coronavirus comfort

It's been forever and a day since I last wrote, but in light of the last few weeks, I've been feeling an itch to get back to writing. Like reading, writing has always kept me sane. I think the insanity of late might feel a tiny bit less insane if I check in here.

It also seems appropriate to resume writing on what would have been Ella's birthday. In my last post I talked about her death... and since then, I've felt pretty depleted, meeting daily parenting, marriage, and work challenges. Again, writing will help.

Plus, I made this Thai noodle salad last night. It was so good, but then today, I ate it cold, and man, oh, man, it was even better. Highly recommend.

Keep sweeping.
Martha

Finished reading The Hopefuls by Jennifer Close

sun on the carpet

The world has been moving way too fast lately, and I feel as though I haven't been able to catch up. The fall was hard. The spring was harder. And now, we're headed into summer, which I hope will just be nothing but lovely.

In these moments, I tell myself to breath. And, I hold tight to the little things.

Boy Beeton and I stumbled upon this Little Free Library on the way to a birthday party. These gems are scattered throughout our neighborhood, but this one was particularly sweet.

Mr. Beeton was reading poems by Charles Bukowski. I'd never read Bukowski, but I definitely had a clearly formed image of him from my graduate school days. I opened the book to this poem, which took me by surprise. Completely at odds with the poet I thought I knew and so expressive of my own feelings about parenthood. 

Marina
majestic, magic
infinite
my little girl is
sun
on the carpet-
out the door
picking a flower, ha!
an old man,
battle-wrecked,
emerges from his
chair
and she looks at me
but only sees
love,
ha!, and I become
quick with the world
and love right back
just like I was meant
to do.

Keep sweeping,

Martha

Read My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. Watched Carol. Watching Catastrophe. 

we're having...

...snow much fun!

Keep shoveling,
Martha

Watched Sofia Coppola's Somewhere. Finished reading Lauren Groff's Fates and Furies. 

my view at dusk

Today was a good day.

I haven't been able to say that for a while now. When my pericarditis hit this fall (update soon, I promise), I didn't realize how much it was affecting me physically or emotionally until the cardiologist finally said I needed to take it seriously. I had thought - as I did after Boy Beeton was born - that I was just an inadequate mother. I had thought - because I was so tired all the time - that I was just selfish. I had thought - because I had no patience for anything or anyone - that I was just a bad person. But, it was just the illness, which on top of being physically painful, was also making me tired and depressed.

I know this because today was a good day. I woke up with energy. I played with Boy Beeton this morning. I put away the porch furniture. We went to school. I took a walk. I graded. After school, we picked up some groceries. When we got home, we played soccer in the yard until it got dark. I made dinner. We had a dance party. I calmly dealt with a before bed tantrum. I was myself again.

Keep sweeping,
Martha

Watched The Peanuts Movie.

bleck

This is how I feel about life lately...

But, I read this great article about the 15th anniversary of one of my favorite films. That made things a bit better.

Keep sweeping,
Martha

Watched Kissing Jessica Stein, I Love You, Man, Love Jones, and Maid in Manhattan.

five minutes more

Five more minutes of fame...

Keep sweeping,
Martha

Finished reading The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters and watched Obvious Child.

my five minutes

A student of mine made this little video for a class that she is taking on digital media. I thought I'd share it in case anyone is interested in learning more about my scholarship (or seeing my office).

Keep sweeping, Martha

just like the ones i used to know

So glad I didn't take my tree down yet. There's something about snow outside and twinkling lights inside that makes the days seem easier.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched In A World.

but a whimper

I wish I could say I ended 2014 with some excitement, but the energy level around here lately hasn't been conducive to merriment. I'm feeling positive about 2015, though, making resolutions at Bridget Jones's breakneck speed. Though my time - right now - would be better served working on my reappointment materials (which are almost - miraculously - done), I am going to follow in the footsteps of my truly inspirational undergraduates this semester and binge watch Vanderpump Rules. Forgive me.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer and Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham. Watched Gone Girl (!!!) and Girls: Season Three.

seven

The date of this post and the state of these flowers should say a little something about life lately around here.

More soon.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Neighbors. Read We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, Orange Is the New Black by Piper Kerman, and Still Life With Breadcrumbs by Anna Quindlan.

life lately

We finally got our dining room painted, and we rehung these shelves so we could showcase this glassware.

While we aren't in preschool yet, we've been enjoying more group activities... soccer, for one. Go Turkeys!

And nature class with the Community School...

Boys in the woods

Friends

And weekly storytime with our favorite librarians at the Takoma DC Library, followed by lunches at Soupergirl. (Of course, that's Boy Beeton's favorite place to eat.)

Lantern, spider, snow globe, and falling down man

And some Halloween decorating...

And so very many good books!

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched This Is Where I Leave You and The One I Love.

blackout

Remember last summer? The summer of leaning back? Well, suffice it to say that the Summer of 2014 is a far cry from that.* It's been a bit of a grind. This administrative position, which I am so ill-suited for, has been stealing away the tranquil moments of last summer, the bubble blowing and popsicle eating. It's tough. And I'm not happy with it. But, I'm trudging onward.

