Here's where to find me....

I'm now blogging here http://karenthompkins.blogspot.com/.  Thanks for reading!

Karen

Just Keep on Moving

Over the years I've visited a number of writing groups.  It's interesting how different each group is structured.  For the most part, it reflects the organizer or leader.  Probably the best way to be a part of a writing group that has almost everything you want would be to create your own.  That never crossed my mind.  Having led a number of groups and projects, I know what it takes to keep a group going and then growing.  At the same time, I think that you can get something from almost any writing group that you attend even if just to meet other people. 

 

Once I got settled in D.C., I decided it was time to start visiting writing groups again.  I checked out Meetup.com to find a group in the metro area.  I stumbled upon The Stuck Creative Meetup which meets in Alexandria, VA and Bethesda, MD.  I loved the name of the group so I was going to have to visit unless it was just too far away.  I'm pretty close to the Bethesda location and the Meetup is at 2pm once a month on a Saturday.  

 

I started visiting in July and haven't missed a meeting yet.   The group keeps me motivated to write.  I would describe the leader Gary as a therapist for creative types.  Most of our discussions have more to do with understanding our motivations to create and not to create instead of practical steps to complete our craft.  He has a blog The Stuck Creative which I've referenced and referred others to more than I've actually read.  I figure he's covering these topics in our Meetups.   

 

Going to the support...I mean...Meetup group reminds me that I am not alone in this struggle to become who I was intended to be.    Pursuing our passions is important to that self discovery.   Part of the frustration is that we don't have a road map nor do we know exactly how our story ends.  Together we talk about how hard it is to realize our dreams when our reality seems in opposition to who we are striving to become and where we want to be.  We also express our frustration with our shortcomings.  I know that I'm amazed at how I can fluctuate between believing that I can move a mountain and then not having faith the size of a mustard seed.   But each month, the Meetup group reminds me that all of this nebulousness really is ok.  Just keep on writing.  I don't have to worry about tomorrow or yesterday.  All I have is today.   All I have to do is keep going, keep moving and keep creating.   

Re-Tool...

 

When I was in graduate school, one of my professors and mentors - Dr. Fleda Mask Jackson- taught me the concept of re-tool.  Re-tooling is a process or activity by which we renew ourselves- our mind, body and soul.  Fleda says one of her re-tooling activities is gardening.  For some, it may be exercising, getting a massage or spending time with good friends over a delicious meal.  Sometimes I like to go on long walks without music and just allow my mind to rest and my senses to be stimulated by the natural environment.

 

Last night I re-tooled in another way.  I went to the 6th annual Baltimore Jazz Education Project held at The Center for The Arts at Towson University in Towson, MD.  My brother has served as the Musical Director for this project as well as one of the primary organizers since it began.  As taken from Greg Thompkins' (my brother) facebook page: 

 

The purpose of the fund is to provide jazz education to underserved youth through the funding of individual musical instruction in selected Baltimore City Public Schools. The jazz education program at Patterson Park Public Charter School in Baltimore is supported by this fund.

 

As part of the fundraiser, Greg featured some of his young saxophone students.  This year, there were two little girls playing their saxophone.  They looked to be between 10-12 years of age.  He also featured a 9th grade student that has been with him for 4 years, Chase.  Chase is featured in the video clip above.   I took this clip using my phone so that will completely explain the video quality.  When you see these kids it will definitely make your heart happy. 

 

Here is a picture of Chase with an attendee.  She was giving him all of this advice of what he should do on stage to feel the music.  At the end of all of that I told Chase that he might want to check with his teacher (Greg) before doing any of that stuff. 

Lady telling Chase how he should feel the music onstage

I spent time with my family.  I brought my parents along and they had a really good time.  It was nice to see my brother Greg in his element and seeing how much he is admired and appreciated.  All of this love and admiration was extended to us as well being his family.  It's always good to see family members through different lenses.  He is an amazing instructor.  It's obvious that he is teaching his 60+ students much more than learning how to play the saxophone.   It caused me to reflect upon the village of teachers, friends and relatives that helped to raise me.  It gave me hope for the next generation. 

