Jamaica 2014

Before we flew off to a week of summer amidst a snowy winter, I wrote down in my to do list, "I need to defrag."  It just came to me one day and although it is a term typically used in the IT world, it made sense to me.  My operating system needed everything to realign so my brain and my heart could function more effectively.  Actually there was one item on that list that made that happen. 

I set out to do daily devotionals with my friend Christine.   It happened and it set the tone for each day. On Wednesday evening of vacation in front of witnesses I declared that I was indeed defraged. 

It's been 8 days since vacation and I still feel defraged.  Below are remembrances of the sun filled days and how they filled me with joy!

We were on a road trip, stopped to stretch our legs (and drink a Red Stripe) and this man grabbed my hand and said he loved me.  In case you are wondering.  Vince was right there. :)

Mountainous terrain on the north coast.

Christine's new grandson.  And now my new grandson, so she says.

 Bamboo Avenue.  Yes, bamboo as far as the eye can see!

 Christine and one of her many delicious meals.

Christine buying fruits and vegetables from the mobile market. 

 The beach bench before we fixed the foot rest.

A missionary group from the U.S. were being entertained on our beach by a local church's lovely children.

 Christine's daughter Rene, helping her family with the laundry. 

Christine's Mama Pearl and sister Angela who welcomed us into their home.

 Christine showing us her mother's beautiful flowers.

Gifts from Bloomington for Christine, her family, local school children and the needy.

Christine's home in the hills, called Spicy Hill.  Her "veranda" on the left and older home on the right. 

 The beach bench after we fixed the foot rest.  A small legacy left. 

One of many roads we traveled to seek a better view of this island and the places they call home.

 One of many vistas on our travels.

And our beautiful home in Jamaica.

   

You Are What You Read

I’ve always been a reader.  I like to chew over stories and their characters.  I read more in the winter than I do other months. Winter reading also feeds me while I hibernate and allows me to travel without going anywhere. 

Even though my tastes haven’t changed over time I’ve noticed this particular winter what I’ve been reading has been affecting me more.  Lots of snow, a polar vortex, and more shades of grey than I can ever remember have been major factors.  Combining that with a daily serving of grief over the absence of my sister has tipped the scales.   

Aside from the 20^th installment by the milky but humorous Janet Evanovich and a light kitchen/recipe novel that I wrote about in my last blog, this winter's reading has been like chewing a tough cut of beef:  Jackdaws, (WWII espionage); The Invisible Wall, (WWII love story); and The Book Thief, (another WWII novel).  The latter’s narrator is…death.  See a theme?  See the problem?  

Like mounds of carbohydrates, reality hit me in the stomach this morning.  No wonder I’m sad and in a funk! Look what I’m feeding myself.  What do I do? I’m resolving it.  I’m changing my reading diet.   First, I’ll be placing more emphasis on my first meal of the day, morning devotionals. Second, I’m going to the library to find a lighter assortment of books to digest which should provide for healthier days.  I'll keep you posted...

Alone in the Kitchen...

“Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant” is the title of a book I read recently.  The editor says in the intro that it is “an anthology of essays on cooking for one and dining alone that could function as a cookbook as well as a lifting-off point for readers to follow their instincts and create their own idiosyncratic meals.”  Since Jenni Ferrari-Adler did not ask me for my essay for her book, I decided to record my own idiosyncratic meal here. 

Before I get to that I need to clarify a few points.  Unlike some of the essayists, I would not think about what’s for dinner at 7:30 p.m.  Dinner comes to my mind almost the moment my eyes open in the morning, sometimes even before then. Second, if I had to think of one dish that would suffice as dinner in a pinch it would definitely not be salad.  Don’t get me wrong I like salad.  However, I believe most vegetables are paired best with meat and gravy. Lastly, I never eat alone.  Even if no one is at the table with me I find good companionship by reading a book.

Now for that idiosyncratic meal…I would cook up some macaroni, drain it and then add a healthy dose of Velveeta to be set it aside so it gets all happy.  The first dish eaten would be mandarin oranges, speared by fork right out of the can as I stand near the stove sauteing my second dish of mushrooms, onion and garlic topped with a little salt and pepper. The main dish would be that macaroni swimming in melted, gooey Velveeta.  Yes, dessert is not on the menu.  In my mind, dessert (or pie in particular) is eaten only at breakfast.

This meal takes me back to the days when I would forage for food in my mother’s kitchen, when my joy of cooking was just awakening.  Mandarin Oranges were considered a delicacy.  Mushrooms were exotic (they were only sold in the can back then. Today I prefer fresh.).  And Velveeta (otherwise known as pasteurized process cheese food) was cheap, filling, comfort food.  

So for the record there’s my "i" meal and essay.  Chew it over and let me know.  

Some Assembly Required

When you purchase something that requires some assembly, don't you wish you could open the box to look over the instructions before you buy so you get some sense of what is involved in the "some assembly required?"

Any who, (I like that phrase) on Saturday Vince decided to purchase for the golf course a "some assembly required" leaf sweeper.  Our sweeper was a used gift from one of our very first golf customers, JJ.  It was kind of him to have given it to us.  We used it a lot over the past 10 years.  However, it was clear when Vince opened up the gear box last week that it was time for the old sweeper to retire.  

So he bought, in essence, a box of sweeper parts.  We staged our tool area in the back of my vehicle, laid out all the parts in our parking lot and I looked to the end of the instruction booklet to determine how many steps there were.  It didn't get us any closer to completion but it was good for me to know there were only 17 steps required.  

After connecting some 90 pieces with a few steps that had to be undone and redone, we learned the difference between clevis pins and hair cotter pins.  We had to make some decisions on our own, as the instruction booklet was somewhat vague.  And for three and half hours our collective hands and brains righty tightied and lefty loosied all the parts until we had a new leaf sweeper.

Now, if there were a reality TV show entitled "Some Assembly Required" I think Vince and I would make a great contestant team.  One minor note, we have yet to test our new sweeper to see if it works.  But I guess we still have time to do that before auditions begin.    

 

See Spots!

I have spots.  I have tried for years many methods to remove them.   On the rare occasion when I was successful, another one appeared. These spots are not contagious. Although one or two might jump onto you if you stand too close to me.  I have not given up completely trying to eliminate them but I have finally decided to more readily accept them. 

My spots are…on my clothes.  I can identify a few personal habits that contribute to my spotty appearance.   When in the kitchen I wear an apron but my clothes underneath still attract them.  When I eat I often drop a tasty morsel on my shirt before it reaches my mouth.  And I often catch myself wiping my hands on my clothes, (I know, eeeuu!)  Regardless, no amount of scrubbing, pre-treating, or washing ever removes my spots for good.

With this confession, I have decided that if I live long enough to meet my own incompetence, Aryah, Courtney and Vincent, promise me you won’t place one of those elderly bibs on me or worry about my appearance.  Just remember spots do not harm me.  They arrive when I am active and joyful.  And until that day, I choose wear my spots and I choose to wear them with a smile.

Why?

I'm frequently asking, "Why?"  I research a lot of questions but the ones I had recently just didn't seem "Google" worthy.  Instead I "went to the committee in my head."  I love that line.  It's not original.  I borrowed it from a James Patterson novel.  Anyway, here are some of my questions and the "committee's" response...

Q:  Why do squirrels seem so preoccupied when hanging out in the road?
A:  We think squirrels have been given a great ability to concentrate.

Q.  Why do I have one song playing in my  head for hours at a time?
A:  Don't question it.  Sing along!  And you know squirrels might also have one song playing in their head too!

Q:  Why did I buy insurance for my iphone for $9.99 a month (for the past 18 months which equals roughly $180.00) and then have to pay $199.00 for a new iphone because the microphone broke and no one could repair it for less than $199.00?
A:  We don't know.  That makes no sense.  However, if you had been a squirrel you wouldn't have been tempted to buy an iphone in the first place.

Q:  Why can't I remember when I arrive at the store the 4 things I came to buy?
A:  Because you probably had a squirrel encounter on the way to the store and that's all you can remember.

Q:  Why do people stop in front of me on the road, causing a traffic jam, because they want to change lanes?  
A:  We think they might simply have a squirrel-like ability to concentrate on only one task at a time.

In closing, I have a friend at the golf course that visited me today.  He came to the front door and we talked.  Yes, my friend is a squirrel and he was my inspiration for today's blog entry.  Why?  I don't know, he just showed up and all these questions popped up in my head!

Paths

The definition of a “path”, according to my somewhat old American Heritage Dictionary, circa 1977, is a “route or course”; “a trodden track or way”; “a course of action”.   I’ve been reflecting lately about life, its journey and how it takes us down certain paths.  I try not to over analyze life.  I tend to “go with the flow.” I have been reminded recently how experiences on this path can be exhausting and renewing yet constantly changing. 

For example, Vince and I have been blessed with an amazing summer.  There has been plenty of evening rain showers, lots of green grass to mow, mild temperatures and many sun filled days. The flowers, trees and wildlife have all had full life cycles.  The beauty surrounding us has been unbelievable and almost perfect. 

In contrast, the past few months have also been hard.  Sometimes it was difficult to breathe and often our minds wouldn’t let our bodies rest.  Our path was dark when we grieved the loss of loved ones.  It’s a part of life that is challenging and its affects linger.  Of course death is a part of this human journey.  We aren’t the first to have lost loved ones and it’s certain we’ll have to say goodbye to so many others down the road. 

Any “path” can be as bland as its definition.   It is neither alive nor colorful without God, loving people and prayer which all lift us up. A fulfilling life also includes past memories, current experiences and new life on the horizon.  As for the latter, a new grandchild is joining us within days.  I am grateful for this life.  I believe that both sadness and joy must be embraced and witnessed as we move along life’s path.