Cooking the heart

It is amazing how much food and cooking go along with life. What I mean is, how cooking a certain meal can make you feel great, or feel gross, or feel guilty, or whatever other feelings you feel while eating. Food invokes emotion. I can't eat a quesadilla without thinking about my Abuelita, or sausage without thinking of dad, and Rice pilaf of Mom and holiday meals. It is nearly impossible to eat a crawfish without reminiscing about childhood crawfish boils (my first memory) and beer and sun in college.
Cooking denotes care as well. Soup when you are sick, a fancy meal for a special occasion, meals for new parents...we do it out of care. To nurture and love. Taking the time to prepare a meal for someone is giving a bit of yourself.
Lately I have turned to cooking as a time to slow down and rest. It has also been a wonderful comfort to me. Last weekend after a long week, Dad met me with a cooler full of crawfish. That night I sat at my table, paper towels nearby, beer in hand, G love playing as the skies dumped rain and the alarms sounded. It felt like home. All felt ok for the moment. The smell of a roasting chicken takes the sting out the phone call from Bed Bad and Beyond inquiring about your registry, and the zillionth email from Martha Stewart Wedding (btw, if you register anywhere they sell your name, so you get every wedding related thing ever. beware). Lunch of homemade risotto makes the windowless cubicle feel a bit more homey.

Such is the case today. I had a lovely day in Waverly at the Old 280 Boogie. I sat in the sun, drank beer, listened to music, hung out with friends and bought some T-shirts. My kind of day. As I was swaying my head to the beat, I saw Scott's brother, Jake and his girlfriend (fiance?) and his cousin. I was genuinely glad to see them so we chatted a bit and hugged a bit and laughed a bit. I told them the story of dancing with Scott in the Print shop last May, and wanting him to ask me on a date so badly. It was a nice surprise.

On the way home, sunburned and exhausted, I began to sadden. Scott and I planned to go to the festival this year, and we had such a fun time last time. At some point, we talked about how that night was the one that made us both really dig each other. The people I saw today were to be my family. So I got home, showered and headed to the kitchen. Dinner was (semi) Homemade spaghetti sauce with buffalo meat. Delicious and filling and comforting. Good, fresh ingredients and a tried and true recipe. It warmed me. My sadness has softened to a dull ache. Thankfully.

I will leave you with a recipe. This has been requested since I posted about it last week. It is a meal that was redemptive for me in so many ways, so seems fitting to post tonight, when I need reminding that God doesn't leave me.

Risotto with Fried Egg
from Apples for Jam

3 tablespoons butter ( I prefer unsalted)
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Shallots ( i used a 1/2 cup chopped white onion)
1 and 2/3 cup risotto rice
1/2 cup White Wine (I used White wine vinegar, and it was a bit tart, but the eggs help with that, as well as the cheese)
4 cups hot Vegetable Broth
Freshly grated nutmeg (didn't have so used Herbs deProvence)
Salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Grana cheese
About 8 fresh sage leaves
4 eggs, at room temperature
Grated Parm cheese to serve
Freshly ground black pepper to serve

Heat half the butter and 2 tbs of oil in a heavy bottomed pan suitable for risotto ( I used a large saucepan). Saute the shallots over low heat until light gold and then stir in the rice with a wooden spoon. Stir for a few minutes to completely coat the rice and let it cook just a bit. Add the wine, and when it has evaporated, add all of the broth. Add a few good grinds of nutmeg and taste for salt (broth is probably seasoned enough). Simmer uncovered over high heat for about 15 minutes, or until the rice has completely absorbed much of the liquid (you will need to stand around stirring it pretty frequently). If it seems it needs a bit more liquid, add some hot water. Remove from heat and stir in remaining butter and the Parmesan cheese. Taste for salt, adjusting if necessary. Leave with the lid on so that the steam continues to cook the rice.
Heat the remaining oil in a nonstick frying pan and briefly fry the sage leaves until crisp. Remove with tongs. Gently break the eggs into the pan and sprinkle a bit of salt on the yokes (I must recommend fresh farm eggs...there is really no better tasting, smoother egg). Cook until the edges of the white are a bit golden. Cover the pan with a lid and fry until yokes are just slightly opaque on the surface but still soft on the inside (they are best when the undersides are golden and a bit crisp).
Scoop the rice onto serving plates and top each serving with an egg and couple of sage leaves, being careful not to break the yoke. Serve with a sprinking of Parmesan and a few grinds of black pepper.

