m-in-cello,

Does the best really come to those who wait? I started some limencello yesterday. Who knew you’ve got to wait two whole weeks before enjoying it? You add lemon rinds to vodka, let it sit, and then add a sugar-water concoction. Sure hope it works, because that would a waste of some perfectly good vodka. In the meantime, though… pretty.

 

 

pen

m,

Fuzzy, spiky, springy green plants pictured here, with names like Creeping Jenny and Dragon’s Blood. Who knows what they’ll do.

pen

morning m,

I swear we have a Five Guys here, too, which I’m been meaning to try. And it might be right next door to a place called Schumacher Homes… I’m just saying.

No yard sale this weekend! It will be in a few weeks. Must get organized. Too much to do. However, I have procured misspelled signage from a yard sale down the street this weekend… Yaard Sale. Pirates. Aarrr. Awesomeness.

Oh, and we might have been eating fish tacos at the very same time, it’s very possible. Mine were rather tasty, a $5.55 Sunday Special at Grand Union Pub. Before that: tea party for Mel, was lovely, and before that, class at church. No time for the service. Jam-packed weekends are beginning to be the death of me, amusing as they are. We also procured creepy green plants for the 2 new planter boxes on the front porch (crafter by J.Lo), pictures to come.

Saturday night: Mango shrimp kabobs. Tonight: one of my very favorites, chicken pot pie. So easy, so delicious. And there may have been triple-chocolate brownies in there somewhere. And clean cars. And the Away We Go movie, which contained some ridiculously awesome scenes. I reject your aggression! is all I have to say.

And I haven’t gotten to Fox yet, which means it’s going to be late going back, but we’ll see what I can finagle. Because I hate late fees. I hate fees in general. Speaking of which – we are going the directtv route, next week, which hopefully won’t be a fiasco. And will save us money while being doubly more fantastic than cable.

That’s all I have to say for now, but I enjoyed the vicarious chi whirwind and look forward to hearing more … safe journeys home.

pen

Morning Pen,

How goes it? Did you watch the fox movie? The yard sale? Success or tragic commentary on mans inability to buy things when you need them to?

I am wrapping up my time in Chi. Where did I last leave you in the saga? i went to lay down i think. I had to consult my schedule, as such the days are blending together. We were last in the low 80's. And then by Saturday in true Chicago form the weather had reversed itself by at least 30 degrees. I had a leisurely morning of painting the trim in caths dining room then i went to oakpark to visit misty. ANd i forget with mothers, and she is a new one that it takes them a fairly long time to leave the house, naps, bags and whatnot. I often wonder if i could improve on the efficiency or if i would be the prime offender. Regardless she has sweet apt digs. Her fireplace has cornstalks on it, and her courtyard has gargoyles. It rocks. More on misty and her coolness later.

After a breakfast of eggs my mind was a blank for what I might want. But would you guess where we went? Back to FIVE GUYS. Why? I don't know. I had a burning desire to find out if it was the same everywhere. I made a change, no cheese, add bacon. It was delicous. ANd their fries even better and more cajontastic than the last! So good. Seasoning orangestained fingers deliciousness. We capped it off with icecream, which really i should not have done. But uh, obviously I did. (stop hurting your gut!) We then langourously spent some time in the park where buds were bursting purple, pink and white- and resumed our interesting conversation about faith. And she wondered about why with the beliefs that I had, why i was so 'tolerant'. I love that it was so out of the blue- And new.. Finally after some wondering around my head, I did leave us with the final statement of- especially in friendship- i'd rather not focus on what divides us. If i was with likeminded friends none of us would seem especially tolerant if we talked candidly. It doesn't make me a hypocrite though that i'm not beligerant and obnoxious about peoples need for jesus...though they do. :) but i digress. such a good convo really. Must discuss more later.

Anyway, cath came to pick me up and we refused (wrongly) the mudslide drinks they offered us, skipped the arboretum as we are always way too ambitious and capped the night off with savory melt in your mouth skirt steak, broccoli and salad at CHARLIES. Then began the henna experiment that we repeated *sigh, the next night.

