Letting Kids Be Kids

As I was packing and preparing to leave for California earlier this week, I found it necessary to make a run to the Mart of Darkness . I had a couple of items that I needed to get, so I expected a short and uneventful trip. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened.

I walked in, grabbed what I needed, and got in the express line, standing behind a father and son. The father was probably about my age and his son was probably about my oldest nephew’s age – ten. I glanced at their items and realized the dad was buying a couple of child-sized polo shirts; shorts; a kid’s toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash; a small carton of chocolate milk, and sunglasses for both the father and son. None of that seemed particularly unusual, but the father’s behavior struck me as very odd.

The father kept making comments to the little boy about how expensive everything was and how he felt like he was spending too much money on him – when the sunglasses that the father was buying for himself appeared to cost more than pretty much everything else put together. (It almost seemed like the father had suddenly gotten totally unexpected custody of the child and had to buy things to get him to school the next morning.) I watched as the happy light faded out of this little boy’s eyes. You could tell that he was excited to be getting new things, including a cheap pair of sunglasses, but the father’s words and actions were really hurting this little boy. In just a few minutes, he went from happy and excited to very quiet and somber. It was just incredibly sad.

As the father and son left, the father did put his hand on the boy’s shoulder and seemed to say something to him that made him a little happier, but I doubt that little boy easily recovered his excitement. The father seemed to kill his happiness with just a few sharp and misguided words.

It just really makes you think – we’re all children at one point and, as an adult, I can’t even begin to guess how many times I have wished I could go back to my childhood. Since we all seem to want to go back to those easy days, at least at one point in our adult lives, shouldn’t we let kids be kids and be happy before they have to deal with real-world issues and problems? I think so. I’m not a mom, but I am an aunt. I also am the first to admit that there are times that I’ve snuffed out my oldest nephew’s excitement (my youngest isn’t old enough to care yet), but I’m resolving to never do that again. He’s just a kid – and he should get to stay that way as long as possible.

The Learning Channel?

Years ago, the television station TLC was aptly named The Learning Channel. A few years back, they dropped their lengthy moniker and became known as TLC. Along with their name change, they changed some of their programming – truly, for the most part, for the better. I’m a longtime TLC fan and have enjoyed many shows on the network. After what I heard earlier this week, though, I’m afraid that’s going to change.

Early this week, Discovery (which owns TLC) announced that they had decided to purchase the rights to an eight-part documentary series featuring Sarah Palin. I was more than slightly surprised. Discovery and Sarah Palin? It just seemed…wrong. Discovery, which prides themselves on providing learning opportunities, has picked up a show that’s sole purpose essentially seems to be to promote a woman who should be well past her 15 minutes of fame. Sure, they say it’s to promote Alaska, but using Palin as a host? Come on!

Does Alaska intrigue me? Absolutely. Would I enjoy learning more about it? Sure – I’d like to learn more about all of our states. I’m not, however, interested in listening to Sarah Palin’s nasal voice extol the virtues of moose hunting. I truly think they could have found someone who knows Alaska better than a woman who chose to resign from an elected position, for no reason other than to promote herself and make more money. Had they, I’d definitely be more interested in actually watching the show.

Now, is everything on TLC a learning experience? Heck no. I’ve got to admit that I’m (ashamedly) addicted to Toddlers and Tiaras and that I used to watch Trading Spaces and, sometimes, even Jon and Kate Plus Eight. But for some reason, this just doesn’t sit well with me…and I’m strong enough to admit that it’s because I just flat do not care for Sarah Palin.

Larger Than Life

Early yesterday afternoon, I received word that my first grade teacher had passed away in a tragic accident. As I fought back tears, for just a few minutes, I was transported back to her classroom, more than 20 years ago.

At the tender age of six, I thought she was an old woman, as she had steel gray hair and that was how I best judged age in those days. On the first day of first grade, I remember being somewhat scared, as I’d heard she was mean – after all, she was the one teacher who still kept a paddle in her classroom. I did know that she’d been my sister’s teacher, and since Jill had survived, I figured that I would, too.

