One of the ways I love to initiate my house as a home is to cook.  I didn't know this about myself even two years ago, but once I moved onto Capitol Hill (w/in 115 feet of Kelly), she and I used to cook together no less than twice a month, often more.  Though I deciding to teach myself, she was a great motivation.   She often touted it as a way to add a great deal of warmth and soul to your home.  Once we moved here, I admit that something in me was waiting to make this house a bit more complete...until she and I had  shuffled about the kitchen together.  I love cooking, especially when it's not a chore and when it's for several of the people I love.  This past weekend, we decided to make butternut and goat cheese raviolis and amazing gingerbread/pumpkin cupcakes with citrus frosting.

Friday night's housewarming party was great fun.  It was a cold autumn night, and we decided to have our first fire.  With a spicy stew, hot bread, spinach salad, and red wine...we completely introduced my home to its new life.  The night ended with a sigh and a deep sleep of contentment.  I truly am incredibly thankful for the beauty that catches my eye every time I turn around.  Truly.  I wish you could see it.

It was really, really nice...in that quiet, with family, warm house kind of way.

The rest of the weekend I spent being really rather lazy and letting myself be whimsical.  This included breakfast in bed with a book, watching a Woody Allen film, mac and cheese with wine, perusing my recipes for menu ideas, ooogling the November Vogue, a trip to Nordstrom, a nap with the kitty, happy hour, a chat with one of my best friends, and organizing the home.
Divine.

Here's the front room...I am just over the moon about that glass!

Turn left to face north, and you'll see these curtains covering a floor-to-ceiling window.  The light in this place is divine.

Do an about face to the south, and you'll enjoy a view of the mantel.
We are toying with placing the TV in the fireplace, but for now...it's just a jumbly mess.


Little Miss Octavia is settling in more quickly than expected...though she is an now a hybrid outdoor/indoor kitty, we'll keep her inside for a week and then she can start to explore outside.  She's been rather frisky because she usually exerts quite a bit of energy outside...but she's literally a caged cat. Well, not literally.  But kind of.


A lovely kitchen scape, one to replace my favorite part of the trailer.


And the other kitchen windows.
I guess they'll do.
[smirk]


The view of the light cascading onto the bed (and unpacked shiz)
from my bedroom.  It has another (two) window(s).
[double smirk]


Here's an example of what happens when a girl packs way too late at night...after working 8 hours...when that girl is unaccustomed to the energy necessary to work again.  She forgets how to spell some of her favorite things, and then proceeds to use proper proofreading symbols to correct it.  On the box.
Sidenote: Don't you think jewels and letters make such a dreamy combination?

Well, this week I am only working a few days...so I'll be unpacking, sitting in this cafe until our internet gets installed, and soaking up the last week of leisure before it's back to work full time next week.

I'll be keeping you posted on the house and the state of my soul as I attempt to put into practice all my self-care tools without the free time to spare.  I think it's entirely possible, but I admit that I am daily swimming in a pool of fear...

And it may be all the surprising and shocking transitions of 2010
(learning that anything can happen at a moment's notice)
but I feel as if I am standing over a trap door, gasping for one more breath with every inhale,
as if it will be my last chance before I plunge into an abyss
and the floor falls out under me.
It's a dread...something making me feel like another transition (good or bad) is just around the corner.
That good news will be reneged.
That bad news will reoccur.

I am grabbing blindly for anything to hold that won't come crashing down with me.
Call it paranoia, call it portent,
or call it self-fulfilling prophesy,
I am just noticing a continual need to remind myself to
breath, stare at light, and get plenty of rest.
Plus,
Milk Duds.

The end.