Twenty-Five Weeks and Counting

Twenty-five weeks puts us in mid-April.  Spring Break.

And we think we're going to London to celebrate Mama's big birthday by visiting the Harry Potter Studios.

It's all in the planning stages, and we're not even sure that Mama's big project will be over (so we might go at the end of June instead.)  But we'd love to go.  Time in London, time with Lambeth.  The biggies:  the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Westminster Cathedral, Big Ben, St. Pancras's Station (platform 9 3/4!), Hampton Court, maybe one of the museums (British?  V&A?  National Gallery? of the City of London?).  Plus whatever with Lambeth--his town, Stonehenge, King Arthur's table, the filming location of "Downton Abbey," all manner of things.

It's all to be worked out.  But it's the fun kind of work.

Sleeping with the Fish

Not "fishes."  This isn't a mafia thing.

It was a Girl Scout overnight at the aquarium.  Mama went with Sis and the troop, in my stead, since I couldn't sleep on the floor (no cots allowed.)  And they had a wonderful time.  Tour of the aquarium, IMAX movie, plaster shell art activity, feeding the seals, pizza dinner, cookie bedtime snack, and, best of all, sleeping in the galleries.  Our troop was with the sea turtle.  Though, apparently there was very little sleeping, with the girls giggling until 1:30 a.m. and wake up around 7:00 a.m.  Not enough sleep for anyone.  But they had a good time.  Sis is one of the only ones in her troop who hasn't been on a sleepover so we weren't sure how she'd do, hence Mama's attendance; she loved being with her friends and will probably be just fine for her first independent overnight.

Meanwhile, Bud and I were home alone.  We had a big Italian dinner--I got lasagna because Bud has wanted to try it since reading Garfield, who loves lasagna; Bud had his usual seafood pasta.  Then we watched Star Wars:  Attack of the Clones, while eating candy in bed.  We finished off the evening with some Minecraft.  Sure, it's not sea turtles, but it was a fun evening.  And we got a lot more sleep.  (However, he probably isn't ready for a sleepover; he sleeps too much like a heat-seeking baby koala bear, even in a big bed!)

TheirCraft

Over a meal at our favorite breakfast place yesterday--with crab quesadillas, peaches and cream French toast, pancakes, and some duck roll with bacon--we were talking about the Greek gods, a la Percy Jackson, listing them all.  The kids have decided to create Olympus on Minecraft, their favorite computer game.  Together, they have built a floating city with temples to the main gods and a huge throne room with seats for all the gods (hence needing to know how to spell them.)  It's a great room with this partially-domed golden ceiling, reminiscent of the Pantheon.  There is also a gorge to fill with water for Poseidon and a lava-filled underworld.  I like Athena's purple temple.  Of course, I most like the creativity and teamwork that has gone into their city.  I can't wait to see what else they add.

Apples, Pumpkins, and Ice Cream--Oh, My!

What a weekend!  And I couldn't talk at all.  My laryngitis is just now easing up, after lots of tea and chicken soup.  So, it gave me the chance to teach the kids some of the sign language they've forgotten since they were toddlers.

And we even had company.  One of Mama's friends, who had been her mentor way back at AT&T Bell Labs, was in town with her own wife, who had a music conference to go to.  And so, while the one played her dulcimer all day, we hung out with the other, introducing her to some typical local fall activities.  Even though the weather was very warm for the season.

Sis picking her pumpkin

First, we went pumpkin picking, getting some large ones for decorations and some small squash--delicata and buttercup--for eating.  Sis and Bud also chose some gourds for decorations.  And we all tried some pumpkin cranberry cookies and apple cider.  It was fun to see the kids walk among the pumpkins; the first time we went to this farm, they were about the same height as the biggest pumpkin.  Still, they can't quite carry the big ones.

Next was the apple place, with lots of Mutsu to pick, and apple cider to drink.  We didn't pick apples last year, so it was fun to go this year.  Makes me want to host our old annual Applepalooza, which we haven't done in years (last in 2010, see also 2009, and a recipe but not party in 2011); the kids agreed. We'll see.

Finally, we went for ice cream, also on a farm (our third that day.)  Yum, pumpkin and caramel apple and strawberry.  All homemade right there.  A great way to end our fall-in-New-England day.

Two New Fans

We all watched "Doctor Who" last night!  Even though knew about the T.A.R.D.I.S, sonic screwdrivers, "bigger on the inside," Weeping Angels, and the like, Sis and Bud hadn't seen "Doctor Who" yet.  Bud gets scared easily, ever since the Basilisk in Harry Potter and early stories about Medusa.  So Mama and I have been debating which episodes would be best.  And yesterday we decided--"Runaway Bride" and "Partners in Crime," both of which are the Tenth Doctor and my favorite companion Donna.

And they were a success.  The kids begged for more episodes and, when we said no (because who knows what our next episodes would be), they ran off to play with my sonic screwdrivers and build their own T.A.R.D.I.Ses, shouting "oi" at each other.

Now all I need to do is decide which episode would be okay next . . . .

Laryngitis

Yep, giving a tour on top of my cold has taken my voice.  So, don't be surprised if I don't answer the phone or anything for the next day or so.

WOW!

Happy 49th wedding anniversary (yesterday), Gommie and Pop!  

Getting Ready

It's almost time for tours to start up again at the historic house.  So today, volunteers and I were prepping the house by setting up activities, clearing away the extra stuff, and even hanging some fresh herbs from our colonial-inspired herb gardens.  There's rosemary, lavender, winter savory, and sage, making the house smell so fresh.  Of course, colonists wouldn't have hung herbs inside the fireplace where they would burn, more likely hanging them from the rafters.  But, as we lecture from the hearth, we hung them there.  There's also our new candle mold on the mantle for us to discuss nighttime and the ways colonists created light.  It's going to be a great (but busy) season, especially because all my Brownies plus Sis and Bud will be coming on the tours in October.  

More Soup

Even though the weather is on a warm streak, I am on a soup kick, mainly because I have a(nother) cold.  So, I made Chicken and Rice Soup to slurp on today and I found a recipe for Cabbage Soup, while trolling the internet for something like Katz's Deli's cabbage soup, which I enjoyed immensely this weekend; I'll be making it next.

