Jiving with Joy!

Kory and I dancing the jive on board the MS Zuiderdam

How to not gain weight aboard a 12-day cruise with food available 24-7:

1) Only eat at prescribed mealtimes. (Exception: add extra meal if up after 11pm, particularly if dancing.)

2) Take joy in everything around you--smiling burns serious calories!

3) Dance for at least 2 hours nightly. (Doesn't matter if you're good or not, just that you're having fun.)

I'm not sure if we actually gained weight or not (as we've thrown out the scale in our house), but all our pants still fit, so the rules must have some validity! Rule #3 was the most important piece of the puzzle for us; we danced with more variety, more enthusiasm, more energy--and for more time!--then we have in our entire seven years together. With two incredible on-board bands and several dance floors to choose from, how could we not?!

But the unexpected surprise came in the guise of Holland America's new program: Dancing with the Stars: At Sea! Though Jeff and I don't watch the ABC show, my parents were quick to fill us in on the basics. As far as we were concerned, though, the excitement wasn't in the name brand but in the opportunity to take jive, samba, and cha-cha classes with the professional dancers on board the ship. What we never saw coming? That we'd be selected as two of the final six guests to perform (with those "pros") on the last night on board, in front of a packed house. Sadly, Jeff and I couldn't perform together (since we were both guests); happily, we became quick friends with our professional partners, Kory and Steph. (Yup, did you put that together? Kory and Tory, Steph and Jeff. Adorable, right?)

So, what you're seeing at the top of this post is Kory and Tory, dancing the jive! (The excellent videographer is my beloved husband, whose laugh you get to hear towards the end as he enjoys my facial expressions.) This was one of our rehearsals; sadly, we neither filmed the finale nor any versions with Jeff dancing--but I wish you could have seen him, because he won over that audience with a few shakes of his hips and winks of his eye. In fact, he was so darn cute that the audience couldn't help but cheer him into first place--which means he's now in the running for the big finale cruise in 2014! (Kory and I came in third, and, for once in my life, it didn't make a bit of difference that I didn't win--it was too much fun just being part of the adventure!)

The next trick? Finding local places to do some swing, foxtrot, and cha-cha--'cause we need to keep fitting into our wardrobes!

One additional note: without the tremendous generosity and unending love of my mum and dad, this trip--and, therefore, these experiences--would never have been possible. Mum, I know you're reading, so I'm wrapping my arms about you in gratitude and love!

I'm still here!

On the bow of a sunset catamaran cruise in Aruba--thank you mum and dad!

I know--it's been a month! As I sit here, watching the sunlight pour in through the open door, it's hard to believe that my last post was about our snow day. In the interim, we've been to the Panama Canal and back, making new friends, dancing the jive, and generally remembering what it means to live our lives as the joyful, fulfilled, insanely blessed couple that we are. There will be plenty more posts about the wonders of our physical journey, but I just wanted you all to know that our emotional journey has left us, well, just plain happy again!

It's remarkable what happens when you stop trying to live joyfully and just start doing it, isn't it?

Snow Day!

A snowy afternoon on the path behind our house...

Remember this post? That was the last time we had snow this winter, but we haven't actually had real, accumulating snow in northern Virginia in over two years. So, forgive me--especially those of you living in far snowier climes like Canada and Maine--as I indulge in a little photo journey through our snowy day!

My favorite weather blog (yes, I have one--don't judge) had been talking about this storm since late last week, but I didn't really get my hopes up until Monday. By Tuesday afternoon, there wasn't a single forecast listing under 4" totals for the DC metro reason, and I'd told my students what they needed to complete for homework if I didn't see them until Thursday. So, when the automated call came from school at 11:30pm last night (just after I'd returned home from rehearsal), I was delighted (if not entirely surprised). Jeff and I celebrated with a glass of wine while we watched Netflix for a bit, then snuggled in to wake up to a white... March?

At first glance, it didn't appear to be much, but Ozzy seemed appropriately confused by the sight of the white stuff that had been absent for so long.

"What's that, mom?!"

Once we made our way downstairs to construct our favorite breakfast sandwiches (goat cheese and mozzarella melted on a baguette with scrambled eggs, tomatoes, and spinach), I threw open every shade to soak in the snowy morning.

