Going Back to Guam

Ah ha...gotcha with that title didn't I:). Well, no, I'm not going back to Guam, we lived there long enough to make memories, and to grab hold of some awesome folks who taught me how to cook some SERIOUS GOOD STUFF!!!
Our days there were hot, crazy hot, and even crazier humid. My natural curly hair just didn't work for me, my make-up stayed in the drawer because it only stayed on two minutes anyway. Baby girl Tara (now a wonderful mom of her own) only had little tiny bikini like clothes because I didn't want to find her melted in a puddle somewhere while playing. The dog, she just layed on the hot cement by the nearest leaking outdoor faucet, fighting Phillipino rat snakes and poisonous toads for each drip they could salvage. Ah yes, Guam, fun, too much fun. Loved making popcorn and sitting down to watch our poor reception TV for entertainment ~ only to be more entertained by my own screaming as mating gecko's fell from the ceiling into our popcorn and little fluffs of white popped kernels flew from the bowl. A dream life for certain. Wasn't sure if I'd have a dog or child to bring back to the states between the Banana spiders in my daughters hair and the four foot Monitor Lizards in our back yard. But we mananged to survive. Cooking was what I began doing back then, primarily for 'therapy':).
Still, nothing like the Guamanian culture and atmosphere to stir up a pot of pure deliciousness...incredible festivals full of food that melted your heart (so many Boony Peppers in some of the dishes, one taste and you prayed for a fire department). Native dishes were our favorites and though I make them seldom anymore, we still love them, what they represent and how truly wonderful they taste is a good reason to try them.
Told Hubbs tonight that I want to have a "Festival Weekend" this Summer and recreate many of our favorite meals from our favorite little island of Guam. So I'm pulling out my 10 page Guam cookbook and starting my coconut search. Savoring the good memories (there were some rough ones, but who wants those memories)and starting the list for our summer festival, Guam style. We'll have Chicken Kelaguen, Chamarro Shrimp Patties, Lumpia, Finidini Beef and Chicken, and no dish can be with out the true Red Rice. Ahh yes, I can see the beaches and the reef, the teal blue sea and Two Lovers Point, I can still see the sunsets and the moon shining on the water...and I can still see me running to get in the house so they could lock us down for the Typhoons. Hmmm, definately cooked for therapy then ~ now I do it because...oh ya, 'therapy'.
God is good ALL the time. Hope you too will relive some great memories from your kitchen and enjoy the sweetness of God as we reflect on our many 'opportunities' and our many joys. Thanks for coming into my kitchen with me, a little different journey this time, but life is meant to change daily, to keep us aware of how much we need Christ to survive the unknown with love and passion in tact. Night all.