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Chicken and Rice Soup
1 onion, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
carrots, diced (I used part of a bag of carrot sticks)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 chicken breasts
6-8 cups chicken stock
1-2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
cooked rice

Cook onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil until onions are tender.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add stock and chicken breasts and simmer until done.  Add seasoning.  I like to keep rice separate until serving time so it doesn't absorb all the broth.

Mommy Hungry

Cabbage Soup
3 lbs. flanken or lean short ribs
3 1/2 quarts water
6 beef bones
1-3 lb head cabbage, shredded
salt to taste
1-35 oz. tomatoes
2 onions, sliced
3 stalks celery, diced
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
8 gingersnaps, snapped in half
2 cups cooked cranberry beans

In large pot, cook beef and bones in enough water to cover.  Simmer 15 minutes and then skim top.  Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer covered for 3 hours.  Refrigerate overnight, skim reheat, and serve.

adapted from Hope Hirschhorn, Harrison, NY
I Must Have That Recipe

Dark Day

This morning, our bus-stop friend's mom wasn't dressed for work.  She can't go because her childcare center was shut with the shutdown.  She'll be home with the kids instead of earning money to support them until she can work something else out; and instead of getting a head start with early childhood education, they'll be home alone.  The family loses in many ways.

See, it's not a theoretical debate, the budget and the shutdown, but something that affects real people in real ways.  But some of those millionaires in Congress don't really care; for them, it's an ideological battle of Right vs. wrong.

How is it that people who ARE the government despise the government enough to shut it down?  Perhaps they should consider other careers--no doubt their choices aren't affected by a recession, sequester, or shutdown.

I cannot even begin to express my anger, disappointment, shame, and frustration with Congress, specifically the GOP.

And I think we should quit calling them the Grand Old Party.  How about Grand Old Idiots?

Lastly, on a silly note, I'm angry that Panda Cam at the National Zoo has gone dark.  I know this is not important in the grand scheme of things--they'll still feed the pandas and take care of them--but we'll miss that bright spot in our day as we watch the mom and cub.

And I imagine the Panda Cam is very important to the now out-of-work people who operated it and all those other hourly workers at the concession stands, shops, and booths at the National Zoo.

So, taking a cue from the wise Karen L.R., I'm taking a break from the news and FB today.

Prost!

Nothing like Germany in Connecticut for Oktoberfest the last weekend of September.

For my German relatives in Texas, you must understand that Connecticut is Italian the way Texas has Germans.  Maybe even more so.  I've never seen so many Italians, even in Chicago or in NYC--every second person has an Italian surname or maiden name, or both.  And they all make homemade gravy, or sauce (the name depending on the region their grandmother came from!)  Perhaps that explains the 25 pizza restaurants in our town!  And only 1 or 2 German restaurants--and they count bars that sell Brats--in the whole state.  The delis here are Italian, not German or even Jewish, for the most part.  Which means no kraut or German potato salad or kolaches or rugelach or matzoh ball soup, really.  But lots of pickled peppers and prosciutto and tortellini salad.

Still, they like beer.  And beer and Oktoberfest go hand in hand and so I went to one this weekend.  And had a wonderful time.  Sure, the German band didn't know what a schottische was (I remember we danced the schottische at every dance in jr and high school), but there was sauerbraten, roasted pork, German potato salad (well, sort of), noodles (not spaetzle), sauerkraut, beets and cabbage, apple strudel, and Black Forest cake.  Yum!  I miss German food sometimes, having had access to it in Chicago (Berghoff) and in NYC.  There were also lots of German drinking songs, including the schnitzlebank led by lederhosen-clad guitar and accordion players.

Now if we could just get an Oma's Haus and Nagelin's Bakery up here!

Making Mistakes

We've had our first Rainbow Loom crisis.  First, there were troubles getting some of the loops off the pegs without popping them off.  Then, even when we thought it was all okay, one of the fancy Starburst bracelets must have been incompletely looped because it came off the loom and fell apart.  Oh, the tears over these looms.

But I know that mistakes and failure lead to learning and so I try to be calm and help them fix it.  We talked about practice and mistakes being part of learning a skill and how doing things at the end of the day or in a rush can lead to mistakes.  Sis, who cried last night over the loom and actually ripped an unfinished bracelet off it in despair, woke up early and started all over.  "I was too sleepy last night," she admitted.  It's not always that easy.

And then there's the math homework.  The worksheet last night confused Bud and then we found a mistake in it.  But he couldn't quite believe the worksheet would have an error and there was some anxiety.  And then there was a math worksheet a week ago--the question asked for factors, which I always think of as numerals, so when Bud became confused by the question (which was confusing, to both Mama and me--and I had college calculus!), I tried to help and we came up with what we thought was the best answer together.  But the teachers corrected the answer with an equation or "multiplication sentence."  And I wrote and she said we were right.

So, as much as I know that mistakes are a great teachable moment, sometimes I want to be right.  Which is not a great lesson.

Open House

New building.  New staff and teachers.

Same PTA.  Same parents.

Last night was our first Open House at the new building, where we talked and listened for two hours with various teachers and friends.  The auditorium presentation was a pep rally, laughable really as the principal and assistant principal said more than once that there were no problems with the buses.  Well, the bus company and I would disagree since my kids are getting home 25 minutes later than last year, on the same route.  And while I appreciated the intro to the Common Core, there couldn't be much substance (I'm studying the Common Core and its issues and am not ready to weigh in with an opinion yet.)

The grade-level meeting was good, with the teachers laying out the different curricula and goals.  Connecticut has signed onto the Core, but we don't know if the kids we'll be taking the test in our town this spring.  New spelling program--which they're slowing down on some because it's harder on the kids than they expected (I was surprised both of mine got them all right, truthfully; they were  hard words.)  The writing program is the same and thus familiar from last year.  And math.  Oh, math.  That's new. I forget what else, except Sis's teacher was talking about the advanced words the kids know and mentioned one student who used forlorn, and she looked right at me.  Yep, checked with Sis today--she'd used forlorn to answer how a person in a story would feel.  Good for her!  Proud mom moment.

