Solace
Or 10 Cheering Thoughts for a Cold and Snowy February Night
1. “What’s terrible is to pretend that the second-rate is first-rate. To pretend that you don’t need love when you do; or you like your work when you know quite well you’re capable of better.”
–Doris Lessing
2.  Read this poem.Â
3.  Watch this video. If you have children or grandchildren, do you remember when they laughed like that?
4. Look at your yarn.
5. Pet your fiber.
6. “Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.”
–Robert A. Heinlein
7. Make Caramel Sauce
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, place 1 cup sugar. Allow the sugar to sit, undisturbed, until it begins to caramelize. Stir with a metal spoon until all the sugar is liquid, golden, and no longer grainy or opaque. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, heat 1 cup of heavy cream until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. When the sugar is ready, remove the sugar pan from the heat and pour the hot cream into the sugar. Be careful! The cream/sugar will bubble and froth violently. (Be sure to use a big enough pan from the get-go.) Stir the caramel with a whisk and place back over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the caramel is smooth. Allow to cool before using.
I typically store this in the fridge in a Pyrex measuring cup and heat it up in the microwave to pour over ice cream. That is, what I don’t eat outright with a spoon.
Oh, and you can make caramel in any amount you want. Just use equal parts sugar and cream, and start caramelizing the sugar using only 1 cup in the pan. Add more sugar in 1-cup increments when the first bit is caramelized.
You really should make this at least once in your life, just so you can brag to your friends about it. (And because it is totally and deliriously delicious–way, way better than the caramel sauce you buy in a jar. Trust me.)
8. Check out some cartoons.Â
9. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31
10. Live in hope.Â
February 21st, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Lovely! Where’d the puppy come from?
February 21st, 2008 at 11:00 pm
The puppy belongs to the man I’ve been dating for a couple of months now. His name is Rocky, (the puppy, not the man) and he’s a Siberian Husky. Isn’t he cute?!
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:23 pm
The puppy is absolutely adorable.
Can’t wait to try the caramel sauce.
February 23rd, 2008 at 1:16 am
Great bunch of “Cheer Ups”! And nice fiber collection, by the way.
Glad to see you back posting again.
And, is the man as cute and cuddly as the puppy?
February 23rd, 2008 at 12:32 pm
A comment from the Midwest where the weather has definitely set out to prove our strength of character–Sarah fell on the snow-covered ice yesterday walking Hugo and sprained her ankle badly. This certainly adds another complication to winter living. Send warm thoughts her way, please.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Is that a new puppy? Ha… just realizing that everybody is wondering about the puppy. And eek! Sorry to hear about the fall.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Caramel sauce made this way is awesome – just be sure it gets brown enough to have a good flavor and watch it carefully, because it goes over to burned really quickly, and then you have to start over.
I have had the chance to sing a setting of that exact poem in my church choir composed by Gwyneth Walker. Here is a link that should lead you to a download of the mp3 so you can listen to it if you like (actually you can chose which one!):
http://gwynethwalker.com/godspeak.html
Hope you enjoy it, and thanks for the cheering thoughts
February 29th, 2008 at 12:36 am
Thank you for all the lovely thoughts. I read this just before I had to run out the door, and the words and images have been in my head all evening. I hope you heal up soon, and don’t take anymore falls.
Also…is that some orange trekking in the round basket? I think I may have that color and it makes me smile every time I see it.
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:45 pm
i love no. 6. enjoyed your blog
March 14th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Today I’m trying to get caught up on my blog-reading, and just have to tell you that I loved this post! The laughing baby made me laugh out loud not once but several times and I need to watch it every day. Copied the poem for my daughter, and (from Karen’s comment, I listened to the music and tagged it so I can share it with DH – we’re both former choir singers/directors). You have made my day, my week. Thanks – and I’m sending good thoughts your way.
March 19th, 2008 at 12:35 am
Yarn, Socks, Caramel, a Man, and a Puppy….Sounds like winter doesn’t have to be cold at all.
March 20th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Hello there!
I have a delicate sweater/camisole set that I need duplicated, or re-created. It is a size small by the designer Alvin Valley. I will be happy to email you pictures and ship you the set so you can see everything – the size, style, fabric, shape, texture, details, etc. I need two exact replicas made: one pure black, one pure white.
Please let me know if this is something you or one of your blog members/readers would like do and what the fee would be for such a task. Also include how long long this would take. Of course I would mail the original set to the person making the news ones.
If you have other outlets or resources that you can pass along to me, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you!
shawnaileen@gmail.com