Category Archives: Mira

It’s All in the Family

Posted in baked, Mira, pasta by
Heeiiy! If you read this post, this blog, my word vomit, would you mind commenting on this one? I’d like to know if anyone other than my dear mother and my brother come around. Muchas gracias!

Mira and I have a new neighbor. Well two to be accurate. We have a new neighbor in the apartment across the hall. We also have a new neighbor living somewhere near one of our favorite trees in the yard. At night I let Mira out just quickly in the yard outside our building. She usually walks directly to this one tree, pees near it, and inside we go. About a month ago, out we walked as usual around 11 p.m, right over to that tree. I was hardly paying attention, bracing myself against the frigid night air. Mira had her eyes on the ground as she sniffed for the perfect spot. Somehow both of us managed to miss the GIANT MOTHER EFFING POSSUM sitting by our favorite tree, frozen/”playing dead” (like we were stupid enough to think it was dead, it was standing up on its hind legs!), and staring right at us with its beady little eyes and tiny pink nose. I’m pretty sure I screamed, I dragged Mira in the other direction, and then continued to scream and curse loudly as Mira found a new spot to water. We hurried upstairs and, from the safety of my apartment, I peeked out the kitchen window. The offender was still by the tree, only it’d unfrozen and was starting to waddle around now that the coast was clear. Possums are seriously ugly, seriously gross, and even worse when you suddenly find yourself standing three feet from them. Trust me.

OK, so no more possum sightings until last week. Our confidence in the favorite tree had been renewed, our fears lulled into a stupor. Thankfully this time I happened to be looking up and spotted the possum by the tree about six feet away this time, again frozen and staring at us. I diverted Mira, who had also spotted the beast. Apparently they’re known to viciously attack dogs. Come on, how could you attack this sweet face?

Especially when that sweet face does this?!

(Sorry, I couldn’t resist…) Anyway, I think the possum has officially taken up residence somewhere near our tree. I’ll be on guard from now on.
In kitchen news, I have two family recipes for you. The first is Oma Macaroni. My grandmother (we call her Oma) always made this when we would visit her and Opa in Holland. It’s one of those foods that will always have memories attached to it of sitting in their kitchen, which somehow never seemed brightly lit, eating at the long table, my grandfather at the head, Ian, Oma, and I on the long side, and Mom at the other end, two casserole dishes of macaroni on the table. Ian, picky eater that he was, required a small casserole dish all to himself with only the pasta and tomato paste baked up together. I like making this in the winter because it’s nice and warm, and really pretty flavorful. The second recipe is for my dad’s banana bread with a few additions. Pappy made this always and I could eat slices upon slices in one day. When I was a junior in college and finally figured out that I had a kitchen, I asked him for the recipe. I added the chocolate chips and cranberries two goes ago, and with those additions, I prefer this in muffin form. As just straight banana bread, I like it in a loaf pan. Fair warning: the batter is seriously tasty, and the bread itself can be consumed within hours if you’re not paying attention.
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In the Rest of My Life

Posted in horses, Mira, vacation by

Adam and I are going to Las Vegas on Thursday until Monday for a friend’s wedding plus vacation time. I’m pretty insanely excited since I’ve never been before. Trying to convince him that we can squeeze a visit to the South Port Equestrian Center into our very full itinerary.

In honor of the trip Adam took one of his twice a year shopping trips on Saturday. We spent 3 hours at various stores but I’d say we were successful. Suit, tie, sports coat, shorts, tshirts, dress shirts, golf clothes. Check.
Yesterday we discovered that Mira is a psycho. Huh wait we already knew that. Turns out she thinks horses are the weirdest, scariest, and coolest things ever. She came to the barn with us and was intrigued by the four horses there. She sniffed and yelped and stuck her head under the fence in an attempt to get closer. When she did finally get up close to Patriot, she hunkered close to the ground with her ears pricked up and then lunged at him. Adam yanked back on the leash mid-air and what followed was Mira suspended in the hair, twisting around for half a second with Patriot looking down at her calmly. I think she liked the cows across the street better.

Easy Silence

Posted in 717, mini trips, Mira by

I like that we can just sit on the boat and not say a word for 45 minutes.

Missed Connections

I’m looking for two stunningly beautiful women. One has long brown hair and a friendly smile. The other has short brown hair and four tattoos. I know they were both in Bloomington this past weekend, as was I, but we missed each other. We were all there, our little yellow house was there, but we were not together on the porch of the yellow house. All is not right in the universe. Everybody knows it sucks to grow up and everybody does and so weird to be back here. Let me tell you what the years go on and we’re still fighting it. {Ben Folds}

We went to Lake Monroe this weekend to play on Adam’s parents boat. Exactly what I needed. A few days away from work, parents, stress. I’d forgotten how much I love lakes and trees. OK, that’s a lie, I never forget how much I love being outside and away from buildings and cars and general busyness. All felt right as I paddled around in that lake, peeing without regard for anything, drinking beer, and floating away on my back as the sun blinded me. Saturday night Adam and I stood under the clearest night sky I’ve seen since camp. I spotted a shooting star and we marveled at the Milky Way. (I remember when I first spotted the Milky Way and realized what it was last summer at final party. I ran around telling everyone what I had seen, only no one was excited as me. This weekend I was thrilled when I got to share this solar tidbit with Adam.) I love feeling small in the midst of nature. I hate feeling small in comparison to people.

I have unfortunately discovered my favorite summer drink at the end of the summer: sangria. Best sangria ever at Plum’s in Zionsville.

