Inherited recipe card nostalgia

Posted by random olio

I am a sucker for a feel good novel. You know the kind that makes you dream about living on a farm or opening up a bakery, regardless of all the work it actually takes to pull such ventures off. Over the weekend as I was finishing up such novel, one of the very last paragraphs on the last page of the book reminded me of my mom and grandma:

“My grandmother’s handwriting filled the yellowed index cards, her letters tall and elegant, directing the creation of breads and cakes, pies and pastries, cookies, and of course, muffins. Even in the faded peacock-blue ink, her words live on.” page 341

The book? The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe by Mary Simses. A novel about a woman whose grandma had asked her to deliver a letter for her and then dies, and the journey the woman has to make to unravel a past she did not know about her grandma. A fluffy, fun book? Yes. Still, it was good. She talks about food throughout, and juxtaposes it with the woman (a Manhattan attorney) who is always careful about what she eats only to find comfort in the food she eats on her journey.

I still have a few of the index recipe cards in both my mom and grandma’s handwriting. You can tell how often a dish was made by the grease and spill marks, the worn look of the paper, and sometimes the bleed of a pen. I only have a few remnants of these recipes. At one point many years ago, when laptops became a hot item (although they still looked like bricks) my sister and I transferred the recipes we inherited to her new laptop so we could both have copies, and then not too long later the laptop died and was not able to be resurrected. In some ways it is fine as we have found, explored, and made our own favorite recipes, but there are still a few that linger out there that I have not been able to replicate.

Sometimes Chris asks me if the memory of the time, or the memory and nostalgia of that favorite recipe is strong but if I actually was able to replicate the dish would it still have the same effect on me? I love my mom’s coffee cake, and yet that was not lost (thanks to Betty Crocker). I have even changed it up and added my own twist. There are many that I probably never even know that I am missing. The one that I have tried over and over to recreate with horrible luck was her chocolate chess pie. I remember making it often as a kid and loving it, but each time I try now it is a runny mess. I think Chris has given up on it. So if any of you have a chocolate chess pie recipe that you want to share, I am all ears!

Find my husband… app

Posted by random olio

A colleague was recently telling me about an iOS app that was pulled from the iTunes store called: “Find my husband.” Apparently it was pulled for privacy issues. The intent of the app was that a wife (or I guess a husband too) could install this app on their husband’s phone and then be able to track their whereabouts whenever they wished. So if they called or texted their husband and they said oh I am just leaving work, and the app shows that they are nowhere near work, they would catch them lying.

I find such an app strange. It undercuts the entire idea of integrity and trust. I guess I feel that way because I know and trust my husband, but I suppose I can slightly understand why someone freaked out that their husband is cheating on them might install this app. Apple removed it from the iTunes store for privacy issues, but it looks like it is still available for Android users.

Having said all that, I am still a bit flabbergasted by this app. Of course there are times when I might want to know where Chris is, but not to track him down because I do not trust him, more because I want him safe. I can call him or text him to see where he is, and ask if all is okay. Couples need to tell each other the truth. If a spouse is cheating, be honest about it or leave the relationship. What has the world come to that our smart phones are now filling in as undercover detectives in our lives? Instead have the tough conversations.

I can understand the “Find my kids” app, but is the Find my husband app going a little too far?

My thoughts of what a man thinks…

Posted by random olio

I had drinks with some friends on Friday night. We were laughing and joking around about men and women. Eventually we ended talking about randomolio.com. Someone said to me, I wonder what you would say if you wrote about “What a man thinks…”

It made me chuckle. It made me think about a conversation at work a few weeks ago, where a few of us were answering the question, if you had any superpower what would it be? I answered: reading people’s minds. Yes, I know what you might be thinking. That would be annoying, chaotic, and people would stop wanting to be around me if they knew. I have thought often about that superpower, because so often I find that people do not really say what they are thinking. Ever thought of that? As a woman do you wonder what a man is thinking at a given moment? As a man, I am sure you wonder all that is going through a woman’s mind.

