Author: Cynthia

Drunko Bunco

by Cynthia, posted in Friends and Family

To avoid insulting any of our readers, I submit my disclaimer at the top. No one is drunk! So, how did this all come about?

For years my sister had told me how fun Bunco has been for her.  I had no clue what Bunco was other than some kind of card game.  I have never been great at card games. A couple of times I tried my hand at Bridge but found that players were quite serious. Game is a play or sport, which to me signals fun. Taking a game seriously wasn’t my cup of tea, so to speak.

A friend of mine invited me to join a group of women who thought they may enjoy a monthly game of Bunco.  I attended the organizational meeting to learn about the game and to visit with other women while eating luscious food with a glass of wine.

At the meeting guidelines for participation were set. We were to meet once a month, rotating hostesses. We would serve wine and hors d’oeuvres and limit the ante to $10. Each of us left believing we had a game plan (excuse the pun) and looking forward to the next month’s gathering.

The following month we met once again to play Bunco. Appetizers and wine were served as we awaited the arrival of someone who actually knew how to play Bunco. That person never arrived. So we ate, had a glass or two of wine, and visited happily. We would learn how to play the next month.

The third get-together arrived and … you guessed it! No one knew how to play Bunco. We decided our best option was simply to get together once a month to chat, eat, and have a glass of wine. One of the girls laughingly said, “Well, here we are. The Drunko Bunco ladies.”  We all had a good laugh. When the invitation went out to gather the next month, the email subject line said: Drunko Bunco. So here we are, several years later, meeting regularly for dinner and a glass of wine and not playing cards.

A Planner for a Planner

by Cynthia, posted in Taking Care of Business

In these days of e-Everything, I, as many of you, use an electronic calendar.  I can call up my appointments on my desktop computer, tablet, or phone at any time of day or night. However, I still like to use a paper planner.  For me a planner is more than just a calendar. The planner is a daily journal, an organizer, a thinking tool, and – well – a planner!

Until recently, I had planners going back more than ten years.  Begrudgingly, I finally recycled the pages after perusing the years of activity and notes. I have to admit it was hard.  As with pictures, planners serve me as memory joggers. Some notations make me smile; others are bittersweet; all provide snippets of my life for a year’s time.

Interesting, too, is how life evolves from year to year.  Engrossed in our days, weeks, and months, we may not be aware of our focus and how we navigate our lives. Yet looking back we begin to see patterns lending themselves to those things important to us at the time.

Each year I look at many planners before selecting just the right one. You might say planners are like jewelry or perfume – very personal. [grin] My current planner is an 8” x 10” spiral-bound book that includes a two-page spread for each month, two-page spread for each week, and note pages. Each month is separated by a designed cardstock page followed by an inspirational quote from a famous person.  Although I selected this year’s planner, my sister purchased it for me for my birthday last October.

During the fall I may begin making notes that occur into the next year. Hair and doctors’ appointments that are scheduled months in advance. Concerts and theater performances in which tickets are purchased ahead of time. Pre-paid travel and excursions. And birthdays to be celebrated! I even include notes of when to plant certain flowers, fauna, and foliage.

In addition to appointments, I include current daily and weekly items. Things to do.  I write down phone calls I need to make, notes to write, special checks to write or gifts to send. Being retired, it is easy to waste the day away and then think, “I should have done this today.” By jotting notes about what to accomplish that week, I am reminded and more likely to complete the task. Plus, I get the added pleasure of checking off the task!

As you can tell, I enjoy using a planner.  It may sound like a lot of work, but in reality I simply jot down the tasks, reminders, and lists and then glance at the planner once or twice a day, depending on how much I have going on. And I embellish with stickers for colorful fun. But that obsession is for another blog post.  Happy planning!

Presto Pesto!

by Cynthia, posted in Uncategorized

Summer elicits scents of lemons, freshly cut grass, and the fragrance of herbs growing in the garden.  Sage, thyme, mint, oregano, and rosemary grow in large pots on a patio crafted from pavers. Yet my favorite of the summer herbs can be found in two oblong planters on my deck, within easy reach of the kitchen. Basil finds its way into caprese trays, salads, omelets, even sandwiches.

How does one keep the flavor of summer all year around? Pesto! The word is derived from an Italian word (pestare) meaning “to pound; to crush.” Traditionally, basil leaves are crushed in a mortar.  My version (as with many other home cooks) uses a blender.  The hardest part of making pesto is … well … there isn’t a hard part!

Late in Spring or early summer I buy four-to-six basil plants, put two or three in each of two containers on my deck, and sit back and watch them grow. Of course I water them. If the plants look a little droopy I add more water and they perk up as if to say “hey, thanks!” when the stems are six-to-eight inches tall, I clip them and start the process.  I just finished my second batch of pesto for the year.  My pesto is frozen into cubes using a large ice cube tray. Once frozen, I put a cube into a snack bag and place all the snack bags into a freezer bag marked with the date.

Supposedly, pesto lasts two weeks in the refrigerator or six months in the freezer. Frankly, properly storing the cubes allows me to stretch the use of the sauce throughout the winter; that is, if any is left! Of course you can buy pesto but homemade omits preservatives. Plus, isn’t there just a little bit of pride that swells in you when you declare “I made that!”

 I cannot begin to list the many ways I have used pesto, but here I am providing a few suggestions.

  1. Mix into dips. Mix pesto into sour cream, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or guacamole
  2. Serve over baked brie
  3. Drizzle over breakfast eggs
  4. Turn waffles/pancakes into savory breakfast fare
  5. Replace pizza sauce or use as a base for flatbreads
  6. Bake into bread
  7. Spread on slices of bread or bruschetta and top with tomatoes or tuna or white beans
  8. Mix with mayonnaise or use as is on a sandwich.
  9. Make a pesto schmear by mixing it with cream cheese to serve on bagels
  10. Stir into grain, rice, or chicken salads
  11. Thin with more olive oil or vinegar for a salad dressing
  12. Whisk into buttermilk for an Italian version of ranch dressing
  13. Replace butter with pesto to garnish vegetables
  14. Serve on baked potato
  15. Season grilled steak, pork chops, chicken fish, meatloaf or meatballs
  16. Garnish a soup; or mix in while simmering soup
  17. Make pesto fritters (1 cup each ricotta and chopped spinach; ½ cup flour, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, and pesto; ½ teaspoon baking powder. Chill 30 minutes. Deep fry until golden, about 4 minutes. Serve with marinara
  18. Mix with butter
  19. Slather on corn
  20. Spread onto baked sweet potatoes
  21. Mix with tortellini, linguini, ravioli, — any kind of pasta. Add veggies!
  22. Add to green beans with juice of ½ a lemon
  23. Mix into potato salad or egg salad
  24. Add to hummus
  25. Make pesto croutons
  26. Mix into Caesar dressing for a Pesto Caesar salad
  27. Bake a quesadilla with pesto, mushrooms, and veggies
  28. Slather on a grilled cheese sandwich
  29. Dab grilled peaches and burrata with drizzles of pesto
  30. Slather on grilled corn-on-the-cob
  31. Add to tomato soup
  32. Mix with tartar sauce for salmon cakes
  33. Spoon over swordfish, shrimp, etc.
  34. Add to white beans along with extra garlic and pinch of red pepper flakes.
  35. Mix into cornbread batter
  36. Serve with fries
  37. The possibilities are endless … and, YOU can think of some more!

Pesto is traditionally made with pine nuts, basil, pecorino, parmesan, garlic, and olive oil. Now other combinations of seeds, herbs, cheese, and oil are making their way into the sauce scene under the moniker of pesto.  Those combinations, I will save for another foodie post. Enjoy!

Joy in Receiving as in Giving

by Cynthia, posted in Friends and Family

One of my acquaintances recently had shoulder replacement surgery. I was among several friends who gladly provided meals for her and her husband. I knew how helpful a few prepared, home-cooked meals would be.

I was reminded of the time several years ago when I had a bone removed from my wrist and a plate installed to keep my hand from flopping around.  The visual is comical; the surgery was not.

When I am not feeling well, I just want to sleep – uninterrupted.  So I told my friends I did not need anything from them. Even my mother came to stay. I asked her not to keep coming into my room to “check on me.” It was disconcerting trying to sleep, knowing someone was watching every few minutes. (Several years later, my mother still complains that I didn’t want her help. I had hurt her feelings, unintentionally.)

A couple of weeks into recovery my arm was still puffed up like a balloon and I was in major pain. I did not want to take pain pills that make one’s mind do weird things while I was alone. My cousin came with food she had picked up from Whole Foods. Several different and yummy dishes.  She opened the containers and lightly put the lids over the top, as I had no use of my hand. She saved me!  From that moment on, I realized how important it is to let people help me.

I like helping others. When they don’t accept my help, it takes away my joy. With that in mind, I learned when people offer to help it is because they want to help; not because they feel obligated. Being a gracious recipient is harder for many women than being a gracious provider. We need to remember to accept help as readily as we offer to give.

The Dirty Dozen

by Cynthia, posted in Wellness

Admittedly, I lean towards healthy eating and a fairly health lifestyle. I have been a vegetarian for most of my life. My mother often told the story of four-year-old Cynthia who was very thin and would not eat. Mom was a good cook, offering meat, potatoes, salad, and a vegetable at almost every evening meal.

Mom and daddy took me to the doctor to resolve this problem. Dr. Campbell, the family doctor, suggested they let me fill my own plate and they quit nagging me about eating.  They did both. Within days I began eating … mostly the vegetables. I ate a bite or two of meat but focused on salads, fruits, and vegetables. Growing up, my go-to after-school snack was a combination salad with thousand island dressing and Ritz crackers. Occasionally, I enjoy that combination today, although most of my salad dressings are oil and acid-based (vinegars, citrus) these days.

Research has shown the adage of “you are what you eat” holds true. As an adult, it is no wonder I turn to organic choices whenever possible. The idea of eating products covered with pesticides and laced with hormones makes my skin crawl. To help my shopping for clean foods, I found the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce” a helpful resource. They publish an annual Dirty Dozen tm and Clean Fifteen tm which lists the produce grown with the most pesticides and least pesticides, respectively. (See the link below.) The EWG also lists foods in the middle of the spectrum.

Forty-six foods were tested with over 46,000 samples for 2024.  At the top of the pesticide-infested scale are strawberries, spinach, kale and related greens, grapes, peaches, pears, nectarines, apples, bell and hot peppers, cherries, blueberries, and green beans. If I cannot find these in organic options, I simply do not purchase them.

The website indicates the following “19 items were included in the fruit and vegetable testing data from the USDA and FDA but do not fall into either the Dirty Dozen or Clean Fifteen lists.” They are tomatoes, winter squash, cherry tomatoes, celery lettuce, tangerines cucumbers, summer squash, broccoli, potatoes, plums, eggplant, raspberries, grapefruit, snap peas, oranges, cantaloupe, bananas, and cauliflower.

Those items that have the least amount of pesticides include carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, mushrooms, watermelon, cabbage, kiwi, honeydew melon, asparagus, frozen sweet peas, papaya, onions, pineapple, sweet corn, and avocados.

Noted is that sweet corn, papaya, and summer squash sold in the US are produced from genetically modified seeds. IF GMOs are a concern for you, by organic varieties.

Buying organic can be more expensive, so many people opt for non-organic products. My philosophy dictates that I would rather pay more now for healthy food than for doctors and pharmaceuticals later. Obviously, each person must weigh his/her values, beliefs, and options.

For more information see:  https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/full-list.php

The Idea of You

by Cynthia, posted in Reviews

Mom and I recently watched a a romantic comedy starring Ann Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, and Ella Rubin, among others. Based on a novel by Robinne Lee, the film was a delightful flick about a 40-year-old single mother who, through a series of unexpected events, becomes involved with a 24-year-old boy band star. Her daughter is 16.

On a basic level, the movie was sweet, sometimes sad, sometimes funny. Refreshingly, there were few curse words and sexual innuendoes were suggested and limited. The film was a nice reprieve from the many dark movies now on the market. Finding a movie that can be understood and enjoyed by a 95-year-old with mild dementia and a 70-year-old who is trying to fill an evening while confined to quarters is a challenge. Especially when almost every night a movie is entertainment.

The story weaves the lives of a divorced mother of a teenager whose father (and his girlfriend) is still in the picture, the coming-of-age girl, and the challenges of a hot rock star. It highlights the various tribulations caused by living a modern life — the indignant father who himself had cheated on his wife, the daughter who is supportive until her friends at school begin making snide remarks, and the rock star who has trouble trusting someone’s intentions.

A disappointing twist (not from the picture but from the way people react) was highlighted when all kinds of people expressed their judgmental opinions as to the morals of the mother.  Why do we in society find acceptable a man who dates or marries at woman 20 years younger yet when a woman dates a man sixteen years younger, she is labeled with various negative descriptors? The idea highlights continued gender and age-related injustices. Personally, I appreciated the film broaching this issue. I believe each of us has our own challenges in life and we are not aware of anyone else’s situation. Therefore, let us not judge others.

All-in-all I thoroughly enjoyed viewing the film for the social issues raised, yet more importantly for the sheer pleasure of the story line. The Idea of You is available on Prime Video. Enjoy!

Cynthia

When Life Gives You Lemons ….

by Cynthia, posted in Uncategorized

One of my favorite aunts has a birthday two days before Independence Day. Naturally, people like to give her patriotic-themed gifts. This year I decided to branch out, so to speak. I wanted to do something special for her that wasn’t red, white, and blue.  Don’t get me wrong. I love America, Old Glory, Red/White/Blue, and patriotic décor. Yet it seems everyone gives her July 4th types of gifts.

