Sunday, August 22, 2010

Looking for Something



Those of you who live alone have welomed this state in your life or have accepted this state in your life or have become so familiar with this life style that you are surprised that it is considered a lifestyle.

My husband has been on a long two week junket far overseas.  He loves chasing the gold ring (my interpretation--actually he wants to save the world economy one village at a time) and I like having the peace of being alone for these two weeks.  But, I am now in my 10th day and I must admit that it is getting very easy to fall into a rut.
  • sleeping when and where I want
  • eating when and what I want
  • watching when and what I want on TV
  • reading as long as I want
  • spending as much time on the Internet as I like
People should only live alone if they have lots of obligations from outside family or have a job or are puritans at heart.  I am a hedonist.  (Some who know me might laugh at that...but then they don't really know me.)

Anyway, yesterday I fixed the lunch above for myself (perhaps motivated by Mindful Woman.)  We have a two-year-old fig tree and this is the first year it is beginning to produce a reasonable crop of figs.
  

These brown orbs are most exotic to me,  like some strange fruit from ancient Persia.  When I see them I think of men in turbans and robes sitting on oriental rugs and passing dates and figs on shiny brass trays.  

Figs ripen surprisingly fast, and once you pick them, you have 24 hours to eat them or they become their own version of jam or mush.  They are most delicious with blue cheese or goat cheese.  I ate this lunch very consciously and slowly the other day.  Then with the rest I made fig cake.  I am trying to be less of a slug and more of a harem girl.

18 comments:

  1. It is an interesting journey you go on when alone! I wouldn't call it a rut. I would call it a way of savoring each moment of solitude and bliss. Nothing wrong with that! Your luncheon was so lovely and almost decadent!! I love figs! Never had a fresh one right from the tree. That has to be divine!!
    My fiber piece is installed!!! Come see!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  2. Anonymous10:49 AM

    I am glad you thought to take a shot of that lunch. It looks very appealing to me.

    My grandfather used to have fig trees in his yard in California. I really don't remember eating them, come to think of it, but I know he made fig wine.

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  3. Hi harem girl, all on your own in a harem of one.
    I'd be very happy to have 10 days on my own, I think, but I'd probably turn into a slug.

    What a frugal lunch, I'd be tempted to fill the void with food.

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  4. Your description of a person living alone sounds heavenly to me. But I do pretty much that every day anyway (at least on the ones I don't work).

    I had some fresh figs recently and they were wonderful!

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  5. I guess we are all hedonists ---seeking pleasure wherever we can find it.. BUT--I was single for a long time, and VERY independent. BUT--I became increasingly more and more lonely... SO--when I met and married George, I compromised WILLINGLY some of my own pleasures --and added his... Marriage is a give and take --and one reason there are so many divorces is because couples aren't willing to compromise and balance things out....

    Not sure I like figs... Haven't had them in a long time.. Never thought of them with cheese though... Interesting...

    Enjoy your time alone ---and be thankful when your Sweetheart gets home.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  6. Those days alone are a treasure, nice to be in contact with yourself for awhile. Your lunch was beautiful. We had a dinner last night of steamed greenbeans from our garden, homemade hummus, homemade baba ganoush, and pita bread, delightful. Small lovely things of life.

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  7. After my divorce I was alone for 26 years. Well my children were with me most of the time but I was the boss and had all the say in what was what. They went away to college and married and I was really alone. Then along comes Ron. There are times we both need some away time but mostly we like to be together.

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  8. I have never had fresh figs. Like them from the grocery. I never thought I would have the lifestyle that I have today. It use to be a dream. Always busy, working, children and life. Anyway, I love my solitude. I think this is good for you.

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  9. Thank you, just went back to your entry to see who "Mindful Woman" is - thought I might learn something - hey it's me.
    You make me smile and you will make it.
    Guess I have just got use to my lifestyle - hope I am sane. Because my diary reveals so much - time will tell :)

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  10. Alone time...healing for the soul. We should honor it like a religious ceremony.

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  11. It can be a challenge as well as time well spent to have occasional time alone. Wish I ate as well as you do when left to my own devices! I tend to go for toast or porage.

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  12. I'm just now adapting to life with half a husband....not knowing his schedule either. So far I'm comfortable. :) It's an interesting experience.

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  13. That lunch looks pretty good to me, especially the figs (well, OK, the wine, too). Ours (the figs, not the wine so much) have had it, except that the tree with the black ones might put out a winter crop.

    The solitude looks pretty good to me right now, too, this last day before the kids' new school year starts. Their high anxiety manifests itself in loud ways...

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  14. I would love to have a couple weeks alone! As much as I love my husband and three children, I could really enjoy the quiet.

    It's okay though...that it's not likely to happen. :)

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  15. I love my along time, but I'm discovering I probably wouldn't like it all the time.

    I recently found the most delicious yogurt - a Greek yogurt, with figs. I'm in love. Grateful for the info on the figs longevity as I plan to buy some. Now will know to eat them right away.

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  16. ...Now 16 compelling comments. LOL

    Thanks so much for your kind words. I must confess tho that I take snapshots....I was the despair of my first husband who was a real professional photographer. I like my snapshots. LOL Writing....it's getting better. Here I use a wider format than you that allows me more freedom both with photographs and with content. You have a great day.

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  17. My granny used to make The best fig jam. There is an ancient fig tree near the old bunkhouse that I live in, and the fruit is ready for picking. Will try to hunt up granny's recipe.
    I'm love, love, loving living alone.

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  18. I know what you mean! but that isn't my kind of hedonistic lunch. You should see mine some time. I love to be alone but after about 10 days it can begin to feel more like isolation. I think of it like yogurt. You can make a new batch over and over from the old yogurt but then at some point you have to go out and get a some new culture!

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Take your time...take a deep breath...then hit me with your best shot.