Category Archives: Editorial

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You did OK

Posted on September 7, 2014 | Leave a comment

That’s one phrase I always wanted to hear, from any of my childhood or adult pursuits. Dad was wishing it but never there. Mom never thought to think or say it.

I put my handprint in clay! I got 100+ (why didn’t you get 100 ++)! I turned to teachers, aunts of course, friends and their families. In college there were priests (never a wayward moment for them), for education and trying to learn enough to make a difference.

Then business. The awful things people say about priests today I never knew until I met legislators after college. It was all I could do to keep my skirt down in an elevator, but I did do so. Wearing opaque tights helped my defense.

Still, no-one ever said, you did OK. Now I have three-day Thanksgiving cook-fests and sometimes my mother-in-law and I rarely speak, just dance around in time making our dishes. She’s OK, and I know she knows I’m OK because she lets me use the oven. No, really she accepted me as her daughter-in-law and that’s OK for me. Did I say three days? I mean it. And this is Texas the land of sweet tea and many desserts.

And the day after I met my father-in-law for the first time he took my husband out of the truck and said “When are you gonna ask her, son? It’s OK with me.” His mother took four more days to say OK but we cook every year even though she moves the kitchen stuff around on me and I have to break the dance and ask where’s the peeler?

There’s nothing like family. Mom’s gone now. Dad’s still never around and we’ve not seen him in two years. Sisters, one may be trying for a reunion after six years.

I was a coach and a consultant and volunteer and the first thing I did was train then reward with compliments. I’m an “Atta Girl” gal and look to reward whenever I can. Corrections are necessary but need not be harsh, only fair and unemotional, on point. With extra training and more compliments.

Atta girls and guys, right here. Keep cooking and make your family proud. Dee

 

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Posted in Editorial, Education, Family, Music, Pet, Recipe Ideas, Recipes

Peanut Butter

Posted on September 7, 2014 | 1 comment

Years ago when I was single I’d often eat a toasted peanut butter sandwich over the kitchen sink. Yes, I bought an $8 toaster. Then I graduated to a Trader Joe’s skillet-toasted dry flour tortilla with their Monterey Jack cheese and salsa. On a plate, not over the sink.

For 13 years I’ve had someone to cook for, and I don’t stop. I’ve even have a meal planned to try first-time from one of my favorite restaurants in SoCal. I’m practicing and doing my own riff which I don’t usually do from a recipe. I do it from ideas all the time but usually try recipes straight up first time then riff.

Like my baby arugula salad with fresh raspberry vinaigrette (including two roasted garlic cloves, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper, 1/8 tsp of sugar and canola oil). It was served with fresh raspberries, a bit of feta crumbles and sauteed procuitto bits. Garnish was a wedge of cantaloupe.

I’m thinking of changing it up. My first calzone, I make pizza dough all the time with Italian soft OO flour. I’m thinking prosciutto, arugula sauteed with roasted garlic, feta, mozzarella, and some dry-roasted pignoli. I’ll fold them up as en papilliotte (when one takes the parchment paper in a heart shape, folds it over and does diagonal folds to keep in a piece of fish and garnishes) with perhaps an egg wash to keep them closed while baking.

Cooking for one is always difficult and lonely and I don’t make many frozen food items, certainly not for my husband, sometimes for me alone. He’s been gone nearly two months now (with a brief Labor Day visit) and I and Zoe The Hipless Wonder Dog miss him.

Neighbors check on me from time to time. As of yesterday a new Swedish neighbor is going to teach me how he makes meatballs and sauce and in turn, I’ll teach him a true Texas chili (originating from Lady Bird Johnson in 1962 where JFK and 5,000 guests descended upon the Johnsons’ Pedernales River Ranch).

One neighbor’s wife is away long-term so we have similar issues of missing people we love. Luckily he’s going to see her next week. We’re not close in the way you think but I share a meal from time to time, he gives me sartorial advice for my husband and always gives our dog a treat. Yes, she has to perform for it because it’s extra to her dinner. I told him about a used bookstore and he already knew about it from taking his wife to the airport.

Bonds are stretched with missing spouses. I tend the community herb garden and cook with all my other household duties, and take out the dog five times a day and write. It is good to know that there are kind people around me who plan activities or just check in for good measure.

Anything to keep me from a peanut butter sandwich standing over the kitchen sink. Creativity and new things as J says. Cheers! D & Z

 

 

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Posted in Editorial, Pet, Recipe Ideas, Recipes

Mentors

Posted on September 3, 2014 | Leave a comment

Of course it must start with parents:

Mom, for manners and being proper at all times;

Dad, for letting me know I could be anything I want to be;

My ersatz brother and in-laws for always being there for us;

My blood brother for having his ear to the ground;

Owee, for letting me into other cultures and telling me it’s OK to be anything;

Anna, for instilling belief in myself while hanging on to that taxi medallion;

Mr. B for teaching me math way above my age;

Mrs. Smith for allowing me and S to read two years above grade level;

The Diary of Anne Frank and Death Be Not Proud for helping me to age beyond eight;

My neighbors for putting snakes down our backs as well as cherry bombs, because they did really like us, plus we liked making the zip line and hanging out in the Isetta’s. cool;

Of course AL and J for love, always, plus food;

Ralph, Kevin and Jerry forever;

My violin, guitar and voice and dance teachers all, sorry I failed you Mrs. H.

