Small Town, Isn't It?

Someone called my name as I was waiting on my yoga mat to begin my second "Gentle Yoga" class in the Castro. It was Sherrie Sawyer, whom I had just seen last week at an SFOP (San Francisco Organizing Project) meeting to work on encouraging the state legislature to extend existing taxes, and not solve the current deficit entirely by cutting much-needed government services to the poor and middle class.

I approached her after the class and asked her to join me for lunch, which she did. We went to a crepery in the same block, one that I had been meaning to try for some time, and were joined there by the teacher of the class. We had a great chat over lunch and learned that we were both inactive members of the California Bar. We also talked about how each of us had become involved in community organizing, and what we were each working on at the moment. Inasmuch as it was raining, and she mentioned that she had brought a car, I asked where she was headed and she dropped me off in Noe Valley on her way home.

I did the two chores I had planned, at the drugstore and Radio Shack, and then ran into Lisa Larges, a dear friend of mine, who was on her way to Radio Shack with her friend Beth, to do some chores of her own. I was in no particular hurry, and wanted to chat with Lisa a bit, so I went back into the store with them and helped Lisa (who is blind) by reading info from the packaging to her. Then we visited two other stores that were on my way home, and I heroically managed to avoid buying anything else. Then I peeled off towards my home while they headed in the other direction.

I love bumping into friends while out and about. It's like a gift from the universe. I seem to hear it saying: "I know you need to see others but aren't good at calling or writing them to arrange a get-together, so I'll help you get started and drop some folks in your lap. But don't get used to it."

Peanut Butter and Me

In our last writing group, we were asked to write something on how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I wrote two rather different things - first, what naturally came into my mind, and the second more consciously addressing the assigned topic.

PBJ To Go

I was in the midst of a nervous breakdown when I finally dragged myself off to recorder camp in 2003. My appetite had been AWOL for several months already, but a flare of panic attacks completely paralyzed me when it was time to leave for camp. I was reduced to watching the home and garden station on TV long into the night - I couldn't sleep, either. The next day I reached my psychiatrist on the phone, and she encouraged me out the door.

But I still wasn't up to socializing. One experience in the cafeteria proved to me that the lingering idea that I ought to be interested in food wasn't enough to justify my going to the loud dining room with too many people and too many decisions.

So I stayed in my room at mealtimes and got a friend to bring me whatever she could carry away with her: single-serving packets of butter, peanut butter, and jelly, plus pieces of bread, and fruit salad in a plastic cup. I used my swiss army knife to spread the toppings on the bread, and read the Swiss Family Robinson to calm my nerves and help ease the food down.

By the end of the week, I'm pleased to report, the new medication had taken effect and my appetite returned.
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My History of Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Peanut butter is a funny substance. I don't know why it became common to take that particular nut and grind it into a paste. Perhaps there were so many of them? Perhaps so it could be used as an ingredient in various recipes? Don't know. But there it is, and combined with the grain in bread, peanut butter makes a complete and nourishing protein.

So generations of mothers have made peanut butter sandwiches for their children's lunches. Now, I do know something about sandwiches. The Earl of Sandwich apprently got the idea of putting food betwen slices of bread so he could eat meat without leaving the gambling table.

Anway, peanut butter is commonly paired with banana, or grape jelly, or strawberry jam. I like to add a little butter or margarine to help the peanut butter slide down my throat. Apricot or peach jam goes as well with peanut butter as strawberry jam. And honey goes very well with banana and peanut butter. But be sure you put it directly on the bread, not on top of the peanut butter or bananas, or it will flow right out of the sandwich, and probably onto you.