More Mail...

Got this reallllly cool card from my sister (and brother-in-law) in the mail today.
You just gotta love the Chihuly glass in the background (and their precious faces in the foreground):



Love, Kellyann

Mail Call!!

I've gotten some nice cards this Christmas
and I thought I would share them with you.

First off, that nice Javier Chacon, who is the Starbuck's regional manager that I sent email to and got a reply from, sent me two Starbuck's gift cards. Isn't that very nice?!



I got a nice letter from Nancy Taylor. She was my Spanish teacher in high school, plus she was the adviser to the CloseUp group that went to Washington D. C. one year. Just like feeding cats, after that, we hung out in her room until she would shoo us off with a broom. She's living in Lake Arrowhead now:

Camieh and Dom had a lovely pink and brown card which enclosed a photo. The combination of a light color with brown is very "in" these days. I like it:

Laura and Ted's card had a whale breaching. On their last trip to Alaska they were treated to a grand display by a whale who breached for 1/2 an hour:

Sue Husted, a friend from my days at Cal State Stanislaus, sent this lovely Manet painting and the reccommendation that we see Australia. She and Pat Honey were my "Modesto Mamas". I would hang out in her kitchen while I studying for comps and we would watch Remington Steele (boy that dates me, doesn't it?!):

John and Evaonne Hendricks sent me this card and a letter. It's been a tough year for them with the passing of Evaonne's Mom. John and Evaonne live in Arcata, but John grew up just down the hill from us in South San Francisco. His mom and dad, MaryRose and Wade have a fond place in my heart. John attended Cal (Berkeley) and the trip when I went with his dad to bring him some stuff, was my introduction to the wonderful city/school of Berekeley:

My stamping friend, Bobbie Geiger sent this cute girl-in-the-moon card. Bobbie and I once drove down to Carson for the BIG stamping show!!:

I was afraid that Doug wouldn't send me a card this year, but it came the day before Christmas. Doug is a statistics professor at Ohio State. He writes that during the summer he teaches a class called "Statistics for Masochists" (which I think is a redundant phrase):

Jody Pollard sent a card announcing her new address in Hollister (I'd share it with anyone that emails me):

Uncle Dave sent a card hot off the Tauton Press:


My friend, Martin's card requires both a front and back shot. We have been friends since our first days of ninth grade, when we met on a picket line to save a favorite teacher's job (I wonder where Mr. Golfus is these days?). The teacher was a short term sub, so he was gone-with-the-wind, but Marty and I have been friends since then.



Marty's card is filled with his trip to Paris (who wouldn't want to go to Paris with Marty?!) and the completion of a 1/2 marathon in Tennessee (way-to-go!):


These are my cards so far! I hope you are having a great holiday and are looking forward to a fantastic New Year!

Love,
Kellyann

and the winner is.... Fluffy Biscuit

After looking at the walls of the bathroom painted Sandstone,
we both decided it was just a shade too pink for the marble countertop the vanity,
which is a toffee color.
So, we went and got paint chips and picked out another color: Fluffy Biscuit:


I took these pictures with the morning sun coming through...
there's still no light source, but we intend to go get one soon.
I think Fluffy Biscuit is a good compromise between the toffee colored vanity and the more pinkish tiles:



...but we will see!

Hope everyone is having a great holiday!

Love,
Kellyann

Down for Repairs

Hello cats and kittens,

I hope that your Christmas was full of love and happiness.

I decided I was getting wound way too tightly
running on caffeine and willpower
between both schools and the bathroom redo,
I was starting to hyperventilate about not having a gift made
or the thought of cooking anything

We decided to opt out of family festivities
and headed for a leisurely dim sum lunch at Ton Kiang
followed by a sunset walk at Sutro Park just as the sun was setting.

Sometimes it's important to know your limitations
and take time to recharge batteries, both physical and emotional.

I wish everyone a warm and healthy season,
love,
Kellyann

Executive Chef: Kellyann: Light and Sweet

I was privileged enough to be invited to a Winter Solstice Party today
by my good friend and fellow speechie (although she hates the term), Marilyn Shumacher.
It was a warm and congenial gathering of women speechies and a good time was had by ALL.

I was assigned to bring something light and sweet,
here is what I came up with:



These pastries were made by baking wonton skins in muffin pans to form light little shells. I filled these with a layer of sweetened marscapone cheese (Italian cream cheese), then I put raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, topping these with whipped cream (here I cheated and just used the stuff out of the can... but if I had another fifteen minutes, I would have made fresh in the kitchenaide).

