the start of a good life

 “THE MAN WHO DOES NOT READ GOOD BOOKS HAS NO ADVANTAGE OVER THE MAN WHO CAN’T READ THEM.”

– MARK TWAIN, ATTRIBUTED.

My OH and I were able to make a day trip up to Portland to see family/friends this past weekend – so much fun but so tired from it! ha. I splurged the next day and got a soy milk (even though I normally avoid it) chai tea. YUM. I forgot how much I love those. This weekend also marked the end of a ‘diet’ that I’ve been on this past month. The Fast Metabolism Diet. Whew. It was harder to get through than I thought it would be…. but more on that later.

And now, for our book review for the month of April!  . ( I know, I know, it’s May now but I know you’ll forgive me for being a day late!) I did a bit more reading this past month (yay!) and also more varied (another yay!) books too.

Frederic Wentworth – None but You by Susan Kaye –loved this book! I am saddened because the library doesn’t have its sequel. continues in his perspective, how he sees anne and the others around him. Brings in new friends that you quickly learn to love.   if you want to read my review on this – check out last months’ review —- https://thestartofagoodlife.wordpress.com/2014/03/28/book-review-march-2014/

The Fast Metabolism Diet by Haylie Pomeroy – My naturopath/acupuncturist suggested I try this diet to help with all my crazy health issues. Thank goodness my mom went on this diet with me and it helped so much. I broke down and bought the book brand new – I think the last time  I paid full price for a book was when I was in culinary school. Ouch. But it is full of good advice and I love the ‘voice’ of Haylie. It is designed to speed up your metabolism, heal your thyroid and if there’s weight to lose, that too! It is a strict 28- day program where you cut out wheat, dairy, corn, sugar and basically anything else that might be processed, from your diet. With how fast I burn through food, I struggled a lot, having to eat every 2 hours! Now, while I love food and am used to eating frequently, this was a lot more frustrating for me being so hungry all the time. What I did gain from it, is that my digestion is better – not where it should be, but there’s a definite improvement. Which is nice. I also got corn out of my diet, which is something I have been wondering if I have an allergy to for quite a while now. So, while it didn’t help the migraine pain, I am glad I did it.  I am debating trying it for a week sometime this coming – or next – month to continue healing my digestion.

The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis – loved it  -I read this in three days! A delightful story of another adventure in Narnia. Eustace Scrubb gets back to Narnia with friend Jill Pole and go on a journey to find Prince Rilian, son of King Caspian the Tenth. Rilian has been kept captive by the Emerald Witch in an underground kingdom. Meetings with owls, giants and earthmen bring new characters into this series that is very imaginative.

The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis -loved it loved it! In this wonderful end to the Narnia series, the threat comes from inside the kindgom. From lies and treason, the King and a small band of followers must prevent the destruction of everything that they hold dear.

The Yeast Connection by William G. Crook, M.D. – pretty good. very informative book on the health problems  that can be tracked to sensitivity to the ‘yeast germ candida albicans’, of people of all ages and sexes.

The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson –  this is another novel I randomly picked up years ago at a second-hand bookstore. This is my second time reading it and I enjoyed it even more this time. It is set in the historical time during the War of the Roses. We follow Dick Shelton as he must rescue his lady, Joanna Sedley. Through it all, he must join forces with the outlaws known as the black arrows in order to gain revenge against his guardian, Sir Daniel Brackley, who murdered his father. While it is full of old english words, that is part of its’ charm, I am continuously reaching for my phone (i.e. dictionary) to look up a word. This is a must read!!!

Rudin by Ivan Turgenev  – unexpected new favorite! I knew nothing about this book when I picked it up and found it delightful. Turgenev is a famous Russian author, and this was his first novel. It is based on the life of Rudin, a man with dreams and big words but is superfluous. Apparently this type of character whose inability to act was a staple of Turgenev’s.

