The Roaring 20's

Happy Halloween!! A friend from law school, Brooke, threw a swanky Speakeasy party for Halloween. She and her roommates completely decked out their house and had live jazz, drinks, dancing and card games. The place was filled with flappers and mobsters. Paul carried a Tommy Gun and I wore my hair in finger waves.
Study partners, Amy and Brooke.

Glamming it up and fixing a loose bobby pin, all at the same time.

A guy and his doll. (Please note my fabulous maroon shoes and Paul's tommy gun case).

The party was the bee's knees!

To do list

Paul was telling me this morning while I was rushing around throwing my bookbag together about all the things he is going to do today (because he has no classes on Wednesdays). Today he will:

1. Meet with one of his students to go over an assignment.
2. Work on his dad's birthday present.
3. Play tennis with a friend from law school. (Paul is totally going to smoke him, trust me).
4. Start outlining for his classes.

Then after a pause, he tells me, "And I have to look sexy doing all of this."

Not a problem, baby.

Sunday Baking

On Sundays, I like to bake something sweet. Today, it was apple pie. There is something about a sunny fall day that makes a slice of warm pie even better. Paul peeled the apples. I made the crust and the filling.



I told my sister-in-law that I would post this recipe, so here you go!

Pastry for 2-crust Pie

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup cold butter
4 1/2 to 5 Tbsp cold water

Sift flour and salt, then cut in shortening and butter with a pastry cutter until about the consistency of small peas. Sprinkle water over the mixture, one tablespoon at a time, stirring gently with a fork. Roll out pastry on a floured surface for bottom crust, then gently lift into a pie dish.

Apple Pie Filling

3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp ginger
6-8 apples (Jonagold, Gala, Granny Smith - I like a mix)
1-2 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut apples into medium-size chunks. Toss apples with all remaining ingredients until coated. Taste slices of apple to make sure they are spiced the way you like (sometimes I go with more cinnamon or nutmeg depending on how I feel), then fill pie crust. Dot with butter. Roll out top crust and cut a slit in it for venting. Gently cover apple filling with the top crust. Press the crust edges into a decorative pattern, then brush with egg-wash. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden.

Seeing Things Clearly

When I was five years old, I walked out of my optometrist's office wearing seashell-pink-and-gold-rimmed glasses with lenses so thick that I remember them as being cloudy although I know they were clear. And I saw leaves. On trees. Individually. I was amazed.

I woke up this morning with scratchy red eyes pleading with me to forego the contact lenses I have been wearing for much longer than recommended because I always forget to change them. The poor baby blues begged for my backup glasses, but vanity is an overriding factor for me when it comes to my eyes. So I busted out a fresh set of those flimsy, slippery little miracles that saved me from forever being stuck with metal and plastic appendages to my face. My eyes are singing with relief right now and when I walked outside I noticed the leaves on the trees. Individually. And I was five years old and amazed again.

Maybe I should just get Lasik?

Legal Humor

I was acting as bailiff for Moot Court last night and heard the following argument -

Judge: "But Counselor, a person's political persuasion is not an immutable characteristic or something you are born with like race or gender or a disability."

Appellant: "Your Honor, that depends on what State you are from."

Happy Birthday Amy!

I am commandeering this blog to wish Amy a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY, whether she likes it or not! She's my best friend and I'm her biggest fan. Although I may only be "Number 10" on her list, she knows she's at the very top of mine...

Why This Week Has Been Great (or in other words - My Life When We Turn Off The TV)

We got back to our nightly constitutional, which I have missed, and the fall air has been chill and rich with the smell of wood fires and decaying leaves. (Sidenote: Paul says I have to explain that a "nightly constitutional" is an evening walk, but you know that, right?) Both of us powered through a couple of great books and actually discussed the IDEAS in them (yup, we're super-intellectual now). We sat on the faux-grass sidelines of an indoor soccer field and watched my superstar sister tear after the ball and tear up her knee. I spent more time in the scriptures and less time on the couch. And sans noise destractions, my creative juices started flowing and I have been writing again.

The week has been so wonderful that I plan to forego most television shows next week as well. ANTM and Heroes aren't that interesting this season anyway.

Fall Break

This weekend, we drove south three hours to visit Arches National Park. Rather than writing all about it, I decided to let our photos do most of the talking.

Ten things that make me smile

1. Juice dripping pink and sticky down my hands from a blushing end-of-summer peach.

2. Planning and scheming about my next "world tour."

3. Sweat beads on my forehead during the last set of crunches in a good workout.

4. Seeing that someone has commented on my blog.

5. Rainy weather (Am I warped? Yes.)

6. Opening a new book and reading the first sentence.

7. Photos taped on my law school carrel (Eiffel Tower, Trevi Fountain, Prague Castle at dusk).

8. Shopping trips where the clothes don't just look good on the mannequin.

9. Really, really loud music.

10. Paul.

Taboo

Sometimes I feel lonely. Like the summer I was 11 and all the other girls turned 12 in the spring so I went to Primary by myself for 6 months while they went to Girls' Camp. Or my sophmore, junior AND senior years of high school in North Platte, Nebraska. Or yesterday when I found out that literally my last married-but-no-kids-yet friend is pregnant. I so admire and respect and love my friends who have kids. They are wonderful examples for me. Not being able to have children doesn't make me sad or depressed or angry or even jealous. But sometimes it makes me feel lonely.