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Dinner with Mom
Mom's back in town after her jaunt to Mexico over Thanksgiving weekend, and H is on his way back to health and actually traveled for work again. All of this means Mom and I had the place to ourselves when we decided to have dinner last night. Family relationships have always been interesting. The play a large role in my writing, because they play a large role in my life. Of course, the moms in my books tend to be more of a caricature, than like my own Mom. With good reason, really. She's one of my best friends. If I don't talk to her in a week, it feels weird. If I don't see her at least once in two weeks? Even weirder. I bring this all up because it's that time of year again...family time. For some it's a time of terror. Trapped with their family over a holiday meal for more than 30 min.? Run for the hills! For others, it's a time they look forward to all year long. For me, it's a time of balance. We'll have our family Hanukkah party next weekend, and another one with friends later that week. There are work parties (both for me and the boy), friend parties, non-parties...and a nap.I'm exhausted just reading my list, but this may be because I'm so very ready for Winter Break already. I want to curl up on my couch with a mug of tea, a blanket, and the rest of seasons 2.5 and 3 of Battlestar Galactica (because no, I have not finished watching them). So bring on the family time. I'm ready for it! Are you?Labels: family, life
Bad blogger...
No, I'm not yelling at the blogger system. I'm yelling at myself. Bad, Erin, for not posting for almost a week! I can't believe how fast this week went by. I apologize profusely. I have no excuse, really, other than a very long week including the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah (pronounced Roshe, not Raaaash or Rash). Somehow it led me to Friday without a posting in sight. And since you're all (okay, Rachel and Mom are) clamoring for my zoo post, here it is: The problem with having family who visit you approximately once a year is that you run out of cool things to do with them after the first few visits. There's only so many trips to the Ballard Locks, or the Seattle Waterfront, or Pike Place Market one can take before losing their mind completely. So when my grandparents (from here known as GP) came to visit, I had to scramble for something to do with them. We started out at lunch, where they were amazed by the bi-level (right word?) Target across the street. "Two floors? How do they do that?!" From there we took the long way through Ballard down to the Woodland Park Zoo. Please keep in mind, I love the zoo. I'm basically a giant 5 year old at heart. Take me to the zoo and I'll ooooh and ahhhh all day long. So off to see the lions and tigers and bears (insert: Oh my!). Actually it was more like zebras and hippos and gorillas, really. We slowly (hey, the GPs are in great shape, but they don't walk quite as fast as they used to) made our way through the zoo. We marvelled over the elephants, the zebras and the fake ostrich eggs. We watched the raptor soar through the air after the fake "prey." We narrowly (and in Nana's case not at all) escaped getting pooped on by a bird. We cleaned up after getting pooped on by the bird. We stopped to read every sign between the enterance and the exit. Sometimes we read them twice. And we asked multiple questions of every zoo employee we found. (Please note, this is more a Royal we, meaning the GPs.)By the time we left, we were all ready to go to the hotel where they promptely changed for dinner (because let's be honest, bird poo is such a turn off), and we relaxed while listening to someone on one of the 24 hour news channels interview John McCain at top volume. Ah, a lovely day indeed.Labels: family, happy times, random musings
Does Bubbe know something I don't know?
About 7-8 years ago I used my grandmother's house as my main address while I finished college. It was also my father's address, and I lived there when I wasn't at school. At the time I had one or two magazine subscriptions that I've long since stopped. Who has the time to read them all? So it's been a good long while since anyone has had a need to mail me anything at her address. But apparently my Bubbe knows something I don't know. Or else she's trying to tell me something. The other day I opened my mailbox here in Washington to find a magazine she decided to forward to me. It was all wrapped in plastic, clearly showing her mailing address. Except for where she attached the bright pink card where she wrote my current address and instructions to forward. The magazine? American Baby. I thought it was bad enough when she asks me (everytime I call) if I'm dating anyone. Now apparently she's decided to bypass the husband, and moved straight to me giving birth. Oy.Labels: family, random musings
It's a wild world...
