Catch-up Time

It has been so long since I blogged. Life happened and I was packed and ready to move to Virginia when I got a series of jobs that kept me in the area. Hard to believe that was a year ago. Since I really don't have followers at this point, I guess I will just continue to use this as my own blog diary.

God takes away one dream and I am hoping he soon replaces it with another. I've been in limbo for a few years now. I am not sure why I am still here, only God knows that--He doesn't ask my permission when He directs my steps.

It has been a very crazy two years after losing my job of 10 years, losing my mother, and becoming a grandmother.

They are so precious! Still, for the first time in all these years I feel lonely (really). I would maybe experience a day here or there of loneliness once in a blue moon, but I have come to some new place in my singleness where I am just not feeling it anymore. Maybe it is just my time? And sorry "boys," I love you for sure, but it just isn't enough!

No doubt  I have a lover and a player in the house and Rudy is the cutest thing between my sheets though.

I published my last magazine but had terrible issues with issu and you can't even find my old magazines on the site. I'm heartbroken over that. I worked HARD on those. I would still like to have my own website, but while working full-time, I just am not committed enough to keep it current. But I continue to write. I am about 13 chapters into a fiction book. You can check out my last issue here issuu.com: 

So what have I been doing while doing through redirection? I still love design, but haven't done any major projects lately. I've created a few new vignettes:

Feeling the birds lately. I have fallen in love with the Pottery Barn look and got some new end tables after having my old ones for 19 years:

And a new ottoman coffee table where you can see my heritage, no-GMO seeds I just got on Friday for my early spring garden. I will be starting the seedlings for cauliflower, broccoli, and brussel sprouts indoors in a few weeks.

My dear friend , Laura, bought me for Christmas this rustic lantern that she knew I had my eyes on forever. It is beautiful when lit up at night.

And if I am not yard sailing......I am always perusing craigslist or York treasure post. I bought this very sexy beast of a chair a few weeks ago I found on craigslist and I am pretty smitten with it. It is worn in with crackling on the leather and to my eyes, it is beautiful!

Still working on my bread baking and soup making skills. Just last night, I made this spinach, tomato, and cream cheese soup with Italian tortelleni. It is a real keeper!

I tried this new chili recipe that replaced the beef with quinoa. It was good, but I prefer the beef!

I didn't bake this Christmas but I did make candy for the first time in a long time. These chocolate dipped coconut balls were awesome. I did white and dark chocolate:

And I made mom's homemade turtles:

Everyone loved these. The most unusual thing I did is I picked an Italian theme for our Christmas dinner. I made homemade chicken fettucini, homemade meatballs, fried mozzerella sticks, and homemade stromboli. It was a pretty awesome feast!

What can I say? I was just bored with the idea of cooking a ham.  I have promised myself to start working on the cheeses I want to make and there could be no better time than cold February when I get cabin fever and boredom inevitably sets in. Will post on this soon.

I am looking for something exciting to happen in 2014. A girl can only live in limbo so long before she loses heart. Happy New Year to anyone who reads this. Check back soon as I promise to write more. I miss writing for the magazine. Although the new book is a new and different challenge, sticking to just one topic is not enough for my creative mind.