Is it time…to simplify?

May 24, 2015 By Tam Warner 18 Comments

Our Family Home holds a lifetime of memories

The Empty Nest has changed our lives. Randy’s double lung transplant has changed our lives. Our son married 3 weeks ago (it was a lovely wedding!) and our daughter is getting married October 3. I always imagined keeping this house, our home where both of my children grew up, and having our grandchildren to stay. Now I’m not feeling that desire.

Many friends have moved away, after children leave friends don’t have as much in common and drift apart. Our house isn’t filled with kids or teens, it is big and silent and needs upkeep and care that I have neither the interest or the ability to do. I don’t want to decorate, or redecorate, or get new furniture…I barely even cook a meal. The truth is, this lifestyle does not fit us anymore.

I have lovely ideas of selling everything and taking a trip around the world…but that is not really practical given Randy’s need to be within 2 hours of a major lung transplant center. Asia is out, Africa is out, and I’m not comfortable with him going to South America either. I believe we will head to Australia next year, the medical care there is quite good. Europe is always possible, and some Caribbean destinations are close enough. We have a second home in Cozumel, Mexico…but the medical care is substandard for any serious condition. When we go somewhere together I have to check and make sure medical flights are available. We are planning a trip to Cozumel in 5 weeks…it will be two years since Randy has been there. He has been cleared to dive, but the first sign of illness and he needs to be on a plane.

I have solo trips I am taking…a citizen science trip with Marine Megafauna Foundation‘s Ray of Hope in July, a dive trip to Socorro in November, and I will be with Ray of Hope next July in Indonesia, and with a turtle rescue in Cairns as well. My citizen science and challenging dive trips have to be taken now…how can I know how many years I have left to take these trips? You have to be able to handle the conditions, and who knows how long I will be able to? That’s not negativity, just fact. If there is anything I am certain of, it is that nothing is certain.

So…the thought process has begun, and I know I need to start going through the house, room by room, and getting rid of “stuff”. That is the first step. Many steps will follow, I am sure. Who knows what will happen, or where we might end up? We will just have to ride the waves that come.

And I’m Back from my Adventures!

May 18, 2015 By Tam Warner 14 Comments

What a whirlwind the last month has been! I’ve been to two weddings (one of them was my son’s) and had a major surgery. I’ve either been walking on the beach, dancing, hosting a rehearsal dinner, or recovering. Right now, I am recovering from surgery. A long story short: a MRSA infection several years ago left me with a tummy deformity…and the idea of fixing it was always with me, but the fear of going through 3 months of MRSA stayed my hand. Finally, I went to see a Reconstructive Surgeon at UT Southwestern, and did it, 2 days after my son’s wedding. With no time to fret or think much about it with all of the wedding activities going on I can say now I am very happy I went through with it. Surgery went well, and I know I will not only feel better physically, but I will be more confident emotionally.

A Corgi/Retriever Mix! I met this little cutie in Crystal River.

The first wedding I attended was in Clearwater Beach, FL. My daughter went to school in St. Petersburg, and my in-laws lived on Siesta Key, so I was familiar with the area though I had never been to Clearwater Beach before. Prior to the wedding I drove up to Crystal River, FL which is famous for snorkeling with Manatees. I took my underwater camera and was excited to meet some manatees, but alas, the water was so murky you could be 2 or 3 feet from one and wouldn’t be able to see it. So…that was a bust. I was very disappointed, but I had fun exploring the Crystal River area. I even saw Black Bears! I had no idea that Black Bears existed in Florida, but they most definitely do. The black shapes crossing the road stunned me, but since I was driving, there was no time for a photo. They were moving quickly into the woods adjacent to the sea grasses.

Plantation Inn at Crystal River, I recommend it as the best place to stay!

Sandpearl Resort is the place to stay in Clearwater Beach!

Clearwater has a beautiful beach, a terrific walking beach. Randy (who is doing very well after two hospitalizations this year due to viruses) and I also came across interesting critters I had never seen before. (to learn about Randy’s Double Lung Transplant, click HERE)Have you ever heard of Sea Pork? I have spent my entire life visiting sea shores, and this was the first time I had ever encountered it. These weird blobs are actually colonies of tunicates covered by cellulose for protection. They were all over, and I even found a heart shaped one! The whelk and conch egg cases were beautiful, and so intricate and delicate. There were plenty of birds to entertain me as well! The birds screeched all through the outdoor wedding ceremony, but it added rather than detracted from the event. Of course, not everyone felt that way.

