Christmas Tree Crafts!

Whenever my mother-in-law is in town (she was last week), she always inspires me to do more crafts.  Unfortunately, I usually don't have time to get them done....but it's so much fun seeing her enthusiasm.  She finds the coolest things on the internet to do!

Remember my fall yarn wreath?  Here's another craft along that similar vein....  (Go here to see the blogger's post about it.)

I really want to make some of these beauties!  Of course, I bought yarn last year for a Christmas yarn wreath and guess how far along I got with that?  Nowhere. 

My mother-in-law has also made some of these paper Christmas trees...

I'd also like to make some of these! (Go here for a tutorial.)  In short, there are too many cute crafty things out there and not nearly enough time.  Until retirement.  Sigh!

In the meantime, I'll enjoy my mother-in-law's craftiness from afar!

Cat's Creations

My in-laws are in town this week and we're having a lot of fun eating too much and hanging out (while not at work).  My mother-in-law got ultra-crafty during my wedding preparation and she makes beautiful things!  

She heard of a store about an hour away from us, in Mineral Wells, Texas: a scrapbook store.  She had never seen a physical scrapbook store and was eager to go.  I took the day off yesterday and we headed west.  Oh, boy. 

I hadn't been to a scrapbook store since my years in Michigan.  Cat's Creations blew those stores out of the water.  This store is fantastic!  They had more than I ever imagined!  They have things organized by theme and then brand and line.  It was overwhelming!  I mainly bought paper for Christmas cards but they had cat paper, island paper (St. Thomas paper, Hawaii paper, Jamaica paper), Colorado paper, and all the accessories to go with them.  They had stuff I'd only ever seen online!

I spent way too much money.  The lady who helped us was super nice, which made me happy to support the local store.  She said they've been open for eight years!  How have I not heard of them!  I'm already excited about the possibility of heading out that way again!  If you're ever in the neighborhood, head to Cat's Creations.  

Vegetarian Taco Soup

I love soup.  My friend recently shared this recipe with me and it's become one of my favorites!

Vegetarian Taco Soup

1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet dry ranch dressing
1 small can green chiles
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans
1 can Ranch Style Beans
1 can corn (no-salt added)
1 can white or golden hominy
fresh cilantro

Combine all in a large pot (all cans, except the garbanzo beans, added without being drained) and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Add water, salt, and pepper to taste.  Add chopped cilantro before serving.  

Oh, it's so good!! 

Birthday Reflection

I had a birthday earlier this week.  It comes at a point in my life when I thought I would have accomplished a lot more than I have.  I'm really disappointed in my self.  

Thankfully, the misery that is now called work has shocked me into doing something about this.  I'm working on my own writing again, with a deadline in my head.  I have to do this; writing is my dream.  

But real life is a bitch, what can I say.  After working for eight hours a day, being away from home for nine, I'm exhausted when I get home - and have to work out and eat dinner before I can even think of doing something else.  The are not, literally, enough hours in the day. 

After the craziness of last year - getting married and all that entails - I thought this year would be quiet.  Not so.  It's not a bad thing, I like everything that we've done this year...  But I could use some occasional quiet time.

Maybe there will be a few quiet weeks in November.  Maybe.  Before Thanksgiving, another cruise, and Christmas.  Oy.  I mean, yay!  But....oy.

The Dovekeepers

Last night, I finished reading The Dovekeepers, by Alice Hoffman.  It tells the tale of the last Jewish stronghold during the Jewish Revolt against Rome in 73 A.D., from the perspective of four remarkable women.  Here's what I wrote on Goodreads:

I knew of the story of Masada, the last Jewish fortress to fall to the Romans in 73 A.D.  I had read the historian, Josephus, tell the tale of the Jewish Revolt.  But Alice Hoffman gives life to this story, in a truly beautiful way.  By telling it through the eyes of four women, those who were viewed as outsiders, Hoffman is able to capture the emotional tale of those who lived, literally, through hell without ever losing faith.  This is a captivating tale and I, as a historian and religious scholar, would recommend it to anyone with an interest in history, Rome, Judaism, or great historical fiction.

As much as I loved this book, I'm slightly annoyed that Hoffman wrote the story of Masada before I could!  The Jewish historian, Josephus, is filled with great material for historical fiction. 

Hike to Sky Pond

The highlight of the trip, and the thing that scared me most about the trip, was the hike to Sky Pond, in which we have to scramble up the side of a waterfall.  Oy.

