Auld Lang Interview. (Sir Laugh a Lot)

This New Year's Eve you get a treat! Abigail Taylor is here and she's interviewing me (Rachel) and right now we can't figure out whether it's going to end up as a sappy, emotional, weepy sort of post or a HAIL THE NEW YE LADS AND LASSES thing or maybe just a lot of nonsense. So this is for all of you who are struggling to stay awake till midnight and have logged onto your computers just for lack of something more interesting to do. ;)

last sunset of 2013!

A: Should I type?
R: Yes.
A: I hate your screen.
R: I'm sorry it offends you. "You offend reason, sir, but I should very much like to offend it with you!"
A: What's in your drink?
R: I can't see a bloody thing right now, but I think it's tea.
A: Could you see the sunset?
R: It looks like an abstract painting. No fault of the drink. I just have the wrong contact prescription.
A: How do you feel about the last sunset of 2013?
R: It's slightly nervousing thinking about it being the last one. But it's a very nice one. 2013 has been a good year for skies. I hope your typing is right, I can't read it.
A: Earlier we counted how many airplanes you'd been on this year. How many did we come up with?
R: 10 I think. After I forgot I'd gone to Orlando instead of Atlanta. That lessened the count.
A: Which was your favorite plane?
R: Even though it was a little awkward, probably Saint Louis to Denver because that's when I dropped Winnie the Pooh on that guy's feet. But that would be flight. Plane-wise I liked one of the trans-atlantic planes the best.
A: Favorite destination?
R: Romania. Although I didn't fly into Romania.
A: Did you have any near death experiences in 2013?
R: Yes actually.
A: Tell us?
R: I thought for sure we weren't going to make it on the drive from Hungary to Romania.
A: Why?
R: Because they'll do anything to avoid potholes. And there was the time dad was driving home at 2:30 in the morning. I also didn't think I'd survive that one. We saw one of every kind of animal on that drive. Unicorns and everything.
A: What was your favorite "first" of 2013?
R: Oh gosh. Probably an international travelling experience. It was a big year for firsts.
A: What happened in 2013 that you hope never happens again?
R: Hitting a friend's car with a friend's car.
A: There's a good reason I'm not a journalist. *thinking thinking thinking*
R: I thought you said "there's a good reason I'm not in pajamas."
A: What sorts of things made you cry in 2013?
R: Leaving people that we'd grown to love. Frustration. Unrequited love. Finances. "Saving Mr. Banks." The end of "The Return of the King." Andrew Peterson music. Hitting a friend's car with a friend's car. Watching friends go through painful seasons. Other friends dying. Laughter. Ok, that's enough things. Oh! Sophie Scholl.
A: What movie or novel character did you most relate to this year?
R: Probably Brother Tom in the "Hawk and Dove" series. And I feel like there was some girl, but I can't remember. Definitely Sophie Scholl... I identify with her because she was just my age. Oh!!!!  *bangs head violently* What's her name! In "While You Were Sleeping"!!!
A: Lucy.
R: Yeah. I'll fall in love just like her. Also Giselle, in a tiny weird way.
A: What tiny weird way?
R: I'm a little idealistic. Prone to break into song. And... I don't know. I always... I don't like the idea... welll... I don't know... I wish life was just like a fairy tale. I also really like "So Close"... that song, I feel like it describes my life really well. Well, my love life... which kind of doesn't exist.
A: When did you feel the most beautiful in 2013?
R: Hmmmm.... let's see. Well, when I was at the Gala at Bear Trap Ranch, I felt like people were surprised at how well I could clean up, after what I'd been wearing all week. HSLDA Christmas party was nice. I don't know if I was beautiful, but I was... suitable.
A: Favorite gallant act performed for you in 2013? I'm so glad you're answering these questions instead of me. I have such a terrible memory.
R: Oh this is a good question. I was rescued out of a Romanian creek but I didn't want that gallantry so it didn't really count. I'd have to say some of the small things that a lot of my guy friends did. The boys in my van on the SAT were always really attentive and I appreciated that. Friends remembering things I'd said I wanted to watch or read. Giving out compliments they didn't have to give. Things like that. Happy little things.
A: What did you do in 2013 that made you laugh the hardest at yourself?
R: Probably when I dropped the book on that guy's feet. It was such a Rachel thing to do. Also, I can really scare myself sometimes. Like, start imagining things in the woods and creeping myself out. And then I always laugh really hard. Or when I say something that just pops into my head and people laugh, and it makes me laugh because it was rather clever.
A: If I asked you about what scared you the worst, would that be the same as your near death experiences?
R: Well, it all depends on what you mean... I got kind of scared by the guy who was hitting on me in the grocery store, because he started following me all through the aisles! But I really was scared we were going to get hit head-on in Romania. Oh, it was creepy at the border between Hungary and Romania, when they took all our passports and took a really long time looking at them. It felt like "The Terminal."
A: What do you think is most different about you this year, than last?
R: I think I have a better concept of the different levels of relationships. And what a treasure a friendship is with the opposite sex, even if it never "becomes anything." It can be really encouraging and inspiring. Girl friendships too, but I already knew that before 2013.
A: Speaking of which, what do you most adore about me?
R: Your explosive goose-laugh. And your ability to say the right thing to quiet people.
A: Well. Should we end it there?
R: Sure. Merry New Year's everbody!
A: Parting words? Advice? Prophecies? Visions?
R: Okay. Ahem. First, "If it's half as good as the half we've known, here's hail to the rest of the road!" Second, never... *guffaws* Don't drink a lot before a road trip! And take social media breaks periodically. It's so much fun. And then, prophecies? Let's see. Umm. Some people who keep breaking up will continue breaking up but it won't be over yet. There will probably be 4 marriages in 2014.
Sarah breaks in: "Good grief! Who are you marrying off???"
R: I haven't done my visions yet. My visions. I see..... Sherlock Season 3 giving me an ulcer. Maybe another trip to Romania. I'll probably fall in love this year... mildly... I'm like Harriet Smith that way... just kidding... oh oh oh! I'm going to publish my book! I forgot to announce that here. And another vision!
Sarah: You have a lot of visions.
R: I see... salted caramel gelato!
A: It wasn't that good.
R: You had some??? *fighting for a few moments*
R: Well fine. One final vision. I see many more adventures and new friends. And exciting things. I'm making this all up on the fly. Don't hold your breath for any news. Toodles people. I love you.
A: *starts to say something*
R: And a lot of goat babies!

