20 Ways To Please Your Lover

 

Top Tips For Married Men 

1.     Tell her you love her. Frequently!

2.     Give her four hugs a day.

3.     Pre-plan the details of your regular date nights.

4.     Ask her for her “honey do list.” Start working on it.

5.     Surprise her with flowers from the market.

6.     Volunteer to be the parent who supports your child at a school event.

7.     Ask her specific questions about her day.

8.     Send her an e-card.

9.     Surprise her with dinner fixings from the local deli.

10.  Hire a housecleaner.

11.  Offer to do the weekly grocery shopping. Or go with her just to keep company.

12.  Cuddle on the sofa while talking.

13.  Stop and ask for directions the next time you’re lost. Or late.

14.  Call her just to say Hi.

15.  Write her a love poem. You can keep it short. Or copy someone else’s.

16.  Fix something around the house.

17.  Give her direct eye contact when she’s talking.

18.  Remember her birthday with a collection of meaningful little wrapped gifts.

19.  Take her out for dinner on your anniversary.

20.  Maintain her car. Change the oil, and have it repaired.

Top Tips For Married Women

If you’re new here, please be sure to visit my main blog Chrysalis. You’ll discover an equally useful list of suggestions for married women, “Top Tips For Married Women” here. See you there!

 Photo Credit: Digital Defection (Flickr)

The Restaurant Meme

 

5 Puget Sound Area Restaurants You Might Enjoy 

Carol at She Lives tagged me for this extreme meme. She’s in Texas, so two of her restaurant picks are deliciously Tex-Mex and Southwestern. She says a Brazilian third is all about the meat. Mmmm. Take a sniff here. 

Quoting Carol: “I can just imagine her coming up with a well researched article on gastronomy. Wouldn’t that be cool?  (Or maybe she already has and I missed it?)”  

Lol, I haven’t dealt with gastronomy on my other blog yet, Carol! (Help me out. Where’s “gastronomy” in the dictionary?) Knowing our shared interest in health food, you might be interested to know I posted this at Chrysalis a while back. Health & Wellness: Bible Cuisine. The Land of Milk and Honey.

E-Dad and I go out for dinner almost every Saturday night—but not for health food! Here are the places on the west coast of Washington State (USA) that we return to again and again.  But first, the rules.

• Link to name of person that tagged you. 

• Include state and country you live in. 

• List top 5 favorite local restaurants. 

• Tag 5 other people and let them know they’ve been tagged. 

So without further skidoo…

1. Azteca (Mexican)

My husband’s favorite—and since we’re joined at the hip, we dine there regularly. Family-friendly, cheese-dripping servings of standard Mexican fare. I usually order chile rellenos with a side of fresh guacamole, and e-Dad gets his usual two chicken enchilades with flour tortillas (instead of corn). Usually, we devour the basket of warm chips and fresh salsa before our entrees arrive, even though we’ve promised ourselves we won’t. If we’re celebrating, sometimes we split a macho lime, mango, or strawberry margarita. And if we’re really, really hungry (and feeling skinny), we split a chocolate mud-pie for dessert. 

2. The King and I (Thai) 

This is a small family-friendly Thai restaurant across the lake from where we live. We always begin with chicken satay appetizers—on bamboo skewers—served with fresh peanut sauce. One of us usually orders sizzling coriander chicken, and the other gets a beef-and-vegetable medley. (Level 4 spiciness). White jasmine rice comes separately in a covered container on the side. Deep-fried bananas with cocoanut ice-cream and garnished with a fuchsia orchid usually rounds out our meal. 

3. Ray’s Boathouse (Seafood)

This restaurant is all about seafood and the water views, especially at sunset. Located right on the edge of Puget Sound you can order anything you want, from salmon and halibut, to scallops and crab. The main dining room is elegant and expensive but the quality of fare upstairs in Ray’s Café is just as good, and the environment is less formal. We save Ray’s Boathouse for special occasions. Since purchasing their cookbook, we now dine gourmet-style at home—without the price tag! 

4. Rovers (French-Northwest)

It’s been rumored that this is the place where all the Microsoft mucky-mucks hang out. We’ve yet to lay eyes on Mr. and Mrs. Gates, but the intimate atmosphere, fine wine and food, and professional service are top-notch. Reserve this restaurant for your special anniversary. If you do go, expect to pay a bundle… but if you’re into celebrity sightings, this might be the place for ju.   

