Casey O'Connell - Art

For some reason, I really identify with these images from Casey O'Connell (via A Glimpse of Glamor):

My favorite color dress, with silly animals

I love waking up from a good dream

Kiss by the pool

Chinese Handcuffs get me every time

I want some more art for our new apartment!

The New Place

It's a two bed.

With a dishwasher, working fireplace, and laundry hook-ups.

And they allow small dogs!!!

Moving in less than two weeks... eek! But in the theme of growing up and getting a real bedroom, we'll be getting movers. Love it.

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1 Bedroom Apartment in Brighton

'Tis the season... for moving! At least from us. We're moving around the corner from our current apartment... but daym, we will miss this apartment in Brighton just a block from the B line. It's up for rent starting Dec 1 for $1,000 including heat and hot water. Electricity and gas are ~$45 per month at most.

The details:

• Small 1 bedroom condo at ~500 sq feet; sometimes marketed as a studio as the bedroom is very small
• Ideal for 1 person, but a couple could make it work
• 1st floor apartment at the back of the building
• Lots of storage in the apartment
• Heat and Hot Water included
• Basement storage available
• Responsive landlord
• Cat ok, absolutely no dogs
• No laundry in the building, or dishwasher in the apartment
• Quiet hours after 11 PM
• Young professionals or grad students preferred; building is mostly owners
• Parking available for $80 per month at the back of the building

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/smazzle/sets/72157625263037187/

Neighborhood: Just a block from the Washington St T stop, and 2 blocks from the Whole foods. Tasca and Bamboo are tasty options nearby, or you could go to the Brighton Cafe or Chang's House for some greasy delights. Brighton center is a few blocks away. It takes about 30 minutes on the train to reach Copley Square downtown. Multiple buses are within walking distance as well. Laundry is down the block. Population is a mix of young professionals, families, and students. We like the area so much we're just moving a block away. :-)

Vegan Chili Recipe Plus Cheese

My dear Aunt Kathy, queen of sewing ballgowns (among other things), is also quite a good cook. As are my other aunts. And mother. And many uncles. She and my uncle Kevin hosted my parents and us four kids on three different occasions for a week long stay at their place in Colorado. In addition to putting up with 3 teenagers, she would often cook dinner. And boy were her dinners good!

One time, on the way back from the mountains, we got stuck in really bad traffic. All we had were lunch leftovers - wilted iceberg lettuce and mayo. But we were so hungry.... so it tasted good. But not as good as the vegan chili we ate after FINALLY getting home to Kathy and Kevin's.

The recipe:

KATHY'S VEGAN CHILI PLUS CASEY'S ADDITIONS THAT MAKE IT NON-VEGAN

1/2 c celery
1/2 c onion
1 T oil (grapeseed ideal; vegetable oil is ok too)
1/3 c dry bulgar
1 3/4 c water
2 c cooked black beans (or 1 can)
1 1/3 c cooked lentils (simmer 1/2 c dry lentils in 3 c water with 1bay leaf for ~30 min)
1 c stewed tomatoes
3 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin (i would up this to 1 t)
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 t basil
1/2 t oregano
1/2 c tomato sauce
1 T sugar
small can of corn (my addition)
salt

mozzarella cheese and sour cream toppings (optional, makes it non-vegan)

brown rice

1. start cooking lentils (as directed above) in small pot
2. saute onion and celery in oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan until onion is translucent, ~10 minutes.
3. stir in bulgar, cook until toasted (5 min)
4. add water, simmer covered until bulgar is tender (10 - 12 min)
5. add black beans and lentils to the heavy bottomed saucepan.
6. add tomatoes, spices, tomato sauce, and sugar. simmer ~30 minutes covered.
7. add corn, simmer 5 minutes. salt to taste.

8. cook rice. you might want to do this earlier. or buy the frozen cooked brown rice to save time.

serve over rice with mozerella cheese (or italian cheese blend) garnish and sour cream.

I also recommend freezing the leftovers. They make a great weeknight dinner when you want something hearty!

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Story Time: Gym in the morning

One morning a girl decided to go to the gym in the morning. She packed the night before right before bed, changing her outfit a few times.

The next morning, she almost didn’t get out of bed. But then she did. And she left her house. And ran for the train, which was just pulling in. But alas, she dropped her keys. That mistake cost her the train. Drat!

So she moseys on over to the train stop, turns on NPR, and waits. Hurrah! A train is pulling in! And it's a three car train - a true rarity (has anyone else seen one of those on the B line?)!!! But suddenly she realizes that in her clothes for work, she forgot to pack her underclothes. As in, she only had a sports bra, which is great for the gym, but not so great for work.

Again, she is forced to abandon a perfectly good train. She walks home, confusing her boyfriend when she enters the bedroom. She definitely contemplates getting back in bed... except she's now wide awake thanks to her sprint to the train.

Gathering her FULL outfit for work, she again heads out. And gets a train. And goes to the gym, because hell, she has tried so hard to get there she might as well do the deed.

Now she is at work, and ready for a nap.

The End.
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New Word a la HIMYM

Any 'How I Met Your Mother' fans out there?

Today T and I made a new word (by accident), kind of like Barney does: 'joyfun'

It means exactly what you think it does - fun producing joy, or vice versa.

Get out there and create some joyfun!