A few winter activities

Today I went to my first ever oil painting class. It's the kind where you start with a blank canvas and finish the whole thing in a few hours. I had a blast actually and I liked my picture after it was all done. There were times though, when I thought it was going to be a disaster.Here's the finished painting and I think the water part turned out the best. I'm not too sure about the fall-colored tree in the foreground but that's what the teacher wanted us to do. And rather than pull my usual "do my own thing anyway" attitude, I went with the flow. See, I'm getting better as I get older. Our other HUGE project is nearly complete! Our fireplace turned out so great...I love it! Here it is in dark and regular light. It's so fun to sit near it and listen to the fire. The mantle is an antique piece of ironwood out of some old building back east. There is a company here in Boise that salvages the antique wood and sells it for new or remodel construction. We were lucky to find just the right shape, size, and color for our fireplace.

So that's kind of what we've been up to...lots of fun stuff!

Christmas and Kitties

Christmas was really nice. We celebrated a little early since Polina was heading home to Russia and wouldn't be here on the 25th. Above is a picture of the table for dinner...I wanted to record it since I thought it turned out so well. We did the traditional dinner with turkey and gravy, all the favoites. But for some dumb reason, the turkey would not get done. It was frustrating. But we had plenty of other food.

We opened all our presents the night of the 19th and it was really fun. But what was surprising is the unintended consequence of doing Christmas a week early...we didn't have the rush right up to Christmas eve like the rest of the city. We avoided the mall, we had time to just relax...it was really nice! And after Christmas, the let down I usually feel just wasn't there. I was fine with the whole thing just mellowing into the end of the year. I think we should do it this way every year!

Ok, now for adventures in babysitting kitties...Since Jasper and Polina are in Russia, we have taken on the awesome responsibility for these two little fluff balls of energy. That means three cats and a dog under our roof right now. The only thing that is saving us is that we have them set up in one of the bedrooms with their food, etc. and when they get to be too rambunctious, we put them in there to cool down.

This is Pashka...he's very interested in Kevin's pen and is sitting there staring at it. He wants to know everything that you are doing and tries to "help" whenever he can.

Max in the tree...a favorite play area for both of them. I ended up taking all the moss that I had in there and storing it. They liked it a little too much. They chase each other around the base of that tree for 10 minutes at a time.

Then they zonk out where ever they end up...

Mafia has finally warmed up to them and plays with them sometimes...he's about twice their size but was so intimidated at first. Now he just acts like one of them...except he can't keep going as long.

Mafia and Max in the bathroom...the kittens love the sink and will jump into it whenever you approach the bathroom. Max even jumped into my bathtub as it was filling...twice!

Their favorite place to hang out and sleep seems to be in front of the fireplace now. They get all drowsy and limp like they are drugged. Pashka especially likes it there. We are having a lot of fun with them.

Happy New Year everybody!

Kevin and I had dinner at his mom's house and then came home and sat in front of the woodburning fireplace that Kevin installed recently. It was a nice relaxing end to 2009. We are not partiers at all.

It's always a struggle for me to even think about a new year...new possibilities, etc...I'm still just trying to process that another year has past. Time flies when you are getting into the middle years. A year doesn't hold the same promise that it used to. It goes by too fast to live up to any expectations I might have had for it.

I will have been at my new job a year come Feb 17th...just around the corner. I feel like progress has definitely been made at work in my own comfort level, my skills, etc. But it went by so fast that it's hard to have any perspective. I think I will have to have been at my job for about five years before I will see the progress. It's a weird mindset so I try not to think about it too much.

I'm glad I've kind of kept up with this blog. If no one reads it, it's still a record of 2009 that I never would have written down or otherwise kept track of. I can at least look back on my posts and remember what was happening then...its not all just a blur. And it's an excuse to take pictures and document the events somewhere with them. So thanks Lindsey and Amy for inspiring me. I still check your blogs almost everyday. And even though I don't leave comments very often, I love how you guys are making such great homes for yourselves and your families.

Happy 2010...weird to type that!

Too funny

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1610699488?bctid=31812464001

I guess there is something a little wrong with this...too sophisticated for a little kid perhaps...I don't know. But it's amazing anyway.

December

Well, it's been almost a month since I posted but I figured I'd share a whole bunch at once to make up for it. A lot happened this month. Kevin dressed up in protective gear and tore out our gas fireplace to make room for a woodburning fireplace (he had to access the attic with all the insulation to install the stove pipe).

It's part of our "back to basics" kick that we're on right now. We wanted to have the real fire back that we love. It also involves a lot more work and mess but it's so worth it. I love the fireplace. We are working on the design for the surround and the mantle. We are thinking about rock work and a large old beam for the mantle.

Kevin had some wood delivered into the driveway and he was out there chopping it all with an axe. He got several neighbors asking what he was doing...talking to him about the project, etc. More contact with some of them than we have ever had. So if you want to know the neighbors, just start chopping wood in your driveway!

I think I mentioned my upcoming 50th birthday...well, it took place. The end.

No, I mean, it was really nice. Chelsie set up this beautiful table at a local restaurant (Barbacoa) and the six of us had a very nice dinner together. I got lots of nice gifts and one very special diamond ring from Kevin...a spiral ring that wraps around twice with diamonds in between the two spiral wraps. I was so surprised about the ring. I had wanted an anniversary band with diamonds for our 25th a few years ago but I was in school and it just wasn't anything we could afford. So I basically forgot about it. But Kevin remembered that I wanted a ring and picked one out for me.

Kari and Nettie (my two longest time friends) went out for our annual Christmas/birthday dinner together and Nettie...the goof on the right...made us wear the glasses and brought the black balloons for me. All our birthdays fall within a month of each other's. We have been friends for fifteen years.

And last but not least, I always have this Ladies Brunch every year where a bunch of us get together and eat and make something fun. This year it was covering readymade boxes with decorative paper and ribbons, etc. Chelsie and Polina came over early to help me with the food so I took some pictures of them (further down).

Here are some pics of the boxes that people made. I had my doubts about the project thinking that I didn't have enough cool stuff on hand to make it worth doing but everyone seemed to do just fine.

The only thing that went wrong was the spray-on glitter. We took the cans outside to spray a few of the boxes but when we brought the boxes back in, the fumes from the spray stunk up the house and gave several of us headaches. We ended up throwing those out. Polina used the glitter on her finished box and the colors on the paper that she used all ran. So her box was basically ruined...but she was cool about it. It must have disappointed her though.

Here's Chels and Polina in the kitchen making the shrimp appetizer...

...and the fruit salad...I basically asked them to do it all and they did!

Chels, Polina, and Chelsie's cousin Abrie making their boxes...

And a picture of the table...I love Christmas!

Christmas treat

Happy pre-holidays everyone! I thought I’d share a simple recipe to help get us all in the holiday mood. This is easy, inexpensive, and a little fancy. You can include this in a gift basket or just give them wrapped in brown paper and a little ribbon. 

 Pat’s orange pecans: 

3 cups pecan halves 

1 orange (fine-grate or "zest" the orange part of the peel off and save, then squeeze the juice into a cup and save) 

4 teaspoons brown sugar 

1 tablespoon butter or margarine 

2 dashes of each: Cinnamon, Cloves, and Nutmeg 

 Instructions: In a medium saucepan combine the orange peel, orange juice, brown sugar, butter, and spices. Heat to a boil and immediately add nuts. Stir and sauté until pecans absorb the liquid. Remove from heat. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and spread the hot pecans onto the tray. Bake at 350 for about 5 minutes. Keep checking that they are not getting too brown! Remove from the oven and let cool completely. The nuts will take on a crunchy rather than chewy consistency. These are good as a snack, crumbled up in a salad or oatmeal, or on a dessert, like a topping for ice cream.

OK...sooooo behind on my posts!

I have been thinking a lot about my posts and I do have stuff I can post on but I have been lazy...yes Lazy with a capitol L.

This summerfallwinter crap has thrown me way off. It was supposed to be indian summer for awhile, then Fall proper...followed by Winter some time in the far off future where you don't have to think about it yet. But NOOOOOO. We have to have a 90 degree week followed by a 50's week, followed by a 60's week...a couple of 70 degree days thrown in...you get the picture. Do I wear jeans? shorts? my long sleeved fleece jacket? take off the jacket before I get out of the car???

