A foreign land

I saw a lot of water today, and I knew I wasn't in Miami anymore! (Also, I woke up to the sound of a lawnmower instead of wind.) I am back in Los Angeles with my momma in the company of wonderful friends. A work conference brought me out here, but the time with family and friends is so rejuvenating. Joyce took us to the beach today, and I actually got my toes wet in the Pacific. I also collected some seashells for my nieces and personal rock/shell collection. This time last year we were hunkered down in the rain, but this year the sun is brightly hanging in the sky. I got in a nice walk through the neighborhood and was intoxicated with all the scents and colors. So much in bloom! And the meyer lemon tree in their yard is loaded with aromatic and tangy fruit - of which I have already consumed three. Joyce's grandson suggested I smelled very lemony - every time I smell it I want another lemon. So tasty! I am enjoying a day of vacation before the conference begins in earnest tomorrow, but I miss my mister.

Long Days & Dark Mornings...

I thought I overcame the "jet lag" of Daylight Savings in a hurry because I was so exhausted from work on Monday and had no problem popping up Tuesday morning.  This morning proved otherwise.  These first mornings are still a little on the dark side, and with someone else having a hard time getting up and moving, too, the ripple effect got me today.

 

But it does feel like we've woken up from hibernation.  I know the days were already lengthening, but getting a whole extra hour in the evening is waking up some dormant productivity monster.  I am sure it will be short-lived, but for now I am grateful for things accomplished.  Sunday I went on a dusting tirade, which is hardly noticeable anymore.  And yesterday I got in a nice walk after work - just started walking in the direction of Springer and caught a ride home from Thomas as he passed on his way home.  When we arrived home, we changed into work clothes and got to it: Thomas drove in some more T-posts, and I changed the oil in the Hyundai.  Such busy little bees! 

 

Tonight, maybe a walk and splitting firewood?  We didn't build a fire last night and may not have to again tonight, but I am not foolish enough to think the cold weather is over.  Nor do I hope that it would be - we really could use some more wet snow like we woke up to on Sunday.

 

And the real hibernators - they're starting to wake up, too, I think.

Phew! Finished!

Monday night - last night - I came home to a grumpy husband.  I had worked 11.5 hours, a full day to be sure.  I was hungry and tired and SO relieved to be home . . . until I found Thomas buried under the taxes.  Neither of us has done much but compile the folder of evidence of our work and charity and duty to report lots of numbers in little boxes.  I found the forms at the library, and that sealed the deal for the next step.  After Tom's first pass through yesterday, we set the pile aside and tried to enjoy what remained of the evening. 

The next step was a second pair of eyes, so I looked it over and put the finishing touches on our federal return.  The jargon of taxes is way too much for me, but I have to say that this year was so much simpler with one W-2 apiece, permanent residency in one state, and no self-employment paperwork to file.  Last year was a beast we turned over to the professionals (or semi-professional).  This year it really was so much simpler.

With the federal out of the way, I took a stab at the state paperwork.  Signatures on the dotted line, stamps affixed to envelopes, and photocopies secure in the filing cabinet, we are officially finished filing our taxes!  When I drop them in the mailbox tomorrow, it'll be like the jingle - plop! plop! oh what a relief it is! 

Tales of the Domestic Front

These days have been flying by, or maybe blowing by!  The wind has been fierce, but Thomas made great effort while I was gone and last weekend to work on the fence for the garden.  We decided to put up snow fence on the western edge to help protect the garden from the wind, which is already hot and dry in the summer. 

Thomas drove in the t-post, and though it is hard to see, there is a big gate at the end of the row of posts where he drove a big post in.  Last Sunday we drove the hitching post in for this gate and a corner post another 70 feet north of it.  Hopefully we can string wire this weekend.

I have been baking on the weekends - always good to have leftovers during the week.  These garlic roll (think cinnamon roll with garlic butter and herbs inside instead of cinnamon and raisins) turned out well.  The recipe is from my cousin's blog. 

House projects progress slowly - deciding a roof color (propanel), placing orders, etc.  Not the right time to be putting of styrofoam blocks in the kind of wind we have been having.  We're thinking about the garden and what we'll plant, though it is way too early to be planting with the temps we are still getting.  Of course, we also have to think about how we will water it.  We'll never get back the two hours of our life spent at the water meeting on Monday night, but at least some eloquent Vigil men were able to say what's what and thank the people who protect our water, what little we have.  Might not be irrigation water to be had this year!

And just a few comical pictures - speaking of water:

 I opened the blinds in our bedroom one morning to see Felix taking a bath.  She is sitting on a bucket of frozen water.  Not where I would choose to sit, but evidently it suited her.

Sitting on the edge of the bucket glowering at me - we don't entirely get along.  "The boy" is so much more cuddly; however, she has taken to following me when I walk for the mail or to the neighbor's for eggs.

Valentine's Day - Vigil style

A belated report on our romantic getaway for Valentine's Day, aka let's go to Santa Fe to buy windows and see your friends on the way home.  Thomas and I, in fact, did make a trip to Santa Fe over President's weekend.  It may be a new tradition, seeing as we celebrated our second annual trip to Santa Fe to (1) have sushi for a Valentine's dinner and (2) stay at the King's Rest Court Inn.  A worthy tradition!

