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Archives for September 2011

RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS

September 16, 2011 By 6 Comments

28 slices of cheesecake

25 peach cobblers

8 vanilla bean crème brulees

50 scoops of ice creams

100 pieces of chocolate – hopefully with nuts

15 slices of cakes with delicious icing

 

This highlights a small portion of the wonderful desserts I’ve shared in the last few years while dining with family and friends.  We try not to eat sweets at breakfast.  It’s amazing how troubles and worries melt away while talking about them over while shoving something sinfully sweet into your mouth.

A few years back my family and I moved to Houston, Texas.  During our first few months there we unpacked boxes, navigated our way to the school and to work without getting lost and found our way to the fabulous mall, the Galleria.  We located all the good restaurants and checked out every Bar-be-que joint within a 20 mile radius. When we finally settled down and began to call the Lone Star state home, one thing was missing; my extended family and friends.

Sure we talked on the phone, we even sent a few e-mails but not being able to see them and share in their daily lives wasn’t easy.  One of my nicest surprises has been opening the door one warm evening and finding three of my dearest friends stand there.  They flew to Texas to celebrate my birthday.  I have never forgotten how they put their busy schedules on hold for me.  And thinking about it now still warms my heart and makes me smile.

Now we’re back on the east coast.  Back to where our roots grow strong and deep.

What I’ve learned is relationships require touch-points.  They require picking up the phone and making that call; driving those few extra miles to check in or making the time on your calendar. Family and good friends are precious gifts.

How do you stay connected with the people that are special to you?

 

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FAREWELL SUMMER

September 5, 2011 By 3 Comments

As summer draws to a close it makes me think about how much I cherished my summer vacations with my sisters.  When we were young, every summer we packed our shorts, tennis shoes and bathing suits and headed to Virginia.  Compared to growing up in the city it felt like a whole new world.  We tried to cram a lifetime into those two months.  And every year when September rolled around we headed home with lots of new adventures and experiences to hold us over until the next summer.

A few years ago I penned the followed ode, to help me remember the highlights that I hold so dear.

LAZY SUMMER DAYS

I remember lazy, lazy summer days when we crawled out of bed; ate breakfast of eggs, potatoes, bacon and toast smeared with sweet butter and grape jelly.  While our stomachs were still full we ran to the garden, snatched ripe tomatoes off the vine and sprinkled them with the salt stolen from the kitchen table.

I remember lazy, lazy summer days that seemed to go on forever; sitting on the front porch, laughing while we planned our futures.  Believing whatever we said would come true simply because we had the courage to voice it.

I remember lazy, lazy summer days waiting for rain showers to end so we could splash our bare feet in the rain water as it ran down the city drain.  Then we slid across the wet grass to play on the swings and soar to the sky.

I remember lazy, lazy summer days sandwiched between the school years when everything was funny and sweet and pure and simple.  We chased butterflies and lightning bugs, placed them in glass jars and fed them blades of grass.

I remember lazy, lazy summer days jumping rope, playing tag and red light, green light.  The only thing that ended our joyful frolic was pure exhaustion.  Then we crammed into the full size bed, told stories while we waited for the heat to dissipate so we could fall asleep.

I loved and miss those lazy summer days.     THE END

 

Share something that made your summer special.

 

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