I did have a question about what the kids miss when they're pulled for strings practice.  And basically it can be anything . . . and the child is responsible for what she misses.  "How can a third grader learn what he's missed?" I asked.  Not much of an answer besides it's challenging to schedule pull-out times.  Oh, well.  I'm sure it works out.

Then we went to the classrooms, with Mama going to Sis's first and me to Bud's, as per their requests.  There were unnamed descriptors on the desks for us to guess where our child was.  Pretty easy with sushi, kung fu, and Percy Jackson as well as bunny, vet, and Harry Potter!  Both teachers were upbeat and kind, taking a moment with us.

We also met the specials teachers--both strings teachers, both music teachers, the art teacher, and the PE teacher.  With the music teachers who will be teaching recorder we talked about how Bud loves musicals.  One of the teachers promised to see if he can write "Music of the Night" for recorder.  And I told them I could still play "Star Wars" on the recorder 35 years later!  With the art teacher, we discussed Kandinsky and my museum career--and apparently today she called Sis "Sis Kandinsky!"  He's the first artist they're studying.  And I asked the PE teacher why they don't go outside--it's a time issue to corral them outside--"and we can do everything inside."  I guess.  We only had PE inside when it rained.

And that was the night.  Two hours of school.  Should be a good year.

Of Health and Hormones

TMI warning.

So, we thought it was perimenopause, with all the symptoms on the list.  I went off the pill so we could test to see if it were true.

I LOVE being off the pill--all the symptoms we thought was perimenopause, and I mean all, have gone away.  No insomnia, no irritability, and none of the more private symptoms.

But for the first time since starting the pill, I'm having a period.

And I'm remembering these days why I went on it in the first place--oh, the tight back and cramps.  I'm in bed today with my hot water bottle and television.  And since I'm on this cleanse, I can't blame the discomfort on sugar or caffeine or wheat or soy or whatever.

Just hormones.

So, I guess at least it's nice to know that my hormones are still active and things still work.  And while I doubt I'll go back on the pill because I hated the side effects, I don't like this discomfort much.

It's a Small World

Ever since I saw the NPR bit on Texas homecoming mums, I've been nostalgic for high school and college and my days in Chicago.  And, with the help of FB, I actually located some of the friends I've been most curious about.  They all said they'd been looking for me years ago but gave up with no luck.  Well, one friend connection led to another, and I found several of them:

• the boy who sat at my table in kindergarten and was in class with me through senior year;
• the boy who was good friends with the boy from kindergarten and whose mom threw great New Year's parties; I went with him to homecoming--and wore one of those big mums (though, they were smaller then);
• the girl who sat behind me in English seminar, who liked theater and football;
• my fraternity (APO, the service org) sister and college roommate in sophomore year;
• a fellow officer in said APO who was an education major;
• a few other APO members;
• my boss at the museum in Chicago;
• and five or six other Chicago museum colleagues.

It's been fun connecting with them all, catching up.  Many are married; many of them have kids, but not all.  Most look pretty much the same--more grey, less hair.  

And then Gommie called me from Austin.  Someone had called out to her at the farmer's market.  And it was that boy from kindergarten through high school, who recognized her, saying she hadn't changed at all.  

The very same week we became friends on FB after 25+ years.  

Morning Glory

Okay, still doing the cleanse thing.   No . .. , well, not eating a lot of things.  Though I'm taking a break from the vegetarian thing now and have been eating some chicken.  Odd to do a cleanse and start eating meat.  I don't feel changed and my skin is still sensitive and itching, so no discernible inflammation change.  But I'm about halfway, so we'll see what three weeks does.  If I make it.  (And then I'll go back to being a vegetarian, though I marvel at how easy and flexible it is to eat chicken.)  Wheat is my biggest question mark so even if I add back some dairy, I'm trying to stay clear of wheat for the cleanse.

And this is how I'm starting each day:

Mommy Hungry's Strawberry-Almond Smoothie
1 1/2 cup almond milk or milk of your choosing
1 to 1 1/2  cup strawberries
1 heaping tablespoon almond butter

Blend and serve.

Mommy Hungry

Books, Interrupted

"Never interrupt a reading child," the corollary to the famous axiom about sleeping babies.

Well, I tried to follow the latter, but if I obeyed the former, nothing would get done.  My kiddos wouldn't get out of bed, brush teeth, go to school, do homework, finish chores, leave the house, ride in the car, or go to bed.

Yes, I'm definitely proud of both their reading prowess and enthusiasm.

But I'm tired of being the mean mom who says things like "Stop reading and do your homework."

Yes, it's true, I said that last week.

And every night after SQUIRT (sustained uninterrupted reading time), kisses, and lights out, I find Bud reading by hidden flashlight.  Most of the time he is so enthralled by his book that he doesn't notice my entering his room (and he isn't yet savvy enough to shut off his light at my footsteps.)  And each time, I have to take the light and book out of his room (yes, I give it back--I try each night to trust him and give him another chance.)   Some mornings, he tells me he's read in the middle of the night.  No wonder he's crying over homework.  In the mornings, both of them have to be told not to read in order to get dressed and brush their teeth. They whine anytime they're interrupted.  And I either feel guilty or harassed.  I mean, I love to read and understand the power of delving into a good book. Who wants to be the mom who took away Harry Potter?

AGGGHHHH.

I never thought books would be my on-again/off-again nemesis (even if I know it's a good problem to have.)

Music Notes

Violin: $$
Cello: $$
Stuff to go with them: $$$
A pizzicato (plucking) concert after just one lesson: priceless!

The kids hauled their instruments to school today--one giant though half-sized cello and one half-sized violin, safely tucked in their cases (I didn't get a picture because the bus was very early.)  They were so proud and so excited.

And came off the bus dragging those huge cases, still proud and excited (but still no picture.)  And tonight after dinner, they played a concert for me.  And wanted me to record it, from the moment they opened their cases to the when they bowed.  They had their music stands and strings books out so it would look "professional" and then played a concert by plucking and later by bowing their own songs, as solos and duets.  And rest and play position were key.  Bud also sang a "Phantom of the Opera" solo.  

