Monday, February 21, 2011

Love and Things

I've been wanting to post since valentine's day. This year was our first valentine's in Canada. last year we were in Denver and it was so hectic with family around and meeting everyone. We don't celebrate things much, so I wasn't sure if I would get flowers or anything. I did mention that I would like a single rose. I think the gesture of flowers is sweet. I know men think its wasteful cuz the flowers die...but especially in the middle of winter, having something alive and blooming brings a huge smile on my face. So the weekend before valentine's day I felt really awful physically. I also go through ups and down with this arthritis. Some days I just can't move anymore and have to climb into bed as fast as I can. Sometimes it's before we've had dinner, before the dishes are done. But my husband is soo good. He'll let me go to bed. Bring me water so I can take my meds.

While he got into bed...I thanked him for being a good husband. He didn't say your welcome... he said... "that's what husbands and wives do, they take care of each other. " Him saying that was such a huge gift in itself. It meant that those are the biggest gifts we have to give each other. When one of us is hurting physically, mentally, or in our hearts, our job is to care for each other. I just loved the way he said it. So practical. He was promising that he will always take care of me...which means a lot more to me cuz I know i'm gonna have a lot of sick days.

I was reading another blog and she was writing what her marriage is. I wanted to do a description of mine:

Marriage is bringing home shawarma take out on friday nights and watching old 80s malayalam movies. It is playing monopoly deal until someone is commander in chief of the whole universe. It is waiting in line for the car wash and talking about the most important things cuz you can't walk away while stuck in the line. Marriage is getting a phone call around 6 when he leaves from work to tell me he's coming home. Its the hug we give before leaving for our days. Marriage is making eggs over easy 7 days a week, and eating them even when i mess them up. It is letting him keep the tv on all through the night but waking up to turn it off when the infomercials start. Marriage is watching amazing race on sundays and knowing his secret that he likes watching desperate housewives. Marriage is learning about sports and him learning about books. It is the random hugs we share whenever we pass each other. It is us doing our own things and when i look at him, him waving and saying hi. Marriage is knowing that our jobs are to take care of each other.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Bright Sunshiny Day

Today was a beautiful sunshine day. The back of our house faces south, so I was able to bathed in the sunshine all day. The funny thing is, a sunshiny day is only good if you are inside. In Canada I've found that the sunshine is a trick...it's actually colder on bright days than on snowy ones. And not just a few degrees colder but substantially colder. But today I didn't mind because I spent the whole day inside. Doesn't a peek of sunshine once in a while make the whole winter better?

I often complain that I hate being at home. I wish I woke up with some purpose...a place to go. But there is one thing that I love about staying at home. Yes I get to enjoy the day...wake up late...watch tv...do whatever I want. But my most favorite thing? Making meals. I make elaborate breakfasts and lunches. I think about them for hours and savor it for even longer. First of all, I'm a huge sandwich lover...I love bread, cheese, and deli meat. Add some eggs or jam or veggies or sauces and it becomes so much more than just a sandwich.

This morning I had a wrap/taco sort of thing. I have some whole wheat chapathi (indian tortillas) and made some scramble eggs topped with cheddar and ham. I enjoyed the wrap dipped in salsa.

I loved the salsa so much I decided I needed something similar for lunch. Rachael Ray is having a waffle week and strangely there are many posts online about using your waffle machine. I have a sandwich maker but have never used the waffle pattern. I decided to make a sandwich in the waffle maker. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE HOT TOASTED SANDWICHES. I used a 12 grain bread, some homemade garlic butter (just garlic roasted in melted butter), turkey, and cheddar, It was so good! I could have made it more toasty but the cheese was getting everywhere. Since I loved the salsa so much I dipped the sandwich into salsa. I could have used some veggies...I think I may try some arugula.

These warm meals make my day. It turns my mood right around and reminds me to be thankful for the small things in my life :)

Monday, February 7, 2011

Such a small job

I'm not doing much in Canada. I think we all know that. Finding a job has been the hardest thing I've ever done in my whole life. Luckily, two days of the week I get to volunteer at the Canadian Red Cross. It's such an easy little volunteering job. I just answer some phone calls, register patients for our services, and work on other administrative projects. But it is so rewarding. Today I had an elderly woman call me asking if there were some services that Red Cross provided for elderly help. Red Cross unfortunately does not have anything like that, but I had a phone number for another organization that does provide these services. All I did was give her the phone number and she was so happy. She has been divorced for 23 years, has no children, and her friends are not in good physical condition to help her. Now that she is becoming more limited physically, she was lonely and just needed someone. I didn't do anything other than simply Googled the agency, but she was so relieved. It's something so simple that makes this job worth it.

