a lot of laughing.

you know, the following pictures might not accurately capture all of this past weekend's camping trip to lake harris. scratch that-they definitely don't.
how could you encapsulate a gigantic amount of awesome laughter, abundant food, positive energy, and fireside banter into a handful of photos?
we were surrounded by amazing people all with the same brash sense of humor and an excellent recall for eighties movies. it made for conversations that always ended in brays of laughter that were so intense your cheeks hurt from the effort.
we considered who our doppelgangers would be and tried to determine their names.
we debated whether that streak across the crystal clear night sky was actually the milky way or just a "bunch of clouds". (it's definitely the milky way.)
there were bald eagles and a roving bunch of very large raccoons who pillaged our food on the second night.
did i mention there was a lot of laughing?

oh, hi there.

happy july to you all. it's hard to believe that summer has only just begun. it seems that the vegetable garden and the flowers are so much further along than usual. it also seems that every spare moment of time has been filled with some task or activity.
here is an abbreviated list of some recent happenings:
   •we put new floor in the kitchen and pantry.
   •we celebrated adam's 35th birthday at one of our local favorite restaurants, bistro tallulah.
   •a gloriously uneventful day was spent on lake george.
   •i unexpectedly learned of the death of a client of more than seven years in a sudden and unexplained way.
   •i made a small effort to restart written correspondence.
   •two new recipes made it into the repertoire: honey habanero tofu and carrot cake cookies.
   •i updated my illustration website a wee bit.
   •we spent a relaxed day catching up with friends, being charmed by their children, and floating around glen lake.
   •and finally, we're getting our packs ready for the first backpacking trip in quite some time. we have four days in the backcountry lined up with the goal of hiking both allen mountain and mt skylight.

(whew, no wonder i'm tired.)

sometimes fun + friends = messy...

...but it's always worth it.

do not underestimate the power of baking soda.

i can't help but think this photo was somehow foreshadowing to the next mornings events.

this post comes to you bleary-eyed and possibly just short of delirious. i promise you nothing but rambling information and updates coming forth like a tsunami.
we survived yesterdays st. patrick's day pub crawl, which began promptly and appropriately at 3:17 PM. i'm certain that you, dear reader, do not have the time nor interest for me to recount the exploits of the night. i bowed out by 10:30 PM, mainly to extract adam from what was quickly becoming an outing ending in a night by the toilet. i had also tired of the non-stop parade of cringe-worthy human behavior that is witnessed when you spend too much time in bars as a half-sober person.
we left our friend tara at the bar, arranging that she would find her way back to the hotel with the assistance of some trusted folks. we of course could not drag her away, she being a professional irish drinker, especially considering that she still had three assorted shot concoctions lined up at the bar. i gave her my best wishes for "success" and steered my tipsy husband back to the awaiting hotel room. i said to adam, although he didn't likely understand or retain, that i felt it very likely that i would venture back out into the morass of drunkenness to find tara later in the night.
after coercing adam to at least brush his teeth before falling face down on the bed, i sent a text to tara to check if she was still with her chaperones and hadn't absconded as wily intoxicated folks have a habit of doing. asking her if she was still at the bar where we left her, she replied, simply, "city". immediately recognizing the foolishness of trying to get a drunk person to not only locate themselves, but be able to accurately spell and text it, i considered what she might mean. saratoga springs is a city, could she mean that she was still in the city? that's a bit vague. i consulted my drunk husband and oddly he was able to report back that there was a tavern across the street from where we left tara with 'city' in it's name. feeling satisfied, i cleaned up and waited for our little team to be regathered.
tara did return safely to the hotel room a few hours later, sent out a facebook update (i told you-she is a professional), quickly passed out and began loudly snoring. there was several rounds of someone or another getting up to turn off the air conditioner, then someone else getting up to turn on the air conditioner. despite this, the snoring and the frequent bathroom visits, we all seemed to get some functional sleep.
our circus of smart phones began signaling to us shortly before 8:00 AM. there appeared to be a crisis of sorts, one that required not only facebook posts but also text messages and voicemail. we had left our dog, crosbi and three cats in the competent over night care of adam's father, russ. responding to the calls to action, adam called his father learning that during an early morning walk with crosbi through the local field they encountered a skunk. crosbi was sprayed squarely in the face and the collateral spray came back to hit russ. both began vomiting, russ trying to wipe the spray out of crosbi's eyes. he led her back to our house about a block away, both retching and reeking. he bathed the dog in our bathroom tub, closed her in the bathroom to contain the damage then called us to report the event.

