come visit.

I've made a decision about this blog... that it's time to move it over. For almost the entire time this Posterous site has existed, I've been sending along the posts to blogger - since that's where I have experience and like to write. I have a long standing blog with a friend there (which is private) - so I'm in and out of that platform more often.

So, that's where I'll be - in all my inconsistent posting ways. joyquestdaily.blogspot.com

That's all, see you there.

R.

yard joys = back pain on Monday

we have been the very luck, happy, blessed recipients of some beautiful and happy bamboo. thanks, Dilley Mom and Dad! when we got home on saturday all we could talk about what where we were going to put it, what it would look like in the back yard and how to contain it so it has room to expand but not take over the yard. we were stoked.

what this all whittled down to was a trip to Glorious Home Depot for retaining wall cement. so, we head off with our spiffy birthday gift card to the large Orange Mecca. thanks Wethersfield Mom!

we find what we're looking for. we call the Dilley's to confirm, yes... yes, indeed. this is what we need. oh, but wait. they're heavy. No, not kind of heavy. Like really freaking heavy.

the rest of the afternoon looks like this: begin carefully selecting the color variations we want and heave-ho them onto the cart. give up careful color selection after realization that we need to pick up about 60 some-odd pieces. give up 'heave-ho' after about 10 pieces and begin concentrated 'don't hurt back, I'm a fragile lifting machine' mechanized movements to conserve energy and minimize perceived amount of damage possible. Get 30 onto cart. realize this might be all the wee Subaru can handle. each of these is 24lbs a piece (i just looked it up) so, even with 30 - that's 750 extra pounds in the car with us. feel defeated that we'll only get to do the first layer and that we have to come back, but also feel resigned to a smaller vision for the time being. we wheel the cart out to the car (needing a good pushing running start), and begin said process again - not-heave-ho-but-mechanized-fragile-lifting-machine-movements, into the Suby. half way through are VERY content with selves that we decided to halve the load. begin the slow drive home. (as Z would put it, with some extra fatties in the back). the car is visibly slanted and has a noticeable handling difference.

at the home front we begin unloading everything into the back. again with the backs and what-not. that's now 3 times of moving 720 pounds all with various back bending, shoving, leaning etc. all one by one at a time.

So... today, we wake with a little sore backs, some great bamboo (still waiting dutifully in their pots), a cleared and not-yet-leveled corner of the yard, 30 amazing retaining wall makers, and another great project to complete this week. the best part is... we ended up deciding on putting the bamboo in another part of the yard, due to the smaller amount of blocks. this new plan, as with many changed plans, ended up being a way better idea than the one that needed 60 blocks. so yay - lemons still equal lemonade. every time.

happy sore-back monday!

New House-y things

So, at lost last there's been some decorating updates to the house.

#1: I bought some pattern sheets that I like and I'm experimenting with mixing and matching them. It's been fun and makes the whole feel of the house like a relaxed farm house. I like that.

#2: Wall o pictures above the couch draft:

Actual:

I thought it left more room for additions and felt more organic to me.

#3: Re-arranged the front guest bedroom/office, and added some new sheets.

Yay (and yay for goodwill finds!)

rachel run run

Running a marathon has always been the goal. I've always wanted to run a marathon - ever since ever since. Ever since I was little, I went for a walk with my dad (I was 8 or so) and I started to jog with some people I didn't know. My dad called out to me and the man kindly turned around and said "don't worry, she's one of us" One. Of. US. One of us runners. One of those crazies out at 5am. One of those sweaty noon-racers in the sun.

You see, I never did group sports. I didn't compete in anything athletic until I was 26 years old. But, I've always liked to run. It soothes me. It makes me happy. It gives me time to think. So, I sign up for races, like little bench-marks in my running life.

Here's the catch. I hate races.

I'm competitive, don't get me wrong - but not in that setting. I'm more competitive with myself, really. So at first the races were fun - since I was really only beginning to get into shape... and now. Now all I want to do is crawl under a rock whenever one arrives. Not because I don't think I can do it. I KNOW I can do it... I just don't want to do it around all those other people. I just want to run for me. For my health. For my well-being.

But... running a marathon has always been a goal. A life goal. one the LIFE list. You know, the one you secretly (or not to secretly) keep in your head.

So. I keep running races. My next one is in two weeks. It's a half... So, I'm getting there. One day - I will run my marathon. I will run it and perhaps I will feel inspired to run another. I guess in the end the races are good for me. I'm WAY (way) out of my comfort zone; which, is good, I guess. It's what's taken my hobby to the next level and I've nothing but thanks for that.

Off I go. Run run running on.

Things that have purpose

Make me smile.

I like function - I think it's part of my german heritage. So, when I find something that has multiple uses I'm all over it.

tea tree oil

witch hazel

Dr. Brommer's

bees wax

I think almost all home remedies include one or more of these things. Oh, and fish oil.

In a vastly consumer based world, I find it comforting that one still can't replace the inherent goodness of multi-purpose plant based products.

praise.

