What's For Dinner?

In this historic age of Covid-19 home quarantining, with restaurant and bars shuttered down for the near future, I like everyone else, have been cooking almost every meal at home.
You may be asking yourself why this is a big deal?
Because My Guy and I eat out nearly every single night.

I don't tell you this to brag or to sound pompous, I tell you this because since the kiddos left the nest, our lifestyle is such that we both work and enjoy a dinner out that has been prepared for us. No dishes and no clearing the table. Don't get me wrong, I love to cook and when I do, it's always a treat, but it's a rare occasion indeed.

But it wasn't always this way. Back in the day, when Frick and Frack were little, I used to make dinner every night. After the morning school rush, the kids safely tucked onto the school bus, I would call my friend and commence our usual conversation. "What are you making tonight?", and we bounced culinary ideas off each other and let the inspiration flow.

Back in those 'olden' days we didn't have the internet to look to for inspiration. No Pinterest, no food blogs, no wealth of recipes at our fingertips. Nope, we only had our good old recipe box filled with family recipes and cook books for guidance. So cook at home, I did and it's a pleasant but distant memory. I can't really remember any family favorites from back then, other than my home made spaghetti and meatballs and tacos, which are still in the rotation on those rare occasions that I do cook, but these days I am left to my devices. Literally, hello my trusty iPad.

And you know what?
I'm killing it!

Yup, so far, dare I jinx myself, I'm on a roll! Even My Guy, who is the PICKIEST eater in the world, a fact that has been well documented through the years here at The Daily Dandy, is loving everything I have cooked! And I've added caterer to my list of skills because I'm sending dinner over to my parents, who live next door, almost every night. But I think the silver lining in all of this madness that our life has become today is that we eat dinner together, at the set dinner table every night.

Fritters (my son's girlfriend who lives with us, and her name is an inside joke) and Frick set the table and we all clear the table and clean up, together. It's a silver more valuable than any sterling you can string on your neck or adorn on your fingers. It's the true familial bond that illustrates the age old adage 'Food is love".

Yes love. Its is what's for dinner....

Tuesday Tidbits

• I went 4-1 in the football pool this week! I'm officially tied for 6th. I'm also slightly obsessed.

• I'm disappointed in the Ray Donovan season finale. I like a badass Ray Donovan and this episode gave me a resigned and weak Ray Donovan. I guess I understand the reason why they chose to end the season the way they did-it's about absolution and redemption, OK, I get it. But in my opinion they over played their hand a bit here. They put too much focus on Ray's two weaknesses-the Catholic church and his family and I don't feel like it resolved anything for me. I'm thinking that's exactly what it was meant to do. I'll be waiting till next season Ray, don't you worry. 

• Scientists have discovered evidence of flowing water on Mars! Exciting news that some say could lead to the discovery of some form of life on the planet. I wonder-is this a ploy by Hollywood to promote the opening of Matt Damon's new movie "The Martian"? Just a thought.

• The Pope is the cutest man in the world. I love him. 

• Today I consider myself fortunate for all that I do have in my life and fortunate that I will not focus what I don't have....and I'm fortunate that I feel that way. 

• I'm going to see Frack this weekend in North Carolina. It's Parent Weekend at HPU and I can't wait! I miss my boy so much!! He is pledging a frat Pi Kappa Phi and he's rally excited about it. I'm loving the fact that this frat boasts the best GPA on campus and they take academics VERY seriously. So much so, that Frack has to log in 12 hours of monitored study time during the week as part of his pledge duties. Is this great or what?

• Babies are everywhere in my family. Lately there have been most joyous visits from 2 great nieces and a great nephew. I'm not going to even think about the fact that this means I am old..no, I am going to rejoice in the fact that my beautiful nieces and nephews whom I have enjoyed watching growing up are now becoming parents themselves. The love I feel for their children is so overwhelmingly satisfying. It's a beautiful lesson in the circle of life.

21!

Do you remember your 21st birthday?
I tried to remember mine, but I got nothing. I know I didn't have a big bash, because I was a senior in college and it was during school, but I vaguely remember celebrating at the school pub. Which is precisely why I don't remember much of it! I do remember being excited that I was finally of the legal drinking age and that I was the very last of my friends to turn 21, so drinking was the plan. That's what your 21st birthday is mainly about, isn't it?

Well my baby girl Frick turned 21 last week-which makes her not a baby anymore. She's all grown up and legal now! And we did have a big party for her....

Her birthday was last Thursday, August 13th, so she had decided that she wanted to paint the town of Boston red with her new LEGAL ID. My nephew is a club promoter in Boston, so he hooked us up in the city's most happening Thursday night spot with VIP treatment and bottle service with 12 of her closest friends. The plan was to start out at our house with a BBQ with friends and family then we would all grab a bus (that we rented) and go into the club.

