Heath, assurance.

We are Americans. We consider ourselves one of, in not the most, developed nation on the planet. We are as much a nation as we are an idea. We should be ashamed if just one man, woman or child dies from lack of adequate care within our borders. We should be ashamed that an illness that we are able to treat, an injury we can heal, claims any life. That you would declare one person more deserving of health than another speaks to an evil, a disease of the soul, that should be addressed. It is unacceptable and unjust. 

If someone is ill, and we are able to cure, heal, help or comfort them, we should. We should want to. Medical professionals should not be in the healing arts for money. They should do their job because it is their calling, because it is their life’s work. 

For the elderly, the chronically ill, the poor, the young, and all other uninsured Americans, we need to change. And soon. 

Dear Paul Newman,

Dear Paul Newman,

Your Sockarooni Sauce is marvelous. In addition to Butch Cassiday and the Sundance Kid, Cool Hand Luke and Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, this should be included among your great achievements. 

Sockarooni + any pasta + any veggie + a little grated cheese = oh goodness! 

It's expensive at the local supermarket and at the co-op, but cheap at Target. Go figure. 

Just don't mention it to my grandmother. She might not forgive me for using jarred sauce. 

xo

Me

Delicious.

Today was my first foray to the local Farmers' Market. At seven thirty this morning. It. Was.Wonderful. 

Seven-thirty was completely worth it. I was one of the first people there. I wish I had brought my camera! It was colorful, well organized, beautiful, and all the offerings were spectacular. 

There are about fifteen or so vendors, but each of them offer a staggering array of items. I stopped at a bakery stand, and found that it is the baker whose bread I buy at the food co-op! I purchased a few orange-chocolate-pecan scones for breakfast tomorrow. I skipped the Amish pies, local honey, cut flowers and homemade jams. A girl needs to stick to her budget, right? But I hit the jackpot when it came to produce! The haul included:

• 2 zucchini
• 2 yellow squash
• about two pounds of patty pan and other squashes
• a japanese zucchini
• 3 small heirloom eggplants
• a pint of blackberries
• a large bundle of basil
• a pint of heirloom grape-sized tomatoes
• a pound of heirloom tomatoes
• half a pound of spinach
• half a pound of green beans

I also discovered a fruit heretofore unknown by me... the ground cherry!

 It looks a little like a super tiny tomatillo. It's yellow, sweet and just lovely. 

I rounded out my groceries with some cereal, yogurt, bulk almond dish soap, crackers, bananas, bulk vegetable farfalle, and bulk hummus mix. I did all our shopping for less than fifty bucks! And we will be good for at least a week... until the next Farmers' Market!

Halfway only counts in relay races.

Sometimes you meet your significant other halfway. You do your part, they do their part, and you make it there together. Compromise and communication don't make things equal in every situation. Understanding is about more than one-for-one trades. Sometimes, you have to go the whole way. Sometimes your s. o. has to go the whole way. You will still get there together.

Well, Blow Me Down

We had a very exciting day! Brendan's staff had a scavenger hunt...one of the things to scavenge was a photo with me. We also had his staff at the apartment for some pizza while they did a little work. In even MORE exciting news, there was a tornado a town or two over. It was supposed to hit Winona at 5.15 pm. Thankfully, no tornado touched down here. 

Over the weekend, my sister Mary came to visit! I was completely surprised. I actually thought Brendan was getting us a puppy, or a fish or something. I opened the door, and it was my little Newsome! We took her to see the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, and we saw Julie and Julia at the little movie theater. It was wonderful to see her. I missed her so much and was feeling so homesick. Brendan arranged it, and kept it secret. He is the sweetest husband ever. 

He was at Dunrovin for a few days last week, and that should be the last time he has to leave for an extended period for awhile. He is going to have an incredibly busy few weeks coming up. Students move in, and the year starts in earnest. Before we know it, summer will be over and it will be Halloween!

Until next time!

The Nona... Part Deux

I'm trying to be better about this blogging business, so please bear with us. 

Things we have accomplished:

1. All the laundry is finally done. (The moving truck leaked, and quite a few textile items got wet. Every thing we washed in the laundry here smelled funny, and the washing machines left rust on some of our things. We had to find another laundromat.)

2. The kitchen, bathrooms, closets and den/office are finished. ALL the books are off of the floor! Yay!

3. We made a few improvements here and there: a new showerhead; some organization and storage solutions; a bar in the kitchen with baskets that hang; two small cabinets forming a little sideboard in the dining area; etc.

4. B has been getting tons of work done.

5. K has been looking for work and obsessively organizing and re-organizing things.

6. Twin Cities Ikea trip number 2!

7. Spending lots of time together, just hanging out. Things are going to get pretty crazy in the next few weeks, so we are just trying to enjoy this quiet(er) time as much as we can.

8. Wedding Thank You notes!

9. Matilda (the car) needed a new battery. As much as we don't like Wal-Mart, we really like that we can buy the battery and they put it in. Total time... about fifteen minutes. 

Also good news... no rattlesnakes. Wahoo!

The Nona.

While He is on a work trip  to Northern(er), Snowta, She will be posting all by Her lonesome. Le sigh.

Winona is a lovely little place. We are surrounded by bluffs, all the way around. The Mississippi is the border between us and Wisconsin. It's not often cloudy, and the sky seems huge because there are no tall buildings. It's really strange for me to stand near the Lake and be able to see the other side! 

Winona is different enough from Cleveland to not be familiar just yet, but not so different that I'm entirely uncomfortable. I haven't really figured my way around this place yet, but I am able to get to Target, the Post Office, the Bank and His office. Pretty much everything else remains a mystery. 

Once I unpack my camera cord, I will be able to post photos of Winona, the campus, and the Homestead. It's coming together pretty well. We've had to be creative with storage, but it is starting to look like home (!). 

We live in the 'Snowta!

So, as far as updates are concerned, the following has occurred:

-He and She are married.

-He and She arrived in the 'Snowta.

-He and She are involved in The Unpacking.

U-Haul, He Hauls, She Hauls

Mostly, he hauls.

We have reserved a seventeen foot (!) U-Haul for the move. Plus, a car dolly to haul Matilda (vehicle 1).

We are driving from Ohio, through Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and finally Minnesota. Whew.

I'm so glad He will be driving!

Things to DIY (or DIWH) Before Moving... The Remix

1. Do not refinish the kitchen table on the off-chance we give it back to Caroline in the next two years.
2. Reupholster the wingback chair when in MN, because I haven't found a fabric I like enough...yet. It really all depends on where we decide to put the chair.
3. Refinish the coffee table/side table.
4. Use slipcovers on the orange chair for now... see No. 2.
5. Paint the Rose Lamp.
6. Uncle Sean's steamer trunk upcycle is now in progress.

7. Wedding stuff chugs along nicely.
8. The sewing table is mine!