The sky looked like it was ready to open up with rain at any minute so rather than venture out for a bike ride this morning, I stayed in to create. My friend Rosanne was having a luncheon at her school and when she asked me for my recipe for Shiitake Mushroom, Asparagus and Sun-dried Tomato Risotto, I offered to prepare it and then deliver it to her.

I don't remember exactly what drew me to cooking or when it first happened but I do know that I have been cooking since before I was 9 years old. To this day I clearly remember the first full meal I made all by myself; "Oven-fried Chicken, Scalloped Potatoes and green beans" and I have since inherited the cookbook that the recipes came from. Often I cook as a form of relaxation so I was quite happy to whip up the risotto, enough to feed 25 and later learning that it was well received. Over the years, I have often been told that I should become a chef but I knew then that if I pursued cooking as a career, my love for it would soon disappear. Preparing an occasional meal for my friends allows me to do something I love without robbing me of the pleasure of creating something delicious and it is a win-win situation for all.

I completed my day with another acupuncture session and a massage, still trying to help my sore shoulder and it seems to be paying off. On Saturday we are going to Indiana for a six-day vacation with Rick's sister Gayle and her husband Graham. Hopefully I have had enough work done to make the progress I am experiencing on my shoulder last until I get back.