Footnotes.

I feel guilty when I disappear for too long. Not that anyone probably notices, but I know how eagerly I anticipate new posts on everyone else's blogs, so I'm conscious of absences. My brain's just been in a little bit of a haze, I think... We haven't seen the sun in weeks, it's still snowing (which I love), and the cold is really kicking in. Most nights I've been buried in my corner on the couch, snuggled under my fuzzy blanket, not wanting to expose my hands for typing. :) But I've been backing up my thoughts, so I offer you a thoughts-of-late list!

Dammit!!! I didn't download my pics. Now I have to do that... Please hold!

Ok, thanks. As I was saying...

1. I haven't been as diligent about documenting dinners, but I made another batch of mushroom-pumpkin-gorgonzola pasta and it was just to die for. If I had a signature dish, I think this would be in the running to be it. Brad would probably agree. And he doesn't even like mushrooms normally. If I haven't convinced you yet to make this, what is your deal? Sheesh! I also made a fish pie, following this nicely converted Jamie Oliver recipe. (I skipped the egg step, though, because Brad doesn't like hard-boiled eggs, so it wasn't worth the effort.) I made this with two whitefish fillets I had in the freezer from our local fish guy. Not the right choice. This really needs cod (or another thick fish). It wasn't bad, but there was hardly any fish, so it was underwhelming. I'll try again some other time...

2. I discovered the lake is constantly in flux. I'm sure it already looks different today (especially since it's so cold!), but the wind picked up over the weekend and the crashing waves did a number on the frozen shore. It hammered away at least half of what was ice when I fell on my butt last week. If you look closely in the pic below, you can see a giant wave crashing against the shore; it was like watching a bunch of blowholes in the ocean.

3. Target has a super cute new line of candles. At $6 each, they are a pretty good deal, and the patterns are perfectly perfect for the vision I have for our house. There was also a red one and I feel like another, but I can't think of what it was...

*Teeny shout out to the SO CUTE little white creamer I picked up when I was in Ann Arbor in December.

4. It's amazing the difference small details make sometimes. I love our little bathroom upstairs, and I loved the shower curtain we had. But it's vinyl, and it's lifespan isn't so good (I am NOT cleaning a shower curtain... so not worth the effort). So in preparation for its eventual demise, I snatched up this fantastic fabric shower curtain when I saw it, also from Target. I love it, and it makes the room feel surprisingly more complete (and more adult... we are mature now!). We also finally hung some towel hooks where previously there was just one towel bar, which I let Brad take (I hung my towels on hooks in our closet). I can't tell you how happy I am to dry off post-shower with towels that are actually dry! Woo!

5. Smoothies! I'm so in love with my new blender. I broke her in this past weekend, making green smoothies for breakfast. A banana, a handful of frozen strawberries, a no-fat Greek yogurt, a handful of fresh spinach, and a few splashes of orange juice. I waited for Brad to give me the thumb's up before I told him there was spinach in it.

6. New food! I didn't take pics, but Brad and I made a great find. The Ideal Place (how ideal!) in downtown Benton Harbor. We felt immediately at home when we walked in and enjoyed our experience from beginning to end. Perhaps it's coincidence, but it's the first place in town where the water didn't taste weird to me, so that was an extra bonus (I'm weird about water, what can I say?). Anyway, Brad and I both ordered off the specials list, which was pretty extensive (but the regular menu had many exciting entrees to look forward to trying later). We started with some homemade rosemary rolls and salads (and wine, of course!); I was SO excited to get a beet salad, which I ordered with goat cheese and balsamic. It was also topped with nuts and mandarin oranges. Yum. My main course (which was offered in small and large size -- guess which I ordered) was a smoked salmon pasta. GIANT homemade cheese tortellini in a gorgonzola sauce with peas (which I even ate a few of), dill, and smoked salmon. How do you think I liked it? ;) Can't wait to go back for dinner and plan to hit $5 martini night with the book club ladies soon. We also are SO pleased to have found a local Greek diner. With what Brad calls "even better than Parthenon" gyros. And that's saying a LOT for us. Had breakfast there twice.

7. No number 7. Just goodnight! :)