I just finished reading the wonderful book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. In it, the author and her family decide to become locavores for a year and eat only locally grown foods. They grow quite a bit of the food themselves--including chickens and turkeys for slaughter--and rely on local farmer's markets for the rest.
It sounds like a lovely idea, romantic in its pioneer "can-do" attitude, until you really delve into what's involved.
So I'm in the hair salon today and the very young, very cute 23-year-old girl is blow-drying my hair. Tik Tok by Kesha came on and we both started singing the words.
"Oh my gosh, you know this song?" asked blow-dry girl.
"I love this song," I said.
"Oh my gosh! I like never would have guessed that."
What's up with that? Do I have "Kenny G" stamped on my forehead or something? And this after I took the plunge with some serious rocker chick hair. My former blonde highlights on brown hair have been replaced with almost but not quite black hair and red copper highlights. I turn 40 in a few months so maybe it's an early mid-life crisis, but I think it's more I was just bored. I like the new look. It's not something I'd want to keep for life but for a few months until summer gets here, why not? Life is short.
And I'm not going to spend it listening to Kenny G. =)
Olivia rejects the new 'do.
Ran 20 miles this morning. By myself. Turned into the lunatic who talks to themselves around mile 18, muttering, "Two more miles. I can do two more miles. C'mon, hang in there. One mile and 8/10's left. Don't quit." People gave me a wide berth.
Driving home, Blair asked why I hadn't written anything for publication on my running. "You went from being a non-runner to qualifying for Boston in three and a half years," he said. "That would be inspirational to someone."
"Oh, sweetie," I said, love pouring out from my heart.
"Plus, it seems like you should be able to make some money on that," he finished.
Aaaaaand, the moment is over.
Anyway, we came up with a few potential book titles for my as yet unwritten memoir on running:
Blair also suggested something like, "A Woman's Journey" which I vetoed for sounding too much like a tampon commercial.
I'm now on the couch, feet up, and slightly bummed because all the books I'm reading right now are non-fiction and I'm really in the mood to curl up with a good story. I'll search the house but I'm pretty sure I've read everything here with the exception of some Agatha Christie novels and I'm just not that desperate.
Let me know which title you think I should go with, or feel free to suggest one of your own. If I select your title, I'll mention you in my interviews on Oprah and The Today Show, if there's time before the commercial break.
Citrus Collards With RaisinsDid you know greens are practically FREE?? I would have been eating greens years ago if anyone had told me how much money they would save me on my weekly grocery bill. This past week we spent $65 at Wal-Mart on groceries and maybe another $18 at Earth Fare. And our fridge is PACKED with food. (FYI for those not in the know: Greens are the big dark leafy things you pass in the produce aisle on your way to the cookies.)
After years of retching and gagging at the mere mention of things like "collards" and "chard," I actually tried some. Guess what? Delish! That is, if you bypass the good ol' southern method of boiling the hell out of them. (I'll never forget the first time I ate gray-green mush at my mother-in-law's home. Blair had to explain to me that the food was--in a previous life--broccoli.) I wish someone had told her a quick 3-5 minute simmer and wilt does the trick.
Author. Humorist. Fitness fanatic. Control freak (working on it). Mentor. Klutz. All-around decent human being.
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