Notes from One Mom

checking in.....

2009-05-25T06:34:00.003-04:00

It has been a while since I last posted. "Thank you" to those of you who missed me and asked if everything was ok.

It is.

I just made a decision (perhaps unconsciously) to be more present in the moment.

I could spend hours a day on the computer, justifying this time knowing my husband, too, was on his computer...playing solitaire.

But we were living separate lives, not connecting, even if we were in the same room.

He would call out, "I love you!"

I would respond, "I love you too!"

He would repeat, "I LOVE you!"

I would respond, "I LOVE you too!"

and this would continue until I made eye contact and said, "I REALLY LOVE YOU!"

Then he would smile and say, "That's what I wanted!"

You see, it's not what we necessarily say...or hear...it's that moment of connection that requires us to be PRESENT.

So I'm spending more time being present...not just being there....and less time at the computer, being somewhere else.

Being there for Him.

Being there for my husband.

Being there for myself.

I will certainly post again. Being present doesn't stop the ideas swirling around in my head. Ideas that have no other outlet than right here.

We are in a season that demands some major adjustments. Maybe that is why I sense the need to be present right now.

For whatever reason, that may be more clear as time passes, I choose to be right here, right now.

My blogging life will have to get in line.

WW: Grammie's Little Helper

2009-05-13T01:14:00.001-04:00

This was taken 11 years ago but the memory is still fresh in my mind. I know she got more water on herself than on the flowers but her intentions were the best!

For more Wordless Wednesday participants visit 5 Minutes for Mom and the Wordless Wednesday Headquarters!

Tasty Tuesday: Shrimp with Toasted Garlic

2009-05-12T05:57:00.003-04:00

I'm always looking for easy recipes with a "wow" factor and this one is a winner. I first saw it on a Tyler Florence "Ultimate Tapas" show and have served it twice over the past two weeks to plate-lickin', thumbs up reviews. I changed the proportions slightly since I buy 1 lb. bags of frozen shrimp - after all, that's what is on sale! These make a great first course or appetizer. I calculated 4 crostini per person and this served 4 people generously.

1 lb extra large shrimp (31 - 40)
10 cloves garlic
3/4 c olive oil
1/2 c chopped parsley
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
baguette for crostini

Thaw shrimp if frozen and peel. Slice in half lengthwise and remove the little black thread (aka intestine - but who needs to know that!) This can be done hours in advance and the shrimp refrigerated.

Thinly slice the garlic. It seems like a lot but it cooks down to a very mellow flavor.

Add oil to a frying pan and warm over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 10 - 15 minutes, allowing the garlic to gradually cook and turn a mellow brown. This is a slow process; you do not want to burn the garlic.

Add shrimp to the toasted garlic and season with salt and pepper. The shrimp will cook quickly. Lift shrimp and garlic from the pan to your serving dish, toss with lemon juice and the chopped parsley.

While the shrimp cooks, toast baguette slices under the broiler. (You could simplify this further by skipping the toasting altogether)

Serve shrimp along side the crostini and enjoy!

For more great recipes check out the home of Tasty Tuesday.

Patiently waiting....

2009-05-07T01:19:00.001-04:00

I mentioned last week that we had skipped church because my Honey was feeling a little under the weather.

More precisely, v e r y, v e r y, t i r e d.

He saw his doctors last Tuesday and discovered that his BP was 90 over 60. His heart rate was 41. No wonder he was tired!

They had already cut his beta blocker dose in half last November but now they have stopped it altogether. They really prefer a heart/stroke patient to be on a beta blocker but not if his heart rate continues to drop!

So this past Monday, making sure the drug had left his system, we returned to the doctor to get a Holter Monitor which is like a little portable electrocardiogram strapped to my Honey's chest with four leads that attach with sticky pads to his body. He wore this for 24 hours and now we just have to see what his heart is up to.

Either it is beating at a rate above 45.... or he's looking at a pacemaker.

We are (not so) patiently waiting.

WW: Springtime Work-in-progress

2009-05-06T01:44:00.001-04:00

This was my project yesterday afternoon. You can see how late our Spring is - still no leaves on the trees but the shrubs are leafing and the perennials are up.

Still a few stubborn leaves to rake (even after 10 wheelbarrows full) but I think it's a big improvement!

For more Wordless Wednesdays check out the WW Headquarters and 5 Minutes for Mom.

When did this happen?

2009-05-05T01:54:00.001-04:00

We moved to this house in 1994. One of the attractions to this neighborhood was the predominance of basketball hoops in the driveways; with two teenage boys still at home, it was definitely a selling point.

Fast forward to 2009. The basketball hoops are still there but the teenage boys are not. None. To our west we now have a young family with 3 little boys, the oldest of whom is in 1st grade. To our east is another young family with a 4 year old boy and a 2 year old girl.

We love watching these children play outside our front window. They run back and forth across our yard, learning to ride bikes, playing super heroes and today, conquering a huge mound of topsoil that was delivered to one driveway. I wish I could share a picture, but they are not my children and they have a right to privacy.

So when did this happen? When did we become the "old folks" on the block?

Why didn't I see this coming?

The curse has been lifted...

2009-05-03T15:52:00.003-04:00

We crossed into Canada on Sunday morning to attend church.

Then we had a little birthday party for our 6 year old granddaughter.

About 3:00pm we set off for the U.S. border and round 4 of our border crossing challenge. In 3 out of the last 3 crossings we have been escorted from our vehicle for a secondary inspection, no explanation why. That and a DHS TRIP behind us, we approached the border not expecting that there would be any resolution yet.

There was very little traffic; a customs officer was waving us into the last lane and we drove right up to the inspection booth.

"Good Afternoon. Welcome to my lane." (ha! an officer with a sense of humor!)
"Where did you go?"

"We went to church and then to our granddaughter's birthday party," I replied, handing over our passports.

The officer disappeared inside his booth to run our passports through his computer. We held our breath.

He emerged from his booth, "Have a nice day," he said, returning our passports.

YES! Happy dancing in the car! WOOHOO! No More red flags! No more black list! No more whatever-it-was-that-they-couldn't-tell-us that was sending us into repeated secondary inspections!

This was the border crossing routine we knew and loved.

We're back :)

Grilled Flatbread

2009-04-30T01:14:00.001-04:00

Last year it was grilled pizza that we loved.

This year we're loving grilled flatbread.

Not to split hairs (especially around food) but there is a difference.

When we grilled pizza, we would grill one side of the dough, flip it and madly add our toppings as we stood over the hot grill.

When we grill flatbread, we grill both sides of the dough, remove the flatbread from the grill and THEN add the toppings. Much more conducive to family harmony around the barbecue. And to getting the dough cooked through....

So I was still working on the leftover ricotta I had purchased to make my Easter Cannoli. I added some garlic to the ricotta, caramelized some onions and mushrooms, grated some parmesan and then layered the toppings on the grilled flatbread: A nice thick shmear (is that a word?) of garlic ricotta, the onions and mushrooms, some parmesan and a layer of chopped arugula.

And let me tell you it was fantastic. Much credit goes to my Honey, the Grill Master, who got the flatbread nice and crispy.

Sorry I don't have the ingredients measured out for you...I'm not a measuring sort of cook, more like some of this and some of that, but this is not really an exact type of recipe. In fact, you can even think of it as a "clean out the fridge" sort of recipe!

All you need is some bread dough from your local pizza place (they will have it at your market too - I like to buy mine from a nearby Italian bakery). Let it sit out on your counter to rise; punch down and divide into two pieces. Roll or throw (for you professionals) until the dough is nice and thin. The shape is not important; I actually prefer it to be rather misshapen and rustic. In fact, this is soooo easy that my stroke-impaired-one-handed Honey does this step....so step back and let your kids get involved!

Choose any toppings that you like. It can be as simple as ricotta topped with sliced tomatoes and basil or as complex as a horseradish cream topped with slices of rare roast beef and argula or cream cheese topped with smoked salmon, capers, dill and a squeeze of lemon juice. Or how about hummus topped with chopped kalamata olives, tomato and parsley?

I think we'll be eating grilled flatbread a lot this summer......

WW: Big Boy Haircut

2009-04-29T01:11:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays check out the Wordless Wednesday Headquarters and
5 Minutes for Mom

What is DHS TRIP?

2009-04-28T01:17:00.001-04:00

My Honey was feeling under the weather this weekend so we didn't make our trek over the border to go to church.

No chest pains, always good.

No fever, always good.

No stomach upset, so it's not the flu.

But he is very tired. Even walking around the block was difficult for him. He has a regular doctor's checkup tomorrow and that's another good thing.

But back to the DHS TRIP.

Last week, when we finally got to speak with a CBP (Customs and Border Protection) supervisor, he recommended that I submit a DHS TRIP Inquiry and he provided a handout about the size of a dry cleaning claim ticket with the information I would need. So I went to the website: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Travel Redress Inquiry Program or DHS TRIP.

Seemed simple enough: I was prompted to describe my particular concerns and experience, provide contact information and assigned a case number. I also had to scan my passport, print the final page of the form, sign it, scan it and email both back to the DHS TRIP. Which I did. I also included a scan of my husband's passport since this was our shared experience at each encounter with the CBP.

I received a confirmation of the inquiry and then was asked, "What was your intent in sending a passport for ALW?"

Apparently that was a no-no. Apparently "we" did not have the experience. "We" could not file. I had the experience, duly filed. And my husband had "his" experience which had to be filed separately under his name.

I emailed back to explain that my husband is a stroke survivor and would not be able to complete the requisite form. A veritable can of worms that turned out to be. Powers of attorney, append this, attach that. My computer skills were stretched to the max copying and scanning and attaching everything to an email. Could they not consider my inquiry as our inquiry? No, that would be illegal. Couldn't I just please do the computer work and my husband sign his name acknowledging that these were the circumstances he experienced? I waited for 48 hours and in the absence of a reply, did just that.

So now we each have our own Redress Control Numbers, which we will carry with us over the border. We are advised that it will take a minimum of 30 days to address our inquiries so that means a few more secondary inspections can be expected. Looks like a long wait at the border this Spring.

to be continued......

Breakfast in bed...

2009-04-27T01:51:00.000-04:00

My day starts early, usually by 6:00. I have one of the roosters that you see on commercials that sits at the end of my bed and crows when it is still dark out.

My Honey's day starts later, much later. He usually surfaces around 10:00 or so.

But just to keep his meds on schedule, I take him breakfast in bed very morning around 8:00. And it's the same every day, just cause he loves it that way.

Old fashioned raw oats with raisins, banana and milk with some orange juice to wash down the pills.

Then he disappears under the covers and goes right back to sleep!

Now just so you don't think he is spoiled, you should know that unless we were eating in the car on the way to the office (that would ba a lifetime ago, or so it seems) we usually enjoyed our breakfast in bed. I brought breakfast in during the week and my Honey would serve me breakfast in bed on the weekends. He's sweet that way.

Post stroke, that simply isn't possible. But that's OK. I love taking him his breakfast and hearing him say, "mmmmmm, I love oats!" every morning.

Sometimes even the ordinary can be special.

Spring cleaning....

2009-04-23T01:32:00.001-04:00

It's a job that I really hate to do.

I don't like heights.

My arms ache afterward.

I put it off for as long as I can.

But sooner or later, I must face the task.

Those leaves....every single one of them....must be washed.

After a year (or more, I confess) the ficus leaves had a coating of dust that could no longer be ignored. So I brought in the step ladder, armed myself with soapy water and a sponge, and attacked the tree.

I didn't even stop to take "before" pictures....I didn't want to lose my momentum.

So this is the "after" picture.

Clean, shiny, fresh, healthy leaves on a tree that started out no taller than I am, but now has grown to touch the ceiling, secured by wire to the beam in order to stand upright.

Happy dance! Done! For another year!

WW: Baby Luc is One!

2009-04-22T01:15:00.001-04:00

Baby Luc, April 2008

Happy Birthday, Baby Luc!

Check out 5 Minutes for Mom and the WW Headquarters for more....

We're 3 for 3....

2009-04-21T01:30:00.002-04:00

Well, you just know we crossed the border into Canada on Sunday to attend church and see our granddaughters.

We were hopeful but not surprised when the officer at the inspection booth on our return into the US tore off the orange page from his pad and wrapped it around our passports. He didn't even need to tell me to turn off the ignition and hand him the car keys.

I even offered to walk into the offices without an escort since we knew the drill, but he insisted on accompanying us. He even asked if my husband needed assistance. He was politeness personified.

In fact, every officer on this, our third go-round of secondary inspection in two weeks, was helpful, respectful, professional and even sympathetic to our predicament.

