10th Anniversary

Our 10th anniversary celebration was pretty low-key but exactly what I had wanted/hoped to have. We took the Rail Runner up to Santa Fe which was something I'd been wanting to do since the rail was extended up there. Paul isn't a fan of Santa Fe so normally, I can only get him to go once or twice a year, generally around our anniversary and my birthday. I'll definitely recommend the train to anyone who comes into town and wants to go up to Santa Fe. $7/ticket round trip and children under 10 are free. It was an easy, fun way to go. Oh! And our favorite part of the train is that as the doors are closing, the warning is a roadrunner's "meep, meep." We were laughing about the meeting in which that was pitched as an idea.

We studied out the schedule and decided to leave ABQ on the 4:20 train to Santa Fe which got us to the Santa Fe railyard about 6:00. We'd decided to eat at the Mexican food restaurant at the railyard. It's a fairly popular tourist haunt and we had about an hour wait after we put our names on the list. I'm not sure it's worth the hour wait but it was good and I've waited that long at generic restaurants.
Since we had time to wait, we opted to walk around a bit before sitting in the restaurant. The area is building up with more shopping places although most were closed by the time we were there. We noticed that there are shuttles to the Plaza and I've heard it's a 10 minute walk or so over there. So, very easy to do with visitors.

Not many shops were open although there was one cute little shop I noticed that was that had housewares and advertised Fiesta dinnerware in the window. Against Paul's better judgement, we crossed the street (it was busy but I was smart and waited until there was no traffic--the incident in London when I stepped out in front of a taxi still has him spooked. That one was coming from the wrong direction though.) And it was the cutest little shop indeed. Lots of vintage dinnerware and dinnerware made from vintage patterns, dishtowels and other kitschy kitchen items. Stuff totally up my alley. After much discussion between us and with the owner piping in his opinion on whether they should be the same color or not, I bought new Fiesta salt and pepper shakers in bright blue. It's the first pieces I own in this color which is probably my favorite shade of blue.
By this time, it had been about 40 minutes since we put our name on the waiting list so we headed back to the restaurant (again, safely crossing the street). I think we waited another 10 minutes before being seated. The hostess asked if we'd mind sitting on the patio. It was chilly but since it was out of the wind and because there were heaters out there, it was a pleasant place to sit. We both ate way too much and after we finished, we lingered for a bit, chatting, waiting for the train at 8:00, and trying to figure out how the people at the table next to knew each other since it seemed of the 9 people there, only 2 people actually were acquainted.

We walked back over to the waiting train and opted to head to the upper level for the ride back to ABQ. All in all, a very pleasant evening and a good way to celebrate our anniversary. In fact, it was pretty much a perfect fall weekend in my opinion--beautiful weather, our anniversary, time with some family, and balloons!

How I finally snagged him

I've always said I knew I was going to marry Paul before we were even dating. I had that moment of epiphany over Labor Day Weekend, 1995. Paul was dog-sitting for a friend of his who was out of town for the long weekend. He was playing with this obnoxious little poodle and suddenly I just knew I was going to marry this boy. I was 20 years old, we weren't dating, we were barely friends. But something in me just knew.

Convincing Paul took a bit longer.

We were together at Tech for about a year until Paul finished his master's program mid-semester and moved back to Albuquerque in October 1996. I graduated in May 1997 and spent a year teaching in Texas.

I moved to Albuquerque in the summer of 1998 to start graduate school and gave us 16 months (the length of the graduate program) to figure out what we were going to do--we'd dated almost three years but we'd only spent one year in the same town. There were more than a few naysayers when I announced I was moving to NM for a boy. Most people couldn't believe I was going to do this without us being engaged and no real promise that we ever would be. Honestly, I had plenty of my own doubts but it was something I had to do.

My first year in ABQ was rough. When I look back, I'm amazed and happy Paul stuck it out with me. I was horribly homesick when I first moved here--there is more than a little animosity for Texans among many New Mexicans and during my first graduate class, I was actually greeted with an "I hate Texans" by one of my classmates. Welcome to the Land of Enchantment! After I started teaching, I was transferred to a different school after the 20-day enrollment count. Because the numbers were down at the school where I was, as the last-hired, I was sent to a school that had higher-than-predicted enrollment. It was horrid--it's a tough school to begin with and the students were understandably angry about changing teachers. I was miserable. I cried almost daily and there were times when Paul would stay at my apartment to make certain I went to work the next morning.

Of course, as the year was progressing, it was getting closer and closer to my deadline for when Paul had to propose or I moved back to Texas. I've had several friends (mostly male) tell me it was rotten to give Paul an ultimatum but I don't think it was one. I just wanted to know if I was just spinning my wheels or if we were actually heading down the aisle. I wasn't getting any younger--heck, I was already a ripe old 24. Paul was relunctant to even talk about marriage so I honestly didn't know what he was thinking. Did he want to marry me? Was he just being nice to me because I'd moved for him and life wasn't exactly rosy as a result? Did he think it was all a big mistake? I had no clue.

