#3028 a taste of Prague in West Valley City

There is a new shop in my neighborhood called Crispy Cones. The grand opening was Friday. I heard about the shop on Facebook, and drove past it on Friday afternoon when I was going to the bank. The Facebook post caught my eye because the crispy cones look similar to the chimney cake I had in Budapest or the trdlink that was all over Prague. The main difference between the two is that chimney cake is large, like almost as long as your forearm, and the trdlink is smaller, about half the size or maybe even less. My curiosity was piqued, so I had to check it out.

I was glad to see the little store was packed with people. The scent of warm pastry, cinnamon, and sugar was in the air. The crispy cones here are trdlink sized, and you can fill them with ice cream or spreads. I pretty quickly decided I would just have Nutella spread in mine, but I would have been glad to have just the cake. 

Here are a few pics I took of the shop:

I love the skyline of Prague detail

There were several people in front of me in the line, so I had a chance to listen to what other folks were ordering and what the man behind the counter was telling them about the treat. I noticed that he had an accent, and I wondered if he was Czech, so when it was my turn to order, I asked him. He told me he is from Romania, another Central European country, and we chatted for a minute about chimney cakes and trdlink after I told him I'd been to Prague and Budapest in the fall. I placed my order and he told me my treat was on the house. How nice is that? 

I waited for about five minutes before my fresh, hot, Nutella-slathered Crispy Cone was ready. It was about the size of a Dixie cup.

I wanted to tear into right there in my car, but knew it would be messier than I wanted to deal with, so I waited until I got home, although I did take a bite!

At home I got after the treat pretty quick. My cone had the cinnamon sugar coating. The cake was good, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I love Nutella, but mixed with the cinnamon and sugar, I didn't think was a great combo. Like I said, I would prefer it empty because the cake was good. I like the size of this treat because it is enough to satisfy the sweet tooth but not feel icky. Also, except for the Nutella, it wasn't overly sweet.

I hope the shop does well. I know in Prague every trdlink shop we saw - and there were many - always had a bunch of people getting the treat. I'm pretty sure I'll visit this shop again, too.

Have a great week!

#3025 an evening with Alice Feeney

Alice and me

 On Friday night I did something fun and different. I went to a book talk sponsored by The Kings English Bookshop. The author Alice Feeney was in town to talk about her latest novel, My Husband’s Wife. The ticket included a signed copy of the book, and at the end, you could have Alice personalize the book with your name, which I did. 

Woooo!

I have only read one of Alice’s books, Daisy Darker, which I really enjoyed. It was Agatha Christie-esque.

Feeney’s books are psychological thrillers. They aren’t scary or bloody, but are a little creepy, the kind that get in your brain. I would like to read more of her books. She has written eight novels, including this latest release. She’s pretty popular and her books are waitlisted at the library. Fun fact, one of her novels, His and Hers, is a limited series now streaming on Netflix. 

The talk was held in the First Baptist Church of Salt Lake City. I thought the talk would be held in a meeting room, but it was held in THE meeting room, the actual chapel. There were hundreds of people there, and we were totally eating up her British accent and stories about walking along the cliffs with her dog as she works through her stories in her mind. 

Alice Feeney (right) discusses her writing process

It’s fascinating to me to listen to an author talk about their process: how a story forms in their minds, how the characters evolve, and how the words finally make it on to the page. Feeney says that she has five more novels already taking up space in her mind, and she is itching to get back to her shed to start writing the next book. I can’t even fathom that imagination. I would love to have a story floating around in my head waiting to escape onto a page, but I don’t, at least not now. Maybe someday, and maybe not. 

I am glad I looked at the email from Hey Salt Lake on Thursday morning. That’s how I found out about the Alice Feeney event. I do get emails from The Kings English, but I don’t always pay much attention to them. I’ll have to pay more attention in the future, but it worked out okay. I really like the Hey Salt Lake newsletter that comes in my email every day. Between that email and the daily email from Axios SLC, I get a lot of good info about stuff that’s going on that I might be interested in, interesting places, and local news. 

That’s all for today. Take care of yourselves. Be safe out there.

Xo

#3024 three things: coffee three ways

 

I wonder how I made this fun collage. Maybe using Canva? I don't know, and I know it's more than three photos, but I like it, so I figured I'd use it today because I want to talk about coffee.

I started going to Starbucks, or at least I became a Starbucks rewards member, in 2011. A chai latte was the gateway drink, then I cautiously moved to mochas and lattes with coffee. The drinks were quite sweet, so I don't think I noticed the coffee all that much.

When Lizzie and I went to Costa Rica in 2021, that's when I really started liking coffee for coffee's sake. Currently there are three ways to make coffee at my house.

