Grandma's Kitchen Table

Thursday's Favorites Fare

Hot August Days:  Nothing like a frosty glass of water to bring relief on a Hot August Day!

READING: Lord of the Flies as Matt needs to read it for English class and I haven't read it since high school, so figured it would be worth a read as everything reads differently when you are at different places in your life, i.e. OLDER and WISER.

LISTENING TO:   Springsteen's The Ties that Bind

COOKING THROUGH:  Le Cordon Bleu at Home (Le Cordon Bleu School of Cooking); Baking:  From My Home to Yours (Dorie Greenspan)

FAV THING TODAY:  Time with friends.

FAV NEW FIND:    NICHE

GOING TO:   Spend the weekend doing nothing productive at all (okay, some things productive, but not too many) as it is a holiday weekend and we have plans for frivolity...swimming, golfing, visiting the family, etc.  Travel safely wherever you are going and have a great weekend! 

PRAYING FOR:   Please pray for the repose of the soul of Mark G, the most senior partner in Mark's law firm, who passed away early Wednesday morning.  A more capable or kinder man, I cannot imagine.  Mark came into the firm 31 years ago under the leadership of Mr. G, and the ensuing years have brought the utmost respect from one to the other. If you would like to read more about his life, click here.  This has been an extremely difficult year for the number of losses we seem to be experiencing.  Praying for the families of them all...please join me. 

Tuesdays with Dorie: Chocolate-Banded Ice Cream Torte

       This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, from the cookbook Baking:  From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, is Chocolate-Banded Ice Cream Torte, can be found on pages 288-289, and was chosen by Amy of Food, Family, and Fun.  

      This recipe was very easy and went together quickly...well, quickly if you consider you only had to mix up a bit of chocolate ganache, and then layer that and ice cream in the pan, waiting between layers to add the next, etc.  Easy. 

      As you can see, I need presentation work, obviously, to make this the showy dessert that it has every potential of being, as the layers smooshed a little, so maybe more time freezing between layers would help next time, and yesterday being what it was and all, putting out fires all day long,   I spooned over some extra ganache thinned with a little cream, and a raspberry sauce I made with some raspberries, Chambord, a little sugar, heated and then strained.  A few fresh raspberries tossed in the mix added some nice color and texture. 

       I actually started this early in the morning yesterday, got distracted by pressing needs outside of the kitchen, continued with another layer, and another round of pressing needs outside the kitchen, because really one can't enough pressing needs that take one away from one's baking and all, and then finished assembling it before heading out the door at 6:00 to meet girlfriends for dinner.  Yesterday's baking session was rather full of distractions like that this week. 

      The guys were not happy to hear that the dessert needed six hours in the freezer (oops, forgot about that part when I decided I would do it all on Monday), necessitating an unveil of Tuesday night instead of Monday night when they have come to EXPECT dessert. 

      I made mine in the little heart shaped springform pans and pulled one out this morning for a photo shoot so I could post here in a timely manner.  Matt had a piece for breakfast (I know...stellar mom giving her kid ice cream torte for breakfast, but it was his second breakfast, the first one being more balanced and all).  He declared it absolutely wonderful, said he would eat it any time I wanted to make it, and that he even liked the little heart shaped pan I used (what a good son to notice things like that, right?).  

      The raspberry ice cream part was good...my chocolate layers went on Matt's place to be inhaled in record time. 

      If you would like to try this recipe before buying the book, just click on Amy's name above and she will have it posted at some point today.  Endless combinations for this recipe!   

      Next week's recipe was chosen by Stefany of Proceed with Caution, is Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters, and can be found on page 73.  

       Click here and then click on individual bakers' blogs at the site if you would like to see more of this week's recipe and the various ways people interpreted their quest.  Or, better yet, you can click and join us!  See you there.

      Oh, and for those who are wondering:  4 More Days Until The Boy Gets His Driver's License!  It's going quickly now.  Gotta run...sub-teaching Chemistry at Guerin for the rest of the day.  Have a great week!

The Countdown Continues: 8 Days Until that Driver's License

       I know, it's date night and all, but honestly, Matt is at a retreat and therefore we opted for no Guerin football game; Carmel's game is tomorrow afternoon; and I was just not in the mood for Olympics tonight, but Mark and Alex are, so shame on me, I am watching a chick flick and thinking of taking a swim in a bit...no date involved.  Sometimes you just need to break from tradition. 

      I have had the BEST day.  This day has just been really great.  I picked Matt up from school, no swim practice this afternoon.  He had been wanting to get a new pair of blue jeans (last year's don't fit, big surprise, right?), so I said, "Want to go get those new jeans?"  He said, "Wow, you must really have had a great day if you are offering to take me shopping."  (I have this sort of rep and all around here about shopping.)  'Tis also true that I needed to go to the cookware store and pick up my little TWD springform pan that I found and ordered yesterday, four doors down from the jean store.  The photo is absolute proof that when you are having a great day, things just go unbelievably great all around...we got a parking spot right in front of the cookware store...can you believe it?  Love the flower pots!  Matt was laughing as I took the photo and saying, "You aren't really going to blog this, are you?"  I said, "Absolutely, Matt, this has never happened before and it may never happen again.  It might be a once in a lifetime thing, and I intend to remember it!"  I have been at this store a lot (gift certificates for me always come from here as everyone knows I enjoy cooking for my family, and I am "impossible to buy for," etc.), and I have never once in countless years had a parking spot closer than two or three blocks away.  Yes, indeed, this has been a wonderful and lucky day as we were in somewhat of a rush this afternoon.  We were done with the whole shopping gig in less than five minutes.  Might be a new record.

       Eight more days until the Driver's License...are you all getting tired of this?  Sorry.  Only 8 more days of it!  Without the driver's license, here is what my fall/winter schedule looks like:  4:30 a.m. up and drive to swim practice, then drive back home; 7:00 a.m. drive back to swim practice to retrieve Matt and then over to Guerin for school, home by 8:00 a.m.; 3:00 drive to Guerin to get Matt and take him to swim practice, home by 4:00; 6:00 p.m. drive back to swim practice to retrieve the boy and then home by about 6:45.  Factor in the rest of MATT'S chauffeuring needs:  IYC choir rehearsals, performances, etc., church activities, lots of social engagements, errands, etc. and my usual answer when people ask, "What do you do?" is "I drive."  Can you see how my day is going to go a bit differently in 8 days?  Whatever will I do with all that found time?  I'll let you know when I figure it out. 

       And, just so you know it is not just ME looking forward to L Day...be assured that Matt is SO ready to be able to drive himself all these places.  Let's face it:  I am a cheerful person in the morning, which is annoyingly irritating (not that Matt would ever say this himself) at 4:45 a.m. to those who would prefer to just, oh, let's say, continue sleeping on the way to the pool, or at the very least, rest quietly.  We have a little joke between us that Matt's word count pre-morning practice is something like 1 word or grunt per mile.  After morning practice, maybe 10 words per mile.  After school, about 100 words per mile and counting.  I see a trend...I am living in a household of Non-Morning People.  It's probably best to keep perky cheerfulness away from non-morning people as a general rule.  Driving himself to the pool will no doubt be a quiet ride from now on. 

      And now, something not cheerful at all:  Pat M. lost her 4-year battle with multiple myeloma yesterday morning.  Pat and her family live on the other cul-de-sac in our neighborhood.  Their son Alex just began his freshman year this year with Matt at Guerin.  In your charity, please pray for the repose of Pat's soul and for her family.  Thank you. 

    

 

Thursday's Favorites Fare

READING:  Anything I can get my hands on at the moment about Frances Seward as I cannot find a definitive work/book on her life.

