Happy Holidays from Maggie’s Farm!

Yes, im still here,

Wild and Wonderful Color

Busy day with wedding preparations. I tried on my dresses with my heels and found they are still way too long. No time to hem them, and no sewing machine set up here. We decided to try to find a tailor and got lucky. Ms. Ramirez of A&L Tailor Shop is doing my hems and will have them ready tomorrow. Was similarly lucky to find Elliot's Flower Shop got in all the flowers I need to make fabulous bouquets for the bridal party. Mia picked up her gown and bridal jewelry from I Do, I Do. We spent the afternoon putting together the wildly bright and colorful silk centerpieces for the Hyatt reception. Kim Leinker, Mia's nurse friend and bridesmaid, spent the day helping to wash containers, glue oasis, pour rocks and cut wire stems. She helped Mia organize and code the place cards for food dishes. Ann Fisher joined us, too. Matt transported the nineteen arrangements to the Hyatt where they were rolled in on carts by valets. I ironed the velvet capelets tonight after sewing on the Nordic pewter clasps last night into the wee hours. Mia and Andrew packed for their ski honeymoon.

Market Rained Out

Not too much we can do about the weather. I knew four good weekends in a row was pushing my luck. Mia was raring to go and we were both up early, but gray skies and drizzle, now a steady downpour, soon drowned our enthusiasm. Nothing is sadder than vendors sitting in the rain with damp goods and no crowds. We are snug as bugs in rugs on the sofa under a quilt, drinking coffee and reading magazines. Martha Stewart, Haute Couture and British Country Living are getting a thorough examination. Oh, the sweaters! Oh, the chutneys! Oh, the creative juices are flowing! We assembled more fiber packs last night after our whole wheat pizza dinner, had ice cream and went to bed. I will clear the decks and, finally, after mulling over it for a year or two, will get out the fabric for Mia's bed cover and start sewing. It was gifted to me by Sally Campbell in Virginia after her dearly departed mother left a decorating project undone to move to a nursing home. I've made a few bags from it now want to sew something that makes more of a statement. I made new drapes for Mia's apartment last summer and promised her a bed cover to match. It's much easier to make something big and awkward with another person to help hold and pin it. I have a lot more fiber to sort - a natural black Merino/BFL run, but I want to get this cover done for her. What if the barn burns down with this gorgeous fabric in it? Mia works so hard and is so kind to her dear old Mommie and this is one thing I can do for her that she needs and will appreciate. The fabric pictured here is a recent find in the tractor shed. Luckily I had buttons already made that match perfectly. Always thinking about future Bundaflicka Bags. If we get our work done we might go to see Taking Woodstock this afternoon. We'll see. The day is running away with us already.

going nuts.. scared.. excited.. THRILLED!

so, it's been a LONG time since I have written anything. I am almost 110% that the only person who reads this blog is my MOM, and sometimes my twin brother. Anyone else, please comment so that I know what to edit, but to be totally honest, I have nothing to hide.
so.. hmm.. tomorrow I get to go to hospital orientation. I almost feel as if I am going to forget, not seriously, but my I just feel like everything is sureal at this moment. Could it be true? Mia, a nurse. Yes, the celebrations were great, fantastic, I still can't believe how many kudos I got. But, most importantly, it wasn't just me who finished this silly program (silly because I have heard how far behind we are compared to some other new grads.. not in theory, but in skills, atleast the skills can be practiced with repetition, but theory helps to critically think.. hence how we passed the boards) okay.. blah. anyway, I finally get to feel like I am contributing to the world, or shall we say, beginning a career.. joining the rest who go to work.. yes, I have had plenty of jobs. None of which I have taken as seriously as the one that got me here. My CCT job in Bone Marrow. I don't think that i have ever given my heart and soul to anything else, well, not the case, unfortunately, I have decided that yes, unfortunately I gave my heart and soul to relationships that ended up just taking so much energy, that should have been directed towards people who I would actually consider human beings. ( yes, direct reference to one..ugg.) more on that later, for some reason it's bugging me, a lot, more because I feel like it's left me jaded and defensive, and well, not able to trust that anyone won't just disappear. Even when it's a blessing in disguise, it still is frustrating. I can't blame it all on one person though, I should have known better.
ugg.. more later.. this keeps acting up!!!

