be yourself – Peaceful Reader

Gratitude for us

I’ve been feeling all kinds of thankfulness and not just because tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I celebrate the coming together of family to dine together over a special meal that I’ve taken weeks if not months to plan and make. You hope it is one free of argument and that all the kids will like what you’ve created. This year I’m making cauliflower tacos, potato vindaloo, a lentil dish, mashed potatoes with Jaime’s vegan gravy, cranberries with oranges, naan bread, and Vegan for Everybody vegan pumpkin cheesecake. This is a mish-mash of Indian flavors and some old standby favorites and it probably will look nothing like most Americans more traditional turkey and stuffing. You do you. This is more us. We all have our own identities and the food we eat is part of that; a mish mash of flavors, personalities, likes, and dislikes, allergies, and food politics.

I’m glad my son is vegan because he’s in it for all the right reasons; he cares about animals and their rights. He’s empathetic and is doing his part for the environment. My husband is a meat eater but he takes care of that himself. I am a vegetarian and my daughter is allergic to tomatoes which is a fairly new discovery after her elimination diet this summer. That adds a kink into lentil dishes and soups but after some research I discovered this person’s blog, Delishably, and she has the same allergy and shared ideas about substitutes that will work for my lentil dish. Bravo!

I’m grateful my family pushing me in new directions for I love to cook and cooking the same way or things all the time is not me. I live by the motto “Try new things…whatever they may be”

I’m grateful for a husband who works hard to make our house up-to-date with fresh paint and new looks.

I’m grateful, especially right now, for our continued good health. It’s hard to say this with so many falling ill with Covid, like cancer, it comes in so many different forms.

I’m grateful for all my people that have kept me sane during this difficult time of lockdowns and crazy politics. I appreciate the friendship everyday.

I’m grateful for a job I love that is more passion than drudge work. I love sharing the love of books with my students even though some of them do not care for my love of books and enthusiasm. It’s okay. I love them anyway.

I finished an extraordinary book this morning, This is how it always is by Laurie Frankel, and I just marveled in her storytelling! She’s a person worth exploring more about and I plan to recommend this book to my book club. I was thankful that I had the morning to “laze” away reading so I could finish. I look forward to celebrating tomorrow’s Native American Heritage Day because for me it is far better to spend the rest of November celebrating in prayerful meditation the ancestors of our land that came before us.

In gratitude to my readers! Thank you.

Happy Mother's Day and post-prom bliss

Last night was prom for our local high school and Groovy Girl looked amazing with her crew of friends. Ballet pink is her color! It was pretty chilly but they weathered it well. My husband and I with a group of other happy parents helped with valet parking. It was a cold night and I had a hat and coat on while all the prom goers were without coats, socks, or sleeves in fact. It was fun to be there helping but not in the mix inside of hot sweaty not-really-dancing-young people. It looked like a lot of swaying to me. Times have changed and I loved watching tons of young women arrive on their own in beautiful dresses without a date in sight and I loved seeing several women arrive in very gender neutral attire. There were high heels, Birkenstocks, high tops, Doc Martens, and even someone with sneakers that were an exact match to her floral princess dress.

I’ve had a lovely Mother’s Day as well as I was given the opportunity to sleep in after a busy weekend. Love extra sleep!! We had an easy and delicious breakfast at a local coffee shop. This afternoon Groovy Girl and I headed to my mom’s house and played one of our favorite family card games, Spite and Malice, with her. We had chocolates and a glass of wine as we played. My mom won which is good because she’s competitive and so a sore loser. My son called yesterday and today. My stepdaughter sent me a card and texted. I’ve chatted with mom friends as we pat each other on the back for our journey into and through motherhood. It does take a village and you have to have a calm and positive crew around you. We walked the dogs and I have two peony bushes to plant. What more could you ask for? Well, if you are asking, WARMER WEATHER would be at the TOP of my list.

I hope your day was just as pleasant!

Happy Be Grateful Day

{Roger Williams on Smithsonian}

I have mixed emotions about this holiday. I don’t have any trouble being thankful and realizing ALL that I have to be thankful for but the celebrating of this particular holiday just reminds me of the horrors we inflicted on Native people then and still. It also seems like a ticket for overeating. Do I sound like a humbug? Yes I probably do. I just wish the holiday was simple and not followed by a crazy shopping frenzy. So today I challenge you to think about what you are truly grateful for and to realize our lives are built on the backs of others. Read here for another look at Thanksgiving. And this young person perspective.

My Grateful 11:

My family; 5 of us make up a unique team of weirdness filled w/ humor.
My brother Jason; he is my family rock and pushes me to be more.
The elders in my life; mom, my in-laws, my stepmom and my dad in spirit.
Nature; thank heavens for parks of all kinds, places to hike and breathe.
Public education; may they one day be truly equal.
Public libraries; free books to borrow is a wonder.
Books and reading; I love to be transported.
Delicious food; well cooked, unusual ingredients and flavors.
My health; which is often rocky but I’m very lucky to be alive.
My lovely house; I can see a layer of dust over the floor but ehh-
Friends that bring me quiet times, good times, and laughter.

What brings you joy? Celebrate that today. Fill your plate with the stories that are told around the table and find happiness in the people you are sitting with around the proverbial table. Reach out and think of the many marginalized people in your community.