MoxieLife

Moving it All Around

After living for 3 months with my daughters entire apartment inside my little house I moved some things around yesterday. So many things - that my husband said I was changing too fast, but I have been thinking about this for months.

First off, I moved all of the furniture around in the living room. Basically, I just flipped the love seats position, but I also brought in a tall lamp, a table lamp (I don't really love that thing, but I have plans for what it will look like when I am done with it), and a few decor pieces (mostly the gourds I grew last year in the garden. I haven't hung any artwork yet because I have to see if I like the room like this. Then I can - and that will make a huge difference.

Then I cleaned out my clothes closet, cleared out the dining room and put down a rug that was my daughters, and added another lamp to our bedroom and moved rugs and furniture around my office. Whew.

The BIG project we will be doing in two weeks is a repaint/redecorate of our sleep in porch (although there won't as of yet be a bed going back in there). More about that later!

Nesting... it feels so good.

Serious Good Bean Salad

I have a fear of Three Bean Salad. I never eat it. I think it looks gelatinous and that is not a good thing. Plus, how long has it been sitting in the deli case? Ick. But in an effort to eat way less meat, have cold salads available in the fridge and enjoy the crazy good apple cider vinegar that I am totally craving I made this. And it is Seriously Good!

Salad Ingredients:

3 Different Kinds of Canned Beans, rinsed
I used black, kidney and garbanzo beans. And yes, I totally used canned. I have made lots of pots of beans in my life and really with the cost of water, electricity and time I found that canned beans cost about the same and are consistently good. But you can make your own if you want to.

Half of a Red Onion, chopped

Bell Peppers - 2 total
I used these really cute mini peppers that my husband likes to buy at Sam's Club, but you can use red, orange, green, yellow - whatever you happen to have on hand. I chopped them up willy nilly

3 Sticks of Celery, chopped into half moons

Parsley, half a cup
I requested flat leaf, but our little grocery store doesn't carry it so my husband (did you know he does 94% of the shopping) got curly leaf. Which was fine. I snip it with kitchen scissors... so it is just bright green goodness.

Put all of this into a large bowl. Mix gently.

Dressing:

Half cup Apple Cider Vinegar
I use Braggs. Only. I did a taste test this month of apple vinegars and, by far, Braggs is better. It actually has a little taste of apple and has a nice bright zing to it. You can probably find it in a health food store or buy it online. I buy it by the gallon. LOVE it.

Half Cup Vegetable Oil
I used veg oil because it doesn't have a flavor. I am a big lover of olive oil, but sometimes I don't want that scent or taste.

Pinch of Salt
I use kosher sea salt, but you can use whatever you want.

2 Tablespoons Sugar

Put all of this in a jar, cover it with a lid and shake it like a Polaroid picture... I know you aren't supposed to shake them, but you get the idea!

Add dressing to salad mixture. Stir gently. You can eat it right away, but it gets WAY better in the fridge overnight. This amount will last the three of us for a week and just get better every day.

Seriously, try this and if you aren't converted to a) Braggs cider vinegar and b) Seriously Good Bean Salad, well, you are a loser.

Day 5: Tomato Caging

Sundays should be easy to fit projects in, but I often find that I fritter the day doing work projects so that my Mondays don't end up out of control. Yesterday was no exception.

• Worked on a client's newsletter
• Hired a face painter for two events
• Edited a clients website
• Redid the blog banner for this blog - get out of your RSS reader and check it out
• Developed my own contest/product review for this blog to test how I like product blogging
• Did the bills

Of course, there was magnificent pool time in the Ozark Pool (kiddie pool on a bed of sand surrounded by stepping stone rocks and a table to lay out on) with my husband.

I had planned to write a letter to my Aunt as my project, but my husband told me there was a new mystery on Masterpiece Mystery! So, I watched that instead of doing the project that I had planned.

Instead, (yes, this might be cheating, but it is my project) I am counting the Tomato Caging/Weaving that we did together in the garden as my project. They were starting to droop, so, we took twine and created the first level of caging. As they grow we will do more. We got the tomatoes in so late due to the torrential rains in May that we won't even have tomatoes until August, but they will be lovingly caged. Project complete.

Day 2: Bacon Egg Cups

It seems like cheating to include dinner in my 30 Days of Projects, but the Bacon Egg Cup is something I have wanted to make for years. It seemed so perfect - eggs & bacon all in a little cup. Last night I took the plunge, and if I remember I will make it again and again. They were perfect!

Ingredients:

Eggs - 1 per cup

Bacon, cut in half - 1.5 slices per cup

Bread - 1 piece per cup, I used rye bread, but any bread would work

Salt & Pepper

 

Directions:

Cut circles out of the bread with a glass - it would be good if they were the size of the ramekin you were going to use, but if they are bigger that is ok too.

