Catching My Breath

It's almost the end of March and it feels like I've missed a month of time. Here's a list of things I did in March -

• learned the new route to the office
• learned what simultaneous interpretation means and how it works
• didn't acknowledge weekends,or even hours in a day
• organized a dinner for 471 people
• learned that votives and mirrors will throw off just enough light to see food and dining companions
• looked on as the dinner guests dined under the great blue whale at the American Museum of Natural History
• was soundly defeated by a copier/printer programmed to print double-sided only
• met Walter Dean Myers and Ross Workman
• was inspired by Leymah Gbowee
• listened as Cory Booker and Brian Williams rocked the house
• offered thanks to my colleagues for all they did - and continue to do
• missed my family
• got reaquainted with my family
• hand wrote 18 thank you cards and am still going
• missed two weeks at weight watchers and still managed to lose weight
• jumped the car battery
• cleaned the kitchen
• found out the lights at the office go out at 8 pm and that security really rocks after the 11 pm shift
• learned where the switch is to over-ride the light timer
• went back to work

Ice Storm Coffee

Two hour school delay. Two hours to salt, shovel, salt, and shovel. Another two hours of waiting for a train. And now the power is flickering. Not a bad way to spend a day at home - but I had counted on getting in to work.

The perfect solution? Some of my hoarded flavored coffee. Yes, I admit that I am the flavored coffee queen. And my favorite comes out only once a year - New England Coffee's Cinnamon Sticky Bun. It makes my kitchen smell like Cinnabon - without the calories, stickiness, or cost.

And yes, the checkout clerk looked surprised at my post-holiday buying binge - but hey - it was on a ridiculous sale - and that's why I can keep this up until spring. Because we all know that once spring arrives I'm back to the regular stuff.

Some people scent with potpouri - not me. I just go with the coffee that says "spicy cinnamon and sweet creamy vailla icing just like your favorite bakery treat". It's time to put the pot on again.

Starting Again

According to my astrological sign, follow-through and completion are difficult. Hmmm. The last post was September. Really? Really.

Since then we've been busy - but we're never too busy for Snow Day Sprinkle Cookies. Created by an accomplished baker (and high school classmate) these cookies never disappoint. Baked most recently as a thank you to wonderful neighbors who used their snowblower to help us clear our sidewalks I'm thinking we may be needing to make another batch - this time for a storm that's supposed to hit tomorrow night and hang around in some form til Wednesday. Not for the storm, but to have on hand in case we need help with the snowblower - or flooding - and the fire fighters show up. Flooding? Well that tends to happen when 20+ inches of snow meet sleet, rain and clogged storm drains. Gotta be prepared, right?