Stranded without Boredom

Synchronicity seems to appear in my life over and over again. Yesterday after weathering a snow storm I had a long day at work and was anxious to get back home BUT I was stranded. A co-worker promised me a ride home if I didn't mind waiting for her while she was being fit for contact lenses at the optometrist. Thankful that she would give me a ride I waited patiently for her an entire hour only to have her tell me when she finished her appointment "Sorry, I can't give you a ride. I have a conflict." With no phone or wallet on hand I was appreciative that my co-worker at least let me use her phone so that I could call my boyfriend who was working 50 miles away to pick me up. He was suppose to work late and told me to hang tight because he would do his best to pick me up as soon as he could.

Frustrated with my co-worker I politely smiled and thanked her for letting me use her phone and dashed off as fast as I could out of the building I worked in. Where was I to go for one hour? I was stranded. The last place people want to be stranded at is the airport but that's exactly where I headed; to the airport. It was only a ten minute walk and unlike most airports the Traverse City Airport is small and cozy. As soon as I walked through the doors I saw a crackling fireplace and went to sit down next to it and de-stress.Above the fireplace was a plaque and in big letters was written:

BOREDOM IS A MATTER OF CHOICE NOT CIRCUMSTANCE

Boredom, no I wasn't going to be bored while I waited for my boyfriend. In that one hour I walked around the building, did squats, wrote poetry and daydreamed of a warm place to escape from the bitter cold of northwest Michigan. Before I knew it my boyfriend appeared and I was no longed stranded. Synchronicity was right in front of me as I glared into the fireplace. I had been stranded but without boredom.

Sometimes things happen. I did the best with the circumstance that arouse and found that even when you're stranded "BOREDOM IS A MATTER OF CHOICE NOT CIRCUMSTANCE"and one can be productive if they allow themselves to be.

Have you ever been stranded? This morning as I sip on some warm tea I look back at this experience and say "Wow it could have been a lot worse, being stranded at a friendly resort airport actually was kinda fun." 

Bermuda & Banana Bread Moments

A few days ago I was writing my travel blog and the post was about Bermuda; a British territory island with pink sandy beaches. Years back my sweet mother and I took a trip to Bermuda in March during the off season. We got a wonderful deal on our trip and the icing on the cake was that on the day of our departure from Bermuda the airplane was overbooked and because we gave up our seats my mother and I got to spend an entire extra day and night in Bermuda with all expenses paid by the airline. Moments like that are precious.

March is not the most pleasant month for weather in Bermuda. It's not swimming weather but you can still walk along the pink colored sandy beaches and breathe in the air of the Atlantic Ocean breezes. There are plenty of attractions to see and good food to eat too. My mother and I like keeping things simple so we stayed at a small bed and breakfast in a Bermudian local neighborhood and walked a lot or took the bus.

One afternoon while exploring the city of Hamilton we came across a quaint cafe run by a Bermudian woman. We ordered the famous Bermuda fish chowder and it came with a loaf of just baked banana bread. Although the Bermuda fish chowder warmed our chilly bodies the Bermuda banana bread warmed our hearts.

Looking back I'm glad we went to Bermuda off season. In the summer it would have been packed with tourists and the prices would have been out of sight so March really was a good month to be in Bermuda.Today in honor of it being the first day of March I'm thinking of Bermuda and eating homemade banana bread with a cup of heavenly cream tea. I might not be in Bermuda but I feel Bermuda in every bite of my banana bread. Now that's what I call "sweet moments."

BERMUDA BANANA BREAD

3 ripe bananas
2 large eggs
4 ounces of butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

Mash the bananas and set aside. Beat butter, eggs, and sugar until fluffy. Add the mashed bananas and chopped walnuts, then slowly pour flour into the mixture with the cinnamon powder and baking powder.

Pour into a buttered loaf pan and bake for about one hour until the top of the loaf is browned. Place a toothpick in the batter to make certain it's completed baked. Let cool for about ten minutes.
Serve warm or room temperature.

BERMUDA AND BANANA BREAD MOMENTS!