This last weekend I made my annual pilgrammage back to Michigan to see my bubbe and assorted other family members. Going back is always weird for me. I grew up in Metro Detroit, and spent the better part of 22 years there. When I left, it felt similar to a mass exodus, as most of my friends moved out and moved on with their lives. Most of my immediate family is now in Washington, and so when I go back, there aren't that many to connect with. It makes it easy to keep my visits short and sweet, even if they are a blur. This time around felt like a weekend at a nature preserve...if the animals in the preserve were designed to scare the bejeezus out of me. First off on Friday I decided to take an hour and go back to high school for a bit. They've redone most of my old high school, down to the food service. They have a pop machine! The wild and wooly part came on the way to the school. FH is not a rural area by any stretch of the imagination. There aren't a lot of parks, or places for wild animals to live. They were pushed out 20 years ago (give or take), by housing developments. So believe me when I say the deer that decided to bound into the middle of the busy street was completely unexpected. Even more unexpected were the two who followed their friend. Thank goodness my rental car had good breaks, or I'd be wearing antlers. Later that day I took the family dog over to the local pet shop to be groomed. We walked, since the weather was breezy (if you count almost gale force winds a nice breeze) but sunny. Madi was thrilled to trot along and sniff the ground, and when we encountered a couple of geese? Why she scared them off, of course. Too bad the geese didn't stay scared. The crazy beasts decided that they, not the city of FH, owned the sidewalk and I had no business walking on it. They hissed and honked...and chased me. I ended up crossing well before the intersection to escape turning the potential to violence into actual violence. And of course, all this went on amidst warnings that the thunderstorms they expected to arrive later in the day might provide the perfect conditions for a tornado. It's just too bad that the t-storms never really fleshed out by me. Only a little thunder and lightening to speak of. The weekend also involved baking coffee cake and making gefilte fish. And let me tell you, if you weren't a fan of it to start with? You don't want to know how it's made. Labels: family, life
Rainy day blogging...
 Fall returned with its usual mixture of cool and wet weather. In an effort to forget about the rain I realized I never posted the promised photos from my recent trip to Hawaii. So...here they are.
The first one is my sorry attempt to illustrate for you the incoming hurricane. Can't you see the palm tree blowing in the wind?
 Anyone wanna get leied?
 Some of the ladies (left to right: my aunt, me, littlest cousin and Nana)
 Dolphin slash! Did I mention I got to play with dolphins? They are the most amazing creatures on this planet. If you ever have an opportunity to play/swim with the dolphins? Do it! There you have it...my little blast of the tropics on a rainy fall evening.
Labels: family, happy times
All praise him!
Ooooh boy, was this afternoon interesting. First off, I had plans to me my aunt for lunch. I was supposed to be at her place at noon, and left with what should have been plenty of time...any day but game day. Yes my friends, the Huskies played in town today. Which meant I was stuck in traffic for just short of an hour. I eventually made it to her house, and we headed to downtown Seattle for lunch at the Purple Cafe. Yum! After lunch we decided to wander downtown a bit, something I rarely get to do anymore, now that I live and work solely on the Eastside. In our wanderings we stumbled upon some kind of musical performance, so of course we stopped. We love live music! We also love people watching, and this crowd looked interesting. Did you ever see Stomp the Yard? We had our own personal demonstration going on in front of the stage full of female singers. The steppers rocked, firing up the crowd and getting everyone in the groove. Then the choir began to sing. There was much stomping, clapping and joyous music. So much so that it took me almost three minutes to realize what we'd found. A revival. Or at least the closest thing to a revival downtown Seattle was going to see. I also think it's safe to say my aunt and I were the only Jews in the audience. And definitely the only one's not praising Jesus. They choir was wonderful, the audience definitely grooving, and we? We were having a pretty good time ourselves, well, when we disregarded the subject matter that was. The clapping and singing I could get into though.And you thought it was safe to let us out in public.Labels: family, random musings
In memory...
I want to take this moment to remember a wonderful woman, wife and mother. Pearl Friedman passed away Sunday night, leaving behind a family who loved her and friends who will never forget her. Growing up, Pearl (or Peari as we always called her) always felt closer than simply a cousin by marriage. She was like an aunt, always wanting to see you and talk to you about your life. For my father, she was much like a second mother, considering all the time he spent at their house while growing up. She spent the last years of her life battling emphesema and a host of other health issues. I know that even as I type this she is watching her family with all the love in her heart. She is finally at peace. But in all this, it is her husband I think about. After 56 years of marriage, Ernieis alone, and he doesn't know what to do. His wife was his life and now he's lost. I can't help but cry every time I think of him.
