happy trails to you!

I had my first dinner party here at No. 104, and it was a rousing success! Good company, good food, and good cocktails!

I made these, in honor of the outward bound JC:

Happy Trails 

In a 2 quart pitcher mix:

12 oz tequila (I used Patron, mmm)

12 oz pineapple juice

12 oz diet lemon-lime soda

Add:

1 cup crushed pineapple

1 large handful chopped mint

1 or more lemons, sliced

Blend with an immersion blender if you have one, 

otherwise just stir well, muddling the fruit and mint a bit.

Place in freezer until ready to serve.

Delicious over crushed ice, or frozen/slushy

Garnish with lemon & fresh mint

Enjoy!

(People who don't like tequila like this!)

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.

Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.

Who cares about the clouds when we're together?

Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.

Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again.

Some trails are happy ones,

Others are blue.

It's the way you ride the trail that counts,

Here's a happy one for you.

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.

Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.

Who cares about the clouds when we're together?

Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.

Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again.

Happy Trails, by Dale Evans Rogers

closes its eyes

One of the best things about old friends, if you're lucky (and I am, without a doubt), is that even if it's been years between visits, the time apart flies away the minute your eyes meet again, and all the catching up and filling in is accomplished with ease, and joy...no guilt, no sadness, just joy at seeing each other again.

We did that, my darling longest loves and I, those dears from forever and always. We laughed and cried and created a terrible, wonderful ruckus and didn't give one damn that we were making a scene. We talked, and shared, and caught up, and it was wonderful. Those faces, those voices, those familiar laughs...such treasures. Carol swears it's been 20 years, and mathematically I know she's right, but in my heart? That's impossible!

Nostalgia has a strong hold on me these days.

Regrets? Not exactly...more like wishes, and mainly the wish that I could have my cake and eat it too. I wish I could be back in Arkansas, my life intertwined with those I've loved so long, living in a place so familiar that it seems to slow the passage of time...I wish I could do that, AND be here, in the separate and beautiful life I made for myself when I left Little Rock 31 years ago. I wish I could have it all. Now that I'm working from home (thank you, former employer, for putting me in a position to make that happen, and thank you even more, new employer, for making it possible!) I plan to make more frequent trips back. I need to refill the well.

Missy, my best friend since babyhood (we played in a playpen together), spent a whole afternoon pampering me at the day spa where she works as an aesthetician, and I left that evening with long, fluttery eyelash extensions, which, although my own lashes are fine and stubby, looked amazing and natural. So fun!

These completely unnatural extensions would be fun, too, don't you think? I'd wear 'em!

All the better to see you with, my dears...

"Love is blind; friendship closes its eyes."

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Missy, Laura, Carol, Sherry, Dennis (and Skip!) - I love you!! :)

I heard demands

Last night I attended a party at sweet Val's house, to celebrate Día de los Muertos, or "Day of the Dead." Valerie goes all out, with traditional foods, costumes, a bonfire, hooping hoopsters, music, dancing, an ofrenda (altar), and free-flowing drinks of all kinds.

Val and her sugar skull cake

Chris "Caliente" and Val

Me and Jill

Nikki and Friend

Val's ofrenda (altar)

I love the idea of celebrating lost loved ones, but there's more to it than that. We love them, but we fear them, too. The syrupy sweet coffee we put on the altar because it's Auntie's favorite is an offering of love, but it's also a gesture of appeasement. As kind as she may have been before death, after she's passed we don't really want Auntie gliding into the kitchen in search of a cup of joe in the middle of the night. 

We intentionally but "safely" explore our fears in order to overcome them...Rubber-necking at car crashes, watching horror movies, reading true crime novels, telling spooky stories at sleepovers, putting evil witches in fairy tales, and yes - even Halloween and Day of the Dead celebrations - all put us face-to-face with our fears . In these scenarios we always come out victorious, and maybe a little less afraid.  


I know I did...

These amazing installations by artist James Hopkins serve the same purpose, in a contemporary but unmistakable manner.

Fear 

by Hart Crane

The host, he says that all is well

And the fire-wood glow is bright;

The food has a warm and tempting smell,—

But on the window licks the night.

Pile on the logs... Give me your hands,

Friends! No,— it is not fright...

But hold me... somewhere I heard demands...

And on the window licks the night.

From wikipedia:

Each year in the beginning of November, millions around the world honor and remember their deceased loved ones. From Latin America to the Philippines, people visit family members' and friends' graves, eat customary food or follow particular traditions. Also known in some countries as All Souls' Day, the Day of the Dead originated as a Roman Catholic holiday.

In Mexico and large parts of Latin America, the Day of the Dead is a national holiday and widely celebrated. People build small altars and bring the deceased's favorite food to the cemetery. In the Philippines, entire families spend the night at the graveyard, while in many countries in Europe people visit relatives' graves and gather with family and friends.

