Cape Coop

Health Update

2011-12-29T06:43:00.000-05:00

I'm sharing again, in case you want to know my health condition. It's NOT PRETTY, don't feel that you must read it if you don't want to know the details- we can still be friends and have fun again sometime soon!

A New Journey

2011-11-07T21:20:00.000-05:00

Hi, I miss this blog!
I've had a rough summer and have made some challenging decisions regarding health care in recent weeks.
If you are wont to take a walk with me on this more difficult part of life's journey, you can visit this site and we will share it all over there.Rebecca's Caring Bridge Page
Otherwise, stay tuned to Cape Coop, we may not blog much but we'll certainly return for a visit soon!

Of Salads and Hope

2011-05-27T13:58:00.003-04:00

Last month I was given the opportunity to re-attempt a chemotherapy that I hadn't tolerated on my first go around a few years ago.
As this biologic drug sends triglycerides sky high the doctors put me on a cocktail of drugs to counteract that effect.
Of course, a low fat, low animal product diet is suggested- and as I've been eating a mostly vegan diet for years this hasn't been a big change for me- but I decided to completely give up all animal products except for honey and fish- and I've brought La Principessa along for the adventure of a mainly RAW diet!.
It's not difficult to eat fresh fruits and vegetables- a little chopping or peeling and you're good to go, but I ADORE making messes in the kitchen so I've been experimenting with unusual(for us) flavor combinations.
This AMAZING salad is my latest creation and Le Principessa couldn't get enough of it- I had made an IMMENSE bowl of this salad- she ate the entire bowl in one night!
Here's the recipe-if you can call it that.

Fruit Salad Salad
(Super easy- mindless, really!)
spinach- chopped- one pound or so
watermelon- cubed- 2 cups
peach-sliced into slender ears-2 peaches
black grapes- cut in half- a cup
red onion- slivered- half a large onion
balsamic vinegar/lemon juice
olive oil
fresh basil-chopped- 1/2 a cup
Japanese soy sauce(optional)
salt
black pepper
For the dressing: Blend an acid(I used balsamic this time) with some olive oil and chopped basil.
This is a personal thing- the ratio of acid to fat- I like it half and half but my daughter only likes a little oil- we do things her way at the Coop! Here I used 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a half cup of balsamic vinegar. This week I also added a dash of Japanese soy sauce- we use the light sodium version but, of course, it's still high in sodium- not good for most folks, however here at the Coop we enjoy very low blood pressure!

Next: Get your progeny to wash and prep the fruits and spinach according to your taste.

Final steps: Mix the spinach and fruits in a large bowl and pour the dressing over it.

I put pepper at the table because my daughter doesn't care for pepper- I liberally pepper mine.
Yeah, I'm spicy like that. ;)

This week I also put pink Hawaiian salt on the table- just sprinkle a few grains atop your own bowl of salad.
The salt grains almost melt- but not quite- you get a lovely tiny crunch here in the rare bite- and the salt has a flavor distinct from the kosher salt that we usually have. SO delicious!

You can add slivered carrots or jicama, almonds, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, whatever you like! Please know that the amounts are not set in stone- I don't measure salad. You just go with what you feel like eating.
We're having some legal and health challenges this month(and next) at the Coop, so we are spending most of our time facing those difficulties and trying to remain of good cheer- I'm not feeling up to blogging much right now, but one more post is coming- next week!

Jelly is famous!

2011-05-27T12:28:00.001-04:00

The lovely lady who raised Jelly is a Rat Terrier breeder. She has a website showcasing her family of dogs and has put Jelly's latest photo up!
Here is her website:Meander Farm Rat Terriers
Mrs. Woodbury's lass named Aurora is about to whelp this weekend- I wonder if any of those puppies will be as cute and loveable as our dear Jelly?

And here is the page that Jelly's portrait is shown on! Meander's past puppies!
Isn't that sweet? Why, yes, it IS!

Jelly Is In The House!

2011-04-28T03:02:00.004-04:00

Meet Jelly!

Well, folks, it happened, I wore La Principessa down and when I wear someone down I do a very good job!
You see, I've been wanting a dog for years- ever since we lost our dear David Doggie under sad circumstances in 1998- but by the time that we were free from our difficult situation and able to have a dog again we no longer had a home of our own.
Because the loss of David(and our cat, Lulu!) was
so hurtful I vowed to never have a pet that we might not be able to keep forever.
Cats are easy, a litter box, lots of petting and a big window- you've given them cat heaven.
Dogs- well, what if you need to move(or are temporarily homeless?) and the landlord says "no dogs"?
I couldn't chance it.

Then we acquired the Coop!
We had a home, a house of our own!
Nothing can take that from us- we're safe from landlords and the vagaries of other people's hearts now.
We can have a dog and know that we will always have a home for the dear thing.

So, I began my campaign.
At first La Principessa was afraid to think about a dog- she was affected in a serious manner by the loss of our pets way back when, although our dear Lilly has eased the hurt considerably over the past decade.
Her first decree was that we could have a dog if it cost less than 50 dollars.
We went to shelters a lot over the first few months that we owned the Coop; I was determined to find a dog that would break down her resistance.
Unfortunate for us, the county we live in seems to receive predominantly Dobermans, Pit Bulls and the ubiquitous"mix" that is really a Pit Bull under the witness protection program.
La Principessa was having none of them- they made her feel unsteady- so she said "NO, NO, & NO" many times.
But I didn't give up.
I got us the Coop, didn't I?
I am still fighting the lymphoma and still on my own feet, aren't I?
I can achieve anything, for I'm MOMMY- La Principessa says so all of the time, and who am I to dispute her opine?
We would have a dog.

A few months ago, I was envying a friend's dog on Facebook and my dear daughter chimed in with a post- "You can have a dog if it's free".
WELL, send me a challenge, why don't you?
I began looking on Craigslist and found a few free dogs, all Pit Bulls though- Kiddle said "NO".
Was she backing out on her word? Hmmph.

Last Friday Kiddle was contacted by an Amazon client who is a dog breeder - would we like her book collection?
She is moving to a farm in upstate NY and lightening her load.
Um, yes, we would, thank you very much and by the way Mommy has been campaigning for a dog but Kiddle's decree is it must be a free dog and all we have found so far are Pit Bulls.
Well, they chatted and we went to pick up the books in the late afternoon, and our client(and now FRIEND!) GAVE Mommy an amazing, cute, adorable, delicious, frisky puppy, a five month old Rat Terrier!
The name on her papers is Snow Bunny, but we have renamed her-
Jelly!

