Girl's Day Out

I would be remiss today if I didn't share my adventure with my daughter at the American Girl Bistro. My daughter got the AG fever after playing with her friend's dolls t his past year. It has been her most expensive interest to date as a kid.  We researched for months looking on eBay and Craig's list.  She had her heart set on Kit, the intrepid young investigative reporter from the 1920's.  She is one of the Be Forever dolls, each of whom has a historical back-story including a book and a movie.

 What I like most about the dolls is that they allows my daughter to play creatively and use her imagination. My most favorite time is to watch the dolls prepare for the zombie horde.  You want more and more of your child to stay young and play as your child ages because the adult world isn't as fun and they so want to be grown-up sooner than you are ready for them to be. Hence my indulgence in the American Doll.  Grandma, Gauntie, and auntie, and godmom have also been helpful.   My daughter also understands the cost of things and does appreciate Our Generation stuff from Target.  I wish I could sew.  Her dad and other grandmother are making furniture.

The American Girl Bistro leaves no detail to chance.  I had to make reservations for four a month in advance. Weekend dates are hard to come by.  I was pleased by how amenable the hostess was when I had a last minute addition.  They easily accommodated the five of us and our three dolls who sit right at the table with a high chair and are served tea in a sauce and cup which are souvenirs.  The napkins are wrapped with a hair tie and bow which is also a souvenir.  The servers were attentive and treated the girls like young adults rather than talking down to them.  AG also provided conversation cards as part of the table decor.

I was surprised by how reasonably priced the food was and I wasn't expecting it to be amazing, but it well-made and fun.  The portions were appropriately sized.  Interestingly adult beverages were even an option for  the adults in the party.  We didn't partake however. Each girl ordered cheese quesadillas and drink.  I ordered the grill cheese and tomato soup. Each girl then ordered a flowerpot dessert, chocolate mouse topped with chocolate cookie crumbles serviced in a flowerpot.  We lingered and laughed and practice our table manners.  Then it was over.

Would I go back?  As a special occasion for my daughter's birthday, yes!  Did she have fun! Yes! Did we add to our memory book? Yes!  Did I get out of the building with my wallet intake? Yes!  All in all it was an afternoon well-spent as Saturday afternoons should.

Sci-Fi for Strong Girls

Again, pushing myself to learn a new tech tool.  This week, I explored the sci-fi titles with strong girls.  My first sci-fi novel was A Wrinkle in Time in elementary school, my second Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale in my twenties.  My daughter has so much more access to the heroines under these covers than I did growing up.  Right now she is into Divergent.  I hope to move her up into other titles as she grows ready for them.

Summer Plans

Spring Hopping an major summer activity for me!

It's right around the corner! Summer!  What are you dreaming about doing? Two of my summer plans have been over a year in the making. The first is a family cruise with the the aunts and sisters and the grandchildren--no adult gents allowed.  Research says that the simple act of planning a vacation reaps benefits. The cruise will be my third and my daughter's second.  We went on an Alaskan cruise 5 summers ago. It was amazing.  The sites of this cruise will be a little different, but I let my daughter pick the excursions because she too should get the benefits of vacation planning.

The second vacay is a camping in the Shenandoah Valley and a 22 mile hike on the Appalachian trail. I did section of the AT in 2003 with my best friend and we decided to hike a section in each state. Here we are over ten years later me are ready to hit the AT again. The trip will be different this time, not just due to the location. This time, my husband, step-dad and other friends will join us while my daughter hangs out with my mom at the campsite.  Every summer I head out into nature. It is part of my rejuvenation.  We hike. We raft. We hang out in our hammock. We read. We listen to the naturalists and historians who volunteer their time. Last summer we learned how to retire a flag after attending a ceremony hosted by the Boy Scouts. I try to camp more often than not throughout the year, but it is a prerequisite for me to totally disconnect during the summer this way before I head back to work in the fall.

Other days in the summer will be spend spring hopping, a trip down the Rainbow River and a 24 hour Spring Hop into as many springs a possible. It is something I have also been thinking about for the past year. Perhaps it is the proximity of spring break that has me heading down summer lane tonight. What are you planning?

Eye-Spy II

 On Wednesdays, I like to share images that I have collected throughout the week.  Here are traces of spring that I spied on my Sunday morning venture. Enjoy!

Sunny wildflowers!

Food for Butterflies!

Peter Cottontail

A cocoon!

A Wood Stork

The feathery new leaves of a cypress tree.

What's Cooking?

Even my picky daughter loved the clam cakes!

