I miss him sooooo much.

Moshi Moshi

I just got back from my less than 12 hour stay in Chapel Hill with my lady friends Jean and Elisabeth (from camp).  It was such a blast!  I couldn't have asked for better company.  Here was how our time was spent:

1) When they first came to pick me up from Elon, they called my phone as I was in the middle of cleaning the fish tank.  I left the apartment immediately because I was so excited and forgot to turn off the sink (the sink sprayer was filling up a giant bowl with which I was using to refill the fish tank).  When we got back inside, the entire kitchen floor was flooded with water.  :(  After I cleaned it up, we frantically left Elon to get to Moshi Moshi for Jean's hair cut.  We were only a few minutes late.

2) After the cut, Elisabeth and I spent some time having to convince Jean that it was, indeed, a SUPER cute upgrade before entering into Med Deli for dinner.

3) Then we went to a vintage/thrift shop.  Elisabeth and I got matching sweatband sets while Jean settled for suspenders.

4) The rest of the evening was spent at Elisabeth's stylish, high-ceilinged dorm room watching the movie Boys Don't Cry as we made each other beautiful friendship bracelets.  Just as you can't buy true friendship, you can't find these one-of-a-kind hand-made friendship bracelets in the store.  They're staying on our wrists until they fall off or we die (which ever one comes first).

5) Saturday morning, after having a sleepless sleepover in the common parlor area, we brought our hot and tasty breakfasts from Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen to the upstairs lounge of Chill Bubble Tea.  Jean: Mocha, Elisabeth: Avocado, Monica: Taro

6) Oh, and did I forget to mention that we got cool, retro skip-its?  Well...

Vintage BLUE

That's the color of my new, 48 key accordion. It was the cheapest accordion that I could find on ebay, and I bought it the whimmiest of whims, of course. It's just got a couple of uneven keys, but I think you'll agree that it looks pretty pretty.  Now all I have to do is learn to how to play the darned thing of beauty.  

I snagged it from the other bidder just as Amanda, Nichole and her little brother, Bobby, came into the apartment to visit.  I told them that it'd probably be kind of like playing the piano (which I got down).  But, they didn't agree and thought that it'd probably be more like playing a plunger or a folding drying rack.  I think that an accordion has a little place for all three of those "instruments" in its heart.

The rest of the night was full of bliss as we played multiple rounds of Bananagrams and electronic Catchphrase for hours!

And, even after being woken up by the fire alarm for no apparent reason and having to sit outside in my luckily modest pajamas at 5:40 in the morning, I am very, very excited for today to see Elisabeth and Jean (my best friends from camp).  They are coming from Chapel Hill to hang out at Elon for a couple of hours until Jean has to get her hair cut at a Japanese place called Moshi Moshi.  We are also planning on watching movies (sleep over!) and reeking havoc on unsuspecting university monuments and parks as usual.

Love,

Monica

*Actually, I just checked my email and there was a reason for the 5:40 fire alarm.  Look at the note below that was sent to me by my HA:

For those of you around who experienced the 5:30am fire alarm I'm really sorry about that.  It took me by surprise the same it did you.  According to higher authorities there was no sign of a fire in the room where the alarm was sounded.  The only aspect which seemed to be abnormal was excessive perfume.  Apparently the sensors are very sensitive and can react to even perfume (who knew).  Anyway, I just wanted to let y'all know what went on.  Just be careful and aware for the future.

Excessive perfume?  That just made my day.

Last One-A-Day

Day 4

Now I'm off to babysit!

Brie and blueberries

I want desperately to make this.

via modcloth

What you need:

• 1 large wheel of brie
• 1/2 jar of high quality, real fruit, blueberry jam (Barbara suggests Chantaine All Natural Wild Blueberry, but your favorite will do!)
• 1 pie crust (the ready-made kind is easiest, but feel free to make it from scratch!)
• 1 egg (just the white)

What you need to do:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Using a large, sharp, flat knife, cut the wheel in half horizontally so that you are left with two round halves (do not remove the rind). Set aside.
• On a non-stick cookie sheet, lay out the pie crust. Trim or roll out the crust so that it is in a circular shape, twice the size of the brie wheel.
• Place one half of the brie wheel in the center of the crust, rind down.
• Spread the jam evenly over the brie.
• Place the remaining half of the brie on top, rind up. It should look like a brie and jam sandwich!
• Carefully fold the crust up over the brie, smoothing out any bubbles and wrinkles. The entire wheel should we covered by crust.
• Once the brie is covered, flip it over so that the smooth side of the crust is facing up.
• Brush the crust all over with a light egg white wash. This will make your crust golden brown. If you’re feeling artistic, class up your appetizer by using the crust trimmings to make grapes, leaves, stars, hearts, letters – whatever you choose! Remember to brush your crust creations with egg white, as well.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden.
• Serve with fancy crackers, and let the compliments commence.

More One-A-Days

Day 2

Day 3

Hodgepodge post of three unnecessary things

1) This is one (of a tentative four) of the "one-a-day paintings" that I am making for David to hang on the naked white walls in his new dorm room:

2) JFF (just for fun), this is what I would look like with blue eyes (a bit freaky):

3) Me trying to entertain but just being awkward, instead:

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM & DAD (hope this doesn't ruin it)!