"I love my mom, I love my mom, I love my mom. I'm not going to tell her how embarrassing this display of affection is."

As the morning progressed, while our neighbors to the east saw little in the way of accumulation (even a close friend just 30 minutes away only had rain!), our snow started to pile up.

Looking out the window to our deck with accumulations of almost 4 inches in the early afternoon.

However, due to the heavy and wet nature of the snow itself, going outside wasn't much fun, so we curled up in the living room with a well-laid fire. (Some members of the family may have taken advantage of the fire more than others, but I can't judge as I was the one to lay down the ceremonial "pretty, pretty princess" pillow for their use.)

"It's a hard knock life, for me."

Of course, Jeff couldn't resist the call of the neighborhood boys (both large and small), and he joyfully indulged in an hour outside with friends. (As always, it is such an incredible joy for me to see him with surrounded by the men in our community--themselves wonderful fathers and husbands--who love him.)

I belong to the silly man in the furry hat (who's mostly hidden :-).

And, so, we've had the most wonderful snow day! These days hold a special place in our hearts, especially since, when we lived in New Jersey, snow days always meant brunch at Toast (Crab Cakes Benedict!) with our best friend, K. We spent a lot of time today reminiscing about those we love, both near us and far from us, and feeling so thankful that they are in our lives.

And you? Yes, you! You who is reading this post? You're part of that group we give thanks for on this unexpected March snow day. For most of you fell into our lives in an unexpected fashion, yet it's a joy and privilege to call you our family, whether blood or not.

Here's to unexpected joys on a snowy March afternoon!

"O!"

A (fairly typical) page from the "text work" section of my script

It's one of my favorite words in Shakespeare--the infamous "O" that leads off speeches like the Chorus's Prologue to Henry V. When I introduce Shakespeare to my freshmen, we play the "O Game." Students stand in a circle around me, and I give them only one rule: no matter what I tell them, the only word they have at their disposal is that all-purpose "O." We then wind our way through several scenarios: I bring them a little fluffy puppy to snuggle; I tell them that they get to go to their favorite restaurant for dinner tonight; they watch a prom proposal result in a "no" in a public location on campus; they smell raw sewage from a pipe break while on their drives home. Each "O" becomes its own unique language, and the students start to realize the inflections, intonations, and impulses that can affect how an actor chooses to use the word.

As a result, when I came across an "O" while in rehearsals for act 3, scene 4, of Twelfth Night last night, I realized that I had some choices. In the asides in question (the ones pictured above), I've just realized that there's a very real chance my twin brother, Sebastian, survived the shipwreck at the start of the play; in fact, it seems, I've been mistaken for him by another sailor. At the start of rehearsal, I struggled with the speeches; I seemed to be playing them as a single note, and I had no idea how to employ that "O" in the second to last line to its best possible use. Throughout a 45-minute period, my director coaxed me into a clearer understanding of the meaning; she encouraged me to take her on Viola's journey of discovery rather than just assuming I understood the implications of hearing Sebastian's name from the start. As I worked through the speech one more time, I was surprised to realize that this "O" was not a moment of wishful thinking; it was, instead, a moment of hopeful surety--though I don't know how Sebastian will be returned to me, I finally think it's quite possible that he will be.

And so I left rehearsal wondering if I could use "O" as a barometer for my own life. How often do I assume that my level of exhaustion will result in an "ugh" kind of "O" class rather than an "O!" one? How readily do I defeat myself before starting a run with an "O(h well)" rather than an "O(kay!)"? And when was the last time I really thought "O!" (we will have a family one day) rather than "O?" (there's another inevitable setback in our journey?

Today, I'm putting "O" on the table and letting it lead me where it will. I wonder what discoveries I'll make along the way.

A Love Letter

It's the day after Valentine's, so it's an appropriate time for a love letter, isn't it? As you might suspect, a good part of this one is written to that amazing man I was blessed enough to meet nearly seven years ago, but there's also a piece of my heart reserved for one of our favorite students--ever. J, one of the most talented student artists we've ever encountered, stole our hearts about five years ago when she began painting sets for our shows, and, in spite of the fact that she's now in college and far away from us, she's a part of our lives every day.

