isolated but relevant

Have you ever thought about how isolated our American experience is? How few people in the world do the things that we do or live the way that we live?

I found this link the other day and was reminded: http://www.globalrichlist.com/

I haven’t really been able to stop thinking about it. These are funny times too – the economic crisis, the Presidential election and Thanksgiving quickly approaching. I’ve been feeling so pulled back and forth – grateful for the life I’m able to live in America, but not wanting to vote. Thankful for so many things in life, yet so many times unwilling to let any of that thankfulness overflow into giving. And perpetually frustrated by American Acquisition Influenza – our right to have cable television, our right to drive new SUVs, our right to low gas prices, our right to you name it – as I run into Target to grab a great new dark nail polish that I’ve been eyeing.

And then once in a while I see something like this and it brings me back to reality: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7692396.stm

Slavery was ruled illegal 5 years ago in Nigeria. Five years ago. And this woman is still fighting for her freedom.

This life I lead is so isolated, we really do share it with just a few percent of the world. My prayer today is that somewhere in the midst of feeling conflicted and confused, that thankfulness would begin to flow into giving and my sense of having a right to all kinds of things and experiences would subside into quiet gratitude. And that my isolated life here would somehow be connected with and relevant to women and people like Hadijatou Mani in Nigeria.

kitchen tales

Have you ever eaten baby food? No, I mean since you were a toddler, have you ever tried it? Well, neither had Ryan and I until last night.

We both hang out with high school girls and boys, respectively, on Thursday nights. It had been rather hectic evening, scrambling to get home from work, grab dinner and scurry to small group. We got home around 10pm. The night before Ryan had said that he really wants to sit down and watch a little television together at night and this concept, although totally foreign to me, is something that I decided I should try. My effort at quality television time lasted all of seven minutes. I think I was still feeling a little wound up and just couldn't sit still. And I kept thinking of these sweet potatoes that I had purchased a while back. (I couldn't recall exactly how long ago...) Hmmm, I thought to myself, I have got to use those sweet potatoes.

I pried Ryan off the couch to inspect the spuds and check for any sign whatsoever of decay. I am more than slightly paranoid about using food that is bad. He assured me they were safe, so I went to town peeling and slicing and dicing the sweet potatoes. I decided to make a savory sweet potato chowder in honor of my celebration of the deliciousness of Fall.

My first hint should've been the old sweet potatoes. My second hint should've been that the recipe instructed you to puree a perfectly good looking soup into baby food slop. My third hint should've been that nothing smelled aromatic and delicious at any point while I was cooking. But, being the self-disciplined individual that I am, I kept moving ever onward.

Just after midnight the soup had been pureed and was ready for consumption, at least until we tasted it. Ryan had assumed his position back on the couch in front of the television. I dipped my spoon in the soup and had my first taste. I honestly gagged. I summoned Ryan from the tv room and demanded that he try the soup. He smelled the simmering caldron and refused. I pulled the "I'm your wife and I've been slaving in kitchen" card and he conceded. He took a tiny sip and gagged just as I predicted. We proceeded to have a really good laugh.

Ryan noted that this was my first failed kitchen attempt which he really would not have been able to choke down for dinner. Luckily, it was midnight and neither of us was hungry so it didn't really matter. The ironic point of this story is that I got the darn baby food vomit recipe from an e-newsletter from "The Nest." Not familiar with it? The Nest is the newlywed version of The Knot. As in http://www.theknot.com/, the overwhelming, nausea inducing mecca of wedding planning. Blast you The Knot for sending me nothing but To-Do lists and emails about rhinestone bachelorette paraphanalia and fake Tiffany bracelets bridesmaids gifts for the past year. And blast you The Nest for tricking me into checking off "Cook a Meal Too Disgusting For Your Husband To Choke Down" from my newlywed checklist that I'm sure you emailed to me the day after my wedding.

raleigh

We spent this past weekend in Raleigh watching James play in a baseball tournament. The weather was beautiful, sunny and in the high 70s. What a treat to spend a whole Saturday outside.

