Damn YaNCkee

This past Saturday surprised me. I wasn't really looking forward to going to a "tea party" for my sister-in-law's birthday. I'm not a big fan of typical "girly" activities, or of bonding with other females in general. The thing that excited me the most about this little outing was going with my almost 10-year old daughter, Morgan. We went to Two Leaves and a Bud , a quaint little eatery in downtown Concord, NC. The food was surprisingly good. I had a sandwich called The Clucker - seasoned chicken breast with melted cheddar, onions and mushrooms - and instead of the kaiser roll, I opted for toasted rye. Delicious. I sucked down about 4 glasses of their sweet house tea, Front Porch. Morgan enjoyed some tuna salad (her favorite), and we shared dessert, a truly delicious slice of chocolate mousse cake. We all had a nice time together! Now thoroughly caffeinated, I promised Morgan a trip to the local Goodwill for a little thrift shopping. We had a BLAST. See,...

I've checked the date four times already today. It is too early in the season to be this hot. Temperatures have been just below 100 degrees fahrenheit for the last three days. The heat wave is predicted to go through Sunday - with a bit of a break coming Monday through Wednesday at a -brisk- 95 degrees... I hate the heat and humidity. It isn't even officially summer yet! What worries me even more is the lack of rain. We've had some rain over the last several weeks, but nowhere near enough to lift drought restrictions. NOAA's local forecast runs through Friday of next week, and doesn't mention a drop of rain. Last summer seemed so long, so hot, and so dry. It seemed to take forever for the coolness of autumn to arrive. Ultimately, I realize I shouldn't complain so much. There are places far hotter, and far drier, and people who have no air conditioning - no relief from the heat or drought. Despite my level of comfort, I can't help shake memories of years wi...

See You in a Hundred Years: Four Seasons in Forgotten America by Logan Ward In this true story, a man, his wife, and their 2 year old son leave a hurried, but modern and comfortable life in Manhattan for Virginia's Shenandoah Valley - to live as if it were 1900. Forsaking all modern convenience - cars, medicine, tools, electricity - they delve into a year-long project which at times is hilarious, and in others, rather frightening. The experience changes their lives enormously, and they come away with a new respect for themselves, the idea of community, and life as a whole. For anyone who has ever thought of leaving it all, and returning to a simpler, and more secluded life, this book is for you. It's a relatively quick read, and a good one at that. The author shares his experiences much like a journal, carefully crafting the story so that it never feels predictable - their experience certainly wasn't!