home sweet home

so.. sorry for no more updates! the rest of our trip was great! scandanavia was as beautiful as i had always imagined.. endless countryside.. with water intermingled in every valley, which ofcourse had me hooked.. there is something so magical about the different shades of each lake, river, ocean, and waterfall.. how they glisten from the endless sunlight of the midnight sun.. which, is so cool, i mean really, think of how many things you can do all day long when it never gets dark! You can go explore with a smaller sense of urgency towards reaching a certain point before dark.. you can run and not get stuck on a random road with no street lights (not that there isnt some fun in that).. okay, so here i go rambling..
anyway...scandanavians were friendly and beautiful! happily riding their bicycles.. something i will begin to do soon! all driving volvo station wagons ofcourse.. and enjoying the fact that the sun is actually shining! we did meet some nice swedes in galma stan.. where we ended up at a locals bar, they all kept saying, "why arent you in the clubs in stolkholm".. we said that this place was much more our speed, and we thought it was pretty cool.. i guess we were just excited that people thought we were from sweden and playing around when we said that we were americans!
so, yes, my family is from a beautiful place..!! i met a radiologist on the train.. he said that nurses are very happy there.. i said.. hmmm... we'll see!
norway.. i definitely would love to go back and do some hiking there.. riding the cruise through the fjords was amazing.. i cant help but wonder what the view would be like from the tiny mountain tops that we were gazing at from the water! every where i turned there were waterfalls, so powerful, so beautiful, and they each had their own path, just like all of us who were looking at them... okay, enough poetry! i guess being away and see how small i am in this great big world filled with interesting people made me think of my path, and everyone's surrounding it!
we did stop and see this amazing waterfall.. wow.. what a rush, i mean the kind of runners high rush.. that my lazy self has not had in way too long! it's the kind of energy that runs through you when you feel the mist on your face! in that moment, nothing matters at all.. i try to bottle those moments! the truth is, you can have those moments anywhere, yes, all of my favorite environments in one.. snow, waterfalls, mountains.. they do help enhance the scenery, but those moments, or little epihanies can happen anywhere..if you let them! i mean really, every experience is worthy of being thought about or just savored, good and bad! i do believe that each one makes us who we are!
whoah.. i am babbling AGAIN!
so, back to our trip.... still thinking about the mist on the waterfall..
we got to denmark and found the only steamboat in town, after spending the morning stressing about where to go and what to wear, we decided that if we were going on a river cruise that we would put on a sundress.. well, everyone was wearing jeans and shorts, let's not forget the matching neck ties worn by the bride and groom to be..
so, what a great day! and a relief when we saw tim and maiken drive up, knowing that we were at the right party! the danish side of the family introduced themselves to us as they came on the boat.. so friendly and welcoming!
and then there were the random americans, some who we knew, or heard about.. and then the .."how did you get here".. stories happened, and the wow, you guys carried dresses and heels in your packs!
so.. we cruised on the only river in denmark, with fun conversing and new sites to see. i picked out about 10 dream houses for myself.. !! we stopped on a bank for a champagne toast.. and traditional danish cake.. then back on the boat.. oh, how i love boats!!!..
later we went to maiken's family village.. where we had a BBQ, and made smores around the camp fire, and watched the sunset while playing, or falling over after way too much wine with dinner, and viking games with insanely blonde children..
i climbed a water tower to see the full view..of course not bringing my camera up to take a picture.. speaking of blonde!...
so... we all couldnt have been happier, what a cool bunch of people! and fun way to celebrate! who knows if i will ever be blessed enough to get married.. but if so, i want .. or would like to maybe have.. my wedding shower or rehearsal as a BBQ.. with a softball game.. music, co-ed .. i want my significant other to open our gifts together!! i mean, we should have picked out the registry together.. i'm cool with opening a grill set, or lawn mower! ....
so the wedding the next day was just wonderful, the ceremony, most of which we couldnt understand was magestic..
yes, i say magestic, one the words in which i was challenged to use in a speech, along with birds of a feather flock together, and mythological, and a few other cheesy coined terms that i had stated.. oh, a dynamic duo... yes, at danish weddings, you sit and during your meal you have speeches, where the toast master can approve anyone who wants to to make a speech, well, since i love public speaking, which is wierd, because i am very shy .. my table.. the totally american (with some german and swiss influence this night).. gals elected me to speak for them..
fortunately for them, i couldnt stop laughing prior to the finishing touches, and actually had to leave and take a breather.. now that is a sure sign that we were having a fantastic time.. i havent had a mia laughing fit in way too long!
the speeches all could have won awards, all unique, sincere, and well, perfect. who knows if it was just the setting, or just love!
we then witnessed some very interesting cultural traditions.. viking type games that the bride and groom had to compete in.. one of which they actually took off tims shoes and cut the toe portion of his socks off and then lifted him up.. what???... then another they had to compete in spitting.. gross! i hate spitting and burping.. just dont like it.. major pet peave..
so, the band came.. besides the fact that they were oh so hot, (chrissy and i approached them flat out. only to find that there was one single one left.. .. what lucky wives..whoah..)..
so, they played all great tunes, all acoustic.. and wow- awesome.. so we danced the night away, with random star gazing dreamy moments, and appreciated all of what this multicultural experience had to offer!
we got back on the bus to the hostel.. and were off to london in the am...
we did london in a nutshell.. in the pouring rain.. then i began my journey home..
beginning with a nice moroccan cab driver in london, then bus to the airport, then to dublin, then to jfk.. then to grand central station.. to penn station.. to morristown.. to randolph.. to..
so here i am.. back to reality.. but i missed home... i missed all of the people that are here, i missed my family.. and i am so lucky to have had such an opportunity.. i have had cranky bouts lately! yuck, they are done.. what a waste of days that can be filled with new memories!
so, time to grow up now.. pass these boards.. working.. learning.. having fun! because life is amazing.. to be savored, and not annoyed at...
man am i the luckiest girl in the world! it's true.. so, yes, we are all entitled to be cranky sometimes.. it makes those sweet moments less sour, and my true self come out..
so... i wanted to be on the farm for the fourth of july, but some bugs took me over, and that stunk... i needed to stay put for a little.. so to the farm next week, where hannah and luky pants will be there!!!!!!! ahhhhhhh.. okay, i need to control myself, i am at the library.. but really, i cant wait to see them!
i always loved the fourth of july, i mean, well, aj always freaked me out with fireworks, i remember running away from them so fast that i tripped over a stump and busted my face open.. my grandma made me jump in the lake to wash it out, and didnt wait to send me home like that! the day before i got thrown off the jet ski and got hit in the head.. i guess that explains a lot!
so, the fourth is sacred in my family.. or at least having american pride.. i was at barnes and noble studying, and was wishing that i was around a bon fire on the farm, out in the middle of no where, no that is freedom! i listened to "proud to be an american" because i am so cheesy.. and remember that aj has that cd, ofcourse i called him and we made fun of each other for it! but, well, we all shouldnt need the fourth of july to celebrate what is good..(it is nice for people to have a day off!!) but we can say that about so many holidays, maybe that is why i am not a huge holiday fan! i just want my own house, small, so that i can entertain holidays, and make them as low key or dressed up as possible! i want to spend july fourth in the garden, and sit by my campfire at night! (that is a random rant of frustration that i have been thinking about) i try to have no expectations, and therefore, no disappointments, but i must say that i was lonely last night! its funny, i just cant connect with some people that i would really like to lately! i blame myself for acting wierd, but who doesnt have an off day! so, i'll just focus on boards, that's number one, and that requires my most confident and motivated self!
so... this has been soo long! and time to study..
mommy, i think you are the only person who reads this.. so i am sure that it is time to take care of our furry friends who i cant wait to see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oxoxox
smiles and cheers!!

