Magazine Birds

Inspired by amazingly creative Katie at Color Me Katie, I spent an afternoon cutting birds from vibrant magazine pages and filled an empty wall.  I smile every time I see them.

Kathmandu Valley

I was so enamored by the quiet Himalayas that last week when I posted pictures, I forgot to include some from our whirlwind tour of the Kathmandu Valley.

Black and Whites

While I was sick, I remembered the times as a kid being home-bound with a fever, lying on the couch and watching more TV in a day than I was allowed to watch in an entire month.  Other perks that came along with being sick were gifts from my dad, including musical cards, silly pens and gadgets from drug companies, and famous NYC black and white cookies.  Admittedly and fortunately, the cookies didn't only show up when illness struck.  They were presented from briefcases, on occasion, just because.  

They are not pinnacles of gourmet baked goods, they do not require special skills or equipment or ingredients to make, they are not complex in flavor; however, they provide that taste memory that brings me back to my childhood when sweets and TV were treasured privileges. 

So, after I was feeling better, I decided to attempt to recreate the black and white cookies of my youth using the recipe from Smitten Kitchen.  The results were good, but the cookies just didn't taste the way I remembered.  In fact, the ones I made tasted more gourmet-y with a cakier cookie and chocolatier icing.  Nevertheless, they were a nice memory trip.

Dirty Water

 Giardia

Well, I think I am finally on the mend after two weeks of being sick!  First it was a cold that just made me feel really run down and then the giardia hit and took over my world.  If you've never had the pleasure of meeting these little parasites, allow me to introduce you.  They lurk in food, water, or soil that's been contaminated by the poo of an infected person or animal.  (Yes, that's right.  In spite of choosing food carefully, treating our water, and washing my hands, I managed to ingest someone else's fecal matter.  Eew!)  Once consumed, they take up residence and reproduce in the small intestine, where they wreak havoc on the digestive system, causing abdominal cramping (among other symptoms I will spare you) with pain that may give childbirth a run for its money.

So, anyway.  I took a single mega dose of an anti-parasitic drug and am now cured.  Yeah! 

I must admit, that during the past few weeks between tense political protests, traveling in Nepal, and then being sick, I just haven't really felt inspired to blog.  I'm hoping after forcing myself a few times, I'll get back into the swing of it.

*Fingers crossed*