The Sandwich Life

Random Notes from the Sandwich Life

1.  Had someone out to my mother's house and they couldn't find the possum but they did find two nests in the basement.  He couldn't figure out how it got in.  He said usually possums come in low but he could have gotten into the attic and come down through the walls.  EEEUUUUUGH!  I don't know....possums in the basement don't freak me out....possums crawling in my walls DO.  Oh....and he also saw raccoon footprints on a drain pipe near where he thinks they could have gotten in the attic....turns out raccoons can  shimmy up drain pipes.  Who knew? He's coming back today with traps.

2.  Ernie and I were driving past the old Collegiate Cap and Gown yesterday evening and we saw a badger scurry across the road.  What is going on?

3.  We can't seem to keep our pool water from turning green this year.  Something to work on when we get back from Maine.

4.  I have an incredible sinking tree in my yard.  There's a big tree in our front yard----well, actually it seems to be half on our land and half on the land of our, uh, interesting neighbor.  Branches don't break on this tree....they just sag to the ground and the other day a huge branch that is over our yard did the sag thing.  We're going to have to get it taken care of---I don't think we can do it ourselves and the tree is going to look odder than ever but God knows we can't afford to take the whole thing down.  sigh.

5.  We take off for Maine on Thursday morning and we'll be going with three boys not two.  Our beloved neighbor Ricky is going to come with us.  The boys are WAY excited....as we are!

6.  I'll miss you while we're gone little blog but I decided it would be good for me NOT to take my laptop.  That way I won't obsess about redesigning my blog and spend useless hours trying to teach myself photoshop in order to create a new banner and trying to find internet access so I can post....

7.  Ernie and I went to Barnes and Noble last night and picked out some summer reading.  One of the few times we indulge in buying books rather than going to the library is before vacation.  I was uninspired looking at fiction but got another Ruth Reichl book as well as the Barbara Kingsolver one about local eating.  Last year I read The United States of Arugula on the beach and loved it....always meant to post about it but never did....  Ernie got a book on Tom Petty.  He's kind of going through a Tom Petty phase....

8.  A bit of my borage, my pineapple mint and my thyme....

Random Notes from the Sandwich Life

1.  The other day in a fit of rage Owen yelled at his father, "Dad, you, you SAVAGE FOOL."  Huh.

2.  The frigging Japanese beetles are destroying my Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate plant.  Damn them.

3.  I made a bad dinner from good ingredients last night.  Made a wonderful sort of corn salsa/salad of corn, poblano peppers, garlic and great tomatoes.  Unfortunately put it over some salmon that just  tasted bad.  Not bad like gone bad, make you sick....just bad.  First I thought maybe it wasn't cooked enough although I tend to like fish more towards underdone than overdone.  Cooked it some more and it still just tasted funky.  Threw it and my beautiful corn salsa in the trash.  I made do with curried popcorn...Ernie made do with nothing.

4.  It looks like Ripe Persimmons is winning.  I must defend poor Indiana Clay though----the color isn't true on my computer anyway.  I really like Indiana Clay at night but during the day it's got too much pink in it.  At night I love it but I think we're going with Ripe Persimmons.....or dreamsicle.....

5.  I'm embarrassed to say that I never knew that the Joan Jett song I Love Rock N  Roll was a cover.  I have discovered a new favorite pop band though....the Arrows....DO watch this video....oh, and from an Arrows website:

Some little known facts about Jake Hooker (the guitarist for the Arrows)--As a manager, in 1979 Jake got Hilly Michaels a million dollar deal with Warner Brothers records, and he orchestrated the deal for the first big budget MTV style video to promote Hilly's single "Calling All Girls". It was a landmark, breakthrough video in the industry.

Sunday again....geesh.

