kt40

The other night

Originally uploaded by kt40

The other night I took the bus into the city to see a dentist, which prompted me to write a long overdue 'Thank You' note to my old dentist in the states. Don't get me wrong, the new dentist will be just fine, but it did make me realize how great my old dentist was, even the dentist I was seeing kept remarking how beautiful my crowns were, how they were "Absolutely Perfect!" I'm sure my old dentist will receive this note and rack her brain thinking "Who is this person?" It's just me katy, the forty-one year old American lady, who after seeing a new dentist, stopped on a bridge in Italy, on her way to the bus station, to watch a kayak that was silently gliding across the nighttime water and thought "I am going to write my old dentist a long overdue 'Thank You' note", and then continued on her way home.

Hello my friend

Originally uploaded by kt40

Well my kids are all sick again! Feeling like a burned out mom/nurse, one who would probably be fired at this point if there was anyone around to fire her. Jason left with a "Good luck today." instead of his usual "See ya!" and just as I was feeling like "I can't do this today!" I went to the little basement bathroom to brush my teeth. I always have a little stash of new toothbrushes so I decide to open a new one, a little "Pep Present" to myself, and then noticed the secret message from Iris. I have no idea when she wrote this but it really made me sport my lopsided grin.  There are perks with this job of mine and my kids constantly remind me of this fact when I least expect it.

Light

looking up into our plum tree

I feel much lighter now. It was nice to leave the blog for a while, extra nice to receive the lovely comment from Melynn. This last week has been filled and I found myself meandering through it. My sweet Jazz was sick again and instead of resting she could only think of homework which prompted little notes and gifts from her sister Iris.

"Sorry you are sick."

"Sorry you have homework." all neatly wrapped in toilet paper and stuffed in recycled valentine boxes.

Yesterday, I went to the post office and had three packages arrive and five letters. Jason said "Well look at you and all your friends." in an ooh la la voice which of course made me laugh.

Wyatt has been tuned into his ipod listening to 60 minutes podcasts, asking me questions I don't know the answers too.

This morning Jason made a pot of tea and I was sitting on the couch drinking some and he came over and sat down next to me "What are you looking up on the internet?" I asked him.

"I just keep typing in "Katy Rocks!"(in google) and your blog keeps coming up." he replied.

This little family of mine......

A little time off

I have been blogging for six months now, at least three times a week, more often five. So after talking with my sister last night who knew I sounded tired, I still am not a 100 percent, she said "Take a break let something go for a little bit." "I guess I could take a week off from blogging" I responded. "Hello!" was pretty much her response.

Let me just pause here......When I talk to my siblings one might hear them responding with an "aah-uh, aah-uh"(like a yes) I hear much more, I hear the hesitation, the "Absolutely!", the "Say that again?" I feel ageless when I talk to them I could be ten , eighteen, twenty-seven, and so-on. I also feel the closeness, like why didn't I share this with them yesterday, they could have made sense out of it. I'm a lucky one of five, right in the middle, which can feel like being tucked into bed with comfy blankets, a good feeling. They know me and can be both comforting and honest with me. So when my sister said "Take a break already." it was like "Yeah why didn't I think of that?" hence the beauty of siblings. So until next week, katy

bookbabie's 6 word memoir meme

6 Word Memoir Meme

I’ve was tagged yesterday by one of my favorite bloggers, breathingeasy, who was tagged by bookbabie who just started a 6 word memoir meme fashioned after Not Quite What I was Expecting: Six Word Memoirs by Famous and Obscure Writers by Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser. If you’re up for it, here are the rules:

1. Write a six word memoir

2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration or photo if you’d like

3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to the original post if possible so the meme can be tracked as it travels across the blogosphere

4. Tag five more blogs with links

5. Leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.

This is mine:

"Eight-balls in different languages" she smiled

I saw this on a park bench, loosely translated it means "What does it mean!!" I noticed when we lived in Portugal that they sold eight-balls, then here in Italy too. I have never been one to refuse shaking an eight-ball. I suppose we all want easy, quick answers, unfortunately I always seem to end up getting "We shall see." and I know second shakes don't count.

