"Liminality"

Liminality is my new favorite word. It is my (not-so-new) existence. As quoted from my deity-sister, who quoted from her mother (my Other Mother, if you will), liminality is "the middle stage of change, the threshold between what was, and what is yet to be." I feel it in my bones, in my being, and in my decision to pack up my life and move to a state where I know next to nobody. I don't know where I will work, or where I will live. But I know that I will live. And I am not frightened. I am excited! I am anxious! I am a little nervous, I will admit. But all of the good feelings take up all the space and leave little room for fear. I'm learning that this is a good way to live one's life: leave very little space for fear. And don't let fear over-stay its welcome.

Reflection: Valentine's Day at the Wentworth went very well! Everyone enjoyed everything, the menu was fantastic, brunch went smoothly, and we didn't run out of anything! I even got a second-wind at about 8 o'clock Sunday night (hour 12 of my shift), and was bouncy and excited. Probably because 9 o'clock was the end of my shift and I was excited to get home to my warm, comfortable cloud of a bed!

And then... Monday... I had a day off! Finally! It was so nice to sleep in until 10am. I spent the morning in bed, reading, relaxing. Then my roommate came home in the afternoon and we made mimosas to celebrate the return of "our house" to being Our House! (Our other two roommates, who were more like squatters than actual roommates, moved out on Sunday). We rearranged furniture, bought new pillows and a new rug, and rearranged our collection of wall clocks (15 and counting!) Tuesday brought with it a wedding cake tasting for a friend of mine, almost a foot of snow, and just a pleasant day. I love the way the seacoast looks under a blanket of freshly fallen snow, especially when it is the light and fluffy stuff. You know, the way it sparkles in the soft light of the street lights or porch lights. The way it creates almost a canopy in the trees, blanketing the branches and bowing them down, almost like nature bowing to your royalty as you cautiously creep your way along the freshly plowed roads towards your destination. Something about the freshness of the snow, before it is salted, sanded, and slushed by the hands of man, is so peaceful and beautiful. Ironically, it is quite heart-warming.

I am off to try and travel a good road in Dreamland. I was rewarded for my patience this evening with getting to spend time with my goddess-sister and my (Sleepy) Bear, who have journeyed from the Frozen Northland to spend a few days here before one heads back North, and one heads to the extreme South. Viva la Mexico! (... I don't think that's what I meant to say, but it's all I could conjure). Tomorrow brings work, wedding cake preparation, and a delightful dinner with my Other Family, whom I've missed terribly but am extremely grateful that they take me under their loving wings whenever I need. And then a quiet night with the Bear. Life is good :-)

The Biggest Storm of the Year that Never Happened

I love meteorologists. I love how they predict the worst. And then I love how wrong they are! Today's snowstorm was supposed to rival that of what was dumped on Washington D.C. last weekend. Hold on one second, let me reach over... and pull my curtains aside... and check the weather...

...*gasp* I see it! A light dusting of snow on the ground! Sweet! I hope work gets postponed tomorrow!

Ok, I'm being facetious. Work never gets postponed, not for snow, ice, rain, hail, or brimstone. So tomorrow, I will awaken at the beckoning of my alarm clock, dress in my very best uniform, and head back to my very own personal Hell. Tomorrow is my day off. *Sigh* Raise your hand if you didn't see this coming: my boss is on vacation in Miami. His flight home to Boston this evening was postponed due to "inclement weather". He won't be returning until 9:30pm tomorrow, leaving Yours Truly to cover his morning shift tomorrow. The things I do for my 'Ler. Friday is my other day off. I will be arriving at work around 4pm to help out with the Winter Wine Festival event. Then this weekend we will be feeding... Oh, 900 some-odd people in total. Guess who is going to be INHALING espresso this weekend?!

Oh right, the Valentine's Day Brunch menu. I promised to post it. It's still in the works, but here is what I have thus far:

• "Key To My Heart" Lime Tart
• "I'm Nuts For You" Turtle Tart
• "Head Over Heels" Pineapple Upside-Down Tea Cakes
• "Berry Much In Love" Berry Shooters (mixed berry soup)
• Chocolate Covered Strawberries
• "Cupid's Kisses" Meringue Cookies
• Conversation Sugar Cookie Hearts
• Chocolate Strawberry Torte
• White Chocolate "Amour" Cake
• Chocolate Eclairs

Many thanks and even more kisses go out to my VT Teddy Bear for his suggestions and creativity... for which he will be rewarded when he comes to NH for a visit very, very soon! *Insert excited, giggly, bouncy, anxious smile here!*

Surviving

Exactly. As it is currently very, very early morning, and I am currently very, very tired, the only blog title I can conjure is "Surviving", which is exactly what I am doing. My boss, Tyler, has been on vacation since Wednesday. The days prior to his departure were filled with hysteria on both of our parts; from him, with his excitement for his Florida vacation and getting to see his friends, and from me, with my dread and worry about running the department smoothly in his absence. Oh yeah, and the fact that I suddenly had to train a new woman in our department who speaks very little English and has about enough experience in baking and pastry arts as my three-year-old nephew does was also draining my enthusiasm for my job.

Delightfully, Tyler's absence has been little felt in our kitchen (Not that we don't miss him terribly. We do. I do.), and I have somehow managed to keep things running with very few little bumps along the way (literally... Sarah somehow managed to drop a container of ice cream on her face and has a bruise above her left eye... I kindly informed her that she couldn't go blind until Tyler returns on Thursday...). And the new recruit in our department is surprisingly adequate, and speaks better English than I imagined. Severely accented, but understandable. Sarah and I are REALLY earning our two days off this week, though I believe I will be working during one of my days off for the Cakebread Cellars event with chef Phelps Dieck of Brazo/Green Monkey. I have been looking forward to this event since Halloween!

Dreams lately have been scattered and forgettable, save the one dream I remember from my most recent trip to Burlington, in which I dreamed I was happy and content and safe. I dreamed not to expect more than I should, to be happy with what is offered to me, and learn to savor what I'm given. I also dreamed about my roommate Jen's engagement party or wedding reception, not sure which it was. People were dressed up and celebrating, and I was frantically running around trying to find something or someone, feeling very urgent and stressed out and rushed. It was probably just how I've been feeling lately coming out in the form of the wedding plans I've had to listen to every day for the past two months (thanks, Jen!).

Now I am off to dream about the return of my boss, my "two" days off from work, Valentine's Day weekend (menu to be posted at a later date), and a visit from two very special Vermonters before one heads off on another branch of her wonderful journey of life. :-)