Sturdy for Common Things

Cookies Because

Since I wrote a post earlier about cookies, I had a craving to make a couple batches.

Cookie of the day? Oatmeal Chocolate Chip. I used this recipe with the following amendments. I used light brown sugar instead of dark brown and I added more chocolate chips. Because I like my cookies extra gooey and chocolaty.

These are awesome good…

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Second-hand Valentine

How could you not love second-hand clothing when you have a baby? Most times the little boogie only wears an outfit once before growing out of it. Will’s cousin, Jocie, has two little girls and was gracious enough to give us loads of their baby clothing for Lorelei. Over the weekend I sorted through the baby’s wardrobe, putting away items that don’t fit and bringing out larger outfits that were put in storage. (Which has become an almost bi-weekly project!) Anywho, came across this hand-me-down ruby beauty that looks like it might have been a Christmas dress, so we improvised…

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Community Nap

Even dads and teddy bears get tired.

Mommy gets Sunday afternoon all to herself.

Breakup and Makeup

The first 20 years of my life, I was a swimmer. After high school, I had the privilege to compete at the collegiate level. To be given a scholarship and eventually be named a team captain. Not to dwell too much on the breakup, but during the last meet of my career, my athletic world unwound. I swam worse than I’d ever swum, I had failed my team and myself leaving, and I was devastated because of it.

After that I stopped swimming. It’s been 6 years.

And I really shouldn’t have. It was only one meet.. But I couldn’t let it go. I couldn’t forget the weight of anticipation nor the countless hours of preparation that went into that one moment. Years of obedient devotion vanished.

Swimmers are a rare breed and we like this about ourselves. There is no “off season”. We were finished with our first practice of the day before most morning alarm clocks wake the slumbering.  We speak in code; in sets and times. We are fixated on time… minutes, seconds, tenths of a second, hundredths of a second.  At the end of a race, all faces raised to the clock.  Eyes would never drift too long from its steady pace.

The other day I was reading the novel, Freedom by Jonathan Franzen and something he wrote really resonated with me. He relates a character’s sudden fallout with her sport to what it’d be like to lose your religion. How all of a sudden something that is your one constant in life, that you devote everything to, loses all of its significance.  I must have reread those few paragraphs at least ten times, because what he was able to describe I haven’t been able to verbalize. Maybe what happened during that championship I became a converted a “nonbeliever”? Talk about terrible timing.

A few weeks ago I got back in the pool. In retrospect, its pretty ridiculous how I allowed all of this to get in the way of something that was so much a part of me. I love the water. As a girl I would swim for hours and never tire. I love the sensation of water washing over your hand. It reminds me of rolling down a car window on a crisp morning, arm extended, breaking the cool air with your fingers. I’m getting back to that. Watering down what was an extremist’s devotion to the simplicity of first love. Finding my faith again in swimming. Finding faith in myself.

Old Soul

I am a lover of old things.

Old houses, old movies, old clothing, old furniture, old fabric, old books, etc. When Will and I moved into our charming Park Slope apartment together we didn’t have a whole lot of furniture.  So, on a warm Saturday morning  I set out with a friend to the Brooklyn Flea Market to see if there were any good finds for cheap. What did I buy instead of purchasing something useful like an end table or a lamp? A 1913 Victor Victrola in good, working condition. Way, way better than a lamp in my opinion.

I’m a believer in buying old versus buying new. And buying old to create anew. “Upcycle” is word I’ve incorporated into my vocabulary recently. It is defined as the process in which something old or something that would ordinarily be thrown in the trash is converted into something of  better quality and value. Essentially, giving it a second  life.

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Plant Eaters

“I think I want to be a vegetarian.” This was the last phrase I ever thought I’d hear my meat-loving husband say. In the past, I had dabbled in vegetarianism before but never fully committed to the practice.  So, when Will mentioned that he wanted to become a plant eater I was all about it. I mean… becoming a vegetarian wouldn’t be too hard on my end. As long as I can eat cookies and candy, I’m happy.

At first, we thought this was going to be quite a challenge. Au contraire, mon frere! It has been extremely easy. Both of us enjoy cooking and have welcomed the task of preparing new dishes. The only problem we have found ourselves having is going out to eat in our itty bitty town. Most restaurants have only one or two options to choose from on the menu, so we are less inclined to go out to eat. Not that we’ve been getting out much since the baby was born. And not there are tons of eatery options here either. (Oh, how I miss sushi! And crave thai!)

That said, we are left to our culinary imaginations.

What to make for dinner tonight? Read More

Lake Effect

Usually when you think of the beach snow doesn’t come to mind. Took this picture of Ludington Beach today while on a short drive. If the weather isn’t too bad, LBD and I go for a ride so she can get her afternoon snooze in.

Under Construction

There are a few changes going on around Sturdy For Common Things. When I started this blog, I really didn’t really have any idea of what direction to take it in, so over the weekend I did some organizing. I made a header! In photoshop! (My first time using photoshop!) All by myself! I put together a few pages/categories/tabs or whatever the subject thingies are under the header. As a novice blogger, these constructions took the majority of Sunday afternoon.

I still have a feeling that this blog will be a lot like moving into a new house. It’s going to take awhile to get it to be exactly how you’d like it. And even more so like a home.

Anniversary

Okay, so I’ve been slacking on the blogging. And I still have the intention of making this a regular activity, so today I have the prefect excuse to start again. Today is Will and I’s first wedding anniversary. We always say Lorelei is the best decision we never made, but being married has proved to be the best decision we ever consciously made.

Now I have to warn you, I’ve had a beer, which is still all it takes for me to get slightly tipsy and sentimental since having the baby. So things might get gushy here..

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This the season…

… For a few of my favorite things.