joy

...fills my heart because of a package I received last night just before midnight.

I'm at work currently...always am when I post, considering I do not have a computer box at home.

I'm a bit hungry (as usual), and could go for some broccoli rob right now...maybe some sweet potato ravioli's too....sure, and a glass of red wine! What the heck; it's NEW YEARS EVE!

I'm heading over to Nina's after work (after I go to my apt. first to change and get some grub). I'm looking forward to silly and ridiculous games with her and her parents. Should be fun to catch up with Steve and Marilyn.

Tomorrow I will head in to Philly to meet up with Justin and Em for the Mummers Day Parade. Oh, joy. It should be fun. I enjoy Philly a lot and there is so much that I have not discovered while living just 20 miles away.

Perhaps I'll see Chris and Olga if they are back from Brrrrroklyn.

Went to Michigan over the weekend. What a blessed time...and a blurrrr. Nine hours out (in the car with pops) and 10 hours back. The most amazing snowfall occurred about two hours from home, and it felt like we were in a spaceship, projecting through the grand galaxy at top speed. The snowflakes were almost ridiculously huge...but glorious!

For some reason, this new years comes to mind... I was about 17 years old and at my high school friends' house, in her parents basement. We watched episode after episode of My So Called Life (with Claire Danes). We had no alcohol to toast with, no grand crowd to cheer among...just the three of us (our other dear friend, Brie, joined us)...happy and content to be in a suburban basement with cement floors and truth and honesty in our midst.


Happy New Year everyone.

brrrrr...

it's rather chilly in the hospitality suite today.

what a hectic morning i had. I was in philly yesterday and spent the night there at olga's place. she came out wednesday night (with damka) and crashed at my place.

we sipped hot tea and watched the season finale of one of her favorite shows...america's next top model. i think that is the name...

any ways, we had a good night. it's always wonderful spending time with her.

thursday morning we went to pick up my jetta (the one i bought about 60 days ago and have only been able to drive it a mere 30 or so of those days)! it's had problems and hiccups...so, was in the shop, yet again, getting mended.

it was a rather gray day, so we stopped at starbucks for some nourishment on the way. sure, sugar and caffeine...nourishment...

so, after getting the car we went to trader joe's. i picked up two packets of my favorite cookies, ginger, and some other things for my lovely visitors coming this evening!!!

Becca, i got a WHOLE gallon of milk for you! i go through such little amounts of milk (i buy the tiny one and don't even finish that before it goes sour)!

i am looking forward to the company that will fill my home tonight!

i've been SOOOO hungry today. i got up around 8:45am...and didn't eat until around 2pm. I had a green apple, and then finally the staff lunch was ready around 3:30pm... so, i had half of a portabella/squash 'burger'. but that was hours ago!

it's now 7:20...and i missed the staff dinner...was up on the second and third floors running around preparing things for guests checking in... one man needed saltines, another a bucket of ice...one lady a wake up call and another a 'small piece of scotch tape'... one needed roast beef, and one could do without...oh, the funny things people request.

i was so taken back, though, at one mans generosity! i took up this very nice couple to their suite on the third floor, and the gentleman stepped out into the hall for a second as i was giving his wife the keys, and he pulled out his billfold and gave me a $10 bill! i was shocked. no one has ever given me a tip, like a bell-hop would be tipped, on the way to their room! so, that was a nice surprise.

it's hard to believe that Christmas is nearly here. i am very much unprepared... well, at least in the 'gift buying/preparing/giving' realm. as a few of you will see tonight (at our little Christmas gathering)...i have just not had/made the time to think at all about presents...

so much else has consumed my mind and days.

candy striped

shirt... that's what i have on today. it's red and white, so i feel like a volunteer hospital worker. i like the shirt. a great thrift store find.

so, i may be moving to philly.