You know, some days just go more smoothly than others.  I went to bed last night relatively cross and tired.  The damn hormones Ernie takes can make his temper flare sometimes in new and interesting ways.  Now mind you…the man has a temper of his own so I don’t blame the hormones for everything but as any woman knows….hormones can push you over the edge sometimes. And when he gets irrational---insisting the meat from the grill had been on long enough and the fire was very hot when the meat was still half raw…..I mean, did he have some new and rare heat-impervious meat?......I blame it on the hormones and he should count himself lucky that I do so.  Anyway  I woke up and reminded Owen that we were going to church to see Father Joe wear the vestments that Debbie gave him and he gave me an “I KNOWWWW” and thus the mood for the morning was set.  Getting Owen to get ready in the morning is a one of mankind’s major challenges.  Eventually I dragged a remorseful Owen off to church, racing my little minivan down University Avenue so we wouldn’t be late.  Church was fine although all I could do was sit and think about how I could escape from the whole household that afternoon.  Halfway through the mass Owen asks where the bathroom is.  Groan.  I asked him if he could hold it and he nodded and said very earnestly, “for another minute or so.”  So we took off looking for a bathroom, finally found it and managed to get back to our pew right before communion.  I got a picture of Owen with Father Joe but it doesn’t show the vestment off too well-----sorry Debbie.

We went over to the parish center for coffee and doughnuts although I don’t know why I say that---my father was the only one that had coffee.  Owen had a doughnut and chocolate milk and I had the big cream filled doughnut type thing that Owen had suggested for me because he had put his hand all over it---and a glass of milk.  Owen drove me crazy and wasn’t quite as charming as I would have liked when someone I knew came over to chat.  Ah well.  We headed off to my mother’s house to do her grocery shopping.  We walked in and the place reeked of the cats’ litterbox.  Evidently her homecare person hadn’t gotten to it this week.  So I went into the kitchen and my mother told me there was a bird in the house.  This is not what I was in the mood for.  Mom suggested I use a plastic grocery bag to catch it.  Huh?  Eventually I did try that because I couldn’t find a damn thing else to use.  Of course the bird just flew at me and I screamed and the poor bird was terrified.  Then I found a wicker trash can and tried to scoop it up in that---it managed to get away but flew towards the door I had propped open. O-kaaaaaay.  Cleaned the litterbox and started going over the shopping list with my mother.  I was feeling mildly irritable so when she started telling me that she couldn’t afford hummus I tried to say that she HAD to have food and food costs money….all of a sudden Owen yelled, “HEY…she’s your mother.”  “Yeah?  I know,” I said and then he continued, “well she’s your mother so she’s the boss of you and the boss of her house and you were using a voice like you were the boss of her.”   I was struck silent.  Owen and my mother both gave me pleased smiles so I said, “o.k…..I’m going to the store and the pharmacy and left.”  He was right.  He was definitely right.

Finished running around, said good bye and Owen and I went home.  I was exhausted and needed awhile to recover.  Poor Ernie tried to get me into a good mood to no avail.  Finally we wrestled the guys into the car and went and got paint samples at Lowe’s.  I hate Lowe’s.  The paint guy was patently stupid and not even amusingly stupid enough to recount here.  I got confused by the pool chemicals and the boys were being less than enthusiastic.  We got home and put some samples of Indiana Clay and Ripe Persimmons on the wall.  We’re sitting outside now and I think my mood is finally lightening.  Tomorrow is a busy day at work with my boss back for the first time in a month.  Maine is not far off…our van needs work….the boys are pissed at me for not letting them watch tv or play on the computer right now.  Eh well. Another Sunday.

Here's my first harvest of my pole beans....they were AMAZINGLY beany!!  So all is not bad.....

Life is good....

Look at my first sugar snap pea:

Random Pictures from the Sandwich Life

Judi with her guys----each of them with their standard response to a camera....

Gimme a blonde with a Rickenbacker anyday....

I took this a few weeks ago but didn't have a chance to put it on with everything going on.  I may love poppy buds more than poppies....

Random Notes from the Sandwich Life

1.  I have been terribly upset by Ted Kennedy's diagnosis and treatment of cancer.   Not surprising I suppose....lots of flashpoints there for me.....cancer, age, brain surgery (my father had a brain tumor and numerous surgeries when I was young).....but it has made me incredibly sad. Very, very sad.