The week before the party I spoke to my nephew and told him to expect us in Boston around 9 or 9:30. He nearly fell over laughing, "Auntie, the club doesn't open till 10:00," he said. My Guy and I were dumbfounded. 10:00 on a Thursday night is past our bedtime, so needless to say we were second guessing the entire night. But it wasn't about us, so we let it roll. Then our friends started to drop like flies.

"I've got a big meeting in the morning, so we will come to your house but we are going to pass on the club, " one friend said.
"That's kind of late for us, so if you don't mind we will see you at your house and then go home from there, " another told us.

Did I mention that we were feeling the same way? After a chat with Frick, she reluctantly agreed to go to the club with 12 of her closest friends sans her parents. After the BBQ, cake and a bit of merry making and  pre-gaming, the van/bus came to collect Frick, Frack and her friends and off they went! Funny thing was, once the kids left, those same friends who decided to opt out of the club ended up continuing the party at our house till about 1AM!! The kids were sending us pics and videos from inside the club and a few of my older nephews showed up at the club to celebrate with Frick! Which can be both a blessing and a problem when you weigh about 95 lbs like Frick does...

Poor Frick. I'm not sure she ever consumed that much alcohol in such a short time, but just as I was brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed I started getting text messages from her friends.
"We gotta get her home-she's not feeling good"
"She may need a dry cleaner for her outfit."

Oh boy, I thought, we've all been there but it's not fun once you get there. And I felt a bit guilty, like I sent her out to the lions...

Frick arrived home safely and without any major incident, but I think her dress and her dignity have seen better days. The silver lining in all of this? Frick continued to tell me what a wonderful brother she has! She explained that Frack totally took control of her predicament and took such good care of her. All in all I think that is the best present any one could ever ask for.

The Lady In Yellow

She sat next to me on a crowded, skinny, two-seater airplane. She was a larger woman and I noticed her at the gate, thinking quietly to myself that she looked unsure. I wasn't feeling a hundred, so when we got to our respective seats I sat down quietly and closed my eyes. I noticed during take off that she had closed her eyes too. As I stated before, the plane was narrow and crowded so the fact that the larger woman sitting next to me, the lady in yellow, had her elbows in my gut became something that I knew I couldn't control.

Yet I didn't mind. 

As I restlessly slept on the plane I would open my eyes every now and again and looked at the woman next to me. Her skin was as dark as a bar of chocolate but it was luminous and beautiful. Her two-toned dreadlocks were swept up into a bun on top of her head and the sea shells that were expertly woven in between the locks made her appear much more stylish than that of a woman her age. Her fashionable leopard print scarf let me know that this woman knew exactly who she was and what she wanted to look like. But it was her smell that got me.

She smelled like my childhood.

She was chewing on bubblegum that smelled exactly like the bubblegum of my childhood. And that scent? It was so pleasant. I found myself wanting to put my head on her shoulder because she felt safe. The fact that our arms were smashed together because of the close proximity of the small seats didn't bother me at all. I liked her yet I hardly knew her. She was a woman of faith. I could tell because with her she had a 1997 biography of the Reverend Billy Graham and she opened it and began to read it while we were on the plane. I thought it adorable that before we took off she asked me exactly how to put her cell phone into airplane mode. I showed her where to find it in her settings AP. Obviously it was important to her to conform to the rules.

I must have been coughing a bit, because she asked me if I was OK, and asked me if I had allergies. I told her I had been visiting my son in college. He was sick with an undiagnosed strep throat that was mistaken for allergies. It had proceeded over the weekend into a full blown, swollen throat so painful that he could hardly swallow water. The fact that my emergency trip to North Carolina that Sunday to take him to the hospital was not lost on her. We agreed that I spent the most contagious 24 hours with him and I told her I hoped that I would not get sick also. 

We chatted a bit about being a mom and that when your child is sick, it's no matter where you are; you go. I found out she was from Kenya, just visiting relatives in NC and stopping briefly in my home town of Boston before flying to Amsterdam then on to Nairobi. It was her first visit to the United States. She had 3 grown children, each living in different parts of the world, and a new grandchild. I told her jokingly as we landed that she could now add Boston to the places in the US she has been, even for a short time. I helped her with the bags she had stowed above our seats, and I wished her a good trip and safety as she traveled back to Kenya.

Then I said goodbye and walked away from the Lady in Yellow forever. 

