yoko can't spell

Katharine Fontaine Heath 1914-2009

2009-01-13T13:49:00.000-05:00

On New Year’s Day I sat down to write a New Year’s post, recapping 2008 and voicing my hopes for 2009. It started out as a very upbeat post. Unfortunately, it remains unfinished. I haven’t been able to muster the positivity that I felt on January 1, instead I’ve spent the last 12 days feeling very sad.

If you know me in real life, you are likely to have heard me mention my “adopted” grandmother, Katharine Heath. Katharine was an incredible woman and friend to my family, who at the age of 94, passed away quietly in her home late Saturday night. Her health had been declining for several years and we have spent the first two weeks of the year holding vigil over her her. Below is the letter that I wrote to her a week before she passed away and which I will read at her funeral service on Saturday. I hope I can hold back my tears.

January 3, 2009

Katharine. I believe that I can be honest and say that I know that you are getting very close to letting this world go. I am sad for myself and for all of the people who know and love you; I don’t think that any of us can adequately prepare for the hole your absence will leave in our lives. My tears are selfish, I know that you are ready to go and I do take some comfort knowing that you are still in your little house and will be able to stay there until the end. I know that you are right where you want to be. There are a few things I want to be sure that you know and that you know I will always remember. You have done more to shape my life and the person I am than anyone second to my parents. There has never been a time in my life when you were not there.

You taught me how to build a fire, a log cabin out of kindling, lit with a newspaper spliff.

You always spoke to me as a grownup, never once can I recall you babying me although I know you spent countless midnight hours walking me to sleep on you front porch. One of my earliest memories is of a humid night on your balcony watching heat lightening in the distance.

You made sure that I believed in, and knew about, the magic of the natural world, that the stumps in our yard were really fairy castles and that every grain silo was a tower for a princess. I have already started to indoctrinate my nieces in fairy lore and you can be sure that I will pass a respect for the fairies that dance around the edge of the dining room table on to my own children.

I pretended to be an elf under a toad stool umbrella in your yard while you made rainbows with the hose. We’ve picked grapes fresh from the arbor and shared numerous “elevenses”. We’ve let the wind blow through our hair as we raced across the meadow in your golf cart.

You read me countless stories, Ms. Minerva and Ollie LaCoy. I cherish those old children’s stories but not nearly as much as I cherish the stories of your life. I don’t need to close my eyes to picture 5 year old Katharine following the trolley tracks home because Betsy had lost her train ticket and you wouldn’t let her walk home alone. I see you on the streets of Charlottesville and on the grounds of UVA as a young woman, sharp and beautiful. I can picture your driving your old Jeep across the dunes and rushing Lee to the doctor after yet another accident. You were always ready to make me laugh with the “Lee Story”. Every campfire song I know comes from you. Thank you for sharing the stories of your life with me; I carry them like they are my own. I will always remember you, dear Katharine, in the Spring time when the flowers begin to bloom, when I set a dinner table (“the fork goes on the left, the knife protects the spoon from the fork”), when I make a cup of tea. You are and always will be a constant part of my life; so much of what I know has been shaped by you. You told me to “forget the boys and wait from the men”. I hope that you approve of the man that I have chosen and I’m happy that he has had an opportunity to know you. I’m sorry that my future children will not get to have you as their “great grandmother”. I promise that they will know all about you. I will hang the boat painting in their bedroom and tell them the story of the elf, Ollie LaCoy, who creeps in the bedrooms of sleeping children, laying drops of warm milk on their eyelids so that they can climb into that painting and sail the boats in their dreams.

I could fill page after page with memories that we created together and wisdom that you have shared, perhaps one day I will, but I will stop now and let this be my goodbye to you. Thank you for everything that your have been and will always be for me, I love you and am blessed to have been able to call you Grandmother and Friend.

November 5, 2008

2008-11-05T09:01:00.000-05:00

"A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the mean time we are
suffering deeply in spirit, and incurring the horrors of a war & long
oppressions of enormous public debt." - Thomas Jefferson, June 4, 1798

For the first time in as long as I can remember, I am truly proud of my country. We came together and mandated change. We chose hope over fear and decided to look towards the future rather than dwelling on the failures of the past. I went to bed last night with tears of joy in my eyes and I’ve woken up the same way. My hope now is that we can live up to the ideals we professed in the polls yesterday and move forward with the same positivity and optimism that brought us this victory in the first place. I hope that in four years, like today, I’m proud to say I’m a citizen of the UNITED States of America.

2008-10-21T10:42:00.000-04:00

For the first time since Kennedy...

2008-10-16T10:18:00.002-04:00

For the first time in 44 years Virginia is projected to be a "blue state". Dare I hope?

2008-10-03T13:34:00.002-04:00

Words can not accurately describe how excited I am that Phish is back. The rumors reached me Tuesday and I could hardly sleep, waiting to see if what I hoped for was true. I knew there was good news when I woke up to my cell phone ringing at 6:20am. I didn't have to answer to know that it was our touring buddy, Mike, calling to tell me the ticket lottery was on, that Hampton was coming back to life.

I'm ready to pack the Subaru (tour Volvo, RIP) to the gills with microwbrews, sleeping bags and lawn chairs, drop off the dog and hit the road for Summer Tour. Yet another reason I'm glad Cory is back on school: summers off. Now if they could just be so kind as to hold off on the East Coast shows until I clear April 15th, that would be super.

My first Phish show was at Hampton back in 1998 and I hope through some miracle of miracles that I'll get into all three nights in 2009. Wish us luck and I'll meet you in front of the fountain!

Something else for me to worry about.

2008-09-19T11:15:00.000-04:00

We were about an hour outside of Raleigh on Friday afternoon when my sister called and told me “Get gas now!”. Apparently the threat of Hurricane Ike had sent North Carolinians scrambling to the pump and some gas station owners were taking full advantage of the situation. Gas in Raleigh was hovering between $4.69 and $4.99 a gallon for regular unleaded. The jump seemed to have occurred after lunchtime and by 5 pm there were lines of cars coming out of the gas stations and into the road. Lucky for us we’d filled up an hour previous for the slightly less unreasonable rate of $3.89.

The gouging continued into the evening and as we returned from dinner out with my sister’s friends we saw more and more gas stations with plastic bags over their pumps. The few stations that had not raised their prices above $4 were shuttered. Lines continued to spill into the street at the open stations. I started to think we might be spending more than the weekend in North Carolina.

I was both relieved and disgusted to hear that the gas prices had returned to normal Saturday AM. Apparently the panic was largely based in North Carolina and multiple stations were cited for price gouging. While the price per barrel for gas did jump on Friday, it didn’t go up enough to necessitate a dollar increase per gallon, particularly since that gas was already in the tanks and had been purchased at the lower per barrel rate. Of course, having every Tom, Dick and Harry who drives an SUV jump into line as soon as the prices started to increase didn’t help either.

What really scares me is that I think this is just a sign of what we can expect in the future. Just how far away are we from another 70’s like gas crisis? Thank goodness the motorcycle can go 200+ miles between fill-ups and I only drive an average of 2 miles a day.

Vote Obama/Biden.

Time to put away the white dresses and flip flops...

2008-09-05T14:08:00.000-04:00

Well, I suppose summer is finally over. We certainly had a busy one and the Fall is shaping up to be just as eventful. Cory has started grad school for Elementary Education which is possibly one of the biggest lifestyle changes we’ve ever made. He is now a kept man (I chose to over look the 3 nights a week he is working at the restaurant; everyone knows that waitering isn’t a REAL job and I’m a martyr, damnit). I’m probably having a harder time then him adjusting. I just can’t get used to being home alone 5 nights a week while he is either in class or slinging Santa Fes and margaritas. I’m going to have to join a club or something. For now I’m devoting my energy to small home improvement projects. I’ve been painting my kitchen cabinets for several weeks now (that is a whole other post) and I have a short list of repairs that I think I can tackle myself. Gots to be keeping busy and off the streets!

I’d say we managed to wrap up the season with a bang last weekend. Cory’s birthday was Saturday, marking the end of his most auspicious year (28, *snap, snap*). I was up until almost midnight on Friday putting the finishing touches on his birthday cake. Carrot with cream cheese frosting, all from scratch. Of the many skills I have inherited from my mother, the ability to make a damn fine cake from scratch is certainly one of the best. Not that I’m proud of myself or anything. The secret is to soak the grated carrots in brown sugar for an hour before adding them to the batter. That and using twice as much cream cheese as your recipe calls for. After struggling with back pain for the last two weeks I was able to pull myself together enough to make it to the UVA vs USC massacre on Saturday and on Sunday we went on a truly relaxing tubing trip through Nelson County with 20 of our friends. All and all not a bad birthday weekend, I think.