I'm tagging sixlittlehands who once left a thoughtful comment on my blog

Corsica courtyard

Originally uploaded by kt40

I am still under the weather, so today I am posting some photos I took when just Jason and I went to Corsica together last year. I sort-of needed a mental vacation today, maybe you do too, so here and what follows below are small glimpses of Corsica.

Feather trees

Originally uploaded by kt40

They have quite a few of these trees which struck me as dreamy.  The foliage and flowers move like feathers when the wind blows them.

beach seen through a ruin

Originally uploaded by kt40

We hiked to this secluded beach where an old ruin (tower) was. I wish I could say that Jason joined me in this tower and had stolen a kiss from me but he was actually sitting down on some rocks and yelled over "You want to some water?" as I looked through this opening at him holding out a water bottle towards me. One can still imagine can't they.

A weathered pink building, Corsica

Originally uploaded by kt40

I love the contrast of this old weather pink building with it's laundry and the freshly painted building below.

Fresh pink painted building with laundry

Originally uploaded by kt40

I thought this was funny this black dress hanging there, weird sense of humor I suppose. I think I even laughed when I took this photo and Jason said "What is so funny?" and I said "That black dress." and he said "You and your laundry thing." He knows I am a little obsessed with hanging laundry.

A path

I haven't really had a lot of energy lately to put into this blog. My kids were all sick I ended up being sick too. Our move, to which now the location has been changed again, "Where to?" your guess is as good as mine as to where we will end up. I can't really bring myself to call people and tell them anymore or even talk about it. It all seems very wishy-washy to me and nonsensical and tiring but that is how it is right now. Next fall we will be situated somewhere and all this wondering and even fretting at points will seem like wasted time. I chose this photo today because I do love paths.... how they look..... what is at the end?.......wandering slowly down them......I do love exploring someplace I know nothing about.....right now I just need to keep reminding myself of that.... "Cheer up mate" "It is all good" "You'll get your energy back and be able to run down a path like this, you may have to lean-up against a tree half way down to take a breather, but you will make it to the end." and as my friend Liz wrote to me the other day "You're a tough little scrapper." which made me laugh and laugh.

hearts in my coffee (love thursday, feb 14th 2008)

Originally uploaded by kt40

I was writing out a shopping list for Iris's Valentine party this morning at my favorite bar down the street, only my favorite because they put hearts in your coffee. Who doesn't like to start the day off like this? Well "Happy Valentines Day!" I have cupcakes to make and a house to picked up before eight, eight year olds, storm the place.

More of my sister's sweet sweet jewelry

wood with chinese chyrophase and smokey quartz
Originally uploaded by derby girl designs

I thought I would share my sister's flicker site in case anyone was interested in seeing more of her stuff. Click here to see more.

My sister's jewelry

Originally uploaded by kt40

This post is dedicated to my sister Madeline's jewelry today. She sent me a ring and two necklaces and other beautiful things that she had created. Yes I loved getting these in the mail! She has just started selling her stuff at this store. I am so proud of her that she is able to find the time, a full time mom of two and full time student but still managing to fulfill her creative side. Below is two more posts of her stuff. Keep it up Madeline! Much love, katy

Rose resin necklace

Originally uploaded by kt40

I was lucky enough to receive two necklaces! This shows how diverse my very talented sister is. I assuming it is made from a mold. Here again is the link to where her jewelry is being sold

Bird hanging

Originally uploaded by kt40

This is the size of a jam lid. It will hang in my studio to help inspire me. Thanks for all the homemade goodness Madeline, I love everything!
P.S. I know the pillow isn't shown here but it does have a special place in the front-room.

How do you spell that?

Originally uploaded by kt40

February is here and I have been noticing the pale colors that it brings with it. The light seems to be sneaking back through the grayness that has been this January. I can remember being asked about February "How do you spell that?" again and again and honestly not remembering myself "And why does it have that extra day sometimes?" it is my birth month, you would think that I would know all there is to know about February. Here is what I do know, it works hard to bring us spring, it is the month that celebrates love, it contains birthdays of my treasured nieces, my best childhood friend and other cherished people I know. It's birthstone is amethyst, like my earrings my husband brought me many years ago, not because he remembered that it was my birthstone but remembered that I really liked it for some reason, which makes me love them even more.

