Sugared Harpy

So hey, I’m posting, and changing up themes around here because lo, commenting seems stupid on the last theme. I’m so sorry.

Fucking hackers.

Well, kind of. I mean, I lost formatting obviously but it also looks like I lost pictures in posts. That sucks and will make some postings make absolutely no sense. I have the former blog backed up, so I assume the pics live somewhere…but I don’t think I’ll be able/have the time to get them back in postings. Boo.

However, the blog is stable and not hacked and gah.

In other news, I’m almost 14 weeks pregnant, look like I’m 6 months along and still trying to be barfy. Sugared Harpy, a blog of FUN for everyone!!

I don’t want to jinx things here, but I think I may have things fixed. I deleted damn near everything and replaced, upgraded, and god knows what by following Wordpress’s guides to “So, you were hacked” threads. All customizations are deleted, all files replaced with fresh ones…gah. Irritating. I will say this, Wordpress is helpful. Bluehost is helpful. I didn’t lose my site and my posts and I’m thankful. Designy things to follow, but right now I’m just breathing a sigh of relief.

But a big fuck you to those who were (and still are trying) to pound my site into one big v__ia__gra advertisement. In the links, in the source code itself, by making new users, by taking over this tiny journal of mine and making it yours. It’s mine! MINE! It’s not even a speck in the world, but it’s been the biggest help to me and I don’t want to lose it.

I interrupt this blorrrggghy silence to bring you this post today. Exciting! Or not, but here we are. So, I was driving the other day with the family and I noticed a KFC sign that says:

“We say Merry Christmas”

And I was peeved. Peeved because recently a person in my life was going on and on about how they just didn’t understand why schools now say “winter break” instead of Christmas, etc. etc. blah and yuck waronchristmaspants.

And here’s my take: Why does it piss some Christians off so much to be nice to kids? Little kids who aren’t Christian don’t deserve to be outcast or simply ignored at school? Why does it bother you to be kind and welcoming and open to them?

Be nice to people, it’s kind of what your teacher told you to do. Quit worrying about everyone else and just uphold your own traditions. The nice ones, please.

And I hope all of YOU had a nice Chanukah, are going to have a nice Christmas, or a just really great cup of tea and some cookies.

We got married, it was wonderful! Then we were home for a very busy week and the next week we were off to Seattle and San Juan Island for our honeymoon.

Which was amazing and perfect and holy shit y’all, skip the warm beach and head to the Pacific Northwest. I work in art and I swear I’ve never said the words, “Beautiful,” so many times in my life. It’s simply stunning up there.

We had such a good time, and packed in so much goodness with plenty of calm, good relaxation and the best sleep we’ve ever had into seven days. I want to share this with you if you ever decide to go, so you have awesome times yourself. None of these are paid or encouraged reviews or recommendations, just our experiences as they were and what I feel like sharing.

Our itinerary:
Saturday morning, fly into Seattle
Sunday morning, drive to Anacortes, WA and take kick ass ferry to Friday Harbor, WA
Sunday through Wednesday, Friday Harbor
Wednesday, ferry to Orcas Island then ferry and drive back to Seattle
Wednesday through Saturday, Seattle

What we actually did in those places:
Day 1
Flew into Seattle on Halloween, checked into the Mayflower Park Hotel, missed our kids then got over it and googled to find the best damn clam chowder place around, Pike Place Chowder. Go, it’s really quite yummy and pretty close to what I make at home. Score! You want the one in Post Alley at the Pike Place Market, that’s the one you want to go to since it’s in the market and the people watching is good stuff.

That night we went on a ghost tour of Seattle (being Halloween and all) through Spooked in Seattle. So much fun on a night where we weren’t sure what to do in a city we were unfamiliar with. We got to see people dressed up everywhere and a great architectural tour of the city. What! Yes, ghost tours are really often great architectural and historical tours. The ghost part is definitely the least of it for most people.