Since I have so many free evenings on my hands nowadays I’m especially grateful that my friend Sarah is back in town after spending her summer in San Francisco pretending to be a lawyer. Last night she cooked me what was possibly the best quesadilla I’ve ever eaten. Chamoniard, green chiles and a perfectly ripe peach. It was heaven I tell you, heaven. Then we cruised across the street from her apartment to the My Morning Jacket show at the Pavilion. All I can say is wow, what a great show. This was my first time seeing them live and they were everything I’d hoped they would be. Cory does claim that we saw them at Bonnaroo. I do not recall this, which means I was probably enjoying the ummm…other things…Bonnaroo has to offer or was asleep back at the tent. Either way, it felt like my first time. Last night you could tell the band was having the time of their lives being rock stars at a small and enthusiastic venue. I just love those reverby vocals that sound like they’re migrating up from the bottom of a deep bucket of water. They manage to combine a jam band vibe and classic guitar driven rock (that is ROCK! said gutturally with your mouth wide open and your fist pumping the air) into something just amazing. As we sat on the lawn with a warm breeze blowing in our faces, we both agreed that we were really lucky to be there on such a beautiful September night. The only thing that could possibly have made the night better was is we’d had more than $16 in cash between us. With beer being $5 a pop, that didn’t go far, but at least my head didn’t hurt this morning.

Cory & Susan Get Their Panic On

2008-08-12T13:18:00.003-04:00

Cory & Susan Get Their Panic On, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

I made this desktop background for my sis-in-law Susan to commemorate the "3rd Annual Cassity-Jordan Get Your Panic on in P-Town". For the last 3 years we've met Susan and Ted in Olde Town Portsmouth to see Widespread at the Portsmouth Pavilion. Even when S & T were living in Norfolk we'd all get a hotel room in Portsmouth so that we could adequately get our party on. Activities include (but are not limited to) ferry rides to Waterside, blatant disdain for open container laws and freaking out the squares.

Stainless Steel Straws

2008-07-30T14:59:00.002-04:00

photo via The Kitchn

It is like someone read my mind and created these just for me. I love my straws! Don't mock me for bringing my own on vacation! This stroke of brilliance can be found here.

Strengthening My Resistance Muscle

2008-07-24T12:57:00.003-04:00

I just want to thank everyone who has emailed, called or left me a comment in response to my last blog entry. All of your love and support is (and will continue to be) appreciated. When you are feeling as down on yourself as I was it really helps to be reminded that there are people who love me for who I am, not for what size jeans I wear. Thank you.

It turns out that baring my soul was just what I needed. Several times I've come very close to deleting that post. I reveled something that I personally find very embarrassing to the world. I'm ashamed that I care so much about how I look. However, having my innermost insecurities laid out there for all the interwebs to see has provided just the motivation I needed to make a healthy change to my lifestyle. Already I'm eating better and I'm exercising more. I can't hate myself if I know I'm making a conserted effort towards a positive improvement. I've always eaten well and exercised some, I just needed to amp up both and cut out the crap. I have a plan and I'm going to stick to it. I'm not on a diet, I'm just strengthening my resistance muscle.

This is where I beat myself up.

2008-07-16T10:43:00.001-04:00

I’m such a bad blogger. I start every day intending to post something and then before I know it I’ve gone two weeks with out writing anything. How lame.

In all honesty, I’ve been feel kind of “blah” lately. We have been having a great summer, plenty of weekend trips and seeing lots of friends and family but I can’t seem to shake the blues. This happens to me occasionally. I’ll know rationally that my life is great but still be unable to shake whatever black cloud I’m under. My self-esteem has been particularly low lately. I’m not going to go on and on about it, because frankly I’m pretty embarrassed that I care, but I’m really, really unhappy with my body right now. Again, this is a feeling that has come and gone my whole adult life. I would really like to go smack my 19 year old self for feeling fat. What an idiot that girl was! I think that it is particularly bad right now because there is some truth to my self berating. I’ve gotten complacent with what I eat and how much I workout and it is really starting to show. I hate the way I look in pictures, my pants are getting a little tight and I look pregnant in almost everything. I have actively dreaded some of our social engagements this summer because I’m embarrassed by how I look. I short, I’m starting to develop a potentially unhealthy relationship with food and/or my self image and I’m going to work really hard to change that. I think that losing 15 pounds is a reasonable goal to start with. I already have a plan and have been eating smarter (more fruits and veggies, less mindless nighttime eating) and going to the gym more. I love food and I’m not going to stop eating because a hungry Yoko is a very unpleasant thing but a little portion control isn’t going to kill me. Nothing tastes as good as thin feels, right?

I have been debating whether to post this all morning. I feel like I’m admitting something to everyone that I’ve always tried to keep hidden. The occasional self disparaging comments that I make about looking fat are one thing, laying out that I hate my body to all the internet is another. I guess I’m hoping that posting this will provide some accountability for myself and if it does, then it is worth the shame I’m feeling right now. Wish me luck, I’m off to have my morning apple.

I miss it.

2008-07-02T10:41:00.002-04:00

The desire to return to vacation isn't exactly an earth shattering sentiment but, man, I want to go back to Paris and stay there FOREVER. Having looked at our own pictures about a hundred times I'm now looking at strangers' pictures of Europe on flickr. I peer at the backgrounds, looking past the photos' intended subjects, straining to recognize a street or cafe. Two weeks wasn't long enough...I should have been an architect.*

*or a doctor or a lawyer or a trust fund baby

Melon Madness

2008-06-18T12:29:00.002-04:00

Watermelon Mint, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Oh summer! It was hotter then all get out last week and this young girl’s thoughts turned to melon. We had a nice sized, seedless watermelon in the fridge and I decide do to utilize it in my after work cocktail. I’ll call what I mixed up “Yoko’s Watermelon Cooler”. First I cubed enough chunks of melon to fill a standard sized rocks glass, added several sprigs of chopped mint from the garden and a dash of lime juice. I muddled all that together, added crushed ice (the best kind), ½ spoonful of sugar, soda water and a shot of white rum. Delicious!

Unfortunately, eternity is two people and a watermelon (or a ham…) so I decided to look up a few watermelon based recipes. The first one I stumbled across was Paula Deen’s Watermelon Salad with Mint Leaves. Remarkably, I had all the ingredients on hand and despite Cory’s skepticism I made it as a side dish for some steak we were grilling. Personally, I thought it was delicious. Cory wasn’t a huge fan but he doesn’t really care for “sweet & savory” dishes. I’ll make it again, perhaps for a BBQ. The recipe is below; don’t add the dressing until just before serving or the watermelon loses some of its crispness.

1 (5-pound) watermelon
1 Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
6 whole mint sprigs
Cut the flesh from the melon and cut into bite size pieces, removing and discarding the seeds, and set aside. Peel and slice the onion into rings.
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, salt, pepper, and whisk until salt is dissolved. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, a few drops at a time. Add in the chopped mint, taste, and adjust seasonings.
In a large bowl, combine the melon, onion, and feta. Pour the dressing over the melon mixture and toss gently until everything is coated and evenly mixed. Garnish with mint sprigs.
To serve, divide salad among individual plates and garnish with mint leaves.

Recipe courtesy of Paula Dean

Leaving Paris

2008-06-10T15:14:00.009-04:00

After three days in Paris, we were ready to start the next leg of our trip. Originally we'd planned to stop in Germany for a night on the way to Amsterdam but after our luggage debacle*, we realized that we'd be short changing ourselves on time in The Netherlands and decided to cut the German portion out. No schnitzel for Cory.

