Caves aren't everything

I didn't sleep much last night, and from morning till night I've had a splitting headache which did its best to become a sick migraine in the late afternoon. I had a ton of stuff to get done today, most of it sit-down work, and most of it Relief Society business that I just couldn't feel good about putting off. I wanted to crawl into a dark quiet cave and wait for sleep to ambush me, but it just wasn't a realistic option. I chucked from the to-do list many details that didn't truly matter, but there were still so many people deals left to help with or respond to, and more came rolling in throughout the day. It was one of those days that kinda make you wonder what is going on, like maybe somebody planted a big Grand Opening sign in your lawn.

It was a good day in one very big way—people are important to me and I appreciate the opportunities to interact with them. But, yikes! It's hard to think and talk and write and troubleshoot when your head is throbbing.

I bring this up because there were some moments of sweet compensation today, tender mercies. Our breakfast smoothie was terrific today. Go ahead, laugh, but I'm grateful for it. Look, on a day like this, the last thing in the world I want to greet me is a tall glass of swamp nog. (I had a bad run for a couple days there, failed experiments. Not all green smoothies are created equal.) I was too sick midday to go out for a scheduled lunch with a girlfriend, but before the lunch hour was over, a different friend showed up hungry, treated Rob to El Salvadorean food, and brought some home for me too. Then! When I was hitting the lowest point of the day, another friend called and invited us out for supper. I absolutely could not accept, so she brought food over and ate with us. I noticed she even kept her voice down so as not to pain my head. That takes concentration for her, because she's got a big musical theater voice.

Food doesn't usually appear at my doorstep. It was such a welcome blessing that it showed up today, and from such gracious friends. Thank you.

Other tender mercy: First thing this morning one of my duties was to interview a dear woman in our church congregation and help her prepare a welfare order for her family. I was so ill that I texted her and asked if I could visit with her by phone rather than have to dress and go to her house. It hurt to move. She was very kind and came to me instead and didn't care that I stayed in my robe (hey, at least it's pretty and red). We had a good visit, and when we were through with our business she gave me a sweet gift: a relaxing head massage which really did help for almost half an hour.

Another one, which ties back into the first: Getting to work with women who are willing to give needed help, who network, who care, who make smart plans and follow through, who create good things, who aren't afraid of work or commitment, who express gratitude, who can laugh at themselves, who are willing to serve others without passing judgement, and who talk it out appropriately and are able to move forward rather than bog down in the muck when a serious offense has been given. I saw some of all of that today. Mercies. Beautiful ones.

Oh, also: We got to watch three doves walk around in our big plum tree this morning, just like it was a network of sidewalks.

And: My book on companion gardening arrived.

And: Firming up plans with great friends.

And: A concerned husband who keeps urging me to drink more water.

And: Oh, those crazy wonderful flowers in the dining room.

And: I'm too tired to keep counting them up.

Now I will go to my cave and hope for the best. But wait, I had that already today.

You say goodbye and I say download

This morning I had to say goodbye to my dear Arizona-bound friend, Holly, so when I got home from our breakfast date to Einstein Bros Bagels I needed some cheering up. Lucky for me we have a rusty old turntable in the basement, and a fun stash of my dad's Martin Denny albums! I got the party started with Afro-Desia, vintage 1959. Good stuff!

What's that? You've never heard of the "father of exotica"? I weep for you! Listen, you haven't lived until you've danced to "TseTse Fly"!

I know just how to fix this situation. I'm going to share some of the day's soundtrack with you. Yes, yes, I know you haven't got a turntable. I'm not planning to loan you any vinyl. (I mean, c'mon.) But, resourceful gal that I am, I have discovered a free download of the entire album which you can access if you will click here and then simply save Afro-Desia to your computer. Included with the music is the cover art, which as any fan knows is all-important if you want the complete Martin Denny experience. I tried the download. It works.

I can't wait to hear how you love it. Ma'chumba!

If you get into that one, you can find other Martin Denny gems to download from the same file-sharing site I linked to above. Here's a preview of Quiet Village:

Gastronomic illumination

What a nice autumn rain fell today, but oh, the greyness got to me after a few hours. When I'm really hungry for light, bright strong flavors can sometimes take the edge off. Today I needed garlic, and plenty of it. Those of you who came within six feet of me after lunch can verify that I got my fill. Lemon. Vinegar. Garden tomatoes. Cumin—oh, cumin! You were my salvation! On my fight-the-gloom menu this afternoon:

Moroccan Batter Bread
Black Bean Hummus
Freshly roasted tomatoes
Shredded green cabbage and jicama, tossed with rice vinegar, honey, and olive oil
& what might be the last of the season's Charentais melon

These made the day feel not so dreary. Want to give my menu a try and see what it can do for you? Here are my two main recipes:

Moroccan Batter Bread

1/3 cup olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
3 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon honey
1 spilling over cup rice milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350F.
Spray a 11-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment or waxed paper.
Warm the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté till soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit.
Mix eggs with honey.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cumin, paprika, and cayenne. Make a well in the center and pour in the oil and onions, eggs and honey, milk, and parsley. Stir until just combined.
Pour batter into the pan. Bake in center of the oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick tester comes out clean.
Cool bread in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, peel off paper, and cool completely on rack before slicing.

*******

Black Bean Hummus

2 cups cooked black beans
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
a shake of crushed red pepper flakes
extra-virgin olive oil
a shake of cayenne (optional)

In a food processor, combine beans, pressed garlic, lemon juice, tahini, salt, cumin, and red pepper flakes and process until desired smoothness, scraping down sides occasionally.
Serve in a bowl and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a shake of cayenne, if desired.