Chase's dad, me and mom


I had to include this picture because the only one ready for this picture was Greg.

me, mom, dad, Greg

One of the little girls featured during the performance.  She has been with Greg for 2 years.

Greg with Chase

 

May you find your own way to re-tool.  Wishing you peace, blessings and all good things!

Headed in the Right Direction

This is what I did on Monday night instead of writing.  Sometimes I just want a good ole southern meal.  I came home on Monday evening and made fried pork chop, greens (kale) and rice with gravy with onions.  Sometimes, its worth it just to take the time to make a delicious and comforting meal. 

The next night I was able to get in some writing and I am going to do a little tonight.  My sleeping pattern has been a bit precarious for over 10 years.  Sometimes I sleep well and sometimes I don't.  Now, when I wake up in the middle of the night I just work on my manuscript or do a little journaling.  I refuse to take sleep aids so I just trust that my body will adjust itself accordingly.

 

I went to my writing support group last weekend.  I always gather pearls of wisdom from the participants and the leader Gary.  It was my third meeting and I was talking to the group leader and asked him if his name was Ge or Geo and he said...Gary.  I don't know where I got those names from and it is kinda sad that this was my third meeting.  The group is called The Stuck Creative started by GARY.

 

I had been a little frustrated realizing that I may not be able to finish this manuscript by February.  One nugget of wisdom shared by Gary was of course I can go ahead and set a date further out so that I don't drive myself crazy.  Ok...not all that deep.  Believe it or not, I needed someone to tell me that which makes perfect sense.  The second was that maybe I should approach my writing from solving a dilemma each time I sit down instead of measuring my progress from the amount of time spent writing, the number of paragraphs or pages written. 

 

I know that the manuscript will be done when it is done.  As long as I keep chipping away at it I believe that the timing will be perfect and that it will be the right time. 

 

Lately, I've been motivated by this India.Arie song  "Headed in the Right Direction"

(chorus only)

Headed in the right direction
I can see the light of day
I've got love as my connection
There's an angel showing me the way

Headed in the right direction
I can see the light of day
I've got love as my protection
There's no need for me to be afraid

Headed in the right direction
I can see the light of day
I've got faith and intuition telling me that I will be okay

Headed in the right direction
I can see the light of day
Now I've found my pearl of wisdom
There's no need for me to be afraid

Headed in the right direction
There's an angel showing me the way
I have found my inspiration
Headed in the right direction

Back to Blogging Again!

Yes, I'm back. 

 

I've been struggling about whether or not to start blogging again.  It's hard for me to put stuff out into the blogosphere and thus the world without first wanting it to be a finely crafted publishable piece that I've edited a kabillion times.  In that sense - I think I've missed the point of blogging.  It's perfectly A-OK to use it for stream of consciousness.

 

But this time around, I am using my blog to support a larger piece of creative work that I began over 10 years ago - a manuscript.  I need a place to document this process of finishing this manuscript.  Also, I know that there are many a people out there in the world trying to get their creative and/or lifework done.  Maybe this can serve as inspiration to those trying to GET IT DONE in spite of all of the wonderfully and not-so-wonderfully distracting things going on both internally and externally in our lives.

 

I spent a full 30 minutes thinking about whether or not to start a new blog but then I was starting to fall down a very dark hole of what blog host site to use, the name of the site, colors, photos and on and on and on some more.  I decided to climb out of that hole and use what I already have.  Besides, this blog has been a part of my writing life.  And...I like the name breakfastatkaren's.

 

Until next time- Peace, Blessings and All Good Things!

A New Year and a Goodbye :(

Happy New Year! 

As I have spent the last few months ushering in many new things such as a new job, a new place to live, a new city and a whole new way of life - I've discovered that it was time to let some things go.  It is time for me to say goodbye to Breakfast at Karen's.  I just have too much going on to maintain the blog in the manner that I would like.  I will continue to write at my own pace and pursue opportunities to share my work.  I may even blog again in the future but probably not in the near future.  :)

It's a new year and four beautiful seasons begin.  Isn't that a beautiful thought?  I stole it from an unopened set of New Year's cards (by American Greetings) that I discovered while unpacking.  Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!!!

