can you believe it?

It’s the end of October. OCTOBER! It’s practically the end of the year!

Lots is kind of going on. I’ve definitely made a commitment to yoga – and I can physically tell the difference. I love it. I need to make it more special at home, so I’ll want to do it at home, too. (Although, I must say I prefer the hot yoga. I LOVE THE SWEAT!) I feel so amazingly whole and warm and healthy when I’ve settled down after yoga. Even the whole day following a night class, I feel so peaceful.

In other news, I’ve just almost completed my Intrepid Media short story. Wrapping everything up tomorrow to give to the editors (I always say, in reference to them, ‘my editors’ which just feels nice to say). That’ll be one thing down on my enormous list of things to do.

The big scary thing I was supposed to do last week or so didn’t get done. Mostly because I made the short story my focus, so all other writing assignments have suffered. I’ve got to also finish a fun column that is due on the 2nd. I want to get it in by the 31st because … whee!!! NaNoWriMo starts on Wednesday!

I’m excited about NaNoWriMo this year for two reasons: 1. I’m going to actually finish this year, if it kills me. 2. Adrian has said he’d like to do it, too. Therefore, not a lot of ‘going out’ nights for us in November. It’s going to be an exciting month, since I’m also looking to babysit a lot more, and make some extra cash.

Speaking of extra cash – also in November, check out www.tokitikki.com. Thomas has promised that he’ll have some new pieces added to the site just as soon as he can. There are currently 20 in his first line-up, 20 in the second (that I have yet to do descriptions on) and another 10 (so far) that need to be photographed. I have been SO inspired lately, I just can’t stand myself!

In honour of all things Inspirational, here’s my first contribution to the Sunday Seven in almost a year:

1. What have YOU done for yourself in the last month that inspires you to be a better person?

2. Who gives you the most support in achieving your dreams?

3. What objects or object have you acquired in the last year that bring positivity to your home (and how)?

4. Have you heard about the Secret?

5. How have you helped anyone recently, even in a small way?

6. Have you told yourself how amazing you are?

7. Have you had a nice mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows yet?

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so this is Christmas

I am completely addicted to Christmas music. I can listen to it for hours and hours (and I do). I’m currently planning a cookie-swap-slash-stitch-and-bitch to take place the week before Christmas. If you want to get in on it, email me.

I also just cleaned the house (a feat in and of itself) cooked a fabulous roast that got rubbed down with balsamic vinager, garlic, rosemary and thyme. YUM.

We’ve also put a lot of thought into it, and since it’s our first Christmas together for Adrian and I, we’re going to get some Christmas decorations. We’re not doing a tree (partially due to lack of space), but we want to do some ‘us’ ornaments and greenery. It’s pretty exciting doing things together, knowing this is truly the best holiday season either of us has ever had. Be grateful I’m keeping the squealing to a minimum on here – you should HEAR how sappy we can get!

In other news, I have about 20 more articles of jewelry to post this week, as well as four finished new scarves, and a pair of wineglasses I did for a custom order. Wedding glasses, even! Woo!

Since I’ve gotten a few great recipes from last weeks Sunday Seven – holy, did I miss it again? – here’s a recipe that Adrian’s sister sent him last year. We made it. It’s fantastic. I promise.

Irish Creammmmm…

1 cup coffee cream (I think we used 1% milk)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz or 414mL)
1 and 2/3 cup Irish Whiskey/Rye (we sneaked in the extra 1/3 cup, I think)
1 teaspoon instant coffee
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

combine and blend on high for 30 seconds. Keep in a tightly sealed bottle – will keep for 2 months, refrigerated. Shake well before serving.

The Sometimes-On-Sunday Seven:

1. What’s your favourite Holiday tradition for you, you and only you?

2. Favourite Christmas Carol?

3. How soon do you get your holiday shopping done?

4. And the wrapping? Right away or when you can…or last minute all hurried like?

5. Any suggestions for what to make for the Cookie Swap?

6. What one physical object is totally out of your price range but that you would LOVE for Christmas, if it could magically appear?

7. Do you set out cookies and milk?

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sunday is whenever I feel like it

I’m surprised at how many emails and instant messages I’ve gotten this week, letting me know how slack I’ve been. I know! Believe me, I know.

I’ve been busy, but no so busy I couldn’t write. Just rather unmotivated. Didn’t get much work done. A few necklaces that need to be photographed because they are THAT damn awesome, yes. But for the most part, I’ve been flitting from here to there, not really staying long enough to accomplish anything. Here’s a rundown:

- Been reading a series that I should have read a long time ago. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. Hello, can you say sucked right in? A bit absorbing, for the most part. I’ve gone through 2.5 relatively thick books in about three days. I read insanely fast. I devour, you could say.

- Been bitching about the cost of groceries – or rather, our lack of buying anything of any worth. $400 in one month is excessive for a household of two, in my personal opinion. My goal tonight is to go through the weekly fliers and find good, HEALTHY stuff to buy and make. Luckily, roasts are on sale, and I make a KILLER roast. Trying to save time for both of us, while having decent meals can be a bit of a headache. I’m not always here to make dinner for him to pack to work. Crockpot cooking is about to be saviour. I promise.

- Because I’ve been caught up reading, which I haven’t done in a long time (such a favourite luxury of mine), I haven’t accomplished much design wise. I’ve conducted another knitting class, which went hilariously well. Made some new friends. Am almost finished with the one scarf that will rule the world… Okay, it’s really, really gorgeous at least.

- FINALLY, my packages got through customs. You’d think I was transporting pot from the states or something. As if people don’t know it’s grown best here. Dur. Stoopid Customs. I need to mail out a package tomorrow to someone who lurks and bought several of my jewelry items, as well as had one custom made. Yay! I can’t wait for her to see them!

- However, yet another of my packages is still in customs. They want me to pay $29 to get it. Um…no? I sent it back to be appealed. Bunch of morons. *sigh* My wine glasses had better arrive in one piece or I will be seriously pissed off.

- recipes. *sigh* anyone have any good, time saving recipes? I hate falling back on stuff I do too often. It seems that while one of us (ME) LOVES risotto, the other occupant of this house (of whom I’m not naming names) doesn’t like it quite as much. Whyever not! So, I need to come up with delicious, healthy, good meals that don’t take me too long in the mornings.

- New Years. We still have no idea what we’re doing.

- When is the Winter Solstice? I can’t remember.

- And, of course, the Sunday Seven. It completely escaped my mind. Completely. So sorry. Here we go:

1. If you could pick one new item for your house, what would it be? A new appliance? A new piece of furniture? New carpets, perhaps?

2. If you could only visit one place to go on vacation for the rest of your life…where?

3. If you could magically have one new mundane skill, what would you like to be able to do?

4. If you were craving a particular kind of ice cream right this minute, would you bother to get up out of your computer chair, put on clothes and boots and cold-weather gear and walk the two blocks to the grocery store to get it?

5. If you could change one thing about yourself, that NO ONE WOULD NOTICE, what would you choose?

6. If you could have one day to dedicate to doing exactly what you wanted to do – what would you do?

7. If you could only choose one favourite recipe to make for Christmas day, what would it be? (submit recipes to tokitikki@gmail.com winkwink hinthint nudgenudge).

have a faboo day. I’ll see about doing a HNT for this week. If I’m, you know…motivated…

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