1. Drip coffee. This is the American standard way of making coffee through a drip system. You put ground up coffee beans in a filter, water in the tank, press the button, and within five to seven minutes, you get a pot of coffee. I like this type of coffee because you have so many choices about what kind of beans you want to use, for example the roast, whole beans you grind yourself or already ground beans, and lots of different flavors and brands. I really like a Utah roaster, Cafe Ibis. I currently have a holiday blend that is quite tasty. My biggest drawback with the drip is that the smallest quantity setting on my machine is eight cups, and that is a lot of coffee. I'm usually good for a cup or two, and I dislike pouring the rest of the pot down the sink. It feels like such a waste! I'm considering getting a much smaller coffee maker like the one my sister has. I think it only makes two or three cups.

2. Pods. My coffee maker is a Keurig Duo, which means it has both the drip and the K-cup option. I don't use Keurig brand coffee because most any type of pod will work. I like the Green Mountain pods, especially the morning blend which is a light roast. It's a mellow coffee. It's great for when I'm in a hurry, which isn't often anymore, but it's still a quick fix.

Keurig Duo coffee maker

3. Moka pot. I remember that my abuelita had a moka pot that she used to make her morning cafe. I decided to buy one a couple of years ago when I was ready to expand my coffee making options. How the moka pot works is a bit of a mystery to me, but it's fun, and it makes a strong-ass cup of coffee, no matter what type of grounds are used. Currently, I am using espresso I bought at Trader Joe's. One little cup is satisfying, and since the moka pot just makes one cup, it works nicely. Moka pots are cute, and using it to make a coffee feels like a special little ritual.

My Duo is about four years old now and it is acting a little weird. When I make a pot, water drains from the pod side which isn't a problem since I keep a cup there anyway. I already mentioned what I don't like about the pot (it's big.) The pod side is also being weird. I have three sizes of cups available, 8, 10, or 12. Lately, when I push the 8, which is my usual choice, it drains water, then starts brewing, but brews way more than 8 ounces. It used to stop itself at 8 ounces, but now it gives me at least 10 even when I only want 8. I had a mess on my counter top the first time that happened! Now I am considering replacing the Duo with a smaller pot option and a single Keurig. I don't know, though. I'm on a fixed income now (heehee) so I'll probably just keep what I've got until it gives up the coffee ghost, so to speak.

First world problems, eh?

Enjoy the rest of the week!

xo

#3014 three things I will miss about work

OMG, it's here. Tomorrow is my last day at work. I will be on vacation until Dec. 25, and that's my last day on the payroll, but I won't be doing any more work for Granite after tomorrow. (If I'm being honest, I doubt I'll do any work tomorrow, either, teehee.)  Last Wednesday I told you three things I would NOT miss about work, and in the spirit of fairness and reality, here are three things I WILL miss, in no particular order.

1. A paycheck and having my health insurance covered by the Company. I will be getting "paid" through my 401(K) and eventually through Social Security (I hope), but it will be different than the checks I was getting for actually doing the job. After shopping for open market health insurance, I had a renewed sense of gratitude for the health insurance coverage provided by the Granite. Health insurance is expensive, for reals. We are going to be okay financially, but I will miss having a paycheck show up in my bank account every other week, and it will be slightly painful to watch the health insurance payment go out of my bank account every month.

2. Dip Days and December traditions. We all like food and fun things. At work, we would have little celebrations we call "Dip Day." Everyone brings their favorite dip or appetizer, maybe small bites or desserts, and we put it all out for everyone to graze on throughout the day. It is a fun way to mingle away from our desks and have some tasty snacks. I've always had a love/hate relationship with Dip Day. I love it in the morning, and sort of hate myself in the afternoon. The food is always so good. 

Our department also has many fun December traditions. We do Secret Santa. We decorate the office. We order buckets of cheese and snack on cheese and crackers all month. The whole company has an employee appreciation luncheon which is a catered buffet to which all employees are invited. We have a Pie Day, where we bring in pizza from the legendary Salt Lake pizza place, The Pie. The admin department has a Christmas breakfast, usually at a local country club, that is always fun and festive. 

I will miss these events and others that made work special.

3. People. Really, the people I work with in the admin department will be the thing I miss most about this job. I was lucky enough to be on the hiring team that brought many of the folks in the department on board, and selfishly, I tried to make sure we hired people I wanted to hang out with eight to ten hours a day. You spend a lot of time at work, so having cool coworkers is important. I have and have had cool coworkers my whole career at Granite and at the newspaper in Pocatello, too. Heck, my BFF LA was a friend I made at the paper! 

The people in the admin department are hard-working, dedicated, fun-loving, intelligent, and hilarious. It has been my pleasure to see some of them fall in love and get married, start their families. I've seen others go through terrible health crises and come out stronger, sassier, and full of life. I've seen some of them become grandparents and I've seen others find their second chance at love. I've seen them become leaders and experts in their jobs. I've seen them take on new challenges and thrive, redefining what that role looked like. I've seen them learn new ways of doing their work, and roll with the punches that come from working in corporate America. 

Through it all, each person remains kind, loyal, and loving toward each other. You're having a hard day? Someone will give you a hug (if you allow it.) You need a ride to work? Someone will help you out. You need something brought to your house? Someone will bring it to you. It's the little kindnesses that are freely given that makes the Utah office really special. 

