Summer Recipes

For as much as I say that I’m not a good cook, I actually really enjoy cooking. (Shhh…don’t tell.) I’ve been inspired this summer to try a new recipe - or two - each week. It’s been fun to browse through my cookbooks and look on recipe websites to find a few good ones. I came across one for a “tomato-zucchini tart” in a Southern Living cookbook that I got as a gift from my mother-in-law (thanks again!). I made it last night, and it was SO tasty! Even Husband, a die-hard carnivore who initially asked “where’s the meat?” when he saw it, enjoyed it. It wasn’t too hard to make, and it had so much flavor. And you could easily modify the recipe to use any sort of fresh veggies. I think next time I’ll add a little bit of onion to it, and maybe even a tad of ground beef. The exact recipe is here. Enjoy! P.S If you have any good recipes, I’d love to hear them!

Giving

Yesterday I finally gave the “gift of life,” or as I like to call it, the “gift that gets you free cookies!” It was my first time donating blood. I’ve always wanted to donate, but there was always something that got in the way. (Once my iron was too low and they wouldn’t let me; the rest of the times I think I was just a big wuss.) Husband remembered that I wanted to donate and he drove me to the blood drive directly after church, so there was no backing out. I had initially planned on going by myself, but it was nice to have Husband there. He also made me laugh by giving me helpful “tips.” (“Whatever you do, don’t let them talk you into donating brain tissue!” Later, when our eyes would meet, he’d just tap the side of his head and nod.) The whole thing turned out to be much easier than I thought and pretty painless. It felt good to help, and I definitely want to donate again. And not just because of the cookies!

Free at last

Happily, I’m now free to… 1) leave the house. 2) celebrate my new job! I finally talked to them yesterday afternoon, and they told me the good news. I was beyond excited/relieved/grateful. Many thanks to my family who had faith the entire time that I’d get the job, even when I had my doubts. You are the best!

House Arrest

I’ve joked that I put myself on “house arrest” yesterday and today. I’m supposed to get a call soon about whether I got the job. My initial attitude about it was more like “a watched pot never boils,” so I went about my regular routine (going to the gym, running errands, etc). However, as luck would have it, during the short 1.5 hours I was out on Monday, they called (twice!) and I missed both calls. They didn’t leave a message, so I couldn’t return their call. I wanted to kick myself, knowing that I could have heard “the news” about the job and finally put an end to the “am I employed?” limbo. So I’m banishing myself to the house (at least during business hours). On the positive side, I’ve channeled all my nervous energy into cleaning, and the house looks immaculate. On the other hand, I really hope I hear soon because I’m running out of things to clean!

A Funny Massage

Last week Husband and I saw a flyer advertising a massage that made us laugh. It said: “It’s time to relax those tired mussels!” Not muscles, but mussels. I guess even your shellfish need a break!

All the Tea in China

It all started with an innocent comment.

I told my grandma how much I liked the ginger tea (hot tea) that we had at her house a couple months ago, and I mentioned that I couldn’t find it at any stores near me.

When she visited me a few weeks later, she brought me 4 boxes of ginger tea. Then, my aunt, who loves ginger tea, heard and mailed me 2 boxes of her favorite brand.

And then, my grandma, who was still not convinced I had sufficient supply, sent me a care package full of tea earlier this week. I knew what was in the box before I even opened it because: a) she said, “I’m sending you a ‘tea party!’ ” and b) I could actually smell the tea from outside the box.

This time there was every type of flavor and brand imaginable. I even got one that I never knew existed: “Organic Apricot Ginger Black Tea.” (That’s quite a mouthful!)

I decided I would share some tea with a lady in the neighborhood that I’ve befriended. She is a sweet lady who recently lost her husband, and I visit her every so often.

Yesterday I stopped by her house, and I gave her 2 boxes of tea.

The tea had not even left my hands before she darted to her pantry saying over her shoulder, “Honey, you like tea? I have some for you!”

And she gave me 2 boxes of Chinese tea from a friend in China.

Through this, I’ve realized that I not only have an abundant supply of tea, but also an abundance of generous people in my life.

And if you come over to my house, don’t be surprised if I offer you tea. At this point, I think I have enough to host afternoon tea (plus morning, noon, and evening tea) until 2014.

The Bucket List

Yesterday Husband and I watched the movie The Bucket List for the first time. (I know it’s been out for a while – I guess we’re a little behind on movie-watching.) I thought it was pretty good. It was funnier and more moving than I expected it to be. Anyway, it made me think about my own “bucket” list. These are the things, off the top of my head, that I’d put on my list: *Learn how to surf *Visit Australia *Visit China and see the Great Wall *Write a book (even if it never gets published) *See the Grand Canyon *Ride in a helicopter *Live overseas (if a military overseas assignment is possible) I expect to keep adding to the list over time. But now I’m curious…what’s on your bucket list?