Day 145: Who Would've Guessed

Who would have guessed I would be doing now what I'm doing now?
Aka, I've always "liked to cook," but in the past that meant, every month or so when I got an inkling or wanted to be a good daughter and help the mother. Now, with the root of the situation lying in necessity, I have developed a serious love for kitchen creation.
Baking is just really fun because of the often long processes and delicious end results, but I've also found a lot of enjoyment in all forms of cooking--experimenting and learning which flavor combinations work well together or figuring out new ways to cook the same ingredients to avoid death by boredom.
With this new passion, another has arisen hand-in-hand, and that is the joy of hosting. I love having ma friends over to eat and serving them fresh, homemade meals (today I had several friends over for brunch after mass, the beginning of a new tradition to stop contributing to the labor of those who have to work on Sundays, and I cooked up homemade buttermilk biscuits and sausage gravy and fried apples. Spot on) But also, I cherish the opportunities where I can come bearing tastebud-pleasing gifts for others who have graciously invited me to join their soirees and get-togethers.

I'm thankful I have had the opportunity to push myself in this seemingly insignificant way by the mere fact of living alone and having no meal provider in house or somewhere close, like the campus dining back at UMW. It has allowed me to be creative in a place where I am without paints and canvas, it has given me more confidence in my capability for independence, and it has begun to hone my skills for a Someday when I might possibly have a husband and kids to whom I must tend.

It doesn't hurt to have people fawning over me for a new reason either;)


Ha.

Tomorrow I think I'll make some cornbread and use up the buttermilk I have left from the biscuits, or else I'll never use it and it will continue to take up space and eventually go sour in my fridge. Keepin' this Southern thang goin'.

Speaking of the South: Gone With the Wind is blowing my mind no pun intended, and although 900+ pages will take longer to read than I would like with class time, coursework, and MY NEW JOB, I am thoroughly relishing every moment of Scarlett's insolence and, more importantly, RHETT'S prim perfection. (What a man; every time Margaret describes his broad muscles visibly contracting under his linen suits I can't help but imagine myself as the Southern Belle he's buying stylish, Parisian hats for--it's probably unhealthy to be so in love with a fictional character, but he's just SO (bad it's) GOOD.)
Also, if you didn't catch it, I have a new job working at the HMT restaurant, which is a 2-minute (or less) walk from my flat, annnnd it should be sweet. So thanks for your prayers! I start tomorrow:)