2.  The other day as Owen was leaving the house in full Indiana Jones regalia I said, "bye Indy."  He paused, strode back in, kissed me and said, "bye Marion."

3.  Owen is being resistant to wearing ANYTHING other than his Indiana Jones outfit.  Please note that includes long pants and a long sleeved shirt and it's going to be 90 degrees this week.  I tried to convince him that I'm sure Indy wears shorts when it's really hot out but he just shook his head slowly and said, "Harrison Ford might...but not Indy....."  How do you argue with that?

4. Ernie says I'm a Lego enabler.  huh.  I say we merely have a Lego-centric household. However the Starks family very kindly (they have felt sorry for us when they saw the sea of lego drifting across the first floor of our house) gave us a wonderful Lego table.  The guys are thrilled and so are we because Lego City has actually remained OFF the floor for over two days now.  Woo-hoooooo!

5. My car stinks to high heaven again...I would have left my windows open today except it's supposed to rain. I'm sure it's just cooking away in the heat.  Oh well....I'm passing it off to my sister Judi this evening.  No radio, no air conditioning and now it stinks....she's REALLY going to appreciate the loan....

6.  One of my sugar snap pea vines has reached the top of its little trellis!!!!

7.  My sister Debbie gave us a panini press and although I don't know where the hell I'll put it...I love it!  We made the most wonderful sandwiches the other day....big slices of rosemary olive oil bread with some chicken breast, prosciutto, pesto, arugula and smoked gouda cheese. Almost sounds like a case of too many ingredients but they were absolutely amazing sandwiches.  I'm all about crunchy grill marks on bread...yay!

Random Friday Notes from an Open-faced Sandwich

1.  Well, I'm open-faced because my sister Debbie is still here and it means I don't have to worry about my mother.  I'm trying to convince Debbie to move here....it's hopeless but I try anyway.  Yesterday my pitch was that Champaign is laid out on a grid unlike Boston...making it much  easier to get around.  I was making up this pitch in my mind as I drove to work and I tried to think of the name of Utah's largest city----a great example of a city laid out on a grid.  I tried and tried to think of it.....first I came up with St. Louis but thought no....that's in Missouri.  It must have taken me half a mile to come up with Salt Lake City....could this be early dementia?  Please tell me it's just stress....

2.  I'm now torturing myself as to whether I requested the right teacher for Owen next year.  Life has been so overwhelming of late that sometimes I just feel like I'm not doing right by my guys....and let's face it....they're more important than anything else.  Sometimes I just get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. That's my latest stomach pit.  Hmmmm.....I kind of like that term, 'stomach pit.'  Makes it sound kind of like an olive pit.  Maybe if I visualize it like that I can put it in perspective....

3.  I've been trying to figure out why I haven't liked any of my pictures of late.  I finally realized that Typepad's new fancy compose post feature changed my defaults and my pictures are just too damn small....  Is this better?  It's one of my single white peonies with some overgrown lovage next to it.



4.  I get out of work at noon on Fridays as I work long days Monday through Thursday.  Ernie and I have gotten into the habit of going out to lunch together before we go pick up the boys.  It's been such a nice treat but today will be the last time until fall.  Not that I won't like being home with my guys on Friday afternoons but it's so nice to be with just my husband.

5.  Made a pretty good dinner for my sister last night although I wouldn't repeat the menu even though I liked all the elements.  I made Chicken Saltimbocca with a baked penne with asparagus and a salad.  The penne was good but I think too rich for the chicken dish.  The chicken was great though.  I had beautiful tender sage leaves from my garden for it.....very simple dish.  A bit of a pan sauce with lemon juice over it.  Of course we ate too late.  I seem incapable of getting a meal on time.  Oh well....we all have our strengths I guess....



