capitulation

it sounds awful, but it really isn't. cam and i had planned for awhile to do it up right for our first christmas living together, which meant going to a christmas tree farm to cut down our own tree. unfortunately, our ridiculous schedules have conspired against us, and tonight i convinced him that we just can't wait till the 14th... what we need to get us de-stressed and excited about the holidays is a tree, fragrant and glowing in our living room. so tonight we climbed into lucy (his old ford pickup, she's awesome) and headed to a lot just slightly out of town. not 10 minutes later we had a perfect tree in the back of the truck, and now the cats are chasing each other around it, we've got christmas carols on pandora, and all is right in the world. plus, after about an hour on the computer, i'm nearly done my christmas shopping.

the whole recession thing is making for a strange holiday season, in some ways. a week ago, my work sent out a notice about the so-called holiday happenings around the building. conspicuously absent? any mention of a holiday party. my work used to really do it up this time of year, with a huge party to which all our loved ones were invited. this year, there's a hot chocolate happy hour. that's it. no bands, no santa for the kids, no disco in the mail room, no booze. it's kind of depressing, and i'm not sad i'll be missing it. then, today, cam emailed me the notice from his work, announcing the all-out cancellation of their holiday party. and then i heard the promo for all things considered this evening: "the latest casualty of the recession? the office holiday party."

the weird thing is, even though i'm a little put out that work's not putting on the dog and plying me with cocktails this december, i'm not that upset about spending less on gifts. there are few things i love so much as finding the perfect gifts for friends and family that make each recipient feel pampered and understood, and working in tighter financial parameters just makes it a little more challenging. i know i'm fortunate - for some families santa's not coming at all, and that's true every year - but it's changed my focus a little, and so far, i'm making the best of it. i do wish i had more time for homemade gifts (or better follow-through?), and that i'd make some headway on my christmas cards, but for now, i'm happy with a cartful of etsy purchases and a tree in the living room.

remember that theme?

photo by shannon hibberd

remember how the theme for this whole nablopomo nonsense is thanks? well my cup is overflowing at this moment. this has been a day jampacked with goodness. first, my sister is now blogging! check out her awesomeness. secondly, my evening went nothing like i anticipated. not knowing what to expect at my expecting friend's house, i sort of figured we'd stop in, heat up dinner, and make an exit, so as not to disrupt the calm. negative! the soon-to-be-papa assured us they'd love our company for a bit longer, so instead of ducking out, we joined our friends at the table, had a meal they swore they enjoyed, and then played a rousing game of parcheesi. it was a perfect night, and, selfishly, it was so good for me to see my friends doing so well. plus, i came in second at parcheesi, which sure didn't hurt.

riding home with the warmth of a great night with friends surrounding me, i didn't think this night could get much better, but my inbox held further delights. first, another baby! a good friend of mine just welcomed little arlo into the world with much fanfare and few complications, and i'm gushing with excitement for the new family. secondly, my sister forwarded the photos - nearly 600 of them - from her wedding, and cam and i just watched the complete slideshow. re-living that incredible, amazing, life-affirming event has me overwhelmed and overblessed. i have more to say, a good thing in a solid month of blogging, but for now, just look again at the picture above, of love.

food for thought

i may have officially lost my mind, but on this first day of december, i've decided to join national blog posting month. it's probably the worst month i could choose, given the hectic holiday schedule, but what the hell. if i really want to make a go of regular posting, why not start it off with a bang?

in a side note, cam's sitting beside me as i undertake this challenge. he just said, "i've never seen anyone blog before. do you need some alone time?" i assured him that i don't, but at the same time, we will probably each have some "alone time" as i'll likely have to stay up past his bedtime to post on occasion.

the theme of the month, as hosted by nablopomo (awkward!) is thanks. i don't even know where to begin on that, so i'll start small. tonight, i learned that green potatoes aren't as poisonous as i feared (apparently, a 100 lb person could get sick only if he/she ingested a pound of totally green potato), and i'm thankful for that, because the bag i bought today is full of tubers with a chartreuse hue. i bought the patoots to make another batch of julia's potato leek soup for a friend who's on bed rest till her due date. tomorrow evening, cam and i will take the soup, along with more buttermilk chive biscuits, to my friend and her husband and hope the food nourishes the three of them for a night... or, at the very least, doesn't give her heartburn!