Our passports were taken directly to a supervisor. And while we waited, a second officer approached the counter to let us know that the supervisor was already reviewing our case without us even having to ask and he would come to speak with us just as soon as he could.

Which he did. The officers today restored my faith in the CBP. They felt our distress and our frustration and wanted to help.

Of course, there will never be an explanation for why we have been selected for secondary inspection 3 times in 2 weeks. But at least the supervisor has submitted a report at his end and provided me with an avenue to have the repeated inspections addressed and resolved.

Which I did this morning. Whatever did we do without the internet? I logged onto the DHS TRIP web site (Department of Homeland Security Travel Redress Inquiry Program) filled out the form, told my story, scanned copies of our passports and emailed it all to them.

And just so you know, there are multiple supervisors at a border crossing...just in case you are ever denied access to one....

So we don't know how long this will take to be resolved, but we are feeling hopeful.

And a big "thank you" to the CBP officer who commented last week. Your support meant a lot at a time when we felt totally powerless and frustrated. As we discovered this week, and just as you said, the officer last week was the exception.

A tale of two springs

2009-04-20T01:01:00.000-04:00

A month ago, this is what I enjoyed on my morning walks....

Back home, this is what I now enjoy. Well, I think there's a promise of spring!

Easy Cannoli

2009-04-16T01:53:00.001-04:00

One of the desserts (along with birthday cake and fresh fruit) we had this past Easter was this cannoli. It's super easy to make, the hardest part being where to find the cannoli shells. After checking out local Italian bakeries, I actually found them at our local supermarket in the bulk food section. I used the small size for this recipe.

I adapted this recipe from Michael Chiarello's recipe for Chocolate Cannoli. The recipe originally called for pistachios but since they have been pulled from the shelves due to a salmonella scare, I substituted almonds.

1 c slivered almonds
1 c heavy cream
2 T sugar
1 c semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 c whole milk ricotta
16 cannoli shells

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Toast the almonds for approx 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven, cool and chop.

Whip the cream with the sugar until soft peaks form. Add 1/3 of the chopped nuts, 1/3 of the chocolate and then fold the cream mixture into the ricotta.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a fat round tip that is approximately the size of the cannoli or use a zip lock bag and cut off one corner to the size of the opening of the cannoli shell. Fill the cannoli from each end.

Combine the remaining nuts and chocolate on a plate and dip each end of the cannoli into the mixture.

The recipe suggests that the cannoli should be filled no more than 1 hour before serving but I found that it will keep nicely for hours. It still looked presentable the next morning and the leftovers make a sweet breakfast, I'm just saying for those of you who like something sweet in the morning!

WW: Easter start and finish

2009-04-15T01:40:00.000-04:00

Starters: Our antipasto buffet with St Andres cheese and Rainforest crackers, Abruzzi dry salami, provolone cheese and mixed olives, deviled eggs, marinated artichoke hearts, marinated mushrooms, smoked oysters, sardines in hot sauce, marinated red peppers, and prosciutto wrapped asparagus spears with a basket of crostini.

The aftermath

Oops, they did it again

2009-04-14T01:26:00.001-04:00

I posted last week on my encounter with the officers of the Department of Homeland Security at a U.S. Canadian border crossing

Well, it happened again. As we returned from Good Friday services we were once again asked to surrender our car keys.

What is going on? We just went through this last Sunday!

Our vehicle was quickly surrounded by Customs agents.

MAM, JUST EXIT THE VEHICLE.

The agent who was IN MY FACE AND YELLING at me was Officer Walter, according to his uniform badge.

Officer Walter, can you tell me what is happening?

GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE... NOW!

We were escorted into the Customs building.

This time I was a little more upset. Once was possibly a random search. Why was this happening again? Why were we suspected of something so horrendous that we were removed from our vehicle twice in one week?

Our wait was shorter this time and our passports were quickly returned to us by Officer Walter. He also provided a brochure which would explain the "U.S. Custons and Border Protection Process." We were seated against a wall and Officer Walter was standing over us.

Can you tell us what is going on?

NO. YOU ARE FREE TO GO.

I would like to speak to someone. Is there someone I can speak to?

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, THERE IS CONTACT INFORMATION IN THIS BROCHURE.

But I would like to speak to someone now. Is there a supervisor here I can speak to?

NO. USE THE INFORMATION IN THE BROCHURE.

My husband is getting agitated. Because of his aphasia he tends to gesture a lot with his "good" hand in his effort to speak.

Officer Walter leans over my husband. SIR! DO NOT POINT AT ME! PUT YOUR HAND DOWN SIR!

Officer, my husband is a stroke survivor. He's just trying to speak to you!

Now I am getting agitated. Kinda like a Mama Bear. Do you have a number, Officer Walter?

A NUMBER?

You know, like an employee number?

NO

Well, do you have a first name? I mean, there might be other officers with your surname...

Officer Walter turns on his heel and walks away from me to exit the lobby.

I stand up to exit the other direction and comment, And you're rude.

Officer Walter returns and yells to me across the room: USE THE INFORMATION IN THE BROCHURE. YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY.

And you have a good day too.

I read the brochure. This is what it says:

You should be treated in a courteous, professional and dignified manner.

You will receive an explanation of the examination process as it occurs.

If you feel that the examination was not conducted in a professional manner, ask to speak with a CBP suipervisor immediately. A CBP supervisor is always available at the facility or by telephone.

So I still don't have any answers. But, thanks to Officer Walter, I can show the brochure the next time I ask to speak to a supervisor. And chances are, there will be a next time....

Who promised us "balance" anyway?

2009-04-13T11:24:00.003-04:00

In her Monday Musings post today, Octamom wrote on the subject of balance in our lives. Can we attain it? Is it feasible?

"Is that ideal of 'balance' just a 21st century dream...did our ancestors ponder on such things?"

I think just the fact that we spend so much time pondering the notion of balance is a statement on how far we have strayed from the reality of our ancestor's lives.

With the exception of the wealthy who had a staff to negotiate the duties of running a home and family, I doubt that most of our ancestors even had the time to spare to consider the notion of balance. Whether agrarian or post industrial, there was simply too much to do in the course of a day.

People worked their entire lives

....without days off, without timesaving equipment and comforts that we often take for granted

....without the notion that someday their "work" responsibility would cease and they would retire and do nothing

....without the guilt associated with trying to do it or have it all, and failing to feel comfortable with the outcome.

Well, maybe they did feel guilty.

It's probably fair to assume that whenever and wherever one has lived, it would be impossible to get it all done. Some days would be easier, some fraught with challenges. Some days would be full of joy, some filled with worry and anguish. We, as they surely did, just have to go to bed at the end of the day knowing we did the best we could with what we had.

Let's stop torturing ourselves with the notion that we can balance on that high wire. Everyone who tries to walk that high wire falls...EVERYONE. Life should be more like riding a swing: you'll have highs and lows put if you keep pumping you'll have the breeze in your face and you'll get a pretty good view at the top!

A Sunday Afternoon with the Office of Homeland Security

2009-04-09T01:40:00.001-04:00

I wasn't sure about posting this. I suppose "they" could tap my phone lines or put a GPS chip on my car...maybe they did. My husband was furious but given his speech disabilities as a result of his stroke and the fact that anger exacerbates the problem, I should be glad that all he did was gnash his teeth, shake his one good fist and slam some doors.

This is our story.

We live only minutes from the Canadian border and cross evey Sunday to attend church in Canada. Yes, it is unusual but we have grandchildren living there and this gives us the opportunity to pick them up and spend some time with them. We weren't able to see them last Sunday so our trip was even shorter than usual.

Border crossings are usually uneventful. Sometimes there is a delay; sometimes vehicles are pulled over for further inspection. We have always been very respectful of the border agents because they do bear an awesome responsibility. We have never had a problem in the many years we have been crossing. Until this past Sunday. I do the driving and speaking because my husband's aphasia can make the question/answer process difficult.

GOOD AFTERNOON, IDENTIFICATION PLEASE

Good Afternoon. (we hand over our passports)

WHERE DO YOU LIVE?

Grand Island

CITIZENSHIP?

U.S.

WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR TRIP TO CANADA?

We went to church

DID YOU PURCHASE OR ACQUIRE ANYTHING?

No

(We wait while he disappears into his booth and processes our documentation)

(We wait for an unusually long time)

WHOSE CAR IS THIS?

It's my husband's car

HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR WALLET?

I guess I have about $20. My husband has about $100 I think.

ARE YOU CERTAIN YOU DIDN'T ACQUIRE ANYTHING WHILE YOU WERE OUT OF THE COUNTRY?

No we didn't. Absolutely nothing.

ARE YOU SURE YOU AREN'T CARRYING $50,000 WITH YOU?

(I almost laugh...I wish!) No, absolutely not!

WOULD YOU PLEASE TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND HAND ME YOUR CAR KEYS.

Silently, I do what he asks. He disappears again into the booth. He returns momentarily to slide a red and white striped bar under the car. Maybe with spikes in case I try to make an escape???

PLEASE EXIT THE CAR AND MOVE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR.

We do what he asks. My husband is getting annoyed. We are totally perplexed and the agent does not provide any information as to what is happening. We have never even witnessed anyone being asked to leave their car!

ANOTHER AGENT WILL COME TO ESCORT YOU INSIDE.

May I get my purse out of the car?

NO, AN AGENT WILL HAVE TO GET IT.

The agent arrives to escort us to the Border Station, across 7 lanes of border traffic. Only slightly humiliating. Another agent is summoned to drive our car wherever it is to be taken. I hold my husband's arm to help him navigate the curbs. The agent observes that he has difficulty walking and at least alters our route to avoid so many curbs.

We enter the station and are seated on a wooden bench.

No one speaks to us. There is no explanation offered. After about 20 minutes my husband approaches the counter and says, "Well? What's happening?" He is told that someone will be with us soon.

45 Minutes after we first handed over our passports, an agent appears and returns them to us.

YOU'RE FREE TO GO. YOUR CAR IS IN THE GARAGE OVER THERE. I'LL OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR FOR YOU SO YOU CAN DRIVE OUT.

This is where my husband gets huffy. We weren't mistreated. The officers were never disrespectful. But we were subjected to questioning and our car to inspection without cause. If they had cause, should we not have been entitled to hear what prompted the suspicion and search? If not before, at the very least after all was said and done...and perhaps even an apology for the inconvenience.

So rest assured that the Office of Homeland Security is doing a thorough job protecting our northern border. Especially from 60-something folks returning from church.

Wordless Wednesday: Oh how time flies

2009-04-08T01:42:00.001-04:00

Baby Jacob February 23rd

Baby Jacob March 29th

It's been 5 years

2009-04-07T01:47:00.000-04:00

Today we celebrate our 5th anniversary.

Five years ago yesterday we had a normal day at the office. A went to the aquatic center and swam 35 laps. We went out for dinner and spent a quiet night at home. A totally unremarkable day.

But all that was about to change.

And our life would never be the same.

Around 2:00 AM on April 7th, I awoke to my husband thrashing around in bed. My first thought was that he was just trying to get comfortable.

But the thrashing continued.

I asked, "Are you ok?"

No response

I asked again.

Still no response.

I turned on the bedside light. A looked at me but would not speak. This was all very confusing. Was he having a dream? Was he disoriented? Was he teasing me?

"A, stop it! What's wrong?"

No response

"Speak to me or I'm calling 911!"

He didn't.

I did.

Within minutes the bedroom was filled with EMT's, police and local volunteer firemen. The room was hardly big enough to hold everyone who responded. The preliminary diagnosis was "cerebral accident" better known as stroke.

We were taken to the nearest hospital at their recommendation even though there is a stroke center within a 45 minute drive. If this were ever to happen again, I would insist that he be taken to the stroke center. However, when in shock one tends to accept what the official protocol. Once at the ER, a CT scan was taken to determine if the stroke was caused by bleeding or a blockage. The test results did not show any bleeding in his brain but because the stroke happened while A slept, we had no idea when it actually occurred. The miracle clot busting drugs, which have a very limited window of opportunity to be administered, could not be used.

After all the testing it was determined that A had an occluded carotid artery which was blocking blood flow to his brain. The medical protocol for someonw with A's medical history is to have a carotid doppler every 5 years. A was only 4 years into that span; had he been given the test, the occlusion would have been discovered, treated and the stroke prevented. Although the artery was later cleared, the damage was done, much of it irreversible.

A spent a week in the hospital and then transferred to a rehab center where he spent another 6 weeks in physical, occupational and speech therapy, followed by continued therapy at home and then outpatient speech therapy at a local college for 2 years. Today A can walk and has become quite adept at using only his left hand. He can speak although he continues to suffer from both apraxia and aphasia, speech disabilities which can make verbal communication chaallenging at best, difficult most of the time and impossible on occasion.

