The Melon Baller Blog

MS gets fruity and offers 2 updates

Hi friends!   2018 has been a little crazier than expected in ways both good and bad.  Suffice to say, my blog has suffered a bit.  But I did want to reach out and I have 2 things to share so please accept my offering of a mini blog and notes-all below.

At writing group one Friday morning there was a bowl on the table of what looked like cantaloupe.  But the fruit was so orange I was suspicious.  What if my writing friends were trying to trick me into munching on some veggies?

“These aren’t carrots, are they?” I inquired.

“No. I would never do that to you,” our host declared.

I had forgotten how good this fruit is.  Growing up, we had it at my house a lot but never in juicy little balls like these.  My mom always cut it up into chunks.

Or, if we were driving her crazy, she would offer us wedges and then order us outside to eat it so we wouldn’t make a mess.  We ate outside a lot.

At group the following week another writer friend brought cantaloupe and, again, it was super delicious, better than I’d ever had. It was also in little orange balls.

“What gives,” I asked. “What kind of cantaloupe is this that tastes so good and is round and fun?”

Turns out, I was informed, this was just a regular melon and to everyone else tasted like a regular melon.  But it was cut into fun shapes using something called a melon baller.  Say what??

Cantaloupe happens to be very good for you and since it has a lot of water in it, it can also help my water intake.  I wanted in.  But before I wasted money on a melon baller I went to my mom’s to borrow hers.

“Where’s your melon baller?  I would like to scoop out some delicious fruit.”

“What melon baller?” My mom replied.  “In my day we didn’t have fancy schmancy melon ballers.  We had to cut up melons like they did in the old days.  Backwards.  In the snow.  After walking 10 miles to the farm to ask the farmer if we could have one.  Up a hill the whole way.  With no shoes either….”

I went to the store and bought a melon baller.  But it wasn’t as easy to make such perfection as I had tasted at 2 writing groups.  I attacked the melon guts and dug in with the baller.  But all I got was melon curls.

Orange melon curls that actually reminded me of cheese curls which I suddenly started craving.  Thank goodness for the 7-Eleven in my neighborhood or I don’t know where I’d be.

Was I having trouble due to my general ineptitude of was it because of my multiple sclerosis ineptitude?

I wrapped the fruit and took a break.  Later, I went at it again.  This time what I scooped out was less curls than it was fruity, orangey clumps.  Another break ensued.

That evening, a time of day where I usually have the most energy and possibly a little wine, I tried a third time.  And this time, they looked a little better.  Ahhhh, another step on my healthy eating plan achieved.

I’m never going to eat anything again besides melon balls.  I’m going to give away all my other utensils- who needs a fork and spoon when you have a melon baller!

And, surprise, one gets rewarded when they attempt to eat healthy.   Turns out melon ballers are also good for scooping cookie dough! 

Sometimes things are right in the world. From now on, I’m only going to eat melon balls and cookie dough.  And maybe some cheese curls here and there to round out my diet.

 

 

Update 1 is actually a serious lesson.  And I mean serious in a serious way.  Not the usual sarcastic way I say serious in my blog. 

I always thought vanity meant when you thought you looked good and were full of yourself and thought you were all that.  Not true.   In my last blog, Unsettling In, I mention bumping into an old crush and while I smiled and said hello, I didn’t stop long enough to exchange our usual hug.  I had been unpacking and looked awful.  Plus, I worried I likely had bad breath.

I was just too embarrassed to get too close to him, this successful, handsome, kind man who everyone loved and adored.  Not at my best, I felt unworthy of his hug.

Approximately 5 weeks later he took his own life, much to the shock of everyone who knew him.  No one can figure out why.  He had everything going for him and looked way more together than I ever was.

We weren’t close and didn’t see each other often.  I don’t think for a second a brief little hug from me would have minimized whatever pain was tormenting him under his gorgeous, bright smile.  But I deeply regret missing that opportunity.   I was so consumed with my own looks (though bad) I let them direct my actions and that was a huge mistake.  And that my friends, is another form of vanity, a really pathetic dangerous form.

Seize the moment my friends.  And don’t let something as silly as a no makeup, bad hair day get in your way….

 

 

Update 2   While I remain l sad over the above update, as it goes in life sometimes, I have a good thing coming up that I’m excited to share with you too.  I have again been asked to participate in the HealtheVoices conference in Chicago this year!  I’m so honored and looking forward to meeting other health advocates and attending the great workshops.

This year, everyone can be included even if you’re not in the Windy City.  The HeV Team will be offering a virtual reality experience so you also can enjoy this fabulous weekend (April 27-29) sponsored by Janssen.  To learn more, check out the HeV conference website.

Looking forward to catching up with all of you in May!