Catch up!

Ah! Life has really been moving at a pace that I'd forgotten about recently. I think after a few months of hiatus, I've hopped back on the life trolley, and its chug-a-lugging along whether I like it or not. So my apologies for my lack of posts!
In the past two weeks...

I've had a series of lovely meals, both home made and out for dinner. I MUST recommend Orso's on Wells in Oldtown. Its the cutest little Italian restaurant on the corner that looks like something out of another era. Their website aptly described the experience: Romance abounds in our classic old world ambiance. I loved all the glittery chandeliers and dark wooden walls. A lovely old man played the piano in the corner in a royal blue suit jacket, that is, when Tony Bennett wasn't crooning on the radio. It was the sort of place Tony Soprano would find agreeable for meetings with his crew. I love that old time, other era, mobster romance sort of vibe. I'd eagerly jump into an era where men wore sport coats and smoked cigars, and took me out to Orso's for veal cutlets.


I'm also seriously enjoying the spring weather in Chicago. Even the rain is worthwhile, because the day after, everything smells like magic outside! And the trees are so green and alive and beautiful! On one my more magical afternoons, Sarah and I took a marvelous walk home after mass in Lincoln Park, all the way back to the city (approx 4.6 miles, thank you very much, we googled mapped it)! It was so incredible, it felt like a dream! Oz Park was glorious and filled with babies and puppies. And then, we stumbled across this incredible vision, on a city block! What a glorious surprise!


And then there were jobs. Nannying has been on going. I've finally caught up on my picture posts for Dramagirls. Also, I'll be hearing back from two jobs in the next week, which has certainly been keeping me mentally busy. I presented and taught a sample lesson plan to a group of second graders last week for the UNO Charter School Network, and hopefully I'll be training next week to run the Family Fun Festival at Millennium Park.
And can I just say, those second graders were the sweetest, most well behaved, most eager to learn little sweethearts I have ever encountered! We read Caps For Sale, which I'm a fan of because everyone should take a brief break to act like a monkey sometimes.


All in all, I'm feeling really good, and I might have to celebrate by finishing season six of Little House on the Prairie and eating some leftover pasta primavera.

Everything's Coming Up Roses!

I love spring. The sun is out, and it almost makes the winter worth while when you feel warm air again outside in Chicago. Its a time for renewal, and new beginnings. And roses!

Today another lovely gift arrived in the mail, a lovely rose colored wallet, but this time I knew who it was from! Someone I am accustomed to receiving real roses from: my daddy! When I was in plays growing up, for as long as I can remember, my dad would give me a dozen red roses after my performances. It is a very precious memory and makes roses very special to me.
And today a beautiful Rose Red leather wallet arrived! Its nothing fancy. In fact, it was actually something I received as a graduation present back in high school that Dad dug up and thought to send along to me. When I was in high school, I did not appreciate beautiful and useful things like red leather multi-pocketed wallets. My wallet in high school had velcro, and the Yellow Submarine Beatles cartoon on it...

I just attempted to track down said hideous wallet, but while there are apparently many ugly Beatles wallets in existence, my particular disaster has apparently even disappeared from the memory of the internet. All for the better, I suppose.
This throw rug is in fact slightly more attractive than what my taste for accessories landed me when I was seventeen...

Anyway, given yesterday I had bought myself a couple rosy little things, and I also have a well-worn pair of rose petal gloves which I adore, I thought I'd put together a little bouquet!

Everything really is coming up roses!

Wallet: Buxton (Target)
Blush: Benetint by benefit (Sephora)
Hand Lotion: Crabtree & Evelyn (")
Gloves: Tiny leather shop in Italy (Italy)
Rosewater: Jurlique (C.O. Bigelow)

Thank you Dad, and I love you!