                              Isn't she just the sweetest little creature?
                                I love her.
                         Thank you, Kiddle.
                        Thank you for Jelly!
          And for your presence in this world.
                           I love YOU.
                                                       B"H

Have you followed us on Facebook?

2011-04-27T19:26:00.000-04:00

Keeping in touch with us is easy- just visit our Facebook page, click on the "Like" button and you'll get our updates in your Facebook feed and can send us a note whenever you like!

Cape Coop Facebook

We're hanging in here!

2011-03-29T05:47:00.002-04:00

What an adorable County Fair Ribbon! I adore county fairs, the contests, the varied offerings to eat, the animals to pet and coo over, the chickens to ogle!
This fall I hope to enter one of my own creations into the Salem County Fair- a delicious and pretty fall appropriate pie I've been working on. I've always wanted a blue ribbon- and I know that it will be a nice addition to the kitchen wall of the Coop!

So, what DOES a Salem County Fair ribbon winning still life look like?
THIS!

I acquired this lovely little painting last year at an auction, the ribbon is so sweet, and the still life is delicious- a wedge of Swiss cheese and a sliced red apple on a cheese board, just waiting for us to take a nibble! There is no signature that I can see, but it is titled on the back of the ribbon- "Cheese Board"- a solid, descriptive and accurate name- forthright and honest, I like that.

La Principessa is culling my art collections right now- as you well know from my previous posts from last spring- we need the funds and the space.
I hope that this sweet piece of art goes to someone who will adore it as much as I do.

Here is a link to the auction on ebaY: "Cheese Board"
Put into a cunning basket alongside a wedge of Swiss, a few good apples and a real wood board- this would have a deceptive low price for an original and lovely gift at any occasion!
I'm still worrying over health care plans and legal issues, but I'm here at home enjoying the change of seasons and my Principessa, and I hope to return with another installment on our little story very soon.

The First Visit, Redux

2011-03-03T21:14:00.000-05:00

Hello our dear Everyone!
We're just beginning a short few weeks of legal and medical wrangling- I might not be able to blog more for a bit of time.
Because of the posited paucity of prospective posts(yes, the dreaded double peepee!), I'm offering this quick link to the memory of our first moments visiting Cape Coop. First Visit, Redux . Enjoy reminiscing with us- about the moments when we first stepped foot in our blessed and beloved Cape Coop!

Oh Sole Mio!

2011-02-27T19:35:00.002-05:00

Kiddle opened another box and found some more Italian artistry-up it goes on ebaY!
The letter caddy was my faithful desktop compatriot for decades- I even had it on my desk at my first business in 1984!
Now I am using a letter caddy that my wonderful Kiddle made for me.

The tray is GORGEOUS and big- 16½" across and 1" high!

This week's offerings on ebaY!

And here is the fantastic Mario del Monaco singing "Oh Sole Mio" for us!

You Can Buy ANYTHING Via Internet!

2011-02-25T14:16:00.005-05:00

Chapter 1: Dream.
Kiddle and I like to browse online at whatever is for sale.
We tend to look at auction catalogs, book and music sites, and real estate sites the most. It's a fun virtual thrill that doesn't cost anything but time.
We have especially enjoyed looking at real estate offerings for the past couple of years. We've looked all over the world, but concentrated mainly on the East coast of the USA.
We would begin a browsing session by sitting near each other, our laptops running in tandem, sharing links to everything from mansions to farms to trailer homes. Then we would get down to the serious part of the virtual experience- we would look at homes for under 50k. The goal would be to find the cutest house possible for the lowest amount of money. But, of course, we didn't think that we could afford a house, for I'm ill and we had run out of proper funds way back in '06- we barely got by each month- but isn't if fun, and good for you, to dream?

I still mourn the house we saw on ebaY during the spring of '09 for 13k, it was offered completely furnished with the former owner's 92 years of collecting- a kitchen full of old dishes and cookware- there was even a piano in the parlor! But we didn't have 13k, and it was in rural Iowa, that house was just a clouded dream.
Then, also, we had found 2 lovely homes in Newburgh, NY- both about 80k- one was a tiny stone house with a crenelated tower, from the early part of the 20th century, the other a brownstone of the same vintage, all brick and romance. Kiddle couldn't get a mortgage, though, even with 35% down, not at 20 years old with no job history and no income.

One day we had a small setback in our personal housing situation. We took stock of things and FREAKED out!
OK, let's be cozy here for a minute, and I'll confide in you- I'm a single mom with cancer, I am too ill to work and had NO funds- I freaked out, but my Kiddle had no idea- for her life is a big safe adventure with Mommy always swooping in and saving the day.

We sat together one night on my bed with a pot of tea and A Decision Was Made. We would spend a few days ignoring reality and concentrate on shopping online for our dream home- a cute house that now must be 18k or less, for Kiddle had some birthday/holiday money all saved up in a box- from her entire childhood years, and we had found it in her closet when we were readying ourselves to give up our rented townhouse.
Oh, and of course the house must also be within affordable travel distance to New York City- for cancer treatments that I was undergoing at least once a week.
Let's face it, folks, CT/NJ/NY- are not the cheapest US states to buy a home in! We said to each other "It's not possible, but let's dream for a few days before we succumb to reality!". Well, I said this, but Kiddle assured me, "Mommy, you'll find a way to fix things, let's not worry!". So, OH BOY, did we dream! We each sat on a computer and messaged links back and forth. It was such fun to pretend that we would be buying a house, instead of paying rent for a year or so with our final bit of savings.
We searched New York first. Now, in NY you CAN find a home for 18k, if you're willing to be 350 miles NORTH of NYC. We couldn't do that. How would we get to NYC every week, sometimes twice?
We had always liked the idea of living in the country on a big piece of private land, but nothing was coming up near enough to NYC. We spent about five minutes looking in Connecticut-again, NOT affordable!

