I’m cooking again, as I’ve noticed that it is now summer, for reals, in Portland, and perhaps I’d maybe want to stop eating tortilla chips and start wearing a bathing suit in the near damn future. Also, the lovely Nic has Whipped Up (HEE!) a cooking challenge, and I hate to be left out.
This Week’s Theme? PASTA! (that was all dramatic, like on Iron Chef, RIGHT!?)

I’ve gone to my BFF Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food for my recipe, Fresh Angel Hair Pasta with Bacon and Peas

Ingredients:

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 slices bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 box (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 18 ounces fresh angel-hair pasta

1. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain (leave fat in skillet).
2. Add shallots to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas and half-and-half; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta; toss to combine, adding some reserved pasta water a little at a time to coat. Sprinkle with bacon, and serve immediately.

Now: The first thing you should be alarmed by, as I was, is that this recipe does NOT contain any cheese. Blasphemous. So, you know I added a BUNCH of shredded parmesean cheeses. Also, I think I doubled the amount of bacon. I’ll be fitting into that bathing suit ANY minute now.

After I added all the necessary cheese and doubled the bacon, this was delicious. I brought the leftovers to work today and then totally forgot about them. I’m sure they’ll be delightful tomorrow.

Photos are here. Feel free to come on over at any time and teach me how to use the damn fancy camera that I”ve had for SIX MONTHS NOW AND STILL DO NOT KNOW HOW TO USE. The photos are just too poor to use in this post. I’m so ashamed.

There are two places in my life where I’ve never had trouble sleeping. Places where I’ve felt so safe that I don’t wake up in a panic, wondering where I’m at, places where I don’t toss and turn. Both of these homes were my Grandmother’s, and both are places where there is SO much love and so much serenity that I could just sleep, and sleep and sleep and not worry.

I have to say goodbye to one of these places. We’ve known that my Grandma’s main home would be sold. We’ve known it. But now, before it’s even on the market, there is a very interested buyer. And, it’s time to say goodbye.

Goodbye to the TV Room, where we watched taped episodes of Anne of Green Gables together, and also played with a teeny tiny Lhasa Apso puppy, named Chou-Li.

Goodbye to the breakfast nook where many an awkward photo was taken.

But, also some pretty fantastic ones.

Goodbye to the family room, where a teeny tiny girl opened many a Christmas Present.

And, where a not so teeny tiny girl did the very same thing for the next 20 years.

Goodbye to the patio, from where you could see the best damn view in Portland.

And, the prettiest flowers.

Goodbye to the living room where some of my best memories were made.

And, where we came together as a family.

If the next family has even a smidgen of the good memories we’ve had in this house, I think they’ll be very happy.

Oh, hello! I’ve taken a break from my new life as an athlete to write on my blog. Nice of me, don’t you think?

• It seems I have come down with some sort of disgusting cold. I have crud, and it is in my lungs. This, I do not appreciate. I think I must have caught it from the giant germ tube I rode in to and fro Seattle last week.
• Tonight is Pub Quiz! I am quite certain that my team, comprised of the lovely gals I work with (Hi! Sylke! Cherie! Julia!), some friends (Hi! Kerri Anne!) and some other people will win. FOR SURE. I spent last night making TIARAS out of Fourth of July Star Garland and Curly Ribbon. It’s all an intimidation tactic that I am pretty sure will work.
• I don’t really have any plans tomorrow, which is good, because I’m not feeling well. So, I may lie on my couch and say, “Ehhhh!” a lot. I’m good at that, and I say stick with what you’re good at.
• Did I mention that my golf class has homework? We have do to one golf related activity a week. Does Wii Golf count?
• I should have my cat taken away from me by Cat Protective Services (which I just invented) because I completely forgot that I should probably arrange some sort of care for her while I’m away at BlogHer. Which is in TWO WEEKS! EEEEEE!
• I picked up my new super fancy Dolce & Gabbana glasses today. The case they came with is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. It doubles as a PURSE. For clubbing! As the lady at the eye doctor’s office told me.
• I am going to end here, because I forgot I was writing a blog post, and abandoned my computer for 10 minutes. I need a nap.

I may or may not have mentioned before that I’m taking a golf class with my girlfriends. Actually, more accurately, “Ladies Learn to Golf School!” I added that exclamation point, because I felt as though it needed it.

We signed up last week and were told that Tom would be our teacher. There are three things I began telling people after we registered:

1. Tom had better be hot
2. I was on the golf team in high school, so they’ll probably ask me to teach the class
3. OMG! I can finally wear my Izod golf skirt I bought for $5 at the Izod Outlet!!

Three things I learned after tonight’s first class:

1. Tom is not hot, but a very nice guy and a damn good teacher
2. I still kinda got it, but I have no business teaching anyone
3. That damn skirt DOES NOT FIT. 29 year old Rhiannon and 25 year old Rhiannon are NOT THE SAME SIZE.

I also learned that my golf clubs are WAY too short for me and that I’ll actually need Men’s Clubs (UM, ONLY IF THEY COME IN PINK!), playing golf is kind of like riding a bike, and nothing is funnier than saying “I ran out of balls!” and hearing your friend say, “That’s what she said!”

One year ago today, I packed all my belongings into a big U-Haul truck and moved out of a beautiful 2,300 square foot home into a 540 square foot apartment. I left a house that I shared with someone who controlled me, belittled me, and made me feel like an awful person.

I spent weeks crying, sometimes at my desk, sometimes in the car. All the time at home. I lost 15 pounds. I didn’t eat. I didn’t sleep. I took enough Xanax one night to probably kill me, but God was watching over me. My parents were scared to leave me alone.

I had forgotten who I was.  I had forgotten that no man is every worth giving up your life for.

I know now who I am. I am smart. I am confident. I am fun to be around. I love to laugh, I love to be with my friends and family.

I don’t miss him one bit. If you had told me that I’d say this a year ago? I would have never believed you.

This year has been hard. I lost my Grandma, I’ve had health issues, I’ve been depressed.

But now? I’ve never been happier. And, I like who I am.