WHAT!!!#*$@???

yeah, i thought perhaps i might get your attention! (all three of you who read this)... i am very unsure at this point, but things may take that route. i just got back from spending the weekend in philly with two of my old college roommates. crazy thing is, i seem to know more people in philly than i do here in my current neighborhood/network.

i never signed a lease, so at this point, i am not contractually bound to anything in that realm. the soonest i would move would be early February. but, again, NOTHING is for certain. the main thing i have to figure out is how i will do my commute (by car or train) and just how my work schedule will work out if i did move.

i just long to live among friends, in a community. this is my ideal situation. right now, in philly, there is an awesome group of christians, living in community. so, for this very reason, i am very drawn to live there. the girl that i would share a place with is my dearest friend from college. for some time now (since we last lived together in college), we've said how wonderful it would be to share a place together again.

so, i have a compatible dearest friend to live with (who happens to have a dog), a church to get involved with, and amazing people to develop relationships and friendships with.

...not to mention all that art that the city is submerged with. this would give me artists to be among once more...artists, like myself, to spur me on to CREATE. i would actually get to work in a dark room again! oh, how i would love to pick up photography again...

so, at this point, this whole idea is on the drawing board, but a true possibility... i will for sure keep you posted.

(*and, we can't really talk too loudly about this at my place this weekend, because i haven't shared the news with my landlord (who lives below me) yet!)

on that note, i am really looking forward to this weekend. it will be great to see you all again...i'm thinking of trying to make some cornmeal pancakes in advance for everyone to have and heat up on saturday morning for breakfast (since i won't be there---i have to work the breakfast shift at the inn)...

we'll see...if i don't get around to making them, i will provide other rations!

hmmm...it will be great to have company. i do love this time of year. hey, do you guys want to do a white elephant gift exchange??? i know it's so last minute, but it would be so fun!!! basically, if you don't know what a white elephant gift exchange is, you get the corniest/wackiest/cheesiest gift you can (at the thrift store, hand made, from around your house, etc.) and wrap it up...then you kinda do a Pollyanna gift exchange where they all go wrapped in a circle, everyone draws numbers and the gift waring begins. any takers??? it would be fun!!!

alrighty well...just wanted to share my latest thoughts.

john denver & the muppets

...that's the record that I've been listening to all day at the Inn. It is indeed my favorite Christmas album by far.

Becca, if you happen to read this, I will not be able to make it to Hershey for the lights. It is always so 'iffy' when I actually finish for the day, but most likely, I will not be done work on Friday, 12/14 until 7pm or later. So, I will just be at my place with Lynette, awaiting your arrival!

I have had quite a busy day here at the Inn. Phone calls, faxes, poinsettia cleanings, fluffing pillows, straightening water glasses, dimming lights, dusting lampshades, and by far my favorite, making little envelope type triangles out of toilet paper. Oh yes, the life of an Innkeeper.

In all seriousness though, it has been a busy day...which is good, the hours fly by.

The snow has just been beautiful today. I first noticed that it was snowing this morning in my kitchen. I went to fetch a glass of water from the cooler above my fridge, and the bright flutter of flakes caught my eye...

I forgot all together what I was doing, lost my glass, and before I knew it, I was photographing (or trying to) the tiny miracles.

About 7 minutes later, I found my empty water glass on the counter and remembered that I was thirsty.

This morning, at least before the wondrous event of the snow, I was quite glum. I find that it is indeed hardest for me in the morning. I miss people. And, when I wake in the morning, to the quietness of my lone apartment, I am reminded of this. I often get up and make it only so far as to the couch. Here, I lye for about 20-30 minutes flipping through the channels until I feel awake enough to ready my coffee press...or go somewhere that already has pressed their coffee.

Coffee seems to mentally tell me that I must begin processing my day. My surroundings, my thoughts, my agenda, my day. As I sip my coffee, indeed, I feel the caffeine stimulate my tiny brain stems and leaves and all that is wiggling around up there... Well, okay, maybe I really don't feel things wiggling up in my brain, but I convince myself that "I am now drinking my coffee; therefore, I am now waking up. I now will proceed with my day."

This means that I have to get ready. I suppose I don't like getting ready for work. I think the main reason is, that I have just had my morning coffee, and I always feel most inspired creatively in the morning. But, I can't (create any art). I have to take a stinkin' shower (sometimes) and put on my 'work' clothes.

I'm often at least 3 or 5 minutes (or 10 or 12) late to work. I know, I need to work on this. Someday.

