Sister

Again, I know that you hear more about my sister and her family than any one else, but they are awesome. My sister is the most hard working, loving, loyal, caring person that you and I both know. She can cook, she is crafty and creative. We always have fun. Her kids are also loving, creative and caring. I try to spend as much time with them as possible because they mean the world to me. We may not be a large family but we love each other so much.
We talk almost every morning. It is my favorite part of the day. I get to hear the meltdowns and what the kids are eating and wearing. I wish we lived closer so that I could "just drop by" but we still get to see each other pretty often. I wish everybody had a sister like mine, and they had a family like hers... you would feel so lucky... like me. I'm also lucky that I have gotten to be such a large part of the kids lives.

Ciao
S
(oh and another thing I love.. that has only entered my life today... SNOW DAY! Yippee. Hubby is a teacher and has always held snow days over my head, until today. My first official snow day! Whoop whoop!)

Mom

I know I know, I say this more than you want to hear it. But really, I love love love my Mom. She is amazing. I have always (and will always) aspire to be as strong, smart, loyal and loving as her. We could sit here all day talking about my mom and what she has accomplished in her life, and it still wouldn't give you any idea of how amazing she is. Today I can tell you that we are best friends and talk almost every day. We weren't always best friends, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. She was a strict mother that demanded respect and it is why we are so close today.
She supports me in my every endeavor and is there for me through every "bump" in the road.
Love you Mom.

S

Love

This is the week of love. I can't help it... I am in love.
Every day I will tell you about my loves.

Hubby,
truly truly truly love him.
Every time I think, "this is it, this is gonna be the thing that tests us, that tells us if we are gonna make it as a couple." He totally blows my mind and makes it look so easy. He may not love V-day and want to buy cards and flowers and take me to dinner, but that doesn't matter one iota cuz he has SO much love for me. He gives it to me all day every day in the ways that count the most.
In our little personal jokes that no one would understand and I'm not about to explain. In the pot of coffee that he insists (and I do too, cuz he makes a mean brew) on making every morning. In our daily texts that are about nothing but that I can't live without. Love you babe!
I love love!

Ciao
S

Suzanne Vega

This is a long and twisted love affair.
I have ALWAYS been a fan of SV... as you can see by the title of this blog, I love her lyrics and own almost all her albums.
A few years ago... gosh it must be almost 6 by now, she had a concert at the casino near here. I really wanted to go but couldn't find a soul to go with. Sadly I had to miss it. I promised myself that that would never happen again.
Lo and behold she had a concert at a not so near here venue a few years ago and I asked my BF to go. We made all sorts of plans... take the day off to drive there, spend the night so we wouldn't have to drive back so late at night. I lost my job and still, the up and coming concert was a beacon in the dark. A few days before the concert I got an email from the ticket company saying that the concert had been canceled. My cry of despair rang out in the night. I was SO peeved.
This past Summer there was some talk of a trip to Europe... my mother wanted me to go with her, my nephew was making a voyage and needed some "guardianship" AND there was a concert in Europe. Really was this going to be chance? Nope... those plans sizzled fast.
A few months ago an email arrived in my inbox... A Suzanne Vega concert has been posted near you... I was nervously excited. Would this opportunity come my way again? So soon... I asked around... no takers. Really ... no one? One taker, but life got in the way and we never made plans.
Again this week an email graced my inbox. I'm so bitter by now... this is ridiculous... of course the only concerts in my 100mile radius are on nights that I go to school. Ugh. Seriously! My only consolation prize is that she has some new albums coming out and there are some available on her website, signed. Could I even... would I even...

Ciao
S

Best week Ever!!!

This week goes down in history as one of the best weeks ever.
Saturday 1/23: Adventure book club. We had a wonderful lunch at It's Only Natural, and then headed to Wesleyan to see a documentary exhibit. Not loved by all but stimulated a great conversation for the ride home. Went shopping at SYMS (one of my fav stores) and then home to hang with the hubby. We were supposed to head to a friends to hang but hubby wasn't feeling well. So instead stayed home and made a DE LISH panetonne bread pudding. YUM!