I made and brought them on a platter, but if I had known they had to sit, I would have constructed them there, because their bottoms got a little soggy (but not unforgiveably so).

1.00 wonton (I used half a 1.99 package)
4.99 marscapone cheese (I could have used cheaper ricotta cheese or just more whipped cream)
9.99 one small package each: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (I could have just used rasp.)
1.50 one third of one real cream can of whipped cream

18.48 total for 20 tartlets of mixed berries to bring to a party
could have been done for 10.50, sometimes even an executive chef is not the most frugal!


:::Smile:::
the executive chef wishes you a festive season!
love,

Kellyann

Anniversary Dinner

Yes, it's been fourteen years of pretty constant torture,
and Dr. R. has withstood it fairly well:

We went to Skates on the Bay. It is the scene of the crime, where we had our first date. It has lucious views of the SF skyline across the bay. It is the type of restaurant that holds big groups, small parties and intimate dinners.

After a fantastic crab and artichoke dip with their fabulous foccacia bread, Dr. R. had the french onion soup and I had the blue cheese salad.
My babyback ribs with their tangy sauce, sweet potato fries and slaw showed up soon afterwards:

The restaurant sent us a complementary slice of key line pie, we made a wish and blew out the candle:

A twenty year old port and two cups of espresso rounded out the meal:


I'm sure if you look out in the direction of Pinole, you will see the rosey glow coming from our house.

Here's wishing for you, your own rosey glow.

LOVE, love, luv,

Kellyann

Bathroom Update 12/20/2008

Ok, so here is the bathroom update,
The loose tiles have been reapplied and don't they look gorgeous!

All three walls of the new shower is installed and solid:

There is a beautiful texture to the bathroom walls
and they are so beautifully finished (all ready for a semi-gloss paint):

The wall between the shower and the cabinet/sink has a beautiful rounded edge to it:

We have picked out a color called "sandstone" for the walls and Dr. R. will paint that tomorrow
as well as seal the grout and tile.

It's coming along!

Hope you are keeping warm and and happy,
Love, Kellyann

The five dollar breakfast

I had a cup of coffee at the Starbucks inside the local Barnes and Nobles...
while I was waiting in the line, I noticed that they had quiches in the case
that are about the size of the quiches that I make for my breakfast:


I noticed that these quiches were 4.75
add a 2.50 for a coffee
and you will quickly add that my daily breakfast is hovering in the 6.25 range...
at least at this Starbucks!

I will have to add up what the ingredients cost
to see if I am being the best executive chef possible.

with love and quiches,

Kellyann

Secret Santa on a snowy day

We have been doing a secret Santa at our school
and this year I have a GREAT Secret Santa!

So far, I have had gotten earrings, Christmas cards, a Christmas scene,
a set of wind chimes (which I put up in my office so everytime I open or close my door...)
and apples.

TODAY, I got a note in my box:




I went over to the freezer and opened the door:





Oh wow! My secret Santa made me a SNOWMAN!
(yep, it's snowing here)



My secret Santa gets awards for both creativity and the ability to use office supplies in unusual ways!




Such a cute little snowman!! I hope you are all keeping warm!

Love, Kellyann




Here is the love diorama that has found a spot on top of the world's best computer:




Here are the cards that came with my previous gifts:

Saturday in Pinole

after a quick trip to Home Depot to buy a new toilet
and tile...

I went grocery shopping,
found another shopping list:



This list was a little more healthy: veggie soup and bread and a reminder to go to Well's Fargo (outlined in red). You know I love looking at these personal notes that people write to each other.

Kirby and Matt came to work on the bathroom and got quite a bit done. They put down the hardiboard, put in the base for the shower, replace the shut off valve tor the toilet, and laid down the tile:



I really like the tile, it's a light tan with a slightly darker brown. There is a pleasant texture to it. It looks like it could be sandstone, but is porcelain. They are 12" x 12".



They weather has turned cold, looks like an artic storm coming.

Hope you are warm and cozy,
Kellyann

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas...

Yep, the tree is up and out of the box in the Speech Room...

It's a little crowded on my desk, but Mele Kalikimaka!

Time to plug in my Christmas lights as well!


Some of you may remember your "Christmas in a box" from last Thanksgiving,
it's time to get those out and hang up that fake mistletoe.
Time to douse the office in the smell of cinnamon air freshener
and get out the Christmas CD!

