figuring out 40

dear Monday.

2013-05-13T20:11:51-04:00

I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, "if this isn't nice, I don't know what is." - Kurt Vonnegut

Dear Monday - thank you. Thank you for starting with hysterical laughter via text with Barb. Thank you for continuing with texts/emails from friends that made me smile. Thank you for meetings in which I felt confident. Thank you for a lunch jaunt with Gina that involved laughter & high-fives. Thank you for a conversation with a beloved friend. Thank you for a charity photo shoot that made me grateful. Thank you for a wonderful chat with Austin. Thank you for a cheesy corn chowder that came together beautifully sans recipe. Thank you for a lovely red blend in my wine glass. Thank you for a book that is inspiring me like crazy. Monday - you kinda rocked. xoxoxo Katrina

these are the days.

2013-05-12T21:46:30-04:00

I was at an off-site conference for 2 days last week, and then Ohio for a day & 1/2. I was scrambling to keep up with sleep & work & life. Life has ebbed & flowed over the past week, complete with a post-travel meltdown that found me crying in my car while on the phone with Becky. Despite all of the yuck & stress, these are the days that I am grateful for...

*such awesome people to work with - both w/in my company, and long-time clients.

*the opportunity to travel. I do love the promise of adventure that an airport holds.

*friends. OH, FRIENDS. this was a week in which my friends listened, offered support, shared excitement, advised on wardrobe choices, texted in anticipation, (virtually) dried tears, and generally just SHOWED UP. I am blessed.

*an amazing, smart, & beautiful daughter who turned 21 last week. This was a difficult birthday for me. She's the same age that I was when I had her. I see in her a potential that I never saw in myself.

*Scandal on thursday. It's possible that I screamed (twice) "SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!!" at the TV (a euphemism for WTF). Dude.

*the gift of photography. I had the opportunity to connect via my camera lens today. I am awed.

I'm headed to NYC for a couple of days this week, so it promises to be another week of work stress & travel tiredness. I'm going to remind myself to check in on gratitude each & every day.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you beautiful Moms....

ventage tuesday : five summer basics

2013-05-07T21:35:24-04:00

I apparently did a major purge of summer clothing before I changed out my closet last fall (can I just say that I kind of hate that part about living in the Northeast? That changing our your closet is an acutal thing? Yeah, not a fan.) I have precious few summer clothes. My summer basics are very...basic.

I just bought this black maxi dress tonight. I think it's perfect to dress up for dinner out, but also super cute with flip-flops for everyday. I adore Target's vneck tees (wearing the grey one at the moment). Maxi skirts are the new yoga pants. White jeans are surprisingly cute (I was terrified of them for years). And...I really need a chunky turquoise necklace.

Check out what the other Ventage Girls are wearing - Em, Barb, Angie & Steph.

varying surface conditions.

2013-05-05T11:51:47-04:00

This is one of those posts that will probably sound better in my head. Stress has been high. Wine has been over-poured. I've done that "losing my words" thing a bit too often.

I took the above photo last week on a walk with Austin. The sign didn't hold any significance at the time - I just liked the contrast in textures & colors. Now, the sentiment seems like a perfect statement on life right now. Varying surface conditions.

Before I go further, know this - there is nothing inherently wrong. I'm not depressed. I'm not spending days on the ledge. My gratitude list is long. My tribe lifts me up with perfectly timed calls, texts, and emails. What the terrain looks like around here:

*Hope turns 21 on Wed. It is the first birthday in her entire life that won't involve me tip-toeing into her room in the morning and whispering "happy birthday baby girl." I thought that I was okay with it, until a few days ago when I couldn't stop the tears and dashed into the bathroom at work.

*I cannot keep up with the amount of yard work & housework that needs to happen around here. Budgets don't allow for a housekeeper or landscaper....so the chores sit undone. I know, more than most, that no one will look back and say "well, Katrina was great, but did you see all the leaves in her yard?? shameful." Still, it lends to a nagging sense of failure & lack.

*Speaking of failure & lack...getting to know new people at 42 is terrifying, mortifying & exhilarating all at the same time. In one minute, I'm 13 years old with frizzy hair and a butt that looks huge in gym shorts. In the next minute, I'm drafting words that should make Shonda Rhimes offer me a job. I remind myself that this is simply another chapter. It's not the ending. Turn the page.

*I'm spending time in the sunshine as much as I can. Wishing for a couple of these, these, and this for the deck. Going on walks with Austin. Going for walks (with a few steps of running) instead of going to the gym.

*Getting giddy about seeing my tribe at the end of the month. These girls save me.

Varying surface conditions, indeed.

weekend work.

2013-05-03T12:18:20-04:00

Spring has arrived in VT in a blaze of glorious weather - and this weekend will be no exception. I've got a list of tasks to mark off of my list before I start a 3 week stint of travel. Posting here to hold myself accountable:

1. Clean up the leaves & weeds in the yard & flowerbeds.

2. (maybe) Plant a few flowers.

3. Clean up the raised bed of veggies.

4. burn down Organize the garage.

5. Work on April's Project Life.

6. Pick out a few photos to print for my bedroom.

7. Paint the filing cabinet in my office white.

8. Laundry, laundry, and more laundry.

9. Watch Les Mis.

What's on your weekend list?

ventage tuesday : we were late bloomers?

2013-04-30T22:14:08-04:00

I'm posting this MUCH later than anticipated...but I am determined to participate in today's Ventage Tuesday. We like to call this year the "Ventage Year of Awesome." Today, we're bringing you the "Ventage Years of Awkward." I think it's fair to say that we were late bloomers. (note, for anyone that I have known in my ENTIRE LIFE, be warned that I likely have photos of you...so be careful how hard you laugh!)

2 things about this photo - 1) crooked glasses much?? and 2) my Mom made that shirt and I loved that shirt. I think that I wore it in consecutive school year photos.

Curly hair tip - when you don't know what to do with your hair, just keep it short.

This is the reason that frizz serum was invented.

Oh the 80's. And Sun-In.

In case you thought I was all girly in the prairie skirt - BAM! preppy polo with the casually tied sweater brings the outfit home.

There is SO MUCH WRONG with this photo. The hair. The yellow teeth. The XL tshirt from the men's department. Oh, but hey! I'm wearing a Swatch!

Let's just call this one - go BIG or go home.

Be sure to check out the other girls' ventage awkwardness. And please, do feel free to share your own.

Angie, Steph, Barb & Em

weekend wandering.

2013-04-29T22:06:11-04:00

Just a quick post today - my computer gasped it's last few breaths this weekend, so I'm fumbling around on a new iMac. I feel a bit like I've never used a computer in my life. Oh! Trivia - the first computer that we had at home was an Apple IIc...anyone remember those? My brother says that I've joined the Apple cult. Yep! And now I'm an iPhone carrying, iMac loving member.

Anywho. A few photos from this past Saturday's adventures with Miss Amy...

We headed down to NH for the day - beautiful weather, awesome conversation, and lots of laughter!

We stopped at the CK Convention for a little shopping. I picked up some Basic Grey, and some much-needed (like a hole in the head) Washi tape. The tradition of Margaritas lives on...

I don't have photos of Trader Joe's (like a kid in a candy store) and Target (wonder woman underwear. ahem.). On the way down, we stopped at King Arthur Flour - which is newly rebuilt and absolutely STUNNING. Oh my. I could LIVE there.

Saturday was simply an excellent day. Sunday? Well, not so much....

2013 PL : we were on a break.

2013-04-24T07:29:47-04:00

Time marches on, and project life sat relatively untouched in my office. I was a bit paralyzed by the balance of "document the everyday!" and "is this really what you want to remember?" So, this weekend, I white-knuckled my way (almost) through March - printing the precious few photos that I had taken, ignoring journaling (which would read: another day. done.), and modifying format to one side per week. I'm hopeful that this represents a breakthrough, and my relationship with PL will begin anew.

week eight (the last week of february)

(left side)

(right side)

week nine.

week ten.

week eleven.

week twelve.

Project Life is a super simple scrapbooking system developed by Becky Higgins. Learn more about it here.

ventage tuesday : on the regular.

2013-04-23T11:07:19-04:00

It's true that we Ventage Girls are creatures of habit. Angie originally suggested "5 products that we use daily"...and that morphed a bit into "5 things we need/use daily." Habits? Maybe. These are the things that make up (most) of my days...

1. Curl care - I have wicked curly hair. I rely on Ouidad Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel to tame the tresses. And by "rely"...I mean that I buy it in 32oz jugs. For reals.

2. Coffee - strong & black, please. At least 3 cups in the am. I'm a fan of Dark Magic, but contrary to popular belief, I'm not all that picky about the beans. Just give me coffee. Straight up.

3. Green veggies - Angie predicted this one. I really DO eat kale almost every day. Lots of spinach, too. Throw in some arugula, and I'm a happy girl. One of my favorite lunches is sauteed kale + avocado + tempeh.

4. Intense Hydration Facial Cream - My MF friend hit it out of the park with this one. It's my everyday go-to moisturizer.

5. Almond milk - In smoothies & lattes. Preferably vanilla flavored. I'm also a fan of their almond & coconut blend.

What do the other Ventage Girls need to get through their days? Visit Angie, Em, Barb, and Steph to find out!

what's on your...

2013-04-18T22:34:39-04:00

The ever-inspiring Ali posted this meme earlier this week, and I thought it was pretty fabulous...

vanity : uhm, don't have one, so I'll sub "dresser" - jewelry, a vase w/fabric flower, Sonoma Soap Lotion, and a plant

perennial to-do list : sort through my scrap supplies, bring the Xmas dishes in Hope's room downstairs (what?), organize the pantry, de-clutter the drawers in the bathroom

refrigerator shelves : almond milk, local eggs, spinach, arugula, strawberries, black berries, orange juice, tempeh. leftover tortellini

itinerary : new hampshire next weekend, ohio in early may, wisconsin in late may, likely halifax in june/july, possibly the cape in august

fantasy itinerary : san francisco, italy, hawaii, costa rica (again), bali, ireland, portland (or...pretty much anywhere with the ventage girls)

playlist : tristan prettyman, p!nk, fun, maroon 5, mumford & sons

nightstand : random hair ties & a stack of books

workout plan : gym at least 3x per week, and want to add in a strength class. also want to check out burlington barre

iphone : words with friends (getting my *ss kicked by my brother. again.), instagram, gratitude app, tango app (for talking to Hope), starbucks app

top 5 list : sitting down to dinner with Austin, getting texts/calls from Hope, kale, emails from friends, sinking into my meditation cushion

bucket list : tons of travel, buying a convertible, paying off debt, going on a creative retreat, writing a book

mind : my workday tomorrow, weekend plans, loneliness vs independence, letting go, Boston

blogroll : Lisa Leonard, Under the Sycamore, Lee Currie, Coffee & Sunshine, and about 150 other lovely links

walls of your favorite room in the house : the beginnings of an inspiration wall (in my bedroom)

liquor shelf : vodka, whiskey, gin, rum (yes, I have wine (duh!)...it's in the wine fridge in my pantry)

last credit card statement : groceries, GAP jeans, business expenses

screensaver : (at work) a homemade graphic illustrating our company strategies (it's the only way that I'd learn them)

tv every night : a blank screen. we rarely turn it on during the week (except for Scandal)