The story of this love letter begins with a songwriter by the name of Leonard Cohen. For as long as I've known him, Jeff has loved Cohen, but I was never really able to get on board with the gravelly, bordering-on-off-key voice that Jeff loves so much. As a result, I missed out on the lyrics to Jeff's favorite song--until he put them in a card one holiday early in our relationship. From then on, "Dance Me to the End of Love" became one of my favorite songs.

Fast forward to the day that we had to tell our beloved J that we were leaving New Jersey to move to Virginia. That spring, J--a junior--was in my Shakespeare elective, and she broke down when she learned Jeff and I would be leaving, and we broke down when we realized we'd never again encounter a student quite like her. But J moved beyond her sadness and looked towards our joy, and she told us she wanted to paint us something as her project for the Art Show later that spring. After consulting with us, she determined that we needed an entry table--which we did--and she went to work. Along the way, she asked me what we love most in the world aside from each other, and I offered possibly the most confusing answer to an artist ever: "J, we love theatre, walks in the woods, ballroom dancing, your Georgia O'Keefe-inspired painting--oh, and that Leonard Cohen song!"

To have a student care enough to know you well is a rarity. To have that student love your spouse, too, is even more unusual. And to have a student pour her heart into a piece of art for you and your spouse--well, so far for us, that's once in a lifetime. And that's why we are so blessed every time we walk up the stairs of our little townhouse, because we see this:

In the photo above, you can see so much of Jeff and me: the curtains of a theatre opening to reveal our initial, the words of our favorite song, a piece of J's original O'Keefe-inspired painting we loved so much. But walk up the stairs all the way, and you'll see the top of the table's upper level.

That night in the spring of 2010 when J revealed the finished product to me during her art show, I burst into tears. To receive a love letter (and there is an actual letter on the back of this piece of art, but that's just for me and Jeff) is an overwhelming experience any time--but to receive it from one who knows you so well is beyond compare. J's love letter was in the form of her passion, but it was about our passions--and she is part of our lives every day as we see her work in front of us.

But J's art inspires us to dance to the end of love, "through the panic till I'm gathered safely in." And that's tonight's love letter, part 2. I'll make it short and sweet, because--amazing readers of this blog--you know the panic that's been our reality for the past 13+ months. In every stage of that journey, Jeff has gathered me and safely taken me in. So it will come as no surprise to you--though it was a surprise to me--that I discovered this in my classroom yesterday afternoon when I returned from study hall:

My husband knows me so well that his card stated that he didn't want me to be the only girl at school without flowers (in fact, I was one of the envied few with flowers!) and that he also knew I'd never eat a box of chocolate, so he was including a bag of Pirate's Booty. He didn't make me cry--he made me laugh out loud. After all, what else is there to do in the face of a year full of panic?

Today, my tulips bloomed, and my students ooh-ed and aah-ed over them throughout each class period. I told stories of this man I love so much--of his success last night with his first Code 20 performance and of his love of our little boy-cat, Ozzy. Most of all, though, I just remained grateful for the panic he's seen us through and the strength he offers me as we face tomorrow.

So, J and "Rabbit" (the only name I call Jeff by at home), you are my loves tonight. "Thank you" are words too small and trite for the gifts you've given by opening your hearts to me in return.

Brussels Sprouts and Chicken Pasta

Yesterday, on the way home from lunch with friends, Jeff and I mentioned that we really needed to do our grocery shopping for the week. Our good friend, M, actually snorted from the backseat. When we inquired about her reaction, she informed us that, when she needs to shop, it's because there's literally one yogurt left in her fridge; however, when we need to shop, there's barely space in our refrigerator already. As far as I was concerned, M's observation was a challenge--and I say, "Challenge Accepted."

So, last night for dinner, we did one of our favorite tricks to use up miscellaneous produce: pizza night. Using a pre-made dough from Trader Joe's, we loaded our pizza with everything in the fridge that was on its last legs: scallions, green peppers, bratwurst, tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, and even some arugula sprinkled across the top. The pies turned out delicious, and Jeff has dinners for nights at work this week!

