A Fractured Bone and Broken Plans

The Life Altering Impact of a Broken Bone

My daughter was supposed to be in Ecuador last week on an environmental service trip with other college students, doing some reforestation and working at a high school. Instead, she spent her spring break at home in Montana on crutches with a broken foot. After so much anticipation and planning for this trip to South America, her disappointment was palpable.

Being home, however, was healing. The swelling, pain and bruising of her foot diminished greatly over the week and she caught up on some much-needed rest. She had not planned to be home at all this spring, so

Easter is early this year

I feel like Easter sort of snuck up on me this year, but that it is probably because it did! Even last week felt like it was just too close to St. Patrick's day to dye eggs and put out Easter decorations!

Easter does not occur on the same date each year.  

It can be observed anywhere between March 22nd and April 25th, depending on the timing of the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. With Easter falling on March 27th this year, that is nearly a month early compared to some other years. So - if you weren't feeling ready for Easter, perhaps it's because it really is very early, compared to many other years. 

Not all schools take their spring break at the same time, and Easter does not always coincide with those breaks. This year, Easter weekend marks the last few days of my daughter's break from college and the first

"An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind."

- Mahatma Gandhi.

Wouldn't our world be a better place if we all used words, not weapons?

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Did You Forget to Wear Green?

All those of Irish decent (and many other people) wear the color green on St Patrick's Day. But do you know why? 

Today I'm sharing a little history about this tradition. And a suggestion for a quick and easy way to keep yourself from getting pinched if you forget to wear green on St. Patrick's Day.

The Wearing of the Green

In the late 1700's, when the Irish rose up against the British, wearing the color green or a shamrock was forbidden, as it was considered a rebellious act. People who were non-compliant with this rule were

The Common Denominator of Pi & Blogs - plus a Pie Crust Recipe

Today is Pi Day and I am (sort of) talking math, as I illustrate the common denominator between pi and blogging. If you don't like arithmetic - don't click away yet! I am also sharing a wonderful pie crust recipe on this day of π!

3.14.16

March 14th has become known as "Pie" or "Pi" day, thanks to the ingenuity and creativity of math teachers attempting to better engage their students in the subject of math. March 14th -- or  3/14 -- is Pi Day because the infinite number of Pi (3.14 ...) begins with the same numbers as this date. 

Pi can be written with an endless number of digits after the four in 3.14, although it is most commonly used in mathematical calculations as 3.14159. Celebrating Pi was an extra big deal in 2015 when the date could

How to Make a Soft and Flexible Cold Pack For Aches and Injuries

It is very easy to make a soft and flexible cold pack, to keep ready in your freezer, for when someone suffers an ache or injury.

Picture this:

• You have a migraine headache
• Your daughter has a black eye
• Your grandson's little index finger got caught in a cupboard door
• Your son just had his wisdom teeth extracted
• Your husband twisted his ankle and it is very tender and swollen
• OR, maybe you just have huge bags under your eyes from a sleepless night!

You know that a cold compress may help, so you pull an ice pack out of your freezer. Then, you

A Pleasant Stay at a Hotel in Houston

I received some compensation for writing this post, but it is an honest review and all opinions are my own.

~~*~~

My family had a pleasant stay at the Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks Hotel in Houston last week. Houston did not feel as "Texan" as I expected, perhaps because we spent most of our time at an event that could have occurred in many other places.

My husband, son, and I flew to Texas to watch my daughter and her college team compete in the Western Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championship meet.

Swim meets can be exhausting (whether you are a swimmer, coach, official, or spectator) and a good night's rest is important. Fortunately, our hotel was both quiet and comfortable.

We knew that if we all stayed at the same hotel, we might get a few extra minutes to spend with our daughter, who wouldn't have much free time. As soon as the team reserved at the Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks, I booked a room for us there as well.

Our reservation was upgraded to a suite on the 18th (top) floor, as part of my compensation for writing this review. 

Our suite was huge and included: 

• a spacious sitting room with a desk and a pull-out couch, both of which were used by my son. The sleeper sofa was as comfortable as you can expect from that sort of bedding.
• a coffee bar/wet bar area with a fridge, coffee maker, and microwave.
•  a good-sized separate bedroom with a king-sized bed. 
• 2 flat-screen TVs and speedy Internet service. 
• a big bathroom with a hair dryer and a makeup mirror. The only entrance to the bathroom was through the main bedroom.

