I just completed writing and photographing a cookbook of some of my favorite recipes for special friends.  If you love to cook, as I do, measurements are not really used all of the time, so I remade many of these so that I could write down measurements - much to the delight of my friends who were asked to eat the results!

I learned quite a bit about me during this process.  I tend to be a perfectionist with things I do (but don't take it out on others).  I work too hard, and then wonder why my legs, back, and hands have been hurting so much (thanks osteoarthritis)!  With the recent onslaught in our area of very high temperatures and seemingly equally high humidity, my "friend" Arthur - you know, Arthritis - has been invading me with a vengance.  I think I've been spoiled by not having a great deal of pain lately, but my OA is certainly making up for it now, and my doctors and I haven't found a solution!

Today was a close friend's birthday, and I'd promised him a cherry pie.  For some inane reason, I decided that it HAD to have a lattice top - you know, the woven pastry kind of thing. I probably make over 100 pies a year for friends, but today was the day; I've never been able to make a lattice top for about 10,000 reasons, but I HAD to do it!  I was up at 4 in the morning - yes, I was in a lot of arthritis pain, but I kept planning pastry strategies.  Yes, I finally figured out how to do it, but the reality is no one would have noticed (or probably cared), and the pie would have been just as tasty with a plain crust!  I guess it was just one of my now famous WATCH ME things - don't tell me I can't do it, don't tell me I won't be able to.  I just needed to prove to myself that, YES, I can make a lattice top (and will probably never do so again)!

So then, there's the television.  I seldom watch TV and didn't even own one for a long time as I've been living and volunteering a great deal in East Africa.  When I returned to the States this Spring, I decided to buy a TV set, which has become almost a nightmare.  First, I insisted the store deliver it and set it up, although they kept saying that it wasn't heavy - but because of all of my artificial joints and my continuing arthritis challenges, I don't carry anything on stairs.  I just don't feel safe. 

After delivery, I thought this project was complete. However, the TV set goes out more than I do!  I called the dealer as well as Comcast, but the American world seems to have changed while I lived in Africa.  Each company insisted I call the other company because it wasn't their problem.  After calling lots of "people," I was informed that I didn't have a digital box and must have one in order for my TV to work.  I paid the repairman who installed a box and cheerfully rode off into the sunset. 

Unfortunately, the TV has again chosen not to work (maybe it has arthritis?).