Weekend Coffee Share

 

If we were having coffee, I'd say it sure had been a long time. With my former job, which required we work 60 hours a week, I had no time for coffee or catching up with friends. Originally, I thought the 10 per day 6 days a week would last 90 days, but it went on and on. Some had been putting in those hours for 4 years. Yikes. When we were forced to work on Saturdays rather than choose to work either Saturday or Sunday and my back, neck and wrist were starting to hurt, I decided to leave. This is my second week of freedom! I'm happy to say my neck, wrist and even back feel a lot better.

I was able to visit the Chicago Botanic Garden on Tuesday. I took my aunt and uncle to see Orchid Show: Untamed. It was my second visit and I'm taking my friend Patti next week. The garden did a wonderful job of displaying thousands of orchids and lots of facts about this unique flower that grows on every continent except Antartica. Did you know there are orchids in Siberia? Yep. There are.

Last Saturday I had my aunt, uncle and 2 cousins for dinner. I experimented and made some recipes from my time in Jinan, China. I had to scour the internet to find these recipes for Chinese Beef Stew with Star Anise and Apples with Spun Sugar. I easily found a recipe for cucumber in rice wine vinegar and an old favorite that I actually never ate in China, Asparagus 

I had a great time visiting the new Asian (mainly Korean) markets near by. I wish they gave tours because there was so much I didn't know even though I lived in Korea for 4 years. Things have changed since 2007 when I left. Lots more frozen and ready-to-eat items. 

I've put in an application for substitute teaching with two nearby districts. Both have increased their pay rates, as they should. I figure that will be good while I look for something more permanent. 

I've discovered a couple new TV shows I like. One's the Julia Child Challenge on Food Network. I like these cooking competitions and this one involves Julia fans who must quickly make dishes that either use her techniques or are inspired by Julia's life. It does make me want to try a few of these dishes.

Next is UK PD, a real cop show about the police in Derbyshire who keep the streets safe arresting reckless drivers who often turn out to have committed other crimes, e.g. theft, drug dealing, arms trafficking, etc. It's fast-paced and I've learned a thing or two like Chicago isn't the only city with crazy drivers and car theives and it's easy for criminals to clone those keys for "key-less" cars. Next time I buy a car, it'll be one with an old fashioned key.

I recently finished reading Eric Hoffer's Reflections on the Human Condition, which is  brilliant. Hoffer is known as the Longshoreman Philosopher. Blind much of his childhood, he didn't get much formal schooling. When he gained his sight, he became an avid reader, but his father died when he was a young teen and he had to work rather than finish school. He wound up teaching himself mostly while working on the docks or in the fields. He's so observant and wise. What's more he's easy to read. I can't think of another modern philosopher who is.