Long-Haired Linda

Today's realization:

My hair is getting long again!

Maybe I just straightened it extra straight today, but it didn't even look like a bob anymore. It was just like, above-the-shoulder hair. And I realized the short layers in the back that I love to play with are not so short anymore.

It's only been a month and 5 days since my chop-chop. Now I know why most women cut their hair at least once every two months. This is too fast a pace for me. Slow down, hair, so I can enjoy you while you're short and sassy!

Art

Last night was nice. I went to Gallery Night in the Third Ward with Rachel, a member of my book club who I had never hung out with outside of book club before.

It was nice for several reasons, one being the fact that I feel like I am slowly collecting a handful of friends that I can contact and invite to accompany me on little excursions like Gallery Night. So much of the stifling that I've felt since moving here and getting married has come from the fact that my husband does not share all my interests and, furthermore, is very much a homebody. He doesn't like to go to things like Gallery Night and if I force him to go he gets annoyed and therefore annoying. I'm glad I finally have gotten to know several people well enough that I'm comfortable inviting them out with me. And I hope to deepen these shallow friendships and thereby deepen my roots here.

Gallery Night was also nice because it was inspiring. Had I not spent the day working outside in our yard, creating a garden and enjoying the warmest day so far this year, I would have been painting today. I long to pick up a paintbrush and create. It's on my constant to do list and it keeps getting pushed further down. I need to put it at the top.

Time is such a constant battle in life. "Oh, if only I had more time..." I'll die wishing I had more time. But I shouldn't. I should just prioritize. Just do stuff. Stop talking about it, thinking  about it, writing it in lists, putting it off, pushing it back. Just do it.

And so, in no particular time frame, but sometime soon, I prioritize painting. I am fighting the incredible temptation right now to list out the ten other things I prioritize doing, but I won't because that would detract from my moving of painting to the near-top of the priorities list.

I think I could be an okay artist if I had the time...

Our first holiday dinner

I've been a bad old blogger ::slaps wrist::

I can't promise to update more regularly, but I can promise to tell you something very exciting right now.

I am hosting my first holiday this Sunday! The whole Fredenburg fam (minus Uncle Jim & Aunt Jan) are trekking up here for Easter dinner. That's only a total of 11 people, but I think that's the perfect size.

I've got a whole lot planned, too.

So far here's the menu:

TBD appetizer
Matzo crusted salmon
TBD second meat (cornish hens?)
Asparagus
Honey wheat rolls with honey butter
Roasted potatoes
TBD pasta salad
Carrot cake
TBD other dessert (cookies? sorbet?)

Kind of a lot, but I am too excited to limit it!

My favorite memories of Easter celebrations are Pa's Easter egg/scavenger hunts. They were so creative and surprising and fun. I would love to bring that tradition back and come up with some sort of scavenger hunt/game for everyone. I just need to sit down and brainstorm on that one.

I also want to arrange some flowers and make the house look nice and spring-like. I am hoping to scoot over to Goodwill sometime this week to start my random china collection and buy a cute butter dish and things along those lines.

Lots to do! I'm in the midst of finding recipes and making a shopping list right now. I test baked the rolls and they didn't rise properly so they didn't taste great :( Wish me luck!