Silly us, we thought we could just go to Gare du Nord (Paris train station) on Friday morning and hop on a train. We had Euro Rail passes but hadn't taken into account that a) it was Friday and everybody and their mother was trying to get out of the city or b) there are a limited number of Euro Rail "seats" available on any given train. Opps. Our plan to take a morning train failed miserably and we ended up with a 7:30 PM departure. This wouldn't have been too big of a set back if we’d arranged a place to stay when we arrived in Amsterdam. See, before we left the US we'd (foolishly) decided to "wing it" when it came to our lodging. We booked a room for the first night in Paris and figured we'd have no problem booking as we went. Let's just say it wasn't quite as easy as we'd anticipated although, ultimately, it did all work out. Anyway, finding a room at 3pm in an unfamiliar city was something we were prepared to deal with, finding one at midnight was not. We'd have to get on the internet before leaving the city and just book the first thing we could find…that or face the possibility of wondering the streets of Amsterdam all night. I'm young enough to wing it but too old for that, I think. So, our backpacks safely in a locker at the station we set off to kill 9 hours and find a web café.

I'm actually kind of glad our departure was delayed. Gare du Nord is in a very different part of Paris then the Latin Quarter where we'd been staying. While the Latin Quarter is all cafes and artsy fartsy movies theaters, the area around Gare du Nord was a little seedy in comparison. Our first destination was Sacré-Cœur, a Roman Catholic basilica built on the butte Montmartre, the highest point in Paris. To get to Sacré-Cœur we walked through what I can best describe as the "Garment District", a combination of "bin" stores selling everything from cheap nylon underwear to knock off designer clothes and actual fabric shops. It had a real Times Square feel to it with its crowded sidewalks and more aggressive beggars. Honestly, it was one of the only places we went on our trip that I didn't feel particularly safe. Not mortally unsafe, it just felt like a good place to get your pocket picked.

Sacré-Cœur took my breath away. The weather had changed overnight from cool and drizzly to sunny and seventy (the way it would remain for the entire trip) and as you can see from the pictures, the white of Sacré-Cœur against the bright blue sky was stunning. We picnicked in a little park behind Sacré-Cœur then walked down the backside of Mortmartre, where I filled up the first memory card on the camera. For those of you keeping track, that is 600 pictures in just over 3 days.

The web cafes in the Gard du Nord area were not nearly as slick at the ones in the Latin Quarter. They were smaller and tended to be in the back of little stores that sold phone cards and bootleg Indian and Pakistani VHS movies. We found one that only looked moderately sketchy and Cory went in to find us a hotel room for the night. There wasn’t room at the computer for me so I went out on the street to wait. And wait. We’d been walking most of the morning and all I really wanted to do was sit down but the sidewalk had some truly dubious looking stains on it. Normally I’d have just sat myself down in the pigeon poop but we’d packed light and I didn’t know when (if ever) I’d be able to wash that skirt again. First I tried leaning against the building, then squatting, then leaning again without any relief for my barking dogs. Then I spotted it: A moderately clean, large cardboard box sticking out of a nearby trash can. Not being proud I grabbed that sucker, and plopped right down on it, beggar style. Let me tell you, I got some strange looks in the 30 minutes I sat there. In hind sight, I should have put a cup out; I probably could have gotten enough EURO to pay for lunch.

Eventually Cory was able to find us a room for the night that didn’t completely break our budget and we spent the rest of the day just wandering around. When we boarded our train to Amsterdam we snagged one of the few “cabins” hoping that no one else would sit in the other two seats and we’d have a nice quite space to sleep and relax. That didn’t work out. Just before the conductor blew his whistle we were joined by two girls in their late teens. These two proceeded to take off their shoes, unpack and repack their backpacks, giggle, sing and chatter in several different languages the entire trip. The only time they shut up was when they were eating and man, did they consume some weird things in four and a half hours. I watched one of them eat, I swear, 10 packs of Sweet-n-Low sprinkled on Saltines. Then she washed that down with an entire avocado that she mashed up and mixed with several ounces of mayo. Go ahead; I’ll wait while you gag. Needless to say, we did not get a nap in, something we’d soon come to regret.

Next up: Arriving in Amsterdam

*It finally materialized late in the evening of the second day. It took Cory's Mom making a call to US Air in Philadelphia to get any results. She must have used her "teacher voice" because the luggage was at our hotel within an hour of her hanging up. Good thing, too, we were getting a little ripe, even by European standards. Thanks Linda!

Not really a Suit-man.

2008-06-02T18:45:00.006-04:00

Discussing the fashion choices of various Grand Theft Auto IV avatars with Cory.

"Do you get to choose what your character wears?"

"Yeah."

"And you chose a suit?"

"Well, I had to wear it for a mission and never took it off..."

"..."

"...and when I wear this I don't have to pick out pants."

Happy Anniversary!

2008-05-27T11:50:00.001-04:00

Returning from Caen, France, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Today is Cory and me’s second wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe that two years ago today we were getting married. It seems like so long ago but just yesterday at the same time. I wish we could throw that big of a party every year!

Honestly, the “two year” label doesn’t really do justice to the length of our relationship. We might have made it legal in 2006 but we have been pretty inseparable since Fall of 1998, so really this is out 9 ½ year anniversary. Do they make a card that says: “Thanks for living in sin with me for seven years before marrying me two years ago!”? I don’t think so.

Because this is my blog, and I can write what I want, I’m going to get a little gushy for a second. Avert your eyes. I just want to say that I really and truly love my husband. Cory, I love you. No one on earth makes me happier then you. No one can make me laugh like you (with you, at you or at myself). You make me feel safe and keep me from getting too tired, too serious, or, God forbid, hungry. You have been my constant companion for almost a decade and I am still overwhelmed by how much I love you. There is no one else the dog and I would ever want to wake up next to. Thank you for holding me, for putting up with my wide mood swings, my mispronunciations and my low blood sugar…and for thinking that it is funny when I fart. Happy anniversary, Monkey, I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2008-05-27T08:45:00.001-04:00

Yoko's beautiful mommy, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Happy birthday, beautiful Mommy! I hope that your day is wonderful. You are such an incredible woman and you mean so much to me. Thank you for being born, the world got lucky when you showed up!

Love,
E

Europe 2008 Photos

2008-05-27T08:30:00.002-04:00

Europe 2008, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

All of our photos from Europe have finally been loaded onto flickr. If you like to check them out, they can be found on my flickr page, here. Just in time for the four work week! Enjoy and I love comments!

Europe Part 1

2008-05-19T14:54:00.012-04:00

I can hardly believe that just a week ago I was sitting in Charles de Gaulle airport, crying. After a near perfect two weeks in France, Holland and Belgium we had missed our flight home by 15 minutes because of a delayed train. Cory and I were both emotionally and physically overwhelmed, torn between never wanting our European vacation to end and desperately wanting to be back in our little house with our dog. It took us a good two hours of staring numbly into space before we were able to shake off the shock of having missed the flight along with the pain of having another $200 in switched ticket fees tacked onto our already pricey vacation and embrace our “second last night in Paris”. My previous jokes about hiding our passports didn’t seem so funny anymore. We were ready to be home. But, then again, there are worse things then being “stuck” for one more night in Paris, a city I’d fallen in love with over the last two weeks. We could have been delayed in Newark, NJ.

Truthfully, our delayed return to “The States” was the only real mishap of our entire trip. I was so enchanted by Europe that little set backs (which might have led to meltdowns back home because I’m like a fussy child when things don’t go my way) became adventures. No luggage for the first two days? No problem! Paris is Paris, even in dirty clothes! Raining? Who cares! Cankles from walking 90 percent of the day? At least I don’t have blisters! I spent two weeks looking at the world through rose colored glasses, something almost as improbable as my allowing us to miss a plane.

I knew that when we got back from our trip, the first thing most people would ask was “What was your favorite part?”. Honestly, IT WAS ALL MY FAVORITE! Everything from the coffee to the architecture was amazing, all that I had hoped for and expected and then some. Do I have to show you our 1600 pictures to prove it?

I suppose that best way to tell the story of our trip is chronologically so now that I’ve told you how it ended, I’ll go back and start at the beginning. Let’s see, we flew out of the Charlottesville Airport, which I would recommend to any one. It is worth the extra money to not have to make the trek up to DC or Baltimore and it is a heck of a lot easier to find someone to take you to the airport (Thanks, Sarah!). Arrived in plenty of time to “clear security” (took all of a minute) only to find out that weather has been delaying flights up and down the East Coast. We were only delayed by 45 minutes or so but that was enough to necessitate a mad, Home-Alone-like dash through to Philadelphia airport to catch our plane to Paris. We made it in the nick of time but didn’t hold out high hopes that the backpacks I had so meticulously packed (and unpacked, and cried over) would make our connecting flight.

