Entries by Gina

I have been searching for the road back to blogging after my last post which was a tribute to our wonderful AbbeyCat who passed away last week leaving a hole in my heart.

Well, I want to thank Courtney T. who hails from our neighbor to the north, Montreal, Canada, for providing the perfect absurdity to follow up such an emotional outpouring.

Courtney, you are better than an icy cold lemon sorbet - ahh...refreshing!

Continue reading "A Palate Cleanser" »

...that looks exactly like this.



Our dear wonderful kitty friend Abbey left this world Monday night. I miss her more than I can express. The thought of never enjoying a day in the company of her sweetness again makes my heart ache.

She left us rather suddenly after just a few days of lethargy. I tried all I could to help her regain her strength; giving her water from a medicine dropper and food from my pinky. I held her tiny weak body next to mine hoping to impart health through the love I hoped she'd absorb from me. In the end, she let her daddy know it was time to get her to a place where she could leave us, far away from our happy and lively memories of her. The moment we walked into the emergency vet's office, she began to literally take her dying breaths.

I have never felt so lonely in my own home. I have never felt so alone in my own skin. To say Abbey is part of me is not an overstatement nor an exaggeration. She transcended the 'normal' boundary between species (or maybe I did) to make us friends by any definition that exists. Our relationship was based on our personal brand of communication. I know 'pet people' know what I mean...communication with a cherished pet is something altogether different than with a cherished human. I believe it has to do with the process of bridging the language barrier. Since we don't share a verbal language, we have to rely on other types of communication, which in turn creates and fosters a deep and unique relationship. Other species possess different sensibilities, too, which put them in tune with different aspects of our personalities. In short, only a cat knows you like a cat can know you - and to be known by a cat is a beautiful feeling.

I am privileged to have been known and adored by a very special cat. Abbey filled my life with companionship and laughter. She warmed our home with her steadfast friendship and gentle nature. We shared our many moods and rhythms with her. In turn, she made us privy to the exquisite bliss to be found in a belly rub and a snuggle on a warm blanket.

I know that in time the hole will be filled with cherished memories of Abbey from the fifteen years she spent nuzzled in our lives and hearts. Eventually I will look at a picture of her basking upside down in her favorite sunny spot or remember how she loved to sit in her "cubby" in our headboard and a smile will cross my face. She will be forever my Original Upside Down Cat in my header and heart. For now, though, the wound is raw and the sting is sharp. My best kitty friend and I will make no new memories.

Abbey, not a day went by that I didn't thank my lucky stars for you. I only hope that we gave you the best life possible, filled with abundant love, deep devotion and all the chicken your heart desired. You deserved that and more, Sweet Poopy Girl.

Abbey Road Tilbrook Blitstein

May 8, 1994 - June 15, 2009

^ ^ ^ ^ ^
This side up.



Abbey - as comfy as a kitty can get.

This entry could be considered part deux to my continuing saga of reinventing myself...
(You may want to read part one from earlier this week for some background...)

Although I've always been self-employed as a child care provider, there has always been a writer living inside me, awaiting the opportunity to be realized. In my case, life happened and squashed my ability to pursue writing as a career. In fact, English was my first choice as a college major. Upon considering my choices for careers with that degree, however, I changed my mind as a high school senior and studied human development instead. Through the years the writing urge has survived. People have often told me I had a "way with words" - an ability to clearly and compellingly express ideas. I have always felt I could express myself in writing much better than I could verbally.

Okay, so thanks to our economic climate, I find myself with a nearly non-existent daycare business. For the first time, I actually have the chance to seriously pursue writing...but making a living at it...that's the rub for me. I've proven I can make a living at child care...provided I have actual clients - which I don't at present. It is very scary to step into an untried field after twenty years and truly believe I can make a living at something completely new - even if it would fulfill a lifelong dream. While I am trying to see this as the opportunity (or kick in the pants) I've been waiting for all these years, I feel that I'm literally starting my life over from scratch. This pursuit of my heart's desire will also exercise completely different "working muscles" than I've ever used. While my husband is as supportive as humanly possible, I feel this decision and its consequences are on me. I have no safety net - emotional or financial, no Plan B...this is all I've got.

Continue reading "When I Grow Up To Be A Writer" »

I'm preparing for a busy week ahead by planning our meals for the week in advance. Here's what I'll be cooking up this week.

 

Chicken Bacon Ranch Burgers, French Fries & Mixed Greens Salad

Roast Beef, Homemade Biscuits & Oven Roasted Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrots

Breaded Tilapia, Buttered Rice Medley & Mixed Greens Salad

Bucatini w/ Chicken & Broccoli in Alfredo Sauce

Mexican Beef & Vegetable Soup & Homemade Cornbread

Breakfast Cornbread Bake w/ Eggs, Bacon & Cheese Sauce

 

Look out - here comes a new week!

If I were in therapy right now the theme of my sessions would center around the issue of being - or at least feeling - insignificant. It's a touchy subject for me and I'll tell you why...

