This is the Mediterranean salad I made, using Marie-Claude’s recipe. It’s full of roasted peppers, chickpeas, cucumber, mint, scallions, grape tomatoes, and parsley. The dressing is delicious. It’s a basic vinaigrette but it has oregano that gives it a lovely flavour.
I eat a large salad for dinner every day, without fail. When the results of my DNA swab analysis came back, it said I was 20% rabbit. How addicted am I? Well…
I went on 2 tours of India with a francophone company over the year of visiting India. I spent a lot of time alone, so I loved seeing the sights with people and it was a bonus to be in a group speaking French. On the tour, we spent many nights kind of rough. So, after a series of nights on the ground, we’d go to a nice hotel. They had salads. I got sick. Here’s the thing: 4 pr 5 nights later, another hotel, another salad, another bout of traveler’s curse. Now there was a pattern.
Three nights later. A wonderful restaurant. Should I, or shouldn’t I?
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I awoke at 5:00 on Sunday, my day, but instead of focusing on rest and indulgence, I powered my way through many tasks, cleaning windows, vacuuming in the studio and the house, thoroughly cleaning the cattery, and washing all my bed linen that had been in the studio. I was on fire, and it felt good to get so much done. The day dawned with the sky full of light cloud. I’ll get a reprieve from watering today if the clouds stay, but that seems unlikely.
At 8:30, I was ready to start working on the yard. I am going to rake up all the Fir cones, twigs and needles on all the land that is not gardens. I started on the portion of the yard that I call the meadow. It’s not a very large, but just half of it produced a wheelbarrow piled high with forest fall. After I did that bit, it was time for the big community dog walk. Man, it was tough. It was only an hour, but my hips just aren’t working properly. Thank goodness that Friday I see Cory.
Just after noon, I went next door to call on Ursula. She works at the daycare centre, and so I brought her over to see all my craft supplies that I wanted gone. She took it all. I was thrilled to see it all go to support the centre and the kiddies.
I had to move a heavy shelf unit to get the sofa out of the living area where I have double-doors. I got it out the door but could move it no further. Dave and Ursula came over at 3:00 and we exchanged the two sofas. It’s perfect for the studio, and I love the new green couch in the living room. I think it makes the room look much smarter because it’s aa lovely green like the chaise, and the old wone was quite dark and dreary looking.
Then I figured out how I could hide my plastic and recycling collection bins, and that enabled me to push the heavy shelf unit against the fridge. It really opened up the living room to the kitchen. I really like the change.
Ahem.
The following may offend if you’re adverse to what might be construed as bragging.
I give things away because it brings fewer strangers into my life than does giving it away. I can phone people, as I did when I phoned the Gabe Shop. They took 3 mannequins and were giddy. And Facebook did the rest. I operate on a first come, first served basis. Plus, the people who come into my world are getting what they want for free, from me, and so they’re really nice to me. And the point of mentioning all this, is this:
Each one of them came to the front door. I’d tell them to go around back and through the open gate. I’d go through the house, out the back door, and toward them along the gravel driveway. We’d introduce ourselves and then I’d lead them to the studio to fetch their goods, and every one of them, complimented my landscaping and gardens.
And that was my reward for gifting. Their praise feels more objective. Yes, they’re getting something for free, but it wasn’t their words. It was their tone of voice—their inflection. It was like it was a surprise to see a landscaped yard. A lot of yards here are cluttered. A couple of them said, “Wow.”
It feels good.
As for the rest of the day, once the sofas were moved I decided to stop working. I had a wonderful spa because I have old man lower body (OMLB). It’s not pain. It’s pace and endurance. It’s like my lower body time travelled to 240. It’s wonderfully warm, but not hot, I’m weightless across a tub for 8, and I’m looking up at blue sky and tall trees in utter silence, except for birdcall.
When I got back inside, I was inspired to take out some blankets. I have gone from7 to 3, and put the rest in storage. Some will be back later, when the rains come. They’ll protect the couch. I vacuumed, dusted all the shelves, and I took great joy in admiring all the changes. Not too long after getting comfortable, Jim came by to fetch the last mannequin. I’m thrilled by all that I’ve accomplished on the weekend.
And today’s a holiday. Every day is a holiday at Pinecone Park.
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