Now back to men. Do they say what they are thinking? Yes, and no. I cannot make a blanket statement for all men, but the ones I have watched throughout my life, well I have found that they say what they are thinking when they feel safe, or powerful, or comfortable, or when there is actually something on their mind. See it really depends on the dynamics in a room, and it ALWAYS matters if there is something going on in their mind.

I have learned with Chris, if there is an issue that bothers me enough when he brings it up, that over time he stops bringing it up (word of note to other women). I have also learned that unlike a woman, there are always times when there is nothing going on inside that male mind. A woman, well that is a different story. The electrical outlets are always in use. There is always some thought process happening, but when you ask a man what is going on up there, there are times when literally nothing is happening. Ever heard of: The Nothing Box? If not, you will want to watch (apologies for the horrible, blurry YouTube video, the audio is what really matters).

What do you think?

Your first Drive-In?

Posted by random olio

Do you remember the first movie you saw at the Drive-In? I do. It did not happen often, but I do remember my mom popping popcorn, and bringing Cokes (one of the rare occasions when we were allowed soda, or my midwestern roots would say “pop”). We would get into our paneled, yellow Buick station wagon and head to the Drive-In. My sister and I would get to lay down in the back-end of the station wagon to watch the movie. So, ready for my first Drive-In flick? Ghostbusters. Remember Slimer?

When I came across Honda’s current campaign to save the Drive-In, I was interested. Honda has started “Project Drive-In.” A campaign to reignite and support local Drive-Ins. As the movie industry moves from film to digital, most Drive-Ins will be impacted. Since most Drive-Ins today still have older projectors, Honda has launched this campaign to help replace the film projectors in Drive-Ins to digital, a $80,000 cost. They are putting up a vote to see which Drive-In should be next.

I am a bit partial because the 99W Drive-In in Newberg, OR is my closest Drive-In, so of course I was excited to see that people voted to save them — and they are a winner! I looked up the one from my childhood and it looks like it is not listed (bummer)! When I tried to find a full article at the newspaper I used to deliver papers for, I would have had to pay for the excerpt, and quite frankly, I was not interested. So I guess I will have to wonder what happened to the Ski-Hi Drive-In.

I encourage you to check out the Project Drive-In website and vote to save your local Drive-In, or one from your past. Of course, Honda is also taking donations for individuals to support saving more Drive-Ins. Voting has been extended to September 21. While yes I raise my eyebrows when I wonder about the motives of Honda, I do think it is a landmark of the past that should be preserved.

Do you remember your first Drive-In? Was it as a kid, with your family, or on a first date?

If you do not wear a wedding ring, why not?

Posted by random olio

I grew up thinking that men did not wear wedding bands, that it was something only women wore. My dad was in construction and never wore his wedding band. Maybe it was because of the safety aspect, maybe not. Eventually I think he stopped wearing a wedding band because it no longer fit and maybe it was not important enough to him to have it sized correctly.

While talking to a colleague at work this week we somehow came to the conversation of wondering why do some folks who are married not wear a wedding ring? It prompted some questions. Do you not want others to know you are married? Does it no longer fit? Do you dislike the ring you were given? Does it bother you to wear a ring on any finger? Do you play with it, and twist it around your ring finger, thus it is better left at home? (Is it not interesting that it is called the ring finger?) Whatever the reason, we began talking at length about individuals we knew that did not wear a ring. Were they really married? Some we did not know the answer. Others we knew did not wear a ring, but we knew were happily married.

I do believe that our society has over sensitized wedding rings, diamonds, the money involved with purchasing rings, etc. So is wearing a ring still sacred? Does it matter? If you are married, do you cherish wearing a ring? I do. I feel naked without my wedding ring. I look at it often throughout the day. When my hands are cold and it slides around, or on hot days it may feel tighter. It is a wonderful reminder of Chris, and the vows we took together over ten years ago. By the way, I still have my dad’s wedding band, it sits in a box of memorabilia.

So, if you are a man or a woman and do not wear your wedding ring, is there a reason why? I am curious.