Desert Magnolia

The last week has been a blur, but we're headed in a good direction. The Daughter, well, she did very well. She's maintained a sense of humor in the face of unbelievable pain, the uncertainty of outcome, and generally in spite of it all. I'm really not sure where the entire week has gone, but mostly it's been consumed with pain management, exercises, cryo packing, learning to get around on crutches,  showering, etc. Somewhere between her surgery and now we hosted (what the hell were we thinking ???) Thanksgiving, albeit on a lesser scale than usual. If you can call a 30 lb. turkey and all the sides lesser. But that's not the point. The week has become a haze through which we've navigated, laughing as much as possible at the silliness of the equipment (there's a lot), our awkwardness changing dressings (think Mo and Curly learn to doctor) and just accepting that each day brings a new and positive development. Things that matter right now? The simple...

KS and I have been friends for nearly, well, ever.  We're both only children, and have basically stepped in as chosen sibs for one another. We're sort of the yin yang of friends, our coloring particularly. She's blonde and I'm brunette, she's  effusive and I'm a little more serious, but mostly we balance one another through life. We're sort of like bookends, she and I, representing both ends of the spectrum of life at any given moment. She manages to be calm when I'm in a tizzy, and I like to think I've done the same for her. It's nice. This year she and her fam are headed to warm tropical breezes, sunning on the beach, shopping in quaint little stores along the harbor, and generally avoiding the traditional turkey day festivities. We did decide there is something fundamentally askew with a thought stream that involves ingesting turkey and donning a bikini, though. That's just not typically done, right? Anyway, she's on to somethi...

My colleague and friend D brought in pumpkin bread today. With chocolate chips in it. I often avoid treats since in an office of this size they're common, and I like it when my jeans fit, which they wouldn't do if I enjoyed every sweet treat that generous chefs contribute to our collective cause. But today, well, lil' baby ham sandwich on whole wheat at 1130 a.m. had long been absorbed, and that pumpkin bread was beckoning. In a big way. I think I actually *heard* it call to me. Really. So I ate a big chunk. Hey, if you're gonna fall, fall all the way, right? Yum. Excellent choice. Particularly when enjoyed with a cup of steaming hot and rather strong java that D also brewed up. :-) Once again we see it's truly the little things that make the big differences, no?

In the last few weeks my vocabulary has expanded. Dramatically. But not in a way I would have planned for...it's been of necessity as we've educated ourselves and prepared for Daughter's upcoming surgery. Some jargon: MRI (ok, that's kind of intuitive.); medial meniscus; anterior cruciate ligament; rupture; tear; soft tissue vs patellar tendon; CPM (continuous passive motion) machine; Game Day (cool, compression sleeve/ circulating ice water device that's applied immediately after surgery to prevent swelling and keep the knee comfy); knee immobilizer; sports brace, etc. There's a lot more stuff..but these are high points, in my non-medical opin. They all play into this equation as either actions taken, tests given to assess damage, elements of the surgery itself, or support for post surgery recovery. There is a whole lot of stuff that goes on well before a knee surgery, to say nothing of what happens during and later. Prep= modest activity to keep the leg ...

We watched the new Star Trek movie last night, and it was so fun! Loved it! Very retro, very good work establishing all of the ties to the old story line. Highly entertaining and enjoyable! As I was watching it I realized I was also trying to figure out how,  at this point in time, I might be able to miraculously tap into that whole 'time folds and stretches and it's possible (hello, Mr. Spock) to be in more than one place at a time in time'...concept. Wouldn't that be cool? Or am I just sucking at the whole life balance pursuit right now? That may be the case. I'm looking at what needs to happen before this week can end, (500 real work deadlines to meet, none of which can be dropped or heads will roll...ok, my head will roll). Then entertaining Saturday night. Then tons of prep/nesting before Daughter has her surgery next week. I'll be trying to get as much done as possible to ensure she's guaranteed healthy, yummy snacks while she recovers, that th...