5. Cedars (Indian)

Indian and Mediterranean food at it’s best in our city’s university district. Always crowded with hungry students—especially at lunch—I often order pita bread and hummus to begin, with a traditional brown or cocoanut chicken curry as my entrée. Other favorites include tabboleh (parsley, tomatoes, green onions, cucumber, bulgar wheat) and flafill (fava beans, chickpeas, and parsley). Baklava is my dessert of choice (chopped walnuts baked between layers of thin filo dough, honey and exotic spices). 

So now I’m tagging YOU. You’re it!

• Kimmy
• Julie
• Tami
• Robin
• Kristy

If you’re new here, please join me at my main blog Chrysalis. Hurry over, and I’ll see you when you get there.

Hugs, e-Mom

Photo Credits: jmware (Flickr)

7 Things About Me Meme

 

Things To Do While You’re Alive

Tami (The Next Step) and leftcoastonlooker (My View From The Left Coast) have tagged me for the 7 Things About Me meme. Thanks so much! I’d like to tell you about a few places I’ve been, inspired by a magazine ad that caught my eye. 

 

First, Da Rules: People who are tagged start by thinking about 7 random facts/habits about themselves. Each player then must write about those seven things on their blog, as well as include these rules. Players then need to choose 7 people to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave each person a comment telling them they’ve been tagged.

    

1. Visit all fifty states

þ 2. Enjoy a full English breakfast

We enjoyed grapefruit, orange juice, toast, fried eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, hash browns, ham, black sausage, and Earl Grey tea at a traditional Tudor Inn in Yorkshire, England in 2003. Delicious and filling!

þ 3. See history come alive in the sunbelt of Italy

A girlfriend and I back-packed our way across Europe by Eurail when we were studying art history in college. Florence and Rome were highlights on our itinerary, especially the Uffizi museum, Michelangelo’s David, and the Vatican’s Sistine Ceiling.

4. Upgrade your room in a posh hotel

5. Float in the Dead Sea

6. Bake (and eat) a chocolate layer cake

7. Experience an Alaskan adventure

8. Cross the Atlantic by ship

9. Go to the Olympic Games

The winter Olympic games will be held in Vancouver/Whistler B.C. Canada in 2010. We plan to stay with relatives and attend the games, for sure!

10. Learn to surf in Hawaii

We watched many surfers from the beach at Poipu Beach Kawaii, HI but boogey-boarding was the closest I came to surfing.

11. Straddle the international dateline

12. Learn to tango in Buenos Aires

I love to salsa, cha cha, samba, jazzercise, and aerobic dance. So why not learn tango “on location?”

13. Sing karaoke in Tokyo

þ 14. Attend a Broadway show

My husband and I bought half-price tickets to see the Broadway production of Fosse in 2001. The show was a tribute to the dance choreographer Bob Fosse, who is famous for his work in Cabaret. One sensitive number was so moving, that I wept.

15. Go heli-skiing in British Columbia, Canada

16. Kiss the Blarney Stone

17. Watch Buckingham Palace’s changing of the guard

18. Explore the Seychelles

þ 19. Do the grand tour of Europe

See #3. We flew to London, took a hovercraft to France, rode the train to Marseille, sun-bathed on the Riviera, viewed fine art Florence & Rome, hiked in Switzerland, took a Rhine river cruise in Germany, and picnicked on a dike in Holland. 

20. Find the Loch Ness Monster

21. Stay at the Ice Hotel

þ 22. Visit an active volcano

My husband and I were camping on the beach in 1980 when Mount St. Helens erupted. Early in the morning, we were awakened by an deafening “boom” and we shot out of our tent like jack rabbits. Many miles away, the mountain had spewed ash and it’s muddy contents into the valleys below. We were not in any danger that day, but several volcanoes (and earthquakes) do pose a threat to us in Washington state.

22. See CA wine country from a hot-air balloon

þ 23. Cruise the Pacific Coast Highway

My husband and I love to take road trips. We’ve driven from our fair city in Puget Sound down the coast to LA/Disneyland several times. We especially love the redwoods, Napa valley, and San Francisco. The coastal highway twists and turns, and if you get too close you just might tumble over the edge into the Pacific. But the expansive ocean views in Oregon and California are stunning.

