It’s always tough to leave behind the hush and relaxation of the snow-covered cabin to return to the real world, and after taking Monday off, I returned to a hectic four day work week. Typically, January is a fairly slow time for me at work, allowing me some much needed time to catch up on all the lower priority but still necessary tasks that pile up during the busy season leading up to the holidays. Not so this year! After a brief window of downtime between Christmas and New Year’s, work has been one scramble after another. Andy has continued to be even busier than me, working both late nights and weekends. This weekend, feeling a little under the weather (or possibly just completely worn down from all the overtime he’s been working) Andy actually took both Saturday and Sunday off and we enjoyed a much needed lazy weekend at home. We didn’t spend the entire weekend on the couch though - Saturday night, we had a luxuriously decadent dinner at Cafe Juanita for no special reason. We took our time over our several courses, and were amazed to find they even had a lactose-free dessert item in addition to their seasonal sorbet options. It was even lemon - Andy’s favorite! If you too are intolerant of lactose, I’m sure you’ll understand our amazement. In case you’re not, trust me when I say it was borderline miraculous!
Read moreLife: Week 4
This was a week of wet & stormy weather. Andy and I started the week by leaving behind the snowy peace of my parent's cabin. Returning to real-life after the hygge atmosphere of a cabin is always hard, so I was thankful for my shortened work week. I also appreciated the loaf of pulla left over from our weekend - a much tastier way to ease into my morning than my typical breakfast of coffee and a hard boiled egg. Because of the novelty of our new espresso machine, I've been drinking too many lattes, so this week, I started drinking more tea. I love a good latte, but hadn't realized how much I missed my morning cup of tea. I think for me a latte is better as an occasional treat rather than an everyday drink.
Read moreLife: Week 4
After spending last weekend in the snowy mountains, this weekend, we headed in the opposite direction for Andy's family cabin on Whidbey Island. It was a weekend filled with good friends, good food, and late nights. These cabin weekends are the perfect solution for the gloomy winter days. It certainly helps that the days are gradually getting longer. The sun is once again setting after 5 PM, and soon I'll still have plenty of daylight left for walks after work, rather than trying to find time for long lunch walks during my busy work days. Until then, I'll keep enjoying the quiet cozy days of winter while they last!
Read moreLife: Week 4
It was mostly a gloomy, wet week in Redmond, filled with busy days at work and lazy evenings with miscellaneous leftovers for dinner. On Friday we headed off for another long weekend at Whidbey with friends. In the rain shadow of the Olympics, it felt more like spring than winter, and we had a wonderful time cooking, drinking, chatting and taking many, many photos. Saturday, we went for a leisurely hike at Ebey's Landing. More about that beautiful trail soon!
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