I served this with a side of asparagus and a few pieces of bacon. It was wonderful. Sweet, tart, salty, creamy. The Asparagus shined and the bacon was a wonderful, sweet counter to the tart risotto. Enjoy!

Alabama the Beautiful

I don't know how much longer I will stay in Alabama. I have a year long lease, so at least another 11 months, but after that...who knows where God and my life will take me?

Because of this, I have vowed to take the next 11 months to see Alabama. Do Alabama. I am going to treat our lovely state as though I were a tourist. I don't want to leave (IF) and miss out on all of the wonderful events and places and foods and people of the place I have called home for the past 5 years.

I started today. CJ and I started out about 9am. We drove to York to see The Coleman Center for the Art, a small gallery smack in the middle of a little town (run by 2 people whose last name is Munoz!!). Alas, there was no exhibit, so we peaked into the window and explored York. Did you know that there is a Progressive Childrens College of Common Sense? According to this article, it is "which will serve as a launching pad for a preschool education program". That is one hell of a name!

Downtown York (also see the above article) is lovely, with everything from a beautiful basket weaving shop, stained glass and mosiac studio to a store called "the Watch ma call it" shop, where CJ spotted 'Nsync dolls, right next to vintage vases. We also spotted what we think is a bike shop, and a blues bar in the midst of renovation. Took some great pictures of bldgs and the train (which I considered jumping on and seeing where I end up...). all in all, a cool little place that I would never have seen but am glad that I did.

By the way, York is called "The City on the Move.".

Back in the car to drive another hour through small towns and past farms and cottages and struggling communities to Faunsdale...for a Crawfish boil! I grew up on Crawfish, and eating them is comfort food for me. We hunkered down on overturned milk crates and ate etouffe, boiled crawfish and beer. Wandered, listened to conversations as well as BAD country music (has it gotten worse lately?...it was gross). Then we did what probably looked funny to everyone there. We pulled out books, found a shady shop a bit hidden away took off our shoes (I had another fire ant incident, so was itching and stinging like crazy. sigh.) and read. We had our beer, we were reading books and we were happy. It was great. Stayed for a few hours and hopped back into the car home. We both lament the fact that they had not set up the mechanical bull yet, we had dressed accordingly!

On the way home, CJ introduced me to Northport and we stopped in the Kentuck studio and perused the wares. I am learning the the art community in Alabama is large and varied, but a small, interconnected community. Very cool. The drive home was stunning, with small farms and cows lounging all around us. The interstate was flanked on both sides by a lovely rose colored plant. I came home exhausted but happy.

First day of Year of Tourism: successful. Tomorrow: Old 280 boogie in Waverly, AL. This is year 2 for me and I LOVE this festival. Waverly is a cool town with great people and a kick ass festival. Check out Standard Deluxe print shop and eat at The Yellow Hammer. A 2 hour drive that is well worth the drive.

So here we go. I have some places in my mind (Rural Studio, Tannehill, Kentuck festival, Black Warrior River, Ava Maria Grotto, etc, etc), but I clearly do not know all the secrets that Alabama has to hold.

Are there places you want to go? Somewhere you have been or heard of? Somewhere that I simply must go? Please tell me! I will probably be chronicling my trips and experiences here. I know that I will not get to them all, but I am sure going to try.

This keeps popping to my head as I write this,
"If you can't be with the one you love, honey, love the one your with."

Help! I need somebody...