We land in Paris at 7:30 am, no bags to be found, but hey, I’ve got our toothbrushes and a change of underwear in my purse! No worries, we’re in Paris! Queue the first of many, many times I was grateful that Cory speaks French. He was able to leave our information at the lost bags counter and get us on the Metro into the city without a hitch. Seriously, without him, I would have been toast. I spent the entire trip trying to memorize “Je ne parle pas français”, ie: “I do not speak French”. Despite mumbling this phrase over and over to myself as we wandered the streets of Paris not once was I able to utter it situationally. Instead, on the rare occasion that someone spoke directly to me my eyes would bug out, my mind would go blank and I’d start gesturing wildly for Cory to come rescue me. I swear, the poor guy was never allowed more then a few feet away from me the whole trip. I’m so lucky that he loves me despite the big hole in my brain where “French” is supposed to live.

In all honesty, our first day was pretty much a blur of jet lag, phone calls to the airline and acclimating ourselves to an unfamiliar city. I know there was coffee and croissant right off the Metro. Best coffee I’ve ever had in my life; it makes American coffee taste like something filtered through a gym sock. I looked forward to my 2-5 EURO cup of goodness every morning we were there.

We found our hotel, Hotel Saint Pierre, alerted them to the possibility of our bags being delivered (HA!) and set off to explore the Latin Quarter. When my parents went to Paris a year ago they stayed in the Latin Quarter of the city and were full of praise for the area. It really is the perfect area to stay in, close to Notre Dame and the Louvre and with a very hip, young, neighborhood feeling to it. The hotel itself was great, small but clean and with a view of the Eiffel Tower out the window and the dome of one of the Sorbonne’s surgeries across the street. We had a double bed, a tiny shower (forget washing your toes or picking up the dropped soap), a sink in our room and a shared toilet down the hall. The “lift” held only 2 people at a time. The lights in the halls were on motion sensors and were likely to go dark if you stood still for too long, the stairs were dark and steep and the toilet paper was single ply. I can hear your typical American complaining about it right now but for Cory and me it was near perfect. It was just so “quaint” and “European”, for lack of a better terms, and we certainly didn’t come to Paris to spend our time in a hotel room anyway!

We were determined to beat our jet lag by staying up as long as we could…we made it until 5pm before collapsing, exhausted and still luggage-less, to sleep for the next 14 hours.

Out From Behind the Lens Day 41 4:26:08

2008-04-27T18:15:00.001-04:00

Out From Behind the Lens Day 41 4:26:08 , originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Gestures Day 40 4:25:08

2008-04-27T18:01:00.001-04:00

Gestures Day 40 4:25:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Fist Full of Euro Day 39 4:24:08

2008-04-27T17:51:00.001-04:00

Fist Full of Euro Day 39 4:24:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Bottom of the Bag Day 38 4:23:08

2008-04-25T16:36:00.001-04:00

Bottom of the Bag Day 38 4:23:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

View from the Ground Day 37 4:22:08

2008-04-25T16:35:00.001-04:00

View from the Ground Day 37 4:22:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

TJ's Stash Day 36 4:21:08

2008-04-25T16:34:00.001-04:00

TJ's Stash Day 36 4:21:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Bug Bling Day 35 4:20:08

2008-04-25T16:32:00.001-04:00

Bug Bling Day 35 4:20:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Spools Day 34 4:19:08

2008-04-25T16:31:00.001-04:00

Spools Day 34 4:19:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Fellow "Band-aid" Day 33 4:18:08

2008-04-25T16:30:00.001-04:00

Fellow "Band-aid" Day 33 4:18:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Recharging Day 32 4:17:08

2008-04-25T16:28:00.001-04:00

Recharging Day 32 4:17:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Dandelion Day 31 4:16:08

2008-04-25T16:25:00.001-04:00

Dandelion Day 31 4:16:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

It could have been worse. Day 30 4:15:09

2008-04-25T16:24:00.001-04:00

It could have been worse. Day 30 4:15:09, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Downtown Dawn Day 29 4:14:08

2008-04-25T16:23:00.003-04:00

Downtown Dawn Day 29 4:14:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Cupp'a Day 28 4:13:08

2008-04-25T16:23:00.001-04:00

Cupp'a Day 28 4:13:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Virginia Rugby Club Day 27 4:12:08

2008-04-25T16:21:00.001-04:00

Virginia Rugby Club Day 27 4:12:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Wisteria Lane Day 26 4:11:08

2008-04-25T16:20:00.003-04:00

Wisteria Lane Day 26 4:11:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Thanks for the reminder Day 25 4:10:08

2008-04-25T16:20:00.001-04:00

Thanks for the reminder Day 25 4:10:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Miss Sarah Day 24 4:9:08

2008-04-25T16:19:00.003-04:00

Miss Sarah Day 24 4:9:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

C&O Day 23 4:8:08

2008-04-25T16:19:00.001-04:00

C&O Day 23 4:8:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Blooms Day 22 4:7:08

2008-04-25T16:18:00.001-04:00

Blooms Day 22 4:7:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Kitchen Window Day 21 4:7:08

2008-04-25T16:16:00.001-04:00

Kitchen Window Day 21 4:7:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

April Showers Day 20 4:6:08

2008-04-25T16:11:00.001-04:00

April Showers Day 20 4:6:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Cory's Nightmare Day 19 4:5:08

2008-04-25T16:10:00.003-04:00

Cory's Nightmare Day 19 4:5:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Babar Light Day 18 4:4:08

2008-04-25T16:10:00.001-04:00

Babar Light Day 18 4:4:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Style Day 17 4:3:08

2008-04-25T16:09:00.001-04:00

Style Day 17 4:3:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

A lot to think about. Day 16 4:2:08

2008-04-25T16:08:00.001-04:00

A lot to think about. Day 16 4:2:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Happy Birthday, Anna!

2008-04-10T09:31:00.001-04:00

My Beautiful Sister, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Happy Birthday, sweet sister. It is hard to believe that you're 25, it doesn't seem so long ago that you were a little scabby kneed tomboy tagging along behind me. I thought for sure you'd end up going to your prom in Umbros. Little did I know you'd end up the queen of formalwear, a beautiful and successful woman.

I remember how happy I was, during your first year of college, when I realized you weren't just my sister, but my friend. We had a rough stretch before that, our four year age difference meant that just as I stopped being a bitchy teenage girl, you became one. It is funny how opposite from each other we seemed back then. You were sporty and popular, the sun that all the planets revolved around while I was cultivating more of a “I’m from Pluto” persona. Now, I can hardly believe how alike we really are, how we laugh the same and can convey so much to each other with just one look. We still have plenty of differences but I realize now that those differences compliment each other and make us both better people. You are who I call when I have a problem or need to be talked out of my tree. The “parts of my brain” that I’m missing, you seem to have, and vice versa.

I’m so lucky you were born my sister because you grew up to be my best friend*. Happy birthday, Rat, I love you!

E

*Sentiment has turned me into a cross stitch sampler...

Taxman Day 15 4:01:08

2008-04-01T20:54:00.001-04:00

Taxman Day 15 4:01:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

13 more days till "Tax Day", the accountants' Super Bowl. I don't like to talk about work on the blog but this picture pretty much sums it up right now, on April 16th it goes back to being an awesome job. I can't wait.

Day 14 3:31:08

2008-04-01T20:40:00.001-04:00

Day 14 3:31:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

I love all the toes in this picture. Bowie is .our on demand foot warmer

Sunday Soccer Field Day 13 3:30:08

2008-04-01T20:38:00.001-04:00

Day 13 3:30:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

After a week of warm Spring weather, the day of Cory's soccer game dawned cold and dreary. There was sleet for goodness sake. Sleet.

I was poorly prepared to stand out in the elements (Sorry, Dad) and had to take a jaunt to for coffee. Of course, it was during the 45 minutes I was gone that Cory scored his first goal of the season. I'm a bad wife. I did get back in time for Cory to be football tackled by some guy while the ref's back was turned. His poor butt still hurts.

My Teacher Man Day 12 3:29:08

2008-04-01T20:08:00.001-04:00

My Teacher Man Day 12 3:29:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Woohoo! Cory got into the Curry School of Education at UVa! He is going to make a wonderful teacher. He has a knack for explaining everything three ways already and kids love him because he is so close to their height. But, seriously, I'm so proud of him for his brillance AND persistence. They will be lucky to have you.