Squish bread - or if it fits perfectly like mine did lay bread on bottom of the ramekin and place in 350 degree oven for 5 minutes or until you remember to pull it out (which is what I did).

While the bread is toasting and the ramekin's are being heated up cook your bacon until it is wobbly. You know, not crisp, still pliable, but if you ate it you wouldn't die of trichinosis.

Take ramekins out of the oven. Be careful they are going to be really hot. Don't try to lift them out with your hands, like I did. Use oven mitts. {Note to self: Must buy/make new oven mitts}

Using tongs and a fork place the bacon around the sides of the ramekin, encircling the bread. Don't get hung up on this being perfect. I was, at first, but then just went with it. I did realize that the bacon had a way that it curled better so if it isn't going around the edge of the ramekin very well just flip it over and try it that way instead.

Break egg into center of bacon/bread cup. Grind a little pepper and put a little salt. I used kosher salt, but I am a little bit of salt snob. You can use whatever you like.

Put them in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

The tops of the eggs will look uncooked. Which freaked me out. And because I use the eggs from my chickens they are super yellow - radioactive looking actually. So I overcooked them. A little. You don't have to do that. When the whites of the eggs are settled and cooked they are done.

Take them out of the oven, remember they are hot, hot hot! Using oven mitts and a spoon I wedged them out of the ramekin onto a plate.

And voila! Perfect - they stood on their own and impressed the heck out of my husband.

Granted, there was the moment when we were eating them and I said that my dad would have loved them and we both got a little teary. Other then that they were a show stopper and the perfect project for the day.

Goodbye Beau

One of the hardest calls you have to make is to your child at camp letting them know that their pet died. Today I had that call. We have had Beau for over 20 years and yesterday she was laid in a hand built box in a shady spot in the yard. Bone crushing sad.

When we first got Beau in the Target parking lot so many years ago I never thought that the day would come that she would die. We don't when we get our kittens or puppies and yet they always do. We outlive them, which is good, but hard. Each time we take in another furry friend we are putting our heart in their paws - knowing one day they are going to be gone.

Her death was a heartbreaking moment that will be in my mind for a long time. I was in the bathroom and I saw her lying on the driveway. I knew I should go out and move her, but I was busy. I would go out when I was done. Unfortunately, my husband didn't see her when he drove up.

I'll never forget his face, the heartbreak, the pain - why do things happen the way they do...

She was well past her prime, but for him and for her I wish it had ended differently.

There is no doubt that she will be missed. She was our funny big eyed beauty who was tough as nails. She survived living with my sister years ago, barely - doing severe damage to my sisters hand. She lived in so many places it was amazing she acclimated so well. She had kittens that we paid to be placed in expensive Newport Beach homes. She delighted my daughter to no end and flustered me on a daily basis.

She was loved, as all of our furry sweethearts are - heartbreakingly loved.

Spring Farm Fun

We have finally sprung into spring around here and the days are opening up to sun and lots of work. Although our little cottage is quaint it is beyond old and has a million issues - one thing always leads to another. I guess it is that way with everyone's home really. Fun on the farm this week included:

Leach Field: We had problems this winter with our septic tank and had a guy out to pump it. After that my husband rebuilt part of the cement tank and it has been sitting there with the forms in it for months. Well, today he pulled the plastic off and realized that the tank is holding, but the leach lines are either clogged or broken. You can't pump those out or blow them out - instead you have to put new ones in. We are, instead going to put a small one (I say we, but it will be him digging that trench by hand, not me) to catch the overflow. After he gets that all in and 30 feet of pipe out to the field he will build a composting toilet that we will find a space for somewhere. We had composting toilets at the intentional community we lived in and they were clean, efficient, and well maintained by a team of people. Now that team will be us (and I mean him). We will see how well that experiment goes.

New Gate: Our property is bordered on three sides by our city park and we have had people tromping (by accident) through our property so he built a new locked gate at the path in/out. It is a rusty barb wire, fenced, menacing structure that blends into the background until you come upon it. It, for the first time, has a lock on it and cemented poles that should keep people out. I didn't know until moving here that the line about fences and neighbors was so true!

Our Troll: We have three cats. One is ancient and has taken to doing her business on the laundry room floor so we have moved her outside during the day. One is young and sprightly and most often my office companion sitting on the edge of the desk. The other is one you only see if she is eating or running from one room to the other. Yesterday I let the skittish thing outside. She seemed happy enough... except she was to afraid to come back near the door to come in. We thought we had lost her, but instead she has moved in under the shed. So, now we have our own troll... or cat... who knows how long this will last. It really is always something.

Lazy Days

It's funny how weather effects our moods so easily. It was rainy and cold all weekend and the lack of motivation was thick like honey. We just nermaled around the house with our plans for doing outside/renovation projects out the window. The interesting thing is that I didn't feel compelled to replace the time with some more doing - I just didn't want to do. I didn't want to really go anywhere, talk to anyone or make something. I did some cooking (homemade enchilada sauce and Julia Child's pistou soup), read a little of my Pema Chodrin book, and played some Angry Birds - not the most productive weekend.

