The Sandwich Life

Christmas Squalor!

My friend Sasha posted on facebook the other day something to the effect of enjoying the Christmas squalor. As I looked out at our disaster of a house, bits of wrapping paper here and there, dining room table covered with Lego, messy kitchen....I thought Christmas squalor was the perfect, happy descriptor. And indeed, we have been enjoying it. Of course it's Chhistmas break so what happens? Yes, I get a cold. It's not horrid though. I spent much of yesterday on the couch but part of that was partly because I COULD. 

I have filed so many things away to tell you but now of course they are out of reach. A few random notes:

1. The other day Ernie told me he'd found something yellow on the bathroom floor. I said, "ewwww" because really, what else would you say? He grabbed some paper towels and went into the bathroom, only to come out a second later saying, "oh, it was just egg yolk." I just nodded my head because it didn't seem worth the effort to say, "WTF? Are the cats laying EGGS now? Is Owen making ramen in the SHOWER?" Sometimes it's best to just nod your head.

2. Overheard from Owen's Christmas day conversation with his Aunt Debbie, "No, the better question is, why WOULDN'T you want a baguette in your stocking?"

3. Yes, there was still Lego at Christmas.

4. And then the boys' incredibly generous Uncle Dennis showed up and there was a veritable WALL of Minecraft Lego....

5. Poor Bob sought refuge.

6. Best new recipe made over the holidays: Cranberry Horseradish Sauce! My friend Ceal had brought me a jar of her own horseradish. As I was perusing recipes for a sauce for our ham I found this one and we LOVED it! Somehow the sharpness of the horseradish tames the bitterness of the cranberry more effectively than just sugar does. We loved it and it took about two seconds to make!

Cranberry Horseradish Sauce
Epicurious

Cranberries mixed with sugar and citrus are perfectly fine for turkey, but pork needs something a little different. Here, the tart quality of the cranberries is underlined by the horseradish, and together they enhance the sweet, sturdy nature of roast pork.

1 (12-oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1 (6-oz) jar prepared horseradish, including juice, or 1/4 cup firmly packed finely grated peeled fresh horseradish
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
preparation

Bring cranberries, horseradish, sugar, and water to a simmer in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved. Simmer, uncovered, stirring and mashing berries frequently with spoon, until berries break down, 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.

7. And that's a jar of gorgeous lemon curd that my beloved Boo brought me. Mmmmmm. I love lemon! Once I have an oven perhaps I'll make something with it. "Once you have an oven," you say? That's right...I have no oven.

Sigh.

I was in the kitchen pulling together Christmas dinner. It was very simple and laid back....ham glazed with marmalade/garlic/mustard/brown sugar. I wanted to make scalloped potatoes but Owen requested mashed, simple creamed spinach, and the above mentioned cranberry sauce. I poured a bit more glaze on the ham and turned up the oven temperature. I busied myself doing other things when all of a sudden I saw a flash come from the oven. Not good. It ran through my head that maybe the glaze had burned from the broiler...only to realize that I wasn't using the broiler. I cautiousy peered into the oven and saw a small section of the baking element happily burning away. I hollered and eventually four Blackwelder boys crowded into the kitchen. We turned the oven off but it kept going....we eventually pulled the oven out into the middle of the kitchen so we could unplug it and it promptly went out. We went ahead and ate our unglazed pork but I couldn't help obsessing about the oven a bit. Later that night I went online and tried to find the part. Of course, no parts listed for our oven as it is too old so I did what any smart person would do and went to bed.

The next morning we looked at our bedraggled stove, the places where the plastic has broken through on buttons and you have to just reach in and push little things inside to set the timer, etc., and wondered whether it was time to bite the bullet and buy a new stove. Then we made the mistake of looking at our credit cards and realizing how much we've spent and how little credit we have left. Woo-hoooo! Merry Christmas! I cried and got grumpy. Ernie decided to try to get the baking element out to see if it matches a newer part. Only problem? He forgot we'd plugged the stove back in that morning. Whoops. I heard a yell come out of Ernie that I'd never heard before. We thought we'd totally destroyed the whole thing but eventually realized it had it's own circuit breaker. So we're back to having a stove top but no oven. We did eventually find a part online and we have our fingers crossed that it will fix it....because we went out and looked at stove and god damn they are expensive. There were some Samsungs I kinda liked but they all have buttons on the top that say things like "crispy pizza" or "chicken nuggets"! I am NOT buying a stove that says chicken nuggets on it. What were they thinking? Ernie just shook his head and told me he loved me. But honestly.....CHICKEN NUGGETS on the back of my stove for the rest of eternity?