But I still thought about her. I'm thinking right about now she must be landing in her homeland, hopefully safe and tired. Maybe her children will be waiting to greet her as she arrives, maybe not. But I want her to know that somewhere, someone is thinking of her and hoping she makes it home safely. 

Mommy Dearest.

Would it be considered "over parenting"? Lately I have been guilty of taking on the problems of my grown, somewhat adult children? This is a new sensation to me because in the years leading up to now, it was my JOB to take on the problems of my kids. Now that Frick and Frack are 20 and 19 respectively and out of the house, I find myself obsessing over the silly little day to day stuff that they complain about which really has nothing to do with me.

For God's sake wouldn't you think I have better things to worry about??

Yet here I am worrying and thinking about their small stuff. Things like social issues, romance issues, the influence of peer pressure, academic pressure and I worry that they are unequipped to deal with these things. Despite my worry, they seem to be handling the world without me just fine, and its not like I am constantly calling them or texting with my advice. I silently think about their stuff and find myself wondering how they may have handled a situation, ever careful not to let on that I have been worrying about it. Sometimes I think I worry about their crap more than they do.

I finally realized that despite what I think, my children are equipped to handle these minor navigations through their lives. Dare I say it, it's probably good for them to handle these things alone, even though I don't want to admit it. I have taught them well. Then it dawned on me-maybe they are happy? Maybe something that I may not agree with was actually born out of a choice. A choice that they made for themselves to keep their lives in harmony. After all, it is their life to lead.

It's never easy, this parenting thing, is it? But I realize that no matter what I'm not going to change who I am. I just have to learn to let them be who they are. If they want my advice, they'll ask for it and I will be ready and waiting to give it. Yes, hard as it is I'm going to have to learn to keep my mouth shut when it comes to my kids and their small stuff.

Whether I like it or not.

"Wake Up Baby! Your Life Is Calling!"

So by now if you've been following The Daily Dandy for a bit you undoubtedly know that I am an extreme helicopter mom... Yes...that is me in the cartoon above.

I'm on my way to bring my baby to the rest of his life.

Have a great weekend bloggers....and try to hold on for just a bit longer if you can.
xoxo

Throwback Thursday: Tweedle Dum Dum's A REPOST

It's a Throwback Thursday REPOST form 2011!

Today's post is especially poignant as tomorrow we all travel to North Carolina to bring Frack to begin his freshman year in college. I hope he remembers this moment, as my son the college student, is indeed a smart man. 
This Post was lovingly debuted on Tuesday, Nov 8, 2011

So, we get home from NYC Sunday night and Frack and his grandfather arrive home from the Pats/Giants debacle, along with my bestest and oldest friend in the world, Danny, at just about the same time. Frack jumps right to his homework. He's got an algebra test the next day and since I received a not-so-glowing email from his math teacher two days earlier, Frack knows his ass is grass and I'm the lawn mower if he doesn't up his game.

My Guy, Danny and I go sit in the family room to chat while Frack is studying in the kitchen. We were having a grand old time bitching about the sucky Patriots game and such, discussing this and that and about two hours breezes by. My Guy announces that he is going off to bed, says his good nights and leaves us girls to it. About 15 minutes later, I hear Frack's voice in the kitchen meekly say, "mom.." I provide the usual response, a slightly annoyed ,"ya" cuz I'm thinking he wants me to get him a drink or something. God forbid he rises the 5 yards over to the fridge to get it himself.

"can you come ere?" he says.

After a deep breath in, cuz I'm tired, I get up and go to the kitchen with Danny right behind me. What I find there literally broke a mother's heart. My son is sitting in front of his notebook with papers scattered about with a look of pain on his face that cut right through me. He looked at me and said, "Mom, I'm so screwed. I can't figure any of this out."

Now I know he's screwed because math is not a resume piece of mine and I pull my stomach off the floor, which has just dropped down there with this realization. I quickly look at Danny, hoping for some math mojo, and she announces, "I used to be really good at Algebra. It used to be my best subject," then she adds, "but I couldn't do it now. No way." Frick, math student extraordinaire, and My Guy are asleep and I was, of course, ABSENT that day, so Frack is as he said; screwed.

But the look on my kid's face sprung me right to action. Tweedle Dum 1, me, takes the iPad in my hand and asks, "Can't we Google this?" Tweedle Dum 2, Danny, says, "yeah, just type 'solve' and then plug in the equation." This leads us to a million different places all of which we find a whole lot of nothing. Frack is now arguing with Tweedle Dum 1, me, whoes trying to help him, that he's never going to figure this out and let's just forget it. Tweedle Dum 2, Danny, is now reading the results, clicking and we stumble upon this site called mathops.com. It's got the order of operations for quadratic equations right there and Frack begrudgingly looks at it. And looks at it. And looks at it some more.

