The Little Grand Canyon

In April, Aaron's friends and their wives converged in Atlanta for the Group Stupid 2013 trip. Yes, that is the name of the group. I believe the reasoning is something like this: all these guys are smart, but it seems the more of them there are in a room, the dumber they get. One of the guys lives in Florida and enjoys hiking, so we (Aaron and I) figured it would be easy enough to meet up with him on a weekend for a day hike. Cut to a month later, and my super jealousy.

Has someone ever introduced you to something - a movie, musician, restaurant - and you are so impressed that you are a little jealous you did not find it first to show them? That is how it was for the hiking site Aaron's friend found for us. Providence Canyon is located in southern Georgia and boasts the well-deserved nickname "The Little Grand Canyon." The canyon was formed due to farmers' poor irrigation practices. Their disaster was our incredible fortune on a rainy Saturday in May.

When we arrived, it was pouring rain. We scurried along with our lunches to a picnic shelter in hopes of waiting out the storm. After eating some sandwiches and enjoying some great conversation, the rain had let up and we were off on our hike. The trail is such that you can walk through the middle of the canyon and then loop around the top, or follow the little streams to the edges of the canyon walls for some spectacular geology. I am not sure how long we roamed around the streams and canyon walls, but it was time well spent. Very well spent. 

After getting our fill (almost) of the neat geology from the ground, it was time to hit the trail again and see it from the top of the canyon. Better panoramas of the canyon, but not as amazing as being up close to the different layers and colors of the walls. The loop did, however, have some old cars from 1950s and 1960s, we guessed. There was not a sign indicating how the cars got there, so we made up stories of moonshiners, squatters, and gypsies. All too soon, sadly, our time at the canyon was at a close. We said our "see you later"s and we hit the road back home. In the car, Aaron and I talked about when would be the next time we visit this cool gem in Georgia.

Atlanta Adventures

Aaron and I will be hanging out in Atlanta for at least two years and, after somewhat missing out in some of the usual Raleigh visitor fare, I did not want this new city and its opportunities to pass me by. So, as I said in an earlier post, I am forgoing my 32 Before 32 goal list to make a list of things I would like to do while in Atlanta. Some of them can only be done while in Atlanta, while others are things I would like to do in the next two years. As I learn more about Atlanta and get connected in the city, this list will evolve. It should be a fun ride!

1. Visit Stone Mountain. I visited with my family in 1995 (?) and now that I hear it has expanded beyond checking out a big rock with a bas-relief, I would like to see it again.

2. Visit World of Coca-Cola. Saw this with the family in 1995, however it has relocated since then, so it will be almost new for me.

3. Go to a Braves game. Something else I did with the family on our visit. My extended family are Braves fans. Back in the 90s I think they each had their favorite player - Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, John Smoltz, Greg Maddux, and Javy Lopez were the ones I recall best. It's Atlanta, you have to go to a Braves game!

4. Go to a Falcons game and finally see a professional football game. And a pretty good football team as they stand now 7-0!

5. Go to the Georgia Aquarium. I have already done this! Aaron took me there for my birthday after I gave numerous obvious hints and it was so fun and so crowded. We opted for a membership, so I would like to go back on a less crowded weekday. I need to learn about all the fish I see!

6. Master a peach-based dessert. What better plan to try?

7. Reread Gone with the Wind  and visit Margaret Mitchell's home.

8. Visit Savannah. Another leg of the family trip in '95. I think I will appreciate it more as an adult. Though I do remember liking the salt water taffy.

9. Actually run a 5K. For real.

10. Meet Alton Brown. And not after standing in line for a book signing. I want a real, unexpected, turn the corner and, "Oh, hi Alton Brown." A girl can dream, can't she? 

11. Eat at The Varsity. It's a Georgia Tech thing.

12. Go to a Georgia Tech sports game.

13. Visit a Civil War battle site. The little history nerd in me squeals with delight about living in Atlanta.

14. Go on Atlanta Botanical Garden's Canopy Walk. 

15. Visit the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. 

16. Visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Site

17. Visit the Atlanta History Center

18. Go to the original Chick-fil-A restaurant, Dwarf House, for dinner

19. Go to Andersonville Prison in Macon County

31 Before 31: A Year in Review

I did not do so great at accomplishing the goals on my 31 Before 31 List. Not outstanding at all. However, I would say that some of these list items were accomplished in a more abstract or unexpected way. Therefore, here are my reasons and justifications for not doing more of the things on my list.

Overall reasons: I/Aaron and I had a lot less free time than I assumed. And, as many of these involved him to some degree, it was harder to accomplish. Also, first year of marriage was not a walk in the park. With Aaron finishing his dissertation, us up-in-the-air regarding where/if/when we will move, and other things going on in our lives and those of our friends, life was stressed and strained. So, generally on the weekends we were happy just to be in the same room and not going anywhere. 

The List (how ominous!)

1. Ride a Roller Coaster - Not accomplished, unless you count this roller coaster of a year.

2. Go to a professional football or basketball game - Not accomplished, though I hope to do both while we are in Atlanta (more on that in a later post). I did go to a Carolina Railhawks soccer game, so I was not without live sporting events.

3. Go camping with Aaron for two nights - Not accomplished, but I did sleep on an air mattress for a bit during our move. Still does not count, does it?

4. Make Creme Brulee - like I would not do this one - accomplished!  I have my torch and am ready to make creme brulee whenever I please!

5. Read three books from my compilation "100 Best Books" list - I read two - Atonement and The War of the Worlds - but could not get that last one in. Admittedly, Anna Karenina  and Atlas Shrugged still frighten me with their heft.

6. Visit a state I have never been to - I can now cross Kentucky off the list, thanks to my cousin Katie getting married there. 

7. Take the Amtrak with Aaron for a weekend getaway - Not accomplished, but I did send Aaron off on his first Amtrak journey to Washington, D.C.

8. Train and then run in a 5K - not accomplished...again. One day, I will put my running shoes on and do this! 

9. Make my grandmother's rump roast for friends - not accomplished, the making it for friends or anyone.  I have lived a year without rump roast, how sad.

10. Throw a movie-themed party - not accomplished due to embarrassment about the perpetual state of moving in/moving out in our apartment. Have I mentioned that between Aaron and I we moved three times in a year? Yeah, not recommended.

11. Figure out how to play Wii Golf - accomplished! The Wii Golf demons are exorcised and, while I am not good, I am less frustrated when playing now, which was the point of this item.