All the appliances and the Internet service worked well. The shower head in our bathroom had various settings, although the water pressure was not as forceful as I usually prefer. When I mentioned this to the staff, I was told that they "want all of their guests to be 100% satisfied" and a maintenance person was sent up to look at it.
The hotel provided dinners for the 40 athletes, 3 coaches, and the bus driver of my daughter's team, in a private eating area. My daughter said there was an ample amount of good food served to them each day, by very friendly staff. Overall, this was a very satisfactory hotel stay for the team.

I heard repeatedly from our athletes and family members how accommodating and friendly the staff were. I found this to be true as well. 

One person mentioned that their room was not very clean, but ours was satisfactory. When two women reported an issue with their bathroom, the hotel took their concerns seriously and moved them to a different room. 

I heard comments about how nice the pillows were, and how much someone liked the hair conditioner provided by the hotel. I loved the scent of the soap and the texture of the lotion.

Our room looked down on busy Houston highway traffic. Being from Montana, we found it entertaining to watch the huge volume of cars that were on the road all the time! At first, I was worried we would hear a lot of road noise, but (at least from the 18th floor) that was not the case at all. Our room was very quiet all of the time.

Although the hotel is older and some people said the carpets should be updated, the lobby is very pretty and has lots of sitting areas. I especially liked the decorative lighting.

The hotel had a well-stocked gift shop and a popular bar area, which was crowded for several nights with guests visiting for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

We enjoyed the full-service/buffet breakfast (an add-on price to room rates) in the on-site restaurant, which provided hot and cold breakfast foods. I am a coffee snob - so we skipped the Folgers coffee and made a stop at Starbucks most mornings on the way to the pool.

For an additional fee, guests can park in the hotel garage, and there is an option for valet parking. We never had any trouble finding a spot in the garage.

The hotel has an outdoor pool, business center, and fitness room.

The Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks is about four miles from downtown, but this was not really an issue for us. The swim meet was held at the University of Houston Natatorium, and it typically took us 20 minutes to drive there from the hotel.

I was told that Houston has been nicknamed "the cement city." While I could find no facts to back this up, the name does fit. The maze of highways and ring roads is mind-boggling, and driving in the traffic is not for the faint of heart! We had to allow extra time to arrive and park on the campus Friday afternoon, as it was also the location of the Republican Presidential debate that day.

I'd never visited Houston before, except when switching planes at the airport. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time to explore the city as the swim meet consumed most of the four days we were there. 

Houston has a very metropolitan feel, with a population of over 2 million people. The days were mostly sunny and warm during our stay. Of course, most of our time was spent in a natatorium that was quite warm, as all pool facilities are!

Despite being in a huge and urban city, we did see a couple things that felt quite Texan, such as several cowboy boot sculptures and lots of "Lone Star" decorations. Twice we had to stop our car and wait for a parade of horses and chuck wagons from the Livestock Show and Rodeo to pass by.

My son wanted some good Texas barbeque, and our lunches at Goode Company Barbeque and Gatlin's BBQ were both excellent.

Taking advantage of the ethnic opportunities of being in a big city, we went to the Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant one night and had an amazing meal.

After the final event of the meet, the team and families gathered at El Tiempo Cantina to celebrate the hard work and achievements at the meet. We enjoyed Tex-Mex cuisine in a large party room; paid tribute to the athletes, coaches, and seniors; and began thinking about gathering again next year.

It is still to be determined where the WAC 2017 Swimming and Diving Championship meet will be - but if it is at the University of Houston, I would not be surprised if the team considers staying at the Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks hotel again.

It was a fun trip to Texas, and now I am counting the days until we see our daughter again!

 Have you ever been to Texas?

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!

How to Get Every Last Bit of Lotion Out of the Bottle!

Are you tired of wasting money because you can't get every last bit of your lotion out of the bottle it was packaged in? Do you find it frustrating to have to bang the bottle against your palm, hoping to use up the rest of the product that the pump dispenser can't pull up?

