Holiday Weekend

Our biggest meeting of the year is coming up in a week and a half, and I fully expect this week to be crazy-busy with preparations. I already have a pretty long to-do list for it and anticipate more items to be added to it as the week progresses and for me to become a stressed-out short-tempered twit but the end of the week. Prayers for my attitude much appreciated!

Perhaps knowing that I'm about to enter crazy-busy week made me enjoy this nice long holiday weekend all the more. Our office was closed both Thursday and Friday (joy!) so I had four days of downtime. It rained pretty much the entire weekend, which would normally be a bit of a bummer, but since my plans were for indoor activities I didn't mind it so much. Plus I didn't have to feel guilty for not doing yardwork. Aside from lunch on the 4th with my parents and church today, I had zero obligations and a wide open schedule for the first weekend in quite a while. Try not to hate on me.

Here are a few tidbits about what I've been up to these last few days:

Redecorating: I've been in somewhat of a redecorate and reorganize kick lately. Last weekend I cleaned out and reorganized my walk-in closet and (with help from my parents) assembled a new bookcase. Over the holiday weekend I focused on my laundry room. I spent much of Friday painting it (taking the room from a pale yellow to a medium khaki color (Behr Harvest Brown), then I removed the old bi-fold pantry doors (which were always getting stuck anyway) and hung up these curtains from Target (Threshold Farrah Fretwork in blue) in their place. I added a new doormat ($5.99 from Ross, hooray!) and a new mop and broom organizer. I need to add some artwork--still mulling over ideas about that--but the room is nearly complete and I love the results. 

Eating: When my sister and I were in Seattle in May, we took a ferry ride one morning over to Bainbridge Island, where we walked up and down their main street that was filled with lots of cute shops and restaurants. When a rain shower popped up (no surprise, it is Seattle, after all), we ducked into the Blackbird Bakery to take refuge from the rain and satisfy our hunger. We got mochas and each tried a lavender sugar cookie. Sounds kind of kooky to bake with lavender (it IS one of my favorite scents but I tend to think of putting it in Febreeze, not in my cookies). However, the cookie was delicious, with just enough lavender to give a hint but not overpowering. 

This weekend I decided to try my hand at a homemade version of lavender sugar cookies. I found lavender buds (just $1.99!) in the herb and spice section at World Market. After looking up several recipes online, I went with my snickerdoodle recipe, omitting the cinnamon and adding a teaspoon of lavender. The cookies turned out to be delicious (I thought), although a bit chewier and with a little more lavender taste than the Blackbird Bakery's version. Next time I might try adding some vanilla and decreasing the lavender just a smidge.

I've also enjoyed some homegrown tomatoes that I bought last week at the Curb Market. Is there anything better than homegrown tomatoes in the summer? I've been making tomato sandwiches with a little mayo, some fresh basil and Alderwood smoked salt (another Seattle find). De-lish.

Reading: I am about a fifth of the way through Edward Rutherfurd's epic novel, London. And I mean epic--it's 800+ pages and goes from the Roman settlement of London up to modern times. I've enjoyed the bits of history that are woven into the storylines and learning more about how London was developed through the ages. This is the first of Rutherfurd's novels that I've read, but when I finish with London I'd like to read New York and Paris.

Read/eaten/done anything interesting lately?