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talen will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent." -- Calvin Coolidge, FIJI Class of 1894

The Lawn Day 11 3:38:08

2008-04-01T19:44:00.001-04:00

The Lawn Day 11 3:38:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Where to start on this night? We had a little college reunion of sorts, me and three of "my girls". Ana and Michelle drove down from NoVa to see Cedie and me and to go to the free Sublime cover show on The Lawn.

Sublime was the soundtrack to our first year. Hearing 40oz to Freedom through my dormroom wall is how I knew Ana was awake every morning. That album was playing constantly in the backgroud of '97-'98. Anyway, Badfish, the cover band, was supposed to be playing a free show on The Lawn at 8pm, Friday night. We're pumped. We have a few drinks on The Corner, hit Bodo's (not coming anymore) and head up to The Lawn. The totally empty Lawn. No sign that there was a show, was going to be a show, had ever been a show. We were really confused and adament that we had the right time and place so started walking around Grounds trying to suss out what happened.

After much walking and nostaglia, two 18 years olds (wwho we scared the crap out of) told us that a frat had bought out the show, made it a private party and changed the time to 5pm. Yeah. Thanks, fratmonkeys.

We did get over our dissapointment, rally, go to Orbit, ride the trolley, drink downtown and walk back to my place. It was just as blurry as it sounds. Something majic happens when 3 or more of us gets together, it is the closet to 18 we'll ever be again.

Sprinkler Draw-Off Day 10 3:27:08

2008-04-01T18:51:00.001-04:00

Sprinkler Draw-Off Day 10 3:27:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

My friend Sarah lives in an incredible building, upstairs from an alternative art high school. The hallways are filled with strange scultures and murals. I thought this sprinkler pipe fit right in as an unintentional art piece. White on white.

Pink Day 9 3:26:08

2008-04-01T18:47:00.002-04:00

Pink Day 9 3:26:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

I love all the seasons but Spring is my favorite. I have two specific two-three day periods that I like best. First when the Bradford Pears and the Cherry trees start blooming and then a week or so later when all the petals start to blow off. the pile in the gutter and look like blowing snow.

Daffodils, March sun Day 8 3:25:08

2008-04-01T18:42:00.001-04:00

Daffodils, March sun Day 8 3:25:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

While the three blooms we did get were beautiful, our daffodils kind of tanked this year. We got plenty of vegetation but only a few buds. Lucky, daffodils are pretty prolific in Charlottesville so I wasn't exactly deprived.

Never far from his Daddy Day 7 3:24:08

2008-04-01T18:37:00.002-04:00

Never far from his Daddy Day 7 3:24:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Cory unabashedly loves his Crocs. He is not ashamed. I have a pair also but I'm not nearly as enamored as he is. They're all he has worn since Chirstmas.

This is pretty much Bowie's standard position, no less then two feet from either of us.

Day 6 3:23:08

2008-04-01T18:30:00.001-04:00

Day 6 3:23:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Would you believe these are fake flowers?! Well they are. My secret's out and they will remain a permenant fixture in the livingroom. I never have to change the water.

Disco Duck Day 5 3:22:08

2008-04-01T18:27:00.001-04:00

Disco Duck Day 5 3:22:08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Mom and Dad blasted up from SWVA in their Miata on Saturday. We went to the UVA cemetarty, had a beer Downtown and a great dinner at The Local in Belmont. Even though I'm old my Mommy still makes me an Easter basket, cause I'm still her little girl. This is my rubbery ducky that lights up when you put it in water. Makes quite the flashy nightlight.

Easter Lillies Day 4 : 3-21-08

2008-04-01T18:21:00.001-04:00

Easter Lillies Day 4 : 3-21-08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Every Easter my office orders lillies from The Optimists Club (I'm not a member). They're gorgeous and make the whole building smell wonderful. Were it not for the lillies I wouldn't even know that it was Easter. I'm such a heathen.

Day 3: 3-20-08

2008-04-01T18:19:00.001-04:00

Day 3: 3-20-08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

I'd been meaning to go to the top of the Water Street Parking Garage for awhile now to take pictures of Downtown. It wasn't quite as high as I'd hoped but the upper deck was desolute. These are the roofs of the stairwells refelcted in each other.

Day 2 : 3-19-08

2008-04-01T18:16:00.002-04:00

Day 2 : 3-19-08, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

This is one of our many beautiful wedding presents. The vase is filled dried Moneyplant which grows pseudo-naturally in the roadside ditches of Southwest Virginia. Mom used to put my sister and I to work harvesting it, lucky for us, there isn't much traffic on the dirtroads. Every "leaf" is basically its own seed pod and they are ready to pick when the leaves start to look like unwashed potatoes. Then you rub the leaf gentley between your fingers and it falls away to expose the transparent, pearly "money". At was Anna and my's job, too.

Day one is below. Thanks to John for the inspiration to start this photographic chronicole and for the constant encouragement. You make my life better! You can see Noggin's 30th year here: NogsOnline

Priorities

2008-03-19T08:55:00.002-04:00

Project 365: Day 1, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

We have alarmingly little nailed down in the way of Europe plans, tax season is kicking my ass and all I could think about all day was how I wanted to come home and scrub the bathtub with Comet. Might not have been the most practical use of time but at least my obsessive compulsivity is being used for good, not evil.

The photo is the first in a series of 365. The lovely Noggin and I have joined a flickr group that requires a picture a day for 365 days. I’m hoping that it will motivate and inspire me to take more and better pictures.

Down the road.

2008-03-17T21:23:00.001-04:00

Daddy and Mary, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Dad took Mary for a walk down the "road", aka the longest walk to the bus stop ever. "When I was a kid, I had to walk 5 miles in the snow, uphill both ways"' isn't too much of a stretch.

This is such a sweet picture. Dad gave Mary some extra attenion while Cory's brother and family were over to visit. He took her for a walk, showed her the creek and carried the 3 lbs of rocks she collected home in his pockets.

This is what our babies will look like.

2008-03-17T20:27:00.001-04:00

None, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Before you gasp, I am NOT pregnant, but our nephew, Drew, does look JUST like Cory when he was a baby. Towheaded.

DLST

2008-03-10T17:42:00.003-04:00

Note to self: The first real day of Day Light Savings Time probably isn't the best time to start an AM workout routine. My car clock mockingly reminded me that my body thought it was 5 AM. I could have slept on concrete last night. I fully intend to be up at 6 AM again tomorrow.

Brought to you by:

2008-03-09T11:03:00.001-04:00

IMG_2991, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Yoko Can't Spell is now being brought to you by my first laptop! No more writing my blog posts at lunch time, ya'll. Mama's got her own PC.

Belmont Park

2008-02-28T18:33:00.001-05:00

Belmont Park, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

I want to be a luchadores.

2008-02-28T15:06:00.007-05:00

Despite the threat of illness and one of the most inaccurate weather reports in Central Virginia history (significant weather event, my ass) I made it down to North Carolina this weekend to see my sister, Anna. Right now she is living outside of Raleigh in a town whose top three crimes are car chases, meth labs and kidnappings. It isn’t nearly as bad as it sounds but it is defiantly rural NC and looks like where Cops is filmed. It is also exactly half way between The Hook and Chucktown so my sister-in-law Susan was able to come up and meet me there (hurray!).

After Susan arrived Saturday morning we took her on a grand tour of the greater Angier area. Highlights included the funny little ABC store where you walk up to the bullet proof glass, tell the clerk what you’d like and she passes it to you on a Plexiglas carousal. No browsing the aisles of booze for you! Also no Admiral Nelson’s (knockoff Capt Morgan), yarr. After stocking up, we headed over to the Fuquay Flea Market. I’m going to be totally un-PC here and call it what it was, little Mexico. The area has a huge immigrant population, mostly of Hispanic decent and brother, this is where they go to hang out on Saturday. I know this sounds horribly stereotypical but seriously, this is the place to go for cowboy boots, black velvet paintings of the Last Supper and stereo equipment. I can’t say that we really browsed much, there was quite a bit of leering going on and frankly, I felt the need to keep moving. The market was inside a large warehouse and most of the booths had very loud music blaring. The whole experience was very Hunter S. Thompson at Circus Circus, minus the lizards. The only thing I wish I’d had the guts to ask about (and to photograph) were the Mexican Wrestling masks. I can think of quite a few people who’d LOVE to run around wearing one (they aren’t just for Halloween anymore). Greg, Kurt, I’m looking at you.

