It's February! What a Month it is!

February is a crazy month for me. It begins with Bastien's and mine 6th year anniversary on the 5th, then it jumps to crazy old valentines (validation) day, then skips on to one of my best bud's 25th bday on the 18th and then completes the month with my 25th bday on the 26th! Aye!

Right now in my life, I'm still considering lots of things because at the approach of my quarter-life crisis I know I still have plenty of time to contemplate. Here are some of the contemplations/plans:

-I'm still working at my most favorite place of employment ever, The Littlest Birds. I'm only working half-time right now because that's all the time they can give me...but...soon come I will be getting many more hours. Come August/September of this year I will be working nearly full-time when one of the owners moves. Her and her lovely spouse will be moving to go to grad school and I will get to take over her time. I am so excited and so privileged to get this opportunity to run a small, locally-owned business. I am also way impatient and would love for this to happen NOW! But patience is a virtue, I hear.

-I've been yearning to take some more classes. I am so in love with this Earth we live on and I want to do as much as I can for it. Despite this passion, I need to be more knowledgeable. I need to know some basic science, some basic scientific facts. I have never been a science kind of girl, but I really want to take some herbalism classes at the Appalachian School of Herbalism (so I can grow my own awesome garden and create my own beauty and cleaning products) and I want to take lots of environmental science, botany and ecology classes so I can be a better educated environmentalist. I'm starting to look at ways of doing that in Western NC.

-I want a car! Ack, I have a very deep love/hate relationship with the Asheville Transit System, the sweet thing. But I want a car. And even better, I'm thinking about getting a diesel car so I can use biodiesel to run it. That's right, ya'll - I want a vegetable car! ;) I'm thinking about getting a late 90's VW diesel car. It's pretty much my choice of a Mercedes or a Volkswagen, only. Not many other cars have diesel engines.

-Omg, beer! The beau, er, fiancé, and I have been brewing beer (well, mostly the beau). And we love it! And he loves it! I really do believe he has found his passion and his life path. Whew! So our plan, now? Create a microbrewery/restaurant. I won't give any more details on that plan right now. It's so juicy and delectable, but it still needs to do a bit of fermenting (ba-da-ching!) before more details are released. Let's just say I love to write business plans and I've already got a good start on this one.

-Oh man, I just have too many ideas and plans and desires, it's almost too much! Oh, and I have, like, no money. No money to save, no money to invest. Nada. Anyways, I would also like to have my own business where I sell handmade, handcrafted, preferably local, goods for the home. And of course I have a business plan written already. ;)

-I would also like to be an environmental constultant. Hence, the desire and need to take some environmental science classes. I figure I could hire myself out to plenty of people who need some practical and easy advice on taking steps to helping the Earth.

-Oh yes, I'm a bridesmaid. I'm one for the wonderful, soon-to-be-my-sister-in-law-in-just-over-a-year Lucie.

-And then I have a wedding of my own to plan. (Wow, did I really just say that? Good god.) But it will be lighter on the wedding planning and much heavier on the party/reception and the traveling/honeymoon planning. I've already got some ideas floating around in that lil' head of mine...like May 1st, courthouse wedding, big-arse party in a park/backyard/natural, outdoor setting with lots of friends and fam, family celebration in France and Corsica traveling afterward.

A lot, a lot. A lot that I like.
<3

Engaged!

Yes, yes - it's true! Me and Bastien are engaged! It happened late Friday night on our way back to our apartment. Friday Asheville had a really good snowstorm and the after effects were beautiful. So after being in our apartment all day going a little stir crazy we decided to go on a lovely night snow walk. It happened then. And it was lovely.

Lovely.

Would you like to see the ring? Here it is:

And here is the link to the awesome handmade artist who made it. You should buy some stuff from him. I know I will buy Bastien's ring from him. And the ring was just the perfect fit for me.

And so now I'm engaged! Would you like to see the man I'm marrying? Here he is:



<3 <3 <3

Burrr Freezing Weather - Chill Out!

It is so efffing cold here in Asheville these days. One can NOT wear enough clothing, socks, mittens, scarves and layers. Currently, the temperature has been staying around 3 or 4 degrees with this frigid-arse wind chill.

It's cold. So painfully cold!

Meanwhile - it's the beau's birthday today! The old fart is turning 27! So let's all get down and party because time goes fast!

