Welcome to my Friday feature! Created by the wonderful Meggy @ Chocolate ‘n’ Waffles, it’s a remedy against feeling down by creating a list of all the good things happening in my life this week. I became so inspired by her weekly posts and later also that by Nickimags @ Secret Library Book Blog, I felt it was time to begin sharing my own good feelings. It can be anything, from the smallest gesture from a stranger to a major event in your life that alters the direction of your day. Maybe something here will bring a smile to you in the moment.
This showed up as a kindle freebie this week. What’s wonderful about it is I got approval for it on NetGalley a year ago…the same day it was archived. It’s the last book in the Compass Cove series and I was distraught and couldn’t get a download of the book back then. Getting it free just made my week.
One of my weekly goals is to make three new recipes as I’m bored with the few things I know how to make and am tired of ordering in. This is Tandoori roasted salmon with squash and zucchini. It wasn’t hard to make but involved lots of spices I’ve never heard of. I made it and Thai shrimp and scallops with green curry. Both came out great and my husband thought they were really, really good, so much that he got seconds! That NEVER happens😏
What makes my experience with those two recipes above remarkable is the fact I can’t cook very well and hate trying. I feel inept in the kitchen and don’t normally enjoy the experience. When I was shopping for the ingredients, I found myself in the international aisle at the grocery store, completely lost. I could feel my insecurities bubbling to the surface and I was ready to run, abandon the recipes. I sensed a woman standing behind me who was quietly waiting for me to get out of the way. I invited her to move ahead of me and she asked what I was looking for and that led to the most transformational conversation I’ve had in quite some time. She coached me into looking at what I was attempting to do very differently, giving me an anchor into how to find the enjoyment. I took the coaching and not only successfully made two new dishes, I loved making them! I will be forever grateful to this gourmet chef who has no idea of the impact she made in that moment.
This is bittersweet. One of my favorite series, Bosch, is approved for a 7th season…but it’s the final one😢 Hey, at least I have 20 more new episodes to look forward to.
Another great book club meeting! We read and discussed The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, which was perfect for dissecting. It wasn’t a hit for everyone but it made for one of the best conversations about a book we’ve had to date. We loved the meeting!
- Had lunch with my dear friend, Cameron, following book club and we’re taking a cooking class together next month!
- Finally had to admit that I’ve fallen in love with the Peet’s French Roast coffee and have replaced my Starbucks Caffe Verona with it. I’m in love with this brew.
- I am ahead of my blog schedule, three weeks in a row!
- I received six new audiobooks for review!!!
- Went to replace the battery in my iPhone and the Apple Store broke my phone in the process. I ended up with a brand new one!
Blue Mood Café 
Wow! What a great week Jo! Love your grocery store experience!💗 The Apple store broke your phone? That is just crazy!! Have a wonderful weekend and stay warm!☕📚⛄🌞💖
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Thanks, Susan💜 That woman was a true blessing. I wish I knew her name. I was really unhappy with Apple as the entire experience was a true low. But! When I went to pick up the new phone, the young woman who helped me was a delight.
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That makes me so happy to hear – that when you were frustrated and overwhelmed and about to give up, someone stepped in and helped and you were able to make those recipes. Cooking can feel so hard at the beginning. I failed and gave up countless times over the years until it finally started clicking. Hold onto those little triumphs and keep going! Those recipes really sound amazing. Thai red curry is always my go-to but I just bought some green curry paste so maybe I’ll try something similar soon 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration!
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Ren, she stood there and told me to not be afraid to make mistakes. She saw my list of ingredients and said they had wonderful aromas and I should stop and smell them before I started using them…revel in the spices. Then she said to let the joy I experienced from that spill into my cooking and that happiness would be reflected in the meal. She was absolutely right!
I’d been approaching this all wrong. She made it right🥰
That green curry paste was WONDERFUL!!!
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That warms my heart!! What a wonderful person to find you at just the moment you needed her. I’m so happy that happened for you 🤗
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Sounds like you’ve had a great week!
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I truly did💜
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Your post makes me so happy ❤
Can I come taste your recipes? 😀 Like you, I have issues with cooking; I feel stupid, inadequate and out of my league, but I've been trying to make an effort… I love the story of this stranger helping you.
I have only watched 5 minutes of Bosch, and then my Amazon Prime thing reminded me the free trial was ending so I cancelled it!!!
I am dying to replace my phone!!!!!
Have a lovely week, and thank you for the positivity, and the general awesomeness! xx
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Thank you, Meggy💜 So you can identify with me about the cooking, right? She gave me such confidence. Oh, you’d have loved Bosch. If you ever get Amazon Prime (I signed up just to watch the series), watch the first three episodes and you’ll know.
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Absolutely!! I wish someone could help me gaining confidence in the kitchen!
I will try to catch the first episodes! 😉 x
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It’s amazing to look at all these great things and enjoy the memory after the initial pleasure. I love the freebies! Yay for cooking. I love when I figure out a new recipe that works for us. I had to start over a bit with my list of regulars when we went gluten-free although I could modify some of our original regulars like chicken pot pie.
I hope every week is as wonderful for you or even better!
Anne – Books of My Heart
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Thank you, Anne💜 This was a new cooking experience for me, not just the recipe…learning to enjoy doing it, which never happens.
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What an amazing week. I love to cook and bake, so I am so glad that someone was able to give you tips so that you could experience that enjoyment. I love the comment she made to you about the spices and letting the joy spill over. Lots that made you happy and in turn spills over onto us. Great post Jonetta.
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Thank you, Carla💜 She made such a difference, permanently!
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Wow! Great week! Congrats on the new recipes and hooray for random conversations in the aisles! How can you top scoring a new phone?!
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Thanks, Carol💜
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That salmon looks delicious 🤤
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It melted in our mouths!
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I also like to cook different things for my family, but I’m not as ambitious as you are. Quick and simple works for me. I found the recipe you mentioned and I think I may try it. Sounds yummy!
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It was really easy after I assembled all the spices. It only took about 15 minutes. Hope you do try💜
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Yay for a new phone and double yay for that experience with the chef! I really love to cook but I have a hard time with finding the time and then I put so much pressure on myself for all of it. I need to work on how I think about it all, too, Jonetta, so you’ve inspired me too! ♥️
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Aww, that’s wonderful to hear, Jennifer💜 This was the closest I’ve ever come to understanding why people like to cook. I get it now.
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I love this idea; we definitely need more positivity in our lives! What a wonderful week and those recipes sound amazing!
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This weekly post has kept my head in the game when all I wanted to do was bury it and shut out the noise. I will always be grateful to Meggy for the inspiration.
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