It's now 4:47. Oprah is on. I used to listen to her program, on the radio, on my way home from teaching. Not no mo' (props out to all my old homies).

Tonight I ask for your prayers. For whoever is reading this.

Tribute to Coldplay

...on strings, that is what I'm listening to in my office currently. Kinda funny, to hear an orchestra perform Coldplay's music. I saw it in the library, though, and thought I would give it a try. It's okay, I guess...kinda growing on me.

I am really looking forward to having tomorrow and Friday off. I have Saturday breakfast shift from 7:45-12pm, but then I am off again Saturday from noon on and Sunday too! Yippee!

Today, Dianne came up to my neck of the woods in the inn and started putting up greenery for Christmas. It's looking so beautiful. She is very artistic. She hung these beautiful antique shutters right outside the doorway of the hospitality suite, and put large sconces filled with an array of greens and berries.

Hard to believe it's already Thanksgiving and that Christmas is just a month away. I am truly hoping to do some handmade gifts this year. I have NO excuse. I need to unleash my creativity and share with others.

Tonight my parents house will be filled with family, laughter and, best of all, little children.

I'll be there in less than two hours...

Earl

Sipping some earl grey at the moment. Just had some white (not yellow) cake. Gotta love the perks of my job...scrumptious sweets and fine eats. I'm sleepy today. I think it's the emotional wear of all that is transitioning in my life, the coming of Thanksgiving (non-stop family time), TONS of cleaning and rearranging at the apt., and just change.

The stainless steel tea pots here at the restaurant always drip when you pour water from them. No fun. I think I just tend to pour the water out too quickly. Dribbled water everywhere...oh well. I have on a pink oxford shirt today and my vintage pleated polyester skirt. I always get compliments on this skirt and have fun telling the fashionable women that compliment it, that I got it at the thrift store. I just love thrift stores.

Was talking to my mom today, and she shared that my love for thrift/consignment shops has definitely rubbed off on her. She frequents them now much more.

It's only 4:30pm, and it sure feels like 11pm! Only an hour and a half more and I can go home for the night.

I just checked in a very cute couple. I'm guessing they were in their 40's. From the DC area. What a drive just to come to our little inn! I love this aspect of my job, meeting and greeting all the people that come to stay with us. We have lots of international travelers, business folk, couples and not too much in between. It's great on the nights where all eight of our suites are filled with travelers from the UK, Germany, France, and far parts of the US. I love meeting new people.

I drew a turkey today. I was going to simply leave it in this innkeeper communication log that we have, but I kinda got into the drawing a bit too much. I did it cartoon style...and put a bib on the turkey with our Inn's name on it. My boss is going to incorporate the sketch into the menu's they are printing for the Thanksgiving dinner. Fun.

I'm going to swing by the Library today after work and try to pick up some DVDs to have around for the next couple days with family. Sometimes it's good (and relaxing) to just pop in a fun movie.

I miss Rochester, NY. I miss my days at college there. I suppose the draw to it all was the community in which I was a part of. I was an RA for two years and oversaw a great bunch of girls and lived with three other awesome girls as well. My dearest friend is now in Philly, not far at all from where I am, but still we rarely get to see each other.

Two of my other close friends are in NYC. I don't get there too often either. I do miss them though.

I have a feeling that some day I will be content with my life. I really do think this. I, some day, will marry someone that I am confident in as my husband. Someone that I will be so excited to marry and share my life with, someone who will cherish me and find me lovely. Someone I can serve and provide for. Someone who will serve me too. I always come back to the same realisation...it's about selflessness. Lord, teach me more.

"Happy Thanksgiving..." That's from Rich. Goes by Rich now. Enough of that melodramatic stuff for now.

Cheese peas?

At work again... (Probably will always be at work when I post, being that I do not have a computer at home). I'm rather hungry. I finally did a wee bit of cooking this morning since moving into my new place. Brace yourselves here, I made a whopping two egg omelet. The only ingredients I had to put in the omelet were peas and cheese. It was good, though. Suppose anything with cheese is good.