Colleagues throughout my work life including legislation, lobbying and consulting;

All my coaches;

Shorty, who is gone now but made me believe;

Our dear friend P who took care of our dog for a few months while we were overseas and is an inspired nurse-practitioner who will be a friend for life;

As to cooking, ask Ms. Peggy, as to life ask the people I was introduced to on my 40th birthday culinary extravaganza. The baker sings a cappella. I could tell you the town. but…..,

My sisters. That’s complicated and we’re not in touch but I dream of them all the time, with Mom.

That’s how it goes. Beginning to end. Family. I don’t expect them to be with me. That’s just the way it is. I do love discovering long lost mentors, however. They have shaped my life. Dee

 

 

 

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Non-Person

Posted on September 2, 2014 | Leave a comment

I’m trying to consolidate existing accounts with which I’ve had phone relationships in the past, and no-one will talk to me unless I have my husband on the phone. This is ridiculous as I’m on every account.

We may be moving interstate or internationally and it is important to have our affairs in order. If my husband died, it would take hell and high water for his loving spouse (me) to gain access to our accounts and information regarding bills due.

If I were run over by a bus it would take him years to sort things out because he’s not paid a bill or done taxes in 13 years. Add that to making breakfast or dinner. He is a connoisseur of bacon, however. House-made, cinnamon apple maple or pork savory. Otherwise he’d eat BBQ or burgers. Or pizza, just not mine made with perfect 00 flour, whole milk mozz and freshly sliced pepperoni. Add some sauteed baby bellas and perhaps a sliced, also sauteed pepper.

I’ve worked all my life and then became a Mrs. who is taken around the country and the world. Now I have to deal with all these vendors, including MY bank where I had an account and added him to it upon marriage and now they will not talk to me, and I’ve become a non-person. That’s my next fight. Banks, big companies, you don’t know what you’re in for. Heads up, people. Women, we exist and need to be heard.

Zoe the dog will be OK no matter what, and so will we. Cheers, Dee

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Thirteen Days

Posted on September 2, 2014 | Leave a comment

That’s what the Kennedy administration had to deal with the Cuban Missile Crisis. It is what we have to decide about life and work.

On scale it may not be important but it is to us. All the forces are coming down upon us and some change must happen and soon.

I’m the one on point. Please let me meld healthcare, retirement and other items so we can live a peaceful life. Thanks, cheers, Dee

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Rabbits, Hats and Air Force One

Posted on September 2, 2014 | 2 comments

I would have loved to be by the red carpet when our President, visiting a union rally, shook the hand of the Governor, noted union buster. Air Force One was right out on the tarmac while my husband and I were eating a burger outside of security. Yes, we were allowed real silverware. I asked if I could leave his bag for a minute to go twenty feet to the window to see the plane and the waiter said “there’s so much security here no-one will take it.”

This was a quick visit after many weeks and we got some business-type things taken care of, he slept a lot, we kept him on his time zone while I worked both with the dog, and we bought him some clothing to get by.

The two shirts didn’t work and he just asked me to go back to the store and get our money back later this week. I am noted to be sneaky, legally, as in finding ways around traffic. I called the store to tell them of their error, and they said the shirts could be returned. We’re talking $80 dress shirts. I then called the store by the airport and ordered two shirts sight unseen and asked them to put them up at the counter so no-one could purchase them.

We arrived, one shirt was un-pinned and ironed and my husband put it on, I drove him to the airport and he’s off again. He arrived safely.

Do you think I ruined all my rabbit and hat trick? We’re facing deadlines in life and work, the same deadline and we’ve thirteen days and the clock is ticking.

At the store, I saw a gorgeous paisley tie on the associate who was working there, a gift from his daughter, not from the store. I’m picking out bespoke shirts from Hong Kong and India/London and found two paisley ties. My shirt choices are from pink and purple, a new look for suits and being approachable as a tall guy.

My gut always tells me what to do. Right now we have to order shirts that will go with suits and ties because I know that’s the next step. Now it’s business casual and he always dresses 1-2 tiers up. This has been and is a rocky road but we always get through it. Hope your kids are happy being back at school and that you even got a vacation this year! We did not.