Wishing you peace, love, blessings and all good things!  Karen

Lost in a book

I’ve rediscovered my love of reading.  Once again, I feel like that little kid sitting on the floor of her pink bedroom.   My long and sometimes ashy brown legs would be stretched way out against the light green carpet.   I was lost in a book.

I remember this intensely pleasurable reading taking place during the summer of my childhood.  My mother, a school teacher, would be home with us during the long summer months.  As soon as we mentioned that we were bored, Ma would say Bored?  Ok.  Go get your things.  We’re going to the library.  Her tone suggested that we were in some sort of trouble.  I loved to read so I was always a little confused by this parental display.  She piled her 3 kids into the back of the green Chevy Nova and off we went. 

The authors of my childhood were Beverly Cleary, Maya Angelou and Judy Blume.  Not too long after that I discovered James Baldwin.  I don’t remember my mother scrutinizing my stack of books which is why I could slip in James Baldwin at a fairly young age.  At that time children were really children.  This was before cable and the only source of corruption was the Brady Bunch, Threes Company and Fat Albert.  Even if my mother saw me reading James Baldwin she probably thought I was trying to learn about my black history.   

Somewhere along the way I lost my love of reading.  It probably started with all of the volumes of required reading for college and graduate school.  This was followed by jobs that required more reading.  When I got home in the evenings, the last thing I wanted to do was deal with more words.   But I kept reading anyway.  There were moments that I enjoyed but it felt a lot like laundry.  The main difference is that I could remember a time when I loved reading and that memory buoyed me along from book to book. 

It made no sense for me to approach a book like a kid trying to get through a plate full of peas. So I stopped trying.  I would read what I wanted and when I wanted.  I would read an article here and a blog there.  Sometimes I would read parts of books with no goal of completion.  This went on for a few years. 

Last May, I was with my walking buddy Arlene and we decided to visit a new library we noticed passed on our way to Arabia Mountain.  We casually walked around the library marveling at the architecture.  Eventually we got to the books to check out their selection.  Suddenly I had this urge to read which took me by surprise.   I ended up choosing Jonah’s Gourd Vine by Zorah Neale Hurston which was first published in 1934.  I loved the wonderfully flawed main character of preacher John Pearson.  The dialect was challenging and delightful.

I then turned to my own bookshelf for the next selection, Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin.   I savored every word.  When I finished the last chapter, I declared once again that Baldwin is the best.  Now, I’m reading Anne Lamott’s book – Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.  She has some very practical suggestions that I find quite helpful.  I’m amused by her use of lavish sarcasm.

I continue to read as I can.  I take my time.   I lay across my bed with only a night lamp on and sometimes I burn a candle.  And the sensation is the same as it was a long, long time ago.   

Rediscovering Reading at the Stonecrest Library, Lithonia, GA

Back to blogging :)

Here I am.  I thought it was time that I get back to blogging.  I’ve missed it.  I stopped blogging because it began to feel like another thing I had to do and that’s never good.   A lot of my creative energy had been depleted by an overwhelming and stressful work environment.   That has been resolved.   I found the courage to resolve it.  I’ll be blogging about that in the future.  Maybe my experiences and revelations can help someone else.    I then spent the next several months reclaiming my soul and enjoying life. I’m looking forward to sharing my adventures over the next few weeks and months.   I’m excited about the Fall, my favorite season, and closing out the last quarter of the year. Cheers!

Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile. - William Cullen Bryant

Reclaiming my soul - May 2012, Tybee Island, GA. 

Where did I go?

I hate when I'm following a blog faithfully and suddenly the blogger disappears.  What happened?  Where did they go?  In an effort to not be one of those persons...lol...I wanted to at least let readers know that I am alive and well.