This is a 10-mile hike.  Five miles, each way.  We began at 7:45am; it was about 35 degrees.  The first thing you see, as you hike up and up, is Alberta Falls.  Most people turn around here.  

Three miles away from the trailhead, you get to The Loch.  More people stop here; there's supposedly great fishing here.  On the way back, we saw quite a few fishermen. 

We stopped here for a rest and snack. 

For another mile you hike up some switchbacks amidst towering trees.  Water is always nearby and the beautiful sound of a rushing creek is always with you.

Then you get above the treeline.  And you see these stone steps.  The go up....and up.

Then you see some water coming down the trail.  The side of the supposed dry waterfall is filled with a small amount of water.  I almost turned around.  No joke.  The joke here is the sign (look carefully) that says Sky Pond, up there.  

I got up it....after watching a group of seven 60-year-olds....but I was shaking at the top.  And here, you're greeted with Lake of Glass.  Very pretty.

After a .5 mile hike around this lake, you get to Sky Pond.  

The so-called Cathedral Spires are very nice.

The view of The Loch is very nice!

And then it's time to leave.  Five miles downhill.  My knees never hurt....and they were about to give out by the end of this hike.  Every part of my body hurt.  But we made it.  And it was worth it.  

Sprague and Bierstadt

Recounting Colorado, still....

We hiked - well, walked - around Sprague Lake for the views of the mountains.  Thankfully, the sun came out for good pictures.

Next, we hiked up to Bierstadt Lake.  Now, this was a hike.  Straight up the side of an aspen filled mountain.  The views of the valley and mountains were incredible.

Eleven switchbacks (45 minutes and 1.2 miles) later, we arrived at the lake.  It was gorgeous!  The mountains looked better here than at Sprague.  

We sat and had a snack.

Then we heard thunder.  Clouds were fast approaching.  We put on our rain gear and headed out.  You never want to be on top of a mountain - exposed, as the highest object - during a storm.  So, we practically ran down the crazy, steep trail.  What took us 45 minutes to climb to us 15 minutes to descend.  Whew!  

Down at the entrance of the park, the storm brought snow to the valley....but only that one valley.  It was so strange.  Back at our lodge, there was no snow, only rain.  Ah, Colorado in the fall!





 

Hike to Emerald Lake

 
We decided to hike the trail to Emerald Lake again, just like last time, in honor of our engagement along the way (the first time) at Dream Lake.  The day was a bit overcast, making for so-so pictures, but it was still a great day.  This hike is about 4 miles round-trip.  

Nymph Lake is still full of lilipads!

Dream Lake - ah, such a good memory here!

While resting at the final stop, Emerald Lake, a very strange fog started rolling in from the mountains above.  When the wind also picked up, we decided it was time to head back.  Weird!

It was a good day.  This hike isn't too strenuous once you get past the initial elevation gain.  It's also one of the more popular hikes, meaning there are lots of people along the trail.  Including screaming babies.  Note to parents: kids who can not yet talk may not find it fun riding on your bike in 40 degree weather for 3 hours.  Do us all a favor and leave them at home - or wait until they can walk themselves up and down the mountain!

Around Estes Park

While we were in Colorado, the Rocky Mountain peaks got their first snow of the season.  It was so neat to see the Continental Divide with snow....and without.

Fall means that it's elk mating season, so there were tons of elk in the park and in Estes.

On a day when we saw rain in the morning and overcast skies later in the day, we took an afternoon hike into the hills behind the lodge.  We were rewarded with great views of Estes and Lake Estes.

The two days we lost to rain were actually a good thing.  We were forced to relax - something that's always difficult for us to do!  It also meant I could take it easy while my cold waged on.  Ugh.  

Estes Park, Take 2

Our next stop in Colorado, and our home for the next six nights was Estes Park.  This is where we stayed last time (in 2010) - the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Our hotel/cabin was in the shadow of Castle Mountain.

The lovely Fall River flows through the property of the hotel.  We loved - LOVED! - sitting by the river.  We don't have many of these in Texas.

Estes Park is beautiful in the fall!

And no picture tour of Estes would be complete without the Stanley Hotel.

I loved our time here.  The air is so crisp and clean....   This time of year, Estes sees high temps in the mid-upper 60s and lows in the lower 40s/upper 30s.  Nice!  We made a fire in the cabin and I was in heaven!

