Characters

I've always been a bit of a voracious reader.  As a child, I loved the idea that books took you to another world. Truthfully, I guess that is what I still love about books.  And while I do like the idea of a book providing some sort of personal edification (like the books we read in Book Club), I think I actually read books purely for entertainment.  I am not ashamed to admit that I much prefer a book with a good story to one that makes me think. I love a juicy novel, a beach read...and (shhhh!) even the occasional trashy romance.  Though I have gotten pretty tired of the standard trite, trashy romance plot.

In the past few years, I've turned to audiobooks to pass the time during my commute.  I've calculated that I spend roughly 10-12 hours commuting a week between Baltimore, Beltsville, and Annapolis.  Audiobooks are a great way to be entertained, particularly when I'm sitting in stop and go traffic on I-95.  I really love epic, sweeping sagas that involve travel, intrigue, romance, and thrills.  I also listen to a lot of political thrillers.

Back in the spring of 2010, I was looking for something new to listen to, and stumbled upon Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.  It was billed as a historical romance.  When I read that it involved time traveling, I almost passed it over for something else.  I'm usually not a fan of sci-fi romance-ish books...they are usually a bit unbelievable for me.  Beautiful, independent modern woman travels back in time and falls for chauvinistic, but caring Norse warrior (or some such nonsense). Outlander is 40 hrs long...but the fact that it was one of the most highly rated audiobooks on Audible.com won me over.  And I'm so glad!  It's one of those books where the characters just jump off the page (or in my case out of the speakers).  Over the past year and a half, I've downloaded and listened to all 7 books in the series.  I thought the series had been complete for awhile, and that there were about 10 books.  That is, until I did some research and realized that my current download, Echo in the Bone, is the last completed book in the series.  The author is currently working on the 8th book.  When I discovered this piece of information, I had about 6 hours to go in number 7 and was somewhat distraught!

As I slowly dragged out listening to the last part of the book, I realized how much I've come to regard these characters as friends.  I know it sounds odd, but these are characters that I've been listening to for a year and a half.  They've been with me on road trips, long commutes, and occasional middle-of-the-night insomnia attacks.  And I'm distraught that it will likely be another year and a half until I will hear from them again!  In this world of portable On-Demand everything...it's hard for me to accept that I can't just go download the next book to find out how my friends are doing and have them in my life again!

I guess it is because the characters are so human; and so likeable.  I'm finding that my favorite type of entertainment is that which entertains me AND makes me think at the same time.  Take Downton Abbey, for instance.  It took me awhile to jump on the bandwagon, but once I did...I'm so there!  On the outside, it seems to be a British "period soap opera", but it is truly the characters and their development that make the show so compelling.  We want to find out what happens plot-wise, but also want to check in with characters that feel like real people and friends.

I hope that you have "friends" like mine that entertain you and keep you company.  While I anxiously await news of Jamie, Claire, Lord John, Brianna, Roger, Jem, William, Ian, and Rachel...I guess I'll have to make do and go back in time (ha ha) with Gabaldon's Lord John series.  A few of the characters are the same...and hopefully that will tide me over for awhile!

The Quiet Season

I imagine I am in the minority, but I really love the "quiet" of winter that settles in during January and typically continues into February.  Though, if I'm honest with myself, I really just love the seasons as they change.  Except summer.  I have a bias against summer...for some reason we don't really get along!  In January and February, it always seems like life slows down a bit.  Maybe it is just the comparison of January to December (usually the busiest month of all!), but I like having time here and there where I have nothing planned.  That is a rarity in my current life.

My last 2 winters have been a bit busy (2010-just got engaged, 2011-settling into marriage and our new home), so I'm happy that this one is a bit quieter.  I also tend to get a nesting instinct in January...lots of cleaning, organizing, and cooking.  After a busy fall, I love looking at my calendar and seeing weekends with only one or two obligations or engagements, if any at all.  Life settles back into a routine in January/February, and that is where I am most comfortable.  It feels a bit like I have a chance to catch up on rest, life, and priorities. 

So far this winter, our weather hasn't quite felt like winter.  Though I generally complain when it is bitterly cold, this year I am missing the week or two where we have temps that don't go above freezing.  Those are the times that I most enjoy hot baths, hot drinks, soup, and snuggling under a down comforter.  We've had a few cold nights this year, but nothing like years past!  However, I am happy to do without the snows and blizzards of the past few years.  A fair trade-off, I suppose.

So while I have some social engagements, performances, and fun things planned for the next few months, you're most likely to find me somewhere in my house cooking, cleaning, or some other form of being domestic.  Or watching a movie in preparation for the Oscars.  We've got about 7 more left to see before the big show (and our big party).  Guess I'll be preparing for that in the coming weeks, as well!

2011 Year in Review

I love writing these "Year in Review" posts.  They really help me remember all I've done (and left undone) in the past year.  This year was definitely a challenging, wonderful, stretching, and just plain FUN year!  I'm not sure how one year can be all of those adjectives, but mine was.  Perhaps that is just life?  So here we go, Page's 2011 Year in Review:

January- I begin my first "real" (non-wedding/honeymoon/holiday) month of marriage.  We visit Chapel Hill for a wedding.  We eat lots of plant-based foods.  I spend most of my free time trying to get our home in order.  We win a fabulous home theater system and host an awesome Super Bowl party.

