Candy salad

Candy salad is exactly what it sounds like – a salad made entirely of candy, with no vegetables in sight. It’s a fun dish for parties and is best when you can share it with a group of people. Simply grab a variety of candy – gummies, sour candy, chewy ropes and clusters all work well, there is no bad addition to candy salad – and add it all to a big bowl like a salad. Serve with a scoop and watch for smiles – kids love it, and so do the adults.

Posted in Kitchen Adventures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unfolding

Today is going to unfold as it is going to unfold. I am not going to be able to corral it like a horse.

Positively Purging-I welcome your feedbacks in the comments and your likes and passing the real-life wisdom on to others as I embark on this new venture of “positively purging”, as I know each of these pieces represents something…

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Culinary Question

What does ‘season to taste’ mean?

Positively Purging-I welcome your feedbacks in the comments and your likes and passing the real-life wisdom on to others as I embark on this new venture of “positively purging”, as I know each of these pieces represents something…

Posted in Kitchen Adventures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

7 Ways to Handle Caregiver Guilt

  1. Acknowledge the Feeling
    Recognize when guilt shows up instead of ignoring it. Naming the feeling helps it pass.
  2. Check Your Expectations
    Ask yourself if what you’re expecting is humanly possible. Adjust when needed.
  3. Avoid Comparisons
    Don’t compare your worst days to others’ highlight reels. Every caregiving journey is different.
  4. Use Positive Coping Tools
    Journal, breathe deeply, or take short breaks to reset your energy.
  5. Reframe Guilt as Regret
    Shift your thinking: “I regret how today went, but I’m learning and trying my best. Tomorrow is a new day.”
  6. Find Support
    Connect with other caregivers to hear honest stories and shared struggles.
  7. Celebrate Your Wins
    Each week, could you list a few things you did well? Focus on what you’re achieving.
Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Everything Inside

“Can I share some secrets,” he said.

“Can’t take anymore secrets,” she said.

“A small one,” he said. (36)

Everything Inside (2019, 223 pages ) authored by Edwidge Danticat. Thinking how to review this book, I hear a whisper “It is there story to tell?” I do feel like I have to give you the reader something, so, if you asked me to sum this book of short stories up in one sentence I would say, the words at the start of this post are a beautiful warning, and if that’s not enough take the words of one of the male protagonists “As long as you’re breathing you can be hurt” (38). If you saw this book on my desk or in my tote bag, I would tell you it’s “A poignant, melancholy, heartbreaking, hopeful read that leaves the reader emotional” “He wanted them to see him or, if they could not see him, sense him.” (212), self-reflecting on life, “Sometimes you just have to shake the devil off you, whatever that devil is .. “(144). The eight stories in this collection focus on the intricate and complex nature of relationships: familial, personal, and friendships; of love, loss, grief, trauma, and heartbreak. The complexity of the Haitian diaspora manifests in twists and turns into compelling tales which grab you right away and don’t let go until the last page. Then it starts all over again as this is a book of short stories ranging from twenty to thirty pages each. There are no wasted words in Everything Inside, Danticat writes with soul. The reader feels connected to Danticat’s characters, and the journey they are each on.

Posted in Reading | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment