Catching Up on the Blog

I know, long time with no post. Everything has been rushing by...I can't believe December is already over.

My parents came back to NYC with me after Christmas. It was really great having them here. I put them up in a nearby hotel, and I think it was good for all of us not to be cooped up in my small apartment. We had two very lovely dinners with wine-a-plenty, and as my dad mentioned on his blog, we did quite a bit of walking! On Friday, I took the day off to spend with them, and we had a beautiful sunny day. I really enjoyed walking slowly and enjoying the sites, rather than my usual speed-walk to work.

I often tell people up here how I miss Tex-Mex food. People always recommend different restaurants, and after I try them, I realize they don't know good Tex-Mex. However, a friend who's in the restaurant business recommended a Mexican restaurant to me, and I tried it on Saturday. OH MY GOD...so good! I ordered tomato-habenero salsa and chicken enchiladas with a green sauce. Delicioso! I really enjoyed it and will definitely go back.

I have to work today, although we get off early. Not much going on anyway. Just cleaning up, getting ready for the new year.

As of last night, I finally have plans for the New Year celebration! (I feared I was going to be alone in my apartment with Netflix and a pizza.) I called a few girlfriends, and one invited me to a neighborhood party in Jersey City, just across the Hudson River from where I live. She said it should be a blast, and they are even planning an ice luge!

As I mentioned in some of my Christmas cards and to my parents when they were here, I never imagined at the beginning of 2007 that I would end it working and living in NYC. Life is full of surprises. Who knows what's in store for 2008?! Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

The children are all snuggled in their beds with visions of stuffed stockings and multiple presents from Santa in their heads!

I'm with my sister, bro-in-law, niece Anna and nephew Colin for Christmas. We had a delicious midday meal of Mexican food, and then Jenn and I walked with the kids to the local Methodist church for an interactive telling of the Christmas story. (The storyteller had the congregation respond with sound effects for particular words. Like, "Ba-a-a" for sheep and "No room! No room!" for innkeeper.) When we got home, Anna excitedly wrote Santa a note and recited all nine of the reindeer names for us, insisting that we leave nine carrots for them along with the milk and cookies for Santa.

Should be a fun-filled morning of unwrapping frenzy and whoops of joy from the kids!

Time to Grieve

Blogging from Austin...

I got here yesterday. I've already eaten Mexican food twice so far. :-)

I received some terrible news on Wednesday. A very dear friend and former colleague in Dallas lost his wife. My friend is very private, I don't feel it's my place to publicize the details of her death, but it was definitely unexpected. She was 38.

My heart aches for my friend. Such a terrible time of year to lose a loved one, although to lose someone so young is never easy. I'm headed up to Fort Worth tomorrow for the funeral. I wish there was more I could do.

Life is so precious and so fragile.

Mornings are Not my Best Time

Rushing around this morning, I was getting a Mucinex tablet out of the container (still have a little residual chest congestion) and it bounced out of my hand and into the cat's water bowl! Ack! I'm not going to take that one now, but obviously won't let my sweet Sabrina drink that. Can you even imagine giving a cat an expectorant? They are so prone to expectorating fur already.

Then I decided to open my new ear covers (like ear muffs without the middle bar to crush your hair). The package was difficult to open, and when it did succumb to my pulling it apart, one ear cover flew out and fell right into the freshly cleaned cat water!

Did I mention I'm a bit of a klutz?

Movie Mania

Being sick all weekend, I spent most of my time either sleeping or snuggled up on the couch with a warm blanket and my cuddly kitty. And since the writers are still on strike (can't they figure out a deal already?) I didn't have many shows recorded to catch up on. So, I watched entirely too many movies, and most of them not great:

From Netflix:
Amelie (very cute)
Cinema Paradiso (enjoyable)
Cinderella Man (enjoyable, too, although Renee Zellweiger seemed to always have a pinched face...maybe I'm just over her)
Previously recorded on TV:
Something's Gotta Give (loved it as much as the first time)
Mission Impossible 2 (wasn't desperate to see it again, but the motorcycle scenes are good)
Dare Devil (I like Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, but this wasn't one of their best)
The Prince and Me (ok, pretty sappy I know, but I do like Julia Stiles)
The Prince and Me II: The Royal Wedding (Julia didn't sign on for this one, and it was absolutely the worst movie I saw all weekend! And this was the one replaying in my head at night.)
A Hallmark movie called Love's Long Journey (I was desperate)

What was interesting to me is how many movies have scenes in NY. One of the shots in Dare Devil was a courthouse scene, showing an aerial view of City Hall. I walk past that every day!

Winter Weather

I broke down and bought a down-filled coat today. Walking to church was an effort with the mighty wind and rain. I held my umbrella almost horizontal as I tried to walk against the wind. My umbrella sounded like kite flapping in the air. I made it to church (only a couple blocks away) with a chapped face and shivering.

After the service, we had rehearsal for our ensemble. There were 7 of us today, and the group mentioned another that was there last week. Our first performance will be the second week of January, and it is sounding pretty good. No one stands out too much, and since we had to audition, everyone is on key.

The church is beautifully decorated, and it really feels like the 18th century in there. Several of us helped decorate the Sunday after Christmas, and since not everyone decorates their apartment, for some, this is their only decoration. I could never compromise that, though. I have my full tree and decorations about, although I have too much for this small place.