True Devotion by Dee Henderson – favorite for years. Book one of the Uncommon Heroes series.  Kelly Jacobs has already loved and lost one Navy Seal, Joe ‘Bear’ Baker can’t ask her to risk going through that pain again.  But when the man responsible for Kelly’s husbands’ death is back , and closer than either of them realizes, Bear has to get there in time to save her. Now, this little explanation of this book does nothing for how wonderful it is!!! You simply must read this. I love Henderson’s stories. A little bit of suspense, mystery and faith makes this military romance novel a fun read.

I already have some of what I’m reading for May picked out – including the rest of the Dee Henderson series!  I’ve picked up a bible study titled the Heartache No One Sees by Sheila Walsh that I’m eager to start.

Well, I think I’m going to go take advantage of the summer-like weather and go walk the dog. Hope you enjoyed this list of worth-reading books!

Happy reading – and please, share what you’re reading right now in the comments below! I’d love to add some new books to my list !

~Laura

What a month! Whew!  Trip to Portland to see friends, impromptu walks at the dog park and my birthday! Yes, I love birthdays – I get like a little kid counting down.  I had such a fun birthday, I just kept the Tylenol and Aspirin handy at all times (one of the hazards of migraines right there). While I could tell that I overdid it on my actual birthday I was able to lay low the next day for the family birthday party we had the next night! So much fun. And because some stores are awesome, I got birthday treasures : free spice mix from the spice shop in the old mill, coupon for Ace Hardware (I’m going to get the runner for my drawer for my dresser, I am so tired of it being broken! augh to broken drawers in all my dressers) and I also got a coupon for World Market that I bought a new shower curtain with! I have been wanting one since we got married but as it wasn’t really a priority…

But with that fabulous coupon and a sale at the store, I was able to get one that ties together the floor mat and our dark blue towels. (insert the happiest silliest grin!) Now I am thinking of getting a mirror in there, and working on a photo gallery (not sure where that’ll end up in the house yet though.)

Well, just in case you can’t tell by my intro (snicker snicker) This is the Book Review Post. I must admit that most of what I read this month was novels… fantastic don’t-want-to-put-them-down novels but not near as much variety as I intended! I will have to make sure I plan better for next month….heh. yeah. like that’ll happen. . .

• Duty and Desire by Pamela Aidan  – yes yes, another repeat on here! This book is one of my favorites – and even though I thought I hadn’t read it, I really had. Not sure how I didn’t recognize the first part! I absolutely adore the way she introduces you to the other ‘side’ of the Pride and Prejudice story. Darcy decides to banish Elizabeth from his mind and heart and so accepts an invitation to Norwyck Castle – and intrigue and marital design and danger fill the time spent there.  His relationships with his sister , Georgianna, grows as she puts behind her the devastation brought on by Wickham.
• These Three Remain by Pamela Aidan – book 3 of the Darcy series. This book literally only took me a week to finish. I had such a hard time putting it down! After finding  Elizabeth in his Aunt’s parlor, he comes to realize he loves her and promptly proposes.Getting a thorough dressing down from her, he brews and stews in anger and pride.  Afterward,  Darcy undergoes an internal change – how he learns to give mercy and not see it as a weakness. His relationships with his sister , Georgianna and friends  help round out a fabulous cast to encourage him in his endeavor. The intrigue and a whole new set of characters that cross Darcy’s path are delightful, and through all three is his reliable butler, Fletcher, who I would LOVE to read a book of his background! Finishing the P&P story through Darcy’s eyes is fun and refreshing – the conversations between him and Elizabeth, Bingley and I believe even Mr. Bennet. This whole series is simply a delight to delve into.
• The Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder, C.N.  – I randomly found this at the library, and while I won’t be following  the detox plan in it, I certainly learned a LOT about digestion and some new ways to look at what you eat. She found that food is the best beauty product – solve your breakouts, belly fat and coarse hair with what you eat. When your body has to work hard to digest what you’re putting in it, it can’t focus on the ‘non-essential’ tasks, like those mentioned above. Cutting out dairy, gluten, sugar, absolutely anything processed and meat if you’re so inclined, you can turn your health around, lose weight, sleep better and have more energy. There was some new-age sections in it, but I just skipped over it, to the food-focused areas. I actually had to return this to the library before I was done, but I did write some recipes down from the back of the book. Worth the read just for the health information.( You see the Women’s Running book there—- I have a confession to make, I was so engrossed in the novels, that I barely made it 15 pages in before it was due back to the library! Oops. Seems chock full of great information though)
• Chateau of Echoes by Siri L. Mitchell – One of my favorites. I keep this one on my shelf here at the house (as opposed to the three shelves at my parents’ house  – thanks mom and dad!) so I can read it whenever I want.  After being widowed in a foreign country, Frederick Farmer bought a castle and turned it into a bed and breakfast – and her own hideout from the rest of the world.  When she stumbled on some diaries of a fifteen-century girl, she never dreamed how they would be the key to a second chance at life. When a well-known author comes to stay for the long term and she hires a graduate student studying the life of the author of the diaries of long–ago, she has no idea that she has just set the stage for romance and intrigue.  There is so much more I could tell you about this novel, but I don’t want to spoil the surprises! Let me just say that this book has a great combination of everything I love. A very unique story line with faith weaved in. this is a must read!
• God’s Appointed Times by Barney Kasdan – I pulled this out to read up on Passover (Pesach) for a future post here on ‘good life’  (look for it in a few weeks!). this book covers all the biblical holy days for the Jews.  It is written to both Jews and Christians – aware that both can learn so much from these days.   He covers Shabbat, Passover, Fristfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, The Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, Hannukah, Purim and more.  Each chapter covers  “historical background, traditional Jewish observance, relevance to the New Testament, prophetic significance, and a practical guide for believers including recipes, songs and crafts.” (quote from the back of the book) From first starting to date my OH, I borrowed this book as a holy day came up so I could better understand the significance. It is very well written and easy to understand. I love all the information for each appointed time

1. Frederick Wentworth, Captain – None But You by Susan Kaye – I found this one through the Darcy series by Pamela Aidan.  The author of this book is a friend of Aidans’. Score one for me actually reading the interview in the back of the book. I started it about a week ago but haven’t picked it up too much – not for lack of interest or being engulfed in the story though. This is a re-write of Persuasion – the story of Wentworth and Anne Elliot. As in the Darcy series, this is from the man’s side of the story. When Wentworth offered marriage to Anne Elliot eight years ago, all he had to offer her was his future. Being the daughter of a haughty baronet and goddaughter of Lady Russell, Anne is persuaded to end the engagement. Broken hearted and angry, Wentworth goes to sea to seek his fortune. But now it is the Elliot family that is in financial disarray and Wentworth who has made his fortune and fame in the navy. For eight years he has shielded his heart against Anne, but should he now open it up to her or pursue a young woman in the neighborhood?  If you don’t know this story, I won’t ruin it for you, but it is such a great story and I am excited to see the elements that are added by reading it from his side of things. More on this next month!

Well, I do hope you’ve found something new to read! Happy reading friends and See you next week !

~Laura

    Here is a fun and easy new way to eat your veggies! This was a request of my OH’s so I pulled down our Lebanese cookbook – Classic Lebanese Cuisine by Chef Kamal AL-Faqih. A fabulous cookbook I must say. 

The Lebanese name for this dish is Arnabeet Mickli ma Taratoor. It is my new favorite way to eat cauliflower – which means I will be buying it more often than once a year! ha. I will admit that I got my OH to make the tahini sauce for us as he’s got the touch for it and I….well, something always goes wrong with it. All well. I think next time I will do two heads of cauliflower as one just wasn’t enough!

