Five Things: Issue 243
Awesome, Floss ‘em, Hit ‘em in the head with a big fat possum
Here’s the situation.
Upon the recommendation of one Maci Lanier, we registered for a Ninja Foodi - a lil appliance that does it all and makes yogurt. We’ve used it; the countertop machine beats turning on the oven when it’s 100000 degrees outside, but I can’t figure out an easy place to store it. It takes less time to crisp up broccoli as I have learned. But there’s always just the faintest hint of a plastic smell. Did I leave a factory sticker on? Will this smell go away with time? Is it just part of the program?
Anyway, that’s pretty much it for me. Great weekend, great week. Thinking a lot about buying local after listening to a review of an HBO documentary about farming. Plus, Demon Copperhead really turned me on to Barbara Kingsolver’s writing. So I’m listening to her book about trying to eat local for a year. All of this, and the odds are still high that I have a hot dog for dinner tonight.
You may have noticed I’m thinking less about native plants, that’s because it is too hot outside. I’ll start think about plants again once I can bear the thought of turning on the oven.
I hope today is beautiful for you! Stay cool out there! Chris did not want to get matching tattoos, but we’re covenanted for life baby, I’ve still got time to convince him!
Number One: Newly Named
Whether or not someone’s wedding registry items smell like plastic, sticking to the registry is always a safe course of action. But if you simply gotta go off-script, may I suggest offering to buy your soon-to-be-married girl friends a Newly Named kit?
My sister used Newly Named when she got married, and offered to buy it for me. At first I was like, “I know how to google.” But she offered again, and I took her up on it, and I’m so glad I did. I do know how to google, but wedding planning forces a girl to google so much, and it has been so nice to have my little printed out sheets that tell me how exactly to change my name and in what order, and here is the website to go to to make an appointment, and here is all the paper you need to bring with you. I did the print at home option, and it has just been easy peasy. A great gift to go along with bespoke oven mitts or an immersion blender!
Number Two: Bedouin People Group
Sometimes I’m reminded of just how much I don’t know about the world and the people living on it. This week I learned about the Bedouin, a nomadic group in Northern Africa.
I’m sure it exists, but if someone has a country of the week newsletter that you like, forward it my way.
Number Three: Easy Salad
I am loving this salad from Brighton Butler for its ease. It is an easy salad, keeps enough for lunch for lunch the next day. To me, the key to a great at-home salad is chopping the veggies enough that you’re not tempted to just pick off the non-lettuce items and then stuck with a bowl of lame-o lettuce.
Number Four: My favorite shorts are on sale
These are my favorite active shorts and they are on sale right now. I have three pairs, and might buy another. The old version of this shorts was better, I’ll shoot you straight. But if you are in the market for shorts that make you feel like you’re an adult that has graduated from college, check these out. Girls on the Run practice-approved.
Number Five: My ideal Saturday
Chris and I experienced my ideal Summer Saturday and I will tell you about it now, I’m still basking in it’s glow.
We woke up, took Honey on a walk. Chris ran, I went to Pilates, the instructor was not in an encouraging mood and we did like 45 minutes of core work, so tbh not my fave. No matter. Quick rinse, then to the Overland Park Farmers market. The OP Farmers Market, it’s the best in the city. It really is. The vendors are 70% food, so it feels less like a craft fair, and more like “oh I could actually grocery shop here.” Which listen, I love supporting a local maker, but you get it. We bought sourdough and I ate a bagel; fabulous day for carbs.
I can’t remember if Chris watched an episode of Bloodline before or after we went to the pool, but both things happened. The pool was crowded, but not over crowded. While Chris watched Bloodline, I read about other nomadic people groups.
Washed my hair. Had a dinner reservation at Barbacoa. Would go again for the carnitas, would pass on the queso fundito unless we were there with more people. I’m a girl who loves tortillas, but I was tortilla-ed out by the end of it all. Upon being tortilla-ed out, we noticed a line of people, decided to see what the line was for. Behold: High Hopes Ice Cream. Divine. Found the strength within to make room for S’more Ice Cream. Worth it.
Drove to Loose and arrived at the Rose Garden in time to sit on a bench a watch a girl be totally surprised by a proposal; moms hiding behind trees and everything. She had a giant purse with her, she had no idea what was coming. I teared up, but Chris said I couldn’t walk over and tell them how happy I was so “they could have time with family.” At our rehearsal dinner Heather Newsome said that Chris is the string to my kite: he is what makes it possible for me to fly, and sometimes he reels me in.
Grateful.