See more super extra awesomesauce Day of the Dead stuff here: http://www.mexicansugarskull.com/support/dodhistory.html

What are you afraid of?

huge, vast, and limitless

Happy Valentine's Day, Loves!! 

When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, 

you begin to discover that it's bottomless, that it doesn't have any resolution, that this heart is huge, vast, and limitless. You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness is there, as well as how much space.

~ Pema Chodron

http://confessionsofasineater.blogspot.com/

my imaginary friends

This is my 100th post! That calls for a bit of a celebration, don't you think? I think so!

Come on and celebrate, good times, tonight
(Celebrate good times, come on!)
'Cause everything's gonna be all right
Let's celebrate (Celebrate good times, come on)
(Let's celebrate)...

weheartit.com

Speaking of celebrations, I just this minute received this message from Roberta, of www.fatfinch.com:  Hi Susan, Can you contact me at info@fatfinch.com. You WON the giveaway contest for the Bari J bag!! Roberta, www.fatfinch.com

WOW! I won this great Bari J bag in a giveaway by The Fat Finch and The Constant Gatherer!  Thanks, you guys! (Seriously, how adorable is this?):

theconstantgatherer.blogspot.com

Happy 100th post-i-versary to me...

So where was I? Oh, right...here:

Maybe a confession is in order as well. I swear, I just heard your collective ears prick up, and you all leaned forward just a tiny bit, and sucked in your breath ever-so-slightly, like that scene in Labyrinth, the movie, where Sarah is about to make the fateful wish that is the beginning of everything, and the goblins are just beyond the veil and they hear: 

Sarah: I'll say the words...NO, I mustn't. I mustn't say...

Goblins: UH!

Sarah: I wish...I wish!

Goblin 1: SHE'S GOING TO SAY IT! 

Goblin 2: Say what?

Goblin 3: SHUT UP! 

Goblin 2: You shut up! 

Goblin 1: LISTEN! She's going to say the words...

Not that I think you all are goblins - heavens no, I love you all to pieces!

Anyway. The confession: I have a blog crush. It's probably certainly silly, or maybe not, but like I always say (as my sister can attest): It is what it is! I honestly don't remember how I found her blog, but as soon as I read the first post (about her first blog crush, fittingly enough...) I knew I was in for something good. Then, I read this, and I. Was. Done. Sunk. Smitten. 

And now? Now I can't speak or write or read a hypophora without hearing it in her voice (which, by the way, I've never actually heard). When I'm ready to do someone in, or I want someone to stop doing something, I think to myself, "I think him's had enough of the flying." The first time she visited here and left a comment? I was tickled pink. As in blushing. (How many of you know who I'm talking about? See, you recognize her voice, too, even an impression of it!)

tumbler.com

If you've never had a blog crush this will probably definitely sound very strange; if you have, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about: imaginary friends (who also happen to be very real people.) And if you don't already have a crush of your very own on karey m., of mackin ink, then by all means, get over there and help yourself!


But wait, there's more!

For straight-shootin' shit-talkin': My Favorite and My Best

For Nordic loveliness: Stil og Genbrug

For here-let-me-help-you self-sufficiency: Living the Frugal Life

For a steady supply of beautiful blue: House of Turquoise

For general happiness and how-to's: Sweet Sweet Life

For a roundup of some of the most inspiring and original creations for body and soul: The Constant Gatherer (who also held The Fat Finch Giveaway!)

For dreamy, other-worldly sweetness: Thumbelina

For all the good stuff from the glossies, the thrift stores, and the shops: Moodboard (and thanks for adding my little fledgling bloglet to your blogroll!) 

As you can see from my sidebar, there are many more great blogs I follow, all written by interesting, fascinating, funny, generous people like you! If I didn't mention you above, it doesn't mean I don't have a crush on you too, but a gal's got to draw the line somewhere, right?

 weheartit.com

Thanks for coming this far with me, sweet friends, imaginary and real. I hope you'll stay with me for the next round -

http://confessionsofasineater.blogspot.com/

Lunch with Erin

I went to a farewell lunch for a friend and co-worker today. The food was nothing special, and the atmosphere was decidedly uninspiring, but the company was good.

When I came home I wanted comfort food (in other words, carbs!) So I pulled out the scone cutters I brought home from a charity shop in Scotland, and made biscuits.

Food is so much more than fuel for the body. The lovely dining rooms, below, are soul food in and of themselves.

photos: 1) me 2-6, 8) housetohome.co.uk 7) countryliving.com

9) homesandgardens.com 10) bigchillfridge.com

Erin, you'll be missed. ♥

http://confessionsofasineater.blogspot.com/