Sum-sum-summertime

I have been enjoying this summer so much. The weather has been really great - warm, but still cooling down at night and there are so many great outdoor things happening. Talula is thrilled that she gets to go on more frequent and longer walks and tag along on more outings.

jb's soccer game cheering section is expanding - this week Daniel and Talula both joined me. Talula could only have been happier if I let her run around on the field with jb during the game.


I've been making lots of summery meals with fresh ingredients from our garden and the farmers' market. After the success of my fresh basil pesto, I made some fresh spring rolls with field greens, basil, mint, shredded carrot, cucumber and shrimp with a creamy dipping sauce. I also tackled some rosemary-lemon chicken - which while time consuming, was totally worth it.


This evening jb and I packed a picnic and headed to Schenley Plaza for WYEP's Summer Music Festival. We feasted on chicken salad, bagel chips, grapes, nuts, cucumber/tomato/avacado salad, jalapeno/cilantro hummus, and peanut butter cookies. I also packed my famous white-sangria (which is just pineapple juice, lime juice, and chardonnay - shhhh). It was a perfect evening. The sun set slowly as we enjoyed the music and we ran into several friends and neighbors. Dar Williams played a short set - which was the main reason we went - but the whole thing was so much fun (and totally romantic).

End of an Era

Monday was my last day at my job. I'm leaving with mixed feelings - but honestly the bad is quickly fading and I'm feeling very blessed to have worked with so many amazing people.

Unemployment would be awesome if it weren't for the choking panic of not knowing where money is going to come from soon. So far I've watched three seasons of Weeds, gotten a visit from Leslie and Holly, spent some quality time with my mom, worked in my "garden", shopped at the Farmers' Market, watched jb's first firecrackers' game of the season, walked Talula around the (suddenly hopping) park by our house, and made fresh pesto with the basil and parsley plants our neighbor gave us.We had a packed weekend, too. On Friday we went to the MF Urban Garden Party (where I came to terms with the fact that I'm getting too old to party like a rockstar), on Saturday jb and I walked across the bridge to the Three Rivers Arts Festival. We walked around holding hands perusing all the vendor booths then we bought ourselves a feast of over-priced fried festival food and sat on the grass and enjoyed the evening concert. On Sunday (the day before my last day on the job) I staffed what could be my last table at a Pride festival. I feel like a very bad lesbian because, honestly, I hate Pride festivals. I guess I just consider them work - in fact I can't remember the last time I attended one for fun. Usually my festival days consist of 5-6 hours in the sun trying to talk to drunk people about federal legislation - fun - and some years I've attended 5-6 festivals during the month of June. Maybe next year I'll get to actually enjoy a Pride Festival. Well, right now the future is unknown, but the present is pretty good. I ping back and forth between just trying to enjoy having time to myself while trusting things will work out and freaking out at the thought of money running out and having make some major changes to our lives. Right now there's not much I can do beyond get my resume out there and try not to panic. I'm going to visit my family in Mexico since I may not have the time again soon and because tickets are affordable (thanks to the swine flu scare). Hopefully I can make the most of this time and find a new job (or win the lottery) before things get dire.