To say our life has changed is an understatement. Nothing is the same. Absolutely nothing, from work to finances to mobility to safety...it just affects everything.

But today we are 5 years post stroke. That is a good thing, a very good thing in light of his medical history.

And we have each other, our family and our faith. Although the future is uncertain, as it is for so many families right now, we do not dwell on what has been lost or what might have been. We choose to focus on what we do have and are thankful for these past 5 years that we have been able to share together.

a new use for a spatula

2009-04-06T01:15:00.000-04:00

Our end-of-March timeshare on Hilton Head is a two story townhouse....three bedrooms so it's great when the kids come to visit.

The only problem is that it has open stairs. Very attractive to a one year old and a challenge to keep him from climbing at every opportunity. Maybe next year I should bring a baby gate?

So either his Mama or Daddy or Grandma would supervise the climb.

So much fun to peek through the railing...

And fun to reach out and wave...

But then Grandma got the bright idea that she could just guard the stairs by sitting on them! Worked well for Baby Luc to say I was "stuck" and couldn't move but Big Brother Tai (aka Tai the Science Guy) needed to solve my predicament.

Solution: Use a kitchen spatula (great idea, Mom!)

Of course it worked. Such ingenuity has to be rewarded!

where does this come from???

2009-03-30T01:26:00.000-04:00

At least once a week, the ocean produces this foamy, bubbly tide.

Is it pollution dumped from passing ships?

Is it from detergents?

Or is it, as my Honey says, the weekend bathwater from Europe.....

my walking buddy

2009-03-27T01:12:00.000-04:00

I love my early morning walks. There is minimal bike traffic on the paths, it's peaceful and quiet...everything I need to get my day off to a good start.

And if I get lonely, there is always my walking buddy...........and this is about as close as I dare get to him!

Tweety and I have celebrated our birthdays....

2009-03-26T01:50:00.007-04:00

Well, my milestone birthday has come and gone. Tweety and I are the same age! I have officially entered a new decade, the start of my third trimester of life.

I'm old enough....

to remember buying an ice cream cone for 5 cents...a hamburger for 18 cents, or a cheeseburger for 24 cents (at Peaks, the predecessor to McDonalds)

to have collected all the Beatle albums and listened to them in front of my Dad's HiFi (that came before stereo!)speaker or on my transistor radio walking home from school

to have seen the Beatles perform 3 times at the Hollywood Bowl

to have gone to school when pants, shorts and sandals were not permitted dress code

to remember my mother handing my father the weekly grocery list for a family of 4...and a $20 bill

to remember having to kneel on the ground to check that a dress hem was not in excess of 1 inch above the knees

that girls carried their books in front of them (boys carried their books on their hips)..no backpacks!

that we did not have a dishwasher or a clothes dryer

that we rolled up the car windows manually

that I put $3 worth of gas in my car...for the week

to remember watching TV in black and white

that our first remote control was still attached to the TV by a cable and that it had a rotary dial. You couldn't flip between stations; you had to go around the dial

that our telephone was attached to the wall

that it was a rotary phone

that our phone number was Poplar 5-8264

that there was no such thing as a zip code

that it was safe enough for me to ride my bike by myself anywhere around the neighborhood

or walk to the park or to the shopping plaza alone

that the neighborhood kids could play for hours in the dry river bed at the end of the street without cause for concern

that my allowance was 25 cents a week...and that's what the tooth fairy left too

that my first stockings were held up by a garter belt....panty hose came later

to remember putting my hair up in rollers every night...and actually sleeping that way

that Ten-0-Six lotion was the cleanser of choice among teenagers

that a Polaroid camera was the latest and greatest

to remember coming home from school and watching Dick Clark's American Bandstand

that my first idol crush was Richard Chamberlain as Dr. Kildare

Paul McCartney came later

to remember seeing West Side Story

and crying at Old Yeller

and watching the Mickey Mouse Club with Annette Funicello

that my elementary school had one entrance for girls and another for boys

to remember being thoroughly terrified by the movie On The Beach

to remember Christmas tree lights that were large and multi-colored...and if one light boew out, they all did..

to remember our family standing in line at the local elementary school to get our sugar cube laced with the Salk vaccine newly accepted as the treatment to prevent polio

to remember the incinerator at the back of our property (and this was a standard 50 x 100 foot lot in Southern California) for the burning of our garbage

And last, but not least, I remember it was my generation that proclaimed, "You can't trust anyone over 30!

What were we thinking?????

Wordless Wednesday: Brotherly Love

2009-03-25T01:38:00.000-04:00

These were taken with my DIL's iphone so the quality is a little grainy but the love shines through!! Elijah is 3 1/2 and Jacob is three weeks.

I lost it....

2009-03-24T01:01:00.001-04:00

Sometimes the demands of the day.....even if they are nothing out of the ordinary, nothing earth shaking, nothing traumatic........sometimes it just gets to be too much.

Last week I had one of those days.

We were moving from one timeshare about 8 miles south to a second timeshare. I spent Friday packing our belongings into boxes and suitcases and bags.

My Honey played computer solitaire, as usual.

I loaded the Expedition. Things were snug. My Honey made some remarks about my packing skills...we weren't moving across the country for heavens' sake, just down the road!

We checked out and looked to fill the 3 hours before we could check into our other villa.

So we picked up prescriptions at Walgreens.

Bought a few groceries at Krogers off-island.

Did a walkabout in World Market and Pier One.

Picked out a movie at Blockbuster.

Did a drive-by of the villa to see if by chance it was ready. The door was open and the cleaning crew was working away.

Returned to a church sidewalk sale we had passed on the way in. Found a Gap sweater and capri pants for one of my granddaughters - 50 cents. My Honey found cookies - $1

Stopped at the Harris Teeter to pick up the milk we couldn't have bought earlier. Also found thin crust pizza 2 for 1 so bought that too. Now the car was really full.

Met the cleaning crew at the front door...all was ready! All new tile floors downstairs and new carpet on the stairs and second floor! New drapes! Fresh paint!

Everything was lovely!

So I start to unpack the Expedition. My Honey helps and I try to "arrange" what he will carry with his one good arm and hand so that it is manageable and not breakable should he lose his grip. This exercise is always a little tense since he believes he can carry anything.

We get everything inside and he sets up his computer to play solitaire.

I unpack.

Now this kitchen has a pantry that will hold everything we bring and more. It has five 6-foot long shelves on metal brackets behind two bifold doors. I have unpacked almost all of our stuff when CRASH THUD BANG....the shelf second from the top collapses, spilling its contents over me and onto the floor! I instinctively reach up and hold onto the shelf, trying to balance it and prevent any further damage. It is wedged in tightly. I cannot remove it from the pantry. I cannot replace it since the brackets have all fallen. I can barely hold onto it!

My Honey, sitting ten feet away from me, continues to play solitaire.

I could use a little help here!!!! I yell.

If I weren't so tired from the packing, loading, unloading and unpacking I might have seen some humor at the spectacle of two people with three good hands between them trying to right a fallen shelf. But I didn't. I couldn't. I had just reached the end of my rope of being capable, of being able to handle life, of getting it all done and keeping it all together. We couldn't do anything but push it to the back of the pantry. And then I walked out. All the way to the bathroom. Where I silently screamed. Oh, I am dangerous.

The shelf is still there, wedged perpendicular to the shelf below it.

And there it will stay.

And my Honey is back playing solitaire.

on the beach......

2009-03-23T01:45:00.000-04:00

We have only two more weeks left here before we return to the land of ice and snow so we're taking advantage of every moment we can to walk among the live oaks, the spring blossoms and, of course, on the beach. This was early evening, just before the sun set.

Looking northeast, you can see our l o n g shadows cast on the sand. I love looking at the vanishing point where land meets the sea.

Looking into the sunset you can see the many footprints echoing the activity of the day.

Looks like it was a very busy day...all soon to be washed clean by the high tide.

My BFF comes through......

2009-03-20T01:41:00.001-04:00

A little while ago I posted about a large plant growing here on Hilton Head Island that I could not identify. I really liked the blossoms or berries or whatever it was that it produced. No one else knew what it was either...

Until my BFF JJ came to visit...she knew right away. There had been one growing in her parent's yard when she was just a little toddler in So Cal. She says it's a Japanese Aralia.

When I walked past it the other day, the berries had turned a dark purple.

But when I Googled Japanese Aralia, I discovered that I had missed the aralia's blooming season, which is in the Fall.

One more island mystery solved............thanks, JJ.

Are you invisible?

2009-03-19T01:38:00.000-04:00

My friend Maryl shared this with me and I think it's so worth passing along.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the
lack of response,
the way one of the kids will walk into the room
while I'm on the phone
and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm
thinking, 'Can't you see
I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one
can see if I'm on the phone,
or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even
standing on my head in the
corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I
am only a pair of hands,
nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this?
Can you open this?
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm
not even a human being. I'm a
clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm
a satellite guide to answer,
'What number is the Disney Channel?'
I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once
held books and the
eyes that studied history and the mind that
graduated summa cum laude
- but now they had disappeared into the peanut
butter, never to be
seen again. She's going, she's going,
she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner,
celebrating the return of
a friend from England .. Janice had just gotten
back from a fabulous
trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel
she stayed in. I was
sitting there, looking around at the others all
put together so well.
It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for
myself. I was feeling
pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a
beautifully wrapped
package, and said, 'I brought you this.'
It was a book on the great
cathedrals of Europe.

I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it
to me until I read her
inscription: 'To Charlotte , with admiration
for the greatness of what
you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the
book. And I would
discover what would become for me, four
life-changing truths, after
which I could pattern my work: No one can say who
built the great
cathedrals we have no record of their names.

These builders gave their whole lives for a work
they would never see
finished. They made great sacrifices and expected
no credit. The
passion of their building was fueled by their
faith that the eyes of
God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man
who came to visit the
cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a
workman carving a
tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled
and asked the man,
'Why are you spending so much time carving
that bird into a beam that
will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see
it.' And the workman
replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall
into
place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering
to me, 'I see you,
Charlotte . I see the sacrifices you make every
day, even when no one
around you does. No act of kindness you've
done, no sequin you've sewn
on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for
me to notice and smile
over. You are building a great cathedral, but you
can't see right now
what it will become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an
affliction But it
is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is
the cure for the
disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the
antidote to my strong,
stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when
I see myself as a
great builder. As one of the people who shows up
at a job that they
will never see finished, to work on something
that their name will
never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that
no
cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime
because there are so
few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my
child to
tell the friend he's bringing home from
college for
Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the
morning and bakes homemade
pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three
hours and presses
all the linens for the table.' That would
mean I'd built a shrine or a
monument to myself. I just want him to want to
come home. And then, if
there is anything more to say to his friend, to
add, 'You're gonna
love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We
cannot be seen if
we're doing it right. And one day, it is very
possible that the world
will marvel, not only at what we have built, but
at the beauty that
has been added to the world by the sacrifices of
invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

Share this with all the Invisible Moms you
know..I just did

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-18T01:39:00.001-04:00

just because every 5 year old girl needs a little sparkle in her life...

For more Wordless Wednesday fun try this or this!

The birds...they know better

2009-03-17T01:08:00.000-04:00

Every morning here on "the island" I wait for the sun to start it's journey and then I go for an hour long walk. This is one of my favorite parts of my walk, the perfect stillness of the lagoon reflecting the path ahead of me.

My January walks began around 7:20 AM but as the sun began to rise earlier, I was beginning my walks around 6:20 AM. I love the peace and quiet and the freshness of the world at that hour. I would be sitting at my computer and when the birds began to sing I knew it was time to get moving.

Then along came Daylight Saving Time. What a whiplash that turned out to be. Back to the dark ages.

But birds don't do Daylight Saving Time...they appear to have stayed on Standard Time. They're merrily singing away IN THE DARK each morning, apparently oblivious to the fact that the sun is not yet up.

Which just goes to show you that we should just leave some things well enough alone.

Are you smarter than a 1st grader?

2009-03-16T01:33:00.000-04:00

I received this in an email from my BFF and don't know the original source, but it's a good way to start your week with a laugh.

A 1st grade school teacher had twenty-six students in her class. She presented each child in her classroom the 1st half of a well-known saying and asked them to come up with the remainder.

Their insights may surprise you. While reading, keep in mind that these are first-graders, 6-year-olds, because the last one is a classic!

