Operation Rice Bowl, The Second Sunday of Lent

"God of all people, hear us as we join in prayer with our brothers and sisters in need. Bless our Lenten fasting, learning, and giving. May your generous love for your people be our guide as we reach out to all who live with hunger and poverty."

Operation Rice Bowl prayer

I cooked the Nicaraguan recipe. It was not as delicious as the Haitian one from last week, but that isn't really the point now, is it? People who are living in poverty do what they can. The point isn't deliciousness (though last week's was certainly repeat worthy even not during Lent), but solidarity.

Then, we read the bible story for the week from Mark 10:13-16:

13. People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.

14. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

15. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

16. And he took the children in his arms, but his hands on them and blessed them.

Notice Name Nurture - Sunday, February 28, 2010

It's that time of the week again.

It's been a good week what with "anticipation," but "anticipation" that was followed very quickly with signs of a rapidly approaching spring. It warmed up to the mid-30s, I saw the first flower of the season, the snow and ice are mostly melted, and I was really hoping that Spring would spring. So, this week's Notice Name Nurture would be so gratifying! I mean, shoot, I nourished "Anticipation," right?

So, the kids and I went for a walk to the park. Well, they went on their scooters and I walked.

As you can see, the snow and ice is melting and almost gone. So, clearly, I would be able to capture some meaningful sign of hope and spring, right?

We went to the park and the kids played while I went in search of some beautiful picture what would describe "Notice." It was brilliant, especially after "Anticipation," right?

Ha! There was nothing Spring-like or beautiful other than the melting snow. I was coming up with some things having to do with that, but what was really calling to me was. . . .Patience.

NO! I want something symbolic and meaningful. Something deep.

No. . . Patience.

Sigh.

But, all the while when I was contemplating Patience and trying to find appropriate things to photograph that were both beautiful AND had to do with Patience, I was listening to my children playing Hide And Go Seek:

Jonathan, "28, 29, 30, ready or not here I come!"

Lauren, "I'm not ready yet!"

Jonathan, "ready or not here I come!"

Lauren, "I'm not ready yet!"

Jonathan, "ready or not. . . HERE I COME!"

Lauren, "I AM NOT READY YET!"

Yeah, that is me with Spring. Ready or not, I want to find you. . . Spring, I AM ready, but you are not.

Patience.

Anticipation WITH Patience.

I am ready. . . . But, I can wait until it is time. I will nourish Patience.

Running Week In Review (and look ahead)

Well, I didn't get the week in that I had hoped, but, truthfully, I did as much or more than could be expected given my lack of running in the past month.

I ran:

M - 5.25 on the treadmill

T - 3.61 outside

W - 3 on the treadmill

F - 6.02 miles outside (5 recovery and 1.02 strides)

S - 13.1 miles outside

Total = 29.98 which was short by over 15 miles

This coming week I have:

S - SRD

M - 8 miles with 5 half-mile intervals

T - 11 miles

W - SRD

Th - 4 recovery + 6 strides

F - easy 6

S - 15 long

S - SRD

But, what is noteworthy in the picture is that I am NOT wearing my ski gloves! I now can get away with just wearing my thin, running gloves. Woohooo!!!

Do you see what I see?!?

Or TOTAL JOY!

First of all, it was beautiful today. The quality of the light is changing toward springish.

I slept horribly (if at all), then got up, did the usual Friday Starbucks for the kids, walk Lauren to class, and then I dropped the buddy off so that I could go to the dentist and the chiropractor by myself. So, I took advantage of his being at school and went out for a LOVELY five mile run followed by six strides. Was great. Then, I picked him up, we went to lunch, and then hit the grocery store before driving home.

He wanted popcycles. Fine. So, we got popcycles and played outside:

When the school kids came home on the school bus, the weather was nice enough that we all decided to play in the street - moms and kids. We hadn't seen each other since our neighborhood cruise to the Bahamas.

