A Pie and a Massage License

Today I made a pie. Well, I'm making a pie. The pie, a granny smith apple, is in the oven baking right now. I am making a pie and I am grumpy. Every time I start thinking about making a pie my heart is filled with gooey happiness and I imagine myself in my kitchen creating a wonderful, perfect specimen of american baking. The end result is rarely pretty. In fact now that I think on it I only make 2 pies a year which gives me 6 months to forget the last effort and replace the pie making section of my brain with happy images.

I often reach a point in the pie construction where I wish my grandmothers had shown me their pie making magic. Rarely in my life have I come across pies as beautiful as those that always seemed to be present in the kitchens of my childhood. I took for granted these beautiful works of art, assuming they came together as easily as they appeared. And I dream of a day when I will join the ranks of my maternal lineage and crank out a beautiful pie with the same ease and subconscious effort it requires to walk to the mailbox. Unfortunately making a pie every 6 months is not conducive to improvement. I need to get up, dust the flour off my skirt and give it a shot again and again until I have my own tricks for making a perfect crust and my own preferences for fillings. Someday if I am lucking I will pass that knowledge on.

So, pies aside onto the great news. I passed my written national exam which was a nail biter! I received my massage license in the mail two days ago. That means that I am now a Licensed Massage Therapist!!!!! I believe I am in shock. I always knew it would happen, I am just surprised that this day is here. It seems like the challenge now is to move from the state of constant struggle, constant striving for the golden apple and now simply accept it. It is time to open myself to success and believe it is possible. To end the decade long phase of being a student always alligning myself with a far away goal. The goal is here, now, it has become the present reality. The apple, or the apple pie rather, is ready to be eaten:)

I need to take this moment to thank all of you for your love and support. I am quite certain that I would not be here without you. 

Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank
you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank
you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

Who else is tired of it being February? Perhaps it'ss a Pacific Northwest feeling but the cabin fever has kicked in with a fury. I was in class the other day and a sliver of sunlight broke through and fell into the classroom. I looked around and realized that all conversation had stopped and we had all turned our faces to this one patch of sunlight, attempting to fill our brains and cells with rejuvinating light. This is our third winter in Portland and I am having a hard time with the lack of light this year, harder then any other year.

In an attempt to fill the time without loosing myself to movies and reading I have picked up sewing again. I have FINALLY completed a dress that fits me perfectly! It may not be a perfect specimen of fashion but it is mine and I made it. I have a stack of old sheets and duvet covers that our anxious dog has managed to chew holes in. Since they can't be donated to charity I have decided to use this surplus of sheets to create clothes. This way I can experiment and if I create something that can't be worn then it hasn't cost us anythings. Yes! The recycling continues!


...This dress used to be part of my bedspread!



This cold, dark season is conducive to warming soups. Here's my new favorite recipe, I added winter squash to it, Yum! (you can copy the address below into your browser to see the recipe)

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/autumn-minestrone-soup?lnc=5a79cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=cf_link




And look at the color of these beets!!!!! I can't believe how beautiful they are. We bought them at the market, locally grown and really delicious.