12. Watch four movies from AFI's 100 Best Movies List - half accomplished? I think I watched two - Bringing Up Baby and Doctor Strangelove - but there is a chance another snuck in there and I forgot to take note of it. Not too worried, especially since I am further along in this list than my books list.

13. Go to the Outer Banks - not accomplished. Aaron and I decided to revisit Asheville instead of the Outer Banks. I still would like to go there, but it is a little farther to drive now.

14. Read the Old Testament in a year - dead in the water. I got way behind on this from the start. Since my goal in doing this was to read all the books I have not yet, maybe I will skip the first few books and jump to major and minor prophets, the ones I know I have not read.

15. Read the biographies of George Washington and John Adams - not accomplished. I barely finished His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph Ellis before the cutoff date. Largely due to the fact that the book was a little dry and I found I knew more about Washington than I realized.

16. Spend Christmas and Aaron's birthday with Aaron for the first time - accomplished! Yes, it took me seven years, but I finally saw him over the holidays. I think the fact we are married now helped a little.

17. Eat dessert at Hayes-Barton Cafe - not accomplish, but I think I found a better dessert place in Raleigh - PieBird!!  If you are ever in the Raleigh area, eat there. Great dinners (shepherd's pie is astoundingly good) and excellent desserts.  Salted Honey Pie for me and Bananas in Pajamas for Aaron!

18. Try one new recipe or dish a month - done! I found that I do this monthly anyway, so it was an easy list item to cross off. Group Favorite: Cowboy Caviar, Dinner fav: Fried Chicken Saltimboca, Dessert Favs: Oatmeal Pie and Salty Honey Pie

19. Read 26 Books - so very accomplished. I read more than I thought, so my 2012 reading goal is 30 books. I am currently five books ahead of my goal. I think I may need to increase it for 2013. Best Reads: Atonement by Ian McEwan, Zone One by Colson Whitehead, and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

20. Have people over for dinner four times - total fail. Although I did bring dinner over to other people's homes. Not the goal, though. Hopefully I will do better at this in the new place.

21. Floss regularly - nope. I do not like flossing. I know I need to do it, but nothing about it appeals to me...except the whole thing about fewer cavities and keeping my teeth. New place, new routines? Fingers crossed!

22. Reach 75 geocaches found - not accomplished. I think I went from 45 to 50 over the course of the year, and that is only because we went geocaching with a friend while in Indiana over Christmas. It was cold but fun.

23. Make different homemade breads six times - Well, I think I made four: quick breads, rolls, and muffins. Bread making is hard! Things don't rise correctly, are sticky or too dry, too dense, not cooked through. It is frustrating at times to bake bread.

24. Figure out a working monthly budget for groceries - done! I am still working on making a meal for dinner on a regular basis and not relying on sandwiches or (homemade) chicken nuggets, but I am getting there. Refrigerator pies (a more gender neutral way of saying quiche) have been a lifesaver.

25. Put together a jigsaw of over 1000 pieces - argh! Double argh! Over Thanksgiving, my parents set up a card table with a 1500 piece puzzle for Aaron and I to do. We worked on that thing day and night. However, we had to leave it with probably 100-150 pieces left. My parents said I should count it, the purist in me says no, so I will leave it up to your discretion as to whether I accomplished this goal or not.

26. Give blood - seriously, you thought I would actually do this? Ha! I get tunnel vision when I see someone with the colorful arm wrap after giving blood. It is not the blood, it is the needle. I am going to stop writing about this now before I faint or something.

27. Go to the Farmers Market once a month - nope. Did not go there at all!

28. Make a dish with mussels - Yes, I made a dish with mussels. Yes, it was the mussels you buy frozen in their own sauce and only have to reheat. Yes, I counted it.

29. Aaron's choice: Write a 6,000 word short story where the key plot point involves a chair - Sorry, bud, but I did not write it. I think I scared myself after making a list of chairs. Do you realize how many plot points there are involving a chair?! 

30. Make paella - I did not do this, but I am going to one day. I have the saffron and everything.  

31. Create an Easter Egg Hunt for Aaron - This was awesome to watch. I wound string around the apartment leading to the first Easter Egg that had a little treat (candy or Target dollar bin thing) and a clue to where the next egg was hidden. A dozen eggs later and Aaron received the grand prize - The Muppets movie! 

There is my list of mostly unaccomplished things. I have found over the past two years I have done this that goal-setting is great, but it is also okay not to have done them all. Some goals should be easy to do and some aspirational. Because, if you only set goals for yourself you knew you could easily accomplish, how would you grow? With that said, I am not doing a 32 Before 32 list. Instead, I am making a list of things I want to do while I live in Atlanta. Some will be about seeing and doing Atlanta-centric things (Coke Museum, Braves games, etc) while others will be about my own personal growth (books to read, 5K's to run, etc). And I am going to allow the list to flex and grow as I find out more about this city I am living in. 

On the Road Again

In order to keep up my family's recently added tradition of constant relocation, Aaron and I are moving...again. It feels like we just moved into our apartment, but we are pulling up our stakes, loading up our wagons, and heading south. Watch out world, we are going to Atlanta! 

Aaron has completed his dissertation, been approved to graduate, and I can now boast that I married a doctor.  Woohoo!  Unfortunately, graduation and a PhD mean a new job, which for us means a move. Aaron has accepted a position at Georgia Tech to be a postdoctoral research fellow in the School of Interactive Computing (I think I got all those words correct). We are excited to mess around in a new city, but a little nervous about the upcoming change. However, this does keep up our tradition of living in state capitals. Three down, 47 to go!  

We have found an apartment that we hope will work out well for us in the couple years we know we will be in Atlanta, but we still are looking for many of the other basics in a new town. Church, grocery store, Target, Trader Joe's, gas station, book store... In our visit there a few weeks ago for home hunting, we did stumble upon what could prove to be our local restaurant (Shorty's!) and our local library, so those are two things we can check off our list. And our apartment is right next to a park, so walking trails and green places are taken care of, too. 

I am excited to take advantage of all Atlanta has to offer in the way of museums, theater, food, sports, and historical sites. Stay tuned for our adventures as we try to be visitors in our new home.

Update pre-post: We are here, along with what we hope are all our worldly possessions. Boxes are still lurking waiting to be unpacked, but all in all life is settling into a nice rhythm. I have found the grocery stores, Target, Ikea (swoon!), Trader Joe's, ice cream, and a local book shop. I still have no idea where the closest/cheapest gas station is, church searching begins in earnest this weekend, and I think, if my not-so-subtle hints worked, that we will have our first outing as visitors in our new town. Which I am too excited for words about - I feel like a kid going to Disney with what I hope is planned for this weekend.  

