Thursday Thoughts: May 15, 2025

May 15, 2025 By 12 Comments

Please come visit with me every Thursday… I love to chat with you all!

You know you’re an adult when…

And I know, this sounds like a leadup to a Jeff Foxworthy bit, but sadly, I’m not quite that amusing.

This past Sunday, on Mother’s Day, we were all gathered at my mom’s house and my niece was talking about finally finding a house for herself and her long-term boyfriend.  It was funny listening to her talk about adult things, despite the fact she’s well into her 20’s, but sometimes, she’s still that little girl with the big eyes, you know?

At one point, she said she was officially an adult, to which I joked back about how on Saturday, I had finally completed my conversion into my own mother.  Why?  Because I had replaced my long-dead chest freezer with a new one.  My mother would have been both excited by the new appliance and the fact I’d saved $160 on it thanks to a mega sale at Best Buy.  She was, too, when I told her later.

But this got me thinking about all the silly little things that make us happy or get us excited as we grow older.

A friend mentioned that she was officially an adult when she realized that the prospect of new bed sheets made her happy.  I can’t lie – this makes me happy, too.  Even more so when I can find a smoking deal on them, since they’re always so dang expensive.

So, what are some other unexciting things that I get excited about?

A good sale!  Especially on practical items like a freezer or a vacuum.

Dish towels.  I don’t know why these make me so happy, but they do.  My kids have caught onto this and have started buying me cute and/or funny towels to hang up.

Comfortable shoes.  I’ve always appreciated a good pair of shoes, but the older I get, the more my feet hurt.

Being able to find everything I need at one store.  This never works with groceries, but if I’m out shopping for other things, if I can get it all in one stop, bonus.

New appliances, even small ones.  I once got really excited over a mini vegetable chopper my mom gave me.  I used the heck out of that thing, too, just because it was so convenient.

A clean house or even just a clean floor.  I have cats, though, so nothing really stays clean for long.  Not thirty seconds after I mop the floor, all four of them will go trekking through the kitchen, leaving little paw prints there to dry.

A bulk store membership.  Years ago, I’d had a Sam’s Club membership, but we were so broke that we weren’t able to fully take advantage of what they had to offer.  After a year or two, we dropped it.  Last year, when my older child moved out, we joined Costco to get her the things she needed and stock up on.  It gets used a lot, and not just by her.  Why is having nine rolls of paper towels so satisfying?

A coupon for something I’ll actually buy.  So many of the coupons I see are for things I either don’t need or won’t spend the money on.  But that digital coupon for $0.88 bell peppers?   Heck yeah!

What about you?  Do you have silly or mundane things that make you overly happy?

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Thursday Thoughts: May 8, 2025

May 8, 2025 By 10 Comments

Tomorrow would have been my husband’s 51st birthday, had we not lost him in 2019.  Thinking about his birthday, as well as Mother’s Day on Sunday, it really took my mind to things that he and I never got to do together.  And things that I know he’d have never, ever done on a bet (however, he’d have sent me off with a friend and stayed home with the kids).

So, what’s on my bucket list?

First, if you haven’t heard this song by Mitchell Tenpenny, you should give it a listen.  He’s one of my favorites right now and this song is just so good.

I’ve lived a pretty quiet, uneventful life. One that hasn’t included much traveling outside of a couple of cross country moves as a child and teen.  Last year, I did manage to achieve a couple of list items.  First, I was able to be in the path of totality for the solar eclipse last April.  Which was one of the most amazing and awe-inspiring things I’ve ever experienced.  After that, I left the US for the first time, ever, and visited Montreal.  It was also a wonderful experience, and I can’t wait to see more of Canada eventually.

Last year, I also finally made it to the Utah Shakespeare Festival, something I think everyone should experience at least once.  My friend and I also visited Bryce Canyon while we were there, which is gorgeous, even in the rain.  But the biggest part of this was that I drove my first actual road trip!  Prior to August, I’d always been the passenger.

What do I have planned for the future?

On a small scale, I’m finally getting to see Kenny Chesney in concert later this month.  I’m really excited about this because my friend is a huge Kenny fan.  It’s also her birthday, so we’ll be double celebrating.

I’d love to visit New Zealand and Australia.  As long as nothing horrible happens between now and next year, it looks like I will actually get to go to New Zealand at least.  But Australia is still on the list!