<3

I Told You So

Didn't I? Our computer is completely down and out. I have to use the one at work or go to the library to get on the internet. So big poo on that.

The good news? I'm pretty, pretty sure I'm getting a laptop for the Solstice season. So big yay to this!

Meanwhile, update:
Tuesday: O'Charley's potluck! Even though I had a terrible migraine for most of the day, once I saw our old neighbor Beth come inside, I felt much better! It was a bit overwhelming to host so many people (11 people total!), but everybody was so nice and the all the food was so good that it was all very nice and relaxing.
Wednesday: A good ol' Bastien and Amber night. Watched Band of Brothers series, ate some vegan recipes that I tried out from the "Kind Diet" book by Alicia Siverstone (she writes so adorably!) and just cuddled up on the couch together.
Thursday: Went to Boone w/the gals. Did a little shopping, a little me-time, some yummy veggie food at Portofino and then headed to a very bizarre show featuring Taking Back Sunday and the All American Rejects (who I found out is, unfortunately, one of the sleaziest, dirtiest male performers I think I've ever seen or heard).
Friday: Early drive back from Boone. Arrived to find my kitteh and lovah awaiting me. After a not-so-healthy lunch, the beau and I began our beer-making adventure! And, oh boy, was it an adventure! We were super careful about everything and making sure the brew didn't boil over - I think we may have some very toned arms after stirring the pot for over and hour straight! I left the beau and brew to have some girl time w/some other lovelies. Where, despite our immaculate planning, we arrived 5 minutes late to a showing of New Moon and found ourselves in a seating conundrum. After five minutes of frustration of not finding seats, I decided to sit by myself and let them sit together in the front row. Those had to be the worst seats ever. But I find that this movie was better than the first, Twilight.

Coming soon...
-Thanksgiving with the rents at our place (also, the first time we celebrate/host a holiday feast in our new apartment!!!)
-Black Friday at The Littlest Birds
-My path back to vegetarian/veganism.
-We got accepted for financial aid for the YMCA! We're going to be svelte so, so soon. ;)

<3

Wkend Recap: Post Sickness Fun

Thursday: Stayed at home for the last day of a three-day run so that I could fully recuperate from the Sickness that had plagued me all week. It was a lazy day, it was a productive day.

Friday: Worked my last day at the B&B! Then came home to find that I had left my keys in the apt. Called to interrupt beau's Mela lunch so he could come let me in. After all this, we joined the beau's parent's and a French family friend (she lives in the same neighborhood as Johhny Depp in Paris![swoon]). We spent a fair amount of time walking around some of my favorite spots in downtown and having coffee. And then had the always delicious goulash and bread and cheese. Afterwards, we played some darts, smoked some hookah ("shouldn't you close the window - isn't this illegal?") and collapsed for sleep, precious sleep.

Saturday: Halloween! Worked at The Littlest Birds till 6. Got dressed in an old halloween costume (flapper!) while watched bemusedly the beau have costume identity issues (his final choice was a hot skull-faced woman). Spent the night at the Pocket, got drunk way too quickly, failed miserably at beer-pong and ended the night w/the best Waffle House experience ever (hashbrowns by candle-light).


Sunday: Worked at TLB till 4. Went to a potluck w/the beau that Alexandra was hosting and ate some unbelievable orzo salad, chicken pot pie and vegetarian pizza, among other yummy dishes. Also made a lovely spill of red wine on my favorite white shirt and cardigan. Then we went over to a co-worker of the beau's to pick up a sweet little kitty, named Tabitha. After a hilarious car ride back home we watched her explore the place and contemplated her replacement name (goulash, cinnamon, cardamon).

<3

Wkend Recap: Mountain Adventures & Parties

Thursday: Worked at the B&B. Watched Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince at the Asheville Brew and View w/Steph, D & the beau. Had some yummy Ninja Porters.

Friday: The beau and I had a mountain adventure...but not like it sounds. We started our day in the hopes of making it to Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the US east of the Mississippi. After eating at Asheville Pizza, we soon realized the day was much too foggy and rainy. So we continued on eastward. We stopped in Marion at a visitor's center and found a map and decided to venture to Johnson City, TN taking all back roads. So after taking many windy, old beautiful roads we made it to JC. We walked around the town and the beau's alma mater and remincsed about the days when we were still in college. We also stopped by the wonderful Acoustic Coffee House for some beer, tea and chips. As the sun began descending, we thought we'd head back home (the fast way). Back in Asheville! We then hung out w/Alexandra & Nik, where the girls throughly kicked the guys butt at both Trivial Pursuit and darts. Take that!

