Soup and Stationary

Well back to the work world again, so a crock pot soup was in order for the menu this week.
Funny thing that little pot, its like having a cook come to your home and whip up something fabulous that sends a delicious smell whirling through the air when you come home. Who doesn't love or need that?
Try this Savory Lentil Soup (via PETA)

2 cups dried lentils
8 cups water
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped carrot
3 Tbsp. snipped parsley
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried leaf oregano
14.5-oz. can chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp. wine vinegar

Rinse the lentils and place in a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients, except the tomatoes and vinegar. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Add the tomatoes and vinegar. Cook on high for 15 minutes, until hot.

You can change vinegars add other seasonings or pasta at the end as well.
And as a freind said its soup you make it with what you have or don't and embrace the warmth......

I have been finding new joy in an old love.. Stationary...
I am seriously obsessed with stationary. I love the crispness, the texture, the smell of really good stationary, if I walk into a store and find a beautiful set of note cards, it is almost impossible for me to walk away and not buy them. The good thing is that I also love to write notes, so luckily I actually use stationary for the most part. The problem is, I can't seem to use it at the rate that I buy it. To make matters worse, when I really love a particular set of cards I only use them for "special occasions" (in other words I hoard them). I know I will be writing a million thank you notes over the next weeks, I typically pride myself on the swiftness of wrtitng them. But lately, I have let it slide and feel just awful about it, I have cards that I addressed in Auguat! So I have been going through my stash and looking at what I have, and need ~ check this out...
My favorite brand
I also have found a therapeutic niche in making my own. I have just dabbled in it so far but I can so see myself stocking up on stamps, paper, ribbon and such. Finding a fun tote to store it all in and creating something so person specific that the card itself is just as much a gift as the words themselves. I think that's it, I just adore notes.. In my mind it takes so much more effort to write a note and stamp it then see it to the post box, it just makes people feel good.
Try it next time you are staring down a card lane at any store, pick a random person and treat them to a lovely little gem via the mail. You'll warm their day and your own just with a moment or 2 of your time. Nothing better then a feel good colored envelope, (big on those, they can't be white)that's not a bill or a plea for money or political ugg to save the day.
Its another one of my "work on me" thoughts for the new year, make life more people not stuff....
Have a lovely eve, I am off to pick up a rental car.... yes I was bonked again.....Actually for the 1st time in my 17 years of driving, I was the bonker. More on that later