Memorial Day Vacation

(Sorry for the great delay in posting this, summer here has been a little crazy.  More details on that as soon as I am at liberty to post said details.)

Aaron and I celebrated the completion of his dissertation and official start in life as a (not a real) doctor with a trip to the mountains and the lake.  First stop was Asheville to return to where we spent a bit of our honeymoon. We chose this time to see more of the city and had a great time casually meandering around this unique and odd town. Austin may ask for people to keep it weird, but Asheville more or less abides in weirdness.  

Day 1:
After church we hit the road and happily drove away from the beaches and up to the mountains for Memorial Day. After some food suggestions from the hotel concierge, we settled on going to Mayfel's, a Louisiana-inspired restaurant that did not come up in my pre-trip research. Situated next door to the better known Tupelo Honey Cafe (more on that later), Mayfel's both suffers and benefits from Tupelo's higher profile. Hungry diners unwilling to wait at Tupelo often find their way to Mayfel's. Not a bad runner-up, I would have to say. 
After handily winning in the food ordering category last time we were in Asheville, I was looking to retain my crown while Aaron sought redemption. I quickly chose my dish - Fried Catfish Po'boy - thus taking Aaron's first choice away, leaving him to settle with the jambalaya. It was clear who the winner was the moment they arrived - me!  While Aaron's dish suffered from rice issues, my catfish was piping hot, with the perfect amount of remoulade and coleslaw on bread that was soft but stood up to the juices. So comfortingly good.  I want it again just thinking about it, mmm...

However, to his credit, Aaron won the dessert category. We visited French Broad Chocolates to pick up some truffles to bring home (we had some on the honeymoon, and I bought some for Aaron's Christmas stocking) and Aaron laid his little eyes upon a chocolate creme brulee.  He was nice enough to split it with me, though I have no idea how someone could finish it on their own.  It is not the amount that will get you; it is the deep, velvet richness of the chocolate that would have made me throw in the spoon halfway through if I were eating it alone. We have not partaken of any of the truffles yet, but we have not had one we did not like before and am pretty sure the record will stay the same.

Side note on French Broad Chocolates: When we were there on our honeymoon, there was a lady sketching people in the store unobserved (at least by the people she was sketching). When we came this time, she was there again, sketching another patron of the chocolate company. Aaron quipped that next time we come (and there will be a next time), if she is there we should ask her to sketch us. So, I am putting it out there - lady at French Broad Chocolates who sketches with charcoal, we would like you to draw us, please!

Day 2:
Free breakfast at the hotel to save our taste buds for the plans we have today.

Our goal on our one full day in Asheville was to take a walking tour of downtown. However, it being Memorial Day, the place to get the walking tour maps was closed.  Wop-wop.  Undeterred, we spent some time at Mast General Store where we bought some clothes and candy. We then ventured to one of the more unique coffee shops you will encounter - Double Decker Coffee Company situated in a British double decker bus (pictured). Not only was the novelty amusing, our Creme Brulee Latte and Peppermint Bark Mocha were quite good. Aaron's latte tasted like toasted marshmallows and warm goodness. 

We meandered around downtown a little more, checking out a couple of art stores/galleries, making our way to Grove Arcade, an older building that has been converted to commercial and residential space. The highlight for us was Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar. A beautiful multi-story used bookstore melds elegantly with a wine bar. While I enjoyed a chair and air conditioning, Aaron found a couple books to add to the bookcase at home. I think we could have spent a day or two looking at all the books. However, linner was calling...

We staved off hunger as long as possible in hopes our beloved Tupelo Honey Cafe would not be busy around 3 pm, a perfect time for linner (lunch+dinner). We were wrong; they were busy, but the wait was only 25 minutes or so. For drinks, Aaron ordered a beer flight with (memory, don't fail me now!) Carolina Brewery Firecracker, Pisgah Brewing Blueberry Wheat...and two others that, as you can surmise, paled in comparison.  I opted for the Ginger Muddled Mojito, which is a great summer drink, if a teensy bit heavy on the ginger for my taste.

There was some debate regarding what to order.  Should one of us order the Fried Chicken Saltimbocca that I enjoyed so much on the honeymoon and recreating at home? Go for a more recently created at home pork tenderloin to compare? In the end, Aaron went for the Mountain Trout with Spinach Beurre Blanc and I chose Not Your Mama's Meatloaf (pictured). Aaron's was like three meals in one with the trout, goat cheese grits, and roasted red peppers - all of which was fantastic.  I am not a big fan of meatloaf, with many I have tried being dry and garnished with ketchup, something I have not understood.  Meatloaf is not a hamburger, thus ketchup should not be present. Tupelo's meatloaf not only has bacon in it, but is topped with a rosemary tomato shallot gravy.  The smoke from the bacon melds with the gravy to make an almost barbecue sauce taste. Although, I think my version of macaroni and cheese is better than what was on my plate here. 

The only question left was what we should eat next time. Maybe dabble in the sandwich and burger portion of the menu, or eat breakfast there?  Hmm...

Days 3-5:
Before we traveled to our next destination, a friend's lake house, we of course had to eat breakfast. Aaron picked Early Girl Eatery, and we are both happy we went there. Like much of Asheville, Early Girl is focused on local, sustainable food, and breakfast is a great place to get a little of all that.  I went for one of their daily specials, a Quiche with green tomatoes, local cheese curd, and prosciutto.  The crust was sturdy enough to hold the egg mixture without flopping over, but still flaky and light.  The green tomato was a little bland and one note, but the salty prosciutto was incredible and the cheese melded seamlessly with the eggs. 

Aaron ordered what I coined Thanksgiving for Breakfast, better known at Early Girl as Sausage and Sweet Potato Scramble. It has mushrooms, bacon, green onion, pork and sweet potatoes with a biscuit on the side. After tasting one another's breakfasts, we decided we liked what we ordered best, which seemed in theme with our food orders throughout the trip. Yum, yum, yum!

We then hit the road and headed to the lake, which was the "do little to nothing" part of the trip.  Over the two days we were there, we floated in the lake, watched movies, I beat Aaron twice at Trivial Pursuit (this is HUGE, people, huge!), shot some basketball, and watched a lot of geese and goslings waddle about. For food, we went with our old standby Mini Man Burgers, some brats, and brownies ala mode (with Salted Caramel Sauce from Trader Joe's - I wanted to bathe in it!). 