1. Don't change horses until they stop running.

2. Strike while the bug is close.

3. It's always darkest before Daylight Saving Time.

4. Never underestimate the power of termites.

5. You can lead a horse to water but How?

6. Don't bite the hand that looks dirty.

7. No news is impossible

8. A miss is as good as a Mr.

9. You can't teach an old dog new Math

10. If you lie down with dogs, you'll stink in the morning.

11. Love all, trust Me.

12. The pen is mightier than the pigs.

13. An idle mind is the best way to relax.

14. Where there's smoke there's pollution.

15. Happy the bride who gets all the presents.

16. A penny saved is not much.

17. Two's company, three's the Musketeers.

18. Don't put off till tomorrow what you put on to go to bed.

19. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and You have to blow your nose.

20. There are none so blind as Stevie Wonder.

21. Children should be seen and not spanked or grounded.

22. If at first you don't succeed get new batteries.

23. You get out of something only what you See in the picture on the box

24. When the blind lead the blind get out of the way.

25. A bird in the hand is going to poop on you.

26. Better late than Pregnant

BFF retail code

2009-03-13T01:03:00.000-04:00

When BFF's living on opposite sides of the country get together, there is always some retail reunion involved.

Here in HHI, not only do we have an Off 5th, we have two, that's right, TWO outlet malls.

Let me just say, we do not have the stamina we did as younger women.

Nor do we actually need anything.

We didn't even get to the second outlet mall.

But shopping is a time of communion and reconnection. Of trying on clothes you know you won't actually buy. Of celebrating the $1 cami and $3 spring coat for your granddaughter at Marshall's.

And it develops language skills at a time when language often eludes us. We are at an age when we have perfect memory but imperfect recall. We know we will think of the word/name/place....it's just not there now.

The skills we have developed are a "shorthand" of sorts.

Does anyone even use the term "shorthand" anymore? I bet my granddaughter doesn't even know what it is.

Anyway, in our shopping forays we find ourselves in the fitting rooms, exchanging comments on what we're trying on:

No, this doesn't work. Too much RQ.

This would be perfect except for the CF.

Nope, NG.

Translation:

RQ is "roll quotient" or as more commonly heard, "muffin top."

CF is "cleavage factor" which, for us, is used as a negative. If you're not comfortable bending over, forget it.

NG is just plain "no good."

Actually, it occurs to me that we are using verbal text messaging. Sounds like something two women of a certain age would do............

The signs now make sense....

2009-03-12T01:37:00.000-04:00

We've been spending our winters (or some part of them) in South Carolina for the past eleven years. These signs are all over the place but rarely do you ever see an alligator close enough that you would even consider feeding one. They're often on the golf courses or sun bathing on the banks of large lagoons. Where this sign is posted, we have NEVER seen an alligator.

But never say "never."

Last Monday this little guy appeared on the banks of our lagoon. He was just outside the swimming pool fence...I didn't crop the photo...I think that's actually the fence. Note the sign.....just so people wouldn't get confused about which swimming hole was intended for humans.

WW: Father and Son

2009-03-11T01:33:00.001-04:00

My son and his son.....asleep

eating my way through a birthday month......

2009-03-10T01:39:00.000-04:00

My birthday isn't until the end of the month but since my BFF was here in HHI to visit last week, and her birthday is in March too....well, we couldn't think of a good reason NOT to celebrate all week.

Is there a better way to celebrate than by eating your favorite foods? I think not!

Nothing beats a good, juicy cheeseburger.

This is the best seafood chimichanga on the planet. None of us could even finish it (it was the size of a huge burrito) but that may have had something to do with the guacamole and queso ranchero we inhaled beforehand.

Now because we are health conscious people, we were careful to get our veggies in the form of a grilled veggie plate served with a sundried tomato and caper sauce and a lovely round of goat cheese. The perfect lunch.

And no one would argue that sushi isn't healthy. It's so healthy we went out two nights for sushi. This is my eel roll and a rainbow roll. I can feel a craving starting to build just looking at it!

And lest you think all we did was eat out, we made our own birthday cake, a repeat performance of the pavlova I made for my son's birthday last month. His family is on a gluten free diet so the pavlova was the perfect solution for his party but it tasted sooo good that I decided to make a second one.

How can you go wrong with meringue, whipped cream and fruit?

Since I don't have a large baking sheet here in HHI, I made the pavlova in a rectangular shape. It served six...it's supposed to serve 8 - 10 people but what can I say? It's our birthday! This recipe is a simplified variation on Gale Gand's Pavlova.

4 egg whites at room temperature
1/8 t salt
1 c granulated sugar
1 1/2 t cornstarch
1/2 t vanilla extract
8 oz heavy cream
2 T light brown sugar
fruit: I sued kiwi and strawberies but have also added nectarines, raspberries and blueberries in season

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Whip the egg whites and salt until foamy. Add granulated sugar, cornstarch and vanilla and continue whipping until stiff, smooth and glossy, about 8 minutes more.

On a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit a sheet pan, draw or trace a 9" diameter circle. (My sheet pan was too small for this step so I just made a rectangular pavlova)

Spoon the egg whites onto the pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake until the meringue has puffed up and cracked on the top and the surface is lightly browned to the color of cafe au lait, about 45 minutes more. Turn off the oven, prop open the oven door and let the pavlova cool in the oven for 30 minutes.

Whip the cream and brown sugar together until stiff. Spoon into the center of the cooled pavlova and spread to within 1/2 inch of the edge. Arrange the sliced fruit in any pattern you wish. Slice with a serrated knife to serve. I promise you will love it...there is never a crumb left in our family!

A Garden Fluff and Puff

2009-03-09T01:18:00.000-04:00

One sure sign of spring here in South Carolina is the arrival of the pine straw. Up north we mulch our gardens with cedar chips. Here it's pine needles. I love them so much I once packed up 3 bales in our van and hauled them back to New York!

The pine straw arrives by truck and the bales are then tossed off around the grounds.

The gardens are all edged and the pine needles tossed around the plants. Or as I prefer to call it, the gardens are fluffed and puffed.

Don't they look nice now? Everywhere on the island they are busy fluffing and puffing. I can't wait for the azaleas to bloom!

BFF

2009-03-02T01:54:00.000-05:00

My BFF JJ is visiting for a week. We live on opposites side of the country; she's in California and I'm (usually) in New York.

But for the winter we relocate to South Carolina so My Honey can breathe and dare to walk outside. And it's a much nicer place for a California girl to visit.

Sometimes years have passed and we haven't seen one another. But we know we have one another to laugh with, cry with, lean on and support, through all that life has thrown our way. Health crises, children, divorce, weddings, good times and bad, deaths of parents, family dysfunctions, celebrations and recoveries. And we always pick up just as if we had seen each other yesterday.

And now we are celebrating a milestone birthday together. Neither of us is ready for this one! It's the topic of conversation among us and our friends. How did we get to be this old? Yikes, our mothers were REALLY OLD at this age!

But JJ and I will get through this together just as we have everything else. This time I think it will include a little wine, some great food, some shopping and a lot of conversation.

So I may not be around much this week cause my BFF is here but I'll share her with you later.

Spring is teasing us

2009-02-27T01:30:00.001-05:00

Can you see it??

The early signs of spring??

There, in the center....those sweet pink blossoms.

Spring is coming to our winter island in South Carolina. Temperatures next week will range from 56 to 77 degrees. Heaven.

Back home on our other island in the Niagara River, there are no blossoms. Just snow. Temperatures between 24 and 46 degrees.

I think we'll stay right here for a while longer.

Thursday Thirteen

2009-02-26T01:17:00.001-05:00

Some random observations on 10 days with a son, daughter-in-law, 3 kids waiting for the birth of a new baby........

1. Old people CAN make the adjustment from a king size bed to a double bed pushed against the wall.

2. I can still sing "I'm the map, I'm the map, I'm the map,I'm the map.....in fact, I wish I could stop singing it already.

3. Kudos to my DIL for devising a morning hassle-free dressing system for her 5 year old. She organizes outfits on hangers then ties them together with a sign showing each day of the week. She plans the week's wardrobe in advance and keeps the outfits in a locked closet so there is no 5 year old reorganizing (genius!) Each morning the closet is opened for the appropriate day's outfit. There was nothing easier than getting Olivia dressed for school each morning!

4. Laundry! I'd forgotten how it doubles in volume every few hours, just like yeast bread!

5. They don't make car seats to accommodate a 3 year old wearing a "puffy" jacket.

6. Packing a gluten free lunch is a challenge but it sure makes for some interesting lunches!

7. A 3 year old boy can eat a bowl of cereal, a banana, an orange, yogurt, cheese, juice and pudding for breakfast and say that he is still hungry.

8. It is impossible for 3 kids between 10 and 3 to whisper (inside voices????)between 5:00am and 8:00 am so Grandpa can sleep.

9. Kids really do not like to have their hair brushed.

10. Balloons and stickers are Grandma's best friends.

11. Root veggie chips! Thank you Trader Joe! A new way to get veggies into Grandpa!

12. ANYTHING can be recycled into a craft. Just ask 5 year old Olivia.

13. Washers and dryers still eat socks.

WW: Introducing Baby Jacob

2009-02-25T01:55:00.000-05:00

Jacob Taylor Storm Gullett born February 23, 2009
8 lbs and 20.5 inches long, he is four hours old here

Jacob has ten perfect little piggies....

And perfect little fingers too....

He has a big sister, Hayley

and a big sister, Olivia

and a big brother, Elijah, who helps his Mommy to hold him

oh, and he has a Grammie and Grandpa who love him very much too!

Can't get enough WW? Go here!

we did it, we did it...

2009-02-24T01:27:00.000-05:00

A little while ago I posted here on the challenges of getting a photo of the three generations: "Daddy's Daddy" (Tai's name for his Grandpa), Daddy and grandsons Tai and Luc.

We had another opportunity during our trip to North Carolina this past week.

Hurray! We did it! We did it!

And just because we were on a roll, we got a picture of Mommy and Daddy with Tai and Luc too!

He smiles!!

2009-02-23T01:06:00.000-05:00

After posting Baby Luc refusing to smile for Wordless Wednesday, I had to show you that he does, in fact, have a charming smile when he wants to!

waiting for Jacob.......

2009-02-20T01:12:00.001-05:00

We drove up to North Carolina last Saturday to lend a hand with the kiddos when Jacob was born.

Mama was having contractions every three minutes and when it's baby #4, that usually means something.

But Jacob changed his mind.

It's been a week now and we're still waiting.

Apparently Jacob is in no hurry.

Botanicals

2009-02-19T01:40:00.000-05:00

I confess I'm not a G.R.I.T.S. That's a Girl Raised In The South for you Northerners.

I am a G.W.I.T.S. That's a Girl Wintering In The South.

One of the best parts of spending the winter in South Carolina is enjoying the gardens. Having spent my first 20 years in Southern California, I recognize many of the flowers: camelias, gardenias, hibiscus. And, of course, the hardy annuals: pansies, snap dragons, flowering cabbage and ornamental kale and parsley.

But I don't recognize this. I was so captivated by the berries that I tried to dry them and take them home with me one year. But they wouldn't dry. They rotted. Darn.

So can anyone identify this shrub and it's berries? I think it might be a type of philodendron. Do they ever bloom? Or are these green berry clusters the blossom?

Any gardeners out there???

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-18T01:10:00.001-05:00

You can't make me smile, Grandma :(

Project: family picture

2009-02-17T03:09:00.000-05:00

We wanted to get a picture of Daddy's Daddy (aka Grandpa), Daddy and the grandbabies.

Thought we'd get Baby Luc settled first.

"Hello, Daddy's Daddy!"

oops...didn't want the flash...

Brought in big brother Tai.

Baby Luc is not happy.

Tai says,"I'm not the problem; it's Baby Luc!"

Project postponed.

The Bucket List

2009-02-16T02:39:00.000-05:00

This came to me via email from a non-blogger friend but I thought it would be fun to send out in the blogosphere. Just copy it onto your blog and adjust for your own experiences. Leave me a comment and let me know when you've posted!

This is for your entire life!