Bon appétit!

More cowbell

I find this video udderly moo-ving. (I know. Ouch.) But seriously, who's wants to go with me to make music in France? We'll be outstanding in our field!

To all the girls I've loved this year

Last time I posted I shared a shortlist of some things I'd like to write about—one was loving Relief Society. I've been serving in three different presidencies of this unique women's society in our ward (aka church congregation) over the past year—first as a counselor, and then as president since the first week of January. I'm already on my second set of counselors and secretaries; a big shakeup in our geographic boundaries took place in the spring and necessitated rebuilding the organization from scratch. I've loved all three groups of leaders. I'm excited that in this new configuration we're finally hitting our stride. It's a joy working with such intelligent, funny, compassionate, energetic, kind, faithful, imaginative, motivated, inspired, and no-nonsense young women. So far, I've been the sole Resident Ancient, but that doesn't bother me in the least. I've never been hung up on age differences, in either direction. These women are my sisters and friends, and it's a privilege to work together to serve the nearly 200 women (and many families) we have responsibility for.

The way we get things done looks something like this:

I bet these pioneering gals could do a pretty righteous hand jive themselves:

From the University of Utah archives—Relief Society, 1916.

Tomorrow I go out for Indian food with the first presidency I worked with last year. Last week, I had happy contacts with both the counselors who endured me as a fledgling president: one just birthed a gorgeous baby on the bathroom floor of her home (unintentionally, though she is Superwoman), far far away in my old home state, and the other called me the same day to tell me I'd "won" a home pedicure at her house. (She said it wasn't a rigged contest, but when everyone wins, isn't that rigged?) In two days I have my weekly meeting with my newest counselors and secretary, so we can do that hand jive thing that we do. 

It's hard work and takes lots of coordination and even more practice. I'm in good company. I am blessed, and lucky.

The prettiest, cleanest party

So much for September's NaBloPoMo. I turned in my badge earlier, after not posting on the last three days of the month. Oh, well. I did finish my detox, which was far more important to me. And I will write about that.

I also hope to write about some other wonderful bits from the past few days:

• The dreaded cranberry juice blitz
• The grand entrance of Alice Chlotelle
• Winning a pedicure
• Loving Relief Society
• A shopping spree with Bec o' my heart
• Intro to Jillian Michaels
• Breaking my 30-day detox fast with one of Leland's eggs (not one that he laid himself, whew)
• The El Salvadorean pupusa as a soul meditation
• Buddha bowls—my new fixation

But for now, I am going to focus on a few special moments from today.

(1) Remember this girl? She dictated an email to her mother today, to send to me. It was such a sweet starting point for the day and the perfect intro to General Conference. The conversation in the middle was an aside, between Scout and her little interrupting brother, Finn.

I have not gave you to say something to me. I want to say, "I am the Queen of Everything." But I need to tell you something. I have the Queen recipe. It is called the Queens' Cookies.

It has: sugar, milk, cinnamon, and yummy yummy spices and cream and jello.

Finn: Eww! I don't like those kind of cookies! They taste like poo!
Scout: No, why?
Finn: Because I don't want you to be the Queen.
Scout: Well, I'm not really, Finn, I'm just writing it to Georgia.

Then, you set it in the stove with oil, and before you put it in the stove, you can cut it into cookie shapes too, and put it to cook for uhhhh, 11 minutes I think.

And then, I have another question: You can take care of the world, and I can take care of the world. I want to have a party on the next conference day, or today! And I want to invite all my cousins and aunts and uncles, and maybe Grandfather if he can come, and Ahma and Jeanne. I want to have that party, and I want it to be the prettiest, cleanest party about Jesus and us and how we can take care of the world.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoscout

That sounds like a great party. I'm in. 

(2) General Conference was so very very good. To prepare myself, I wrote a long list of personal questions that concern me, ranging from simple yes/no to onion layer to pert-near-impossible-to-answer, and I was amazed at how many of them were addressed in some way, either through a talk, through music, through quiet consideration, or through discussion. I am eager for tomorrow's sessions. I wish everyone I know would listen and enjoy the inspirations to be had at this conference.

(2.5) When President Thomas S. Monson announced this just after 11:00 a.m., I screamed for joy. I'm not a screamer by nature, but the sounds came all the way up from my toes, I'm pretty sure. Three good loud primal hallelujahs, of sorts, which left me with a sore throat!

Maybe one day I'll write more about why I feel so connected to the Tabernacle, but it has a lot to do with many special meetings inside, stake conferences I attended, including one at which I gave a talk and had the most remarkable speaking experience of my life—yeah, yeah, shy me. So many happy church- and community-related events. The Tabernacle is part of my neighborhood and I pass it all the time. Our friends were the caretakers. I remember when the fire took it, I stood in the street all morning in the January chill, crying and watching it burn, unable to tear myself away until I could barely walk home, I was shaking so hard and my feet hurt so from the cold. It was a heartbreaking time. And now it's turned to something sweet. Lucky President Monson, getting to deliver such a happy message this morning. I can't wait for our second temple to be built, in my own backyard!

(3) While the guys were at their meeting this evening, I recruited the ladies and kids in the family to trek over just before dusk to see the old Tabernacle. It was fun to see the traces of other neighbors' celebrations: balloons, a sign. I'm imagining some dancing in the street, lots of picture-taking. I was too busy screaming at home to join them. We played a while beneath a big sycamore, and went home with glad hearts. Happy day!

Time to celebrate!

Vanna White, eat your heart out! Here are the lovely and talented Ahma, Daffodil, and Eden