However, I am in the process of starting a new blog which means that I will no longer post on this site.  The new blog will be about life experiences, health and wellness.   The tone and theme of this new blog will be similiar to Know Thy Neighbors, Sunday Get Away, To Die All Alone, Sunday Mornings, and Daddy's Ambrosia.   In other words, it will be similar to Breakfastatkarens minus the recipes.

Thanks for reading and see you soon!

The Waffle House and Friends

Yesterday I did one of my most favorite things in the whole wide world.  I had breakfast with a friend.  I do this often.  I'm sure that some would think that this could get to be quite expensive.  But my ready reply is that it is much cheaper than a therapist or prozac.  Having these heart-to-heart sessions a few times a month with a sane female friend is good for the soul. 

We were trying to decide where to go for breakfast.  Usually, I like to try someplace new, unique or special.  If not, I will settle for one of my tried and true breakfast spots.  My friend Karen often allows me to pick the restaurant.  After tossing  a few ideas back and forth over email, Karen said we can always go to Waffle House.  When I saw the name Waffle House on my laptop screen, I must say that I was a little surprised.  You can find a Waffle House on just about every other street in metro Atlanta.   In a knee-jerk reaction, I started to rapidly reply with another suggestion.  However, I paused for a moment.  Let me think about this.

There was a time when I was very familiar with Waffle House back in the 90's when I was still twenty-something.  Waffle House was what I, and my friends, could afford at that time.  I'm not sure if I even had an awareness of any other breakfast joint.  Way back then, I remember being in Waffle House with another friend Joyce.  It was either at the end of the year or the start of a new year.  I recall Joyce saying to me Hey Kurrrrn... And she said Kurrrn instead of Karen because that is how many a black folk born and raised in the D.C. and Baltimore area or urrrea say Karen.  So Joyce said, Hey Kurrrn, let's make a New Year's resolution.  We ain't eating at no more places where our feet stick to the floor and the servers are missing teeth!  She said this while looking around Waffle House with contempt and suspicion - as if the two naturally went together.  At that point I stopped eating at the Waffle House for many years and have been back less than 5 times.

But after I got over that memory and myself and then climbed down from my high, high horse; I decided there wasn't anything wrong with going to the Waffle House for breakfast.

I initially tried to order a waffle, eggs and meat and coffee.  However, the waitress said that it was cheaper to get the All Star Breakfast which included much more and coffee for about $6.49 (not including tax).  There are various combinations of All Star specials but here's what I had:

As it is my duty, I must point out the real stars of this All Star Breakfast -the grits and the pecan waffles.  These are not gourmet grits nor are they the best grits I've had in my life.  However, I consider these to be pretty good grits.  The pecan waffle was cooked well and arrived warm and full of pecans.  At times, there were almost too many pecans for my liking.  I guess Waffle House is not affected by the soaring price of pecans.  Nevertheless, this was a tasty waffle.  Everything else was decent.  I didn't try the wheat toast as this was already a lot of food to consume. 

The service was good in terms of friendliness and getting our orders correct the first time around.  The coffee was hot and flowing which I attribute to good customer service.   One important area of customer service that was neglected was that the syrup bottle was brought to our table with syrup running down the sides.  It was dripping so much that we placed a napkin underneath it.  Karen and I looked at each other like....eeeuuuuuuwwwwww!  Karen said something like Well, we are at the Waffle House!  We shrugged and kept on eating.

Raisin Bread French Toast

The weekend forecast was dismal.  In spite of it, I went out on Friday night to Jazz at the High Museum.  I had a really good time.  And when you've had a great time on a Friday night the best thing to follow up is a delicious breakfast the next morning.  On my way home, I stopped by the 24 hr. Kroger and picked up a few items to make french toast the next day.  I've made french toast with all kinds of bread including regular white or wheat bread.  I've also made it with challah bread.  I wondered what it would taste like if I made it with raisin bread.  I selected the cheapest raisin bread that I could find in the store with the lowest amount of calories and fat.  I found the Kroger brand which was $2.39.  The comparable name brand was about $3.99.

 

 

The weather, as predicted by the weather folks continued to be rainy and gloomy.  It was perfect for staying inside the house and fixing one of my favorite breakfast meals.   That would be followed by leisurely walking around in my pjs, drinking coffee and doing a little this and that.

