Sunday, December 15, 2019

A Lot Of Food Talk Amongst The Other Stuff


The man is home and this morning pancakes were made and two little boys came over to partake in love and carbs. They got plenty of both. I really do not know how such small humans can eat so many pancakes. And these are not light pancakes. The ones this morning were made with flour and buttermilk, oat bran and ground flax seed, grated apple and sweet potatoes and banana.
Sturdy pancakes for sturdy boys who surely were happy to see their Boppy. They both had to sit by him on the porch where we ate our breakfast on the prettiest, sunniest day. This weather is spoiling me.

So yes, Mr. Moon got in last night just a little after 11:00. I was already in bed, snuggled in with Jack who didn't even look up although I hear that he tried to sleep on the man's feet all night. That cat. I was so glad to hear the kitchen door open and know that my husband was home. He came in to the bedroom and gave me kisses and then took a shower and got into the bed and sighed.
We do have the most comfortable bed in the world.
He spent a lot of time this morning unloading the truck and he's been busy all day, playing with the boys, putting things away, going to town to get ice to put on his deer, and now he's vacuum sealing Tennessee smoked bacon into serving sizes to go into the freezer. He did get a little bit of a break watching some TV with August and Levon.


Levon now insists on sitting in the chair with Boppy and Auga. Do you like his outfit? He is picking out his own clothes these days and he is inordinately fond of pink shorts which he likes to wear over long pants. I think that it's a good look. I admire his bold style choices. 
There wasn't too much time spent watching TV. The beautiful day called to them to go outside and they did. They talked Boppy into letting them play in the camper van where they pretended to be...camping...of course. 
"It's nighttime, now!" said August. 
"Nighttime now," said Levon. 
And then they had to play in the boat and Levon did a little shoveling, too. 

When it was time to go they both wanted a leftover pancake for their going-home treat. Seriously? August wanted butter on his and you know I buttered it. 

After they left I did some laundry and weeded a bit in the garden. Things are coming along there, although slowly. I think I can get a salad out of it tomorrow for our supper. And then I worked a little more on Maggie's nightgown which suddenly, looks like a nightgown. 


I hope she likes it. 

And so that's how Sunday has gone. I'm listening to a book, The Dearly Beloved, by Cara Wall. I am not sure how I am going to feel when it ends about the author's belief in god, but I know quite well how I feel about her writing- it is luxurious. She reminds me a bit of Barbara Kingsolver or Ann Patchett. It's a debut novel but it surely does not read like one. As I always say, I love it when I start a book and know immediately that I am in good hands- that the author knows exactly what they're doing. Cara Wall knows what she's doing as she explores the subjects of religion, faith, doubt, love, loss, politics, academia, friendship and more. Just thought I'd drop this in here in case you see the book on the shelf in your local library or in your audio book app. Even though as I said, I haven't finished it, I don't think it would be a waste of time to choose it. 

I have soup simmering. I have last night's bread waiting to be warmed up. I am feeling no more sure about my place in the universe than I did at age fourteen. 
Okay, maybe a little more but not nearly as much as I thought I would be at the advanced and astonishing age of 65. 
Well, I thought I'd be dead by now so that's not entirely honest. 
Still, it would appear that no, older age does not make everything clear and/or easy. Not one damn bit. 
I have learned recently that parchment paper may be the answer to life. 
Or at least to a lot of things that go on in the kitchen. Why did it take me so long to learn this? 
I do not know. 
Really, I don't know shit.
Obviously.

Love...Ms. Moon

22 comments:

  1. Well, for someone that doesn't know shit, I certainly think you know a lot and obviously you know that you can't know everything which is more than can be politely said of a lot of other folks. Hugs to you.

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    1. Lord knows I am hyper-aware of the fact that I don't know much.
      Hugs back, woman.

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  2. I am learning that little boys eat a lot, as my grandson seems to be a bottomless pit. I always thought that didn't happen until they were teenagers

    I agree with e, you know a lot about a lot of things. I always enjoy your posts. You've given me more insight into my daughter's anxiety and depression through your words. Thank you for sharing your life with us.

