Sunday, December 23, 2007

Making bread on the Solstice

Yesterday we unknowingly celebrated the winter solstice. I spent the day in the kitchen, made several loaves of bread, made a dish or two for our xmas feast and accidently invented a recipe for corn chowder potato quiche. I was trying to make something quite different but was missing a key ingredient. And then in a moment of desparation, I decided to throw corn into the potato crust over the asiago cheese, and then some pimentos. At that point I was sure I'd created a disaster, but then remembered that I was simply making a dry version of my signature soup: corn chowder. So I created the quiche mixture of eggs and cream and added thyme and paprika. Somewhere along the line, I put some torn spinach on top, which kept the dish from burning as it cooked for well over an hour in a 375 degree oven. I through some ocean perch in the oven with a quickly contrived mustard sauce and Peter opened a bottle of "on-sale" wine. Accident upon accident created a succulent meal - and a solstice feast. It wasn't until 3 hours later that we realized that it was the solstice ... I would have purposefully made a feast, had I known. But I doubt that it would have been quite so tasty.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Paul gives a gift

Today is xmas Thursday, and in our pediatric clinic that means tons of kids coming to therapy filled with holiday treats. Some of them arrived mellow, others were very wired. Paul was a little of both. Paul is 9, has autism and more than that, social anxieties. Although Paul can speak, it is difficult and so he doesn't say much. Likewise, he has difficulty understanding speech, and so I sometimes when it's important, I write him a note.

Kay, another therapist, and I arrange for Paul to spend a part of each session with her client, Joey, so that they can both work on social skills. Joey is shy but has the hang of it. Paul literally tries to hide whenever playing with Joey is mentioned.

Paul's mom brought him to therapy at 5:00. I had a gift for Paul - a small checkers set that I bought after Kay suggested that we try and teach the two boys to play. In fact, I bought two sets. I didn't tell anyone, but I had an idea that I wasn't sure would work.

Paul sat on his favorite swing with his back to the large gym and began swinging for all his worth when Joey came up and asked him what he was going to do for Christmas. Paul looked away, not sure what to do and not able to find words. I coached him to say a few words and he did so. But he was clearly in a panic. Afterwards, his hand shook violently and so he and I practiced deep breathing while he pulled himself together.

I waited twenty minutes and then gave Paul a written note. It said that I had a second checkers set. Would he like to give it to Joey as a Christmas gift so that Joey could learn to play, too? He read the note and said okay and then ran and hid in the ball pit. I let him stay there and went real easy on him for the next 10 minutes while Joey finished up his therapy. Then I brought the checkers set out, Paul took it and handed it to Joey. He could hardly look at Joey. I prompted him, "Say Merry Christmas". He whispered, "Merry Christmas". Joey smiled, took the gift, thanked him and then left.

I patted Paul on the back, congratulated him on following through. And then we went back to the swing for more deep breathing.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Music on a Friday Night

I took a walk tonight up to the local coffeehouse to listen to music and get a cup of cocoa. The coffee house is a mile away; a very pleasant walk on a crispy night like this. The walk took me past street after "lit-up-for-Christmas" street. This year, the unspoken theme is white lights, and about 80% of the houses comply. I miss the colors. I thought to come home and decorate my own house - which is dark this year - in bright colors.

After 20 minutes, I arrived, got my cocoa, found a seat and listened to three songs before the musician broke for intermission. There were perhaps 20 people in the room - mostly friends and family, it seemed. It reminded me of Friday night Shabat on the Kibbutz in Israel so many years ago, when after dinner we would sing or perform skits for each other. Nothing to shake the earth with, but lots to warm the heart. I had gone to the coffee house hoping for stellar music, and instead found community and pleasant memories.

I left soon after intermission, and came home by a different route. This time I admired the labors of my neighbors. What a lot of work it took to put up the lights and adjust them "just so". By the time I got back home, I had a lot more patience with the white Christmas lights. It's what the community is doing this year, and why would I want to complain about that?

Friday, December 7, 2007

Biking to the auto tire store

I put my mountain bike in my car and headed to Belle Tire to get winter tires on my car. The tire shop is 2.5 miles from home, and so after selecting the tires, I left the car in the shop and biked home on sidewalks and streets that were somewhat icy. It was my first time out in snowy conditions. My bike handled fine. I put on an extra layer today and stayed toasty warm. It is such a thrill to be out on my bike this time of year - exhilarating!

One of my co-workers is considering doing a triathlon in the spring. I am in awe of people whose lungs and bodies are able to perform such feats. I am content to do a few miles at a time and not find my limits. That said, I hope to increase my endurance so that I can do 20 miles through a nearby park. I haven't tried more than 4 miles. But, once I bike back to pick up my car, I'll have a total of 5 miles in for today. A good start - especially considering the weather.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Snow biking

My bicycle schedule is Sunday and Wednesday no matter what the temperature ... however, I am not set up for snow (just 1 inch today, but slippery). I also missed on Sunday. I had to do too much running around to do to get out before midnight. (Peter to the airport, a visit to Pat and a last visit to Jerry before he took off to drive a big truck to Texas - his first time as a trucker!)

I need Peter here to egg me on (as I do him): "I just took a ride, it was only 30 degrees, but it felt good". My next chance is Friday. No excuses.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Kerrytown concert

We went to a concert - new compositions/recordings from latest CD "Things you must do before you die" by Virgil Moorefield. He is a professor in the music dept. of U of M and a jazz musician/composer. The promo in the newspaper said that it was electronic ambiance and earthy rhythms. It was not that, and poor Peter was probably mortified by it --but lived through it. To my ears it was very satisfying. I'm not sure what category of music the works belong to -- some mixture of "New Music", jazz and chamber music. It was not melodic but comprised of strange sounds and rhythms. There were 6 musicians including a percussionist with a stageful of interesting instruments. It made my week!