Stitch In My Side

The golden ticket

Justin works for just about the best non-profit ever, where he gets to do his bit to save our little corner of the world, and has fantastic benefits like 3:1 matching funds for charitable contributions, four weeks paid vacation and a bonus week of vacation between Christmas and New Years. Every year they have a company wide raffle, where several pairs of round trip tickets to anywhere in the world are given away.

Let me just repeat that: Round trip tickets for two, ANYWHERE in the world.

A few days before Christmas we were chatting about the honeymoon, and I mused that it sure would be nice if Justin won the raffle this year, wouldn't it just be nice timing? Three days later, Justin called me at about 9:14 am and said, "I got it". After a moment of confusion, it sunk in that HE. WON. THE. RAFFLE.

(Sorry about yelling here, but holy shit, he WON THE RAFFLE.)

Folks, we have a honeymoon! Now, the question is where to go? The whole world is suddenly open to us, and we have been having a hard time picking a place.

Unfortunately, there are no flights to Antarctica so my top place is out.

When we first got engaged and started talking about where to go on our honeymoon, we were thinking of going to the Balkans- Justin is obsessed with all things Central European, as well as being a poly-sci geek. I am also interested in the region, but am particularly excited about visiting what is supposed to be some of the most beautiful coastline in the world. (Pisces, love water in all its forms, and nothing makes me happier than getting to do my best lizard interpretation by laying on a beach and soaking up the sun until I just can't stand it and have to jump in the water to cool off. Rinse. Repeat.) We have been rethinking this, Europe is close enough to us East Coasters that it doesn't have to be a hugely expensive ticket and is something that we could reasonably afford to pay for ourselves some other time.

Justin is now fixated on South Africa, and while I am moderately interested in going there, my imagination has not been piqued in the same way as his. There are other places in sub-saharan Africa that I am more interested in visiting, although I am certainly not ruling it out.

I would love to visit Thailand, from what I have heard and read it is spectacularly beautiful, with a varied geography (mountains, lowlands, coast) in a relatively small area, so it is easy to see a lot of the country. Let's not forget to mention the spectacular food and the beaches. Ah, the beaches.

So, the question for you, my (four or five, I think) readers is: Where would you go?
Have you been somewhere that you would go back to in a heartbeat?
Have you been somewhere that was so awful you can be wheedled out of lurkdom to warn us away from it?
Is there a place that you have always fantasized about visiting, that would be at the top of your list if someone handed you a free ticket?

We are taking any and all suggestions, and would love to hear from you.

La France, as seen through the Nikon

Our trip to France was fantastic. We started in Paris, where we had a couple of days to ourselves and exciting things happened.

From Paris we went to Bretagne, where we met up with my dad at Fouche's wonderful home, Villa Mount Holyoke. We ate crepes, drank cidre bouche and visited menhirs and a dolmen in Saint Pierre Quibron.

After a few days we headed down to Beziers with my dad and spent a few days lazing around before Thilde and Steve (Justin's parents) arrived from Colorado. Once they arrived, we ventured a bit farther out, seeing the Canal du Midi, Bouzigues, Carcassonne, Valras, Roquebrun and eating FAR too much fabulous french food. We had never managed to get my dad and Justin's parents together before, so that was a real treat.

Finally, Steve, Thilde, Justin and I headed up to Paris together for a couple of days before going back to our respective homes. Thilde and Steve stayed in their favorite hotel, and Justin and I stayed with my cousin and to our delight the two places were only three blocks from each other.

Trust me, the pictures are far more interesting than this little overview. They can all be seen here. Enjoy!

Crossing the line

Our first morning in Paris Justin suggested that we go buy some pastries and eat breakfast in the Jardin de Luxembourg. We stopped at a fabulous bakery and tromped off down the road with our pain au chocolat and a couple of cans of Orangina. When we got there it was overcast, but not quite raining. We sat down next to the basin and watched the little kids push their sailboats around and tried to eat our pastries before the birds ganged up on us. After breakfast, we got up and wandered around, looking at all of the statues of the French queens- some of whom I’d be pretty scared to meet in a dark alley, unless I happened to have a guillotine ready, that is.