she doesn't like baths. fizzy, science-experiment type baths are no different.

we bid an early farewell to tara who decided to sleep in until checkout at noon. i did some quick google searches on the drive and we stopped for supplies before getting home. baking soda and hydrogen peroxide in hand, we could smell our house before we got out of the car.
i cannot appropriately describe the true smell of what met us when we opened our bathroom door and faced our poor mutt for the first time. i can tell you that direct skunk spray is much different and more potent than the scent you encounter when driving over road kill. the scent in our bathroom, and unfortunately soon through our entire small house, is much more peppery and toxic. it's overwhelming and suffocating.
it also bears noting that skunk musk is not at all conducive to nursing a hang over.
crosbi went outside for a bath and we proceeded to open every window and turn on every fan. we have lit incense and candles. we have "febreezed". we have wiped, bleached and mopped. there are little dishes of vinegar about, supposedly to absorb the scent. we have even baked cinnamon per the recommendation of "the internet". it seems to be working.
i suppose this is the type of adventure you get when you thumb your nose at fate as i did with my post yesterday. anytime i think that a night out could not possibly top previous experiences, i am sent a message by the universe. my message for this day is heard loud and clear, "always be ready for an adventure. life requires a sense of humor, fortitude, a strong stomach, true friends and family."
as always, the people you love make it worth all the trouble.
i expect this will be an adventure story that will be retold many times.

the moon and a pub crawl.

here's a cool little video on our moon's history, showing the reasons why it looks the way it does.
on an unrelated note, happy st patrick's day. i admit this is a holiday i don't normally acknowledge. it's funny that a religious observance became so associated with heavy drinking...but i suppose easter's mutations are just as odd.
this year adam and i are meeting our good friend, tara in saratoga for a pub crawl. tara may or may not be one of the anonymous friends documented this memorable night out but she was definitely a part of this adventure. wish me luck...

chowder and taxes.

yesterday adam and i spent the day trekking about downtown saratoga with some good friends. it was the annual chowderfest, which is unfortunately not the most vegetarian friendly event. i was able to get a few cups of veggie chowder and a dessert cup of cake batter frozen yogurt topped with mochi "clams" and cookie croutons. alas, it's about the experience of being with friends rather than the actual activity anyway.
today i have been neck deep in researching freelance illustration as it relates to collecting new york state sales taxes, as well as federal and state income tax reporting. needless to say, i would much rather be walking around outside on frigid sidewalks watching others consuming small bowls of boiled sea creatures than trying to understand certificates of authority, self employment and quarterly estimated state & federal taxes.

catching the show.

the ceremony.

(photo by Monica Donovan of Eve Event Photography)

We are gathered here today in the presence of family and friends to join Adam and Reneé in the bonds of matrimony. You have each been invited to witness this event to honor the individual role you have played in fostering who Adam and Reneé are, how they arrived at this day and the couple they have become. Without the love and support of everyone here, this union could not have been made.

He Never Leaves The Seat Up by Pam Ayres

He never leaves the seat up

Or wet towels upon the floor

The toothpaste has the lid on

And he always shuts the door!

She’s very clean and tidy

Though she may sometimes delude

Leave your things out at your peril

In a second they’ll have moved!

He’s a very active person

As are all his next of kin

Where as she likes lazy days

He’ll still drag her to the gym!

He romances her and dines her

Home cooked dinners and the like

He even knows her favorite food

And spoils her day and night!

She’s thoughtful when he looks at her

A smile upon his face

Will he look that good in 50 years

When his dentures aren’t in place?!

He says he loves her figure

And her mental prowess too

But when gravity takes her over

Will she charm with her IQ?

She says she loves his kindness

And his patience is a must

And of course she thinks he’s handsome

Which in her eyes is a plus!

They’re both not wholly perfect

But who are we to judge

He can be pig headed

Where as she won’t even budge!

