I'm not kidding

It's not all cream puffs and scones around here today. I've got an ugly one for you. Enter - my kitchen ceiling:



No, your computer screen isn't cracked - that's our kitchen ceiling undergoing a makeover, as our landlord is replacing the sheetrock, plastering goop into all its wrinkles. As mentioned last week, the final semester crunch has taken my apron away from my wardrobe rotation and has prevented me from allowing my kitchen knife to see daylight. If this college thing wasn't enough for this 'let's keep Melinda from her kitchen' game, my kitchen itself is now in on the act.

When I cook in the current state of our kitchen, it smokes out our duplex-mate above us because the hole in the ceiling acts as a vent that releases right into his kitchen. Also, it takes nearly a half-hour to find my cooking supplies that are spread out over our living and dining room. It's like playing 'Where's Waldo?' with skillets and whisks. Alas, this is now how boring my culinary life is:



To make this picture more accurate, place a big red X over that wine glass, as it was the recent casualty of another migration of kitchen goods to the living room floor. My friends were shocked that I've added Lucky Charms to the rotation, thinking I'm above all processed foods or something. But little do they know it's been keeping me afloat these days. That, and the grains and beans you saw last week. And since it's seemingly all gloom-and-doom over here, I want to share this inspiring photo with you:



This was taken on a recent farm-weekend I had at my sister Amy's place in Iowa. Shot just after supper and just before going to the Hannah Montana movie with my nieces (where the rest of the movie-ticket line was very glittery and as tall as my waist), this photo reflects my nephew Levi's love of a good adventure. (He's been around here before.) A garbage pail, two scrappy pieces of plywood, and an old bike - he knows how to make something out of nothing. And the momentum he feels at this very moment in this photo, I now feel as graduation is inching nearer and my Seattle plans firm up.

At certain points in our lives, there's no stopping. We can only keep on pedaling and hope our chains don't break.

(p.s.- Thanks to all those who passed along warm words concerning the Seattle adventure. Your support and excitement means the world!)