ham and hairnets
I recently spent a sunday afternoon serving meals at a soup kitchen in suburban Chicago. Some gals from my church, some who went to Guatemala, came along. We threw 45 pounds of ham, eight gallons of milk, four cans of vegetables and two crates of oranges in the trunk of Fran’s car and headed off on our adventure. I was in the front seat and did not realize this meant I would be the navigator. Had I know, I would have worn my glasses! Somehow we arrived on time and the folks at A Just Harvest put us to work.
Maybe it was the hairnet squeezing the blood supply to my brain, but I have never laughed so hard. I’m learning that much like writing, serving feeds my soul in a way that Fritos don’t. Although, a little salt and fat is sometimes called for. Thankfully, I was put to work slicing ham and not put in charge of steaming it. Fran and Mary had that job and their pores were treated to a pork facial! After being bossed around in the kitchen we were put on “the line” to serve it. We dished up 185 plates in 60 minutes. I thought I might need rotator cuff surgery after spooning piles of pasta. And for some reason, whenever plastic sanitary gloves are required and no scratching is allowed, I suddenly start to itch all over!
So many people came through those doors. Young, old, men, women and children, some who looked like my own…it was very humbling. One of the two paid staff members gave a blessing before the meals were served and reminded everyone that “this is not Burger King and you don’t get it your way!” Funny, my Dad used to say that. I think I’ll start to use it in my own kitchen.
seeing stars
There was not a typo in the girls’ elementary school handbook, it actually says there is to be NO RUNNING at recess. The reason for this, I learned from the school nurse, is that children have run into poles and each other on the playground. And that is why the school has one wheelchair which they use to fetch children who have bumped their heads and are seeing stars.
Babe-o’s was the beneficiary of this wheelchair earlier in the week. The nurse reported that she was hanging off the top of the slide and twisted her ankle when she dropped to the ground. They never should have shown her the wheelchair. It is bad enough that she has been visiting the nurse once a day in the hopes that they will send her home…now she just might get a free ride.
when life gives you lemons…
I have had insomnia for the past four nights. The last three, I stayed in bed tossing and turning. But not tonight, or should I say today since it is four a.m?!
I have a loaf of zucchini quick bread baking in the oven which I will top with a glaze of fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar when it is cool. I am thinking this will be ready at six-fifteen when my son rolls out of bed to shower and catch his bus. I also made a tasty zucchini orzo pasta salad with feta cheese and toasted pine nuts tossed with lemon vinaigrette which I will eat for lunch.
You see, I planted a vegetable garden for the first time this year. Not since the kids were babies have I been so excited to watch something grow! Since I no longer live in southern California, I am now being paid in zucchini for every time I yelled, “I’m in the garden,” when the kids were screaming for me from the house. Bless my friend Liz who warned me to only put one zucchini plant in the garden as they turn into monsters, much like toddlers.
Thankfully, the bread is from the Cooking Light 2001 collection of recipes so my weight won’t suffer along with my sleep.
Home alone 2
Today was the kids first day of school so at 7:25 our sixth grader boarded a school bus for the first time. It was hard, but I resisted the temptation to walk him to the bus stop and take pictures! Then my husband and I walked the girls to school where we could take pictures and mingle with other parents at the PTO coffee.
We were talking with another mom who asked if there were any tears now that Babe-o’s is in first grade and will go to school all day. My husband replied, “Tears? No, she’s ready for it!” I don’t think he realized she was talking about my tears!
36-24-36
Sadly, those aren’t my measurements although I wish they were as I am heading out to my 25th Highschool reunion. I wasn’t going to go, but then figured there was no harm since at the very least, it will give me some good blogging material.