Of course you care so i have to tell you about the next day- where we began ambitiously with BANANA FOSTER CAFE- where cath had thier frenchtoast and I had the classic eggs and bacon- so clean and not greasy. Just like if we made them at home. Perfectly crisp, fluffy scramble. AFter this we went downtown for shopping at nordrack and old navy. I only, thankgod, found a white skirt to "replace" the one i lost. So you know, i had to. ANd then we went to the Walnut Room in Marshall Fields and had a glimpse of our future. ANd i had a pretty decent manderin salad with fresh and crisp watercress and snappeas. Must load pics tomorrow. Where then Cath left me to go to work and I went to get a massage. It was a student one. ANd it rocked. I got to tell this woman all about my eating issues, allergies, proclivities, injuries, thoughts and musings. It couldve been the tea i'd had but i was a chatty massage miss. ANd i scoped out the school for cath and her possible additional skill... SHe said i got points for pressing info while naked. Me thinks this is true also. And my energy is all balanced and what not to boot. I did say something lame about being a taurus later, but it was already too late and the massuse generally amused with how much i talked and how now i know her whole story about breast cancer, and chaos, and healing arts, and her 3 kids, and her sarge cop in NY. It was great. I capped this off with a latte but then i got a liter of water and tried to make up for it. Balance right. After,

I went on a marathon walk up to wacker, michigan ave, crossed over to river east where i saw, oh yes, arriving fortuitously just-in-time, for- hot tub time machine. The end was total time machine shenanigans but man, it was hi-larious. ANd rob corrdry? was really good. But anyway after that, navy pier, more tulip viewing, carmel apples as big as my face, a walk along the river- BACK to cath, at borders, where i was subjected to more blooming things, vast plots of tulips and daffodils, grass, tourists, angsty art students- and then a walk back up state, to grand where we went to RockBottom for mahi mahi tacos... um, yes, really good. It is also curious to note every day has been a cilantro day. i then got home, once again collapsed and spent the remainder of the night doodling on my leg.

And now i've vacuumed up the bits of henna, badly packed my suitcase, and am minutes from joining cath for hotdogs or some other staple chicagoen food on her lunch break then back on the train i go, where i will read my not so trashy elizabethan novel, and watch the trees already accelerating in bloom, and hopefully have a not-so-nauseous return home? Hmm. ANyway, i know these descrips could be better, as they are just flungwords of bits of memory. Not that i will ever forget how good that skirt steak was or the bits of spice on my fingers and the bright blue of the lake and sky... but anyway, my penelope. Back home soon where i will resume complaints about necklace deadlines, ramped up exercise, woes about dairy and who knows what- until something changes, just a bit- and then becomes normal like the weather and what not.

m.

m in chi,

The word of the week is yawwwwwwwn. I mean honestly, I just feel like a lump. Not entirely unproductive, but soaking the sunshine and stuff. Wondering what I can do to make the plants look not so thirsty – I mean, besides water them, don’t be so obvious. Playing Wii. Ordering my Netflix Wii disc, so we can stream all the Watch Instantly stuff onto our TV. Sweeeeet! Like I have time to watch anything. But I will. And I’m reading again, which is grand, and plowing my way through that mountainous magazine stack, although it’s like 2 sentences at a time, and then the employees need attending, another 2 sentences, repeat. Oh, and Ramen is on sale at Teeter this week for $.17, which is just ridiculous. I need to go back so I can buy like, $5 worth. Which would stock us through July.

My mind might be a little bit jumping around today.

Yard sale prep! I have to go room by room. Your room will be the staging area. Oh, and I do write down here in the den occasionally. I added lights – shaped like Peeps – which aren’t just for Easter, you know. They glow yellow. But yard sale – I’m thinking clothes, kitchen stuff, movies, maybe some toys. Maybe. I’m still up in the air on that “3” thing, and anyway, maybe if and when we decided no, I can pass it along to someone I like who is having a baby. If they want it all. Which they should, since it would be FREE. I’m just saying.

