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Monday, June 28, 2010

Home Sweet Home!



I'm home. Back from Eugene and Portland, back to my bed, my kitchen, my garden, my port, my loads of laundry, my....

You get the idea.

For the last three weeks, I was in learning mode and nursing mode:

1. Learn to plan, shop and cook vegan meals.
2. Organize items and tasks that could be done without bending or stretching for my daughter who is recuperating.  Organize kitchen cupboards, especially, since she is the main cook in her household.
3. Set rules. Yes, adult children will listen to Mothers as necessary for recuperation.


I did miss my home, my routines and my wonderful Hubby who had to fend-read pick up take-out-without me.  Oh the damage to his diet!

When I returned five pounds lighter, full of energy and vigor, he was speechless.  How is it that you went up and down stairs, cooked and slaved and are in better shape than you were? He asked.

I learned something new, I told him. Something about eating that I thought was just a fad. I learned that one can be thoughtful about eating, and not feel hungry or deprived.
Well, only once, actually.
It was an evening when I cooked pasta with caponata, and I missed my parmesan cheese topping.  Then, I learned something from my daughter, who came to the rescue by whipping up a nut/lemon zest concoction to sprinkle on top of the pasta that made the dish sing Mamma Mia! 

From now on, I told Hubby, we are eating more vegetables, a lot more.

Good thing he likes vegetables. Good thing he trusts my cooking. Good thing he is patient with me.

43 comments:

Anonymous said...

Welcome back & Congratulations.
Home-Sweet-Home i.e., correct always but I am trying to say: wherever I am That is Home-Sweet-Home. Easy to say but tough I know but trying.

What About The Girl? said...

No place like home!
But one always learns a thing or two from being away.

I'll have some of that pasta!
Mamma Mia!

Unknown said...

Welcome home. I know what you mean. There's just something about your own bed, your own things, that can't be beat!

Terra said...

How great that while being such a caring mommy you lost a few pounds and got extra energy by all that house work and cooking, and had some vegan meals. We're no vegans at our house. That nut/zest topping sounds good. Yup, we can all benefit by eating more veggies. I posted a fun salad thing on my blog today.

rjerdee said...

Fun post! You are so charming, Rosaria. Glad to hear you'll be eating for vegetables. They're Good 4 U!

Everyday Goddess said...

that sounds delicious! and to be home is grand.

have you seen No Impact Man? I watched it on instant view on Netflix.

It's all about doing things differently. Very inspiring!

potsoc said...

Glad that you are back in your digs. Vegetables are good, well prepared, but I still need my little meat shot. Of course cheees and nuts and things like that are proteins but they will never have the taste and fee3l of a good steak or a nice Oktoberfest sausage well barbequed.

Brian Miller said...

welcome home...sounds like you are bringing some of those postitive learnings home as well...nice...that lemon zest nut topping i have had something similar, it is good...

Monkey Man said...

The travels had quite an impact on you. Thanks for your kind question about my last post. I hope my answer wasn't too wordy.

Grandmother Mary said...

This is my first time stopping by and I like what I read. We stopped eating meat almost 20 years ago and increased veggies, fruits and complex carbs. Changed how I feel, look and upped my energy level. Never looked back. I so relate to the no-place-like-home feeling.

Butternut Squash said...

Mmm! Fresh Veggies. Just buy loads of them, then you will feel compelled to cook them before they go bad. Welcome home.

Janna Leadbetter said...

The one home is always the sweetest return. Welcome back!

Snowbrush said...

I'm glad to find you so upbeat!

Dimple said...

Yes, a good thing all around!

Unspoken said...

Good for you and for him~

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Woo Hoo!!! Hurray for Vegetarian!!! Yessssssss! And welcome home!!! Bravo! No place like home...and it's obvious that you make yours sing! ~Janine XO

Natalie said...

Oh, that is lovely to hear, Rosaria.
Never too late to learn a new trick or too. I am glad all went well and you are home safe. ♥

Natalie said...

Two. Silly me. ♥

Tabor said...

A big congrats on learning something so important!

Ann Best said...

Jen and I eat a healthy diet. Fruits, vegetables, grains, fish. No diary, no red meat. I tell her that's why from sitting almost 24 years in a wheelchair she's not a blimp! She goes along with it.

