Positively Painless Pickled Peppers

I'm not right in the head. A week ago, a woman rear-ended my car at a stoplight while my daughter was driving me to Aldi. My daughter is fine (TG!), I have a concussion. The woman's license plate number is imbedded in my bumper - it feels like it's imbedded in my head. Her inability to keep her eyes on the road has taken a week away from me, so far.

Concussions are strange. I have been doing some dumb things like walking straight ahead at the top of stairs and misjudging distances. Last night I put a Tide Pod in the dryer with wet clothes.  I feel like I am going to cry all the time, for no apparent reason.

There's another weird phenomenon that happens to people when you can't see an injury or illness - everyone thinks they are okay. I am not okay. Besides this temporary concussion, I have cancer (melanoma). I have several autoimmune diseases. I have primary lymphedema. I am on my way out. I don't know when that is going to happen, so I certainly didn't want to spend a week feeling rotten, filling out forms, seeing doctors, having an insurance adjuster come to my house and talking to several insurance adjusters on the phone. Its been a full time job. I'm writing this to remind myself, and anyone who might read it, that when you are driving a car, that is your full time job. You can text people or talk to them some other time. Be a secure person, nobody needs to hear from you while you are driving. 

A few weeks ago, Aldi was selling banana pepper, jalapeño and tomato plants that were pre-loaded with fruit for $7.99. Now I have banana peppers coming out my ears - I've made salads with them, added them to recipes and left them on neighbors' doorstops. Today, I made pickled peppers. It was so easy that even a brain injured person can do it (even though she can't recite the rhyme).

Pickled Peppers

• banana peppers (or any kind of peppers) (enough to fill 2 quart jars)

• 1 cup white vinegar 

• 1 cup water

• garlic (peeled cloves, sliced lengthwise - maybe 6 per jar)

• 3 tbsp. salt (I used Himalayan Pink) 

Wash peppers, cut the ends off and cut a slit lengthwise. Slide your finger down the center to remove seeds (it's okay if you don't get them all). Slice into rings.
Place pepper rings and garlic into a jar with a lid, or some kind of glass container that seals shut.
Heat vinegar, water and salt to boiling. Pour over peppers. Let cool for a few hours and then refrigerate. Eat within 2 weeks.