I've never been able to solve the problem of wasting the dredges of my lotions - until last week!

While getting ready to fly to Houston last week, I needed to refill my travel-sized jar with my

A Simple Trick for Hanging Up a Sweater

I have been storing sweaters all wrong. 

Today I am sharing a technique for hanging up a sweater that's so simple and so brilliant, I can't believe I haven't known it until now!

Have you ever put on a sweater, only to see that one or both shoulders had become badly puckered from being hung up? Sometimes it's even necessary to rewash and reshape the sweater to make it presentable

An Impressive Dessert Recipe: Easy Molten Chocolate Cakes

Have you ever needed a recipe for an impressive dessert? Did you consider baking Molten Chocolate Cakes, but decided they were too difficult? If so, I have the perfect easy recipe for you!

Mindy, a fictional character in a short story I have been writing, is the reason for my discovery of this recipe. In the most recent chapter, Mindy was preparing a Valentine's Day dinner for her boyfriend Ryan and hoping it would inspire him to offer her a marriage proposal. Due to unexpected circumstances Ryan may never

An Unexpected Surprise for Valentine's Day

I think you may be surprised by what Ryan has in store for Mindy this Valentine's day. 

It's been a while since I have written a chapter of "The Mindy Story", but I am publishing one today! As with the rest of this short story, Words for Wednesday word prompts (provided this week on the blog Elephant's Child) are woven into this chapter. 

To catch up with "The Mindy Story" so far, here are links to all the previous segments: 

Part 1, Cleaning Products Don't Work Unless You Use Them
Part 2, A Perfect Match
Part 3, Fiction, Sangria, Roasted Red Pepper Spread and a Picnic
Part 4, Stitches and an Uncomfortable Surprise
Part 5, A Banana Relapse will Require a Repair
Part 6, Capturing Fruit Flies & Wine Glasses for Two
Part 7, A Coffee Date and Cathedral Windows
Part 8, Chicken Broth and Walnuts - - Oops!
Part 9, A Mystery and a Secret
Part 10, Blue Bird - Blue Bell - - Blue Bonnet!
Part 11, Lemonade and a Pleasant Conversation
Part 12, A Photo Album, a Lunar Event and a Furry Friend
Part 13, France and a Friendship  

 When you are ready, here is Part 14  ...

Another chapter in the unpredictable life of Mindy ...

An Unexpected Surprise for Valentine's Day 

The instructions indicated that she should grease the pans. Using a piece of waxed paper, Mindy carefully smeared dabs of butter to coat the bottom and sides of each ceramic ramekin completely. 

The recipe Mindy was following was one which her cousin had posted on Facebook. Apparently whenever she serves these warm Molten Chocolate Cakes, everyone says they are exquisite.

She was hoping that Ryan would give rave reviews after his first bite of hers, but she sort of doubted that he would. Ever since his return from Paris just before Christmas, he had just seemed so ambivalent about everything. It was like a light switch had been turned off. He and Mindy were still spending a lot of time together, but it always felt like his mind was somewhere else. The energetic, enthusiastic man he used to be seemed to have been replaced by a zombie.

“The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” thought Mindy grimly, as she got out her standing mixer.  “Or, so the saying goes. Well, I’m giving it my best shot.”

Mindy had spent a lot of time planning the elaborate Valentine’s Day dinner she was making for Ryan. She felt like it was her last chance at securing a future with him. If these efforts and the bold little pink dress and stiletto heels she planned to wear tomorrow didn’t aim Cupid’s arrow directly into Ryan’s heart, she didn’t know anything that would.

The evolution of their relationship from secure and comfortable to distant and uncertain had happened practically overnight. Mindy had been sure that when Ryan had returned from Paris on December 6th, he would have with him an engagement ring and be ready with a proposal. But, both Christmas and New Year’s were now over, and no little box had magically appeared.

Crossing the kitchen to get the cocoa from the pantry, Mindy nearly tripped over the cat. Scooping up her furry pet, she softly crooned, “Oh Eiffel, if only I could be sure he loves me as much as you do.” 

