kimberly ah

Apr 26 2013

On April 26, 2005…

…Naoto proposed. (Finally.)

It was a random Tuesday night, and I worked late…as I always did. Naoto was waiting for me at our friends’ bakery, the Prairie Bread Kitchen. We decided to go to Chipotle for dinner and I asked Bonnie to join us. She declined, saying that she had things to do. But I begged and I begged, so she agreed to join us. As the three of us walked down the block, Bonnie suddenly remembered she had forgotten something at the bakery, so she ran back, telling us that she’d catch up with us.

So we kept walking and made it to the Rocking Horse, a children’s clothing store down the block that had previously been the coffee shop where Naoto and I met (recently seen here). Naoto pulled me over to the Rocking Horse’s big windows. There were baby swimsuits on display. I thought it was a little weird, but I also thought we were just waiting for Bonnie. Then Naoto sentimentally mentioned that we had met there, on the other side of the glass (we had, at a small table for two), that we had started our first chapter there at that table. Then, as I’m half listening, he started talking about our next chapter and I stopped listening. Everything is a little fuzzy from this point, but all I remember is him dropping down to one knee and me crying out “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” over and over again. Loudly. So loud that other shop owners on the block came out to see if I was getting mugged.

Needless to say, Bonnie was in on the plan–the ring had been stored in her store’s safe. We ran back and told her the good news (I said yes, after a lot of shouting.) and we went out to dinner at our favorite place and toasted the moment with champagne. It was a good night, followed by a surprise day off the next day. I couldn’t believe he surprised me (because Naoto has the worst poker face in the world). I couldn’t believe it had (finally) happened.

The picture above is from our wedding (more than a year later). We took a moment to enjoy our meeting place, our engagement place during our walk from the ceremony to the reception.

I wish we had a picture of ourselves in the actual moment, but that’s okay…I still feel the butterflies and sheer (relief?) excitement of the moment as if it were yesterday.

Tagged celebrations, wedding

Apr 25 2013

3 Comments

thoughts

A String of Lazy Days

I scored a really light work schedule this week (and next!) Unfortunately, any dreams of getting a ton done around the house have vanished. Presley and I have been such lazies for the past three days! I’ve been updating my calendar & address book, reading bits of books, watching TV, catching up on photography homework, playing fetch, cooking lazy meals (fried rice is surprisingly easy!) and nap roaming (where Presley & I move from room to room in a long string of catnaps…Presley is pictured lazing on the Roseanne couch, which really should be donated but P & I both love it).

In all fairness, I thought I’d be outside on the balcony sweeping and putting the furniture out for the spring or shopping for vegetable seeds for my community garden plot…but spring is never coming, it seems and I still haven’t heard from the community garden yet!

I’m at the mercy of Mother Nature and the community gardeners…

Apr 24 2013

2 Comments

adventures at the library, crafty adventures, Forest Park, Oak Park

Screen Printing at the Library

Last night I went to a screen printing workshop at the Forest Park Public Library. I’ve always wanted to learn about screen printing and what better place to get a taste of something than the library?

Because it would have taken a lot of time, materials and a dark room to create our own screens, Maureen-the-librarian had two screens prepared for us. One, a fist with the word “READ” tattooed on the fingers and the other, an image of Maureen’s cat reading Moby Dick. I’m sure it will come as no surprise which design I chose!

There were six of us in the class and we all took turns printing on paper and on little totes. It was actually pretty easy to print on paper as long as someone held the screen steady and you squeegeed the ink on with enough force. It was harder to achieve “perfection” on the bag because the fabric absorbs more ink, but I’m pretty happy with how it all turned out. I’m going to frame my print and continue hanging artwork above the desk on the right side.

I love library events. They are a great, low-pressure way to learn a little bit about something new. In this case, it made me want to learn a lot more about screen printing. I picked up a copy of Christine Schmidt’s Print Workshop book so I could read about more projects and ideas. I hope this isn’t the last time for screen printing and me! Thanks to Maureen and the Forest Park Library for hosting such a great workshop!

To see other fun library adventures, go here.

And P.S. That was my 200th post!