POOLSIDE READING:   Bits and pieces of Egyptian fare about the goddess Nut 

LISTENING TO:   Prokofiev

COOKING THROUGH:  Le Cordon Bleu at Home (Le Cordon Bleu School of Cooking); Baking:  From My Home to Yours (Dorie Greenspan)

FAV NEW FIND:  Three things:  First, a 5 inch springform baking pan with a 3 cup capacity for next week's TWD recipe...the larger one (9 inch) just seemed way too large, so this mini is perfect for our family; Second, the photo is of a plant I purchased in June at the Louisville swim meet and I am definitely planting these next year as this one has been flowering all summer and it is so very beautiful, it brings me joy every single day, so if you know what it is, let me know (by way of explaining the flower at a swim meet, I like to check into the hotel room/suite and then immediately assess the areas that would be oh-so-much-more-lovely if they had a flower or two sitting about, at which point I hit the nearest plant/flower shop and pick up a few things to set about, taking them with me when I go...this flowering plant has been one lovely plant all summer); and Third, we are now in single digits:  9 more days until that Driver's License!  

FAV THING TODAY;   I have some time to cook my soups for Whisk Wednesdays...FINALLY!

GOING TO:   You are not even going to believe this...rearrange more furniture this weekend.  Just because. 

PRAYING FOR:   The second round of the students heading back to college...it is that time of year again, always makes me a little sad to see them all go and know that it won't ever be quite the same when they return for visits. (But if Murph is reading this:  Really, Mike, Mickey will just be a couple of hours away, and it will be just like he is off at swim practice, and you won't notice him gone at all, really.  Yeah, right.)  Praying for them, please join me. 

Tuesdays with Dorie: Granola Grabbers

      This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, from the cookbook Baking:  From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, is Granola Grabbers, can be found on pages 82-83, and was chosen by Michelle of 

Bad Girl Baking. 

 

      What a great name for a cookie!  I was excited when I first saw it posted...if there is anything around here, food-wise, that is grabbed by teenage boys and husband alike, as one is headed out the door, it would be cookies. 

      Mark's favorite breakfast fare is cookies.  He eats cookies more times than not for breakfast.  (This, I believe, is left over from his college days when he would sleep until the last possible second, or maybe one or two beyond that even, and then madly dress, grab either cookies or a couple of spoonfuls of applesauce, and head out the door for class.  Some things never change...he still operates that way here most mornings.  Mark is not, by any stretch of anyone's imagination, a morning person in any regard whatsoever.  I cannot speak for his college days, but I can tell you this is 30 years experience of married life speaking.) 

      Matt and Alex inhale cookies by the dozens.  These, my friends, are GREAT cookies.  Guaranteed to disappear faster (almost) than one can place them on racks to cool.   (Photo is of cookies cooling nicely as boys were out of the house...the recipe made 45 cookies...one obviously missing as it was the "test cookie."  Come on, we all make the cookies in the first place so we can have the test one, right?) 

      Dorie's recipe comes together easy and fast, as promised, bakes exactly as she suggests, and produces very wonderful cookies.  What's in them?  Okay, here's the class list:  Granola, Peanuts, Almonds, Raisins, Coconut, Wheat Germ, and all the usual lineup of butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, salt, and flour.  Surprisingly enough, baking soda and/or baking powder were not on call, but yet the cookies were nice and rounded, maybe the egg's job in this recipe.  I noticed on the TWD site that a few people were commenting on the dryness of the raisins and how they wished they had soaked them first, so I am including the raisin package in the photo at the left as I have found these "Baking Raisins" to be just the right item for recipes calling for raisins.  They are moist and small, which is really nice for baking.

      If you would like to make and bake these in your own kitchen, just click on Michelle's site above as she will have the recipe posted at some point today.  Better yet, just buy the book and you will be ready to go with a flick of the wrist and your page-turning fingers.  Really, you'll want the book. 

      Next week's recipe is Chocolate-Banded Ice Cream Torte, can be found on pages 288-289, and was chosen by Amy of Food, Family, and Fun. 

