A Life of Leisure

I’m struggling with an unfamiliar problem – too much leisure. It’s stressing me out. I looked at my calendar this morning and saw that the only activity on my schedule today was going to the gym.  The same was true yesterday, the day before, and it's true for tomorrow as well.  There’s no class at GMU, no session at the glass studio, and no one to make dinner for.  What’s a hyperactive person to do? 

Unfortunately, I had to cancel my trip to the gym this morning because my knee was still bothering me.  At yesterday’s Fitness after Fifty class (designed for people of my generation who are slowly falling apart), my instructor, Laura, showed us how to use a type of suspension equipment called TRX.  It reminded me a bit of a trapeze in the circus, but that didn’t deter me.  I was fine with the back rows, chest press, and chest flies, but then came the squats.  “Some people avoid squats because they have knee problems,” Laura noted as she demonstrated regular squats and sumo squats.  Yes, and I’ve known for many years that I’m one of those people, but did I let that keep me from trying?  No way!  I tossed off two sets of both kinds of squats, hoping I’d outgrown my knee problems.  Not surprisingly, that turned out to be wishful thinking as the twinges in my knee began a few hours later.

These are examples of people using TRX equipment.

One way I’ve been filling my time is by reading.  On my coffee table is a book of writings (essays, short stories, and poems) by Jorge Luis Borges.  This isn’t exactly light summer reading, but I’m trying to prepare for the trip to Buenos Aires and he was the only Argentine author I could find whose books have been translated into English.  Although it’s slow going, I was pleased to find one of the new vocabulary words I acquired in my Renaissance art class in an essay by Borges entitled “The Vindication of the Cabala.”  He was referring to an ancient Hebrew text and used the word “boustrophedon” to describe the practice of manuscript writing where lines alternate between right-to-left and left-to-right. Just so you know, the word is derived from ancient Greek for “ox” and “turn.”  If you think of the course an ox takes as it plows a field, you’ll be able to visualize the pattern.  In art history, you can see this type of sequencing in Giotto’s St. Francis cycle of fresco panels in the Bardi Chapel in Santa Croce in Florence.  Check it out! 

One wall of the Bardi Chapel with frescoes by Giotto

When I’m not getting excited about obscure vocabulary words in esoteric essays, I’m finding that there are plenty of homeowner type activities to do.  Before the temperatures soared up to the 90s, I did some gardening, by which I mean yanking out weeds (at least what I hope are weeds) and wielding clippers to trim the overgrown azaleas and holly bushes.  As an incentive, I even bought myself a big plastic trash can with wheels, which made this activity sort of fun. 

Another house project occupying my time is definitely not fun.  The house needs a new roof.  So I’m busy checking recommendations, contacting roofers, getting estimates, choosing shingles, mulling over the final decision – and feeling sick to my stomach, when I think of the cost and how many trips that money could have financed. 

On a positive note, there’s plenty of time for cooking and experimenting with new recipes.  The latest recipe I tried came from Joan Nathan cookbook, King Solomon’s Table.  Kukusa is an Azerbaijani version of frittata, and it was delicious.  I made it with spinach, scallions, Vidalia onions, and fresh herbs (dill and cilantro).  Turmeric gave it a distinctive flavor and a golden color.  I served it to my friend Kathy today for lunch, along with crudités, hummus with za’atar, feta, olives, and a Moroccan carrot salad. 

Another dish I recently made is shakshuka, a popular breakfast or dinner dish in Israel.  It’s basically a thick tomato and vegetable sauce with eggs poached on top.  It can be seasoned to taste with herbs, spices and hot peppers.  At the hands-on Hadassah event a week or so ago, my group used onions, sweet red pepper, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, and parsley in the sauce.  Other groups added different seasonings, such as jalapeño peppers and oregano.  One nice thing about shakshuka is that you can make the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it. When you’re ready to eat, simply warm the desired amount sauce in a skillet and slide the eggs on top.  Cover and simmer until the eggs are set.

Of course, I’m enjoying the extra time to write.  And now that I’ve finished writing this post, I have the luxury of sitting back with a glass of iced ginger peach tea and considering what to do next.  Maybe I’m getting used to this life of leisure after all.