Fresh baked bread for Pascha/Easter is one of the best ways to perfume one's home

 I made kulich today! 

I did not think I had the mahleb spice (I am pretty sure I don't)

but I put in a little bit of candied pineapple as a fruit (did not have golden raisins).

I think this bread I made is going to be a simple kulich / Pascha / Easter bread,

one that would be lovely with a nice preserve/jam like apricot... 

I hope to make more if I am given the time, I hope to give a lot away as gifts... 

My Husband had been home just a few minutes before it started pouring rain!

We were so thankful for the rain holding off until he was inside!

 I was glad that I was able to see the flowering trees before the heavy rain!

We had avocado toast (with sunflower oil as the oil) for dinner and 

Mr Husband liked it!

Recipe from Deb Perelman's Smitten Kitchen and is here

(except that I used a different oil because of lent and my Husband's 

preferences during lent) ... but he liked it, I liked it,

it is a win for us and I am really happy to have another quick

meal to make that we both enjoy!

***

Something I have been really happy about this Lent is that

I have, finally, after 6 years of marriage, been able to make more varied

meals for Lent.  One failure though - bought a can of refried beans - never again.

It was awful.    

But over all, I've been able to make more things

and feel really good about that.

***

This is the first summer in 3 years that we don't have the past

unbloggable worry and I am hoping for a summer without 

that stress and let me tell you, if this will be so, 

it will be great...just to have a bit of breathing room again. 

***

So I had a good conversation with my optometrist today.

He's a really good one and was able to explain a lot to me 

about various things.

I have realized how important it is for me to have doctors who

talk to me intelligently, who can explain things but not

'dumb it down' in a way that belittles my ability to understand

technical terms + medical knowledge. 

I am a Masters level trained and experienced medical / legal / research

librarian and a geek/nerd.  I like to read medical things and I have read

lots about eye health in the last few weeks. 

So I am really happy that I have the upcoming appointment and that

I already am getting a plan for how to move forward.

***

Well, tomorrow Mr Husband works from home,

we have liturgy at night, 

I hope to fry potatoes and mushrooms for our lunch...

with onions and garlic :) 

***

Did I mention yet that I have been doing brisk walks for about 3 weeks now?

Hope this becomes a regular habit for me; it's been really helpful.

I go for at least 30 minutes unless I am in NYC which is

often a bit more complicated but more walking....

***

The comments + emails from you, my blog friends, have been 

really uplifting and encouraging as I go through this

time of figuring out personal vision/eye things.

Thank you.

***

I pray that God helps, heals and gives you what you need

for the challenges you are facing.

I know that life (and lent!) can be a time where

things are unexpectedly thrown your way

and figuring out how to deal with it

can take time and be lonely at times, 

to say the least,

and I pray that God will be your Support, your Comfort, 

your Hope when all could seem dark, lost or scary...

God is with us, He loves us....