Promises, promises

This is to third year I have given up meat for Lent. It is a personal promise. I do not ask anyone to sacrifice with me. The 46 days give me a chance to pay greater attention to what I am eating, be more grateful for my blessings and it makes me try new things.



This year I was surprised when my husband and all of my children announced to me that they would make the promise too.

It hasn't been easy for them. I have given several of my pep talks. They go by familiar titles such as, "Quitters never win, winners never quit" and "We keep our promises." To me it is important that all of them follow through on what they set out to do.

This is how I am teaching consistency and responsibility in my home.

I am excited that this year they all know how many days it is until Easter comes. And it is not because of a bunny.


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Love at First Flight - Part III

Six months after I had moved. I sent him an email. He sent one back. We talked on the phone. He said he was traveling to Arkansas for business and he would come and visit me. I didn't believe him.

I wasn't stupid. He wasn't going to visit me two thousand miles away because we went out on two great dates.

But he did. I remember being so nervous going to the airport to pick him up. To this day I can tell you exactly what I wore, what he did and how he smiled. We had a great weekend.

Two weeks later he came to visit again. And two weeks after that I flew to his home. And met his family.

He asked me to marry me three times. I remember walking out of the church and wondering how I had gotten there. It was as if time had passed in a dream. I threw my flowers to my friends from the church steps.

Love at First Flight - Part II

Fast forward to four weeks later. I'm walking through the airport again. I was flying out for a second interview. Truly torn about what direction my life was taking me. As I approached my gate, I heard my name. I turned. It was him. And he remembered my name. Wow. I couldn't believe it.

We went to the airport bar and had a beer. This was hysterical to me because not only do I drink very little but it was 10:30 in the morning. It was an absolute excuse to get to talk with him. He walked me to the gate. I asked him for his phone number this time. And I got on the plane and took off.

When I returned from the interview I went out with him twice. Two crazy dates. The first was in downtown Boston at Legal Seafood. Lunch. It was pouring rain. We walked for hours. It was marvelous. The second was in downtown Providence and then in Newport. We laughed and joked and I didn't want it to end. I still remember sitting next to him in the bar in Newport. Not wanting to be anywhere else. I know it is a cliche but it was magic.

Then the ultimate twist. I moved. To Oklahoma. Two thousand miles away. My life was waiting for me. The job I wanted. Nice office. Nice people. Good money. Good benefits. It was everything I had been hoping for flying all over the country looking for the perfect job.

What's for dinner

It's not beef. That's for sure. Especially not during Lent.

Every year during Lent I give up meat. I do it for a variety of reasons.

Lately my friends and I have been exchanging more ideas for dinner. The boredom of winter cooking is setting in.

Therefore I give to you tonight's dinner plan.


Homemade whole wheat pizza crust topped with homemade tomato sauce, fresh slices of mozzarella, black olives and sauteed mushrooms.

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Vegetables from scratch

It is time to start the seeds. To sprout a little hope for the new year. A taste of Summer. My favorite season.


There is nothing to be seen at the moment but promise. The promise of a delicious mortgage lifter tomato (great story behind this one), Hale's Best melon, Jenny Lind Melon, Principe Borghese Roma's, and one other Heirloom that sounded so juicy I couldn't resist.

Last year, I planted too many tomatoes and not enough peppers. This year I hope to have too much of both!


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Rye Bread

Today is the day. It took me several weeks to have all of the ingredients plus a day when I could be home to accomplish each of the steps to make rye bread.




One of the blogs I read www.smittenkitchen.com had a gorgeous picture and recipe a few weeks back. I was inspired.



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Nor Rain Nor Sleet Nor Bitter Cold

I took a one question survey about running outdoors versus indoors in the winter season today on the Runner's World website. It was interesting to read the responses of all of the different reasons people chose option a versus option b. It made me think about my own reasons of why I chose this winter to run in the house.






The snow has been continuous for weeks here and the ice isn't thawing in between. Add the raw wind and I'm done.

My lungs don't deal well with the cold. I am scared to death to run in this year's icy landscape. I have been to physical therapy several times in my life and all of those injuries have been painful recoveries. To me it is not worth the risk. One false step on the ice and I could be out for the season.

Call me conservative but this year I'm playing it safe. At least until the ice melts. I'm planning my best year ever and hoping to do everything possible to avoid injuries.