1. (x) Been to Europe

2. (x) Been on a cruise

3. ( ) Been on a blind date

4. (X) Skipped school

5. (x) Watched someone die

6. (x) Been to Canada

7. (X) Been on a plane

8. ( ) Jumped out of a plane

9. (x) Gone snorkeling/scuba diving

10. (X) Been lost

11. (X) Been on the opposite side of the country

12. (x) Gone to Washington, DC

13. (X) Been to Vegas

14. (x) Climbed a lighthouse

15. (X) Swam in the ocean

16. (x) Cried yourself to sleep

17. (x) Seen the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC

18. ( ) Played cops and robber

19. ( ) Flown a plane

20. ( ) Owned a boat

21. (x) Watched grandchildren grow

22. (x) Recently colored with crayons

23. ( ) Been to the Kentucky Derby

24. (x) Been to Key West

25. (x) Been to a rodeo

26. ( ) Sang Karaoke

27. (x) Paid for a meal with coins only

28. (X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't

29. (x) Made prank phone calls

30. ( ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose

31. (X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue

32. (x) Danced in the rain

33. (x) Written a letter to Santa Claus

34. (x) Been kissed under the mistletoe

35. (x) Watched the sunrise with someone

36. ( ) Seen the green flash at sunset

37. (X) Blown bubbles

38. (x ) Gone ice-skating

39. (X) Gone to the movies

40. ( ) Owned a convertible

1. Any nickname? Sweetpea
2. Mother's name? Betty
3. Body Piercing? ear lobes only
4. How much do you love your job? I love retirement more
5. Birthplace? Burbank, CA
6. Ever been to Hawaii ? Yes
7. Ever been to Africa? No
8. Ever eaten just cookies for dinner? Yes
9. Ever been on TV? Yes
10. Ever steal any traffic sign? no
11. Ever been in a car accident? Yes
12. Drive a 2-door vehicle? yes
13. Favorite number: 7
14 Favorite movie? Gone With The Wind
15. Favorite Holiday? Thanksgiving
16. Favorite dessert? creme brulee
17. Favorite food? I've rarely met a food I didn't like but I have a passion
for cheese
18. Favorite day of the week? Sunday
19. Favorite brand of body wash? Tresor cream wash
20. Favorite smell? peonies, a pine forest, freshly baked apple pie
21. How do you relax? Reading, cooking, walking
22. How do you see yourself in 10 years? Doing the same things I'm doing now!

a CSI moment

2009-02-13T01:45:00.000-05:00

I'm expecting a call any day now from North Carolina to say that Baby Jacob is on his way. Grandpa and I will jump in our car and make the 5.5 hour drive to hold down the fort with Baby Jacob's three older siblings.

We've been exchanging emails for the past week detailing the "birth plan." Well, not so much the birth plan as what Grandma needs to know, like how to get to the school, how to get to the hospital, the dishwasher isn't draining, the dog sleeps in the garage, etc, etc.

When I inquired about internet access, my son said to give him my MAC number and he would add it to their router.

I don't have a MAC.

What is a MAC number and why would I have one?

He said it would be on the underside of my laptop.

There are five different stickers there....nothing to indicate a MAC number.

He said it would be a 12 digit number beginning with a 00.

I found the number. 12 digits. But they were teeny weeny digits. No matter where I adjusted my glasses, no matter how much I squinted, I could not make out the numbers.

Then I had a CSI moment.

I have always wondered why they investigate crime scenes with the lights off, using only their flashlights. Never mind that it makes for more dramatic cinematography. Or that it creates more suspense. But maybe, just maybe, it could help illuminate my situation (forgive the pun, I couldn't help it!)

I ran and got a flashlight. Well, not exctly a flashlight. More like the key ring with the little light beam that is supposed to help you find the lock in the dark.

And do you know that it actually does help you see more clearly? It enables you to pick up the details. It magnifies!

Yes! With my CSI light I was able to solve the case! I could read all 12 digits! And now I will have internet access with my own laptop in North Carolina!

I have a new respect for CSI.

The Birds

2009-02-12T01:20:00.001-05:00

Do any of you remember the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds?

My father worked at the studio where the movie was filmed and brought home some of the bird "extras." Pretty little birds like what you find in craft stores these days but it was my first exposure to to the little fakes. Just a little creepy.

And the movie was pretty scary too! Thousands of birds aggressively attacking humans. You would never look at a flock of birds the same again.

Hilton Head Island is a bird lover's paradise. From stately Blue Herons to Cardinals, Bluejays and Carolina Wrens, there are birds everywhere.

And then there are the birds who stalk you when you eat at one of the outdoor restaurants. If you mistakenly hold up a french fry and hesitate before taking a bite you just might lose it to a dive bombing bird. And once you vacate the table, they swarm over it in a race to gather the leftovers before the table can be cleared.

But there is no bird greater at finding food than the inimitable sea gull. Just stand on the beach, hold out your hand with a cookie crumb and they will come.

An even better picture would have been the sea gull who grabbed our orange rubber baseball and flew off with it in his beak. Fortunately little Tai's Daddy was fast enough, loud enough and threatening enough that the gull dropped the ball before he flew out to sea.

Or else the bird just figured out his prize was inedible!

Wordless Wednesday: When the temperature rises

2009-02-11T00:34:00.002-05:00

and the snow pack melts

the flood waters come...

Check out 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wednesday participants.

Ice Southern Style

2009-02-10T00:33:00.000-05:00

It's been chilly here for the past few days. Friday morning when I was preparing for my morning walk the temperature was only 22 degrees. I'm quite used to that back home in New York but it's uncommon and unwelcome here in South Carolina.

Southerners think it's cold when the temps are in the 50s! Back home we break out the sumer shorts at that temperature :)

I bundle up... hat, scarf, coat...and make my morning rounds. I recognize the icy patches on the sidewalks and drives where the sprinklers have left puddles and navigate around them. Growing up in California I've never made the adjustment to walking on ice... my litle boys had to hold me up back in the day! But South Carolina ice is minimal and I tread lightly.

Rounding the lagoon I see the lower branches of a few pine trees glimmering with ice. They look as if they were dipped into a silver bath.

By the time I make my 4th lap, the sun has risen and the ice is starting to melt.
In another hour the ice will be gone, the grounds keepers will be out with their leaf blowers and the little whispers of winter frost will be just a memory.

I can walk 500 miles.... or maybe 5000

2009-02-09T01:33:00.002-05:00

Well, maybe 5000 is a bit of an exaggeration

but let's see what I CAN do....

Every morning when the first bird starts to sing, I walk around our complex for one hour.

That's five laps

Each lap is 1500 steps......and yes, I counted them :)

So that's 7,500 steps and I'm guessing that since I walk at a fairly fast pace that would be around 3.5 mph.

Now 30 days of 3.5 miles per day would equal 105 miles per month.

Or 1260 miles in a year!

Except I don't walk in the month of December.... and perhaps some of November and April due to the fact that snow and ice and I are not compatible.

But I think I do get to count the stroll my Honey and I take most days. I need to count those steps (he keeps interrupting my concentration!) but I would estimate those strolls are about a mile.

And a daily hour of walking at 3.5 mph burns 300 calories which equates to 2.6 lbs per month and over 30 lbs per year! (I didn't do the calculations but I did read it somewhere!) At that rate I should have no problems maintaining my weight and yet I don't seem to be dropping those lbs. Must have something to do with eating more....

It's so much easier to get out and walk in a South Carolina winter. It will be Spring here when we leave the end of March but still winter in New York.

Bummer.

My Long Winter's Nap

2009-02-06T02:09:00.001-05:00

I had intended to take a short break from blogging...

just to rest

to recharge

and renew

Instead I found myself making the decision to live in the moment with those around me instead of living with my laptop and list of blog posts.

I chose to love my finite world while the bloggy world went unattended.

Days passed.....then weeks

I paid more attention to my husband. It wasn't a question of loving more but of giving him more of me.

I spent time with children and grandchildren.

I even made time for myself...without guilt.

I read.

I napped.

I savored the day's events without composing blog posts in my head.

I watched the sun rise and set.

I found joy in early morning walks.

I worked on trusting Him more so that I could find relief from the worries that too easily consume me.

I let go....

The real life issues are still there, calling out to me, demanding my time and energies.

I will deal with it all.

And there is also time for blogging.

Hello again.

Operation Love Zimbabwe

2009-02-05T12:15:00.004-05:00

If you haven't yet discovered Mozi Esme's blog, you absolutely must go there now! Not only will you fall in love with baby Esme and her antics but you will find your eyes and heart opened to life on the other side of the world as Esme and her family experienced life in Mozambique.

For the first two weeks in February, Esme's Mommy is hosting OLZ- Operation Love Zimbabwe, full of giveaways like this, plus background information on Zimbabwe so we all can be more informed citizens of the world. This is what Esme's Mommy has planned:

The operation is simple. Two weeks of African-themed giveaways to attract attention of readers throughout bloggyland. And mixed in with the giveaways, posts that give you a glimpse of the real tragedies in Zimbabwe, as well as ideas on how you can make a difference in the lives of Zimbabweans.

Have a look around. Check back throughout the operation, which ends Valentine's Day, February 14. Enter the giveaways. If you have questions about Zimbabwe, leave them in a comment for our upcoming Q&A post.

It isn't often that we can hear first hand of the tragic conditions that exist on the other side of the world, outside of our comfort zone and on the fringes of our thoughts and prayers.

This is a unique opportunity. Open your eyes and hearts to Zimbabwe.

Time out!

2009-01-09T09:26:00.002-05:00

I'm still here...thanks for asking...just taking a time-out to recharge my batteries. That would be mine...not the laptop....

Wordless Wednesday: White Christmas

2008-12-24T01:42:00.001-05:00

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.....

No, not that white Christmas...the other white Christmas!

May you all have a blessed, magical and merry Christmas!

If you have some time during this busy season, you'll find other Wordless Wednesday posts here and here.

Enough already

2008-12-21T09:31:00.003-05:00

I am woman

This is my Machine

This is my mission....do you see it?

Mission accomplished. Yes, there really is a driveway there.

Return to top of page and repeat. Every day. Enough already.

Works for Me Wednesday: Holiday Tablecloth

2008-12-10T01:04:00.001-05:00

This is hands down the best and easiest way to iron your holiday tablecloth. So much easier than fighting with the ironing board and wrestling with all that fabric, trying to keep it unwrinkled and clean. Just follow these easy steps:

NOTE; THIS ONLY WORKS IF YOU HAVE A GOOD TABLE PAD IN PLACE. DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A HEAVY PAD!

1. Remove your tablecloth slightly damp from the dryer and place it on your table.

2. Plug your iron into an adjacent outlet and start ironing from the center out.

3. Within minutes your tablecloth will be perfectly smooth and free of wrinkles. I heard that Martha Stewart irons her tablecloth this way but that may just be a rumor. I think the results would pass her inspection!

Now go check out Rocks in My Dryer for more great tips!

Free Christmas Joy

2008-12-07T08:20:00.008-05:00

Ideas abound on the internet and elsewhere this time of year for ways to spend less during the holiday season. The desire to live more simply is also a common theme as are articles on how to combat stress and the holiday blues.

Our Christmas celebration has changed drastically over the past four years. My husband had a stroke in 2004 that left him with partial right-sided paralysis and aphasia. He was a creative handyman around the house but now we have to rely on others or hire someone if I cannot do it myself. And he is super sensitive to the cold weather so doesn't venture outside on days when the temps are below freezing. These are just minor details of the 180 degree turnaround our life has taken.

The holidays always seem to crystalize the changes we've had to make. We used to get a tree that was at least nine feet tall and it was my husband's job to set it up and string the lights. Obviously that tradition is a thing of the past. We now have a small artificial tree that sits on a table. At the end of the holidays I wrap it up and my son carries it downstairs. The following December, he carries it back up and except for a few dislodged ornaments, the tree is up and decorated.

One of the things I have learned these past few years is how much a kind word or action, a random act of kindness, can mean. Whether or not it is obvious that someone is going through a difficult season, even a small act of kindness can have a huge effect. I have been on the receiving end many times and so speak from experience. And since we all know that it's better to give than to receive, I think that a random act of kindness can go a long way in our struggle to find meaning in this hectic holday season.

Rowena Alegria, writing in Stroke Smart magazine this month, suggests just that. Spread the Kindness This Season is her article giving 31 ideas that we can use to make someone's day or holiday a little brighter. Here are a few of her ideas (and a couple of mine thrown in). See if you can't find something you can do.

Pay a visit, lend a hand, say hello

Wave back at children who wave at you (or wave first!)

Share a smile, forgive mistakes, lend an ear

Open a door, let another go first, be tolerant

Offer a hug, compliment a stranger, praise someone's cooking

Check on a neighbor who lives alone

Reach an item on a high shelf for someone shorter than you

Help someone carry or lift a heavy item

Bring in a neighbor's mail on a cold day

Shovel a neighbor's driveway

Remove obstacles from a road or walking path

Pick up litter (this is a favorite of my husband when we take walks!)

When you receive superior service, let that person's manager or supervisor know

Offer to babysit so a busy mother can do some holiday errands

Take cookies to a neighbor

Send a card to someone out of town to let them know you're thinking of them

Want more inspiration? Visit The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation's website for testimonies from people who have received or provided an unexpected act of kindness.

So there you have it: the one-size-fits-all solution to spending less, relieving stress and combating holiday blues. Try it today....and tomorrow....and the day after that....