Aunt Kathy is always going the extra mile for her friends and family. She works tirelessly at hosting dinners and parties, always presenting perfectly designed food and tablescapes. Nothing I do can match her expertise. Still, I wanted to select a theme that was timely and befitting such an elegant woman.

My cousin’s wife who helped with the party suggested spaghetti and marinara for the menu. I began thinking “Italian.”  Gift shopping at a favorite local interior design store, I came across a cookbook entitled “Lemon, Love, and Olive Oil” by Mina Stone. Next to the book was displayed lemon-infused olive oil.  I was reminded of my visit to the Amalfi Coast and a lemon farm. Perfect! The theme would be lemons! Bright yellow as the summer sun, sweet as lemonade, and cheery for a hot summer evening.

I curated a basket with the cookbook, olive oil, and a few lemon-related items — Lemon pepper, a zester tool with a juicer on the other end, a pour spout for the oil, lemon motif tea towel, and some additional lemon/kitchen items. I dotted the items with artificial lemons and spruced up the basket with yellow silk flowers.  The basket became part of the dining room décor until after dinner when she opened gifts.


Antipasto platters are amazing for appetizers and to complement pasta. Pickled vegetables, a variety of both hard and soft cheeses, sliced figs, grapes, marcona almonds, prosciutto and salami served with crostini made for yummy munching.

Dinner consisted of a pasta bar, fruit tray, and antipasto platter which also served as the appetizer while guests enjoyed iced tea or lemonade. (This crew does not imbibe so wine was not served, but a crisp sauvignon blanc or chianti would go perfectly.) Pasta bars can be elaborate, but for only eight people I kept it simple – bucatini (instead of spaghetti), farfalle, and a gluten-free penne could be topped with meatballs, sautéed vegetables, and homemade marinara or alfredo sauces. Soft, warm, garlic bread sticks rounded out the main course.

For the fruit tray I made watermelon and cantaloupe balls sprinkled with blueberries served in the small watermelon shell at the corner of a large square tray, accompanied by sliced nectarines, avocados, strawberries, apricots, apples, and sprigs of green and red grapes.

Of course dessert had to include lemon bars. My cousin’s wife brought Bundtinis in lemon, and three additional flavors. I had planned to make gelato but ran out of time. No one seemed to miss the ice cream.

Most of the food could be made the day before, so only the pasta was cooked an hour before guests were to arrive. Usually I would not slather pasta with olive oil, but I read several sources that suggested a high-grade olive oil would keep the pasta from drying out while keeping it warm. It worked fine. The key was to enjoy the guests upon arrival.

The evening was hot outside, the feeling inside warm and inviting. Family members talked and laughed or as the saying goes, ate, drank, and made merry.  Although the theme was lemons, the evening was sweet, befitting for one of my favorite people.

Organizing Holiday Décor

by Cynthia, posted in Lifestyle

Cynthia

I love holidays! In fact, holidays are so fun that I create them, at times. Upon entering my home, one will find a small entry space that opens directly into my “front room” and dining room. My table is always set, inviting guests to join me for a meal or even just a snack, among timely décor each month.  Or they can simply delight in the décor as they pass into my home. This month, of course, is Patriotic. Red, white, and blue adorn the tablescape and spill over into the family room and kitchen.

My granddaughter, who just graduated from college, enjoys the holiday decorating. Each time I pull out another tub of goodies, she says, “Dibs on that one!”  I have collected so much décor over the years that I had to find a way to store it and to prepare for her to take it at some point in the future.

First, I ensure all related items are stored together.  For some themes I have only one box; other themes require more.  Christmas, for example, takes up almost an entire wall of shelves, since we put a theme-related tree in every room. St. Patrick’s Day only needs one tub, although admittedly it is stuffed full!

Next, each box (really, they are plastic tubs) is labeled with my own inventory-type codes. All the tubs are on shelves with the 72-point typeface facing out. Using consistent codes, it is easy to spot which tub I want to pull off the shelves.  Speaking of shelves, my two-car garage is lined with commercial grade shelves on all three walls. The sturdy shelving is safe and has four layers. If I need something out of one box, I no longer must move several tubs to get to the right one.

Finally, the content list of each box is typed and stored in a file folder on my computer.  I can look up the contents of any box quickly.  The plus is, when it is time to put things away, I can look at the list and see what goes into each tub. No guesswork and no re-inventorying.