Nothing but clouds in the sky...

I've been making french toast since I was a kid living at home with my parents.  I don't remember ever seeing a recipe.  I just remember always making it.  It's kind of like my father going into the kitchen and making some bread pudding or rice pudding.  One time I asked him how he made it and did he use a recipe and he said just put in some eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and raisins.  Oh...ok.  For me, I'm going to need a recipe for that one although it is very similar to making french toast.   

This particular morning, I used two eggs and 1% milk which is what I keep in the house.  I usually add vanilla to the egg mixture and cinnamon.  On this day, I left out the vanilla flavoring because I figured that it wasn't needed since I was using the raisin bread.  Later that day, I discovered another cooking show, The Pioneer Woman, and Ree makes her french toast with egg yolks and half n half. 

I prefer fruit and yogurt on top of my french toast instead of syrup.  My favorite combination is apples, bananas and strawberries.  I prefer vanilla yogurt although this time I used a tablespoon or two of honey flavored greek yogurt. 

Dante's Down the Hatch

I was interested in going out for dinner and live music. I called my friend Kim who I knew would be down. As we were thinking about where to go I casually mentioned Dante’s. She was excited about it and said it was a place that she always wanted to try. Dante’s it is!

I had been there once before more than 10 years ago although it might have even been as far back as the 90’s. At that time I thought it was just ok. I don’t remember anything about live music. I remembered the fondue and I wasn’t a big fan of that just because I just don’t find that style of eating interesting or satisfying.  However, I am one to give things a second try. I didn’t mention any of this to Kim because I didn’t want to taint her experience.

The food. Well, this second visit to Dante confirmed that I’m just not into fondue-ing. Kim does not eat meat outside of fish. There were few options for those in her condition. Chuckle. The theme of Dante’s is that of an 18th century ship tied to the wharf of a Mediterranean village. If that were really true, then shouldn’t there be some fish around somewhere? Kim ordered the Imported Cheese Fondue. Per Kim, the cheese fondue was amazing but other than that the vegetables for dipping and the bread were just ok. I ordered the Chinese dumplings which were decent in taste and in texture. I did not fondue them as they came with a sauce for dipping. I dipped a few pieces of bread in Kim’s cheese fondue and I agree that the cheese was very good. I will say that if bread croutons are provided as part of the fondue experience that the bread should be high quality and unique. This bread was neither. It was rather generic and didn’t seem very fresh. In terms of eating, Dante’s is mostly geared for fondue- eating carnivores.

The Jazz. I made reservations ahead of time to make sure that we would be seated by the jazz trio. This also means a $9 cover charge. I have no problems with that at all because musicians gotta get paid… right? Live music is available every night of the week. Monday’s there is an acoustic guitar and vocalist. The remaining 6 days are reserved for jazz which Dante’s has been doing for 33 years. On Fridays and Saturdays, the jazz trio plays until midnight. The John Robertson Trio was there when I visited last Saturday night. The trio included John Robertson on piano who is also a vocalist, a string bass, drums and a female vocalist. There was also a 13 year old guest artist playing alto saxophone and he did not sound like a 13 year old playing alto sax. His last name was also Robertson so I’m assuming it could be the son or a relative. It was so nice watching this young man, dressed up and fitting right in with these professional musicians. In fact, if I was just listening to the music and not seeing the kid, I probably would have thought it was another adult playing. He seemed so talented, earnest and unaffected. That was very refreshing to see. We had a blast! It was more of a casual and cool kind of blast. I really enjoyed the music. The style of jazz is kind of like a modern take on Ella Fitzgerald or Joe Williams. I’m not a jazz aficionado but that was my impression.

Other observations. The restaurant is huge and has many levels to it. You can hear the music from anywhere in the club. We were sitting one floor above the jazz trio and were able to look down and watch them play. We were initially seated at a tiny little awkward table. After I realized that this just wasn’t going to do I asked that we be moved. Our server happily and graciously moved us to a much better spot. The service was good.

