Bomb Diggity Birthday

Well, that was an interesting birthday. My day started out with the smoke alarm waking me out of a sound sleep. For my birthday, my older daughter Jaime made me tea and pancakes and brought me breakfast in bed. Then I had the pleasure of watching her, my husband, and my two dogs perched on my bed, all watching *me* eat. Needless to say, we shared. Jaime then dragged our younger kidlet out of bed. Let's just say Delia wasn't quite ready to be woken up. Nothing like a sullen seven year old to throw a damper on the celebration. Ah, well. Went downstairs to find the house immaculate (another gift from the elder child.) Had a good hour to myself - not counting my shadow dog, Izzy, who follows me everywhere, and Delia, who felt the need to snuggle with me in my blanket while I scored a little time playing on the computer.

Then I got a phone call from my mother. If you take a sec to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the blog, you can see the nice glitter ribbon I have up in her honor. She had breast cancer 22 years ago. Just a few weeks ago, the doctor found a new lump. She had surgery this past Wednesday to remove it. Well, last night she developed intense pain in her leg. My husband, the nurse, advised her to get to the E.R. because it might be a possible blood clot from the surgery.

I picked her and my step-father up and away we went - first to a prompt care (because my mother did NOT want to go back to the hospital) and then to the E.R. (because the doctor at the prompt care told her they couldn't do the tests she needed, and to go to the hospital.) My mom kept commenting to any and all who would listen, in a litany of guilt: "This is my daughter, it's her birthday today." Seems that everyone felt a whole lot worse for me today, going through the worry and waiting with my mom, than I did myself. But in my mind, family comes first, regardless of plans. So honestly I wasn't upset that my day had been 'wasted' ... because it wasn't. It was just a little different from what I had expected the day to be.

So on my special day, I spent it at the side of my mom, as she waited in the hospital. Kind of ironic, since on this day 46 years ago, my mom had given birth to me in that very same hospital. Then, after hours of waiting, the results were in: no blood clot. The doctors don't know what caused the pain, but at least it didn't turn into a worst case scenario.

Home from the hospital, I had to endure another dreaded event: a makeover by my 13 year old daughter. I use makeup (sparingly) and I prefer comfy clothes. Jaime thinks I should awake my inner daffodil. The makeover included her picking out my clothes - a pair of slacks I haven’t fit into for 10 years, and a button up shirt that would have potentially burst and shot hapless buttons into people’s eyes. So, that part was scrubbed, even as Jaime was busily scrubbing my face with her fancy rotating gadget. I have one too, a simpler model. I call it a “washcloth.” Well, I sat as nicely as I could while she did my makeup, then she worked on my hair with the straightener. Let me explain about my hair. It is coarse and wiry with a lot of gray. Let’s just say my best styling options begin and end with a hat. So, by the end of the makeover, my poor burned hair stuck out like a frizzy halo around my head, and the makeup Jaime applied made me look like a goth hooker clown. And then we went out to dinner.

My birthday wrapped up at a Chinese buffet with my family. Plates piled high, we all enjoyed a nicer ending to the day - a day that might not have had such a nice outcome.

Part of the trick of riding out the wave of expectation is to simply have no expectations. In Chinese fortune cookie lingo: "He who expects nothing shall not be disappointed." Put another way, you just learn not to worry about your day, because what you expect may or may not happen. You just need to roll with it. Reminds me of something the apostle Paul wrote: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12 - 13

Highlights of my day: I got breakfast in bed, a clean house, nice gifts and some wonderful birthday cards. Jaime called me the "almighty bomb diggity" in her card … and for a 13 year old to say that, you know that you rock as a parent! I know my family loves me, and I love each of them right back. So my birthday wasn't what I expected. But at least it was interesting. That’s how I try to enjoy all my days, the good with the bad. Because life is life … you never know what you’re going to get. And I’m content.

            

If it’s not one thing…

…it’s my mother, calling with the kvetch of the day. For those of you not familiar with a kvetch, it’s similar to a nag, which is like a constant annoying reminder, only more so. If by chance my mother neglects to fill her nag quota while on the phone, I can always count on an email with a more extensive list. My mom is big into lists. From the time I was old enough to make my own lists I had (as a joke) compiled an alphabetical list of all her ailments so I knew what I was in for as I got older.

I’ve reached the age myself, though, where I’ve started on an ailment list of my very own. Not a good thing to get sidetracked by serious health issues with young children and a busy household to run. For me, illness is like an obstacle course: I’m always running and dodging, trying to leap over the daily hurdles that challenge me in ways I never imagined.

