fidget smile wave

I think I’m suffering from seasonal affective disorder.  Anyone else?

Maybe post holiday blues.  I’m pretty sure I have frost bite but I’m not a doctor so maybe not, I don’t know.

All I know is that everything has turned blah and cold.  I’m struggling to want to do anything.  Frankly seeing the temperature in my car at 12 degrees the other morning when I went to heat it up so Larry and I don’t turn into a popsicle was just a slap in the face to my mood. Blah.  Not cool winter.

I’ve been dreaming of warmth, how I wish I was here again.  I’d even happily go with my sister again and refuse any gin.  That’s not true.  That last part about gin was a lie, sorry.  It’s this weather.  Blurg.

On our frigid drives to work these couple of weeks Larry and I have been hatching a little plan to just keep going.  Forget work, forget New England winters and head south to Savannah.  I’m not sure how we came up with Savannah except I’ve never been and have always wanted and well, Larry is game for anything.

We would just drive into town.  I’ll work at some diner with a cute little uniform in some 1940’s style.  The patrons would be humored by my sassy northern ways and Larry would follow me around as I wait my tables.  I’m assuming that would not be any sort of health code violation or anything.  People would think we were the bees knees and say “that’s a mighty fine dog you have there” and I would say, “that’s not my dog, he’s my best friend” and scene.  Is that not normal?  She shrugs her shoulders, exit stage left.

We don’t talk about the reality of this plan being we would be leaving Franklin, Newton and Adam and that would be just awful but Savannah does sound nice and warm and I can be sassy.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is, I”M COLD.  I’ll pull through, I just need to put my socks on, stare at a lightbulb and eat stuff that makes me think of warmth.  Like this or this and of course this Mediterranean Pepper Salad that is almost like one I wanted to try to recreate from the cruise.  It is just what you need to lift your mood, feel good and make it though the home stretch of winter.  But if you happen to see a very pale, slightly crazed lady and her dog driving down I-95, give her a wave and know that winter got the best of her.

Mediterranean Pepper Salad

slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen

ingredients

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup cold water

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 red onion, diced

3 bell peppers – any color –  cored, seeded and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cucumber – chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese

1/2 cup pitted kalmata olives

1/2 pint grape tomatoes  – sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl mix the red win vinegar, water, kosher salt and sugar until sugar is dissolved.  Add red onion and set aside.

Chop your peppers, cucumber and tomatoes.  Put them all in a large bowl and add feta cheese and olives.  Drain your onions, reserving the vinegar mixture.  Add onions to other vegetables and pour 1/4 cup of vinegar mix into veggies.  Toss the veggies and drizzle olive oil over salad.  Salt and pepper to taste.  You can serve right away or refrigerate for later when the flavor is even better.  Enjoy!