Thank You: Fresh Perspectives

One of my playgroup friends came by with dinner on Monday and stay for a playdate. I hadn't seen her in awhile so it was good to catch up, particularly since she'd had a rough summer herself. Familiar with back pain, she brought me a book on the mind-body connection, one that certainly interests me because of my meditation practice; she says it changed her life. And while I really like my doctor, and his own book on back pain (which has a lot on mind-body), I'm glad for new ideas and viewpoints.

And as we always do, talk veered to child-rearing, school and educational choices, Freudian analysis (she's a social worker into psychoanalysis--and I'd always thought she'd be a behaviorialist!), current political events, playgroup gossip (but not about any of you, of course!). I love how her mind works and hearing everything she's thinking of. And because her field is far away from mine, I learn something new each time (yesterday is was all about enmeshed or disentangled--that wasn't the precise word--family relationships).

And she brought some amazing food. Sure, you'd think baked penne would be, well, fairly predictable (which is fine--mine is predictable AND good!) but not this one. It had this bright marinara with real slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Changed my whole way of thinking about baked pasta. I'm going to have to try it myself (alas, no recipe because she bought it--but no shame in that, I say. It was delicious! And I can figure out how to combine such fresh, simple ingredients, I think). And crunchy French bread which they oddly insisted calling "croissant." And then there was salad with edible flowers which completely bowled over the kids. As did the white chocolate cheesecake.

Thanks, Miss J! You're the fresh princess of Fairfield.