Saturday: Worked at The Littlest Birds. And instead of doing anything exciting, I just stayed at home and relaxed w/a cup of warm tea.

Sunday: Worked at The Littlest Birds till 4. Nik dropped off his cat, Gonzo, so he could make a visit to his parents in Chapel Hill. Next, we headed to the Mountain Xpress' Best of WNC party at the Orange Peel (The Littlest Birds won Best Kid's Clothing Store & the owners gave us the tix!). We had a blast filling our bellies from some the best restos in Asheville and listening to an amazing bluesy-rock teenage band, called Skinny Legs and All.

<3

Wkend Recap: Wine & Beer!

Thursday: Worked at the B&B. I'm a little hazy now as to what happened on Thursday. ;)
Friday: Worked at The Littlest Birds (TLB) all day, my first time working on a Friday. It was a success! Hung out with the Heather and Sam. Ate at O'Charley's and visited our favorite sections of B&N, having good laughs in the Sexual Interest section. Came back home afterwards to watch the 2 most depressing episodes of Buffy to date.
Saturday: Worked at the B&B (and put in my 2ks notice of resignation!). Came home and passed out instead of doing anything productive. Dreamily woken up by the beau. Cleaned the apt, while the beau made goulash and we prepared ourselves for some new frenchies. The poop-face and his parents visited us and gave us a nice bottle of wine from the Biltmore Estate. We ate goulash, sipped on wine and tea and listened to the hilarious, but sad, airport stories from Jean-Marie. Afterwards, we had our first darts & liquor night. I won!
Sunday: Worked at TLB till 4. Hung out w/Alexandra at Asheville Pizza. Had two yummy Ninja Porters and a quesadilla. The food and the convo was super-excellent.

<3

Wkly Recap: Lots o' Movies

Monday: Yoga, Grove Arcade Copy Shop (w/the adorable older couple!) for forever trying to fax something to gas company, also forever on the phone w/the gas company trying to make them believe I am not the old tenet who lived here (who owes them money), The Littlest Birds blog work, made Squash soup and salad for me and beau (which was so delish but totally not enough of), watched Year One & our fav. Gossip Girl w/Steph.

Tuesday: Yoga, The Littlest Birds boutique work (lots of consignment organizing), grocery shopping (where we can't stay at our shopping limit!), the beau and I are really tired so we pick up a couple of pizzas and watch Vanity Fair, which was way too long and drawn out, by the way.

Wednesday: Worked at the Bed and Breakfast, came home to collapse but instead made food and prepared to make more food, beau then gets home so we go to my credit union to drop off some money and then we make a stop at Ingles for a movie, cough drops & some boxed wine (for us and for the stew we made), at home we made Beef Stew w/Mushrooms and watched Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. The stew turned out o.k. overall, but the movie was pretty bland.

<3

Wkend Fun: Frenchies & Old Friends

I really adore Lu's Weekend Recaps. So I thought I'd try a version of this:

Thursday: Worked at the B&B. Had a glorious shower and headed to TN to see the Gilots, Lu, Mitch & Eli & special guest Eliane, Alain & Rosine. Had a scrumptious meal of Morracan Cous Cous & Chicken + Banana Flan for desert. Followed by a French-dubbed version w/English subtitles of Chocolat (Johnny Depp just isn't the same in French) w/tea & petit gateau.
Friday: Wake up at 9:30 to have a petit dejuner w/the Frenchies. Good convo & translations. Talk about Wal-Mart, birds, dreams & bigger bugs in the U.S. A slow mid day of reading, catching up & lunch. Then back to NC where I worked at the bookstore (& gave them my 2wk. notice!). Ended the night w/some yummy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup (how I adore cilantro & ginger!) and listening to my stepdad (And the Address) on Asheville FM.
Saturday: Worked at The Littlest Birds until 6. Seba, the poop-face, visited. We ate at Universal Joint, where I had a yummy Blue Cheese & Bacon Burger and a Foothills Oktoberfest. Then we met up w/our old college friend Mary + her new beau + Nik at Hookah Joes. Ended the night w/trivial pursuit where poop-face kicked our bums.
Sunday: Worked at The Littlest Birds until 4. Then made some disastrous pork, mushroom & tomato pasta. Was super tired so I just stayed at home and watched old episodes of CW shows while the beau played pool.