AWKsome.

It's Awkward Awesome Thursday, and I decided to acknowledge it this time. :)

3.14.13.

(or Pi day!)

awkward:

being absent from my GenJ club meeting for the umpteenth time--and I'm the secretary.

being informed that we'll need an extra $500 for Romania expenses......3 weeks before we leave.

opening up my iBooks and realizing I'd been caught up in the middle of "I Will Repay"...2 months ago.

witnessing a regular episode of Psych-like drama while pruning shrubs at a customers (I wasn't dropping no eaves, sir!)

making a cucumber facial mask and finding out after the fact, that I'd read the recipe wrong and was not supposed to only use the peel.

finding out that yet another of my favorite broadway actors is a "troubled soul". >.<

realizing that starting Saturday Daniel will be living in NoVa. *sniff*

standing in JC Penney's shopping for business casual for Daniel, and having this guy staring at us the entire time: 

being stuck with a bow tie around my neck when the men's department employee comes around....Rachel's bow-tying efforts were successful and I was left trying to act as cool as a cucumber, but feeling quite opposite.

habitually turning into the study several times a day to play the piano--that isn't there.  

scheduling a fundraising event only a week in advance and crossing our fingers that people will actually show up. 

the awesome:

creating cafe-style decor (pinterest worthy, at that) using only what we already have on hand.

learning how to tie a bow tie. ;)

figuring out the detective show schedule (thurs-white collar, fri.-monk, sat.-psych, sun.-monk)

getting some guest posters in line for april *excited squeal*

hearing that sherlock has scheduled a *4th* series!!!

jamie grace playing a veggie tales medley

corned beef and cabbage to be eaten on Sunday

being total moochers and making our rounds in the mall to get the free terriaki chicken, general tzo's sample, and beauty products.

being blessed with a *dark* wood table and practically new fridge (!!)

spending 45 whole minutes touring the street markets of Paris...via google maps. (seriously though--I was dropped straight into a shop, could look 360 around and walk out the door to continue down the street!)