6.  The pink peonies are blooming.  When I was growing up we had a whole row of these alongside one side of our house.  I remembers waiting SO impatiently for them to bloom so I could bring flowers to the teacher.  I was always jealous of the kids that brought tulips and lilacs as we didn't have any and it always felt like it was touch and go as to whether the peonies would bloom before school was over.  They always did but I always worried....

7.  This morning as we attempted to shovel Owen off to school he bellowed "WHY DON'T YOU GUYS HEAR ME?" AND "NOBODY GETS ME."  If he does this at six what do the teenage years hold?

8.  Has anyone else with Typepad had weird statistics of late?  Mine seem to be changing....for days in the past.....hmmmmm.

9.  The fucking hormones make Ernie so tired sometimes.  I need to be more aware of that and try not to let himself (and me) push him to do too much.  I hate seeing him exhausted.

10.  Here are my guys...Kane Welch Kaplin...doing a great version of Something About You.   Suits my mood this morning.  Of course the date we scheduled them to play at our house turns out to be Dad's Day weekend in Champaign....no hotel rooms...  Geesh....nothing goes smoothly.  We'll figure it out though...

Come on summer....

As Owen chatted to me while I lay in bed this morning, busily buttoning up his Indiana Jones shirt, I yawned and told him I was sleepy this morning.  He nodded seriously and said, "I thought you might be.  You worked allllll day yesterday, then you went and got your toenails painted and then you came home and you talked and you worked on the computer."  He paused and confided, "I'm just guessing about that computer part."  I told him he was right and he gave me a pleased smile.  Then from downstairs came a bellow from Leo, "OWEN, would you hurry up---we're going to be LATE."  We both giggled and I kissed him goodbye.

He was in a good mood even though evidently he will not be allowed to be part of a classroom celebration because he didn't recopy his poems onto the correct paper for 'publishing.'  I also had to spend awhile recently convincing him that he really WILL be going to first grade.  With wide eyes he insisted that he wouldn't be.  I just have to take a deep breath and believe in karma......

grrrrrrr

So come on summer.....I'm ready for dirty boys trotting home when the streetlights go on.  I'm ready to sit in my front yard and watch for bats,  I'm ready for more relaxed mornings as I'm the only one racing around getting ready to leave.  I'm ready for my GARDEN.  I may not be ready for the heat but I'm ready for most everything else.

Had a great time last night getting a pedicure and hanging out with my sister.  Of course I conked out early but she was kind and indulgent.  I hate to think about her leaving....  Oh well, tonight we celebrate her anniversary for NINETEEN years of sobriety!  Of course I'm trying new recipes as I'm wont to do but hopefully it will work out.

In other news Owen thought teeball was AWESOME last night and Leo stayed with my mom while Ernie and Owen were at the park.  This actually works out nicely as it gives my mom some time with just Leo---and that's when he chats and chats to her....so it's good for both of them.

Things are growing too....here are my little baby nasturtiums, some swiss chard seedlings (why do I always  plant everything too close when I KNOW I'm lousy at thinning?) and a colander full of tender young thyme.....

Random Notes from the Sandwich Life

The weekend crawled by at the same time it flew by.  How is that?  Friday after my wonderful meeting and school we rushed the boys home and into the car and met my sister and my mother for a viewing of the all-important Indiana Jones movie.  Here is Owen on his way in full regalia:


















As he got out of the car he all of a sudden was nervous and said he was afraid people would laugh at him.  His constant bedeviler Leo reassured him that they wouldn't.  Owen just stopped and stared at Leo and said, "why are you being so nice to me if you hate me?  I don't get it."  Leo made some inarticulate growling noise but the damage was done.....he'd been nice to his brother....

Leo found the movie a little 'weird and scary' but Owen positively cackled all the way through it.  Afterwards we back to Mom's house and had an impromptu pizza party with our friends Ann and Bob. Overall a lovely day but I COLLAPSED once I got home.

Saturday morning I couldn't drag myself out of bed so Ernie hit the farmers' market for me (good man).  Brought home strawberries, asparagus and two of the best pork chops I have eaten in my life.  Kudos to Triple S Farms.....Lisa, Mel and others are right-----we really need to start buying more of our meat there.

















