Cooking blog

I think I'm going to turn this into a cooking blog. My co-worker told me she wants a healthy recipe a week. That got me thinking why not turn that into a blog? Almost like a Smitten Kitchen style, where I take photos in the process. Plus it would only be one a week so I could totally do it. And if I mess up I'd document and tell my 3 readers what NOT to do.

What do y'all think?

~Nicole

It's 11:00 pm

I have to be up at 6:20, so not too bad.

I just finished this good book that I started 3 days ago. I literally read almost half of it in a day.

The ending is a little sad. I wish the ending was different, but with some books what you want you necessarily don't get. Same goes with the book of life.

I was trying to go to bed when I started crying, as I am now a little bit. Part of me knows why, part of me doesn't want to acknowledge it.

The book was about these friends, a boy and a girl, who keep somewhat in contact, but lose touch from time to time. However, they always find a way back to the friendship.

I kind of feel like that with Shane. We've been apart for now longer than we were together and I don't want to get back with him. However, I miss his friendship. I miss just talking to him about our lives. I've tried contacting him a few times, but he has yet to respond. He's always been bad about that. I don't want to be the creeper ex-girlfriend and contact him all the time. And when I say "we should get together" I mean him, myself and our friend Val.

I just want to know how he's doing. I pray for him and think of him every day. I think the reason why this book got me upset is that sometimes I feel like I am losing him as a friend and I don't want that. I know that your exes are exes for a reason, but I don't want to lose him all together. I know things have probably been tough for him since he got back. I just don't know what to do.

And here's the thing. Tomorrow I'll wake up and think "really Nicole, all of this over a book?"

I'm running another marathon

Yup. I will be registering for the Madison Marathon at the end of December (prices go up January 1st).

Come cheer me on Memorial Day weekend. :)

~Nicole

Perhaps I may be done posting

Seeing as how it's almost been a month.

I still check the blogs on here just about every day so I am still keeping an eye on YOU. ;)

I'm honestly working, getting through life and will be running my marathon a week from today. Nothing very exciting.

Random thought: That was the lamest dinner EVER.

~Nicole

Lack of posts

I know, I know.

I've been working a fair amount. With school back in session we've been really busy. That's good, but it was literally the matter of ONE day where we went from being semi-busy to BOOM! It's good though. Plus it's been nice to see my regulars again. This one guy came in yesterday. He reminded me a little bit of Jesus, with the long-light brown hair and the beard-mustache combo. I complimented him on it (not saying the Jesus part) an chatted him up a little bit. Unfortunately we were busy and he was with a friend so I couldn't get my flirt on. ALL of my hotties seem to come in when we're real busy, which stinks. lol

I am pretty much back to my "normal" self before all of the shit hit the fan. I still have my "meh" moments, but it gets easier every day. It's just hard sometimes since we still have this amazing chemistry and get on really well and we both miss each other, but it's timing. I mean we were lucky to see each other once a week for most of the summer and now he's going to be gone for 2 months. Part of me wishes at times that we were still dating, but it's been easier in some aspects. With our schedules right now we'd probably be able to see each other more often, but I still have mostly early mornings so I'd have to leave early. And that sucked so much doing that. Plus with us not dating it will be easier to manage this two-month separation. Yeah I'll miss him, but not as much as if we were still dating. We've seen each other twice since we broke up and we're going to try to get together once before he leaves.

Other than work and doing my normal things nothing exciting has gone on. My marathon is in a few weeks. My long run today wasn't as long as I had hoped. I REALLY need to get up to 20-22 miles within the next few weeks. I know when I'm running the actual marathon that adrenaline will help me, but I just want to get close to that distance.

Random thought: Baseball game on Sunday! :)

~Nicole

Cake

I am currently making a chocolate-whiskey cake.

Mmmm....chocolate.

Mmmm....whiskey.

My co-workers and friends say I should start a company where I just make booze-flavoured bakery.

As my 4-year old neighbour would say: dewicious.

~Nicole

My life and update to the 24 List

This past week has probably been the most "normal" week I've had for a while. I worked, hung out with friends and did stuff that I normally do. It was a shorter work week, which was nice. I know starting in a few weeks once school is back in full swing I'll be back to my normal hours since most of my co-workers will require less hours. It's all good.

Thursday night I drove to Milwaukee to visit Lindsey and Luke. It was so nice driving in my own car. Granted mom and dad probably would have let me use their car, but there's something about NOT having to ask for permission. I like Milwaukee's alternative station; I miss having one here in Madison.

Friday night was good. It was my neighbour Wally's birthday party so we went over and helped him celebrated. I miss my neighbours - it was so good to see them. Tim and Janice also stopped down. They flew to Maine today and had an early flight out of Madison so they spent last night at home. It was nice to visit with them. And talk about their wedding. I was officially asked to be a bridesmaid, which I of course accepted. I was hoping that I would be seeing how I am Tim's only sister/sibling, but I didn't have my hopes too high since Janice has lots of friends and she has two older sisters. I won't like saying how I was kind of expecting to be a bridesmaid, but at the same time it's not my place to ask. But anywhoo I will be and am happy. :)

The weekend and next week should be good/normal. I'm hanging out with Val and Ali tomorrow after work and before our work meeting. It'll be a normal work week this coming week. Lindsey is coming into town next weekend and we need to do some girly shopping.

Update to the 24 List:
I apologize. With my life being crazy of late I haven't kept y'all updated, but I have done things!

-I am still training for my marathon! After not really running long distances for about a month I am back to doing them. And my marathon is in 6 weeks!!!!

-I ate a Harvest, which is a nice/fancy restaurant, during Madison Restaurant Week

-I went to Concerts on the Square

-I went to Neo, a club in Chicago, with Rani, Robbie and Elaine

-I moved out of my parent's house

-I am still doing the new recipe and reading two new books. It was hard during July since I was so down that I really didn't do a whole lot. But I still did it.

Random thought: My hands smell like garlic.

~Nicole