I'm blogging! Holy jelly-filled-donut, Batman!

Hello Tuesday!

First of all, look ----> over there to find my birthday wish list. Thank you for your attention.

Today is productive and laborious. Woo for physical labor at work! I'm sure most don't appreciate lifting and pushing and getting down on their hands and knees. You know, moving a 2 inch thick file for every single road in the county from room 102 to 111. But I welcome anything that involves not staring at a computer skin and typing in excel. Usually to save my sanity I'll go for a walk downtown, because I happen to work a half a block from downtown. Unfortunately, this leads to me spending money. Maybe a yogurt, or a tea, or this guy...




...whom I love. Or the foundation I just overpaid for at Sephora. So anyways, physical labor is better than spending money in the case of my bank account. Speaking of which, today I applied for a job that I desperately want and today I read in this...



...little Fortune Telling: Book of Names book that "Jacqueline" somehow translates into "hard work paying off with significant financial gain." Which is totally gravy with me. Thank you Pottery Barn for your infinite wisdom.

Also! I thought I'd share a story about how my honey acts like a woman about certain things. You know how women like to let their boyfriend/husband/lover/sex-toy think that certain things were their idea? Well they do. And my boyfriend/future-husband/lover/... did that this morning. Here's how the conversation went...

Are you going to come down to Santa Maria today? Justin.
I was planning on it. Me.
Ok, good cause I have to wake up early.

So, anyways. What do you want to do today? Justin.
I don't know. I won't be down there till 6 or 7. Me.
Ok. Let's go to a nice dinner!
Well, if you insist.
The question is 'where?'
We could make reservations at Jocko's...
Ok! Give them a call!

This was his way of getting out of talking to a stranger on the phone. He's never this agreeable unless everything is working out exactly as he planned it.

And on that note- here is a closing image or a house that I want. Those blue tiles are solar panels. Now that's art. Kind, practical, green, lovely art.


Now....

It's a SLO Morning.

I love walking in the morning when the BBQ smoke from the local joints condense around the morning ocean mist. It gives the impression that you're walking through a marinade.

Yesterday, I made a Banana Rum Crisp. It was at the request of my baby who loved the Cherry Crisp but thought maybe since he loved bananas, a Banana Crisp would be even better! Granted- this is from the man who was making spaghetti, noticed there was wine in it and decided, "Well I don't really like wine- but I like BEER!"

I found the recipe online and tweaked it a bit- adding the rum extract. It was quite delish although in my opinion there was a typo and they asked for way too much butter. I will reduce it next time.

For those that are interested- edited and tweaked for your taste bud pleasure:
**Disclaimer: I haven't tried the tweaked version (I'm not rich enough to go grocery shopping twice a week), but I don't see it going poorly.

Banana Rum Crisp

4-5 bananas
3 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp imitation rum extract
Crisp topping:
3/4 cup regular oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Slice bananas into bowl. Add lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum; mix well. Put banana mixture in buttered baking dish. Crisp topping: In a bowl combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter until cornmeal consistency. Sprinkle over bananas. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with ICE CREAM! Mmmmm.

Also! Look what I found this morning. At first I started laughing and then I realized how PRETTY these are! Much nicer than those cold suit-like coffins with harsh lines. They are an eco-friendly way to pass on- no chemicals or wasteful wood products. And very biodegradable. (Sorry- totally morbid, but it's a party of life.)


And I really like this guy. If I had a forest- these would be scattered all around.


Lately this photo has been on my mind. Of my friend Michelle and her hubby Caleb on their wedding day. They look like they complete each other, don't they?


But I love this photographer. I wish she would take photos at my one-day wedding. Or maybe of my one-day pregnant belly.

Look at the black dot and don't move your eyes.

The Calendar

So much is going on right now- I love it! I've missed having days to look forward to or to prepare for. I almost started missing tests.

Firstly, it's Thursday- which means. Anyone? Anyone? Farmer's Market! Bring on the kettle korn and other street food. The bands, the puppet show, the fire truck, the fruits and veggies. Gosh I love Farmer's. My boyfriend has requested that I pick up some boysenberries- but I don't think they're in season yet. It's too cold. I'll be making cake tonight with some of the berries, thanks to one of this lady's incredible recipes.