julie, julia, potatoes, and leeks

like zillions of people before me, i'm sure, digging into Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen inspired me to cook. specifically, all i have been able to think about since i started the book two days ago is julia childs' potage parmentier, or potato soup. it's the first recipe in the first book julie ever wrote, as julie notes, and it's dead easy. so, tonight, potato and leek soup, plus buttermilk chive biscuits courtesy of smitten kitchen, and benton's prosciutto. simple, satisfying, and unbelievably delicious. dicing potatoes, slicing leeks (my first!), salting and simmering, immersion blending, butter melting, sipping. perfection. thank you, julie and julia.

i don't intend to cook my way through the legendary tome, like julie did, but it has piqued my interest in blogging with a purpose, setting an impossible goal and charting its progress, warts and all. cam and i have hatched a plan. it's a 5-year (or so) plan, but if we can get the right people to collaborate (one's already signed on, one's thinking about it, and one's oblivious but should be a cinch), it could be pretty great. it's colossal, life-changing, and possibly life-making. it's also just a pipe dream, for now...

10 cards for 10 people

i stumbled on something today i don't want to forget about on the decor8 blog. a challenge: make a list of 10 people who changed your 2008, and send each a card before the end of the year. i think it's a lovely idea, and intend to do it. if you don't get a card, it doesn't mean i don't love you, or you didn't change my year, of course - it's just been a big year! i could send two dozen cards and still not be through with it, but let's keep it simple. 10 people, 10 cards. to-do.

dear blog,

i miss you. this 2-year-long election will soon be over. see you soon.
love,
emma

A Breeze

Last night when we got home from work, Cam got busy putting frosted film on the window in the shower, so we can bathe without shocking the neighbors. We had a pillowcase over it for a while, but the mildew was becoming unbearable. Anyway, in helping him, I learned how to open the windows in our place in such a way that you can flip them flat and wash the outsides. I knew they had this feature, but hadn't mastered it, but now I've got it. So while he finished the film and moved on to the blue room to hang shelves, I made my way from window to window, sliding, flipping, spraying, washing, wiping, and flipping again. Now they sparkle, the raindrop residue and the kitten noseprints are gone. In the bedroom, I left the tops open and propped myself up in the bed, listened to a great mix a friend passed along and enjoyed the breeze. Today's commute was cool and breezy, fall-like, and when I walked into work I remarked about it to my colleague, who has an infant son we call Pico. He too was moved by the breeze - last night, he scooped up Pico and headed outdoors, just so Pico could feel it ruffle his hair. "Pico," he said, "that's what a breeze feels like."

this time, with feeling

ohhhh life. so we had internet and phone for one day. one day. and now we've got it back. so seriously, for real this time i mean it (but does our isp?), i'm back. changes a'comin.

a true sign of the apocalypse

i am not even kidding you. batten down the hatches, folks, because the horsemen approach, and a million other mixed references. as of RIGHT NOW i am typing on these here internets from HOME. on MY COMPUTER. on WIRELESS INTERNET. as of this moment on june 23rd, we have television, phone, AND INTERNET. it's a miracle, i swear.

ok enough. gotta go make out with the man who got it all configured.

more more more to come!

oh, EW.

ew ew ew ewww ew. so i'm working on this new project at work (very exciting fun project, it'll be on the internets soon), and one of the less exciting things about it is working at a new desk. said new desk has the keyboard on an extender arm, an arm which doesn't fully support the weight of the keyboard so i have to sort of reinforce it by balancing it on my legs. i just now touched my leg and found something on my pants. thinking it was some creme from the joe-joe i ate a bit ago, i absentmindedly picked it off then looked at it. it was SO A BOOGER. SOMEONE ELSE'S BOOGER that i scraped off the bottom of the keyboard shelf with my supportive leg. now that, my friends, is NASTY.