Wordless Wednesday

2008-12-03T01:39:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin meringues???

I am sooooooo full....

2008-11-30T09:35:00.006-05:00

Wow, the past week has been busy. Not one Thanksgiving meal to prepare but two....and a birthday, a baptism, a couple of trips across the border to get the Canadian family, and, of course, our weekly play date with Tai and baby Luc. Now we can take a breath before heading into the last month of the year.

Our Thanksgiving meal was traditional:

Turkey with dressing
Creamy mashed potatoes and gravy
Sweet Potato with Candied Pecan Crisp
Green Beans with garlic and Mushrooms
Balsamic Roasted Onions
Cranberry Sauce
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie

I wasn't quick enough to capture a picture of our Thanksgiving meal but here's a shot of Friday night's leftovers!

Saturday we had more family over for lunch. I wanted to keep the Thanksgiving theme but a little outside the traditional box. We had:

Cajun Roasted Turkey Breast
Butternut Squash Lasagne
Caesar Salad
Spicy Cornbread Muffins
Tai's Apple Pies

The Butternut Squash Lasagne was wonderful, great when you have a vegetarian in the group and also good when you want to make something ahead of time. I missed the before dinner shot once again but this is what was left!

I found this recipe on Epicurious.com and it was originally printed in Gourmet in December, 2001. The original calls for 1 cup of toasted hazelnuts to be added to the filling, but I didn't have any and so left them out. The end result was yummy anyway. This served 8 as a side dish with that little piece shown above left over.

Ingrid, this Butternut Squash Lasagne recipe is for you!

Filling:
1 large onion, chopped
3 T butter
3 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2" chunks
Note: I cut the squash into quarters, seeded where necessary and roasted them in a shallow pan with a bit of water until tender. When cool enough to handle, I scooped out the flesh and mashed until smooth. I found that to be easier than peeling and cutting beforehand.
1 1/2 t minced garlic
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 T chopped parsley
4 t chopped fresh sage

Sauce
1/2 t minced garlic
3 T unsalted butter
5 T all purpose flour
5 c milk
1 bay leaf
1 t salt
1/8 t pepper

2 c grated mozzarella ( I may have used a little more!)
1 c finely grated parmesan
12 sheets no-boil lasagne

Cook the onion in butter in a deep skillet over moderate heat until golden, about 10minutes. Add squash, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until squash is tender about 15 minutes, or simply heat through for around 5 minutes if you pre-cook the squash. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and sage. Set aside to cool.

While the squash cools, cook garlic in a 3-quart saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk in flour to make a roux and cook for a couple of minutes. Add milk slowly, whisking continuously. Add bay leaf and bring to a boil, still whisking, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, still whisking occasionally. Add salt and pepper, remove from heat and discard the bay leaf. Cover the surface of the sauce with plastic wrap if not using immediately.

To assemble, combine the cheeses. In a buttered 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish, spread a generous 1/2 cup of the sauce and cover with 3 pasta sheets, leaving spaces between sheets. Spread with 2/3 cup sauce, 1/3 of the filling and a heaping 1/2 cup of the cheese. Repeat layering 2 more times, beginning with the pasta and ending with the cheese. Top with the last 3 pasta sheets, sauce and cheese.

Tightly cover with buttered foil and bake on the middle rack in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until golden and bubbling, 10 - 15 minutes more. Let lasagne stand 20 minutes before serving. I actually baked my lasagne for the first 30 minutes then removed it from the oven and refrigerated it overnight. I brought it to room temperature the next day and finished heating it, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling. This was at 375 degrees since it was sharing the oven with Spicy Cornbread Muffins.

After reading Scribbit's September 28th post on Tiny Apple Pies
I had to try them out for my Grandson Tai. I made them every week when he came for his playdate with me and "Daddy's Daddy." So how could I not make them for his Thanksgiving meal? Scribbit suggests you use an apple peeler but I only needed four large apples for 10 tiny pies so even if you don't have a peeling contraption, go ahead and try them. To the 4 chopped apples I added 1/2 c sugar, 1 T flour, dash nutmeg and 1/2 t cinnamon. Toss well, fill ramekins and top each with a circle of pastry. One refrigerated pie crust will yield tops for 10 tiny pies. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Note to the grownups: this is a good diet dessert with only half the crust of a regular pie and enforced portion control!

One very satisfied customer!

We've just returned home from the lunch following Luc's baptism....pot stickers, sesame balls, spicy beef noodle soup, ribs, stuffed peppers, eggplant and bean curd, sticky rice, fried rice, dumplings...and I'm sure I've forgotten something....I haven't felt a hunger pang since last Wednesday. I'm actually looking forward to eating simply for a while!

My squirrels, they aren't so smart.....

2008-11-24T11:10:00.003-05:00

Or why we should keep our garage door closed.....

I keep several floor mats in the garage to try to catch some of the outside dirt and debris before it reaches the house. Several times this Fall I have stepped on hard lumps under the mats and upon further inspection, this is what I found.

Not much to see...

Upon closer inspection...

there it is...

Hope they didn't store too many nuts in the garage or it will be a lean winter!

My currently favorite way to cook chicken!

2008-11-22T10:13:00.008-05:00

Last night we had some family over for dinner and I prepared one of our Fall favorites, Coq au Vin. This is comfort food at its best and you can make part of it in advance so it's great for entertaining. It's traditionally made with red wine but I actually prefer a lighter version made with white and red wine. I promise that you'll love it!

2 T olive oil
4 oz bacon, diced
1 (3-4 lb) chicken, cut in 8ths. Lucky us, our son the Flockmster gave us one of his free range chickens...sooooo tasty.
1/2 lb carrots, cut diagonally in 1" pieces
1 yellow onion, diced
1 T chopped garlic
1/4 c cognac or brandy (optional - I didn't have any so skipped it)
1 1/2 c white wine + 1/2 c red wine (or just use what you have)
1 can chicken broth or homemade stock if you have it
10 fresh thyme sprigs
2 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 T flour
1/2 lb frozen small whole onions
1/2 lb cremini mushrooms thickly sliced
salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or dutch oven. Add bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove bacon and set aside.

Dry chicken well and season with salt and pepper. In the same pan as you cooked the bacon, brown the chicken, turning to brown evenly. This step is just to brown the chicken so don't be concerned about cooking it through. Remove browned chicken and set aside with the bacon.

Add the carrots, onions, 2T salt and 1t pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 - 12 minutes until the onions are lightly caramelized. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine, chicken stock and thyme. If you are using a dutch oven you can add the bacon and chicken to the pot. If, like me, you gave away your dutch oven because it was just too heavy to manage, place the chicken and bacon in a roasting pan and pour the vegetable mixture over it. Either way, cover the pot/pan with a tight fitting lid or foil and cook at 300 degrees for around 30 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through (not pink). Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove. Remove the chicken pieces, set aside and cover with foil.

Mash 1 T of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions and return the chicken to the pan. In a saute pan, melt the remaining 1T butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 - 10 minutes until browned. Add to the stew along with the chicken and bring the entire mixture to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve over these mashed potatoes:

3 1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 8oz package cream cheese
1/2 c sour cream
1/4 c milk
1/2 c chopped chives or green onions

Butter a 6 - 8 cup casserole dish. Cook potatoes in boiling, salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Add cream cheese and mash well. Mix in sour cream and milk and continue mashing then add the chives or onions. Spoon into prepared dish. This can be made ahead of time, even refrigerated over night. Let it sit at room temperature for an hour or so then reheat uncovered in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes. If your oven is already full, just reheat in the microwave for about 4 minutes, stir and then 4 more minutes.

I put a BIG mound of the potatoes on a plate then spoon the coq au vin over the top. Mmmmm, mmmmm, mmmmm. The Coq au Vin is based on a recipe by Ina Garten and Brigette Lyons gets credit for the potatoes.

There's even a little left over for lunch :)

Wordless Wednesday

2008-11-19T00:39:00.001-05:00

oooh....what's this?

Come to baby....

We're almost there....

GOTCHA!

Find lots more Wordless Wednesday participants here!

Monday, Monday

2008-11-17T09:40:00.005-05:00

I was visiting The Green Greek this morning and was uplifted by the Happiness is a Habit...Cultivate It meme she was playing. Feeling a little encumbered lately by the stuff of life, I welcomed the opportunity to play, so here goes!

"At this moment, use the alphabet and write down the first thing that comes to your mind for each letter. Don’t ponder or try to think of something that will be impressive. Just do it! This says a lot about you and may surprise you as well. Go ahead… you know you want to!”

A: Abundance is wanting what you have
B: Blessings are all around us
C: Cheese is my addiction
D: Daybreak is getting later and later
E: Elijah
F: Faith sustains me
G: Grandchildren (see E, H, K, K, L, O and T) are the best!
H: Hayley
I: Inspiration - so fickle!
J: Joy comes in the morning
K: Kenny, who made me a Grammie, and Kali
L: Luc
M: Muffins are baking in the oven
N: Never say never
O: Olivia
P: Peace in your heart and on earth
Q: Quiet time, how I look forward to it
R: Rejoice in all things
S: Simplify, simplify, simplify
T: Tai
U: Unhurried...my preferred pace
V: Visible...sometimes I am, sometimes I'm not
W: Winter is closing in
X: xoxoxo, at the close of every letter
Y: Youth, where did it go?
Z: Zoom,zoom, zoom - life rushing by

Now you try it!

When you least expect it.....

2008-11-13T08:15:00.000-05:00

Maureen at Being Chronically Ill Is A Pill has graciously sent me the Lemonade Award for demonstrating an attitude of gratitude.

Maureen, like myself, is a caregiver who also manages personal health challenges. She and I agree that it's not about the illness, it's all about the living.

So I thank Maureen for her support and pass this award along to these wonderful bloggers who have blessed me with their insights and inspiration in the journey we call life:

This Crazy Miracle Called Life

Post Stroke

The Green Greek

The Kinz Family News

From The Planet Aphasia

Please take a moment to visit these blogs and say "hello" to these women!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-11-12T01:52:00.002-05:00

Give..me..the..cookie.....now!

Visit more Wordless Wednesday participants here and here!

How Our Neighborhood Voted

2008-11-08T01:21:00.000-05:00

This discussion was recently overheard between a Mom and her two boys, "Sam" age 6 and "Rob" age 4, as she asked them how they voted for president in their school elections:

Mom: Who did you vote for Sam?

Sam: I voted for McCain

Mom: Why did you vote for McCain?

Sam: Cause I don't like the other guy's name

Mom: You don't like Obama's name?

Sam: No

Mom: What's wrong with Obama's name?

Sam: MOM! IT HAS THE WORK "BOMB" IN IT!

Mom: Who did you vote for Rob?

Rob: I voted for Balack (not a typo) Obama

Mom: Why did you vote for Obama?

Rob: Cause I didn't want to vote for Sam's guy.

Flashback Friday #10: Great Grandparents

2008-11-07T01:10:00.001-05:00

Stella and Frank Storm were my mother's paternal grandparents. I don't have a record of where they were born but I do know that Frank Storm was the son of William Storm who came to Escondido, California from Tennessee via Texas. My mother told me that they had come to California in a covered wagon, but it doesn't seem likely that they would have traveled together before they were married.

Frank and Stella were married in Escondido on February 25, 1890. I believe these portraits would have been done about that time.

Three sons were born to Stella while in Escondido: Philip Bettens, my grandfather, July 9, 1892; Charles Leonard, December 5, 1894 and Clayton Dufour, July 14, 1896. Charles Leonard died February 10, 1895 and Clayton Dufour died March 29, 1900. Both babies were buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Escondido. These dates and the three children in the photo don't seem to line up - Leonard died before Clayton was born, so I'm not sure who the infant would be. The note on the back of the photo simply says, "2 brothers of Philip did not survive childhood."

At some point the family moved to Hollywood, California to Las Palmas Street. That would be my great grandmother on the right but I don't know who is with her. The curbs and sidewalk would seem to indicate that their house was on a city lot.

This last picture is of Stella and Frank in 1930 when they would have been married 40 years and would probably have been in their sixties. Once again, I wish I had more details of their life.

Thursday Thirteen: My Husband, My Hero

2008-11-06T01:02:00.000-05:00

This is the month when giving thanks is on our minds. Having almost lost my husband more than once in the past thirteen years, I am grateful for every single day that he is still with us. He is my hero and here are my top thirteen reasons why.

1. He is a survivor. He survived rheumatic fever as an infant, polio as a child, 3 heart attacks before he was 50 and a stroke before he was 60.