I feel fortunate to have had a nice career at Granite. There have been some shitty times, without a doubt, but I feel like I can say that most of my nearly 30 years there (29 years and eight months, to be precise) have been a pleasure. I've learned a lot. I did the best I could, and at the end of my career, I can say I think the Company got its money's worth out of me.

#3009 pdin 28 they didn't have stuff like this when I lived there

My BFF LA and I got together for coffee this morning (I never thought I'd say/write those words!) at what may be the cutest coffee shop I have ever been in. Gate City Coffee is in Old Town Pocatello on Center Street. It's one of those places you just know will hit all the right notes as soon as you see the pretty window display. The place is enchanting.

LA and I sat at that table on the right. In the back section, there is a little wine bar. Dreamy!

The owner told us she had spent several hours last night putting up the Christmas decorations. 
They were expecting a lot of people to come in this afternoon and evening as Pocatello is holding it's annual Christmas parade which goes down Center Street.

I really liked all the old black and white photos of the early days of Pocatello.

If this little scene doesn't put you in the Christmas spirit, I don't know what will. And look at that exposed brick wall. LOVE!

Please look at the curved ceiling with the pretty raised frescos. There's LA on the left placing her order!

The shop is so cozy and inviting to look at, I couldn't stop gawking. I wanted to stay there all day! There is a little bit of Idaho merch for sale in the shop. The couple also owns the building next door and it is a full on gift shop that is equally enticing. These folks really have their style dialed in.

Yeah, but how was the coffee? Well, it really good. I had a cappuccino and a cinnamon roll.

The baked goods are homemade on the premises. The owner makes all of them herself. The roll was big; I only finished half of it and I'm looking forward to warming up the other half for breakfast here at home tomorrow. 

I had such a great morning hanging out with my friend, chatting, having breakfast at this gorgeous shop, then doing a little of of shopping here, too. Gate City Coffee will be a regular stop on every trip to Pocatello.  It's like the perfect chick lit coffee place. If they sold books, it would be a chick lit dream come true! I would love to find a cute shop like this here in Salt Lake. I don't know if one exists, but I'll be on the lookout. 

#2996 pdin 15 a walk in the garden

mid_November vibes

Today seemed like a good day to take a walk at Red Butte Garden. I hadn't been there since toward the end of October, and I needed to drop off my bloom log, so why not stay for a stroll? The weather was perfect: mid-60s, partly cloudy, soft little whisper of a breeze, and I was ready to stretch my legs and fill my soul with the beauty of the garden. 

It's no exaggeration to say that the garden is gorgeous all year 'round. Each season shows a little different side of the personality of the place. You might think the garden in winter isn't anything to see, but you'd be wrong. There is a hush to the place in the cold months. The waterfall often freezes. The air is crisp. Berries look bright and tempting to the birds and squirrels and bunnies. It is a beautiful sanctuary of calm. In spring, it is pure magic to see and smell the sweet blossoms of wisteria, lilac, and viburnum. The air is cool and tinged with the promise of the warmer days to come. Summer is a bounty of colors, textures, and scents. It is also hot, so being able to catch a cool breeze there in the evening is a treat. In autumn, it's fun to see the different colors and the unique shapes of the tree trunks and branches. You can see little creatures better, too. I love the softer light of the season, too. 

Of course now it is late fall, and a lot of the trees have dropped all their leaves. Red Butte Garden is in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, so a bit higher elevation than my home in the valley. This morning here at home, I put a couple more of my outdoor plants to bed for the winter, and I was just wearing joggers and a t-shirt. I put on a light hoodie and a hat, as you can see in the photo, for my walk around Red Butte.

Here are some photos I took:

forest path with a rose

autumn light

obligatory waterfall pic

reflections in the pond

cool wild grasses in November light

a friendly little squirrel

I was also taking a few seasonal pics with my little fairy figurine. Sadly, she fell to bits from a tree limb in mid-pose. RIP little fairy. Here is one of her last photos:

she will read in the garden no more

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

#2993 pdin 12 TBR

 

It was time for bold and decisive action on my Goodreads Want to Read list. There were 79 titles on that list. I add new titles all the time, and I don't add titles that I own. Mostly I use the Goodreads list to look for books at the library, but how am I supposed to narrow it down from 79? I had to do something, so I got rid of any book that I added in 2023 and 2024, then from the remaining books, I got rid of any with a Goodreads rating of lower than 3.5. I'm down to 47 now, and I've made a strategic decision. At the end of each month beginning in January, I will remove books that I added in that month in 2025. For example, at the end of January 2026, any book that I added in January 2025 will be removed UNLESS I feel very strongly that I must read it, then I can carry it over for a month. 

So many books, so little time. Although, I actually will have more time to read in less than 30 days.

I learned a new word today from Pinterest, and it was appropriate:

This can be amended for virtual piles of electronic books on my Kindle and on my Goodreads list.

Happy reading!