Sunday: Woke up fairly early to clean the bathroom and get some stuff done around the house. Went to the movies with my girl H to see It's Complicated... We both really loved it and welcomed the belly laughing that ensued. We both had errands to run at Target, so we got to gossip and vent and hang just a little longer. I finished the afternoon with a coffee and sweet at my fav bakery... Vida Doce. I seriously cannot get enough of this place. LOVE IT!
Monday: Came home to a quiet home and prepared for 1st MBA class. Went to sleep early.
Tuesday:Started the afternoon with some yummy falafel from Tangiers and ate it in the car listening to Fresh Air. Ahhh... In the evening, 1st MBA class... what can I say... I'm a nerd at heart. Let my inner geekness shine!
Wednesday: BOOK CLUB. Great group of girls, great wine, designated driver... what more can I ask for.
Thursday: Got together with two lovely ladies. One that I have not connected with in a long time and then my lovely lady H. We met at Sukothai for dinner and closed the place down. Thursday was a crazy weather day and the evening proved to be just as CRAZEE. When we got there it was quietly snowing and was quite lovely. We were seated in the window seat and were able to get a front row seat to thunder snow. All of a sudden there was a flash of lightning and clap of thunder that barely made us jump from our seats. One minute later the ground was covered in hail. Lightning and thinder snow is nutso I tell ya!
Friday: Home to hang with my man. It was a cold one so we cuddled up and watched Project runway!

Saturday: Another busy weekend. Gym in the morning. Then off to a baby shower for a lovely book club lady. Luck baby! After the festivities I hung out at the bar with some other lovely book club ladies and had a decadent afternoon with them. Headed home a little later than I thought but wrangled up the hubby and headed out to dinner and drinking with some friends. We headed to the Cambridge Brew House in Torrington. Pretty long to drive for pub food that wasn't off the charts. The beer was good and the company was AWESOME. We always have fun!
We headed back to our friends basement bar for Cafe Patron shots and then the party started.
Sunday: TODAY! I finally stop and realize how freaking tired I am. Hubby and I went out to run errands and came home to make a vat of our famous chili! We work great together in the kitchen (among other places!) and make a mean chili. Heat warning!!!
Hope you all had a great week and are gearing up for another!
Ciao
S

Miscellaneous

I don’t really have anything coherent to write. So here are some ramblings to hold you over.

• I really loved “In the Heights” and am looking forward to Spring Awakening.
• This week I went to see Gee's Bend at Hartford Stage and truly loved it. In all the years that I worked there and even now I am amazed at the transformation of that stage. The set is AH-MAZING!
  
• I get really annoyed when the DVR erases things that I didn’t get to see, but I also find myself with “nothing” to watch.
• I can’t wait for a proper nor’easter. It has snowed a bit but no real heavy duty storm where the weather stations are battling for inches and the stores are busy with folks stocking up on bread and milk. Let it snow! Let the north winds bluster and blow. (that is my favorite line in that song!)
• My birthday is coming up next month and I took the day off of work. Please send me ideas of day trips in the area. Hubby will take my anywhere I want. Last year we went to Valencia Luncheria and LOVED it. I’m thinking of heading to MassMoca.
• I feel so lazy in the winter. I have the best intentions on my way home but when I get there I can’t bring myself to do anything but get in my sweats, make dinner, read a book or veg out with my hubby. I guess it’s not so bad. ;)
• I feel really lucky everyday for my family and friends. I feel bad for people that don’t have friends. Sad… very sad.
• I don’t really follow politics but was very interested in the senate race in MA this week. Big change!
• Hubby had some crazy tooth problems this week. It is one of my biggest fears. I really don't ever want to have a root canal.

Hope you all enjoyed my pointless ramblings. More soon... I promise.
In the meantime have a GREAT weekend.
Ciao
S

Break

This is what I did on my break. Painted my bedroom and hung out with the kids....
Oh and had a great Christmas and New Years and spend TONS of time with my hubby.

Now it is almost two weeks later and I'm ready for a break.
School starts in two weeks and I'm trying to cram in some fun stuff. Last week hubby and I went to see In the Heights at the Bushnell. GREAT SHOW. We had dinner beforehand with some friends at J Restaurant. We had a great time; the food was REALLY GOOD. Hubby got linguine with clam sauce, there were more clams than linguine. The rest of us got salads and they were all really different and really good.
Next week we will recreate the experience except we will see Gee's Bend at Hartford Stage. My friend Hana Sharif is directing it and I am really excited to see her work. Plus there is the added bonus of getting together with peeps we haven't seen since hubby's big birthday bash last Spring. Yeah! Yay! (you know what I mean).
Love having exciting things to look forward to in the dreary Winter blahs... BLAHHH!!!!
Everyday I look forward to seeing the light last just a little longer. I have a countdown to the beginning of daylight savings (the end of the short days)... 62 days baby!

Ciao
S