Red Rock

Our first stop on our Colorado vacation was Colorado Springs.  A friend of Mr. Higgins' lives there so we spent a few nights catching up with him and touring the town.  He took us to Red Rock Canyon Open Spaces.

I loved the red rocks and trails!

It was good to get out and hike after a long day in the car.

This is an old quarry.  How cool! 

The views of Garden of the Gods and Manitou Springs were gorgeous!

All in all, we hiked 4.5 miles.  We got our high altitude hiking legs adjusted and it felt really good.  The bad news: I was fighting a cold.  Ugh! 

Home Again

I'm back!  How is it that a week of vacation goes by so fast?!  Not fair!

Pictures are still in the process of being sorted and organized but I'll be sharing some later this week.  I will say this: we were in Rocky Mountain National Park during the peak of the fall foliage and it was stunning to see!  

Despite me getting sick (ugh - head cold!) and two days of rain, we managed to do all the hikes we had planned.  I think we hiked about 17 miles total.  Whew!  

I look forward to telling you all about it this week, as I head back to work and real life.

At Last: Vacation!

Tomorrow, we leave for our second trip to Rocky Mountain National Park.  The last time we were there, Mr. Higgins proposed.  Naturally, we have very fond memories of the place!  Ha!

This trip couldn't come at a better time.  We're exhausted - mentally and physically.  While everyone went away this summer, we stayed put, saving our vacation time for when we knew we'd need it most.  Our last vacation was in April.

As you probably know, I got a new boss this summer.  The transition, for me, has been anything but smooth.  The search for this new boss was a political nightmare in my department.  I was not involved in the search, but no one was more affected by it.  I wish.....well, I wish some things had gone differently, let's say.

And let me say this.  Never have I been more motivated to work on my own writing, in the hopes of finally getting something published....in the hopes of moving on.  Mr. Higgins is completely supportive of this.  I just need to make time, every single day, to work on my own writing.  That's easier said than done.  

For now, I'm going to focus on vacation and relaxation.  Mr. Higgins hopes to do some hiking.  I hope to survive said hiking.  And I think I'll take my knitting along, just in case I have time to work on it.  We have booked a cabin that overlooks a small river.  I cannot wait to sit on the porch, listen to the water, and watch the trees and mountains.  Heaven!

Old Age

I turn 31 next month.  In the same month, my dad will turn 71.  

My dad retired about seven years ago.  In those seven years, I've definitely noticed a mental decline.  I can easily compare him to my former boss, only a year younger at 70.  There's no comparison.  He seems like he's 60.  My dad seems older than his 71 years.  

I've read about how to keep up your mental awareness in old age; my father has never in his entire life done anything like these things.  Of course, everyone is entitled to live their life as they wish.....but if he develops Alzheimer's or dementia, it's not going to be fun for our family.   

A colleague's wife has Alzheimer's.  She's at all of our parties and social functions....and it's heartbreaking to see.  She's asked her husband "how many kids do we have?"  Now, it's getting to the point where she can't be left alone.  

I can't imagine my father going through this.  All of us hope it doesn't happen to those we love but we must be prepared if it does.  

Getting older is not fun, despite the medical advances of our time.  Sure, people are living longer, but, from what I've seen, this is not always a blessing.  When you outlive everyone you love and are immobile, what's the point of continuing on in such an agonizing state?  At that point, I hope I'm mentally able to decline all means of sustaining my own life.  I'd rather not be a drain on society.  I'd rather die happy.  

These are tough topics.  But my parents are getting older.  We can't be afraid to talk about such things.  It's imperative we talk about them.  

iPhone Dilemma

I do not have an iPhone.  Gasp!  I don't even have a smart phone.  If you don't know me, you're shocked, right?  

I have a dumb phone.  Here's my dilemma: the dumb phone is one it's last legs.   I need a new phone.  When I go online to look at the options, there are all of two dumb phones available and they all look like they belong in the hands of a man at a construction site - ugly and bulky.  Sigh!

Here's the thing: though I love Apple, I don't really want an iPhone.  I don't want access to my email all the time.  I don't want to be surfing the web in the parking lot of a store.  How many times have I had to sit through my friends, at  dinner, checking their email or waiting while they look up something "essential" online?  Hundreds of times.  How many times do I walk behind a student who is reading something on their iPhone - while walking (slowly) down the stairs?  Everyday.  It's annoying.  It's pervasive.  I hate it and I don't want to be one of those people.

