such sweet daydreams

I want to make a conscious effort to tell people what I like about them.

I admire so many people for so many reasons, and it occurs to me that they probably have no idea.

That ends NOW.

OK, OK!  Impatient lot, aren't you?

So I was telling Amy today that I heard one of our clients on NPR last night, and was quite a bit more excited than I feel like she was.  I mean, come on.  I moved to Boston 6 months ago (6 months!!) and I don't know very many people, so to actually know someone on the radio, especially NPR?  I found it to be kind of exciting.

It wasn't until I was walking home today in the snow (snow!) that the full weight of what had happened hit me.

When I heard this NPR bit, I was lying in bed in my jammies, knitting, listening to NPR on a Thursday night at about 10:08.  I enjoy this lifestyle...but some may consider it a bit lackluster, old ladyish, or even ...boring... .  But you know what?  SCREW YOU!

I heart NPR, knitting, and PJs.  So there.

 

Apparently, Bryan was in town yesterday (and by 'in town,' I mean in Altavista, of course). And in true Powell fashion, a visit to Perky's was enjoyed by all. (And by all, I mean Granddaddy, Grandmommy, Mom, Patsy, and Bryan.) I can only assume that drinks were had, that Granddaddy drank iced tea and put extra sugar in it, and that they were seated in that back corner, {see right photo}. It was probably smoky, and loud, and Granddaddy probably saw at least one person he knew and needed to chat with.

But something was definitely missing: THE REST OF US! I wish I had been there...MAN I love some Perk Perks.

I'd like to also make a side note that this picture was taken on possibly one of the most satisfying days of my life.  Sarah, Haley, and I floated around for hours on Smith Mountain Lake on these FABULOUS inflatable rafts that had mesh in the middle, getting drunk in the late morning/afternoon sun, talking about life and such, with Haley to pull Sarah's and my SLENDER and DELICATE selves closer to the shore when we drifted too far away.  :D  (Friends of Haleys, Carlos in particular, may have heard a different story here, but I assure you, it is ALL lies...Haley was delighted to have the exercise.)  It was splendid, all in all.  {See below}  You can't see the beer bottles floating around under our legs...but trust me, they're there.

Erica and Sarah Smith Mountain Lake

 

In the spirit of, oh, every day life, here's a family favorite!! Grandmommy downing that shot like it's nothing, me in the HOT hat, a step behind (can anyone really compare with Grandmommy?) holding that yummy/nasty pickle.

I miss this.

For those of you on the outside (and what a sad, cold, lonely place it must be) that's pepper vodka in those shot glasses, and a pickle in my hand.  And it is a DIVINE combination of things that must be immediately preceded by a loud, raucous 'Nostrovia'!  (Russians are fantastic.)

We do this every Christmas.  It's a tradition.  Loves!

PS--I am eating cucumbers with cream cheese RIGHT NOW and it makes me miss the beach something fierce.  I hope we go this year--maybe I will actually make an appearance!!  For the founding beach-goer of the Pomids, I've done a poor job of holding up my end as of late.  This must change.

I am always interested when I see people wheeling suitcases around in the middle of the week.  If they're wearing a business suit or carrying a briefcase, I think it's fairly safe to assume that this is a business trip...which, while potentially enviable, is not that exciting.  The ones that interest me are the people wearing jeans and a sweatshirt.  Where are they going?  What life of luxury do they lead that allows them to grab a suitcase on Wednesday morning and head out?  Are they leaving Boston, or coming to visit someone else?  Are they on vacation?  Did their classes get canceled?

The weather today was cool, but not cold.  I thought more of chilly Virginia mornings than mid-February New England tepmeratures.  It made me think of catering with Isabel, being up so early that the sun hadn't even thought about rising yet, and wheeling carts across the Randolph-Macon campus as it made its appearance.  It made me think of walks with Mom and Sam, with some or all of the kitties racing madly behind us, only to tucker out at the bend of the road and flop down in the grass to wait for our return.  It made me think of Easter with these cool kids...

Pomids

...under-dressing for the weather, squeezing the entire family into that one pew in the back of the church even though there were about 15 empty ones, singing 'Welcome Happy Morning' as we shook with (sometimes) silent laughter over anything and everything.  This weather makes me think of Spring, and it makes me miss home.

I worked out last night (go me!) but now I am sore.  I am sad about this for two reasons.  First, DUH, I'm sore.  It doesn't feel great, and it's distracting me from my work (well, that and just about everything else around me!).  Second, it shows that I obviously NEED to work out, and if you knew how little I'd actually done last night, compared to my soreness level today, you'd realize that I have a LONG way to go.

But I took the first step--and damn it, that counts!

Piazza San Marco at night

I am overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things that I could choose to write here. There's so much going on in my head at any given moment; which thoughts make the cut?

I've been thinking a lot lately about our trip to Europe because Ali is planning to visit Rome and Florence in March and has asked for my assistance. I really want to go back, but I'm torn as to where to go. Our adventure was such a whirlwind that I would like to revisit all of the places that we went. But do I want to ignore other parts of the world that I'd also like to visit? I definitely want to go to Venice again; we only spent a day and a half there, and there were many more things I wanted to see. Perhaps that will be next on my list.

Of course, I must come across some disposable income before I start spending it...

NOTE: This picture looked WAY better on my computer at home.  Hmmmm...must investigate.

I just gave myself a gross paper cut.

So I made a 'bandaid' for my finger out of a small bit of paper towel and some Scotch tape.  It's amazingly attractive.

But now it's hard to type.  DAMN.

And, yes, I tagged this post 'paper cut' because I know there will be more.