All that said and done

They love the time they spent together

And I hope as I’m sure you do

That this fine day will last forever.

He’ll be more than just her husband

He’ll also be her friend

And she’ll be more than just his wife

She’ll be his soul mate ‘till the end.

Adam and Reneé will now read the vows they have written to each other.

“Reneé, I admit my love for you on this day in front of our friends and family. I invite you to share my life as I hope to share yours. I promise to always hike by your side, to love, help and inspire you and embarrass you by singing out loud every song I have in my mental jukebox regardless of where we are. I pledge to take time to share with you, to listen to you, respect you and most importantly bring you coffee in bed every morning. For the rest of our lives Reneé, I promise to share your laughter and your tears not only as your partner, but also as your friend.”

“Adam, I am here today surrounded by all of our most important people to tell you I love you and to promise that I will forever. You are my best friend and my constant support. You have made me a better person in more ways that I can name. Sharing my life with you feels natural and I cannot imagine a day without you. I promise to forever laugh with you, to always support you and to give you the best of myself for the rest of my days.”

With this ring, do you, Adam, in the respect and confidence of your own individuality, acknowledge within yourself that same respect and confidence for this woman, Reneé, in the certainty that you will share the deepest of all your emotions: aware also that you may share, but not know, for in knowing you deny the person that she is?

“I do.”

With this ring, do you, Reneé, in the respect and confidence of your own individuality, acknowledge within yourself that same respect and confidence for this man, Adam, in the certainty that you will share the deepest of all your emotions: aware also that you may share, but not know, for in knowing you deny the person that he is.

“I do.”

Adam and Reneé, inasmuch as you have have promised to share your joys and tribulations in the bond of marriage; I, in accordance with the authority vested in my by the law of the State of New York, now pronounce you husband and wife.

saturday.

i can't help but jump on the bandwagon and mention the absolutely, ultra fabulous weather we are having here in northern new york. we are reaping the visual benefits of fall as well as the warmth and outdoor relaxation abilities of summer.
saturday was spent with our friends moses and cheryl at their camp on glen lake. cheryl took their 7 month old daughter, addison out on the lake in a kayak for the first time; an early introduction to the outdoor experiences that will enrich her throughout her life.
we spent the afternoon talking about both the ups and downs of adult life. friendship was a major topic of conversation as it can be effortless and sustaining, but when the balance somehow changes, that same relationship can be exhausting and exploitative. what is the best way to repair a friendship that is being used as a resource by one person and feels thankless to the other? i believe it's possible to rectify something so important, but only if each party is willing to own their role and is willing to change.
the night ended after dinner with a roaring fire under the stars. if there any better way to end a day of unpretentious time sharing space with good people, i certainly can't think of one.

the things i'll remember.

is it grainy? i can't tell. all i see is happy. (iphone photo snapped by adam the night before the wedding)

you receive a lot of advice from people when you're planning to get married. most folks who have had a wedding will tell you to not sweat the small stuff. they remind you to drink up every drop of the wedding day because it all goes by so fast.
the one thing no one told me about having a wedding, is how much the people who attend make the event what it is.
does that sound too simple? in hindsight, it seems so obvious that i can't possibly imagine how i didn't consider it.
it's more that the actual guest list, more than the names and relationships. it's the actual energy that each of those people bring to day, or weekend in our case. i literally got swept away by our guests energy for two straight days. i admittedly got a little too swept away (read: intoxicated) by the energy the night before the wedding, although everyone wanting to toast and buy drinks didn't help.
the things i will remember will not be the exact color of the table cloths or the way the cake looked, it will be things like:
•the way i felt when i first saw my college friend, robyn at the welcome dinner after a decade of separation
•how i felt running into many of our guests at the outdoor lounge at the hotel the night before the wedding and subsequently partying it up
•how moses' cell phone went off during our wedding toast at the reception and consequently roasting him for it
•our entire family all getting out on the dance floor and rocking some sweet moves
•my brother's absolute and utter seriousness about being the perfect DJ-which he was
•the electric feeling of standing in front of everyone you love, pledging a forever commitment and knowing they all support you
•adam's brother making a toast, completely impromptu
•our photographer, monica getting out on the dance floor and jamming out with all of us
•running into my future sister-in-law, gretchen in the bathroom at the perfect time because i had not correctly fastened my strapless bra into the back of my dress
really, i could go on and on. these things that i will remember are not the things you can plan. these memories are precious. seeing our loved ones make new friendships, renew ties, pool their energy and become a community are what made our wedding the most meaningful single event of our combined lives.