When I showed them the videos, they laughed and loved it--especially the commercial they made for the Rainbow Loom--and said the music was awful.  "It sounded better in person."  

But I thought the whole thing was beautiful.

Cooking Up a Storm

Perhaps that should be "cooked," because it happened last week.  I had a cooking marathon.  It started with roasting some butternut squash for a Pumpkin Curry Soup.  The kids wouldn't like the soup, so I made them macaroni and cheese to go with their ham.  And then Mama made it home in time for dinner, which was a wonderful treat (she's working 12 hour days on a big project through Thanksgiving at least, maybe December.)  Sis loved the squash (there was extra for munching)--it was just like sweet potato fries.  Both liked the homemade mac and cheese.  And Mama and I liked the soup (we're hanging in with the cleanse, though a few things have crept in once or twice.)

It was a great fall meal, even though it was a very warm September day.

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Pumpkin Curry Soup

2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash

2-4 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1-15 oz. can pumpkin puree

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup coconut milk

1 heaping tablespoon curry powder

pinch of cayenne

juice of 1 lime, or to taste

optional:  chopped scallions or cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 450F.

In roasting pan, toss butternut squash with olive oil and salt to taste. Roast until tender and dark brown, about 30 minutes.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a soup pot, heat oil over medium-low.  Saute onion and garlic, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes.

Add the ginger and continue sauteing until everything is tender and golden.  

Stir in pumpkin puree, broth, coconut milk, curry powder, and cayenne.  Stir a few times, then let simmer on low for 20 minutes.

Add the squash and lime juice (to taste.)  Serve.

Clean Gut

Lots to Read

That's three posts and counting this morning.  And I still have things to write.

Poker Faces

"I know Sis has a good poker face," I said last night over dinner, in reference to something I've forgotten.  They know the song by Lady Gaga but didn't really know what the reference was.  Soon Mama and I were explaining deal, ante-up, bet, hold, raise, fold, call, bluff, tell, and poker face.  And mind you, I probably haven't played poker since I was Sis's age.

Before you know it, we had found a full deck of cards and distributed some M&Ms in place of money or chips.  And a kids' book of games which laid out all the hands and how they compared.  Then Mama pulled up some country music on the player and, of course, we listened to Kenny Rogers's "Gambler."

We played for 45 minutes or so, practicing our bluffing and figuring out all the hands.  We mostly had pairs.  But once, Mama dealt me, right off the bat, a straight.  And I won lots of M&Ms. That hand.  Bud enjoyed bluffing, every hand.  At the end, I shared my candy with him.  Sure, we didn't know exactly who starts the betting or how many times you raise.  But we knew when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.  No need to walk away.

And it's hard to not count your M&Ms when you're sitting at the table, even though there'll be time enough for counting when the dealing's done.

Arts and Crafts Movement

We had quite the arts and crafts weekend.  Sis earned her Rainbow Loom, a plastic peg set used to create colorful rubberband bracelets, which is the hot item among kids, mostly girls, these days.  I thought it was just an elementary school thing, but our freshman babysitter says high schoolers have them, too.  Sis was thrilled and spent Saturday making bracelets for everyone.  I got the first one, a rainbow fish tail, which is actually made using only two pegs.  Soon Sis mastered the simple bracelet pattern on the full loom, the first one of which in green and yellow she gave to Mama.  I like that she is making things and making them for other people.

I was making things for other people, too.  I finished Mama Teacher's variegated pink striped afghan with green trim, which was for her big birthday.

And then I started a prayer shawl for Miss Sunny's birthday.  Still a long way to go yet, with a very thick and chunky anniversary yarn from Lion Brand in graystone stripe colors, but it's off to a good start.

Bud and the Olympians

Bud tore through the Percy Jackson series of books about the children of Greek gods in modern New York. I think he read all five in a week or two; Sis has started the first one.  And then Saturday at the library, he picked up the DVD of the first movie.  We spent the rest of the day watching the movie, which we all enjoyed, and talking about Greek mythology--the Minotaur, Medusa, the Hydra, Scylla and Charybdis, the 12 Olympians, and the labors of Hercules.  Which is what prompted Bud's question, "Mom, is Hercules in the Bible?"

The Bible happens to be the focus of all the Religious Education (RE) classes at our UU church this year so that our kids are versed in and can learn from the stories that are shared by their Jewish, Christian, and Muslim peers.  In Sis and Bud's class, they're doing the Bible Heroes.  And in my little Pre-K/K/1 class (combined because of lack of enrollment, with four co-teachers), we're doing "Picture Book Bible Tales," namely Biblical stories told in big, colorful, more liberal/less literal storybooks.  Yep, I'm teaching the Bible.  Which means I'll learn a lot, too, 'cos if it's not in a Charlton Heston movie or in the major Italian Renaissance paintings, I don't know it.

But thanks to my classical studies degree, I did already know that Hercules was not in the Bible.  

A Teaser

Lots to post about later, but a teaser for now:  over lunch today, Bud asked, "Mom, is Hercules in the Bible."  Call it, "you know you're a Unitarian Universalist parent when."

Milestone

Milestones.

They're not just for kids.

I had one tonight:  I took a bath!

Four years after my initial back injury and all I could manage safely and comfortably were showers.  Meh. Sure, some of that (most of it?) was fear, but the mechanics of getting in and out of a tub, even lying there in the water, are tricky for someone with back/pelvis/tailbone issues.

But tonight, after weeks of experimenting with getting up and down off the ground/floor (most notably during our reading picnics or stargazing), I figured what the hell and so I did it.

Yep, nice hot luxurious reclining bath!

No problems.

CELEBRATE!

ARGH!

Aye, me mateys, it's International Talk Like a Pirate Day!  And so, I spent my morning talking to Matey and Lassie with a pirate voice that is oddly Scottish in inflection.

Arrrrgh.

It was probably just what we needed after 12 tense hours.  Anger, disappointment, tears, fear, upset.  And these were just some minor childhood issues.

