Taking Time

     Moving is never fun.  I've moved a lot in the past 6 years.  In fact, my current move marks number ten;  you'd think I'd be an expert by now.  I am more efficient, but it never gets any easier.  Stuff tends to accumulate, and since what I collect generally falls into the categories of Kitchen and Cookbooks, my loads are not exactly lightweight.
     Yesterday I moved quite a few of these heavy loads....one.at.a.time.  I must have looked ridiculous scurrying back and forth from the car, across the courtyard, to the front door of the apartment building.  And thanks to the cold I've had the last few days, I was producing quite the attractive wheezing sound.  I'm just grateful the weather here in Portland is sunny and beautiful right now.
     All this to say that getting home and cooking a warm and satisfying meal was precisely what my body needed.  I made a barley risotto with cara cara orange, arugula, crème fraîche, and toasted walnuts.  After sautéing the onion, shallot, garlic, and toasting the barley, I just pulled a chair right up to the stove while I added the liquid.  I turned on some music, grabbed my book, and for forty minutes forgot all about my list of packing chores as I slowly stirred my risotto.  There is something mesmerizing about watching grains gradually puff and become tender and creamy.  I love that I can listen to the bubbling of broth, watch simple ingredients transform into my delicious dinner, and suddenly feel totally relaxed. 
     I was nourished by this meal, in a way that eating a quick bite standing up in a restaurant never allows for.  I have neglected to spend that long cooking at home recently.  I've been letting another move across town stress me out, and this was all I needed.  A calm hour alone in my kitchen to put things back into perspective and remind me that taking the time to take care of myself is every bit worth it.