On My Mind Today

As each day, week or month passes by, I become more and more ready for the next chapter in my life. Not that I want time to pass by quickly, but because I can see that next chapter just over the horizon. There are so many phases in our life, and each one is precious. We go into them ready for whatever new and exciting things we will encounter. Most experiences are wonderful, but we also find times that test our strength and faith. Just when we begin to get restless another chapter opens up to us and we jump in willingly. The childhood chapter is fun and comforting. We learn many new things, make new friends, and know our parents will take care of us. Being left out by others, and simple childhood injuries will occur, but for the most part it is a pleasant time in our life. Hard to imagine we would want to leave this, but there comes a time when we are ready to test the waters of the teen years. Ahh yes, the teenage chapter. A time of trying desperately to fit in with your peers.

Warmer weather is slowly arriving, and with that come thoughts of light and fruity desserts. Looking back through the abundance of recipes in my files, I came upon this easy and delicious dessert from Food Network Magazine, which I had not made in a very long time. What can be better than a combination of white chocolate and fruity flavors on a hot summer afternoon.  Enjoy! Tropical Snowballs 1 cup white chocolate chips 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut 1 cup finely chopped dried pineapple 1-1/2 teaspoons grated lime zest 1-1/2 teaspoons lime juice 1. Melt the white chocolate chips. Mix with the sweetened shredded coconut, and the chopped dried pineapple. Mix in lime zest and lime juice. 2. Form into 16 small mounds and chill until set. Top with more lime zest prior to serving.

It saddens me that far too often I hear people put themselves down. Much of this self doubt is brought on by being put down by someone over and over. Eventually they begin to believe these things about themselves, and their self-esteem diminishes to the point of nonexistence. Although it does happen to men, much of the time it's women who get the brunt of this negativity. Current or prior spouses and partners degrade them and call them every name they can think of - many of them vulgar. They are so miserable in their own life that the only way they can feel better is to make someone else feel bad. They blame these women for all of their faults and bad behaviors. "It's your fault I drink" or "It's your fault I do drugs" or It's your fault I lose my temper", and of course "If you didn't do (fill in the blank) then I wouldn't act this way". And they know exactly what effect all of this will have while they are doing it. Whatev

Each week I approach grocery shopping with much dread and trepidation. After more years than I care to remember, I am tired of making menus, creating lists and then having to brave the chaos of the stores. This truly is a shame as I love to cook, and create delicious meals for family and friends. As a working mother I always made sure to have a menu since prep time was limited after work. The menu also made shopping a bit easier as you knew what you would need for the week.  I never could understand how anyone could wing it when it came to family dinners. I would have to assume the cost to do things this way would be far greater in the end. Anyway, back to the shopping part of this task. I don’t know about anyone else, but from my perspective the grocery store has become a nightmare to maneuver. The cost of food rose quickly with the price of gas, however, once gas prices came down do you think the food cost would be reduced? Of course not – it just seems to keep rising. T

Sometimes it's taking things you would never think of putting together that make a great dish. When I saw this in the pages of Woman's Day magazine I was intrigued. I love pierogies, kielbasa and sauerkraut so figured it was certainly worth trying. It turned out to be a nice blend of flavors, and it's a recipe that will make it into my collection. Pierogi and Kielbasa Bake 1 Tablespoon olive oil 7 ounces kielbasa, thinly sliced 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 2 - 16 ounce packages frozen potato and onion pierogies (used Mrs. T's) 1/4 small red cabbage (about 12 ounces), cored and thinly sliced 1/2 cup hard or regular apple cider 1/2 cup prepared sauerkraut, drained 2 Tablespoons whole-grain mustard 1 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped 6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 1-1/2 cups) 1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. 2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the kielbasa and co

"I shall be telling this with a sigh - Somewhere ages and ages hence; Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." ~ Robert Frost ~ In the last few weeks I have traveled to the southern NH/MA border several times, been to Andover, MA, and most recently to Boston, MA. Being on the highways with such a high volume of traffic can be a bit overwhelming and stressful. It's no wonder people feel exhausted if they are dealing with this on a daily basis. Not something I have any desire to do. Today when I headed out I decided to take a more peaceful route. Going down the quiet, winding back roads at a more leisurely pace was much less stressful, and therapeutic. Driving past corn fields filled with their dry and yellowed stubs from last year's crop; waiting to be plowed and seeded for the new season. Houses from earlier times still strong and sturdy providing a home for another family. I can't help

It saddens me that we are living in a world where we feel we can no longer trust one another. There was a time when we had faith that the majority of people would do the right thing. We were not afraid of simple everyday interactions. Unfortunately, we can no longer have that sense of feeling safe, and we are teaching our children to be cautious of any person or situation they come into contact with. Talk about robbing them of their innocence and childhood. Will we lead them to an isolated existence? Years ago the phone would ring and you just answered it. No caller ID and no fear of who may be calling. Now you have to worry about someone trying to scam you out of your life savings. They will try everything from telling you a young relative is in trouble, the IRS is after you, or they want to save you from "somebody" trying to hack your computer. And they can be very convincing - that is how they can be successful at the scam. If a stranger walked up to your door in the

We all like having nice things. However, our definition of what these are changes over the years just as we do. As a young child our needs are few - love, food, clothing and a toy or two. No worries and no need to have more. Happy with our small world. Then the teenage years arrive with a whole new attitude about things. Exposed to so much more we have a desire for the latest and greatest, whether it's clothing, technology or eventually a car. Always wanting what your peers have, somehow feeling that is the only way you will feel like you fit in. Then we move into adulthood, marriage, and raising children where we are involved in school, sports and family activities. Wanting to provide our children with the things they desire. Wanting to have a nice home with new things. Trying so hard to keep up with the neighbors as they say. Always feeling that what we provide or have is not quite enough. The years fly by and then you are over 50, and your children are gown and on their