Long Weekend Luxuries

This Memorial Day weekend came at the perfect time. 

After several busy weeks for both myself and the boyfriend, 

we entered into this long weekend with no plans. 

And it has been fantastic.

With the summer ahead already packed with weddings, showers, 

get togethers, and traveling, I've started to feel a bit worried, 

concerned that there was too much on the calendar. 

While I hope to embrace the crazy busy summer for what it is, 

full of wonderful, joyous celebrations, 

I know that staying organized and calm will help me, personally, 

to enjoy it all so much more, despite its schedule, 

and so I've looked forward to this upcoming weekend, 

to kick off the summer season, 

hanging on to the fact that our days were free from plans.

Having that extra day makes long weekends insanely more awesome. 

It allows one to really achieve, so much more fully, the core goal of the elusive weekend: 

mixing productivity with relaxation and pleasure. 

And so this lovely long weekend, I've done just that. 

I cleaned our home, and tidied up our living space. 

We stocked up on necessities for the upcoming week's breakfasts and lunches

 as we grocery shopped, carting home various items to turn into creative dinners. 

I went to the gym,

making up for the lack of time and self discipline 

that reigned over the past couple weeks. 

I have piles of clean laundry, fresh sheets on the bed, 

and I'm slowly but surely making a dent in my towering stack of magazines 

that I can't help but collect. 

Friday night we set out a smorgasbord of taco fixings, 

filling tortillas with shrimp, beans, rice and avocado, 

indulging in one of my favorite types of dinners. 

What use to consist of parties, pizza, cocktails and 

bedtimes that went into the early hours of the next day, 

now ended with a showing of The Great Gatsby and bed by midnight. 

The movie didn't disappoint and neither did the hours of uninterrupted solid sleep. 

Saturday night we cheered on the Bruins with good friends and good food, 

before returning home shortly after 9PM, 

to enjoy the lazy pleasures of hbo's comedians. 

These little long weekend luxuries came together to create a weekend

 that I so badly needed and craved. 

While I didn't cross off everything on my never-ending to do list, 

I feel refreshed and reorganized, 

eager to keep this positive momentum going, 

ready to not only tackle the week ahead, 

but excited for the beautifully busy summer that lies before us.

And so as we wrapped up this weekend with a little hike by the coast

and a bbq with the boyfriend's family, 

I cheers to not only our country's Memorial Day 

but also to the summer ahead.

photo via my iPhone

I Love Love

While it’s no secret that I love Valentine’s Day, I don’t however demand huge, dramatic gestures on the 14th of February every year. I much more prefer taking the opportunity to simply enjoy the special people in your life on this special day, making sure they know how much they are loved and cared for. Whether that mean a card, a call or a little box of chocolates, communicating your love is what I adore on February 14th, the one day a year who’s purpose to purely to spread and share love.

And this year, didn’t disappoint. 

I had heard people mention “love languages” and liked the theory that we each show our love for others in our own ways, via our own languages. Tom and I have routinely joked about how much I love cards and how he couldn’t care less for them. But I crave the written word, the descriptions of feelings. He however, when asked how he loves, believes in actions, in providing, especially in the act of preparing meals, when I’m usually too lazy and could easily just rely on scrambled eggs. 

And so this Valentine’s Day was especially fitting for us. Without consciously realizing it, we gave each other what the other appreciates most, we spoke the right language to one another, showing our love in the best way for each individual.

I prepared and cooked a full dinner that evening, roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and rounded out the meal with a classic cheesecake, one of the few desserts he actually loves.

And he gave me a beautiful card that captured his thoughts and feelings perfectly. I have recently been admiring succulents and other terrarian plants and my guy gave me a trio to start a little collection.

And as we sat and enjoyed our leisurely dinner, I soaked up the calm, the peace that evening, before we flashed back to reality and work and demands and cleaning up.

It wasn’t until I heard a comment a day later about love languages and I thought back to our dinner, that I realized how strongly we represent that theory. And how well we are learning each other’s language over time. 

Happy Belated Valentine’s Day xoxo


photo via my Instagram

Ginger Ale & Downton Abbey

Since departing for NYC last Thursday evening, 

I have gone through a complete sickness lifecycle. 

I woke Friday morning with the beginning of the flu 

and it proceeded to worsen during my stay in the city. 

With a blizzard hitting the northeast, making me unable to travel back home earlier, 

our weekend went a little different than planned, 

and I camped out on my girlfriend’s couch, 

as we immersed ourselves in tv, 

lots of (non-alcoholic) fluids, 

and lots more girl talk. 

I returned home Sunday night, 

stomach feeling better but sore throat and cough just getting started 

and not until today, 

a week later, can I say that I finally feel well. 

I don’t know if I had the official flu, 

but I also don’t know the last time I felt this sick, 

this sort of exhaustion, these body aches, and so, 

next year, I’m getting the shot. 