After returning home, we both agreed this was one of our best vacations ever, together or apart. A perfect balance of doing and not doing anything. Asheville is our city to escape to, build a mountain home near, visit as much as possible, retire in...you get the idea. We love it. And the lake house, oh the lake house. We asked our friends after returning if we could be unofficially adopted into their family so we can go there every weekend without feeling (as) guilty. Overall, it was the perfect re-balance to life that we needed, and a time we will remember well, and one we will seek to recreate throughout our life together.

2011, in review

So, all my previous attempts at writing a year 2011 wrap-up stalled out.  Instead of a couple posts on my year, behold - the year in list! (In no particular order)


- I got married to Mr. Aaron-man, who constantly amazes me with how creatively loving a person can be.  And where one's love is located.  The metatarsal was the latest location of his love for me.    


- I surpassed my goal of reading 26 books in a year by two books.


- Some dear friends and family passed away.  Tim, Amy, and Nanny are dearly missed.


- Favorite dessert I did not make: Honey and Sea Salt Pie at Piebird


- Favorite dessert I made and can remember: Cookies and Cream Ice Cream.  It is AB's vanilla ice cream with a box (yes, a box) of crunched Oreos


- Favorite meal out: Tie between the Fried Shrimp Gnocchi at Top of the Hill and Chicken Saltimobocca at Tupelo Honey Cafe.  I totally won in ordering food while on the honeymoon.


- Favorite meal I made: Corn and Cheese Chowder...ooh, and Panko-crusted Salmon


- Least favorite meal I made: Any time I made chicken noodle soup.  I am beginning to think I just do not like chicken noodle soup. 


- Favorite book I read: Matterhorn, without a doubt. Even now when I am looking at the shelves for the next book to read, I pause on this one, tempting myself to read it again.


- Least favorite book I read: Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer.  This book, by an author whose work I love, made me so angry.  Krakauer let his personal opinions and beliefs cloud the story and Pat Tillman kind of seemed like a jerk.


- Favorite food find: Gyoza sauce from Trader Joe's


- Product obsessions: Aveeno lotion and Mighty Leaf Tropical Green Tea


- Kitchen tool addition of the year: My blender...and my mandolin...and my salad spinner...wedding presents are the best!


- Household addition: Aaron (duh!)...and our awesome bed of awesomeness, the Tempurpedic. 


- I have too many... Dish towels, wooden spoons, and blankets


- I do not have enough... Things to wear, comfy reading places


- Favorite spot: Caribou Coffee with Aaron after geocaching


- Cutest moment: Haydie-bug flirting with Aaron over Thanksgiving.  (It may have been my BIL being the flower girl at the wedding when Haydie-bug got stage fright, but I was waiting in the wings, and thus unable to see.)


- Least favorite place: Schmacy's housewares department - over and over again


There are probably large chunks of my 2011 year I am missing here, but I think I hit most of the high notes.  2012 is going to be another big year of big changes - graduations, new jobs, maybe new cities, and a whole lot of "who knows" thrown in!

31 Before 31

Another year, another list!  This list was fairly quick to put together, in part because there are some repeats from last year that I did not quite get to.  There are a few new ones as well, along with a couple that will be on the list perennially.  More of the items on this year's list will require planning and/or an ongoing effort, which makes it more challenging, and even better when I accomplish it.  So, without further ado, the list!

1. Ride a roller coaster

2. Go to either a professional football or basketball game

3. Go camping with Aaron (in a tent camping) for at least two nights...baby steps

4. Make creme brulee

5. Read 3 books from my compilation "100 Best Books" list

6. Visit a state I have never been to

7. Take the Amtrak with Aaron for a weekend getaway

8. Follow RunTex or Couch to 5K training and run in a 5K (try, try again!)

9. Make Grandmommie's rump roast for a group of friends

10. Throw a movie-themed party, where the food and fun are thematic of the movie we are watching (e.g. Cowboy Spaghetti and playing horseshoes for a spaghetti Western)

11. Figure out how to play Wii Golf (It's my Wii nemesis)

12.  Watch 4 films from my American Film Institute Top 100 movies list

13. Go to the Outer Banks

14. Read the Old Testament in a year

15. Read biographies of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson

16. Spend Christmas and Aaron's birthday with Aaron - for the first time!

17. Eat dessert at Hayes-Barton Cafe

18. Try one new recipe a month

19. Read 26 books over the next year

20. Have people over for dinner 4 times

21. Floss regularly

22. Reach 75 geocaches found (currently at 45)

23. Make different homemade breads 6 times

24. Figure out a workable monthly budget for groceries

25. Put together a jigsaw of more than 1000 pieces

26. Give blood (This is easily the scariest item on the list for me)

27. Visit the Farmers Market once a month for fresh, local food

28. Make a dish with mussels

29. Aaron's choice:  Aaron would like me to write a 6,000 word short story where a key plot point involves a chair.

30. Make paella

31. Create an Easter Egg Hunt for Aaron (He suggested it, I loved it, and so it is)

As with last year, I will make a separate page on the blog to track how I am doing, and post some of the items as I finish them.  

30 Before 30: A Year in Review

When I thought of my list of things to do before I turn 30, I was a little naive in thinking I would accomplish most, if not all, of the items. However, a few things came up that were not on the list that took my time, including a couple I wanted to place on the list but was afraid to. Namely – get married. Yes, I had an inkling that it would occur prior to my birthday, due in small part to a certain “ultimatum” I may have given. Little did I know how unwontedly topsy-turvy my life would become planning said wedding. Not that the wedding planning is to blame for my uncompleted list. There was a small to large degree of laziness and distraction on my part. Which is why I am happy to have a 31 Before 31 list to work on (coming soon!). I still hope to complete all of it, but I now go in with the understanding that life gets in the way at times, and that is okay.

Of the uncompleted items on my list, I am most disappointed in not reading the Bible through. I really wanted to do this, but I pushed it to the side a few too many times, and spending a Saturday once a month playing catch-up was not in keeping with the attitude of the goal. So, I will amend it this coming year in hopes of accomplishing it. There are also a few goals that will show up again for the coming year – running a 5K, visiting a new state, and seeing the Outer Banks, to name a few.

Although I did not complete all the goals, I realized how much I enjoyed planning for them, working to accomplish them, and crossing them off the list. Goal-setting is a process that has challenged me to think outside my comfort zone, and push myself further where I do feel comfortable. It also forces me to look at the smaller steps I need to take in order to reach a greater goal. I am still working on my 31 Before 31 list, but I hope it comes out a nice mix of fun, comfort zone stretching, and challenging.