I didn’t make it to the labyrinth last night, but I DID have some wine and some queso dip, which was borderline religious.

The other day I was getting a box down from that high shelf in the laundry room, and it knocked down a whole bunch of other boxes, and a pewter train piece fell on my toe. From a height of 7 feet. I’m still a little mad about it.

I went to the farmer’s market Wednesday! It was cloudy and actually a little chilly, but still sort of like a slice of heaven? I think that’s what my heaven would look like. All the hardwood trees and the vegetable stands and the plantation house in the background and whatnot. Peace. We looked at the chickens, two of which are absurdly large this year, one of which is awesomely mouthy. And then K.Lo goes, “Can we go up to that big house, like we did with mendacious?” Because yes, she remembers events from when she had just turned 3. You see what I’m up against.

But anyway, they had fewer veggies for sale this time (and the strawberries looked weird, but they’re available for picking at our local berry patch starting today) than they did actual vegetable plants, which was actually sort of perfect. Because a lot of our seeds just never took off. So for less than $8, I procured 3 tomato plants (Roma, Heirloom, Sweet 100), 2 eggplant plants (Lavender Touch? and fingerling? I can’t remember) as well as 2 cucumber plants, from the lady who always sells cheap but exceedingly delicious vegetables. SCORE.

Currently I’m considering an afternoon cocktail. I was all set to right write an anti-slavery blog, but am currently feeling not-yet-inspired to put it all down yet. But I will. Oh, and we have Fantastic Mr. Fox to watch this weekend, from the library! As well as Away We Go, from Netflix. So that’s exciting. I suppose if I’m not going to be all productive with words, I should go clean up the monstrous summer/winter clothes pile in K.Lo’s room, or something. Or… something.

love to you and cath-artic too…

pen

Penelope.

Hello you.
I am busy in chi! Granted its only been 2 full days but still a lifetime lived. I had some sketchy could've hurled moments on my short flight to phoenix, making me question my entire verve for traveling- at one point went to swallow a gingerpill, without water, and then accidentally clamped down on it. Had to not gag and eat like 5 pieces of gum in secession in order to get rid of all the hideous tasting granules. I managed to eat my $9 salad on the way to chicago as i debated after 4 ricecakes if i could stomach and digest it without incident. Barely... I was so glad to land and finally get to chi. I thought- did i travel too soon. What's become of me. I recovered after cath picked me up from the airport and we drove into the city. She said it was a fluke. I will try to believe her. As she reaffirms all the good parts of me and even lent me $10 as I hadn't brought any cash. (typical i know). In my defense if I'd taken the train into the city i would've bought one of those visitor pass things and i know they take CC. I think? Maybe? Why NY and Chi are this way I don't know.

Well anyway.
We capped the night off with frozen berries and water.

And began the next day with the CORNER CAFE: Southwestern Omelette with cilantro, chirzo, cheese, jalepenos (so good and savory and a perfect blend of ingrediants, stuffed to the limit).
And then after a quick diversion to target (shocking!) and joanns for craft supplies, home depot for paint etc, we went to FIVE GUYS where i had a burger and cajun fries (perfect with ketchup and had that homemade vibe, + free peanuts to shuck at the table, beats the NY shakeshack- however they did have better iced tea so i'm torn on which is better... but, seriously so stuffed to the limit). Which then after some preliminary crafting of murals (cherry blossoms) and swedish folk takes we powered through the modern wing of the AI and saw a favorite hans hoffman, reichter and this dude who replicated a fallen and decaying tree, to then my standard favorite of ARTOPOLIS in greek town, which i visit everytime i visit, for my mediterranean salad with a generous helping of fresh feta, dill, cucumber and tomato with grilled chicken on top. I can lick up the plate i love this salad so much. Simple deliciousness. I may have overdid it with the rice pudding after the fact but it was so good. What i need to do is actually stop, but did i? No. I only had 2 glasses of iced tea which was excellently flavored and at least after every overeating of awesome, we did walk it off. Sort of.