We looked in North New Jersey, we spoke with friends who live in North New Jersey, MAYBE we could find a trailer on an acre or so. Then, on a whim, we took a quick surf down to South New Jersey. We saw that Camden, NJ had a lot of cheap housing.
This intrigued us. The area where we could find affordable homes is quite depressed, and has a high crime rate, but we knew that having a roof over our heads in a high crime area is preferable to sleeping in our car. We honed in on South New Jersey.
Kiddle and I were surfing the South New Jersey offerings, and we both came upon an adorable house at the same time, in tandem we said "Hey, look at this one I found!"- and there it was.

That, folks, is the original photo that we saw of our dear sweet Cape Coop. The listing was incorrect- so it had come up in our searches.
Although the Coop sits on a 50' by 50' plot of land, the advertisement insisted it was on .33 of an acre. Cape Coop has 2 bedrooms, but the optimistic Realtor had called the adorable and sun filled 6' by 6' room in the middle of the upstairs bedrooms a third bedroom.
There was a chimney in the photo, so surely there was a romantic fireplace- but, no, the wood stove had been ripped out years before, and oil heat was in it's place- whatever THAT was.
The price had been cut the night before we came upon the listing- from 48k to 28k.

I quickly searched the 'net for information on the tiny town that Cape Coop is located in- and for the price history of the Coop. Salem, a colonial era town, had an interesting history and gorgeous North American architecture running the gamut from the colonial era to the mid 20th century, but was depressed financially- we would be isolated there, to be sure.
The Coop had been on the market for over 4 years by then, vacant- and had originally been marketed at 109k, before being lowered to 97k, 89k, 67k, 48k, and finally the C'mon, Mommy, You Can Do Anything price of 28k.
We emailed the Realtor, recounted Kiddle's box of money and I formulated A Plan.

What's In That Box, Mom?

2011-02-21T23:18:00.002-05:00

Gold Italian Florentine Trays

Gold Italian Florentine Tray

If you follow this link: Italian Trays on ebaY
you will see these oh-so-pretty trays that LaPrincipessa found in a box this weekend.
I used to collect Gilt Florentine "tole" ware, it was so feminine and versatile! We had a wonderful luncheon party once in our yard at the house in South Beach- a house that La Principessa had named SandyGate. I used dozens of these vintage trays on tables and shelves as platters for plates and bowls of food, to gather pitchers and bottles of drink, even to hold the flatware and napkins! It was such a sumptuous yet delicate look- I adored the decor of that party. now it is time for someone else to collect these lovely trays, and it is our turn to gather the funds to renovate the Coop! Kitchen cabinets, here we come!

Great Meals Begin With Love

2011-02-13T22:49:00.007-05:00

Wild Rice Pilaf

Broccoli Salad

Luscious Carrots

We had a delicious meal a few weeks ago- Broccoli salad, Rice pilaf and steamed carrots dressed with sauteed onions!
La Principessa gave the rice dish a perfect rating, so I'd like to share it with you here.
This rice dish was originally a recipe from Bon Appetit magazine- but of course I had to Middle Eastern it up a little further!
Here is a link to the original recipe:
Bon Appetit Wild Rice Stuffing With Pine Nuts

And here is my tarted up Syrian Girl Cooks it up version!

*1/4 cup olive oil
*2 Teaspoons ground cumin
*2 big Spanish onions, chopped
* 8 large garlic cloves, mashed
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 2 teaspoons dried thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
* 1 cup wild rice
* 2 3/4 cups water
* 1 cup brown rice
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
* 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

Directions:
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add cumin; stir until toasted and fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add onion and garlic; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Stir in thyme, pepper, and salt. Add wild rice; stir 2 minutes. Take a moment to realize how delicious this smells. Add the water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until wild rice is almost tender, about 40 minutes.

Mix brown rice into wild rice; cover and simmer until most of liquid is absorbed and all rice is tender, about 40 minutes. (This is a good time to toast your pine nuts, just dump them in a pan and stir them about for a few minutes on your stove top and they should get nice and toasty.) Then stir in lemon juice; cover and continue to simmer until liquid is absorbed and all rice is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley, then pine nuts; serve.Trust me, my tweaks bring this from good to PERFECTION- my daughter couldn't keep her spoon away from this!
I've just finished a month of daily spot radiation on most of my "spots" and then a week of having "strep throat" - I'm BACK and will do my best to post a few blogs over the next month to entertain you all!

Privacy Is Dead Because Me And James Gilbert Said So: Edward Bobb

2010-12-08T18:53:00.000-05:00

2010-11-01T16:21:00.007-04:00

Here we are, 'we' and our shadows!
Someday, sooner than for most children, my daughter's shadow will be alone.

I have stage IV Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma.
Well, you didn't think that I've been a slow blogger because I don't like YOU, did you?
Only pain keeps me from sharing about our Cape Coop, I promise.

In celebration of their 40th anniversary, Walker + Associates, a large and successful advertising and public relations firm, is giving 45 hours of their expertise to a worthy nonprofit organization. The way we vote for a nonprofit is by a nomination- the nonprofit with the most nominations receives the assistance. The nominations close on the 10th of November, 2010.

Here is an article about the firm, and why they are doing this.

Please, take a moment and go to the nomination form and vote for the Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation with me.

Cutaneous Lymphomas are rare (the ratio is 1:400,000), incredibly painful and incurable diseases. They are considered the most painful of the cancers, for they cause enduring pain by damaging the skin and causing most tumors to form on the skin. Most patients are misdiagnosed for years, only to be diagnosed properly if they become Stage IV and are covered in painful tumors, yes, all over their bodies.

As I shared with you earlier, I have stage IV Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma. I suffer every moment.

I rarely can sit at the computer- my tumors make sitting difficult. I rarely go out, it is a great chore to bandage most of my tumors and to then put clothing on over the tumors, and moving is painful. I must 'sleep' most of the time, because as I am trying to sleep my tumors are bleeding and rubbing against the bedclothes, waking me up with pain, over and over again.

I can't work and I sometimes feel useless in this cancer battling body.

Today it is believed that these lymphomas are most often caused by chemical exposure- somehow damage is caused to the DNA that sends instructions for manufacture of whatever cells are affected- in my case, the t-cells. My DNA is damaged and it gives the bone marrow instructions to manufacture cancerous, that is, immature, t-cells. Someday we will be able to repair DNA damage, but not today.

If you were exposed to Agent Orange during armed service and contract one of these lymphomas- you immediately get full veterans' disability benefits.