Shhh...

I have a secret, and I am going to let you in on it.

30 Before 30: 6 Month Check In

It is so hard to believe that I am already 6 months into my 30 Before 30 List. I have accomplished a few things, but there is still a lot left to do. So, here is the list again with some updates on how things are going and my plans to accomplish these goals.

1. Make a layered cake from scratch
Happily accomplished and noted here

2. Read Bible, cover to cover
I started this about a month late, in mid-October, so I had to play catch-up. I got close to being on track, but am now about a month behind again. Currently reading about King David and his Psalms. Leviticus and Numbers were painful and are done with.

3. Make pad thai from scratch
I have made this a second time since the first experiment. There is still a lot of learning to do with this dish, but it is getting there. The last batch was too vinegary and astringent for me, and the tofu did not have good mouth feel.

4. Make a dinner calendar for a month's world of meals
I think I may do this for April. This is one I keep forgetting about; it's sneaky!

5. Go to the Biltmore Estate
There are plans in the works for this, but it is too early for details.

6. Go to the dermatologist for a skin cancer screening
This was one of the first things I wanted off my list, and am so happy to have done it. I love the dermatologist I found and she found no moles of concern. Yay!

7. *Personal Goal*
Done! Not much more left to be said about it than that.

8. Follow RunTex training and run in a 5K
I plan on starting the training later this month with hopes of getting through the training at a relaxed pace in May or June. I guess this means I should start looking for races to run in.

9. Lose at least 12 pounds
Yeah, this one is hard! Can I blame it on goals #1 and 3? I had a good workout schedule going, and then life got a little nuts and busy and all schedules flew out the window.

10. See an allergist/nutritionist about my food issues (OAS)
Honestly, this one is pretty low on the "must accomplish" scale. It is more for my own curiosity than anything else.

11. Have people over for dinner 6 times
Still sitting at one, though I have high hopes for the 5 other times. There has been a lot of food preparation at my place, but none of it for people coming over. I outsource my hospitality.

12. Pay for the order of the car behind me at the drive through
Not yet, but hopefully soon. Chick-fil-a and Wendy's, I am looking at you!

13. Go to the Outer Banks
I may try and do this in late spring or early summer on a weekend getaway jaunt. Maybe combine it with 21?

14. Reach 50 caches found with Geocaching
14 to go!

15. Get a pedicure
Once it is sandal weather, I am on it!

16. Make sangria
Why are so many of these warm-weather focused? It is like I wanted to load it all up to finish in the last 3 months.

17. Visit a state I have not been to
Plans are in the works for this one in cooperation with visiting Biltmore.

18. Master Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day
Still not mastered. Actually, I have not even cracked open the book in months.

19. Bid soda a fond farewell
This may be a hard one to do. Not because I love soda, but because I do not have it that often and therefore it is kind of a treat when I get it. And, I really like Izze.

20. Go dairy-less (aside from yogurt) for a month and see how I feel
I think I may do this in conjunction with #4.

21. Have a girls' night
One of these days...

22. Eat at Lilly's Pizza
Accomplished, but barely. It was very busy, waited almost 2 hours for our takeout order. The pizza was pretty good, if a little salty due to the prosciutto.

23. Make homemade marshmallows
I forgot about this one! Hmm...maybe it will make an appearance at small group.

24. Roast and eat a beet
Almost every time I get groceries, I look at the beet and think, "Maybe next time."

25. Get a physical
I still need to, but I feel I have been poked and prodded enough lately that I do not wish to do so again so soon.

26. Make and eat a whole lobster
Step one is find out where to purchase a lobster, or if ordering online is best. Step two: Kill the lobster! All the rest will follow.

27. Make it through my Pilates DVD without breaking anything or passing out
I may amend this to be my Jillian Michaels DVD, as I like the physicality of it more. But we shall see.

28. Read 3 books from my compilation "100 Best Novels" list
I read A Christmas Carol, and am working on the other two right now. Possibly within a month of completing this goal.

29. Buy a whole nutmeg

Yes, this was my cop-out goal. Buying a whole nutmeg had been on my list of things to do for years, years I tell you! Glad to cross it off that mental list.

30. Watch 4 movies from my American Film Institute Top 100 movies list

I am halfway there after watching Shane and Duck Soup. Personally, I hope the next two are a little better. I'm looking at you, A Clockwork Orange.

30 Things before I Turn 30

This is not a new year's resolution list. I was surfing the web one day...probably when I should have been working, and I came across this cool idea of making a list of 30 things to do before you turn 30. With that particular birthday arriving this year, I thought I would make a list of my own to see if I could accomplish it. And, since telling people about things helps in the encouragement and accountability, I am going to share it with y'all! Now, mine is fairly tame when you look at other people's lists, but it is my list and I like it...except for a few I may change if I can think of something better.

1. Make a layered cake from scratch
2. Read Bible, cover to cover
3. Make pad thai from scratch
4. Make a dinner calendar for a month's worth of meals
5. Go to the Biltmore Estate
6. Go to the dermatologist for a skin cancer screening (aka moley doctor)
7. *Personal goal*
8. Follow RunTex training and run in a 5k
9. Lose at least 12 pounds
10. See an allergist/nutritionist about my food issues (OAS)

11. Have people over for dinner 6 times

12. Pay for the order of the car behind me in the drive through

13. Go to the Outer Banks

14. Reach 50 caches found with Geocaching

15. Get a pedicure

16. Make sangria

17. Visit a state I have not been to

18. Master Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

19. Bid soda a fond farewell

20. Go dairy-less (aside from yogurt) for 30 days and see how I feel

21. Have a girls' night

22. Eat at Lilly's Pizza

23. Make homemade marshmallows

24. Roast and eat a beet

25. Get a physical

26. Make and eat a whole lobster

27. Make it through my Pilates DVD without stopping due to gasping breath or inability to bend

28. Read 3 books from my compilation "100 Best Books" list

29. Buy whole nutmeg

30. Watch 4 movies from my American Film Institute Top 100 movies list

I will be adding these to a page on my blog so I can keep everyone updated on my progress. There will also be a few posts on the more interesting items and adventures I have.

Poplar Forest

Since Aaron and I failed at visiting Poplar Forest in March of this year, we decided that it would make for an excellent mid-summer "meet in the middle" location. Yes, Aaron was out of state this summer interning...again. One of these summers Aaron and I will both be in the same state. 2012, anyone?