The club is located off of Peachtree Street in the affluent Buckhead area amidst high rises. The restaurant and parking lot were full when we arrived around 8 pm. The entrance to the club is entered through the back of the club.  There are these antique cars along the back and the side entrance to restaurant as if we were entering into an antique car museum.  I wondered what in the world that had to do with an 18th century ship or the Mediterranean.

We were dressed nicely as if we were going out to a classy jazz club. Although I saw signage about appropriate dress required, I saw a few jeans and a flannel shirt or two. However, we supposedly are on a ship tied to a wharf bereft of fish so that would not signal to most people that they should look nice.

I would definitely go back to Dante’s. I would pay the cover charge to be near the musicians. I would look nice and go with a friend who would do likewise. I would have dinner at home or elsewhere first. I would order dessert and coffee. Then, I would sit back and enjoy myself.

Flying

I love to fly. I love the feeling that I'm going somewhere and doing something different. I also like being really high up in the sky. I can't believe how different the world appears from this perspective. The clouds look thick enough to lie upon and the land like one big geographic puzzle. It's a new way to see the world. I think most people love this part of flying.

Of course, there are some aspects of flying that I find terrifying. Turbulence or rough air reminds me that I'm 30,000 feet in the air – trapped in a metal contraption with wings. I consider that something could go wrong. I might just plummet to the earth. Strangely, I have learned to appreciate this part as well. I’m trying to go somewhere and do something different but fear and anxiety want to hitch a ride. And that’s ok with me because I’m still going. I just acknowledge them and get on board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

  Photos from Iphone en route to Philadelphia, July 2011.

Shrimp & Grits

On Christmas morning for many years, we would have Bacon Pleasers and grits. But this Christmas, my mother wanted to try a Shrimp and Grits recipe from Prevention Magazine.  

We made the grits the way we normally do with salted water and cooking and stirring for a long time.  If they get too thick, just add a little water and keep stirring until they are nice and creamy.  We cook our grits for almost an hour.  However, I’ve included the recipe for those who aren’t grit cookers.  This dish was simply divine!

Grits

1 cup of grits (not quick cooking)
2 cups of water
3 cups 1% milk
1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Shrimp
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 Slices or 3 oz. of Canadian bacon sliced into 1 1/2  inch strips
1 lb of large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 ½ tsp of chopped fresh thyme or ¼ tsp dried
¾ tsp paprika
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp all purpose flour
1 cup of low sodium chicken broth
½ cup 1% milk

Make the grits. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually add grits, whisking constantly. Add milk, butter, and ¼ tsp salt and simmer, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until smooth and creamy, about 40 minutes.

Prepare shrimp. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, about 4 minutes. Add shrimp and cook until near done, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp of oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring until softened, 6 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, paprika and ¼ tsp salt. Cook 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over vegetable mixture and stir one minute. Add broth and milk and bring to a boil and stir constantly. Cook over medium –high heat, stirring until the sauce thickens, 3 minutes. Return the shrimp and bacon to the sauce in pan. Simmer until shrimp is cooked through, 1 minute. Season to taste. Serve the shrimp mixture over the grits. Serves 4 people.

I have a few thoughts on this recipe other than it being simply divine. There were a few substitutions that I made. The cost of the Canadian bacon was high and I noticed that turkey bacon was on sale.  For this type of recipe once could use Canadian bacon, regular (pork) bacon, turkey bacon or even ham.  However, I used the turkey bacon to keep it on the healthier side.   I used six strips which I chopped up instead of slicing into strips.   Dried thyme was used liberally, 1-2 teaspoons.  I used a few cloves of garlic.  One can’t go wrong with more garlic.  Before I returned the shrimp and bacon mixture back to the pan, I seasoned it liberally with Old Bay Seasoning.   I also added about a tablespoon of dried parsley and hot sauce to kick up the heat a just a little.