Secondly, I've found a very promising apartment to move into with my love. I'm very excited about it. The complex is in an area that I have grown to know well (because it is about 3 blocks from his mom's house. Good? Bad? I don't know). And the neighborhood reminds me of the houses by my elementary school. Plus- can you say Fitness Center, Heated Pool, and Billiards Table? Bomb.

Thirdly, there's always the worry of how I am going to pay for rent when my savings runs out since I'll be moving to a new city with no job lined up. The solution? The Emergency 30 Day Substitute Teaching Permit. This will allow me to be on-call for subbing grades k-12 in the county of my choice. All I have to do is earn my Bachelor's Degree (oh wait- I already did that) and take the CBEST. Which I just registered for to take in July.

Lastly, it's Graduation weekend! At first I was completely dreading this. I graduated months ago and I've been in that mindset since then. So going back to campus was like going back to school which is totally counter-intuitive to what graduation is supposed to be- a leaving process. Also, I have to be honest and say that I am not totally stoked to be graduated. It's very gratifying that I accomplished something so wonderful in such a short amount of time but it sucks to be out in the real world with no job (yet). BUT! Graduation weekend now means that I get to see my family, my best friends, my boyfriend, and the in-laws all in one place. And THAT is epic. Hopefully everyone gets along. :)

Eureka! (CA)

You know what would be perfect? Like exactly-what-I-need perfection? I need to receive a temporary (6 month max) position in someplace like Oregon. Or Washington. Or Wyoming. Or Idaho.

Then...
I'll get the hell out of Dodge.
I'll be in the money.
Country roads take me home.
Another day, another dollar.

Or something to that extent.

House Hunting

Some days I wish that I could move home. To be taken care of, to stop swimming upstream, to just flow. To curl up on the couch in December and watch Danny Kaye dance across the television screen, making a girl float with him. I'm blinded by the twinkle lights. I can smell the ginger snaps. I just want a house that's a home.

It all came crashing down when we were thinking of moving to Lompoc. My immediate response was, "I don't know- it's kinda far." And his was a confused, "From what?" Ouch. He was right though- the only anchor I have is him. I've never renewed a lease. I'm not cut out for this life like my sister. She's the nomad, I'm the homebody. That's how it's always been. But we've switched roles and I don't like it. Everything's up in the air and I don't know how to juggle.

Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Marseilles Dress SHABBY APPLE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

A good excuse to drink

Which I don't do in excess because it never ends well. So I drive- usually my boyfriend and his friends. I don't mind the excursions- it's a good excuse to go out and I don't feel bad for spending what little money I have nor my love's. I just sit and nibble on a cheese plate. Laugh at the occassional joke, zone them out when they start talking about sports or video games, sip my 2% alcohol fruity beer. Now that it's written out, I realize it sounds sad. But it's nice every once in awhile to just people watch and get out of the house. Plus, my boyfriend is always entertaining.

Anyways, I thought that I would share one of my favorite places. Alisal Cellars in Solvang. The name leaves something to be desired. It inevitably will turn into Alisian or Allison as the night progresses, but nevertheless. Wine, beer, and sake tasting. Plus, it's never crowded. The only people who go there are "regulars" and they're all super friendly.

And the walls look like this...















It makes me happy.

Roses and Raspberries

*Disclaimer: Things to make me feel better and things to let me rant.

Roses to:
Donating blood tomorrow
Seeing my family for commencement
Two barefeet on the dashboard
Young love in an old Ford
Cheap shades
and a tattoo
and a Yoohoo bottle on the floorboard
Perfect song on the radio,
sing along cause it's one we know
It's a smile,
it's a kiss,
it's a sip of wine
It's summertime
Going to the lake this month.
Shasta for the 4th of July.
Wearing white.
GSA Conference in Oregon! (Who wants to go with me?)
Vegetables.

Raspberries to:
"Seeing what happens"
Lompoc.
Being poor.
Not having a summer body.
Job applications.
Vinyasa Flow Yoga.
Dirty dishes.