Guten Tag

Today was about as perfect as a non-cyprus, freezing cold, have-to-go-to-school, spokane weekday can get. 

I didn't have to work so I was able to watch the inauguration this morning. I set my alarm for 7, got out of bed slowly and wandered down to the kitchen to make a cup of tea and some oatmeal. I used the extra boiling water from the kettle for my hot water bottle, which I held onto in one hand at the very tip top so it wouldn't burn me. In the other hand I held my mug of tea and my mug of oatmeal (I only eat out of bowls and mugs. Never plates- they don't keep food hot enough and they increase the likelihood of horrendous utensil scraping noises). Then I bundled up in a couple of fleece blankets in Barbie's bed (she was at the bagel shop working and I don't have a TV in my room), stretched my legs out, cracked my toes and relished in the relaxation of continuous news broadcasting. 

Next time I am feeling stressed, I should turn on CNN and zone out as the reporters earn their living by beating a dead horse, describing it in historic terms, rephrasing it for those just tuning in, holding a panel discussion on it, and airing replays of it over and over and over. There's something so soothing about 24 hour news channels. 

Obama's speech was good. Michelle's dress was classy. The kids were super cute. And the crowd was miraculous. So so so many people, all gathered in the cold to see the fruits of their vote and share in such instant change- from Bush to Obama. You couldn't find a better example of change than that. 

After the speech and about another hour of dead-horse-beating by the news anchors, my stomach had a warm, red splotch from the hot water bottle and my legs were falling asleep so I figured I'd better get up and move around. Clare and I went to our aerobics and yoga classes. Then Martha and I went to "do hood rat stuff", which was difficult because of the cold and turned into buying tea at Tesoro, chit-chatting with Isabel at her house and wandering the aisles of Safeway. 

And the best is yet to come! The Real Housewives of Orange County starts in ten minutes!!

May the force be with you, 

Madge

Welcome Home!

Here is a picture of the main entrance into the White House...the new home of Barack, Michelle, Sasha and Malia Obama. 

I am sitting in Barbie's bed upstairs, eating walnuts, drinking tea, swaddled in blankets with a hot water bottle resting on my gut and watching our new president get sworn into office. It really is incredible and exciting.

 

Hope/Change/OBAMA, 

Madge

Knorks, Forks and Stedman?- is that you?!?!

A couple weeks ago Anna sent me the link to the knork website. Just as the spork represents a combination of a spoon and a fork, the knork is a knife/fork collaboration. I want one. Especially since I haven't used a knife since the late 90s (When I stopped eating meat. Also when I realized I could just spread butter on toast with my finger)- nope, I only need a fork, turned on its side and wiggled back and forth vigorously until the food is adequately separated into bite-sized pieces. In Europe, the knork may not sell well. Those euros approach their plate as if they were knitting a sweater- with a knife in the left hand and a fork in the right. Us Americans, though, often neglect the knife completely. It is more of a place-setting decoration, simply there to complete the "plate/knife/fork/spoon/napkin" image but remaining untouched until it is loaded into the dishwasher, clean and unused. 

The reason I was reminded of the knork in the first place is because I am reading "Twilight" which takes place in Forks, Washington. I cannot get over how insane it is that Forks is the setting of these (FANTASTIC) books. It's definitely exciting to see Washington State get some much needed publicity, but it's even more exciting because of my personal connection with Forks. Here goes it: So, in eighth grade my friend Dana wanted to make her ex-boyfriend jealous. We invented a new, fake, shawn-from-Boy-Meets-World-lookalike, boyfriend for her to be in a long-distance relationship with. We made him a blog (or "online diaries" as they were then called) at diary-x.com (which may have even pre-dated "live journal"). After deciding on his hobbies, interests, appearance and car, we picked a location- FORKS, WA!!! His website was titled "stuckinforks.diary-x.com". If diary-x.com was still around I could totally sell that domain name for millions!!!! 

When I was working out today I saw Stedman (Oprah's bf) on CNN with the caption "Attorney General?" underneath him. I thought to myself, "NO WAY! Obama is picking Stedman Graham as his attorney general!?!?!". But then I saw that it wasn't Stedman, but a man named Eric Holder who just happens to look exactly like him. 

I'm almost done with Twilight. It's exciting to be enveloped in a teen book series phenomenon again. Reminds me of my youth. 

Vampires, 

Madge

Hot Off The Press!

I went to Newseum to check out today's front pages, here's some different takes on this historic day:

Also, ARROWHEAD Elementary was mentioned in the Seattle Times!!

Happy reading, 

Madge

"This is your victory"

Haiku about my night:

eating lasagna

the winner is Obama

that's almost a rhyme

Mmmm...warm apple crisp, topped with vanilla bean ice cream. Can't beat it! Clare and I had some trouble picking out the ice cream. We knew we wanted vanilla- but how is one supposed to pick between "Old Fashioned Vanilla", "French Vanilla", and "Vanilla Bean"???? I would love to organize a taste-test between the three. We settled on vanilla bean because of the visible specks of bean. It was a success, but I can't help but wonder how "french" or "old fashioned" would have gone over.

Chowing down as the results rolled in...

So I'll always remember what I ate on the night America's first black president was elected...

LOVED his acceptance speech. Can't wait to watch his daughters grow up. Was Oprah drunk? Anna suspects so.

I am sooo full, 

Madge