Then the most amazing thing happened. It was TRULY like a light bulb went off in his head and the moment was quite memorable. "Wait a second," he said. "I think I get it." Frack then clears the table and starts working on the blank practice test. The teacher had given them the correct answers to the practice test but not the order of operations to get there, and Frack starts rattling off the correct answers in succession. The Tweedle Dum Dum's are high fiving each other like crazy after every correct answer and the energy in Frack changed instantaneously to that of serious student. Danny left for home and I stayed up with Frack for a bit longer. He got stumped a few more times but he then found a site on youtube called your. teacher.com with 3-5 minute video tutorials on every math problem you could imagine.

I was so proud of him and he used these wonderful resources to breakthrough his mental block. These videos are how HE learns and it was like a magic math elixir. Frack got an email from his math teacher last night announcing his B+ on his math test and a congrats on stepping up his effort like she knew he could. I told him I couldn't be prouder. We all learned something valuable, the Tweedle Dum Dum's included.

I told Frack that being smart isn't always about knowing all the answers.

A smart man know where to look to find the answers.

Who Me? What? No, I'm Fine. Really.

So it's no secret that Frick is currently a junior at NYU. Now its Frack's turn, and he is going to be a freshman at High Point University. This should be easy right? Been there,done that kinda thing. When your kids go away its never easy. Deep down inside you know that they need to spread their wings and fly, but this time its different. This time Frack will be leaving the nest which means the nest will be empty-save for My Guy and Me-on Friday.

And I'm freaking out.

It's bad enough that he's leaving right when I've become used to her being away, but now that my house will be without kids, like for a while, I'm wondering if I will be ok. But I don't want to think about that..so I wonder will he be ok? How will he survive without me to tell him to do his homework? Eat less red meat? Get up on time and clean his room? Do his OWN laundry? Oh the horror...

I'm kinda freaking out. 

Because the truth is I know he will figure it out. I know he will go to class, eat chicken occasionally, and do his homework and laundry and survive. I know he will thrive! The question really is, will I? What am I supposed to do if I don't have to take care of them? 

What does that make me? 

Who am I now? 

What do I do now?

Again...I'm freaking out. 

And I have a week until I have to figure this crap out. A major life transition has a way of creeping up on you like that and then bam! It hits you like a ton of bricks. Then you have to accept it and move on. I just have to accept it and move on without them under my roof. They will always be my kids, right? My babies, my family? I did my job well, now it's their turn. I gotta keep repeating that to myself so that I can get through it.

Welcome to my ton of bricks moment.  

Monday Minutia

• First things first Bloggers! I am going to NYC with Frick today-to return tomorrow night-so I will be away from the Bloggersphere tomorrow, Tuesday July 22, 2014. I thought you'd like to know rather than me say nothing....Considering I was with Frack last Monday and Tuesday in High Point, NC, I'd like to think I am one lucky mama to be able to spend some one-on-one time, alone with each of my kids! Frick's NYC visit is strictly business too! My kids are killing me-becoming adults so fast...

• Interesting things going on here in Beantown-Market Basket, one of the most successfully run, independently owned supermarket chains in the country, is seeing an unprecedented stand of unity for it's former CEO. The company, run by the Demoulas family, operates 71 stores in two states. Long time CEO Arthur T. Demoulas was ousted last fall by the Board of Directors in favor of his cousin and chief rival, Arthur S Demoulas. The two have clashed over how to operate the business started by their grandfather.  The employees are not happy about this. They have staged a strike and  walked out on the job until Arthur T Demoulas is restored to CEO. Get this: On Friday over 2000 employees gathered at the company headquarters in Tewksbury, MA to demand the return of Arthur T Demoulas as CEO. As of today, 8 long time employees have been fired from the company. Talk about loyalty. This is fascinating to me. Market Basket must be one hell of an employer.

• Rory McIlroy wins the British Open at the age of 25! A great story. This his third Major victory on his quest for a Grand Slam title. The elusive Masters in April is the only victory he needs to secure the title and join Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus in the Grand Slam club. The victory was especially poignant for his father, who reportedly placed a bet on McIlroy while he was still a teen on winning the prestigious tournament. 

"His father, Gerry, and some of his father’s friends, who reportedly made a wager when McIlroy was still a teenager that he would win the Open within 10 years. Ladbrokes, a British-based gambling company, confirmed in a Twitter post that it would be paying out 180,000 pounds (about $310,000) to them." 

Nice work Rory! It's nice to see a talented, young golfer do well!