2. He doesn't know the meaning of "can't." In between his childhood ailments and his adult illnesses, he played baseball, hockey, college and professional football. He even ran the Marine Corp Marathon when he was 40.

3. He never, never gives up. No matter what life throws at him, he is always positive. His first words after his stroke were, "I love you." His next sentence, although it took 3 days to compose and several minutes and some coaching to voice, was, "It's going to be alright."

4. He is a funny man. He loves to make people laugh. Nowadays he doesn't tell the jokes but he will still appreciate and laugh at yours.

5. I came into his life as a package deal, complete with three sons. He has loved them, helped to raise them, disciplined them, guided them, supported them in the good times and not so good times, and has always, always been there for them.

6. He is driven. Probably a little too driven at times, but that determination is now what enables him to deal with his disablilites on a daily basis. It's what got him walking after his stroke. It's what got him out on the golf course again with a one-arm golf swing. It's what gets him going every single day.

7. He is a supporter to those around him, whether it be me, our children, friends or neighbors, he always encourages those around him to succeed.

8. Not a day goes by, probably not more than a couple of hours, that he doesn't tell me how much he loves me and appreciates me.

9. He is the designated dishwasher loader/unloader in the family. And if I ask him, he will also do floors :)

10. Since his stroke in 2004, he had tried unsuccessfully to read a book - until this summer when he read the New Testament. He worked at it every single day and was as excited as a child who had mastered riding his first bicycle when he finished.

11. He loves life. Although much different than it was or than he expected it would ever be, he is content.

12. He notices and appreciates the details. Coffee and freshly baked muffins, a drive around the island, a walk on the beach, he takes pleasure in the small things that others often take for granted.

13. Last, but not in any way the least, he loves the Lord. And he knows the Lord loves him.

Wordless Wednesday: Real Men Vacuum

2008-11-05T00:06:00.002-05:00

Wow! I found this cool machine in the playhouse! Now what can I do with it?

I'll clean up this dirt over here!

I think this little bridge needs cleaning too!

I'm working really hard at this!

Whew! All done! I am such a good worker!

For more Wordless Wednesday check out 5 Minutes for Mom and Wordless Wednesday

Fall Risotto

2008-11-03T00:22:00.000-05:00

One of the best things about autumn is the return to cooking comfort food. Risotto is one of my favorite things to make because it adapts so well to so many different flavorings. You can take a basic risotto and add just about anything you have on hand.

And...news flash...it is not hard to make risotto! You do have to stir it but you don't have to stand over it continually; you just need to keep an eye on it. I have often prepared the risotto ahead of time to the point where you would add the liquid, returning later to finish the cooking.

I made this risotto for last week's playdate with Tai because sweet potatoes are one of his favorite foods :) And because the grownups like it too! It's my version of a Williams Sonoma recipe.

SWEET POTATO AND BACON RISOTTO

2 med-large sweet potatoes
4 1/2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
4 1/2 c chicken stock
4 1/2 c water
3 slices bacon, diced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 t chopped fresh thyme or 1 t dried
1 1/2 t chopped fresh sage or 1 t dried
1 1/2 t chopped fresh rosemary or 1 t dried
1 3/4 c arborio rice
1 c freshly grated parmesan cheese

Peel the sweet potates and cut into small, bite-sized chunks. In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm 1 1/2 T of the oil. Add the sweet potatoes, cover and cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a large saucepan (I actually use the same frying pan I used to cook the sweet potatoes as it's about 3" deep) warm the remaining 3 T of oil. Add the bacon and onion and cook until the onion is soft and the bacon starts to crisp. Add the herbs and rice and cook, stirring constantly until the rice is translucent around the edges, 2 - 3 minutes. This is the point where I remove the pan from the heat and hold the preparation until about 30 minutes before I wish to serve. Then bring the rice up to temperature again before adding the liquid.

In a saucepan combine the stock and the water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add about 1/2 cup of the liquid to the rice and stir the mixture. When the liquid has been almost completely absorbed, add another 1/2 cup liquid and stir again. Continue in this manner, keeping the rice slightly moist at all times, until it is firm but tender, about 30 minutes.

When the risotto is done, stir in a final 1/2 cup of the liquid (if you've run out of the stock mixture, just use hot water), the sweet potatoes and half of the cheese. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired. Serve at once. Serves 6.

Flashback Friday #9: My Great-Great-Grandfather

2008-10-31T01:15:00.000-04:00

My Grandfather, Philip Bettens Storm, my Mother's father, was born in Escondido, California, July 9, 1892.

His Father, my Great-Grandfather, was Frank R. Storm.

His Grandfather, my Great-Great Grandfather, was William H. Storm.

William H. Storm was born in Jefferson County, Tennessee, February 12, 1818. He married Martha W. Thomas and together they had seven children, only three of whom survived.

My Great-Great Grandfather was a surveyor before moving from Tennessee to Lampasses County, Texas, where he served as a district judge. In 1869 he moved to Escondido, California.

While he lived in Texas, he naturally paid taxes on such items that would be required by law. I wish I had been more successful in scanning this page but it's old, tattered and faded. It is a single page document recording payment on December 20, 1866 to United States Internal Revenue for the following:

1 Carriage, valuation over $50 and not over $100: Tax $1.00

and

1 Gold Watch, kept for use, valuation not over $100: Tax $1.00

Total tax paid: $2.00

Now, had he owned a pianoforte, gold or silver plate, billiard tables or yachts, they also would have been taxable.

Billiard tables...now that's where the government made its money...they were taxed at $10 each!

Wordless Wednesday: Seasons

2008-10-29T01:16:00.001-04:00

December 2007

June 2008

October 2008

For more Wordless Wednesdays go here and here.

Happy Birthday, Daddy

2008-10-28T09:01:00.002-04:00

October 28, 1916 - October 17, 1995

Simple Abundance

2008-10-27T00:03:00.001-04:00

Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach was first published in 1996. Many times I have seen the book displayed in Barnes & Noble but have resisted buying it for I don't know what reason.

I didn't need a self-help manual?

It would require from me commitment and time I didn't have?

It would be another start-but-never-finish project?

But I found a pristine hardcover copy of the book at a garage sale last week for just 25 cents. How could I not buy it now, especially in the midst of such bleak economic conditions.

And it seduced me from page one.

The author suggests that regardless of the date you start reading that you begin at the beginning, January 1st. So I did. And in doing so I am commit to taking the journey of simple abundance. This is a journey that begins with gratitude.

I can do that. I'm already a believer in giving thanks throughout the day for the blessings of each day. But I will take it a step further and write down five things for which I am grateful each and every day, trying to find the unique in each day, not always relying on the obvious.

The next steps will be more of a challenge for me: simplicity and order. Not that I have any objections to working on these aspects of my life; they just seem to be an elusive goal when the demands of life interrupt, interfere, confuse and confound me. Perhaps I am too easily distracted for there is an ebb and flow of simplicity and order in my life that frustrates me. It seems, as well, that the more I try to impose order on my life, the more rigid I become and that is not the way I want to live. I really do belive that true simplicity allows you to be flexible rather than rigid, so I will have to reconcile the two. Perhaps as I move closer to simplicity, order will follow.

I seek not so much to find contentment but to bid it stay in the face of uncertainty. I tend to be a worrier and I am working on replacing that worry with faith and trust, peace and, there it is: contentment.

So this promises to be a year long adventure. I know already of some of the challenges the coming year will bring, not the least of which are continuing health issues and the impact of the economy on our life. There will be other challenges that will ambush me, I know that too. I may be a slow learner and have to repeat some lessons. But I believe it will be worth the effort.

Have you read Simple Abundance? Have you found that state of grace? Where has your path led you?

Flashback Friday #8: The Powers Girls

2008-10-24T00:32:00.000-04:00

I never knew my Mother's mother, Helen Powers Storm, as she died before I was born. But I did meet her sister, Grace Powers, my great aunt.

This is portrait of my Grandmother and her sister taken in June 1914. Grace,on the left, was born on September 19, 1897 and would have been 17 years old in a few months. Helen, on the right, was born on January 28, 1893 and would have been 21 years old in this picture.

There is no date on this second photo of my Grandmother but judging by the off-the-shoulder dress, I'm guessing she was a little older than in the first photo.

I was in high school the last time I saw my Great Aunt Grace. I wish now that I had asked her to tell me more about her life growing up in the early 20th century. If you have some "older" relatives, now is the time to ask them about their lives. There is so much to learn from them but you must take the step now to record their memories for future generations. Don't wait!

Wordless Wednesday: BIG Pumpkin

2008-10-22T01:18:00.001-04:00

"OK Grammie, let's get this pumpkin carved!"

Pumpkin Carrot Bran Muffins

2008-10-21T01:01:00.000-04:00

My DH loves muffins but the ones you buy over the counter or from the store are really full of fat...not good for anybody. So I make muffins at home: banana bran, apple bran, apple carrot, and today, I made pumpkin carrot bran muffins. They are super healthy with all the veggie ingredients and low in fat and sugar. Give them a try if you have some extra pumpkins around that you need to use or just buy some canned pumpkin the next time you go shopping.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray or paper line muffin cups. This recipe makes 12 regular or 6 large muffins.

In one bowl combine:
2 c bran flakes cereal
1 c cooked or canned pumpkin
2/3 c milk
2 eggs
3 T canola oil
1 medium carrot, washed and grated

Let stand approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bran flakes have softened and and ingredients are well mixed.

In a separate bowl combine:
1 c whole wheat flour
1/3 c sugar (I actually use a little less)
2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t cinnamon
pinch salt

Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Over stirring will result in tough muffins. Divide evenly among the prepared muffin cups.

Bake 25 minutes. Enjoy!

Then & Now: Baby Luc

2008-10-20T10:04:00.005-04:00

Grandbaby Luc was born on April 2, 2008

He's in town for a nice long visit and has a playdate with us every Wednesday. Look how he's grown!

Flashback Friday: C'est Moi

2008-10-17T00:10:00.000-04:00

Yep, finally a photo of me: the college years, that would be about a lifetime ago :)

Thursday Thirteen: Things I Can Live Without

2008-10-16T00:19:00.001-04:00

Not intended to be a culling of possessions,though that would make another good Thursday Thirteen, these are things that I would never miss if they disappeared from my world.

Election campaign commercials - does anybody really listen to these?

Mosquitos

Recorded telemarketing messages

Live telemarketers

Spiders

Road litter

Weeds...why do they thrive uninvited while we must cultivate vegetables and flowers?

Junk mail

Hockey...sorry, still too much of a blood sport for me

Snow...OK, it's pretty at first but then it's just cold and a pain to deal with

Rude people

ED commercials...really, do we need this all over tv?

Plastic packaging complete with 25 twist ties that requires surgical tools to open

Any objections?

Wordless Wednesday: Men in Skirts

2008-10-15T01:00:00.000-04:00

My son, the Flockmaster, who also occasionally competes in the Highland Games. I think I need to get him some of those cute socks :)

The Best Cookies Ever

2008-10-13T00:43:00.000-04:00

Even my son the Flock Master liked these cookies and he doesn't eat sweets.

I made them for my California girlfriends when they came to visit. We ate them every day.

I made a batch yesterday to take to our dinner hosts last night.

And I will be making more for the holidays.

I can't take the credit...that goes to the Barefoot Contessa.

This is her recipe for Coconut Macaroons

14 oz sweetened shredded coconut
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 t pure vanilla extract
2 extra large (I used 3 large) egg whites at room temperature
1/4 t kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the coconut, condensed milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed with a whisk attachment until you have firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Drop the batter onto parchment lined sheet pans using a 1.75" diameter ice cream scoop or a tablespoon. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool on the pan before attempting to remove. Yield: about 22 cookies.

I allow the macaroons to cool completely, then melt some dark chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water and spread the bottom of each cookie with a thin layer of the chocolate. Soooo good!

I keep the cookies refrigerated - or frozen if you're not going to eat them that day. They are amazingly good right out of the freezer!

Flashback Friday #6 Still Looking for Arab Swords

2008-10-10T01:16:00.001-04:00

My grandfather has been promising his sons (my father, Lee, and his brother, Ernest) some Arab swords from his travels.

These postcards are dated January 16th, no year, but I'm making the assumption that they followed the last postcard I posted dated December, 1932 where he lamented that he hadn't been able to find any swords yet. It would be awful to think that it was the other way around, that an entire year had passed and he still hadn't found those swords! But I just don't know.....

The postcards were written from Bir Kassab, Syria.

Dear Ernest

How would you like to live in a Bedouin camp. I have been in one for two weeks. 450 tents and about 7000 camels. You are lucky you are not a Bedouin boy for they lead a hard life. When I get to Damascus I'm going to get you an Arab sword too.