Out of the blue one day, my late husband made a suggestion that surprised me.  He said that every year, on or around Halloween, there’s a dinner party at Bran Castle, aka Dracula’s Castle, in Romania.  What surprised me was how willing he sounded to make the actual trip.  We didn’t make it, but this is high on my list of things to do before it’s too late.

A more achievable, less crazy trip I want to make is to Chicago.  Despite having been born in Illinois, I’ve never made it to Chicago.  And, as a lifelong Cubs fan, a day game at Wrigley has long been on my bucket list.  I’m sad that I never got to Wrigley while Harry Carey was still alive, but I did get to hear him sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at the Astrodome in Houston back in the late ‘80’s.  Which was… an experience… to say the least.

There are more things I’d love to go and see and do, but I think this is enough for one post.  What about you?  What are some things you’d like to experience in the next few years?

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Thursday Thoughts: May 1, 2025

May 1, 2025 By 4 Comments

As an avid reader, I tend to pick up weird facts here and there through the books I’m consuming.  The strange thing is, I tend to pick up more factoids from fiction than I do from nonfiction.

A good example of this is the Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs.  As a forensic anthropologist, she weaves a lot of history and cultural aspects into her novels.  Not to mention that I get to look up random French-Canadian expressions whenever the story is set in Montreal.  The way she weaves it all together in a way that you can understand and appreciate is what keeps me coming back to the series.

However, I’m not nearly as smart as I wish I was, so I’m often putting my book down and grabbing my tablet to find out whether or not what I just read was true.  Which, as you probably know, leads me astray more often than it doesn’t.  I can’t help it, I love to learn things and when I get on a roll, it’s sometimes hard to stop.

Some odd and interesting things I’ve found while internet searching dubious facts that were completely unrelated:

Over sixty percent of the world’s lakes are in Canada.  As someone who has lived in the desert for nearly 50 years, this fascinated me.  The nearest lake to me was manmade.  And has had bodies surface in it recent years.

Allodoxaphobia is the fear of other people’s opinions.  This is not something I ever thought to seek out, but I do find it fascinating that you can be afraid of someone else’s opinion.  However, it does explain a lot about some people I know.

The largest piece of fossilized dinosaur poo discovered is over 30cm long and over two liters in volume.  Okay, this made me chuckle.  It’s believed to be from a Tyrannosaurus Rex and is being used to help understand the dinosaur’s diet.    I am curious as to how long it took them to figure out it was a dino turd and not something else.

Bananas are radioactive.  I knew this prior to stumbling across it on the internet, but I believe I also heard it in a movie once as well.  It’s due to all that lovely potassium they contain.  And here I was just snacking on them to keep the muscle cramps at bay.

Fish form orderly queues in emergencies.  Wow, score one for the fishes, who apparently have better manners than cats or humans.  But it is fascinating to think that they have the ability to recognize and respect social rules.  Back in the days when I had a freshwater tank, mine just bumped each other out of the way to get at the food.  Oh, and the tetras liked to play in the bubbles released by the water filter.

Most ginger cats are male.  This is something I discovered not by googling, but when my boss foisted two tiny orange babies onto me two years ago.  His daughter apparently guilted him into adopting this particular cat because, “Orange girl cats are rare, dad!”  Which led me to Google to verify, because I’m annoying that way.  Approximately 80% of ginger cats are males, because the gene for the ginger coat color is on the X chromosome.  The gene for retention of braincells must be located elsewhere.

One last one before I go:

New Zealand has more sheep than humans.  This is one of those facts that, even if it’s disproven, I will believe it to be true until the day I die.  It’s just too fun to not run with.  And I swear, if I don’t get to see some real live sheep when I’m there next year, I will be severely disappointed.

What weird facts do you have rattling around in your brain?  Please share them because I truly enjoy dropping random things on my co-workers when they least expect it.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Surprised Me (in a good or bad way)

April 22, 2025 By 32 Comments

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Generally speaking, I know what I’m getting into when I pick up a book.  But sometimes, I’m surprised.  Mostly pleasantly, but sometimes, not.  There are always going to be a few stinkers out there, right?