I'm still trying to get my furniture situated in my apt. It's taking quite a while, to not only aesthetically get things right, but with functionality too... Can't have a table jutting out of the wall and a bookcase ready to tumble because of the thousand books stacked on it! I'll get finished one day.

So, I've discovered that I like The Office. It's such dry humor, but I really enjoy it. I only had four channels (with static) at my last apt., so the 50 or so channels that I have now are so deluxe. In any case, I think re-runs of The Office play sometimes, and I've been catching old episodes. I think this is the only sitcom I really watch.

I've kinda phased out of my liking for Antiques Road Show... perhaps now that I have a little more variety as to what's on TV...sitting there watching old people get their trinkets appraised just has lost it's charm to me. Sad, I know.

On my 'to-do' list this late fall/Christmas season is baking pies. I would like to get at least one pumpkin and one berry pie made in the next month. I've decided I also would like to get a tree (a tall one!), perhaps next weekend, and decorate it! I just love Christmas tree sawing! Every year my dad and I go the weekend after Thanksgiving. I've been the only loyal kid to go out with him year after year. My brother and sister faded out once they married.

My theme for my tree will be nests. I have allll these nests that I made last year out of Spanish moss, and these little bird eggs (varying in size) that I nestle into the nests. I then scatter them throughout the tree and rest them into the nooks and crannies of the pine branches. It looks quite natural and pretty.

I have this lovely dove made of birch that rests on the tip top of the tree. Strung here and there will be garland of little wooden apples. (This may sound tacky, but they are tiny, and almost resemble small wooden beads). They are red and I think this is why they 'work' with the birds and the tree itself...because red is a complimentary color of green and they just seem to fit together. You know, apples are a staple of a birds diet. (Especially penguins).

Hmm...I drank about 2-3 cups of joe this morning, and I've been to the throne a good 4-5 times since then! Coffee sure does run straight through you!

I have on a 'daring' outfit on this morning. I decided to bust out a skirt...and brown tights with a subtle diagonal zigzag weave/pattern. I then paired the two with my rusted brown ankle high boots. On top a brown corduroy blazer and a light tan colored shirt underneath. It works. I suppose the 'daring' aspect of the getup are the tights and boots... I guess any time I wear boots and they aren't under jeans or pants, I feel out on a limb somehow.

Did I mention that I'm hungry!?!

Staff lunch isn't for another 35 minutes, so my tummy will just have to growl on.

Last night I got a ring from Lynette. Looks like her, Neil, Nina and I will be jaunting out to a Michael W. Smith "Christmas Concert." If it weren't for the fact that it's his Christmas music, I don't think I would be going. But, I happen to really enjoy the Christmas albums that he has put out over the years. The orchestra pairing is so nice. I just keep thinking of his rendition of Jingle Bells...and the huge sleigh bells that sound at the start of the track on the cd. It's nice.... So, that's December 1st in Reading... Looking forward to the outing!

Well, I suppose that will be it for now. The throne is calling once more!

Good Evening

Well, I've decided to create a blog...again. Yes, this is my third or so that I have created. The others have dwindled off to a mere few postings from days gone by...and I do believe its been a good 18 mo. since I last blogged.

I'm actually at work currently. I've just been so inspired lately by other folks' postings, full of thought and mystery, that I thought I should join the parade.

Innkeeper, eh? Quite contrary to popular belief, Innkeepers are still around. I manage an old country inn, built in 1745, that was located on what used to be the 'main drag' from the suburbs into Philadelphia. Horse and buggy, of course.

This grand place was part of the Paoli Massacre. Many falsely speculate that good ol' G.W. (George Washington, that is) lodged here, but sadly, he did not. I would like to think a relative of his did though. *A fun tidbit, Winston Churchill's grandson did have lunch here at the Inn the other day.

In any case, it's a great place. There are two roaring fireplaces that date back to the original construction of the inn, which get stoked every night for the passersby that dine here. The smell of the seasoned firewood is majestic. Reminiscent of late fall, cider and companionship.

Well, I started this entry much earlier in the day when I had ganas to write...and, momentarily, I have lost that umph. So, I shall sign off for the eve...night to all.