Dark Chocolate Waffles & Oscar Talk

I know, I know, every year I hit ya with some sort of scrumptious appetizer to create for your Oscar party.  This year, I'm a total slacker (where are the days going?) but I have these insanely good waffles to share with you.  By all means, make them for Oscar day - breakfast, lunch, dinner - nothing wrong with that.  I wish someone would invite me to a party where they served waffles.  Hint hint wink wink.  But really this post is just an excuse for Oscar talk, which right now, is the best kind of talk.  

Yeasted Brown-Butter Waffles & How Ren Got Her Groove Back

“I hope you live a life you’re proud of.  If you find you’re not, 

I hope you have the strength to start all over again."  ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

This post title sounds like it could have been an episode of the Oprah show, but bear with me.  There's a waffle recipe at the end of it.  I've never been on a roller coaster, but 2013 sure as hell felt like it.  Highs, lows, good, bad and everything in between.  It started off badly, with a break-up not unlike the Post It Episode.  Just swap in a text message and you get the drift.  I was very, very sad then very, very angry.  Looking back, it's hard to read those early 2013 posts.  My mind and my heart were all over the place, and at times the sadness was all consuming.  I leaned on my family and friends as much as I could; surrounded by all things that made me happy and gave me comfort.  The kind words left here were like a warm blanket - thank you.  I prayed for time to quicken so I could get out of the darkness.  Somewhere along the line, a few months in, I realized that the sadness and anger weren't doing much for my complexion nor my spirit.  When I looked in the mirror I didn't recognize the eyes staring back.  Bloodshot, tired, not bright and shining.  Enough was enough. I couldn't change what had happened, but I could change how I carried on, forging forth.  I went away for a bit, which helped tremendously.  A change of scenery always does a girl good.   And then there was that pesky gallbladder surgery to deal with.  Never had I been more afraid, but obviously, I survived to tell the tale.  The downtime also did me good - got me thinking about what I wanted to do when I grew up; what I could change that would me happier.  As serendipity, or luck, or whatever you want to call it would have it, a phone call out of the blue changed my career path, and because of that one phone call I'm doing something I love so much.  There's plenty to be said about being lifted out of a rut - emotionally, professionally, mentally.  Once one thing falls into place, so many other good things follow.  And that's where I sit now.  As I cross the threshold of a new year tonight, I will for sure give a little whoop.  I did it.  I plowed through obstacles that at times seemed insurmountable.  With those last dying seconds before midnight, I will be grateful for it all.  

Mending: Lemon Poppy Seed Waffles with Crème Fraîche

I can't tell you how nice it is to be sitting at my desk again, with a cup of green tea keeping me company.  Happily, and with massive amounts of relief, I'm here to tell you my surgery last week was successful, and I'm on the mend.  Recovery has been slow, but each day I get more mobile as the pain is lessened.  Today is the second day with no pain killers (woo hoo!) and considering my gallbladder was removed via my belly button, I think I'm doing just fine.  Though now I'm beginning to feel rather house-bound, and probably talking to my cats more than is normal healthy.  So far they haven't talked back, so we're good.  I've not fallen into the trap that is daytime TV, but I would by lying if I told you I didn't watch the cast of Mad Men on Katie yesterday.  It's that Jon Hamm.  He pulls me in.  My PVR has been put to good use, catching up on movies I recorded months ago, and I'm reading so much I can't remember the last time I've devoted a few hours every day to a good book.  Sometimes I fall asleep with it on my face, but that's real life.  Meals have been simple, with friends and family dropping off food and groceries, and I'm so glad I stocked my freezer well.  Doctor's orders not to lift anything heavier than 10 pounds for 2 more weeks so grocery shopping is not in my near future.  Hopefully by the weekend I'll be strong enough to venture out and sip an iced coffee on a patio somewhere.  But until then I'm content I suppose, doing small things with ease and giving my body what it needs to make a full recovery.