it's a crazy ride.

you know that feeling when you're so tired that your eyes burn and your stomach is a little off? you can't really concentrate and you feel like you're moving through mashed potatoes? did i lose you at the mashed potato part?
well, anyway, that's how i feel right now.
i know, i know...
it's like a broken record. we were just here a week ago, but it's the sign of a well spent two days off work.
life is a funny cocktail though and it's not all sweet. we are just getting past a very scary event that happened almost two weeks ago when our good friend wrecked his motorcycle and was air lifted 50 miles away to the nearest trauma center. it was a classic late night phone call with little assurances and too many frightening details. thankfully, he is making an amazingly speedy recovery and we were able to spend some relieving time together at his family's camp yesterday.
one minute you're planning a wedding and the next you're wondering if a most important person will be alive to witness your union.

sacandaga.

i am too tired for words right now, so here's a quick photo taste of the immensely awesome and relaxing trip to the sacandaga state campground with our friends matt and simone.
we ate like gluttons, drank like college kids, floated around in the river making cairns and wading pools, avoided sunburn, hunted the full moon and laughed around the fire until we were all in tears.
i wish we could have stayed for a week, but we were able to able to squeeze more memories into two and a half days than can be counted.

happy fourth!

i hope everyone is enjoying their fourth of july!

we are laying low, quite literally, after having some good times with friends yesterday.

tomorrow is back to the grind, which includes the gym. it's ironic that i've gotten a little off track considering i just had the dress fitted. 

oh well, life is for living right?

three days.

whoa.
it's been an exhausting holiday weekend; which is slightly ironic considering the fact that i don't feel like i "accomplished" anything substantial in the arena of artwork or housework.
in lieu of projects and tasks we filled the days with lakeside parties and dinners outdoors. we got enough sun on our skin to turn a little color even with multiple doses of pasty, suffocating sunblock. i definitely ate too many salty things, but potato chips are so worth the next day puffiness!
also, we received our first returned rsvps and i'm happy to say that we officially have guests attending our wedding...not that i was worried or anything.
i hope you all had an excellent weekend; extended or otherwise!

drying out.

after what can only be described as an incredibly wet and soggy week, we seem to be having some ironic, but much needed sun and heat. we have been fortunate that our neighborhood didn't suffer much catastrophe from the excessive rain and hail storms. our neighbors northward were not so lucky.
alas, the trees have used the water to full advantage and are now bursting with bright yellow green buds. the explosion of similarly colored tree pollen will shortly follow and i will wonder, as i always do, how that stuff can get in all the places it does.
we grilled our dinner outside yesterday and had a couple awesome friends over. the first semi-legal fire pit was had. some reports indicate that there was dancing in the driveway, but that information is as yet, unconfirmed. i am slow to get moving today as a result, but it was certainly worth it.
we northerners can be had to convince but summer is indeed around the corner!

day two.

