Detox

This is my detox plan: I got up and went to circuit training at Anderson's (after getting home at midnight--3 NY time, wore my "Columbia" t-shirt and felt very smart), then straight to PCC to get a bunch of organic vegetables, free range chicken and fish, then came home and made this salad. Some details: cucumbers from my parents' garden, heirloom tomatoes (which should give anyone a reason to live and which are pictured here with the ceramic turtle one of my students made), red onions, kalamata olives, fresh feta and chicken marinated in fresh oregano (2tbs), one lemon, a few T of good quality olive oil, salt and pepper and a bit of garlic powder. This dressing is so good, I have to share the food blog I got it from, here it is:

http://cucinabella.blogspot.com/2007/05/mouthwatering-greek-salad.html

I was in heaven eating this (I was eating it for weeks before I left, too). I walked by every chocolate bar (even the organic ones) and packages of (healthy) chips and red licorice at PCC without experiencing any desire whatsoever. I am having nothing to do with any of it for at least a week. OK, I did just gaze across the street and dream for a moment about the Honey Walnut Shrimp at Chef Liao's, but that will be there next week after I drop the five pounds I gained from eating chicken and waffles and junk on the plane.

Two days at the airport. My plane last night...it taxied for TWO HOURS before taking off! But the day was good. I found a soul book, called The Big Oyster by Mark Kurlansky, which is a "great tale of the growth of (New York) as seen through the rise and fall of the lowly oyster." Really entertaining (Like, Broadway fans, did you know that "the long path through the entire length of Manhattan used by Indians delivering fur pelts was called "Beaver Path" but once it was broadened, it was changed to 'Breede Wegh'- or Broadway.")

Then I went to get a salad ("No guilt grilled chicken with low fat dressing") at Chili's before my plane boarded and the table next to me was so close that the couple there asked me to just go ahead and join them. They had just spent a week in NY and they were beginning their detox plan with this salad, too. Shamus and Athon are lawyers from Ireland ("it's not as bad to be a lawyer in Ireland" Athon tells me) who flew to NY to get engaged at the Rainbow Room. I thought it was pretty cool that I had just been there, too, and I learned that the cocktails cost $22 each. I didn't know this because Jon bought drinks for both me and Kristin and he didn't even flinch when the bill came. Impressive. Anyway, we had a great lunch. This is what I love about airport days...you are trapped so you may as well be trapped with a good book and meet the people coming and going.

One thing my mom asked me last night: "You never mentioned making the dumplings. What happened to that?" Oh yeah, I meant to tell all of you that the Dumpling Maker left for China on vacation and they couldn't replace him. Oh well, I didn't even notice it until the last week. Actually, I already know how to make dumplings anyway.

So now I am home doing laundry, catching up on Entourage (don't judge me), listening to Lyle Lovett (good for any mood or transition), discovering what kinds of treats my angelic renter, Elaine, left for me this time (five kinds of gourmet cheese, tapenade, nuts, pomegranate juice), figuring out my finances (I made so much money on this summer!) and plotting my next three weeks of break. Interesting, last night was one of the first homecomings I have had that I wasn't completely relieved to come home. I think it's going to take a while.

I'll leave you with a few things: up above, a picture of St. James Cathedral, just a block or two from Columbia, and the mission statement of I-House. I talked about it kind of negatively, but really it is a great dorm, and I liked this plaque. Every day in the elevator I heard different languages and stories about where people were from and what they were doing in NY.

And, finally, I loved this reminder I got from my Aunt Lyda yesterday, on the subject of mice. I remember hearing my grandma tell this story, and I think it's why I'm OK with mice:

Your Grandma Glady taught in a small country school
in North Dakota. She told about when she would pull
out her lunch, there was a little mouse that would
come out and she would share it with him or her.
Anyway I guess it was her lunch partner for the
school year.

So, I am gathering the Shaw family from the airport
and Holland tomorrow night. I wish all of you could
have heard their stories, too! Bug Casey about it so
she will blog next time.