where i write

desk
Originally uploaded by chlortence

i started thinking about the space of this house and how we could better use it. we live in a two bedroom home. one is larger, the other smaller. pretty typical. for some reason we always gravitate towards the larger bedroom to use as our master. not sure why people do that...

anyway, i used to use my yarn stash box in the living room as a desk and would sit hunched over, often tweeking my back, as i pecked away on the computer. it wasn't very comfortable, to say the least.

last night i started thinking about the two rooms and how to best utilize them. i laid down in the bed in what was the guest room and got a great feeling of calm. the garden window acts as a sort of headboard now, although that room needs paint, drapes, etc... i get to wake up every morning and see the glorious view.

i also get to turn on the light to check out what clothing i want to wear to work since my closet has remained in the now guest room. it's nice i don't have to pick things out the night before like i used to. the larger room just made sense to be the guest room/upstairs off/dressing room.

i am rather smitten with my little set up. kev sent a thumbs up from work. i sent him pictures of both rooms.

must eat a little something and then, i am going to bake a blueberry cobbler.

found

for years now i've been searching for someone. someone who was quite dear to me all throughout my college years. he was my sanity in my senior studio classes, my rock, my source of love and laughter. it was hard, going to art school without the intent of becoming an artist. almost got into a fight with a girl who couldn't believe i didn't want to be an artist. i enjoy being creative and David understood why i was there. we were two birds of a feather.

ever since i joined the Facebook scene i've searched for David. i couldn't believe my eyes when FINALLY i found him! there he was, sitting in a chair with a schnauzer on his lap. that was my David! 

i instantly sent him a message, asking if it was the same David with whom i'd gone through school. it was!! i can hardly believe that all my years of searching are over. i am sooo so happy that they are!

he still lives in the KC area so when we make it back that way, add another person i have to go visit to the list. i hope he and his partner make it out to Portland at some point, too. 

i don't know if he ever knew how much he meant to me. i'm only sorry that after i graduated we didn't stay in better touch. but now, we have all the time in the world to catch up and reconnect. 


my heart has never felt fuller.

OnPoint Contest - Excellence in Education - Teacher Award

OnPoint Contest - Excellence in Education - Teacher Award

Go there and please vote for Brett Bigham. He is not only my neighbor, but he is my friend.

Recently he received a grant so that he could put on a Prom for his students (Brett teaches Special Education). He not only put in the time while at work, but his days off as well. He made over 300 corsages (with a little help from the school's receptionist and me) so that every single person attending could have one to remember their fun evening.

He strives to provide his students with stability and "normalcy". He treats them as he would any other human on this earth. With dignity and respect, which many of these kids never really get elsewhere (I worked with the population back in Kansas and loved every single second of my four years at CLO...purely because of the individuals and teachers).

The grand prize is pretty spectacular and I can't think of anyone more deserving than Brett.

I am proud of him and am honored to be able to call him my friend.

the garden

the little guy there at the end...

he hangs with me every time i am out in the garden playing in the dirt. he eats the grubs (as well as a seed or two i'm sure). he just hangs, waiting for me to be done in an area before swooping in and munching.

it has sprung

tonight is perfection. perfection i tells you! the air is warm with a hint of a chill. the sun was bright and still fills the air with light, although it is starting to fade. 

i spent a good chunk of the night sitting on my neighbor's porch, drinking a beer and chatting. we spoke of the garden and how we have things planted. finally! five kinds of tomatoes, six plants total (can never have too many romas for the salsa!). three types of peppers, spinach, romaine, potatoes (it may be too late for them, but we're keeping fingers crossed), walla walla onions, zucchini. garlic is up and will be ready later this summer (although we failed to plant more this crop seems to be volunteer). and we have leeks! typically a fall harvest, we have many that are ready to be plucked from the earth and enjoyed. 

currently i am making a potato, leek, and ham gratin. we'll see how it turns out. 

kev's work is in the process of changing  a bit. he's staying with the company, just changing locations. until he is there permanently, his schedule is all wonky. i think we get one maybe two evenings a week together. but we know it's only temporary. meanwhile, i will be making soup to freeze for the winter with more of the leeks. it's nice to cook in the house alone sometimes. although i would prefer to get to hang with kev...ah well. this too shall pass.

ten

ten years ago today i was all aflutter because i was going to be walking down the aisle to marry my best friend. i can hardly believe it's been ten years already. it seems just like yesterday when we even met...

when we did meet he thought i asked too many questions and i thought he was cute but not my type. at least only one of us was right. :)

i can't imagine my life without my dear husband in it. he's kind, compassionate, scattered, absent minded, beautiful, funny, everything all wrapped up into one amazing person. i thank my lucky stars that i listened to my friend mark about applying to work at CLO in lawrence. had i not, i might not have met kevin...