As Coach Herman Says, A Time For Prayer and Reflection

If a tree falls in the forest...

My favorite movie of all time is Remember the Titans. There are many life lessons to be learned from that movie. I also love football and Denzel Washington.

2012 was a great year. As 2013 approaches, I must reflect on some of the crazy, great things that happened in my life.

My theme for blogging is food, fun and wine, and letting those three things guide your life. For some, that just makes no sense at all. For me, it makes all of the sense in the world. I love to have fun, I love to eat, and I love the art and science of wine making. I also love things that matter.

I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag - Turning 50 is a big deal!

Turning 50. OMG. That is a big one. You realize that each day is a gift. There is no guarantee for a tomorrow. There never was a guarantee, but the morning you wake up 50 years old, it is like a big old sock in the nose. Make the most of every day and every minute. Also take the time to celebrate with all of the people that matter. Don't forget your high school girlfriends.

My House Wine Bike Photo

This past year I learned a little about a camera and taking pictures. That was both fun and frustrating, It was fun for Chris and me to go out and shoot. I like to say "go out and shoot." I learned that you need to take at least 10,000 photos before you can even begin to think that you will take a good photo. I am nowhere near 10,000, but maybe one day. I do, however, have a lot of pictures this year to remind me of the great fun I had.

Roasted a chicken for the first time ever this year.

In 2012, I ate a lot of good food and drank a lot of good wine. I can say that with certainty because I weigh more today than I did on my 50th birthday. I worked really hard to be at my lowest weight since childbirth, and then obviously forgot how hard it was to do that, as I celebrated that wonderful accomplishment by eating great food and drinking great wine. I have one month to try to rectify that.

Husna and Mwana - I love you two so much!

I went off on my 35-day Tanzanian Adventure. Greatest experience of my life. I love the people of Babati, and I love what they stand for. They are simple, happy people. If I could wish for anything in the world, I would wish to live in a world where all people live like Tanzanians.

Kellen

Kellen is in his senior year at Macalester and will graduate in May. Life as we know it will soon change. It warms my heart so much to see what a hard-working, responsible young man he has become. He will probably never work as hard at a job as he has worked in college. There is just nothing that that boy can't accomplish. I am so proud of him.

Adi, the best dog ever.

Chris took the photos and made the posters for the high school soccer and basketball teams. He really likes doing it. I am his assistant. I don't think I do much to assist, but he keeps telling me I do, so I keep going. It is always so fun to see his photos around town. He is very good at it, and it is a really nice thing for him to do for those kids. Also, Chris has become the new Cat Photographer for the Humane Society. He went out to give some money at Christmastime, and offered to take photos for them if they ever needed any taken. It turned out they had just lost their Cat Photographer, and he was hired on the spot; hired as a volunteer, that is. He is very excited to start. He is also allergic to cats, so we will see how that goes. Maybe he can work his way up and become the Dog Photographer. He would probably like that a little bit better, no offense to cats and cat lovers. Sometimes, though, you have to start at the bottom to appreciate the top.

A Christmas Story

Another great Christmas at the McManus Cabin in Neihart, MT. Always fun. Always crazy. Chris and I hatched what we thought was a great Christmas idea on Friday, December 21st: A Christmas Story, Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun for everyone! We dispensed hunter orange stocking caps and protective eye wear to everyone and insisted they wear them. We set up a target outside and took turns shooting. It gives a new meaning to "let's go out and shoot." It was a lot of fun. Now we are trying to figure out the best way for our kids to get the guns on the plane and back home. Chris also helped me put together a DVD to give to my family members that highlighted the last 26 years of our lives. I had a lot of fun making it, and I got to see how much time and effort Chris puts into every DVD that he has made for me, our family, and our friends.

The highlight of our Christmas, though, was being able to help out our little friend, Carla, the 5-year-old angel that was blessed this Christmas season with a new heart, as she blessed the hearts of so many people across the country. Cousin Joely and Mike delivered some Christmas money to the family out in Seattle. We are so happy for the Wright family and will be praying for them every day.

2012 was a very good year!

As Coach Boone says, "I don't scratch my head unless it itches and I don't dance unless I hear some music. I will not be intimidated. That's just the way it is."

A good motto to live by. Do things that matter and don't worry about what others think. Cheers to the new year, 2013. ~ Stella

The Reason For The Season

Happy Holidays!

"Are you ready for Christmas?"