Some medications for psoriasis and arthritis can cause these cancers.

If you are a civilian you just run through your insurance and savings, most of the time ending up broke and uninsured if you are lucky enough to live for more than 18 months. I am that lucky.

another try at another chemotherapy

The only treatments we have for this at my stage are chemotherapy and radiation, they can't even give someone at my stage a remission, and rarely 'work' much, if at all. For me, nothing has 'worked', as yet. I've tried over a dozen chemotherapy drugs and combinations, and I've had both total skin electron beam radiation AND spot radiation. Although nothing has worked so far on my case, I maintain hope for some comfort and I continue to try to receive treatment.

Some patients at my stage have a bone marrow transplant. It isn't a cure, but it does sometimes give the patient a little more time, sometimes as much as 18 months, before the patient succumbs, finally, to either infection or host versus graft disease. I'm not ready to have a due date, so this option isn't one I am willing to take, for now.

Making a cure happen is possible, but it takes money, as does research into how to help patients live a fuller life while suffering the debilitating effects of this family of cancers. This is a particularly horrible cancer- victims of this cancer suffer far more unmanageable pain than most other cancers. This prize will give the CL Foundation a much needed bit of guidance in how to get the message out, so that people will be diagnosed earlier, when the cancer is very manageable, and so that research can be funded, to cure this family of cancers.

Please help, if you can, all it takes is a few minutes on the website. It may not seem like much, 45 hours of professional help, but, it IS. It is badly needed help to bring awareness to this rare family of cancers, so that more people are diagnosed earlier instead of later. Let the suffering end. Thank you.

"I'm actually doing a show. from my shed. on the internet...."

2010-09-23T17:00:00.001-04:00

Welcome to our shed! We are so excited to finally have a place to store garden supplies- and isn't it adorable? It's shaped just like a small outhouse, with a tin roof and a crescent moon cut into the door. I got this kit online about a month ago for such a tiny price. Now, this shed isn't really sturdy or very big, or even weatherproof(how am I going to do that?)- but it was very inexpensive and also too cute to pass up.
The large and heavy box arrived via UPS a few weeks ago and we let it lay in the yard, sunning itself, taking in the rain, waiting to be opened and put together. I haven't been feeling tip top, so things have moving slowly here at the Coop- and this was one more slow thing!

Then, this week, our friend Dallas came to our rescue- he came over in the late afternoon and had the shed put together in a half hour- this piece goes here, this screw goes there- and before I knew it, TA-DA- Cape Coop's first shed was assembled and standing in the rear of the side yard, ready to be weatherized and filled with, well, whatever we acquire for the yard from now on!

The little shed, open to the possibilities!

Here's A Hug For You & Me!

2010-09-01T23:43:00.000-04:00

I am SO happy to share this: I have received a radiation schedule AND a
prescription for adjunct chemotherapy- today was my first radiation treatment. I am so THRILLED!

I am hopeful that in a month or so I will be improved enough to be a little more active again- and Cape Coop will once again be a topic to share here!

Jackets and Marathons

2010-08-21T15:17:00.002-04:00

Hello, how are y'all doing? We're having a bit of a challenging time at the Coop, but I assure you that things will get better soon, and once my energy is back I will be blogging again!
This upcoming Monday we are going on an adventure and I intend to post about it, after all, adventures in this part of the universe are made possible by our lovely Cape Coop- it seems apropos.
Today, however, I am here to nudge you each a bit. And to beg for your assistance.
You're probably wondering about the photo I've chosen today, what could it mean? Well, that is a photo of my dear old 1960's Christian Dior jacket. Ah, my darling double breasted sweet, my luscious whipped butter colored lovely, with the diamante buttons and matching sheath dress(which I had a tailor eventually cut into the tightest and shortest mini skirt EVER). I ADORED this jacket, I had it for 25 years. My wonderful jacket got me through many a society luncheon, birthday dinner and concert- it could make a black Herve Leger bandage dress look lady-who-lunches appropriate- it could liven up a suddenly dull red silk Bill Blass dress, it could feminize a pair of leather leggings- and it did all of those things! I treasured that jacket, and when we came to a time when we needed funds, and I was selling anything not nailed down, and, OK, yes, even some things that WERE nailed down, well, I JUST couldn't SELL certain of my special clothes, including dear old Dior Jacket. Why, I had kissed XXX XXXXXX of XXX XXXXXX in it(and I didn't turn Japanese)! So, I brought it with me to the hospital one day and gave it to a girl who worked in my main oncologist's office- a girl who was always lively, upbeat, overtly friendly, in other words, someone who reminded me of ME! That girl is Abby- and lo, 3 years later, we are still in touch, and she is still a light to know.
My dear friend Abby is running in one of those ubiquitous fundraising marathons. Yes, I KNOW, they're EVERYWHERE and almost EVERYDAY- but this one is special. Abby is special, but that's not the reason this marathon is-this marathon is to help fund the research to CURE Crohn's Disease. Crohn's is a horrid, too awful and painful, chronic and(for now) incurable autoimmune disease that affects the digestive tract, making the life of it's patients VERY difficult, all of the time. Now, autoimmune diseases are getting much more attention than ever before, because they are becoming more common- the time to cure ALL diseases of the autoimmune system is NOW! Research into HIV, lymphomas, MS, MD, Lupus and myriad other chronic and deadly diseases, which are connected in various ways to the autoimmune system, are all intertwined- if we cure one we will have more tools to fight, and eventually cure, all of them!
Abby is running in the Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon on December 5th in Las Vegas and here is her fundraising page! Abby has made a very modest goal of US$4,000 as her target, but I KNOW that this should be easy to surpass. Our finances at Cape Coop are quite limited, but we give every month, and this month we have chosen to give to Abby's cause- a worthy cause and one that will enhance disease research for MANY other diseases as well as it's intended foe. Please, will you go over to Abby's fundraising page and make a donation, as well? I know that we can cure these diseases if we can just spend the money, so that the scientific community can spend the time. Here is a link to Abby's Blog!
She is fun, witty and a real gift to the world- I know that you'll adore her.