Randy found another heart for me! A cool colony of tunicates!

2015 cb whelk egg case — A conch/whelk egg case…so incredibly intricate. Don’t you just love nature?

My son’s wedding was in Austin, and we held the rehearsal dinner at Abel’s on the Lake, an iconic restaurant in Austin with a view of the sunset over the lake. It was an incredible setting for a great party. The wedding itself was at Inn of Wild Rose Hall, an absolutely charming venue complete with horses, donkeys and goats! It was owned by Stevie Ray Vaughn’s bassist. My daughter-in-law used vegetables like artichokes, and succulent plants for decor, and the men wore air plants on their shirts. Many of the guests had never visited Austin before, and believe me, Austin, Tx is easy to fall in love with. It is an active city, people are walking, running, kayaking, paddle boarding, etc. Add to that one of the most beautiful Capitol buildings in the country, 6th street with all of its music venues, and UT Austin. Yes, a very active city!

The View from Abel's on the Lake — The View from Abel’s on the Lake

A very pretty venue, Inn at Wild Rose Hall.

As I recover, I look forward to my future travels, and to my daughter’s wedding in October. 2015 has been a non-stop year, and it will continue to be so! Stay tuned.

A Cooking Class with the World Cooking Project!

May 11, 2015 By Tam Warner 5 Comments

Guest Adventurer Suzanne Stavert of ADVENTURES WITH EMPTY NESTERS! Check it out!

A fun new cooking class!

Cooking for my family has been one of the greatest joys of my life. My skill level has improved over the last 30 years and the techniques I have learned from accomplished chefs have layered my basic skills with a depth of knowledge I could have never received from a book. These cooking classes have inspired me to try new dishes, expanded my culinary range and I have also determined that chefs, are my type of Rock Star!

I love the way they approach their craft with heart, skillfulness and creativity. A chef’s strong desire to make delicious food is coupled with the fact that the presentation of the dish is as important as the taste of the food!

Here is a brief video, filmed and edited by my son Nick, of my fantastic experience taking a class through The World Cooking Project! For those of you who are receiving this post by email, please click HERE to see the video.

Fortunately, someone who loves chefs and food as much as I do found Adventures of Empty Nesters and therefore she found me! Sara Dietrich is CEO of The World Cooking Project and she wrote me a lovely email explaining how on March 1st, she launched The World Cooking Project. The World Cooking Project was created from her love of food and world travel. It’s a really exciting idea that connects people from all over the world through online, interactive cooking instruction classes.

Since they are a startup, they wanted some help getting the word out! She read a few of my blog posts and thought that we would be a great match. I was so thrilled that Sara reached out to me! I immediately went to visit The World Cooking Project’s new website to check out all of the possibilities!

I couldn’t wait to email her back letting her know how excitied I was to take a class from a chef somewhere in the world! I reviewed the website and decided that I wanted to take a class from Chef Luis from Mexico. He was going to teach me how to make Enchilada Verdes and I couldn’t wait!

The whole process from start to finish was so E-A-S-Y and affordable! Once I decided which class to take, The World Cooking Project took over from there. They quickly responded with an email and we worked out an agreeable date that suited my calendar as well as Chef Luis’.They sent me a detailed list of ingredients as well as any pans or equipment I would need.

I have recently purchased a 1937 “fixer upper” home and my kitchen is far from fancy! My stove is from the 50’s and my kitchen tile from the 80’s is a groovy shade of green! Therefore no worries about where you cook, any type of kitchen will be perfect for taking the class.

I set up my computer to connect with Luis via Skype. It was really fun talking with him and getting to meet his children who were with him in his Mexican kitchen. We both were making enchiladas simultaneously in two different countries! I LOVED it! My son videotaped me taking the class and my husband kept the dog from barking. It was a family affair at my house as well.

Once Luis and I finished making the enchiladas, both of our families enjoyed tasting them together, still connected by Skype. I learned how to make a tomatillo sauce that was super easy, yet incredibly delicious. Chef Luis made sure that my presentation was perfect as well!