The question asked over and over all month long.

I think a more appropriate question would be: "Have you done anything thoughtful and kind for someone less fortunate than yourself that warms your heart?"

Isn't that the real reason for the season?

My sister and I try to find a someone-less-fortunate or a cause that we care about. Last year, Kristi hooked up with a Title 1 elementary school in Great Falls, which means it has a lot of children that live in poverty, and had a coat drive for them. That was really a lot of fun. She collected tons of coats all around Great Falls, and I collected some from Helena. Many people donated money, so she was able to buy a lot of new coats as well. Our gifts to each other were money to buy more coats.

In the end, there were hundreds of children that got a warm winter coat. Something like that makes you feel so good, brings tears of joy, and also warms your heart.

Carla, the Rock Star

Speaking of hearts, this year we want to raise money to help a beautiful 5-year-old girl that was born with half a heart. She was on the heart transplant list. The middle of November 2012, she got the good news and got the new heart. She is in a Seattle hospital still today as her fragile little body tries to make sense of it all. She has good moments and bad moments, ups and downs. She is incredibly strong, though. The last few days have been really good! We want to help this family have one of the most awesome Christmases ever, a Christmas to remember.

Anyone interested in donating to Carla and her family, please got to ourlittlewrightfamily.blogspot.com and you will find a donate button. You will also get the most awesome updates from Carla's mom, Jen.  As Sheldon's mom (Big Bang Theory) says, God doesn't give you more than you can handle. Both Carla and Jen are an inspiration to all!

"There is no ideal Christmas; only the one Christmas you decide to make as a reflection of your values, desires, affections, traditions." ~ Bill McKibben

Oh, To Be Thankful

This is the Sinai Primary School kitchen.

Today is Thanksgiving Day. The holiday season has officially begun. I am taking a break from the kitchen.  I don't have much time before my timer goes off, so I better get moving.

My year has been completely over the top with food, fun, and wine. What I am most thankful for are food, fun and wine. Just kidding. While I am thankful for those three things, I will always, and have always, been very thankful for friends, family and good health. There are a lot of things, though, that get overlooked because most of us are just too busy to remember that we should be thankful. Period. That needs to change.

Yes, it is really an underarm perspiration stain. 

I am incredibly thankful for a job that demands a lot of me at times, but also gives me the freedom and flexibility to get my work done, morning, day or night, which leaves me time to do the things I love.

Trixie's

I am thankful for a boatload of girlfriends that love to do the things that I love to do. That would  be eating, drinking, being merry, getting pedicures, and shopping.

Grandma Zella Supervising the Making of Shortbread

I am especially thankful for having 50 great years with my Gram, the Best Egg Ever. She lived a good long life, and I plan to follow in her footsteps.

Husna and Mwana

I am out of this world thankful for the WaterPowerPeace project, the Kahembe family, the Mason family, my family of friends in Babati, and my family of friends in New York.

Now for the good stuff.

Our Matching House Wine Bikes

I am thankful that my sister challenged me to wash my hair every other day. She told me once I got used to the feel of dirty hair, I would love it and never go back to washing it every day. Guess what? I have washed it every other day, or less, since New Year's Day 2012. Think of the money I have saved on expensive shampoo and water and electricity. It is true, you can fix your hair so much easier when it is one day dirty. Thank you, Kristi.

I Love My TOMS

I am thankful to have finally learned that you can wear something and not automatically have to put it in the wash. For some reason, that just seemed wrong to wear something twice. Africa does not lend itself to a never-ending supply of water, so you wear the same clothes until wash day. You use water only when you absolutely need to. If you don't have the water, you are obviously not doing laundry two times a day, which frees up a lot of time. It is liberating. Thank you, Babati.

Kellen Playing The Piano

I am thankful for the direct flight from Minneapolis to Helena. It is so easy for Kellen to come home, and we have now discovered it is just as easy for Chris and me to go out there. We have driven the 15 1/2 hour trip for the last 3 years, two times a year, because we usually were hauling Kellen's things out or bringing them back. Not anymore. Kellen has a car now. He can pick us up at the airport, drive us all around, then return us to the airport. Thanks, Delta, and thanks, Kellen.

