journey of life

Thanks to Miss Gail for this neat site. Whip Up…handcraft in a hectic world. I imagine many of us artsy/crafty folk will find inspiration here.

1 tablespoon Old Bay
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

The past two months were full of showering… Alison’s bridal shower, then Shanna’s baby shower then Alison’s lingerie shower. Unfortunately, I forgot to take the camera with me to the lingerie shower, but being that it was a little racy, maybe that was a good thing!

Over a month has passed and I am still in shock. I am well aware this could have happened anywhere, but to know it happened in Blacksburg, one of the places I felt the most safe, has been extremely hard to digest. First, I need to thank everyone for the emails, phone calls and well wishes. We have had an outpouring of emails over the past few weeks. It’s amazing to have friends and family like you.

At the end of April I went on campus with my mom. Here’s some pictures I took:

There were 33 Hokie stones placed on the Drillfield in front of Burruss Hall. 33. Not 32. I overheard a priest comment he had read someone wrote, “32 died because 1 was lost.”

Each stone had flowers, candles, mementos, letters, pictures and poems. A common theme was the Virginia Tech lunch box.

Behind the semi-circle of Hokie stones were piles upon piles of flowers. Although it wasn’t crowded, there was a steady amount of traffic and a handful of media. The crowd very quietly around the memorial, slowly observing each and every name. A small group huddled under the flags in front of Burruss Hall for a moment of silence.

In front of War Memorial ribbons were hung with prayers and messages.

The University posted signs on every building, asking the media for privacy.

On the Drillfield, maroon, black and orange ribbons were tied around every tree.

In Squires Student Center there were hundreds of cards, posters and flowers everywhere from all over the world. Up and down the halls, on the walls and even hanging from stairs and the ceiling. Staff members were in the process of putting more up when we were there.

Students from the University of Virginia had painted and signed the letters, H-O-K-I-E-S.

Many of you have asked if anybody we know was injured/hurt/killed. Although we don’t have a direct connection, we are all Hokies. We are family.

Every day, I think: This happened at Virginia Tech. In Norris Hall. I know exactly where that is. I had classes there. I know people who work in that building. I know someone who walked past the shooter as he was chaining up the doors… It’s too real for me. I think maybe we expect things like this to happen. To many, this may seem like another fictional television show or movie. But, all too often fiction becomes reality. For me, it has finally sunk in and feels real. If this happened in Blacksburg, how safe are we anywhere?

I am extremely proud of my fellow Hokies. The faculty, staff and students have shown what it’s like to bleed maroon and orange. We’ve shown our resiliency and strength. We’ve shown our diversity and that we do not judge others. Together we stand, hand in hand, proud Hokies. We will prevail.

…having a house again…
…and having…

More room This apartment is pretty cramped. We’ve managed remarkably well, but it’s small.
Two bathrooms ‘Nuf said.
A king bed Our bed. We’ve been sleeping on a full-size futon.
The “girls” Our dogs are currently residing with grandma and grandpa. We can’t wait to have them around again.
A grown-up kitchen With a real stove and oven. We’ve been cooking on a hot plate, toaster oven and crock pot. I was concerned this was going to pose a huge problem, but it’s actually not been that bad. Except, has to be cooked in small batches.
Clothes We never imagined we would be in temporary living for so long. We don’t have many clothes here, especially warm weather clothes. It’s going to be like Christmas to see my sandals again.
Washer/Dryer Crazy as it may seem, I really love my HE washer and dryer. I’m spoiled.
Big windows We’re in a basement apartment. I’m stoked to have big ass windows to gaze into the world and to light up my life.
Entertaining Our current living situation isn’t conducive to having people over. It will be nice to have people visiting us again.

1 1/2 to 2 pounds pork tenderloin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
dash garlic powder, optional

Sprinkle pork tenderloin with salt and pepper; place in slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients; pour over pork tenderloin, turning pork to coat all sides. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Looking for something new and exciting for Thanksgiving 2007?  Let’s try the La Caja China.