Here’s one half of the snack/lunch I brought the staff from the herb garden I envisioned and keep up and the photo didn’t come up. I made boursin with cream cheese, butter, all of our herbs and a clove of garlic. It was served on two vibrantly striped melamine trays with cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, snap peas and yellow peppers. A ramekin with our herb mix was in the center.

Life and work. Sometimes I really hate that my husband’s work determines our life and that I gave up my work to travel with him. Now we need to make decisions that will affect the rest of our lives, forever.

The cabin on a lake beckons. As long as there’s a Whole Foods nearby! I know what to do and need to make it happen. Don’t worry, Hipless Wonder Dog, you’re a part of it, too. Cheers! Dee

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Room

Posted on August 31, 2014 | Leave a comment

We expand as we need, up to nearly 1250 sf. Yes we’ve a second bedroom, the study. We bought an expensive futon to serve as a sofa and guest bedroom. The rest is the office.

Now I go in there to hydrate my guitar, get balloons for my husband to entertain local kids (yes, a software geek and balloon twister) and work the blinds for sun management.

Our dog is smarter, however. She has decided the 2nd bathroom is hers already, so has now claimed our “study,” using the carpet to wipe her face after meals and the futon to dry herself after a bath. Ten years ago I said “Adopt from the local shelter, pay $75 and rack the rest up in vet bills.” Luckily she’s been healthy since her two hip removals as a pup, and everyone in the neighborhood knows her and wants to pet her because she’s so kind and soft.

I don’t think we’ll go down as the only couple in history who gave up their guest bedroom and bath for their dog, but she sleeps on and under our bed so she’s taken the Master as well! Brava, Zoe. Happy Labor Day, we had great aged steaks last night and husband gets half of mine as steak and eggs this morning…. Dee

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Leaps of Faith

Posted on August 31, 2014 | Leave a comment

My husband came back to me after five weeks away at a new job across the country. Things have been a bit rocky over the phone so I asked if he was coming to seek a divorce.

That’s not in the plan. He’s been resting and the dog was mad at him but likes him again. Of course I do as well. As he’s across the country for a weekend and we’re trying to make it his time (I’m hungry) we’ve a plan to stay mainly on this time until things change.

I’m up at 4:00 and it’s 2:00 his time. He and the dog are sleeping soundly. I came out of our bedroom quietly and saw the last half of Lasse Hallstrom’s film Salmon Fishing in the Yemen for probably the third time and saw even more in it.

If you see it, you will see many leaps of faith. I’ve only a few films I’d own and this is one. This is how I met my husband right after 9/11. It then comes down to jobs and how we even adopted our dog who is with us over ten years later. Leaps of faith. I go with my heart, head and gut and know what to do.

There are no car chases or tanks or bombs in this film but if you see it as it is, there is faith in many areas and in order to earn self-acceptance one must take a chance. Cheers and happy Labor Day! Dee

 

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Good Morning

Posted on August 27, 2014 | Leave a comment

I brake for an old person and old dog in a crosswalk she created two years ago after six months of contacting city hall. The lady waves hello at me and gives me a thumbs up.

I peel out from a dead stop and run at the old lady and dog and nearly miss them. The old lady says this is a crosswalk! I respond “where you goin’ beatch.”

***

These are the two persons with whom we interacted this morning. Just a morning walk through a crosswalk I had created and even re-painted this summer. State rule says crosswalks are law, drivers always say otherwise and even honk their horns at one crossing the street legally, Dee

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Nice

Posted on August 23, 2014 | Leave a comment

My husband has been away with work for a few weeks so I’m not cooking as much and have a chance, when I’m well enough and take out the dog at least 4X per day, to catch up on local chatter.

Three days ago my good friend, Jake, passed. Yes, he’s a dog. I took good care of him until about a month ago, never charged a cent. He was a great dog and we always loved having him around. Sometimes people don’t do neighborly things, especially in a tower mid-city. I think I got to say goodbye when there was a 24/7 support system available and our final run-in on the sidewalk a couple of weeks ago. He always strained against the leash to see his Aunt Dee.

I ran into a doctor this evening who is moving out of the best place here and told me I was the nicest person she’s met here. To me that is a sad thing as we really only talked in the lobby or elevator. She gave me her phone number and said she’d find me a doctor.

Being nice has ramifations. In high school, you can’t be part of the clique. I never was, and was open for diversity in color, religion, and sexual orientation. I put those thougts to work writing laws for 34 million people and can only hope I did a good job doing so. In 1984 my subject was privacy and that bill I wrote was my baby and I even created a privacy task force to take in banking, insurance, health care and everything. We were the P Team and we anticipated what happened years later.

Here, I’ve had problems and have dealt with them, as in crosswalks because everyone speeds, a crosswaik is merely a hint although it is a state issue. We are also currently in the highest racially divided city in the US and that bothers me but tomorrow is another day.

Nice is an over-used and not appreciated term. Today, I consider it an honor. Cheers! Dee

 

 

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