Spirituality and Good Food

Recently I had the opportunity to go back to my home town in Ohio.  I had forgotten how beautiful it can be in autumn.  The trees weren't at peak but while I was there the temps dropped and there was some rain and then the colours were in full force everywhere. While I have seen beautiful autumns in various places around the country there is something about autumn where I grew up that tugs at my heart and fills me with joy.

While at home I had breakfast with a very dear friend.  We met at a restaurant called Der Dutchman.  I had heard of this restaurant but had never eaten there.  It's in Plain City, OH.  Plain City, surrounded by farms, once had a thriving Amish community.  As I was ambling, for I felt no urge to speed, down a two-lane highway I marveled at the neatness of the farms some still with corn stalks in their fields.  But there was a cleanness to their lines that shone against the blue sky. I know that farming is hard work, and I believe it is a calling as well. 

As I drove past these farms I thought about values that are taught in rural areas.  Like the value of hard work or of keeping promises.  And a strong and quiet belief in God.  Why has this gone so out of style? It seems these days that so many people prate on and on about what good Christians they are. The worst offenders are politicians.  But next to them are televangelists and preachers at the so-called mega churches.  I look at them with a great amount of mistrust because I don't feel they "walk the walk".  

I have always believed that a strong quiet faith in which a person is not exhorting other for money or votes or browbeating others to convert to "the only true faith" is the way to live. It is the people of this strong and quiet faith, in any religion, who do the most good in the world because they work the hardest at their faith.  They're not perfect, they probably falter more than we would ever know, but they're not crying on TV about their missteps.  They pray, ask for guidance, and continue working.  I think this sort of faith has gone out of style.  It isn't flashy, it isn't newsworthy, and it isn't easy.  But, for me, it makes sense and it's how I wish to live. I'm not a regular church goer and I do, at times, beat myself up over it.  I know of several Episcopal churches near me but getting out the door is so difficult, or rather I make it difficult. But I keep persevering in my belief that I will make it sooner rather than later. Even if I were a regular church goer I wouldn't talk about it much, I wouldn't put "Jesus" bumper stickers on my car or constantly post on Faceboook about what a good Christian I am. I always feel people like that are trying to impress others while at the same time convincing themselves of their goodness and superiority. 

When I came back home I was running some errands one afternoon and I was filled, again, with great joy, for I felt that I have an embarrassment of riches. I had some groceries along with new underwear (a necessity at times) in my trunk and new books to read at home plus a couple I had just gotten at the library.  This feeling is still persisting and it's so joyous and hopeful. 

What has all of this to do with good food.  Well, it's about the Der Dutchman restaurant.  They are a small chain in Ohio with one restaurant in Florida, the link is below.  It is simple, plain food.  And it is delicious.  It was one of the best breakfasts I have ever had.  Everything was fresh, there was nothing processed or pre-made and reheated, and I enjoyed every single bite.  Well, except for the fried cornmeal mush my friend ordered for me, I just didn't like it.  I don't like corn fritters or grits either.  Just a personal taste.  If you ever get the chance to go to a Der Dutchman restaurant do it, it's worth the drive, even to go a bit out of your way.  Take the time to enjoy a good meal, it's a good place to relax and you will enjoy every bite.  And maybe while you're driving there you'll find some peace and joy and enjoy the beauty of the earth and sky.

http://www.dhgroup.com/en/seg/restaurants.php 

A Binge. A Purge. A Fast

No, this isn't about some weird new weight loss program involving beet juice and bean curd - ewwww. This is about a change in my life and more importantly in my thinking.  I really, really like to shop.  And given my present income that's not a smart thing to do.  So, I am going to fast, but first.....

The binge:  I went on a mammoth shopping spree that started in 2007 and didn't really end until now. I won't go into the reason I started on this path, but I went on it full tilt.  I bought clothes, shoes, jewelry, purses, and then bought more of the same. I bought things I didn't like that I ended up returning or giving away.  And I didn't buy inexpensive items, I went to stores where they fawned all over me, stroking my ego until I bought something. I even bought a Volvo.  Almost all of that stuff is now gone.  And that's where the purge begins.

Since we moved here I've been systematically getting rid of things.  I've sold all of the expensive jewelry.  I don't miss it - well that's not true - I wish I hadn't sold one piece, but it was necessary. I gave the Volvo back to the bank.  I consigned a lot of my clothing, but I also would keep buying things.  I had my walk-in closet and half of the walk-in closet in the guest room full of clothing - a good part of which I never wore.  I had two dressers full of clothes.  At least four huge storage bags full of clothes.  And then there were the purses.  Most of the designer purses are gone - either consigned or sold on ebay.  Again, I don't miss them.