But I can tell that third grade is going to kick all of our butts.  Between the homework (of which there is more and harder, just like the classwork), increased expectations and responsibilities (and this whole sophisticated behavioral reward/consequences system), shorter playtime, stricter bedtime.  It's just not as fun anymore.  And that's a hard realization and adjustment.  For all of us.  Isn't one of the definitions of growing up accepting that you have to do things that you don't like to do?  I've been saying for a long time that I can see how eight-years old is closer to ten than five; third grade--especially in a new bigger building with their own lockers--compounds that.  And there's attitude and stress and confusion to go along with all of it.

Still, they laughed hysterically over my pirate act (though begged me not to talk to the bus driver like that, so we have entered the embarrassing-mom phase), which means they're still pretty much kids.

Yo-ho-ho!

Sampling

One of the kids' highlights of going to Whole Foods (and Trader Joe's) is the samples.  Not just the free treats at the Customer Service desk (granola bars, fruit things, Pirate Booty, which Sis almost never likes but still looks forward to retrieving--"and one for my brother, please"), but all the goodies throughout the store.

Sure, I'm a pushover (or something else) and often buy anything they like, just because I'm always looking to expand their repertoire and palate.  Like the other day, we bought Bud a Gruyere cheese wedge and Sis an aged cheddar after they devoured the samples.  Same with Sesame Ginger dressing, chicken stir fry, and a vegetable medley with dressing.

Of course, oftentimes, they don't like it as much at home as they do in the stores.  Trial and error.

But Sis really liked this Mac n' Cheese, so I'm sure I'll be making it soon.

-=-=-=-=-

Whole Food's "Mom's Homemade" Mac n' Cheese
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Dash hot sauce (optional)
grated nutmeg to taste
cooked pasta and/or vegetables

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk thoroughly to incorporate into a roux.  Cook roux briefly till it is bubbling,then slowly add the milk, whisking constantly till all the ingredients are incorporated.  Add remaining ingredients and cook a few minutes til sauce is thickened and all ingredients are incorporated.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary (salt and nutmeg.)  Serve with  your favorite pasta or vegetables.

Mooning

There's nothing like lying in the grass of your own backyard looking up at the rising Harvest Moon and all the stars and singing with your kids, while also dispelling worries about werewolves.  Which, by the way, all live in England, with Harry Potter.  

Sis even spotted the Rabbit in the moon, the Chinese version of the Man in the Moon.

And Bud and I danced while I sang "Blue Moon" and Sis half-mooned me.  Right out of Grease.

Perfect.

(Of course, I also managed a short lecture on some of the history of nighttime a la the book I'm reading by Ekirch, At Day's Close, especially about how it's called the Harvest Moon because farmers would stay up all night working by the light of it to get the crops in.  Also info about how people used to be more attuned to moon phases for navigation on land and sea.  We even managed to read a tiny bit in the moonlight.  To be fair, the kids then lectured me about different kinds of stars!)

-=-=-=-=-

Amazing how many songs about the Moon I can recall (I know several about the Sun, too):

Under the full moonlight, we dance
Spirits dance; we dance.
Joining hands, we dance.
Joining souls, rejoice!

Sister Moon, Sister Moon
You're out too soon
The sun is high in the sky
Go back to bed
Cover up your head
And wait for the day to go bye-bye-bye
Wait for the day to go bye

I see the Moon,

the Moon sees me,

I smile at the moon,

And she smiles at me.

The man in the moon,
Looked out of the moon
Looked out of the moon and said,
“It’s time for all the children on earth
To think about getting to bed!”

And the one I sang to the kids a lot, Laurie Berkner's "Moon, Moon, Moon":

Moon moon moon, shining bright
Moon moon moon, my nightlight
(Chick! Turn it on!)
Moon moon moon, I can see
Moon moon moon, you’re taking care of me

Moon moon moon, shining bright
Moon moon moon, my nightlight
(Chick!)
Moon moon moon, I can see
Moon moon moon, you’re taking care of me

Look up, it’s the moon
Look up, it’s the moon
Look up it’s the moon up in the sky
It’s big and round and I have found
That it looks just like a pizza pie 

Moon moon moon, shining bright
Moon moon moon, my nightlight
(Chick!)
Moon moon moon, I can see
Moon moon moon, you’re taking care of me

Look up, it’s the moon
Look up, it’s the moon
Look up it’s the moon up in the sky
It’s big and round and I have found
That it looks just like a lemon pie

Plus "Blue Moon,"  "Moon River," "Bad Moon Rising," Blue Moon of Kentucky," "By the Light of the Silvery Moon," "Can't Fight the Moonlight," "Aikendrum," "Claire du Lune," Moonlight Sonata, and, of course, "Arthur's Theme" ("If you get caught between the moon and New York City . . . "  (See here and here--this one from NASA!--for many more.)

I'm Free!

That's gluten-, dairy-, soy-, sugar-, caffeine-, alcohol-, starch-(rice and potatoes), any-fruit-but-berries-, and all-beans-but-lentils-FREE!

Yep, elimination diet.  My PT and I had been talking about inflammation, which I have a lot of between my dermatagraphism and chronic back issues; she noticed that I'm generally puffy--not in a fat way, but in a water retention/inflammation way.

So I'm doing a cleanse, ostensibly for 3 weeks, but really as long as I can manage, which will probably be shorter than that.  And then I'll reintroduce everything, concentrating on the wheat and dairy, which are common troublemakers.  I didn't react to either on an allergy skin test, so who knows.  But from all my reading, I'm guessing all the anti-inflammatories I took four years ago have unbalanced everything.  We'll see.

And at the very least, it'll be a week or two of really healthy eating.

Spell This!

Yep, it's spelling-list time again.  And I just can't believe the words that are on the lists--maintained, debate, misbehave, acquainted.

Mercy, I still spell that last one incorrectly.

But during a dinnertime verbal quiz last night, they spelled them all correctly.

"Wow," I exclaimed.

"W-O-W!" they answered in unison.

Under the (Almost) Full Moonlight

"Under the full moonlight, we dance
Spirits dance; we dance.
Joining hands, we dance.
Joining souls, rejoice!"