Back to the mid-summer meet in the middle trip. The drive to Lynchburg from Raleigh is gorgeous. Lots of small towns and farms. To give you an idea of how rural and untraveled the road was, I saw, perhaps for the first time ever, a live hippity-hoppitying little brown bunny on the side of the road. I resisted the urge to stop in the middle of the road to watch it munch on wild grass and continued on. I think downtown Lynchburg is in the beginnings of a revival, because while some blocks were lively and busy, other sections were nothing but broken windows and empty buildings. Still, not a place I would want to be walking around alone at night.

I had done some food research before leaving to find some local places to eat while we were there. We ate at a roadside diner for breakfast for what I hoped would be down home and tasty food. Well, they got the down home right, but not so much on the tasty. Both of the plates Aaron and I ordered came different than how we ordered (different sides and omelet fillings). I am not that great of an egg maker, but I probably could have made a better, fluffier omelet than what I was given. Live and learn, I suppose.

Poplar Forest, for those who are oblivious to what it is as we were earlier this year, is the retreat home of Thomas Jefferson. It was designed entirely by him and is smaller, quieter, and more removed than Monticello. It sits near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains far from anything resembling a city, both then and now. The house itself is an octagon with an offshoot bottom floor that housed the kitchen, some slave quarters and such. Jefferson designed the landscaping as well, with a mix of formal garden and open lawn.

This place is amazing. The preservation society has worked methodically to regain as much of Jefferson's original land as they could, and the results vastly improve the entire experience when visiting. Standing on the back lawn, looking across to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance, there is no sound of cars, no barking dogs, only the muffled voices of other visitors and guides. And suddenly it is crystal clear why Jefferson selected this place as a retreat. Here, he could get away from the visitors, the obligations, the busyness of Monticello and read, relax and reflect. I think he earned it, too!

I hope I am correct in speaking for both Aaron and I when I say we fell in love with this place. It lacks the grandeur of the other presidential homes we visited; it is not polished or put together. But it is personal, so simply handsome. Those who are restoring the property and home are meticulous in every detail. They read Jefferson's letters for any hints of the moldings and furniture; they have plant archaeologists combing the ground and soil for remnants of roots and seeds from when Jefferson began plantings. They hope to restore many of the poplar trees that gave this home and property its name. It is apparent how dearly these people care for this place, and I think it rubbed off on Aaron and me. Poplar Forest invites the same sentiments Jefferson must have striven for then in its visitors today - reflecting, dreaming, resting, and re-energizing.

Sadly, we eventually had to leave Poplar Forest. However, my pre-trip food searches paid off this go around with a fantastic coffee shop, The Muse Coffee Company. Aaron and I found a table upstairs and enjoyed bagel sandwiches and some great coffee with an afternoon of chatting and reading before we had to head our separate ways for the remainder of the summer.

For those interested in a presidential homes' tour like Aaron and I accomplished in two parts, I would highly encourage it. In fact, here is a suggested route!

Mount Vernon - George Washington's home outside of Washington, DC

Montpelier - James Madison's home near Orange, Virginia (southwest of DC)

Monticello - Thomas Jefferson's home near Charlottesville, Virginia (southwest of Orange)

Ash Lawn-Highland - James Monroe's home near Charlottesville, Virginia ( down the road from Monticello)

Poplar Forest - Thomas Jefferson's retreat home near Lynchburg, Virginia

View Larger Map

Spring Break (finally!)

Back in March, Aaron and I took a little spring break vacation to Charlottesville, Virginia. Our goal was simple: visit a bunch of presidential homes. Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, James Madison's Montpelier and James Monroe's Ash Lawn-Highland are all located within an hour of Charlottesville, so it was a Founding Fathers road trip. After an unexpected overnight in Richmond due to a blown tire, which is a story in and of itself, we started our vacation visiting Monticello.

Aaron likes Jefferson. Really really likes him. I think if Aaron could be someone else in a past life, Jefferson would be high on his list. Maybe it is because he secretly yearns to be a redhead. Maybe Aaron wants the freedom to wear breeches and a tricorn hat without all the stares and whispers. Whatever the case, Aaron was eager to see Jefferson's home, library, and some of the inventions. The tour was great and very thorough, going room by room and sharing not only Jefferson's hand in the design, but the histories of specific pieces and who may have visited or why things were historically significant. It was still early spring and rainy, so the gardens and yard were not at its best and brightest. It was still beautiful, it just took imagination to think of what it looked like in full bloom on a sunny day.

After drooling over everything in the gift shop and resisting the compulsion to spend a small fortune there, we headed down the hill to Mitchie Tavern, a refurbished colonial era tavern and inn. They have a little restaurant that serves food that could have been served at the tavern in the 1700s. I think the menu changes seasonally, but what we had was fantastic. It is served buffet style, so Aaron and I got a little of everything. I think the best fried chicken I have eaten, stewed tomatoes, pulled pork, roast chicken, rolls, green beans, beets, cornbread, slaw. So very very good - sit by the fire and eat off tin plates while the wenches ask if you would like any more food. I think if they were renting rooms I would have stayed just so I could eat the next meal. After we glutted ourselves, we made our way over to the inn and a wench took us through the house. This was an interactive tour, so we played some games they would have played (I beat Aaron) and danced a little. It was especially appealing for me to see the kitchen tools they used - like the toe stir! She also showed us tea bricks, which are compressed tea leaves that people would use when traveling so the leaves would not spoil and use as a form of money. After seeing these at several places, I caved and got a small brick of black and green tea. Still have yet to try it out, and even if it is not delectable, the designs are pretty neat.

That evening, Aaron and I went to downtown Charlottesville. For a relatively small city removed from other metropolitan areas, I was surprised how vibrant and modern the downtown was. If Austin could be compressed into one street, Charlottesville's downtown is close to how it would look and feel. We ended up having dinner at a panini and wine restaurant. The sandwiches and salads were excellent, Aaron enjoyed his wine and I was all but driven to distraction by two ladies nearby who spent about 45 minutes and several tastings of wine to try and find the bottle they wished to purchase. I am new to wine lingo, so I could not tell if they knew what they were talking about or knew enough to be dangerous with buzzwords - tannins, oak, earthy, floral, etc. The poor wait staff was opening bottles, pouring glasses, and trying to remember which wine they served 3 glasses ago.