Well, no matter as we can't afford a stove. Whew.

8. Well, enough about my Christmas squalor. Don't forget about KEVIN GORDON on New Year's Day! Potluck at 4:00 (bring something baked...ha!) and music at 5:00ish. Bring CASH, no PayPal this time. I'll be making Hoppin John and something else.....bring greens or cornbread or nothing at all. Just come and enjoy. He is a magnificent songwriter and a sweet pea to boot. Hope to see you! Just yell if you have any questions!

 

9. And on that note I must go as I'm in the kitchen and Ernie is attempting to take apart the dishwasher and he's getting REALLY grumpy! For the sake of a happy marriage and continuing our pleasant Christmas squalor...I bid you goodbye.

Merry Christmas all (twelve days...remember?)

 

Merry Christmas to All....

I wish I could just memorize some of the dialogue that goes on in this house. Owen woke us at 5:00 am this morning. He said he'd gone to Leo's room at 4:40 but Leo told him it was too early, that he had to wait until at least 5:00. "THANK YOU LEO" I yelled.

We'd left the lights on the trees going so when they got downstairs I heard Owen immediately bellowing with laughter because he saw the baguette in his stocking. For God knows what reason he'd wanted a baguette in his stocking....so Santa Claus obliged.

The boys were thrilled with their  presents and truly appreciative...does a mother's heart good. Leo has now disappeared into his room with his new 2 TB of storage and his DCC train controller. Owen has bounced all over the place and is now taking a walk with Ernie to show off his new coat.

I took my post-present-opening traditional Christmas morning nap and am now yelling at our stoned cats (catnip for Christmas despite my good sense), thinking leisurely about Christmas dinner and how to glaze the ham, listening to James Last Holiday Classics, and counting myself lucky, lucky, lucky.

Merry Christmas to all, with love and thanks for your kind friendship.

 

blurry pics because I was told 'NO FLASH MOM.'

Yes.

Ahhhhh. I worked a short time today and am now off, officially until January 5! I may have to do a little thing here and there...but off...for two weeks! After many years of working retail I am beyond grateful for the University's schedule. I remember Judi used to say, "Really? You have to work over the holidays?" and I would get so irritated with her. Now I understand because it's become somewhat normal for me after, let me see....after THIRTEEN years of working for the University. Man, that's just crazy.

Anyway, as always, Owen finds the week before Christmas enormously stressful because he's so excited. Today he wanted to go someplace to look for an amp for the old turntable he just scored from the fourth room, and instead we sent him to the basement. Pathetic I know but there's a whole nother world down there! I heard shouts and yelps and finally he and Ernie came up with various boxes as well as an old amp. It seems to be working well enough, so when I came home from work today I could hear the Kinks pouring out of the upstairs of our house. He is BEYOND excited and made me come up and admire the set up. I told him to be careful not to play it too loud for Leo and he cheerfully reported that he'd given Leo his headphones.

Lord I love those boys.

Owen just pulled Ernie back downstairs to the basement and has now brought a whole box of Kinks albums up to his room. Ernie's heart, just like the grinch's, grew umpteen sizes. He's sitting up there with him. I stuck my head in Leo's room and he pulled the headphone off his ear to talk to me and seemed pretty cheerful. I'm cooking dinner right now and when I'm down we're all going to curl up and eat while watching a Christmas movie.

A few minutes ago I heard someone walking around upstairs and thought it was Ernie so I yelled up. Turns out it was Owen. As he cheerfully expained, he was trying to see how loud it was in our bedroom when he played music. He told me that with the door closed it wasn't too bad...and besides, sometimes it's nice to fall asleep to music, so it might help us sleep. So thoughtful, that boy....

Good God.

I love those boys.

Owen also found a box from my parents' house that we'd never unpacked (shameful I know) and it turned out to be full of family photos from when I was a baby that I had never seen. He also found a bunch of cds of photos I thought I'd lost in a flood. Amazing. I assured him it was the best Christmas present I could have possibly had.

Love those boys. Love them, love them, love them.

Merry Christmas all...and a shout out of love to my friend Pete.

