We went hiking.
Then, there were horses.
I call this “Ode to Horse Bottom.”
Not pictured: fish tacos, melissa’s birthday party, the muppets, dinner at home restaurant, laughing, racing around town, phoenix, kinky, and blueberry (two babies and a dog), the Grove, lots of friends, the Hollywood sign, Grauman’s Chinese Theater, brunch, coffee at all hours, and “How old do you think I am?”
I love having family around.
Hello kids! I’m sorry I’ve been absent. I have been fairly busy over at GMS getting that blog under control. Tomorrow is our biggest day of the year: Thanksgiving.
Because I’ll be over there blogging tomorrow, I wanted to take a minute to reflect on this year so far.
This year has been crazy, both in good ways and sad ways. I’ve gained a brother. I’ve lost an uncle. I got to see my sister get married. I saw some friends bury other friends. Garlic, My Soul has exploded. Corelyn moved away.
This morning, before a busy day at work and a busy day at home, I decided I needed to do some yoga to energize my day. By the time I got home, I realized I needed another round to keep me going. And ten minutes of meditation.
After that, I could breathe deeply and get through an evening of cooking before another busy day tomorrow. And now, as I sit on the couch waiting for Corelyn to arrive, I wanted to go over what we were thankful for last year – we wrote ’em on a big ole piece of white butcher paper:
Good friends on both coasts! * Megan getting smashed (and maybe slapping ET) * GJH (and his patience) * I got a job! * The color purple! * Perspective * health & happiness <3 * A full gluten-free plate! * WINE + 3 * My LA friends * Color coded oven schedules + 1 * Jeffrey. In general. * Friends that roll with the punches and stick by you no matter what + 1 * Corelyn + turkey * Wonderful Friends and Family! * Justin Timberlake * JT + <3 + hand holding * Golden pine cones * Jeff + garlic bread * My mom and brothers * Castle ladies + travel * Mary + photos + 1 * Ellen + the gym + yoga * Melissa + GF cooking * Meat! * My new LA family! * scarves! * Being alive * Harry Potter * Brand new apartments * Slapsgiving – -Legendary! + 4 * Friends who are amazing cooks! * Cookware * Rebecca’s back rubs * Rebecca + hair + makeup * OTHER ASIAN! * We get to keep the pinecones! * Megan + twin day! * Google Docs + 1 * Corelyn + Jennie’s food blog <3 * Thanksgiving with friends! * Youth! * AZNS + 1 * My brother is working his s*** out + 1 * Coffee * Jeopardy! *
This year, I’m thankful for most of those things, and more, much more. And I can’t wait to share tomorrow with my LA family for the fourth year running. I’m thankful to be cooking a turkey for all of my family here, and thankful that Corelyn could make it, and that 19 others can make it, too. I am thankful for this modern love: friends becoming family, partners and boyfriends and girlfriends and sisters and brothers all becoming your best friend on the day of giving thanks. Traditions of writing thanks, blogging, crossword puzzles, coffee, parades, video chatting with family, and eating turkey, mashed potatoes, way too much pie, and snuggling up for a post-eating nap.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
A few more crafts needed to be completed for Nikki’s wedding and I needed a little help. Partly because I was behind and partly because I’m not great at crafts. Luckily, the girls were coming over for Book Club and I was hosting, so I coaxed them into being my crafting buddies. Luckily, Cricket’s mom was in town, and she’s full of crafty knowledge and really did such excellent work I can’t even take credit for really any of the final product.
Here are the beginnings of the bouquet.
Look, me helping.
The lovely Jess, also making flowers.
The magical glue gun that Cricket’s mom suggested we use. So smart!
The silver clothespins to hold the seating chart cards.
When I was home this past weekend, seeing family, crying with my cousins, and saying goodbye to a wonderful uncle, I also got to see some of my sisterloves. They are scattered on the eastern seaboard, but we all gathered in New York on Saturday and Sunday morning to snuggle and love each other. And it was exactly what I needed.
We snacked on burgers, we drank Blue Moon by the river, “It’s just New Jersey,” we laughed as we watched people take pictures across the river. We ignored people we may or may not have known from a previous life. We walked far and wide to find the right thing for the right person. We stood a little too close on the train and laughed and talked a little too loud everywhere. We celebrated fall temperatures will pumpkin ale over cookbooks. We ate a plate of cheese. We laughed, and laughed, and laughed. We walked Lola the dog, and took a ride with Frank to our countryhouse stay. We snuggled three in a bed. We got up, we went to breakfast to gather our fourth. Or rather, she gathered us. We got breakfast and laughed some more. We stopped for cider donuts, feeling the crisp air on our arms, and we contemplated another visit, and soon. We took a very forced picture, because gd’it, I need a picture of my girls every few years, and NO I still do not think it was SO much to ask for you to take off your sunglasses, K.
Today Jeff and I ventured to the Skirball with M and M to see the Houdini exhibit. We’d been talking about it all summer, and with only two weekends to go, despite still feeling the kick of this summer cold, we decided it was best we go. Off to the westside we went, to see Houdini and all his magician glory.
Photo from the Skirball website
As it turns out, the Skirball was having another exhibit about Jewish magicians in general, which was a fun way to see where Houdini fit into the historical timeline. Also interesting was the hand lithography had in making magic as well known and popular as it became during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The exhibit was a good time, although we were sad not to see any magic acts taking place, and missed the musical portion of the afternoon. We did get tacos afterwards though, so all and all, a good day with M and M.
And, we did find out that Houdini’s elephant’s name was Jennie. A perfect name for a disappearing elephant, I think.
