Random Friday

• It's been a bit of a rough week. Bad news at work about a huge contract we were counting on getting on Monday. Spent my birthday (after getting up at 4 a.m.) working a 12+ hour day (instead of taking the day off to spend with my mom and daughter like I'd planned). Got a speeding ticket on my birthday, driving 15 mph over the speed limit while driving my boss's car, while he was in the backseat. Just sort of a crappy week. That happens. It's o.k.
• I got an iPhone for my birthday! Yaaaayyy!! I've wanted one forever. I've been very patient. I LOVE it.
• I clearly love the Instagram application. It's lots of fun to play with all the filters and such.
  
• It's Friday! Thank goodness! And what a fun weekend we have planned. Brian and I are celebrating our anniversary a few weeks late with a nice dinner out in Castle Rock tonight at the Augustine Grill. We've been feeling the need to take some "just us" time. When we get a babysitter for Sadie, it's always for a house concert, or some other event that never involves just the two of us. But we've been feeling the need to reconnect a bit, so tonight will be lovely.
• I made a new banner for our living room. Good words to live by and remember. I see it first thing when I come downstairs and it helps me to remember to go through my day with more love (and understanding and patience). It's one of our favorite songs. Check it out. "If there's ever an answer, it's more love". Amen! On the day that Brian proposed to me, I was working at the radio station that morning and he called to request this song. I played it for him. Aw.....
• Our first house concert of the season, with Ryan Spearman, is tomorrow night and we're so excited! I'm looking forward to being back in the swing of house concerts and can't wait to have our house full of friends and family and beautiful music.
  
• It seems to be fall! Labor day weekend, the VERY hot August temperatures we were having dropped, and have stayed down. Ah, I love fall! I'm dreaming about crockpots, baking bread, knitting, pumpkin patches, and sweaters.....
• My dog is a pain in the ass sometimes. But she's really cute though, even in her old age.
• I spent some time in the garden last weekend "cleaning house". I trimmed my tomato plants way back so they can put all their remaining energy into ripening their many green tomatoes. I thinned the moldy squash leaves. I pulled all but two of the Brussels sprout plants (won't plant them again..I don't think our grow season is long enough). I harvested the rest of our beets and remaining lettuce and chard. And I planted spinach and radishes! I figure that if we have a long/late summer and fall, it'll be great to have a few more fast-growing and cool weather loving plants come in.
• Babies on the brain....I have so many people in my life who are expecting babies and I'm going wild with imaging all the tiny knitted items I'd like to gift to these expectant mamas....
• Mom and I made pickles a few weekends ago. I'll probably post more about it..but it was mayhem. And the batch that I did by myself didn't seal (I think it's a two person job). Needless to say, an entire shelf in my fridge is full of the non-sealed jars. BUT! I opened one last night and tasted them for the first time...and they're really pickles! yeah!
• Sadie has taken to wearing pig ears and a tutu at all times (and even sleeping in them). It's the best thing in the whole world. I hope it lasts. Seriously the cutest thing ever.....
• Actually, now that I'm watching the More Love video while I type...I'm going to leave you with the full lyrics. Damn that's good.

I'm so close to you baby, but I'm so far away
There's a silence between us and there's so much to say
You're my strength, you're my weakness
You're my faith, you're my doubt
We gotta meet in the middle
To work this thing out

More love...I can hear our hearts cryin'
More love...I know that's all we need
More love...to flow in between us
To take us and hold us, and lift us above
If there's ever an answer, it's more love

We're afraid to be idle, so we fill up the days
We run on a treadmill, keep slaving away
Until there's no time for talkin'
About troubles in mind
And the doors are all closed
Between your heart and mine

More love...I can hear our hearts cryin'
More love...I know that's all we need
More love...to flow in between us
To take us and hold us, and lift us above
If there's ever an answer, it's more love

Just look out around you , people fightin their wars
They think they'll be happy, when they settle their scores
Let's lay down the weapons
That hold us apart
Be still for just a minute
Try to open our hearts

More love...I can hear our hearts cryin'
More love...I know that's all we need
More love...to flow in between us
To take us and hold us, and lift us above
If there's ever an answer, it's more love