      Click here and then click on individual bakers' blogs at the site if you would like to see more of this week's recipe and the various ways people interpreted their quest.  Or, better yet, you can click and join us!  See you there.

The Countdown Continues: 12 More Days Until that Driver's License

       No photos from the weekend, so the little crabapple tree at the side of the garage photo will need to suffice as I love the way all the little berries are ripening up for the birds to enjoy in a month or two.  Simple things...it's important to always just love the simple things you get each day. 

       Well, we moved the furniture.  I can live without doing that again for another 16 years or so.  It looks just fine, but really...I am not a big lover of change and this is a change.  I prefer to amble through life with as little change as possible...the status quo suits me perfectly fine.  I always find a great deal of security in the status quo.  I am big on security and predictability.  Have I said it enough here?

       I said before that I really didn't know why we were doing this, and I would not have even moved anything this time except for the dire necessity of doing so, in the hope that it would be a workable solution.  Even though he really does not care for mention in the blog, preferring to remain as much of an enigma as possible, this concerns Alex.  Alex's room connects to a large walk-in closet and a very large walk-in attic, where we store things like camping equipment, Christmas decor, and any number of other seasonal items. 

      In the past year I have raised the white flag on making any attempt at controlling the state of Alex's realm, aka his bedroom.  Some things are just not worth the aggravation and fight within.  I have come to feel this would be one of those things.  However, that said, we could no longer navigate an unhindered and safe route to the attic through said realm.  Enough said. 

       We had other options for Alex...one being a room that I currently used for my scrapbooking area, which Alex thought might be a suitable solution (actually Alex didn't think any such thing, but I am trying to be as gracious about all this as possible...how am I doing?). 

        So, Alex now has a fine new room that no one need enter for any purpose other than fire or possible search, if we feel the need, and he is fairly happy with it.  The scrapbooking room is a little larger, so once I get it all at my fingertips again, I will be happy with that also.  Apparently a win-win situation. 

      And, best of all:  his room is actually clean and organized right now...he would not let me photograph it, however, so you will just need to take my word or come by quickly if you hope to see it thusly. 

      What's up over there today?  I have a carrot souffle in the oven for a funeral luncheon at noon, am cooking my TWD dessert today (everyone is always excited about Mondays here because we have dessert...it seems like a good day to have everyone be excited about, being Monday and all), and between the funeral luncheon and retrieving Matt from Guerin, I am definitely swimming as it is a gorgeous day.  Have a couple of volunteer bits, but too early for subbing yet at Guerin as it is only the third day of school.  Working on straightening up a bit from the weekend and laundry...can you stand the excitement?   Actually, I like it...my kind of day. 

      CSC swimming starts up again for Matt's group this afternoon after school...we had a whole week off...and so we begin our Tenth Year of USA competitive swimming.  Who knew it would last this long?  Oh, yes, and only 12 more days until driving to swim practices is a thing of the past for me...can you tell I am looking forward to that a little?

      Have a great day, see you tomorrow with the TWD unveil.

 

Thursday's Favorites Fare

A little garden statue of St. Francis in one of the flower beds.  I like how the flowers just seem to find it and grow up and around the base.  Very sweet.

 

READING:  Catching up this week on bits and pieces around that look interesting...you know, don't want to spend the time reading the WHOLE thing, but just skimming through for interesting content.  Not a bad thing to do every now and again.

POOLSIDE READING:   More of the above. 

LISTENING TO:   Our school mix tape to get everyone in the mood...well, I'm in the mood, so hopefully the boys will see the light soon.  There has been a little grumbling about summer ending so soon...that does sound familiar, no?

COOKING THROUGH:  Le Cordon Bleu at Home (Le Cordon Bleu School of Cooking); Baking:  From My Home to Yours (Dorie Greenspan)

FAV NEW FIND:  Katie, Suzy, and I had a little field trip today that included looking at Amish quilts at a shop, checking out the yarns at my favorite yarn shop (now their favorite yarn shop also), and lunch at Kelties.  The quilt shop was amazing...it is right next to the yarn shop and has the most wonderful quilts on display...you might want to check it out for yourself.  It was a really nice time out with friends.   