THe next day because i know you want to know, began with smoothies, an egg and vege scramble and some tasty hash, where we then worked it off by primering the dining room walls, dashing off to the surgical museum which was interesting as it was disturbing and at times overwhelmingly informational- i need stories people- triumph, miracles, gore... whatever. Giant boards of text, yawn! Some of it managed to get in but still. Then we went to nameless italian restaurant in Oldtown which had horrible iced tea. I actually asked for something else. It tasted not fresh. He contested it was brewed fresh that day... which leads me to believe it was some hideous brand. I shouldve asked. Either way, Cath had some seafood type soup which seemed heinous as the bread delicious- i had a pretty decent chicken with asparagus, cheese and spinach thing, which was pretty much almost worth the wait if i could've eaten bread and had iced tea. As it was we then went to the FUDGE POT, where i had a brick of dark chocolate w/almonds. And THEN after a requisite rest where we dismissed hanging the painting, or the room or anything else we went to TANK which had the most amazing Bo'- vietnamese dish of spectacular proportion. I got to wrap my own rolls and soak my own rice paper in a hot bowl of water, put as much cilantro, mint, basil, lettuce, beans, noodles and delicious spicy beef into the mix as i wanted and dump as much cracksauce as i wanted all over it. HEAVENLY. God, so good. No seriously.

As usual cath manages to spend 1/2 of what i spend on any meal. It occurs to me i'm trying to be economical but only if its what i want to order. But cath is helping me on all fronts by taking pity on me as she is a generous friend, which makes me just want to create art for her anyway. As i am an embodiment of the typical 'starving' artist- patronage is a mightly blessing. And so is really good food. As you can see.

Tomorrow promises more of the same. Perhaps a mellower eating schedule. ANd more crafting? But I can't be certain. It takes a lot of energy all of this eating and going out and exploring the bright and shiny loveliness of the blue sky, breezes, trees budding green, tulips blooming and the charm that is Chicago at its best. Did i mention the food? I mean I know i couldve described it better but i have to go laydown.

m.

oh m…

I’m feeling a little stabbed in the heart at the moment, and this fuzzy navel drink is too sugary, but I suppose I will persevere. As K.Lo noted while reading a pretend story tonight, “And that’s why a Penelope never gives up.” I don’t know where she gets this stuff from … possibly it was a sign from the universe to not feel too let down. But I do. No dreamjob for me. No debt reduction. No furthered sense of validation in the career department.

But a Penelope never gives up.

I did say that if I didn’t land said dreamjob, I would take it as a sign to get more involved with cause A, and I feel called to do that. For reasons I may or may not expound on someday. Secrets about Penelope. Ooo. But the questions for me are not why, but how, what, when, where? I mean aside from this crap economy, it’s a problem. And I guess it’s all a slow-building thing, like freelancewritingingeneral, but it’s hard to be patient and confident that it will all pay off, and be meaningful to boot.

Meanwhile, TWC (semi-evil cable co.) is switching up the channel lineup, and I’m trepidatious that it will affect my DVR settings. Because omg, what an organizational nightmare, right? But then, also in the meantime, we are likely switching companies, and so everything will be turned upside down anyway. Possibly twice, if we do switch. I just don’t want to miss Survivor or Top Model, it’s all I ask.

And speaking of Survivor, DBruckner, I have a lot to say… I said some of it on CliqueClack that one time. Which I want to do again, but it’s a resources issue: time vs. no money. But oh yes, lots to say. I don’t even know who I’m rooting for at this point? is one thing. I feel Courtney should have been voted out weeks ago, before Boston Rob and Coach, both. But I do sort of love Russell in spite of it all? But then, his ego. His downfall. Ugh. So frustrating to watch. On the other hand: Jerri and Coach? Ha ha ha ha ha!

But back to my letter to m. I eventually (or all at once, as I’m prone to do) want to rip out the landscaping cloth in the front yard and put down real dirt. There’s just hard-packed sand under there, and that landscaping cloth is the devil. I hate it on principle, and we did not lay it down. Previous homeowners, curses. In addition to the new tree, which is doing lovely(!) I’d like to add a few more trees someday and see if something can be done to spruce the area around the porch, on the relatively cheap. Maybe some sort of low-maintenance creeping plant that loves any soil and does not mind sun. Does it exist? Somebody’s mom?

