Amazing Books

Don't you love it when a book changes your perspective on life?

When it inspires you like crazy to live better

be better?

Or is just one you cannot for the life of you get out of your head?

I love those kinds of books.

First there was Go Ask Alice by Anonymous (?!).  That book saved my hide.  I could have easily tried crazy drugs as a reckless kid but that book terrified me.  Thank God I read it in 8th grade.

Another was The Stand by Stephen King.  I remember reading it as a youngish teenager and having it blow my mind that there was a chance that we might have our own dark ages.  Maybe that's the reason why it seems practical to have the scene set for potential self sufficiency if the need arises...  AKA 5 acres in the middle of no where...

The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck was a terrifyingly realistic book to me of what it must be like to be normal people thrown into destitution.

Big Russ and Me by Tim Russert is another that is often in my head.  I loved that book, which I just read because I was bored not because Tim Russert inspired me I just knew him as that guy with a white board on NBC when it was election time (this was before his untimely death).  It is such a loving tribute to his dad, Big Russ.

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh helped me to remember that people are often affected by what has happened to them early in life and foster children need extra patience and love.

These are just directly off the top of my head, I know many many more will come to mind after posting.

But the latest, the reason for blogging, was Still Alice by Lisa Genova.

Alzheimer's is a terrifying disease.  I know of three relatively close people who have suffered from early onset Alzheimer's- so I was drawn to this novel written from the perspective of someone living with it.k

Mental illness and brain damage are such uncomfortable afflictions.  I'm sure for both the afflicted and those around them.

This book was so wonderfully written, it inspired me to be more compassionate.

Ok, I thought I was before, but it's a reminder that people are people regardless of what life has dealt them.

What a powerful powerful book.  I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

While my dad didn't have Alzheimer's, it made me wish I could go back in time to be with him again.

To be more patient,

extra loving

and affectionate

more understanding.

Read it and let it inspire you for the people you are blessed to be with today.

Perspective on Yard Work

Wouldn't it be easier if we all declared weeds as plants and plants as weeds?

Who gets to decide what's a weed and what's a plant?

Is it the same guy who categorizes which words are profanity and which are acceptable in proper company?

Seems like a mighty powerful job.

I think I could do better.

I would declare all living things as plants worthy of retention.

Maybe then I wouldn't end up with the tightest hamstrings in THE WORLD and a sore back after one day of wrestling with those things you all call "weeds."

Then maybe I would follow it up with, "Way to go fucker!  You just saved someone a whole lot of work!"  But in my altered planet that would be a good thing to say.

Perhaps I'm a bit delirious.

Please Dear God let school start soon...

And yes, our yard looks light years better now that all of said "weeds" have been removed.

Don't mind me while I disappear into a book...

Do you  ever just want to fold your self up into a good book like the never ending story?

I do.

It's my fantasy escape.

So-word to the wise...

if you see me racking up a stack of read novels there's something I'm escaping from.

Most likely the insane chaos of my blessedly full family life.

They are blessings,

they are blessings,

they are blessings,

almost equal to the amount of work they require.

Hear my self pep talk?

I wanted more than anything to be able to stay at home with my children- to raise them myself.

But there are days when I can't help but wonder if I might appreciate them more when I had a consistent break from them.

Maybe the resentment of putting away every single item in the house they lay their little hands on each and every day, all day long would lessen.

I realize it won't last long.

I know I will wish them back under my every footstep,

interrupting my each and every task

10,000 times(!).

I do love them more than anything else in the world.

But mama needs a break every now and then!

I envy those women who have taken an evening a week for themselves each and every week.

I wish our family schedule wasn't so complicated to allow for that (with my husband working we're only a whole family 2 out of every 3 nights-makes me feel guilty to take that away yet another night more than is absolutely necessary).

Clearly I'm not the only one with a little tension.

Foamy anythings don't stand a chance in our house.

Little nibblers.

I'm not 100% sure who the culprit is,

but I have my suspicions.

Maybe I'm getting old.

I no longer feel satisfied by accomplishing a lot in a short period of time with the kids under foot.

It's starting to just make me irritable and snappy.

So, anyone have some good book recommendations?

Lately I've read: The Little Giant of Aberdeen County, To Heaven and Back: A Doctor's Extraordinary Account of Her Death, Heaven, Angels and Life Again: True Story, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, The Peach Keeper, Garden Spells (all magic realism type novels- my favorite) and Still Alice (I think I'm going to blog about later).

Yup, the stack is growing.

And yet, this mama needs to disappear into a good book again...