After walking around the garden for a bit, we started walking up a path through the trees, and when Justin grabbed my hand and I felt him shaking like a leaf my heart started pounding. He scraped a line into the path, saying that it was the point where I had come into his life and we walked over it and onto the path while he talked about our life together and what it means to him. Then he scraped another line, saying that he wanted to start a new point of our relationship and asked me to marry him. We crossed the line together, me crying tears of joy and him pulling a ring out of his pocket and slipping it onto my finger. Et voila:

The proposal was gorgeous- it was thoughtful and passionate and absolutely charming. I am so fortunate to marry this man.

Still Breathing

Hello!

Hello... hellooooooo...

Well, there is MUCH to report here: travels (hi, I'm in France right now, fighting with this stupid keyboard configuration), a death, a reconciliation, a very exciting new development which I will write about in great detail later, not one but TWO completed knitting projects, etc.

But it will all have to wait until I return to Baltimore, because it is just too much to get into with two fingers, searching for the right keys.

So, see you in a week.

But first, a hint as to the very exciting development:

Woohoo!

Home sweet home

Well, I'm back in Baltimore and don't have a lot to report. When I started this blog I was really only thinking about running, then it sort of took on a life of it's own, and now it's just a bit... droopy... like a houseplant that hasn't been watered for the last month or so.

More dessicated than droopy, truth be told.

Part of that is because while there is a lot happening, it's hard to write about it: career, family, finances and the like are all taboo and while there is enough in my head that I don't sleep much these days I don't really feel like this is the forum for any of it. So onto safer topics:

I spent a couple of weeks in Australia visiting my family and it was a really wonderful trip, much more so than I was expecting. It's not that I didn't want to go, it's just that the timing sucked and having to face the reality of a terminal illness in someone whom I love is not something that I relished. I feel like I have these moments of insight and strength and truth sometimes in my quiet moments, but I find that they rarely translate into what I share and do in the moments that count. I'm just kind of a wimp when it comes down to it. Anyway. The highlight was getting to really catch up with everyone, and feeling like I reconnected with my cousins and their families. It's hard to be away from the kids in particular, as the time between visits seems even more vast when they are growing up.

On the way home I had a day with my nephew, his wife and their new baby in Los Angeles. It was fun to see where they lived and to putter around in southern California, although a single day there was enough to exacerbate any body issues that I have. People are s-k-i-n-n-y there, and it's hard not to feel every ounce when sourrounded by wraiths. In my mini PrivacyWatch update, I think I saw David Duchovney walking down the street with a really shitty look on his face, but it's been a long time since I've seen his face, so I could just have imagined that.

From LA I headed up to the northwest for Justin's family reunioun, where I met all of the extended family. It was a lovely time, although in that state of jet-lag I was far from being the life of the party. My pictures of the trip are here, but unless you were at the reunion they won't be fascinating. However, if you want to see gorgeous photos just click here to see some things that Justin's cousin has shot. He is a fabulous photographer and a lovely guy. I want him to take pictures wherever I go, so that everything (and everyone) will look that good.

Knitting updates to come soon, I have not worked on Bonnie since leaving, but have finished the cable sweater for Sophia and hope to get back to Bonnie in the next few days.

Packing

Today was HOT. If I could make that word have little flames, or at least a shimmer, I would do it. We have taken to closing the house up tight during the day, which makes for stagnant but slightly cooler air than what can be found outside. I have finally caved and we put the window unit into our bedroom, and during the day the cats get locked in there so that they don't melt into little furry puddles. Even with the air conditioner it's warm in that room, and Paka lays under the chair in the room, as if she has found a shady spot.

This evening we were treated to a great cool breeze before a brief but intense deluge, and I ran around the house opening all of the windows and placing fans so that every last particle of stagnant air would be moved through and out. It is amazing to think that a few short hours ago it was so hot that I was sweating in an air conditioned room, where the most strenuous exercise that occured was the packing of a puce-green suitcase. Also, here is proof that I am doomed to be covered in cat fur no matter how far I get from home:

Seriously, though. Doesn't that make your heart melt just a little bit?

Finally, thanks to Lynn for giving me this care package for the flight(s) ahead:

I love my neighbors.