#2958 Sunday funday and art gallery

My mom has a shirt that says "Sunday Funday" and  I think it is so cute! I might have to find one for myself. As I was driving home this afternoon, I thought, "Wow, this has been a fun Sunday. I might even call it a Sunday Funday." At least it was fun for me, so let me tell you about it.

Of course I started my day by playing with the dogs and taking care of my outside plants. I have really come to enjoy my morning routine. I hit up Starbucks and made my way to Red Butte Garden. It was quiet there today with not too many guests. The holiday weekend probably factored into that. 

After my shift, I went to Sticker Con! I just lucked into finding out about it. As I sat here on Friday night, I wondered if there would be a Sticker Con, so I GTS (Googled that shit) and learned that it was today from 1 - 4. Perfect! This is the second annual event, and it was bigger than last year. There were over 20 local artists who had booths set up to sell their art that had been made into stickers. Some of the artists also had other items like tote bags, prints, key chains, etc. There were gobs of other sticker lovers there - I am not alone ! I bought nine single stickers and a page of pumpkin item stickers. (I love fall and I love pumpkin sweets.) I could have bought more, but I had to remove myself from the scene. So cool!

My next stop was Lowes because I wanted to buy a plant. One of my outside plants did not survive. RIP Iceland poppy. Of course, I didn't get just one plant; I had to get two. I got a sweet little red coreopsis, and a lavender plant. I think I might be the only person in Utah and maybe the world who cannot grow lavender. I try every year, and every year, it shrivels up and dies. Maybe I should plant it in the ground? I always keep it in a pot. I'll keep you updated on her health. Right now she is acclimating to the deck with her new plant sisters. I do plan to go back to Lowes soon, maybe even tomorrow, because there are some beautiful guara plants and Russian sage. I have a Russian sage plant, but I feel like she needs a friend. And guara is just so pretty. I had one last summer, and I loved watching her sway in the summer breeze. 

Next, I picked up a couple of things at the grocery store. I filled some Kongs for the dogs - they love their Sunday Kongs. The menfolk are watching a movie, so I'm here at my desk painting and writing while the paint dries. 

So, yeah, maybe today hasn't been the best Sunday ever, but it was/is pretty fun for me. My next thing is to make some carne asada tacos and perhaps sit on the deck for a bit with a book and a beer. That is my idea of  a good time. 

I haven't posted art for a minute, so here are some things I've done over the past couple of months.

"Tomato Toad"

 The toad is from a Badonsky prompt. The instruction was to take two nouns that began with the first letter of your last name. 

collage bird

I really like collage. I think it's fun and cool. I made this for my mom using a little painting that I'd done for her but didn't like. Actually, I liked the painting, but I didn't like the paper it was on, so I cut it into bits and made a bird.

"Wanderlust"

This is for another Badonsky prompt, suitcase.  I've always liked old suitcases with travel stickers on them. I guess those were mostly trunks, right, but I made mine a suitcase. Those are stickers I had that I thought would be fun to use. 

"

"found poetry 1"

I am sort of obsessed with the idea of found poetry. I look at so many on Pinterest and I want to do it myself, so this is the first one I've done from a book. I tore a page out of a book (The Time Traveler's Wife, btw) and found some words that I thought went together in a sort of poetic way. I sent this one to my mom, too. I don't know if she keeps my creations, but she might.  I don't think she hangs them on her refrigerator, though. LOL

"5 Balloons"

This is from my "I saw it on Pintrest and wanted to try it" collection. Actually, I don't have a collection of art, just pins that I want to turn into art in my sketchbook. I thought this was fun. I liked layering the colors. 

Okay, that's all for now! Have a great week. Stay hydrated!

 

#2890 three things: a good day

Have you ever seen journal prompts or self-reflection questionnaires that ask you to picture your ideal day? When I see that question, my mind always jumps to a vacation day, but what about an ideal day in regular life? Well, I think I had such a day on Monday. Let me break it down.

1. Morning. Since I was working from home on Monday, I didn't have to get up at 5:00 am. I let myself sleep in until 5:30. The dogs and I went downstairs, I let them out, then I fed them. When they eat in the morning, I drink a glass of water. When they were done with all their activities, we went back upstairs. I took a nice shower and washed my hair, then went back downstairs to make coffee. I got new beans from bougee Harmon's. I like the ritual of  making a nice pot of coffee on  Monday morning, and if I have beans to grind, even better. While the coffee brewed, I put away the dishes in the drainer and from the dishwasher, so the kitchen was clean and clear. All of that happened before 7:00 am, at which time I logged on for work. I did a few things before work, but it all felt really calm and good.

2. Afternoon. Work was work, it was fine. After work, around 4:30 or so, I took the dogs outside to play. The big dogs play Find the Kibbles. I scatter about half a cup of kibbles in the grass, then Mac and Harley snuffle around and crunch on all the little kibbles. While they are using their snoots, Stella and I play frisbee. My smol gurl loves to play frisbee, and she's very good at running, jumping, and catching the disc. It's adorable. Stella could care less about the kibbles in the grass. Mac and Harley could care less about Stella's frisbee, so it all works out. I do about a hundred squats picking up that frisbee LOL. I have also started jumping rope. I'm not good at it, not at all, but it does elevate my heart rate. My max jumps so far have been 19, but the average is currently around 10. Don't judge. I'm nearly 58 years old and it's been decades since I've jumped rope. It's something different to do.

