Random brain break

I am taking a moment to give my brain a break. So, just a few random thoughts on my mind:

~ Ham. I ate a full piece of ham yesterday for the first time in at least 16 years. I ate it because my husband made it, it's what we were serving for Easter and I was hungry, and I am a little tired of not eating the things that everyone else eats. C. made two kinds - smoked and glazed - and they were both wonderful. (I made scalloped potatoes and glazed pineapples, for anyone who thinks I am a holiday kitchen slacker. I also made a roasted veggie quiche for C. for breakfast.)

~ Sisters. I really, really miss my sisters. They live in the same metro area, but they are 1.5 hours and 45 minutes away, respetively, and I just don't see them as often as I would like. I wonder if this is a byproduct of marriage? Being a newlywed, I'm not sure.

~ Friends. Ditto the above for my closest girlfriends.

~ I need to find a way to see people more often. Maybe we'll make another ham and some scalloped potatoes and have everyone over.

~ I have never considered myself a great hostess, but I think I do OK as C.'s backup. Maybe we should host more dinner parties in general?

~ I had a really nice weekend with the stepkids. It was a perfect balance. They spent Easter morning with their mom and it gave C. and me some quiet time, but it was also nice to color eggs with them the night before and to have them for our late afternoon Easter dinner.

Women

It has been a really difficult couple of days (I don't really feel like talking about it here right now, but it relates to being a stepmom).

On days like these, I am reminded of what amazing women I have in my life. Today, I was able to call and talk to one of my best friends, as well as my sister. They are both strong, smart women and they are both moms. Their sympathetic ears and wisdom were exactly what I needed today.

So, I wanted to pause and say "thank you" to them and to all women who are good friends to each other. Female friendships are definitely unique and one of the greatest gifts in my life.

A cup of coffee

A good cup of coffee has been one of my favorite little things since I was a senior in high school. We used to drive downtown to this funky coffee shop called Paris on the Platte and order a pitcher of Mexican coffee - heavy on the foam and cinnamon. Mmm, yum.

It wasn't just about the coffee, though - it never has been. Some of the best conversations of my angsty teenagehood happened over those pitchers of coffee (with the scent of Cloves cigarettes in the background -- I didn't smoke, but it was part of that cafe's signature atmosphere in the 90s).

There is just something about sitting down with a friend over a cup of coffee (or tea, or milk, or whatever drink strikes your fancy). It forces you to slow down, wrap your hands around the cup, and meet the eyes of the person across the table.

For me coffee = conversation. Even when I have a cup of coffee alone, it slows me down long enough to have a "conversation" with myself. It gives me five or 10 minutes to recenter and reconnect.

Since I got married a little over a month ago, my husband and I have started a nice morning tradition. He wakes up first and starts a pot of coffee. He checks e-mail or goes outside while I am getting ready upstairs, but he comes in and sits down with me at the table when I come into the kitchen.

Then, silently or with simple conversation, we share a cup of coffee. It is now the favorite part of my day.