On this end of one, beginning of another

2010: You broke my heart, restored my soul, and made me see that I have grown up (some). I came, I saw, I learned, I lost, I understood. I traveled, I moved, I loved, I learned some limits, I broke other limits. I flew, I fell, and I landed on my feet.

Bring on the new year.

May 2011 bring you joy, bring you life, restore you in some way, and lead you in unexpected directions.

Thank you, readers, for keeping up with us this year. For watching this journey unfold, for not loudly expressing your doubts to us, and for encouraging us through it all.

Cheers,

Anna & Scott

Verdict

I received feedback on the first round of Christmas gifts.  I sent a package out to DC care of a good friend, Naomi. She replied with the following:


Guinness Mustard = YUM!  Smokey and thick with surprising kick and totally delicious.  I wanted to appreciate the full taste so I tried it first with a mild cheese, but I think it would be great with a sandwich too, because it's got a strong flavor that won't be overpowered by slices of bread and other sandwich flavors.


So there we go.  Experiment in mustards=successful! (at least the Guinness mustard is).


I'll post more as Naomi sends me the write up for each flavor she tries.  As she explained, "I'm pacing myself in opening all these jars of goodies so that they last and I can appreciate each one as its own entity and jarful of flavor, so more taste reports to slowly follow."


These are gifts that keep on giving...until you run out.


Merry Christmas to you all.  May your holidays be lovely, safe, and happy!

Book swap

This year I received a message to participate in a book swap in memory of Joey.  The idea was that we would choose a book that in some way reminded of us Joey. This is such a neat idea and one that allows all of those connected to him in some way to celebrate his memory and this new holiday.

Scott and I each chose different books.  I went with Ernest Hemingway's A Moveable Feast.  This book was one that I remember Joey reading in high school and going on and on about.  I explained in my note that I was into Fitzgerald at the time but it seems that I must have been reading the Russians during this phase.  It doesn't matter what I was reading.  What matters is that I remember this book meaning something to Joey.

Scott chose Herman Hesse's Siddhartha since this was the book he was reading when he first met Joey.

We went to ship the package to "JPD Holiday Book Swap".  The girl at the store printed out the label  and had me look over the label to be sure everything was correct.  What I saw was addressed to the "JPD Holiday Book Squad".  I didn't say a word about the typo, handed the box back, and told her that all looked good.  Sometimes the typos get things not only correct, but get them perfectly appropriate.  Joey would have liked that little mistake.

Here's to the cheer of the JPD Holiday Book Squad!

Slack happy

Ok, ok, I know it's been a while but I have been anything but a slacker.  I only slack on my blogging and that's simply because at the end of the days lately my eyes are so tired I can't see straight.

Since the last post, I have taken on two new jobs.  That's right, TWO!  One is actually writing copy for advertisements and the other is teaching Composition with another online university.  This is all very good for this girl.  I'm actually full-time at home and even in the fluctuations that can occur with adjuncting, this means I can float.

So my time has been eaten up with trainings, gradings, and writings and in crafting Christmas gifts.

I have much to say but I will have to find more time to say it all.