Thanks Before the Turkey

This year we gave thanks over a large turkey, with lifted hearts, with people we love. As I ran here and there and set the table, and fretted over stuffing, I realized...

What a blessing to have a home to welcome people to....

What a blessing to have those people!

To have a table people can sit together and hold hands to pray at...
To buy beautiful food to savor and to gobble gobble up!

How wonderful to know that before you even invite the people, before you roast the turkey, before you set the table.... you already HAVE much to be thankful for! The perfect (or not so) meal cannot make or break it.

Hill Girls

Last month I spent a fantastic week with 17 beautiful Hill women.

We talked and laughed, drank lots of coffee in the morning and wine at nite.... we ate and giggled and shopped and told stories and posed for many, many photos.... We rode scooters on islands and climbed lighthouses and smoked cigars and had campfires and hugged tight and wondered why we have let all this time go by without at trip like THIS.

Dollars, Sense...

Lately I've thought a lot about money.

Not about how much I have (or really, don't) or want or need (or really, don't), but just about how money determines pretty much everything. People who have money have not only their basic needs met, but they have access, they have choices, they have worries who only go so far.... they can afford to dream, they can afford to vacation, they can afford healthcare. They can consider education and they can sleep at night. People who don't have money are lucky to have their basic needs met, but have no access, no choices, no vacation, no real healthcare, no sleep. No rest.

Money can build and destroy. Money can bring unity and divide nations. Everyone needs it, everyone wants it, everyone works all day to make more of it, just to spend it and have to work again to earn more of it. It kind of blows my mind to consider that a basic unit of currency sets the world in motion.... And I wonder... Was it supposed to be this way?

This photo shares some beautiful thoughts on money.... from the amazing (and impoverished) Tanzania. Great (free) food for thought....

Three Day Weekend!

Julie and Julia

So you all know I rarely post (on average about once a month), but I just could not let this go.

SEE THIS MOVIE.

Two things, both worth mentioning:

1) The book is good, but the movie is GREAT. This never happens.

2) Do not go to theater for said movie on empty stomach (as I did). It is torture.

So much to love about this movie. Mid-20th centure France, Meryl, food, Stanley Tucci, food, Amy Adams, more food, moments to laugh out loud (thank you Julia), moments that lump catches in your throat, more food, Nora Epron, parallel storylines, blogger name in title, more Meryl, more food.

A perfect Sunday afternoon treat. Now, time for a proper Sunday dinner and a desperate online search for the lovely Julia's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking".

Bon Appetit!

The Lovely Point

Sunday mornings I get up and make coffee. I open the shades to rain or sun, thankful for either, thankful for both. I sit and sip and feel contemplative, quietly considering spiritual matters. I know I'm not alone in this, on this day- Sunday is churchy day. That said, I seek not preaching and pews, but what the lyrics of beautiful hymns and sensationalist scriptures can mean, CAN DO, for world, for nature, for life.

Much of society argues that Christians are crazy. Quite often, I agree. The (tel)evangelists, the scandals, the cheesy bookstores and bumperstickers. The arrogance and self-righteousness. I admittedly cringe to be associated, to be "lumped in" with this group because I feel as though my heart cannot participate (and winces) at this label... though we know, we worship, we seek to understand the same God.

That said, all of this distracts from the core, the essense, the truth of who/what God is, and beautifu, original intentions.... for peace, for beauty, for unity, for love that transcends, for perfect and lovely nature, for good, for truth. I see/experience God most in nature.... nearly a year ago, I ventured into and out of the Grand Canyon with three friends. The trip was exciting, it was tremendous, it will be the story I tell my children.. "when I was 26 and single, I put on a backpack and went into the canyon and slept next to the river".... A component of all of it was seeing the sunsets, wandering through this wonder of the world... and just feeling, just knowing, that the wind which passed through it was the very breath of God. Tiny flowers had been planted and protected to thrive in bone dry rock, the Colorado snaked through to give water and life, to quench thirst, and the laughter and conversation of friends, families and adventurers would echo for hours and hours. I could not help but think, this is the stuff of good, this is the stuff of nature, this is the stuff of God.

Words of a very wise man which sum this thought up beautifully:


Thanks be to you for the miracle of life

That happens as seed meets soil

Be our constant reminder that we are both: seed and soil giver and receiver.

So enable us to sow faithfully that Your blessings is spilled through us

Into the soil of this beautiful and broken world.

Catching Up! And Moving Forward.

Greetings my lovely blog followers! Yes, Grampa and the Bend family, this includes you!

