Jewelry Box

I did something today that I've had on my check list for a while...cleaned out my jewelry bowl. Yes it's a bowl, don't ask. Ladies...if you ever want to take a trip down memory lane, or find a story in a box, or bowl, or wherever it is you keep your treasures; I suggest you spring clean out your jewelry. I don't own many "valuable" pieces, I am not in possession of fine and precious metals that need to be locked away and insured. Almost every earring, bracelet, and necklace I own has been given to me by someone I love. I dumped it all out onto the bed, and was sorry I hadn't done it sooner.

I found a watch I've owned for years-it stopped ticking long ago and I've never replaced the battery. It is covered in a rainbow of specks of paint. I used to wear it when I worked in the paint department at Home Depot...oh how I miss the simplicity of just mixing up beautiful quarts and gallons of color; and talking to people about their DIY projects.

I then came across a fresh water pearl necklace my sister in law made as a gift for each of the bridesmaids in her wedding. I'll never forget how calm and lovely she was on her wedding day, and how much my brother cried as he said his vows to her.



Bracelets....two from a sunny girls trip to Mexico; what I would give to feel that warmth right now. Two from Turkey...gifts from a long last friend who gave me the confidence to finally dance in public. And taught me how important it is to every once in a while put on a dress, some heels and feel the power of feminine mystique.



Homemade hemp necklaces made by one of my brothers, one out of a shell I found on the beach in California somewhere.



A bracelet from my mom right before I graduated high school. My first real diamonds....the amount of love and comfort I feel when I look at that bracelet is indescribable.




My first real "Tiffany & Co." bracelet...my wrist feels expensive and important every time I wear it, yes it's silly but true. A gift from my future mother in law.

Earrings from a Japanese exchange student named Yoshi who lived with us when I was 9...I had a huge crush on him and have never gotten rid of the earrings. My all time favorite necklace...it has a mini china tea cup and spoon. I found it in the Glasgow airport and don't wear it for fear it will break or be lost.



And of course the stunning engagement ring (my mom was convinced I would never wear one)...









The object I came upon last was the most important....two tiny faux diamond nose studs. I pierced, well my friend pierced my nose for me when I was 14 with an ear piercing gun. We went nuts with that piercing gun...I think by the time we were done, I had a hole in my nose, 4 in one ear, and 3 in the other ear. Needless to say my mom was not thrilled. In fact when she first saw it she locked herself in the bathroom and counted to 100. Not 10 100. Then she came out and gave me a lecture about how she didn't carry me in her womb for 9 months, and almost die in an emergency C-section so that I could defile my body. My stubborn streak came out on top in the end and I kept it in until a couple of years ago.
When I moved to New York, I took it out. I am so lonely out here, and so unlike the person I used to be. The exterior things I have changed have begun to seep into my insides and I've forgotten how to just be. Be happy, be carefree, like who I am, and be confident and at peace with it. So after a record number of sneezes, some tears, and vaseline I got that stud back into my nose. I've had that little hole in my right nostril for 13 years, so long that I had forgotten it was there- it had become a part of me. I want to remember the adventure and daring that made that 14 year old convince her friend to pierce her nose. All these little pieces of jewelry are tangible memories. Instead of throwing a bunch of "junk" out as I had planned, I'm going to wear a memory a day and try to get back to that girl.

Recipe for a Snow Day

We were told yesterday to expect up to 18 inches of snow when we woke up today. Sure enough, at 7:00 this morning I popped out of bed and ran downstairs as if it was Christmas morning to peek out the windows...they were all blanketed in snow! YES!!! Snow day! Work is closed-just an entire day in the middle of the week to do whatever I desire-in the confines of my house of course. I decided it was the perfect opportunity to actually commit to this "blogging" I claim to so want to do- it being a fresh shiny new year and all.

I got a slow cooker for Christmas, and I tested it out yesterday with a whole chicken and some veggies, and put them on at 8 AM to cook until I got home from work. I had panic attacks throughout all of Tuesday, envisioning coming home to a burnt down house. I'm still not sure the time saving dinners are worth the anxiety even though it turned out to be a delicious success.

I had a ton of leftover broth and bits of chicken. So this morning after I saw that our neighborhood was indeed a winter wonderland, I made a strong pot of coffee, and chopped up celery, baby carrots, onion, and threw it all in the crock pot with the leftovers; along with paprika, garlic, salt, pepper, and some chicken broth. I would have loved to add some potatoes-but we're on the whole new year's resolution diet...

My coffee must have been extra caffeinated, because once the soup was on I got it into my head that I was going to shovel out the front yard and cars. Now you must understand, I am from the west coast and have rarely seen this amount of snow-much less attempted to shovel it. I did the stairs, and path almost to the road then gave up because I got pains in odd places.

Now I'm sitting here trying to figure out where to really start this blog-and how to give it some sort of structure and flow. The aroma of home made chicken soup is floating in from the kitchen. If there must be snow, let there be enough to cause a Snow Day and make soup I say .