eingeschlagen!!!!!

so.. where did leave off, paris.. well, yes, that was beautiful, great architecture.. etc.. but next was my favorite place so far.. zurich, where we stayed in the KISS room at the zic zack rock hostel.. hhaha.. anyway, i cannot wait to go back there and jump in that glorious lake!! I am a sucker for good looking swiss men and any type of water, especially when there are mountains in the background..so after a day of feeling like fancy people we got on a train to go to germany!! we hopped on a train to the beautiful alp foothills to see how disney modeled their castles.. the real deal.. so we got up to it and the largest thunder and lightening storm came over us, which ofcourse i loved, but we did get soaked..
anyway.. we made it out alive.. even though i think jenny was totally doubtful that we werent going to become fried monuments on the path up the hill!!
then we went to a beer garden.. where jenny got hit on by a 70 year old man, who could not even complete his german greeting!1.. we did eat sausages and pretzels though..
so.. skipping to today.. we decided to go to a concentration camp.. why not.. well, the reason why the only train there wasnt working.. was.. well, we were told by the train guide that they were excavating a land mine.. the best part was that he acted it out for us.. digging, told us about a bomb.. i suggested mine.. almost joking.. was he for real..he certainly was.. so needless to say.. we did not make it there and chose another path of history.. i must say though, the cute soldier at check point charlie was worth the change in plans, especially when he told jenny to put her purse on her other shoulder so that he could put his arm around her!!
this balances out the depressing stories that we heard here!!
i am so american.. but i cant believe that we are going to sweden tomorrow.. and jenny thinks that i have taken a ton of pictures.. watch out!!
OXOXOX

i saw the mona lisa!

yes.. when you're in paris.. you must see the mona lisa.. well, it's very anticlimactic.. and yes, it looks like she is staring at you, and it's very dark, and wierd that she is so famous, but i guess the mystery of her makes her stay so popular! that museum is so beautiful.. even the building alone.. you can get lost in there forever! jenny was a great tour guide ofcourse! using her academic knowledge.. and interpreting the french that i couldn't get!.. so, we had a great time on the metro people watching as well! no naked bikers today..
but, unfortunately, we witnessed a little boy get hit by a car on jenny's street! ahh.. it was so scary.. he was conscious, but the worst part was that the father, picked up his child and started to yell and punch the driver.. dropping his child on the ground!!! what a scene! we made sure that the ambulances came.. but oh my goodness.. so frustrating to see!
we had a great meal at a little cafe.. listening to all of the french conversation around us! now a nice quiet night that we decided would be a good idea.. before the white stripes concert and sight seeing tomorrow!
oxoxoxox