I'm sorry.

So sorry.

So many wonderful (good and not-as-good) things to think on and write about and ponder, and I haven't written about a one of them.

I was under the impression I'd get less busy as a former grad student. Harumph, that didn't work at all.

Can I apologize by way of a short list?
(of course I can. My faithful 3 readers, you'll let me get away with that, right?)

Things I Have Learned Since Graduation

• Families, like the people they produce, are unique and wonderful.
• I think they way you are celebrated as you exit your life says a whole lot about who you were throughout.
• Small towns aren't where I want to live (necessarily), but they aren't anything to be scared of.
• It's damned hard to find a car everyone likes.
• I am a perfect fit for my new neighborhood.
• Even in the midst of a self-image crisis, being able to give away my old clothese to someone who needs them makes me feel like a beautiful goddess.
• You can always be busier. It's the slowing down that's hard.
• I am cursed to never grow decent rosemary.
• But I make a mean rhubarb custard (I am a killer meringue baker.)!
• Just when I think I'm not very strong, I prove it to myself otherwise.
• I'm doing a good job at work.
• I've got someone I realized I'm going to miss terribly this fall.
• But I also see that life takes you where you need to go, and it makes me excited.
• My daughter is going to learn how to read someday soon.
• When you build your life as a house of cards, it will fall down. It was only the illusion of grandeur to begin with.

I haven't (yet) died. I promise.

Posts may be sporadic this week: finals (for the last time!) means I have about 20-30 more pages to write before the week is out. Channeling almost all of my writing energies to finishing the thesis.

On the bright side: it's mother's day this weekend, and I get to spend some quality time with my beautiful daughter after I'm done writing like a fiend. And there's lot of celebratory stuff happening over the weekend; I'm stoked.

And the garden gets planted in a week. I brought Paige home these adorable little gardening tools from England - which she promptly compared to the gardening tools the Easter Bunny brought me... she's excited about playing in the dirt, too. It's at least week later than I normally plant outside... such is life.

And I graduate on the 19th! I'm picking up cap and gown over lunch today. This makes it so very real...

Also very much looking forward to some hardcore relaxation at the cabin over Memorial Day weekend. Especially excited about seeing my grandparent's newly built retirement home. They have worked so hard to build their dream, and they are finally getting to live it. I'm so delighted for them.

snowy white love killer

The florescent light above my desk is going out. It's blinking like a disco/strobe light, and giving me a nauseating headache. Grumble.

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I watched 4 episodes of Wonderfalls last night while unpacking the bathroom and assembling a new storage tower. Damn, that's a funny and well-written show. I have 2 episodes left to go; this makes me a little sad. Not that going back to Buffy is a tragedy -- just that I got attached to the characters. Ah well. Stupid Fox for canceling all the good programming. How does "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" outweigh solid writing?

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I haven't been eating real well. Moving, schoolwork, busy with deadlines... it's that "oh God, I forgot to eat" thing. I'm looking forward to Farmer's Market opening so I have an excuse for some delicious produce.

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Metroblogging got tagged with a Minnesota meme this week. Hoping the guys over at the Current (who we tagged) play along!

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Shout-out to Bremer Banks. I'm super-impressed with customer service there. And local banking to boot. I can't see how I'll go wrong with excellent customer service (from my bank!) as well as keeping my money as locally as I can.

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I repotted all the garden seedlings last night, too. Felt good to get my hands in some dirt; even if it was just over the kitchen sink. I'm so excited about getting into the garden plot mid-May and getting the peppers, tomatos, broccoli, cucumbers and zuchini I nursed from seeds into the ground, growing and happy.
It's the right weather to get excited about all this, too... 60s, milder (though much cloudier today than yesterday). Everything is starting to pop that lovely spring-green that's almost neon. I'm beginning to sniffle from tree pollen, but I always feel like spring allergies are worth it; it means I get to be outdoor Sarah again.

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Speaking of outdoor Sarah, the Jananaphone and I had a lovely brunch at Town Talk sunday and talked about how we're different in the summer (bikes, sundresses, getting tan, having to regularly shave.) FYI: you cannot beat a bloody mary garnished with a pickle wrapped in salami and herbed cream cheese. Brunchy bliss.