Dyed in the Wool Handmade

It’s going to sound like nothing makes me happy, but I have a bone to pick with this summer. The first half of summer did nothing but rain. The second half of the summer so far has been ridiculously hot and humid. Today we’ve got a bit of a breeze and I can sit outside without sweating, which is nice. Shortly I’m going to go inside and dye yarn, which will immediately turn my house into a sauna.

Jeremy has been working a lot lately, to the degree that we have only an hour or two each evening to spend relaxing. He’s been putting in full days at his storyboarding gig and weekends at the retail job. I cannot wait until that’s over.

Nothing much has been going on around here except for work. I really wanted to spend at least one day at the beach but we haven’t had a chance to do that yet. We did make it to the drive-in to see District 9 (highly recommend) and today my sister is taking Alex to see Harry Potter. Otherwise, the summer’s been kind of a wash. We’re looking forward to taking a little holiday to New Jersey this fall, once the work is done. Watch out, because my hair will be COMING DOWN.

In an unprecedented act of thoughtfulness, Jeremy completely surprised me today with a Simpsons-themed card that insinuates he wants to see me naked, and a Nintendogs game for my DS!

My contribution to Valentine’s Day will be risotto with mushrooms and parmasan. I’m adding mushrooms to Mary Ellen’s fabulous risotto recipe. I used this recipe the first (and only) time I made risotto and it was amazing. One day I’m going to have to try adding the black truffle oil, but next time I’m going to make it with bacon and smoked gouda.

Things you may or may not know about me.

1. I don’t love pizza.
2. I smoked for 19 years. I’ve been an ex-smoker so far for 2.
3. I married my first husband at 18; the marriage lasted for 2 years.
4. My first concert was Poison.
5. I have never had a tattoo.
6. I used to have my navel and my tongue pierced.
7. In my early 20s my friend and I went on clubbing marathons.
8. The closest friends I have now I met on the internet, 8 or 9 years ago.
9. I write for a tv website, Too Much Free Time. I recap Lost and Survivor.
10. I have a lot of trouble sleeping normal hours. I keep trying to shift my schedule but after a couple of weeks I end up staying up all night again.
11. I used to figure skate.
12. When I was a kid it was my dream to become a secretary. I had a thing for typewriters.
13. I like to re-read books and re-watch movies.
14. I can’t bowl because I’m scared my thumb will get stuck inside the thumbhole when I throw the ball. Also, I have a problem with the shoes.
15. I don’t have a lot of patience.
16. I’m not good with plants. I don’t kill them exactly, but they enter some kind of stasis once they pass the threshold of my house.
17. I can palm a basketball.
18. I can’t swim. I can kind of paddle around and float on my back, but no one has ever accused me of swimming.
19. I’m married to the former Canadian national champion diver on the 3-metre springboard…in the 11-12 age group.
20. I can read the Cyrillic alphabet.
21. My mother’s side of the family live in Australia and Sweden.
22. I’m named after my grandmother on my dad’s side (Margaret) and my great-grandmother on my mom’s side (Fania). My sister was named after Natalie Wood, and her middle name, Ann, came from a doll I used to have. This bugs her.
23. I’m trying really hard not to over-parent and smother my kid.
24. My cat, Jonah, is a lemon, the poor dear. But we love him anyway.
25. I’m 2 degrees from Liz Lemon! I’m also 2 degrees from Kevin Bacon.

This week should be nice and relaxing but instead I’m whipping myself up into a nervous frenzy because I know I have to wear pantyhose on Sunday for my sister’s bridal shower. What should be a fun day is causing me stress because I have an irrational reaction to “dressing up” or “looking nice.” My weight fluctuates a lot which means nothing fits me twice, I have no comfortable dress shoes and always feel like no matter what I choose to wear to these things, it’s the wrong thing. Why couldn’t I be one of those slim, breezy women whose thighs do not touch and whose closets are full of all the right clothes? Instead, I’m wishing that Natalie’s shower was going to be at Pizza Hut so I could wear jeans and a hoodie. Also? Pizza Hut is delicious.

Despite that, I’m looking forward to it and Natalie deserves this day dedicated entirely to her. Traditionally, instead of having a sweet table catered by the restaurant, at Macedonian showers you’ll find that everyone brings some kind of homemade dessert to the party. On your way out at the end of the shower, everyone helps themselves to the dessert buffet and takes home some goodies. My contribution to this is going to be chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting. I’ll be making them on Saturday and frosting them on Saturday night. I’m not sure how I’ll decorate them yet. I’ll also be helping Natalie put together some centerpieces for the party.

Hey, look what Tara gave me! Thanks Tara.

And here’s a photo of Cuba, just because.