Saturday, October 9, 2021

And So It Is


Today was another stay-at-home day. I had invited Hank and Rachel to come out for shrimp salad this afternoon so I got started on that fairly early. I boiled the eggs for it last night. The shrimp salad I make is based on one that our beautiful friend from Norway used to make. Her name was Anne-Helene and we met her in Cozumel and she came and stayed with us for six months, I think. 
She saved my life. Lily was two then and more of a handful than I could imagine a child could be. Also, I had just taken a job at the Birth Center as a birth assistant and so was on call for various stretches of time weekly and because of Anne, I could go off in the middle of the night or whenever I was needed, knowing that she would get the children off to school, fed and clothed and safe. She immediately bonded with Lily who fell in love with her. They would sit on the back steps and listen to Reggae music (Anne-Helene's favorite) and Lily would dance. They would walk to the mall together which was at least a mile away. Lily would listen to Anne and do what she said. She adored her. We all did. 
She became sister, friend, blessed angel and was a wonderful cook and I still make her shrimp salad. 


I've talked about it here many times, I'm sure. I make a dressing for it which is like the one my grandmother made to go with crab claws. It's nothing more than mayonnaise, a little Miracle Whip, and Heinz chili sauce. When we'd been in Cozumel (and that had been our first trip there), Anne and I fell in love with a shrimp-stuffed avocado served in a restaurant we liked that had basically the same sauce on top, strangely enough. And so it became the shrimp salad goop, as I call it. And I do add avocados to the salad because...of course! I just had not put them in yet when I took that picture. 
And I JUST realized that I forgot to put the corn in the salad! Anne would always say, "And a box of corn!" 
So- ingredients- lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, a little cooked pasta (I usually use the seashell type but did not have any today), black olives, cubed cheese (cheddar or Havarti are both very good), the shrimp, the eggs, and avocado. And corn. A small box of corn. I think Anne meant can. 

But of course, you could make it with anything you like. Hard to go wrong with shrimp and vegetables. It is one of Hank's favorites. He has asked for it on his birthday many times. The other day he was feeling down and I could not think of a thing to say or do to make him feel better so I said, "Come out and I will make you a shrimp salad."
And so that's what happened. 
He was already in a better mood by today but I am sure that he appreciated the salad. 

We ate and chatted and then chatted and chatted some more. We talked about all the things and it was most pleasant and I was so glad to see my boy and his lovely, beloved love. I sent them home with eggs and the rest of the salad and goop, except for one little bowl of salad for me to eat later, and the remains of a loaf of sourdough that we'd eaten with lunch. 

And that is all that I have done today except to pack up and wrap another box to send in the mail. It's crazy how much I'm enjoying making up these boxes with brown paper and packing tape, and old calendar pictures. I will get this box in the mail on Monday, hopefully. 

Mr. Moon is on his way home. He's already back in the US. He doesn't have an ETA yet, but says that they are stopping tonight and will drive as much as they feel safe doing. I figure he'll be back Tuesday or Wednesday so not really two weeks worth of being gone. It was two weeks ago today that I was in the hospital, telling my husband that no problem, he would definitely still be able to go to Canada and here it is- almost time for him to come home from that trip. 
I know he's had a wonderful time. He's told me. And I know he'll be happy to come home to his wife and comfortable bed because he's told me that too. And I will be well-pleased to have the man home. 

Today is John Lennon's birthday. He would have been eighty-one today. 
Eighty-one years old. 
His son, Sean, with whom he shared a birthday, is forty-six. 
My world cracked and tumbled when John died. I am not being dramatic here. It did. His life and then his death formed, informed, and changed me in ways I doubt I'll ever fully know. 


And I love this picture more than anyone can fully know. 

Dear John. Dear Sean. Dear Yoko. 

Love...Ms. Moon

19 comments:

  1. A nice day you had with Hank and Rachel. And Ann's shrimp salad. You could just serve the box of corn on the side.

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  2. funny to think your husband has been closer to where we are than you for the hunting trip. we miss ontario! off topic how is the wonderful sarcastic bastard? one of my other blog friends inquired and i said i would pass it on to you-

    xxalaianxx

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    1. I haven't heard from Ms. Bastard in a long time. I miss her! I think we all do. There is no one like her.

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    2. oh man. i hope all is well with her universe <3

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  3. Whatever happened to Anne Helene?

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  4. i was going to ask wht e asked.
    Beautiful salad , glad the lad and the gal could join you for a cheerful , heart fixing , sad fixing meal. You are the official cheerer upper. There should be a prize.

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    1. And as I said to her, the story did go on! And still does, I am sure.
      I really never think of myself as a capable cheerer-upper. I absolutely hate cliched advice. Not once in my life has anyone ever offered me any of that which helped so I try to avoid doing it myself and then I end up saying things like, "I'll make you a shrimp salad!" Which is at least tangible.

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  5. It's great that you still make your friend's shrimp salad. Cooking other people's recipes is one of the ways we keep them close. I can't believe Mr. Moon has been gone two weeks already! (Or close to that.)

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    1. You are right, Steve- it IS a way to keep people close. Now if I could only remember how she made her fish dish!

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  6. I've been thinking about driving to Bay City and get some shrimp from Buddy's who has his own boat and catches the seafood he sells. I've also been thinking about trying to make gumbo. you've had so much company on your almost two weeks alone.

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    1. I have to admit that I've been buying my shrimp frozen at Costco. It's wild-caught so I don't feel too terrible about it. It's just so easy and it's nice to have it available whenever I want it. Also? It tastes good.

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    2. But I'm sure that Buddy's would be better.

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  7. I love hearing about your life and I am happy you got to see so much family.I envy you the ability to see them often as you are all mearby.

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    1. I know that I am so lucky in that way. I can always get my arms around my babies if need be.

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  8. This post made me so emotional for some reason. When I read the line about not having words to comfort your son, so you said, come over I'll make you food that reminds us all of an angel in our midst, my eyes filled up. Oh Mary, this life. Family is everything, including chosen family, and darling friend, I choose you.

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    1. And I choose you.
      Or perhaps...the universe did far before we knew it.

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  9. Here it would be chicken schnitzels that I'd make for my kids when they were down, which was almost never and now they all make their own.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.