Under the Rainbow Umbrella

2010-06-19T01:09:00.001-04:00

Cawman's Mall Antiques & Things Folks, if you click on the link right before this sentence, you will be taken to the Google map of this Antique Mall's address- and if you go there today, you will be able to meet up with La Principessa and me!
She has packed up the car and we plan to spend our day outside at a table, under our rainbow umbrella, having a garage sale without a garage!
We're taking just a few things- this is our first foray into the world of NJ flea marketing as vendors, you know.
We're selling old cookbooks, lovely knitting pattern books from the 30's through the '70's, 78 records, vintage paintings and needlework pieces, deco glass ware and vintage china,and a box full of old Modern Library books...a set of silver plate flatware in it's original chest, baseball cards in lots and whatever else I can grab on my way out the door in the AM.
We hear that this is a big day, the mall itself is large and houses over 75 vendors, and the outside lot was overbooked- our neighbors Scott and Dallas from Broadway Joe's had to rent space outside of the outside lot! Well, dear friends, near and far, that is the news today- I'll take my camera and ask La Principessa to snap some photos for you... reporting from Cape Coop, this is Madame Big Hen! ;)

Nice

2010-06-16T19:56:00.003-04:00

Broadway Joe's Cafe
I'd upload some more photos but our internet connection is in dismal condition right now(Send comments to Comcast!), but, trust me here, Broadway Joe's is a sweet oasis in our town. The cafe is located right in the middle of Broadway(our "Main Street")- a half block from the post office, City Hall AND the library, and across from some really wonderful shops. Broadway Joe's is just lovely, and unique enough to be worth a weekday veer from the beaten path, if you're somewhere near- to have a visit, have some refreshment, a snack or a meal.
This little place is an eclectic mix of cafe, lunch place, coffeehouse, vintage shop and gallery- you can choose to sit on a sofa, to sip tea and play a game of backgammon with someone, you could choose to sit at a table in the rear and have a meal, to curl up in a big chair with a book and a glass of iced coffee or you could meet with a client at one of the lovely tables in the front- to discuss business in a quiet yet friendly atmosphere. You can even do some shopping, they've got furniture, art, books, candles and soaps, even the glass work of a local artist Deb DiMarco- and she IS talented: Deb DiMarco on June16th! Or you can just breeze in and walk to the back of the building and visit with Titan, the world's most tender hearted and well behaved dog- he isn't allowed to roam the cafe, and he doesn't- just patiently lays on the carpet out back, waiting for hugs and pats from his friends. I believe he is a magical blond retriever, but don't hold me to it, I am not much good with breeds, I only know GOOD, and he is.
On some nights Broadway Joe's will remain open and offer karaoke, a live show or a poetry reading, who knows what will be offered- it's always a surprise.
The only "Joe" there is the java kind- lovely mixes of different coffees- always a decaf available too- and so many teas! Scott and Dallas will feed you, too- they cook whatever looks good at the market every day, so the menu changes often, but there is always a cheese and tomato panini on offer- and oh,no, it is nothing as you would imagine- for instance today's was offered on Scott's freshly baked Jalapeno Cheddar bread, just spicy enough, crispy AND toothsome enough, tomato-y enough to satisfy. The boys make some wonderful baked things every morning, as well- very home style- I'm partial to the scones, always with different fruits thrown in, and perhaps that is the quirk that I love best- the natural exuberance and the joy of just throwing something in because it appeals for the moment- I love that Scott and Dallas embrace that eclectic view .
But, what I love best is that Scott, Dallas and Titan are those rare folks who embrace everyone, they are just true NICE in a world that often isn't- and I KNOW true nice when I meet it.
They have been borrowing my lovely Principessa a bit as of late- ostensibly they need her internet savvy, but really, they are being themselves, just nice, sharing the nice with other nice folk in this tumultuous world.
So, we want to plant in our yard(lovely blueberry plants, rosemary and blackberry, too!) and share it with you, but these things come in their own time at the Coop, and now is the time for nice daily walks together to Broadway Joe's, and that is just right for now.

Weekend At The Coop

2010-04-29T03:51:00.004-04:00

This weekend

La Principessa was busy with 2 sets of visitors, and I had time to myself. Time to take a solitary walk in the oh-so lovely, cool, clear and clean gray of a Salem April morning, to see the blossoms on a neighbor's tree...

And I had moments alone to ponder this lovely old metal cover embedded in the sidewalk on Broadway...whatever could lie beneath this, and just who was the artist of such a pretty thing?.

There were also secret places of beauty to find around our small town, like this vignette, a cinder block, nestled in a bed of ivy and grasses, near an old ironwork fence on Broadway.

While back at the Coop my latest loaf of bread rested on our wooden board, in anticipation of becoming a batch of my very old fashioned overnight French toast, to please the Monday morning brunch guests at Cape Coop.

I so thoroughly enjoyed myself, by myself, out in the early spring weather, and in the kitchen before and after- come for a visit again, kids, I'll feed my soul by feeding you meals, and by taking another quiet walk on my own in this wonderful, lovely, old and very Colonial American town.

Oooh!

2010-04-12T04:11:00.003-04:00

La Principessa is selling a cavatelli/gnocchi maker
on eBay,
that I bought SO many years ago,
and never used!
Oooh,
THIS one comes with a personal BONUS ITEM!
Wonder what it can be?
Check out the link!

An Aside

2010-02-25T16:36:00.005-05:00

This blog is NOT about US, that is, my #1 and me, it is truly about the journey we are on at Cape Coop, but today the kids found this Polaroid amongst my partner's things- and I am sharing it here- because we should all have this kind of love in our lives- the kind of love that keeps an old Polaroid hidden in a box, with hope, a patient heart and an affection that lives forever.

Dad & Mom on New Year's Eve, 1986

Miami, Miami, Oh MY!

2010-02-23T09:46:00.010-05:00

Cape Coop will soon be stuffed to the roof with boxes, paintings, books, art, art supplies and MORE art- all the minutiae of an artist's life, including a 17 year old red head named Kietzsche( the vet just informed us of her REAL age, but we'll never let her know!). We're on a trip right now, packing up my partner's estate in Miami Florida, to stuff into an 18 foot truck and drive back home to Cape Coop. We have NO idea how this will all work out, send us good thoughts!

In the meantime Lent has come, and we are visiting with a church going family- I donated this lovely and VERY easy Iced Anana Cake (a triple batch in an immense, well used foil pan) to their church for the Lenten after service. At least it wasn't chocolate! The cake was a big hit, so I'll share my recipe with you here- it's pretty much the classic version, I think.

