Through a Glass, Darkly

On Saturday night, after a long and productive day (plus some lounging time at the pool), I decided that I wanted to make risotto. It was a Thoreau move, I guess: I made risotto to live deliberately. From time to time, I want to do something intentional, to make something that takes time and effort and patience. I spent a lot of time stirring that risotto. I would like to tell you that I thought deep thoughts while I was stirring it, but really, I just read Entertainment Weekly. When it was finally (finally finally) done, it was sublime. I could taste each of the individual flavors, and even though it doesn’t seem like the perfect food for a summer evening, it was warm and comforting in just the ways that I had hoped. We ate the entire pot, and Mike has requested risotto every night since. (I have told him no. Who has that kind of time on a daily basis? Probably someone with a maid. Or a personal chef. Who could take turns stirring with me when my arm got tired.)

It is the first day of our summer vacation, and the best way to handle two (glorious) months of freedom is also to live deliberately. While last summer’s pool extravaganza was what I needed in some ways, it did not nudge me out of the fog of depression I had settled into. My summer didn’t have a lot of focus. And I want to avoid that this summer by making curtains and moving furniture and taking care of house projects. I want to read challenging books and work on my scrapbook and spend time with friends. At the end of the summer, I don’t want to simply say, “We spent a lot of time at the pool.” I want to know that, yes, I got some sun on my legs, but that I also took advantage of my time. It’s my own mini version of Brandi’s 30 Before 30 list, and I will keep you posted on my progress.

(I might even make risotto again, just to keep Mike quiet.)