 

Small Holiday Miracles

Two small miracles happened the other morning. Halfway to Owen's school, I turned and said, "Didn't you need to bring  your tri-fold to work on in class today?" He said, "Ohhhhhh...shite" and Ernie turned the car around. The miraculous thing was that I didn't get irritated. Then from the back seat came some godawful noises and Owen hacking or snorting or coughing or clearing his throat or something like that....and I said, "Good God, you sound like you're an 80 year old man." The miraculous thing that happened then? HE didn't get irritated and offended. He laughed a little, then laughed some more, and then kept laughing....all the way home to get his tri-fold.

Small holiday miracles.

Last night. One of my favorite goblets...Acorn Band...gotta be 1870ish Portland Glass Company with that mold detail, don't you think? A Christmas card from Fats and Kristi Rose with one of Fats' delightful drawings, and the little white tree that my Dad's mother gave my folks years ago. I love it. The lavendar lights are my very favorites.

 

 

Don't Count Out Bob Rasmus!

Wow. So Bob Rasmus has thrown his hat in the ring for Mike Frerich’s seat. That seat, of course, is opening up because Frerichs is moving on to State Treasurer. I know Naomi Jakobsson has said no to it because she doesn't want to run in two years, but if I can't have Naomi...I can't think of a better person than Bob Rasmus. There are a LOT of people that have expressed interest in the seat so who knows what will happen but just the same…DAMN Bob would be fantastic! I truly believe Bob Rasmus would be a brilliant choice. He’s one of the hardest workers I know, and one of the most thoughtful and passionate people that I know.

 As my mother once famously said, “Bob is a complicated man.” She said it because he showed up at her door in his minister’s collar with a dashing yellow Karmann Ghia in the drive behind him. She thought that was an interesting combination. And of course, she was right, Bob’s an intriguing combination of traits and beliefs and history. Bob’s not simple to pin down and I think his job history shows it. From Tom Kacich’s column in the News-Gazette today:

Rasmus, 60, has an intriguing background: former political reporter in Iowa, former congressional press secretary, served as an Army medic, a Lutheran minister for 20 years, 14 years at St. Matthew, past chair of the Lutheran Social Services of Illinois board, and a husband and father to a seventh-grade daughter.

"One of the talents I think I bring is the ability to build coalitions and partnerships," he said.

If you think someone who has that history and has worked as a minister for 20 years doesn’t know politics, well think again. Bob would be brilliant in this position. I gotta think of a word other than brilliant but that’s what comes to mind. He knows what it’s like to represent people, to advocate for them, to get things done. More importantly he believes in the honor of public service…no matter that it might get down and dirty…I mean Bob knows how to fight…but he still sees service as an honor.

Wow.  Hearing this just made my day.

Go Bob!

Take the Next Six Months to Pay These Bills...Christmas Comes But Once A Year

Good homemade pizza last night...ours was sweet yellow bell pepper with sausage and capers.

Owen seems to be going for some kind of blonde dreadlock kind of thing with his hair and it's driving me insane. INSANE.

However, he is my sweet pea and a wonderful romantic. Lately he likes to stand back and watch Ernie and I talk to each other and then he'll sigh and say, "You two are so cute together." After the last house concert, our friends Heather and Steve were leaving at the very end. I forget what they were doing exactly....Heather was probably making some kind of very dry comment and Steve was probably laughing. Anyway, after they walked out the door Owen looked at me and said, "I don't think their marriage will ever end." I told him I thought he was right.

We also had some strange conversation that I finally realized was about sex. Evidently Owen thought we only had sex on Saturday nights. When I told him that wasn't the case he was utterly appalled. Lord I love that boy.

I think I'm almost done with Christmas shopping...except for some stocking presents. Yet again, I have followed my parents' lead and spent way too much. I so admire the people who make the holiday about things other than gifts. But me? I'm a sucker or buying present for my boys. Ernie and I got a refrigerator for Christmas...oh, and we DID just splurge on Marty Stuart tickets at the Watseka Theatre on Valentine's Day, so we're all set. 

Ernie and I just keep singing Amos Milburne's Christmas Comes But Once a Year....

Christmas time comes but once a year
I'm so happy and the kids are happy too
You'll take the next six months to pay these bills
Every time I think about it, it gives me chills
I don't care, Christmas comes but once a year

Getting ready to have myself a ball
Going dancing, gonna dance in every hall
I'm gonna finger pop till New Years Day
And I don't care what I have to pay
I don't care, Christmas comes but once a year

After all, all is said and done
I hope your friends are the only ones
Take the next six months to pay these bills
Every time I think about it, it gives me chills
I don't care, Christmas comes but once a year

I don't care, Christmas comes but once a year

After all, all is said and done
I hope your friends are the only ones
Take the next six months to pay these bills
Every time I think about it, it gives me chills
I don't care, Christmas comes but once a year

I don't care, Christmas comes but once a year

 

Shout outs full of love to Phil Harris (everyone focus and send your cancer killing energies to St. Louis) and Fats and Kristi Rose, whom I miss terribly this Christmas. Go buy their Christmas album...it's up there with Vince Guaraldi.