Hey forty-one

I had my birthday a few days ago, forty-one. It was hard to say goodbye to forty only because it was such a good year to me. Very hard at points, a lot of growing pains, but out of lessons learned came clarity not the kind where everything makes sense but rather the opposite, it (life I suppose) doesn't always have to make sense, it doesn't always have to go my way and be fully understood because, bottom line, I can deal with it. Maybe sometimes in an embarrassing tantrum type way, the kind where you realize everyone has left the room and your still on the floor banging your fists, learning to get up from those and replay what it was that had happened to make me feel that way and actually be able to laugh about it or sometimes be able to see that maybe it was a situation that I and I alone created in the first place, and dare I say it, even apologize, when realizing this. "Taking the blinders off" if you will. You could even throw in quite a few "Whoa is me" days during my fortieth year, but I'm just learning, just like the all the rest of us. The tests just seem to be easier for me to take now. I have a better idea what to expect from myself and wooo-weee does that feel good. Hey forty-one welcome, get ready for an eventful year, a move in the works, an artistic adventure planned with a great friend, children getting older, and a husband that always keeps my life interesting. Hey forty-one don't worry I'll still keep some "Whoa is me" days in reserve just in case(who am I kidding, I know they will be used). And last but least forty-one, I like how you sound when I say you out-loud, yes, I like how you sound.

But you're not that type of person

Originally uploaded by kt40

This is a scene I have seen many times since I have lived here. If I choose to go off the bike path and walk along the river, I pass by quiet men, fishing, early in the morning. This time as I was ready to wander back up to the path I turned and looked back, "That looks so peaceful maybe I will take a photo" then I heard myself also say "But you're not that type of person who would take a photo like this, you don't even know how to fish." and I stood there thinking while holding the camera close to my chin "Is this the type of photo I take, men fishing?" and right then one of the fishermen glanced over at me and seemed to be saying "Are you taking the photo or not lady." "Yes, today, this is the kind of photo I take and whether or not I know how to fish has no bearing over this decision."

Taking on change

Written on Wednesday but I decided to wait until today to post

Jason was offered a job in Italy yesterday, we had until today to decide yes or no. It was the one place in Italy that we were hoping wouldn't be offered to us. When Jason got home we kept going over the pros and cons, while the kids wandered around the house muttering that they didn't want to move there. Pro: we could drive all our blasted love-able pets there, Con: It would present us with quite a bit of challenges. Pro: We will still be in Italy. This went on while I made dinner, slowly the pros started to outweigh the cons. We all sat down for dinner and still this was the subject, kids with pros and kids with cons. We (Jason and I) went into long winded speeches about challenges, not judging things that we actually know nothing about, being afraid of the unknown etc..etc...the kids finally said "We get it, we get it!" mostly I think Jason and I had to hear ourselves say those things out-loud. This morning we should have woken up wearing team jerseys and met in the hallway and formed a circle and put all our hands in the middle and yelled out "Go team", because that was the energy that was in the air. We had all decided that we were on board that we could take on this new place and maybe there were be moments that we would regret this choice but we were willing to face those too. Jason called me from work and said "Well, should I take the job?" "Yes, we are all behind you." I said, feeling great pride and confidence towards the members on my team.

Making chai tea

Originally uploaded by kt40

I found this recipe in a old issue of MORE magazine Oct, 2007 issue and made it this morning. I have to say it is good place to start.  I might end up tweaking it a bit, adding little more pepper and cardamom little less sugar maybe, but it does make a nice tea that could probably serve four.

Masala Chai
1) 2 two inch cinnamon sticks

2) 6 black peppercorns ( I used red and green pepercorns too)

3) 10 whole cloves

4) 4 cardamom pods

5) 1 and 1/4 cups of whole milk

6) 4 cups of water

7) 10 teaspoons loose black tea( I opened up nine bags and added them)

8 ) 6 tablespoons of sugar ( you probably could add just five and it would still be sweet)

First: crush the spices together. Second: add the crushed spices to milk and water bring to boil then cover with lid for five minutes on low heat. Third: add tea and sugar turn off heat let it sit there covered for three minutes. Fourth: kick back and enjoy a cup.