Looking back, Mindy realized she had been happier during the three months Ryan had been away in Paris then during the two months since his return.  Taking cooking and dancing lessons with Barb had made the days go by quickly. She had kept the lessons a secret, hoping to knock Ryan off his feet when she demonstrated her skills; but she had told Ryan about adopting the cat. He had seemed to fully approve, and had even suggested she name him after a French monument. 

Since Christmas though, Ryan had shown no enthusiasm for her new talents or her pet. He discouraged her offers to cook French meals for him, saying they were too heavy for his taste.  He had ignored all her suggestions to go out dancing, and lately, he barely ever paid any attention to her cat. 

Eiffel had been licking a smudge of butter from Mindy’s finger with his rough tongue. With a sigh, she set him down and went to the sink to wash her hands. While she was drying them, the phone rang. Glancing at caller I.D., she smiled when she recognized Barb’s number.

“Hey you, I was just thinking about you,” said Mindy into the receiver.

“Really - well, I’ve been wondering how your fiendish scheme to tempt a marriage proposal out of Ryan is going? Have you set the table and are the cooking preparations underway? Did you remember to strain the Port-Rosemary Sauce for the beef tenderloin steaks the way we were taught? Do you plan to let him have just a bite of the lobster, and then take it away and refuse to give it back until he pops the question? Or - maybe you will just wait till he gets a whiff of those terrific chocolate cakes?” Barb giggled as she fired off these questions. Mindy appreciated how she was trying to encourage and help her to relax.

"I’m hard at work Barb. This better work. If not, I’m just not sure how long I can last with things the way they are,” said Mindy.

Mindy heard a beep. “Oh Barb, I’m sorry - I’ve gotta go. That’s Ryan on the other line.”

“Sure Mindy, I understand. I hope that boyfriend of yours has come to his senses and is calling to say he is absolutely smitten with you. Have fun tomorrow sweetie - and call me with a full report!”

Mindy laughed. She ended the call with Barb and connected with the other line, saying, “Hi Ryan, I was just on the phone with Barb, but I’m off now.  What’s up?”

Without even saying hello, Ryan abruptly began, “I know that you are planning something for tomorrow, but what I have to say can't wait. I can't celebrate Valentine's Day with you, knowing that you went behind my back while I was gone. I should have said something as soon as I found out, but I just couldn't believe that your adaptive behavior to my absence would be to start seeing other men.”

“What - ," Mindy interrupted. “Ryan, is this a joke? What a ridiculous thing to say!" 

“Hear me out!,” roared Ryan. “This is the angriest I have been in a very long time. I’ve been so mad and hurt and humiliated that I haven’t even been able to confront you until now.  I had grown to really like you - actually, I loved you Mindy - and then I find out that you betrayed me. I couldn’t believe that it was true, but now I'm convinced.  I’m sorry to do this on February 13th, but I really think it is over between us.”

“Ryan - what are you talking about? Wait …” wailed Mindy, as the phone went dead.

~~*~~

The Words for Wednesday word prompts supplied this week on Elephant's Child were:

grease, ambivalent, fiendish, exquisite, terrific, evolution

AND/OR 

tongue, adaptive, angriest, furry, bold, zombie

Why do you think Ryan is so angry? 

What will Mindy do next?

A little information about Words for Wednesday:

Words for Wednesday was a meme originally created by Delores of Under the Porch Light. She used this weekly writing prompt to encourage others to write something creative. When she could no longer continue to host it, Elephant’s Child took over for a while and then organized volunteers to share the responsibility. 

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!

Saturday Suggestion: A Simple First-Aid Trick for Cooks

It is quite common for someone who cooks a lot to occasionally burn or cut themselves. One simple first-aid trick helped me remain productive when I injured myself.

I am not always as careful as I should be with the sharp tools in my kitchen, and yesterday while cleaning the blade of my food processor I somehow sliced my pinkie finger. The cut wasn't really deep, but bled enough that it required a snug bandage to staunch the flow.

I was in the midst of preparing several recipes, and a band-aid on my finger was quite an inconvenience. From past experience, I knew it was likely the band-aid would slip off whenever my hands got wet. I also worried that if I began to bleed again, I could contaminate the food that I was cooking. That was something I really did not want to happen. With my nursing background, I am