The Joy of Team Cooking

This new year will mark a new phase in the life of the M family, as the new year is coincidentally the beginning of our new life with a kitchen and a new appreciation for food. My role will be to play the culinary second fiddle to Mr. M, and his extreme enthusiasm in many things of epicurean culture, especially meat. I will be the woman at the stove. So far, I have steamed some broccoli in a way that you've probably never seen broccoli steamed before, and I have heated water to perfection to make the perfect cup of tea. I have yet to boil the corn I bought ("The CORN! Don't let me forget the corn!"), and I also chose an ear of corn still in the husk that I can grill on the grill that is on the stovetop. I choose the stovetop as my primary, possibly only, choice in food preparation techniques because Mr. M meticulously chose an oven and a dual speed microwave that both have a million buttons, and lights, and ding or beep every time you touch the darn things.

We watched "Julie and Julia" tonight for inspiration, and, I was more inspired to write on my blog than to cook anything.

After spending weeks with all of our displaced kitchen paraphernalia lying around our house in boxes and making an obstacle course of every movement we make, we have been able to slowly start putting our stuff back in a sensible place. Unfortunately, I can't hang my little windchimes in the kitchen now (there is nowhere to hang them from), so I've hung them in my office, in front of the window. My grandmother always had a little windchimes in the house. She hung hers above the heater so that you heard the pretty chimes when it was chilly inside.

A Confirmed Computer Geek Who Loves Books

Who in the world would be writing on their blog on Christmas day?? Well, there is much to do here at the house, but nothing I can do without help, and my help, following Christmas tradition, has gone to Jack-In-The-Box. Mr. M. got me a great mystery novel for Christmas. I know it's very cliché, but books really are friends, and I see that clearly now. For my entire life, I have retreated to books when I've needed to get away from unpleasant company and/or situations, much the same way as I go to a trusted friend to find retreat from unpleasant company and/or situations.

Christmas Pizza.

There's nothing too exciting about a frozen pizza, except when it's in a NEW KITCHEN, and it's even more exciting when it's Christmas Eve. We'll have my dad as a guest tomorrow, for a roast, mashed potatoes, grilled corn, and broccoli. Mr. M. is preparing even now to use a wok to do the broccoli. We'll be chefs yet. I was inspired last night to go to the bookstore and look through the cookbooks, maybe buy one, and learn to cook. HOWEVER, what actually happened is that I went to the bookstore, and after flipping through a few cookbooks, I got intimidated and went to the coffeeshop for a mocha and read about Mandy Moore's new year's resolutions. (Did you know she recently married a musician named Ryan, and she doesn't like to play guitar in public?!?)

Desert-dwelling Leprochauns

My dad used to ride motorcycles. He was in a group known as the Shamrocks, and their logo was, unsurprisingly, a green shamrock. He raced in the desert. In the early 60s, my dad was the AMA (American Motorcycle Association)champion. Now I not only have another clue pointing to Irish heritage, but also another clue as to why the desert is where my heart is.

My Town

I remember reading Harriet the Spy when I was young. Harriet and her friends played Town, wherein each participant had a role. Harriet was the mayor, someone was the postman, someone else the grocer, etc., etc. I suppose this blog is my version of Town, and I am the mayor. My readers are all citizens here in my town, and I am most happy to have them.

One Week Later

Oh, it was a lovely night; soft,warm breeze, birds chirping in the dusk, Rufus frollicking like a pup. I had so many nice thoughts about writing, and writing succinctly, and speaking the same way, because, after all, that's what I AM-a writer, and that's what I DO-write and speak succinctly. I think in outlines. I speak using headings and sub-headings. No fanciful or superfluous words for me. And then it started. I started to shake. It was disappointing, unusual, even unprecedented. I had stopped shaking during a walk before, but I had never started shaking during a walk. My muscles tightened, and it hurt. I had to bend over to get some relief, and I thought about just laying down on one of the concrete benches in the park. I got home and sat in the massage chair that is hooked over the old Corvette seats in the living room. I am still shaking now, but my muscles don't hurt so much, and my head is relieved to have gotten these thoughts out.

Plastic Paddy, or, My Irish Heritage

I have tried inquiring into my racial heritage. The only clues that I came upon are: 1. that my mom insisted Mr. M and I had a bagpipe player at our wedding and 2. my short temper. Joining those two clues together in a cultural context, I came to the conclusion that I must be Irish. (Oh, and my blue eyes and white skin ruled out any African descent.) This hasn't been confirmed nor denied by any family. However, friends have tried to throw doubt on my logical conclusion by pointing out that they have never noticed any temper tantrums from me. I knocked them out. We're not the Fighting Irish for nothin'!

DECEMBER 20

My dad used to ride motorcycles. He was in a group known as the Shamrocks, and their logo was, unsurprisingly, a green shamrock. He raced in the desert. In the early 60s, my dad was the AMA (American Motorcycle Association)champion. Now I not only have another clue pointing to Irish heritage, but also another clue as to why the desert is where my heart is.

Rain, Tea, and Heaven

The gentle music of the rain comes in through the open window. I remember God sends rain on the just and the unjust, and I pray I fall into the category of the just. I would love a hot drink on this cold day, but I know it's impossible for me even to hold a cup of tea on days like this when I am shaking. I think of Heaven, and how nice it will be to have huge mugs so that I can have hot tea anytime I want. But wait! I won't need huge mugs in Heaven in order to solve the problem, because in Heaven there will be no problem; I won't have this disease that makes me shake, this disease that limits me in unexpected ways.

Una Nueva Cocina, Una Nueva Dedicación a Estudiar y Leer y Escribir en Español, with the English translation following

He dejado a hacerse lleno de polvo mis sesos. Me he hizo perezosa con el español. Voy a reasumir escribiendo en español en mi diario, y también voy a leer y estudiar mi Nuevo Testamento. Supongo que se puede decir que ésto es mi resolución de 2010.

He estado creciendo mucho espiritualmente, especialmente por conociendo otros Cristianos que no creen exactamente como yo. He comenzado a asistir BSF, un estudio Bíblico internacional. También, he estado ayudando en la sala de clase del tercer grado con mi amiga profesional. Una vez y otra, tengo que preguntar los estudiantes a ayudarme con preguntas de multiplicación. ¡No puedo creer cuánto he olvidado! Una vez fuí un estudiante bueno y inteligente. Ese tiempo es muy pasado.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

I said a lot of things, nothing amazingly important.

Most Selfish Christmas Song

It is time for the cheesy holiday music to come out. That much is painfully obvious. But I do find one very disturbing idea in this season of caring and giving. "Since WE'VE nowhere to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow." What about all the people who do have to go out in the rain, huh??? What about them??? I don't believe this doesn't bother anybody else. And that's all I have to say about THAT!