Dad

Dear Lee,

We are camping out in the desert with the Bedouins. Have been here for two weeks and although the map shows a lake here, it's dry. It has been awfully cold, freezing every night. From here we go to Damascus where I've found I can get you an Arab sword. It's been a great trip.

Dad

I don't know if the boys ever did get those swords. I certainly don't recall ever seeing one, or a picture of one or even hearing about one. I only have these postcards and their promises.

Greening Halloween

2008-10-09T08:29:00.004-04:00

Before you know it, Halloween will be upon us, complete with the rush to find or make the perfect costume, fill up the candy bowl for those trick-or-treaters and then trek through the neighborhood collecting a years worth of candy to be consumed within the next 48 hours.

********insert sound of screeching tires here***********

But it doesn't have to be this way! Okay, the part about the costumes still stands. BUT we don't have to succumb to the candy madness. There are options that are not only acceptable to us as parents but will also be welcomed and embraced by your children.

The acknowledged expert on returning sanity to Halloween is Corey Cowell-Lipson, founder of Green Halloween. Her website is a wealth of how-to-do-Halloween-right information which includes "safe" candy for those who cannot imagine Halloween without it to lists of alternative treats for those who look forward to the day when Halloween is not synonymous with sugar.

So while you still have time to sanely approach this holiday, check out Green Halloween and try to make a few changes this year to green your holiday celebration.

Don't forget to check out her blog for even more tips like hosting a costume swap or even a Halloween decor swap. See, there's more than just fun for kids here!

Wordless Wednesday: Pig Roast

2008-10-08T01:11:00.001-04:00

The calm before the pig roast storm...yes, that's the barbecue in the background.

Read the story behind the pig roast here.

And Baby Makes 8

2008-10-07T01:50:00.001-04:00

I have three sons.

My first four grandchildren were girls! YEAH!

Finally, pink and ribbons and frills...I did it all!

My sons blamed me. They said I had cursed them.

But the next three grandchildren were boys.

See? No curse!

And grandbaby #8 is due in February.

This is last week's ultrasound.

Can you tell if I'm having a granddaughter?

Or a grandson?

Hint: you can't tell by the foot!

UPDATE: IT'S A BOY :)

Renovations and Potty Training

2008-10-06T01:20:00.001-04:00

This post is dedicated to Michelle at Scribbit who is coping with a major home renovation. She shared her construction woes last Thursday.

Long, long ago, the fall my first boys were 4 years old and 4 months old, we undertook a major house renovation/addition that included the demolition of one end of the existing farmhouse - that would be the part with the kitchen, our bedroom and the only bathroom.

You can immediately see the problem.

We set up our kitchen appliances and a sink at one end of the dining room. I slept on the living room couch; the baby's crib was set up in the corner and a makeshift closet sat in front of the fireplace. My husband shared twin beds with our 4 year old in one upstairs bedroom and my FIL stayed undisturbed in his bedroom across the hall.

We ran plumbing to the upstairs hall for a bathtub. But no toilet...this was supposed to be a 4 month project and my husband decided we could manage with a port-a-potty.

Right. He had an office to go to. An office with a real bathroom.

Fall in Canada turns cold. Very cold. Finally my husband conceded that perhaps we should have an indoor toilet so one was installed next to the bathtub in the upstairs hall. All was discreetly hidden behind an old fashioned indoor drying rack draped with my old college bedspread - think Pier 1 indian print cotton. No door. Not even a floor to ceiling partition. But I was not complaining. No more trips outside!

The original plan was to have this renovation completed by year end. HA! Fifteen months later we moved into a still not completed addition. But I needed a bed. and a kitchen. and a real bathroom. I could deal with contractors underfoot for a few more months.

All this is background information to prepare you for what happened next.

My 4 year old was a very, very sound sleeper. He had difficulty waking in the night to go to the bathroom (hey, we didn't even have one for months!) and there were often wet sheets come morning.

Did I mention I had no kitchen? No washer? No dryer?

You'll recall that my son shared a bedroom with his father. Now his father was not a patient man. He did not tolerate "accidents" but, bless his soul, he got our son up every night and walked him out of the bedroom, turning left in the hall and down to the little bathroom. Please appreciate that our son remained "asleep" through all of this, never even opening his eyes. But the weeks and months of repetition taught him to get up during the night and get himself to the bathroom.

Fastforward 15 months and we are living in the new addition. Imagine, if you will, a floorplan with a central hall that is open two stories. It's late at night and I am reading in a room downstairs, adjacent to the hall. I become aware of the sound of water. In the hall? Was something leaking? My washer? My dishwasher?

I step out into the hall to investigate. I look up and there is my sweet 5 year old standing at the upstairs railing, eyes closed, a Niagara Falls of pee streaming onto the hall floor below. Of course, he thought he was at the toilet he was trained to find in the night! But this wasn't the other house and there was no toilet! He finished his business, turned around and went back to bed.

At least his nocturnal journey didn't take him to a corner where he might pee on the wall and new carpet.

And, in case you're wondering, this was an isolated incident. He quickly learned where to find the new bathroom!

Flashback Friday #5: Postcards

2008-10-03T01:51:00.000-04:00

My grandfather and his brother traveled extensively during the first World War and into the following decades, filming newsreels, what we know today as documentary films and eventually motion pictures.

As my grandfather traveled, he wrote postcards to his sons back in the US. The year, I think, is 1931 or 32 (the ink is smudged). This card was sent from Delhi, India.

It reads:

Dear Boys

Have been here a week and will soon be leaving for a month on the northern frontier in Khyber Pass and at Peshewar.

Love, Dad

The second card (December 17, 1932) from Alexandria, Egypt seems to be following up on a promise to find the boys some swords.

Having a good trip. Haven't found any swords yet but still have hope.

Love, Dad

I try to imagine the man, husband and father that my grandfather was. All I have are these postcards and a few photographs. My father never spoke about his father and what I heard from my mother does not conform to the image conjured up by these few written communications. My mother told me that my grandfather had deserted his family when my father and his brother were quite young. Now whether he deserted them in the sense of "abandonment" or in the sense that he was away on another adventure in foreign lands, that I don't know and I have no one to ask.

So along with these quite romantic postcards of exotic places I have also uncovered many more questions about my father's family history that I will never be able to answer. Yet I keep sorting through papers and photos, hoping that some bit of information will surface and I will know them all a little better.

Lotsa Lentils

2008-10-02T01:28:00.002-04:00

The temperature is hovering around 60 degrees. It's a dreary, damp Fall day. It's time for some homemade soup!

I had a bag of "Lots of Lentil" dried soup mix by Bean Cuisine in my pantry... well, I had half a bag but that's more than enough for the two of us. In 1T evoo I sauteed:

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large carrots, quartered and chopped

and added:

4 c water
1 14.5oz can chicken broth
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1 smoked ham hock (or 8 oz smoked sausage)
1/2 bag of lentils (note: these lentils included seasonings)
fresh ground black pepper

I brought the soup to a boil then lowered the heat and simmered for 3 hours, adding 1/4 c chopped fresh parsley at the very end.

Homemade soup. Mmmm mmm mmm....one of the best things about Fall.

Wordless Wednesday Flowergirls

2008-10-01T01:40:00.000-04:00

Waiting is so hard!

Oh good! Grammie's here!

These are our professional smiles!

Family Ancestry

2008-09-29T01:16:00.002-04:00

No, this is not a treatise on evolutionism. My family is not descended from King Kong.

Well, not exactly.

My maiden name was Schoedsack. Now that probably means absolutely nothing to you, unless you are a major classic movie buff. Specifically a fan of the original King Kong.

If you look very closely down in the lower right hand corner, you will see...

Yep. "A Cooper-Schoedsack production."

That would be my great uncle, my father's uncle, my grandfather's brother: Ernest Beaumont Schoedsack. The story goes that my grandfather got his younger brother his first job in the film industry in 1914. He was stationed in France in the first World War as a newsreel cameraman in the Signal Corps. He later worked in Polish war relief efforts to assist Polish refugees fleeing from the Bolsheviks. In 1925 he flmed Grass, a forerunner of the documentary travelogue which followed the migration of Bakktiari tribes in Persia as they crossed the Zardeh Kuh mountains to find grazing land for their sheep and cattle. King Kong was released in 1933. Ernest Schoedsack was known as an adventurer and judging from other postcards I found, I think my grandfather was as well. Could be a bit of an understatement!

If anyone reading this has been following my Flashback Friday posts here, here and here, you will recall that I have unearthed a case of old family pictures. Among these treasures are photographs, postcards and other memorabilia that I will be sharing in future posts. But I thought I would share King Kong today. And this postcard to my father from his Uncle Ernest. The date is unknown but the message is priceless!

In case you can't decipher the handwriting, it reads:

Saigon, Indo-China
September 17th

I'm over here looking for tigers and wild elephants but expect to return to Siam in three weeks. Going up into the jungle tomorrow. Your Uncle E.

There is no year on the card nor can I make out the postmark, but it doesn't really matter. Wouldn't you just love to get a card like that in the mail!

Six Random Things

2008-09-27T11:28:00.003-04:00

I'm always amazed that anyone actually reads my blog so it was a surprise to me when I was tagged by Alexia at The Mommy Rambles for this meme!

Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write 6 random things about yourself.
4. Tag 6-ish people at the end of your post
5. Let each person know he/she has been tagged
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Here are my six random things:

1. I grew up in Southern California but have lived in the northeast since I was 21 years old.

2. I hate (yes, HATE) winter! Hey, I'm a California girl!

3. I am a chocolate snob. La Maison du Chocolat is the very best but I rarely get any - I've received it twice as a gift. But I can afford Lindt and indulge in their dark chocolate truffles.

4. I MUST HAVE cheese. Every single day. For the calcium :)

5. I'm a morning person. I need my quiet time to to handle the day. 6:00am is sleeping in.

6. I'm a garage sale addict. Apparently it is a genetic trait because my granddaughter needs to do this too. We're dangerous together.

I'm tagging these bloggers!

Shannon at Muzbeecrazy

Colleen at Mommy Always Wins

CanCan at My Greening

Chris at Dad of Divas

Renee at When 2 Became 3 or 4

Micaela at Mindfulmomma

Enjoy the weekend!

Flashback Friday #4

2008-09-26T01:59:00.002-04:00

Since I have posted photos of my parents when they were younger and of my mother as a child, I searched through the storage bin for the envelope of old photos of my father's family. I really liked this one, taken at the beach in 1919. The little boy is my Daddy. He would have been around two and a half. His mother is second from the left and his father is on the far right. I don't know who the other three are but I like the attitude of the woman in the center!

This is the same photo after someone artfully applied some color. Can't say how accurate the colors are to true life but I do know that my Daddy had red hair just that shade!

I love the tent...and the cars! Would you wear a swimsuit like that? (I think I probably should!)

Check out Mommy Always Wins for more Flashback Friday participants!

An OCD Toddler?

2008-09-25T01:38:00.000-04:00

My first two sons are exact opposites. I clued into this fact when M was very young. Everything his older brother was, M was not.

W was colicky
M was an easy feeder and good sleeper

W loved food, all food
M loved cereal and fruit...only

W was outgoing and gregarious
M was painfully shy and reticent

W self weaned at 15 months
M was still nursing at 2.5 years. I had to leave town.

W loved language
M loved math

W could make a mess and ignore it for days
M was a little OCD. He lined up all the family shoes in a neat row...daily

You get my drift. My point is that once I understood this dynamic, it made #2 son very predictable. Usually. I really should have known....

About the time my third son was born (M would have been 33 months) I noticed that my HUGE carton of sanitary pads had been opened. Not only had it been opened, MOST of the pads were missing. Seeing as I was the only female in the house, I just knew something strange was going on. I looked in the bedrooms. I looked in the bathrooms. I looked outside (yes, even outside) Nothing! There was nothing!

I broke down and asked M. Holding up one of the few remaining pads I said, "Do you know where the rest of these are?" Big grin. You cannot be angry at a grinning toddler. "Can you show Mommy?"

Off he runs to his bedroom and flings open the closet doors. There, neatly aligned in rows like little soldiers were my pads stuck to the back wall of his closet. He was so proud of his work. So nice and neatly organized. He had obviously put in a great deal of effort here: multiple trips between my bathroom and his closet, peeling off each sticky strip and arranging them all in straight rows. He had done a mighty fine job although I'm not sure what exactly he thought he was doing!

He had made his very own padded cell.

Wordless Wednesday: Princess Tea Party

2008-09-24T01:06:00.002-04:00

Sweet little princess granddaughters having tea.

Check out Wordless Wednesday and 5 Minutes for Mom for more participants.