There was enough time and daylight after dinner for the kiddos to continue their playing outside, where they'd been in the hour leading up to dinner already.  Despite the increasing nip in the air, they wouldn't stop to put on long pants.

About 30 minutes later, Sis came running in the house, "Mom, there are BEANS on the plants!"  And she led me outside to see.  Sure enough, there were some beans on our much-ignored pole bean plants.  We also saw that the kale is finally growing, after repeat visits from the local wildlife (which begs the unvoiced question, "Where did the wildlife go?"

Once outside, I was invited to witness several performances--kung fu dances with found sticks as swords, acrobatics on the swings and rings and bar, and some odd slide maneuvers whereby they crawled up backwards, on their stomachs, in something called "the slug."

When they noticed the (almost) full moon rising, they began to dance and sing around the backyard, making up moon songs (one to the tune of "Over the Rainbow"); I sang the lyrics above, myself.  Above their shouts and calls, I could just make out the song of the cicada.  But they were too wild for reverie.  And probably too young.

We stayed out until I saw the first star, before the moon topped the treetops.  I love fall evenings.

Welcome Back, Folks!

My parents are back in the lower 48, after a trip around Western Canada by car and rail.  Pop thought the Canadian Rockies were beautiful but perhaps could have done without the overly attentive, cruise-like tour by rail.  Next time, he said, he'll drive it himself!  It sounds like the area around Banff and Lake Louise was especially awesome--and had some very swanky hotels that they stayed in.  I haven't heard from Gommie, who came home and almost immediately resumed her busy social schedule--Book of Mormon, lunch with a friend, and Mah Jongg.  It'll be interesting to hear her version. Welcome home!

Yarn-spirations

Nothing like autumn for me to fall under the spell of yarn.  Sure, I had a yarn project all summer but rarely pulled it out because being draped in an afghan on 90F days didn't seem right, even with air conditioning.  But now I'm rearing to go.  With not one but two projects:  finishing Mama Teacher's 40th-birthday afghan and making a prayer shawl for Miss Sunny with some beautiful "thick and quick" homespun in charcoal, lavender, and raspberry stripes.   I think I'm even going to try a new pattern, from my The Crocheted Prayer Shawl Companion by ministry founders Janet Bristow and Victoria A. Cole-Galo.  It's called the Victory Shawl, featuring rows of the victory stitch (dc, ch 1, dc).  

And there are so many other really great ones--Portuguese-Inspired Shawl, Granny Square-Edged Shawl, Mary's Hug, Sister's Shawl with yarn embroidery, Lattice Shawl--I wish I could crochet faster! 

Because I certainly already have the yarn!

=-=-=-=-=-

The Original Prayer Shawl
*my adaptation
approx. 1,000 yds yarn (I use 5-6 skeins Lion Brand Homespun)
I use hook size M
ch enough to equal desired width (I usually measure on my arms, wrist to wrist, between 60-70")
do first row of sc, then three rows of dc, then repeat 1 sc/3 dc row pattern
work shawl until it is desired length (usually about 24-36")


Victory Shawl
approx. 600 yds chunky yarn (measures approx 20 x 60"
ch 132 (multiple of 3 + 6)
Row 1:  Work V-stitch in 6th ch from hook.  *sk 2 ch, dc, ch 1, dc in next ch.  Rep from * to last 3 ch, sk 2 ch, dc in last ch.  Ch 3, turn (42 V-stitches + 2 dc)
Row 2:  Work dc, ch 1, dc in each ch-1 sp across, dc in top of t-ch.  Ch 3, turn.
Repeat for 20+ rows or desired width.



Take-Away Afghan for Mama Teacher
pattern by Donna Kooler, with adaptations in yarn and hook size (and thus gauge and stitch count)

6 skeins Lion Brand homespun in one color A
3 skeins Lion Brand homespun in another color B
Size M hook

Ch 15, sc in 3rd ch from hook.  *Ch 1, skip 1 ch, and sc in next ch*.  Rep across ending in top of ch 2 turning st:  7 sc and 6 ch 1 spaces.  *Ch 2  Turn.  Sc in first ch 1 sp, ch 1 and sc in each ch 1 sp across ending in top of ch 2 turning st*.  Rep until you have 52 row or strip measures 44".  Make 15 strips altogether.

Assembly:  Align bottom edges of two strips with WS tog ad attach Color B to bottom row with a sl st.  Sc in next st, *ch 1, skip 1 st and sc in next*.  Rep to top of strips, cut yarn and weave in ends.  Rep until all strips are joined

Edging:  Attach Color B yard at any outside point with a sl st and *ch 1, skip 1 sc and sc in next st*.  Rep all around afghan.  Put 3 sc in each corner so it will lay flat.  After completing Color B edge, join with a sl st, cut yarn, and FO.  Weave in ends.

My Simple One-Skein Scarf

With M hook, ch 10

Row 1: sc in 2nd stitch from hook and in each ch across

Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc in each sc across,

Row 3 etc.: repeat Row 2 until scarf is the desired length, fasten off and weave in ends.

Mommy Hungry

Large Granny Square Afghan

adapted from Knitterly Arts 

I've removed the ch 1 sp between side sets of 3 dcs.

Rnd 1: Ch 4, join with sl st to first ch made to form ring. Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc + 2 chs),

*work 3 dc in ring, ch 2, rep from *twice more, work 2 dc in ring; join with a sl st to 

3rd ch of beg ch-5. (four ch-2 corners) DO NOT TURN WORK.

Rnd 2: Ch 1, sl st into next ch-2 sp, ch 5, work 3 dc in this ch-2 sp, *ch 1

(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp, rep from * twice more, work 2 dc in final ch-2 

sp (which is right beside the beg ch-5); join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-5.

Rnd 3: Ch 1, sl st into next ch-2 sp, ch 5, work 3 dc in this ch-2 sp, *work 3dc in 

next sp (side), work (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp (corner), rep from * 

twice more, work 3 dc in next sp (side), work 2 dc in final ch-2 sp 

(which is right beside the beg ch-5); join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-5. 