This time we checked out a different Saturday evening mass, which was really long.  We both walked out a little amused, but still not quite ready for dinner.  Thomas suggested stopping in to Trader Joe's, where we amassed some honey whole wheat pretzel sticks.  They were passing out samples of wine and cheese, which inspired Thomas to suggest I find a bottle of wine while he went and got some cheese.  Truly not a dessert chaser to sushi, but after a delicious dinner, we checked into our room and let dinner settle before getting in to the wine and cheese.

 Getting in to the cheese wasn't a problem, but this arsenal of tools accompanied the "getting in to the wine" part.

 Thomas adeptly removed a screw from the bathroom vanity, screwed it into the cork, and used pliers to pry the screw away from the glass, thus removing the cork intact.  Well done, Thomas!

Sunday morning Thomas took me to breakfast at a place he reportedly frequented his senior year of high school when a teacher would send him out to pick up breakfast for them - not the kind of high school I went to.  We headed on down to Home Depot to make our window purchase final and pick up a few gardening things.  Thomas also got to spend his birthday money on a new cordless drill.  With plenty of time before our afternoon dinner date with a pair of Tom's best buds, he took me on a nice drive and brief walk of some of the Pecos Wilderness, a frequent stomping ground of the guys in high school for biking and camping. 

Next stop was the Jeff McIntosh - JW Betts - Tom Vigil reunion.  When we'd seen JW at his father's funeral, we decided it really would be great to get those three together once more before the Betts headed east again.  Jeff and Casey laid out a lovely spread at their beautiful home.  Their daughter Sawyer introduced us to the chickens and goats and mini-mules.  The dogs wouldn't wait for an introduction.  Soon after JW and Stephanie arrived with Jack, Titus, Joe, and Ruby.  Super fun time~

 Drawing was a good post dinner distraction for the kids, and who better to draw skeletons on motorcycles with flames, etc.  The guys were in demand!

 Tom and I, Stephanie and JW, and Sawyer, Casey, and Jeff

Aside from the meat, which I don't remember what it was, we feasted on quinoa salad, homemade tomato bisque with crostinis, asparagus, salad, and baked potatoes.  We brought some homemade root beer and mead, and lots of yummy fruit and cookies for dessert.

Ruby and Sawyer - what fun to sit on the floor and play with the five kiddos.....

We all knew the weekend had waned, but nobody wanted to say good bye.  We rolled in about 10 pm on Sunday thoroughly satisfied with a great weekend!

The Bonus

A funeral is not generally a happy event, though there certainly was a silver lining: seeing family!  Especially when family is spread far and wide, this really is a homecoming of sorts that can't be overlooked.

 I am pretty sure this is Anya, one of John and Theresa's twins.  Not only was Uncle Ken entertaining, but she loved being near the babies.

 And what a sweet baby is this one!  I got to feed Ollie, and the alternation of spoon, food, and fingers into his mouth made for a wonderful mess.  (Note: he's wearing two bibs!)

 I was grateful to hog my godson Sunday night, since I was too weak from sickness to hold him on Monday.

Hanging with Uncle Auggie - who, I might add, we are thrilled to learn is newly engaged.  (It's on facebook, so it is hardly a secret anymore!)  Hooray for another family reunion to come!

SHE LIVED, SHE LAUGHED, SHE LOVED

In the past week, my mind, body, and spirit have ridden a roller coaster of highs and lows.  The news of my cousin Theresa's death undeniably pushed me to the brink of "WHY?!?"  Though death can be understood in terms of a physical state - the leukemia growing unchecked by the arsenal of drugs and treatments available, I still cannot make sense of why now, why the miracles that kept her alive seven years since her first diagnosis ran out.  And yet I am ever grateful for those years, for the memories they yielded, for the love born of Theresa and John and their darling daughters.

 

With gratitude to my parents for allowing it to be so, I gave up on driving solo the 15 hours that would lead me to Montana and possibly snowy conditions and found airfare in to Bozeman on Saturday.  The drive, the flight, the drive...they were exhausting and exciting at the same time - good to be with family, a relief to hug and be hugged.  I was delighted to see my cousin Ben and get to spend an hour with him before driving on to Helena in one of his vehicles.  What a gift!  And then to be welcomed into the home on Claussen Road, a home literally built of love and family.  Grief tucked in our pockets, all wore the smiles of getting to be together, though we all knew the price.  Gatherings continued all day Sunday, culminating in dinner and storytelling.  What a proud padrina I was holding my little Ollie, basking in the sheer joy of his smiles and babbling!  Visiting with cousins, teasing, entertaining and being entertained by the kids, hugging...and remembering!  John amazed me with his positivity and gratitude, trademarks of Theresa's to be sure, but I see that likely their mutual up beat attitudes drew each to the other. 

 

The funeral was packed on Monday.  Theresa touched many lives, and the Nistler family is well-loved and supported in Helena, not the least for their own love and support of others.  The Monsignor and Archbishop both intimated the depth of faith in Theresa and her zest for life, obvious qualities of anyone who knew her even a little, but also of her amazing fortitude through the struggle of her failing health.  The memorial of Theresa paints an even better picture.   

 

Sad to leave, many of us clung to the "see you in August" hope of returning to Montana for Amy's wedding; I sure do.  Hurting to leave, many of us who arrived on Saturday left with a bug in out gut rendering travels home exhausting and seemingly endless.  I was of no exception, though it had hit me Sunday night and withered my energy to endure the funeral and reception on two feet.  By the grace of God, I made it home before the sun set.