nastier still? i didn't wash my hand. instead i'm typing on the nasty nasty keyboard.

ok must go wash now.

ew!!!

cam and the jay desk: a story of heroism

seriously? having a cam RULES. here's how today went.
6:45 alarm goes off for first time, for me. i snooze.
6:52 awesome coffee grinds and brews itself.
7:06 after hitting the snooze button for the 5th time, i finally get up.
7:10 in the bathroom i hear the alarm go off again. oops i forgot to turn it off. sorry cam!!!
7:32 i bring cam coffee in bed and finally leave.
8:46 place emergency call to cam. "have you left yet? i forgot to bring the camera i freecycled to work. you'll bring it? oh my gosh thanks! see you soon."
8:57 cam arrives, hands me camera with a kiss.
11:30 west elm calls, the desk we ordered is in. come and get it!
3:30 catch cam on his way home from work. "guess what, the desk's in! you'll pick it up? but i have the claim check. you'll come by? you rule. we still have to order the hutch, but maybe i can do it on the phone, but can you try? if you can't i'll go later. you rule."
3:40 cam arrives at my work for second time today. hand cam the claim check. more kiss. my friend at the front desk says, "i'm going to tell your boyfriend you got into someone's truck!" heehee, my boyfriend's driving his dad's truck, so it's ok. but cam'll be glad to know he's looking out.
3:45 cam calls - they won't let him have the desk until i call and authorize. i do so immediately.
3:57 cam calls - "i have the desk and ordered the hutch." sweet!
4:38 cam calls - "the desk is built! see you soon."

seriously? in a cam-less world, i'd have had to bus it home after work, get in my car, drive back into the city, pick up the desk, return home, and probably leave it in the trunk till someone could help me move it into the house. and then i'd have tried to build it, oh, maybe this weekend. instead, none of the guts but all of the glory, i get to go home just once tonight and organize said desk. sometimes life is just too good!

faster horses

oh life is so good. last night i was a first-rate grump, looking forward to an evening of hiding under the covers and riding it out. i got home, grabbed my book and a snack, and settled in, comforted by the knowledge that cam was cooking dinner that night. he got home a bit after i did with our friend matt and called me out of my down duvet cave... he had flowers and a bourbon for me. um, how well does he know me? i watered the flowers and set them out, then retreated again, bourbon in hand, and read for hours while periodically eavesdropping on the boys, who were drinking whiskey and talking mostly about tom t. hall. a little while after matt left the delicious smells coming from the kitchen coaxed me one last time from my cave... whole roasted trout, caught by matt and cleaned by cam, stuffed with lemon slices and sauteed onions and garnished with a slice of jalapeno; modified "stovies," improved with cream and fingerling potatoes, sans meat; and steamed broccoli. needless to say, my dark mood had disappeared completely by then! we really feel like our home's a home now, alive with friends and food and family... and it's such a trip to think that THIS is our new normal, not some lovely vacation...

here it is: the less-good

yeah. remember how i said there'd be less-good days? a man was shot about 3 blocks from my home last night, at 5:30 pm. it doesn't sound random, and doesn't happen much, but that only goes so far to make me feel better about walking home from work tonight...

this must be the place

oh wow! this week has been pretty incredible as cam and i settle into our new home. we painted our hearts out, and now have a beautiful green bedroom, in which now sits, as of 1pm today, the bed. it's enormous and extravagant and i can imagine spending all my waking AND sleeping hours in it. last night we walked to dinner in our neighborhood. do you hear me? walked. it's a delightful restaurant owned by a salvadoran couple - they met while working at a gourmet pizza place in dupont circle, and have now opened their own place just blocks from where we live. the pizza was out of sight, the restaurant was cozy, and the flan was so good we finished our first serving and had to order another. i know there will be days that are less-good, but this, this is why i moved back to the city.