The cost is also an issue.  I don't want to shell out at least $70/month for a data plan that I resent!  But I do love Apple.....  In all honesty, I think I would be happier with an iPad (to take on trips instead of my MacBook Pro) and a cute dumb phone. 

I'm sitting in on my professor's class this semester.  Out of 13 students, 2 have iPads, 10 bring laptops to class, and about 10-12 have iPhones.  All of them have smart phones.  Of course, we're talking about a private school where most students drive BMWs or Lexus'.  My class case study is not indicative of most college students, I'm sure. 

However, recently I ran over to the library to pick up a book.  The librarian at circulation had a question and said, "look it up on your phone."  I took immense pride in saying "I have a dumb phone.  Sorry."  That meant she had to turn to the computer.  And do her job. 

Early Christmas Crafts

I'm trying to get a head start on Christmas this year - both in shopping and crafting.  This is usually something I can just never do, so let's hope it works out better this year.  Especially since I'll lose a week of December to a trip with Mr. Higgins.  Eek!

I had this great - or possibly terrible - idea of something to make for our parents.  Amazingly, I already bought the stuff to do it and am ready to start.  Unfortunately, we leave for vacation a week from Saturday.  Hopefully, I can start on this project this weekend (though it's a busy weekend) so at least it's in progress when we leave.

Every year I debate about making Christmas cards.  Almost every year I leave these to almost the last minute.  I'll wait and see how I feel after the parental project and then decide if I want to make our cards. 

I'd also like to finish two knitting projects to give as Christmas presents.  One is absolutely essential.  And I should probably add another project since I have another friend who is pregnant.  I'd like to do some more baby socks!

At the very least, I guess it's good that I'm thinking about all this!

I've been lightly chastised for not posting more often.  I'm sorry; life has been busy but not with things worth blogging about.  I'll try to do better.  Promise!

 

Vivaldi's Venice

Last week, I finished a novel that was very enjoyable and enlightening: The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice by Laurel Corona.  This is the review I posted on Goodreads.

Though this took me quite awhile to read, I thoroughly enjoyed this piece of historical fiction, set in 18th century Venice. Having been to Venice, I loved thinking of Chiaretta and Maddalena there, singing and playing the violin. The two are sisters, orphaned, who grow up in a convent. They excel at music. When they are grown, Chiartta marries to have grand adventures among the elite of Venice. Maddalena stays at the convent and continues to play with and for her maestro, Vivaldi. The novel could have done without Vivaldi but it was intriguing learning about the Red Priest. A lovely novel!

I love Venice and I love "The Four Seasons" so this novel was perfect for me!

Football Card

It's now officially college football season.  Mr. Higgins loves college football, specifically Auburn football.  All the men in his family watch the games and only a crisis can prevent them from being parted from their TVs on fall Saturdays.  Ha!  

In honor of the season, I made the card above to send to Mr. Higgins' grandfather, an Auburn alumnus.  I made this during a tough week at work so I fell back on a scrapbook design I love - patch-working a page with paper.  The card is simple but, hopefully, masculine.  

War Eagle!

Memory Lane Inn

Last weekend my sister and our moms had our scrapbooking retreat in East Texas at a B&B called Memory Lane Inn.  It was a lot of fun!  

The inn was gorgeous!  The house and grounds were beautiful, clean, and charming!  Two huge rooms were filled with craft tables, lamps, and power outlets.  Each room had it's own entertainment system, complete with a wide selection of DVDs and a huge flatscreen TV.  There was also a computer, printer, and Cricut available for use.  And in case you run out of supplies, a small store operates on the honor system - just pay the kitty for what you take.  The fridge was stocked with every soft drink imaginable and loads of bottled water.  There was also a wide selection of snacks and candy.  A meal option is also available but there were not enough guests for us to participate.  

We stayed in a room with four twin beds.  Only three of us stayed overnight.....so I can't quite imagine six ladies staying in one room....and there are two rooms that accommodate six!  How can six ladies share one bathroom?!  Earplugs were provided, under the assumption that everyone would have different working schedules. 

I got a lot of work done.  I finally finished the album of my first trip with Mr. Higgins.  (How many trips have we taken together, now?!)  I also got a lot of knitting done...so, success!  

One minor hiccup in the weekend was a storm on Thursday night that knocked out our power for the majority of Friday.  It was definitely frustrating to have no light by which to work...but several of us were still able to be productive in the afternoon.  

