In Honor of Halloween - What is your Greatest Fear?

What do you fear the most? 

Do creepy crawly bugs, rodents and snakes scare you? 

Do you have a silly, irrational fear?

Do you fear age and infirmity? 

I fear dark tight spaces. When we played hide and seek as children, I never could hide in the best places like the dryer or the cabinets because I would totally freak out.

Illustration Found Here

 I went to salt mines in Austria and was fine until we got to these narrow tunnels. I was 13 at the time and the tunnels were so narrow I had to pass through them with my shoulders turned diagonally. The only way I did it without completely losing it was to insist on the last place in line. As long as there was a clear path to escape behind me, I was okay. 

The other time it really got me was when we took an overnight ferry from Greece to Italy. The beds were bunked and we had an interior cabin. Without the lights on, it was so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. I was on the top bunk and woke up in the middle of the night terrified. It felt like I couldn't breathe or move. Sheer terror literally took over my body and I cried like a little girl and begged for the lights to be turned on immediately because I couldn't find the light switch in my panic. 

The older I get, the more I can reason with myself about it and stay calm longer. It is so bizarre though how your body reacts to things it fears. The reaction I have, when I feel trapped like that, is intensely physical. I can't get enough air and all of my muscles tense. 

Are you scared of anything?

What Goes Up Must Come Down

Delay upon delay tripped up my arrival.  However, I've now successfully ruled out every means of travel other than the train - against which I have arbitrarily discriminated to my own disservice. 

My last bus adventure culminated in 2 hours standing in a torrential downpour in heels with entirely too much luggage. My air travel, on this occasion, did provide an opportunity to befriend an elderly British lady as we sat on the runway for 45 minutes waiting for our 30 minute flight. We bonded over the delay and lack of available refreshments. 

Upon my arrival, I was delightfully spoiled with a delicious meal. 

I would have never thought cucumber and dill would blend so well with shrimp over orzo. The flavors were so light and fresh! So good - I will definitely snag the recipe and share it soon.  

We went traipsing through the crazy pre-Halloween snow to find the New Museum this weekend. 

The wind was insanely fierce but we dressed warmly and enjoyed the beauty of the crazy weather. 

The lines were millions of miles long so we abandoned our attempt at the slide. 

We went to Eataly, feasted on prosciutto & fresh mozzarella, and tasted delicious red wine. 

 Doesn't this make you want to abandon American life for a villa in Tuscany? When I went to Tuscany, my dad kidnapped me from the group for a day. We had been touring museum after museum and as wonderful as they are, you stop absorbing the beauty after the 25th one. Luckily, I wasn't in my teenage funk on this particular day and let him take me to the Verrazano Vineyards (the same family that the bridge was named after supposedly). We spent the day touring the vineyards and eating amazing Italian food paired perfectly with their wines. It was the best introduction to wine tasting I could ever have requested. 

One of the best parts of  great food and wine in my opinion is the culture associated with it. I love the thought of food and wine as the main event. The table should be a place to leisurely sample many tastes and enjoy fabulous conversation with great people. 

As much as I love my home, it was so sad leaving to come back. I wish I could have made the weekend last just a bit longer. I feel like I blinked and it was over.  Did get to catch the last bit of the Ravens game (30 to 27 us!) in the airport though and arrived in Baltimore safely after stadium traffic subsided. Back to another week of real life!