24. Take a Steamboat cruise down the Mississippi

25. Go to the Super Bowl

þ 26. Ski the first tracks at Sun Valley

We spent two Christmases with our family cross-country and alpine skiing in Sun Valley, Idaho. We actually made the first snowshoe tracks one sparkling winter morning. And what a memory—suddenly, a team of jingling horses pulling a sleigh full of jolly tourists slid past us on the trail!

27. Watch the Northern Lights

28. Go to the Galapagos Islands

29. Ride a motorcycle across the U.S.

30. Ride a mule into the Grand Canyon

31. Dig for dinosaur bones

32. Drink a mint julep at the Kentucky Derby

Count them. I’ve been to seven places on this list, with many more still to go. So which of these places have YOU seen?

I’m tagging Sarah, Tara, Christie, Tammy, Lori, Kimmy, and Kristie for this meme. If you’re too busy, please don’t feel any pressure to play along. However, please let me know if you participate so I can drop by and leave a comment.  If you’re new to this site, please visit me at my main blog, Chrysalis. See you there! Hugs, e-Mom

P.S. I am in no way endorsing the product being promoted by the following advertisement. However, the microsite version of the print ad I snagged this to-do list from is pretty cool, integrating content from NationalGeographic.com, Concierge.com and NewYorker.com. It really brings this must-do list to life, and don’t miss the photos of The Ice Hotel!

 

Photo Credit: underdutchskies Flickr

Morning Face Challenge

Rachelle at Seek First His Kingdom has issued a Morning Face Challenge. She wants to see that “no-makeup, just-got-up, haven’t-had-coffee-yet face.” This is mine. OK, I fudged a bit, but are YOU up for it? Go visit Rachelle, and then it’s your turn. Post a photo of yourself on your blog, then come back here and leave me a comment. Have fun!

If you haven’t already, please visit me at my main blog Chrysalis. See you there.

Hugs, e-Mom

Photo Credit: Mahalie (Flickr)

My Personal Testimony of God’s Guidance

 

A student once went to his teacher and posed a difficult question, “How do you know the will of God for your life?” The answer his teacher gave was very wise. He said, “God’s will can be compared to a ship sailing into the harbor on a dark night. There are bright lights on three buoys that must line up. When they do, the ship can sail into port safely. The lights represent truth that can be found in the opening and closing of doors in your life circumstantially, in the study of Scripture, and in the counsel that comes from mature people around you.” When they all agree, then you will know the will of God.

Sometimes God’s messages do come to me in threes. I’ve noticed that occasionally the same message is offered in different ways: as an event in my life; an image; as a printed word or series of words; out of the mouth of someone I am in conversation with (often unbeknownst to them); or even as a gut feeling or racing heartbeat. I really have to be paying attention to make the connections. I think I am offered three similar messages when God is making a very important point.

Mourning The Loss of My Mother

For instance, in a way, my mother died twice. When she died her natural death, I had already grieved her passing from my life several years before. I experienced her passing the first time in the same way I lost my Father, capital “F.” Like him, she toppled from her pedestal as Mother, capital “M” after a big disappointment. My grief over the disappointment was transformed into peace by three important messages that were sent my way. And I was comforted by God’s tender presence in my loss.

Butterflies

I grieved Mom’s passing from my life when my daughter, Paula was pre-school age. It was a hot summer, unusual for our city. Paula was enrolled in a week-long “explorer” class at the local Science Center and the theme for the week was butterflies. On Monday, each budding naturalist was given a white lidded bakery box with a clear plastic window. Paula brought her treasure home and she placed it on top of the antique oak dresser in her bedroom. Together we peeked through the cellophane, and we could see two gray butterfly crysallises suspended from the top of the box. All week we made sure there was water in a shallow cup inside the box and we watched expectantly. By Friday, two brilliant butterflies had emerged from their paper-like chambers. “Mom, it’s time to let them go!” Paula exclaimed excitedly late in Saturday afternoon.