The inn is unique...there are no owners present 24/7.  In fact, the owner is in another town!  Her parents, however, live behind the inn and keep up with the maintenance.  They also cook if you buy the meal option.  It's good to not have the owner looking over your shoulder....but when the power goes out, it presents annoying problems. 

We're already planning another stay at Memory Lane as it seems a retreat is the only way some of us can get work done on our albums!  Ha!

An Unexpected Turn

My days at work have been spent getting my new boss settled in.  There are tons of boxes to unpack, files to sort, and periodicals to organize.  Academics have way too many books - ha!

With this new boss, I've had no idea what my new and different responsibilities will be.  That's a scary thing!  But he gave me some great news the other day.  I will be managing editor of a series he's in charge of.  To make his life easier, I'll take over all the day-to-day stuff in regards to that series.  I'll talk to authors, send submissions out for review, and copyedit.  

Six years ago, I almost took a publishing job in Michigan, right after I finished my master's degree.  That job did not pay enough to live on.  Now, I'll be doing something similar and gain tons of experience that could translate into a job for an academic publishing house.  It's ironic how life comes full circle sometimes!  

So, despite it being a crazy hectic week, that news has buoyed my spirits.  Hopefully there are good things coming up in the future (at work!).  

On a side note, the scrapbooking retreat is going to happen.  Next weekend!  I'm so excited!

Settling Down

Did you know that there are bed and breakfasts that specialize in scrapbook retreats?  I'm amazed!  My sister found a few that are extremely reasonable.  They offer huge craft tables for you to set up your spread and work for days and days.  They have machines you can use and printers where you can print off photos....  And snacks!  It's a crafters paradise.

The only drawback is that the rooms are set up for 2, 4, and 6 people.  But to make up for having to share a room with so many girls, the rate is extremely reasonable.  However, finding enough people to go on a specific weekend is turning out to be near impossible.  

As more and more of my friends get married and have kids, there are fewer and fewer people who have free time.  That means I see them less and less.  

All of you who do not have kids understand, I'm sure.  You have friends for life but then, suddenly, those friends "settle down" and become too busy for anything other than family.  I don't plan on having kids, so I guess I better get used to this....at least for the next twenty years until those kids go off to college.  I've "settled down," but with no plans for kids, I'd like to still have friends.  

And I'd like to be able to scrapbook with them.  Hopefully at some point, we can get a group together.

Birthday Card

I've been making more cards than usual and some have turned out pretty good.  This one was for a guy.  Something about making cards for guys is always super difficult.  I guess I need some manly stamps.  You'll notice I managed this card without a central stamp...something difficult to do.  

Other crafts I have going on....  A baby hat and, always, Project Life.  

New Yarn Store

Recently, I was puzzled when a Groupon arrived in my inbox for MadTosh Crafts.  Obviously, being a knitter, I know all the yarn stores (well, the one) in town, as well as those that have closed (two).  

Turns out, MadTosh was opened in April by the lady who does Madelinetosh yarn - one of my favorite sock yarns!  The store comprises tons of Madelinetosh in various weights, which is great.  Our other store, JenningsStreet Yarns, usually has only a few skeins of Madelinetosh.  The store also has some higher end brands which makes me so happy, particularly Blue Sky Alpacas, Debbie Bliss, and Manos del Uruguay.  I haven't had these brands close by since I lived in Michigan.  So, this is very exciting!

The store itself is beautiful.  The yarn is organized by weight, which is fantastic.  They have some wonderful patterns that are organized in a way that is not overwhelming and jumbled.  And they have fabric!  If I quilted, I would be super excited....but I don't quilt.  

So, basically, I'm ecstatic to have another yarn store in town!

The Heretic Queen

I just finished reading Michelle Moran's sequel to Nefertiti, The Heretic Queen.  Here is what I wrote about it on Goodreads:

This was an enjoyable sequel to Moran's "Nefertiti." I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Ramasses and Nefertari develop as well as the repercussions of Akhenaten that Nefer must overcome. Moran writes intelligent, enjoyable historical fiction - something that is hard to do when writing about Egypt.


Moran does good work but there's always something about her writing that leaves me unfulfilled.  Her descriptions are good but too infrequent, I think.  The reader wants to learn about ancient Egypt, most likely, and Moran stubbornly refuses to give us descriptions that would make that time come alive.  Instead, she plows ahead in to the narrative.  I'd like for Moran to Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series.  Ancient Rome comes alive under Saylor's meticulous hand.  


