If you chance to meet a frown(ing salad)

No one likes a frowny face.

Change it for a smile.

Make the world a better place

by smiling all the while.

One of the benefits of self-employment: Rob and I get to eat together—not every meal of every day, mind you, but we share a fine majority of our repasts. Family meals, being with people at table—so healthy. I'm convinced, and there are studies that back me up on this, that breaking bread together heightens the nourishing impact of food, especially when the folks gathered 'round the board allow themselves to relax and invest in good conversation. Do you believe in shared meals? The simplicity or complexity of the spread make less difference to the experience than the seasonings of love and friendship and goodwill. Certainly it's great to aim for food that's interesting and flavorful, but I for one will take a communal PB&J over lonely gourmet just about any day of the week, any meal. It's the company that makes the meal truly delicious.

Rob and I aren't very good at routine—often our meals take place at odd hours—but we do follow a few constants. One of them is our breakfast pattern. When we sit down together for this meal, we pray and ask for a blessing on our food, and another on our shared study time. We eat and visit, and then when the food's gone and we're sipping our Pero or smoothies or chamomile tea or what-have-you, one of us will bring up some point or principle or story from the scriptures and we'll have a small discussion about it. We pull from our personal studies to prepare for this morning time. Then we wash up dishes together (sometime this step gets neglected, ahem), and start the day in earnest with a kneeling prayer. It's a really grounding habit that has helped us come to know ourselves and each other better, and learn about the nature of life and happiness and truth. We are stronger, closer as a couple, and closer to God because we observe this practice. We're not perfect in our process—sometimes one or both of us are stressed or fatigued, or anxious about the day, but even when we carve out the merest moment to slow down and focus on something made of light, we are blessed.

I highly recommend that you give ideas like these a try with your own family. If you live alone, or have other circumstances which require adaptation, then you have a perfect opportunity to exercise your creativity. A shared meal can be so good for the soul. And adding the element of spiritual feasting makes mealtime exponentially more sustaining.

Bon appétit.

Fabulous Fresh Ginger-Carrot Soup

 
Juice some carrots. Juice so many carrots that you get 3 cups of juice.
Now juice a healthy knob of ginger. 
Peel a nice ripe avocado.
Combine the juices and avocado together with:
2 tablespoons of agave nectar
a shake or two of red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
a drizzle of flax oil and another of olive oil
Blend till smooth.
(You can also throw in 1/2 cup fresh coconut. I've not tried that yet, so can't vouch for it.)

Thanks to the Reboot site for this idea. My favorite—simple, fresh, delicious.
(Rob also gives it a thumbs-up, but my mum-in-law isn't fond of it. If you've got lots of carrots, then you've got nothing to lose by trying it yourself.)
Bon appetit, doc!

The Wonders of Wednesday

#1.

Rob and I have made frequent short trips to our favorite thrift store recently, on the hunt for audio components for making sound art. Today we shot across town to be there just after the doors opened for business. Rob got caught up inspecting equipment so I wandered into the book section. The store was crowded that time of morning—teeming with deal hunters (deal hogs?) with visions of eBay sales dancing in their heads, and maroon-vested employees, busily stocking shelves. I was standing there, scanning titles, hoping that one that would really grab me, when a maroon-vested book sorter with no apparent sense of personal space came up too close to me on the right, stretched his arm across my line of vision, and waggled a photo at a man who was nearby at my left.

"Heyyy, where d'ya think THIS one goes, Tom?" Maroon Vest chortled at his section manager, pleased with himself for making a good joke. Some book this is, huh? Har har!

Manager Man didn't answer him. Maroon Vest flapped the photo practically in my face, so I had little choice but to look. And, lo and behol', there was the smiling face of a friend with her husband and children. The picture was date-stamped 2003.

"I know them!"

Manager Man turned to look at me.

"I know those people. I'll take it."

Maroon Vest and Manager Man stared at me, blankly.

"You know them?"

"Yes!"

Maroon Vest then attempted to be in charge: "Umm ... so willya take it to them?"

I don't remember exactly what I muttered in response, but he reluctantly handed me the picture, like it might be a dangerous thing to allow to fall into the wrong hands, which mine probably were.

Not.

But I am keeping it.

Of all the places to be standing in that big store this morning! I'm glad Catherine and her family didn't have to go home with some stranger and serve as his bookmark, or worse, end up in the garbage. Glad I intercepted them.

So I got a book of flash fiction and this miracle, for just a buck and a half. Bargain!

Hi, Catherine!

#2.

I got to spend part of the afternoon with some of my favorite women of all time, enjoying haute cuisine at a popular local eatery: J-Dawg's. I had the enormous privilege and pleasure of working with these ladies in a Relief Society presidency and I fell in love with them in a great big hurry. Because of a geographic boundary change earlier this year that affected our church congregation, we had to kiss our little band of leaders goodbye with a promise to remain friends, a promise I intend on keeping forever.

The four of us decided to get together one last time before Heather moves to North Carolina with her family. J-Dawg's is Heather's special place and she complains that nobody will ever go there with her. I don't know why not. Best Polish dogs anywhere!

It was so so hot outside in the fancy parking lot with the beach umbrellas. It was fun. And I'm still in love with these girls. After Heather, Merideth moves next, and then Holly. *sigh* I'm counting on the phenomenon of the Great Provo People Magnet to draw them back someday.

Here's a quote from Ezra Taft Benson that I want to dedicate to these great women. I've watched them prove it repeatedly:

"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life to God will find he has eternal life."

We got to know each other through serving others together, and that made for some beautiful bonds. I'll always be grateful to God for raising up these friends for me. I love you, ladies. You've been miracles in my life. 


P.S. Thanks for introducing me to J-Dawg's. Deelish!

Rex, Heather, Holly, Long Tall Sally, Merideth, and me