Summer

Sunday was the perfect summer day. After a slow, leisurely waking Justin and I wandered over to a waffle brunch in Waverly, where we met a bunch of lovely new folks. With full bellies, we headed back to the house for the pool bag and headed off to Coldspring with Marc and Lynn, where we were later joined by new friends Rebecca and Eric. We were there for the entire day, and had pink skin and sore legs (from all of the cannonballs) to show for it that night. After a feast of veggie burgers and corn on the cob, we were treated to Marc and Lynn's wedding and travel albums (complete with blow-by-blow, thanks Marc) before stumbling home and falling into bed and sleeping that deep sleep that only comes after a day of sun and movement.

In knitting news, I have frogged my first attempt at a sleeve for Bonnie, and thanks to a misplaced needle was prevented from picking it back up again for a couple of days. Yesterday I scoured my house and finally found the needle, so I'll be starting again with a new plan.

This is a gauge swatch for the next project, a rib and cable sweater for my cousin's 15 month old who is currently trying to stay warm in New Zealand.

I am leaving tomorrow for Australia, to visit my family for a couple of weeks. Justin has taken to calling me Mary Poppins, for my habit of disappearing to cooler climes whenever the heat index gets above 105 degrees. Can you really blame me?

San Diego Photos

San Diego was fantastic- aside from the run, Justin and I spent some lovely moments with his family. When Pete and Justin went back to Baltimore, Amy and I had a couple of extra days to lounge around. The photos from the trip can be seen here .

Judy has a lovely home in San Diego that was built at the turn of the century by her grandparents- it has been meticulously kept in its original condition and is filled with family history. Justin spent hours pouring through photo albums and laughing over family escapades with Thilde, Steve and Judy. She is a fantastic hostess- every detail is attended to: from the fresh squeezed juice in the morning, to the books on the bedside table and the incredible wealth of knowledge that she has about her city and things to explore. When Justin and I wanted to go visit Chinos Vegetable Stand, we spent some time searching for an address online before she came out with a magazine article from 1993 that she had clipped out and saved with a list of places to drive to around the city that included our destination. Unfortunately it was closed when the Schabergs were still in town, so Amy and I headed up there on Tuesday after we had dropped off Justin and Pete at the airport. We spent a half hour oohing and aahing over the gorgeous vegetables and their lovely scents, talking to the incredibly patient woman at the stand who explained what everything was and had great ideas for preparation. We bought a whole slew of greens, vegetables and fruit and made a meal for Judy that night: Udon noodles with fresh peas, garlic, chili and baby arugala and basil leaves (and lots of pepper!), roasted beets prepared Harvest Vine style- thinly sliced and topped with basil, olive oil and sea salt, and a salad of mixed greens and blossoms that I will be hard pressed to replicate without being in my mom’s garden.

Steve and Thilde were the intrepid cheerleaders, driving through the course route ahead of time, planning with Justin where they would be watching for me, and spending way too much time driving around the city looking for the things I was used to eating and drinking before and after a long run. (Note to anyone looking for Odwalla Original Super Protein drink in San Diego: head straight to Coronado, don’t bother with Whole Foods or any of the other 10 grocery stores in San Diego proper. Save yourself some time- trust me on this one.) They happily explored the coast and the city with us, and were great fun to be with during those whirlwind days.

Amy and I were hoping for a couple of days of beach time once everyone took off, but we were disappointed by the weather. True to form, it was June gloom in San Diego and we were not prepared for entire cloud-covered days. We went and explored the tide pools in La Jolla and wandered around Coronado and spent quite a bit of time reading books and napping, so all it all it was totally relaxing and wonderful, just with less UV exposure than we had hoped for.

Baseball!

Yesterday was a baseball day, as Mark was in town with the Red Sox. Now, while most people I know like baseball, the Red Sox inspire a whole different set of emotions than just plain old baseball. When I mentioned that the Sox were coming to town and that we wanted to organize an outing our normally mild-mannered friends got a crazed look in their eyes and eagerly agreed. It turned into a good-sized group, with Karen and Jeremy coming up from DC, Spenser and Amy, Marc and Lynn (next door neighbors), and Pete and Amy joining Justin and me.

We had really great seats, in the first two rows of section 96 (in purple, right in the top center of this chart). It was a fun game, and the beleaguered Orioles managed to get ahead and (barely) keep their lead and finally break a 13-game losing streak against the Sox.

Click here for a set of photos from the evening.