Lastly, I am very thankful that I have people that actually go to my blog. When I sit down at the computer, I first go to My Audience to see how many people have visited my site. I realize that some get there totally by accident, but, hey, it is still someone that visited my site. When I wrote my first post, I was scared to death to hit publish. I was afraid that people would read what I had to say and think I was an idiot. It didn't take long to figure out that they very well could, and probably do, think I am an idiot, but who really cares? I like to sit down and write about silly things that make me happy.

Happy Holidays! Hopefully we will all have some good food, fun and wine to guide this holiday season.

"May the true spirit of the season find you and fill your heart with happiness." ~ author unknown

Life 101

Whenever there is a life lesson to be learned, my brother-in-law, without fail, turns to "Life 101" to make his point. When you think about it, it really makes sense.

Most of life's challenging moments can be dealt with using good old common sense. A lot of people over think things and believe a challenge in life needs a complex solution, no matter how big or small the challenge.

Now that I am 50 and have lived in Babati, Tanzania for 35 days, I realize I don't have the time or the energy for complex solutions to life's (mostly simple) challenges. At this age, remember, every day is a gift. It is time to enjoy what life has to offer and stop worrying. Once you do that, many of those challenges will disappear.

As we all wander through this thing called life, I really don't think there is any situation that can't be made better, unless maybe we are on death row. I would call that a very complex life challenge that requires a very complex solution and some really good lawyers, or an outgoing governor with a big heart.

So what are some of life's simple challenges?

Can we serve red wine with fish? The wine snob may say no. I say whatever you want to drink is fine. If you drink red wine with your fish, who will know and who will care? So if you are having a dinner party, serving halibut, fretting about the wine to pair it with, stop fretting. Buy some red and buy some white. If your friends find it in poor taste, they don't need to come to your house for dinner anymore. Common sense.

I used my mulligan on the first hole. Can I take another? Of course you can. You paid for the round of golf, you can do whatever you want. If you don't want to keep score, don't keep score. Common sense.

Should I get a dog? I don't have a job and I don't have any money. Of course you should not get a dog. Common sense.

Seriously, though, if life's challenges are getting you down, stop, breathe, figure out one simple thing that you can do to make your life more simple.

"To be simple is to be great." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

What's In A Name?

What's in a name?

Some wines jump out at you, all because of the name. Why is it we respond in such a way to such a simple thing? Good example: Mad Housewife wine. Why is it so alluring to be a mad housewife? Drink the wine and live up to the name, right? I, of course, tried it. In my opinion, it is not very good wine. Sure fun to look at the bottle and laugh about it with your girlfriends.

Another one is Bitch wine. It has a pink label. Not sure why that grabs our attention, but I am sure many of us have tried it. Also, not very good wine. Again, a lot of fun to look at the bottle and laugh about it with girlfriends.

As a side note, there is nothing more fun than trying different wines. For a lot of people that is a scary thing to do. Some  find a wine they like, then are super scared to try anything else. If that is you, go to Great Falls and see Tronny. Wines By Wednesday, Tronny's wine store, is a cool little place attached to his printing business. He likes wine more than he likes printing, so guess where you will find him. He will help you find a different wine that you will like. He will also sell you some really great cheese. A win/win, as I like to say.

Moving on to steak. Petite Sirloin; Flat Iron; Hanger; Skirt. All words that we relate to in a positive way. Who doesn't love a fun new skirt? Who doesn't appreciate a really good flat iron these days; we all need one? Who doesn't love good hangers, one that keeps the clothes from falling off? And who doesn't want a great tasting meal that can be associated with being petite?

We all know that everyone loves a tenderloin because -- duh -- it is tender. Everyone loves the flavor of sirloin but wishes it was a little more tender. Chris and I recently discovered the skirt/hanger/flat iron varieties. They are thin and juicy strips of meat, dying for a little marinade, wanting to be quickly grilled, then cut thinly across the grain. I have no idea where it comes from on the cow. Many of the cooking shows are using these cuts. It works well for fajitas, or you can just eat thin slices next to a bed of mashed red potatoes with horseradish, sour cream and gorgonzola cheese. It would also work well in a daring Vietnamese meal.

Meat Man Dennis

Unfortunately for us, our favorite grocery store doesn't always have skirt, hanger or flat iron steak on a regular basis, even though I throw out subtle hints that they get it in and keep it in. I can't be the only person in Helena that thinks this cut of meat is great. But the meat manager is kind of a grump and must think it bad for business to cater to his customers. Go figure. Yesterday, however, Meat Man Dennis (not the grump, the fun guy) had some flat iron in the back, was willing to walk five feet, fire up the meat saw, and cut off a strip. Yeah Dennis! Chris and I had a fabulous dinner.