The Heretic Queen made me yearn to re-read Reflections in the Nile by J. Suzanne Frank.  This one of my favorite novels of all time.  This may be the motivation I've needed to pick it up again!

July 4th

Our July 4th consisted of me cooking our favorite BBQ Pulled Pork and hanging out with friends.  It was odd having a Wednesday off, but I could get used to having a break, mid-week. 

Our menu:
BBQ Pulled Pork
Black Bean and Edamame Salad
Corniest Corn Muffins
Oven-Fried Okra
Pina Coladas 

We were so stuffed.  What a great day!

Beating the Evil Machine

My family wants to do an Alaska cruise.  My parents, especially, have heard such great things that they're dying to do this cruise!

On the surface, Alaska cruises appear no different from Caribbean cruises, as far as price.  When you go to purchase your cabin, though, you see an extra $150 in taxes and fees added on.  So, it's essential to get the lowest price possible.

It's already an expensive cruise and airfare makes it even worse.  On American (which uses Alaska Air to supplement their routes), the airfare for our cruise costs $675.  That's what I paid to fly into France and out of Italy in 2004 - just for some perspective.

Mr. Higgins, my mom, and I had enough American Advantage miles for free round-trip tickets.  Yay.....er....oy.  If you've booked award travel lately, you probably know how hard it is to book.  More people than ever have more miles than ever.  And airlines are allowing fewer award seats on flights.  This combination means that, if you want free airfare on anything other than a mundane flight, you have to book it the day it becomes available - 331 days before your flight.  

I monitored the award availability for months to see what flights popped up and how quickly they got snatched away.  Once the Alaska cruise season began in May, award flights steadily disappeared.  It seemed everyone on an Alaskan cruise was trying to get free airfare!

And so, last night, we stayed up until midnight to book our flights for the cruise.  Considering I get up at 5:30am every morning, this was pretty late and way past my bedtime.  Midnight came around and we were able to select the date but...no flights came up.  For an hour we hit the refresh button over and over on multiple computers and....nothing.  

At 1am, I was dead.  My brain was saying, "no more!"  We decided to go to bed and set an alarm to go off every hour, on the hour.  At 1:55am, we got up to check.  There was one award flight that popped up....and it was our second choice (since non-stop flights are rarely, if ever, available).  We booked it as fast as humanly possible.  And we each got award seats on the same flight, something which had caused me much stress over the past month. (I'd read that it's rare for an airline to have two free seats on a flight.  Arg!)

However, we still had my mom's flight to book.  The earlier flight my parents wanted were not coming up.  I held a seat on the flight we had booked (now we had potentially three award seats on that flight!) and we went to bed.  

Too soon the alarm went off at 5:30am.  I checked the flights.....and the earlier flight my parents wanted was now available!  Yay!  I went to book it and it said we couldn't book duplicate flights.  WTF?  I hurriedly tried to cancel my hold on the other flight....and got an error message.  Nothing worked.  After a call to AA, the hold was canceled and I was able to book the earlier flight for my mom.  Yay!  

After years of paying way too much for the uncertainty that is now air travel, it's great to beat the system that doesn't want you to get anything for free.   


We'll see how it goes next week when we have to book the return flights.  Ha!

Green Smoothies

We got a new blender that actually blends ice (yay!) and I couldn't wait to try some green smoothies.  

This is the one I've been making: Skinny Green Tropical Smoothie.  I've made it with pineapple/mango and pineapple/strawberry.  Both were delicious; even Mr. Higgins likes them!  I wanted to stick to non-dairy so I used all light coconut milk - no Greek yogurt.  

Speaking of, we got our first Trader Joe's here....and they have the cheapest coconut milk I've seen!  I can't wait to go back and stock up on some essentials.  

My next fruit combination for the smoothie?  I think I'll follow the directions and use pineapple/banana!  Yum!

Cutting for Stone

Every once in a while a book comes along that you know will stick with you forever.  Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese, is one of those books.

I'd read only good things about this book but when I sat down to start it, I was immediately skeptical.  It was not a true story, as I thought; it was fiction.  Despite my disappointment, I started reading....and couldn't stop.  This book captivated me.

You are immediately transported to Ethiopia, circa 1960.  The first half of the book takes place almost exclusively at a mission in the capital where doctors and nurses struggle to help those who come to their gate in agony.  There is a lot of medical terminology and descriptions.  Considering that it took some people days to reach the mission after an illness of injury, you can imagine, I'm sure, some of the descriptions of medical conditions in this book.  But, at the same time, Verghese has written something that is not fantastic.  It is human - real and brutal.  

