That its been a good day, but I'm exhausted

This week has just felt weird. Think it was being sick on Monday, because I feel like its only Tuesday. The week is slipping away from me. I've been up late every night, and up early every morning, this is leading me to a very slow functioning attitude.

I've been keeping up with my 'schedule'. It really is helping to keep me focused through the week. I think that its adding to my exhaustion though, because I always add more in that I don't take note of. Like the dinner.

Spent an hour or so preparing some of the meal yesterday. Today, ran home to start the polenta, which I have never made before. As that was setting decided to make some bread to go with dinner. Still had some little straightening to do for the house (not that my friends care what it looks like anyway). Then had to prep the chicken some more. Went to grab my carrots and cucumber, and found that they did not survive the trip to my office and back. Just ran around in circles for about 3 hours.

Thankfully it all turned out well, and everyone enjoyed the food. My vegetarian friend that came eats, well, only snack food really. lol So she wasn't sure what to say about the polenta. I made enough for everyone to try it. Figured we would experiment together. :) It wasn't too bad. We all liked it a bit differently though. (one sans anything, one salt & pepper, one with the sauce..) I have plenty left over though because we were all full from the chicken, bread, potatoes and corn! Very starchy/filling meal. Dinner with friends is always awesome. :)

I believe this has sapped everything out of me though. I think now I am just going to sit back and relax and, well, start studying for the GRE. lol Yeah, my way of relaxing is weird.

Caroline's been letting her mind drift while working. So much monotonous work to do. :( Anyway, she's been thinking about things she would like to hear...but knows she won't. lol

• The remodel is done this week!
• Because of all your patience, all the opticians are getting a $500 bonus!!
• I've missed you too.
• We found this check for $5000, and its written out to you!!
• You won the lottery!
• Lunch, we need to do lunch...soon...and I'll pay. :)
  
• Read the first part of your book, we'd like to publish it.
• Oh him? He's...(hmm, can't think of anything REALLY bad that I want to happen to him. lol Even though I wish bad things for him...but I can't say it, seems too mean...but I wish bad things. lol Stupid/evil people deserve bad things.)
• Your trip to Poland & Ireland & England has been booked. See ya in 2 months!
• All the music you want is free this week!!
• Do you want this free kitten?
• You've been doing really well. Proud of ya!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you see the words in you mind
Or can you see the images they create
Is it free to wander into abstract
Or does it all need to fit into reality

That everone keeps playing with my hair..

It's weird. For the past two days, everyone (yes, exaggeration, you know what I mean!) has been playing with my hair. Its crazy. I love it, don't get me wrong. Nothing so relaxing to me as someone playing with my hair..ok, massages are good too..so I am NOT complaining. I just think its sort of weird. lol hmmm, maybe they feel my stress? Ya know, because I'm stressed...yeah, that's it. lol

I got the first few steps of the chicken Kiev done tonight. Its fun to pound the meat with my masher. lol I decided to make a tomato-basil polenta as well. I kept finding all these recipes I like with peppers, but she doesn't like peppers. ugh! But I think the polenta will go nicely with everything else being served...as long as I don't mess it up. lol

Going through my cookbook I decided I need to have a Polish night. There are some meals that are just too much for me to eat on my own, but would love to share. I took out my Polish cookbook and figured out a menu...now just have to figure out a date. Because some of these things are going to take a WHILE to prepare.

Its exciting though. I love having people over...even if I am not currently making plans with people. lol I think I may even do invites. woo hoo!! :) (And of course I looked for some good vegetarian dishes. I know who I would invite, so I know most of everyones prefences...I think.) There is a recipe or two...or four..that I haven't tried yet. I am anxous to make them. I am sure they will be tasty, but I have some other dishes that I have made so many times, there is no worries that at least SOMETHING will be good...at least to me. :p

Still so much to do before they come over. Its just a small group of friends, but they are part of the 'original' group. Ok, one of them joined us a year later but, eh. lol Sadly, one of the guys works every weekend and most weekdays, so we are going to hang out tomorrow. Its been a long time since we all have been able too. I am looking forward to it, even if it will feel a bit strange. :)

Caroline is thinking that its bizarre, that in life, you can miss something that you never had. Go figure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Each push brought her closer
Each pull brought her near
The sweat on the brow
The set of the mouth
Visualizing the end
What it is all for
The twist of the arm
The stretch of the leg
Each struggle brought her peace
Each pain brought her hope

The thing about chili...

..is that its good. Especially on days that are sorta cold and cloudy. It is also best shared with friends. I have always enjoyed cooking for friends. There is some amount of excitment and anxiety when creating a meal for others...others being non-relatives. Knocking on wood, I don't think I have ever served a meal that was...un-edible? lol I kind of want to keep it that way too. Today I made chili for some friends, and possibly enough for the rest of my family for tomorrow. Each time I make it, I make it a bit differently. It all depends on my mood and what I want the chili to look like. lol Yes, aestetics count. One can't always follow a reciepe, and for chili I rarely do. Thankfully, people can eat it still. lol

Between working, watching KU lose, naping and my friends, I almost didn't write the daily poem. I did however, and geeze if I don't think it sounds somewhat corny. But eh, that was what the point of this goal was anyway, to learn from what I have done. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friends and food and laughter
The joys of being with those we enjoy
The coming together and sharing
The surprising of others with favorite goodies
Can not be compaired to anything in the world
Being accepted by our friends
Brings happiness
And feelings to be repeated.