Another thing I did that afternoon was to look at the pots I have out on the deck. I realized that two of the plants are still living, coming out of winter sleep: the Russian sage and a mum. I got my little spade and clippers and did a bit of gardening. I have several pots out on the deck, and I spent a pleasant few minutes thinking about what I might plant in each of them. I really am delighted about the Russian sage. It smells so nice, and the bees love it. I'm pro-pollinator!

5. Evening. On Monday around lunchtime,  I put a couple of chicken breasts in the slow cooker along with a jar of Trader Joe's green salsa and let it hang out for about four hours. The chicken gets tender and takes on the flavor of the salsa. When we are ready, I shred the chicken and sizzle it up a bit in a saucepan, then we have tacos. It is simple and good. MT and I enjoyed a quiet dinner, then I cleaned up the kitchen and came back up to my office room to paint, draw, and write. When I was ready to for bed, I read for ten minutes or so, then dropped off into dreamland.

Here's what I painted:

It's a little birthday card for a friend at work!

It was a simple, stay-at-home day, and I was very content with it. 

#2879 three things: coffee at home, a new toy, and forgetting about time

 

1. Coffee at home. You know I love me some coffee. I will try pretty much any type of coffee drink at a coffee place, and there are some I like more than others, of course, but I can't think of many times that I couldn't drink whatever I ordered. Over the weekend, we went to Starbucks, we had coffee at the Solano Baking Company, I had coffee at Press in Battle Mountain twice (dirty maple chai for the win!), and I tried a place in Elko called Mudd Hut. They are all great, and I enjoyed the hell out of each delicious beverage I had at those places. 

Today I worked from home, and as I usually do, I made a pot of coffee. I used Caffe Ibis Hawaiian Hazelnut. I like a glug of milk and a couple of little spoons of Sugar in the Raw (granulated brown sugar) in my coffee. I brought the mug upstairs to my office, fired up my computer, and took the first sip while the computer booted up. That coffee, even the first sip which is sometimes bitter to me, was decadently delicious. I just had a couple of cups before I switched to water for the rest of the day, but those two cups set me up for a pretty dang good day. 

It's probably the combination of working at home in my cozy office space, classical music softly playing in my ears, the dogs gently snoring on the floor next to me, my soft comfy sweats and warm socks keeping me relaxed and calm along with that great cup of coffee that makes my morning feel so good. Whatever it is, I'll take it. Sometimes you cannot beat having a cup of coffee at home.

2. A new toy. I  wanted to create a travel journal during my trip to Paris and Catalunya. I envisioned filling my new sketchbook with sketches and paintings and words while I was there, but each day was so full that I didn't have time to do any of that. I did make a zine each day, and those little mementos are really fun, and I am so happy to have them.

Basically, I came back with an nearly empty sketchbook, and I decided that I would go ahead and create the travel journal after the fact. Then things got a bit out of hand last summer, and my sketchbook remained empty, waiting.

Finally though, after a creativity workshop with Jill the Artist in which the topic was procrastinating, I decided to just jump in and start. It is not a day-by-day accounting of the trip; I've decided to create pages based on when memories pop up or when I a photo (I look at them often) moves me to tell about it. 

To that end, I bought myself an HP Sprocket printer. It prints 2 x 3" photos on special paper, kinda like Polaroid paper, except it comes out of the printer fully printed. An extra cool part is that the paper is a sticker!!! The photos I printed yesterday came out really nicely, and I had a great time writing about the time we spent at Palau de la Musica Catalana.  I'm excited about my new toy!

(Yeah, I know. That top sketch is a little scary.)

3. Forget about time. I saw this really cute graphic on Pinterest from ourmindfullife.com.

The last one on the list, "Do more of what makes you forget about time," has stuck with me. I find that when I am writing, drawing, and painting, I get lost in it and time slips away. It's so cool! Sometimes forgetting about time happens when I'm scrolling through my phone, too, and it's fun, but it isn't as fulfilling as spending the time creating. Have you found something that makes you forget about time? 

Kind of a bummer part of forgetting about time and getting lost in the flow is that I tend to go to bed later than is good for me. When I do get to bed, my mind is still humming from the buzz of endorphins brought on by doing something I enjoy so much, then it's hard to slow my mind and get to sleep. The extra bummer part is that I am really and truly soundly and happily asleep when that blasted alarm goes off  in the wee hours before dawn (5 am). Maybe I need to set a timer so my phone can remember the time and tell me and the muse when to shut it down.

Enjoy the rest of the week!

#2874 three things: no spend January, dance party, my word

 

I decided to use some of my art for heading! How do you like it? I used the Snapseed app to put a frame around it, and I added some text. The drawing is in a book that I gave Mamacita for her birthday. In true little kid fashion, I drew pictures in a perfectly good book. I bought the used book in a cool little bookstore in Barcelona, and I always intended to draw in it. The decision to give it to my mama for her birthday came when I was trying to figure out what to give my mama for her birthday. LOL It was a terrifically fun project for me. 

