Today is Sunday--the day most people would want to rest. However, it is the day my family comes to dinner and that means a lot of work. In another post, I said all that work was worth it because my grandchildren are enticed to come and see their Nana and Papa through the temptation of good food. We also try to praise them a great deal, so they know that when they come to our house they will be in a filling and fulfilling atmosphere. Today the menu is creamed chicken, mashed potatoes, rice (for my son who does not like potatoes), cauliflower, cucumbers, tomatoes, pickles, olives, banana and apple salad, and hot rolls with fruit juice to drink. I don't usually make dessert because the sugar sends the kids over the edge. After dinner we play board games like Bingo and Harry Potter trivia.
As I said before, this dinner is an important event. Studies show that families that eat together have lower incidence rates of juvenile delinquency, children get better grades, and they tend to stay away from drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes. I also believe that they stay connected to the older generation and then the older generation is better cared for. If there is anything we can do to help our children and grandchildren stay connected and feel loved, I'm all for it, and I think family dinners are a good way to show love.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Nana's teaching moment
I had the family over for dinner the other day and GS2, who is 10, said the word, "Crap." Since I am a rhetorician, I wanted him to understand that in some cases, he would not want to say that word. We had the following dialogue at the table:
Nana (me): Just so you know, that word is not right for some situations.
GS2: Why not?
Nana: Some people think it's vulgar and they'd think you were vulgar, too.
S1: What Nana means is that you shouldn't use the word in polite company.
GS1: I don't think he even knows any polite company.
GS2: I know Nana.
Nana (me): Just so you know, that word is not right for some situations.
GS2: Why not?
Nana: Some people think it's vulgar and they'd think you were vulgar, too.
S1: What Nana means is that you shouldn't use the word in polite company.
GS1: I don't think he even knows any polite company.
GS2: I know Nana.
Dry skin blues
Where I live, high in the Rocky Mountains, we don't just deal with cold, we deal with dry. I probably look older than I am because of the lack of moisture, but I wouldn't trade my glorious mountains for any other part of the world. But I have learned to use some GREAT moisturizers that many people wouldn't think of, such as Balmex, Bag Balm, and olive oil. I know, I know. Balmex is for baby bottoms and has zinc oxide and vitamin E. Bag Balm is for cow udders and olive oil is for cooking. However, they all work great on chapped skin on hands, baby cheeks, and the knees of crawling babies, and adult feet.
A while ago my little niece was in tears at a family party because of her chapped, raw, red hands. Her mother said the little girl had such sensitive skin that regular moisturizers stung, so the mother was at wit's end and didn't know what to do to help her daughter. Luckily I had just purchased three tubes of Balmex. I warmed a small amount in my hand and took my niece's hands in mine (put there reluctantly because everything else anybody put on hurt her). As I gently rubbed the Balmex into her skin, her eyes met mine with a look of wonder and then she smiled a brilliant smile of gratitude. Her hands didn't hurt for the first time in days. While she ran off to play with her cousins, I gave the tube of Balmex to her mother and told her another trick.
Trick: Get dry skin wet for a few minutes in warm water, such as a shower or while washing dishes. Before drying the skin, dab off excess water with a towel and immediately apply the Balmex or Bag Balm. Apply again in an hour or so to really protect the skin. My husband started complaining about the dry, brittle skin on his heels a couple of weeks ago and I had him use Bag Balm as soon as he got out of the shower just before he put on his socks. No more cracked heels.
It's not just the ointment that makes your skin soft, it's the water in your skin. You will need to apply the ointment every time your skin gets wet and up to four or five times a day if weather conditions are severe. Do use gloves or mittens when going outside for extra protection.
If you put the ointment on your damp feet, immediately cover with socks. If you follow these directions every day, you will lose the split, calloused skin that is so ugly and painful on your feet.
As for olive oil, when I'm in the kitchen cooking and cleaning, I wash my hands about every two minutes as I go from one thing to the next. I keep a rather huge bottle of olive oil handy and rub a drop or two of the oil into my skin when I wash my hands. It keeps the skin soft and is edible, so I can continue using my washed hands as I cook.
A while ago my little niece was in tears at a family party because of her chapped, raw, red hands. Her mother said the little girl had such sensitive skin that regular moisturizers stung, so the mother was at wit's end and didn't know what to do to help her daughter. Luckily I had just purchased three tubes of Balmex. I warmed a small amount in my hand and took my niece's hands in mine (put there reluctantly because everything else anybody put on hurt her). As I gently rubbed the Balmex into her skin, her eyes met mine with a look of wonder and then she smiled a brilliant smile of gratitude. Her hands didn't hurt for the first time in days. While she ran off to play with her cousins, I gave the tube of Balmex to her mother and told her another trick.
