Echo of Silence

The Christmas season is traditionally filled with intensity..between the noise, the lights, the excited children, the mad dash for housecleaning, cooking, and baking in preparation for guests, crowded stores, and the heightened emotions as we all attempt to keep up with the pace of the holiday..and then in a matter of hours, the day is over as quickly as it began. This Christmas, due to financial constraints of the past year’s economy, it wasn’t practical to travel any distance to spend it with family. In light of our upcoming quiet Christmas at home, I chose certain aspects of the holiday to focus on, rather than convincing myself that I am Superwoman and can do it all..because I know myself well enough to understand that in trying to do everything, the quality of what I do will invariably suffer in consequnece. That being said, I made holiday slush for us to enjoy all day long, lit a candle for ambiance, handed over my chicken to the crock pot and let it do the cooking for me, and the rest of the day was spent watching movies with Mike and Patrick; we had no particular plan and just let the day take care of itself. I must say, this made for a rather enjoyable holiday of total relaxation and absolutely no stress. Although I love being with family and having guests over the holidays, I think sometimes it is just as nice to do the quiet celebration at home with family bonding and no distractions. Next year we will most likely go back to being social for Christmas, but I will remember this year as the year we did absolutely nothing..and LIKED IT.

Just Another Day in Paradise

Yesterday, for the first time in two weeks, the sun emerged from behind the clouds. Between the sharp and vibrant blue of the skies, the purple mist of the mountains, and the white sparkle of new snow on their tips, I suddenly remembered the beauty and the aesthetic benefits of living up here in the lower mainland of British Columbia. In just seconds it dawned on me that we are living in one of the most beautiful areas in North America and I was hard-pressed to think of a place I would rather be.

Today the sun hid behind the clouds once again, but my impression remained. I have decided that it matters less that everything look perfect and untouched, because life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns, beauty and drab. What matters most is the impression that each day leaves on each person. I grew up in central Wisconsin with its green rolling hills, multitude of trees, extreme cold and snow in the winter and humid heat in the summer. I spent several years in Germany and Missouri where it was similar, minus the cold and minimal snow. Alabama was a bit different with its nonexistent winters and beastly summers, and Hawaii, which is said synonymously with paradise, enjoys seemingly perfect weather and glorious beaches. With a background of so many different regions, I have asked myself many times what is different about British Columbia, and why do I find myself so at home here? I think the answer is simple, and very clear; it must be the company I keep..

Dinner Will Be Ready When the Smoke Alarm Goes Off

I’m cooking dinner for some friends of ours tonight. Most people that know me, know that I love to complain about this particular household task, claiming that I cannot cook to save my life. However, what most people who eat my cooking eventually learn is that this claim is based on nothing more than my lack of organizational skills and a deep-rooted pschycological distaste for cleaning up after myself. I cut corners out of sheer laziness, but when I do decide to go all out on a particular night it is usually met with grand appreciation for my efforts and comments from guests suggesting my abduction for cooking purposes. I am mostly Polish and Italian in nationality, but more Polish than Italian. That being said, I feel a much stronger pull toward my Italian heritage in both culture and cuisine, and this comes through in my cooking as I love both cooking and eating Italian dishes.

Tonight’s menu includes the long-time family recipe of Gnocchi, which is a pasta-dumpling-like item smothered in spaghetti sauce. It has been passed down from my grandmother to my mother, and now I use it as well. I have been making this dish ever since moving up to British Columbia because it is one of the few recipes I brought with me, and it is Mike’s all-time favorite thing that I cook. I love it as well, but truth be told..I mostly make it because it makes him happy.. This particular dinner party is, I think, Mike’s way of showing me off in the cooking department and letting others get a taste of what he gets to experience on a somewhat regular basis..and we all win, really, because the night will include good friends, good food, and good times..so what the heck-I’ll humor him..

Episode #1 of "This is Your Life"..

I think life in general can be compared to living in one’s own television series in which the drama and unpredictability of it all keeps us on the edge of our seats. Not knowing what will happen to us next provides the motivation to keep going because without it, we might not be so willing to stick around to find out how the show ends.

This is a fairly recent theory, born of the last few years as I watched my life change before my very eyes in seemingly only a matter of seconds. Within minutes, I was leaving behind the familiar for a completely new chapter consisting of new scenery, people, and relationships. Change is not a bad thing, as I believe new people as well as new experiences can only enrich the life template, not detract from it.

My current life consists of a wonderful guy who turns every day into a new adventure, his wonderful family who instantly became my extended family, and a brand new place to call home in British Columbia, Canada. Past chapters in the Vittone story have included a wonderful family and amazingly supportive friends who have agreed to follow me through to the current Vittone-Lagace chapter that I refer to as “the present”. (Yeah-original-I know!) Future chapters in our legacy will hopefully include a permanent residence here in Canada which we are currently working on. This will eventually lead to my getting a job and continuing our life here with Mike and youngest son Patrick, which I am very excited about. Beyond that..well, I guess no one can really know the future, even when you’re the writer of your own show.