"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Albert Einsten

Seems like I'm back... I won't even tell you guys why I was feeling so lousy... Only thing I'm going to say is living with an autoimmune disorder can be a difficult thing from time to time...

I have been living with more than one for ages. Thyroid... Or more like the lack of one by now... And arthritis....

Sometimes you just forget they are there because you feel so good... But there are times when you fall prey to them and there is no way you can escape...

About 14 years ago I was told: "Oh, when you have one of those, in a way, you have them all!" That... By a doctor, thank you! So, should I just sit here and wait for all of them to happen?

I usually try to take good care of my body, but sometimes I just forget... Living life is complicated enough as it is. You just can't take care of yourself as if you were some delicate tchotchke... Not me at least... Sometimes I get so engrossed in living that I forget... And eat tons of bread... And work as if there were no tomorrow... And just try to enjoy to the fullest...

I know this may lead to having lots of problems when I'm old... That, of course, considering I get to be old...

There is this one thing I know for certain... I will keep living to the max... No matter what happens...

"I am sick and tired of being sick and tired" Fannie Lou Hamer

I know you guys haven't heard from me in quite a few days, but moving and opening a coffee place at the same time hasn't proven to be an easy task...

Today, I really hit bottom... I just sat there and cried because I'm so tired and can't see the end of it all...

A part of me is really happy about every new event, but the other just wants the roller-coaster to stop...

The more we work on the place, the more we seem to find problems... And today we had our very first problem with our landlord... And we haven't opened yet...

I so want to just forget about the whole thing for a few days... I'm really, really, having a bad time now...

"Noncooks think it's silly to invest two hours' work in two minutes' enjoyment; but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet." Julia Child

I had a long day... Again... Woke up at 7... I looked at my flat last night and noticed the urgent need for some homekeeping...

I live in a country where house helpers are a standard... But right now I can only afford it once a week... So I really save the chores I dislike the most for my cleaning lady... The rest, well... You can imagine I guess...

I had to work fast, because I had to meet B. at 10 O'Clock... We bought paint... Went to the upholsterer's... We found the ugliest chairs in the world... So ugly they are actually amazing... But they do need covers... So we went to the guy and talked about all of our options... We would have sewn them ourselves, but we really have our hands full...

Afterwards I left B. to do some office work while I rushed to my pâtissier to work on some recipes... We spent about six hours discussing recipes and working on some of them... I have very specific ideas of what I want... One of the things I want is change my menu seasonally, specially my desserts... And as Spring is just around the corner...

We went through cupcakes, mini-loaves, panna cotta, mousse... She just rolled her eyes from time to time... But she is my mum, you see... Having my mum work under me is great fun... We are a great team and she is willing to go as crazy as I wish... Not every pâtissier will, that one is for certain... I'm very proud to have her in my crew, and I know she respects my work... And of course she would never give my recipes away!!! That is a plus, right?? So, now you know where I got my love for food from...

We tried three different recipes today...So, now, I'm stuck with dozens of cupcakes and mini-loaves... Oh, and I forget this one batch of shortbread... Anyone up for a cuppa and a bite??

"Each day has a color, a smell." The Mistress of Spices

I've had tons on my mind... Working on recipes... The cooking part I like... The calculating costs, not really...

Asides from that, I have been trying to sort out my life a bit.... My thoughts... My feelings... Things have been happening so fast lately... No time to think of those and the other night I found myself sitting, eating a quart of ice cream with a silver spoon... You can laugh all you want... I don't find it funny...

So tonight, after I finished working I decided to occupy my body... I don't want to stop and think... I tried to make sense of my pantry and my spices... I spent two hours repackaging most of them... Smelling... Touching... Travelling in my mind... Each spice a memory...

I noticed I have 14 kinds of salt alone and suddenly realised most of them were brought back from interesting places... That made me want to go... Again... It seems the wanting to fly away will never cease... No matter how happy, or full I can feel, the desire to leave remains...

Leave what? Go where? I wonder...

“You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her”

I just came in from spending Sunday with the girls... Roof party... Barbecue... Lots of sun, lots of food, lots of beer...

We are such a crazy bunch... The environmental lawyer... The photographer... The writer... Seven of us...

What do we have in common? Our passion for life, our love for what we do...

We laughed, talked politics, fashion, culture, discussed career paths...

Spending time with them is one of my favourite things... I just love them so much...

I have so much to tell you about them... But lately my days are so long and my nights are so short ... I really need to get my rest...

Going to bed now... Huge smile on my face...

"I was just making some lunch. Would you like a tuna sandwich?" The Godfather

Where do I start? Ok... Here...

At the end of January I told you about B. and I planning to open a coffee place... Remember? Ok.. Here's news... We have found a place... And closed the deal... And... I'm a nervous wreck and I'm so excited and have been working on the project non stop for days now... Coffee machines, furniture, recipes, paint...

Paint seems to be a recurring theme these days, huh? First flat, then shop... Oh!!! I have found the perfect shade of white for my room!!! It's called coconut... It has a a slight tinge of plum in it... I found it while looking for coffee place paint... Brought a sample home and so far I like the way it looks at different times of day... I need a free weekend though, to go buy it and paint here...

I woke up very early so that I could work on recipes before my student got here... Read tons of them for inspiration... Tried to decide on my best bets... Asked for input and discovered that I can't get away with not having a ham and cheese sandwich... I never would have thought of that... I did get a great suggestion... And that would bring me to this other theme... The guy... Remember him?

He gave great advice on food and on lots of details I hadn't though of... Was I amazed... It seems he won't cease to surprise me... No wonder I look up to him more and more...

But wait... Back to sandwiches otherwise this one is going to turn into a "I'm so in love post" and I am, but still... Will have to try that ham and cheese some time next week... I have been eating sandwiches for the last couple of days... I'm not sure about how my body will react to that... Bread and my body... Not the best friends I'm afraid... But I need to try what I cook, right?

I decided I need a Reuben... And found out.. Guess what?? No corned beef to make me happy!! That just had me doing more research and I had to send a message to this very close friend of mine asking for a recipe he would trust... When I said I just want the perfect Reuben, he just went "Oh, I hear you"... We decided I should try Alton Brown's recipe... I will tell you how it went in about 2 weeks...

I'm realising it's past midnight!! No wonder I'm so tired... Will have to keep writing some other night... Have a good one, you guys!!!

“A house is a home when it shelters the body and comforts the soul.” Phillip Moffitt

March already... Time flies!!!

I have been so busy trying to make my place livable... I wasn't so convinced about it in the begining... But it turns out it's a great flat...

And the colours do look great... And I'm so excited and tired, you guys wouldn't believe it...

I am just going to show you my bed... ok??? I still have to hang paintings, decide on the right colour for my bedroom walls... Nothing else to show so far!!! I will take more photos when I'm a bit more satisfied with the way the place looks, promised...

I LOVE my bed!!!

...And talking about beds... I'm headed there... G'night!!