Did you watch that Good Hair doc on Netflix, or…?

Also, the farmer’s market has started, and strawberries will be ready for picking next week. So those things are exciting. I’m still not reading enough, but at least I’ve read a few pages or whatever. Almost halfway through the kungfu book.

I’ve now broken the the first rule of SleepClub, up past a certain hour and still on the computer, provoking my neurons into twitchy behavior … it’s not good. So good night. Happysafe journeys to Chi in the morning. 

pen

Penelope,

Yesterday i spent all day watching tv for no particular reason and no particular motivation. I remember blogging and crossing that off my list. I wanted to take my car to get serviced, but they were swamped and they never called back. So it'll wait till I come back. And then i couldn't quite bring myself to do anything else. Perhaps it was the intermittent rain? I stared at the necklaces like i should do something with them and then i did just this morning mess up my ironon transfer because of some weird officedepot BS which is different than the avery products. When you read directions, apparently read them a few times, and then wait a day, read them again, realize only after the fact how you did it wrong and why and why its mostly a waste of $18. Also I had like 6 popsicles yesterday. SOme el pollo chicken. And then it just became clear i was waiting for it to get late enough so i could go back to bed. Apparently the day was a wash. I don't know why. Except maybe i shouldve just gone swimming. But i didn't even have that on my list or think about it at the time.

Today I yoga'd and my head had that nonfocusy energy humming away that made me fail at tree pose and tap my feet. It was good though. It's thorne watch right now and she's zonked out going on a never before with me- 1h:30min so far. Tomorrow is Chicago.

And after i get back its the necklaces for pentacost, and back to meditating about Jesus... and really needing to job search? Or something. Remind me to write to you about active indifference. One of the things i've been meditating on as part of my study. Though there a balance be . .That job i wanted at cal arts is still there. I should reapply. Work on my cover letter just for kicks. Or? Anyway.

Oh, i did want to tell you one whimsical thing. Last week while on my walk with danica, we saw a woodpecker squawking into the top of a street sign. And i was hoping no little baby was stuck in there or what- but finally it got a nut out of the top and as we got closer the whole post was filled with nuts! Over 12ft tall! It was some stellar stash for squirrels or something. Epic even. It made me happy.
m.

Pendalton,

hello you. so warrior dash... rock! i unfortunately didn't take but 2 or so pics from my cellphone. in hindsight i wouldve taken a water proof cam with as i had time. but maryann will hopefully let me download some of the highlights so those of you not stalking me on facebook will be able to see them.

we got there early enough. the vibe was subdued but for a few rolicking types in full regalia sending out warrior cries with flowing beards. the rest of us weren't sure what exactly we'd gotten in to. and once we'd lined up to start doubly so. the first experiment is in pack mentality. it is enormous pressure to not run with the herd. to deliberately draw yourself back, and say, I will not run. I will not run. and watch them disappear in a literal cloud of dust. And as I encounterd each obstacle none of them were that scary. I can imagine the energy as lots of people mightve surged over the stack of haybales but by myself i smirked and clambered over with no competition in sight and the asian girl volunteers stopped tweeting long enough to be all, like, woo! and you can do it! and then went back to looking bored. clambering over the vehicles, no problem. and my breathing was good as i took some water at the 1/2 point, and complained to the guys that a 3ft wall, 3 in a row, regardless- sucks. granted had it been taller i would've actually had to face the question if i could pull myself up it, but maybe another year of training (or 2) i can face a truly scary course like 'the camp pendleton mud run' which has a time limit of 2 hours and 45min in which you must traverse over 6 miles. it sounds like you might actually have to dash this course in order to do it.