• Why does it already feel like the summer is slipping away? July 21, and its seems like we are rounding third on the summer thing. Am I right?  I dunno bloggers. BBQ's aren't tasting so great anymore and the weather lately has been undecided on summer. It's like it's not quite sure of what it wants. Maybe it's just me. What do you think?

Extraordinary!

Hey bloggers! Sorry for the very long break from blogging but it was for very good reason. On Sunday I escorted Frack to freshman orientation at his college in North Carolina. In about 5 short weeks, my son will be attending High Point University in High Point, NC. I can't believe it's already here. I had yet to see the college, as Frack and My Guy went on the college visit together, so I was curious to see what I had only seen in pictures. I wanted to see the place that Frack had decided was the ONLY college he wanted to go to.  Now I know why...

I could hardly believe what I was seeing. My first thought upon arriving to the picturesque campus was, WOW! The pristine beauty of the rolling green hills and immaculate condition of the grounds took me by surprise. This place is beautiful. The pedestrian avenue just outside of the academic and residence halls is lined with benches that have statues of famous and inspiring people. You can have a sit next to William Shakespeare, Albert Einstein or Gandhi, to name a few, and listen to the classical music that is piped through speakers so students can have a more conducive atmosphere for learning.

I always knew I was a saint!

The academic buildings, all impressive, area presented in an incredible manner. Each lobby, with marble foyers, oriental rugs and leather bound chairs are made to resemble corporate America and big business so that the students will be comfortable in that atmosphere. The lecture halls are small, but big enough for proper learning and the student centers, two incredible buildings, are amazing places to utilize.

This is where Frack will be spending most of his time in this academic building.

No LIE! This is the lobby of that academic building!!

 Did I tell you about the state of the art gymnasium? The outdoor pools? The cafeteria and the food choices these kids have to choose from? Subway? Chick-Fil-A? Four different Starbucks? And several bakeries, organic farmers markets and different cuisine dining halls. AND...GET THIS...a full fledged upscale steak house that the students are required to go to (wearing proper dress code-jacket and tie) to learn business etiquette and to enjoy. There is the most incredible game room...all FREE with Skee Ball, video games, karaoke, a photo booth and private rooms for Xbox and Playstation. And there is a full fledged movie theatre, complete with free pop corn and concessions, that plays new release movies that is free for students.

One of two student centers with cafeteria's. The HPU letters are tables and chairs...

Yeah, that's Frack. He can hardly believe "he goes here".

The dormitories resemble hotel room suites, with 4 single rooms, a kitchen, and a big living room area. Each dormitory has its own business center, complete with computer PC's and printers and a laundry room that is free of charge.

This is a mock room, but will be like the dorm room Frack will have. 

One of several TV studios in the communications building. 

All of this is overwhelmingly impressive, but I had to ask Frack how he plans to "learn" with all of this going on? Frack assured me that this was the place for him, and when the newness of being there wears off, he will settle down and do his best to do well at Highpoint. I had to believe him. I wouldn't want to leave there either.

Yeah, we were drinking the High Point kool aid, alright. 

And it was most definitely purple. 

Just Say No

So Frack went to a concert last night. It was the DJ Avicii Concert at Boston's TD Garden venue. As a full fledged member of the "Moms That Are Overly Protective" club, I had a brief chat with Frack about concert safety and drugs and drinking. It was one of those talks that when finished, the response is ALWAYS...
"Ya, I know mom". I am a strong believer in sharing all the wisdom and warnings to my children so that maybe, just maybe, they will hear their mother's words in their head and think twice.

Well that mother's intuition thing I got going on was dead on....

Today's Boston Herald had this headline:

Dozens hospitalized during DJ Avicii show at TD Garden

EMS: Many teens were being treated

I immediately texted Frack a pic of the story. He was at work. Last night when Frack arrived home safely, I was waiting up for him. We had a pleasant conversation and off he went to bed warning me that he had to get up early for work today. I saw no evidence of hard partying, to which I was grateful. Frick, Frack, My Guy and I have had many a conversation about drug use. My Guy and I shared our experiences with them both, as they don't amount to much, and by that I mean neither of us had ever even tried hallucinogenics of any kind. Call us square, but I'm not completely innocent. I may be part of that 80% of adults that recreationally use marijuana, or I may not. But it always stopped there.Whatever the case, at the ages my kids are, My Guy and I try to have honest conversations about drugs with the kids. 

And Frack's  response to my text this morning?

"Yeah, I know" 

"A lot of kids on Molly. That would suck to be those kids."

I'm glad that Frack is a very good listener. 

Happy Friday!

Hey Bloggers! Happy Friday!!

