3 things I've tried hard to like, but just don't...

1. Herbal tea

Maybe it was the childhood tea parties, grand events headed up by Shirley the Great (my grandmother who loves all things British) Maybe it's the fact that I don't drink coffee but still want to sip on something in a chic coffee house with my girlfriends, or perhaps the allure of beautiful teapots and teacups. I really want to like herbal tea. The names are pretty, the ingredients sound delightful. I repeatedly try them and my nose instantly wrinkles in disappointment. I know you tea drinkers out there are thinking I haven't tried the right kind, or I steeped too long or short, or I need to find the right amount of sugar and/or cream, but I'm telling you, no matter how dolled up (I've done tea time at the Ritz Carlton- THAT was cool), no matter what kind, there is a distinct taste of dried grass under the Mandarin, raspberry, blah blah flavor the package proclaims. I really want to like it, but I'll stick with hot chocolate, of which I am a connoisseur.

2. Running

You know that feeling when your heart is beating in time with your feet pounding the pavement. Fresh air moving freely in and out your lungs, a great song playing through your ipod that pushes you to new heights, the adrenilin is flowing and you just feel free? Well I DON'T! I'd like to, I know that everyone is suppose to have this goal of doing a marathon, or triathalon, but I have not the slightest interest in even a 5k. I like hiking, particularly in a beautiful place with beautiful friends, taking a walk, swimming, a bike ride (if I didn't feel ridiculous in a helmet) but I just can't do the running thing.

3. The Office

I have several good friends who are now writing me out of their wills. I'm really very sorry. I've tried, and I admit, I chuckle now and then, but it's mostly to fill the awkward silence. Maybe I don't relate because I've never worked in a cubical jungle. It's just too dry for me. So dry in fact that I'm willing to try and wash it down with another cup of herbal tea.

Whatcha Reading?

I love a good book, but a long time ago I lost the patience for reading so-so books. For me a book has to grab me fast so I have a 50 page rule. I have read the first 5o pages of many books, an author has that amount of my time to get me interested. Here is one set of books that passed my 5o page challenge with flying colors. Even James likes these books, and that's saying something!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (a 3 book series, the last one comes out later this summer)

Summer! At Last!

I LOVE summer. My favorite season by far, if we move back to Phoenix, I might have to change my favorite to Spring, but in Western Washington, spring is wet and grey for the most part, as was the 4th of July. But here on the 6th of July summer is finally here.

The front door is open and Adrienne is sitting on the steps while James is sawing and hammering and trying to finnish our front columns. With the windows open there is a perfect breeze flowing through and I smell someone bbq-ing and hear a lawn mower in the distance. AAAhhhhh, finally summer!

A few of my favorite things about summer:

boating up in the San Juan Islands

flip flop suntan lines

homeade blackberry icecream

watching cute freckles appear accross the bridge of Adri's nose

James making ribs, steaks, salmon or anything else out on the grill

ahhhhh summer in Seattle- all 6-8 weeks of it.

oh, and smores, and of course garage sales. think I've mentioned those before.