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn.  The characters and their diverse backstories were fantastic.  She has a way of bringing you right into the story and making you feel like you lived during the time.  I also loved how she managed to seamlessly weave the stories of so many characters together into one cohesive narrative.

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier.  This is the only one on the list that disappointed me in a big way.  Rebecca, by the same author, is highly regarded as a classic, so I thought this would be as well.  I was wrong – I was bored and annoyed through the whole story.

Meet Me on the Bridge by Sarah J. Harris.   I was wary of this one at first because any sort of time travel story has the potential to go off the rails in a big way.  However, this author is a master plotter in the way that she mapped out each alternate reality and fit them together perfectly.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi.  I adore John Scalzi – he’s hilarious and has a way of finding the most inconceivable scenarios and bringing them to life.  I knew I was going to enjoy this book, but I had not expected the rollercoaster of emotions that came along with it.  Shock, surprise, joy, and so much heartbreak.

Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser.  I grew up with the Little House books (and TV series) and had always thought I knew the truth of her life.  This book has opened my eyes and gave me so much insight into what she really went through.  In addition, it explores her marriage, her relationship with her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, and the life of Rose as well.  All things that you didn’t get in the children’s books.

Hunter’s Moon by Dana Stabenow.   I was on Reddit one afternoon and accidentally spoiled myself on this series.  I mean, I had no idea that the Kate Shugak series was going to pop up on r/askreddit!  However, since I was aware that she was about to murder my second favorite character in the series, it still hit me in the gut.  I cried and I yelled and I was overall sad for everyone involved.  But the thing that surprised me was how badly I wanted to start the next book, to see what came after and to make sure everyone was (eventually) okay.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab.  I had randomly picked this as a buddy read for myself and a friend.  I figured it was your typical fantasy novel and was taken aback by how unlike regular fantasy it was.  The two main characters, despite being complete opposites, fit together perfectly.  And I love the idea of three different Londons and being able to travel between them.

Ayode on Top by Richard Ayode.   My travel partner suggested this audiobook for our road trip last year.  “But first,” she told me, “we have to watch this movie – View From the Top.”  Because apparently, this audiobook was the author’s recap and critique of the movie itself.  It sounds odd, and it really is, but man was it hilarious.  His observations and commentary are top notch.  Oh, and the movie’s not half bad either.

Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench.  I had thought this was just going to be fun little reminisces about her time performing, but it was so much more.  A character study, a peek backstage, a look into her life and how Shakespeare shaped it.  Bonus: it drove me to go see two different plays the same year I read it.

Murder in the Family by Cara Black.  I had had this book suggested to me by a friend who’d seen it on Instagram.  I love when a book mixes things like texts, emails, and news clippings in amongst the regular story, but it has to be done right for it to work.  This book not only did it right, but took the mixed media approach to the next level.

What’s on your list this week?  Have you read any of these and did they surprise you in the same way they did me?

 

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Thursday Thoughts: April 10, 2025

April 10, 2025 By 4 Comments

 

NOTE: Before proceeding, please know that the following is about an ongoing TV show (The Handmaid’s Tale) and there are going to be spoilers below.  If you haven’t started or finished this series yet please proceed with caution.  I hate being spoiled myself, so I wanted to give a small heads up.

So …

In anticipation of the final season of The Handmaid’s Tale beginning next week, I’ve been doing a rewatch of the first five seasons.  Thankfully, I had remembered a lot of the major plot points, but I was surprised at how many of the smaller, but still important, things I had forgotten about.

The biggest surprise to me was the amount of casual violence, mostly towards the handmaids and Marthas.  On one hand, I should have remembered this.  After all, Gilead is ruled via fear and the threat of bad things happening.  Not to mention, when a large chunk of your population has been kidnapped and forcibly brought into servitude, you need to keep everyone in line.  On the other, it still took me by surprise.

It starts small, a slap here, a threat there.  But it progresses really quickly to cattle prods, the removal of eyes and tongues, and eventually, forcing the handmaids to participate in the ‘punishment’ – aka outright murder – of the disobedient.

One of the episodes I watched recently had the handmaids tugging on ropes that first pulled the floor of the stage together.  Then, the reverse – pulling the floor out from below the unfaithful and hanging them.  This happened at least twice in the episode, and it was brutal.  While not graphic, the point is made, and it hits you hard.  Stay in line or pay the price.