Yesterday I attended middle school orientation with my sixth grader. He wanted me there as long as I didn’t talk or ask too many questions. We picked up school supplies, got his bus pass, class schedule, gym uniform and the combination to his locker. Moms may not know much…but we do know how to open an old-fashioned locker! He did not want my help but after many unsuccessful attempts, realized he needed it. Right, left, right I explained, but not above a whisper. Turns out, Moms are good for something. Then we topped it off with breakfast at McDonald’s.
ch, ch, changes…
We just had parent orientation at the middle school where our soon to be sixth grader will go in the Fall. It seems like yesterday we were attending preschool orientation. And while the chairs have gotten bigger, I am afraid that the problems will too. If one teacher told us, they all did that the kids will change as much physically and emotionally in the three years of middle school as they did in their infant years. They used words like “hormonal, peer pressure and cyber citizen,” and generally scared the daylights out of me!
The only comfort came from an old friend who was in a mother-child class with me when our kids were two. She leaned over and said to be glad I have a boy, that these changes are way worse for the girls. Great, something to look forward to with Ham and Babe-o’s who will be hitting middle school about the time I am in menopause!
Been there, got the t-shirt
A flyer came home in the kids’ backpacks announcing it is time to place your order for school supplies for the fall. I nearly choked when I saw the price for the sixth grade school supplies. And why do we keep having to purchase the same kind of scissors? Where do the scissors go at the end of the year?
As I was complaining about this my son asked if I really wanted to go to Target and try to track down all the supplies. He also reminded me of how crabby I was when I returned from that outing last year. Now where did I put my checkbook…
mission impossible
With my husband and Ham away on an Indian Princess campout over the weekend, I signed the rest of us up for an at home mission trip. No shots required, just a shovel and some work gloves. About 60 people signed up to do odd jobs around the church. My eleven-year-old was cleaning windows, I was outside planting flowers and Babe-o’s was helping with this and that.
I know sometimes that having a six-year-old “help” is really no help at all but better to start them young! I also believe a little hard work is a great remedy for the “gimmes.” In our case, it is our son’s relentless request for a phone before he enters middle school. Not just any phone, but an iPhone. I told him to get in line behind me.
So things were going stellar until Babe-o’s glued her butt to the floor in the narthex. Someone had just spread tile adhesive on the floor when she ran through. Her feet went flying and she ended up with glue from her hands to her elbows and on her behind. I had to peel off her pants. Even though it was supposed to be water-soluble, soap and water did not do the job so when we got home I ended up using “Goo Gone.” It worked like a dream..plus it smelled great.
basking in the glow
I hope you are all still basking in the glow of Mother’s Day! It is one of my favorite holidays! And not only because I get to add the tag line “because it’s mother’s day,” every time I make a request, but for all the noodle necklace, homemade cards, dandelion bouquet day that it is.
God bless the teachers that take the time to have the kids write something from their hearts…even if they need a little prompting with a fill in the blank card.
From Babe-o’s I received a pink page that said:
My mom always: cooks
My mom cooks the best: pizza muffins
My mom really loves: me
My mom and I like to go to: go to get chocolate donuts
My mom loves to wear: skirts
My mom is beautiful because she: always is
And Ham wrote, “But the important thing about mom is that her food is really good. I love her mushroom soup.”
Nothing from the fifth graders but clearly, I need to make more reservations for dinner!
goody bag
Is it a sign of my age that I get more excited about a goody bag from the dermatologist than I do about one from a luncheon? I just returned from seeing Dr. Z. who thankfully, did not scold me for my fresh freckles from the beach. But he did pull out this blow-torch looking thing and blasted a persistent bump, or blemish, on the side of my face. And although it felt hot, was freezing cold. It felt like a thousand stinging needles or like sand blowing across the beach and whipping your legs!
He said it will probably go away in a month, but if it doesn’t it could be skin cancer so come back and he will use a scalpel! Yikes! The upside of the visit was the goody bag he sent me home with which contained samples of some gel he told me to rub on my age spots. If I am lucky, it will work like Mr. Clean’s magic eraser. Hmmm, I thought those were called beauty marks.
Stacey stories...for Moms everywhere 