So after church and rehearsal, I went to the discount store, Century 21, and bought a nice, warm, snuggly down-filled coat. I feel prepared for the storms now. I have rain boots and snow boots, several scarves and gloves, hats and coats.

the Importance of Family

One of the values my parents instilled in me and my sisters is the importance of family. Moving around brought us closer together. It's my sisters I go to when I want to reminisce about grade school or high school.

Now I'm finding more strong relationships with my cousins. As we all grow just a bit older, the age differences between us don't seem as significant. I love the correspondence I share with Paula in England, and I treasure my growing relationships with Kelley and Lindsey in Seattle. Beverly, who always seemed like a niece to me, is now a beautiful, fun young woman of 18, and I can see our relationship slightly changing as she enters adulthood.

Just thankful for all these incredible women in my life and family.

A Little Too Much

...fun, that is! I went to Dallas last weekend and just had a blast seeing so many friends. First stop was Mi Cocina, one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, for lunch with my friends Lauren, Wendy and Sherry. Lauren brought her baby Ellie, too. We had a blast, laughing and catching up. Lauren reminded us we've been doing our "Christmas Lunch Bunch" for nine years.

Then I went by my old office. So many people came up and gave me hugs...it was great touch therapy! Several people asked if I was coming back (hell no!).

Sherry managed to get us free tickets to the Stars hockey game Friday night. We met for dinner beforehand at another Mexican restaurant, Mattito's. Lauren was able to join us for dinner but had to get home to her family after that. We enjoyed the game with "tasty adult beverages" and more laughter, even though the Stars lost.

On Saturday, I had a schedule to see everyone, beginning at 10 a.m. I met Jo for coffee, and we had a nice visit. Then I had lunch with Ian and his family, which includes a new baby and an adorable 18 month old. At 2:15, I had a hair appointment to get highlights and a cut by my hairdresser. Later that evening, I met up with my gay boyfriend Daniel and some other friends, and we danced and drank until the bar closed at 2:00 a.m.!

I had to get up early on Sunday to return my rental car and get to the airport, where I met up with another friend (Lisa) who already had plans to come to NY. She's here on business but came up early on Sunday to visit with me. When we got here, I showed her around my neighborhood and the Hudson River, and we had a delicious dinner at Nobu.

I'm exhausted, but that's not all...I seem to have acquired the bug that has been going 'round the office here. I know I wore myself out this weekend, but it was so much fun. It was just great to see everyone and feel so much love.

Cold, Cold, Cold!

Brrr...it's cold outside!

I've actually been coping with the cold weather fairly well. Everyone here expects me to be a sissy, coming from warm Texas, but after so many years of heat, it's nice to have the seasons really change. I'm also enjoying all my new accessories: gloves, hats, scarves, and coats!

Tuesday and Wednesday we had snow flurries. Yesterday's were blowing sideways from the wind. But nothing has really stuck. Today, the sun is out, and I always enjoy seeing it when it appears here.

Today is the coldest day we've had so far: the high is only going to get to 35*F (1*C for you Brits). Right now with the wind chill, it feels like 12*F (-11*C)!

My only complaint has been the dryness and the toll it is taking on my hands and lips. I'm religiously using hand cream and lip balms, but it's a constant fight.

My Thoughts While Walking This A.M.

The snow from Sunday (pictured below) is already gone, but today as I walked to the subway through the park, there were flurries flying around. I felt like I was in a snow globe! Nothing is sticking at the moment, but we are supposed to get more snow tomorrow. (Most NYers aren't excited by this, but I am!)

As I walked from the subway to my office, I noticed how many people in the throng in front of me haven't cut their X-stitch from the rear pleat in their coat. Don't they realize it's there? Don't they know the coat would move a lot better without it? I almost think about walking around with a pair of scissors in my coat pocket, surreptiously snipping through those X-stitches!

What I Did Last Weekend

This weekend, I got even more into the holiday spirit with candy making. Yes, it's the annual Tiger Chocolate fest, taking these ingredients:










And turning them into slabs of swirled candy:












I made four batches, and my fridge smells of chocolate and peanut butter. I really can't stand the smell. I've been making this for so long and in such large quantities that it holds no sway over me.

On Sunday, when I finally decided to roll out of bed, I found it had snowed! Our first for the year. Here's what it looked like out my windows:

















The church here is not the one I go to. This is St. Paul's, the church across from Ground Zero that was miraculously unharmed by all the devastation that day. The snow-covered field is actually a cemetery, with many tombstones dating back to the 1800's.

I did get together with girlfriends this weekend, but there was no spa day. I unfortunately had the wrong date...it's NEXT Sunday, and I won't be able to join them then. However, I had fun on Friday and even met two new friends, single girls in their 30's like me that reassured me NYC is the best place for single professional women to be. Then I met up with Jenna at a bar that made me feel really old! I swear everyone in there was 13 years younger than me. (Jenna is 10 years younger than me.)

On Saturday, I went to the Spotted Pig, an English pub inspired place that is so popular, the wait for dinner was 3 1/2 hours! Fortunately, I knew about this ahead of time and had a snack before I left the house. It was a cute place with lots of good-looking people. I met my friend L, her boss and her boss's friends. Actually, I was the only American! L and another girl are Canadian, the boss was Australian, and her friend was visiting from England. We had a nice evening, although I didn't think the food was worth the long wait.