Niagra Falls

awesome, awesome weekend

Three day weekend

I lay there, staring out the window, watching the giant flakes dance outside overtop what I couldn't see from where I was - giant, overwhelming beautiful waterfalls. Waterfalls filled with snow and ice. Covered in mist.

Curled up next to him I listened to him talk, listened to his heart beat. I thought, "I want to remember this - this moment, who we are. How we dream. What we are together." And right then I wished that he'd outlive me, because I cannot imagine my life without him, without our times spent together filling it up. I cannot imagine not having this, this moment and all the others we share all tied together: defining my time, my life, my home.

The sky was pricked with stars, the moon hung just so, and we had it so good. So lovely. So simply. There were no deadlines and obligations. No work or school or chores. It was just him and me. Just a boy, telling his girl a story about oceans and whales and desert islands as winter swirled and swam outside. And there was no place in the world I'd have rather been.

Cruise, Take 1

Well, first, of course, I have to say I had the most delicious Valentine's Day. I came home to an apartment full of candles and roses and the music from our wedding playing on our stereo - and, honestly, I coudln't have felt more loved. It's been a real hard couple of weeks; a lot of work, very little sleep, and not much quality time with my husband. The fact he still went through so much trouble - well, it meant the world.

I made him dinner, trying to find the perfect combo if items. We had beer and honey risotto, spinach souffle with roasted red pepper sauce, and . . .drumroll, please . . . steaks. Ribeye steaks with bacon molasses butter to be exact. Steaks from the Meat King himself and they make Sam so happy with their yummy goodness I could have made canned green beans and Kraft mac-n-cheese and it would have still been labeled best meal ever.

And we own such delicacies, of course, because my cousin Kathy in all her overwhelming generosity actually came to the airport as we were flying out a few weeks ago and hand delivered them. Steaks. Big bags of them. To the AIRPORT.

Nothing could have probably made Sam more ecstatic.

In fact, listening to Sam wax poetic about these piles of meat in our freezer these past couple days was enough for ME to eat steak last night. And I have not eaten a steak for a solid fifteen years at least.

And it was good.

Though I would have gladly traded it for Kathy and Fred's company, hands down.

Kathy and Fred picked us up from the airport when we flew into Houston for the cruise a month ago. Kathy was ever-patient as I tried to figure our schedule and when we might be able to see them. She even called Dave (best-man-of-all-time) and arranged it all so HE could meet us for dinner, too.

And the five of us had a FABOO time.



Ahhh, Texas. Where you cannot go ANYwhere without seeing the flag, the state, some delineation thereof. Wow. And I thought New Yorkers loved their home obsessively . . .



This is us. See us so happy? Cause we are with the best company EVER and are having a fabulous time. Have I mentioned? The fabulous time? It was such a great start to vacation . . .



This is me and the oysters. Hadn't tried them, said I would. They looked gross. But I liked them. Lots. Go figure.



Sam and I and Kathy and Fred. We're already trying to figure when and how we'll make the next trip to go see them. And have already begun a list of ways to lure them here . . . I'm so lucky to have such awesome family.



And, well, of course, Dave is family, too. And just as awesome.

OH THE MEAT!

This is Sam, stepping in for a moment to tell you about THE MEAT KING and his wonderful meats!

Misty's cousin Kathy (sweet, beautiful and super cool) and her awesome husband Fred met us the day before we went cruis'n for dinner and general good times... anyway, Fred's the Meat King and he delivered! Kathy handed off 8 or so amazing steaks to us at the airport before we flew back and I had one tonight and it was magical... OH THE MEAT! So tender and juicy and flavorfull.

Thank you Kathy and Fred!

Misty's in Miami kicking butt at her job. She left me alone to eat red meat and drink beer... but I miss my wife and wish she was here to enjoy it with me.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled bloggings...

cruise stories coming . ..

Alas, I'm working 12 hour days without a day off since we got back. Craziness has ensued and all my clothes from our trip lay strewn about our living room floor . . . and our bedroom . . .and some in the bath.

*sigh*

Sam wins husband of the year award simply for his patience.

However, the designs I'm working on now are, quite frankly, the best I've ever done. And I'm proud, prouder than I've been in a while. I love being able to stop, take a step back and realize I'm creating the kind of work I would tear out of a magazine for inspiration. I wish I could share it with you, and I will.

Just for now it's top secret.

Craziness is . . . the madness of this work runs straight through the weekend. I'll be teaching this weekend as well - leaving class Sunday afternoon, jumping in a cab to the airport for a whirlwind trip to Miami.

(Les, I'll be calling. I'm waiting to see what my schedule is like.)

I miss my tan. The sun. Time with no one but my husband.

But, well, that time will come and soon. Sam and I are headed to a fancy Niagra Falls get-away next weekend. Woo-hoo!