first paint

We have finally put the first paint on the walls. We were inspired by a visit from some very old friends - a visit I will post about soon! Admittedly, we started small, tackling the alcove first, but at least it's a start. It looks good. And, if you get the allusion in this post's title, you'll know what color it is, too.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Not Becoming My Mother by Ruth Reichl.

call me betty

If you're a loyal reader, you may remember a time when I fretted over all the things that we would be sorry to leave behind when we moved from Glover Park to Brightwood. To be honest, I was mainly concerned about exchanging Breadsoda and Surfside for McDonald's and Subway. In fact, my anxiety ran so deep that when our friends from Savannah (who I blogged about here) came to visit last week (bringing us the most adorable housewarming present!) I panicked and planned a whole night out in the old neighborhood - Cactus Cantina and Alliance Tavern. Mr. Beeton has been determined to change that. He's fully embraced the Brightwood area. So, on Friday, he suggested that we walk up to Takoma Park, Maryland and explore the old downtown.

It took us only twenty minutes or so to walk from our house to the old downtown, and while it was no Wisconsin Avenue, there were a few little restaurants scattered on the main street that will certainly suit us. We chose Roscoe's where we had some yummy gazpacho, roasted marinated olives with bread, and two pizzas - a margherita and a proscuitto arugula (Two Amys better watch out). And, then, yesterday, after picking up an old antique glider which we found on craigslist (see previous post) and a brand new mattress from a local mattress store for our guest room, we stopped at Julia's Empanadas on Georgia Avenue for the lunch special, which fortified us for a shopping spree at the Georgia Avenue thrift store where we purchased an ah-mazing china closet that matches our refinished wood floors perfectly. All in all, a weekend of eating that could rival our best days in Glover Park. Maybe this Brightwood thing isn't so bad after all.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Youth in Revolt and Leap Year. Finished reading Spoon Fed by Kim Severson.

summer solstice

treading water

Mr. Beeton has assured me that last June felt this way as well - like we were swimming in circles, gliding endlessly over the same space. Since the start of the summer, we've been to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and now Cleveland. I've hit blockades in the form of book club, visitors from out of town, and Cats. It will get better, he promises. We will unpack. We will paint. I will write again. But now, it doesn't seem that way.

So today, I will blog about the perfect piece of iceberg lettuce that we ate while we attended the wedding of K & B in Cleveland. I have to admit - any town with as good of food as we ate can never be deemed "the mistake on the lake" in my book. We ate at Lola's our first night (oysters, "bacon," scallops, and mango parfait for dessert!), Dvine (delicious tapas and flights!) on our second, and Fahrenheit on our third (ribs, ravioli, and amazing desserts!). The dinner at the Ritz-Carlton where the reception was held was equally impressive, but for some reason, that little piece of iceberg lettuce stands out in my mind. It was remarkable in its understated elegance, sitting on its plate with walnuts and shredded apples surrounding it on either side. So classic, just like the wedding itself.

We had a wonderful time! And, we wish K & B all the best as they embark on their journey to Greece and their life together!

Keep sweeping, Martha

Read The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton.

curve ball

Life certainly has a knack for throwing some major lows alongside of some pretty spectacular highs - at least it did this past week. But I guess, by now, that's what our family should expect from the month of June.

In the meantime, we've managed to replace an old sink with a new one. Thank goodness for small victories.

Watched Valentine's Day and Letters to Juliet. Finished reading Anna Quindlen's Every Last One (depressing!).