Lunes

Wake up at 6:45 and stumble to the bathroom. Dress quickly, gather coat, hat, keys (2 sets, in case one car doesn't start due to terribly cold weather), purse. "Scarf it" (my hair, that is) as Drew Herstam would call it because a shower is out of the question. Arrive at the co-op at 7:15 am. Get ready for customers. Eat a breakfast of hardened banana nut scone (leftover from the weekend) and honeybush tea. Reload the entire produce case b/c it was cleaned over the weekend. Spend several hours with kale, blueberries, local sweet potatoes, and pinata apples. After work, head down to the Brew, just one block from work. Pop in for a hazelnut latte and a surprise visit with housemate Alana. Change into yoga attire in the bathroom, and cross the street to the yoga studio. 1.5 hours of stretching, strengthening, and relaxing in yoga class. Home to an amazing supper a la Alana: butternut squash, collard green, and portabella mushroom soup with dumpster-dived bread, followed by Andy's chocolate sheet cake for dessert. Finish that hazelnut latte, anticipating an evening of hot tubbing with The Spain and time with the boyfriend. Not a bad day after all.

Ironic

This afternoon I sat in my car eating a cheesy bean and rice burrito from Taco Bell while parked in front of San Marcos. Ironic that I was sitting in front of my favorite source of burrito heaven and was stuck eating a processed TB one, no? (I believe that it is NOT a coincidence that this establishments' initials are the same as the disease tuberculosis.)

Otherwise, life is just fine, thanks. The Spain is reunited and a new member has joined. I brought home tons of free food from the co-op yesterday. Goshen is coming back to life. James is finally back in town. The Spain has a new teapot and tea cozy, courtesy of Kimberly. I received two packages in the mail yesterday--presents from my parents and Kate. I can wear Chacos outside because April is the new January. Here's to you, global warming.

A New Year Dawns

It is two o'clock in the afternoon. In the two o'clock hour, I have managed to force myself out of my pj's (fleece pants are notoriously addicting) and get around to actually eating some lunch. Don't forget that I didn't manage to leave my bed until 10:45 am.

...My name is Emily, and I am a grown-up. This year has been an interesting transition from being a college student to embracing the "real world." However, I am still feeling very Peter Pan-esque. Never-Never Land is treating me quite well, thank you. 2008 is upon us now, and I am ready to see what surprises will await. I toyed with several ideas to review the events of 2007...my year in movies, in books, in months...but I have settled on the following list (I am nothing if not a meticulous list-maker):

My year 2007 in food:

• fresh soft pretzels in Reading when visiting James in PA for the first time, Jan 2
  
• pomegranate muffins and rum cake a la Lisl K and G-wals, Jan 17 (my 22nd b-day)
• curly fries and grilled ham and cheese at the Leafraker, Feb 11
  
• Thai green curry from A Thai Restaurant (the actual name of the establishment) with the Fabulous Florida Five in Ft. Lauderdale, FL for spring break, Feb 27
• corned beef, cabbage, and boiled potatoes, along with a decadent chocolate hazelnut birthday cake before an awesome Switch House party in honor of Trav and Lisl's birthdays, Mar 17
• red lentil coconut curry, stuffed acorn squash, Japanese stirfry and miso soup, and veggie lasagna, along with hilarious and meaningful conversation with my Swing House women, all year
• pork roast, mashed potatoes, and roasted asparagus with my family for Easter dinner, Apr 8
• homemade hummus with pita, my mom's amazing chocolate oatmeal bars, and cherimoya ice cream at the Swing House graduation open house, Apr 25
• sandwiches of homemade bread, butter, and Ementhal cheese, followed by Swiss chocolate for dessert--a traditional lunch during my May Term class, Anabaptist Mennonite History in Europe, May 7
• fish and chips washed down with a pint of Bulmer's in Co. Galway, Ireland with my traveling companion and dearest friend Kate, Jun 1
• $1.10 root beer slushies with pretzel rod at the Par-t-Pak in Bryan, OH with the Quincys, Jun 14
• Indian and Ethiopian food at Gabe and Bethany's wedding (the beginning of all my friends getting married/engaged), Jun 16
• strawberry shortcake with my family during my summer in OH, Jun 18
• homemade shoo fly pie made with Jenna Yoder during my visit to the organic farm in Michigan at which she worked, Jul 9
• sour skittles and pomegranate tea during an annual catch up session with mi hermana dominicana, Jenna Bru, in a park in Ann Arbor, Jul 11
• refried bean and cheese quesadillas in Jasper Nat'l Park in Alberta, Canada while camping with the family on our Canadian Rockies adventure, Jul 24
• homemade waffles with yogurt and peach syrup with the Weber family (reunited with James after a long summer), Aug 10
• pumpkin ice cream, cookies, and tartlets, just a taste of the spread at Roof House's 2nd Annual Fest, Fall Edition, Oct 22
  
• cups of tea and random delicious carbohydrate-filled dishes with The Spain, my new housemates in Goshen, Nov 15
• holiday cheer with The Spain and other friends, Dec 7
  
• pancakes and canadian bacon with my family during our traditional after-presents Christmas brunch, Dec 25
• chocolate fondue with the Quincys, Dec 31

Here's to you, 2008.