I saw so many weird things today. I got a phone call from a girl who from her voice sounded like she was in trouble. It really shook me up because the thing she was asking for was something I thought was mandatory for all parents to provide for a child. I didn't really know the answer to her question and it made me realize how lucky I am that my parents knew where to go for this particular service. It really scared me that the kid was asking for help and not the adults.

I also saw a hawk. In CO this was more common, usually during the summertime. In Canada I don't usually see that many birds, other than geese. Especially when it is so cold outside. But I saw a hawk up close...and I know there are some superstitions about it being bad luck. I dunno.

I also saw a man standing on a bridge as I was driving on the highway. It just worried me. It's so cold outside...why is he walking? and that too on a bridge...and just standing staring at the cars driving by. Gave me a weird feeling.

I dunno...strange day overall.

Friday, February 4, 2011

TGIF

TGIF is such a useless phrase to me...when almost all my days are friday like. But a real friday has so much potential doesn't it? It holds onto everything that will become The Weekend. I do look forward to fridays because it means I get to spend two whole days with my husband..instead of by myself. We get to sleep in, watch tv/movies, window shop and just chill. On Friday, time seems unlimited.

Tonight we are gonna stay in, watch an Indian movie and eat my favorite food--shawarma!! Its one of my favorite activities.

Yesterday I tried to make Parippu curry. Basic dal curry. Someone who loves to cook so much should find this to be really easy, but me? It is the hardest thing for me! I blame it on my pressure cooker. It is GIGANTIC. I can't ever figure out the dal to water ratio or how many whistle or even like using it cuz its a pain to wash later. But I loveee parippu curry. It makes rice so much better. Especially the kind my mom makes. It's so smooth and velvety. You just want to eat tons of rice when there is parippu around.

I reallly really hope to figure out how to make this properly cuz its a relatively inexpensive dish. Just a few cents for the dal and some water! But it really makes a huge difference when eating rice. Especially if you are vegetarian (kinda what I'm doing these days). I find it really hard to eat rice without a meat/fish item. Lately, though living with my in laws I've learned that if you have enough good vegetable items it can be very tasty. This is easy when my MIL is cooking for me, but for me to make a bunch of creative things myself...that's a challenge. My wonderful husband likes butter chicken...which is easy to make...just pour a bottle of curry paste over some chicken. BUT the curry paste has cream in it. And that doesn't go well with my body. So on butter chicken days I'm stuck eating vegetarian. I hope I really get that parippu curry right!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

New Project

Ok. Let's set things straight. I really need to post more. It seems so easy to blog when I'm really angry and frustrated. But I don't want all my entries to be whiny and self loathing. Since life isn't really going how I want I should use this time for other things. I want to write more, I really do. But some things, that you know will lift your day, just slip from your regular schedule. Think about it: praying...exercise...writing.

So I want to start a new project. I wanted to tie food into my life stories. I'm really not good at food blogging using my own recipes. I think its a hassle to take pictures in the middle of making dinner. And I'm not usually as creative as one would think I am when it comes to food at our house. Actually, when I really think about it... I'm kinda sick of the food I'm making and I wish I could eat some of my mommy's food.

So the project I want to try is to write about the dishes my mom makes. I really don't have recipes... but there are a million sites online that you can look for. What I have are memories. Not only of how the food tastes, but when we made the food, and what it reminds me of. Some people go into trances when they listen to music. They remember their childhood, school prom etc. For me, these memories come to me through food.

I'm trying to decide the first food I should do. I think I'll go with what I crave the most. hmm...That is probably my mom's Chicken Curry. It's just a normal kerala style chicken curry but its my comfort food. First of all my mom makes tons of food when she makes something. So when we have chicken curry there is tons of it. My dad cuts chicken up for her and stores it in the freezer so that she can use it whenever she needs to. My mom usually makes it during the day.When my sister and I come home we just have to eat it right then instead of waiting for dinner. We always grab bread and eat it out of a bowl. I think what I like about chicken curry is that it automatically makes a meal a million times better. Just a little bit is enough savory tasting to complete an Indian meal.


Now that I read this idea again I think its kinda corny. Maybe I will pick something that brings a more specific memory next time.