However, I wasn't ready to throw in the towel yet. As a result, knowing we still had chicken breasts and shaved Brussels sprouts (another great product from Trader Joe's!), I went on a hunt for recipes this morning. I found two of particular interest: Chicken Breast with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pasta with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta. With a whole lot of (well-acted) bravado, I stepped into the kitchen tonight--and, if I do say so myself--the results were tremendous!

I almost forgot to take a picture, so this is only 1/3-1/2 of a serving left!

Ingredients:
1 (heaping) cup farfalle (bowtie) pasta
1 chicken breast
1 garlic clove (minced)
2 cups shaved Brussels sprouts (if you don't have access to pre-cut ones, just slice thinly)
2 broccoli stems (no florets needed!)
5 pieces crispy (turkey) bacon
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Drizzle of balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (to taste)

Sous-chef reporting for duty--thank goodness for the new bench!

Directions:

1) Place chicken and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Immediately remove from heat, cover, and let stand 15 minutes. Drain chicken and run under cold water. Cool completely; set aside. Using 2 forks, shred into bite-size pieces; reserve.

2) Cook (turkey) bacon according to package directions.

3) Cook pasta according to package directions.

3) Using a vegetable peeler, peel off the topmost layer of the broccoli stems and discard. Then, continue peeling in long, thin strips. (When I got to the point where it was too thin to keep peeling, I just sliced the remaining stem very thinly.)

4) In a wok (or large saute pan), heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Once heated, add garlic. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, until fragrant. Next, add in Brussels sprouts and shaved broccoli stems. Toss with garlic and continue to cook as vegetables soften, adding salt and pepper.

5) Once vegetables are tender, add shredded chicken, cooked pasta, and crumbled bacon to the wok, continuing to toss. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil (to taste), grated Parmesan cheese (to taste), and juice of 1/2 lemon. Put into bowls and drizzle balsamic vinegar on top.

6) Enjoy!

** For my gluten-free friends--I'm thinking of you, Jenn!--I imagine you could forgo the pasta and add more shaved broccoli stems since they're almost the consistency of pasta! **

Jeff says I can make this as often as I like--he's clearly a fan!

Hello, Kale!

It's Sunday--welcome to this week's salad! Last week was an amazing salad: Warm Lentils with Sausage and Kale and a Mustard Vinaigrette. So, now I'm a little obsessed with kale--it's so good for you, and it's actually much easier to cook than I expected. This week, I decided to blend a couple of different recipes I found to create something that used ingredients I already had in the house. Here's what I came up with (with the help of my furry little sous-chef, of course!).

Rosie, reporting for duty!

Salad Ingredients:
3 cups cooked barley (approximately 1 cup uncooked)
16 oz kale
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small/medium onion, chopped
Red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Dressing Ingredients:
1 part (1 1/2 tbsp) honey
1 part (1 1/2 tbsp) olive oil
2 parts (3 tbsp) apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

1) Cook barley according to package directions (mine took about 1 hour, 15 minutes to cook, so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time!)

2) To cook the kale, first wash and drain it, but don't worry about getting it perfectly dry. (I found kale that was already washed, cut, and bagged; I had to tear it into smaller pieces, but it did make it a lot easier!) Put 1 tbsp olive oil into a wok (or large saute pan) over medium heat. Once it's warm, add the onion, pinch of red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Allow the onion to soften and become translucent. Then, after turning the heat up to high, add the kale in large handfuls, tossing it with the onion. Once the kale is tender, reduce the heat to medium, cover the wok, and allow the kale to continue to cook for approximately 15 minutes more (it should be bright green and tender to bite into once it's ready).

Cooking the onion.

3) In a small bowl, mix the cranberries and sunflower seeds.

Jeff, taste-testing my cranberries and sunflower seeds for "safety."

4) In another small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.

5) Once the kale and barley are cooked, combine all the ingredients (kale/onion, barley, cranberries/seeds) in a large bowl. Add the dressing a bit at a time, stirring to combine and tasting as you go. (You may not use all the dressing, or you may find you need to make a little more, depending on your preference.)

6) Enjoy!