Sunshine in the City

It's been so long! When I started this blog my intention was to blog on a regular basis and here I find myself weeks from my last blog. I was fooled a few nice days in Pittsburgh and I was lured by the sun and warmth. I find I can't seem to get anything done on the first nice days of the year. I eventually settle in but the first nice days, I totally develop A.D.D.

I love Spring in the city. The trees flowering, the river trail packed with people out enjoying the weather. But typical Pittsburgh, a few nice days of sun and you are reminded you still live in the North, and the sun disappears and the rain and the cold hit and all I want to do is hibernate in the house.

I have to admit though, I love the city when it's like this, the sunny part that is. I love being close to the trail along the river and walking with Murph, walking to the grocery store, just enjoying being out of the house. The walking part is awesome as well (especially with gas prices at $4/gallon) but the real sign of the nice weather being here (to hopefully stay) is the return of the Farmer's Market. I LOVE the Farmer's Market and the Farmer's Market on the Southside is FANTASTIC! And it's back tomorrow.

I love being able to support local farmers. When I was growing up, one of my best friend's family had a farm. I remember going over and running in the fields, helping to pick crops, and playing in the greenhouses. I have a lot of respect for how hard it is to farm. And let's not forget the chance to get FRESH vegetables. I can not stand canned vegetables and can moderately tolerate frozen vegetables.

I am definitely planning on visiting the Farmer's Market a lot this summer.

Here's to the start of sunshine and nicer days, and I promise more blogging even with the sun calling my name.

Puppy Love

So last September in a fit of insanity between travels, I decided I had to have a dog. I've always grown up with dogs, but I can't honestly say that I never thought of myself as a dog person. I've always considered myself a cat person. Dogs have always seemed like too much responsibility for me. Until that point I was always the last one to leave the office each evening and traveling quite a bit between work and personal trips.

So while visiting my sister for the weekend we stopped to look at puppies at a local nursery and I fell in love with the sweetest Yorkie-Poo. He was so adorable and best of all would fit in a carry on and be ready for travel. However, the price wasn't ready for my budget, $1,000.

So I said goodbye with the hopes of someone fantastic adopting him and went back to my slightly saner thinking of, I don't have time for a dog. Then my sister forwards me a picture of a puppy her friend is looking to place. A fluffy white ball of fur. And somehow along the way I found myself driving to DC to pick up my newest addition, a Pomeranian Poodle. Murphy, the tiny terror.

I do still travel alot however, so does Murphy. He's a frequent traveler on the road to Chicago and when it's not Chicago to Grammy and Pappy's house to stay. He'll be taking his first flight in May. (Let's hope he doesn't decide to whine the whole way)

So the crazies took hold again last week and I decided I needed another dog, Murphy needed a friend, not that he doesn't have Brooks the 70+ Weimaraner and Hank the 70 pound mix that are our neighbors. Did I mention Murphy is all of 9 pounds? Anyway, online I went and found the cutest Yorkie-Poo. And thankfully my mother talked some sense into my this time and instead decided to adopt him herself. So tomorrow we head to Ohio to pick up Magee (our family has a thing for "M" names for our dogs.) Pictures will definitely be coming.

So for now it's just Murphy and I. Which is likely for the best, because as Jason, my wonderful co-worker put it, "You don't want to be the crazy dog lady."

Ordered Spontaneity

I know, ordered spontaneity, doesn't exactly make sense.

Its been a crazy week. Getting back to work and every day life after spending most of the month of March traveling has been a little stressful. I realized something about myself however, my coping mechanism for stress is best described as ordered spontaneity.

In many ways I am a creature of habit. I have a certain parking spot at work, a certain seat at the conference room table for meetings... My co-worker while walking out last night commented on the fact I always park in the same spot and asked what would happen if he parked there? And I will be honest, it would totally stress me out. I know that seems ridiculous but I have a routine for work. I'm a total control freak. I like things ordered and according to plan.

