vacay day 1

My mom and her friend Mrs. Janet spent the night with me on Sunday night, for a little girl time/slumber party (that we of course did not exclude Ben from). We tried out Cuchara, a new restaurant proffering inner-Mexico cuisine, then watched My Girl in our pajamas, all weeping together at the appropriate emotionally demanding parts.

After breakfast on Monday morning, I walked outside to pick up a trash pile in the backyard that I had been eyeing for a few days from my study spot at the dining room table. Still in my pajamas and slippers, I by no means was insinuating the kickoff of any major yard work, thinking I would just casually bag up this mess while Mom and Mrs. Janet finished up their coffee inside. About 3 minutes in, I turn around to find a gloved Mrs. Janet and clogged Myra walking towards me with Martha eyes scanning my back yard and practically saying in unison, “We wanted to clean this up for you as a surprise!” By 10 am, we had purchased a blower, raked and bagged the leaves in the front yard and back, replanted several old bulbs, and were in conversation about ways to start a compost pile behind the garage. You know, just your normal light morning activities on Day 1 of vacation.

Honestly though, I found myself reflective and content during this busy raking, blowing, bagging with these women. I have profound respect for their energy and selflessness and am blessed to have had that modeled to me as a child and now as a semi-adult. I started to remember parts of my rearing that I did not so much care for at the time but am able to see now how they shaped me. Seemingly inconsequential little tasks that imprint a lasting impact on the way I view work and satisfaction today. I remembered my brothers and I being commissioned to my mom’s front garden with woven baskets in hand, knowing only to return with them full of tomatoes.  I remember the prickly furry touch of the tomato plant’s stalk and the way the fallen ones would squish up beneath our barefoot feet. I remember how we would hop from stone to stone, trying not to squash the other little herbs and flowers she had growing in her garden as well. I do not remember at the time thinking that this task was so idyllic, but now with rake in hand and time for my mind to wander, I appreciate the value in those laboring little hands.

After my mom and Mrs. Janet drove away, still with dirt on their jeans, I had a friend and her two handsome children over for pancakes for lunch (brunch if you will, although her kids did not at first grasp the combo of that word). Once again, while we are sitting around the table, just casually brunching and effortlessly shifting between child-talk and semi-adult conversation, my mind swelled with gratitude at the quality of the situation. Are people just out there getting to have these moments all the time?! Everyday surprised by joy at the happenings in their normal day-to-day activities?! I think this vacation week could get very reflective…

Pancakes

I followed the recipe from http://www.thekitchn.com/the-best-pancakes-ever-134328 pretty exactly, only adding some food coloring at the end to make rainbow colored pancakes for the kids...

5 tablespoons of butter


1-1/4 cups flour


1 tablespoon sugar


1 teaspoon salt


1/2 teaspoon baking soda


1/2 teaspoon baking powder


1 egg, separated


1 cup buttermilk


1/4 cup milk


canola oil for frying

Melt the butter and set aside to cool for a little bit.

Meanwhile, put the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine.

In another bowl, add the yolk from the egg and the buttermilk and the regular milk and whisk until well mixed. Add the butter and whisk.

Add the yolk and milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just barely combined. Add the egg white and keep stirring until a thick batter is formed. Do not over mix.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and film with a neutral oil like canola. When the pan is hot, lower the flame a little and drop the batter by spoonfuls. The batter will spread. When bubbles break on the surface, peek underneath a pancake. It should be golden brown. If so, flip with a spatula and cook the other side.

Remove from the skillet when the second side is done and continue on with the remaining batter.