The big one from my list is Fibromyalgia. This disease is like a combination of rheumatoid arthritis and chronic fatigue. Add to the mix sleep disturbances preventing any kind of restorative sleep – which produces another symptom, “brain fog” - memory problems equivalent to those often experienced during pregnancy. I've tried to explain the illness to my girls, describing the effects as if they were the Seven Dwarfs: Achy, Cranky, Forgetful, Gimpy, Sleepy, Weary … plus the occasional visit with Doc.

I’ve had quite a variety of responses from people when they learn that I have Fibromyalgia. Some have never heard of it; others know the name but few details about the symptoms. One fun thing about having an oddly-named disease are the unique pronunciations that people come up with. One friend (a nurse, by the way) called it Fibro Malaysia. Malaysia is a country in south-east Asia, sweetie. Also really liked the one from my pastor, who called it Fiber My Algae. While it’s important to get enough fiber in your diet, that’s really not what the disease is about. As for myself, I just like to call it Fibro What Ails You. That pretty much sums it up for me. One day you feel like you got hit by a truck; the next day it might feel more like a bus or a train. Every day is different. Just a nice little bonus of the disease, all the variety.

Some days are fine; other times the flare-ups just wipe me out and make ordinary things extraordinarily difficult. Simple things exacerbate the pain, like carrying groceries or lifting loaded baskets of laundry. When even the little things are a challenge, it takes an even greater effort to make the effort to do them. One of my favorite quotes is, “Obstacles are in the mind, inventing them.” Sometimes we set ourselves up for failure just by believing that we will fail. So we choose to not even try - which is failure in itself. If you let a little pain prevent you from living your life, it’s not really much of a life. But there are times you have to just push through the pain (much like during childbirth) and keep on plugging.

I say all this not to complain, or to illicit sympathy, but to make a point. There is not a person on this planet who doesn’t have some kind of difficulty in their life. Sometimes it’s a health issue; sometimes it’s a problem with a relationship, or financial, or the like. But we have a greater source than ourselves to draw on when we are beyond our own abilities. The Bible is replete with images of illness turned to triumph, of disaster changed to blessing. We may not understand why we are allowed to suffer, but there is always a point to be made or a lesson to learn. God’s ways are not our ways. We may not see the blessing in the day-to-day difficulties, but it’s there. There are times where He uses the flip side of blessing to draw us closer to Him. If we can learn to praise Him when times are bad, the good times will be even sweeter. God can use the problems in our lives to prove that He is with us always, through good times and bad. To walk in true relationship with the Lord is the greatest gift ever. A daily dose of communion.

In the book of 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul mentioned suffering from a ‘thorn in his flesh.’ Though he repeatedly asked God to remove the ‘thorn’ (which some scholars believe was the onset of blindness) and restore his health, Paul did not get the answer he was looking for. He did, however, receive a greater answer: “But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)

So maybe I can’t do everything the same way or with the same energy that I used to. But I know that the Lord’s grace is with me, sustaining me through all my weakness. Fibromyalgia is a thorn that in all likelihood will never be removed from my side (or my knees … or my back … or my neck.) But that’s okay. Because His grace is sufficient for me, whatever my needs are. And that sure tops my list.

Teatime Recipes

Alright, I'll admit it. I do sometimes drink coffee. But in my heart of hearts I am the TeaLady (and while I'm typing I'm watching the steam from my Bewley's Irish Breakfast curling up from my cuppa.) When I get around to dusting I'll thrown in some photos of all my wonderful teapots. But until then (and until I find my duster) how about some recipes?

For a party, I present my favorite trifle recipe. Not for the kiddies, though, it has alcohol in it! Who says you can't par-teeeee with tea? This recipe is pretty decadent!

English Trifle

1 (10 3/4 ounce) frozen pound cake

1/3 cup sweet sherry

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam 

3 cups mixed berries (sliced strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, 
blueberries), fresh or frozen (if frozen, defrost and drain before using)

Custard:                                                                           

8 egg yolks                                                        

1 1/4 cups sugar                                           

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole milk   

                                        
Whipped Cream:                                          
1/2 pint whipping cream   
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  
Garnish:
fresh seasonal berries, like strawberries or raspberries, rinsed and dried

First make the custard: heat the milk in the top of a double boiler over medium low heat until film forms on it. Beat the eggs with the sugar and vanilla in a double boiler until it forms a ribbon. Then slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs, beating all the time. Place the mixture in a heavy saucepan and stir over low heat until the custard coats the back of a spoon, 10 to 15 minutes. Don't let it boil. Strain it through a fine sieve. Cool the custard in a bowl set in ice water, stirring occasionally.