I think that Sara and her team at The World Cooking Project have created an interactive, educational and delicious experience! What a great way to learn about other cultures than through our mutual love of food. I can’t wait to take another class and I plan to give one as a gift to my Mom for Mother’s Day!

www.TheWorldCookingProject.com

Please take a moment and check out their website and when you purchase a class, type “empty nesters” in the notes section!

Which class will you choose?

Suzanne

Fab Photos Friday: Beach Birds of a Feather

May 8, 2015 By Tam Warner 5 Comments

I love the ocean, and I also LOVE ocean birds. Birds are beautiful creatures, predator or prey. Here are some of my favorites. Birds of a feather!

Our little friend was quite comfortable with us.

Guest Adventurer Suzanne Stavert and her Amazing Ceviche post!

May 6, 2015 By Tam Warner 2 Comments

GUEST BLOG BY SUZANNE STAVERT OF Adventures of Empty Nesters! Check out her blog!

During our amazing vacation at the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort of Costa Rica, we were taught how to make ceviche ~ Costa Rica Style! Craig and I were treated to a private cooking lesson with Chef Hanier from the resort’s fine dining seafood restaurant, Ostra. We learned how to combine fresh fish with local ingredients to create the most delectable ceviche ever!

What is ceviche?

Ceviche (pronounced “seh-VEE-chay”) is a Latin American recipe for raw fish and seafood marinated in citrus juice, usually lime and lemon juice. The acid in the citrus juice breaks down the proteins in the fish, effectively cooking the fish. Because the protein is cooked by the acid, ceviche isn’t heated and can be served cold or at room temperature.

Isn’t enjoying the local food and culture the best part about travel?

Chef Hanier made it very easy for us. All of the ingredients were already assembled, sliced and diced. The freshly caught fish and shellfish was cut into small, bite size pieces and the vast array of diced peppers, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, corn and garlic was resting in stainless steel bowls on ice and ready to go.

Both Craig and I could choose any combination of these types of fish: Red Snapper, Grouper, Tuna, Octopus, Sea Bass or Prawns. Then we added fresh lemon and lime juice, salt and pepper, cilantro and any of the other colorful ingredients. We mixed it all together and added several tablespoons of the chef’s homemade sauces. I don’t know how to make the sauces, but I could try based upon the ingredients list. Our Costa Rican recipe for ceviche was unbelievably delicious and so fresh!

Special Sauce Combinations

Mango ~ fried plantain, avocado, rocoto

Spicy ~ jalapeño, panameño, rocoto cream

Classic ~ leche de tigre, red onion, cilantro, cancha corn

Yellow Pepper ~ jumbo corn, lemon, red onion

Caribeño ~ coconut milk, tomato, ginger

We had so much fun and honestly I did not realize how easy it was to make! After talking with some of the local people, we learned that ceviche is a very common dish to prepare in every Costa Rican household. Typically, they would mix fresh fish, lots of fresh lime juice, cilantro and maybe chopped onion and/or jalapeño. The family recipe is simple and once it was mixed together, they would put it in the refrigerator for about four hours. When the ceviche was ready to eat, they serve it in large bowls, family-style, with tortillas, chips and spoons to catch every drop!

We were served our own personal preparations in gorgeous glass serving bowls after the Chef had placed the perfect garnish on top. While drinking an icy cold Imperial, a Costa Rican Beer, we scooped up our divine ceviche with house made potato and sweet potato chips. Did I say it was delicious?!

Designed to emulate a personal residence, the exquisite Ostra, is the fine dining seafood restaurant at the resort. The service is impeccable and all of the elegant latin influenced dishes on the menu were out of this world. We enjoyed several romantic dinners there and it felt like we had engaged our own personal chef to create our perfect meal. I am still dreaming of our delicious experience!

How to make ceviche — The view of a private table with the bay in the distance.

DiningatOnda — The lovely outdoor side of the restaurant. That is a carved wooden bench facing the chairs. Beautiful!

CevicheLessonFinishedProject — Our finished project – Perfection!

Have you ever made Ceviche?

You can read more about our trip===> Here and Here and Here!

Fab Photos Friday: Beaches!

April 30, 2015 By Tam Warner 3 Comments

I have been on many beaches…all over the world. Here are a few of my favorites (of course, I love everything to do with oceans!). It certainly makes me ready to go back…to all of them! Now that I am going through them, I’m having a very tough time stopping!