I'm routine at work but when it comes to my personal life, all bets are off. Well, I do still tend to be a little bit of a control freak. I'm used to being the one doing the planning, it comes for being an event planner in my past life. However, I like the spontaneity of a good last minute plan, something that was so unexpected and unplanned being the highlight of the week.

I love a good last minute trip. Stressful week? Why not head to Chicago for the weekend, or Savannah, or Dallas? Which by the way Dallas is the trip of choice this weekend. (thankfully I have flight benefits so these last minute trips don't cost me my next 3 paychecks)

I love coming home and deciding that getting together with friends for Indian dinner is so much better than what I was planning to cook or Friday night Karaoke bowling is the best way I can end my week.

I like the balance I have created of order in my work and spontaneity at home. I think too much one way or another would be a disaster. My co-workers would murder me and my friends would disown me. My family, they are unfortunately stuck with me. :)

The Man Chair

Okay, I'm going to admit, I totally don't understand the recliner. A group of my friends and I were out last night, enjoying the Pens game (which was a victory, I might add) and somehow we got to talking about recliners.

I really think they are a guy thing, They are just not something I can say I am dying to go out and purchase. I don't think having a recliner will make my house complete. Brian, tried explaining to me last night, it's a chair you can lay in and watch TV. What I think he means is it's a chair you can fall asleep in, which is evidenced by the photo his wife takes of him every year at Christmas time. (sorry Brian)

Give me a nice sofa or even a Chaise lounge and I'm happy. A recliner? I'm just not so sure about it. My father, after wanting one for years, finally went out and bought himself one. And make no mistake that's his chair. I think in the month he has had it my mother might have sat in it twice. I really think he thinks of it as his throne. He who sits in the armchair rules the house.

Who knows, maybe someday, I'm going to see just the right one and have to have it but for now, I'll stick with the more traditional sofa/loveseat combination.

April Fool's

So it's April 2. The day after April Fool's Day. And the joke is on us, it's snowing. In April.... There were actually plows out on the roads this morning. I am so ready for warm weather. Come on! Phil did not see his shadow this year, I thought we were supposed to be done with this.

I'm dreaming of outdoor picnics, bonfires, hanging on the deck with the grill fired up, flip flops and sandals, hiking, all the fun summer activities I miss during the cold winters.

I'm not one of those people who thinks it needs to be in the 80's and 90's all the time, I actually love the change of seasons. I love the fall, the first smell of cold in the air. (And yes, cold has a smell to me) but I think it's time, time for sunshine and warmer weather, time to put away the sweaters and coats (not that I usually wear a coat)

I've even been dreaming about going to a baseball game. And I don't generally do the baseball game thing, I'm a hockey fan through and through.

So please, Mr. Sunshine, come out to stay. Pretty Please!

Never the Same

I got home yesterday aftenoon. Well actually truly home to my house last evening after a stop at my parents for dinner and to pick up Murphy, aka the Tiny Terror.

So last night I finally made it to my house. Hulling that much luggage up two flights of stairs not fun. I need to learn to pack lighter. But it was good. Some friends came over and we just chilled and hung out and caught up. Nicole asked, "Would you still want to go back again" and without hesitation, "yes, I would go tomorrow if I could." I LOVE Israel. I love the people, the culture, the connection to my faith. It's incredible. Having been once before, I still saw and felt experiences different from the last time and I know there is still so much to see.

One thing for sure is I traveled with and incredible group of friends. And I really do think of them like that. Each of them (Beatrice, Laura, Gloria, Jonathan, Darrell, Jamie, Russ, Meg, Di, Steve, Marcie, and Colleen) are so special to me now. They made the trip amazing.

And our guide, Marion, and Eli our driver, the trip would not be the same without them. I love them both!

What an amazing journey. I went for work, however, I gained friendships and more importantly was drawn closer to my faith. Israel, truly is a life-changing expereince.

Garden Tomb