the big time

well, it's official! i'm a homeowner. it was kind of... easy. ok, so making a billion phonecalls and getting my financial ducks in a row and stressing about what my final number needed at closing were kind of sucky (especially that last one... i was so stressed i temporarily turned into a monster. seriously. i think it's over now, though). and now i own a beautiful condo in which i am currently sitting... leggy oak floors everwhere, sparkly dark green granite countertops, shiny stainless and black appliances, two bedrooms, tiny bath. cam and i spent our first night here last night (after the easiest mattress delivery ever, i swear - nice guys, on time, efficient, awesome) on our fancy new mattress with luxurious sheets and down duvet. sure, it was on the floor in a blank room, but it was so cozy! there's a window over the sink in the kitchen... and another in the bathroom... two things i love. we ran the dishwasher with all our new dishes last night, and i've already placed them in the cabinets. i found the most beautiful, perfect, ME shower curtain last night - i know, of all things to get excited about, but really, check it: gorgeous.

oh, and in case i didn't mention it, i bit the bullet and ordered the bed. i can't wait for it to arrive!

ok, time to get painting! right now the whole place is this awful neutral cream, and i hate it. so the ceilings are going to be white, trim white, and color everywhere else. which means... i need to get cracking on the ceiling.

so everyone... come visit!

nesting, and fleeing the nest

whoa. this condo thing is getting serious! $5k has changed hands... with much more to come. my agent has advised me to get the utilities transferred. cam and i have selected a paint color for our bedroom (happy camper, a green). i'm seriously considering a really expensive bed. last weekend, cam and i rocked a series of home store outlets (the crate, the w-s, the pb, the restoration... you know the drill) AND an ikea, all in a matter of hours. we now own things like silverware, a hanging basket for produce, plates, hooks. and yet... friday we return to hatteras, the site of all things wonderful, a return to our cottage on the beach. a respite from faxing and transferring funds and signing documents. we're back monday, and wednesday, if all goes according to plan, i close on my own little piece of DC. our new home. crazy!

two pieces of winter fashion advice... which may come too late for most

here it is, folks: how to wear a winter coat in two steps.
1. carefully snip off the oblong label on the left sleeve that says "fabric made in italy," or "100% cashmere" in fancy script. note how it's sewn on with a few spare threads, rather than the intensive stitching featured elsewhere on the garment. that's because it's not meant to be permanent. cut it off.
2. keep those scissors handy. flip the coat over, and cast your eyes upon the vent(s) - the flap(s) in the back. note how they're sewn closed, generally with a big X-shaped stitch. again, the light stitch is a pretty good sign: it's not permanent either. read the sign, snip the thread, let your vents flap freely.

thanks. and i can take it as well as i can dish it - anyone with solutions for gross dry peely face skin or static-filled flyaway winter hair, please help!

yikes!

verbal counter-offer received, my agent's calling to discuss later this evening... exciting!

home sweet home?

i know i've been talking about it for nearly six months now, but there's finally progress to report: i've found a condo i want. it's tiny - about 660 square feet - and it's a ways out of the fun parts of town. but it's on a beautiful, quiet, residential street with tall trees and lots of parking, and it's got something i never imagined: two bedrooms. it's a conversion, so the whole unit's brand new, with granite countertops, oak floors, and black appliances. it's got a full-sized stacked washer and dryer. lots of pretty windows with sills deep enough for winston to sit on. a couple closets. basement storage. cam and i saw it first a couple months ago, together, and both though hmmm... this could be the one. and friday he and i and my agent took my parents by, and they liked it too. it's all started to feel really good, so friday we put together my offer. turns out we didn't have the proper contract, so i haven't actually signed anything yet, but tomorrow at 4:30, i'll get my pen ready and this will enter a much more serious phase. window shopping was fun, but now it's time for action. i can't afford the place, but we're hoping that the volatile market and glut of units on the market will mean i can lowball the hell out of the developer and get in at something i can afford. cross your fingers!

in other news, i've got my assignment for super tuesday: i'm headed to nyc and the giuliani event. should be exciting, since i've pretty much never been to new york... i only wish i was going to have time to see jbd and my cousin and everyone's favorite millionaire...

dude, you got a dell

woo! new laptop, and soon, new ipod! get ready, as soon as i ascertain my internet situation, for more frequent and increasingly more mundane updates and thoughts! you're shivering with anticipation, right? thought so.