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    1. Wow. I'm so glad that I could give you some insight. I think it's almost impossible for someone who has never suffered from anxiety or depression to know what it's like. Even as someone who does, the sheer difficulty of those things are sometimes forgotten by me when I am in a period of calm and when they return, I am struck again at what they feel like.

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  3. I learned about the versatility of parchment paper late in life too. Love what e said!
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. Parchment paper! Where have you been all my life!?

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  4. I have only recently discovered the joys of parchment paper.....why did it take me 40 plus years? I started my holiday baking today....parchment paper was involved. glad Mr Moon is home and loved and warmed with your warm welcome...and Jack and grands. Maggie's nightgown looks wonderful, love the edging. I love reading of your life....it grounds me to MY life and that is a joy that I sometimes forget to savor to its fullest. You remind me
    Susan M

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    1. That's how I feel about parchment paper. Why did no one tell me? I guess I discovered it truly when Anthony Bourdain wrote about cooking bacon in the oven on a baking sheet lined with it.
      Thanks for the nice words about Maggie's nightgown. I'm having fun with it.

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  5. Oh Mary, I’ve just caught up on several day’s posts, and I have to THANK YOU for every one. From your family-loves to parchment paper as the answer to life (it is!) to esoteric quantum physics comments and beer-snorting stardust, I am always thankful for you!

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    1. I love this community here so much. It is such a big part of my life- this sharing back and forth. And across. I feel so lucky.

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  6. Regarding one of your final points - when I was a boy I thought that there was a time when I would become a fully-fledged "grown up". Now at the age of 66 (much older than you!) I realise that there is a sense in which we never "grow up". We are never totally on top of things. Besides, why would we want to be all "grown up"? It's nice to still know the wonder, the innocence and indeed the confusion of childhood.

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    1. The confusion- that's the part that slays me. I love the wonder and sometimes innocence but I could live without the frustrating confusion.
      And no, there is no such thing as a "grown-up." There are mature people but we are all still children in our deepest beings. This is a good thing to remember.

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  7. Welcome to the parchment paper aisterhood.

    That is a lovely nightgown!!

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  8. I'm a fan of parchment paper too, but only in the last few years.

    There are always new things to learn, no matter our age. And that's a wonderful thing.

    I'm glad your hubby is home safe and sound and you got to feed your grandsons.

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    1. Amen to always learning new things!
      I'm glad my husband is home and safe too and I am always glad to feed my grands.

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  9. I used parchment paper to bake the cookies on I made for the open house but it seemed like such a waste. I actually wiped off the last two sheets and stuck them back in the drawer for future use.

    what YP said.

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    1. Excellent! Reusing parchment paper! Part of my bread-baking routine now is to do the final kneading with a bit of flour on parchment paper, knocking the flour off of it and reusing it to set under my loaf when it comes out of the oven to catch the corn meal I use on the bottom of the dutch oven I bake it in. I also use parchment paper to roll out piecrusts and biscuits now. No more scraping up dough scabs off the counter! And it's got to be cleaner.

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  10. I have only very recently discovered parchment paper too. How did I not know of its marvels? Also, those boys look like they feel so completely safe and enfolded in the arms of their great big Boppy.

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    1. Sometimes I really miss Hints From Heloise. Do you remember that or was it before your time?
      Those boys ARE completely safe in Boppy's arms and they do know it. It's so precious.

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  11. I'm so glad Mr. Moon is home and you got some QT with the boys. I love the way August is sitting in the chair with Mr. Moon. He looks so excited, like he's going to spring up at any moment.

    The nightgown looks fab!

    We have a roll of parchment paper and honestly, I couldn't begin to tell you what it's for. OK -- I just asked Dave, who tells me it's for lining cookie sheets. Who knew?!

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    1. August was entranced with what was going on on the TV screen. It must have been exciting.
      I think the nightgown is sweet. I hope it's comfy and cozy for my little girl.
      See my reply to Ellen's comment as to a few more things I do with parchment paper. It's not just for lining cookie sheets!

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