Tagged adventures, crafts, diy, forest park

Apr 23 2013

6 Comments

celebrations

Naoto Eats

We celebrated Naoto’s return to food last weekend with our Naoto Eats party…and I have to admit, everyone loved the Spam musubis…Naoto was thrilled to share his favorite Hawaiian snack with such a receptive audience. (It made me happy, too, because that meant more leftover meatballs for dinner on Sunday!)

I went simple (or lazy?) with decorations. I turned my paper musubis into a garland for the wall and I littered the table with some Spam postcards from the Spam store (yes, it exists and I have shopped there more times than I’d like to admit). As usual, I took zero pictures of the party, but I think I can say everyone had a blast and Naoto was a happy little Spam clam.

Next week, Naoto & I will be sharing his Spam musubi recipe…I’m just waiting for some daylight for clearer pictures, and Naoto is just waiting for another excuse to make a batch of musubis!

*Thanks, Karen, for sending along a picture of us in party-prep mode!

Tagged celebrations, crafts, decorating, food, SPAM

Apr 19 2013

2 Comments

celebrations, crafty adventures

How To: Paper Spam Musubi

I realize this little how-to might not be of interest to most of the population.

Spam musubi is a Hawaiian snack food that is made with grilled Spam (yes, that canned meat that no one in the continental U.S. really eats) on a bed of rice, wrapped in seaweed. It looks like an extra large sushi.

Full disclosure: I do not eat Spam musubi. It’s a Naoto thing. (He grew up in Hawaii…but really, he just eats pretty much everything.)

Making the paper version is quite fun though, and maybe some people in Hawaii would like to make a little paper version of their favorite local treat? Maybe there are other Spam musubi fans out there?

To make a paper Spam musubi, you’ll need:

black paper

white card stock (I used Paper Source Luxe white, because it has some texture, like rice)

pinkish paper (I used Paper Source rhubarb, a discontinued color, but a very “canned ham” shade of pink)

tape or glue (I used this tape runner)

scissors

pencil

corner rounder (optional, but I used this)

a can of Spam

1. Trace the top of the Spam can onto your pinkish paper and cut it out

2. Cut your white paper into a 2.5 x 4.25 inch rectangle.

3. Round the corners of your white rectangle.

4. Cut a 1.5 inch strip from the black paper.

5. Assemble. Tape your pink “Spam” onto the white “rice” and then wrap the black “seaweed” around the “musubi” and tape it in the back.

And there you have it…a paper Spam musubi.

I made Spam musubi invitations for Naoto’s party tomorrow night. We don’t have a printer, so I just typed up the information on the back of the musubi. (I also used other pink paper for the Spam.)

We are serving Spam musubis and a Hawaiian-style potato salad, along with meatballs, cheese and other snacks for non-Spam lovers. I can’t wait to share more next week.

Tagged celebrations, crafts, diy, food, paper crafts

Apr 18 2013

1 Comment

Honor Flight Chicago

Up & Attem’

This was my sweet Presley yesterday morning when I got up to get ready for the first Honor Flight of 2013. It was 1:30AM and, as usual she gave me the cutest little send-off ever (all while Naoto snored, mind you). I got home from volunteering around 8AM, ate breakfast and took a long nap. It was dark and stormy all day yesterday, setting the mood for snuggling on the couch, reading Relish and occasionally checking on a frightened Presley.

Today it is still raining…and flooding, so Naoto is working from home. Presley is out of hiding for a moment…another storm is supposed to roll our way shortly. And I’m trying to clean up our apartment for Naoto’s party on Saturday.

I still have my invitations and a little paper Spam Musubi-making tutorial to share, so hopefully tomorrow will be a little bit brighter so I can take pictures. And, while all of this is happening, I’ll be stalking my email as I continue to wait for word on our (potential) community garden plot.

Tagged forest park, garden, gardening, Honor Flight Chicago

Apr 16 2013

4 Comments

adventures, coffee talk

A Sunday in Spring

Sunday was the first day that had a real taste of spring in Chicago. It was warm enough to finally go coat-less and the sun was shining with a brightness that hasn’t been seen in months. Naoto and I took advantage of the warm afternoon and took a walk downtown Oak Park. We stopped at Sugar Fixe, a local pastry shop, for coffee and pie. (Lemon meringue–highly recommended!)

