ooh---chicago. it sucked all my time away with its' mighty mighty lungs and i didn't even get close to a computer the whole week long. so here i am, tucked in quietly in bucolic moorpark again. i must admit.....i don't miss the big city at all. i can go without hot garbage smell and dirty sidewalks and smoky air. but of course i will miss the people that populate the city----namely my friends. hello friends.
and hello family! i am pleased as punch that melissa and brady (!) and ryan and nana are all beginning to get into the blogosphere. hopefully sisters and parents are not far behind....(hint hint). chicago was an absolute whirlwind of activity and non-activity hopelessly jumbled and i feel as if i need a vacation after my vacation. sleeping on a very hard mat on the ground is not something i reccomend incidentally. my neck is so much happier in the softness of my bed. i was back at work this morning at 6:00 a.m. sharp, blearly-eyed and brain-addled. thanksgiving was gluttonous just as it should be and aunt melissa's stuffing was an absolute smash. i made a tart apple pie that looked cartoonish and there was cranberry sauce and turkey and salsa (?!) and bread pudding and loads of other goodies. the sideboard was definantly groaning under the weight of the victuals (how is that for some dicksonian language?). i am now offically moved out of chicago--all the books are on their journey here along with a heavy winter coat that will be completely useless and various other things that i found too important to give away but now can not even remember what they are. nick and i had beautiful dreams of going to the art institute and listening to some jazz and eating brunch at one of our favourite restaurants. somehow....none of those things happened. but i did get to hang out with michelle and riley and emily and michael and jon b and bryan and katie and lindsey and the cuddly cats bulldozer and battleaxe. it was better than good to get some kitty love. dogs are cute and all but you really feel like a winner when a cat deems you important enough to like you. speaking of....i deem each and every one of you reading important enough to like you.