Also...happy new year! 

Now let's get on with my three things.

1. No spend January. The past few months, I have spent quite a lot of money on eating out. I've been traveling, and of course you'll eat out when you are not at home, but even at home, I was uninspired and often too wiped out to cook anything, or sometimes even tp go to the grocery store. My budget has suffered because of this particular aspect of my spending, so I decided to challenge myself to not spend any money eating out in January. Now, you may know that I have a bit of a coffee habit - I really like Starbucks and Dutch Bros. I have money and gift cards loaded on those apps, and I can use the money in the apps, but I can't reload them out of my checking account this month. Fortunately, I got a couple of Starbucks gift cards for Christmas, so I will be okay there. I know this challenge will, in fact, be challenging, but I really want to see if I have the will-power to do it. So far, I'm 3 for 3! I'll update the status throughout the month. 

2. The dance party. When I was talking to Mom and Lizzie on Monday night, they told me that while waiting for the ball to drop on New Year's Eve, they had an impromptu dance party, just the two of them. I'm sure Lulu the Dog was bemused by the situation. I can't stop thinking about it, though! I can picture my sweet little mamacita and my beloved sister swaying and twirling, waving their arms in the air like they just don't care, and smiling with glee the whole time. The mental images make me so happy! Keep dancing!! (Maybe my choice of art for the header of this post was inspired subconsciously by the dance party, and I inserted myself in the dance, too?)

3. My Word. For the past several years, I have chosen a Word to be a talisman, I guess, for the year. Last year, I chose the word  Allow at the beginning of the year only to change it to Slow a few months later because I didn't feel like it fit anymore. Turns out that nothing about last year was Slow, but the word was a good reminder to pump the brakes and take it easy every now and again, so I guess the Word did what it was supposed to do. 

I was tempted to keep Slow again this year, or find a similar word to instill that feeling of quiet and peace. Then, suddenly, I didn't want that vibe. I didn't want something super energetic, and I didn't want anything too passive, either. Suddenly, as I was sort of going back and forth about it all, a word came to me and it was so vivid and loud in my head, that it could not be denied. My Word for 2024 is CONFIDENT.  

Doubt, self-consciousness, and anxiety frequently dominate my thoughts. When I think of my word, I get a boost. Maybe I fake it until I make it, but hopefully I will be the only one who knows I'm faking it. (heehee) 

There are a couple of supporting words, too: Authentic and Grace. These words will remind me to be true to myself and to give myself the benefit of the doubt as well as putting me in a good mindset.

Usually, I will create a mandala with the Word in the center. This year, I thought of a photo that Lizzie took of me when we were in Barcelona. I don't often like to see photos of myself - I can always find something that I don't like (don't we all?) This pic is an exception; I actually like everything about it. I like my hair, my glasses are cool, I like what I'm wearing, and I like my genuine and authentic smile. Not only that, I vividly remember sitting at this cafe in the Plaza Real. It was Mother's Day. We'd just finished touring Palau Guell, and we were having a drink before going to lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in the city, Can Culleretes. Mom, Lizzie, and I were relaxed and happy, and it was just so fucking awesome to be sitting there with them on that beautiful Sunday afternoon. It seemed like the perfect photo to embody everything I want from my Word this year. 

Peace!

xo

#2872 three things: my vibe, a bougie blanket, and just what I needed

 

1. My vibe right now is slow down and hibernate. After a very full year, I'm ready to take a little time to rest, nap, reflect, and relax. I do have four more work days this year (this Thursday and Friday, and next Thursday and Friday,) but I think those days will be fairly quiet and stress-free. I'm ready for it.

2. I got a bougie blanket. I'll go out on a limb and say that every woman in my department at work has a passion for Minky Couture blankets. Most of the women have at least one, and many have two or more of these blankets. I have resisted the craze. I did get a travel size Minky for my birthday from work, and yes, it is a nice little blanket. Is it better than some of the other fleece blankets I have? I wouldn't say so, but it is really soft. 

Today our team had our annual Christmas breakfast and gift extravaganza. I knew there must be at least one Minky blanket in the gift mix, so I decided that I would try to get it. I had to "steal" it a couple of times to secure it, but it's mine now. I haven't even taken it out of it's packaging just yet. I'm currently reveling in the fact that I now have the bougiest blanket in Utah for my very own.

3. Just what I needed. Last weekend I went to southern California to spend a couple of days with Mama and Lizzie, and more specifically, to celebrate Mama's 80th birthday. I'm so glad I went. It was a wonderful weekend, relaxing and fun. I went for a nature walk with Lizzie, we looked around some shops, we watched movies, and we ate good food. That was Saturday. On Sunday, Mama's birthday, the three of us cooked together, which was awesome, then gobbled up our efforts, and did art. Monday was shorter because I had to get on a plane back to SLC, but it was still great. I slept beautifully and without interruption. I was delighted to be with Mom and Lizzie. We laughed, we cried, we talked, and we simply enjoyed being together. Wonderful.