What I like best about the series though are the flashbacks to life Before.  June meeting her husband, Luke, the birth of their daughter, Hannah, her friendship with Moira, etc.  It gives you a lot of insight into why June refuses to give up and keeps going back, rather than to safety when she has the chance.  She fought so hard and went through so much to be with Luke, to have a healthy child at a time where successful pregnancies and births were becoming rarer and rarer.  It only makes sense to me that she’d do whatever she could to save Hannah and as many others as humanly possible.

The story that surprised me the most was Aunt Lydia’s.  Seeing that she’d been such a kind and empathetic person before Gilead was a bit of a shock.  Her story touches on how rejection and isolation can alter your thoughts and actions, pushing you more to one extreme or the other.  It gave me more empathy for her, even if I still think her character is cruel and awful.

All in all, there has been some great storytelling and interesting character growth over the first five seasons.  I’m excited to see how it all resolves itself.  Mostly, I’m hoping that June gets out, with Hannah, and can live the life she’d always deserved.  I want June, Moira, Emily, and all the rest to be happy and get lots and lots of therapy to heal from all this insanity.  Honestly, I kind of even want Serena to find a bit of happiness, even if she doesn’t deserve it.  But again, she has a lot of trauma in her past and present, so I try not to judge her too harshly – except when she deserves it.

The big question, however, is what do I watch after this is over?

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books with Springy Covers

April 8, 2025 By 50 Comments

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

I live in an area where spring is essentially non-existent and, because I mostly read books with a darker theme, I had to get creative with today’s topic.  So, what I decided to do was log into Netgalley and surf through the available requests to see what I could find.  And what I wound up with was a mixed bag of springy-nearly summery book covers.

And to my credit, I didn’t request a single one!  Well, minus the upcoming Isabel Cañas book, but that doesn’t count since its cover is very much not spring-like in nature.

The Scent of a Romance by T. Atkins

An Italian Wedding Adventure by Leonie Mack

The Santorini Writing Retreat by Eva Glyn

The Meet Cute by Isobel Mahon

A New Arrival in Port Berry by K.T. Dady

Over the Sea to Skye by Sue Moorcroft

Miri Lives in the Cat’s Eyes by Taiga Shiki

Full Bloom by Francesca Serritella

The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne

The Sweet Life by Debbie Mason

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Thursday Thoughts: April 3, 2025

April 3, 2025 By 6 Comments

Today’s thoughts are a bit left of center, but hopefully in a good way.  Music and literature have always gone hand in hand to me.  So, when authors started publishing their writing playlists, I knew it wasn’t just me feeling this way.  And as proof, I have a selection of artists who have been inspired by literature in their own music.

But first, let’s start with what inspired today’s post.

Have you ever heard of Eurovision?  It’s a songwriting competition organized by the European Broadcasting Union that includes songs from all over Europe and other countries.  It’s a huge deal and while I’m not an avid watcher of the competition, I do seek out the playlist that Spotify creates every year featuring that season’s entries.  I’ve found some really fantastic songs through this, many in languages I don’t speak or even come close to understanding.

In 2023, one of the most amusing songs (and videos) was written and performed by Teya & Salena from Austria.  It’s called “Who the Hell is Edgar?”  And while the song itself is satire of the music industry, its repeated mention of Edgar Allan Poe instantly won me over.

Thinking about this song made me wonder if there were other songs inspired by Poe.  And, if so, what genres would they be in?  I have to admit, I was rather surprised by the mix of genres and the span of years the songs I found fell into.

Marianne, a big part of the LASR team, introduced me to an album by The Alan Parsons Project called “Tales of Mystery and Imagination – Edgar Allan Poe”.  Which is a fabulous album.  I must have listened to it for three hours that day.  Doesn’t hurt that the first track is “A Dream Within a Dream”, my favorite of Poe’s poems.

So, what else did I discover?  Some true gems, to be honest.  Many of these I had no idea even existed, despite groups like Queen being a big part of my musical foundation.   Their inspiration for “Nevermore”, of course, was “The Raven” and it is simply amazing.  Freddy Mercury’s haunting vocals are perfect for something representing Poe in general and this poem in particular.