Sidenote: We sat at a table in the actual spot where Naoto and I had our very first conversation in 2001. Sugar Fixe replaced a children’s clothing store which replaced the coffee shop where we met.

During our coffee break, I pulled out my camera and took a few shots of Naoto enjoying his coffee. I’m taking an online photography class this month and I’m trying to get more comfortable using my camera out in public. There is nothing more awkward than pulling out a big ol’ DSLR and then feeling like you are stumbling through your technique (if you can even call it “technique”). Naoto was my model as I played around with depth of field.

A perfect day for practicing…

Tagged adventures, coffee, food, photography

Apr 15 2013

2 Comments

adventures, in my library

Relish Book Signing

Last Wednesday night, Naoto & I headed into the city to Challengers Comics & Conversation for a book signing party for Lucy Knisley’s book, Relish. I’m not a huge graphic novel follower…I’ve only read a few, but Relish is about food, and I know food. I had to work, so we missed Lucy’s talk about the book, but we did buy a copy and had it signed. Lucy asked us for our favorite food and she included a drawing of it with her signature. We chose sushi…mainly because my favorite food is pizza and tacos and Naoto’s favorite food is whatever he is eating at the moment…we can agree on sushi. Challengers had food and drink on hand to lend to the celebration. I had a delicious slice of pie from Hoosier Mama Pie Company. I shall insist on the visit to their shop soon…now that Naoto can (almost) eat again, I’m sure he won’t object to joining me!

Along with the book, we both fell in love with a print of cat positions. Naoto insisted on buying it (because it reminded him so much of Presley). We had Lucy sign it “for Presley” and then we exchanged pictures of our kitties (like the proud parents we are!).

I’m pretty sure Presley was thrilled. We laid the print on the table and she promptly flopped down on it and took a nap and soaked up the love.

Tagged adventures, books, food

Apr 12 2013

2 Comments

Honor Flight Chicago

TGIF

Happy Friday! Do you have exciting plans for the weekend? Tonight, I am packing up the mail call for eighty-some World War II veterans for our first Honor Flight of the season. Thankfully, my friend and fellow volunteer Barb is coming over tonight to help. I’m excited to try out some new systems this year to see what we can do more efficiently and effectively. I’m determined to keep this big volunteer job tucked into a tiny corner of my mind so I can enjoy the summer.

We have nothing on our calendars for tomorrow, so I am hoping to get some things done around our apartment and finalize our plans for Naoto’s Welcome Back to Food party next weekend. I sent out the invitations today (and will share them here next week) and I’m excited to think up some menu ideas and some easy decorations that can be tackled next week (crossing fingers).

And coffee…there will be coffee.

Tagged celebrations, coffee, Honor Flight Chicago

Apr 11 2013

The Latest in Letter Writing

I wrote two and a half letters at the Letter Writers Alliance/Pieritz Bros letter social last weekend. Two went out in Monday’s mail and the other is waiting to be finished. The social was FUN but as usual I forgot to take pictures–I was too busy typing and listening to stories about old typewriters. But Pieritz is the perfect setting for a letter social: a selection of office supplies close at hand, a collection of vintage typewriters throughout the store and an enthusiastic shop owner who is interested in all things paper, pen and type. (If you’d like to read more about Pieritz, The Well-Appointed Desk paid them a visit here.) I monopolized Donovan’s Sans Serif typewriter (AKA the Cold War typewriter). I didn’t mean to linger, but the machine types like a dream, plus I love the purply-blue ink!

Donovan, as usual, made some “commemorative” stationery to use during the social. I always bring my own paper with the intention of using it, but I love sending a letter that shows it was written during the social. The Pieritz Bros stationery was an especially good one–I love those stamp illustrations!

In other news, Naoto had his endoscopy today to see how things were healing & he looks good to start eating a FULL range of foods next week! We are over the moon about the good news, and counting the days until next Wednesday when the ban is lifted. Now we are in full party planning mode for the eating celebration next weekend…

Yay for good mail and good news.

Tagged adventures, mail art, office supplies, rubber stamp, snail mail