Note, Seattle skews kind of young. Like it’s a city of seemingly 20somethings. And there was clearly a Halloween costume standard for young women: white and black tights, fluffy petticoat, pigtails.

Day 2
We ate…somewhere….with more chowder. I can’t remember. Bah.

We then drove from Seattle to Anacortes to catch the 2:40pm ferry. It takes about ninety minutes to get to Anacortes and then in the off season like we went in, you can get there fairly close to departure and still get on. I hear in the peak season, you need to be there no less than an hour to two hours early and in line.

The ferry ride? Beautiful.

It is totally a highlight of this area is this awesome, relaxing mode of travel. I have no idea if you feel that way when you live here, but for tourists is wonderful.

We landed in Friday Harbor, Washington on the island of San Juan. Again, gorgeous. Ridiculously gorgeous. Our hotel was Friday Harbor House.

Go there. Today. That above is the view from our room. I tell you what, we have never slept so good and we love our house and our own bed. This room is super comfortable, modern, and has a real bed. It’s small, the rooms are simply silent from other guest noise, and we loved to crack open the balcony door at night and have a little air and a little noise from the harbor. Slept so good. We loved being in Friday Harbor. Loved it. LOVED IT. We fell in love with the entire place.

That night, we ate at Downriggers, as suggested to us by the awesome staff of Friday Harbor House. It was a tiny walk from our hotel to the restaurant and the place was really lovely. We ordered Halibut. People, here is where I make you sad. What you are eating in the Midwest is not fish. I don’t know what it is anymore, but it’s not fish. I normally love salmon and tuna and sushi and eat fish all the time, but kind of hate white fish. It’s boring and fishy tasting. Okay, I don’t hate but it’s never exciting so why pick it? Let me tell you, it’s because it’s not fish. Pacific Northwest has FISH. Did you know white fish is buttery, substantial, and like a real food you would order because it’s fucking awesome and not because you think you should because it’s a *lighter* choice. Oh my god. This halibut at Downriggers made us both groan, “mmmmmmm.” It was amazing. Thank you, Downriggers. Oh my god, thank you. You have good dessert, too.

After dinner, we walked to the local market and I tell you what, I fell in love with that market too. It’s small, had tons of local and organic foods, limited choices (I like that, a huge display of crackers makes be buy zero boxes of crackers), and it was just set up beautifully. And then we walked back to our hotel and our oh so comfy room.

We learned a few things in those two days.
1) Fresh fish is awesome. We’re crying in the Midwest again.
2) We love being in walking cities.
3) I may have a sensitivity to nightshade plants, which are also my favorite foods: tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes.
4) This:

The rest of the honeymoon to come soon!

I had my first makeup trial a few weeks ago and people, I hated it. I HATE IT. I rarely wear makeup anyway, so to have a makeup artist slather orangey foundation all over my face and left a LINE at the neck and then tell me she lightened it up for me since I had said I hate foundation was quite bothersome.

When I said that I really wasn’t too happy with the foundation part she said that she could put the foundation down to my dress to eliminate the line.

NO.

I felt gunked up, with too much mascara that made my eyes stick together when I blinked, and I really felt crazy looking. Now, I’m sure in pictures the eyes would have looked great, but that foundation was killing me. I am not using this makeup artist, even though she was very sweet and nice. I can’t do it.

Even if there was great application with no orange or a line, the thickness of liquid foundation slays me. I’m too sensitive or something. I FEEEEEEL it on my face. Just like nail polish on my fingers feels like they are wrapped in plastic wrap, I hate it all.

I did what any smart girl would do, I went to Sephora. The grand mecca of makeup help and spending your money. I went to the sales people and told them this:

“I am getting married, but I am not a makeup person. I rarely wear it but I don’t want to look washed out on my wedding day in the pictures. I HATE FOUNDATION TO MY CORE AND CAN FEEL IT ON MY SKIN. Is there anything that can provide blotchy reducing coverage without me ever feeling it? Does this exist? Also, help in general is needed.”