#2871 three things: my vibe, joy at work, and charmed by chateaux

 

1. My vibe. Right now, my vibe is pretty relaxed and content. I have had a good couple of weeks of art time, as I created a project I've been wanting to do for awhile. I finished it tonight, and I'm mostly happy with how it turned out. There are a couple of duds, but I just call them wabi sabi and move on. I look forward to sharing it with you soon.

2. Finally, a bit of joy at work. I'm caught up! All summer I have been struggling to keep up with emails, special projects, and everything in between. I had to make peace with the fact that I wouldn't be able to catch up and stay within a day or so of the new work that came in because the flow was heavy, but kind of sporadic, too. Not good flow. But yesterday...yesterday was the magical day that I finally cleared up all my unread emails, checked most everything of importance off my daily task list, and actually left the office at my designated leaving time of 4:00. It was glorious. I smiled the whole afternoon, and when I announced to my friendly co-workers that my emails were all taken care of, they actually applauded and cheered for me. LOL It was awesome. After a moment of soaking in the joy, my co-worker across the aisle quietly said, "Um, I'm going to send you an email now." That cracked me up. It was a brief moment of an empty inbox, but a fantastic moment after a tough, tough summer.

3. Charmed by chateaux. For several years, I have followed an account on Instagram called This French Life. The woman who has the account is an American who now lives in France, with an apartment in Paris and a country home in Brittany. This week, Shannon has been showing chateaux in the Loire Valley that are all decorated for Christmas, and it has been really beautiful to see. The chateaux are gorgeous, from the buildings themselves to the interiors, and also the grounds. The tour isn't about history, but about the decor. I especially liked the third chateau she visited, Chateau Chenonceau. If you have a few minutes, hop over to You Tube and search for "This French Life," then scroll down to Shorts and look at the videos. You can also find her on Instagram at "thisfrench.life." 

#2716 the magic pants

When I was looking for clothes to take on my vacation, I kept seeing the words “ponte pants” followed by glowing, gushing words about how comfortable they are,  how well they keep their shape, and how easy they are to pack because they are wrinkle-resistant. How could I not investigate these pants for myself?

The first place I explored for more information was, of course, Google. What are ponte pants? What are the best brands? Is it one particular style, or are there multiple options? Are they available in different colors? I sort of went down a ponte pant rabbit hole, as I am prone to do.

If you don’t know, I’ll briefly explain what I learned. Ponte pants are made of a thick double-knit fabric, so they are heavier than a legging, but like leggings, ponte pants hug your body. It was the comparison to leggings and the hugging of the body that made me feel kind of uncomfortable about the thought of ponte pants, but I persisted.  I Googled the best ponte pants, then I went on Amazon to do some shopping. 

I ended up with a pair from Rekucci called “Women’s Ease Into Comfort Everday Chic Straight Pant w/Tummy Control.”  (They were on the list of best ponte pants and they cost $40.) There are no zippers or buttons. They are pull on pants with a wide waistband. You know what? They feel amazing. They fit so wonderfully. They are stretchy and non-binding. They do fit close to the body, and I was a little self-conscious, but the comfort won me over.

The ponte pants and my favorite pair of jeans went on vacation with me and I alternated days between the pants. Honestly, though, I might have been just as happy to have two pairs of ponte pants and no jeans. They look a little dressy but wear like your favorite yoga pants. 

When I got back home, I noticed that I had another pair of magic ponte pants that I purchased for a job interview awhile ago. The interview pants have buttons and a zipper, but they are just as wonderful as the vacation ponte pants, which I came to refer to during the trip as my magic pants because they were so comfortable even though I walked miles and miles in them. They never gave me a wedgie, got wrinkly, or cut into my tummy or other parts. Magic.

The good news is that they are available in many styles and color and from a bunch of companies. I can see myself perhaps buying another pair that are not black. Both pairs I have are black. 

Of course, as I look to cull my clothes, do I really need another pair of pants, even if they are magic? Plus summer is coming. Maybe I’ll wait until fall.

#2473 thankful for awkward dog snuggles

My dog, Mac, has two personalities, befitting her two breeds. The husky side of her is stubborn, a little on the crazy side, and extremely energetic. The lab side of her loves to play fetch and to snuggle. Her snuggles are kind of awkward, though. She does not care about boundaries. She'll sleep with her head on my pillow, or using my head as a pillow, as she did last night. She puts her nose in my private areas, probably mostly because it gets my attention and therefore she has my attention. She's kind of needy. 

Today she has mostly not let me out of her sight. When I just sat down to write here, she played lap dog, as much as her big body allows her. She stands up on her hind feet and lays her upper body over my lap. Her face is right in my face. There isn't much I can do except pet her when she behaves in such a manner. Now, when I started typing, she did lay down on my feet. 

