Is it really 2009? Seriously? Already into January, finally feeling the freezing cold that makes you want to stay in bed forever. It’s been so cold lately, our Clair-bear has been leaving her cat bed on the dresser and curling up in between our pillows at night. I often wake up to a slight purring in my ear, or a small “meh” if I happen to poke her while turning in my sleep. In the mornings, the dogs are in their respective dogs beds, noses tucked under curled tails. The other morning, I wandered into the backyard, poked at some grass, and discovered it was covered in ice, not dew.
So, this month I turn 30. I know some people get anxious about leaving their 20s and entering a new decade, but I don’t feel it. It really feels like just another year to me. We’re not throwing a huge party, we’re not going all-out with a decadent dinner… we’re just going to Disneyland. And we’re really only doing that because I get in for free, ha ha! But, as much as I don’t feel like celebrating my birthday like a milestone, I do revel in the fact that my birthday is my birthday. I not-s0-secretly am hoping that our good friend has her baby on any other day but the 17th because I don’t want to share it with a new baby. I like that my birthday is mine.
Speaking of new babies, we started a baby pool. We thought we had good info for choosing dates, but I just learned that the doctor has no idea what he’s doing (I’m kidding) and is now back to forecasting closer to her original due date. So, now I’m just hoping nature takes its course early and maybe throwing spicy jalapenos at the mom-to-be (again, kidding). It’s kind of exciting, though, to be so close to having the first baby in our midst. We’re all waiting for the phone call so we can be there when the new dad runs out to say, “It’s a boy!” Or even maybe, “It’s a girl!” Who else do we really get to do that for?
Our other best friends have turned us onto the world of geocaching. It’s absurdly fun, especially with the iPhone. The iPhone makes it easy to find a geocache that’s in the area you’re in as you’re sitting there as well as finding said geocache with the help of satellite maps and GPS tracking. Maybe a little like cheating, but I prefer to think of it as using technology to our advantage. We already found one across the street from our house and I’m waiting for the day we take the dogs to the dog park to act as cover for our geocaching. I’m rolling my eyes a little at the fact that non-geocachers are called Muggles, but whatever. I can kind of see the connection. Just like the Harry Potter muggles that couldn’t see that funny half-station, I never would have thought about where geocaches are. But now I find myself always wondering if there’s one lying around. And with the iPhone, now I can find out instantly!
We’ve been eating really well in 2009. We had a delightful meal at The Pearl in Point Loma, then some fabulous appetizers at the first 30th birthday party of the year in Palm Springs, and then more delicious food at Whisknladle (which used to be Fresh, where we had my birthday dinner… 3 years ago?) I think the pork belly and chicken at Starlite is still one of my favorite meals out of the many recent ones we’ve had.
I’d like to say we’ve been balancing the meals out with some good ol’ fashioned exercise or bike rides, but the only bike I’ve been riding has an engine and requires no pedaling on my part. We took a nice ride to La Jolla (dude, those UCSD students have no idea how good life is, or how awesome their food choices are) and drove along the coast for a while (decked out in my new warm jacket which just rocks) and for the first time I felt like I could go anywhere on my little motorcycle. Maybe it’s because this is the first ride that didn’t involve lots of curves and hills, or maybe it’s because we were riding on a nice stretch of road under a beautiful sky, or maybe because it had been so long since we’d been on a ride. I feel like I finally really love my little bike and I can’t wait to see where we go on it this year.
Well, my nose is cold, my fingers are getting stiff, and tomorrow is another work day with no intermittent holidays in sight. I suppose it’s time to jump into the pre-heated electric blanket and see how many dogs can pile on top.
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you’re off to a great start and that it just keeps getting better for you.
Three Dog Kitchen 