Share your favorite escape books with me?

Pretty please?

Dark of night & recipes

The bedtime shuffle in the dark of night...

Charlie had a bloody nose in the night.

I had no idea that he'd come into our bed last night.

Then this morning Miss Elsa work up at 4am crying because of a bad dream.  She kept asking me to stay with her the rest of the night.

I assured her I would, but my M. O. is to typically jet the second she's asleep and head back to my own bed.

Miss Smarty-Pants wasn't buying it.

When I rolled my back toward her I felt her little hands grab the straps of my nightgown and hang on.

Like I was on a leash.

She wasn't letting me get away so easily.

Seems to be a rash of bad dreams.

I have no idea why my kids are all having deep rooted fears of something happening to me and/or Mark.

That's the reason, I believe, Sarina won't spend the night anywhere.

I remember having those myself.  I hated that show Punky Brewster because of it.

It turned my stomach to think of being orphaned.

Charlie laid in bed tonight worrying about bad dreams.

He even asked, "Are bad dreams nightmares?"

Poor kids.

I'm hoping that this too shall pass.

Oh, then this morning I noticed Elsa stomping her foot repeatedly.

I realized that she was saying she was stomping out the sparkles.

Sparkles.

It took me a second to realize the "sparkles" was tingling in her foot.

It must have fallen asleep.

I like that.

Sparkly feet.

When they're asleep.

And now to continue my random train of thoughts...

My eating habits have relaxed a little more than I'd like recently.

And I have an extra 5lbs to prove it.

So, it's time to cut the carbs again.

This morning I made two salad dressings to have on hand for good quick salads.

The first is Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette 

These are the ingredients I used- that's sugar in a sugar bowl, in case you were wondering.

First things first, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS buy "FIRST COLD PRESSED" olive oil for salad dressings- or anything else not heated to a high temp.

I learned that's how you find the tasty olive oil when I studied in Italy.

And boy does it make a difference.

Kirkland has a good one that's reasonably priced- we go through this pretty quickly in our house.

Usually I throw together whatever I have on hand to use with this dressing.  Today was tomatoes, mini bell peppers, coleslaw cabbage, butter lettuce, some marinated onions (red onions sliced and sitting in a baggie with balsamic vinegar for a couple hours to a couple days) slivers of Dubliner cheese and two hard boiled eggs.

I'm at the end of my fresh groceries- ideally I'd have my marinated red onions, tomatoes, avocado, chicken, (maybe even some bacon), some type of strong cheese (blue, feta, Dubliner) and lots of fresh butter lettuce or romaine.

Also, I'm a sucker for a good Asian Noodle Salad .

Fortunately my friend Robin keeps me hooked up.

I've posted her Spicy Thai Noodle Salad before.

Now this one she shared with me this year.

These are the ingredients I had on hand to use today.

I make this dressing and try to have it on hand. Super quick salad with left over grilled chicken or steak with cabbage (often I cheat and use the coleslaw mix from the grocery store).

But do NOT use Kikkoman soy sauce from costco- way too salty.

I'm sorry that I made that mistake when I ran out of the low sodium sauce and was making this for a family.

Also, if I add noodles (I try to stay away from carbs) then I use Trader Joe's High Fiber Spaghetti.

Yes, I went through a phase when I was trying to consume 30 grams of fiber each day eating some nasty cardboard crackers (now used as fish bait at Ken Lake).

Now I'm just trying to eat whole foods with minimal carbs.

Five lbs can stick like super glue but I've learned that if you're persistent, even super glue can release it's hold when you keep at it.

Weird Mannerisms

We all do odd things.

Some people twitch,

some fidget,

some pull hair out of their head.

When he was little, Carl used to constantly have his little tongue pointing out of the corner of his mouth.

Then, when he knew he was doing something he shouldn't it- would go side to side,

as if I wouldn't notice.

Lately he's got a new odd one.

When he says something, he echoes the a key word from what he's just said,

just moving his lips like he needs to taste the word again,

but this time without sound.

I find it mesmerizing.

His little mouth,

missing two front teeth,

and dimple on his chin that seems to be growing more pronounced each day.

That dimple was so deep when he was that bubbling chubby baby (it's true!),

all but disappeared as he went through a big growth spurt,

See, he was a chubby little imp.

seems now he's gearing up for another growth spurt- only he hasn't had an opportunity to pack on any weight,

except in his chin

which you really notice as he does his silly little echo ghost whisper.

Funny boy.

Here is the big guy with his buddies from pre-school- adorable boys all around.  Photo by: Monica Snider