It's times like these when you just want to curl up on your bed and draw the shades.

When we moved Boy Beeton to the guest room, we had reservations. The move made sense because the room was bigger, and it didn't have a shared wall with our neighbors. But, it's also in the back of the house and gets a lot of sun. In the winter, it sometimes feels like a greenhouse in there, all steamy and warm.

I knew, if we were to see past 6:30 am, we needed some serious blackout curtains. I looked online and found this tutorial. I had bought white fabric ages ago in the hopes of making curtains for our guest room, which looked like this:

But, I never got around to it. Instead, I used the white fabric as the base for Boy Beeton's curtains, and I edged them in this orange fabric, which looks curiously like a pair of shorts I own (channeling my inner Maria, I guess):

I ordered blackout fabric and cut it to size. I dug out some old curtain clips that we had bought on clearance when West Elm downtown closed and hung everything together. You wouldn't believe how well they work. The sun tries its best to sneak through, but these curtains are unstoppable.

Boy Beeton's room is now the ultimate place to curl up and shut out the rest of the world. That's probably why - when I'm laying in there at night as Boy Beeton falls asleep - that I fall asleep too. I'm blaming the curtains.

Keep sweeping, Martha

* Borrowing R's asterisk technique. Don't worry about me too much. We did manage to get to the pop shop, and we have blown our share of bubbles. Our friends from Savannah came to visit, and we also snuck in quick trips to Deep Creek Lake, Raleigh, and Annapolis. And, last night was glorious - dinner and a movie with a dear friend.

Watched Boyhood.

some type of way

We've been in some serious denial that summer is over here on Quackenbos Street. But, now that Labor Day has come and gone, I think it's time to face the facts - even if select splash parks in D.C. are still open. 

In these waning summer days, I noticed more and more people posting on Facebook about things that they were pleased to note they had finally crossed off their "summer bucket lists." I find the whole concept of a bucket list to be perverse (who wants to actively think about their impending doom?), but I did want to post about a few places that were especially special to us this summer - places that we visited more and more as the impending first day of school loomed.

Trohv - I cannot even explain the magic that is Trohv. If you haven't been, you need to hop on the red line and head on up there. After all, where else can you find an A-Treat soda bottle carrier that you'll transform into bathroom wall art? (Yes, you read that correctly.)

Pleasant Pops - This place was one of my most favorite summertime haunts - the pop shop! (Thanks, MB, for tipping us off to it!) When you combine it with a picnic in Meridian Hill Park, nothing says summer more. 

Van Buren Playground - Yes, folks. The playground is finally open! We'd been dreaming about it all summer, and I have to say that the final product is waaaay better than what we imagined. We spent so much time there the past few weeks that I think the maintenance men thought we had set up permanent camp in the little treehouse. And, again, when combined with a picnic... aaahhh. As Baby Beeton would say, "This is the life!"

AFI Silver Theater - How did we not know this was in our backyard? Mr. Beeton and I had a date night not too long ago (only the second of the entire summer... a crime, I know). We followed it up with a drink at Sidebar. I had a "Tennis Is More Interesting When You're Drunk" in honor of the U.S. Open. It had Pimm's in it, and you know how I feel about that.

Takoma Park Farmers' Market - We loved going to market all summer. Frequently, the much anticipated La Mano coffee bar would host pop-ups, and we could shop for fresh veggies while drinking cold brewed coffee. Baby Beeton loves, loves, loves the yogurt drinks and guitar player. And, this past week, we did our best to convince our former neighbors-now-friends that they really need to move here (please, please, please! we'll watch your cats when you take trips... er... I mean vacations).

When I think of summer 2013, these are the places that I'll think of... the places that make me "drop down to my knees, thankful for life today." If you can guess who made that quote famous, I'll buy you a cold-brewed coffee.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Blue Jasmine.

 

500 days

The other day, Mr. Beeton and I had the horrible realization that the summer had passed us by without our having engaged in some of our very favorite summer activities. We've been so busy visiting family, entertaining friends, writing treatises, and repairing atrocities that we had neglected to eat ice cream, visit a farmers market, and see an outdoor movie. This past week, we tried to correct these mistakes and cram these last few days of summer chock full of fun.

To start, we visited Moorenko's in Silver Spring, Maryland just a short drive from Quackenbos Street. While parking was terrible and an aging hippie less than welcoming (not to mention not very deft at packing a cone - my two scoops became one after the first lick!), our ice cream - Guinness flavored and ginger - was delicious. And, we were equally delighted when the shop got a shout out in the most recent edition of the Post's Sunday magazine. The Post also mentioned Summer Delights in downtown Takoma Park, so we headed over there last night. The ice cream wasn't quite as good, but you can't beat downtown Takoma Park on a hot summer night.

Last Friday, we went with our new neighbor and friend, The Rockstar Librarian, to the Petworth Farmers Market, which despite having lived in the adjacent neighborhood since May, we had not yet visited (read about it here). We walked around, bought beautiful red peppers, a big purple eggplant, some yummy tomatoes, and cucumbers. And, with our leftover change, we picked up two pieces of Dangerously Delicious Pie - Baltimore Bomb and raspberry. The Rockstar Librarian then headed to DuPont Circle to pick up some obscure DVD, and we headed across the street to the newly opened Sala Thai for sushi. Afterward, we took a long walk with Ella around the neighborhood. She especially likes to run in the fields by Coolidge High School.

While we still haven't seen an outdoor movie this summer, we did go see the summer blockbuster Eat, Pray, Love. And soon, very soon, we're headed out of town for a little 72-hour vacation before the madness that is school starts - just me, Mr. Beeton, and Ella.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Date Night and Eat, Pray, Love. Been re-reading all kinds of food memoirs.

bon appetit

I have a confession to make. 

I went to see Julie and Julia.

Over a month ago.

And I haven't blogged about it.

I had intended to, of course. My plan was to see the movie, buy Mastering the Art of French Cooking, cook the now infamous boeuf bourguignon, and then blog about it. 

But, I kept getting foiled. First, I couldn't find the book. I went to a couple of bookstores in and around Georgetown, and Julia's tome was no where to be found. I then ordered it online. But, when it came, we had just made some sort of beef stew in the crock pot. And, while I know our crock pot concoction couldn't compare, Mr. Beeton and I were just not that hungry for beef. Then, I read the recipe. I got scared, mainly by the bacon. And the intensity. I thought I'd try something else. A chocolate souffle, raspberry bavarian cream. Each time, though, I chickened out. And, then the papers came, obscuring the entire dining room table. I think Julia's book might be buried underneath.

So, instead, I thought I'd blog about how I had intended to cook something from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. And how you should go see Julie and Julia. It's really, really good. I'd compare its goodness to the boeuf bourguignon, but as you know, I haven't gotten around to making it yet.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Julie and Julia.

a heart in the middle

I'm riding the last wave of a very long semester.  If I were a waitress and if I worked in a pie diner, I'd be baking a pie out of mincemeat and cheddar cheese, topped with sour cream, and I'd call it "I-don't-wanna-grade-no-more-papers pie." 

Actually, the end of the semester proper went very well. For the final paper, my classes are required to watch one of three films that I have selected and write a movie review on the film that they have chosen. Amongst their choices was Adrienne Shelley's Waitress, an absolute favorite of mine. Watching it and discussing makes me feel like I'm in our very small kitchen with the oven on high.

The most satisfying part of discussing that movie is asking them the question, "Why pie?" They look at me confused, "Why not?" Then, I go on, "Why doesn't Jenna bowl? Or collect quarters? Or blog? Why does she bake?" I exaggerate often, to drive home a point. Then, we talk about domesticity, at how Jenna is confined in so many ways - by her marriage in particular, by the baby she doesn't really want. And we discuss how baking - a premier domestic art - should also be a method of confinement but how she makes it subversive, relegating it to an art rather than a mundane domestic chore. They like that interpretation. And they like the New York Times movie review that we read which deems Waitress "a feminist fairytale" (http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/10/04/1191091279319.html). You can tell that some of them want to live in a feminist fairytale. I know I do. 

Turn up the oven.

Keep sweeping, Martha

inauguration

This weekend is one of my favorite kinds of weekends. I've got a 72 hour reprieve from grading before a stack of research projects come in on Monday. That means, right now, all I have to do is read entertaining novels (In Hovering Flight by Joyce Hinnefeld) and clean the house.  Mr. Beeton and I may watch a movie later (The Happening), and we will surely walk Ella, even though it's bitter cold.

I have to admit. This is not my first attempt at blogging. I'm very good at starting blogs and never following through. But, I feel differently about this one. To start, I've created a very nice alias for myself, so that I don't have to worry about losing my job because I've complained about a demanding student. Two, I've got a focus. The stories of my life, while entertaining, are really all over the place. A friend once compared me to Bridget Jones because, while I don't really look for mischief and disaster, they find me nevertheless. In centering my blog around the domestic, though, I can avoid all those haphazard stories about people behind me on the bus throwing up; I can ignore the tales of our neighbor's dog, running wild through our house, breaking a vase. Instead, I can concentrate on what really matters to me these days - my home.

Okay, so home may be a bit of a misnomer.  Mr. Beeton and I live in a two bedroom, railroad apartment in Glover Park, Washington, DC.  I moved her four years ago, fresh out of graduate school to take on a job at a pretty fancy, urban institution in downtown DC.  Last year, Mr. Beeton, who was working on his own graduate degree in Austin, Texas, moved back as well, and in November of last year, we got married. Since then (well, really always... I drew houses and was obsessed with Country Living as a child), I've grown obsessed with my living space and with food... it's what makes me most happy.  I agree with Nigella Lawson, who, in How To Be a Domestic Goddess, states, "I do think that many of use have become alienated from the domestic sphere, and that it can actually make us feel better to claim back some of that space, make it comforting rather than frightening" (vii).  In fact, right now, my home is the only place where I do feel better.

So... in an effort to put some positivity back into my life, carve out a space where I can be creative and excited, rather than burnt out and bitter, I've created The Happy Homekeeper. Hopefully, I'll have many more weekends just like this... a round of blogging followed by a session with the dirty dishes.

Keep sweeping, Martha