We went up to the (you guessed it) Cabin to winterize this past weekend. The fall colors were absolutely beautiful. We were lucky that these weird cold snaps didn't break any pipes so we got things buttoned up for the winter without having to repair anything first. Here's a couple of shots I took while we were wandering around by the pond.

I had a great time in AZ. by the way...got to see everybody and spend time with them. amy inspired me to take up sewing again...used to love to do all that stuff. I have never been good at quilting though. She made the most beautiful quilts and I just thought how cool it was because her family will always have them.

I saw Holly and Gary's new house and how cute they have already fixed it. They both have the most unique taste and ways of putting things together that I started thinking about the way I arrange things at home. There are things I could do differently to add interest around my house.

And , of course, I spent time with my friend Kathy, talking and shopping and getting our nails done. We got to catch up with everything and it was so nice to have that time. Then she and I, Jeri, and my other school chum Laura all went to a very nice dinner together (see pic) and then on a gondola ride. We packed a lot into that weekend but it was very satisfying.

One other exciting thing that I must mention is the addition of a couple of cute little kittens to Jasper and Polina's relationship. They are so excited about "Max" and "Pashka". Max is the grey one and Pashka is the white one. Jasper has them in his condo in a huge cardboard box (like a washing machine box) with their crate and litter box in there too. It contains the mess for now while they are little. But it won't be too long before they are able to jump out...and then look out! "Grandma and Grandpa" are going to cat-sit for them in January while Jasper goes to Russia to meet up with Polina (she'll be home for the holidays)and to meet her family. We will have them for two weeks. Mafia is going to LOVE that. I will take pictures of that scene.

OK, I think I'm caught up for now...whew!

I'm so excited!

Next week I will be traveling down to Phoenix to meet up with my buddy from school. Kathy is just one of those special people that enters your life and you can't believe your luck. We hit it off right away at school and became fast friends.

We got each other through the school process, shared happy times as well as stressful times...went places like Washington DC (as pictured here) and were like sisters to each other.

I can't believe we haven't seen each other since graduation. I miss her and definitely need to catch up with her (since starting new jobs and distance has made it very difficult to keep in touch).

I am also excited to spend some time with my sis Jeri. We don't see each other enough either.

All in all, a very exciting trip.

Cabin trip part II

I mentioned that I was heading up to the cabin again and I know what you are thinking...doesn't Pat go anywhere else? Well, the simple answer is no...not when it's summer and it's so beautiful up there and so hot in Boise. Besides...there's work to do!

I took my mom with me for the first part of the time and she hung out doing puzzles, watching me work on the kitchen countertop, watching Jane Austen movies and generally taking it easy. We went on short walks and long drives just to see the country.

At one point I went horseback riding at a local ranch...great time. There was this little horse there...a baby shetland...almost as cute as Mocha was as a puppy. I say ALMOST. The cute meter pegged off the scale with Mocha but this little guy comes pretty darn close.

I actually rode a tamed mustang (didn't know it when they put me on the thing...found out during the ride that this horse had been wild at one time) She was a really good horse. My guide and I saw a moose on the ride...also a hornet's nest...no stings! But I did get some pretty good fly bites on my neck that swelled up after I got back. Oh well, the price you pay to be in the wilderness on horseback I guess.


The cabin was getting it's skin finally after all these years. My nephew in law and his crew worked for several weeks off and on to produce these results. Very beautiful. The upper cedar shake looking siding was subsequently painted a dark brown color...looks really sharp finished.

That's kevin on the side there...inspecting the workmanship I think.

Now it's back to real life and work once again.

Cabin trip...again

I am heading up to the cabin again! This time to work on a countertop (tile). I will post pics when I have some. Our siding is almost up as well (not me doing it, duh). It's so exciting to get some things done like this. Now the woodpeckers will bend their wretched little beaks trying to peck through the siding. 

 I'm taking my mom up with me and we are going to watch movies (Jane Austen adaptations...what else?) and do puzzles and eat out a lot. That is, in between me working on the countertop...no huckleberry picking/plant stinging stuff this time. Just safe activities, except for Yellowstone Park maybe one of the days. There's always the possibility of running into something nasty there. I also want to check out a new resort that went in by West Yellowstone. It looks pretty nice from the highway so we will go investigate. It could be a cool new thing to go do up there. Not writing again til I get back Sept 7...but pics will be forthcoming.