Oh, August. The last few months have been a great, hot blur. Ever feel like you rush and rush around, doing this and doing that and have nothing really to show for it? Well. That's how my last few months have been. Not a bad thing! Just a busy thing. I always start a summer with ALL KINDS OF PLANS for fun things.... hikes, camping, berry picking, bbqs, backyard parties, beach, sun, road trips, lemonade stands, etc, etc, etc. Done some of those things, have not done others, but when all is said and done, summer 2009 has been savored, sun-kissed and enjoyed.

Such to say, I am:

Moving.
Not far away! Up the road to the Beach House!! I am thrilled. Big house, beach view, spacious kitchen, a yard for a garden, big deck for relaxin with wine after a loooong day, and just much more. What else? Oh yeah! Little Juli Robinson will be my roommate! BFFs for nearly a decade and we finally get to be roomies! What a treat. Also looking for a 3rd roomie, so if you ARE or know some nice, fun girl who would like to live in a house in West Seattle, on Beach Drive for $500/mo, give a shout.

Making Plans. Job-wise, That Is.
I've been with UW Advancement for two years now and currently in a job I love.... but I've been challenged to dig deep, determine dreams and strenths and (GASP), put together a PLAN (a real four-letter word for 20-somethings the world over). Which I've done! I'm REALLY excited about it and what just might be down this road and around the corner. After years of semi-shirking responsibility and commitment to a more defined career, it feels SO good to pursue just what I'm pursuing. Can I be more vague? Probably not. But more to come. :)

Involved in The Wokovu Project.
My great friend Karen Gray recently went to Tanzania to volunteer as a teacher at a girls school. She returned stateside with stories and pictures and passion to provide for young women in need. In a very loving and practical way. The Wokovu Project is her grassroots effort to support Kilimanjaro Young Girls in Need (KYGN). KYGN is a local non-profit based in Moshi, Tanzania providing education, vocation training, support services and ultimately, hope to at-risk girls in the villages surrounding Mt. Kilimanjaro. The girls who attend KYGN are young women who have experienced significant hardships in their lives (abandoned, extreme poverty, orphaned, no money for school, absuse etc.) and are at KYGN for a second chance. "Wokovu" is Swahili (the language predominately spoken in Tanzania) meaning rescue, redemption and/or liberation. To learn more: http://thewokovuproject.wordpress.com/about/

Burned Out.
I can't remember the last time I took a REAL vacation, you know... the kind where you pack bags and go away and rest, relax, sleep when you want, eat what you want kind of vacation. Work has been so busy and the life gets in the way and oh yeah, as you're ready to book your flight to Mazatlan, Swine Flu hits. Anyhow, weeks from now, I'll pack those bags, board that plane and head for the beautiful and exotic, faraway location of..... Duluth, Minnesota. Followed by a few days in Wisconsin. Will I lay on beaches? No. Will I laze about and play and eat and drink and hike and shop?? Well yes. You see, Hill Girls Reunion 2009 is fastly approaching and I gotta say; I'd rather kick it for a week with 16 Hill women than sit on any beach I can think of.

Finally Seeing James Taylor in Concert.
With my parents. At the Puyallup Fair. Dream come true. Enough said.

Missing Triple Digit Temps.
I love a hot hot hot day. Seattle hit 100 for like 3 days and all I heard was crying, whimpering and the sound of mad scramble to Bartells for box fans. People!! Heat, sunshine, warmth, summer is a luxury here in Seattle. 100 degrees is to be enjoyed and appreciated because it comes and sets records and then goes in an instant. Why is it August 8th and I'm wearing two hoodies and jeans?? Because that's normal. Real heat is not. Bring on the roasty toasty!

Making Jam, Growing Flowers, and Reading Seattle Mag.
I've somehow become my mother. Which is something I'm proud to say. :)

Twenty Seven.
I'm young but I'm old. I'm feeling more contented than ever and find that in my "old age", I'm far more concerned with making things happen than what people think of me. FINALLY. Sigh. Don't get me wrong. I want to make friends and keep them. I want to be liked, but approval and opinion don't weigh as heavily as they once did. I feel more comfortable in my own skin, and more relaxed, which ironically, energizes me to run forward, to say things that need to be said, make decisions which must be made, and to live boldly and honestly.

Certain that THIS is the year the Mariners will not choke at crucial moment. Certain also that the Sounders WILL.

Done With This Blog Entry.
Happy August, every single one of you. (Grampa, thanks for tuning in. Love you!)

Lovely.

Dream home/cottage? Found it. Isn't she lovely?
To see more of this sweet sweet classy Bahamanian beach bungalow- and I KNOW you want to ;)- begin your tour here: http://www.elementsofstyleblog.com/2009/04/away-from-here-tom-scheerer.html

P.S. I have. The worst. Sunburn (faceburn?) EVER. Oh sunblock, why is it I always feel I am too good for you??? Does Bartel's sell spf 85?

Bad Blogger. But Whatever.