Its going to be a beautiful weekend here in the North East. Great weather for a big, banging, celebration of a graduation and job well done. I think we've all earned it and I'm excited for a great day of enjoying my family and friends. I can hardly believe that the man that stands before me today is the boy I raised. He's a good man and I'm proud of him.

And we are going to celebrate!
Get your weekend on Bloggers and celebrate too! After all, summer officially begins tomorrow!

I Was Just Thinking.....

• Green, Green, Grass: My Guy has become obsessed with our lawn. I'm so glad he is because it looks like a carpet of Emerald. We were sitting out in our screened-in porch yesterday morning discussing the beauty of our backyard. I can honestly say that right now, our yard has that "pristine" look that as a homeowner, you covet. My Guy spends most of his free time out there with his helpers and the benefits are obvious. Good thing too, because a week from Saturday, we will have over 75-100 people stomping all over the perfect gorgeousness for Frack's graduation party. 

• Love: What does love go to do with it? Lately my outlook on love has been tested. Thank God it's not my love, but some very good friends of mine have hit a rough patch in their marriages. I can only listen and be a friend and try to surmise that it's just a "rough patch", but I'm not sure. People grow and change and sometimes they don't grow and change together. I'd like to think that I'm helping by just listening. Marital discord was one of the hardest personal challenges I've ever faced. Looking back it was the worst and best thing that ever happened to me, but I'm a believer in good, old-fashioned love. When things like this happen around me, it challenges that belief. Maybe love really is just a second hand emotion. 

• Family: I had a great weekend. My baby boy Frack graduated from high school and I couldn't have been prouder. The ceremony was outside on a picture perfect Friday night, the boys all wore white tuxedos and the girls wore white dresses and it was absolutely beautiful. I didn't cry or get emotional because this was a joyous day. I don't feel sad. I'm excited and proud for what lies ahead for him. He's really becoming a man right before my eyes and I'm beginning to see a new sense of responsibility emerging in him. Frick was home and it was nice to have the family unit together for the celebration. Yes, life is good in the Daily Dandy household right now. I'm hoping it lasts.  

• Binge Watching: "Orange is the New Black" is back! Season 2's episodes started June 6th on NetFlix and all 13 episodes now are available for viewing. If you haven't seen this show, you are really missing out on a great one. What makes it so great? It's different. In a TV line up full of cookie cutter cop, lawyer, hospital and crime scene shows, this one tackles a new subject matter, life in a woman's prison, with addicting precision. If you aren't playing in the NetFlix game you need to start. "House of Cards" another NetFlix original series is, by far, the BEST SHOW ON TELEVISION. Don't say I didn't let you in on that. 

Congrats To My Boy

You did it! I can hardly believe it.

We have waited for today for a long time. We have dreamed about it, discussed it and fantasized about how it would be. It's finally here and after tonite, it will be a lifetime memory.

You should be proud of your accomplishments.
You should enjoy this time. Be smart and safe.
Take a moment tonite to stop and take it all in...then make a memory of that moment. You only get this opportunity once.

Tonite you walk on that podium a boy but you leave a man. A man who has accomplished great things and will go on to accomplish much more.

I am proud of you, my son. So proud of who you are becoming and I want you to know that I love you more than life itself. Congrats to you and to your classmates. You did it!

Taco Bell

Tonight is taco night in our house.

The thing about taco night is you think about it all day long until the time comes to bite into the juicy, meaty concoction. Nothing says lovin' like a spicy, delicious taco. My kids love to stuff theirs with all their favorites and My Guy has come to like them too. 

We make two different kinds in our house: chicken and beef and we serve lots of delicious fixins'. I buy the Gordita Kit from Old El Paso and season the chicken from the recipe on the box. I may or may not add diced onion and use chicken broth instead of water when I cook the chicken. But when it comes to the taco meat, my kids like it just the way the taco Gods intended; plain and spicy. We always have two kinds of "shells": soft and hard. Frick likes hard shell and My Guy likes soft shell. I like to use a lettuce wrap for my "shell".

The toppers are crucial in my house. We dice tomato, (has to be super small) shred lettuce, and of course shredded Mexican cheese. We also crush nacho cheese Doritos to sprinkle on top, sour cream guacamole and salsa, and recently we discovered a spicy Chipotle Ranch dressing that is a fantastic taco topper and now a staple on our taco night. 

The last constant on our taco night is unconventional and started out as a bit of an accident, but it is always there. We make couscous. Sometimes the couscous goes on top of theTaco and sometimes it's a side dish, but it's a constant on our dinner table on taco night. It's a great way to get my family together at the dinner table, which is becoming increasingly difficult these days. For that, I am grateful.