So we spent much of the weekend getting the garden put together....buying some plants, planting them, weeding (well Ernie anyway) and pulling out our fountain, etc.  Leo camped out in a tent with some friends Sunday night.  He did fine but I didn't sleep well AT ALL.  I wouldn't let Owen go and he just sobbed and hiccuped, "why do all the big kids get to have all the fun?"  It's hard being the youngest sometimes....

Things are blooming and lush in our yard and Monday felt like summer with the wretched humidity....



































On Memorial Day we went out to the cemetery.  They were having a Memorial Day service complete with soldiers, the guys in capes (what are they called Debbie?) etc.  It pleased me so much because it makes the cemetery an even better spot for Dad.  I had brought ferns, hosta leaves, peonies and honeysuckle branches to lay on the graves of Dad and Ernie's parents.  Of course I had planned to lay it out in a certain way but Owen thought we should circles Grandpa's grave with the ferns "because he was a good man."  Couldn't argue with that so circle he did.  I stood with Leo in front of my beloved mother-in-law's grave and Leo just solemnly said, "Grandma Alice made the best milkshakes in the world."  Quite a legacy.  Whenever we make milkshakes we talk about Grandma Alice.

We went back to my mother's house and we had brought a picnic-y kind of lunch although it was too cool and gray for my mother to sit outside.  Grilled chicken, roasted asparagus, a darn good potato salad and strawberry shortcake for dessert....asparagus and strawberries from the farmers' market.  Then we all thought we'd immediately fall asleep between the big lunch and the temperature my mother keeps her house at.....  I should have just put myself out of my misery and taken a nap but I didn't want to 'waste' the afternoon so I stayed up and was grumpy.  Makes sense, huh?  The evening ended well however with a triumphant neighborhood lemonade stand (I'm still trying to get the concept across that the lemonade mix isn't FREE but we have a ways to go) and a viewing of Owen's new favorite, E.T.  He looked up in amazement at the end and said, "I didn't even cry this time."  I just snuggled with him a lot.  A good evening.  Then I got mad at Ernie because I gave him a plate of food with a fork I had used to take a bite of the LAST of the potato salad that I was giving him and he rejected it for a clean fork. Should have taken a nap.....

Oh.....and as we were sitting at the cemetery

Owen: Do you know who looks like Indiana Jones?
Me:  No, who?
Owen:  Don
Me:  Don Gerard?
Owen:   yup
Me:  Well, I think Don is a little younger than Indiana Jones
Owen (scrunching up his face and thinking):  Is Don in his 50's?
Me:  uh, no Owen.  Don is younger than Mommy and she's still in her 40's
Owen:  well, when Don is in his 60's he'll look just like Indiana Jones

Happy Memorial Day everyone.....

Scattered

My mind is more scattered than ever.  Last night I was going to try to plant my zinnias and nasturtiums and I said to Ernie, "I can't find the cosmo seeds you bought the other day."  The man just stared at me and finally I said, "uh....did I just dream that?" and he nodded his head.  Huh.  Oh well, I'm going to go buy the rest of the seeds I need....like cosmos.....and plant tonight if possible.  We'll see what the rain is like today.

I'm confusing my dreams with reality, I can never remember what time of year it is.....I assume this will all correct itself at some point and I'm not dealing with early dementia....  Speaking of dementia, someone from the church visited my dad yesterday but he wasn't responsive enough to take communion.  It made me very sad.

I want the week to hurry up so we can get Ernie's surgery over with.  I wish I knew what time it will be but we don't find out until Thursday afternoon.  Hopefully it will all work out with the boys' schedules, etc.

In the meantime I have the Kinks' Victoria going through my head constantly....

Oh, and yes Don, I SO wish someone had gotten a picture of Berni and Owen having a conversation.  We'll have to lure Berni and Wendy down again sometime.  Owen refers to Berni as 'the guy that likes Lego."