We arrived in Raleigh Friday evening and called Megan, a trustworthy Wolfpack alum for a restaurant recommendation. We were so glad we did! We ate at the Village Draft House in a really neat little downtown area of Raleigh. They had over 100 beers on tap and the bartender was kind enough to let us sample a few of them.

In the process I discovered a new Fall favorite: Cottonwood Pumpkin Spice Ale. It is the beer version of a Pumpkin Spice Latte. If you find yourself at a restaurant that has this beer, you simply must try it. The other fabulous thing about this draft house is that hardly anything on the menu is more than $8. Maybe it's because we just got back from Europe where we were getting torn to pieces by the euro, but gosh this place seemed like such a bargain.

In summary: If you find yourself in Raleigh, go to the Village Draft House and order the Cottonwood Pumpkin Spice Ale. And if you aren't, apparently you can purchase it at Total Wine.

Madison

Happy Birthday Madison!

I'm not the type to remember pet birthdays so thank goodness I got this email reminder from my dad this morning:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADISON 9 years old. Madison started partying at 9 am this morning. She is a real party animal. She asked for a ball and more food for breakfast. She is getting a Frosty Paw Dog Ice Cream this morning and of course after dinner!

You have got to love the Ward family.

scent

Walking out of the house this morning was simply glorious. I stepped out and closed the front door behind me, took a deep breath and prepared myself for the day at work. And just as I took that first step I felt the cool, crisp air of Autumn greet me and usher me to my car. The air just feels and smells so clean. I really do love it. Have you noticed it?

Although Fall can't touch Summer on my list of favorite seasons, the scents and tastes of Autumn have a character all their own, a character that I enjoy very much. When we got home from the honeymoon one of the first purchases we made was my favorite seasonal Yankee Candle: Spiced Pumpkin. I think it has been burning ever since.

And perhaps my favorite moment of Fall is purchasing the inaugural Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. I have been overindulging this year, I just haven't been able to resist. I moved offices at work and now I sit in a room that has gray walls and gray desks, drab brown carpet and no windows. But somehow sipping a Pumpkin Spice Latte ushers the Fall right into my little corner of our recycled warehouse office space. Thank you, Starbucks.

I discovered another great (and oh so easy to make) Fall treat this year - Kroger brand Pumpkin Quick Bread mix. Throw in some oil, water and an egg and voila! Delicious pumpkin bread.

So even though this weekend I will be begrudgingly packing up my bikinis until next summer, at least there is some comfort in all of the sights and scents and flavors of Fall.

and we're back!

I keep sitting down to blog about the pre-wedding festivities, about the big day and about the honeymoon but the words aren't flowing. Thoughts are scattered and I feel as if I'm still running to and fro trying to pull thoughts together and remember all the little details. It's a really joyful process, but one that has not meshed well with the blogosphere. Perhaps it's all too close and too once in a lifetime to just spew out into cyberspace. I'm sure tidbits and memories will make their way onto the blog, but for now I think for I'd like to share those stories with you in a different setting.

Returning to reality post honeymoon has been really great and really lame. I mean, I could get used to throwing great parties then hopping on airplanes and taking in beautiful European sights with Ryan. Unfortunately, my name is not Samantha Brown and I do not get to do that. Luckily, I have Erin's blog to give me my fix of European travel and make reality more bearable.

Here are a few highlights of married life so far:

This sunset on the way to a very fun weekend at JMU to visit my baby brother:

The first family picture with the new son-in-law addition!

Being there to photograph this moment of James' collegiate experience:


Watching my husband's glee at the Dukes come from behind victory in the "biggest home game at JMU of all times ever in the history of the world":

The traditional Ruthie/Ryan joint birthday party and celebrating their 24 wonderful years of life. (Pictures forthcoming)

And coming home to this after work yesterday:

Pretty flowers and Pumpkin Spice coffee from the Fresh Market. When you brew it the house smells glorious and it tastes so cozy and delicious. And aren't these flowers fabulous? So cheerful. Sometimes when Ryan brought me flowers at the office co-workers would tell me to brace myself for never getting them again after we got married. I'm so very happy that they were wrong.

So here's to the first Fall as a newlywed! I can't wait to see what other wonderful things autumn holds.