I don't know why, but cooking makes me happy. It relaxes me. At least it does when the food turns out! Thursday I took a "sick day" from work. I was sick of doing things for other people and feeling burned out even though the quarter hasn't even started yet. So I decided I needed a ME day. I dedicated a significant chunk of the day to making a pozole style stew. It was fun. I felt like I had DONE something. I also went for a 6 mile run. I'm not sure which made me feel better. I guess it was the combination. Today I took most of the remaining tomatoes from the garden -- Romas and yellow pears -- and made a marinara sauce. I haven't tried it yet so I don't know yet if it's a success. I think the ingredients will be a good combo -- sauted garlic and onions in olive oil with a few red pepper flakes (ala putanesca) then added a green pepper, then the tomatoes, then later 2 small zucchini and a handful of capers. Additional spices were fresh basil, salt & pepper. Nothing too complex. When it cools I'll freeze some of it. I feel a little sad that the garden is coming to an end this year but it pleased me to be able to take my own harvest and cook something with it. And when I thaw some of it and eat it later, I am thawing a bit of summer. How cool is that? And somehow doing all this gives me peace.