health

Winter Doldrums

/ marlainpa / 2 Comments

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Some of you may have noticed that the frequency of my posts has diminished lately.  I was thinking about that yesterday and wondering why I wasn’t motivated to sit down and write.  Then it hit me.  I am smack dab in the middle of winter.  Half is behind me, and half is ahead of me.  Unfortunately, the better half has passed:  the holidays, the New Year, two three-day weekends, and the anticipation of the first snow.  The rest is just dreary, slushy, dirty, and monotonous waiting.  I am in the midst of the winter doldrums. Continue reading →

Groundhog Day: the day after

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Bill Murray in Groundhog Day

 In the movie   Groundhog Day Bill Murray plays a weatherman who wakes up to discover that each day is February 2nd and is forced to relive it over and over again.   Finally, after what seems like a lifetime of anger, bitterness, nastiness, depression, and a lot of humor, he changes his fate by changing his behavior.  I never tire of watching this movie.  It has such a feel good message of redemption through personal growth.

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Vegetable tagine with friends

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Over the weekend we hosted our first dinner party.  Well, not exactly a party in the traditional 1950s sense, but a dinner with friends.   Since I love to eat and I love to cook it was an opportunity to try out something new.   I decided to focus the meal around Turkish food, one of my favorite cuisines.  What’s not to love?  Garlic, tomatoes, eggplant, olives, feta cheese . . . seriously, this is great food.

The lentil soup is already done.

The lentil soup is already done.

I stuck to some old standbys that I knew would come out well.  I started with baba ghanoush and artichoke hummus as starters with pita bread.  For the soup course I made a red lentil and bulgar soup.  For the main course I served zucchini squares and vegetable tagine. Continue reading →

Remembrance of things past

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As a student of history I appreciate old houses and like to read historical fiction and biographies.   A few years ago I began researching my family history.  As my parents age and have forgotten their past, I am trying to revive it.  Last year we visited the house in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania where my mother spent the early years of her life   The house still stands, at the top of a hill, as does the home of her grandparents across town.  The current occupants have no memory of my mother’s family, but the place endures.  I will make more visits like this, to see the places where my ancestors lived and worked and raised families. Continue reading →

Twas the night before Christmas . . .

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Twas the night before Christmas and in Marla’s house, we were busy preparing for a day that would not interest a mouse,

For we had no presents, no tinsel, no tree, just two grown up people in wait for a  day that was free,

Our fridge was packed, our house nice and warm, as we hunkered down for a quiet day outside the norm,

No children were waiting, no brew was chilling, as we eagerly looked forward to a day that was thrilling,

When what on our lawn did we spy from the door but some deer, a grouse, squirrels, and wait . . . birds galore!

As darkness descended on our small village street we heard the sound of peace, joy, and a new day to meet.

So my virtual friends I send you a warm greeting, in hopes that one day we may be meeting,

And wishing you all a joyful weekend, filled with family, food, good cheer and old friends.
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In a holiday frame of mind

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It’s that time of year when we get together with family and friends.  We go to parties and eat and drink too much, stay out too late, spend too much money and flit between a state of bliss and stress.  We want to drift into that place where all we feel is sweetness and light.  Inevitably we are sometimes disappointed.   Our plans don’t come to fruition and our Continue reading →

Why did the deer cross the road?

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I just returned from a visit to my parents in New England.  Whenever I visit I always have grand plans, which inevitably get waylaid by other things.  Everything takes longer.  I left for home about an hour after I had hoped, so I drove the five hours without a stop.  About 20 miles from home I spied three deer by the side of the road preparing to cross.  This was not make way for ducklings.  When a deer wants to cross the road you had better stop or get out of the way.   Continue reading →

The Pennsylvania Conference for Women: Why We Should Care

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On November 19th the 12th annual Pennsylvania Conference for Women was held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.  I was fortunate to be able to attend, supporting coaching in the career pavilion alongside resume review.   Since I was working, I had a limited opportunity to experience the Conference.    But even in my little corner I absorbed a lot of the energy and excitement of the day.  I came away with a renewed sense of optimism.   Continue reading →

A good knee is hard to find

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Shiloh doing one of his favorite things . . . swimming.

I’m writing this late in the evening.  Barkley and Shiloh are fast asleep, Barkley on his bed, and Shiloh on mine.  We have had Shiloh for six years now, and every night we tell him to go to his bed, and every night he looks at us and goes back to sleep, and we have to either nudge him off the bed or carry him off.  There are a lot of days in six years, and Continue reading →

Holy tomato! From farm to table.

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The big basket of tomatoes . . . yes it was full when I bought it — 30 lbs!

One thing you should know about me is that I like to eat.  More than that, I like to eat good food.  I think that if you like to eat good food you had better know how to cook unless you can afford to have your own personal chef.  For me,  good food means real food, that has not been processed or otherwise adulterated.   Continue reading →