Mac has such a different personality from Osi. Osi was a total pleaser. She was quiet and mild-mannered, in her grown-up years, anyway. When she was younger she was rambunctious and playful, but I don't think to level that Mac is playful and rambunctious. Osi was always the biggest snuggle pup. If I was sitting still, Osi was by me. As I mentioned, Mac's snuggles are sweet but kind of awkward and always on her terms. She's kind of cat-like with her snuggles. She decides when and for how long it will happen. 

There have been times when I've wondered if I got the right dog with Mac. She's so much bigger and more powerful and just "more" than I thought I wanted. I've grown used to her though, and I can't imagine being without her. MT and T both love her. MT says she's one of the best dogs we've ever had, after Marley. I think they like her so much because she likes them so much. When any of us come home, the sheer excitement and affection Mac shows is a bit overwhelming and pretty endearing. 

The dog is all right. 

#2468 thankful for hot tea and a good book before bed

During the Time of Covid, I learned to drink herbal tea. I think the moment came during a WW workshop (via Zoom) when the coach talked about drinking herbal tea. I have often thought that drinking tea was just like drinking dirty water. It didn't have a good flavor. I've tried herbal teas before, but I didn't care for it. One day, maybe in April or May, I tried again, and I did like it. 

Now I have several flavors of tea in my cupboard. I started out with iced tea. I really like the Tazo passion tea. Sometimes in the summer, if I was feeling really sassy, I would mix it with a little lemonade, just like at Starbucks. I am also a fan of the Tazo lemon loaf flavor. It's crazy delicious. A simple green tea with chamomile is also good. In the evening, I found a blend at Trader Joe's that called Well Rested tea. It has several different flavors and maybe it's the power of suggestion, but it really does calm me down and get me ready for sleepy time. 

I do put some sweetener in my tea. My favorite sweetener is Truvia.

Tonight after dinner, I put some water on to boil while I did the dishes. I poured the hot water over the bag of Well Rested tea and let it steep while I finished wiping down the counters. After that, I took my cup of hot tea to the couch and curled up in a blanket to read and drink my comforting beverage. 

Dang. I'm getting old, aren't I? 

It's okay. It feels great. 

#2467 thankful for moments of mindless escape

My beloved iPhone was sitting in front of me and I mindlessly picked it up and clicked on Instagram. I spent a good few minutes looking at photos of Savannah, GA, various cottages in England, photos of Paris, and images of Chrissy Teigen and her family. Lots of stuff I saw made me smile and it occurred to me that I felt thankful for the chance to scroll through these images and remember places I have been, dream of places I want to go, and enjoy the fact that some famous people are willing to share bits of their lives. I know it's kind of silly, but with all the crazy sh!t happening in the world, escaping to the world of IG every once in awhile feels good.

#2464 thankful: Trader Joe's!

You know I love me some Trader Joe's. I decided to go there today because, well, I love it, and also because I saw a list of 53 Thanksgiving items on Buzzfeed so I had to get some of them. Here's a quick rundown of what I got from the list.

47 - Roasted Potatoes with Peppers and Onions - these are a staple at my house. We had them for dinner, with eggs, tonight. Lizzie says the potatoes are too soft for her, but I love them.

21 - Mini Brie en Croute - looking forward to trying these. I don't know that it will be on Thanksgiving, since it really doesn't fit in with our menu plan, but sometime in the next week these appetizers will be eaten.

15 - Mac & Cheese - this is another staple. T loves it and eats it coated in sriracha.  I prefer to splash some Marie Sharp's hot sauce on it, but either was is awesome.

5 - Cornbread Bites with Pepper Jack Cheese and Serrano Chile Peppers - I haven't had these before and like the brie (21), I am eager to give these a try.

1 - Scallopini Potatoes - we haven't had this before and I think they will be delicious. We won't have them on Thursday, but sometime soon.

Going back through the list, I see a couple of items I missed:

20 - Herbaceous Cheesy Bites - how did I miss this? Hopefully these little fellers will be around for a bit longer. I think I would like them a lot.

2 - Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese - I can tell you that this is delicious. I have a box in my freezer and would have been glad to add another box or two to the stash, but my TJ's was sold out of this product.

I did get myself a pecan pie for dessert on Thursday. My dad always made pecan pies from scratch and they were incredible. I have had mixed results when I've made the pie. The TJ's version is good and I'm happy to have it. My guys and I have different ideas about good desserts. They like ice cream. I don't. I like pecan pie. They don't. I'll pick them up an ice cream cake on Monday probably, and I've got my pie and we'll all be happy.

While I was there, I picked up a wreath for my door and a couple of Kringles - one for now and one that I freeze in portion-controlled packets. I don't think I got anything else that was new to me. I did go with a list of about half a dozen items, but I left with three bags of groceries and a sizable receipt. That place has a spell on me!

I am so glad we have Trader Joe's stores here in Salt Lake. I am joyful every time I go there, even when I have to wait it a long line to get in and it's cold, as happened today. I leave feeling happy, and I don't know if I can say that about shopping at my regular grocery store.