Ready? Here we go.   for the cauliflower you will need :

2 tsp salt

1 head cauliflower, about 2 1/2 lbs

3 cups canola oil (for frying)

to prepare – Place a large pot of water (about 8 cups) and the salt over high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, remove all leaves from around the stem of the cauliflower. Cut the florets off the central stem into 2 to 3 in pieces. Try to keep consistent in size – not like I did. heh….

Put in boiling water and cook uncovered, stirring a couple of times, for about 5 minutes. Drain. Evenly spread florets out on a flat tray and let cool for 30 minutes uncovered. They must be cool before frying or they will fall apart. 

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan ( I actually used a deep pan… you could try it in a shallower one but …that’s a lot of splatter to clean up after…. up to you I suppose) over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. ( I only heated it to about 220 degrees which made the frying go slower but i couldn’t wait any longer…) The oil should be about 1 1/2 inches deep. Fry 4 to 5 florets at a time til golden brown and the edges are crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a paper-towel lined dish. 

Make sure the oil stays at 375 degrees ( or if you’re like me, 220) to be able to fry the florets evenly.  Fry remaining cauliflower. (If you prefer, you can serve the cauliflower steamed.) 

For the Tahini Sauce :

1 lg clove garlic

1 tsp salt

1/2 c tahini (mix well before using)

1/3 c freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 c water

1/4 c finely chopped flat leaf parsley

To prepare:

place all in high speed blender ( we used our Vitamix) and blend blend blend. If you don’t have one of those – here’s the other way :

in a small bowl, mash the garlic and salt to a pulp using a pestle. Add the rest of the ingredients but the parsley. Whisk until smooth and creamy, the consistency will be like pancake batter. Use a spoon to mix in the parsley. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Tahini sauce may thicken once refrigerated – thin with lemon juice or water. 

To Serve:

Place tahini sauce in a small bow in the center of a platter. Arrange the warm or room-temperature cauliflower around the tahini.

And ENJOY! 

This is half a head of cauliflower =)

The saga continues of adventures in our little house. We have mostly beaten the ants – we still have a few each day show up on the walls, desk or coffee table but nowhere near what they were like before. Yay. I am thinking I will wipe the walls down again and see if that helps! But, the most recent event happened last night. The light/fan in our bathroom decided to die last night. Kaput. 

No light. No fan whirring fitfully. Dead as a door nail.

So what do I, independent and strong woman that I am? Call my hubby.  He starts checking it out which equals pulling it apart. Off comes the light cover. Then off comes the grate part that covers all of it. As he gets it lower he says quietly ‘there’s a dead mouse’. 

‘What?’ – not comprehending, I lean in and he says it again and I, doing the only sensible thing at that moment of seeing a tail…. screamed and ran out of the room. 

Great way to show him how for years I’ve dealt with such disgusting problems. I think being married is softening me up. Gotta go wood cutting soon or something. 

Anyway, he took care of it all while I thanked him profusely. 

And now on to the real reason for this post. – – – –

I am mostly skeptical about a lot of the ‘fixes’ that are floating around Pinterest. Call me a pessimist. But even if I pin it, I still have a niggling doubt about the verasity of the claim. 

And, every now and then, I remember to actually TRY it. This morning was one of those! 

A while ago I saw the claim that if you have sensitive ears – which i do! – if you coat the earring back in vaseline, your ears will be fine. 

Well, I really wanted this to be true, for I’ve been stuck wearing the same earrings  for almost a year now and I’m over them. Sick of them. So, I bought a little travel sized vaseline -to fit with my small house –  and tried it this morning. 

ACK! I’ve been wearing the pearl earrings that my OH got me for our first Valentines Day together. (so sweet!!) They are my favorite earrings and it made me sad not to be able to wear them anymore. I have had them in all day and not an itching or burning sensation in either ear!!!!!! I might be saved! 

All I did was ‘stab’ the earring back  in the vaseline and moved it around a bit to coat it on good. Stuck it through my ear and said a prayer while I attached the plastic backing. And Voila! Thank you Vaseline!

last minute hair fix before the ceremony