Claw marks in the frozen peas

If I had super powers

Knowing my luck, if I were ever to be struck by lightning and gifted super powers, I’d be stuck with the power to awkwardly tell witty anecdotes or offer mints with haste. While not as special as flight or invulnerability, you have to admit that it’s almost equally as effective because they’re distracting. The real question lies in whether I would use these powers for good or evil.

joshuatuscan:

April 10, 2006

Dear Crystal,

I’m so sorry to hear that life is getting you down at the moment. Goodness knows, it can be so tough when nothing seems to fit and little seems to be fulfilling. I’m not sure there’s any specific advice I can give that will help bring life back its savour. Although they mean well, it’s sometimes quite galling to be reminded how much people love you when you don’t love yourself that much.

I’ve found that it’s of some help to think of one’s moods and feelings about the world as being similar to weather:

Here are some obvious things about the weather:

It’s real.
You can’t change it by wishing it away.
If it’s dark and rainy it really is dark and rainy and you can’t alter it.
It might be dark and rainy for two weeks in a row.

BUT

It will be sunny one day.
It isn’t under one’s control as to when the sun comes out, but come out it will.
One day.

It really is the same with one’s moods, I think. The wrong approach is to believe that they are illusions. They are real. Depression, anxiety, listlessness - these are as real as the weather - AND EQUALLY NOT UNDER ONE’S CONTROL. Not one’s fault.

BUT

They will pass: they really will.

In the same way that one has to accept the weather, so one has to accept how one feels about life sometimes. “Today’s a crap day,” is a perfectly realistic approach. It’s all about finding a kind of mental umbrella. “Hey-ho, it’s raining inside: it isn’t my fault and there’s nothing I can do about it, but sit it out. But the sun may well come out tomorrow and when it does, I shall take full advantage.”

I don’t know if any of that is of any use: it may not seem it, and if so, I’m sorry. I just thought I’d drop you a line to wish you well in your search to find a little more pleasure and purpose in life.

Very best wishes

(Signed)

Stephen Fry

How To: Turkey Pot Pie

With the arrival of Fall, colder weather and holiday festivities, pot pie is one of the perfect comfort foods for the season. I’ve adapted a couple recipes I found on the Internet to make use of the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving.

Serves 4
Approximate cook time 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked turkey meat, shredded or diced
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup diced carrot
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced potatoes
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon milk or water
• 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 3 tablespoons flour
• salt and pepper

Heat butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and saute about 3 minutes until tender. Add garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and stir constantly until pasty and thick, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and milk, and whisk well to work out any lumps. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer, stirring until thickened. You may need to add more flour if mixture is too thin. Add diced vegetables to mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the turkey, peas, salt, pepper and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Remove from heat.

Trim the puff pasty to the appropriate size to fit baking dish or individual crocks. Fill dish and cover with pastry and crimp the edges. Brush the pastry with egg wash. Place in preheated 350 deg F oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving.