It’s time to draft a reply to the Commissioner of Labor’s statement appealing the judge’s determination that I am entitled to unemployment benefits. Anything related to this process sucks up all my enthusiasm and creativity, so I’m working hard to finish in order to return to life.
Entirely unrelated to Red Violet, here are three summer foods that have brightened our week.
1. A guava that I found at Whole Foods on Tuesday for $3.14. The cashier didn’t even know what it was–I should have said “yes” when she asked if it was a pear. Mr. Campbell hasn’t had one since he was a child in Jamaica, and my brother and I loved climbing guava trees in the Philippines to pick them, so it was a special treat.
2. Two cups of chopped fresh mango for mango chutney over our grilled, curried chicken. It was delicious. The recipe is here if you’re interested. I used a tablespoon of curry powder, and it wasn’t at all overpowering.
3. Boiled peanuts that we cooked in our crockpot overnight. If you’ve ever visited the South, you may have tried boiled peanuts at a roadside stand. I prefer the less salty version that I grew up with in Vietnam and the Philippines, so it was great to be able to boil the peanuts ourselves.
Each of these foods has reminded me to notice and enjoy the little things in life that bring pleasure. It’s good to take a break from the practical every now and then to have an adventure, even if it’s as small as a piece of fruit.
There is one more thing brought me pleasure yesterday: my Ann Taylor dress arrived. I’ll go into more detail soon.