To help me build these shelves. I have a wall this is crying out for them. I will provide supplies, and BEER (or whatever else you want...within reason).



Oh won't someone please come to my rescue?

picture from Apartment Therapy.

creeps please do not apply. There are no 'special benefits' from doing this. FYI

Oh my

I just found this. A cottage. for rent. In Cali. On a Farm. with a garden.

Someone tell me that I DO NOT need to fly out there to see it. Quickly.

Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose

Here are a few things that I have noticed lately:

1. If you live alone and oversleep, no one is around to wake you up. You just keep sleeping. Then you are late for work. Again.

2. There is a lot of emphasis on the word Are in my life right now. An example:

Me: hello
them: Oh hi. How are you?
Me: I'm ok
them: Are you? That's great, that's really great. I'm praying for you every day and sacrificing things on your behalf...that is how much of a good person I am. Are you sure you're ok?
Me: Well, besides the fact that people seem to have forgotten that English is my first language, so they don't have to talk slowly...I'm ok. Thanks for asking. Oh, and stop telling me all the time that you are praying for me. It is freaking me out.


or something like that.

3. Men look at breasts first. They just do. I have accepted it. I think that if I went to another planet, and they had an arm in the middle of their head, I would look at it all the time. I think it's sort of like that.

4. The Beatles are awesome. I don't know how I went my whole life without truly grasping this.

5. Fresh food is better. Better tasting and better for you.

6. I don't like women who find their whole identity in their children. I hope that if/when I have some, that I can talk to people about other things and not parade them around as though they are a new handbag, making them do tricks and hug everyone they see. I do not need your kid to hug me. Please don't say "Give Miss Elisa a hug". Don't get me wrong, I love kids and hugging kids...but your kid hugging me is not going to make my life better. Especially when they are being forced to do it. They are not prostitutes...stop treating them as though they are. Hug Miss Elisa and get a treat...gross

7. I love my apartment. It just happened. One day I came home and realized that I really love it.

8. I have great friends. Even when I feel alone, I know that. I wish that everyone had a community that is as wonderful as mine. truly.

9. People read stupid stuff. I look at our bestsellers and am amazed at how much crap is on it. utterly useless, inane crap. The book equivalent of reality TV.

10. I will do anything to avoid working on my screenplay.

Weekend round-up

I missed last week, and this one is late. My apologies for all of you who wait every week with baited breath to see just how I spend the Saturdays of my life.

This weekend, I was kind of a bad-ass. I mean, in my own little way.

Friday, I tried to script. Didn't go so well, so I slept instead. Don't worry, the bad-assy-ness is coming up...

Saturday I went and scripted in the morning. I actually wrote this time. Then CJ and I went to Brookside, AL for the Brookside Greenway Festival. CJ was treated like a celebrity...which meant that I was as well. (She used to report on that small town and made them feel important and cared about, which is a beautiful gift that she has. They see her as a female Ricky Bragg around those parts!). We heard about the history and then...went on a canoe ride (see what a bad ass I am?!). We canoed the mile easily, and decided toward the end that we didn't want it to be over, so we should probably turn around and go against the stream. We also planned a canoe trip for May 10 (more on that later), and another one with one of the owners (I told you they love her) for after a big rain. A 10 mile trip. I can't wait.
Then we milled around a bit, and decided to get out of the rain and go to O'Henry's. I love this place. I didn't realize how much I love it until this weekend. It has the coolest vibe (and Fred from Lasers edge still has his own drink named after him there, which I totally dug), and is comfortable and welcoming. After some coffee, it was on to the bike shop, where I shopped and my friend flirted. I bought a rack and headlight and taillight (finally! no more prayerful rides home at night on Montevallo road). Went home, rested and showered...then went back to OHenry's for more scripting with another friend.
Sunday, I got up and had coffee and french toast. Sat on the stoop a while, then decided to go for a quick little bike ride. An hour later I returned home, dehydrated, covered in mud and exhausted, but thrilled. I had, in the span of the hour, become a biker. I biked hills, I flipped off rude drivers, I carried my bike over a stream, I dashed in and around puddles, I rode over rocks and grass. In short, I was a bad ass.
On to church, after a quick shower. yes, that's right-church. The place I had been avoiding since Scott's death (and honestly for some time before that). It was time. And you know what...it felt like coming home. The place had changed and I didn't feel totally at home, but I was loved and knew that one day it would fit better. again. It was very hopeful. Plus, I really, really missed the music. Also met with a building guy about the garden I am going to make on the rooftop patio. I am very excited and hopeful about that. Now I need to get a proposal together, some volunteers, a long term plan...yikes. Oh, and some plants. I think it is going to be a healing, life-giving thing for me.
Then I went home and went to bed. Slept like a baby.
Today I biked for my first time across a busy intersection (on 31) back to the bike shop to have my rack and water bottle put on. I am ready. You may never see me in my Mini again...

Well, off to bed. Or to script. Probably bed...

You light the fire, I'll place the flowers in the vase that we bought today

As most reader know by now, I am in a home-changing frenzy. Because of this, I pore over decorating magazines and check websites obsessively. Today I thought that I would post some of my favorite images. I am supposed to look at these and decide what my style is. Any ideas how to describe this? I am looking for repeating elements, colors, patterns and shapes

I am sure I would never have insomnia in this bedroom


Some of these outside my window would be just lovely

.
With a room like this as an office/workroom...


This as a dining nook:


The outside looking a bit like this birdhouse, but with many, many, many more windows...and a porch. Ok, maybe just use this as a birdhouse!


Live here instead:

can't you just picture it. With some big curtains to be drawn back every morning? sigh.

On this street (but in Cali!). This picture reminds me of You've Got Mail. "If I knew who you are, I would buy you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils".


These growing outside on my patio, perhaps on the bistro table where I eat breakfast every morning


My T-shirts organized just so, as opposed to crammed in every closet, in my dresser, top of the closet, USPS bins...


Zebra print underfood, maybe in the living room?


And these little goats in the backyard...and in my bike basket. Maybe my obsession with local food and goat cheese has gotten a little out of hand...I have named one of them Pabst




Pictures come from Apartmenttherapy.com and I Suwanee.

Termites and crack...or Elisa's First day of Spring

Yesterday was a good day. Got a ton done at work, although never as much as I hope. My friend let me borrow his car as mine is still in the shop, the sun was shining. Scott's family came for a little visit and brought me the rest of my new bedroom furniture (before and after pics soon), and I planned to have CJ over for a new recipe (a rendition of Urban Standard's Orzo pasta salad) and a beer to celebrate Spring the start of Kitchn: The Cure, which we are both participating it. And, she and I signed up for a veggie CSA with Grow Alabama. All good things to celebrate!

I get home and start to cook. Tender Orzo boiling on the stove, beer freshly opened, when I notice a little bug. I thought "Well, that's what you get when you cook with the door open" and killed it. Then I noticed another...and another. I determined that they were coming from the water heater closet. I opened it up to find TERMITES! EVERYWHERE! There was a crazy swarm of them. I instantly freaked out and started doing an insane "get the hell away from me" dance and armed myself with the only chemical left in my house: bleach. I sprayed them as though they were out to kill, yelling things like I hope this burns your soft, soft underbellies (what!?)and You will not ruin my Easter!!. About this time CJ came in. Witnessing my meltdown, she quickly decided we must go out to eat. On our way to a Mexican joint for Guac, we saw Nabeels...and quickly pulled in.
It was wonderful. We feasted on stuffed grape leaves and feta, Taramasalata dip (the aptly named 'crack' dish of caviar and greek yogurt) and fried potatoes. Accompanied by wine of course. My termite problems were soon forgotten in an hour long conversation about food (seriously, we talked food for an hour). We dissected the flavors and nuances of each item and their pairings and potential. It was refreshing. It was also decided that we now must start a tradition of Greek food on the First Day of Spring. After literally eating the dip with our fingers after running out of crudites, we decided it might be time to go home....to the TERMITES.
they had all perished in a chemical induced frenzy and lay waste on my kitchen floor. A quick run with the vaccuum and the evidence was gone.
This easily could have been my undoing. I am just starting to like the apartment, and this incident could have turned me off of my kitchen and my home completely. But it didn't. I cleaned up, drank and beer and laughed about it. After Ant Wars 2008, termites are a breeze.
When I got to work today and told my 'cellmate' about it, a coworker from a few cubes away piped up "When are you going to call someone about getting your hex removed". I need to get on that...

A visual of the horror:

Tales of a dissatisfied apartment dweller...and her semi-famous dinner

Check me out on Apartment Therapy.com! Look here to see my dinner fixins. (I am elisaruth under Good Links). I am participating in The Cure, an 8 week apartment overhaul and re-do. This weeks assignments were (are) long and laborious. They are: Clean kitchen top to bottom, cook one homemade meal (see pic), clean out pantry and fridge, buy fresh flowers, make an outboz and clear one horizontal space. Oh yeah, and run your hands over every wall in the house, moving the furniture and all. The author has very interesting ideas for why all of these things are important, and so far they are actually making a difference. You can check out the book on Amazon. It is different from most decorating/organizing books in that you focus on doable goals and only do what you can afford and want.

So far I have: cooked, cleaned out pantry and fridge and 1/2 of the kitchen. Tonight I am tackling the oven and plan to try out an all natural cleaner of baking soda and water. Week one had me buying fresh flowers, scrubbing the floors, and replacing with all natural cleaners. Lucky for me I went all natural a year ago.

This program is intended to kick start you into living in and loving your apartment. That is more difficult than it seems because they are often so temporary and big changes are impossible. You have to work with what you have. I am re-doing the bedroom, painting it next week and getting some more new (free!) furniture tomorrow.

As I have said, the part of my house I love the most is the kitchen that leads out to the back door. The breeze comes through and natural light shines right onto the island I pull out. Plus, my homegrown herbs and compost pile are a step away.

What is your favorite part of your home? Why?

Weeds sprout through, dark green enough to be blue

Random thoughts on a sleepy night.
I should be at The Spots show. I have been looking forward to it for a long time. Yet, here I am, in my PJs in front of my computer. Many reasons for this. I am exhausted (today was the first 'this is what your job is going to look like after the downsizing', and it is busy). I also attended a wedding today! My dear friend Wesley was married to Deanna today on St. Patricks day, which we lovingly refer to as "Wesley's Valentines Day". It was lovely. Only about 25 of us and Wes, in his green shirt and tie, smiling like a Cheshire cat and Deanna giggling and looking beautiful. It was not as hard as I imagined a wedding would be, but it wasn't easy. I kept thinking things like "Oh, that is what I was planning" and "I want this".
The Spots were the band that I was planning on having play at my wedding. I didn't realize how that affected my decision not to go until now, as I sit here with tears streaming down my face. Not necessarily bad tears, just tears of loss. They are much less frequent, but still there. sigh. I plan to make it to their next show, as they are my favorite live show. Fantastic and fun and intimate, no matter how many people are in the room. They create a great vibe. It was probably just the vibe I need tonight! ;)

On another note, check out this blog: Spitball Army. CJ introduced me to it after he wrote a post about Bicycling. I am hooked. It is funny and smart and intelligent (those are two different things) and very sharp. Also quite informative. You can tell that he is interested in a lot and appreciates many things. Not to mention that he is now (along with BTM and JN and CJ) one of the people I want standing next to me as I buy a new cd. His love and knowledge of music is contagious and oozes out of most everything he writes. Go there. Now. Don't even finish this post...it is just as rambly as the last 50!