The next day, Aaron I drove out to Montpelier, Madison's home. We came upon a happy accident when, at the gate, we were told it was Madison's birthday and entry to the park was free. The tours of the house were special, too, as they were set in 1810, the year Madison turned 50. All the questions the tourists asked referring to events and dates after 1810 were quickly answered by the guides with an "I do not know what you are referring to. What is this you speak of?" It also worked well as they are still working to restore Montpelier and the house is bare save for a couple swatches of wallpaper and a dining room table. Fortunately, Dolley Madison was redecorating in 1810, so the absence of decor fit well into the story.

That afternoon, a ceremony was held at the Madison family cemetery where the local, state and national government, as well as Thomas Jefferson's descendants and historical societies gave speeches and presented wreaths at Madison's grave. A Marine color guard was in attendance to provide a 21-gun salute. All in all, a special, unique and unexpected experience that made Montpelier come alive.

Aaron and I were able to drive back to Charlottesville in time to go to James Monroe's Ash Lawn-Highland before it closed for the day. This was perhaps my favorite house - it was more modest, less palatial and felt more retreat-like than the previous two. It did not hurt that we had the best tour guide ever. Seriously, this guy was phenomenal. He knew all these snippets of the Monroes' lives that made the tour of their house more alive and intriguing. For instance, the master bedroom was the warmest in the house in winter, so it was typical that if there were guests, one would invite them to sleep in the master along with the husband and wife. Well, Mrs. Monroe, being from New York and not used to Southern ways, detested this. After Monroe passed, she converted part of the slave quarters into a guest house so, should guests stay over, they could sleep somewhere other than her bedroom. I have no clue if all the tales he told are true or not, but I am not positive it matters all that much. He knew how to spin a yarn and I was happy to follow along with him.

The final day of our spring break history trip was thrown together on the fly. We got through the presidential homes more quickly than we expected, and were left with a day to fill with something. In reading some of the pamphlets, we learned that Jefferson had a retreat home outside of Lynchburg, so we decided to go there. After circling the city a couple times and going over a questionable wooden bridge, we found the entrance to Poplar Forest. Unfortunately, in our haste and excitement, we did not read in that pamphlet that Poplar Forest did not open for the season until April. Oops. Oh well, I suppose we shall save Poplar Forest for another time. (More on that in a later post...someday.)

Thankfully, Appomattox Court House is relatively close to Lynchburg, so we redirected ourselves there for the day. I was most surprised by the quietness of the area. There sat this little town, largely as it looked the day Grant and Lee met there to end the war, with only small glimpses of a road or car. If you had even a small amount of imagination, it was simple to picture the procession of Confederate soldiers as they surrendered their arms. No whoops and hollers from the Union soldiers lining the road, only a quiet dignified respect for their brothers. (Can you tell I am a sucker for the Civil War?) The museum on site had many items, both small and grand, from the events that took place at Appomattox. The park rangers have done an excellent job of presenting what happened there, keeping the area how it would have looked to the eyes of the soldiers, and have a wealth of knowledge about the details of the surrender process.

And so our historical spring break came to an end. Despite the rough start, we saw everything and more than we had planned, and both agreed to come back to Monticello, Montpelier and Ash Lawn-Highland again someday.

An Obsession Confession

Confession time. For the past few months, I have fed an ever-growing obsession. One that Aaron has not only encouraged me in, but has partaken of as well. We are disciplined in our obsession, though, only indulging once a month. I guess it is time to out with it. Now, I will warn you, what I am about to show you may lead to your own obsession. Perhaps we could start a support group.

Aren't they gorgeous? I could stare at them for ages. The cover design is by Coralie Bickford-Smith for Penguin Classics. I wish I could remember where or when I first saw one of these books. It was probably wandering the rows of a bookstore and stumbling upon Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice. You know, it has kind of been like a relationship. I saw a book for a brief moment, and the first impression stuck with me. I started to look especially for them, seeing if we would happen to bump into one another at the store. I began to talk about them with other people, trying to make them see how amazing they were. Then there was that first date, the first dalliance. I purchased one.

I showed it to Aaron and we decided, then and there, that we were in a committed relationship with these books. But we did not want to take it too fast. We wanted this to be a long, smoldering relationship. So we decided that we would only buy one book a month each, and we had to be together to purchase them. The fact we only visit them once a month not only makes it something of a treat and a fun date, but also it feels like it is something we should not be doing, overly indulgent. Like eating cherry pie right from the pie tin, or watching a embarrassing to admit but secretly loved movie while eating a pint of Ben & Jerry's.

These are books that we aim to make a library of. Making a library is not putting all your old college textbooks on a shelf. Library making is the thoughtful acquisition of high quality books worthy of multiple readings and thoughtful reflection. Books whose readings will not go out of style, and whose premises, plots, and social commentary transcend writing styles and generations. And, if you are like me, something I call bookend books. A more accurate term would be book spine books, but that does not roll off the tongue as well. Books, like these, that stand out on a shelf, hardcover with a good solid spine.

I hope my obsession confession has not resulted in an immediate reduction in your bank account and a sudden increase in needed bookshelf space. Or, if it does, that you enjoy searching for and reading them as much as Aaron and I have.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Do you ever have a moment of illumination when you realize something you consider(ed) completely normal is actually rather abnormal? During most summers of my teenaged life, I did not spend my summers doing whatever it is teenagers do when they are not in school. Sleep in? Go to the pool? Hang out at the mall for no reason? I am not sure what the normal summer vacation activities of the American teen is. I spent a large part of my summers from 8th grade through high school taking part in The Great Adventure, a...thing my church has. I say "thing" because to call it a program or an event does not rightly convey what it is. So here is what it's all about...

The Great Adventure (GA) is for teenagers from 8th through 12th grades. The biggest "event" GA had was a week-long thing called Backyard Bible Clubs (BYBC). BYBC were held in the backyards (or front) of families from our church. Each host home would invite neighborhood kids to come to their house for this week and a team of 3-5 teens would go to 3 or 4 homes daily to play crazy games with the kids, tell a Bible story/lesson, share the Gospel, and answer any questions the kids, or the adults, had about God. The hosts provided snacks for the clubs, and each team had a driver to take them from one club to the next. Each team had one teen chosen by the youth leaders to be the team leader. This person was responsible for bonding the team together, choosing who did what on which day, and making sure the team was prepared at each club.