but back to my race. half way through i found it shockingly curious i had not been overcome by the 2nd wave. I'd gotten far enough, about the 1/2 way point and should've faced another pack of people battering their way through the cardboard tube that i shuffled through and then some more lovely landscape of blooming heather in this flat field of a landscape, moored by rolling hills and green grass, birds overhead and a golf course nearby, but none came to challenge me. It was gorgeous. But still as I went over the gully of sharp rocks on a plank, which did require balance and then up and down the loose rocks to then yes, leap over some tumbleweeds, still not overtaken, I was nearly there. I hit the not so vertical rope wall and only then some very tired 2nd wave folks came by, but few. And then after I vanquished the upthehill tire obstacle, i stopped to chat about the race with a curious volunteer and then turned the corner to yes take a running start at the wall of fire. which as it billowed its smoke and blackness, the flames funneling toward you because of the wind, i felt a sensation of being warm as I did in fact leap over it, and then jog walked down the bank into the cold water and as i lifted my leg on the first one nearly lost my shoe in the silt, but luckily with a little height advantage managed to make it over the next 2 no problem. i admit some humourous shots were taken. and heard as i dove into the mud, which was more like a watery loam-like compost, the cheers of my friends who had finished the course, filled me with humor, i made it with good spirits through and then ran the rest of the .08 through to the finish line.

Hazah!

i then had a banana, which you know in doing anything really taxing its totally a good thing to do. (did not help as my calf was seizing as i walked toward the car however and is still strangely sore today-) i then capped it off with water and gatorade and then went to frolick in the water channel nearby to clean myself off proper. (more excellent pics taken here) and then found out later that the 2nd wave- and this is epic- went 2 (two) miles in the WRONG direction. All of them. The whole fast running lot, like lemmings off a cliff. And were only after a bit, tracked down by a person in a golf cart and told to turn around. mwah! awesome.

by then the happy endorphins of exercise and fun had kicked in and all of us were pleased to be walking around dirty, tracking down our free beer, buying turkey legs to eat, (which i like way more in theory then in actuality) and then we all got stuck in traffic on our way to chick-fil-a. were more giddyness abounded as we wore our newly aquired viking helmets, medals and t-shirts... it is quite possible the next day at church we showed up in the hats, but that is only rumor.

m,

How was dashing with the other warriors with braids in your hair? While you were slogging through the mud and leaping over fire, I was getting reacquainted with Lazy. It involved a lot of beautiful weather outside, some attempting to muster enthusiasm re: bike riding (the children are resistant!) and Mario Karting. We were on a mission to unlock some new characters and carts and bikes. And we did. I’m so sad you can’t meet Bowser Jr. at this time.

I did clean the fish tank this evening, and was an activist earlier in the afternoon while sipping Zen tea and eating a cranberry/brie/turkey croissanwich. And, I did research some, which I can’t seem to stop myself from doing? It’s beginning to be an annoying habit, so this week, I am praying for contentment. Like, researching is a fine habit, but past a certain point it is no longer productive. (And it cuts into rest time, which eventually yields true productivity, and so therefore it is not logical to never rest.) So while being Lazy, I still wasn’t fully able to entertain this rare guest. Which is sad, because she loves cookies and tea, chocolate and wine, and a lot of *soaking up* of life, and I didn’t quite deliver. Must learn to quiet the mind.

I heard on SNL that Scrabble is updating its rules to include proper nouns and such as acceptable in play? Psssssssh. That’s what I have to say about that.

The flowers continue to blossom and bloom, the lantana are growing, the jasmine still looks cheerful, and the chaste tree is proving to have been a good pick. It has leaves now, and seems happy out there in the sand-soil front yard. I want more trees, lots of them. And then it will be time to move. In the garden beds, zucchini/squash are coming up for certain, the cabbage looks grand, and we think spinach has sprouted, although how long it will last in the impending mega-heat, no one can say. I have yet to confirm the presence of tomato, bean and eggplant shoots, so stay tuned. We may buy small plants if those suckers never show.

I did manage also to entertain Lazy on Saturday evening with a chick flick, one that I recognized as essentially horrible from the start, but the actors had good chemistry, at least, so I persisted till the end. I can’t say I’ll ever watch it again, but I don’t want that 96 minutes of my life back. It was relatively well spent.

xo,

pen