Add me to the droves of people who intend to keep a blog and get to it, OHHHH, maybe once a month if they are lucky. Gosh. I didn't think I would be THAT blogger, but then again, I was never consistent at writing down my daily diatribes in my Minnie Mouse diary when I was a little gal, either. These habits are hard to break.

So what's new??

Lots of things!

I've planned a trip. I planted a strawberry pot. Got my hair cut/bobbed. Visited family. Missed the entire season of Grey's Anatomy but tuned in for the shocking shocking finale. Rediscovered Robert Frost. Went on a hike, celebrated birthdays, won and lost at tennis, ran through the rain. Got SUN. Sang. Tried reading Twilight and quit halfway through (what's all the fuss about?), played multiple multiple multiple rounds of ring around the rosy with toddlers, went to a few bars. Hula-hooped. Discussed wisdom and magic and bullshit. Shopped at farmers markets, had last Bible study of year with lovely girls. Got crabby. Got happy. Ate Pho. Napped. Gossiped. Giggled. Thought about boy. Got a $250 parking ticket. Watched a documentary on world water crisis. Began to love U District. Made a cake from scratch. Bought coffee almost every day. Fell asleep praying. Saw high school friends! Planned next tattoo. Wine, lots of wine. New ipod. More tennis. Beach. Work. Life.

There's a bit. And a few pics to illustrate the time between April 5 (last post) and May 21 (this one):





Next blog (I'm sure) will be a rave about all things Summer. I find I come to life this time of year. Everything just breathes easier when there are longer days, shorter nights, warmer weather, things blooming. Spring/Summer Julie is ALWAYS happy and carefree, lazy. Winter Julie?? Ooooh. Grumpier, foggier, less shiny version. Everything just looks better when you throw a little sun on it.

Get out there this Mem Day (LONG) weekend, all you people!! Fire up the grill, plant a little flower, sunburn, frisbee, do what you do! Whatever you do, be sure to love/enjoy/remember it.

Finally.

For six months now, we've bundled up and grabbed umbrellas, layered seven sweaters, and prayed our shoes would take the puddles and the rain and the snow and slush. The bitter gray and wind have become unwelcome bedfellows. There were times I'd forget that Spring would ever come. And then the cold was not so bitter, sunshine showed for moments, and there were bits of green on every tree. This weekend, we will hit 60 degrees two (maybe THREE!) days in a row. Hello, August.

So as I put my mittens away and begin to consider spf, my heart is light. Something in me wants to buy little yellow shoes and a helium balloon and go skipping down sixty-second street, reminding everyone that YES, yes, it's true. Weather has caught up with calendar and it IS Spring.

The problems of our lives and of the world seem more manageable when you can go for a stroll and breathe fresh, clean, fragrant air. Somehow everything is lighter and better. No wonder those snowbird grannies are so happy. Sunshine does good for any and every soul.

From here I see Alki. There is almost nothing more lovely than Sunday mornings here. Olympic backdrop, gentle water, sunshine, quiet. People pass quietly on bike, on foot, on skate. Happy babies in bright "baby legs". Very quiet chatter. Coffee and breeze. Old friends, new family meet for Cafe pancakes or picnics. It is a bit of Cali heaven and before I scamper to it, I will say this one last thing. Spring and Summer, come to us. We quit the Winter. BBQs, cut grass, tees and tanks, flips and frisbees, long days, sun burn, sweat ... we welcome you with our very open (albeit pasty) white arms!

Oh. And GO TAR HEELS!!!!!!!!!

Lately, the Things that I Like

UNC Tar Heels. Ranked #1! Hansbrough just points away from history. Who needs the silly, overpaid, over-blinged NBA when college b-ball is THIS good??



Yoga. Never has an hour of working out (and yes, it IS working out, ya gym rats) felt this great. Who says that you've got to kick box, run for days, or climb a million stairs to do something good for your body? Try doing (and holding) "the wheel" and you will be humbled. I yoga with girls from work every Wednesday at lunch time. Our instructor is a 60 year old rubber band with a soft and soothing voice. It's great to feel the burn, to hold "plank" for longer you ever thought you could and to settle into "dead man" at the very end to rest after all that work. Namaste.

Starbucks Verona Blend. Worth mentioning as I am currently on 3rd cup of day. Not new to this girl blogger, but a longtime friend. A go-to and often the highlight of a Saturday morning on Alki. No blend is better. And believe me. I have searched high and low and tried and tried. Wish I could say that "X" blend of "X" mom and pop local coffee shop wins for best brew the world over, but I'm not there yet. Go Verona. So smooth, bold.