So we carefully carried the box out the kitchen door to our garden and we sat together on the lawn next to the swingset. Paula clambored between my outstretched legs, and then she steadied the box on her lap. We counted “One, two three, go!” and she popped the lid open with a flourish. With a few delicate flutters, the two butterflies rose up and away from us toward our mixed border of tall wildflowers growing against the fence. Paula was thrilled, and she nestled back against my chest in delight. “Isn’t life wonderful?” she exclaimed joyously. The moment was exciting for both of us. Later, when I was getting ready to discard the box, I noticed a few drops of red blood-like liquid that marked the cardboard below each vacant crysalis. That must have been a painful metamorphosis, I concluded–not easy at all. In fact, it must have been quite a struggle.

On Saturday, my mother called long distance on the phone. We agreed to meet for brunch on Sunday at a popular seafood restaurant in a town about two hours away. I was full of news about my children’s summer camps, activities, and accomplishments. I was eager to share all of this with their Nana–someone who knew about what life was like with busy little people in the house. And who would know better than my own mother? I had saved up a lot to say that day, and I was excited about our visit. But I should have known better. As always, my mother’s need to talk was much greater than mine. She took up the entire four-hour visit, bursting with her own news. Mom was so hungry for a listening ear, that I didn’t have the opportunity to say one word, and I cried all the way home.

Driving in the far left lane on the freeway, through my tears, I noticed a small sailboat strapped to trailer passing to my right. On the transom, was the name of the boat, “Butterfly.” I suddenly remembered the butterfly metamorphosis that Paula and I had witnessed the day before, and I realized that I too must undergo a transformation. By the time I braked by the curb infront of our shuttered Cape Cod bungalow, I had gone through a profound change. I was transformed from a young woman with a mother, to a young mother with a needy friend. At long last, I accepted the fact that my mother would never be the kind of nurturing caregiver I wanted and needed. But I also recognized another startling truth. I would never be the kind of sophisticated, worldly daughter my mother would have wanted either.

About three days later, I received a nice thank you note from a friend I had been to lunch with. The notecard was illustrated with an orange watercolor of a beautiful butterfly. With that, I knew there was no going back. My hope of my mother, as Mother, was forever gone from my life. So I let my dream die. And my relationship with Mom was much easier after that. There were no expectations, no anger or disappointments, and I was able to freely give her the support that she so desperately needed.

Our Parents Are Human

Perhaps our parents die twice for all of us. Maybe we mourn their passing as numinous figures when we finally see them for who they are–ordinary people who have needs and wounds just like our own. If we don’t go through this transition, perhaps we should. Perhaps their deaths are much harder to take unless we do. At her death, I was sad for mother, and all the things she had suffered in her life. But I did not grieve her loss as my Mom with a capital “M” then.

Related: Please visit me at my main weblog, Chrysalis. The articles “Knowing God’s Will: Guidance Guidelines” Part I and Part II may be of interest to you. See you there!

Photo Credit: Burn Blue (Flickr)

Meme: Five Things You Didn’t Know About Me

 

 My Wild and Unusual Froggy Facts

 1. I’ve never caught a frog.

2. When I was in high school science lab, we made a dead frog’s legs twitch.

3. Frog’s legs were on the menu at a local restaurant, and I thought they were really tasty. 

4. Frogs are reptillians, and I think all reptillians are ugly!

5. I think it’s interesting that God brought a plague of frogs upon the Egyptians. (Exodus 8:1-15)  Revelation 16:13 also makes reference to frogs: “And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.” In either case, not a pretty sight!

Polly at Our Busy Family Life tagged me for this “Five things You Didn’t Know About Me” meme. Please hop on over to visit her, and then come visit me at my main blog Chrysalis. I’ve tagged several bloggers there to participate–but only if you have the time. See you soon!

Photo Credit: pbeens (Flickr)

Wise Men (& Women) Still Seek Him

A Christmas Reunion

The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first serviceon Christmas Eve.They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc, and on December 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished.

On December 19 a terrible tempest – a driving rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days. On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high. The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor,and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home.

On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church. By this time it had started to snow.

An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked an dit covered up the entire problem area.

Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet. “Pastor,” she asked, “where did you get that tablecloth?” The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria. The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the tablecloth.

Thewoman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. He was captured, sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again.

The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home, that was the least he could do. She lived on the otherside of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.