I have noticed that I have visitors from all over the country looking at the blog. That is strange to me. Do I know you? How do you find this? I guess the same way that I find random blogs...it is different when it is just my little blog.

I am in the midst of an apartment overhaul. This is all an attempt to create a sense of home here. I realized last week that this is the only apartment that I have ever had that did not have a boy attached to it somehow. This one is all me. I like that. No one to consider when decorating, no memories attached to painting, or hanging drapes. Only the memories of my community coming together to get me settled in my new home when nothing else was settled. Truly. Anna organized the kitchen, David and John hung pictures, Chris hung my drapes, CJ helped me decide if the color organized bookshelves were a good idea, Carrie helped me throw away spoons that needed to be tossed (long story). Everyone helped me with trucks and muscles with all 3 of my moves (3!). Now it is me and I am really starting to like it. i love that my kitchen has a back door, so everyday I cook with the door open and a neighborhood cat, Rascal, comes and sits on the patio and lounges in the sun. 2 dogs come by every day to sniff what is cookin. I have a compost pile and 2 garden that are open canvases for my imagination. This is home and I like it. Despite the circumstances that brought me here, I like it. One day I really think I will love it.

Comfortably Numb

I have settled into a little routine lately that seems to be helping me survive and maybe, just maybe, enjoy things a bit. I have always been a bit of a routine person (hello, OCD), but my life has been such that a routine never really works. Unless you count drama and chaos as a routine (in which case I am very practiced!). Even growing up I did not have much sameness. We moved a lot, my mother worked retail and my dad changed jobs pretty often. I cannot tell you how many houses I lived in growing up. To some extent I enjoy this fact…I can adjust to change, make friends easily, etc.

College was always a move, a boy, a changed major, working, classes, partying (something I learned well from my folks). Never a routine. I know people who have always had Red Beans and Rice on Mondays, without fail. Or who spend every Sunday morning with their coffee and a book. I have never been that person…until now. ( This is where I originally planned to post my routine, but it was long and probably boring. I may post it later, as this blog has become like the journal I don’t keep that I like to look back on. ) Suffice it to say, my day includes coffee, praying, working, reading, cooking, gardening, cleaning. Occasional walks or bike rides. Everyday, although a bit different, has the same structure to it. It is quiet and safe and comfortable and sometimes even calming.

I do often have friends over or do something fun, but the routine just shifts a bit. I know what my days will look like and that is safe and nice. Safe has become my mantra, my thing. Who knows how long this will stay for. I am not particularly enjoying anything, but am settling in to my life as it is now. Not happy, but not as gut-wrenchingly sad as much. Those days seem to be lessening. Not gone, but not as life defining. I look forward to longer days, more sun, more mojitos and guacamole, more fresh veggies and relaxing company. I am hopeful for spring, hopeful for change, hopeful for hope. What else is there besides Hope? That's the thing.

The Tree of Life my soul hath seen

The most beautiful pictures I have seen in quite some time.

Caleb Melese Treadwell and his parents. Welcome to our community Caleb. We love you already.

Weekend round-up

I really enjoy these weekend round ups. They make me slow down and realize why I enjoy weekends. This was the end of Feb and the start of March. In Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady it says
"In February, if thou hearest thunder, thou shalt see a summer wonder".

This summer is going to be pretty wonderful if that is the case.

Back to my weekend:

Friday night, after a long week of moving, having the flu, packing Scott's things, etc...I was ready for a pretty calm night. My friend Carla came over for beer and pesto and we gossiped, talked, ranted about politics and generally had a great time. Later, Carrie and John came over and we did more of the aforementioned talking. Good times.

