Thank You: Debbie, thanks...

...for another good menu and especially for sharing the name of the Southern Living ...Weeknight Favorites cookbook. I'm going to try to find it. While I love good food, I generally shy away from time-consuming recipes so I'm thrilled to learn SL has an "easy" book out there. I love their cookbooks too but eventually ran out of room and stopped getting the annuals. I may be sorry later.

Have also enjoyed your posts - and Sally's - about simplifying your life. I think it was Sally who mentioned "Simple Abundance". It's a great book - some things seem a little too much but I've learned that, with everything, you look at the whole and absorb, learn and practice the things that make YOU feel better. You don't have to agree with everything. The author of that book (Sarah Ban Breathnach) was the first to introduce the idea of maintaining a Gratitude Journal. Lots of people journal and go on about what's wrong in their life. Sarah suggests you write down 5 things that you were grateful for that day (daily). It seemed daunting at first but it gives you a whole new outlook (or improves on an already good one). It doesn't mean they have to be major things but you slow down enough to hear the birds sing - and appreciate it more - or document an endearing statement of a child or grandchild. I have loved doing it and it's made me a better person.