Recap

It's been awhile since I posted.  Sadly, shortly after Rose died our dog Sophie died as well. (03/30/2012)  I'm still trying to process that one several months later.  She was such a great dog.  So well-behaved.  I will miss her running to greet me with her ears perked up, her tail wagging back and forth, and her "sheltie smile".  We had her cremated as well and still say good night to  her every night.  I still can't fully express how awesome she was.

In a more positive note, I ran my first 5k May 26th and am running another on July 4th.  Also, this next week I'm staring training for a half marathon. I haven't signed up for it yet.  I want to train a bit and see.  I also signed up for another 5k in Oct.  I'll be doing The Color Run.  I'm so excited for that one!

I miss my Rosie

I can't begin to articulate how I feel today. So many emotions conflicting with each other.  One minute I'm fine, the next I'm bursting into tears.  I woke up today the worst way possible.  I woke up to my sweet, sweet Rose laying on the floor by the door.  "Rose is dead." I said a matter of factly.  No emotions, just making an observation from across the room.  It wasn't until I went over to her and felt how cold she was and that she wasn't purring that it started to hit.  I cried for almost 45 minutes straight.  She was the first cat of my own.  I had gotten her shortly after I moved into my house.


The days has been rough.  This morning almost feels like a dream.  I know it happened, but I can't quite process it yet.  Just the thought of having to part with her makes me well up.  She's been through a lot with me. She helped me through my divorce.  She was a little aloof, like most cats.  She would come out to the living room to visit us a couple times a day.  She'd stay and cuddle for a bit before she hopped off the couch and went back to curl up in her laundry basket in the laundry room.


There will be no more "Rosie Time" in the morning while I get ready for work.  There will be no more calls of "Rosie, time for bed" and she comes out from her basket to curl up with me in my bed as I drift off to sleep.  There will be no more licking of hands, she really liked to lick hands.  She was the softest kitty I've ever met.  Her fur was so gorgeous.  No more of Rose becoming kitten-like as she played with a string.  No more of Rose sharpening her claws on the kitty tree.  No more Rosie kisses and no more headbutts for cuddles.  No more Rosie.


She was the best cat I could ask for.

A friend of mine sent me this poem, and it really helped.



Gone From My Sight
by Henry Van Dyke

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.

I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, “There, she is gone”

Gone where?

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, “There, she is gone,”
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”

And that is dying…

Holy Awesome December, Batman!

The weather this winter has been unseasonably warm.  We have no snow on the ground and it's almost 50 degrees out.  The only snow we've had is a dusting, which melted later on in the day.

Keep the goat sacrifices coming.  I could get used to this.

30 Things To Do When I Turn 30

I've decided to do 30 things I've always wanted to do when I turn 30.  Here they are in no particular order.

1.  Run a 5K
2.  Pay off my credit card
3.  Pay off furniture loan completed 11/14/2011  (I started the list before I paid this off)
4.  Refinance my mortgage
5.  Learn Fair Isle knitting
6.  Get A+ Certified
7.  Get Network+ Certified
8.  Get Security+ Certified
9.  Become a Certified Ethical Hacker
10.  Become a Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator
11.  Get GIAC Information Security Fundamentals (GISF) Certified
12.  Cook a whole chicken
13.  Pull off a DIY(ish) wedding
14.  Make my own wedding favors
15.  Train and run a  half marathon
16.  Cook 3 course dinners on Sundays (salad/appetizer, main dish, dessert)
17.  Read 6 classic books that I haven't read before (Brave New World, A Tale of Two Cities, Uncle Tom's  
      Cabin, Picture of Dorian Gray, Madame Bovary, & Catch-22) - (all e-books were free except Brave New World and Catch-22)
18.  Learn double knitting
19.  Get some commission work for knitting
20.  Visit a foreign country
21.  Visit Washington, D.C.
22.  Plant a mini-vegetable garden
23.  Spin my own yarn
24.  Dye  my own yarn
25.  Knit my mom a sweater
26.  Install hardwood floors in my house
27.  Pay off my roof
28.  Write a good short story
29.  Take a road trip in the summer
30.  Work on learning a new language

Starting the Process

So, we've officially started thinking more about the wedding.  We have 2 dates in mind.  So the next step is to pick 1.  Then we need to get a rough estimate for the guest list and find a venue.  No idea of any good venues in CR.  We want to have the ceremony and reception in the same place.  To save money and for convenience.

I have several general ideas floating through my head, like chocolate sets of dice for favors. For the food, made to order crepes.  I have some cake ideas too and a baker in mind.

I want to get some engagement pictures taken this fall/winter and more pics in the spring/summer of next year.  I just need to shoot a message to the person I'd like to do the photos for us. :)

Recipe Reviews

I've had the idea floating around my head to look up recipes on All Recipes that have a low number of reviews and then make and review it.

It'll give me more incentive to cook than I have lately.  I'm thinking about doing these at least once a month.

My first recipe will be:

Chicken Spaghetti Salad









I will make it soon and then post a review.

Indian Food

Growing up in a small town, you wouldn't think of being exposed to many different cuisines.  My dad made sure to share the different types of foods that he loves.  He introduced me to Asian and Indian cuisines.  He makes an awesome curry sauce, which my goal is to be able to re-create some day.

I watched season 6 of The Next Food Network Star and Aarti made me want to try cooking more Indian food.  It's spicy and delicious and I need to cook more.  So, I have a list of recipes I want to try and will detail the cooking experience here.  Here is the list, in no particular order.

Green Chicken Curry
Chicken Tikka Masala
Indian Rice Pudding
Chai
Mango Chutney, Prosciutto and Paneer Pizza
Chewda (Indian snack mix)
Easy Tandoori Chicken
Crispy Coriander Potatoes

Also, I was thinking of finding a great Indian cookbook and cooking my way through it a la Julie & Julia.  It'd be a fun adventure and I'd learn so many fun things with Indian cooking.