My mom and dad were SOTAs (college students above the traditional age) before there was a name or acronym for it in the late seventies.  After my youngest sister was born, my mom went to community college to finish her degree.  She eventually earned a scholarship to Florida State University for her last two years and wound up earning a degree in home economics.  What I remember most about her internship was that I was in fourth grade and she practiced her lessons for her ninth grade students on me. She always wore\wears her lab coat for the big-time cooking events and classroom cooking instruction.  I essentially learned to cook with her. At age sixteen, I was able to do all the grocery shopping and cooking for my family which was a big help during tax season.  (My mom never actually taught high school after she graduated, but instead joined my father in his tax and accounting business).  I like to say that she home-schooled before it was fashionable. Aren't some of
the most valuable lessons the ones that we learn from our parents?

I have always loved to cook. I like the calm that chopping vegetables brings after work. I love the smells that emanate from the oven, this week meatloaf, my husband's favorite.  Some people have a bucket list full of action while I have a recipe bucket list in my head.  I want to master a meatball recipe like my grandmother's.  I want to master the chocolate souffle. I want to develop my skill for sauce-making--- bolognese, beurre blanc, bechamel. Last year I focused on soups, the hot smoothie. They are so easy that I am not sure why anyone buys soup in a can.  I love how any vegetable can be an amazing soup without the cream.  This year in homage to my daughter, ice cream, sorbets.

I love cooking for people.  I enjoy going to potlucks, but when I invite you over, I want to feed you and enjoy your company. Your only effort should just be to come over. One year, however, I was in a dinner club with like-minded people/couples.  We picked a country or region and hosted a dinner. The host provided drinks and the main course. The other couples brought one dish either an appetizer, soup, salad, and dessert based on the country or focus.  I learned to cook Thai, Russian, Japanese, German, etc.  That ended as lives got busy with children.  I miss it.

I love cooking with people. Probably the earliest cooking memory that I have is baking with my mom before Christmas--all day.  This fall I conquered the clam cake, a Rhode Island delight that no one in my family including my grandmother had quite mastered.  Yet I did so with my step-dad--he on fryer, myself on batter. The secret is Drum Rock!  I have cooked with my daughter by my side in the kitchen since she was 4 months old.  At eleven, she is an accomplished baker, better than me because she pays attention.  She always makes, bakes, and decorates her birthday cakes, she insists.

I love learning about cooking.  Probably  my most favorite indulgence of all is taking a cooking class at Truffles and Trifles.  With friends, I have taken classes in Julia Childs, sushi, Thai, appetizers to name a few.  What I like most about taking a cooking class is that I get to try many many recipes without buying so many ingredients.  I am proud to say that I learned how to make a crepe.  Would I make them for others?  Not so much!  I did love learning the secret of French onion soup- vermouth and other cooking secrets that my experience at Truffles and Trifles uncovered.

Cooking, however, is my hobby. It is not something that I want as a job. I love my day job. Besides ask my husband, doing dishes is not my strong suit!

Daylight Savings

If you are like me today, you are ready to sleep. I am ready to go to bed now rather than writing.  It happens once a year, my favorite time of year, spring forward.  Most everyone has an opinion about it.  They don't like getting up at dark-thirty.  It is dark.   I don't mind the morning in the dark. I just try to be extra careful and then open my blinds so that the indoor lights illuminate the sidewalk by my portable.

I love the extra evening light>  It is the promise that spring is here and summer right around the corner.  I noticed the evening light creeping up since the longest night of the year passed on December 21st.  I  love how daylight savings time quickly advances the evening light.   We will steadily be moving toward the longest day of the year.


Right now, however, I am tired and not energized for the evening light.  What's your stance?

Sunday Seven

Getting our Sunday miles in DC!

1. Laughing with my old and dear friends at book club. We have meet once a month for the last ten years.  Whether there is an intellectual discussion about the book or not, there is always laughter. Just the psychological boost we need each month til next time.  The plus is that I've read different genres than what I would choose to read---this month a little supernatural-steampunk-romance reading Gail Carringer's Soulless.

2. Sunday morning miles with my work friend, Jen K.  Every Sunday, 8 am.  Today we snapped many spring pictures to be shared on my picture posting day, Wednesday. It is a powerful way to kick off the week, early and moving.

3. Having an outdoor girl.  She loves to swim no matter what.  It took work on my part and her dad's as well as her courage.  At four months old, she was in the ocean. At four years old, snorkeling in the Keys on my back, sharks and all.  At nine, snorkeling in the bay for 6 hours catching scallops with no fear. Into the springs, she jumps in and explores.  I am glad that I am raising a girl who is not afraid of the outdoors and who choose to be there.

4. A second job, I love that challenges me to grown and learn about my craft.

5. A community of exercise buddies with a wonderful cadre of leaders who push us at Camp Gladiator.  There is always a welcome, a hug, and cheer as we sweat and push ourselves to do more than we believe is possible.

6. Florida weather!

7. Most of the components of my evaluation are done!  Just one more informal to go!