Is it dinner time yet? Suddenly I'm really hungry. 

Let The Sunshine In

• With such a warm and gorgeous, sunny Saturday, I was struck by how many of us were "amazed" by the warm weather. It has been so cold here for so long that we forgot what good weather felt like....

• Frick and Frack spent the weekend together in NYC. Yes, I know they are old enough to handle it without Mama and the fact that I called and texted them both six thousand times has nothing to do with the fact that they ignored 90 percent of those calls and texts. Does it?

• Busy week for me. I have one of the biggest days ever at The Candy Bar on Wednesday..,wish me luck!

• I can hardly believe it has been a year since the Boston Marathon bombings. This week the news media of the world will descend on our fair city to tell the amazing stories of the victims and survivors. I pray God will keep the city safe and watch over us as we commemorate the tragic events of last year. I personally believe that this year's Boston Marathon will probably be one of the safest places in the world to be during the race. 

• I baked two incredible pies for Easter yesterday. Jus sayin...

• Looking forward to seeing "The Other Woman". Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann and Brooklyn Decker all team up to bring down Leslie Mann's cheating husband. I have a personal interest in infidelity since I have experienced it first hand. Cheating men are scum and deserve everything bad that happens to them because karma is a bitch and you don't want to piss off a bitch who is pissed off. I love it when Hollywood dramatizes the sweet vindication!

• Nurse Jackie on Showtime is BACK....speaking of bitches who you don't want to piss off..

Frickety Frack...Don't Talk Back.

My boy...my baby boy, today is a man. 18 years ago, at 9AM he came to greet his mama.

He has my smile, my baby. He has my mind and my compassion for mankind. And for sure, he has my mouth and he knows just how to use it.

Physical prowess, from a very young age was your thing and I marveled at your skill. But it was your determination that was most remarkable. You knew who you were then and you let us know in no uncertain terms. You were a force to be reckoned with. What was it about your shoes? Your slippers? I just laughed and I let you be who you were. I knew better than to squash your spirit.

Ask and you shall receive...it's red and fiery, just like my boy. Today you are a man, but you'll always be my boy. That's more about me than it is about you, so humor me on that, will ya? I think you are most extraordinary. I can't wait till you finally figure that out on your own.

Stay true to who you are, who you have always been because it will be your strength when you need it. The world is your oyster now and I'm not worried about college. We've prepared you plenty, the rest is up to you. I have no doubts about sending this man off. He will be great! Change the world and contribute in your special way and know that life's challenges up to this point were practice for the adulthood you have just entered.

No more Fracky, now BIG Frack, you are the most handsome and loving son in the world. Use your special charm to make others comfortable, and be funny..it is your birthright! You tend to challenge-remember to be wise when you do. Only you can make the decision to be wise or not. I trust you will hear your parent's words in your head when you need them.

Tonite we celebrate you! My Frack!  I wish you a wonderful 18th year of life and I am excited to watch you blossom and grow.

Happy Birthday my son. I love you like crazy birthday cakes, and I wish you the most wonderful day. 

Things That Go Bump In the Night

So I just flew back home last night from sunny Florida. It was a great break from the snow and cold and a welcome opportunity to unplug from the outside world. We stretched it out to the last possible minute too, leaving on a 7:20 PM flight home. Flying Jet Blue is a joy, usually. They have it all figured out. The TV's on board make the entire trip a breeze and I didn't have to miss a moment of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills! Lucky me!!!What wasn't lucky was the decent down into Boston. Holy turbulence, and I mean HOLY! It started out innocent enough.

The pilot explained to us that we were beginning our descent into Boston and "would be landing shortly, so please fasten your seat belts and flight attendants please prepare for landing." Everyone did as they were told and we settled in for our descent. The plane began to shake and drop, which is normal for the change in altitude. As we looked out the window I noticed the descent into the clouds outside my window. Turbulent air seems normal for that, I thought. But when the plane continued to shake and drop, and drop and twist and drop, and the clouds had gone I thought this wasn't very normal.

"Ooohhh", the groans collectively could be heard throughout the plane and with each twist and turn the taste of the blue chips I had eaten a mere hour before began to rise in my throat. I looked at Frack, he looked at me. I looked at My Guy, he tried to contain his composure focusing on the screen in front of him. I looked at my mom, she was gripping her arm rest and she looked at me with a quizzical look, her normally bright complexion gone ashen. I looked around me. No one was smiling. As a matter of fact, almost everyone was gripping their arm rest tight with ashen complexions too.