Trick: Get dry skin wet for a few minutes in warm water, such as a shower or while washing dishes. Before drying the skin, dab off excess water with a towel and immediately apply the Balmex or Bag Balm. Apply again in an hour or so to really protect the skin. My husband started complaining about the dry, brittle skin on his heels a couple of weeks ago and I had him use Bag Balm as soon as he got out of the shower just before he put on his socks. No more cracked heels.
It's not just the ointment that makes your skin soft, it's the water in your skin. You will need to apply the ointment every time your skin gets wet and up to four or five times a day if weather conditions are severe. Do use gloves or mittens when going outside for extra protection.
If you put the ointment on your damp feet, immediately cover with socks. If you follow these directions every day, you will lose the split, calloused skin that is so ugly and painful on your feet.
As for olive oil, when I'm in the kitchen cooking and cleaning, I wash my hands about every two minutes as I go from one thing to the next. I keep a rather huge bottle of olive oil handy and rub a drop or two of the oil into my skin when I wash my hands. It keeps the skin soft and is edible, so I can continue using my washed hands as I cook.
Old-fashioned chicken noodle soup is still a favorite
OK, so I'm not just a writer, teacher, and Ph.D., I'm a mother and a grandmother. What's pretty ironic is that my grandchildren don't care at all about my three degrees, or that I present at conferences, or that I do anything professional at all. What they care about is my cooking and cuddling while watching a movie or playing table games. My oldest grandson (13) brags to his friends about my chicken soup and my stew. Even better, he still likes to hug me. Every Sunday night that we can, we have the entire gang over for dinner and a family activity. Tonight I made a slow cooker pot roast with potatoes and carrots. We also had corn on the cob, brussel sprouts, and fruit salad, plus homemade apple pie. I made a lot, but they ate most of it. It was like the locusts descending in hordes. When everyone was stuffed, we watched a Christmas movie together. My son and his wife say that the kids are really disappointed if they don't get to come to Sunday dinner. Sometimes it seems like a lot of work, especially with my writing and teaching schedule and my church volunteer work and taking care of my aged father, but it's worth it. Wouldn't it be sad if my grandchildren didn't know me or my husband? If the incentive is scrumptious food and it takes some effort for me to prepare it, so be it.
Here is my chicken soup recipe that my grandson (GS1) loves so much (Last time I cooked it, he ate nearly two quarts in one sitting). This is the gluten free recipe:
Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (a whole roasting chicken is good, too, but there is more fat and the cooked meat must be separated from the skin and bones)
3-4 whole bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1 tablespoon powdered onion
1/8 teaspoon powdered garlic
salt to taste
pepper to taste
water, enough to cover the chicken
DeBoles corn spaghetti style noodles
Directions:
1. Place all ingredients, except the noodles, in a large pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
2. Simmer, with cover on the pot, for about an hour. Skim the foamy junk off the top every once in a while.
3. Shred the chicken and put it back into the broth.
4. Break the noodles up into short lengths. Add to the hot broth and cook on high until the noodles are tender. Serve.
5. If you have a pressure cooker, even better. Use it instead of a regular pot. Bring to a boil and let the rocker rock for about 15 minutes. Cool down before opening the pressure cooker. Follow steps 3 and 4.
This soup freezes well. Try freezing it in individual servings. It will last in the refrigerator for at least a week.
Here is my chicken soup recipe that my grandson (GS1) loves so much (Last time I cooked it, he ate nearly two quarts in one sitting). This is the gluten free recipe:
Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (a whole roasting chicken is good, too, but there is more fat and the cooked meat must be separated from the skin and bones)
3-4 whole bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1 tablespoon powdered onion
1/8 teaspoon powdered garlic
salt to taste
pepper to taste
water, enough to cover the chicken
DeBoles corn spaghetti style noodles
Directions:
1. Place all ingredients, except the noodles, in a large pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
2. Simmer, with cover on the pot, for about an hour. Skim the foamy junk off the top every once in a while.
3. Shred the chicken and put it back into the broth.
4. Break the noodles up into short lengths. Add to the hot broth and cook on high until the noodles are tender. Serve.
5. If you have a pressure cooker, even better. Use it instead of a regular pot. Bring to a boil and let the rocker rock for about 15 minutes. Cool down before opening the pressure cooker. Follow steps 3 and 4.
This soup freezes well. Try freezing it in individual servings. It will last in the refrigerator for at least a week.
Nana's been around a long time
Welcome to my blog about being a nana (grandmother), a mother, and a wife. My kids ask me for advice on all kinds of things and I thought maybe others would like to know those things, too. I have a huge immediate and extended family, so I have lots of stories. If you have questions or have stories of your own, you're welcome to share.
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