summer menus

2 types of summer menus

What’s on your menu for the summer? Lest you cry “click bait,” here is a link to some menus I put together for my first blog—on Chinese home cooking: here you’ll find an end-of-school picnic menu and one for Memorial Day. (Disclaimer: this blog was written before I went off vegetable and canola oils—I highly recommend using ghee, coconut oil, or—yum? gasp?—bacon fat now.)

But I was talking about menus in a less literal sense.

I was reflecting this morning on a post I wrote four years ago, just as my eldest was headed to college and my youngest to high school. There have been a whole lot more firsts and lasts since then, almost too many to count!

And my plate has certainly been very full.

The highlights:

I’ve managed to learn a lot of new skills as a result of these experiences—from fixing leaky faucets to refinancing the mortgage, from filling out the FAFSA to running virtual workshops instead of in-person ones. Not gonna lie—feeling pretty accomplished.

At least until I consider what is Up Next: a variation on Alcuin’s river crossing puzzle—I’m quite sure you’re familiar with some version of it, but just in case you’re not, here’s a reminder. (I’ve heard it with three different animals before, never with a cabbage, but those brassicas are a healthy family of vegetables, so let’s go with the wolf, the goat, and a cabbage.)

Here’s my variation: I need to help one child get to grad school eight hours away by one date, the other one to college 13 hours away by another date, and both of them to visit their grandparents—preferably all of us together, 12 hours away—before then. Sounds fairly simple until you realize that the college-bound child won’t want to leave his friends behind too early in the summer since it’s the last chance he’ll have to spend time with his high school friends before they scatter….

My brain hurts whenever I try to figure this out, so please do share your solutions with me in the comments or by email.

Then again, I could just let each child take a car and make their own plans? Ha—not sure I’m quite ready to be that hands off just yet. Soon, perhaps? And yes, after years of saying I’m so ready to be an empty nester, I’m starting to be a bit more ambivalent about it as the day grows closer. 🙂

on the menu

And there’s still some time to go before then!

Data show that in 2020, 61% of us have experienced unwanted weight changes (read: weight gain) to the tune of an average 29 pounds, a lot of them presumably from stress eating. So here’s what’s on the menu at Simply: Health Coaching for the next 2+ months:

  • We’re finishing out the 4-week challenge on cycling out of stress eating—if you missed it, not to worry! There will be an abbreviated 1-hour workshop on the material we covered on Wednesday, May 26 at 11am ET on Zoom. The workshop is free—and registration is required.
  • It’s all well and good to learn in theory how to steward emotional/stress eating—and if you know you will need a lot more information, support, and accountability, I’ll be running a new course on the topic in June/July. (Deadline to register is May 30! Those who participate in the challenge and/or the workshop will receive a special bonus that can be applied toward the cost of the program.)
  • Monthly Foundations of Wellness for Women events continue through the summer:
    • On Friday, June, 4, Dr. Sue McCreadie will be facilitating a conversation on eating for our genetics.
    • On Saturday, July 17, the FWW team will be joined by Melea Alexander of Chinaberry Acupuncture, who will be talking about embodiment and “acupuncture without needles.” And of course, Team FWW will be continuing the conversation about energy, energetics, and embodiment as part of this 3-hour virtual retreat. Stay tuned for details!
  • And coming in September: the next cohort of the EAT™ | Your way to health program for women burning out in mission-driven work launches its third cohort in mid-September!

make the connection

What’s on YOUR plate this summer? If reclaiming your health and losing some pandemic pounds is one of the items, check out my offerings for the summer, or schedule a free consultation to discuss your needs.

[Photo by PhotoMIX Company from Pexels]