…in a far-off country a young couple set off for yet another adventure. They packed up their belongings, sold their house and moved to the big city. Unfortunately, finding a house was much, much harder than anticipated. Houses were either too expensive, too damp, too far away from public transportation, too close to interstates, not built properly, not enough bedrooms, not enough bathrooms, bedrooms too small, yard too small…the list went on and on. The young couple wrote contracts on four houses (one for each month of their house search) and three contracts were accepted. Of the three contracts, two of the houses failed to pass the home inspection. Only one house, the oldest in the neighborhood, would pass the home inspection. Miraculously, the young couple actually went to settlement on the house and are proud homeowners once again. Unfortunately, it will be approximately three fortnights before they move into their new abode. But, they are anxiously awaiting their moving in day and are planning on having a housewarming party on August 4, 2007 to celebrate the occasion…and living happily ever after.

What you just read may look like a fairy tale, but it’s real life. Believe it or not, we actually BOUGHT a house. Wait, you thought we already bought one? You thought we had moved already? Yes, the past few months have been confusing with all the offers, but this is the real deal. It happened this time. We have a house. Which means it’s time for a housewarming party. So, mark your calendars for a combined Housewarming/Anniversary party on August 4, 2007!

Front of House. It is on a corner lot, with the majority of the yard being to the side and the back of the house. Our agent referred to the house as “a townhouse without the town” and that’s a good way of putting it. However, it is rumored that this house is the oldest in the neighborhood and is considered to be an old farmhouse built in 1895. I am looking forward to digging a little bit deeper and looking up old deeds.

Floor Plans. First floor, then second floor.

Living Room. You can see to the far left of the picture the brick hearth where the wood stove is. That’s the front door in the picture.

Dining Room.

Living Room/Dining Room. Yes, it’s all one big room. My mother and grandmother believe that at one point it was a store, because the floor plan is so open. We are really looking forward to using the woodstove and I’ve started searching for cast iron accessories and recipes.

Kitchen. At some point I would really like to replace the cabinets and counter tops, but it is not something that needs to be done immediately. I am so happy to have wood floors in a kitchen. Tile floors (more specifically, the grout) have been impossible to keep clean enough to my liking.

Master Bedroom. And one that is big enough to fit all of our bedroom furniture. At the top of the picture there is a pseudo loft with plexiglass flooring. I don’t have a really good way to describe what it is, but at some point in time we might expand on it, making a bona fide loft the length of the room. With the ceilings being so high, this is a distinct possibility.

Guest Bedroom. This is the bedroom at the front of the house.

Third Bedroom.

Back of House.

Back Yard. At the corner is our little shed.

I adore Trader Joe’s. The more I shop there, the deeper my affection grows. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:

1. It’s small. There’s only eight aisles or so. None of this mega-store thing.
2. Their prices are competitive, if not better, than the local grocery stores. See below for more details.
3. Their employees are actually helpful.
4. Their food is pretty damn good.
5. Best organic prices around.
6. Great specialty products. See below for more details.

Here’s a list of items we’ve bought at Trader Joe’s. Of course, some prices are slightly higher than your brand-name grocery store brands, but others are considerably cheaper.

Trader Joe’s Tri-Tip Asada, $5.49/lb.
I wish I had not thrown away the packaging for this. It was amazing and was enough meat for two dinners and two lunches. If you love spicy, flavorful foods, definitely try this out. We loved it. They also have some other pre-marinated meats I am now eager to try. And, if you are an organic nut, it’s hormone-free (among other things, but again, I threw away the packaging, so I can’t remember). I don’t know if I have ever had meat that was hormone-free before, but I am anxious to try more meat.
Eggs, dozen, $0.99
This is the cheapest price for eggs around.
Tulips, $4.99
For a little beauty in your life, or to make someone feel special, $4.99 is worth it.
Whole Wheat English Muffins, six, $1.49
This is a great price.
Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Pita Bread, six, $0.99
Another unbeatable price.
Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Fiber Bread, 1 loaf, $1.99
Unbeatable price.
Trader Joe’s Tofu, 1 lb., $0.99
Unbeatable price. Even cheaper than the Asian specialty market.
Trader Joe’s Milk (2%), 1 gallon, $2.99
I haven’t done price comparisons on milk, but I think this is really, really good.
Crabmeat, 1 pound, $6.99
Much, much cheaper than anything I have found. This is their cheapest can. You can splurge for the good stuff and spend $4.00 more.
Trader Joe’s Chicken Broth, 32 oz., $1.99
Not a great price, but it’s not bad.
Green Onions, 6 oz., $1.19
Have no idea if this is a good buy or not.
Shredded Mozzarella, $3.69
I don’t think this is a good buy. I am pretty sure you can find it cheaper elsewhere.
Trader Joe’s Pesto, 6.7 oz. jar, $2.49
I’m pretty sure unless you grow your own basil, this price is hard to beat.
Trader Joe’s Greek Style Plain Yogurt, 1 pint, $2.49
This yogurt is not cheap, but it is wonderful, thick yogurt. The cheapest Greek yogurt around.
Feta Cheese, 8 oz., $2.29
I’m pretty sure this is a bargain.
Carrots, $0.89
I routinely see carrots cheaper.
Trader Joe’s Garden Patch Juice, 64 oz., $2.69
Not a terrific price, but very reasonable.
Trader Joe’s Mayonnaise, 32 oz., $2.99
This used to cost just $2.49, but I’m sure they jacked up the price because of demand. It’s good and it’s better for you.
Trader Joe’s Turkey Chili with beans, 1 can, $1.69
Trader Joe’s Chicken Chili with beans, 1 can, $1.69
Haven’t tried either of these. I bought them for Matt to take to work for an emergency lunch. Unless it is inedible, it’s not a bad price to pay for lunch grub.
Trader Joe’s Organic Decaf Green Tea Chai, 20 bags, $1.99
Matt loves Chai, especially green tea chai and doesn’t like to drink caffeine. I’ve no idea where we could find this elsewhere. Thanks to Rich for this find.
Trader Joe’s Instant Miso Soup, 4 packets, $3.29
Great deal? Not exactly. But again, great to have on hand for emergency (and healthy) lunches. Just add boiling water.
Trader Joe’s Organic Plain Yogurt, 32 oz. $2.79
A little more expensive than your standard yogurt, but it IS organic.
Trader Joe’s Sliced Black Olives, 1 can, $0.99
Not a great deal.
Trader Joe’s Multi-Grain Spaghetti Pasta, 16 oz., $1.69
Great buy.
George Shaw Wine, 750 mL, $3.29
Okay, this is as cheap as wine gets and believe it or not it’s pretty darn good. Great to have on hand for parties, for everyday drinking, or for a last-minute gift.
Yellow Onions, 2 lb. bag, $1.99
Not cheap.
Trader Joe’s Horseradish Hummus, 8 oz., $1.79
Not cheap, but is very yummy. Great for picnics.
Fage Greek Yogurt, 2 oz., $3.38
Greek Yogurt is heavenly, but we like the Trader Joe’s brand just fine.
Button Mushrooms, 8 oz., $1.59
Okay, great deal here.
Trader Joe’s String Cheese, 12 sticks, $2.99
No idea if you can go cheaper here.
Gorgonzola Cheese, 1 lb., $4.99
No idea, but most of their specialty cheeses are very affordable.
Trader Joe’s Dijon Mustard, 13 oz., $2.49
This ain’t cheap, but I thought I’d give it a try.
Trader Joe’s Caesar Romano Salad Dressing, 12 oz., $1.99
Affordable, but not the cheapest you can find.
Trader Joe’s Cream Cheese, 8 oz., $1.39
When on sale, I can find cream cheese for around a buck a bar. Otherwise, add about fifteen to twenty cents to that for regular price. So, this price ain’t bad.
Trader Joe’s Unsalted Butter, 1 lb., $2.69
I’ve seen unsalted butter on super sale for under two bucks a pound, but this isn’t a bad price to pay.
Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Tortillas, $1.99
No idea.
Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Pizza Dough, 16 oz., $0.99
This has to be a great deal. I’ve never seen it anywhere else.
Charlee Bear Liver Dog Treats, 16 oz., $2.99
Not really sure if this is the cheapest I’ve seen Charlee Bears.
Trader Joe’s Salsa Authentica, 12 oz., $1.69
I think this is reasonable.
Trader Joe’s Seafood Cocktail Sauce, 11 oz., $1.69
This is a good price, and it’s not packed full of sugar or corn syrup.
Irish Steel Cut Oatmeal, size unknown, less than $3.00
I’m pretty sure this is about half of what it costs at other stores. And steel cut oatmeal is so much better than the rolled kind and is better for you.