The Ingredients

14 oz can of crushed pineapple, reserve 1/3 cup of juice for icing

1 cup milk

2 1/3 cup flour

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup butter

1 2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

The Directions

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

Add the remaining juice with 1 cup of milk or enough to give 1 1/4 cup liquid.

Cream the butter and beat in the sugar.

Beat in each egg and the vanilla until light and fluffy. DON'T SKIMP ON THE BEATING!

Add alternately the liquid and dry ingredients by cupfuls, mixing each addition in thoroughly before going to the next, until all are completely mixed in.

Fold in the drained crushed pineapple.

Pour into 9 x 13 baking dish (or 2 8" circular pans).

Bake in 350 degree F oven for 35 - 50 minutes(yes, that's what I said!) or until knife inserted comes out clean.

Leave cake in pan to cool.

The Icing

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup pineapple juice plus 1 Tablespoon

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3-4 cups confectioners' sugar

*optional* a few Tablespoons of crushed pineapple

Heat the butter, pineapple juice and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved.

Remove the pot from the heat and gradually beat in 3 - 4 cups sifted powdered/confectioners' sugar. Add enough to give good spreading consistency.

*Optionally, you may add some crushed pineapple to the icing at this time, it gives a lovely look to the icing!

This may seem thin but it will thicken and become a glossy and delicious topping on the cake. Simply spread this with a spatula, over the top of the cooled cake.

(Recipe can be tripled for a large sheet cake, you will also need to triple the icing.)

Oh, and here is the newest member of our little family- say hello to Kietzsche!

We're Earthy Like That

2010-01-18T22:34:00.005-05:00

Salem County is rich in farms and the earth is important to the people here. The county has a website for the Improvement Authority with some tidbits of information to help citizens practice green habits and they even offer compost bins at a very attractive price. Here's a link to the site, in case you have a hankering to see how even a small and financially strapped community can reach out to help folks live a greener life. http://www.scianj.com/
Now, the Earth Machine, which is the composter of choice for the county, retails for almost a hundred dollars- so the county price(which WAS 22.50- but is now 26.50) is very enticing!
La Principessa and I put aside a few dollars every month until we had enough to buy an Earth Machine for Cape Coop.
And, here it is- ladies and gentleman, allow me to introduce to you Billy, Cape Coop's compost bin!
We bought him a few weeks ago, but once we got him home it was apparent that we are not bin builders- he had one tiny piece that we could not insert into the proper tab, no matter how we maneuvered and wrangled- so frustrating! The composter sat in our tiny living room, forlorn and bereft of the tidbits we had eagerly been saving up to feed it. We had saved scraps for over 2 months, in happy anticipation of Billy's arrival-and we were sorely put out when we realized that we would not be filling the composter immediately.
I admit that Mommy actually kicked Billy a few times, in frustration, as Billy lolled on the rug in the tiny living room, waiting to be fixed in a place of sun, OUTSIDE.

Somehow everything always works out, though, don't you notice? Last week I sold some fabric on Craigslist, and the man who bought the fabric was kind enough to finish the bin building for us when he came to pick up his super bargaintastic bolt of gray velvet.
Woohoo, yipppee- we have a composter in our yard now!
La Principessa and I placed Billy in the furthest South West corner of the property- right where we will someday, we hope, put up a back fence. If you look carefully you can see the posts which are already thoughtfully in place- Cape Coop is just waiting for that rear fence!

Isn't our composter adorable? Even with our 2 months plus worth of scraps AND many shovels full of dried leaves, we have only a few inches of material in the tummy of the bin- and I can't imagine that we will ever fill the thing, for he IS a behemoth of a composter and there are just the two of us, after all, but we have our very own composter for the first time in almost a decade, and that's a great feeling. I can really feel the beginning of a garden for our dear Cape Coop now. Having Billy is the first small step!

I have a reason to order gardening catalogues now! Oh, how I've missed my gardening and planning and such! I hope that La Principessa has lots of energy and patience this coming spring, for I have lots of plans for her muscles, and for the barren spots that are Cape Coop's lack of landscaping!
We are going to have a mostly edible garden- I hope for some blueberry bushes to please La Principessa, and a tiny plot for vegetables and fruits, as well as some bulbs to decorate the front yard- I just have to decide on a c0lor scheme, don't I? We don't truly have room for a tree, but I am sorely tempted to acquire one of those adorable dwarf varieties(something with fruit, of course!) and perhaps I can plant it in the swale... we'll see!
I am going to have to add another envelope to the budget now, aren't I? "GARDEN" it will be named, and tools, soil, seeds, plants, hoses and a shed will all be forthcoming- I'm sure!
I've already got sugar pumpkin seeds all ready to trade- send us a note if you're interested!

Wish You Were Here!

2009-12-19T16:34:00.005-05:00

SNOW! Doesn't this photograph of Cape Coop look like a vintage postcard? Our little Cape Coop is so sweet, in every season!
La Principessa went out and took these photos of our cozy Cape Coop this morning. The snow had begun to fall a few hours before. When we awoke at *:00 AM or so, we found ourselves surrounded by a soft and chill blanket outside.
Gray, white and black have overtaken the world.
These photographs ARE in color. What is the name of this unusual color, you might ask? First Snow.

Oh! This snow is so soft! Very cold, white, a heavy blanket of powder on every surface. I shoveled the front walk and cleared off the post box a bit later, in hope of attracting the mail carrier. The snow practically floated off of the walkway- it is that soft and dry! We are enchanted.

Our little car, Kim Chee Kia, is even MORE buried now, as it hasn't stopped snowing as yet at 5:00PM, and these photos were taken at 11:00AM. 21 ½ inches so far, according to my tape measure.
Our neighbor's son came by and shoveled the alley for her this morning, and we gave him a hot cup of oolong to warm his dear self. We have heat, we have lunch and tea, and, oh, the world is lovely and quiet.
I look out of my window here and see a flock of birds flying West. I feel sheltered and peaceful.
The world feels so calm and sweet as I look upon the snow outside, there just isn't a proper phrase come to mind to explain.
So, yes, I am homesick, for the warm, the endless summer that is our home state of Florida, but NO, I am not weary of this adventure in Salem, New Jersey. I do not tire of the seasons and the challenge, the lovely of it all. Wish you were here!