 

Random Pictures from the Christmas Life

Can you tell how busy I've been? Not a minute to post. Here are a few pictures for now....

I love foggy nights.

Oh Rascal....



Curled up on the couch eating thai shrimp curry made by Ernie, Annie waiting watchfully....

Saltines and Rudolph

I ate saltines for dinner last night. I've had some kind of stomach bother going on this week. Blegh. I'm thinking maybe I should give up dairy for awhile and see what happens. Anyway...despite my meal of saltines last night was delightful. I was all excited about watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. We were getting ready, listening to the John Prine Christmas album, and I sent Ernie upstairs to see if Leo would come down and watch Rudolph with us. And.....Leo....said.....YES. You could have knocked me over with a feather, a delighted, happy, adoring feather!

Of course we all talked through it which made Leo crazy. I pointed out that Santa was really a bit of a dick. Leo, said, "MOommmm" while Owen shouted that Santa was racist. I pointed out that he was really nosist. Leo said you can NOT just add -ist to a world like that. I said you could. Leo told everybody to be quiet, that this is why he doesn't watch shows with us. He had a bit of a smile though.

It was a wonderful evening.

I love those boys.

In other news Rascal has gotten even higher in the tree. You can't really pull him out or you'll pull of the ornaments, etc. Instead Ernie shot a spray of Febreze toward him and he dropped like a stone.

Ahhh...family life.

Random Pictures from the Sandwich Life

Our beloved Eva's take on her grandfather. I swear to God, when I read the part to Ernie about "it's time for a grown up show now" he almost wept with laughter. This is why our children grew up on the Daily Show rather than Sesame Street. Bob Munson is a good man. And he's not fat when he's real.

A quintet of some of my favorite women at hte house concert the ot her night...

Another shot of the Gordyville show. I guess it just brings me back to the halcyon days of the Kane County Flea Market....maybe that's why I like it so much.

Ernie with my glasses, trying to look more like Owen. Leo and I are sitting on the other side of the booth rolling our eyes....

Owen didn't seem to approve of the Fries and Peanuts Holiday windows, but I think they're delightful!

And last, but not least.....my Christmas trees...from Richard Hill....

Random Notes from a DECEMBERSONGS Weekend

1. Rascal.

Sigh.

2. Heather showed me this short video clip on her phone and at first I just thought, "oh my tree looks so nice." Then I wondered why two ornaments were glowing....and then I realized of course that it was Rascal. He stayed there for photo opps until the band started to play. Geez. I believe he's removed about 6 ornaments since I got up this morning. This is why they make them cute. Kittens and babies that is.

 

3. We got up and headed off to the Gordyville Antique show yesterday morning. Not as early as SOME people (Heather) but not too bad. I don't really even know why I love that show so much. We rarely buy much but I just love it anyway. 

4. It was misty and gray and the fields looked beautiful. On the way home we drove through Gifford. We hadn't been through there since not long after the tornado. It's still disorienting. There are many new houses where the old ones were but the trees still have that after the storm look....and of course many of the old trees are just gone. We drove by Ernie's folks' old house. It looks great but I barely recognized it. I kept saying "I THINK that's it...." New siding, porch, doors, windows...it's hard to reconcile it with my memories. Across the street where the Bucks' house had been destroyed is a brand new house. Kind of mindboggling.

5. This year we purchased three metal cups because the purple one was so intensely purple...we just got the green ones so it wouldn't feel alone. Then we found an acorn ornament. I have a big soft spot for acorns so I blinked at Ernie until he said, "Do you want it?". And last but definitely not least....we found my new Christmas tree for the mantel! Ernie kind of laughed at me but I liked it....and it was only $4! Yes, it's plastic and coming out of a white plastic boot but I think it's charming. I'd had my eyes on some at Pier 1 because I like having some that are lighted....other than our beloved blinking Ikea tree...but I couldn't pass up this guy.

6. The rest of the day was comprised of a bit of reading, television watching, napping, and cooking. Thanks to DECEMBERSONGS for making me feel that the holidays are here!