*Continue working rounds like Rnd 3 until afghan reaches desired size.  Edge as desired.

And one knitting pattern:

One Skein Knitted Scarf

Size: appx. 6 x 60"

Materials: 6 oz worsted weight yarn; size 10 knitting needles

Directions: Cast on 22 loosely.

Row 1 Knit
Repeat row 1 for pattern, using entire skein.
Bind off and weve in ends.

Adapted from Lion Brand pattern

Happy Harvest Festival

To celebrate the Moon Fest, we went to a festival today.  Ma and Gong came up to see Bud's kung fu team (and bring us celebratory moon cakes in a special tin with a rabbit in it.)  There were lion dancers, numerous kung fu forms, and several booths with food and activities.  Sis and Ma especially enjoyed tying Chinese knot bracelets with satin cord.  

Sis making me a purple bracelet, after making herself a red one

Me and My Campfire Songs

Last night after the welcome-back campfire last night, reminiscing about previous campfire singalongs, I remembered one of my favorite songs, "Me and My Dinosaur."  It's silly and peppy and talks about friendship. And I found the lyrics, which I include here.

My co-leader put together a great little songbook, with some of my old favorites like "Barges," and also many songs new to me.  We sang some of them last night, also below.  We both think that learning new songs is one of the great parts of Girl Scouts.
-=-=-=-=-

Me And My Dinosaur

One day when the weather was cloudy and gray

And I wished that someone would come out and play

I heard a knock-knock

And I opened the door

And there stood the loveliest big dinosaur!

Chorus:

Me and my dinosaur

I’ve never had such a friend before

As big as a house, twenty times and a half

And fifty times taller than any giraffe

Legs long as sequoia trees

Teeth big as piano keys

No two people are buddies more

Than me and my dinosaur

I got out some cookies and we had a snack

And he asked if I wanted to ride on his back

I started to climb

From his tail to his cheek

The whole darn trip it took nearly a week!

We hop-scotched to Africa, quick as the breeze

While leapfrogging over the coconut trees

And when we got thirsty

For mile after mile

In one great big gulp

We just drank up the Nile

Me and my dinosaur

I’ve never had such a friend before

As big as a house, twenty times and a half

And fifty times taller than any giraffe

Legs long as sequoia trees

Teeth big as piano keys

No two people are buddies more

Than me and my dina, nothin’s as fine as,

Me and my dinosaur Bum Bump!

Alive Alert Awake (action song)
(to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It")

I'm alive, alert, awake, enthusiastic
I'm alive, alert, awake, enthusiastic
I'm alive, alert, awake,
I'm awake, alert, alive,
I'm alive, alert, awake, enthusiastic!
Actions:

Alive: hands on your head
Alert: hands on shoulders
Awake: cross arms over chest
Enthu-: hands on thighs
-si-: clap
-astic: snap with both hands
Repeat the song a number of times, getting faster as you go!


Purple Stew
We're making a purple stew
Whoop whoop whoop whoop
We're making a purple stew
Shooby doobie do
With purple potatoes
and purple tomatoes
And we want you!

*Leader points to someone on "you."  That person stands and joins.  Then repeat and both point to someone on "you" until whole group is standing and singing.


The Bear (repeat-after-me song)
The other day, I met a bear,
A great big bear, Oh way out there.

Chorus:
(Same lines in unison)

He looked at me, I looked at him,
He sized up me, I sized up him.

He said to me, "Why don't you run?
I see you ain't, Got any gun."

I says to him, "That's a good idea."
"Now legs get going, get me out of here!"

And so I ran, Away from there,
But right behind me, Was that bear.

In front of me, There was a tree,
A great big tree, Oh glory be!

The lowest branch, Was ten feet up,
So I thought I'd jump, And trust my luck.

And so I jumped, Into the air,
But I missed that branch, A way up there.

Now don't you fret, And don't you frown,
I Caught that branch, On the way back down!

This is the end, There aint no more,

Unless I see, That bear once more.


White Coral Bells (round)
 White coral bells upon a slendor stalk
Lillies of the vally deck my garden walk
Oh, don't you wish
That you could hear them ring

That will happen only when the fairies sing


Linger
Hmm, mmm
I want to linger here,
Hmm, mmm
a little longer here,
Hmm, mmm
a little longer here with you.
Hmm, mmm
It’s such a perfect night.
Hmm, mmm
It doesn’t seem quite right,
Hmm, mmm
That it should be my last with you.
Hmm, mmm
And come September dear,
Hmm, mmm
We’ll all remember here,
Hmm, mmm
The perfect times I had with you.
Hmm, mmm
And as the years go by,
Hmm, mmm
I’ll think of you and sigh,
Hmm, mmm
It’s not goodbye, it’s just goodnight!

Rain, Rain

There is an amazingly dramatic thunderstorm raging outside, with more thunder and lightning then we've seen here in CT for years.  It reminds me of Houston, except tomorrow we will have cooler temperatures.

Now, without being ungrateful, I would only say that its timing was off.  Two months plus of very little rain and the deluge had to start in the middle of our welcome-back Brownie campfire?  Just as we were making s'mores?  I'd watched the radar all day and thought we were clear, but drumbeats of thunder punctuated the sharing circle as we told of summer vacations, saw a banana/bandana skit, and Sis and I sang "The Beaver Song" together, but the drizzle held off for almost an hour.  Until marshmallows.  Oh, well, the girls loved it.  And fortunately we had somewhere safe inside to be.

Where we then sang several verses of "If All The Raindrops Were Lemon Drops and Gumdrops" from our new songbook!

Toast: It's What's for Breakfast

It's hard to start the day at a loss, but that's how it often is with breakfast for the kids here.  They both usually like hot meals--for every meal--and they don't drink milk, dairy and non-, so cereal is out.  They like bread and honey or jam, cinnamon raisin bread, fresh fruit, granola.  Sis likes scrambled eggs; Bud likes oatmeal.  They don't like the other's favorite.  I'm experimenting with other breakfasts, this one comes from my own childhood:  cinnamon toast.  Sis likes it better than Bud, but both will eat it.  So add another to my repertoire.