Know Thy Neighbors

The strata recipe (below) comes by way of my next door neighbor, Reshma.  We live in a townhome community and our houses are joined together.   For the first few years, we would have conversations from our driveways.  Our earliest conversations were easy as we both work in the same field.  Then, gradually we got to know each other on a more personal level.  We've even compared notes on the dating situation in the ATL and agree that we might just need to get the hell on up on out of here if we wanted a real relationship or wanted to get married.

A couple of years ago, Reshma invited me over for my birthday and fixed me some of the Indian foods she grew up eating.  I raved about the food.   Reshma didn't think it was a big deal.   A couple of months ago, I was standing outside her door on my way to walk Brandi and chatting about nothing but then ended up telling her about a tribulation I was working my way through.  She fully understood.  We parted and I felt better.  I had walked almost a house length away and she called out to me Karen, I really am very sorry that you are having to go through this.  Even from that distance away, I could sense her deep concern.  I forgot my exact response but I do remember having tears in my eyes. 

For almost 6 years, we've watched our community grow.  We moved into a brand new community when some of the townhomes were still being built.  I found it strange being among the first set of settlers living amongst unfinished 3 story houses and the eery quietness.   It was nice when all of the homes were finally completed and occupied.  To this day, I remember when our community came to life with the sound of children playing in the street.  I've been here long enough to watch some of these kids graduate from high school.  And now there are still a good number of kids around, some whom we wish would grow up a little faster and quit all of that crying and hollering. 

We've been talking about getting a few neighbors together for a long time.  Well...Reshma would talk about it and I would agree that she should have something at her house.  One day Reshma sent out an invitation to her home for a Sunday brunch which included three other homeowners. We all happen to live side by side.  Nitesh and Jaimini are newlyweds and moved into the community within the last year.  Then there's Rhonda who has lived here as long as Reshma and I.  We all accepted.  It was a wonderful.  Reshma is an exceptional hostess for all of the right reasons one might expect.  She's also a great cook and that is my preference when invited over for a meal. 

She fixed breakfast strata (recipe to follow), rosemary potatoes, orange-cranberry scones (store-bought), fresh berries with vanilla, honey, and cinnamon yogurt, and vanilla almond granola.  There was also tea, coffee and OJ.

Unfortunately, the photos from the brunch did not come out very well but I thought I would include them anyway. 

Reshma’s Vegetable and Chicken Sausage Strata

(adapted from several strata recipes from food.com and Epicurious.com)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
9 eggs
3 links of chicken sausage (no casing), diced
1 large onion, cut into 2 inch long thin strips
1 large bell pepper, cut into 2 inch long thin strips
3 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cumin
1 clove garlic (finely chopped or pressed)
1/2 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
1/2 tbs butter, softened (to grease baking dish)
Approximately one loaf of ciabatta bread
1 (6 ounce) jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped.
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat.

2. Add peppers, onions, sausage and sauté until tender and onions have sweated a bit, about 6-10 minutes. Then add garlic. Press all liquid out of thawed spinach and add to skillet. Add the artichoke hearts.

3. Add nutmeg and cumin. Cook for another minute and then remove from heat.

4. Beat eggs in a large bowl until frothy and add milk, salt, pepper.

5. Grease a 13x9 baking dish with a small amount of the butter.

6. Cut bread into 1 inch cubes. (8-9 cups of cubed bread should result)

7. Layer half the bread cubes, then half the sautéed vegetable mixture, and half the cheddar cheese.

8. Repeat layers in order, ending with cheddar cheese.

9. Cover dish and refrigerate overnight. (It needs 8 hours in the refrigerator)

10. Remove from refrigerator and uncover 30 minutes prior to baking.

11. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

12. Bake for 1 hour until golden brown on top and firm in center, a knife inserted in center will come out clean.

13. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Black Girls Run!

Camille Cunningham
Guest Blogger
Runner

A runner is thin. A runner is lean. A runner is someone with thin textured every day washable hair. A runner is immune to cold weather. A runner is not me.

These are only a few of the misconceptions I have had about runners for 33 years. Running is not something I have ever attempted or even contemplated in my life. It is not that I didn’t struggle from overweight and obesity. Growing up in the south, I became a fan of fried foods, bad carbohydrates, and sugar in any capacity at an early age. Unhealthy eating was – is a part of my culture; isn’t it? But why?