happy two thousand eleven!
isn't it exciting?
no really, please remember that january 1st is not just another day, it's a NEW year; a time for making big expansive promises to yourself and others that you may or may not keep!
what makes the first day of the gregorian calendar so important that it is a better time to reform yourself than any other day of the year?  would it be more productive to constantly re-evaluate yourself and your goals on a daily basis rather than once every 365 days?  i am not sure, but it is sure fun and often inspiring to hear everyone's resolutions.
i firmly believe that self reflection and setting personal goals is essential.  i prefer setting humble, everyday goals and relishing those small successes.  little steps always take you down a longer path and small changes accumulate over time.
don't get me wrong, new years is actually one of my favorite holidays.  it is relatively meaningless, without a gigantic tangle of religious or political subtext.  new years eve is a harmless excuse to celebrate your having survived another year, imbibe, over indulge and be grateful for your friends and family.
i spent my new years eve as the sober driver.  i enjoy a few drinks but am rather persnickety about mixing alcohol and massive hunks of steel moving at high speeds.  i love my friends and want them to stay alive; even the ones who persistently want to poison me with shots of strong liquor.
being the sober person in a bar full of intoxicated people in the wee hours of new years day is a bewildering experience.  my non-scientific observations show that it is a pretty universal theme that drunk people think they are acting much funnier and sexier than reality proves.  luckily, people who are intoxicated have a lower standard for funniness and sexiness than they do when less alcoholically challenged. simple tasks such as getting into a car, urinating in a socially acceptable area or keeping your head inside a moving vehicle become exceptionally difficult, if not impossible, for adam and my friends those with bellies full of adult beverages.
i am happy to say that everyone under my wing returned home safely, although one little bird spent the first day of his new year recovering on the couch. 
every day is an adventure, how lucky to start a new one every morning!

happy, happy.

guess who's a year older?   
i am!
i will proudly say that i turned 35 years old on 11/5/10.  (there is no need to be ashamed or shy your age; there are more important things to be worried about.)
adam and i dined out at Siam Thai Sushi and shared a bottle of wine, then went up to the adirondacks and had a "sleep over" with friends.  it was a good time and we were grateful for the shelter and company.  the camp was "rustic"; having no running water, electricity or cell service.  the outhouse was a short walk into the woods and made of plywood.  being a horror movie buff, i couldn't help but wonder when the folks in the potato sack masks would show up but we all made it out alive.

french fries and beer.

beer, a liter being the standard size of course.

i am completely exhausted; like eye-burning, apathetically tired.

while i laid down and closed my eyes for what many would consider a full night, it's likely that the two+ liters of beer, piles of fried potato and cheese products residing in my gut contributed to my lack of quality sleep.  that is the only successful outcome of attending oktoberfest after all.  crazy cab rides, giant steins of beer, rich food, porto-potty acrobatics and good friends make for a memborable time; although my only complaint would be the lack of live german music.

i would be napping right now, but i can't seem to stop being distracted by my new toy.  i am not going to pretend to be super cool and aloof because the iphone 4 is pretty darned awesome.  there really is an app for everything.  which is why, if you will excuse me, i must get back to it.

recharging.

today is adam's birthday.
partly because of this, it's been a busy few days full of socializing and meeting up with folks for celebrations of different varieties.
i never was, nor ever will be a real social butterfly or party-er. i love my friends and family, but socializing as a general concept is extremely exhausting for me. i have to mentally prep myself to spend time with large groups of people. trying to shout over lots of talking or music inevitably leads to disjointed conversations where no one is sure what is going on; the times where you smile and nod because it's easier than asking for clarification. bars and concerts are fun in very small doses, but aren't where you form real lasting relationships with people.
only with the people who exist in my "inner circle" can i relax and not feel drained of energy by their presence. these are the folks that can have a thoughtful conversation about almost anything and aren't uncomfortable with silence. my best friends are people who don't need constant action, appreciate simple activities like sitting around a campfire or eating a meal together.
i am lucky that not only is adam one of those people, but he also understands how overwhelmed i can get by certain social situations. our lives are full of exceptionally awesome people and i enjoyed every moment with them this weekend.
now i am going to thoroughly appreciate spending a lazy sunday with my favorite person on his 33rd birthday.

i did it.

i sent my first art postcard.  well...it's done and it's sealed up in an addressed envelope.  but it sorta needs a stamp and we don't have any.  just an oversight, really.  obviously, i don't correspond via "real" mail very often.  i suspect that no one does actually.  i mean, the government is thinking of cutting saturday mail service after all.
the first card went to a super awesome person who, as i noted in the postcard, is a main character in a large percentage of my memories.  unfortunately, the memories including her stopped around 1998 when we sorta...'lost touch'.
i know that i had some roll to play in that, but i deeply regret it.
have you ever had the type of friendship that becomes the template for all future friendships?  like, to some extent, every friendship is compared to that most awesome one?
my relationship with this person was like that.  and some how it disappeared.  until now.  hopefully.
so the first big hurdle is jumped...now who gets the next postcard?