Home Sweet Home

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Cheryl's View.

As I was saying in my previous post, I was living large and loving life in Colorado. It was my home now, and there was no going back. I was in my early 20s, had a good job, a lovely little apartment in a great neighborhood, and access to the best skiing on the planet. Life was great! Then along came boyfriend #2. He was a nice looking guy and fun to be around. At first. Unfortunately, he was also very needy and clingy. Where as boyfriend #1 was controlling and manipulative, this one was trying to smother me to death. Being around him felt like having a python wrapped around my chest. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t go anywhere without him, and if I did, he would whine about it for days on end. As a side note here, a grown man whining is not very attractive or appealing. And definitely...

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Time to Say Good-Bye

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Cheryl's View.

We have all heard that there is a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance. I’d like to add that there is also a time to leave, and timing is everything. In 1978, just 3 days after graduating college, I left my childhood home, my friends, my family, and the only life I had known in a small steel town in Western Pennsylvania to move to Denver, Colorado. I was 21 years young. Full disclosure, there was a man involved in my decision. One who had my entire life planned out for me without my knowledge, or my consent. He was my first boyfriend. After that relationship I’m surprised he was not my last. He was 4 years older than me, and was constantly telling me what (and what not) to do, as well as how to behave around his friends. Needless to say, I did not...

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Garden Grown Tomato Soup

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Cheryl's Kitchen.

It’s September, and if you have a garden, you are fortunate enough to enjoy a healthy harvest of fresh vegetables, including my personal favorite, home grown garden tomatoes. My garden was able to grow some spectacular tomatoes this year, in spite of the relentlessly hot, dry weather we experienced all summer. There is nothing better than home grown tomatoes, as well as the many options for enjoying them. This year I was compelled to try something new with my incredibly sweet, mouth watering, and delicious tomatoes. After all these years, I tried my hand at fresh tomato soup with a recipe I came across in the first cookbook I ever bought right after I moved to Denver after graduating college. I had no idea if the recipe was any good, or if I was wasting perfectly good tomatoes by trying...

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Cheryl’s Colorful One Pot Pasta Toss

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Cheryl's Kitchen.

I really don’t love to cook. I used to, but I’m just kind of “over it” right now. But, I do like to eat, and don’t like to eat out or order take out, either. Not only is it outrageously expensive these days, but I want to be the one in charge of the ingredients that go into my meals. I’m a control freak, and wear it as a badge of honor. Recently my husband was out of town for a few days and I had the luxury of either cooking or having a nice meal of cheese and crackers for dinner. Scrounging through my pantry, I was inspired by a bag of tortellini, punctuated by  the basil plant sitting on my window sill perched beside a bunch of fresh tomatoes I bought the day before. My creative juices started to flow and my brain went into overdrive. Using those 3 simple...

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An Epic Martial Arts Movie?

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Ninja Notes.

I recently posted my less than stellar editorial book review I received last year after my book, “The Reluctant Ninja: How A Middle-Aged Princess Became A Warrior Queen.” was released to the world. Fortunately, that review did not break my spirit. Instead, I was able to shake it off and move on, which is a skill I developed with my martial arts training. I’m glad I didn’t let it get to me, because the second one I received had an entirely different opinion, and here it is. As reviewed by FF of Readers’ Favorite: “Betrayed by a predator hidden in plain sight as a medical practitioner, Cheryl found herself battling PTSD and alone with nobody to talk to and share her traumatic experience with. Fortunately, Cheryl’s acupuncturist convinces her to take...

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We All Fall Down…..

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Health Tips.

“Ring around the rosy, pockets full of posies, ashes, ashes, we all fall down!” Who doesn’t remember playing “ring around the rosy” as a kid? It was fun, silly, and we could play it for hours on end. After all, when we were kids, who didn’t enjoy a good tumble to the ground? Fast forward to our adult years. We don’t paly, we don’t dance in circles, and we sure as heck don’t fall down. We don’t get down on the floor, crawl, or roll. Unfortunately, if we don’t do it, we won’t do it, and eventually we can’t do it. And then we develop a fear of falling. And now it’s winter. It’s cold, snowy, and icy outside, which means that there is a higher risk of slipping on the ice and falling. Uh-oh. Nobody likes...

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We Reap What We Sow

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Cheryl's View.

On a whim I decided to include a small pumpkin plant in my garden this year. My husband was less than enthusiastic, because he remembered the one and only time I planted pumpkin over 20 years ago. The plant spread like wildfire and quickly took over the entire garden. Eventually it began creeping over the back yard to the house. It was almost scary. And we only ended up with one small pumpkin. I told my husband not to worry, because the poor little plant was so small and puny that it probably had only a small chance of surviving. So, I gently patted the tiny plant in the ground, wished it well, and hoped for the best. Every few days I went to the garden, talked to it, and gave it words of encouragement. It worked. It took over the entire garden, started creeping toward the house, and filled...

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Birthdays with Zeros and a 3 Year Plan

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Cheryl's View.

Quite a few years ago, I was honored to teach a weekly Pilates mat class to a group of vibrant senior citizens who also happened to be close friends, and there were two couples in the group as well. They were quite a lot of fun to be around, and had many wonderful insights regarding life and many insights and pearls of wisdom. One afternoon, as they were walking into class and picking their spot on the mat, one of the women casually mentioned that it just happened to be her boyfriend’s birthday, which elicited a low groan from said boyfriend. I gave him a beaming smile and wished him a happy birthday. He responded with another groan, loader this time. I asked him what was wrong. He rolled his eyes and replied, “Birthdays that come with a zero on them are exceptionally tough....

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Light Lemon Basil Pasta

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Cheryl's Kitchen.

It’s August, and it’s hot outside. Really, really hot. The thought of cooking is about as appealing as scheduling a root canal. However, the pressure is off and so is the heat with this quick, easy, and delicious lemon basil pasta with chickpeas. Not only is it fast and tasty, it offers the phenomenal nutritional and health benefits of chickpeas. Here is the basic recipe, but do feel free to give it an extra nutritional punch by adding some fresh veggies from the garden, such as zucchini, tomatoes, kale, or peppers. Ingredients: 8 oz. farfalle pasta 1-2 TBSP olive oil 3 cloves minced garlic 1 can drained chickpeas, reserving liquid dash salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes 2 TBSP capers juice from 1 lemon 1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese 1/2 cup shredded fresh basil Directions:  Cook...

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Summer Fit Tip

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Fit Tips.

One of the many things I love about June, July, and summer in general is gardening. Full disclosure, I am possibly the most ineffective gardener on the planet, but what I lack in skill level I make up with unbridled enthusiasm. Gardening can be a relaxing and even meditative experience. Unless, of course, your efforts are completely demolished by one epic hail storm, which is exactly what happened to me last week. Ah well. But, after another trip to my favorite garden shop I was once again planting, raking, and laying down compost. That’s when I had a mental head smacking moment. Gardening offers a great opportunity to reinforce good posture, body mechanics, and even strengthen your core, legs, and upper back and shoulders while mobilizing your hips. On the other hand, you could also...

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