~Sarah

Do you tube?

Youtubing today.....................

my life in pins :)

Piles of letter I thought I'd sent cluttering our kitchen bar...sing ho for stamp shortages! :P

Broccoli-cheddar soup...tonight's dinner.

Sending Daniel off to iGovern East for ten days.

Laughing over "Taylor the Latte-Boy" (by Kristen Chenoweth) with Daniel

Pretend shoe-shopping at the mall when one hasn't any money...

Mooching Trident Original gum off of Benj...

Reading...rather a lot. Rather pleasantly much, if you ask me.

So what has your week looked like?

The Pollen-Hued Corridor :)

I thought it was high time we gave you an official catching-up of what is going on around our home. :) After all, we seem to talk about everything on this blog but What We Do and that is ridiculous.

As of a few weeks ago the heads of Taste & See Family Farm prayerfully decided that we are not growing produce for markets this year. We will still have a large garden and keep up the baking side of things, but for this year we won't be selling veggies. Truth be told we are a little relieved--last summer was worthwhile was *so* exhausting! We will enjoy actually having time to do things as a family that don't involve weeding, weeding, weeding and...Oh! More weeding. :)

Sarah and I have been spending every Wednesday filling orders for the online farmer's market we are a part of--we love it. Especially when there are extra Chocolate Chunk Cookies. :)

As a graduated girl I've had the chance to devote more time to my writing--I just finished my second "official" novel: The Scarlet-Gypsy Song. I wrote in in 4 months from conception of the idea to the finish line. I am rather proud of it.

Sarah's hammering away at the Latin and Algebra 2 and all that jazz. I think she likes it, however much she bemoans her lot. ;)

We are both standing on the pollen-hued edge of spring, looking down the corridor, and wriggling with happy anticipation. A friend is getting married on May 12 and we are to be helping with several things--all that means we will get to see several friends who live 2 hours away a heap more than usual. (!)

Down the corridor I see happy weddings, some dances, some graduations, some gardening, some writing, some time with friends, and altogether every sign of a happy and busy Spring! :)

What about you all? Having a good spring? What are your plans? I'll leave you hear with a Charlie Chaplin video to make you laugh. (and get a teensy bit creeped out.)

(Oh, and don't forget to vote on the Poll ^)

-Rachel

♫"It might as well be Spring!"♫

We are only a step into March, and the summer activities are already in full swing. We had all the windows open yesterday to let the gorgeous weather in.

 

I was divided all afternoon between buying my nose in Les Miserables and dashing out to the porch to get some of the beauty. There's nothing like a contrast right? The French crime underworld vs. a delicate, beautiful spring day? ;)

On the way home from choir Tuesday, Dad bought us ice-cream cones. I lick my in a swirl, Sarah licks hers up and down...how do you do it?

 

It's slotted to be 85-90 degrees today, as we did yesterday. Crazy. :)

This afternoon Matthew's baseball begins--we are planning on going to this first game--I'm excited! (And no, it is not entirely because I spend the game nick-naming the players....There's Jesse, Peter Pan, the Goatee Man, The Duckling...yeah. :P)

We've been planting and transplanting seedlings for days and weeks now. Soon it'll be time to put them in the ground.

A couple of our goats are due to have kids soon! It is not definite by any means, but we're thinking the Matriarch of the Herd might be having triplets! She's huge.

♫"I'm as busy as a spider spinning daydreams,
I'm as giddy as a baby on a swing.
I haven't seen a crocus or a rosebud
Or a robin on the wing.
But I feel so gay,
In a melancholy way,
That it might as well be spring,
It might as well be spring."♫

Have a lovely day!