Sunday, May 15, 2005

this is great

i love having time off. . . wow its so great. Is this how retirement feels??! i guess maybe at first, when one's in the 'honeymoon phase' of retirement, then i'm sure things settle and perhaps a person might miss the thing they never thought they'd miss in a million years --- structure.

right now I'm enjoying this feeling of 'oh, i'm not obligated to do anything, be anywhere, do the 'routine' or feel stress of any sort.' its wonderful. we did get groceries with mom today, that's a routine - but that's it now. She gave us a little somethin-somethin for our holiday!!! her generosity is so much appreciated. We have our accommodations reserved for our little upcoming trip!!! we're as happy as pigs in dirt! We are not answering the phone unless we feel like it. . we went shopping today cuz it was a crappy, rain-soaked day and we felt like shopping, looked through the local warehouse club store. . got some cool stuff - hanging plant baskets for the backyard, and got 2 colours of foliage that i've long admired for our deck planters. . . chartreuse and blackish purple!!! they really POP together! speaking of plants. . i bought some potted herbs today for my kitchen and Rob threw together a slat-type platform for them to rest on. . dill, thyme and rosemary. . the basil looked sick, so i subbed the dill -- such glorious flavours these plants give. . i am so into herbs lately.

bought some egg bread, so that i could make a great french toast tomorrow a.m. . if you haven't tried french toast made with egg bread - TRY IT!!! when you make your 'custard' for the french toast, put a splash of vanilla in there, some grated orange rind, maybe some light cream instead of milk with your eggs, pinch of salt. . magic!!

bought some nice asiago and mozarella. . think i'll make the herb/breadcrumb/bacon- topped 3 cheese mac and cheese. . it is so fabulous, it should be illegal. (i have some grana padano cheese in the fridge to make up the third) NICE CHEESE!

i keep thinking of doing a couple of things. . . 1. Opening a cool little bistro/bake shop?? It makes me so happy to cook and bake. . i mean it - i enjoy it soooo much. I love to make the food taste great, but i'm really getting into making it LOOK great too!! Its very fun. 2. Doing more serious writing. I just discovered a 2 year-old story that i had written in one of my many journals - i took the rough copy and fleshed it out. . it was very satisfying and I realized that i LOVE to do that. . I've always loved it. Why am i not making more of an effort to go in the direction of something i love rather than slogging it out with something that bores me to tears? (but pays the bills. . . ) oh the risk.. . . i hesitate - i have a daughter in university.

Hey! I learned how to use my camera's macro setting. . i feel like i've discovered some buried treasure!!!

well, this may seem rather disjointed. . but my thoughts are all over the place and i think its time to put my brain to bed!!!

I hope you're having a great weekend, wherever you are?!

later 'gators!

8 comments:

Denise said...

As I sit in front of my comp reading your blog, watching corrie street and eating Rice Krispies, I find my tummy doing turns just thinking about your french toast...Mmmm!!!!! Enjoy your holiday, 3 weeks left and I'll be off on an adventure of my own - can't wait!!!!!!

kathryn said...

thanx ladies for your comments! yes, chartreuse is greenish yellow and yes you're right, Linds, retirees get bored for sure *ask your grandma* !!!

Dee, we had that french toast for brekkie this a.m. . YUM! How about i come with you to Ecuador and Vancouver to cook for you and everyone else?!!! ha ha!!! you won't be watching corrie for a while hon!!!

Denise said...

don't remind me! In Ecuador I believe I have to do the cooking(should be interesting!) and in Vancouver I get to eat at the Harbor Light(I believe...I don't really know anything!).

Here's to weight loss!!! HAHA!

supersimbo said...

kat you describe food so well...........my stomach rumbles delightfully!
Kat......what are you good at? what do you enjoy?what gives you a buzz? the things you mentioned, cooking, writing..........I ask myself that question and i wonder why i am not doing that stuff for GOD.............is it not time we started?

kathryn said...

yep, its time we did what we love -- for God. . I've been thinking about running a cafe where anyone can come in to eat and pay whatever they can afford, they can barter 'services' for meals. . i.e. they can do chores for them, etc. that would be hard for me to make a living that way, and i really do need to make a living. . . a colleague of mine at work is going to med school - our office is raising a few thousand dollars to help him and i donated cash towards raffle prizes and i'm donating some of my baking, to be sold by the slice. . that's just one little way. I love taking photos, i love writing, how can i do these things for God and others? Dee is really using what she's good at to serve (in extreme ways!!!!) Ally, you're using your gifts and talents in your band and in the upper room. . i want to do more. .

kathryn said...

yeah, you're right - i know. . and that's strange about Blockbuster. . . isn't that ridiculous that part of their profit is late charges?!!!

kathryn said...

ha ha. . blockbuster goons!!!

Denise said...

I believe that what will happen is that instead of sending it to a credit agency, if you do not return the movie after 3 weeks(I think that's the time frame) then the cost of the movie itself will be charged to your credit card - because you had to give a credit card when signing up for blockbuster in the first place, right?