I am the youngest of seven children in my family - born 12 years after my youngest sister and 21 years after my oldest. I was born into a house full of adults with adult needs, issues and concerns. Once I ceased being the cute little novelty baby, I graduated into a kid with kid needs, issues and concerns. There wasn't a lot of energy spent doting on my emotional needs because that adult life buzzed incessantly throughout the house. While love abounded, patience for trivial matters was slim. It was made clear to me that my emotions were of the "childish" type and simply didn't carry as much weight as those of the adults. No one intended to belittle me with this attitude - it's just the way things worked in my big, busy family.

Continue reading "Shedding My Invisibility Cloak" »

Our nieces came over to our house yesterday for an Uncle and Aunt Day. They are lovely young ladies, aged 11 and 13, both interested in cooking. This is encouraging to me that there are still young people out there who recognize that food can actually come from that room in the house that has the big box that gets hot and not only from places with neon signs out front. I was so encouraged, in fact, that I offered to teach them how to make my Chicken Parmesan. It is a very simple recipe to prepare and I've never encountered anyone who wasn't impressed when I served it for dinner.

I don't usually follow a recipe unless I'm baking but I wanted to send them home with one so they could cook it for their families - so I typed up what I supposed the quantities would be for six servings. I had them follow it to see if any adjustments were necessary and I'm happy to report that it came out perfectly!

Here it is, as promised. A tasty recipe made with simple ingredients, easy enough for a beginning cook to follow.

Continue reading "A Successful Cooking Lesson at Chez Gina" »

It has been a while since I took the time to post an installment of my What's Cookin'? series! I had to do some early planning this week because I am giving our nieces (ages 11 and 13) a cooking lesson on Saturday. I'm teaching them how to make Chicken Parmesan and sending them home with a recipe so they can make it for their families. We'll see if I can make an impression on the next generation's appreciation for the culinary arts...

At any rate, I have - as usual - planned our meals for the upcoming week in advance. This week is different only in that I am actually posting it for all the world to see (or at least my handful of readers). Here's what will be cooking in my kitchen over the next few days:

 

Chicken, Rice & Refried Bean Burritos w/ Lettuce, Tomatoes & Cheddar-Jack Cheese

Polish Sausage, Potato & Onion Pierogies & Creamy Coleslaw

Eggs in a Rye Bread Frame, Hash Brown Potatoes w/ Sausage & Cheddar-Horseradish Sauce

Chicken Parmesan, Bow-Tie Pasta w/ Butter & Garlic & Tossed Salad

Bacon, Egg & Cheese "Boats" & Hash Brown Potatoes

Lamb Meatballs, Rice Pilaf w/ Toasted Walnuts & Oven-Roasted Asparagus

Chicken-Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes & Turnip/Mustard/Collard Greens w/ Bacon

Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches on Toasted Garlic Rolls, French Fries & Mixed Greens Salad

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese & Oven-Roasted Broccoli/Cauliflower/Carrot Medley

Homemade Ravioli Filled w/ Ground Veal & Ricotta in Garlic-Butter Sauce & Mixed Greens Salad

Asian Sesame Marinated Sirloin Tip Steak, Steamed White Rice & Broccoli Spears w/ Garlic

 

It feels good to post my menu again...really, I will try to do it more regularly! Once in a while I've had requests for the recipes for dishes I've listed in my What's Cookin'? series. While I am very flattered, the fact is that most of the time I don't use recipes - except for baking, of course. My cooking tends to be of the "off the top of my head" variety. This week, however, since I need to write up a recipe to give our nieces, I will post my Chicken Parmesan recipe, so stay tuned if you want an easy, yet impressive recipe.

Some days are just...weird. When you wake up in the morning you have a certain expectation of what the day will hold. Usually it's the same old routine, especially on a Thursday. Yesterday did not follow that pattern, however...

A couple days ago we received a call from a supervisor at DirecTV. He told us that in a routine monitoring of our satellite signal, he discovered it was deteriorating. While we had noticed nothing at all wrong with our signal, we agreed to have a technician come for a free service call to check out our dish. The technician arrived around 3:00 yesterday, and climbed up on the roof to inspect the situation. He happily returned to us in the house to report that the dish only needed a slight adjustment and that our signal was already improved. We thanked him and he left to gather his equipment.

As he pulled his ladder away from our house, well... perhaps a picture would say it best:

Continue reading "No Ordinary Day" »

I have previously mused about the subject of how becoming a "professional" writer might affect my love of writing and/or my ability to write what and when I want. Well, recently I've had the opportunity to explore that very question. In February I was privileged to be hired as a writer for a Women in Business web site. I am writing syndicated content that will be sold to other sites on the topics of Finance, Technology, Procurement, Mentoring and Work/Life as they pertain to women business owners. I was thrilled to see the assignments rolling in quickly and steadily - it fueled my passion. The things I needed to do and learn to get up to speed really consumed my March, though. As you can woefully see, I posted here on my own blog only once last month.

Continue reading "Writing And Preservation And Deadlines...Oh, My!" »