Day 50

Part of my morning routine.

"Both read the Bible day and night; but you read black where I read white."

--William Blake

Fiftieth Day

[T]he bicycle will accomplish more for women's sensible dress than all the reform movements that have ever been waged.  ~Author Unknown, from Demerarest's Family Magazine, 1895

Perhaps, but I know plenty of women, myself included, who can successfully ride in a skirt.

Forty-ninth Day

"There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." 

~ Edith Wharton

Appropriately enough, I'm spending some quality time with Ms. Wharton as I read 

The House of Mirth.

Day 49

Kickin' it with my new Macbook. She arrived from Shanghai today and in honor of her Chinese heritage I have named her Mulan -- it means Magnolia Blossom.

Day 48

I believe that cereal should be eaten at any time of day -- especially Fruity Pebbles from the cafeteria at 11 o'clock at night. I had to have something to get me through a long day/night of work.

Forty-eighth Day

This was a weekend of friends!  I trekked to the suburbs to visit two amazing friends at their home.  

I love to laugh with these two lovely ladies!

Forty-seventh Day

Two Monmouth friends visited and we jumped for joy at our day at the beach!

Day 47

Bananagrams might have surpassed Scrabble as my favorite game.

Forty-sixth Day

I love making cards.  It is a great way for me to de-stress and get the creative juices flowing.  It's especially fun making cards with friends.  However, I spent my evening alone, hovered over my desk making bridal shower invitations.  I picked up some fabulous paper (on sale!!) at Paper Source after work (and had an impromptu shopping spree at two awesome consignment stores!). 

Day 46

A perfect combination: RC Cola and a MoonPie!

Day 45

I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.

~e.e. cummings

Forty-fifth Day

After a long, sweaty day at work, I deserved some pampering.  

Day 44

For as long as I can remember, I Love Lucy has been my all-time favorite television show. I own every season on DVD...and today I started a marathon. It's my goal to watch every episode before classes start.

Forty-fourth Day

After a very exciting day, I sadly came home to an empty refrigerator.  Fortunately for me, the Andersonville Farmers Market is up and running and I reveled in booth after booth of locally grown produce, baked goods, and organic items.  Though I didn't purchase any turnips or jalapenos, the two ears of corn in the front are mine.  I just love summer foods!

Forty-third Day

 

In celebration of a dear friend's brithday, our evening was filled with Putt Putt golf and Molly's cupcakes. Yay birthdays!

Day 43

When I quit playing basketball after my freshman year at Monmouth College, I said that not playing felt like a shoe that didn't fit -- and that I was going to have to go barefoot for awhile. Today, I dusted off those basketball shoes from freshman year and played again. It really had been too long, and I truly missed it. Now perhaps, the love affair has been reborn.

Forty-two Day

I love cheese.  I recently found these mini servings at the store and they had my favorite kind of cheese: Gouda!

Day 42

When I went home for the weekend, I left the book I was reading at my house. Back in Monmouth, I am without my suspenseful crime novel. Looks like I'll have to pick one from the pile on my nightstand. I'm thinking about going with Amelia Earhart's Daughters. For some time now, I have been intrigued by the life of Amelia Earhart. Recently though, I have become more interested in the lives of other women in aviation.

Day 41

"O, when I am safe in my sylvan home" -- R.W.E.
Sometimes I think I would have been a Transcendentalist if I had lived in the 19th Century. The writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson come to mind when I visit my grandparents' house on Sundays. I also enjoy visiting with one of their barn cats, Bogie. My sister and I named him after Humphrey Bogart. Our family says we have "old souls." I think they may be right.

Forty-first Day

Over the past year I have come to love crossword puzzles.  I complete the Red Eye crosswords during the week and attempt to work on the New York Times' puzzle.  I often laugh out loud at some of the clues, or shake my head saying "Oh, Will Shortz." (He's the NYT crossword editor).  I recently purchased a nice puzzle book.  I had to laugh at the clue for 34 Across: "___ Teenage Werewolf" (1957 film).  The answer is: I Was A.  I couldn't help but think of my brother, who loves this movie.     

