Cooking, Dyson, and Gardening

1. For 11 years I worked in restaurants, from TGIFridays to Fine Dining. During those years, I never needed to know how to cook because I was always eating at work. However after I quit the restaurant gig, I started teaching myself. I've made many mistakes along the way, but each one was a learning experience that proved to be invaluable. Now, I'm happy to say that I'm a really great cook. Like music, I can just tell what flavors go together, like blending an orchestra of different instruments. Being a musician, I have always thought of food and music as being very similar in the way they are constructed. The thing that's funny though is that I started my quest to cook by watching Emeril Lagasse. After watching a few shows, I learned that he had two career paths to choose from: go to cooking school, or study - under a full scholarship - at Berkeley School for Music (in Boston) for percussion. He chose to become a chef, and said it was a very hard decision. He too made the analogy of cooking and music, stating they are both "art". He is sooooo very right. I think it's why I'm a good cook, because I am an artist at heart. Which brings me to last nights meal: Guinness Corned Beef. I got the recipe off Allrecipes.com, and I tweaked it a bit based on recommendations in the reviews. It was outstanding! I am so thankful for this creative talent I have.

2. A few years ago we needed a new vacuum, and I wanted one that would successfully pick up cat hair. There was a new, strange looking one out on the market that claimed to be the best at getting rid of any remnants of animal hair, so I looked into it. Having 4 cats, it seemed to be the answer to our prayers... only it was $500. So, I sucked it up (no pun intended), and decided that if I didn't like it, I'd return it. After tax, it came to $550, which is by far, more than any human should have to pay for a freaking vacuum, right? And which vacuum was it? It was the Dyson Animal. Is it worth the $550? Nope... it's worth $550,000!!!! This thing is AMAZING... I am ridiculously grateful to the developer of this product, because it's truly the first vacuum I've ever owned that has successfully gotten rid of cat hair!

3. To say I'm an avid gardener is an understatement. I have always felt more comfortable in nature than I have anywhere else, to the point that I have a tattoo on my ankle in Chinese that reads, "Mother Nature". I'm not great gardener yet because I'm too impatient. However I've really only had 3 years to "practice" and study up on different plants that will work in my zone, so I guess there's still time to become a master gardener yet. Like Food and music, gardening takes skill, perseverance, patience, and a know-how for blending visually complimentary plants. The only added bonus that makes it especially hard for me is the scientific info regarding the climate it needs in which to best grow. My yard has everything in it: shade, full sun, clay soil, rich soil, wet areas, dry areas... And I have to somehow find plants for each of these areas and combine them in such a way that one won't grow taller than another, and the colors match, and what's harder is that I plant mainly for hummingbirds and butterflies, which also limits me. But as I sat this morning, analyzing my seed and plant catalogs, the fire gets burning in me to start my days outside at 6am and end when I can't see my hand in front of my face (and yes, I do spend my weekends like that, and I wouldn't have it any other way!). I am grateful for the land I have to grow on, grateful for the beautiful plants I already have planted, grateful for the peace it gives me while I'm (quite literally) breaking my back doing it all, thankful for the exercise I get while doing it, and extremely grateful for a husband who tolerates my fetish for all things that grow when he really doesn't care for it at all, and yet he still helps me all day long... That is true love!

So, what are YOU thankful for?

(Tell me in your comments!)