Week(s) In Review: A Pictorial Adventure

So where have I been, yes that would be the question considering that, unless we’re connected on Facebook, no one has heard from me in weeks. I don’t call, don’t write. Yeah, ‘dropped off the face of the virtual Earth’ (yet again) is pretty accurate. But I have done some amazing and fun stuff in my electronic absence.

And the train continues to roll so rather than sit here for ages typing out all the details of my recent misadventures in construction, paint, music, old friends and pastry, it occurred to me that a nice array of photos is surely a much lazier way to share the information.

And retain it for that matter. See? Really I’m just thinking of your time. Yeah, that's it.

So without further random babble from me, here is essentially a month in review…

A whole bunch of these got painted, glazed, varnished, etc. over the past couple weeks for Chucka Stone Designs, and more will be done this week (plus I might actually finish the furniture pieces this weekend, amazing!)

I hosted a week long giveaway over here that I enjoyed promoting.

This holiday came and went & Matt and I thankfully didn’t feel pressured to celebrate (because it is a silly tradition started just to make people feel bad who are single and obligated who are together so the card, chocolate, flower and jewelry industries can live on for one more day. OK. Jumping off my soapbox now…) But my mom sent us this card and it was very sweet of her!

The FINAL season (sob) of Tuesday night crack began. (Yeah I know he’s not on the show anymore but he was my favorite character and he did make an appearance in the first episode this season. Plus he’s hot, so there.)

We had a chance to catch this guy’s act live, and solo for the first time, which was so much fun! We were right at the edge of the stage in the Red Room at Café 939.

Then I started doing a whole bunch of this. (Thanks for the video still shots This Old House)

Of course that job is in central Mass so that meant I was in this a lot. Don’t worry, my car wasn’t recalled. Baby drives great.

Even though painting and plaster is a great workout it was good to do a little of this in addition to keep loose. Climbing ladders requires a certain level of already in shape-ness so as not to fall asleep on the sofa every night at 10:00. Oh wait…

I have been helping to clean out the family house which desperately needs to be finished and sold. My Aunt, mom and I spent six hours in this room getting it to look this empty. I wish I were kidding. But it is done now and so we celebrated with subs (hoagies, wraps, whatever you call it in your neck of the woods -- sandwich filling in a long roll). I took this round table home and it is now gracing my back hall under the window; it looks perfect with the bench on the other side, since they are a matching set.

Of course Thursdays have still been all about this. Wouldn’t miss that for anything!

Had a chance to catch one of my mom’s favorite performers, Seth Glier (on piano), this past Friday night. I can see why, wow this kid has talent!! At only 21, he has a long career ahead of him. (He plays SXSW every year so if you’re near Austin, TX go check him out!). Plus he remembered my mom on sight by name, asked her later what she wanted to hear and made a point to come over and apologize that he didn’t have time to play it after the show was over. Now that’s class.

And now this morning I’m finishing coffee and writing. Not to mention eating one of these; purchased after dinner with friends in Davis Square last night. Yum!

The month in review has now commenced. Holy crap, can’t believe it’s just about March already! Bring on the warm weather, yippie!

I Was Not Aware That Chickens Ate Snails…???

I woke up to this horoscope today:

“You may be feeling like a snail who is emerging from her shell, Jenn. When no one is looking, you slowly, cautiously stick your head out and put up your antenna to take a reading on the outside world. When you see a creature similar to yourself, you feel comfortable and come out of your shell a little more. Be careful of letting your defenses down too much, however, because a big hungry chicken is coming along who is looking for his dinner.”

Really? Hungry chickens? So now of course I have this visual picture in my mind of tall, fuzzy chickens chasing me down the street while I run screaming as fast as I can, flailing my arms about in full on panic mode.

Stupid horoscope. If I have nightmares tonight about life sized beaks pecking me to death I’m going to be really pissed.

Yeah I know cool photo right? Go ahead, buy a copy from my Mom.

So anyway, of course I had to look up the relationship between chickens and snails. (No, I’m not avoiding doing work today, why would you even ask that question. How silly, I’m not a procrastinator and I’m not nervous at all about completing the two finishes I’ve never done. Silly, silly, silly.)

You know what I found out? Chickens absolutely do eat snails! Shocking! I was thrilled to stumble across this incredibly useful bit of information! I mean, that is if you want to trust the internet. I can’t say I’ve ever watched a chicken eat a snail before but it doesn’t surprise me that they would want to take part in consuming such a “delicacy”.

In France, or French restaurants, that is.

I somehow don’t think Simon Enticknap is going to be seeking out escargot anytime soon considering his run in with these slimy little creatures a couple years ago. Right there with you Simon, right there with you.

But even though I won’t eat them, snails are definitely fascinating little creatures to watch. If you have about 16 hours to kill its amazing just how fast they really move. We used to get loads of them outside our basement apartment door when we lived in New York because of the moisture level. Lots of slugs too.

Coming home in the dark and walking down the side path was like navigating a mine field of squishy and crunchy little bits. It was rare we got one of them but I always felt really bad when I heard or felt the demise of one of these slow moving creatures underfoot. I would have loved if they died from something natural instead of my size seven hiking boot. Maybe we should have brought home a chicken.