But starting in this past August the real purge began.  I went through everything.  I was ruthless in culling my wardrobe.  A lot of items went to charity, a few went to consignment, and a very small amount got tossed.  I am now down to one closet and one dresser.  There are still two storage bags, but the clothing is seasonal.  I can't even begin to write about how good it felt to get rid of all these items.  I didn't realize it at the time but all of this "stuff" was weighing me down. I was surrounded by so much I didn't need or want.  And now to the fast....

I've been reading a newsletter about a minimalist lifestyle. One article I read really stuck with me, it was about going on a shopping fast.  Specifically shopping for clothing.  Such a great concept.  So as of the beginning of October I am on a shopping fast.  My goal is to not buy any new items of apparel.  None.  Zip. Nada.  However, there are one or two caveats.  Underwear -sort of essential, so I will allow that and my favorite pair of New Balance shoes will not last another year, and I wear these a lot - especially in the colder weather.  I will have to replace those.  But nothing else, I hope to expand this fast to include purses - that's a tough one because I really, really, really like purses!

And, if I just have to have something new....I have a large dresser drawer full of fabric and a sewing machine. I used to be a good seamstress, so I need to dust off those skills because that is the only way I will get any new clothing!

I think this will be difficult at times, but in the long run it is a challenge worth taking.

Shoes

Now with a title like that most women are all atwitter! We are characterized as shoe crazy, but that's because shoes make us crazy!

Why do they make us crazy?  Too short. Too long. Heels too high. Heels to low. Too cheap. Too expensive. Too trendy. Not trendy enough. Wrong colour. Out of stock. Our "frenemy" bought the same pair. Too sexy. Not sexy enough. On and on it goes.

My problem with shoes is different. I don't care about trends. I don't wear heels - nor do I want to. I can't find nice, reasonably priced shoes that have a lot of support and are orthotic friendly.

Type orthotic friendly shoes into any search engine and it's amazing what comes up. Sneakers, or if you prefer, athletic shoes. You might get oxfords, which can sometimes be cute - but try putting an orthotic in them. Lace-up boots can work, but they don't work with some outfits.

Is it so difficult for shoe manufacturers to design a shoe that is pretty, can be worn with a dress or skirt, that I can wear with my orthotic. Oh, and offers good support.

The answer is a resounding NO!  I've been to those stores in the mall that supposedly have shoes that will work with orthotics. I've been to department stores that carry "specialty shoes". What's special about them is the price!!

So I wear my sneaks most everywhere. And I own one of black and one pair of brown oxford-type shoes that I can wear, with slacks, when a bit more refined apparel is required. I order shoes or boots that look promising, only to return them. D shakes his head at that, but this a man who owns two pairs of shoes. Sadly the boots I showed on a previous blog are going back. No support at all and they made my feet look like they were twice as long as they are. Seriously?  Who wants that?  Ok, maybe some people do, but it's not for me.

It's sad. I have some lovely skirts and dresses I'd like to wear if only shoe manufacturers could quit designing shoes with stratospheric heels all the time and make the perfect shoe - for me. Is that asking too much?

What I did on Saturday

Today was a really good day. The weather was beautiful and the sun was shining. Perfect day to go take care of shopping for an item that for some women, while not quite a nightmare (some say that designation is reserved for bathing suits), certainly can be a chore.  I'm talking about shopping for bras.

It's been quite a while since I was last measured and about that long since I bought any new bras. And, trust me, they were needed. So I went to Lane Bryant. Since I am a plus-size woman I knew I would find the most variety in sizes and styles there.

First I got measured. Lo and behold my bra size had changed. Which, if you think about it, makes sense. Our bodies go through all sorts of changes - we gain weight, we lose weight, we gain or lose some more. We have children, we go through menopause, we get older. I had the most helpful clerk, I told her I prefer cotton so she pulled several cotton bras and talked me into trying on one that wasn't cotton.

WOW!!!!  The new size made such a difference. The girls were situated where they belong and lookin' good!  The only downside was the price. While Lane Bryant is currently having a 'Buy Two - Get One Free' promotion they were still a bit out of my price range today.  But, not all was lost - there was a rack with all the bras priced at $16.99. The clerk went through the rack and found several in my size. AND, they were part of the promotion!  So I got three bras for the price of one!  SCORE!!!  Next month I will go back and buy the two styles I originally tried on - they will be having a 'BOGO' sales on all their bras in October.

The moral of this story is - go get measured every couple of years and TRY EVERYTHING ON!  It
is worth the little extra time and effort.  And in the end you will save time and money and you will look fantastic!

As for the rest of the day......