Insert Disappointed Sigh HERE

2009-12-03T17:08:00.024-05:00

Today I ripped at the dining room carpet a little bit, to see WHAT WE ARE FACING.
Um, not good, it seems.

The dining area is Cape Coop's North front room.

In the rear it is the kitchen, which has cloud gray vinyl stick-em-down tiles. I suppose that the flooring will be a double room job now. Bleagh. (Pay no mind to the odd placement of the refrigerator- PLEASE. And, don't get excited over the five feet of cabinets- they are in scary disrepair.

UNFORTUNATELY, the floor beneath the carpet is NOT lovely- but isn't this photo close up of the disaster gorgeous? I can't discern even if this is wood, or some other odd sort of surface material that is something like cardboard. The hidden surface is covered in swirls of old flooring glue, dusty and dark brown. I imagine that I can pull up the carpeting and either recover the floor in some stick-em down tiles (we're not enjoying carpet in the dining/kitchen area!) or, even, just clean up what's there now, if it turns out to be something usable (I fear not!). I'm not inclined for now, because my secret hope is to eventually do a remodel of the entire area, turning the dining 'room' and the kitchen into one large, more cohesive area- an eat in kitchen/family room sort of idea is in my mind. An old fashioned kitchen similar to the main rooms of colonial times- although NOT in a colonial theme. SO, I would like to cover both floors with ONE material, returning them to their original singular state- because I do believe that the chicken house did not have multiple flooring surfaces, unless the lady of the main house liked decorating that much? Or thought to inspire the chickens to a happy mood with a variety of decor choices? I can imagine a woman thinking to herself whilst choosing floor coverings "Ah, THIS vinyl will be the perfect accent for the West side, and THIS lovely wood for the East!"
FORTUNATELY, although she DOES have a virulent dislike of the 'Horrid Carpet', La Principessa does NOT have a sense of time, or urgency, regarding these things- my darling Kiddle is in no hurry to GET THINGS DONE.
This will be a daunting job, and I will need to ruminate. For AGES, I think.
Again, FORTUNATELY, today is bank day- our monthly adventure to the city of Glassboro- and we have been invited to dinner by new friends... yes, a 40 minute drive is what we consider to be neighborly here- we're thrilled!

ALSO, FORTUNATELY, we had these sweet whole wheat biscuits for lunch, while my cake offering for dinner baked in the oven, warming the kitchen up to a toasty 52 degrees Fahrenheit!

Photos of the cake may or may not be forthcoming- it is a naked cake, and while fruity and moistly delicious to eat, Kiddle may not feel inspired to photograph it.

Can you tell that I'm having difficulty figuring out layout code? Yipes.

Away from Marlboro TO Marlboro Anew...

2009-11-05T15:43:00.003-05:00

When we moved here to our new home, we moved FROM a small town in New Jersey that is near Marlboro Township- a so called 'bedroom community' of NYC- where the people work hard to acquire the trappings of America's financial upper middle class-everyone is beautiful, and their homes are beautiful, glossy as a magazine cover, as fashionable as the malls will allow, and then some!
There are 2 farmer's markets in the Marlboro area, both as glossy and citified as the people require- and we rarely indulged ourselves of their bounty- for the prices reflect the preciousness of having a farmer's market in such a fashionable township.
Imagine, now that we are in Salem, we find that just down the road another Marlboro has come into our lives, but a very different flavor of Marlboro-a real country farm!
Marlboro Farm, with a market, open year 'round, called, appropriately enough, Marlboro Farm Market. We have been going there every week or so, since we found the market on one of our leisurely "what will we see if we go in that direction" drives.
The vegetables, fruits and plants- they are beautiful!
Just as the Marlboro Township folk, their homes and their farmer's markets are beautiful, so is everything at Marlboro Farm Market, albeit an entirely different kind of glossy beauty- the timeless beauty of nature- the beauty of vegetables and fruits freshly arrived from the land- a gorgeous sight to behold.
The market is a rustic building, with foot worn cement floors that are a companion to our own foot worn wood floors at Cape Coop, and a rustic theme that belies the modern refrigeration against the back wall- and the computerized registers that the smiling young ladies who ring up purchases at the center counter depend on.

We walk around and look at all of the always varying produce, and we sidle to the back of the market and fill our basket with the discounted "yesterday's" produce that the farm puts into bags every day- 2 pounds of yellow string beans for half a US dollar, an immense purple cauliflower for 75 cents, a 10 pound bag of sweet potatoes for $4.00- 6 large local apples of various varieties for another dollar. We spend almost all of our weekly food money at this market - and we eat the most delicious meals all week with the finds that we have acquired!

Of course, there is always the local squash, the riotous colors and frenzied shapes calling to La Principessa, and we do indulge- at a dollar or less a pound- it's an affordable adventure- the multitude of gourds and soft skinned beauties calling to us, their colors just DELICIOUS to the eye- their shapes offering no clue to the shade or flavor of the flesh therein.
We roast or bake the lovelies in our kitchen, we eat the flesh in simple ways- with a drizzle of maple syrup, or a dusting of cumin- sometimes I will keep aside a cup of the squash meat and make a soup of it, or a tiny stew- with onions- and lots of Kiddle's favorite spices, so sumptuous! With homemade croutons atop the dish, or a hunk of our own kitchen's bread, what a feast for lunch on a cold day! We roast the seeds and snack on them- so much pleasure from these many globes of such amazing shapes and colors!
And that is where we are going today- Marlboro Farm Market-our new neighborhood Marlboro- and one which is a bit more in tune with our own sensibilities, humble as they are. I wonder-what mealtime adventures will stem from the upcoming visit? I hope that you all have a local market to adventure in, as we do in our new hometown- and, if you don't, don't fret- come for a visit- and we will take a drive down the road together, to Marlboro Farm Market- we'll spot you a fiver for a treat, and I'll cook it for you, in Cape Coop's kitchen.

Box by Box...