Saturday I awoke to the sun streaming in my bedroom. Oh Happy Spring Day! Put on jeans and a Tshirt. Went outside, turned around and changed into a skirt. It was starting out wonderfully! I sat outside at Starbucks and enjoyed the sun and cappuccino (I have recently begun a love affair with foam). Afterwards, I went and had a massage by Matthew (at Richard Joseph Salon Spa). I am new to massages, but I can tell you that Matthew is wonderful. I felt better instantly. Relaxed and mellow, I thought I would do some gardening. Thus began Ant Wars 2008. My feet are covered in ant bites, and I have poisoned the ground so that no one in Birmingham should drink the water...but I have no more ants! There was lots of cursing and dancing to get rid of the ants that were climbing my legs and arms...the ground was literally teeming with the bastards when I pulled up a rotten plant. yuck. Plant shopping and bookstore reading followed, as well as my introductions to Flight of the Concords. Anyone seen this? It is funny in a weird way, but i enjoyed it. To bed early. Good day.

Sunday: MORE SUNSHINE! Hopped out of bed, threw on a skirt, shirt and helmet and took off on the cruiser back to Starbucks. My community of friends seem to all congregate there on Sunday mornings, so it was nice and usual and comfortable. Rode home, stopped by the grocery store...I fit 4 bags of groceries in the basket and hanging of the handlebars...very wobbly, scary ride home. In a skirt.
Went to the garden, where I proceeded to spend 2.5 hours pulling weeds, raking, hand tilling, ant annihilating and herb planting. I am sunburned and exhausted. Exactly as I had hoped. Cooked a yummy fresh veggie meal, read some and now am finishing off my Teen Book Sunday read "Kind Dork" (highly recommended). About as good a Sunday as I can ask for right now.

Whew...I need to get to bed early. Keeping my finders cross for an insomnia free night. Those of you with the gift of sleep, say a little thank you tonight to God. those of you who don't ...call me, I am sure I will be up.
If you made it to the end of this insanely detailed post, thanks. Was your weekend good? I hope next weekend is as lovely as this was. And less ant-bitten! To Spring!!! And sleep!

How do you arrange your books?

This is an interesting question, posed here by Apartment Therapy.
I arrange mine in a crazy way that only I understand. It is by meaning (to me). all of my beautiful, family heirloom books go on the top shelf, followed by big books like dictionaries. Next shelf is to read shelf. 3rd shelf down is favorites, in order by their meaning. Very meaningful books (Blue Like Jazz, White Oleander, Survivor) in the center, working outwards from there. Bottom shelf is books that I know I want to reread, but are not tried and true favorites.

All of my childrens and teen books are on a separate bookshelf, as are the 'Christian' books that I bought but will probably never read. These shelves are done by whether they were mine or my families as children, or if I picked them up at a used book store (it is an addiction, I just can't let a good children's or YA book sit on a shelf). From there it is by favorite and, occasionally, by size...those tall ones only fit on the top shelf.

I should also add that my father made these bookshelves the week I was born, so they hold plenty of memories themselves. (NOTE: HE DID NOT MAKE THE ONES IN THE PICTURE, ONLY THE ONES IN MY HOUSE, I DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THESE BUT THEY ARE LOVELY...PLEASE DON'T SUE ME) I also have books on tables, in closets, under table, in baskets, in the kitchen...

So, I leave that question with you...how do you arrange your books?

I was a gypsy lost in the Twilight Zone

The racial makeup of the city is 98.64% White, 0.31% Black or African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.22% from two or more races. 0.58% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. 68.0% are married couples living together, 5.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% are non-families. 22.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.9% have someone living alone
The median income for a household in the city is $100,483, and the median income for a family is $122,647. Males have a median income of $100,000 versus $39,770 for females. The per capita income for the city is $59,085. 2.9% of the population and 1.9% of families are below the poverty line.

From the MountainBrookAl website

This makes me throw up a little in my mouth. It is just so safe. and pretty. Neither of which I normally chose. Here's to change.

However, my new little apartment in very cute and small. I can walk or ride a bike to 2 coffee shops, a grocery store, post office, pharmacy, bookstore, bank, pizza joint and shops that I can't (and shouldn't) shop in.

I am trying safety on for size. Both physical and emotional.