“When I Go Out, I Want to Go Out on a Chariot of Fire” by Escape the Fate is a nod to “The Tell-Tale Heart”.   While I’ve heard of this group before, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything by them until now.  It’s a bit more hardcore than I tend to take my music these days, but it immediately got added to Spotify.  “The Tell-Tale Heart” is the first Poe story I was introduced to in school and is still by far my favorite.  I think this song reps the story well.

Also, this title reminds me of Panic! At the Disco and Fall Out Boy and their long song titles.   But that’s another post for a later date.

Lastly, a take on Poe’s poem “Annabel Lee” by the great Stevie Nicks.  I found many songs inspired by this poem while searching YouTube and Google, but this is definitely my favorite.  Stevie Nicks is a legend for many reasons, and this is just one of them.

These are just a small handful of what I found.  How about you?  Are you a Poe fan?  Know of any songs that were inspired by or remind you of his work?  I’m going to leave you with this Spotify playlist I stumbled onto while looking for songs.  Maybe I need to pick up that copy of Poe stories and have a read again soon.

‘Til next time, enjoy your Poe filled week.

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Thursday Thoughts: March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025 By 10 Comments

Last year, while buddy reading Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench, my friend said, “You know, I’d really love to see an actual Shakespeare play in person someday.”  That’s when the light bulb went off and I suggested the annual Utah Shakespeare Festival that’s held every year.  This led to my first road trip.  Well, the first one I was at the helm of, anyway.

The festival is held in Cedar City, Utah, which is a lovely place, but there aren’t a ton of things to do while you’re there.  We did go walk through downtown, stopped in a bookstore (of course), and ate a lot more food than we probably should have.  But we wanted something more.  So, it was only inevitable that we’d find something else to squeeze in on the off day we had between plays.

Enter Bryce Canyon National Park.  I’m ashamed to admit that, despite living in the southwest United States for 46 years, I’d never visited Bryce Canyon before.  (Or the Grand Canyon or Zion or…)  However, this trip rectified that big, glaring error in my life.

Bryce Canyon is only an hour and a half from Cedar City, making it a quick and easy day trip there and back again.  I am so glad that we decided to make the trek, too.  The drive up was easy going and the scenery was amazing.  We even saw a deer running up the side of the mountain, a real special treat for someone like me.  The wildlife I get to see most are lizards, jackrabbits, and the occasional quail.  When that’s your experience, deer are exciting.

The views are spectacular, with the reds and oranges of the rock contrasting with all the green trees.  Having spent nearly my entire life in the desert, things like this really impress me.   I’d be willing to bet, however, that these views would likely impress anyone.  The magnificence is boundless.

Something else that amazed me was the variation in the colors of the rock.  Some areas were deep rust while others were more faded shades.  Still beautiful no matter how vibrant or not.  Nature sure is creative in how she decorates, that much is for certain.  Do you see those tall, thin spires jutting up all over? They’re called hoodoos of all things and are created by erosion.  They’re fascinating to see in person as they look as if they were hand carved, rather than carved out by wind, rain, and ice.

The only downside to the trip – and I honestly wouldn’t even call it a downside – was that the skies decided to open up on us while we were walking around.  Didn’t deter us though, we stood in the downpour and took pictures and marveled.  Kind of crazy how much more radiant and beautiful it all was in the rain.  But maybe that was just me.

In the end, we hit the gift shop for a nice, warm sweatshirt to change into.  That was something else that impressed me – the gift shop.  Maybe it’s because it’s run by the National Park Service, but there wasn’t really anything gaudy or cheap in there.  They offered a wide range of items, from puzzles and toys to books and clothes and hats.  All of it seemingly good quality.  Oh, and the reusable tote I bought to carry my swag in gets taken to the grocery store every weekend.

This trip really started something for me.  Not only do I want to go back to the Utah Shakespeare Festival soon, but I also want to visit all the National Parks I can.  This summer, my friend and I are embarking on yet another road trip.  This time to the Petrified Forest, the Grand Canyon, and hopefully down to White Sands in New Mexico as well.

Have you ever been to any of the US National Parks?  Or, if you’re living outside the US, is there anything similar in your country?  There’s something so calming and peaceful about being surrounded by nature like this. Tell me where you think I should go next!