People, they helped me. Immediately I was directed to Smashbox and other varieties of tinted moisturizers for trying out. My favorite and the one I bought was Smashbox. I CANNOT FEEL IT on my skin. It’s like moisturizer and just is…gone after you put it on. But your red ass blotchy face? Looks pretty damn good. Good enough for pictures and now I won’t have to wash my face all off in the middle of the ceremony for feeling like I was wearing a sticky skin colored mask.

I also ended up buying my usual Philosophy Hope in a Bottle, Philosophy Microdelivery face wash, and an Urban Decay Lip Primer that helps keep your lip color on. I tried it out last night under a long wear lip stain thingy during dinner out with my very favorite people and it lasted throughout dinner. A keeper!

I’m glad we had this important talk.

Turns out, you can make pasta carbonara with cheddar cheese or whatever cheese you have on hand and lo, it does not taste like cheddar, but just delicious creaminess anyway.

Who knew?

Thanks, Walking. Now my arches hurt.

I wanted to walk to the grocery store today and instead my body said, “nooooooooo.” Let’s walk the dog around the block instead for a test run. So we walked, Meko and me. She peed and pooped and I walked and curbed and said, “GIRLseriously,” on her third poop I had to pick up. We walked around a generous loop and as we’re walking I realize I hurt.

I usually walk around in flats, flip flops, and mary janes. Mmmm, mary janes. Today, I wore actual real walking shoes, all supporty. But no, my left foot’s arch is now killing me. It feels like the arch support is boring through the arch. By the time my little test/training walk ended I couldn’t wait to throw off that shoe.

I guess I need new shoes? That don’t hurt Lefty’s arch but also works with the just fine Righty?

Harrumph.

*Also, my “test” walk was apparently .089 miles and the walk to my grocery store is 0.8 miles.

We just took all three kids to Chicago for the weekend (more on that later) and as we were walking our booties off everywhere, Scott and I were talking about (tiring) nice it is to walk everywhere. To get what you need by walking and not having to drive. Then I read on Mama Is today about the Walk Score.

Basically, it tells you how walkable your address is compared to what’s around you. Now, be aware that they are using miles as the crow flies. So if a restaurant is across a lake from your house, Walk Score is assuming you are going to Jesus walk across the lake…so, it’s good to check with
Google Maps Walking Directions.

What I do NOT like about Walk Score is this whole Obesity Epidemic OOGAH BOOGAH and that walking will fix all the world’s weight issues. Then it goes on to say that those in very high walking areas weigh seven…wait, SEVEN WHOLE…pounds less than those in low walking areas. Sirpuhlease, I don’t think the obesity epidemic is about a measly seven pounds. Meaning, walking everywhere isn’t going to cure The Fat. Also, people have no clue about obesity, weight and how to keep it off OR put it on permanently. Nor do we like to remember that this little epidemic happened around the same time that the guidelines were changed. One year a 160 pound person is normal, the next year that very same 160 pound person is obese…so yeahhhhhh, the numbers shockingly went up. Weird, huh?

So, you may or you many not lose weight walking. Because your weight may be affected by needing more exercise and this might be a thing for you, but person B may have more weight because of genetics, or medication, or an illness, or physical disability, or whatever it may be…but you don’t know that, Haughty. And you can just stop telling people that OMG! Did you hear about exercise? And good food? Because clearly you’re fat and haven’t heard yet, so LET ME TELL YOU.

And onward.

What I’ve learned about my house is that it’s more walkable than I take advantage of. A big grocery store is 0.8 miles from my house, a pizza place right down the street and a library at the other end, and a coffee shop a bit further than that. Why am I not walking?

Car culture. I’m am just USED to my car. I NEED my car to do simple things, too, but not everything and clearly, not here.

Raquita took newborn shots of Anne’s new baby, Miles, and oh mah god people. Gorgeous. I mean, the baby is gorgeous (just look at his toes sticking out!), but Raquita’s images of him are stunning. She says more of him are going up tomorrow. Yay!