Grattitude

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I am currently sitting on my couch, waiting for my beautiful boyfriend to come home so that we can go out to dinner to celebrate a friend's birthday.  While waiting, I am able to talk to BOTH of my favorite [blood] girl cousins who are on opposite ends of the United Kingdom.  Sometimes I'm not sure if my life could go on without the power of the Internet.

I'm also listening to a cover of "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Ingrid Michaelson which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and want to plan weddings.  My dog is snoozing and my dishes are all done.  I spent too much money between Starbucks, Barnes and Nobel and the post office today.  All totally worth it, because what could be better than a good book and keeping in touch with people you love all while fully caffeinated?  (Not much!)

Yesterday, despite having almost no voice, I talked to my favorite pirate-hunting cousins for the first time since his wedding.  He is safely back from oversees and living closer than ever!  This year has been filled with an unusual sense of loss for me and I'm pretty tired of having to say goodbye to people I love.  Talking to Tom reminded me that thankfully none of the goodbyes this year have been permanent.  Whether the people I love are in Scotland, England, Iraq or Idaho, there will be a time where I will see them again and I am so lucky to have all of these people in my life, whether they are in close proximity or a phone call / Skype date away.

The day that Sabrina and Tim left Vermont happened to coincide with our First Annual Saint Mike's Camping Reunion, which lessened the blow for sure.  Mike and I spent the weekend with ten of our closest college friends, sharing home brew, lounging by the lake and catching up.  Many, although not all of these friends were local and it was a great reminder that even though my family was spreading out, we are still surrounded by so much love and companionship here in Vermont.

So anyway, I have some mixed feelings about change at the moment but can't help but feel so lucky for all of the wonderful people (and canines!) in my life.  I'm also pretty sure that I am going to save the US Postal Service by spending all of my money on international postage.  Silver linings all around! :)

Love, peace & postage stamps,

Nicole

Anticipation

When I was little, I mean really little, like four or five with wild bangs from the early 1990s and my parents marriage was still intact, my cousins Sabrina & Sam would come to my house on Cape Cod to visit from Vermont.  I remember that they would always arrive very late at night and my mom would tell me to go to bed quickly so that when I would wake up, my cousins would be at our house.

Of course, telling a child to go to bed when they are anticipating the MOST FUN EVER is futile and I would literally bounce up and down on my bed until it was way past my bedtime and my cousins would arrive.

This is how I feel this week.

I think sometimes anticipation can be even better than the actual event and so I am trying to harness my inner-child and relish in it all.  In exactly three days we will be en route to Tom's wedding, which will be the first time that the four CORE COUSINS have been together without some sort of ominous event necessitating it. :-)

And so, I will continue to enjoy this week, anticipating the AWESOMENESS that is to come, 10 hour road trip and all!

Smelly Dogs & Beautiful Afternoons

Dear Friends,

FANTASTIC day at Red Rocks with Mike, Sabrina and Tim.  It was also preceded by my first carbohydrate in seven days: a "Vermonter" on a multigrain & honey bagel from Bagel Market, (so good!!!)  Not cheating, just a small indulgence.

It's hard to believe that I've lived in Vermont for six years and haven't been to so many of these great places that Sabrina always seems to find first!  Included in the list are The Village Cup in Jericho, downtown Richmond for an Irish New Year and Camel's Hump, (ok, maybe that was not our favorite, but we have a GREAT view of it from our backyard now!)

The walk was great.  I love seeing the lake in its half-frozen form.  Ayla was almost great off her leash, but did get distracted by a dog or two.  Sabrina and I took a new cousin picture for my Facebook profile as she detested the one I had used from Thanksgiving.  (Funny how one can think pictures are really cute and then the other person in the photo can think that it's horrid!)  One good picture of me & Mike too.

The not so great part of the trip happened when I got Ayla's tale caught in the hatchback of our Matrix and she decided to let her canine smell go everywhere!  I swear it was not the actual tail, but rather her fur, since nothing appears bruised or broken at this point, but nevertheless she made a mess and temporarily put an end to our fun with her smell.

Luckily, we all made it out alive and I am hopeful that Tim will continue to want to be my cousin-in-law, even after creating such a stink! :)  Check out some of our photos below:

Here's to an equally sunny week, I hope!