Down the Road

I've had a bit of weakness for pickup trucks-- specifically older, slightly worn ones-- since my early teen years. My major crush in high school drove a little red one, and looking back, I am certain his vehicle played a bit into my infatuation with him! While my love interests moved on, my adoration of vintage pickups never waned.

Coliena Rentmeester

Something about warm, summer evenings makes me want to set off in an old truck with E by my side, venturing down a dusty, dirt road to a place that feels unexplored. With blankets thrown in the bed of the pickup, I'd stretch out and watch as each star showed up for its nightly appearance.

Paul Whicheloe Photography

There's a dusty, dirt road near our house in central Texas; we first ventured along it's path in E's Jeep Wrangler with the top down on a sunny afternoon soon after we began dating. That day, it held the thrill of feeling undiscovered and unexplored, but it soon became familiar as we returned time and again. It is the spot where E proposed and one that holds an important place in our memories.

We're heading that way tonight, and part of me can't help but wish we'd be passing by in a rusty, old truck. Blankets in the back. Watching stars appear in the night sky.

Navy's in charge, now

So, after the official change of command parade, Commodore Truelove is now the RMC Commandant.

As MGen Gosselin said, it's a bittersweet moment. BGen Lawson was a great commandant and a great leader, but I'm sure Cmdre Truelove will be just as great, only different. After all, we're going from a fighter pilot, which is pretty cool, to a MARS officer, which is awesome. I look forward to having him as Commandant.

Simple Summer Dressing

I love dresses year-round, as you may have gathered before. In a couple months, I'll be excitedly waiting for temperatures to cool so I can throw on boots and tights with them, but, in summer, I absolutely love the ease of throwing on a dress with a pair of sandals and being ready to go.

Since it had been a while since I'd last visited Butter by Nadia, I decided to pop over to their website and have a look, and, when I did, I felt like saying, "I'll take one of each!!" I fell head over heels for their entire Spring/Summer 09 collection.

One dress...

Miss Saturn

Multiple ways...

What could be easier?

Some more of the limited edition dresses from the Spring/Summer 09 collection that I would love to have in my wardrobe.

L to R: Mimi, Fleur Top, Signature Jersey Wrap in Candy Store Stripe.

L to R: Jersey Ball Gown in Variegated Stripes, Jersey Wrap Gown, Luna Gown.

While I've been a fan of the idea behind this style of dress since I first saw them, never before have I been struck by the urge to own so many and for everyday wear. Because each dress offers so much variety, I could easily see myself living in one or more of these numbers.

I'm certain they would become my go-to summer uniform, not to mention that they would certainly help me become more efficient at packing for trips as one or two dresses= multiple outfits! Absolutely perfect for the over-packer in me!

The Story

So.

I disappeared for a while.

Unfortunately, I am not writing this from beautiful British Columbia or from the quarterdeck of a ship.

I am still at RMC.

I had a steering gear breakdown on the way to graduation and, though I did my best, I was so far off-track by the time I could maneuver that I crossed the reduced clearing bearing. I am thus showing three red lights and sounding three separate and distinct strokes on the bell immediately before and after the rapid ringing of the bell. (In non-MARS terms: I screwed up.)

I am trying to convince the chain of command that although I messed up, I am still worth keeping around for another semester to finish my degree, and then go on with MARS IV and actually be a junior, qualified, MARS officer. The academic side has, so far, supported me--as the head of the history department said, an extra semester of university really isn't that big a deal--but the military side has, understandably, been less accommodating.

In any case, I am still alive, still not an A/Slt, and still not where I belong, but I'm doing my best to get there somehow, and I'll attempt to go back to writing about naval and leadership issues.

Summer Soup {Farmstand Gazpacho}

A few weeks ago, I shared a recipe for Green Gazpacho, and, as promised, I would also like to share a slightly more traditional take on this cold soup. This version quickly become a summer staple for us last year; with relatively few ingredients, many of which always seem to be on hand, this is a simple and easy meal to make.



Farmstand Gazpacho- 6 to 8 servings (recipe easily doubles)
Slightly adapted from original Parade Magazine recipe

Ingredients
2 cups cucumber- peeled, seeded & diced (into 1/4" cubes)
2 cups bell peppers- red or red & yellow- diced (1/4" cubes)
2 cups ripe tomatoes- diced (1/4" cubes)
1/2 cup red onion- diced
2 cups V8 juice (or tomato juice)
1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 dashes of Tobasco or other hot sauce

Directions
1. Place all vegetables in a large bowl. Add V8 juice, vinegar, oil and Tobasco. Season well with freshly ground salt and pepper. Toss.
2. Transfer portions at a time to food processor and pulse to puree; half can be left chunky if desired.
3. Combine portions. Refrigerate at least 4-6 hours before serving (although, as I mentioned with the Green Gazpacho, a lot of times we can't wait to eat it and do so right away!)

If the World Had a Front Porch

When I first arrived in Mississippi for college, I was immediately captivated by the grand houses along the sorority and fraternity rows on our campus. Not only was I struck by the beauty of their architecture, but I was charmed by the many with wide and expansive columned porches often dotted with white rocking chairs. Coming from the Midwest nothing could have seemed more quintessentially Southern to me, and I absolutely fell in love.

We have seen porches with curtains and those with screens so far in our look at these staples of summer living. Today, we'll finish with a look at spaces that perfectly characterize a traditional front porch-- those furnished with rocking chairs and swings.

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart

Evan Sklar

Country Living

Martha Stewart

While technically the following room should have been with the other screened porches, the rocking chairs reminded me so much of those from the houses on my college campus, I had to include them here.

House Beautiful

Kuta Ink Tattoo Studio

Even it's new comer, Kuta Ink giving the best service for the clients. Kuta Ink have a hygiene standards as a tattoo studio.And they also have a sterile box for keep the equipment clean.

Average Kuta Ink get 4 to 6 clients every week. For the price the determine from difficulty level and color. And most their clients come to studio came from foreign tourists.

Kuta Ink studios also sell tattoo ink and needle.For the Ink they sell with price IDR 65,000, while for the needle the price is IDR 6,000. And it is imported from Australia. If you want to make a tattoo design in Kuta Ink tattoo studio, you can choose lot of their design. Or the tattoo artist named Putu Remaja can make special design for you.

click here for original article in Bahasa Indonesia