And then the guilt - why wasn't I doing something? Writing poetry, working on the painting I am doing for my husband, organizing something? Why didn't I go running even though it was cold and damp.

What is it about Americans that we feel the need to constantly do something. If we aren't working we should be doing - putting something out there. Why can't we just laze in the warmth of the heater and loll around the property doing nothing? We work really hard to rush to do that on vacation, but to do that in our own lives is not productive.

But maybe it is. Maybe we don't need expensive vacations to tropic islands if we slow down in our own life and just gaze along our own horizons. Maybe we could relax enough to get off the doing train enough to just hang out at home. Maybe that is exactly what we should be doing. At least it felt right to me this weekend.

Photo is from Sunday looking over the low water bridge on our driveway.

Stop Organizing Start Living

I think an inordinate amount of time is spent organizing life. When, exactly, do we get to live it. Granted I manage a household, a part time job and a full time freelance career - so there are a lot of pieces. And I like organizing. I do, but sometimes it feels as if most of the day is spent shuffling through papers, updating spreadsheets, and writing lists - not a whole lot of time just being in the moment.

Is this what being human means now? Just organizing our time, papers and stuff?

Where is the time for day dreaming, hiking and creating something new?

How are you handling all of this?

Photo: Emmy "helping" me organize.

February Fast and Furious

I have been really scattered doing a million things this month and thought I would, for my own sanity really, do a recap here. Maybe it would all make more sense if I saw it in one place.

Home: We got 2 feet of snow this month and that pretty much stranded us. I didn't leave the house for those two weeks because I don't have any driving skills in the snow - I do everyone a favor by staying home. Because of  the cold we have a lot of projects on hold, but spring will be here before we know it and more flooring and painting will begin.

Health: I gained so much weight this winter - not working out, but eating butter is not a good turn of events. I tried to do some exercise this month, but that was a bust too. I am a wimp in the cold and will use any excuse not to play outside. For the month of March I am doing two things that should make an improvement: it is a no bread month and 20 minutes on the treadmill even if I am dog tired and it is 11PM. Not HUGE changes, but they should make an impact and get me back to being motivated.

Work: Hosted a big Company Picnic for the local business community, traveled for training, worked on clients projects (design, web, pr, events, etc.), picked up a new fun jewelry/accessory client, had a client who left come back (that happens a lot. They think they can do it themselves, but they can't.)  All in all, a very productive month, but very busy.

Spirit: I met with the president of our church for lunch - the best lunch, hours long and she introduced me to kale and I am adding it to my diet! We talked about why I am on sabbatical and what that means to me and to my commitment to our church community. These aren't easy discussions, but I feel good about the decision to take a break. I don't want to go to church out of obligation (we all have too many of those anyway) or guilt. When I am ready - knowing that they are not going to be any different and that I have to see them through different eyes - I will go back. My own meditation practice is in the pitts. I just can't get motivated - see health! It is a constant theme for this month, I guess.

Family: They are good, or at least what I have seen is good. Our daughter is pushing through the hard stuff with extreme grace and determination and I am so proud of her. Neither her dad or I went to college in the traditional way and having her experience the ups and downs is both thrilling and hard on us. We want her to succeed, but we know that there are learning lessons at every turn. We just keep encouraging and listening - all we can do really because we are clueless. And my husband has taken an afinity to debating relatives and old friends about god through Facebook. I love it because he is so incredibly knowledgeable (preachers kid) and so clear about his thought process that the conversations are so interesting. Dog, cats and chickens are all well.

Whew - who knew that February was such a busy month! Let's hope I can find more balance and deterination for personal projects in March.

Photo is of the Super Snow we had... amazing for Northwest Arkansas.

Water Over the Bridge

It has been a busy week - traveling to Little Rock for the legislative session and some training with the Main Street group, meetings, tons of work projects. It is amazing to me how out of balance I can become because of travel. I don't mind traveling and I am really low key, but it take a lot out of my schedule and my habits get worse and worse. What is it about conferences that they need to feed you cookies at every moment. I didn't eat one. Not one. But still the balance of carbs and fat to veggies and protein wasn't even close.

I came home to rain and water over the bridge. I was all prepared to go to book club, which is my one me thing I do each month (besides reading the book), when I drove down our drive to see two feet of brown murky water over the bridge. No crossing for me.

Even worse, I had to call my husband to come back the car back up the steep driveway with the blind curve and a cliff on one side. It freaks me out so much that I can't even be in the car with him which drives him nuts, but I am not going to sit there and drive backwards into the unseen... I'll walk, thank you.

So, a busy week filled with life's little adventures... oh and they cut funding for Planned Parenthood. Call your Senator, please.

Photo: The bridge the next morning that I did cross.