For years I have told myself, “It’s okay to be a little thick, black men like thick women.” So, I ate a carbohydrate filled diet and at the age of 15 I was already 5 lbs overweight. By the age of 30, I had gained 65 more pounds. At 5 foot 3 inches tall, I weighed 205 lbs. Now, I can blame this on the college 15 or the extra 20 lbs of happy fat that came after marriage; but the only blame lies with me. The thing most people don’t tell you about gaining weight is that you don’t realize how big you’ve gotten until after you’ve lost the weight. When I look back at the photos of myself, I am saddened and I often wonder “How did this happen to me?”

As I examine my childhood, teenage years and adulthood I realized one thing. Running is not something I associated myself with because it is not a sport that I have seen my image represented. Runners did not live in my neighborhoods, attend my churches, or reside within my social circles. I am an African American woman; raised in an African American household in the southeastern region of the country. My parents were raised poor. Although they climbed the corporate ladder to provide a middle-class upbringing for my sister and I; their eating habits were quite similar to many African American families. Simply put, I was not exposed to healthy eating.

Today, both of my parents suffer with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or Type II diabetes. The same is true for my husband’s family; his father suffered 3 strokes in 2 months before the age of 50. Seeing my family members take pill after pill, I decided to make a change. I, like many others tried several unsuccessful fad diets. In 2009, I decided to significantly curtail my eating habits to a no carb, no sugar, and no alcohol diet. Although I lost 40 lbs in 4 months, at least 15 of those pounds came back within a year because my new eating habits were unrealistic and unsustainable. So now what?

In October 2011, Tracie, a dear friend, introduced me to Black Girls Run (BGR)! She explained that BGR had an Atlanta chapter of women that ran all over the city encouraging each other to push past their limitations and stereotypes. Honestly, when she first told me of the group I thought she was a little crazy. I mean I was no runner. What about my hair? What about the cold temperatures? Lastly, I thought “Black women don’t run – do they?!” Because Tracie was such a trusted friend of mine I decided to check it out.

I will never forget, it was Sunday, October 16 at 7:00 a.m. – the temperature was 42 degrees. Tracie drove as I sat in silence thinking “What the heck am I doing!”, “I hope they have a medic on standby”, “This is the silliest thing I’ve ever done.” We pulled into Walden Park subdivision and everything from there is still a bit hazy. But this is what I remember: I remember 116 black women in layers of clothes and bandanas. I remember jogging two steps and walking twenty. I remember seeing a girl twice my size and age pass me up a hill. And it was at that moment that I said, “Oh, heck no!”

After the run, or walk I should say, I felt mixed feelings of disappointment and determination. The disappointment came from realizing how out of shape I had become. The determination came from the seeing and feeling this huge amount of support, positivity and camaraderie from Black Girls Run. There is something about a group that is inclusive of all sizes, ages, and races of women. And there is something magical about 100+ women cheering you through the finish line each and every time.

Since joining Black Girls Run on October 16th, I have run a minimum of 13.5 to 20 miles per week. I have participated in two 5k’s (one of which I had the 2nd fastest time), have registered for one 10k, and I am in training for a half marathon in March. And, just a few days ago, I ran (not walked) 8 miles nonstop for the first time. I am now a runner for at least 3 days a week. Just running, and incorporating more fruits and vegetables in my diet has allowed me to lose over 15 lbs. in five weeks. I am only 13 pounds from my goal weight, a size 6/8. I am smaller than I have been since 1998. My husband is in awe, my friends are in wonderment, and my haters just don’t know what to do.

Today, I can proudly say thank you to support of 100+ women of the Black Girls Run Camp Creek chapter for adding years to my life. As with anything positive, I like to spread the word! If you are looking for a way to change your life, come join BGR. Since joining I have converted 8 women into runners. We don’t care about your race, age, size, or level. Once you try us, you’re hooked for life. Come get some!!!


Camille and Tracie in training for their first half marathon in March 2012