If you simply love the flavor of steak, this one's for you; juicy, tender and packed full of flavor.

Grilled Flat Iron Steak

marinate steak in olive oil, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper
refrigerate for a few hours
as with all beef, take out of fridge and let come to room temperature before grilling (about 1/2 hour)
on a medium grill, cook 3 minutes, turn over, cook 3 minutes, turn over, then cook 2 more minutes
tent for 8 minutes

(adjust time for desired doneness - this will be somewhere between medium rare and medium)

Cheers!

If God didn't want us to eat steak, he wouldn't have given us teeth and dental floss. ~ Stella

Is There Such A Thing As Too Many Friends?

Friday afternoon I turned the TV on, just in time to see some lady talking about her "project." She was originally from Manhattan and had moved to Chicago, or somewhere, I can't really remember. She seemed to be having some sort of midlife crisis and needed change -- big change. She was an artist, but her day job was something entirely different. Reason # 1 not to become an artist. Most artists don't make enough money to live on, and usually end up settling for some meaningless job to pay the bills.

So she got to Chicago and realized she had one small problem: She did not know anyone and had no friends. No problem. Go out and make some friends. That is where the project begins. She set out to meet and connect with one new friend every day for one whole year. She took a picture of each new friend, then took a picture of all of her pictures of friends at the end of the year. Some days she made more than one new friend. It turned out to be about 400 new friends. Out of 400 new friends, about 40 have become good friends. How cool is that?

Well, I am thinking about copying her. I want to meet one new person in Helena for a year. I am uncertain whether to tell the new friend they are part of a project. In a way, it seems rather offensive. It may come across that I really don't care about the person, just about acquiring a new friend. Some people may be intrigued by the notion. I don't know how it will shake out, but I am willing to give it a try. Maybe it doesn't need to be a project, just something fun to do. While in Babati, I made it a point to greet every person that I walked by, and some of those people did became a friend. I think it will work in Montana just as well. Tanzania reminds me of Montana. Simple people, simple fun. I will keep you posted.

When you're in jail, a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying, "Damn, that was fun." ~ Groucho Marx

What's Up With The Girl Scout Promise?

Happy September. I think I am now settled in at home and looking forward to a change in the weather. Fall is probably my favorite season. There is something about kids going back to school, the excitement of them seeing old friends, new school clothes, beautiful fall colors, better air quality, holidays just around the corner; it all makes for an exciting time.

Home Sweet Home

If you read http://stellasguidetoliving.blogspot.com/2012/08/home-sweet-home-montana.html, you may have wondered why I ended the post with the Girl Scout Promise. Or maybe you just read that I was planning to serve God and my country and didn't really put the two together. My husband, unfamiliar with the Girl Scout Promise, read the post and asked, "What's up with God?"

While on my trip to Tanzania, I learned of some really great, inspiring work that Mrs. Mary Kahembe, with the help of LTT, is doing for Tanzanian women; creation of the Manyara Region Chapter of Girl Guides of Tanzania. Ladies of Babati, you are very lucky to have Mary Kahembe in your community and in your lives. If you embrace her and what she stands for with all of your might, you will be stronger and better equipped to get through this thing we call life.

I had never heard of Girl Guides. I was a Brownie and Girl Scout and knew what that was about, but the term "Girl Guides" was foreign to me. Well, it turns out they are the same, but different names for different countries. The mission of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is to enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world.

To my simple way of thinking, that means we educate and empower women (young and old) to stand up for human rights and women's rights. Stand up for what is right. What does that mean in Tanzania? The same thing it means anywhere else in the world. Females are just as deserving of an education as males. Females are just as deserving of good employment with equal pay. Females deserve to own businesses and prosper. Plain and simple, gender equality. And by the way, Tanzanian women are not alone in this quest. There are many women around the world in need of Girl Guides. One day, one woman at a time.

As Chris and I learned about the Tanzanian culture, learned a little Swahili, learned the needs of schools, communities and the great people of Tanzania, we made a promise to each other that we would do a little more. I so enjoyed my visits with Mary as she explained to me what she saw Girl Guides doing for the young women of Tanzania. This is something that I want to support. Women of the world, unite.

"Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day." ~ Sally Koch