Party Time

It's my beloved's birthday on Sunday. So, we're celebrating with a good old fashioned pah-tee. Holidays and birthdays always make be nostalgic... looking back to how/where/and with who we've celebrated is such a window into our lives.

I met Z in Sept - he had just turned 22. (amazing!) I missed that birthday - but haven't missed one since!

When he turned 23 it was his first birthday that we spent together I arranged for a series of surprise events including his best friend flying up from San Fran, a gathering at one of his favorite micro brews and a weekend of fishing and surfing with his dad and his best friend. We were about to move in together into our first Portland apartment (unbeknownst to us that we would soon be moving to Australia).

He turned 24 during our first year in Australia (where we were living with said friend) and it just so happened that another friend was visiting from the states. There was a big dinner out with Aussies and non-Aussies alike and cake and presents at the flat. I was in grad school and we still had so much ahead of us in the land of Oz.

His 25th was celebrated also in Australia - and on opening day of the World Cup 2010. It was a magical day. There was a massive dinner and all night camping out while waiting for the 3:30 US v. UK game to kick off a couple weeks of sleepless night and lots of statistic calculating. At this point we were engaged and beginning our wedding journey.

And now! It's the beginning of his 26th year. My amazing man who is the most loving, fun, wise, thoughtful, caring, consistent, silly accepting person I know. I can't wait to party with him and some of our Portland friend-family this weekend. And look where we are - hosting people at our own house, a couple of old married farts. (and loving every minute of it. especially after we got the oven working. yay!)

newness

We did it. We moved into our own house. It was now about a month to the day - and it feels like we've been here forever (except for the lack of stuff, but we hope to keep it relatively that way).

Since moving in we've:

1. had my mom and Tom visit.

2. run another 10K - go Team-Sample

3. painted the dining room, kitchen, and bedroom

4. planted some new lovely plants

5. contemplated many changes that we can't afford

5a. cut a cat door - took it out because the cats were too confused - then put it back in and taught them how to use it.

6. acknowledged some things about the house that don't work (the oven)

7. watched many many people in the park

8. been one of the many many people in the park

8a. celebrated Easter with the Samples

8b. celebrated community at the Coast with a lovely group of hippies.

9. cooked at home a lot

10 traveled to Seattle and Minneapolis

11. Celebrated Mother's Day

And now it's all starting to feel like home. We finally have a couple places to sit. We've gotten some mail. We can look out and see our own plants and it's good.

It's amazing how much of life is looking forward. what's next? what's new? the only constant is change, and it's hard sometimes to take stock of what's NOW. I'm very blessed and enjoying the now of now. It's a good place to be. Lots of friends around to make long and short term plans with. Lots of fun to be had this summer. Lots of love to share with my husband. And, while everything is always blossoming into something new and we always need to stay vigilant and tend the gardens of our relationships, our bodies, our minds, our souls... It's also nice to stop and smell the flowers. To reflect.

Sometimes I forget that.

It's been a great month. In fact, 2011 has been an amazing year. And even though I definitely would like to slow down a little from the break-neck speed of the first 4 months - I'm excited about all the wonderful things yet to come. I'm excited to take them in - one - day - at - a - time.

peace,

R

time off.

Today I had my first day off in a while. This past weekend I worked both days at our teacher training, and last weekend we had an event at a local yoga studio. So it's been about 3 straight weeks with no break. It's been stressful. Oh, and did I mention? We're also buying a house? Oh, yea - that too.

So today when I woke I almost (almost) didn't know what to do with myself. It was so glorious having time to think and do whatever I wanted that I felt a little out of sorts.

Now, the only problem is - it's getting toward the end of the day and all I want is - one. more. day.

Alas, it's back to work for me. Things I did: walked down to people's co-op to spy on some raw vegan goodness, meandered around goodwill dreaming up nesting ideas and collecting a small present for my love, pet the cats, had delicious left overs, eye-spied an almost perfect kitchen table, continued to pack up the house and will finish the evening off with a good friend for happy hour.

It was a good day.

march mad-cap

What's up this month anyway? It's been two months since the wedding and non-stop fun (read, craziness). It's only now that I feel like 2011 has really begun.

This month I'm : Going to soak in a natural hotspring with my honey, spending too much time at work, training for the 10K in April, hopefully closing on a house, cooking up a storm, making banana break, making out, running some more, eating mexican foods, enjoying wine, talking with my parents a lot, really enjoying talking with my parents a lot, catching up with old NYC friends, planning summer escapes, working some more, loving the cats, enjoying new music, reading again - yes!, shaking my fist at the rain.

What's your month looking like?

secrets

I suppose I should tell you what we're up to... our little funny scheming selves have been quite busy. You see, things don't stay still long for us Samples (yea, it's still weird to call myself that...) but it's also one lovely rolling adventure. And you know what's next?

A home.

Soon we will hopefully have a new residence. Not just to slumber. Not just to cook meals together and laugh and love and dance to strange and wonderful music. No. We will own him. Woah.