Amber & How We Met

I sure have had a hellish week.  All of the crazy work that kept me from blogging, getting home in time to vacuum, and remembering my hat until I got outside in the cold culminated yesterday with me wearing this shirt with a ridiculous bow on it to distract from the data on my Keynote slides.

Clever, right?  And check out Kevin in his dress shirt.  Fancy times.  ("Is that chart showing the price of a New York pizza slice over time..? Wait, look how fancy the New York staff is dressed.  What's going on with that bow on Amber's shirt?"  Etc.)

But, tonight, I am seeing some Lang at Film Forum with Kevin, then I am having Twin Times with Amy Bee (to be blogged and explained later, blexplained?) and then meeting Nick for a pub crawl and fancy dinner.  To celebrate our seven years of friendship, I wore the shoes that spurred our first non-work conversation.

That went something like this:

A: Here is that budget variance report I mentioned earlier.
N: Thank you.  Those are great shoes.
A: Thank you.  They are this kind called Fluevogs.
N: Oh, I know.  [shows shoes he is wearing, also Fluevogs]
A: Oh!  You are now my best friend ever.  Let's go to River House together!

Something like that.

Amber & Time-Lapse Photography

Monday, 11:54 am EST:

Monday, 1:22 pm:

Tuesday, 11:17 AM:

Boys.

Amber & Tomorrow Will Be Pretty Much Like Today, Only Maybe A Little Snowier

When, on Monday morning you check the weather as you are leaving the house to make sure you are wearing enough socks and you see this...

...you are not then surprised when you step outside and see this.

It is pretty and grounding and good for your soul and Robert-Frosty, and you enjoy it.  (You come, too!) And then by the end of the day it is over.

But then, the next day when you wake up and bundle up (two pairs of socks, Expedition Weight long johns, a thermal shirt under cashmere and fingerless gloves) and step outside into this...

...you are a little surprised.  It's less of a "wintery mix" and more of a full-on snow storm.

And then you check the weather again, and find this.

I love that the NWS releases are in all caps.  It conveys a sense of URGENCY and also vaguely suggests an old teletype machine.  Highlights:

* HAZARDS... HEAVY SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS... 8 TO 12 INCHES OF SNOW.

Huh.  Even an unreliable weather app is right, although perhaps understated, twice a week.

I wish the weather app had little icons showing you which level of Capilene to wear.

Amber & The Pursuit of Happy Face

I know I love dancing.  But, now I know that everyone around me knows exactly how much I love it because this is what my face looks like when I boogie.

How does J. Timberlake make bringing sexy back look so, well, sexy?

All I can say is thank you to those who dance with me.  You are brave, brave souls.

And also, if that face is the price I pay for happiness, so be it.  I'll be good.

Amber & Advance Apologies

No hot water. People who see me today, I apologize for my hair. It
couldn't be helped. I'll wear a hat. Indoors.

Amber & As Good As You Remembered

I used to love Northern Exposure.

I used to watch it every week and delight in the exploits of the big city doctor who finds himself in a quirky (but charming) small Alaskan town.  When I visited Talkeetna, I took pleasure in knowing that knowing it was the real life location inspiration for the show.  And, I even got the cookbook!

Now, I've watched the show recently and it does not stand the test of time.  The doctor is a trite caricature of a New York Jew ("oy!"  "bagels!"  "moose!"), the "natives" are an embarrassing mystical wise yet simple people and... it's just not that funny.

But, that cookbook still stands the test of time in the form of a baked burrito recipe.  I don't have the cookbook anymore (I think Ed was the character to whom it was attributed?), and I've made the recipe so many times I don't actually refer to it anymore.  And, I think the original called for some kind of chicken or beef, but I used ground turkey.  And I added spinach.  And I forgot the cilantro.  So, really, maybe I'm not making the exact recipe.

But boy are they delicious all the same.  So much more enjoyable than the show.  And longer lasting.

Amber & Dinner

What to do with my farm share abundance of potatoes and carrots?  Beef stew.

It would have been better if I had a dutch oven, I think.  But, why are those Le Cruesete ones so darned expensive?  And are they better than the other ones?  Like, $200 better?

And then?  Delightful red chai with honey and milk served in a pretty cup.  (Thank you, well-wishing friends.)

(P.S.  I may or may not ever finish painting that wall, and I totally washed my hair today.)

Amber & Best Double-Whammy Guest Stars Ever

First, Jessica Walter makes a cameo in my episode of Columbo.

Then, Robbie the Robot.

Amber & FAQ

Q. Do the boys still snuggle?

A.  Yes.

P.S. Ginger's haunches are a little damp there from laying in the tub after my shower to absorb warmth.