Waste Not

"Don't throw them away!" I said to Heidi last Saturday afternoon. I was referring to the three pastry bags with leftover buttercream from the mini birthday cupcakes we had just frosted. 

"When will we use them?" she asked with mild exasperation. "Better yet, where will we put them? You know the fridge is full."

"The whole world is a refrigerator," I answered with a sweeping gesture at the blizzard outside. "And you never know when we might need cupcakes again."

She shrugged and humored me, fastening each bag securely into its own ziplock, placing them in another plastic bag and hanging it from the door handle on the deck where it stayed well below 40 degrees all week.

"What are we going to bring to Ruth's tomorrow night?" Heidi asked me yesterday. We were invited for dinner and game night. 

"How about... mini-cupcakes?" I suggested.

She nodded. "Good one!"

The Wind from my Sails

I took advantage of our sixth day off from school and cooked up a storm yesterday. Besides french toast and vegan Greek skillet pies, I made two of Josh's favorites, cream of broccoli soup and braised pork shoulder with bbq sauce. Appropriately appreciative and still trying to put on some of the pounds he lost while in the hospital, he ate huge portions of both dishes. I went to bed secure in the notion that I had significantly contributed to his recovery.

You can imagine how alarmed I was to find him at 7:30 am this morning on the couch wrapped in a blanket and looking pitiful. "I threw up all night," he told me. "I think it was the pork and the soup."

And So It Was...

Eleven days off and a work day! I feel like a Hobbit-- never mind second breakfast, second winter break anyone?

Personal Chef

When Isabel was a puppy she had a few chronic digestive issues and a couple of bouts with worms. Back then, our vet advised us to feed her a mixture of cooked hamburger, rice, and pumpkin whenever her tummy was upset, and there were weeks at a time when that was all our puppy ate.

That was a long time ago, and ever since we put her on a raw diet all of those concerns have been history, too. And yet...

...to this day, whenever I broil some burgers or otherwise brown ground beef? Our sweet dog trots to the kitchen door and sits prettily, certain that I could only be cooking for her.

And in a way she is right, because who could resist such faith in one's kindness and caretaking?

Not I. 

No Job Too Small

I would never be one to turn down a snow day, nor do I shun leisure time, but I do like to keep busy. There's really not a lot of sitting around when it comes to me.

That's why it took me a minute to answer my mother's facetime call this morning. I was occupied in the kitchen and I wanted to make sure my coffee was freshly refilled so that we could chat. Naturally, one of her first questions about our little extended winter break was how and when we would have to make up the time.

"Presidents Day for sure," I shrugged.

"Nope!" Heidi called from across the room. "We have ten days before we have to make up any!"

"What!?" I did a double take.

"Yep!" she said. "We got an e-mail this morning. How did you miss it?"

"I guess I was too busy making breadcrumbs," I answered.

The Big Dig

There is no question that we have just had an epic snow storm, but athough our condo association contractors plowed and shoveled, it turns out that they were not very smart about where they put the snow. Parking is always at a premium here, and residents are responsible for shoveling out their own cars, so it isn't too long after that last flake has fallen that all manner of space markers begin to appear. "Just put a lawn chair in your space," one of my neighbors advised me long ago, "it'll be fine." 

But it isn't fine to drive home at the end of a long day and not be able to park, and that was what was going to happen since at least 20% of our available Parkin had been used to pile snow by both plows and residents who did not want to both shovel and walk. At this end of the complex, most of our neighbors had chosen to weather the storm elsewhere, and although we were dug out by noon yesterday, the fear of losing our spaces was real, especially with five uncleared spaces next to us. 

And so it was that our project for the day today was to shovel out a few extra spaces, including that six foot mountain of snow that was blocking them in. "The sun is shining and we have all day," I told Heidi, and although there was a crust of ice, the snow was light. 

"Think how much harder it will be as it melts and refreezes," we told each other as we scooped shovel after shovel and trudged over to the small hill by our house. After a while a couple of neighbors joined in, and in a little under 90 minutes we had our spaces cleared. 

Some extra added benefit? Peace of mind. I had an appointment to get some stitches removed this afternoon, and when we came home there was a spot for us. They are all filled right now, though, so hopefully a few other some bodies will pay it forward.

Breaking Trail

I slipped my sunglasses on at 7:30 this morning to walk the dog. The storm had stopped around midnight, the sun was shining, and not many folks were out and about yet. The driveway of our complex was squeaky packed powder with huge drifts completely covering several cars. Beyond lay vast expanses of unbroken snow, and that is where Isabel and I headed. First we visited the pool where 12 inches of snow were piled on the diving board and guard chair. Next we treked up the stairs to the elementary school whose unplowed acreage gleamed in the morning sun. The sky was heartbreak blue and the only sound was some cranky blue jays fussing in the holly bush. I looked at Isabel and I swear she smiled as I unclipped her leash, then we waded in, spumes of powder rising in crystal clouds around us.