Indoor Herb Garden. I don't know about you fellow gardeners. But it is mid-March and still well below freezing. This week it was a balmy 27 degrees in Seattle. I had to scrape ice. I dream of planting and flowers growing and herbs taking over. But the way things are going that won't be happening until early July. Until then, I discovered (economic, even) indoor alternative: little herbs in a cup! Where did I find these? Yup, that's right. Your local neighborhood dealer for fine Swedish furnishings. IKEA. You get a little cup with a little brown tablet and packet inside. You add 4 oz of water to tablet and LIKE MAGIC real live dirt instantly fills cup. You sprinkle seeds and just days later you see little green curls of herb. I will have chive and basil. Hopefully.

My job. Where I work. We've had a tough run these past few weeks and months. We moved, which wasn't great but turned out okay. Our budget took a big hit and we lost some GREAT people, which really wasn't okay. And still isn't okay. But the dust settles and spring comes and plans are made and we all move on. A winning team hasn't hurt. Neither has a stock market that has finished well the last 4 days. And Husky mascot puppy "Dubs" is darn cute. Yes, folks. This just might be the start of an upswing. After a long and dark winter of worry, we are ready and it is time.

Sense and Sensibility. Who doesn't love a good social commentary? Funny how well you can relate to scribbles from centuries ago. Poetry, really. A fan of finding new books, new stories to absorb and share, but oh. A re-read. Like visiting with an old friend who hasn't changed at all but whose same soft (but SHARP!) words mean something new. The Emma Thompson adaptation is fantastic as well. For once you are not dumbing yourself down if you opt for film over book.

Mom's recipes. Merilee Hill, the sweetest, has been "learning the computer" and typin up the recipes I grew up loving. Thank God for computer classes and email because NOW I can whip up all the great ones in my very own kitchen. It's true. Moms have the touch. And my pastitsio will never taste JUST like hers, but that is just fine. My finished product is close enough to remember easier, simpler, (tastier) younger days.

Adele! Well gosh. How has it been this long and I have yet to mention Adele!?!? Aka the voice of the year, the non-cracked out talent that is honey through even the crackliest of radios, the British gal whose "19" could serenade any given mood on any given day. Notable, chilling (in a good way my friends) tracks include "Chasing Pavements", cover "Make You Feel My Love" and current favorite "Right as Rain". i Tunes? Ready, GO.

On with the running shoes, out the door to sunny(ish) day I go! And just a word... don't forget to do your taxes! Say no to prison.

Also, shoutout to Grampa Cliff in Bend, OR! See?? I don't write about Obama ALL the time. Love you and miss you!

Oh.. next blog: Planning Your '09 Summer Vacay!

Newsworthy

Inauguration. So that happened.

That day I somehow resisted the temptation to take vacation and instead opted to curl into my cubicle with kleenex and streaming CNN.com. Such a proud and defining day. As soon as our new President was officially sworn in (and who really cares that THAT was a bit mangled), a colleague cried, I clapped, and from down the hall I heard a resounding "YES WE DID!!".

So Michael Phelps has been suspended from competitive swimming for taking a hit from a bong. Oh yeah, and he won't be able to sell cereal anymore either. Really?? Celebrities doing drugs?? Young athletes let the money and fame and time off go to their heads (literally in this case) and make mistakes? Wow. Are we really surprised? Unfortunately for young Michael, his truckload of gold medals has made him a national hero. Tons of tiny swimmers in speedos and swimcaps look to him and dream of Oly glory one day. Take a lesson from Brit Brit, Michael.... Your hard work and professional rewards have made you wonderfully famous. You don't have to be perfect. Just don't be stupid.

Also, a lonely, love-starved lady in California gave birth to a litter of babies a couple of weeks ago. Sweet babies. Silly lady. Don't forget the other SIX toddlers she has at home. Oh and she is a single parent so she will go it alone. "Ethics", judgment aside (and this lady has received plenty), SO curious to see how the coming weeks, months, years will stack up for the Angelina lookalike and her brood. Maybe (hopefully) she will defy every critic and raise very happy and healthy children (who are committed to their therapy). Far crazier things have happened.

These seasons are a-chaaaanging. Now it is February. Over the next 4 days, we will observe Friday the 13th (maybe not that one), Valentine's Day, President's Day. NEXT? First day of SPRING!! Just a month away. A few days, really. To gear up, I have daffodils on my desk at work, I am taking serious inventory of Spring wardrobe, and simply ignoring weather reports which include snow/sleet/ice/hail/cold.

The weekend takes me to Portland for a weekend with dear friends! Chit chat, chick flick, dinner, karaoke, tax free shopping await.

In considering love this Valentine's Day, a thought from someone who knew and lived the topic well:

The success of love is in the loving - it is not in the result of loving. Of course it is natural in love to want the best for the other person, but whether it turns out that way or not does not determine the value of what we have done. Mother Teresa

Much love... and happy Valentines!