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Thursday Thoughts: March 20, 2025

March 20, 2025 By 4 Comments

I moved from the Midwest to the desert southwest when I was four, meaning I know very little about weather that isn’t either hot and dry, or cold-ish and dry.  Rainstorms are few and far between here, which makes them extra special when we do get them.

Back in 2020, we went for 240 days without any measurable rainfall.  I think we all cheered here in the office when we finally broke that dry spell. Our second longest spell was 214 days, which ended only just a month ago, on February 13th.  So far, this past week, we’ve had plenty of cloudy days and even a bit of rain, so I’m hopeful that this year will be better.

So, what is it about a rainy day that I love so much?  In the wintertime, it feels cozy to be inside, under a warm blanket, cuddled with a cat, a book, and a hot drink.  It’s comforting to be inside, safe and warm, while it’s chaos outside.  Knowing you don’t have to go out into it and can sit and enjoy the patter of the rain is a beautiful thing, in my opinion.

In the summertime, it’s a whole other story.  From late June through mid-August, we get monsoons.  These storms tend to roll in during the early afternoon, dump a ton of rain in a short time, and move on.  They can be incredibly crazy to experience, often causing widespread flooding.  They also bring a small respite from the blazing heat, which is always welcome in these parts.  The residual humidity they leave behind, however, is not.  I will cope with elevated humidity for a brief break from triple-digit heat.

When I was a child, my grandparents lived in Phoenix, AZ.  My grandfather had screened in his back porch so that he could sit outside, away from the bugs and the scorching sun, and read his paper.  But I discovered that I loved sitting out there with a book during those afternoon monsoons.  The sound of the drops hitting the aluminum cover, the cool breeze, and the peace it brought me was amazing.  I miss being able to experience that.  My back patio isn’t screened in, but it does have a cover.  Hopefully, if we have a more normal monsoon season this year, I can try and recreate that experience as an adult.  Thankfully, my Kobo is waterproof, just in case.

Do you enjoy rainy days?  Or are you in an area that gets a lot of rain?  I’m sure that if I lived in the Pacific Northwest area, I probably wouldn’t be so enthused about rainy days, but then, maybe I would?  All I do know is that, as long as I am not cold, I am happy.

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Thursday Thoughts: March 6, 2025

March 6, 2025 By 10 Comments

Thursday Thoughts: March 6, 2025

A couple of weeks ago, my older child turned 25!  To celebrate, we got together with my in-laws to have brunch.  While there, I had the most amazing breakfast, which is what leads me to today’s question: what is your favorite breakfast food?

Mine has always been French toast. I don’t know why, but any chance I get, this is what I order.  It’s always so warm, so comforting, and a little bit sweet, which is how I like my breakfast.  I know, it’s weird, but here we are.

So, when I saw cannoli French toast on the menu, I immediately knew what I had to have it.  It came out looking like a small loaf of bread, topped with a mixture of ricotta and mascarpone cheese, pistachios, and chocolate pearls (shoutout to the molecular gastronomy being used here).  Also, maple syrup, but I figured that syrup was rather superfluous when you considered everything else already on this massive meal.

I have to say, it is the best thing I have ever eaten for breakfast.  And that’s even considering the carrot cake pancakes I once had that came with cream cheese frosting.  Yeah, those were good, but this French toast was out of this world.

Of course, when I’m cooking for myself, I tend to take a much simpler approach.  Omelets are a good go-to as they’re quick, easy, and filling.  Waffles are also quick and easy and give you leftovers.  Hint: toss the leftovers into the toaster or toaster oven the next day to crisp them up.  So good.

I’ll also not ever turn down the old standbys – bacon, eggs (sunny-side up, thanks), toast of all kinds, pancakes, and yes, even oatmeal.  I really do love oatmeal, which has gotten me some strange looks over the years.  But it just hits the spot.  Even better is that it’s super customizable, too.  Add your favorite sweetener – brown sugar, honey, maple syrup – and then go crazy.  The possibilities are endless with fruit, nuts, nut butters, you name it.  Oatmeal is a big, blank canvas waiting to be used.  Kind of like an omelet, but better.

So, now that I’ve made myself hungry, what are your favorite breakfast foods?  Is there a restaurant near you that makes something unique that you can’t resist?  I’m curious to see what you’re all into, especially if you’re from outside the US.  Global cuisine is an interest of mine and I always find it interested to see what other countries and cultures eat regularly.

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