Oh, bee tee dubs, Mira’s new favorite summer treat is cicadas. Yes, those nasty bugs that hum incessantly in a steady rise and fall all summer long. She eats the little fuckers right off of the ground. She sometimes even carries them in her mouth until we return from our walk to the apartment where she runs to her pillow to devour the buggie bug. Sick dog, sick.

i’d fly in his ship any day

Posted in Mira, quotes by

I love Harrison Ford. He’s a scoundrel of the best and sexiest kind. USA is showing all three Indiana Jones movies today and I’m TiVoing the first and third ones. The Temple of Doom scares the shit out of me. The whole taking hearts out of people’s chests? But back to Harrison Ford. Anyone who flies a piece of crap ship and makes it look awesome, who has a giant angry worm creature searching the galaxy for him, and who can rope in the Princess Leia is awesome in my book. Plus,
Indy’s dad – there are people trying to kill us!
Indy – I know Dad!
Indy’s dad – this is a new experience for me.
Indy – It happens to me all the time.
Badass.
There is no denying that, despite the fact that he’s, what, 65, he’ll be sexy in the new Indiana Jones movie.

I also just want to document a few precious moments from last night.
Precious Moment #1. Kelly tells us that the guy she’s seeing might have a girlfriend. She says “I’m 50% sure he has a girlfriend and 100% sure I don’t care.” Classy, Kel, very classy:)
Precious Moment #2. At an art show later that night we are looking at a piece that is small samples of perfume called urine. It is, in fact, actual urine we decide. We tell Kelly to look at the back of the card which lists the ingredients. Kelly promptly picks up the card/piece of art. Adam Calloway says, “Kelly that’s art, don’t pick that up!” Please, it’s urine, not art.
Precious Moment #3. My Adam calls at 2AM from a bachelor party in Chicago. He is incredibly drunk and outside a strip club. First we discuss the sweet cars parked outside. I tell him he should steal one. He says he does not know the code to steal these. Oh wait, yes he does, for this Range Rover! Second, we begin a lengthy discussion on a stripper’s breasts. Adam says, “I don’t like their boobs, they’re too fake. I like yours better.” Oh my Lord. Should I be flattered?

My dog knocked over the container of treats that sits on top of her crate while I was at work. She ate every single last treat in that damn container. She’s been very sweet and apologetic since then. Also a bit sick to her stomach. Haha, that’s what the bitch gets I say.

let’s keep it there

Posted in friends, high school, Mira, relationships by

i should really be working. page schedule and copy for the july/august issue of the magazine are due to art director phyllis tomorrow. i’m about halfway there. i love getting to pick out what goes into an issue and imagining kids excitedly going through it.

last friday adam and i went to indy winefest, a fabulous and large wine tasting at the indiana roof ballroom. everyone was dressed up, whole foods passed out little yummy truffles in tiny plastic cups, we drank lots and lots of wine. as we wandered around, half people watching half wine table watching, adam asked me if i’d seen anyone i knew yet. i laughed and responded with “seriously, if we’d seen someone i knew we would be running in the other direction. do you not know that about me by now?” this is not always entirely true. just generally so. the majority of the population in indianapolis that i “know” i would run from. the select few who i wouldn’t i see on a regular basis. i’m not a bitch, i just don’t fuck around with people i don’t like. plain and simple.
i notice that more and more people end up being with someone they went to high school with. i’m mostly talking about my graduating class and their recent (and not recent) engagements, relationships and marriages. i can understand wanting to be with someone who you’ve known for so many years. you have a common history, common friends, common jokes. that’s why my closest friends are those i’ve known forever. i just wonder sometimes if it isn’t better to start with a clean slate and create new history and jokes and a life with the person you’re going to be doing forever with. now don’t get me wrong, i have nothing against my past. i don’t want to ignore it, push it under a rock or anything like that. i’m just saying, isn’t it refreshing to know that your significant other never saw your awkward middle school days (or in my case, awkward middle and high school days), only gets to hear you reminisce about unrequited crushes, and has no idea about any past drama you had with anyone and therefore doesn’t care and has no desire to rehash it? plus i thoroughly enjoy divulging my past in the way i saw it happen. i get to describe camp through my eyes instead of you seeing it. i get to talk about the blisters that covered my hands in the days of crew instead of you having watched me pick at them. i get to slowly and methodically tell you about ava without you having seen my puffy red eyes, hearing my guilt filled what ifs and watching everyone in my family act like they were holding each other together when we were all really floating out there alone in confusion.
oh wow, this has been a more ponderous blog entry than i meant for it to be. i’ll end with this: i’m riding tonight for the first time in 5 months, first lesson in a year and a half. my boyfriend doesn’t care what we do on valentine’s day, he just wants to spend time with me. he’s lovely. my dog ate sugar cookies, press n seal and foil this morning. she’s a crazy piece of work.

mira the wonderful comet

Posted in friends, Mira by


let me introduce you to the new love of my life: mira. una foto to the left. she likes cuddling and demanding attention and sticking her wriggly butt in the air while attempting to eat my shoes. i love walking in the door to see her standing up eagerly in her crate, ears up, tail wagging. take me out and love me juuulia! she loves peanut butter, my couch cushions and rawhide bones. she barks like a hoooound dog and is very smart. maybe too smart for her own good. i foresee many happy years together.

i have an office at work. a real live office with a door that locks and a plastic street lamp and a bookcase. it’s so sweeeet! i think my job is officially a real job.

i’m completely and utterly happy. content. at peace [mostly]. i came to terms with an old friend this week. it feels good to close what was a friendship and has been a running joke for the last two years. i’m done and over with whatever we had and have discovered that i may have grown up since college but that does not mean everyone has done the same. they may have all the right pieces there but when you put them together the same person they were before is still formed. i feel sorry for that girl who works so hard to create a life that impresses others and herself only to end up where she started. maybe she doesn’t see that though.

and now i’m going to go to bed and hope that i’ll wake up to the winter wonderland that the weathermen promised.