We had planned to go to downtown Raleigh for dinner and barhopping after hitting up Sephora* at the swanky mall. Yeah. We spent over an hour in Sephora and ended up eating at the mall. Anna’s husband is a saint. Now, we didn’t go to the food court or anything. We went to P.F. Chang’s. I’d never been there before but know several people who love it and based on the hour and a half wait they were quoting us and the line of people out the door I was expecting it to be really good Chinese food. It wasn’t. Really, it was hardly any better then your basic take-out served on nice plates. We did have a very sweet waitress who recommended the fried green beans as an appetizer. They were by far the best part of the meal, “fried sin”, Susan called them. The scallops drenched in a strangely slimey orange sauce that the waitress ordered for us by mistake and let us keep were also a sin, but in the more traditional sense of the word. My stomach hasn’t been quite right since Saturday and I think they are to blame. Cooked correctly, I love scallops but these were just not right. Dubious seafood and general culinary mediocrity aside we did have a really nice evening out. The wine and the company were great and we all got new lip gloss.

Susan, Anna and Quinn the Eskimo

Sunday we slept late, had a tasty breakfast and hit the road. I stopped in Cary, NC to stock up on Trader Joe’s (come to Charlottesville!! Damn you!) then struggled home. I had such a blast with my sisters, Anna and Quinn were gracious hosts, despite feeling under the weather, and it is so nice to have that meeting place in the middle for Susan and me. Charleston is a long, long way away. I agree with her, we should do this once a month! Maybe next time we’ll even let our husbands come…

*giant, higher end cosmetic store for those who don’t know.

2008-02-13T16:19:00.000-05:00

"You survive every moment, after all, except the last one." - John
Updike

Cedie & Yoko

2008-02-12T11:07:00.001-05:00

Cedie & Emma, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Birthday Girl

2008-02-12T09:25:00.001-05:00

Birthday Girl, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

I love my boots

2008-02-12T08:53:00.001-05:00

I love my boots, originally uploaded by yoko can't spell.

Groundhog Tale

2008-02-05T12:27:00.000-05:00

In (late) honor of Groundhog Day I thought I’d tell the story of one of Bowie’s confirmed kills. A hunter he is not, and in his 7 years he has rid the earth of two groundhogs and one bunny. This is the story of his second groundhog and our friend Greg’s no good very bad day.

Greg had come into town on Thursday night to see The Pixies at the Pavilion with us. He had gotten his dates confused and was actually a week early for the show. We teased him about this mercilessly, ‘cause that’s how the three of us communicate our love for each other, but were happy to see him. Cory and I were flying out of BWI on Friday afternoon to go to a wedding so we were all up early Friday and ready to hit the road. However, Greg’s bad juju continued and his RX7 wouldn’t start. We had to catch a plane so we made a few more jokes at his expense, made sure he had his house key and hit the road with a “best of luck to ya, buddy, here’s how you get to Advanced Auto Parts!”

Several hours latter, just as we were taking the exit for BWI we get a call on the cell phone from Greg. He is struggling for breath, unable to complete a sentence. “You...*gasp*…won’t believe…*gasp*…what happened…*gasp*.” It took several seconds for Greg to pull it together and dissuade my fear that the house was on fire. Breath now caught, the story came out. The RX was up and running and Greg had come in to let Bowie outside one last time before he left. Luck might not have been on Greg’s side but it was on Bowie’s. The groundhog that had taunted Bowie all summer was in the backyard and must have completely let his guard down because Bowie was able to catch him before he could squeeze under the fence. Of course, being the ferocious beast he is, Bowie didn’t make his kill immediately, he wanted to play first. And by play, I mean shake the groundhog around until it stopped moving. Being the good doggie uncle he is Greg thought he should try and get the groundhog away from Bowie so into the yard he went. Bowie wasn’t about to lose his trophy that easily and probably thought Greg was trying to play with him anyway. Ultimately, after much wrangling (and I have to assume, cursing) Greg was able to knock the groundhog out of Bowie’s mouth by kicking it with his bare feet. This was very valiant of him, especially considering that we would probably have let Bowie continue to play with it.

When we got home from the wedding Cory threw the carcass into the groundhog’s hole to remind all future vermin that a fierce, bloodthirsty killer lives just on the other side of the fence. Greg is still trying to fix the RX7.

Dress Sharp

2008-01-30T11:40:00.000-05:00

For years my friend Tammy has been harassing me about joining one of the many charitable committees she is a part of. I finally caved and signed up for a committee that plans its charity’s huge fundraising “Gala”. Because I hate asking strangers for donations I provided some grunt labor to set up the event and got my bosses to sponsor a table (there was no way C would have let me spend $400 dollars on two tickets for us, open bar or not). Said Gala was Friday night and while I was nervous about it beforehand (I totally associated it with Prom) we ended up having a great time. Cory wasn’t exactly thrilled to have to wear a tux but he was a good sport about it and I have to say, my husband cleans up real nice. So we got ourselves all decked out, Cedie came over and took our picture (just like Prom…) and off we went to hobnob with the upper crust of Charlottesville.

So many tuxes! And fur coats! And waiters carrying wine around on trays! So not the type of scene we normally participate in! It was all very fancy and actually a lot of fun, just the kind of fun you only really need to have once a year or so.

Honestly, the highlight of my evening (other then those waiters) was going up to Divide afterwards, still decked out in full black-tie regalia. See, the stock response when some pilgrim calls the restaurant and asks about the dress-code is “Look sharp”. You can usually pick these people out when they show up later that night looking slightly over dressed for a place where the waitstaff wears flip-flops. I wish I could have bottled the squeals of delights we got when we walked in Friday night. I’d say we took “looking sharp” to a whole new level.

Bad Yoko

2008-01-29T15:37:00.000-05:00

Sorry of the lack of decent posts lately. They will continue to be sporadic until after April 15th when my job becomes glorious and stress free again. Until then new blog content may be spotty.

Snow!!

2008-01-17T10:36:00.000-05:00

We are getting the first snowstorm in what feels like FOREVER!! I'm so excited that I could burst. I just freakin love it when it snows and we've gotten progressively less and less winter weather for each year I've lived here. It will all be gone tomorrow (high of 48) but for now I'm leaving work early and walking home. I'll be the girl walking along with her tongue stuck out. Happy snow day!

Happy Birthday, Fav!

2008-01-15T09:44:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, Susan!!! I wish I were in Chucktown to celebrate with you. We'd stock up on cigs and Admiral Nelson and hit the town....or just hang in the garage and listen to your cd's skip. Maybe you'll get a telaporter for your birthday (a girl can dream). I hope you have a wonderful day, little brother and I love ya!

I've already expressed my undying love for Cory's sister in the old tumblr blog here, if you're interested...

2008-01-10T08:57:00.000-05:00

My dad is having knee surgery this morning at 9 am to, and I quote, “scrape some crap off” his knee cap. The surgery will (hopefully) be short and he’ll get to go home today but they do have to knock him out and that scares me. Mom assured me last night that everything will be fine and that he’ll be home under her care by this afternoon. This is VERY reassuring since my mom’s care is the best care there is. The woman knocked Mono out of me in less then three weeks my first year of college. Vitamins, chunky protein smoothies and strictly enforced bed rest and I was good as new and back in time to fail my Spanish exam. Daddy is in good hands and I know he’ll be back reshingling the roof or building a 4th or 5th outbuilding in no time but I’m still on pins and needle till I know he’s home.

Love you, Daddy-o!

Edit: He came through fine, more damage to the knee then they hoped but the surgery went well.

Goodbye 2007

2008-01-08T15:06:00.001-05:00

My apologies for the lack of posts lately. Christmas and New Years were hectic; I’ve had and recovered from my first cold of the New Year and work is becoming increasingly busy. When I’ve had some free time and could have written a post I’ve found that I’d rather just stare off into space. Please forgive me. So, without further ado, let me windup 2007.

