And never brought to mind...

Insert obligatory year-end reflection post:

So, 2009 kind of rocked. And it kind of blew. Which is, really, what I like to see in a year. I don't like all ups, because that means there will be too many downs later. I like a good mix.

A recap:

Lester went through his first bout of congestive heart failure, and gave me a few grey hairs in the process. Emergencies never occur at two o'clock in the afternoon on a Saturday, y'all. It's always four in the morning when you stayed up too late to watch random crappy videos on the internet the night before.

Anyway, then he got better, or at least we figured out how to keep him sailing on in his little furry body.

My pal Penny came to town from Seattle to see our intrepid Commander in Chief step into office, and we had a fantastic week kicking around. I ate a million pounds of Pocky.

Then I went and visited my sister and brother-in-law in Portland. I had the most marvelous time kicking around in one of the nicest cities on the planet. Like, really nice. Like, if Baltimore and Los Angeles got into a fight, Portland would be around to make sure we didn't kill each other and maybe make us cookies afterward. It was delightful.

Watchmen disappointed me, but it's cool. I forgive you, Watchmen. You were a good movie and all, but I'll take the book any day.

I met a dude, and we dated for a bit, and then we weren't dating anymore, and it's all gravy. It was basically the most casual thing in the world, and we're both so laid back that it was pretty much just one day we were hanging out and then another we were seeing other people. Easy peasy.

H1N1 hit, and my work life got CRAZY. I worked some overtime, and made cookies [that's how I cope] and I tried to keep my nurses sane. We got through it, obvs.

Then I had a birthday! It was lots and lots of fun, and my Dad and I spent that weekend driving all over Maryland for blacksmithing adventures. A delightful time was had by all.

My cousin got married! I had a quarter-life crisis! The world continued to spin unaided!

AND THEN SILAS WAS BORN. He is the cutest little blob of human that was EVER CREATED. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH I CANNOT STAND IT. I get to babysit for him on Saturday, y'all, and I cannot WAIT.

I had some strange dreams and went on Vacation. Garrett County is GORGEOUS, y'all, and I recommend it for a relaxing time away from reality. I WAS ON A BOAT.

Lester had an episode, but he's fine now, too. I guess I'll be on the lookout for those every six months or so. Crazy dog.

I did a guest post on Zaftig Chicks! My site traffic increased by maybe two people! Wooo!

And then Ina died, and it still kind of sneaks up on me every once in a while. I'll listen to a song that we used to love, or someone will say something that reminds me of her so much that I sort of space out and lose it for a minute. There's nothing in the world that can prepare you for something like that.

So, autumn kind of blew through in a haze of grief and sourness. I really tried not to be down, but when patients at work are insane and you're working long hours and the sun is steadily creeping away, it's tough.

And then Jesse and I helped that lady on the street, and things kind of... lifted. Maybe it was the rush of endorphins, or the knowledge that I did something right, or learning that there are other people in this messed up, glorious city that will stop what they are doing and pick you up off the sidewalk.

Whatever it was, I felt right again. I'm back in my own skin.

Then it snowed. A LOT. I hate snow. Then it melted, and then snowed this morning again, and I have a PARTY TONIGHT, dammit, and I refuse to kow-tow to the weather. IMMA PUT ON A FANCY DRESS AND LIVE IT UP.

So there.

Christmas was wonderful - I got to see my sister again and I missed her so much you have no idea. I got fabulous new toys [ipod touch omg omg omg] and drank some nog, and things are okay.

Tonight is going to be fantastic, and that's just all there is to it.

I love you, Baltimore. The world is great, too, but Baltimore has my heart forever.

<3

Pickled Rind and Fruit.

Today I found a treasure.

When my Grandmother's house was being emptied, I asked for one of her copies of The Joy of Cooking. My mother gave me the 1951 edition, where bacon drippings were a regular ingredient of corn bread, and you had to mix your own baking powder.

I was thumbing through it, looking up a recipe for macaroons, when I found a slip of paper tucked inside the pickles.

It was my Grandmother's notes, for 2 1/2 pounds.

2 1/2 C water
2 1/2 C vindegar
5 C sugar
7 1/2 in stick cinnamon
20 cloves

I don't know which recipe it was meant for, tomato catsup or corn relish or apple chutney. It may have been watermelon pickle or pickled peaches.

All I know is that it was written on the back of a dental extraction form [my grandfather was a dentist, though it's not from his practice.] and it smells like their house did.

Merry Christmas. <3

Ughhh.

this is my life right now. They had to plow THREE TIMES today, and it's still coming down.

I hate the snow. I work for a hospital, and therefor I don't get snowdays. If this doesn't improve by Monday morning, I'll have to hike to the bus in a foot of snow.

I DUN WANNA DO IT.

Thankfully, I've got SG-1 and tea [buckets and buckets of tea omg] and my dog is sleeping under the covers on my feet. Carry on.

blah blah twitter blah blah.

I want to blog, but I don't want to complain about my bad day, which is all I can think of to blog right now, so I'll just paste all of my tweets from the month of November instead. All I took out were my replies.

Oh, and I have no idea how to put this behind a cut. You're welcome. [eta: I totes figured out jumps, so you're welcome AGAIN.]