The funeral was held in Michigan on Tuesday, in accordance with Jewish law, and the family has already begun the seven nights of Shiva. This blog entry is my shiva, since I cannot be with the family right now. If you have a moment, please take an opportunity and let those you love know it. You never know when you'll have another chance...Labels: family
Family and food...
 Friday night my bubbe invited the whole family over to dinner. What began as my cousin stopping by to say hello, became both cousins, my uncle, my aunt, Dad, Bubbe and me. I realize some of you think I'm joking when I talk about my family (okay, most Jewish families) and food, but I'm not. Case in point? Friday night dinner.
Bubbe planned the menu (with my help), and we were off to the store for fruit. Upon arrival we discovered tasting stations set up around the store. The first one offered up some kind of Asian noodle dish that tasted yummy. So we bought the ingredients, and decided to make it for dinner. I thought we were making it for dinner instead of the other items we had discussed.
I was wrong.
See, Bubbe worries about having enough food. The woman can have a fully stocked freezer and fridge, and still be worried there is not enough food for everyone. It comes from a very logical place, and so it's mostly a beloved quirk at this point.
But Friday it was reality. To give you an idea? Here's what all was made:
- Salmon Patties (see pic above). If you haven't had them, they are similar to crab cakes, only made with salmon. Bubbe, being the good Eastern European that she is, makes here's with lots of onion. The house smelled of it for at least 5 hours. My eyes were tearing up at one point.
- Asian noodle dish. This one I made in two batches after Dad discovered the recipe called for mushrooms. Apparently he doesn't appreciate a good fungus among us.
- Salad. Because all dinners must include a salad.
- Corn on the cob. No reason for this one, other than apparently we needed another vegetable. I did manage to talk her out of the asparagus, though. I think I get a point for that.
- Farfel. This one is hard to describe. Farfel is made of crushed matzo and mushrooms that are boiled until the water is completely absorbed. The matzo becomes kind of like a couscous/noodle thing.
- Pie. It's kind of like a pudding/custard type pie. It was very yummy and creamy.
I swear I'm missing something in this list, but can't remember what. I should probably point out here, that all of these items were made in enough quantity to qualify as a meal all their own. Is it any wonder I'm never hungry when I'm visiting?Labels: family, food
The queen of whirlwind visits...
 I flew home to MI for the weekend in an attempt to take advantage of the week-long break. It was truly one of my whirlwind visits. My plane took off 4 hours late on Wednesday, so I landed some time around 11 or so. I was there with the express purpose of only seeing family, and so told no one, except for family, of my plans. It really hit home how long it had been since I'd been back, when I saw my little cousin all grown up at 7 years old.
Another cousin, also younger, is engaged to be married this November, so I'll be making yet another whirlwind trip home.
The thing of it is, this seems to be what usually happens. Yes, I have more breaks now, so hopefully this will change slightly as I get more in to school, but getting more than three or four days to make the 2000 mile trip home is pretty rare in my life. Still, I spent some much needed time with my bubbe and my father, and my dog. I have some pics of the dog that I hope to post in the next couple of days, if only because she's so darn cute.
I think I mentioned the 4 hour delay on my flight earlier. Well, there is more to that story, of course. It was a four hour delay, which meant technically I spent 6 hours at SeaTac airport...six hours of my life I will never get back. Yes, I did some writing, yes I did some reading, but most importantly? I brushed up on my flirting skills.
Oh, like you're surprised? SIX HOURS...you'd flirt with total strangers too.
Nothing came of it, and I didn't really expect it to...still, it was a might fun way to pass the time.
The eerie part of it all, though, was that I'd just finished writing a scene set in an airport. My characters are currently winging their way to Europe on assignment. While at the airport they encountered a serious delay, forcing them to wait for about five hours. Needless to say I was feeling a little responsible by the time my flight left.Labels: family, travel
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