As previously mentioned, we headed to coastal Virginia for Christmas. Cory grew up in Norfolk and until relatively recently his family still lived there. Now one set of parents is in Suffolk, near his sister, and one is in Yorktown. It’s all Eastern Virginia to me but it seems like I’m lying when I say we’re “going to Norfolk”. Anyway, it used to be that his Mom and Dad lived a few short blocks from one another and going back a forth took a matter of minutes. Now it involves a bridge tunnel and/or a trip on the interstate to go anywhere. Lucky for me, Cory and I have a kind of unspoken rule that he does the driving while we’re in the Norfolk area and I drive when we’re in the sticks visiting my parents (I totally win here, btw, the distances between places in SWVA is greater but, hello, there is no where to go). This arrangement works out pretty well and relieves the non-driving party of the need to constantly give directions and allows the passenger a chance to nap (thereby giving the driver a chance to take pictures of his wife sleeping with her mouth wide open. Thanks honeyJ).

We split our time pretty equally between both sets of parents; Christmas Eve with Cory’s Dad and Christmas Day with his Mom as per tradition. Highlights include, but are not limited to, seeing the Nutcracker (C’s step-dad played his trumpet in the orchestra), spending two evenings out with our friends who still live in or have parents in Norfolk, Christmas chicken salad and watching the nieces open the art boxes I made them. As always, we received so many thoughtful gifts, including several things for our Europe trip. We had a great visit and got to spend good quality time with all the ‘rents.

NYE we had Cedie and Tai over for appetizers and champagne then went to our friend Alissa’s to ring in the New Year with fireworks and waaayyy too much to drink. Luckily she lives just a few blocks away so no one was in harm’s way when we stumbled home. Despite my “heavy head” on the 1st I’m glad we went out this year. In general I think NYE is usually a big let down and for the last few years we’ve laid low but I was feeling social this year and dragged C out with me, glad I did, we had fun.

Alright, there ya go. I’m all caught up on 2007, which is great, because I’ve felt like this post has been hanging over my head for days now. Now I can start 2008 fresh.

Amigos, just add moog.

2008-01-05T10:57:00.000-05:00

I didn't take many pictures over Christmas and NYE this year but this one is by far my favorite of the few. Cory and one of our best friends, Greg, switched glasses while we were out at a bar in Norfolk. Cory looks like he should be on tour with The Rentals and Greg, well, Greg is flashing the hand gesture he makes whenever I take his picture. This one is going in a frame.

Merry Christmas!!

2007-12-21T15:37:00.000-05:00

I've failed miserably in my multiple attempts to get a picture of Bowie wearing his light-up reindeer antlers so instead I leave you with Max and the finest Christmas story ever written:

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Suess

An Early Christmas

2007-12-19T16:02:00.000-05:00

I’ve got to admit it; I’m in Christmas limbo here. My problem: I feel like Christmas is already over and, duh, it isn’t. See, we hosted our first “Christmas” at our house this weekend for my side of the family. That’s right; I’m all grownup and hosting family events now. Freaky. We’ll be heading to coastal Virginia for actual Christmas this year and rather then try and truck it back down to SWVA before New Years I invited my parents, my sister and her husband to The Hook for a little Yuletide celebration a week early.

I have to say, the weekend was a smashing success! It felt so Christmassy at my house that I think we all managed to convince ourselves that is really was Christmas Day, that everyone else was celebrating too, that all the stores were closed. It was awesome and I’m really proud of myself for pulling it all off. Like my SIL, Susan, told me last night, I’m the type of person (so is she) who wants everything to be perfect but for it to look like it all happened effortlessly. No one’s kitchen counters get as clean as mine were this weekend with no effort but everything did look pretty perfect.

The weekend wasn’t without its “Griswald” moments. No one fell off the roof and the Christmas tree didn’t explode but our oven did catch on fire, briefly filling the kitchen with smoke and halting all cooking activities until Mom scrubbed out the bottom of the oven (thanks, Mom, sorry I don’t own oven cleaner…). While the ladies were dealing with the smokin’ oven, Cory was outside hammering one of our porch steps back into place after it popped off its riser. Just goes to show, no matter how much you clean or prepare before hand, something is bound to go awry when you’re really trying to impress. I’m just relieved that no one was electrocuted or surprised with a Jelly-of-the-Month membership. Even the weather held off. This was probably the first time in my life I’ve hoped that it WOULDN’T snow or ice. They were calling for an ice storm with snow and heavy winds and I was really worried that after all my scrubbing and wrapping and baking that my parents wouldn’t be able to make up on Saturday. Luckily, the weather forecast was totally botched and all we got was a really cold rain.

So, we ate and drank and opened an embarrassing number of presents. Cory, as usual, was amazing with my family and cooked a fabulous sirloin tip roast (in addition to fixing the porch). We played a lot of pool, turns out my Mom is a bit of a pool shark, my sister, not so much. All and all, it was just a great weekend. I’m so lucky to have a family that is fun to hang out with and who loves me so much AND is willing to spend time with my high strung ass. As if that wasn’t enough, I get to go a have Christmas all over again in six days with Cory’s family who are also fun and love me and have made me feel like a part of their family every Christmas for the last 7 years, even before I officially was. I’m a pretty lucky girl.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Icicle Themed Christmas Party

2007-12-09T13:13:00.000-05:00

My project for the weekend has been 20 centerpieces for a Christmas party, my working concept has been "snowballs". Thanks for the buisness, TK!

2007-12-09T13:10:00.000-05:00

The Tree 2007

2007-12-06T17:18:00.000-05:00

Possibly the most perfectly shaped Christmas Tree ever, purchased from real Boy Scouts last Saturday. I spent the better part of Saturday evening getting all the lights and ornaments just right. Cory says I'm compulsive, I say I just have a highly tuned sense of esthetic. Either way you want to look at it, I'm a bit of a Christmas tree tyrant, I insist on white lights only and they had better be spaced perfectly or I won't be able to sleep at night. I also control all ornament choices and placement, no junk on my tree. When we have kids I guess I'll have to let them hang their pipe cleaner candy canes and cardboard Santas...maybe those can go in the back? I've been this way all my life and am lucky my family still invites me home for Christmas.
Be warned I feel a bunch of Christmas related posts coming up. Brace yourselves and bust out the egg nog.

Starting to feel like Christmas...

2007-12-06T17:13:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things to do around Christmas is force paperwhite bulbs. My friend Alissa introduced me to this a few years ago and I've given them as presents in the past. It is easy as can be, just gather up some rocks (these came from behind South Street near the train tracks), rinse them and use to fill the bottom of a pretty bowl or shallow vase. Take paperwhite bulbs (from any nursery) and place them root down on top of the rocks. Keep water in the bowl to just the bottom of the bulbs and in a month or so you'll have sweet smelling blooms and some nice greenery.

2007-12-06T17:06:00.000-05:00

Week two.

2007-12-06T17:04:00.000-05:00

Almost...

2007-12-06T17:03:00.000-05:00

Now the livingroom smells like paperwhites. The only thing left to do now is keep them from falling over.

Happy Friday

2007-11-30T16:04:00.000-05:00

Dreams

2007-11-29T14:13:00.000-05:00

I dreamed last night that I was floating in the ocean, on a blow up raft, at sunset with Michael Kors. He had on old school RayBans and a Mickey Mouse t-shirt. We were sipping drinks with little umbrella in them and the shore line was nowhere in sight. I stuck my arm in the water and when I pulled it out it was covered in giant orange crabs. For some reason this wasn't at all frightening. Me thinks I shouldn't watch Project Runway before bed....glad I didn't watch anything scary like The Hills.

"Duck get in my belly!"

2007-11-19T15:28:00.000-05:00

We'll be going to Riner for Thanksgiving and Suffolk for Christmas this year. I'm not prepared to think about Christmas yet but I'm certainly excited about Thanksgiving at the ol' homeplace. My family has never been very "traditional" about the holiday. Rarely do we have turkey and if we do it is because Daddy went out and shot it himself. Thus I have no particular loyalty to turkey as Thanksgiving dinner, especially since we end up with something far more gourmet and different from year to year. I can't say that the "Vegetarian Thanksgiving" was my favorite (mushrooms played a large role in that one and what can I say, I just don't dig the fungus) but all the venison, pork loin and plucked that morning duck* from other years more then makes up for one Mushroom Tart entree. I haven't heard what our main course will be this year but I'm sure it will be delicious! Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels!

*Favorite Cory at Thanksgiving story: The year we had duck, Dad bought them live from a local farmer. A few days before Thanksgiving he called and told me about them and that they were currently being housed in the dog pen (dog was elsewhere...) before he slaughtered them. Cory was positively crestfallen when we arrived at the house the night before Thanksgiving and found out Dad had killed the ducks that afternoon. Cory had really been looking forward to his chance to "talk to his food before he ate it!”

