CurrentMom

Preparing for Disasters

Tech Tuesday

It's fitting that this post was one I planned to write for the start of hurricane season - and it comes just days after we get our first tropical storm of the year hitting our coast! We tend to be a little complacent around here (Central Florida) when we start seeing the tracking maps hit the stores and the sales on batteries, radios, water and other supplies grace our favorite store shelves. Florida as a whole can go for several years without having an actual named storm make landfall, and for us here in Central Florida the risk seems even lower; even after getting hit with "Beryl" just this Memorial Day Weekend.

The reality is electronics are delicate things. Even if we just get some heavy rain (like we just had in my neighborhood) it can wreak havoc on un-protected systems. So, even though I can’t force you to be prepared for the overall scenario a natural disaster of any kind can bring, I can give you advice on what you can do to keep your equipment as safe as possible.

Nostalgic for a Tuscan Vacation? Figs with Parmesan and Truffle Honey Bring it all Back

Meal Monday

Several years ago, my mother and I took a one-day cooking class in Florence, Italy. It was predictably glorious and we made pasta, panna cotta and other classic Italian dishes after shopping in the open air markets.

I have never replicated the homemade pasta for a variety of reasons, including the fact that we -- and everyone else -- are trying to cut down on carbs. But mostly because I'm lazy and I live where I can buy really good fresh pasta, and really good dried pasta whenever I like.

The panna cotta was unbelievably delicious and I still have the printed out recipe somewhere, but I've never made that again either. I always know I can, but I hesitate to cook with heavy cream, which panna cotta is by (translated) definition, (there's that health consciousness again) and usually I just make something else for dessert.

The one thing I do make over and over again is something I serve as either an appetizer or dessert (great with a Muscatel or other dessert wine or aperitif) and is simply an unusual and extraordinary combination of flavors.

Eating at the Life Cafe

Truth Thursday

The truth is I still haven't quite recovered my equilibrium from my daughter's bat mitzvah two weeks ago, and therefore haven't really had time to think about a Truth Thursday topic for this week.

But the other truth is that it's almost the first unofficial day of summer - the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, and I have a tradition for that day that harkens back to my life pre-family, pre-marriage, pre-me as I am today. It involves the now sadly defunct Life Cafe in New York City and two of my oldest and dearest friends in the world.

So here is a reprint of a post about this tradition from two years ago. May we all experiece a Life Cafe moment in the coming days of summer fun.

 

 

I've just gotten off the phone with Mona – my dear friend from high school, who still makes me laugh every time we speak. Many years ago, when Mona was first engaged to her now-husband, Patrick, he and I worked together in fundraising and marketing for a well-known dance company in New York. 

One Friday afternoon, the day before Memorial Day, our office closed early and we spent a glorious afternoon sitting at an outdoor table at the Life Café in New York’s Alphabet City. At that time, Avenue B was still ridden with crack vials and wasn't even on the verge of becoming a hipster paradise. The Life Café was ahead of its time. 

We were both 25. I was walking around with a giant question mark floating over my head – what did I want to do? Who did I want to be with? Where did I want to live? Patrick was antsy about his professional life and eager to blaze new trails. 

 I was excited because I had a date that evening that I was hoping would turn out to be the beginning of something big. Patrick and Mona also had great plans for the weekend. The sky was blue, anticipation was in the air, the food was delicious, and we felt sun struck by the idleness and sheer luxury of the afternoon. 

The Mommy Gospel

Therapy Tuesday
Photo by: Wonderlane

Periodically, it seems that motherhood was actually inscribed as a "how to" manual, like The Bible. Of course, there are many interpretations, and many devotees proclaiming that they have The Answers if you follow their lead.

An example is the much ballyhooed article from last week in Time magazine, "Are You Mom Enough?" The picture on the cover provokes opinions around how long one should breastfeed. Additionally, it presents The Gospel of Sears. Or one parenting "manual" that focuses on attachment parenting. 

The trouble with manualizing parenting is that there really isn't one way to parent. In fact, many parents find that they have to shift their paradigm with different children. But Parenthood, being one of the ultimate contact sports (or at least comparative sports) likes to focus on the black and whiteness of it all. The good vs bad. Us vs them. Hmmm, dynamics that many of us try to NOT instill upon our children.

A problem with parenting is that there is no instruction book. Although, I like the idea that the OB/mid-wife/person who delivers the baby forgets to give you the personalized leaflet that is attached to the placenta. One thing that seems to make sense is "Do little harm." The reality is that we will all give our children memories that they wish they didn't have. There will be moments when, in retrospect, our kids will wonder what we were thinking or how they ever survived. (After all, some of us didn't need a car seat until we were 13 years old...) 

In other generalized guidelines, "Follow your gut...or don't." Some of us are more intuitive about parenting, while others need something more concrete. As there is no one right way, you pretty much can do as you want. Obviously, keeping kids safe is a priority (I'm not advocating neglegence) but safety is up to interpretation.

During the first few months of life, parents are caught up in the minutia of it all. Each wrong turn can seem monumental. When in fact, it doesn't really matter in the scheme of things. Bottle vs breast; how long to breast feed; working vs staying at home; sleep training vs not; co-sleeping vs crib sleeping. So many choices, which boil down to: what works for each individual family. The caveat: what worked with your first child when you were a family of three might not be replicable as a family of four. We all get to create our own Gospel According to Mom.

S'Mores Pie -- There's Nothing Wrong with This!

Meal Monday

Honestly, I do put a lot of thought into the nutritional value and caloric content of my cooking. The fact that my son refuses to eat anything other than about ten items notwithstanding, I think we manage to eat healthily (notice the somewhat ridiculous semantic overreach to create an adverb to maintain strict grammatical correctness) most of the time.

However, there are a few things, call them comfort food, All American dishes, or whatever you want, that transcend all concerns about anything other than taste and fun. This dessert is one of them. There are undoubtedly many ways to make this and I can't imagine a single variation that wouldn't be delicious. So customize it however you like.