AfricanKelli

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Dear Fin,
Guess what? In all my domestic prowess (roar), I realized mid-sewing the March pintuck table runner project that really what I was learning here was how to sew a pleat. Score! You know how many of my skirts hang way too low because I’ve never been sure how to pleat in an inch here and an inch there? Well, guess what? I mastered the pleat this weekend with my entry to the Finny and Donk’s Sewing Adventure.

B.P. Before pintucks. Also, A.C. After cats.

I figured my little kitchen side table needed some sprucing. Now that my casa is happily cat free, my houseplants needed to be repotted. Alas, my cutting of that begonia my great-grandfather gave my great-grandmother when he was courting her? Didn’t make it through the 10 weeks with kitties. Thankfully my Tucson grannie has more of the plant and I can snatch another cutting next time I visit.

The other plants were very pleased to see bigger pots, fresh soil and their canvas pintucked table runner. Voila! Now, you get to pick the April project. I’m not going to influence you (place mats) but you know what my kitchen could use (place mats)? I am thinking my community dinners would be that much more fun with a bit of canvas pintucked place mats to rock the table. Canvas because my dinners already look like they are sponsored by Salvation Army. Nothing matches. Might as well try to blend the crazy collection of cloth napkins with something neutral.

Looking forward to your selection and browsing that fabulous photo pool to see how everyone else pleated themselves silly.

~K

I swam in the state masters meet this weekend — the mile last night and four events this morning. I am blogging on nothing more than anxiety and exhaustion. I’m home, a wee bit sunburned and very happy to have competed. And yes, I took knitting to the meet. I’m just that strange.

I notice that in true Kelli fashion I underestimated myself. My entry times were stupid slow — as in I swam in heats with an 81-year-old dude.

Yep, I beat that old man silly. Okay, really I waited in the water for him each time to finish and then shook his hand. I mean, how cool is it that he is still competing at 81? Lou and I were fast friends by this afternoon. He didn’t seem to mind I completed the mile 22 minutes faster than him and tread water the entire time waiting for his finish.

For the swimmers out there — did you learn to stay in the water until everyone is finished and shake hands with your competitors? I thought this was common courtesy. Safe to say this is not a level of competition that should be void of manners. Also safe to say I’ve got to find a new team to train with because next year I’ll be greeting Lou from the fast heat.

~K

Celebrating Adam’s 25th:

BBQ pulled pork sandwiches on

Buttermilk biscuits, with a side of

BBQ chicken wings

And those not wanting heart disease enjoyed:

Las frutas y

Los vegetales.

I think he was happy with the dinner.

It smelled good, but I simply cannot bring myself to eat pork or chicken wings. It’s the fat, and the skin respectively. Skinless bbq chicken? Love it, especially if it is my dad’s recipe. But this is just not my style. That said, it was fun to try something so new.

Thankfully he disagreed. And omnivore and carnivore alike came together to feast on brownies and ice cream in the end.

~K

Okay. Obviously it has been a long week and it is only Wednesday. Thanks to Amanda, we’ve got some scanned college photos including a few gems of me in a bikini and socks in a dorm room, lounging on a pool chair. Yeah. Those aren’t ever making it on the web.

But my Monica Lewinsky costume? Apparently a-okay. Time for a good laugh, especially with another Clinton headed to the White House.

~K

So, let’s just get this out in the open: yesterday my summer Africa trip was canceled and for pretty silly reasons. I had a good cry over the thought of the friends I won’t be seeing, but today I am feeling better.
The truth is, I could let this job stress eat me alive, or I could embrace the new challenges it presents and move along with a smile. I talked to my dad on Sunday for a routine family weekend catch-up and could hear the panic in his voice on the other end when he heard me holding back sobs. It is hard enough going through this kind of emotional nonsense without putting extra worry on those around me. I’ll be fine. In fact, I’ll be better than fine. In that internal evaluation I’ve been conducting I realized that I’ve got a pretty good grasp of running a successful nonprofit. I love public health. My passport proves I’m willing to travel and commit myself to my work. The right agency is looking for a new leader and it is about time they met my resume. And then my baking. But hopefully not my blog.

While you may be able to take away my plane ticket to Africa, you cannot take away my love for the continent, my passion for my work, my mission to help those in need. Dude, Africa is in my heart. (I feel a bit like that Lee Greenwood song right about now.)

Things I’m pretty darn happy about today (both shallow and divine):
1. Spending gobs of time with my friends and their families during Easter, including the Brennan clan. Meg and I have been close friends for more than ten years and now I get to watch her in action with her first son, Roscoe. He is simply adorable. I love Meg’s husband Scott too (always a perk) and Meg’s family is like an extension of my own. I tagged along for dinner with the entire family last night and it felt routine in a great way.
If I haven’t said it this week, I am exceptionally blessed with great friendships. I have more people who care about me and my well-being than I can count. What more can you ask for?

2. New Madonna! Woo hoo!

3. I’m cooking a southern feast per request of the Salty Senor to celebrate his birthday at community dinner tomorrow night. New recipes, a full house of friends, lots of food and we’re going bowling for dessert. Yee haw!

4. The Wednesday food section of the NYT.

5. I’m so taking this “commute to work on your bike” class. Free classes at REI inspire me to buy a great backpack and see a lot of the Western United States on foot this summer. I’ve got weeks of vacation time to burn and suddenly a month of my life handed back State-side. See? Tell me that ain’t some sweet lemonade.

Lator gators,
Kelli