I wonder if they'd like cheesy Welsh rarebit for breakfast?

-=-=-=-=-=

Cinnamon Toast

slices of bread (French or Italian works best)
butter, softened
white sugar
cinnamon

Arrange slices of bread on baking sheet.  Spread butter on each slice and sprinkle on sugar and cinnamon.  Broil until toasty brown.

Gommie Hungry

Just. So. Wrong.

Ugh.

Remembering

Every year on this anniversary, my thoughts are with the victims and the survivors, their families and loved ones, their communities and our country, and even those beautiful towers in my beloved city.

Fruity-licious

Going to a coffee morning with some of my dear playgroup friends today, but I didn't bake.  I'm thinking of taking fruit and a dip--caramel and apples and/or fruit and one of these creamy, sweet dip.  Sure, fruit this time of year doesn't need dip, but it's a special gathering and these are all yummy.  Now I just have to choose.

=-=-=-=-=-=

Sour Cream and Cinnamon Fruit Dip

Using Penzey’s cinnamon makes this an almost spicy dip, which I first served for Applepalooza 2008.

8 oz. carton (1 c.) dairy sour cream

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine in a small bowl. Cover. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours to blend flavors. Serve with fresh fruit (1 cup).

cooks.com

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Mama Teacher's Famous Fruit Dip

I love, love, love this dip.  And finally got the recipe for it on the last day of the year 2008!

2-6 oz containers Yoplait Light Yogurt, Very Vanilla

2 tablespoons fat free cream cheese

1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine all ingredients.  Heat for 45 seconds in microwave.  Stir an dmicrowave an additional 40 seconds.  Serve with fruit for dipping.

Mama Teacher

-=-=-=-=-=

Patricia’s Fruit Dip

I tried my first nectarine with this dip—and now I like nectarines a lot!  From that trip to San Antonio with my friend Sharon.

8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened

1 jar (16 oz.) marshmallow cream

            Blend and chill.

my college roommate

                                                                                                          

Update on a Friend

Okay, to begin in the middle:  Miss S is okay.

I had been trying to call her for awhile but getting no answer.  I knew she was at the senior living center and figured she was out and about.  Or that she didn't have voicemail.  Still, I called at various hours and was surprised not to reach her over a period of a week or so.

So I emailed Miss M, from whom I didn't hear, which isn't so surprising given that she doesn't check email that regularly, having survived her first 7 or so decades without it just fine.

But today I ran into Miss M, who told me that Miss S had been in the hospital with pneumonia for two weeks and has been transferred to a more hands-on nursing facility.  Her lung capacity is diminished and she is now constantly on oxygen.  Miss M said her dementia hadn't increased, though, which is good.

Except when I called (getting through easily, which is amazing considering she doesn't have her own phone and they had to take her the remote one!), she didn't remember being ill.  But at least she knew who I was and was so excited that I called.  I'm going to visit on Thursday, I think, to see her.

What do you take someone for Yom Kippur?  (I doubt she'll be fasting this weekend, though.)

The Sound of Music

As if third grade and a new school weren't enough of a new adventure, added to that separate bedrooms and separate classes, Sis and Bud have decided to take up string instruments as part of their school's extracurricular music program.  She wants to play the violin; he wants to play the cello.  Mama is excited and inspired to play her own violin.  I'm just glad they aren't planning to play the same instrument.  But I do have visions of our own little string trio, them and Mama. And some worries about the practice sounds of non-silence, though I've been assured that it gets better fast.  It also means that they have to practice piano and their stringed instruments (they don't want to give up piano.)  And also the recorder flutes they play in regular music class.  At least they're motivated and excited.  And I did always want them to play an instrument.  I just didn't envision three!

"I Hate Mondays"

It's apropos, really, that Bud is home sick today.  His new favorite character hates Mondays.

Yep, Garfield.

The kids came across some Garfield books at a shop on Saturday and have since then been devouring all of the comic strip collections that they can get their hands on.  They laugh at his teasing Odie and Jon, agree that Mondays are awful, understand how great staying in bed is, identify with his love of his stuffed bear Pooky, but are mystified by his preference for lasagna.

I think we're going to have to make some lasagna.

Anyway, there has been giggling and guffawing since they found the books.  They compare favorite strips. They recount narratives to me. Bud's even trying his hand at drawing the fat cat during his day home today.

Mama and I both fondly remember reading Garfield as kids.  I'd get a new collection with practically every book order; I had several different-sized stuffed Garfields.  Mama still recalls her favorite cartoon with Garfield squeezing Pooky too tight.  So it's been fun to rediscover him.  Of course, he's very grumpy, the original Grumpy Cat.  And pretty much thematically monotone, with little change over decades of cartoons.

Which is why he seems to appeal to elementary school kids across the generations.

Mama's Sick-Day Recipe

Khao-thom or congee/jook (if there's meat) is Mama's go-to comfort food from childhood--a very soft, somewhat salty rice-meat bowl of goodness.  And now it's Sis's and Bud's.  So, with a general idea of how to make it and a sick child at home who has no appetite, I've been emailing Mama this morning for specifics as to how she makes it their favorite.  Here is her recipe:

Congee/Jook
Get a big pot to avoid boil over. Put a piece of chicken (frozen ok) in it with approx 1.5 cup of (jasmine) rice, a shake of the minced garlic (no need pre-soak) and enough water to cover 2-3x. You can also add soy sauce while cooking--the thin one, not the sweet or black ones.  Scallions would make it even better.  :)  Bring to boil, let simmer, stirring often to avoid sticking to bottom and to break up the chicken, until rice and chicken are cooked, about an hour to be safe. Cut up the chicken and serve, adding soy sauce to bowl.  Bud likes his with pickles (Chinese pickled vegetable.)

Note:  to make khao-thom, cook as directed but with no meat.  Also, pork works well, too.  

Mama Hungry

Only Five Days In

And I have a child home sick.  Bud developed the sniffles over the weekend, but by last night it was a raging nasty cold.  He's puffy and miserable.  And downstairs on the couch, reading some Percy Jackson and coughing.