cookoorikoo

a (near) perfect weekend

the weather was perfect

i baked a cake

made a ton of stuff and listed some new things in the shop

finally designed gift certificates for the shop

watched a sweet movie

stopped by angel food bakery and circa ceramics

had a stranger compliment me on my necklace that kateri made me

and hung out with shawn

the not so perfect part... my aunt vi passed away. its sad - even though it really seems like it was time. she was awesome but now i like to think she's with her truly incredibly husband, len. she was fun at weddings and was always kind. and she made really great homemade pasta. so, i'll miss her.

l'shana tova

shana tova by kim carter

working at a synagogue is never easy. its hard even on the good days. the high holy days are the hardest though. but it is the one time of year that i see measurable results. it sometimes feels like i'm staging a large production and on opening night, erev rosh hashanah, i can breathe a little easier. i don't completely relax until its yom kippur. so, if you don't hear from me, know that i'm wishing you a very sweet year, and that i'll be back soon.

isn't she lovely?

i met the lovely and talented mati rose on saturday. and she is as nice as her blog makes her seem. i've admired her work forever so it was really nice to meet her. and we traded and i ended up with this charming elephant print. yay!

big trees + shawn = big fun

step what?

i case you didn't know, i consider myself a lucky, lucky girl and my dad is one of the reasons i think that. he married my mom when i was 5 years old. he took on the role of dad with the greatest of ease. he was there through everything. brownies and marching band. purple hair dye and questionable boyfriends. teaching me to drive and walking me down the aisle. he loves shawn. he loves my mom. and he loves me.

two years ago, i had to have surgery to remove a lump in my breast. i held off telling my parents until the surgery was actually scheduled. i was fairly certain it was nothing and i didn't want them worrying about me for weeks. i told my mom first. she said she'd tell my dad. when she did she explained that it was probably nothing and that we don't have a history of breast cancer in our family. he started to argue with her and pointed out that his cousin has breast cancer and what about so and so... my mom, puzzled, just looked at him. he had completely forgotten that we're not actually blood related. i know, right? best. dad. ever. both my mom and i are lucky, lucky girls.

deep in the heart

i guess i've spent so much time longing for new orleans that i'd forgotten about my love of austin. being there was fantastic. i was worried that it would've changed enormously in 7.5 years. not so much. large areas remain almost exactly the same. las manitas may be gone but magnolia remains so breakfast tacos and migas were consumed many times. bookpeople is still as great as i remember it and amy's mexican vanilla ice may have been even more delicious than i remember. and seeing caroline and greg was awesome. it was hot and sunny and the sky is still enormous. its not something i actually think i could explain but there is a vastness that you don't get here, or really anywhere. i hope to see it again soon.

like an old pair of blue jeans

mommie dearest

dearest diane,

everyone has heard from me about the many, many ways in which lucy rocks. i think its your turn.

1. you are generous. you told me a story today about a family in suttons bay. the mom, who basically ran their dairy farm, got pregnant in her 40s with twins. she was put on bed rest and with 5 sons and a farm to run, that wasn't really going to work. you went every morning and milked the cows and cooked breakfast for the boys. seriously mom, there aren't many people who would give of themselves in that way.  you don't seem to think it was a big deal at all.
2. you are funny. oh so very, very funny. my friends have always adored being around you. i remember when you met steve jay. he needed to get home and pack. it was late and he was supposed to move to boston the next day to be with jen. we went out for a quick dinner and he was just going to stop in an say hi and be on his way. 3 hours later, with tears of laughter running down his face, he finally left. he probably would stayed another hour or two but i forced him to leave, knowing what he needed to accomplish when he got home.
3. you're crafty. you have always made things, as long as i can remember. whether it was delicate crocheted lace snowflakes or stained glass dragons or the tiara i wore for my wedding, your hands were always doing something. i know that's where i got it from. nevermind that i was a late bloomer.
4. you're accepting. i was odd. i made up worlds and always had my nose in a book. i didn't like to comb my hair and once i began to comb my hair with any regularity i started dying it every color of the rainbow. i liked to climb trees and i had a mean case of wanderlust at a very young age. i was occasionally bratty and i was never normal. i don't think you ever really wanted me to be. when family would comment on the weirdness of me, you were unwavering.
5. you love horror movies. i have friends who were never allowed to watch horror movies. you knew that forbidding anything would just backfire so better you watch with me so i wouldn't get scared. a perfect mother daughter afternoon included movies like an american werewolf in london or creepshow. you also have a love of bad horror that i also inherited.
6. you love to read and you taught me to love reading young. you said one of your proudest days was the day i got my adult library card early - because i'd read all the kids books. you said i showed my new library card to everyone who would let me
7. you took care of grandma and grandpa. you made sure that they had everything they needed up until the very end - and even then you were there to hold their hands. i am more grateful to you for this than you'll ever know. and i know they were too.

these are just a few of the reasons i love you, mom. happy mother's day!

xo,
shay

363 days

dear lucy,

i can't believe its almost been a year. i never thought i'd survive without you. its not been easy. at all. but here i am. i think about you every single day. i don't think that will ever stop - at least i hope it won't.  its my memories that make it ok that you're not here and remind me that i really am a lucky girl.

love always,
shana

i am wealthy in my friends

on thursday, cheryl came with shawn and i to the family seder at work. it was lovely. seeing cheryl was fantastic - its been way too long. and she brought me a prize. pride and prejudice and zombies. 2 of my favorite things!

today, at lunch the mail arrived and there was a large box for me. i figured it was a gift i'd ordered for cheryl that hadn't yet arrived. but no, it was ozzy, who i've been more than a little obsessed with for quite some time.

i know i've said it before but i'll say it again... i'm a lucky, lucky girl.