Getting into the spirit one baby step (ala "What about Bob?") at a time,
Love, love, love and mistletoe,

Kellyann

More Picassos in the Speech Room

M. was at it again today,
she is such a happy little girl.
She danced all the way from her first grade classroom,
showing me her gloves, her smile, pointing out her picture on the wall.

I see her with J. and while I was working a little with J., she drew this on my white board:




That just melts your heart, doesn't it?
:::Smile:::

Well, then I let J. draw on the white board while I worked with M.

and he drew:





Which he assured me was Kung tu fanda (Kung fu Panda).
He told me it was an awesome movie, tuz Tun tu fanda has awsome moves.

So there you have it,
be careful when picking that heart-shaped rose!

Love and knishes,
Kellyann

Oakland Fungus Faire 2008

My friend Catharine has an entirely different subset of interests,
so of course I am fascinated by them,
when she asked if I wanted to meet at the Oakland Museum for the Annual Oakland Fungus Festival, I said, "Sure! Sounds like fun!"

We decided to meet up at BART at the Lake Merit Station, which is within easy walking distance of the Oakland Museum. Here, I am, waiting at the BART Station. Waiting was fascinating, there was a group of men across the station playing hacky sac. When was the last time you saw that?



Once we met up, we took a short urban jaunt down the crowded Chinatown block to my favorite dim sum place, which is now a chinese dim sum and sushi buffet. It was pretty good. Here is my first plate:



My second plate had more veggies and a chicken foot. I had always wanted to try a chicken's foot, but never wanted to get an entire plate of them. It was pretty tasty, but I'm not the biggest fan. It still FELT like a chicken claw... a little too much for me. Although, if you are going to be a carnivore, you should revel in it, I suppose.

We walked back to the Museum and paid for admission. We caught the Dia de Los Muertos exhibit, which was pretty darn stunning.

Then we made for the main hall in the Biological Sciences floor and the Fungi Festival. There were tons of people there. One of the areas had been made into a natural spot to show the places that mushrooms could be found, and of course I was fascinated by the fellow who had brought his watercolors (next year!):


Some of the mushrooms were really beautiful:



Of course, Catharine knows all the names of the fungi, and I was happy to hear about them. I didn't feel the need to remember them, I just enjoyed looking.



The people-watching was pretty good. This fellow was an eminent expert. He was fascinating to listen to. Underneathe his hands was a really unique mushroom that looked like frishon puppy. He told me the name of it, and the cool thing was that people encouraged questions and allowed you to touch the various mushroom. this was a very hands-on sort of thing:



Back out in the Natural Sciences floor, I walked by a favorite of mine in the past and revisited it, a flat file full of categorized eggs:



There was an interest lecture by the premiere mushroom dyer. She was a genuinely gracious woman who was preparing the wool by soaking it in a mordant and then breaking up the mushrooms and putting them in boiling water in the pot. She said that the best "dying" mushrooms were generally unedible. She passed around her cards with dye tests of wool using the various mordants (which produce different colors using the same mushroom dye batch). Finally, she dyed the wool skein and it came out a glorious purple. Pretty kewl!



At the end, I bought a teeshirt for me and a tee shirt for Reza, some chantrelles and lump of truffle (the Oregon, not the Italian) and had a pretty great time.

All in all, it was a great day, full of fun and fungi!
Hope your day was sporific!
Love, Kellyann

Fourth Street Potter's Purchase Award

On Jones Street between 4th and 5th Street in Berkeley is a pottery studio
I have been wanting to visit this for some time.
They have it set up to sell items for Christmas, so there was ALOT to choose from...

Here was my one purchase award:



You know how I am about espresso cups...
and cups with saucers...
and such beautiful dragonflies:



One of the nicest parts of buying from a studio
was meeting the artist, who was a very welcoming woman.
Her paintings were fabulous, full of movement and fluidity.
She included a small care note:



Here is her website:
http://berkeleypotters.com/margaretgriszdow.html

Aloha dearies,
I hope your day is full of beautiful things that grace your life,
Kellyann

A walk in the Hills of Saratoga

Yesterday I had a splitting headache after the meeting,
so I left school in the actual daylight
I drove down to the open space preserve and took a walk in the twilight.

This area is particularly nice because the scent of the bay trees
permeates everything.
The air was cold
and it felt so good to be a large animal walking along a path
that made a pleasant "schack schack" sound under my feet.
I walked and shot some footage which I share with you now.

Here's hoping the moon rises high in your sky,
Love,
Kellyann