The story begins with the birth of twin boys on the same day that their mother, a nun, dies.  They are raised by two doctors at the mission, both from India, amidst the political turmoil of Ethiopia's capital.  Both brothers go into medicine, naturally.  One must flee to America (where he gains formal training) while the other stays at the mission (trained by real-life).  Their lives are constantly intertwined, even when they are separated by thousands of miles.    

This is a book that explores the souls of brave men and women.  I loved it.  Read it and I'm sure you'll love it as well.

Cedar Falls Trail

On Saturday, we hiked the Cedar Falls Trail at Petit Jean National Park in Arkansas.  We knew there was a bit of water in this, supposed, continuously flowing waterfall, so we set off around 9am. 

It had been really warm the day before (92 degrees and humid) but it was blessedly cooler as we descended into the river valley.  There was a little water in the river.....but most of it was barely moving.

After about forty-five minutes of hiking (where we had to navigate around two freshly fallen trees) we came to the falls.  The pool was not at all appealing - the water was stagnant and unmoving.....

But being at the bottom of a 600 foot rock formation was pretty cool.  We sat on some rocks that are usually underwater and enjoyed the cool air.  We then hiked back.  

It was a good day, a good hike, and a pleasant surprise in Arkansas, of all places.  Ha!  

Petit Jean

We stopped at the Arkansas Visitor Center.

We took Friday off to have a long weekend in Arkansas with my parents.  I never would have thought of Arkansas as a destination for....well, anything, but there's a story to this trip.  My father is in to old, classic cars.  Every year there's a big car event at a state park in northwest Arkansas - Petit Jean.  My parents attend every few years and I went a couple times in my youth.  But never to enjoy the park.  And that's what Mr. Higgins and I did this past weekend. 

Palisades Overlook.

Petit Jean is on top of a mountain - well, a mountain according to Arkansas standards.  There are some stunning views here.  Even though Arkansas is in the midst of a moderate drought, everything was brilliantly green.  Seeing the view above, I can understand why one of the Rockefellers built a home and museum here. 

Bear Cave hike.

On our first day, we did a very short hike around Bear Cave.  The huge rocks were incredible! 

There's a waterfall down there!

We then hiked to an overlook of Cedar Falls, which is supposed to be a 95-foot continuously flowing waterfall.  It was flowing, though there wasn't much water in it.  We were then able to decide to hike down to the falls the next day.......and I'll show you pics in my next post!

Let's just say that both Mr. Higgins and I were surprised by what Petit Jean had to offer.  

Thunder v. Heat

I was disappointed in the Mavs' season this year.  What Mavs fan wasn't?!  Mark Cuban managed to completely waste one of Dirk's few remaining seasons.  The 7'0" German isn't getting any younger, nor is Jason Kidd. 

It's bad enough seeing the Mavs stumble....but having to watch the loathsome Heat make it to the finals, again, is highly annoying.  The Mavs put LeBron, Wade, and Bosh in their place last year and I'm hoping our young neighbors to the north can do so this year.  I'm not a Thunder fan in any way shape or form, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend....for a few short weeks.

The Heat cannot win a championship.  The fates cannot condone what they are.  They must not succeed!  Take a lesson from the Mavs' playbook, Thunder, and win this thing! 

Let's go Thunder!  (For now.)

Last Week

Sorry for my absence last week. My in-laws were in town for the week and it was also Mr. Higgins' birthday.  So, a busy week!

It's always nice having family in town.  We like to take Mr. Higgins' parents out to the restaurants they rarely get to go to.  We also play a lot of games, which is a nice change.  I didn't grow up in a game-playing family so I've had to learn, but it's all been a lot of fun.

Both Mr. Higgins and I took some time off for his parents' visit and his birthday.  It was so nice to have a break from work for some relaxation.   We ate cake, ice cream, and pretzel rolls on top of all the meals out.  I think I gained five pounds.  Ha!

Even the cats seemed to enjoy the company.  They were extra, super cute and more pictures were taken of them in a week than had been taken all last year.  


All in all it was a very good week.  Now it's back to the routine.

Chocolate Yogurt Cake

I tried a new recipe on Saturday, something that's been making my mouth water for weeks: Chocolate Yogurt Cake.

