Wednesday, August 31, 2011

A Taste of Fall

School is back in session.  This is week two and already I feel like I'm buried sky high in stuff.  Papers to do, chapters to read and take notes, critiquing to be done.

It's a little overwhelming.  But I know I'll pull through.  I always do.

I got a small taste of fall yesterday.  It was cool in the morning when I went to school, with the sky that shade of blue that anticipates September and October.  You know what I'm talking about.  Not the worn out blue haze of summer or the faded and cold blue chill of winter, but that viberant alive blue that only fall can bring.

I love fall.

I love the homework, even when it's burying me.  I love the leaves changing.  I love the drinks and food that comes around, like butternut squash and stews and caramel apple cider.  I love sweaters and cool breezes.  I love knitting warm, long projects that are too hot to work on during the summer.

I love everything about fall.

Well, except for the snow, but that's another complaint.

So even while it's still too warm to wear my favorite argyle sweater, and even while I'm buried six feet under in papers, I know fall is coming.

Soon.  Soon. :)

~Meaghan

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Tired Post is Tired

I'm back in school.  And I'm working as the sample girl in the grocery store on the weekends.  And I'm juggling friends, family, boyfriend, and knitting ontop of it all.

I'm exhausted but happy.

More when I'm awake.

~Meaghan

P.S. - I am still alive, thank you for your concern. :)

Sunday, August 21, 2011

The Ice Cream Truck...

...is not allowed in our apartment complex.

Something about how it's considered loitering and soliciting.  Something about it being a nucience.

But whatever it is, there is no ice cream truck here.

And so summer ends without any chocolate eclair bars.

Good bye, summer.  I enjoyed you.

~Meaghan

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

School Starts Soon.

It starts next week.

I have everything together.  Books, paper, pens.  A new flash drive (purple, actually), my backpack organized.  Everything is ready to go.

Except me.

This summer has been amazing.  It's had its ups and its down, but for the most part it's been blissful.  I've knitted, read, written drabbles, shopped and ate with friends, and spent time with my family.  I fell in love.  I learned what it was to lose.

And now the summer is gone.

It was worth it.  Every bit of it.

I just have to get my mind set on school again.  I know that once it starts, I'll be fine.  I'll love it and be content.  But for now, it's hard for me to get prepared for it.

Ah well.  I intend to enjoy the rest of the week. 

After all, school starts soon.

~Meaghan

Monday, August 15, 2011

Inspiration.

I have a sinus infection.

A nasty, gross sinus infection.  The kind that makes my head and teeth ache and my brain feel like it's going to explode.

So, I'm lying on the couch, trying to sleep, when all of a sudden...

I get a great idea for a poem.  Naturally, it's the one time I don't have pen or paper next to me.  So I get up, grab a pen, grab some paper, and jot it down.

(In case anyone is wondering, this is why I sleep with notebooks on my bed.  You never know when inspiration will appear.)

Sadly, nap is out of the question.  I now feel awake.

Yay for writing.

~Meaghan

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Baking Madness.

I got a cookbook at the bookstore the other day.  It's filled with cupcakes, mini cakes, mini pies, and sweet breads.  And it was under three dollars when it was all said and done; my sweet boyfriend even bought it for me.

It's the first cookbook that is mine, and mine alone.  So naturally, I want to make things out of it.

Earlier this week, I took a stab at making chocolate peppermint cupcakes.  They puffed up and then sank like a popped souffle.  I took the remainder of the batter and made a single layer cake out of it.  While it didn't fall like the cupcakes did, it was dense and heavy. 

Now, the chocolate peppermint frosting was really good.  I kept it.

Today, I decided to try making a different type of cupcake.  I followed high altitude directions and made something I knew my mom would love - red velvet cupcakes.  (After all, she's being really nice in letting me use her supplies and kitchen to chase down my crazy baking goals.)

They turned out beautifully!

They are fluffy, the right shade of red, perfectly domed on top.  They didn't stick badly.  They taste wonderful.

But then I made frosting.  Pink, sugary, frosting.

Yeah, that didn't turn out too well.  I frosted like five cupcakes and then threw the frosting away.  It was waaay too sweet.

But it's all a learning experience.  And in a few days, I'm going to make different cupcakes again. :)

~Meaghan

Friday, August 5, 2011

Happiness Is....

~ A glass of Blue Moon and a burger

~ A meal my mom made

~ Warm, gooey brownies

~ Iced coffee with just the right amount of cream and sugar

~ A gentle kiss that speaks more than words ever could

~ A sunset on a fall day

~ Running through fall leaves and crunching as many as possible

~ Sweaters

~ Laughing until you cry at something completely ridiculous

~ Crying until you laugh

~ Holding hands with someone you love as you walk anywhere

~ Key lime pie and an iced tea

~ Watching kids wonder at little things

~ Spending time with your family at home after a long week of constantly going

~ Sleeping wrapped in multiple blankets in a cold room

~ Flip flops

~ Ice cream cones during a hot summer day

~ The feeling of accomplishment that comes with knowing you gave it all it was worth

~ Inside jokes with people you care about

~ Popcorn balls

~ Petting a dog and watching the tail action

~ Knitting the perfect gift for someone

~ Mastering a new skill, even if you never use it again

~ Playing board games all night long

~ Play-dough

~ Writing a new poem

~ A pack of new ink pens

~ Fresh paper, ready to be marked up

~ School supplies

~ The first day of school

~ Peppermint ice cream

~ The smells of Christmas

~ The feeling of security with the ones you love

~ Painting your nails for the first time in a long time

~ Dressing up just because you want to

~ Lazy summer days spent in the shade

~ The kind of lemonade you only get at fairs

~ Hot dogs that snap when you eat them

~ Seeing wildlife along the side of the road as you drive through

~ Taking the scenic route instead of the freeway

~ Shopping for yarn and taking all the time in the world to do so

~ Laughing so hard you snort

~ Knowing that no matter what, you will always be loved

~ Watching as someone opens a gift you made for them that they love

~ Baking on a winters day

~ Building a snowman

~ Having a grown-up snowball fight

~ Going to bed early because you can

~ Going to bed late because you can

~ Sleeping in and having a lazy morning

~ Spur of the moment road trips and plans

~ The way clean sheets feel when you go to bed

~ Finding and reading a really great book

~ The moment when inspiration hits and you are overcome with a passion to write

~ Making a wish on the first star you see

~ Going out and staring at the stars

~ Fishing with your dad, even if you only catch trash

~ Mushroom hunting in the woods

~ Exploring a new area and pretending you're in Narnia

~ Camping

~ Burning marshmallows

~ Fresh cut grass

~ Planting a garden

~ Playing with a garden hose

~ Sledding down a really big hill

~ Making soup from scratch

~ Singing along with the radio at the top of your lungs

~ Giggling with your sister over ridiculous things no one else would get

~ Making each day count for something

There are so many more, but I don't have room to list them all.  Go out, dear readers, and find what makes you happy.  It is completely worth it. :)

~Meaghan

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

August!

It's August, ladies and gentlemen.  August.  I can hardly believe it.  Where has this summer gone?

School starts in like two weeks.  Today, I'm going with Trevor to get books.  I have all my other supplies ready to go, all the other things that I need - paper, pens, folders, notebooks.  Once I get the books, it will be official.

I'm ready for school to start, but in a way, I wish summer could last forever.  I have truly had the best summer imaginable.

But I think fall is going to be great too.

Here's to moving forward. 

~Meaghan