It's Monday again. Happens this time every single week, and sometimes I just wish that there could be one more day stuck in between Friday and Monday. No, I don't have any cute/clever name ideas for what that day would be called, but I just vote for one. Sooner rather than later, please. On a happy note, I tried the Trader Joe's Wintry Blend coffee this morning and it's delicious! It's been ground with cinnamon, cloves, and red and green peppercorns. It's a medium dark roast, with a nice subtle spice to it. Yum!  It'll accompany Thanksgiving dessert perfectly! Also, we saw Celtic Women last night at Popejoy. Holy moly can those women sing! They were tremendous! Very uplifting performance, pre-holiday, pre-Daughter surgery, pre-week..very. Happy week, everyone!

Remember Moonstruck, the movie? Yeah, the one with Cher, Nicolas Cage, Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aielo, Vincent Gardenia and other good actors. And that great scene with the really huge moon. Love that scene. Every time I go to New York I look for that moon, but no luck yet. Cosmo's moon looked a little like this one: Fun movie. When you're a freaky food lover like me, though, you tend to take things away from movie experiences besides just the plot, the acting, the directing, etc. You take away ideas for food. Which is how we permanently added Moonstruck Eggs to our breakfast recipes. You just slice a thick slice of sourdough bread, butter both sides, carve a hole in it for an egg, then slap it into a pan. Drop an egg into the hole, let it cook for while, then flip. As you're flipping, spray a little Pam or butter beneath where the egg is going to hit the pan or it'll stick. Be sure to cook the round pieces of bread you carved out, too. They get nice and c...

From time to time I'm reminded of how much I covet my 'off' time, my 'relax and regroup' time, my weekends. From time to time I work weekends. Sometimes my job takes me to places where events happen over weekends or travel is necessary over weekends or for some reason I'm required to be awake/aware/engaged during a time when I usually hibernate. Last weekend was a working weekend. I'm now finishing up two full weeks+one very busy weekend in a row of work/thinking/emoting/exuding. I'm done. Time for very little thinking, less exuding, even less emoting (emoting is exhausting, this we know) and NO work. For just a couple of days. Happy Friday everyone, and have a lovely, restful weekend!

Once upon a time, I liked Gerard Butler. In his Tomb Raider days. He was mysterious and foreign and interesting. But not anymore. He's gained commercial success, which means he's opted for the smarmy/good looking/former rebel now sappy guy roles that tend to be offered to moderately successful, handsome actors after they've struggled for awhile and then been 'noticed' by the public. Sigh. And Katherine Heigl? I loved her on Grey's Anatomy for a long time. Even put up with her occasionally whiny, narcissistic moments. But this role? She managed to mangle the informed intellectual female role to where it resembled a more shrewish, bitter, insecure look and feel and I didn't like it at all. Bad writing. Mediocre acting. Disappointing outcome.

Notice anything different on my blog? Yes! My friend LP created a cool image for me and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Thank you LP for taking the time to make Desert Magnolia look prettier and less, um, random! Wednesday. It's the day of the week that, if we in fact survive through noon, means we're halfway there. Halfway to the end, halfway to where we look forward to a couple of days to reorganize and nest and plan for Thanksgiving. Eek! Thanksgiving already! So, our menu so far looks like this: Turkey . (This year I'm going to make a yummy lemon/thyme/garlic butter to rub between the skin and bird. ) Stuffing . (This is so much fun. Love to sautee up apples and celery and onions, then mix in fresh rubbed spices, bread cubes and broth then bake it in my favorite blue pottery casserole dish that my very first real boss gave me, and yes, it's still in one piece! Love the crusty top and the soft, steamy middle.) Mashed potatoes . (Hubby is in charge this year. He...

Just returned from Ft. Lauderdale where I realized a couple of things. First, I could get used to living where the humidity is >10% on any given day. Really, my skin felt fab.u.lous the entire time I was there! Second, I may be too old to live somewhere that cool. Really. I was reminded on multiple (at least 100) occasions that there is no way in hell that I'm going to wear my bikini cut that high and scant. To do so would require grooming beyond rational bounds. Also, I'm trying hard to imagine anyone wanting being forced to look. And they wouldn't be able to help looking. We love train wrecks, right? On one occasion where my decision to wear more (it's relative, I realize) modestly cut suits was reinforced poolside. No shocker there, right?  Halfway during my lunch, an improbably voluptuous bottle blonde in a turquoise bikini top that was about 4 sizes too small for her balloon breasts swayed by and after I stopped staring (seriously, I tried not to look, bu...