<3

12 things

(Source.)

Right now:

1. I'm soaking in the sun rays in our new apt. & trying to get warm from this solely.
2. I'm listening to Dr. Awesome on AshevilleFM. They embody community organizing and community radio.
3. I'm filling out our EBT form so we can get another 6 months worth of food stamps. This has been so helpful to us the past 6 months and we continue to need assistance.
4. I'm working on creating a blog for The Littlest Birds. I'm so enjoying working for them.
5. I'm reading about the Women's Expo that's coming on Oct. 8th to Asheville. This may be some good source of publicity for The Littlest Birds.
6. I'm smelling the to go box of food I purchased from Nine Mile not long ago. I ate their w/the stepdad & I thought it'd be nice for the beau to have some, too.
7. I'm closing our door and trying to cover the broken window b/c it's entirely too cold in this apartment.
8. I'm thinking about warming up in the new organic cotton sheets my parents bought us as a housewarming gift. So soft!
9. I'm excited about the hair cut I'll be receiving on Sunday at Blue Ribbon. I get 20% off & they serve PBR!
10. I'm concocting tonight's meal.
11. I'm downloading Cool Edit so I start recording for TGR again.
12. I'm so using the same format Lu did in one of her recent posts.

<3

Newness

(Source)

New job!

The Littlest Birds: organic baby boutique in W. Asheville. (More deets found here.)

New apartment!

A 2 bed/1bath w/a huge kitchen and lots of light! (Pictures soon to come.)

<3>

What's up

(Source.)

It's been nearly a month since I've last written and while I could say that lots has happened or that nothing at all has happened, saying either would be a lie. But here is what is up, actually:

-The Great City Search: The beau and I have been looking at cities around the eastern part of the country, considering where we'd like to move next. Our requirements: have a college w/an environmental studies program, have a French teaching position, be awesome like Asheville or close to it, and not be too, too far away from our families. The candidates? Charleston, SC, Pittsburgh, PA, Nashville, TN, Athens, GA, Washington, DC and Raleigh, NC.

-A second job: At a bed and breakfast! I love it. It's a good pay. It's a good workout. The owners and other housekeepers are awesome. They have a doggy. And I actually work! (Way different from my bookstore job.) Plus, there are tips! ;)

-TGR: I'm getting more involved in The Global Report again. Formally the Asheville Global Report, TGR is now has at least three formats. These are online, a wkly. video broadcast, and a wkly. podcast. This time around I'm helping with the podcast. Having my voice recorded and hearing it podcasted is weird beyond all imagination.

-Reading lots of books: So many. I'll write a post soon about all the books I've been reading lately.

-Spending mucho time w/friends, in prepartion for my eventual departing of Asheville: to outdoor theatres, house parties, movie marathons, dance parties, local restos, the great outdoors, bbqs, dinner gatherings, and general goodtimes.

<3

A little bit about the beau

Meet The Beau:
The basics:
~Age: 26
~Eyes: Big, big blue eyes. Blue mostly, but sometimes changes to a blue-green mix.
~Hair: Dark brown. It changes length all the time. But he looks yummy when it's a bit longer and shaggy (and with a beard, please!).
~Height: A little taller than me, which isn't saying much b/c I'm basically a munchkin.
~Weight: Scrawny-arse, but w/the beginnings of a beer belly (but don't tell him I told you that).
~Occupation: Currently works 1 day/wk. as a server. He's student teaching (becoming a French teacher in May!) so he has no time to work, really.
~Hobbies: Pool, games, darts, being a beer connoisseur, reading The Wheel of Time, and cooking.

The beau, if you don't know already, is French. He moved to the U.S. with his family when he was 11. He's the brother of Miss Lulu. He graduated from ETSU in 2006 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and French. He's now attending UNCA, just 2 months shy of getting his teaching license in French. He's extremely friendly and full of energy. He's a huge lover of games (and dogs, too) - any and everything...board games, video games, bar games, sports, etc. He has an eclectic collection music, but his current musical obsession is Europe (mostly for their phenomenal The Final Countdown). He loves having people over and impressing them with his awesome cooking skills and beer knowledge.

