Currently... Plus a Welcome

Hello lovelies, and welcome especially to everyone who was pointed here by Jenni - I'm so glad you've stopped by!  I'm Betsy, a re/expat splitting my time between London and Washington, DC.  I'm also splitting my time between planning my upcoming wedding to my English fiancé, Jon, and loving on my new black lab puppy, Charlie.  Jon and Charlie know about each other but haven't met yet, so let's keep the extent of my two-timing between us, okay?  Thanks.

Betsy and Jon, May 2011

If you want some background, go ahead and check out my "about me" page, but definitely feel free to have a wander around on your own, too.  This blog has documented my life - from the visa process and my move to London in June 2010 to my relationship with and engagement to Jon, to my decision to return to DC and my move back in May 2012 - for quite a while, so there's a lot on here.  But in case you want to jump right into the present, here goes:

currently...

sautéing two pounds of cherry tomatoes for this delicious savory cobbler from Joy the Baker.  I get a bit nervous when I make a vegetarian meal because I'm usually so carnivorous, but this was such a complete dinner on its own that I didn't even miss the meat.  Also, three words: blue cheese biscuits.  Nom.

humming triumphant melodies as I research options for the recessional music for our wedding next summer.  We want a string quartet for the ceremony, but maybe I can find a trumpeter to take us out in style!  There's just something regal about processing to brass, isn't there?  

scribbling as I read Emotionally Engaged: A Bride's Guide to Surviving the "Happiest" Time of Her Life by Allison Moir-Smith.  I don't usually go in for self-help books, but I need to be proactive about getting through this transitional period with my sanity intact.  This book encourages me to accept that the crazy feelings I'm experiencing are normal while providing solutions for moving forward.

scheduling (almost) every minute of my trip to London in September.  I'm only back for six days and there are so many things to do and people to see!  However, I've promised Jon a couple of days to enjoy just being together without obligations, which will be blissful.

listening to my body.  I've been running early in the morning more consistently than usual (it's the best way to tire Charlie out for the day!) but haven't yet figured out how to sync up my eating schedule.  I really appreciate the advice I've gotten from more experienced runners, so please do let me know if you have any tips!

wearing a cute new pair of wedges from Nine West.  Yes, I'm technically still on my spending freeze, but my sandals broke while I was out and about the other weekend so I really had no choice.  You understand, don't you?

drinking chocolate milk.  I have a hard time eating sweet immediately after savory, which is why I'm not a huge fan of dessert (unless it's a cheese plate, in which case all bets are off).  So by the time dinner is far enough in the past for me to be ready for a treat, I'm no longer remotely hungry.  Chocolate milk gives me a sweet fix without filling me up further!

preparing for work to explode into fevered action.  I do fundraising for a theater in DC and summer is our quiet period.  Once the new season starts at the end of August, it's going to be constant activity for the next ten months.  It's been great to have had this introductory time while the office has been calm, though; I can't imagine trying to learn the ropes while in the midst of a busy production schedule.

sharing my bed with Charlie, who thinks that it's actually his bed and has made it abundantly clear that I should be grateful for even a little bit of space.  Though new to the family, he hasn't been shy in making the house his own!

Charlie, July 2012

Thanks for visiting!  If you're looking for even more current snippets, you can find me on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.  Please do leave a note in the comments, if you want, so I can get to know you, too!  I'd love to see you around here again.

*see my first currently... here*
*see my mea culpa here*