Summertime

Cleveland's cooler weather has its perks (like the fact that there's no AC in the Party Time and it's still comfortable up in N Ohio, if not in Lexington), but being down here in Kentucky, I'm willing to trade the AC for some friend time.

We celebrated Elisabeth with a good old fashioned summertime cookout, and it was a perfect Kentucky summer evening. Just after a thunderstorm the night before, so it was a touch cooler, but still a bit of misty humidity in the warm air. There was a gorgeous sunset over the fields and hills, and best of all: friends.

I'll even take the bugs that go along with my perfect Kentucky summertime...

PB&J

Baby day came and went not too long after Jacob and I arrived in Ohio, so I not only got to be there to snap some shots of J carrying the baby, but of all three: baby, P and J. So, now it's PB&J around their house, and all I can say is that's one very very goodlooking sandwich.

Girl, I want to give you something special

1- cut a hole in a box:

2-put some wine in that box

3-let her open that box

4-and that's the way you do it...

Cause it's my wine in a box.

Plant a big one on me

The other day, Jacob went on an expedition to find me flowers and when he couldn't find a bouquet of peonies (my favorite flower), he bought me...a shrubbery!

Ok, not exactly a shrubbery, but, a peony bush.

A rush of emotions went through me when I realized what he had done: gratefulness, appreciation, confusion and panic. Panic because I am not a plant person. I killed the memorial hydrangeas a friend gave me after my father passed away (after she assured me I could not possibly kill them and then proceeded to plant them and arrange them for me). So, considering we are nomadic and I have nowhere to plant a bush (and no one to take care of it for me), I freaked out a bit.

I decided to carry it with me to Cleveland, after the wedding, because I didn't want to abandon it. So I carted it around in the Party Time and then to P&J's house in Brooklyn and then to our new place in Akron. Just about the time we were headed to our new apartment, I noticed a wrinkly brown leaf on the bush - a surefire sign of certain death.

Frantic texts were sent out, a phone consultation and some garden-center shopping followed and I settled it into this pot with some fresh soil and watered it and held my breath. It seemed to be doing fine and then Cleveland experienced about three days straight of rain and cold and rain and cold and rain and cold.

I once again ask the question: has anyone not mentioned to Cleveland how obscene it is to be this cold and nasty in MAY? Oh, and one other question. Can my plant have seasonal affective disorder? I think it's living (which is an accomplishment in and of itself), but probably depressed.

The Biz Buzz

My former employer, Smiley Pete, keeps in its stable my former publications, The Chevy Chaser and The Southsider, as well as Lexington's Business Journal, Business Lexington. I absolutely love this whole group and am so thankful that I can continue working and writing for them.

These are the latest:
Tarter, a Dunville, KY-based company is the largest producer of animal management and farm equipment in North America. I had a blast spending an afternoon with great-grandson of the founder, Keith Tarter. These guys are truly 100% country, 100% Kentucky and 100% impressive. Believe me, driving into middle-of-seemingly-nowhere-Kentucky, I was not expecting what I found there. Read it here.

And, yes, between Elisabeth and another gf who works at a law firm, I feel like I sort of own a little bit of legal knowledge. So, here's an article that is a perfect showcase of one reason I (heart) writing so much: I get to learn about new things! Did you know you can hire a lawyer and NOT have to pay $250/hour straight up? It's true! Read it here.

Whataweek!

Well, between moving and Jacob's and my work and finding a new place, you'd think we had enough to keep us busy, but nooo...we had so much more!

And happily. 

Last week, before we returned to Lexington for some different revelry, P&J welcomed their sweet new babe to the world! Say hello, Gabriel!

Then, I scooted over to U of K to celebrate Elisabeth's Law Grad Ceremony. Congrats Elisabeth!

While I hung out with the girls, Jacob was practicing up for the wedding of these two crazy kids, which took up our Saturday. Yay for marriage! Yay for Tommy and Ashley - hope you guys are enjoying MX (you picked a good time to leave since it's cold and rainy here - boo).

Then we scored a very relaxing Sunday just hanging with Jacob's family (after sleeping through church - whoops!).

Happy Mother's Day to both our mommas and to my Grannie - we love you all so much!

Table for One

This is what dinner looks like when the husband's not around:

Pan grilled marinated chicken with red wine reduction and spring greens

Unless, of course, it looks like this:

McDonalds Angus Third Pounder with bacon and sweet tea 

(am I the last in the whole world to catch on to McD sweet tea?!)

What kind of luck did you wish for? (UPDATE)

thehardyheyday.blogspot.com

So I was working on this charming little assembly project like a little one-woman-sweatshop because it was delivered to P&J's house while they were off having the baby and when I tell P that its in a box, he's all, those bastards, it was supposed to be assembled.

Assembled. Did you hear that Crate+Barrel. Assembled. That means putitogetherplease.

Well, whatever. I knew, having been a single girl homeowner, I was more than qualified to tackle this project. I also knew that being a Sabatino, I should NOT read the directions.

Ha. Just kidding. I did. And I put it all together - just right. And it was perfect...until P saw it and was all, shitman, they sent the wrong one.

Huh.

Wish me luck

thehardyheyday.blogspot.com

Project for today.

Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what it will be (or what it is meant to be - these may be two different things)?

A (co-op'd) room of one's own

I love my little house in Lexington. I love that it's close enough to walk places and in a bustling little neighborhood where there are always people walking around with dogs and kids and backpacks. But it's so easy to get distracted there, what with things always going on and friends around the block.

I spent today holed up in our pals' home while they're off having a baby. Just me and the dogs. Ok, it was more like me, the painter, the Crate + Barrel deliverymen and the dogs. But still. Their place is kind of in the middle of nowhere. Not like deliverance middle of nowhere, but trees on all sides leave the shades open with no fear middle of nowhere.

The point is, I think sometimes I forget what quiet is. Not quiet like sealed in your house silent, but quiet. Quiet like sitting in a sunroom - or on a deck - with only the sounds of wind rustling the trees and creeks flowing and herons winging overhead and the gentle pushing up of green things all around. The air, the sun, the scent of spring - everything just quietly being all around.

It was a beautiful day.