<3

Creating Meals for the Week

Something I've started doing lately - so that the beau and I can not only shop smarter but also eat healthier - is looking at recipes during the week and rounding up a list of needed ingredients for our next shopping trip. That way we know what we're eating the next week and we know that we've spent our grocery money on food that we won't waste.

(Source.)

The two sites I've used so far are the Greenlife Grocery recipes and Cooking Light.

This week I've decided on:
-Quick Pizza Margherita
-Lemon-Shallot Scallops
-Lemon-Basil Chicken w/Basil Aioli
-Shrimp Florentine w/Caramelized Garlic
-Chunky Vegetarian Chili
-Beef & Vegetable Kebabs

Sounds delish, doesn't it?
<3

Oh, Abe, you're making me blush!

I received my federal tax refund on Monday and celebrated all day! On top of it all, Monday was a snow day for the beau so we had to untie our shoes and act a little irresponsible. ;) I went with the beau to Nine Mile and we ate & drank to our little hearts' content.

(Hello, Mr. President...[source].)

Later on, we hopped over to Greenlife, picked up some yummy and (slightly) healthier-than-usual pizza, chips & dip. We came back home, put on our couch potato clothes and watched one of the stupidest movies ever - The Animal - on Netflix. Honestly, I do not recommend it.

It was a fun day, but one that will not be repeated soon...I must save money for a beach trip in April & our trip to Quebec this summer (w/Lu & her beau!). Nevertheless, mad props to our man Abe (Obama!) for "stimulating" our economy. He can stimulate me, anytime. ;)
<3

what cha' doin'?

What's been going on "dans ma vie":

Listening to - GirlTalk:



Reading: Wheel of Time # 4, Breaking Dawn & The Audacity of Hope.

(Cue the Beatles-mania-esque screams.)

Doing: Applying for jobs. I have a part time job, but dear lord, I need mo' money! I'd love to have my old regular job back, making $10/hr. and being able to work from my apt.

Creating: Writing some, actually. Ideas for more ideas for more ideas. Ecetera, ecetera.

Planning: Going on some trips, if I ever get a better job. Where to? One friend wants to go to Myrtle Beach (eek) and another wants to go on a train trip to Portland Oregon (yes!), but the beau and I are seriously thinking about a 3-wk trip to the northeast/Quebec, which is exciting and should give me more inspiration to find a good-paying job - stat.

Ciao, loves!
<3

getting on the wagon

So I've been busy trying to get my butt in gear to get another job. I've put posts on Craigslist, the Mountain Xpress, and Digital Point offering my writing services. I've applied to many jobs. And I've been tweaking my resume and cover letters.

Right now, I'm at the "in-laws" relaxing and it feels so good, but it doesn't mean that I should be lax about searching for something better in the job arena.

I met up with a friend on Friday and she's always great for inspiration and for giving me ideas for pursuing my goals and interests. A couple of suggestions were: to create a business card and hand it out at networking gatherings, to attend Green Drinks and to look at magazines and papers' ads & call up companies I'm interested in to see if they could possibly be hiring.

(Sounds yummy, fun and useful, no?)

So that's what I've been doing during these relaxing hours. I've also been trying to get the bf in gear to do the same thing. He's currently student teaching, but he could really use some better organization skills and should really reconnect with important and relevant connections. So I've been doodling a business card for him, and I also set up a gmail account for him.

Steps in the right direction? I think so.

Any more ideas? I'd love to hear them!
<3

actively active

As I listen to Harry Potter Bk. 5 on tape and multitask as best I can, I am multitasking in my head, as well. A list, for you (b/c I know you are aching in your joints from the last one):

To do--->
-Job searching! I work at a bookstore, part-time. I also intern at an awesome print shop, but it's unpaid. So I need to find some other source of income whether it's another generic mall job or some freelance offers that I'd like to have but don't. ;)
-Getting my freelance butt out there! I've always said I was a freelance writer but I have never actually written freelance. I am going to advertise myself out there...craigslist, mountain xpress, digital forums and other writer's forums.
-Wallpaper stripping. I have committed to redo my bud's bathroom in exchange for a month's rent. I have taken absolutely bloody forever taking down the wallpaper and still have to paint it. You would not believe how long it takes to take off wallpaper!!! (Yes, this warrants three exclamation points!)