February- It's cold.  I learn how to adjust to my husband being at rehearsal in DC most nights.  The house and doggies and I bond while I learn to feel like "our" home is also "my" home.  I spend a weekend in Annapolis while performing as a nun in the Sound of Music.  Which was a blast!  At the end of the month, J is hospitalized with pleurisy.

March- Learn about how to live out the "in sickness" clause of my wedding vows.  Perform the Monteverdi Vespers. Begin the work of readying our half-plot in the community garden.

April- Spring finally seems to be peeking its head around the corner.  This was a long winter for me.  We throw a few dinner parties.  On Easter Sunday, I try to burn off my cornea.  Ouch.

May- To Scotland we go to celebrate Eliza's wedding.  And just happen to touch down in London in the midst of the Royal Wedding.  Drink lots of whisky, learn some Scottish dancing, and have an overall fabulous time.

June- Life slows down.  I learn what it is like to be married with my husband and I home together most nights.  It's awesome.  We begin receiving shares from our CSA and working in our community garden plot.  Veggies a-plenty and I learn a lot of new veggie recipes!

July- We watch the Wimbledon Men's Final on the theater screen upstairs.  Wow.  We also host a Harry Potter Marathon in preparation for the opening of the last movie.  We then see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 2.  I finally admit that I am struggling with anxiety.

August- J's family visits for a fun-filled week of food, fun, and baseball.  We visit Maine!  Chorale rehearsals start back up.

September- J and I both participate in 2 performances of the Mozart Requiem for September 11th memorials (he as the tenor soloist...and me in the chorus, naturally).  It's moving, beautiful, and tough.  Towards the end of the month, Maureen and I travel to SC for the Navy vs. SC football game. 

October- Lots of Navy football. Lots of singing.  And a little wine tasting.

November- I take J on a surprise trip to a B&B in Virginia Wine Country to celebrate our first Anniversary.  My parents visit for Thanksgiving.  I host my first Thanksgiving meal in the Spy House.  It was a success, if I do say so myself.

December- The crazy singing season begins.  My half marathon training schedule is demanding more long runs.  I sing 6 concerts in 10 days.  My parents arrive.  We celebrate a lovely Christmas...complete with J's special custom "Spy House" holiday blend of coffee.

There you have it...My Year.  With its ups and downs, highs and lows, joys and struggles.  All on this journey that we call "Life" that I feel quite privileged to be on!

NaBloCleanPoMo Day #13 Jeans

Today's NaBloCleanPoMo project is not cleaning per se, but something I've had on my list for awhile.  Hemming my jeans.  I should start by stressing that I am not a seamstress.  Hemming jeans made me panic because I couldn't imagine cutting the hem off.  Then I found this tutorial that doesn't require cutting.  So I decided to try it.  And it worked like a charm!

My camera battery died, so I had to take photos on my Blackberry.  My eyes hurt too much from sewing to transfer them over, but I followed the instructions in the tutorial above, but without a sewing machine.

So proud of myself!

NaBloCleanPoMo Day #12 Cashmere

I learned a few years ago that instead of dry cleaning cashmere, you can hand wash it.  I have to say, hand-washing at our house is made much easier by the fact that we have a utility sink in the laundry room.  If that doesn't make you jealous, it should.  I have never had a utility sink at all....and having one in the laundry room is awesome!

Dirty cashmere sweaters

Step 1: Soak sweaters in cold water with a hand-wash detergent (I used Woolite) for 20 minutes

Step 2: Drain the water out of the sink.  Then press as much water out of the sweaters as you can (do not wring)

Step 3: Lay sweaters on a towel and use the towel to press even more water out

Step 4: Lay sweaters flat to dry

Once they dry, the cashmere sweaters will be fresh, clean, and ready to wear!

NaBloCleanPoMo Day #11 Laundry Room

Today was supposed to be a "do nothing" day.  However, J and I cleaned the Laundry Room since it was on my list for NaBloCleanPoMo.  I don't have a good before picture of how disorganized and "linty" the room was, but here are some in progress pictures:

With the dryer moved out

Closer look

After...everything clean and organized.  My main accomplishment was getting rid of the miscellaneous stack of stuff on top of the dryer.

Done!

And now, I'm ready to go watch some football.

NaBloCleanPoMo Day #10 Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend

When I was but a young girl, I sometimes thought diamonds were commonplace.  Everyone had diamonds!  I had pearls, garnets (my birthstone), sapphires...all those other lovely gems but diamonds.  Consequently, I didn't get my first pair of diamonds until the age of 30.  You can read the full story here.  After I got my first diamonds, I learned how to clean them on my own.

Now, I have a diamond engagement ring and I use my grandmother's diamond wedding band as my own.  They are soldered together, but still need a bit of cleaning now and then as well.  I often forget to clean my sets of diamonds, and they get a bit cloudy and lose some of their sparkle.  Thankfully, diamonds are easy to clean!

Ring before

Earrings before

Step 1: Soak in warm, soapy water

Step 2: Clean gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush

Step 3: Finish with a quick dip in a windex/water solution

Rings...sparkly and back where they belong

And my earrings, back to their lovely, sparkly selves!