Mary

When the remote goes missing…

June 9, 2021 by Mary 2 Comments

When the remote goes missing, the blame game begins.

It’s easy to make assumptions and point the finger at the likeliest culprit, Jessie. Apparently, it only takes one or two times before someone gets labeled for life. I could be wrong but this probably holds true for most families.

Sometimes, the controller is just not put back where it belongs. Other times it gets switched with an identical remote for another TV. This time, it just vanished.

No one knew who the last one was to use the remote but that didn’t stop us from asking Jessie where it was and for her to please look for it. Based on her expression, I knew this was not her doing.

For three days we looked to no avail.

Out of desperation, we decided the seat cushions of the leather couch needed a deeper dive.

Nothing.

As we turned the couch upside down, we heard a sound. We found a coin and some playing pieces from long-abandoned games., but no remote.

When we turned the couch over again, the TV went on. When we sat down, the channel changed.

To make a long story short, we found the remote wedged between the arm and the frame. We needed a screwdriver to extricate it. There’s a good possibility that if the TV didn’t give the remote away, we never would have found it.

The lesson learned here is, don’t be so quick to judge who is at fault.

Note to self, just because Jess is the likely suspect, doesn’t make her guilty. We need to stop this knee-jerk reaction of pointing the finger of blame.

Now, if we question who left an empty carton of ice cream on the kitchen counter, that’s another story… Wait a minute, that hasn’t happened in years. Jessie has wisened up. She throws the containers away. As long as she hides her tracks and cleans up, I’m pleased.

I think we are good.

After a long blogging break, we are still here…

June 1, 2021 by Mary 2 Comments

Fourteen months and still Zooming. Covering the keyboard encourages her to stay off the keyboard while in session

It’s been 14 months and we are still at home. Some local schools have opened but Jessie’s program still does not have a start date. To say that this is getting old is an understatement.

Thank goodness, Jess has been able to Zoom. Her Day Program has done an exceptional job presenting subjects. They feature destinations, explore topics, and allow her to share which keeps her captivated.

October is AAC Awareness month

October 16, 2020 by Mary Leave a Comment

“My job is to pave the way, not to carry her conversations.

Having a voice means having a choice.

Mermaid Lemonade

August 13, 2020 by Mary 2 Comments

We made this because Jessie was zooming with her day program. I like to parallel what they are doing at home. Here’s the link that goes with this.

Simple syrup:

1 cup boiling water
1 cup of sugar
blue food coloring, enough to make it turn a dark blue or crush blueberries for their juice.

Lemonade:

2 cups boiling water
1 cup of sugar
1+ cup lemon juice, fresh is ideal, I like the pulp, bottled is acceptable
5 cups of water

Chill the syrup and lemonade.

Most recipes say simple syrup is ready as soon as all the sugar dissolves, however, I prefer to reduce it a little bit to make it thicker. The goal is to layer the colors and you want this heavier than the lemonade.

Dissolve the sugar in the water. I prefer lemonade to have more of a pucker so added another 1/4 cup lemon juice, which gave a more contrasting color.

Put ice in the glass.

Pour 1-2 ounces of the simple syrup (depends on the size of glass, the goal is to make layers of color. Bottom blue, light green, and the top should be pale yellow.

Next, gently pour the lemonade.

Umbrella, optional.

Banging Blueberry Muffins

August 13, 2020 by Mary Leave a Comment

Blueberry Muffins fresh out of the oven without the crumble.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
baking time 25 minutes
makes 9 large muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (325 grams)
3/4 cup white sugar (160 grams)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup blueberries
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla *add some whipped cream optional

For the Crumble

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cold or frozen butter, grated
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven
Prepare pan. Either grease or use muffin liners.
Combine the dry ingredients. Add the blueberries last and make sure they are dusted in flour (it will prevent them from sinking)
Using a measuring cup, put, the oil in, eggs, and then add enough milk (which is about 1/3 cup worth) until it measures a full cup. Yogurt can be substituted for milk*.
Add the wet ingredients. Do not over mix. Fold in till the flour/blueberry mixture is just incorporated. It’s okay to see a little flour.
Using an ice cream scoop, fill the muffin tins. Typically they say 3/4 full but this recipe has worked well with the muffin tins 90% full.
For the crumble, grate the cold butter into the flour and sugar mixture and then toss with your fingers till combined. Top the muffins. The crumble is optional.
Bake for 25 minutes till the tops are a light golden brown. Cooking time depends on your oven. Let rest for a minute before either tilting or removing from muffin tin. This will allow the steam to escape.

If you want a perfect muffin, before assembling, all ingredients need to be at room temperature

and the story that goes with it.

Happy Easter 2020

April 12, 2020 by Mary 9 Comments

If you are all dressed up this Easter and have nowhere to go, then you too are experiencing the coronavirus blues. Even though social distancing has forced us to celebrate differently, this didn’t stop Jessie from enjoying tea with a few of her oldest friends.

For us, this is a day of mixed emotions. As we celebrate Easter, we also mourn the loss of my mother and Jessie’s dog Ginger who both passed on this day, five years ago. Though they are not with us, their memory always will be and that is what we focus on. No one is spared. We all experience grief and we don’t get to choose what or when, however, this year it seems like it can’t get much worse.

After a month of social distancing and isolation, if we haven’t gotten sick, we probably have been passed over. At some point, we all need to venture out. If we don’t let go of fear, the suffering will be far greater. I’m concerned about people like our hairdresser who also has a second job as a waitress. How can she survive not working for a month or more? The models that restaurants operate from are based on how many tables they turn over. If we don’t venture out how many of the 650,000 restaurants will close their doors? How many jobs will suddenly be lost with them? Does this mean that the brick and mortar stores can no longer operate? Are we to order all our clothes online? I don’t know about you but I want to feel the material and try the clothes on that I purchase. This may not seem very important but it is to the people that work these jobs. It’s unrealistic to expect the government to support the whole country. Let me remind you to do the math. Even though this virus is one of the worst we’ve experienced, living in bubble wrap isn’t the long term solution either.

All of the parking lots are littered with gloves. Shameful

We may have not exactly lived off the grid but it feels like we have and for the most part, I think we have benefitted from it. Without the noise and distractions, this has allowed us to recenter our family and we have found ways to entertain ourselves, as well as, making do with what we have. The few times I’ve gone to the market, it’s been a positive experience, however, I’m disappointed when seeing latex gloves strewn all over the parking lot. There are convenient wastebaskets but apparently, some people only think of themselves. These same people that worry about getting sick probably don’t have the same regard for others. In times like this, we see the best and we see the worst in people.

Okay, this was supposed to be an upbeat, positive post. I digressed. I guess all I want is for people to have consideration and use common sense. If you are at risk and are afraid of venturing out, stay home and let others get back to work. Of course, if you have been exposed, self-quarantine and stay home.