But last weekend in NYC wasn’t a total fail. 

In the midst of feeling like complete crap, 

and being away from the comfort of your own home, 

I was reminded of the amazing friends I have. 

They surrounded me with reassurance, love, care 

and lots of sherbet and ginger ale. 

If I couldn’t be at home, they were the next best thing. 

And so this week, I continued to rest. 

To recuperate. 

And then finally was able to taste flavors again, 

with the boys latest creation: 

buttermilk biscuits stuffed with barbecue pulled pork.

I snuggled with my cat 

and soaked up some reading 

and Downton Abbey catch-up.

I returned to work mid-week 

and caught up and got organized. 

It’s back to reality, 

back to to-do lists, 

to errands, to exercise.

Waking up this morning and finally feeling well, 

felt so, so good. 

photo via Tumblr

About Me & This

Over the weekend, I finally got around to 

putting together an “About Me” page 

for this site of mine. 

It can viewed via the “ABOUT” tab 

on the top of the left side column,

at the top of the page, at any time. 

Other weekend highlights included

stocking up on papers, stickers, bags, tags, cards and more, 

gearing up for some Valentine crafts, baking and wrapping, 

and trying my hand at domesticity and cooking a casserole.

And then came Sunday and 

with it, time to join in 
with some American traditions

and watch the Super Bowl, 

while I enjoyed some (craft) brews, 
too much chili, chips and dips,

and the commercials and half time show, 

more than the touchdowns.

Have a wonderful week~


photo via Pinterest

Recovering

I’m hibernating.

For the past few weekends, 

I’ve veered away from most social activities, 

I’ve passed on going-out opportunities, 

in favor of staying home. 

Which is not to say, 

I haven’t been busy on these weekends.

I’ve done laundry, 

I’ve cleaned and tidied my apartment.

I’ve had wonderful meals with the boy 

and we’ve ran errands.

I’ve started into my never-ending pile of magazines, 

we’ve watched movies. 

I started a new workout routine

 and dived into organizational goals I have for myself.

But overall, I’ve been pretty anti-social. 

I’ve chosen my couch over bars and parties. 

And it has been wonderful.

My work weeks tend to be busy, 

tend to be scheduled to the brim. 

And I was started to break, 

to feel like I wasn’t on solid ground any more. 

After the holidays, 

I was worn out.

The new year is for fresh starts, 

and I wanted, 

I needed, 

to make one, 

to really take care of me. 

I don’t currently even have much desire to go out on a Friday night, 

but I know that I will again, 

when there is actually something worthwhile,

 to get dressed up for and head out on the town. 

So until then, 

my weekends are for recovery, 

recovery from my hectic work week, 

recovery from too little sleep, 

from too much stimulation and stress, 

my weekends are for physical, mental and emotional recovery.

With this recovery time, 

I’m hoping my creativity will grow, will renew, 

will inspire me for future projects and new ideas.

So on that note, 

I’m off to make a good dinner, 

and enjoy my favorite tv shows, 

as the boy is out of town tonight

and the remote and DVR is all mine.

And I don’t feel one bit guilty about it, 

because it’s going to be great.

I’ll let you know when I’m ready to come out of my hibernation.

It’s bound to be for something pretty fabulous.

photo courtesy of Glitter Guide’s Pinterest

Just ask

Females have ruled the larger percentage of my interactions 

for most of my life.

I have a sister and between her, myself and my Mom, 

my poor Dad was overruled.

I lived with all women in college,

and while always having male friends, 

my female relationships were the most prevalent. 

And like most female friendships, 

we understand each other, 

we can read each other 

with simply a look, 

an energy, 

a tone of voice.

I know when something is wrong

when something is upsetting my best friend, 

or my Mom,

without a word even being spoken.

But as the boy and I have embarked on cohabiting

the past few months

I’ve learned an important fact:

men aren’t mind readers. 

Through trial and error

I’ve learned that I can’t expect 

all my thoughts and concerns 

to be understood,

just simply by the way I look as I walk in the door

and settle on the couch, 

soaking in my worries and desires.

My Mom lived with me for over 18 years; 

why should I expect someone else to be able to know 

that I’m upset about something trivial 

(nothing to wear) 

or craving something random 

(ice cream), 

when it appears that I’m just in a weird, stubborn mood.

The boy knows me deeper 

than I realize most of the time, 

and he knows when I’m stressed out, 

but not what about, 

if I don’t verbalize it.

As the boy gently reminded me last night, 

expressed out of what I imagine can be very frustrating, 

all that is needed, 

is words.

"Just ask."

"Just tell me all."

"Empty yourself out,

you’ll feel better, 

and I’ll feel better knowing."

Men are many things

but they aren’t mind readers, 

and that’s ok.

And on that note...

I let him know that I’d really like his help 

with changing the lightbulbs in the bathroom this weekend.

iPhoto photo taken while hiking in Newport