We, the teens, had phenomenal training leading up to BYBC week. Before we were accepted for GA, we had to learn a gospel presentation (either Wordless Book or the Hand Presentation, depending on the year). Most years, we spent 2 or 3 days at an encampment being trained on the stories, games and gospel presentations, and bonding as a team. Then we traveled to Waco, where we did BYBC for inner city kids at government housing projects. It was bananas. Sleeping four people across on expanded bunk beds, checking for needles at the playgrounds before clubs began, and keeping an eye out for people taking our supplies and suspicious people lurking around the clubs. If you were not bonded before going to Waco, your team was when you left!

For those who know me, as most of you do, I am not the most outgoing or take-charge kind of person. However, BYBC forced me out of my shell both as a team member and a team leader. Being a wallflower and sharing the gospel with 20 kids 4 times a day just does not work. I learned a lot about leadership, or lack of leadership, those summers. How to talk with peers so they understand and things are done properly. How to talk with adults so they understand what to expect and what is going on. How to talk with kids when they will not sit still, or 6-year-olds ask the big scary questions adults cannot properly answer. I had to know what the gospel was, how to present it, and how to explain it to children. I think doing this helped me understand it more, but being forced to simplify took away much of the extraneous details so many adults become wrapped up in.


The week ended with a big party on Friday night in our church's parking lot where it was transformed to SummerFest and hundreds, if not a thousand or more, people came. Lots of games for the kids to play, live music to enjoy, fire engines to climb on, hot dogs and sausages on the grill, cotton candy, snow cones, and popcorn. It was a way to bring the kids and their parents to our church so the BYBC hosts and drivers could connect more with their neighbors and we as a church could throw out the welcome mat. The kids in my clubs were so excited to find me and my other team members every year, and we were equally excited to see them and their families.

But the best part of the whole BYBC week may have come months later when I walked around my church and a kid would run up to me to say hi - I taught them at BYBC! To know that the little time I spent with a child not only provided them with fun things to do with their neighbor friends, but that they went home and became an influence on their family to go to church is truly awesome and humbling. Perhaps more importantly, it showed me that even though I may not directly see the impact I had during that week, the work that began with BYBC continued on in the children, families, homes, and neighborhoods we teens visited.

So, while I did not get to go to the pool a lot, hang out with my friends, and my family virtually postponed vacations together for 6 or 7 summers, I would not change one moment of my summers spent taking part in the Great Adventure. What I learned during that time - about myself, God, evangelism, the world, and being a good neighbor - has and will continue to follow me throughout my life.

Full and Dim Sum

New food/culture experience alert! I do not know when or how my approach to food changed, but some time along the path of my life, I decided in a "try anything once" mentality to food. Maybe it was all those mission trips where it is best not to ask what kind of meat is in front of you, maybe it was a greater appreciation for taste and flavor over pizza and burgers. In any case, in the past years I have tried out new dishes, spices, flavors and textures with varying amounts of approval and enjoyment. Not so much on the spicy curries, bring on Vietnamese and Cuban.

Recently, I was met with yet another new food experience - dim sum! Before going to eat, I first had to do the required research into dim sum. I may try anything once, but I want to know what I am getting myself into! I learned dim sum is not a dish, it is a meal or type of cuisine. Kind of the Chinese version of Spain's tapas. Aaron and I went with our small group leaders Ben and Rachel to Neo-Asia Restaurant. I was the only one who had not had dim sum before, so I relied on their expertise and knowledge to lead me in the right direction.

How dim sum works is perhaps the largest obstacle to overcome, and one of the neater things, in my opinion. Servers push carts of food around the restaurant, stopping by your table to offer you what is on their carts. At Neo-Asia each cart had a different "theme" - meats, seafood, noodles and rice, desserts, etc. it is kind of like a buffet where the buffet comes to you. Each dish has three or four pieces on it, so it makes it great to share with a couple of friends.

Everything we tried was great. I have no clue what the name of it was, or in some cases the protein, but it was tasty! With four of us, it was great since we could try more things than if two people were eating dim sum. Favorite things were the salted shrimp and this rice...thing that was wrapped in some sort of leaf. Oh, and the Chinese broccoli. I would eat that every day if I could.

We continued our Asian journey with a trip to the Asian market for bubble tea and reading unique English translations for food. We saw lamp meat (aka, lamb) and pork bums (buns). And unique food. As a warning, do not visit the meat section of an Asian market if you have a weak stomach. Do visit it if you wish to scare your roommate when they open the fridge or freezer.

It's a Miracle!

...or just about as close to one as I can manage. I have found the ultimate carpet/upholstery stain remover you have never heard of. First, a little story.

A long, long time ago (last year) in a land far, far away (Aaron's place), I sat down with Aaron for a lovely dinner in front of the television. We were to dine on a pasta concoction while no doubt watching a riveting and thought-provoking film. Realizing I was needing a napkin, I arose and went forth to attain said prize. Before attainment and long-lasting happiness occurred, though, I toppled Aaron's full glass of cranberry juice on the carpet in a projectile pattern as experts in the field of blood spatter may see at their jobs. I do believe my face was about the hue of the split juice. We tried to sop up as much as possible, using damp rags to get the multiple spots out, but to no avail. And, ever since then, I have looked upon those spots as a visible manifestation of all my clumsy shortcomings...the ones that are never cute or endearing, but always annoying and testy.

Cut to two weekend when, having nothing better to do other than clean my place up, I decided instead to clean Aaron's place. I know, it may not make much sense to some to avoid cleaning my casa but being perfectly happy doing so to another's, but that is how this mind works. I faced my foe, my shame, with powerful tools. First, the much touted Resolve High Traffic Foam Cleaner. I followed the directions, waited 15 minutes, then vacuumed up the foam to reveal...the same spots.

Enter the mystery stain remover. I sprayed it on the spots, then started scrubbing them with an old toothbrush then dabbing with a dry washcloth. A few minutes and some elbow grease later - no more spots. After about a year of cranberry juice and dirt caking on the carpet, it looked like that fateful day never occurred. Such relief to know the carpet guilt trip is gone!

So, what is this mystery remover? Method Go Naked All Surface Cleaner. I wish I could take credit for this discovery, but I read about it on some other website whose address has been long forgotten but fondly remembered. I do not know how it does it or what magic potion Method put in this bottle, but I plan on having this puppy on standby forever. It faced a worthy foe in cranberry juice, but completely dominated the competition, not even giving the stain a moment of relief. If I could fashion a little cape for my Go Naked cleaner bottle, I would. It's my hero!

(A whole post about guilty spots and not one Lady McBeth reference? I am not sure whether to be ashamed or proud of myself.)