2009-11-04T20:41:00.000-05:00

As you can see from the accompanying photograph, we are getting the boxes up the stairs and Out Of The Way. The front room actually has space for Kiddle to set up her easel and paint, and for me to sit on the carpet and go through my papers. Always, I am busy with these boxes of papers- shifting them from one box to another, for I'm always meaning to do something with the reams of paper information that I acquire, but how can I even begin, when there is so much to do?
We have hung a few pieces of art on the walls, but only where there are already nails- I have discovered that I know NOTHING about how to put a nail into a plaster wall! So, there are dozens of paintings in the dining area, leaning on the credenza, awaiting a place.
We have yet to decide what to do about bookshelves in the house either- we have thousands of books, but of course! Unfortunately, we are supposed to be Grown Ups and so, more Grown Up cares are forcing themselves into 0ur minds for now. Heat is the thing that we are going to focus on for the winter- not shelves.
Heating! What a terror! The weather is already icy here and we have yet to figure out the heating system. We have OIL HEAT- and that means that one must choose an OIL SERVICE- and there are so many- how to choose? And, then, of course, one must buy a full tank of oil in one go- that's 275 gallons- a LOT of oil, perhaps, but also a lot of money. So, we are waiting, and as I always say when I am confronted with a challenge to my wits- we will Take Care Of This Soon.

Our Dimmet Promenade Yields Clouded Beauty

2009-11-02T14:53:00.000-05:00

It had been one of the first days that we'd officially had the means to call Salem our new hometown, and we decided to take a walk, during the dim time of day, to fill our lungs with the scent of fall and our eyes with the beauty of the dimmet sky. We walked for over an hour, throughout "The Avenues", which is the name that locals have for our tiny neighborhood- all avenues, not a "Road" to be found. We looked at the homes and compared our tiny and bare yard to the various garden habits of the neighbors. We strolled along cobbled walks and cement ones, narrow street crossings and wide, and we enjoyed thoroughly the fact that we now live in a town that was built during our nation's colonial times.
The spires on the churches- so tall, so stately! The wood and stone facades of the oldest homes, the bricks of the newer homes, and the turrets and gingerbread of the 'younger' Victorian homes in our neighborhood- all were a wonder to our eyes. And, then, it grew darker, the air became still and quite chilled. We came to our quiet and wonderful Cape Coop. La Principessa looked up as we headed to the side alley near our property and said "Oh- this is the reason for our walk tonight!" and there, up in the night, was a breathtaking, gorgeous, violet and blue sky view. Now, I, Mommy, know much better than my Kiddle, the heart of the reason for our dimmet perambulations- it is to be together, to share things in each others companionable presence- and, for me, to soak up the experience of watching my sweet daughter experience everything around us. But, for her, how lucky- to now feel so safe that she takes this companionable time for granted- the singular wonder of this night's sky is what we should notice tonight. And that is the heart of the beauty of this place and time, clouded to Kiddle's view, perhaps, but not to me, not to my heart. I know the true beauty that is clouded from view by a nice walk in an interesting neighborhood, underneath a purpling night sky. It is that my daughter feels happy and safe, and we are together, and we have love. And here is what we saw, right above our heads.

Lovely

2009-09-10T15:33:00.000-04:00

We drove past a neighbor's home, a lovely, simple place- next to a pond. A small, handwritten sign, on a post out front, states simply- "Fresh Brown Eggs". La Principessa surely must see this- she has not eaten a truly fresh egg since she was a wee one in South Miami- and doesn't recall the experience. She trod carefully past a few ducks, no doubt denizens of the pond, and knocked on the door- a kindly, sleepy man shuffled out, gave her a nod and a box of eggs- "$1.75 fer the big 'uns- you'll save a quarter if ya' take the smalls." She was so excited, she sprung for "the big 'uns".
And, here they are- lovely, freckled and speckled things.
I taught her how to break them into a bowl, to be sure they aren't fertile, before pouring them lovingly into a skillet, bubbling with a slick of olive oil. Sprinkled with a bit of coarse salt and a few rosemary needles, they fried up right lovely. We laid these lovely, luscious egg jewels on pillows of skillet toasted challah in our favorite green glass bowls- so truly beautiful, fragrant, so good! So, don't fret about coming for a visit now, my lovely loved ones! We may not be unpacked, we may be without some amenities (a table! a sofa! shelves!)- but you are assured a lovely fresh egg, on lovely fresh toast, anytime.

Amazing

2009-09-04T11:09:00.000-04:00

The realtor was amazed to sell us the little house- we were his first out of town internet buyers!
Our friends were amazed that we had found a safe place.
Our family was amazed that we were considering moving into the house.
The inspector was amazed that it was standing.
The attorney was amazed that we WANTED it.
The closing agent was amazed at the tiny price and the tiny buyer.
La Principessa and her dear friends packed our belongings, in an Amazing & Interesting Fashion, and we moved in.

The First Visit

2009-08-18T08:45:00.000-04:00

When we first saw the interior of Cape Coop, we were stunned to find carpet in the front rooms of the first floor. Weirdly thick and squishy carpet it was, too. La Principessa announced that she could not abide to walk on such a surface. The stairwell and stairs were also covered. After falling in love with Cape Coop and it's price online, La Principessa suddenly balked at buying the chicken house. This is a lass who has had to view one of our previous homes by entering through a window, only to find a tub full of excrement in the solitary bath, and still beseeched Mommy to "take this one, it's homey!".
I had, up until this moment, been unsure about her desire for this house- it was so far from the hospital where I need to be seen weekly in NYC, it would take every penny that we had to purchase! But, something hit me, right then. I watched her run through the rest of the tiny house and I knew that she wanted it. My Kiddle so wanted to feel safe, and we had a long journey to get to that shore. I walked to the southern wall of the living room, laid down my cane, grabbed at a corner of the carpet- and PULLED. There was a firmly and thoroughly stapled down layer of rebond pad underneath. I tore at it, and pulled a bit more. A lovely shade of honey glowed beneath my stare. Kiddle was entranced. Wood- she dreams of wood floors that she's played on in years past. The house was a GO, once again. Never mind that the floor was uneven under most of the carpet, and there may be a gaping plywood hole hidden somewhere under the camel hair floor. This could be homey. This could be HOME.

Cape Coop, and how we got there!

2009-07-26T12:34:00.000-04:00

This weblog will share the story of Cape Coop, our tiny house in the country, how we got here and the history of our little 'chicken house', along with our history, all enmeshed in a rambling, somewhat colorful and unbelievable, yet true story.
PS: There will be run on sentences. And exclamation marks!