What I didn’t know but learned throughout my year with her was that, while she could be stern and strict and ruled her classroom with somewhat of an iron fist, you would be hard-pressed to find a teacher who loved her students more. She was a relatively short woman (I’m guessing she wasn’t a bit over 5’2”), but she was larger than life. She played the piano and we sang at the top of our lungs. She read us books and we all listened to her as she gave life to the different characters. She introduced us all to the “super duper smiley face” and we all worked hard to have one of those placed on our assignments, as they were way better than ANY gold star!

The following August, when I moved on to second grade, I was sad – I’d loved my first grade teacher, but I knew it was time to grow up. I went on to have numerous other teachers, including those who were wonderful (Clara Margaret McCluskey) and those who were not so great (who shall remain nameless).

While I continued to grow up and finish out my elementary, middle, and high school education in Fredonia, any time I saw Ms. Harris, she greeted me with a smile. Even during my junior and senior years of high school, if she was in the grocery store where I worked, she made a point to say hello to me.

At the end of my senior year, when I had decided that I wanted to become a high school language arts teacher, Ms. Harris was still highly involved with the Fredonia Unified Teachers’ Association, from whom I received a scholarship. I received a card from Ms. Harris, along with a check for the first half of my scholarship, in May; in addition to wishing me luck, the card told me to come see her in December, once I had my first semester’s grades.

When I stopped to see her before heading back to college for my spring semester and showed her my grades, she didn’t denigrate me for receiving a “C” my first semester. Instead, she invited me in and asked me how my semester went and listened to my explanation of my “C”. She didn’t demand an explanation, as my grades still were high enough to retain my scholarship, but somehow, she seemed to know that I felt the need to explain. After several minutes, when I finally quit talking, she told me that she was proud of me, “C” and all. I also felt the need to tell her that I’d decided that teaching wasn’t my calling – and again, she was supportive and reassured me that I had a bright future, no matter what career path I chose. She handed me another check and told me to stay in touch.

I hadn’t seen Ms. Harris in several years, but her death still hit me pretty hard. As I read her obituary this morning, I discovered that she wasn’t quite as old as I thought all of those years ago – she was only 64 when she passed away. And even though she’d retired from teaching a few years back, she still was extremely involved in the community.

I don’t know much, but I do know that Fredonia has lost a giant. Rest in peace, Ms. Harris. I’m sure you’re somewhere playing jazzy tunes on a piano and singing your heart out.

Good Friends, Good Food, Good Fun

My friend Tracy and I had a girlie party last Friday night. While I wish that some of our other friends could have joined us, we had an absolute blast! Good friends, good drinks, good fun, and good food….mmm…good food. Below are recipes for a couple of things that I made to take; I’ll add another post later with a couple of recipes that I was planning to make and take, but didn’t, simply in the interest of time.

Spinach Brownies

Ingredients:

10 ounce package frozen spinach
½ cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
½ cup milk
¼ cup melted butter
½ onion, diced
½ medium red pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced
2 pieces of bacon, chopped
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 317. Lightly grease 8x8 inch pan.
2. Place spinach in medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and cook until spinach is just cooked, which should be about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, drain thoroughly, and set aside.
3. Sautee red peppers, onions, garlic, and bacon in frying pan over medium heat, until vegetables are slightly softened.
4. In large bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk, and butter. Mix in spinach, pepper mixture, and cheese.
5. Transfer the mixture to prepared baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Notes:

This is similar to a quiche – only you can hold it in your hand. As the recipe author suggested, I initially served mine chilled, but think they’d be much better if slightly warmed.

I doubled this recipe and didn’t have the best results ever. If you decide to double it, bake it in two 8s8 pans, not one larger pan, and I think you’ll be happier. I also think I should have baked mine a little longer, but they still were pretty good. I’m excited to try it again with some spice additions.

Uncle Bill’s Sausage Balls

Ingredients:

2 boxes Stove Top Pork Dressing
1 ½ cup hot water
2 pounds sausage
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped celery
1 chopped onion

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line several cookie sheets/jelly roll pans with foil and spray with Pam.
2. Mix all ingredients together with hands and shape into small balls. Place balls on pans.
3. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 30 minutes.

Notes:

These things are seriously like crack to me. Seriously. One recipe makes a TON, though, so unless you’re planning on serving a lot of people, you might cut it in half. These actually freeze quite nicely, too.