Then, our friend with the obnoxious poodle ratted Paul out during a visit in early March that he'd gotten his grandmother's ring from his parents. That got my hopes up a bit but after three weeks with no sign of a ring, I had pretty much given up on a proposal. I was heading to Texas for Spring Break and was going to start looking for jobs back there. Paul and I were going to spend Monday together before I was gone for the week when he decided to go in to work for the morning which turned into most of the day. By 2:00, I'd had it with waiting and decided I'd just leave early and called Paul to tell him so. He told me to please wait, he'd be coming over soon.

So I went to Target.

And the grocery store and just wasted time for a few hours, knowing full well that Paul was probably waiting at my apartment. (Yes, I know--passive-agressive.) Walking into my apartment, Paul was indeed waiting there for me with the cat. Still a little peeved with him, I opted to open junk mail in the kitchen rather than talk to him.

That's when he handed me this beautiful wooden jewelry box he'd gotten a few years earlier on a trip to San Francisco. He hadn't given it to me after that trip because he thought it needed something nice in it. Something nice like his grandmother's wedding ring.
I think he said something about how much he loved me and that he wanted to spend his life with me and would you marry me? I honestly can't remember because I was too busy shouting, "Oh, my gosh! That's a big diamond!" It wasn't the most romantic of proposals but it did the job since I said yes and we got married six months later--it took 3 1/2 years to get to a proposal, didn't see a need to wait around any more. Paul's idea was "any time after May" but I'd had my heart set on a fall wedding for a long time. October 2 it was.

My sister Amy jokes about my "used" diamond. The ring was from Paul's step-grandmother Esther. She married Paul's grandfather Ralph in the mid-70's (Paul's grandmother died of cancer when Paul was about 3). The diamonds were ones from her family--the main diamond is an Old European cut which dates back to the early 1900's--but we don't have any history before that. The style of the ring wasn't really me so I did have it reset into something much simpler and part of the platinum was incorporated into Paul's wedding band.

After we were married, my MIL told me she was really worried Paul was going to mess up and I would move back to Texas. She didn't know of the "ultimatum" I'd given Paul--she just couldn't blame me for leaving him if he didn't do something. I have to admit I was really worried about Paul messing up, too. I didn't know if Paul would actually make me live up to my word. I've been asked many times if I actually would have done it--actually left him if it hadn't proposed. I don't think I really would have had a choice.

Every day, I'm so glad I didn't have to make that decision.

Second annual

We hosted the neighborhood Christmas party again this year. It's the second year we've done this--it's now our party to host. Last year we had about 35 people at the house--lots of neighbors we didn't know came to the party mostly because of the curiosity about the remodel we'd done. This year, we had a smaller turnout--21 people or so which is a good number for our little house and really the number we'd expected last year--but they stayed longer. These were the neighbors we know and love and see frequently and it was a great party, if I do say so myself. At one point Paul and I were standing together in the kitchen, looking at all these neighbors--our friends--and it made me realize how fortunate we truly are to have found our home when we did.

When our neighborhood was being built about six years ago, Paul and I wandered over to look at a model home one Sunday afternoon. We were just starting the search for a house but we didn't think we were serious about our looking. We'd been married for just a few months and honestly, we just wanted to get an idea of what was out there. We had an idea that we wanted to stay up in the area of our apartment. It's a great neighborhood--quiet, not much traffic--and there were several communities being built with smaller starter homes. We looked at the model home in this community on our second Sunday out, still thinking it would be six months before we might be serious about buying. While looking at the various lots available, we met a few of the neighbors. All of these people invited Paul and me to walk through their homes and see what they'd done with their houses. I think that was a deciding factor for us to build in this neighborhood. That total strangers were friendly enough to let us traipse through their house meant they'd probably be friendly enough to let us borrow some sugar or pick up the mail. As it turned out, those first neighbors are that friendly and even more. Eventually, there were four of us with houses under construction at the same time--including one of our neighbors in the apartment complex--and we got to know those neighbors as well as we dealt with the stresses of building a house. Now, over six years later, we've celebrated weddings and babies, mourned the death of one neighbor, had impromptu cocktail hours after meeting at the mailbox, battled a pigeon invasion that unfortunately originated at our house, and planned dinner parties so we can have a reason to dress up.

Paul and I have looked at other homes in the past six years, thinking that maybe we'd like a bigger house or a bigger yard, but we can't bring ourselves to leave our block. One couple who let us walk through their house that Sunday afternoon moved to Seattle four years ago. Two years ago, they moved back. They didn't like Seattle and while they didn't have jobs in ABQ, they decided that they really wanted to be back in our little neighborhood. They weren't able to move back into their original home but they are back in different home just across the street. I completely understand that feeling of wanting to be here--it's why we didn't buy that bigger house that was a great price two years ago. It wasn't in this neighborhood. Eventually some of the people we know so well will leave and not come back. Maybe we'll be those people. But in the meantime, there is some pull that keeps us here. Something that just says this is where we need to be. Something that says this is home.