Wow!  It is delicious!  I didn't make the chocolate sauce topping as I was trying to save a few calories....and it's still super yummy.  Very moist and rich, but not too rich.

I highly recommend this recipe!

Outside Looking In

Mr. Higgins loves big budget summer movies....i.e. movies with a lot of explosions.  Thankfully, I don't mind the occasional mindless action movie.  Sure, there are movies that he wants to see that I have no interest in.  Sometimes, I'll go with him and sometimes I won't.  He doesn't want to see all of my movies, either, but he watches some of them, passes on others.  But we share things.  We both love LORD OF THE RINGS, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN etc.  He loves STAR WARS and though I'm not a fanatic in any way, shape, or form, I watch the movies and enjoy them.  

The point is that we share things and respect one another's likes and dislikes.

So what happens when a friend is dating someone who has no respect for his likes....and actually thinks he's crazy for liking such things (the same things we like, for that matter)?  What happens when he starts wanting to see movies he would have laughed at before meeting her?  What happens when she still shows no interest in the things he likes?  

Sharing is good; learning to like new things is good.  But in a relationship, when these things are one-sided, it's a very bad sign.  You can't change who are so that someone will like you.  Trust me, this never works.  Soon, you find out that you've give up everything you like and you resent the person who caused this to happen.  

And, more importantly, how do you, as a friend, react to this?  Do you sit by and let it happen - let him figure it out himself?  Let him make a mistake?  Or do you acknowledge that, at times, she makes him happy and he deserves some measure of happiness.   Why ruin that?  It's a fine line but I guess it's best to let him figure it out.  

Everyone just wants someone.

Abe + Vampires

I just finished reading Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith.  Though I had read his Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I didn't know what to expect from Grahame-Smith.

This story quickly grabbed and held my attention.  Grahame-Smith effortlessly combines history and fantasy in a way that won't bore anyone.  The historical details were the most interesting part of the story, in my opinion, not vampires.  Hearing how Lincoln grew up, about his parents, how he was sworn in....  It's all very intriguing.  

Vampires provided action and, at times, comic relief.  Grahame-Smith has some crazy conspiracy theories regarding vampires in America....and they're all well thought out and fascinating.  This time in American history doesn't need vampires to be interesting, but they do add a bit of fantasy to it all. 


The movie is coming out this summer and I can't wait to see it!
 

UFO Help

My knitting buddy was kind enough to help me with a UFO....a baby cardigan I started in a class long ago but never finished.  Thankfully, the directions that had left me scratching my head were also cryptic to her, an experienced knitter.

We pieced together and stitched the front pieces to the back.  And that's as far as we got.  Thanks to the wonderful instructions, we had to do that twice.  Sigh!  By the time we were done, I was done.  I'll work on sewing in the sleeves by myself....which is almost laughable, but we'll see. 

I'm anxiously awaiting a sale at my local yarn store.  There is so much scrumptious stuff there!  I've started a baby hat with plans for another one...or two.  Now I just need my friends to have more babies!

I'm so glad to have a three-day weekend...  More time to knit!

Bygones

Have you ever been "friended" by someone on Facebook with whom you had a falling out at some point?

It's an odd feeling, being confronted with these people who I never thought I'd see again.  In our "old age" are we supposed to let bygones be bygones?  Are we meant to forget the past?  

Let's face it, Facebook is a narcissistic exercise.  It's about telling distant acquaintances all about our lives and spying on theirs.  And to be brutally honest, it's about comparing your life to theirs...and feeling superior or envious once you have. 

Sometimes our motives are true: I genuinely want to keep in touch with some of my "friends" and Facebook is the only way.  But oftentimes, our motives are selfish. 

Bygones can be bygones, I suppose.  I'm mature now, right?  Ha!

The Rose Garden

I finished my third book by Susanna Kearsley, The Rose Garden.  It was my favorite book of hers - a great read!

After the death of her sister, Eva Ward returns to their childhood summer retreat in Britain.  There, she tries to find solace in the memories of her sister.  Instead, she finds herself sucked into the past - the 1700s, to be precise.  Kearsley has a fascination with the Jacobite Rebellion and this book, like her others, focuses on that tumultuous time period. 


The main male character in this novel is particularly attractive - and a smuggler!  Eva finds love and struggles to come to terms with it...and with time. 


I loved this novel.  Kearsley has a magical way of weaving tales.  I hope she can keep this up because I want to read more!