plank

Plank Story Natural Deodorant

I’m occasionally told I’m crunchy and I always sort of cringe. That’s not how I see myself, but then I tell a story like this:

All my siblings were in Connecticut a few weeks ago to celebrate my dad and stepmom’s 30^th wedding anniversary. We had a variety of activities planned—dinner, boat cruises, museum tours. And the weather was beautiful for outdoor activities, except for the fact it was 95-degrees with 100% humidity (perhaps slight exaggeration, but not much). With my brother and sister-in-law in front of the Derby House, Salem, MA

After picking my brother up at the airport, we met in Salem to tour the Derby House. I’d been teaching all day. It was hot and my sister-in-law asked if I used all natural deodorant. She was thinking of switching and wondered if I thought it work. “Yes,” I exclaimed exuberantly. It is moments like these where I’m actually excited to talk about my choice of deodorant that makes me realize I just may be a little bit crunchy. “Do you ever smell?” she […]

Plank Story Natural DeodorantMaggie Downie2017-12-29T20:26:26-05:00

Plank Story: TSA Rules No Joking

I like my little brother even though he almost got me arrested.

I was flying home from Dallas after visiting my brother who had been in Israel. He’s brought home some bath salts from the Dead Sea and given me some to bring back to Connecticut. I don’t check a bag and as I came through security at TSA, my suitcase was pulled off the conveyor belt for inspection.

The TSA worker rifled through my bag while I watched. There were two of them. Both friendly. Making small talk. When one found the bath salts the two agreed that was what the machine had red flagged. He asked what they were and I told him that they had made the trip from Israel. He said they would need to test them. I asked what he thought they were. Apparently, you can use flakes that look similar or have a similar density to make a bomb. Not knowing me at all, the TSA worker was unaware that I’m terrified of everything that has even the most remote chance of causing […]

Plank Story: TSA Rules No JokingMaggie Downie2017-12-29T20:49:07-05:00

Plank Story: Afternoon Tea

When Matt and I were in Alabama earlier this year we stayed at this cute, intimate bed and breakfast. One morning during breakfast we chatted with a couple from Scotland about Trump, a recent wedding they had been too and about the Microbiome Diet I was doing. The B&B owner had been very accommodating, always making sure I had hard boiled eggs and gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free options. When the woman from Scotland heard about my diet, it reminded her that traditional afternoon tea was making a comeback in the UK.

“Oh,” she said, “if you can’t have dairy, you wouldn’t want to come to afternoon tea. It’s so dairy laden.” (Note: If you haven’t started reading this in your best Scottish brogue, start now. It makes the story better. Think Mrs. Doubtfire and you’ll pretty much have it down.) “First, they bring out these little finger sandwiches and they are all lathered in butter. And then you get scones smothered with crème fraiche. And now, after that, they offer cream cakes the size of your first. There is so much food you don’t even need an evening meal. And it’s not even really about the tea anymore. Now they bring […]

Plank Story: Afternoon TeaMaggie Downie2018-01-13T16:09:28-05:00

Plank Story: Vihno Verde, Fado and Portuguese Mussels

Before Matt and I left for Portugal people recommended all sorts of food and experiences we should try. One recommendation was Vinho Verde (an immature, white wine) and another was Fado (a somewhat melancholy, traditional music). We wound up trying them on the same night. A view of Lisbon from above. Somewhere down there we were racing through the streets to get to Fado.

We’d gone out to dinner and were stuffed, but ran through the streets and staircases of Lisbon to get to the Fado bar. The music was supposed to start promptly at nine. People and restaurants were spilling out into the cobblestones streets, so we zigzagged down the small alleyways beneath colorful streamers hanging above and amongst the excitement of everyone watching soccer in the streets.

We arrived at the Fado bar just in time. They had one table left. “We’ll take it,” we said. “You’ll be eating dinner?” they asked. Oh, we were so full. We didn’t want dinner. We just wanted to listen to the […]

Plank Story: Vihno Verde, Fado and Portuguese MusselsMaggie Downie2017-12-29T20:55:13-05:00

Plank Story: My First Mammogram

My first mammogram was fine—the process and the results. Women should inform other women that the experience is not that bad. I’ve always heard horror stories, and the procedure is a breeze. It’s not as fun as having the ear doctor suck dry skin out of your ear, and it’s not how I’d choose to spend an afternoon, but it wasn’t painful. I can see how it would be tough if you have tender breasts, but if you can schedule your appointment whenever you want, I think you can adjust accordingly.

I figured I’d make conversation with the mammographer (a title I prefer to technologist) while my bosom was being squished between the plastic plates. That’s what I do with the phlebotomists to pass the time. I asked whether it was easier to do a mammogram on a busty woman or someone flat chested (the category I’d put myself in). She explained that they were hard for different reasons. A big bosom is hard on her wrists as she places the breast on the machine. A small bosom can be hard to grab a hold of. And she added, “But your breasts are just perfect.” I’m assuming that the rest of […]

Plank Story: My First MammogramMaggie Downie2017-12-29T21:06:37-05:00