N.E.T.

It seems the past few months (minus 2 weeks of honeymoon) have been filled with a certain theme: Not Enough Time.

I LOOoooooong for time, even on weekends, to do so many other things, of which blogging is one, but it seems by the time we get home from work, make dinner, MAYbe go to the gym (the health habits we spent a year establishing have but a whisper of an existence in our current routine***), read, MAYbe watch some tv, and sometimes work a bit more from home, it's time to go to bed. And I am very protective of my sleep. A weakened body leads to heightened emotions of ALL kinds if you happen to be a Merzy.

My sister Sarah and I were discussing lately how we once imagined there will be a time of life in the future that we can devote largely to recreation. New hobbies, old hobbies, developing talents, etc. Then we looked down the road and realized we were being village idiots. Life won't slow down. Puh! I want to know how some of you people possibly manage your time to be able to fit in as much as you do. Perhaps the maniacal, speedy nature of some responsibilities will slow down a bit here and there, but I don't get a Summer 1996 ever again; a summer wherein I was old enough to enjoy some liberties and self-earned funds, but too young to have a job from which the U.S. government would also benefit.

So now I am trying to find a bit of a balance or a "worth it 20 years from now" or a "I must finish this tonight, but I will be free to work on that tomorrow," lest I never spread mine wings of creativity again. Also I recently watched Julie and Julia again and if SHE can write a book, I can write a book. I love Meryl Streep in that movie, DEEPLY LOATHE Amy Adams' character.

Also:

Kate Winslet's divorce. I am devastated. This is a very stupid thing I do. Actors and actresses that pranced about in timeless movies that remind me of a wonderful time of life, or movies that my sisters, mum, and I are forever bonded to, I feel like they too are in my life in some silent way. Kate Winslet had to go and worm her way into my heart with Sense and Sensibility, Finding Neverland, and The Holiday. So then when something like a divorce happens I gasp out loud and say, "Oh no!" and those within earshot ask me what on earth is the matter. So dumb. But that's what happens. Just for the record, my taller-than-a-street-light brother in law was bitterly disappointed when Michael Jordan split from his wife, too.

We've kept a steady flow of black licorice, string cheese, and broccoli in the house.

I finally hung something on one of our walls last Friday night. One of my favorites. I picked up this beloved print at the Chicago Museum of Art in 2006 and it has finally found a home in the form of a frame.

*** Proof:

Here we are eating Raclette. European comfort food. Jeff ate this on his mission. Raclette cheese roasted in these adorable little shovels on our very own Raclette maker then smothered over little tiny potatoes. DELICious but OH SO VERY much the glutton's favorite! We now are trying to keep it at bay or at least to a reasonable infrequency. This wonder could kill a person if treated with excessive attention.

That's all she wrote!