But, the BEST (!!!!) was as I was going in, I spied this:

Remember back just a few days when I talked about anticipation? Well, this is what I was most craving. The first flower of the year. My heart skipped a few beats. She is on her way.

Spring.

Giardiniera

I crave this stuff, but the stuff we buy at the store is either too spicy or not spicy enough and both versions are too salty. So, I found a recipe and decided to give it a try.

First, Jonathan and I chopped the veggies:

Then, you have to let it rest overnight in a salt water bath:

The next morning, I drained and rinsed the veggies:

While the veggie drained, I made the dressing:

After the dressing was finished, I mixed it through the veggies and packed the Giardiniera into two quart jars. Note, these are NOT preserved and I could not keep them safely out of the refrigerator. I anticipate that we will go through these two bottles within about two weeks.

And, then, I made myself some eggs and topped it off with some fresh Giardiniera. Yum!

It is supposed to rest for two days to fully allow the flavors to marinate, so I anticipate that my assessment of it today is incomplete, but having tasted it today, I have the following thoughts:

1) it is good, but it is definitely more salad-like than the condiment-like type I have been buying and eating. The good news in this is that you can eat a whole lot more of it as it is less calorie intense.

2) next time, I will increase the amount of carrots I use from 2 small to about 3 large (say from 1/2 cup chopped to closer to at least a full cup chopped). I will likewise increase the celery to the same amount.

3) even with the eight jalapenos, this is not hot to me at all (and I'm not even a heat jock). I'll probably keep the eight jalapenos, but add in maybe two serranos.

4) I will add a second bottle of olives because I like olives.

Finally,

5) I will increase the dressing proportionately by about 50% (so, instead of 1 cup each of olive oil and 1 cup of vinegar, I'll do 1.5 cups of each - likewise increasing the spices as well). Then, I will mix 2/3rds of the dressing with the veggies, but use the remaining dressing to top off each jar to bring the liquid to the top.

But, it is good as it is. I will ABSOLUTELY make this again. I think I like it better than the store-bought stuff primarily as it is a fraction as salty.

I give it two thumbs up. But, the real test will be my husband. I'll have to see what he has to say about it.

Blame him. . . .

It is his fault.

I haven't been getting up early enough to run before work. It is his fault. Look at how cozy and cute and warm and snuggly he is. Could you really get out of bed in the cold dark to run on a treadmill in the basement when you have a warm, snuggly buddy 'nuggled up next to you?

I think not.

I rest my case.

Work

I wish I could share more about my work. I will. There are ways that I can do so, but I err so far on the side of caution, that I never discuss it.

I am a clinical psychologist and I mostly love what I do, but it is rather solitary in that I share so little about my day. Some days are good days and some days are rough days, but they are almost always interesting days.

Today was a busy day: I ran three miles in the morning, then volunteered for an hour-and-a-half in my daughter's classroom (boy were they noisy today), before I rushed to work. I had a disability evaluation that included an IQ test and a memory test. Those generally take me about three hours not counting write up. I then had a half hour in which to go to the bank, eat, and finish a different psych evaluation. I then had a 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30, 6:30, and 7:30. While I am never going to complain about being too busy, I am nonetheless thrashed.

As I said, being a psychologist in private practice can be very solitary. I had things happen today that I'd love to discuss with a coworker. Nothing terribly significant or terribly unusual, but, nonetheless, how much of your day do you like to just share/chit chat with others about.

One of these days, I will tell a bit about disability evaluations. They are generally interesting. It is such an interesting position to hear people's stories day in and day out. People have interesting stories to tell and I enjoy learning from them. While the following has nothing to do with today's evaluation, I always know that I am in for an interesting life story when I feel as if I need a diagram to identify the various family relationships as who is siblings with whom and who shares a parent with a sibling. I've got a good memory and when I need a diagram to remember the various family players, you know it is generally not going to have a good ending.

Food for thought.

So, maybe when one already has had three different fathers for their children, it might be time to consider not having any other children with any other men. Just a thought.