Playing til I pack

The longest winter break of my life has been going quite well.  For once, I've achieved a satisfying balance of friends, laziness and productivity!  I've painted, read three novels (that's an achievement to be proud of), watched movies, played computer games, began my research, walked-ran, nordic skied, and made a fair contribution to capitalism. Then every weekend, I joined a group text with my favorite ladies from high school, we dolled up because we can, then danced the rest of the night.  I downloaded this new photo app for my Windows 8 laptop called fotor, so please excuse the excessive Instagram-esque edits.. I liked how they turned out though!

I've made a lot of incredible friends at college, but there's still something about the people you've grown up with that is irreplaceable.  I wore a lot of outlandish ensembles I'm not brave enough to try at school, and I'm back into makeup again.  I used to be a huge Sephora junkie, then could no longer justify $35 on mascara that could be a shirt or jeans :B.  Nonetheless, I've reacquainted myself with the power of lipstick and the certain femme fatale it may inspire!  And then there's that damn cat mask..  

This is a shot of the lake from the park where I used to teach swim lessons.  The snow is wonderfully crunchy, the sound of my footsteps the only disturbance present on the beach.  This temporary warm spell is melting all the ice.  I was sitting on my back porch today reading in the sunlight, while birds were chirped like a spring awakening.

I'm taking off Friday for Maine, while my parents are driving the other direction to Florida.  We've been on a clear-the-food crusade, so obviously that meant dinner party!  I'm quite proud of what I did here (adorned in an Anthropologie apron and heels, of course).  The menu:

- romaine and homemade croutons (olive oil, kosher salt, garlic, parsley, chili powder)

- onion-garlic-parsley wheat biscuits and brown sugar and cranberry corn bread

- egg noodles with curry powder, turmeric and garam masala

- a whole roasted chicken (salt & pepper, olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, adobo seasoning), stuffed and cooked with potatoes and onions
- Italian bread and broccoli (didn't make those)

- for dessert, we had mini cheesecakes and a cookie cake 

Yeah, I'm going to brag; I was even impressed with how delicious it all tasted!  There was enough for everyone to eat generously plus a full serving of leftovers to bring home.  The only thing missing was wine!  As I've expressed before, I'm one of those live to eat people which isn't necessarily healthy because my emotions can be tied to my consumption, yet I achieve such joy from cooking and sharing a meal with people I love.
So around 4:45 AM tomorrow morning, I'll be on my way out, not to see home again for six months.  I'm studying abroad this spring in Shanghai, but my program doesn't begin until February 24th.  In the meantime, I'm visiting my dear friend Justin in Maine, then Ally in New Hampshire, living the gypsy dream at St. Lawrence for the first week of the semester (but besides socializing, I'll volunteer and research and play frisbee), then reunite with my parents in Florida.  From then, it will be another 3 1/2 weeks until I join my friend Kat in Boston, where we'll leave for China on February 22nd!  WAHOOOO 

Yeah, it is insane and I am ready to take it on!  I actually packed most of this last weekend because I didn't want there to be any chance of forgetting anything, since I won't be able to return to my house.  The small suit case and Dakine backpack are my luggage for this 2-week northern tour, while I'm taking the large suit case and the L.L. Bean hiking pack to China.  It's finally coming together and I couldn't be happier.  How do you like to spend your free time during the winter?

Listening: "Paddling Out (Wolfgang Gartner Remix)" by Miike Snow