Corn Maze

2007-11-13T14:59:00.000-05:00

2007-11-13T14:56:00.000-05:00

The idea of a corn maze was much more intriguing then the actuality. I guess I was expecting undead children or David Bowie ( a la Labyrinth).

2007-11-13T14:51:00.000-05:00

We should have gotten lost instead of paying the $36...

I could live here...in the winter.

2007-11-09T08:51:00.000-05:00

I had to keep reminding myself that we were there in October and I was still hot. If I had to live there in July I think I'd use the word "wilt" a lot. The town is so darn enchanting though...

Tide Pools

2007-11-09T08:45:00.000-05:00

Today it looks like it is going to snow (it won't b/c the gods hate me), three weeks ago Cory and I were wading through tide pools on Folly Beach in SC in bathing suits.

Mrs.Yoko goes to Europe

2007-10-30T09:13:00.000-04:00

We finally booked our plane tickets Europe last night!! I was so excited I literally cried. Then I drank most of a bottle of wine and tormented Cory, "How do you say ---- in French? How about ---?", all evening. Project "Teach Emma Conversational French" begins. Cory, having spent several years in Belgium as a child and being generally brilliant speaks passable French, I on the other hand, almost didn't graduate from UVA because I just could not wrap my head around Spanish. Like spelling, foreign languages just don't stick for me. Between now and April I'm going to try and internalize as many French phrases as I can and hope that Cory and me don't get separated.

I've never been to Europe before and I am literally bursting. We'll be going to France, Belgium, Germany and Amsterdam. If you have any suggestion on places to see or stay please leave me a comment or send an email, I'd love to have your input as I start planning. Bonjour!!

2007-10-29T12:15:00.000-04:00

We had an absolutely splendid weekend. For the first time in what seems like forever we were home ALL weekend. We’ve been having a lot of fun lately traipsing around the East Coast visiting our family and friends but a girl needs a few days at home every once in awhile. Oy vey!

Both of us would have been perfectly content to go into hiding for two days and not speak to a soul but the call of the Halloween costume was too strong for me to resist. Our friend Lindsey was throwing a party practically up the street and since we’ve pretty much ignored Halloween for the last few years we were going to dress up gosh darn it! I decided on my costume a few weeks ago (Senior Bitch from Dazed & Confused, “Fry like bacon Freshmen piggies!! FRY!”)* and had most of its components already but as of Friday Cory was still costume less. He has never been that big on Halloween or dressing up so I was looking mainly for a “punny” costume that would allow for normal clothes to be worn. After tossing many ideas back and forth via email Cory had a stroke of genius. He was going to dress up as….wait for it…a BEER PONG TABLE!!! Brilliant. Not the simplest costume to construct but, hey, I’m crafty and it was too great of an idea to pass up. So, we spent Saturday gathering materials and playing with packing tape and the hot glue gun. As you can see, it came out perfectly even if it did get removed 2 hours into the party. We didn’t really consider the maneuverability issue during construction and once Lindsey’s party started to kick into high gear and the house got fuller and fuller Cory started needing an entourage to clear a path to the keg. It just became too much of a hack and was ultimately abandoned. Whether it had staying power or not I rank it as one of the top costumes I’ve ever been associated with.

Not only did our costumes rock, we were also accompanied by the lovely and bewitching Sarah. I’ve known Sarah for years, ever since she was a wee high school senior dating a college boy, but we’ve only started hanging out regularly in the last few months. I love Sarah because she’s so enthusiastic and she calls me an “uber human” (I’m going to take that as a compliment). She ended up crashing at our place after the party and Sunday morning after Cory’s soccer game (9AM! I slept through it) we all went to brunch at Boheme off the Mall. Two bloodymarys apiece and Cory and I headed home where we went straight back to bed and didn’t move until the alarm went off this morning. Ok, so we moved a little bit but only to get water, make popcorn or change the channel. It was absolutely glorious and just what I needed after all the fun we’ve been having lately. I wish everyday could be “Snuggle Sunday”.

*I realized Saturday afternoon that I REALLY wanted a whistle to complete my costume. It is kind of hard to call for an “Air raid” without one. So, we went to both Dick’s Sporting Goods and Play it Again looking for a whistle. Both places were sold out. The Play It Again Sports guy said they’d sold ten that afternoon and “what party are you people going to?”. I ultimately found a crappy slide whistle at the Dollar Store and I’m actually pretty glad were didn’t go to party where at least 20 drunk people had whistles. Makes my head hurt just thinking about it.

My Timeline (or Why I'm Like This Part III)

2007-10-09T12:23:00.000-04:00

Age under 1: I am born in a log cabin in the woods…actually I am born in the hospital but my parents WANTED me to be born at home. They even found a doctor who was willing to do a home delivery (no small feat in rural Virginia circa 1979) but he told them in the beginning that he wouldn’t be available ONE weekend in May. Of course that is the weekend I show up.

Age 4: I experience living with electricity and running water for the first time. My parents were “hippies” and wanted to live off the earth so they bought a big chunk of land and built a house with their bare hands. We cooked and heated with a gas stove, hauled water from the creek, read by oil lamp and had an outhouse. My mom’s father once offered them $5,000 to give up and move. We probably would have made it to the late eighties without electric lights if Mom hadn’t wanted indoor plumbing. The county wouldn’t issue a permit for a bathroom if we didn’t get electricity. Damn the Man.

Age 5-7: I apparently have a tiny little violence problem. My Montessori School teacher sends home a note saying that I am a lovely child but tend to “hit other children if they do not understand me”. In kindergarten I smack Nathan Thomas in the ear so hard that at our high school graduation he claims to still have hearing loss. I also bite my best friend Stacie on the arm during story time in First grade. No reason just turned around and chomped down. Our friendship doesn’t recover for years and I have to write “I will not bite.” two hundred times.

Age 12: I have a very unfortunate bowl cut, John Lennon glasses and pair of mustard colored “Hammer” pants that I wear every other day. Middle School is hard.

Age 15: I date my first musician. It doesn’t last long but through him I meet the group of friends who will make the remainder of High School bearable for me. The time I spend with “the band” shapes my (excellent) taste in music. They are also responsible for my nickname, Yoko.

Age 17: I bleach my hair blonde and spend four weeks of the summer at the Governor’s School for Arts and Humanities in Richmond, VA. There I meet a hairy, web-toed bass player named Greg. We’re both sarcastic and love a dirty joke, by the end of the four weeks I consider him my soul mate. Even though he lives in Norfolk, six hours away from me, we keep in touch.

Age 18: I graduate (escape!!) High School and start as a First Year at UVA. I feel very out of place and poor there. I had spent all H.S. feeling superior and dreaming about going to college. Once I get there I am just a little fish with no trust fund. Even though I hate my roommate, I’m lucky enough to have six incredible girls on my hall. They heavily influence my decision to come back to UVA after first year.

Age 20: My friend Cedie and I run into Cory Jordan one night in the Colonnades. Cory was Governor School Greg’s best friend from high school. We had hung out together a few times before when Greg came to visit but there had never been much of a connection until that night. Cedie tells me she knew he was the man for me because he was the only guy she’d very seen fuck with me. We start “hanging out”. All our friends know we are dating weeks before we are willing to admit it. I basically move into Cory’s frat house with him and his roommate John. John is a saint for putting up with me/us. We call ourselves “The Family” to this day.

Age 24: Cory and I buy our first house. Not too bad of an accomplishment for a couple of waitrons. We buy it on foreclosure from The Dept. of Housing and Urban Development which meant we got it for a steal but couldn’t turn on the power until we’d purchased it. Lucky for us nothing blew up.

Age 26: After walking almost 14 miles through upstate Vermont to get to the final Phish show Cory proposes to me in the middle of a muddy field at sunset. It is perfectly us. Moments after I say “yes” we are embracing; someone walks by and sings out “Some-one-took-some-Ecstasy!” Silly hippies.

Age 27: My sister and I get married within 2 months of each other. My father can’t understand why we don’t want to get married on the same day or share a dress. My mom’s friend makes her a shirt that says “Mother of the Brides”. We DIY a lot for both weddings and I start to realize I’d like to do wedding flowers semi-professionally.

Age 28: I start a blog…

2007-09-28T18:14:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to our sweet Caroline! Uncle Cory and Aunt Emma love you!!