What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the Spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return. One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood continued to sit in one of thepews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn’t leaving.

The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike. He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years in between.

The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to StatenIsland and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman’s apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.

True Story – submitted by Pastor Rob Reid. Many thanks to Calia77 at The Year of the Jo for posting this touching story.

Let’s Celebrate the Reason for the Season!

Iris at Sting My Heart is inviting bloggers to post a photo of their Nativity scene. Hurry over and add your name to her Mister Linky! Our family creche (facsimile above) is composed of miniature clay figurines imported from Provence, traditionally known as Santons. You can learn more about the French artisans and history of this popular craft here. Take a moment to learn something about my country-of-origin’s French Canadian Christmas traditions here.

You’re invited to drop by for some cheer and Christmas music at my main blog, Chrysalis. Merry Christmas!  

Christmas Tour of Homes

    

Welcome to our home! BooMama is hosting a Christmas Tour of Homes on Friday Dec. 15, 2006. Post your photos, add your name to BooMama’s Mister Linky, and then take the grand tour.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our hospitality. Please visit me at my main blog Chrysalis. See you there!

Love,

e-Mom

Photo Credit: The live Nativity scene above is courtesy of redperm (Flickr) taken at the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Jan. 2006, Radio City Music Hall, New York.

A is For Apples

A-Z Meme

Iris at Sting My Heart, tagged me with the A-Z Meme. Enjoy!

 A – Available/Single? Happily married. (Our regular date nights are cool!)

B – Best Friend? My husband, e-Dad.                          

C- Cake or Pie? Cheesecake with blackberry topping.

D – Drink Of Choice? Short extra foamy green tea latte (with 1/2  pump of melon.)

E – Essential Item You Use Everyday? Mascara.

F – Favorite Color? Aquamarine.

G – Gummy Bears Or Worms? I prefer M ‘n M’s (U.S.) or Smarties (Canada).

H – Hometown? Lower mainland, B.C. Canada.

I – Indulgence? Phaelenopsis orchids.

J – January Or February? Both, for the skiing.

K – Kids & Their Names? Son: e-Boy; Daughter: e-Girl.

L – Life Is Incomplete Without? My car… gotta have wheels!

M – Marriage Date? In the 70’s.

N- Number Of Siblings? A sister (England) and brother (Canada) .

O – Oranges Or Apples? Tart green apples.

P – Phobias/Fears? Walking on that very skinny trail out to Angel Point at the Grand Canyon, AZ.

Q – Favorite Quote? “A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives you roses.”—Chinese Proverb

R – Reason to Smile? Blogging Mamas. :~)

S – Season? A sunny summer.

T – Tag Three People? YOU, you, and you. Jump right in!

U – Unknown Fact About Me? I love Gregorian Chant.

V – Vegetable you don’t like? Turnips.

W – Worst Habit? Writing long e-mails.

X – X-rays You’ve Had? Chest, when emmigrating to the U.S.

Y – Your Favorite Food? English white cheddar cheese, preferably aged (really sharp).

Z – Zodiac Sign? Balderdash!

I hope you learned a few new things about me. OK it’s your turn. If you decide to do this, please come back and leave me a comment. I’ll be right over! Love, e-Mom

P.S. Please visit me at my main blog Chrysalis if you haven’t already.

Photo Credit: Claudecf (Flickr)

Join Our Parade of Weirdos

 

Ten Weird Things About Me

Laurie at Fernook Farmgirl tagged me for this meme. Consider yourself tagged―please join our Parade of Weirdos! Post your responses, and then come back to leave me a comment. I’ll be right over to read about your idiosyncracies!

Guilty as Charged

1. I have citizenships in two countries.

2. I’m afraid of roller coasters.

3. I really don’t like talking on the phone.

4. When everyone else is being eaten alive, mosquitos usually don’t bother me.

5. My kids and I were paid “extras” in a movie.

6. I prefer sour over sweet―especially limes.

7. I rarely get sick.

8. I like to leave all the lights on in the daytime.

9. I don’t like fizzy soft drinks.

10. I’m energized by 85-90 degree heat!

Please visit me at my main blog Chrysalis, if you haven’t already.                                

Blessings,

e-Mom 

Photo courtesy of the zen master (Flickr)