Absent Blogger

This is probably my longest absence from blogging.  I don't really have much of an excuse.  Part of it is probably the fact that it is so darn cold in the study, where the computer resides, and it is uncomfortable to spend much time in there without a heater running directly on my feet.

Besides, I got an IPad mini for Christmas, and now I can sit comfortably in my soft, reclining chair in the living room and do so many different things, all wrapped up warmly in my down blanket.  Because of our high ceilings,  the heat never makes it down to the floor when it is this cold.  It is hard to stay warm!

Much of my entertainment and activity has happened in that warmer spot during the sub-zero month of January 2014.

I read recipes in a wonderful cookbook I got for Christmas.  I then adjourn to the kitchen and cook them.  I read the news on Google.  I look up recipes on Google.  I play Solitaire.  I surf Facebook.  I read books that I have downloaded,  many many books.   I read and send emails.   But  the IPad is too small for any serious typing, as required by blogging.

Another reason for my absence is that I am working on a Sequel to last year's novel.  That is my big writing project for the moment, which has made me completely forget all about my blog.

I'm sure my blog readers have probably given up on me by now.

Hopefully, the day will soon come when we will all be happily reunited on a regular basis.

Feminine Lovliness

On this evening's news, there was an item about the long term damage done to women's feet by high heel shoes.

That sparked a conversation with hubby.   I have not been able to wear them for quite a long while.  The pain makes it virtually impossible.   I did admit that I still do have longings to be able to wear high heeled shoes, because it certainly makes one feel the optimal of one's feminine loveliness and appeal.

Certainly a shoe like the one pictured here makes one's legs look much more lovely, regardless of what one's age or size might be.  But in the end,  the loveliness is really not worth the long term damage and pain.

I remember wearing these damaging shoes to work in the 1980's when I worked at the University. That was the norm at the time.   And there was also a long walk from the parking lot to my building!  By the mid 1990's women began wearing their sneakers from the car to the office, and then changing into the painful shoes once they got there!  So smart!

To add to my foot woes,  I have discovered in my old age, after buying countless pairs of shoes,  that one foot is significantly larger than the other, at least a good half size.  In order to get a good fitting pair of shoes, I would actually have to buy two pair, which I have no plans of doing.  My alternative strategy has been to wear mary-jane flats.  The strap keeps the smaller shoe on the smaller foot, without my walking out of it.

The high shoes they wear nowadays look like Chinese torture to me!  I can see how they would add three inches or so to your height, but I cannot see how one can manage to stay upright upon them.

In my 30's and 40's,  I remember how ugly I thought "old lady shoes" were and hoped that I would never have to wear them.  They are usually laced up and have a very thick sole.

My go-to shoes have a thick sole and a velcro strap. I can stand that with a pair of slacks.  It is when I wear a dress or skirt that I cannot bear to wear old-lady-shoes.

 I'm not quite there yet, but I can see that I am getting closer every day!

New Food Discoveries

I got a lovely new vegetarian cookbook for Christmas, which has kept me entertained for the past two weeks, making numerous of the delicious dishes in the book.

I have also decided to introduce myself to a couple of intimidating fruits and veggies I have not met personally before.

I bought my first fennel bulb.  I have never eaten fennel before, because I  understood that it tastes like licorice, which I abhor!   I cut of a small section of my bulb and added some small bites to a salad I had at lunch. It wasn't horrible  I have not yet experienced the "shaved fennel bulb" salad.  In small bites, it has a mild taste.  I'll see how it goes.  I can always roast it, which completely changes the favor.

A little while ago, I just had my first experience de-seeding a pomegranate.  At least the cookbook described that process, or I would have been clueless about getting those little seeds out.  It was quite an adventure.  I felt like I was shucking oysters and searching for pearls.   Or I was mining for gems.  There's quite a lot of pith,  but thankfully, the seeds fall to the bottom in a bowl of water.

The seeds offer this surprising burst of slightly tart red juice.  They are more than pleasant.  They are like little red jewels, well worth the effort of digging to unearth!

There are not many fruits or vegetables with which I am unfamiliar.    Actually, besides the two mentioned here, I cannot think of any others at the moment.

Growing up, I loved okra, which were plentiful, and we ate it often.  Of course, back then, it was fried.

Believe it or not, okra fried is nothing at all like the slimy stuff in stews.    That's why I am confident that I'll find some way to enjoy a fennel bulb, prepared one way or another!

At least that is my hope.

Memories Recalled

Today's events brought back some memories.    It was a snowy, blustery, extremely cold,  poor- driving day.   It is always very slick when the snow is falling while you are driving.  Normally,  I would not have been driving much of a distance.  But today, I was giving a book presentation in Moravia, where I previously served as pastor.   It is about a 45 minutes drive under normal conditions.

  They did call and ask if I wanted to cancel, but I remembered my seminary days, and was never deterred by weather, so I decided that I would at least make my best effort to be there.

The first memory was of those seminary-driving years.  For six years, I traveled 200 miles (100 miles one way) to seminary in all kinds of weather.   Never in all those years did I not make it.  (though I did get there once and they had closed!!).   I discovered that if I allow myself plenty of driving time and drive slowly,  I could usually get most anywhere, and that was my theory today.  Because the conditions were so poor, I did not want to drive much over 30 mph.  The frustration comes when there are big pick up trucks behind you, impatient.

But I made it there just fine, despite the poor conditions.  And that's when I was hit with all the memories of my very fruitful, very active, very exciting years in that church as pastor.  They were good years.  Our daughter went to high school there, so we were super involved in everything in the church and in the community--sports, concerts, school board, etc.   Being inside the church made me remember so many special occasions of worship, baptisms, meals, conflicts, funerals, relationships,  etc.

I wish I had known what kind of group it was.  (my assumption of a book club was wrong).  It was in fact, just a bunch of people from the church, mostly couples, who get together for lunch once a month.   Had I known,  Gerry would really have enjoyed being there.   But he did enjoy the new six inches of powder on the slopes.

I said that I was delighted and surprised by the invitation.  I had assumed that all my book talks were over, as I did many of those last year.   One friend commented,  "Well, it takes another year for most news to make it to Moravia."

And I do suspect that there is some truth to that.

This is what my view looked like most of the time.