Tic Toc

Some time ago I inherited my great-grandmother's bed side clock. She must have picked it up on one of her travels. Its a Linden Blackforest wind up clock made in "West Germany" by Cuckcoo. The clock is small- only about 2 1/2" tall by 2 1/2" wide. It is looks like it is made of brass, with roses inlaid on the sides and on the face serving as a delicate decoration.

A few years back I placed the clock in my living room and would wind it up when company was due, because friends would chide they stayed too long, never knowing what time it was. But that was short-lived. This little clock has a lovely, strong "tic toc" sound. I love it! For me it was soothing, metronomic. For visitors, it was an annoyance. And back to the bedroom it went. Every now and again I find myself winding the clock for comfort. It still functions like a champ. The seconds pass as if a heartbeat, steady and true.

What's For Dinner?

If you know me, you know that cooking is my form of therapy. And boy- have I been in need of therapy lately! Around 9pm last night I began cooking today's dinner- lasagna. Mind you, I make this about once a decade. While I love the dish, I'm not so fond of a.) the expense of making it and b.) the calories involved in consuming it.

After putting my child to bed, I set to work in the kitchen. Dicing, picking herbs from my little garden, sauteing, mixing, layering. It was an absolute delight. For 2 hours I completely lost track of time and was blissfully engaged in making my version of an edible masterpiece. Woes melted away and the kitchen and I became one. Sound cheesy? For sure- ricotta style.

Once cleanup & some TV catch-up (LOST!!!!), I finally wandered upstairs to hit the hay. And for some reason, despite the ridiculously late hour, I was refreshed. Cooking is good for my soul. Its my means of self-expression. To feed you is to tell you I love you. And couldn't we all use a little more love in our lives? The last thing I remember before falling asleep-- the smell of homemade pasta sauce and herbs. For that brief moment between waking and sleep, all was right with my little world...

My Mom, Miryam

OK...she'll probably kill me after posting this, but this post is brief but loving homage to my mom. She is a very modest woman, and not at all worldly in any sense, so I know she is not comfortable with public commentary. I will share the following only because other people deserve to know how blessed I am, and despite all the bad & crazy stuff going on in the world, there are good, decent, loving people around us.

My mom was born and raised in what she refers to as the poorest part of her country- El Cerro of Montevideo, Uruguay. She didn't have an easy life, but she had people in her life who love her, in their own ways, including her parents. At the age of just 19, she married my father and moved to the United States. Can you imagine leaving your country, culture, family, identity behind and heading for another continent? I don't know what went through my mom's mind. I don't know how she had the courage to come to a country whose language (at that time) she did not speak. There was no email, no skype, no cell phones. I think about that kind of decision in this day and age and think its completely nuts. But without her wisdom and courage, I wouldn't have been born in such a privileged and wealthy nation (yes- in this country we're rich, even when we are "poor"). I could have been a third world statistic.

Dental Gems of Truth (according to me)

Although well past my 30th year on this earth, at least once a week I am still the delightful recipient of a call from my mom. Mom is technologically challenged, but has been slowly catching up to the pack. On a recent visit, I gave mom my old cellphone and she is proudly using it (a HUGE step forward!). Last night during one of these such calls, mom asked if I had blogged recently, and if not, when would I.

This simple notion made me smile to myself. 2 months ago, mom could barely open her facebook account. Now she wants to know when my next blog is coming out. Truth be told, I've been down & out w/ teeth problems for nearly 3 weeks. Its a long story which involves highly paid specialists, root canals (plural), meds and plenty of soft foods. I'm still kind of mumbly and don't like to talk at night because that is when I'm in the most pain.