list of thanks

 I am thankful for so many things this year, but here's the important stuff.

one.  graduation!

two. feeling settled (finally!) in a new place, in a new town

Side note: Last week I realized I have moved four out of the last five Augusts'. NOT RECOMMENDED.

three. wonderful visitors

four. a healthy, loving, kick ass greyhound.

five. a healthy, loving, kick ass boyfriend.

six. a healthy, loving, kick ass family.

seven. & healthy, loving, kick ass friends.

eight. airmailed meat from Omaha Steaks (compliments of aforementioned kick ass family!)

nine. JOBS! I was warned up, down and all around and I feel lucky to be employed.

ten. Chocolate-chip cookies

Tday eve

I have five hundred things to accomplish before the weekend and I all I can think is, how the hell do all of you working adults with children get food on the table and keep a house clean?

I keep falling over. Before the waterfall incident I fell while hiking with Jethro's friends. When our friends from Indy were here, I fell hiking AGAIN. And today at work I slipped and did the splits down the stair with a mop in my hand.  FUNNY SIGHT = SIX FOOT PERSON + MOP + FALLING.

All I need is some When Harry Met Sally and a glass of wine. Netflix needs a partner company: Boozefix.

THANKSGIVING MENU

Saturday I will cook more food in one day than ever before! After much deliberation and three trips to the grocery, I have my Thanksgiving menu set in stone.

There will be Turkey.

& potato, squash and goat cheese gratin

Photo: the kitchn

& bread stuffing with seasonal fruits and herbs

Photo: simple bites

& sweet potato casserole

Photo: my recipes

& green beans with vinaigrette

& "healthy" chocolate chip cookies

& pumpkin ginger pie

Photo: my blessed life

& wine and micro-brews and hugs and I CAN'T WAIT.

11.18

Is it okay to say that I have been neglecting the blogosphere because my masthead is ugly and I'm too darn stubborn (lazy) to come up with something new?

Well I am.

There are many signs that we had visitors this weekend. The pile of dishes has extended way farther than normal, clothes are strewn all over my room, and I surely am behind on laundry for the week. But everything is perfect. I really love having friends around. It's the perfect excuse to stray from routine and delve into random adventures.

Aren't these nifty?

Monday was hard. As an excellent weekend came to a close, I missed my friends in Indiana and the comfort of familiarity. I drove to work in the early morn near tears, feeling weak and confused. I have a superfluous amount of choices and I'm restless. How is a person who struggles to choose a brand of peanut butter at the grocery supposed to identify one career?

I try not to count the work days because I have six. I'm often exhausted, but some exciting things are in the works for the future. Hopefully I'll have GREAT news in the next month.

random life

I'd like to first admit that I have FAILED at spending only my tips. I'm not feeling too terrible because having such an outlandish goal has at least drawn my attention to where my money is going.

This website is inspiring my Thanksgiving menu: simplebites.net/.  I hope my parents are prepared to eat a minimum of 20 dishes because I can't make choices!

LINK: Butternut Squash Whole Wheet Macaronni

SERIOUSLY? HEAVEN.

Tonight I made DELICIOUS vegan brownies only to discover that the tofu I used was spoiled. I thought tofu just smelled a little funny anyway? LIFE LESSON 428: If it smells rotten, it's rotten. 

four things

one. After having one day off in the past two weeks, I finally get the next two days to relax, clean, do laundry and just catch up. Oh, and did I mention sleep in? Screw you, 5:30. We're not talking till Tuesday.

two. We are having visitors tomorrow, visitors from Indiana next weekend and then my parents are coming for Thanksgiving! I am ecstatic!

three. The snow came and the snow went.

four. A collection of Kurt Vonnegut's "unpublished" works is on my kitchen table ready for me read!

cash money

Because I'm nuts (and little broke), I'm going to see if I can live solely off my tip money for the month of November. And because I might even be crazy, I'm going to see if Jethro and I can BOTH do it.

I bring home about $30 cash every week. You do the math. Groceries. Gas. Beer. Rune. Entertainment.

This encourages a couple lifestyle changes. First, it forces us to eliminate all extraneous purchases. Second, it will make me more mindful of our food choices. I'll need to plan meals and make grocery lists. Third, it will force us to communicate about where our money is going. Fourth, we will have mo' money in the bank at the end.