REM Cycle

So here's the thing.
I'm forgetting how to sleep.

I go to bed at night only to wait around for 4 hours while I try to get to sleep. Tonight (It is now 7 in the morning) I accidentally took a nap from 10-12 midnight and haven't slept a wink since. I have listened to some interesting talk radio, bought some Christmas presents online, watched some tv and thought about some projects that I'd like to get started on. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. After I make it through today, I can set my sleep schedule back to regular. And that'll be just in time for Christmas vacation. Perfect.

Who's excited to see their family for Christmas? I know I am.

Harvest

The garden it grows.

Pretty much every moment of freedom at the house something gets put in or expanded or trimmed and last but not least harvested. Forget cleaning, it's summertime. 

Suddenly there is a hanging planter of thyme and there are two groups of mint plants, three tomato plants (two are recently salvaged and may or may not make it), a rosemary plant, a whole bunch of Thai basil, and a super prolific zucchini squash plant. Mustard greens are coming up, mixed green seeds are in the ground, carrots grow stronger every day. The remaining blackberry bush is producing some delicious fruits. The yard is a mess but a blessing too.

Found some bulbs in a free pile yesterday. Don't know if they're viable but figured it was worth a try. Those are in the ground. A beautiful Hydrangea plant is mine now and I refuse to share. It'll go in the ground soon- maybe Friday evening if not today after my run.   

Here is just a taste of my wealth in zucchini squash. Next to it lie a sliced purple potato and a yukon gold that I got down the street at a farm stand. Here's to making a summer squash torte on Thursday for the boy.

Other things:
Fiona Apple concert on Thursday. Can't wait.

Summer dinner involving the torte, some watermelon, and perhaps a blackberry concoction if we get that ambitious for pre-concert dinner.

Grapes! They're growing in my backyard unbidden.

Poetry and learning to read it.

And, it's back to the work week for me today but the night involves Christmas in July and the day a run. So, I can't even begin to complain.

Nothing but the very best to all of you sweet things.

Into the Wild and other Christmas Adventures

Katelyn and I spent Christmas morning hiking at a spot called Angel's Rest. Much of the time, we were wondering about what in the world we were doing outside, in the rain on Christmas day.Some of the photos may reflect that.

Katelyn, unsure about the babbling brook. 

 Me "why are we doing this"

 Katelyn's finally coming around to the hike (in the background is the beautiful Colombia River)

 A beautiful tree burnt in a past year's forest fire

 A little gnomey doll we found on a tree.

 At the peak of our hike

 There was a lot of fog but we know the view would have been spectacular

Bracing against the cold under this tree.

 Frowning at the cold, in front of the void.

A window into the void through these rocks

pictures really can't do it justice

We spent the rest of our day baking labor intensive cookies, making (and eating) curry and coconut rice and watching Christopher Nolan movies with my friend Jon. Making cookies, eating curry and watching movies is my and Jon's new Christmas tradition. We did it last year and hopefully we'll do it in years to come. After Jon left Katelyn gave me some delicious looking canned foods to eat. We got into one of them this morning. 

Canned goodies

To continue our Christmas festivities we will be opening a package we received in the mail today from home.

Hopefully you all are having safe travels and fun times out there over this holiday season.

Dad

So, I've been doing some things with my free time that remind me of things my dad did while I was growing up. Besides being in charge of the all the grocery shopping on a regular basis- welcome to the world of being a single adult-, today I put the lights on our "Christmas tree". Saturday I spent hours doing yard work. I raked the yard, and cut back briers for hours people. Despite the fact that our "Christmas tree" is really just a bush in our front yard and the briers that I cut back should have been cut back months ago, I still felt really on top of things like my dad always seemed to be when I was growing up.

I mean, even now, I am constantly surprised at how much my dad knows about dealing with tricky things like doctors offices and insurance companies. Shout out to you Dad for being awesome. I love and appreciate you.

Cookies!

For Christmas Jon & I made cookies! Here are some pics for you!

Coconut rice is cooking on the stove and cookies are being plated

Cookies in the oven

Two Days Before Christmas

Hi out there.

I was recently musing about how I had no reason to update my blog but I had forgotten how Christmas was only two days away so in the spirit of giving (information at least) I will update my blog despite the fact that my life is somewhat lacking in excitement.

To keep with the Christmas of it all, I'll begin with my holiday plans. The start off event to celebrate Christmas was to go to the grindhouse slasher film Silent Night, Deadly Night for free at the Hollywood Theater here in Portland. This I did with Jon, last night. It was a silly, silly movie but had at least one of us humming Christmas carols as we headed out into the night.

My next line of Christmas business is going to be to send out Christmas cards to those I haven't gotten around to sending them to yet. That happens today.

On Christmas eve, Jon and I (The friends that are staying in town for Christmas) are going to go grocery shopping for Christmas dinner ingredients.

And On Christmas day, we will make Christmas curry, cookies, and apple cider. We will open gifts from our respective families. We will watch a Stanley Kubrick movie marathon. We will, of course, long to be with our respective families and may even take phone calls from them.

On the day after Christmas we will head to work at Slappy Cakes and get money.

That is all for our Christmas plans, at least as far as I know.

To quote the cartoon Kim Possible, which I once loved so much, "Call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me" I'd love to hear from you while you're taking a break from the regular stresses of everyday living for Christmas.

Love,
Rachel