This past weekend, several of our family members gathered together at a local restaurant to celebrate our oldest granddaughter, Molly, who just turned 20! We had such a wonderful time, and everyone received a fair share of laughs for the evening. However, it aroused a thought in my head that I have just got to share.
I remember when I was in my 20s. Life was the best it had ever been, and I was full of it! I think most 20-year-olds are that way. The days have got to be full, the nights must have something planned instead of sitting at home and resting, and the weekends have got to be planned at least two weeks in advance!
But all things change. I mean ALL things.
I remember thinking (and not so long ago) that I don’t want to be such a “routine person”. I used to think that was boring. If you are my age, you know what I’m talking about; however, if you’re younger – let me share.
Routine people eat at the same time everyday. These days, I find myself fixing dinner 30 minutes before “Wheel of Fortune” comes on. Why? Because it’s my favorite show! Being able to yell out the answer before the guest does allows me to think that I still have it! No, I’m not the petrified contestant standing up there on the stage with a million viewers looking on – I’m just me in my house trying to prove that I. Still. Have. It. (Even though we’re eating at a certain time every day.) This makes me chuckle, but it’s true. So, I’ve got to be able to sit and watch it; dinner has got to be done!
Also, routine people head for the bedroom every night, and you can always tell when it’s getting close to that time because the yawning starts. And there’s a routine to getting there. I clean up the kitchen while hubby gets together a few treats for our two cats that are driving us crazy. (They are routine cats.)
After he feeds the cats and tucks them all cozy in their little spaces, he goes and removes the pretty little fru-fru things from the bed and gets it turned back. After I have finished in the kitchen, I straighten the den, turn off the TV and turn out the lights. My job, his job. The day is done.
The reason I’m sharing this is because for the last few weeks, our nights have been not so routine. Hubby has been out-of-town for a meeting, and we have had a few family affairs to attend. Even though everyone met at the restaurant at 6:30 Saturday evening for this last one, we didn’t leave until around 10. We were having too much fun – and there was no room for yawning.
But what was the result? We ate too late – and of course, too much, so were unable to sleep well. Also, we didn’t get to bed until much later in the evening – heck, it was nighttime for sure – evening was gone! Then we had to get up early Sunday morning for meetings at church, so we didn’t get our sleep out. Crazy. Routine.
Don’t misunderstand me – routines are good. They have their purpose, and they’re well served. But I just thought it comical that here I am with my children raised and gone, and I’ve settled into a “routine” that I look forward to at the end of each day. So much so, that if I alter it a bit, I pay. My body pays. As I said above – all things change.
Molly –
enjoy your years now because routines will come. And as the saying goes: “Dance like there’s nobody watching / Love like you’ll never be hurt / Sing like there’s nobody listening / And live like it’s Heaven on Earth.”
Well, since this is a recipe article I guess I need to throw one out there! I actually have a really super one for you – a dessert.
I found this in the newest Taste of Home magazine. Nanaimo Bars are actually a bar cookie that originated in Nanaimo, B.C. This version is a bit different from the original, and a bit different from the magazines recipe. The one in the magazine was a tad bit richer, so I altered it to cut some calories.
Chocolate Nanaimo Bars
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1/2 cup finely chopped pecan or walnuts, slightly toasted
Filling:
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons milk
Topping:
1 ounce white baking chocolate, melted
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter or shortening
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a nine inch square baking pan with parchment paper. In bowl, stir together graham crumbs, coconut, nuts, cocoa powder, and sugar. Drizzle with butter and egg; stir until combined. Press crumb mixture into pan and bake until firm – about 10 minutes. Let cool on rack.
For filling, in bowl, beat together butter, pudding mix, and vanilla extract. Beat in confectioners sugar alternately with milk until smooth, adding up to one teaspoon more milk if needed to spread. Spread over cooled base; refrigerate about one hour.
For topping, melt chocolate chips and shortening or butter in microwave; stir until smooth. Spread over filling. Melt white chocolate in a small plastic bag. Snip off one of the corners for piping. Working quickly, pipe lines of the white chocolate length-wise over the top of the dark chocolate. Pull a toothpick through the white chocolate to create a feather design.
Refrigerate about 10 minutes, just until set. Cut into bars and remove from pan. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator.