We've been there a couple of times since then, stripping wall paper, painting, and cluttering up the garage (already?!). There's no doubt in my mind that it's going to be great. We'll be going back there most nights after work, trying to cram in as much painting as our schedules will allow. By the end of the week we should be ready to start moving!

155.937 -- Grief

"Talk to me about the truth of religion and I'll listen gladly.
Talk to me about the duty of religion and I'll listen submissively.
But don't come talking to me about the consolations of religion
or I shall suspect that you don't understand."
C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

People respond to grief in so many different ways. It is impossible to know how to console someone the way they want to be consoled. Books on handling grief will counsel the griever to tell loved ones exactly what they need to hear and how they need to be treated. Unfortunately, the grieving person doesn't always know what they need or even how they feel.

I'm lucky to have had a relatively grief-free existence, but I have had some interludes. Enough that I know how I deal with grief, and what I need to hear. I'm still learning how to help others. I'm still learning that people don't exhibit the same signs of any emotion. Don't always expect the excited person to be as animated as you would think. Don't expect the bereaved person to go through the same five stages (in order no less).

C.S. Lewis wrote the book A Grief Observed following the death of his wife, never intending to publish it. The quote above is from this work. It is emotive in a way that other of Lewis' books are not. He wrote in another work, for example, that God knows what's best for us, and we should trust him implicitly. He goes on to say that, "if our hearts need to be broken, and if He chooses this as the way in which they should break, so be it." This advice is exactly what would have sent me over the edge if someone had said it to me during a time of grief. I suspect Lewis came to the same realization during his bereavement.

But like I said, everyone is different. Some might take solace in knowing that God is watching out for them and ultimately knows what's best. I, on the other hand, can't think about God during a loss... not without a million unanswerable questions.

643.12 -- Homeowners-to-be

About a month ago, a small progressive library system offered me just the position I had been waiting for since setting my sights on the library profession. Within days of that job offer, Matt and I started looking at houses and auditioning mortgage companies. After 15 or so houses, three mortgage brokers, two house inspectors, three each of radon and HVAC quotes, and the appraisal, we are finally ready to close on our new house.

I'm happy to report that the payoff has been worth it. We close on the house this Tuesday, after which we'll start the cosmetic changes that are so much easier to do before moving furniture in. Luckily, there's not a whole lot we'll have to do.

Among the joys of having a new place to call home, I'm looking forward to having a real address. Before, we had a "physical address" and an "address of record" for tax, vehicle, and voting purposes. This is the first time as a married couple that we'll be able to call a place our one and only home. It's a source of unexpected joy for both Matt and me.

Plus, no more moving for about ten years! :)