Fortieth Day

My Saturday afternoon was spent oo-ing and aw-ing over lace, beading, and tulle in a bridal shop. A dear friend of mine is getting married soon and I got to offer my support and thoughts as she searched for (and purchased!) an absolutely stunning wedding dress.  

Thirty-ninth Day

I spent my afternoon in the Grand Hall at Chicago's Union Station before hopping on an Amtrak train.  

Day 40

My first trip of the summer to Cranwill's Drive-In. It's the closest eatery to my house -- and they have the best root beer!

Day 39

What a way to spend my Friday night -- studying for the GRE and narrowing down the list of grad schools that I'm planning on applying! I have just over a month before I take the exam...and then it's application time!

Day 38

It's been stolen. It's been broken. It's the Bronze Turkey! Monmouth College and Knox College have the sixth oldest rivalry in college football. In 1928, the Galesburg Register Mail and the Monmouth Review Atlas each donated money for a trophy to be awarded at the contest which was originally held on Thanksgiving Day. Because of the bird-knappings -- a body double has been created and awarded to the winning school. This is photograph is of the real deal -- not the body double! It just so happened to show up in our office this afternoon.

Thirty-eighth Day

We have some surprise lilies growing in a pot on our back porch. We don't know where they came from or how they are surviving considering what terrible plant parents we are.  

Here's hoping they continue blooming.

Thirty-seventh Day

In honor of the 90th anniversary of women's suffrage in the United States, my lovely roommate brought me back a mug and pin from her Cape Cod holiday.  

I also just love tea, especially English Breakfast.  I can't begin my day without a cup, or two. 

Day 37

Raindrops collect on my apartment windows. Luckily, I finished my run just before the shower began!

Thirty-sixth Day

These humid summer days require some air circulation in order for one to survive.  

Thankfully, I have an adorable retro fan to assist in my survival. 

Day 36

Today I played a little tennis in the rain. What a refreshing way to wind down after a long day at the office!

Thirty-fifth Day

I don't know whether it's due to the fact that my family owns an antique store, or if it's because I'm studying history, but I love old things. Big surprise, right?  While this poster isn't an original, I am a sucker for the artistic style and felt like treating myself with a new purchase.  Now to get it on the wall...

Day 35

My addiction to Chipotle began while living in Washington, DC last semester. On our shopping trip today, we found one in downstate Illinois to end my withdrawal.

Day 34

At home, the corn is taller than "knee high by the Fourth of July." And then in Peoria, the airplanes flew over the Illinois River before Red, White, and Boom commenced.

Thirty-fourth Day

Chicago Style Fourth of July: A morning at the Chicago Botanic Garden, a patriotic meal at home, and for a grand finale: fireworks over Lake Michigan.  No fears of British attacks whatsoever. 

Day 33

One of my favorite summer scenes: laundry hanging out to dry.

Thirty-third Day

Somehow we got an extra ice cream cone at the Taste and I just couldn't let it go to waste, so of course I ate two!  Unfortunately, they were melting so quickly, and with my great luck, I dropped the last of one of my cones on the ground.  I was too dehydrated to actually cry.

Day 32

Girls night dinner -- complete with the musical stylings of Dean Martin.

Thirty-second Day

My family is visiting this weekend, so I took them to see the reason I'm living in Chicago. They were extremely impressed by our lakeside view on campus. 

Day 31

Dinner downtown with friends followed by a movie and cruising with the windows down and the music turned up = a perfect summer night.

Day 30

Friends fill my summer nights with music.

Thirty-first Day

I sometimes forget that nature can thrive in a metropolis. Today I was pleasantly surprised by an adorable bunny who was having an afternoon snack just outside of the library. What a treat (for both of us)!