We had Mahi Mahi for dinner. I dredged it in a little flour and added Chef Paul Prudhomme's Magic Blackened Redfish Seasoning to it. Cooked it in olive oil. Delicious.  Also tried a new product. Minute Rice has come out with a Multi-Grain product. It has brown rice, Thai red rice, wild rice, and quinoa. It was very good - has a slight nutty flavor, I didn't add any seasoning - next time I will add.....something.  But it is definitely a keeper in our pantry. Tribe Hummus has a new "limited" flavor - it 's called 'Everything' inspired by Everything Bagels. Since I like hummus and I like everything bagels - it's a no brainier. Had it with some cut up carrots at lunch. Another keeper.

So that was my Saturday. As I said earlier, it was a good day. Hope y'all had a good day as well and I hope all of your favorite football teams win tomorrow!!!

Random Thoughts

I wanted to add some of these yesterday, but being random thoughts they hadn't been corralled.

First, I was just very bad.  After paying off  "D's" Macy's card, which he lets me use (you can see where this is going), the boots I have been lusting after were back in stock in my size.  Yes, I ordered them....sigh.... But my rule is buying something new means getting rid of something I already have.  There's a local consignment shop where I take things, so if the boots fit and I keep them, I have at least two pairs of shoes that I will take there.  The boots are Steve Madden Rawling Boots.  The colour is grayish.  

Yesterday while in Target I found the perfect desk.  I have been looking since we moved here. The desk I was using in our condo in Gaithersburg is sitting in our garage.  It has never been in good shape and it's really not worth fixing up.  Plus it has always smelled musty.  So I get by with a lap desk upon which I put the laptop. When I saw this desk yesterday I literally stopped in my tracks and just stared.  Hopefully it wlll be in stock for a while.  I know, I buy boots that I don't necessarily need and can't buy a desk.  The desk is called the Threshold Campaign Desk and while it comes in different colours the red is just perfect.

So far this seems to be about things I love instead of random thoughts that wander around in my brain.

Here's one - why is it so difficult for "D" to understand the concept of stacking plates and bowls in order of size.  As long as we have lived together he has put them in the cabinets in random order.  I've come to the conclusion that he takes a certain glee in doing this because he knows it annoys me.

A while back I saw an ad for Williams-Sonoma showing a wooden crate planter.  I was so taken with the image that I thought, I could do that.  I have a planter that is approximately the same size that I could plant herbs in to keep in the kitchen.  Have I done it?  I think you know the answer.  All I need is seeds and dirt.  I see it in my mind's eye and know how delightful it would be.  So, now that I've talked about it here I will shame myself into doing it.  With luck pictures will follow soon! In the meantime here's the planter picture that started it all.  It's the Wooden Agrarian Crate.

That's all for now.  I've been goofing off all morning and I need to at least pretend to do something!

Staying Alive

Yeah, I know. John Travolta, disco, and polyester.

I haven't written in a long time. And I'm changing direction from what I had been writing. Instead of trying to be clever or pithy, I'm going to write about my adventures (better than struggles) in trying to survive on about $900.00 a month. I live in a lovely house with "D", we have lived together in various relationship stages since 1997. He's a good guy. It's a quiet and relatively uneventful life and that's just fine with me.

I hope to share recipes and my forays into sewing and knitting.  I will also mention products I like and good deals I find. I don't have binders full of coupons to buy lots of products I don't need. Nor do I go from store to store depending on the ads. To me, it's a waste of time, money, and gas. And occasionally I will talk about things that are important to me - like "Doctor Who".

On to the good stuff.

My best deal - Target has Glad Press and Seal Plastic Wrap for $2.50 each. I bought two, and didn't have any coupons. I don't use it a lot so the two rolls should last quite a while.

Today I made pulled pork in the crockpot. So easy and, modestly speaking, delicious.

Thinly slice two onions and put in the bottom of the crockpot. I used sweet onions, I like their flavor. Add garlic (I use dehydrated garlic I get at the warehouse store. I know all the food purists are aghast. But again, it's a money saver. ). Add one cup of chicken broth - I used the store brand low sodium.

Make a rub. I put in brown sugar, cinnamon, cumin, red pepper, salt and pepper. I don't measure - the term season to taste comes to mind here.  Pat the pork roast dry (I had an approximate 3.5 lb pork shoulder roast). Put the rub over the entire roast and place in crockpot.  I cooked it on the eight hour setting. Remove the meat at the end of the cooking time, it will be falling apart. Shred using two forks removing all the fat and, of course, the bone. Drain the liquid and onions into a colander and put the onions and meat back into the crockpot. I actually didn't drain all the liquid, reserving a bit on the bottom of the crockpot. Add barbecue sauce, again to taste. I don't like pulled pork that has so much sauce you end up wearing it.

Serve and enjoy!

These are photos I took of the process. We had cole slaw and some bread with the pulled pork. The pineapple wasnt a part of the menu.