It IS always nice to be back home. But I'm sure your daughter will miss you.

Relyn Lawson said...

...my pillow. That's always the thing I am most glad to get back to.

Lori ann said...

Wow Rosaria, your daughter is lucky to have you, adapting and embracing her vegan choice. I was reading through your posts (but not the comments) and didn't see if you already own Love Soup by Anna Thomas. It's a wonderful cookbook,Vegan friendly. She's the author of The Vegetarian Epicure, a brilliant book from the 70's (Love Soup is new, 2009).

Cloudia said...

You have learned a valuable lesson that will improve and lengthen your life!






Aloha from Waikiki

Comfort Spiral

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Good thing he has you! Welcome home. Enjoy your own bed.

Diana said...

Welcome home! Sounds like such a great trip, and such a gift to your daughter, what a lucky lady!

Reasons said...

Good thing you take such care of him. Bravo on the zingy pasta. I hope your daughter is well on the mend,

Reya Mellicker said...

Welcome home! I'm sorry your daughter has had to spend time recuperating, but so glad you could be with her, and that you benefitted from the visit so much. Bravo!!

Cheryl Cato said...

Welcome home. We were away for 2 weeks & were so happy to return home. Home truly is a wonderful place. Now tonight I may decide to make pasta!

Nancy said...

Tell us more, tell us more.

Vagabonde said...

Cooking vegan must not be easy - you are quite a cook to be able to do this kind of cooking just like that. We do not eat much meat and I bought a cookbook on tofu but yesterday I read on an article that it is not a good food for the brain, so no more tofu. I agree with you about life-span – everything comes and goes, everything passes and we do too, it is not sad, it is what it is.

NitWit1 said...

I know it feels to be gone a long time and arrive home; it is a blessed feeling.

I wish my husband loved vegetables. I could cook vegan part of the time.

I know it is healthier, and you can lose weight, too.

Rob-bear said...

If you're home, that means your daughter is doing much better. Great news.

And while you were away, you learned about new food, and got fitter. Great news.

Now that you're home, the two of you can try new things. Great news.

Yup; you had a good visit.

ellen abbott said...

Good things, all.

Jo said...

Rosaria, wow! You're my hero. I actually love vegetables, I just "forget" to eat them. It does take just a wee bit of effort.

I'm glad your daughter is on the mend.

Cheers!

Jo

A Cuban In London said...

I love that feeling of coming home. And in my case is going back to Cuba and then returning to the UK. Both are homes now. Loved that Mamma mia reference. Made me chuckle.

Many thanks.

Greetings from London.

Arkansas Patti said...

Glad your trip was such a success and exposed your food world to the vegan side. I keep meaning to move closer to that lifestyle also. I too am intrigued by the lemon zest nut topping.
Hope your daughter is doing well.

Hilary said...

Welcome back and good for you for finding a healthier way.

Eleonora Baldwin said...

Welcome back!! Great news, Rosaria.
Home Sweet Home in Italian is CASA, DOCLE CASA, my son's favorite expression.


I miss you,
Lola xx

Ann Best said...

Thanks for commenting on my blog of 6/30. I just went into your memoir blog and read about the people in it. I was interested in your profile. I feel a connection to you, because we are so close in age, and because you wrote a memoir which I still have on my desktop to read. So much to read and write, and not enough hours in a day. If we didn't have to sleep . . .

Hope you have a lovely Fourth weekend. It will be too hot here. Nice for a few days, but then the temp goes back up near 90 for the weekend. Never fails!

xxx said...

How lucky is he to have you :) xxx

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Just here to wish you a Happy 4th of July and a wonderful weekend! Love, Janine XO

Marguerite said...

Happy you're home, again and with such wonderful new ideas for cooking. Eating vegan/vegetarian will not only give you a lot more energy, but will add years to your life. Cheers!

Woman in a Window said...

Oh, the love in your home. (I didn't realize he wasn't with you when you were gone. That, in its way, is a bump toward growth, when we leave the safety of our closest love for something new.)

All that stair climbing and preparing - it's not a wonder you lost five pounds!

xo
erin