 |
| Pear Syrup Drink |
It is important to keep cool and stay hydrated when the temperatures soar. Water is probably the best liquid to drink to keep hydrated, but, occasionally, a fruit flavored sweetened syrup diluted with water makes a nice drink, too. I had some sugar syrup leftover after I canned the Asian pears. I had cooked the pears in the syrup, which contained lemon juice and some crystalized ginger. I diluted the leftover syrup with iced water and it made a nice cool drink, with a hint of pears, lemon, and ginger. I'm glad I found a way to use the leftover canning syrup without wasting it.
It was another hot day, today, and it was quite humid, too. I had to have the ceiling fan on. I took it relatively easy today and spent most of the day watching TV programs commemorating the events of 9/11. It's one of those days when one remembers exactly where one was and what one was doing. I was at the office and back then, I used to give a ride to my cousin P, who worked down town in another building. Her office had their headquarters in New York and their head office closed down and notified the branch office in Los Angeles to close, too. My cousin called to let me know that she was getting a ride home with one of her coworkers and I didn't have to give her a ride home in the evening as usual. A short time later, our office closed, too, and we were told to go home, as there was concern that some of the buildings in downtown Los Angeles might be attacked, too. I remember coming home and turning on the news on the TV to see what was going on. The towers had already come down by the time I got home. One of my cousins worked in one of the towers as an engineer for the Port Authority, but he managed to escape from the building before it collapsed.
In between watching TV, I swept and mopped the kitchen. I accidentally knocked a glass off the counter and it broke. So, I had to sweep up the shards of glass and I thought I might as well mop the floor.
I also made a birthday card for one of my long time friends:
 |
| Birthday Card |
I painted the flower on a piece of hand crafted paper I made out of old utility bills (I tore up and blended the scraps of paper with water - it was a fun activity I did one summer). I met E the second day I arrived in the US to attend university. I guess she had met with the Dean of Students earlier in the day and had mentioned feeling homesick for her family who were in a different city and he had mentioned me and that I might be feeling homesick, too, and had suggested she introduced herself to me. We both lived in the same student apartment building; E lived in an apartment downstairs and I lived upstairs. So, on my second evening at the apartment, there was a knock on the door and when I opened the door, E introduced herself and I invited her in. We apparently found much to talk about because it was past midnight when we finally stopped chatting! We've been friends ever since!
Dancer had been off his food, yesterday, and spent most of the day sleeping under my bed. Today, however, he seems to be feeling better and has been eating. Maybe it was too hot for him, yesterday.
Today, I am grateful for:
- My cousin managed to walk out of the first tower on 9/11
- Long time friends
- Ceiling fans and refrigerators and the electricity to run them
- Daughter had a fun weekend, socializing with work friends (on Saturday) and personal friends (on Sunday)
- Dancer is feeling better
My joyful activity on Sunday was making the birthday card for my friend.
Plans for Monday include a long list of things to do! Perhaps too long a list! There are bills to pay, paperwork to fill out, phone calls and appointments to make, and a trip to the library to pick up a book that is on hold for me! I felt rather overwhelmed after I wrote out the list, but, there is no reason why I shouldn't be able to accomplish most of it!
How was your Sunday? What are your plans for Monday?
A good idea to make a drink from the pear syrup it does look very refreshing.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awful day 9/11 was and you must be so thankful that your cousin was one of those who survived. I was at home ironing in front of the television and watching the events unfold on the news bulletin, you're right everyone would remember what they were doing at the time.
The birthday card is lovely and how wonderful to have remained good
friends for so long.
I do hope Dancer is feeling better.
Thank you! It was a very refreshing drink!
DeleteYes, I am very thankful that my cousin survived the 9/11 attack and I feel so sad for all the people who lost a family member or a loved one on that day.
Thank you; I had fun making the birthday card for my friend. :)
Dancer seems to be feeling better, today, and eating more. I think he was feeling the heat.
You're right in that we all remember where we were and what we were doing on 9/11. It's important that we do.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is important that we remember, isn't it?
DeleteThis post made me think about where and what we were doing when 9/11 happened. Son1 had come home for his grandfather's funeral and had a flight back to Portland booked for that afternoon. We were all so worn out from the prior day's events that we let Son3 sleep in instead of going to school. My sister called and told us to turn on the TV immediately. Our entire family sat glued to the television in shock as the events occurred.
ReplyDeleteThe pear syrup drink sounds perfect for a hot summer day, and the birthday card you made is lovely. I know your friend will appreciate getting it.___anne in the kitchen
Thank you, Anne. I remember coming home from work and flying the American flag before I did anything else! Then, I went to the grocery store and stocked up on water! I don't know why I thought to do that, but, suddenly, it seemed important to have plenty of water on hand, and then, I went to pick up my daughter from school, early.
DeleteYour cousin was very fortunate. It is wonderful to have long time friends like E. How nice that she reached out to you then.
ReplyDeleteYes, he was.
DeleteOf all the friends I made when I was at the university, E is the only one I still keep in touch with. We no longer write as often as we used to, which I miss, but, that is to be expected, I suppose, given how busy she is.
A good idea to use that syrup as a flavour for a cold summer drink. I love that not everything good has to come out of a recipe.
ReplyDeleteMy memories of 9/11 are of a feeling of disbelief that anything so horrendous could be happening while where I was, it was a beautiful fall day with already some colour changes.
Your painting of the flower turned out really well on the birthday card.
Thank you, Bushlady; yes, sometimes, a bit of experimentation results in something delicious!
DeleteYes, I think we were all in shock and disbelief that such an event as 9/11 could happen.
Thank you! I am pleased with how the card turned out. :)
What a refreshing drink you made. And a good use of your syrup.
ReplyDeleteOn 9/11 I did the same as you and watched shows about it. I watched coverage from that day as it happened on youtube.
What an awful terrible thing to have happened. It is still shocking to see.
As you said, we all remember where we were when we first learned of the events in NY and then Washington and PA.
I was working at Waldenbooks on that day from 9-noon.
That morning I worked with a girl whose husband was in the Navy (we have a Naval War College near here and he was attending that). He called a little after 9 and kept calling and giving us updates as did the customers that came in.
No cell phones in those days so we were getting our news by word-of-mouth.
I remember coming home a little after noon - my husband had come home from work and was sitting in the living room with the tv on.
After 3 hours of hearing about what was going on, I saw my first images of the horror of it all.
I'm so glad your cousin was not harmed that day.
Thank you, Debra; M said he used the pear syrup on yogurt.
ReplyDeleteThank you, too, for sharing your memories of 9/11 and how the events of the day unfolded for you. Definitely a day that we will all remember, I'm sure.