Obviously, setting all this up took some time. But the time was well spent. Now I save time while getting out and putting away décor, making holiday decorating quick so we can just enjoy the look.

The big bonus of organizing the décor and having an inventory is more than just saving time. I have a list for insurance should I lose my treasures in a fire or other catastrophe. And remember dostadning? When it comes time for my daughter and grandchildren to have to deal with my “valuables” they can easily decide what to keep and what to sell or donate, without looking through all the “stuff.”

For now and later, organizing holiday décor is a great gift to give yourself and your loved ones.

Proud to be an American

by Cynthia, posted in Friends and Family

Fourth of July. Independence Day. Whatever you call it, today is a day to celebrate America.  Although the forefathers declared independence on July 2nd, the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.  Or so the story goes.

For Americans, the national holiday occurs as the temperatures are warming  … or should I say, heating up. The day is filled with parades, cookouts, and fireworks viewed with family and friends.   Children drip popsicles on their sneakers and dads smear barbeque sauce on sizzling meats.

It is a day to honor our country with its official colors – Red, White, and Blue.

“The Star Spangled Banner”, “Proud to be an American”, “Stars and Stripes Forever”, and countless other patriotic songs fill the air. People are friendlier as if celebrating Christmas in July.

For me, it is a day … or a week … to remember my sweet brother who was a proud American. Having served in the Army when the military still had a draft, my brother was always patriotic. Maybe it was fitting that he was passing during last year’s celebration. At 74 his body finally gave out the morning after.

I remember just days before hospice brought a hospital bed for his last days on earth, how important it was to him to ensure a fresh, untattered flag was flying in front of his home. As he struggled to changed out flags and attach the new one to the pole, I ran to the garage in an effort to find better string. I found fishing wire, which worked perfectly.  Once secured, he put the flag pole over his shoulder, stepped up to his walker, and shuffled across the long porch. He struggled to maneuver down three steps making his way to the driveway and the location of the bracket.

He wanted to hang the flag himself. When it didn’t sit quite right, I asked if I could help him lift the pole to the next level of the bracket.  Seated properly, he stared reverently at Old Glory – the Red and White stripes and the White stars on the blue background waving in the breeze, a nod to his love for his Country. Then he turned and made his way back up the steps, across the porch, and into the house, where he immediately sat down and repositioned the oxygen feed to his face. The struggle was real.

At that time, and now – a year later, I am reminded how freedom is not free. Hundreds of thousands of men and women have made the ultimate mental and physical sacrifices for us to be able to celebrate this day. My wish for today is that each person who lives on American soil will take at least a brief moment to reflect. Sure, America has challenges. Yet, we are still lucky to live in this country. To enjoy freedom and independence. Yes, I am proud to be an American. Happy 4th!

Cynthia

Reiki Healing

by Cynthia, posted in Wellness

Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing, according to William Lee Rand in his book Reiki: The Healing Touch. It is primarily a hands-on transfer of energy from an attuned individual to another person, animal, or object. Reiki has become more popular in the West over the past few decades.

All my life I have had an interest in what some would term the esoteric. As a young person I understood the colors of energy and the importance of putting positivity into a room. I was uncomfortable in crowds as the energy from many different people was overwhelming. Of course I was much older and had studied a lot before I really began to understand what I was feeling.

I met a lovely woman who shared with me she was an alcoholic. She said she frequently heard voices and drank to numb her mind and make the voices cease. Eventually, she learned to accept she had a gift and began to embrace the voices. She stopped drinking.  While my experiences were different, sharing this information helped me accept my own level of understanding.  I knew when the time was right, an answer would appear.

When I first learned about Reiki, I could not pinpoint. Yet I do know that two different opportunities arose for me to become familiar with the protocols.  I worked my way through the first and second degrees of Reiki and then was invited to be attuned at both the third degree and the “master” degree, which allowed me then to pass on the tradition.

An acquaintance, many years ago, rejected me because of my use of Reiki, saying it was sacrilegious.  She professed to be a Christian, yet I found her to be quite judgmental without attempting to understand my perspective or to recognizing the many references to people as healers in the Bible. Reiki is not a religion. It is, however, a way of life for those who practice seriously.

For the most part, I use Reiki as a guidepost to daily living.  Dr. Mikao Usui Reiki ideals are a guidepost for living positively. I begin each day citing aloud a translated and abbreviated version. This prayer gives me peace and wellness throughout the day.

Just for today, I will let go of worry.

Just for today, I will let go of anger.

Today, I will count my many blessings.

Today, I will work hard on my spirituality.

Today, I will be kind to all living things.

~Cynthia