It seemed as if the bumpy air was never going to stop and just when it subsided a bit, the plane would sharply twist around immediately putting my stomach contents back into my throat. Outside the window the city lights below us looked to be on auto-loop with the scenery barely changing. Then the violent shakes began and the people on the plane again groaned with despair. Me included! Holy....I shut my eyes so I wouldn't hurl and I tried to be strong for my family. Big drops and more shakes were felt throughout and just when I decided I could no longer take another second of it, I noticed the city lights getting bigger, closer. I finally held out hope that we just may land this plane.

After another 5 minutes of dropping and shaking we hit the ground with a resounding bang! Everyone's heads snapped forward but the sound of overwhelming applause and cheers drowned out my huge sigh of relief. It took us a good 3 minutes to compose ourselves when Frack spoke.
"Mom, I swear to God I was saying the 'Our Father' the entire time."
I agreed with him and tried to calm the nausea that took over my body.

Entirely drained and slightly sick, we left that plane quicker than the flight attendant could finish her announcements. You never saw so many green faces standing in baggage claim. And funny....

I overheard someone at baggage claim say that the pilot never opened his door to exit till the plane was completely empty.

Another Day In Paradise

Coming home to this Arctic cold really makes me long for another day in our recent Puerto Rican paradise. It was a much needed break from everything, but most of all a great chance to bond as a family. Team Building, as I like to call it, was a great success! From the great weather, the hours spent enjoying recreational activities and the hours spent just relaxing, the trip was well worth it.

I would have to say that the Europeans have it right...

I may be lambasted for this in this public forum, but part of the success of this trip was the fact that my children both of Puerto Rico's drinking age, were for the first time able to experience the "adult activities" legally. It is no secret that Frack-my son-has been pushing the limits of our patience since this summer. I get that he is of the age of experimentation, but every weekend dude? And-forgive me-but Frick probably did all the same things he is doing and never got caught? Having said that...we were a bit worried about Frack and his antics while on vacation and legal to drink.

As a test of sort, we decided to give him some rope and see if he would hang himself with it. The first night we arrived I had come down with that unfortunate vomit bug that seems to be going around, and was unable to do anything except crawl into my hotel bed and die. That left My Guy, Frick and Frack alone to go paint the town without me. My Guy reported that Frack (Frick is a college student in NYC ya know) had announced at the dinner table that evening that this was the first time he was able to order a cocktail legally. A milestone for him, and absolutely to be celebrated. My Guy wondered quietly how much he would celebrate.

After dinner and two cocktails for all, the group then ventured about 50 ft over to the hotel casino. My Guy, a brilliant business man, told our children that he would finance and monitor their gambling for the evening. The only caveat, was that they split their winnings with him. Much to Frick and Frack's surprise and delight, a deal had been struck and off they both went to their first choice, the Roulette table. My Guy sat across the pit at the Blackjack table where he could monitor their progress. He was pleasantly surprised by how the children stood together and watched the game take place for the first 30 mins or so. They then got their colored chips and began to play. When the chips piled up and the winnings being tallied were "colored up"; (meaning the more chips, the more the color of your single chip) my children began stowing these brighter colored, more valuable chips in their pockets. A tip they learned from their mother, a notorious chip hoarder.

After an hour or so of some really fun gambling, Frick and Frack left the table victorious! Both had won quite a bit for their first time. But the amazing this was this..after a great night of gambling and drinking, both children retired with My Guy early. We could hardly believe it. My Guy and I told them that they could go out on the busy, touristy strip-not too far-but far enough- to explore the city TOGETHER. They were not to leave each other. They declined that first night and unbelievably every night after.

I bounced back the next day, and joined my family at the beach and for all the festivities that followed. But amazingly Frick and Frack never left us. And they hardly drank alcohol. After the first day or two of being able to drink at lunch and dinner and the casino, I noticed that they weren't interested in the drinks that much. They would enjoy one with dinner, maybe, but I never saw them order one at the casino again. And the drinks were free!! I know they didn't because by then they had graduated from the Roulette table to the Blackjack table. Gambling Blackjack was much more fun when your mom and dad are right next to you, walking you through it. All in all-Frick and Frack both left Puerto Rico a few hundred $ richer and with a much different perspective on drinking. (I know it would have been a different story if their friends were there) But I am encouraged by the maturity of both of them. Again, maybe the Europeans are onto something...

We are still basking in the glow of the great family experience, and I think we all have a new found trust for each other and the decisions that we make. All of that accomplished in a plane ride to the Caribbean. If you ask me, it was truly a trip to remember and a true paradise.

Way To Go Frack!

Dreams really do come true...if you work hard and you believe. Class of 2018 here he comes! Division 1 Golf and so much more. Life begins now.

So proud of you college boy!Congrats, it will be a very Merry Christmas.