Doing--->
-Making lists, of course! Christmas, er, excuse me, I want to start calling it Winter Solstice now...Yes, Winter Solstice lists for others and for myself. Budget lists so I can possibly start saving some real money. Lists so I can see the progress I'm making on my big goal: learning diy things, arts and crafts so I can build up a portfolio and open my own company/store. I'm on my way!

(I vawnt me an Etsy shop!)

Wanting--->
-Lots and nothing much at the same time.
-To be cozily back in my apt.
-To make things in my own kitchen. To be trying recipes and have that space of my own to do so.
-Simplicity.
-Learning more crafts.
-Reading and applying herbal remedies and reflexology techniques. (I've been reading about them lately - I've recently increased my interest in alternative medicines and Eastern philosophies.)
-To sift through my belongings and clear out the unnecessary.

home, sweet home

I will be moving out of my quaint little apartment this week. And, no, I haven't found a sufficient replacement yet. That is why, after being offered many, many times, I have accepted the invitation to live at my friend's house. I have been against this idea for some time now, but after looking sadly at my bank account and realizing that I'm going to need to save as much money as humanly possible in the upcoming months, I have given in to the hard cold fact that I need to stay somewhere where I won't have to spend too much money.

(One day I will be back in this sweet, sweet neighborhood.)

There are many reasons I have been hesitant. I love this friend. She is a best friend. But should you live with your best friend? I learned the hard that living with your good friends isn't always the best or smartest idea for your friendship. My friend also lives with her mother and relations between the two of them aren't always the smoothest. Her mother has always been super nice to me, but I'm just hoping that I won't get entangled in their mess. The house also isn't in central downtown, which is where I was hoping to stay. I love the area, full of hub-bub and life. Always something happening and easy access to public transportation and in good walking distance of almost everything awesome. The house isn't too far away though, about a 10 min. drive but I don't have a car and the roads are not built to be walked on in my friend's neighborhood. I'm a little afraid of becoming a "prisoner" (yes, that sounds a bit over dramatic) there and becoming claustrophobic in this home. One other thing is that I've been very independent for a long time. I've basically lived on my own since starting college 5 years ago and I don't like depending on people for certain things all of the time. I am going to be depending on my friend for rides - and probably other things, too, that I can't think of right now. These are just some of my worries, but I'm hoping they will remain unrealized worries.

I am fortunate to have this option. I am fortunate to have friends and family offer me this kind of support. Incredibly fortunate. They are good people and I hope to not take advantage of them.

The plan, I think, is to pay my friend's mom about $100/month. $100, that's it. I'll be paying for electricity, water, internet and cable (even though I will refrain from TV as much as possible) with that $100. So cheap. So nice. I plan on buying my own food, but I have a feeling that they'll offer to buy me food and supplies quite often. The one expense I will have that will be a lot more than before is gas. Since I'll be depending on my friend for rides I will definitely have to pay for gas. But this is still less money than I'd be spending otherwise. I will also be deferring my loan payments until further notice because I am unemployed and will not be able to spend $200/month repaying my loan.

My plan is to stay at my friend's house for the rest of year, save up a ton of moolah and move into my own place in January of 09. And by my own place, I mean my own place. I want to have an apartment of my own - or if not on my own then with either (not both) of a couple of friends of mine from college.

Once I'm in my own place I hope to be able to be paying my loans again (although I hope I can do that sooner), be making payments on my own car, applying to Goddard so that I can start there in the Fall of 09, and be making things everyday. I also hope to have an awesome job (Lark Books or ChiLiving would do me just fine) and to be having fun everyday with my friends, family, and, eventually with the ex.

a blow

i have been having a hard week this week. and an especially difficult last few days. i will be trying to do some posts on here. but in light of the most recent events, i don't know how regularly i will be able to do this. i am no longer involved with that certain frenchman. he has decided to take a different route recently, and, well, i am very sad about this. we are still talking and i am still talking to his family. this frenchman has intertwined me in his life and in his family lives so deeply that i know that i will always be a part of his and their lives. this is one small comfort in the sea of depression i have been in lately. anyways, this is just a notice that if i'm lacking on posts, then this is surely the reason why.

(One last look at our lovely home, which I will miss.)