My Mikey

     When did my little boy become such a man? His childhood passed so quickly, the years since have slipped by and now he is the father of two teenagers. Yesterday I watched his self-confidence, first as he assumed the role of announcer at an annual fundraiser, and then as he demonstrated some very capable handling of his K9 partner. I marvel that this quiet, patient, sensitive individual possesses such courage and strength in his daily occupation, while realizing that these qualities coalesce to make him a truly fine police officer. I could not be prouder.
                                                                                                   
       

         

             1975

Cranberry Orange Chex Mix

     Warning to self: do not attempt to keep a large bowl of this snack mix in the house - you WILL overeat! I made this last December but bagged it for Christmas gifts, so there was none left in our pantry to nibble later. However, I made it again recently for a gathering and doubled the batch just so we could have leftovers. Oh my, the combination of a bit of butter, brown sugar and orange juice concentrate mixed with Chex cereal, dried cranberries, almonds and white chocolate chips was just wonderful. Think I would even forsake a bag of salt and vinegar chips for a cup of this stuff.

Walenty: Polish-American Grandfather

     My father's father was christened Walenty Janus in Lublin, Poland, but later as a young adult, his first name was Americanized to William. A challenging aspect about William involved his birthday, which was recorded in several places as February 14. After researching the family and collecting some documents, I found that his birthday was actually June 12, 1893 and that it was common practice in Poland to celebrate the feast day of the saint for whom a person is named, rather than the actual birth date. Walenty is Polish for Valentine, thus the confusion. (and worse, in various US census records for different decades he is listed as Walenty Janus, Valentine Janus, William Janus and William James!)

      I often wonder why William immigrated to America in 1910. Was it to avoid being conscripted into the Russian Army? Or was he searching for his land of milk and honey? All I know for certain is that  for the rest of his life he worked as a finisher in a furniture factory. In 1917, he was drafted to serve in the American Army during World War I and in 1921, at the age of twenty-eight, he married eighteen year old Sophie Hojnacki, also a Polish immigrant.(I have heard that it was an arranged marriage but the source was not reliable). The couple had four children, one of whom died young in an unfortunate accident, and lived the rest of their lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They spoke English but very heavily accented. (During college, my father worked relentlessly to rid himself of any trace of ethnicity in his speech - he did, however teach us children to pray and to cuss in Polish!)

     William died in 1965 at the age of 75 and the only memory I have of him is a frail white-haired man chatting with his brother-in-law on the front porch. I wish I had known him better.

Point A to Point B

     I can draw up a mean blueprint and do some pretty challenging calculations but I am a terrible judge of distance and space. For instance when I looked at this container of oats I never figured it would all fit into the glass canister. It did.
     And sometimes I figure I've walked a couple of miles but it turns out to be one instead.
     I won't quit my day job...

Matzo Ball Soup

     My kitchen sometimes doubles as a stage for new and different recipes. Family and I have a library of tried and true favorites but like to try ethnic foods and regional cuisine. Pop enjoys the television series, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and because it was highly recommended by Guy Fieri, this Matzo Ball Soup was on the menu last Saturday (if anyone else had suggested this, I'm not sure Pop would have been so eager to try it!) Anyway the soup was  identical to my own homemade soup made with a shredded home-cooked chicken, broth, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, bay leaf and egg noodles. The dumplings, which are standard fare in Jewish homes but something we had never tried, included matzo meal which is ground from an unleavened, cracker-like bread, and oil, chicken fat, and eggs. They were tender and fluffy and floated nicely in the lovely chicken soup. Pop really liked them, however, I (the UNpicky eater!) did not. Will we make them again? Unlikely...

Optimism and a Refinished Bathroom Vanity

     Life has dealt me some changes in the past year that have preyed on my normally happy psyche: the rapid decline in Mom's physical and mental health, the race to ready and sell her house so as to afford an assisted living facility, and psychological trauma that caused my son and his family to move thirty-five miles away (generating grandchildren withdrawal!) It is easy to sink into self-pity and depression even while I remind myself that there are worse things to be suffered in life. Therefore I allow myself time to grieve for crumbling customs and traditions, and seek diversion by keeping occupied as much as possible. 

     So that encapsulated disclosure explains why, when I realized how outdated and dull this bathroom vanity had become, refinishing it appealed more than buying a new one. Besides the wood was in very good shape so after removing the hardware, a regimen of sanding, staining and varnishing produced a beautiful glossy espresso finish. The old pulls were trashed and shiny stainless steel replacements, which match the newer faucet and towel bars, were found at the local hardware store. The smart contemporary look pleased me more than I had expected - now what can I do next?

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Sweet Millions

     Not talking dollars here but if we were, I'd like them to grow on this plant. - a variety of cherry tomatoes, Sweet Million, which is aptly named. The indeterminate vines on the side of my house reach the roof and would grow over it if I allowed them, and most of the clusters are incredibly large. I love growing them up a twine trellis because the fruit is easy to reach, weeding is not even an issue, and squirrels never seem to bother them.

     Harvesting these little beauties can last for weeks and this year I have so many that I will be drying some for later use. But for now I enjoy a daily lunch of fresh picked tomatoes, cucumbers and either dill or chives - such a big plus that something so tasty is also so healthy!