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When Paul and I went to the Tech game in October, we stayed at a hotel in Amarillo since Paul was sick. We couldn't stay at my grandparents' house because my granddad wasn't 100% and we didn't want to expose him to Paul's germs. Upon checking out, we laughed when we saw the receipt--it said we lived on "Soberly Trail." I guess they haven't been to one of our neighborhood parties. Here is a new recipe I tried out that was a big hit last night. Super easy to make and tasty to munch while sipping wine, which our neighbors do well.

Parmesan twists (from Real Simple, December 2006)

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut one 17.25-ounce package thawed puff pastry lengthwise into 24 strips. Brush with 1 lightly beaten egg. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated* Parmesan and 1 tablespoon poppy or sesame seeds** (optional) and twist. Place on 2 baking sheets.*** Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

*Tried it with grated and shredded; preferred shredded

**Paul was doing the sprinkling--I don't think we used this much cheese or poppy seeds but the twists were still tasty.

***Definitely grease the baking sheets; puff pastry sticks badly as I learned on my first attempt

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Before the party, Paul told me that he wanted to make certain that this year, we got more pictures from the party. He charged the camera battery and made sure that the camera was at the ready. Then he realized why we have so few pictures from parties--it's hard to be the host and the photographer. He managed to snap just a few.

Just before the party--Jubjub doesn't know what's about to hit him. He spends the better part of any gathering we have at the house upstairs under our bed, retreating to his hiding place as soon as the doorbell first rings. This year, he came out while there were still a few guests at the house--he slinked around the living room, not at all happy to have been duped into believing it was safe to come down. Jub even deigned to be petted by one of the guests (who claimed to be "loved by all cats"--obviously, he's never met Jubjub).
The hostess hams it up for the camera. I should have cleaned off the counters before this picture but I was still trying to get food and things ready. When I wear all black, Paul calls it a "ninja outfit." This was the "fancy ninja outfit." I love my shoes--pointy black toes with silver beading on the vamp (and I feel like quite the vamp in them)

Pictures of the neighbors (and yes, we're the youngest in the neighborhood by about 10 years)

A Very Merry Unbirthday

Since Paul had to be out of town on my birthday, and because the flat tire and the ensuing run-around trying to get it changed made for a less-than-fun birthday day, Paul and I celebrated my birthday this weekend. He's been hounding me all week as to what I might want as a gift. There's really nothing I need and all the things I want are either utilitarian and boring (a new purse, new dress coat) or more expensive than we normally spend for birthdays. So I've been at a loss as to what to tell Paul to get me and Paul was at a loss to come up with a gift all on his own.

Yesterday, we decided we'd run up to Santa Fe this afternoon. I enjoy Santa Fe, all the quirky shops, art galleries, interesting restaurants, but Paul will typically do anything to avoid going to The City Different. But once a year or so, he acquiesces and will make a trip with me.

We visited the little outlet mall on the edge of SF. And, happily, I was able to find my birthday present.

This is what I originally picked up for a gift. Boring, utilitarian, and on sale (but the perfect size and just what I was looking for in a new purse):

And then, then I saw this. I didn't even know I wanted/needed it:

It is an enamaled cast iron apple pot. Because every kitchen needs an enameled cast iron apple pot. Especially one that weighs in at 11.5 lbs. empty. Paul was in disbelief that this was what I would want as a gift but it was so shiny and pretty that I just had to have it.

Thankfully, it came with a few recipe ideas because I'm not sure I'd know what to do with it other than to look it sitting shiny and pretty in my kitchen. I'm already planning to use it for mulled cider for the Christmas parties we're hosting this year.

Corn Maze, October

Last weekend, Paul and I went with a group from our church to the local corn maze. The general attitude among the group was that even if this was a bust, at least it was a new experience for all of us.

We were given a map that quickly turned out to be utterly useless. Some (probably) teenage hooligans had gone through the maze and taken out the 10 informational guideposts. The Boy Scout troop that was putting the posts back didn't do too good at getting them back in the correct place. And they tuckered out before the task was completed so they put three posts side-by-side. Paul declared that I wouldn't have made a good teenage hooligan because I would have caused trouble by simply knocking the posts down not actually moving them which is, of course, the way a true hooligan operates. But Paul decided he would have made a great Boy Scout because he, too, would have stuck all the posts together although it would have been more to mess with the visitors to the maze.

It was an enjoyable afternoon and I hope Paul and I will go back again to future mazes. The group did decide that the corn maze might be better earlier in the season, when the corn stalks are still green and before other wandering groups had trampled new pathways. And before vandals and Boy Scouts got ahold of the guideposts. Despite our best wanderings, we never could find two of the posts.

Kate and Sam, who were leading the charge--this is shortly before they decided the map was completely and utterly useless

It was a beautiful October afternoon--cool, crisp air with beautiful, sunny blue skies

Looking through the corn stalks

Sandia Mountain as a backdrop for the changing leaves of the cottonwoods