Cut pound cake in half lengthwise and trim halves to cover bottom of glass trifle dish. Sprinkle cake with sherry to soak, and spread cake with jam, heating jam if necessary to facilitate spreading. Place mixed fruit on top of cake. Pour cooled 
custard over the fruit. Refrigerate, covered, at least 4 hours.

Whip cream to soft peaks. Beat in powdered sugar and continue beating until stiff. Spread whipped cream over the trifle and garnish with the fresh berries.

Yield:  8 to 10 servings

  

Note: may substitute a packaged whip cream (like Cool-Whip) for the fresh whipped cream. And really, if you don't want to make your own custard... go ahead and use a cook & serve pudding.

Okay, you've got your super sweet trifle treat. Now for some savory. Tea sandwiches can be as simple or fancy as you like. Just cut the crusts off 'em, cut 'em in quarters, and you're good to go! I like to have at least three choices of tea sandwiches for a party. So here are a few to choose from:

Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Tea Sandwiches:
1 cup whipped cream cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 lemon, juiced

8 slices white bread

1/2 cucumber, very thinly sliced

4 ounces smoked salmon

Combine the cream cheese, dill, and lemon juice. Divide the mixture evenly and spread it onto the bread slices. Place a layer of cucumber onto 4 bread slices and top with a layer of smoked salmon. Top with the remaining bread. Using an electric knife, cut the crusts off, then cut each sandwich in half.

Sorry Charlie Striped Sandwiches

3 cans water-packed tuna, thoroughly drained, and flaked

5 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt, pepper and paprika to taste

several stalks celery, finely minced

20 bread slices, for 5 sandwiches from firm white bread and 5 from whole wheat

 

Place tuna in a medium-size bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in mayonnaise and lemon juice; season with salt, pepper and paprika. Mash to a smooth paste. Stir in minced celery. Make sandwiches with tuna mixture; trim bread crusts off and cut into triangles.

Additional note: if you make the tuna mixture ahead of time and find it develops too much liquid; drain off liquid and add some softened cream cheese to bind mixture back together.

Roast Beef and Horseradish Finger Sandwiches

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt

pepper

12 slices crusty bread, sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ pounds seasoned roast beef, sliced thin

romaine lettuce

 

Mix together the sour cream, horseradish and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. On 12 of the bread halves, spread some of the horseradish sauce. Top the sauce with 2 ounces of roast beef. Top the beef with 1 leaf of romaine lettuce. Place the remaining bread halves on top of the lettuce. Trim crusts and cut into quarters.

Curried Chicken Sandwiches

2 cups cooked, diced chicken breast

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 cup halved red grapes

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayo and curry powder. Fold in the chicken, grapes, and cilantro, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over mixed greens or make into sandwiches with your favorite bread choice.

                                 Egg Salad Sandwich

 with Avocado and Watercress

6 eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise, plus extra, for spreading

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 lemon, juiced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 slices whole grain bread, toasted

1 avocado, halved, peeled, seeded and sliced lengthwise

1/2 bunch watercress, stems trimmed

Cook the eggs 10 minutes in a saucepan of simmering water to cover. Drain, cool under cold running water, and peel. Roughly mash the eggs in a bowl with the mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread 4 slices of toast with mayonnaise, if you like. Arrange about 1/4 of the avocado slices on each. Spread each with 1/4 of the egg salad and arrange watercress sprigs on top. Top each sandwich with another slice of toast and serve.

Sandwiches can be de-crusted and cut into quarters, or you can use cookie cutters to make shapes out of them - especially good for a children's tea party. I'll be sure to put in some good recipes and suggestions for that kind of event next time I blog about teatime. But for the sandwich fillings, you certainly aren't limited to bread: you can hollow out cherry tomatoes, or use a lettuce leaf as a salad bowl, or top a flat veggie (like cucumber slices) with your wonderful fillings. Really, you can be as creative as you want. One thing to note, though: if you go with the traditional bread for your creations, sandwiches can dry out if you make them ahead of time. So take care to cover them with plastic wrap until just before your party.

However you make it, and whatever you choose to serve …  have fun!