FAV THING TODAY;   Guerin started back to classes today and it was fun driving up to the school to drop Matt off and seeing everyone pulling up, dropping off their children, etc.   A lot of waving and hellos and all that business as I have gotten to know a lot of people with subbing last year. The teachers and staff at Guerin have a tradition of lining up outside the school on the first day of school each year and greeting the students as they file in...it is very sweet and fun.  The kids all look forward to it and to getting little hellos from all their favorite teachers, etc.  Just fun to see. 

       At Carmel High School, where Alex attends school, the buses take the kids to school, and they file in to a number nearing 5,000 or so...it's literally like a small city up there...and even if I wanted to get in the long line of buses and cars, I doubt I would be able to deliver Alex in time for the bell as it is very very busy up there in a small amount of space for such an amount of cars and buses.  He prefers people to think he has no parents anyway, so I didn't offer.  Being driven to school by your parent as a teenager at CHS...horrors!  Guerin is a different story...kids and parents all motor together up there since there is no public transportation to and fro and all.  How many more days, you are perhaps wondering?  The answer is:  16 more days until that driver's license, and my only trips to Guerin will be weekly volunteering and subbing...which will include no swinging by the CHS pool first and all.  Be still my heart.

GOING TO:   Okay, sit down...get comfortable, breathe deeply, and listen up.  I am going to rearrange furniture this weekend.  (With the help of the guys, of course, not me personally you understand.)  Yes, you heard it here:  there will be a changing about of things here and while this is shocking to you all, since everyone always says, "You never rearrange your furniture," and I always respond, "Oh, it's so I can find my way around in the dark," and we all know that's just a convenient answer and has nothing whatsoever to do with why.  At any rate, I am armed with a game plan, a free weekend, willing helpers (well, okay, two willing helpers), and there will be changes.  I have no idea why.  I am, however, for some strange reason, strongly committed. 

PRAYING FOR:   All the students heading back to college...it is that time of year again, always makes me a little sad to see them all go and know that it won't ever be quite the same when they return for visits.  Praying for them, please join me. 

Tuesdays with Dorie: Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

      This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, from the cookbook Baking:  From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, is Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream, can be found on page 434, and was chosen by Dolores of 

Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity.   

 

      This was definitely the easiest recipe we have made from the book, and perhaps one of the most tasty! 

     

      I followed the recipe exactly (and yes, I can hear you all giggling at my antique blender...really, I have had this thing since 1978 when I received it at a bridal shower...30 years is not bad for one appliance, so don't laugh too much), with one exception, where Dorie indicated that you could add a little more lemon, I doubled the amount originally called for as lemon is my favorite flavor and, well, I am a big believer in having lots of lemon flavor.  This was just right.   The sour cream in the recipe adds a tanginess that compliments the blueberries, lemon, sugar, and cream in a most pleasing manner, and we really enjoyed that combination.  (I was skeptical, I have to say, but am definitely a believer that it all works wonderfully well together, and am thinking next time, I am trying all this with strawberries.)

      My ice cream maker is of newer origin, and it took about 30 minutes of churning before we put it in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm it up, suggested by Dorie.  (As you can see, although a "watched pot rarely boils," a "watched ice cream machine" has no problem doing its thing...I am surprised they did not have spoons in hand.) 

      I made a blueberry lemon topping (heated a handful of blueberries with a teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and let it heat until there was a nice little sauce with some of the blueberries still whole) that we enjoyed spooned on top...if anyone can eat more than one scoop of this at a time, I would be amazed, as it is very rich and filling.  Even Mark, who pronounced it "very good and definitely a repeat recipe," could only eat one scoop.   (Alex has sugar issues with hypoglycemia, so he rarely partakes in dessert tasting, and Matt was off at a party by the time it finished, so while we just have two opinions here on the success, I would say they are two pretty solid votes for "Dorie, you are amazing!" )  

      If you would like to try the recipe, just click on Dolores's site above where you will find it posted today.  Sometimes it is nice to try a recipe or two before you buy the book, but I have every confidence that you will want to buy the book!   

      Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream is easy, tasty, fruity, chilly and cold, perfect for a summer evening sitting outside just enjoying the evening. 

      Next week's recipe is Granola Grabbers, found on page 82, and chosen by Michelle of Bad Girl Baking.    

      Click here and then click on individual bakers' blogs at the site if you would like to see more of this week's recipe and the various ways people interpreted their quest.  Or, better yet, you can click and join us!  See you there.

The Countdown Continues: 19 Days Until that Driver's License

       The weekend hardware from the swim meet:  two seconds (silvers) and a first (gold)...the ribbons will be sent to the coaches and he will get those next week. 

      Weekend wrap-up:  50 Free was yesterday, not so hot, but made finals, again not so hot.  Relay was the B relay and they did well enough, but no hardware.  End of the season.  Did you hear me?  END OF THE SEASON in case you needed it a little louder.  We are all ready for a break.  I think we have a week off.  And, then?  Well, USA Short Course season begins, of course.  We swim:  it's what we do! 

      Today was a good day all around.  Matt and I slept in...such luxury after these 4:30 a.m. mornings last week.  I actually woke up around 6:00ish, but dozed on and off while Mark got ready for work, thinking the whole time, "I don't have to get up.  I don't need to get up.  I can sleep here for two more hours if I want to."  It was a really good feeling.  For a bit.  Then, I kept thinking of all the things I could be doing and things I was maybe missing out on, and I was up and motoring by 8:00. 

      Matt and I met Cindy and Molly for breakfast...a back-to-school final fleeting moment of a carefree summer.  Matt loved sleeping in, so we got to meet at 10:00 at our favorite breakfast place:  Sunrise.  (Photo is of Matt and Molly in front of Sunrise.)

      Molly's mom and dad are Matt's Godparents and Mark and I are Molly's Godparents.  Matt and Molly have grown up together sharing everything from daily life in the early years to fun things like chicken pox.  (Molly got them first and we immediately went over to play with her and share her sippy cup so we could get them over and out of the way...the three of them (Alex, too) were not yet two years old.) 

      Molly is two months older than Matt, thus she already has the coveted driver's license and was in fact going to pick up her new set of wheels from the dealer after we ate breakfast.  

      Cindy is my best friend in Indiana.  We have been together a long time and our kids have grown up together.   Everyone needs a friend like Cindy, she's fun and always gives the best advice. 

      This afternoon Matt rounded up Mike, Harrison, and Matt F. (left to right in photo) and the four of them went to see the third in the Mummy movie series...something about a Dragon.  I did not have a clue what they were talking about afterward in relation to comparing that to the Dark Knight movie, which I think is a Batman movie, but they all seemed happy to have seen it together and said it was more than just "fine."

      Harrison headed off for Driver's Ed class with Ali, and Matt F. headed home, while Matt, Mike and I headed to the gelato shop for the last dip of summer freedom.  Mike, Matt F., and our Alex go to CHS and they begin classes tomorrow.  Matt, Harrison, Molly, and Ali all start on Thursday.  

       I am making my TWD dessert...I confess:  I sampled a teeny tiny bit as it was processing and all I can say is this:  Get Thee to the blueberry store as you will want to make this one, I am almost certain of it.   

      Matt had a birthday party to go to tonight at John M's house...a lot of birthdays all in a row here at the end of summer.  Alex, I think is preparing for the first day of school tomorrow.  With him it is always difficult to really tell.  When asked about needing any school supplies, the answer was somewhere in the vicinity of, "Oh, I will just pack a pen and paper and get what I need when they tell me I need it."  That may be all the prep that is happening...maybe for the whole year actually. 

      What's up with all of you over there?   Miss you, always!

 

The Countdown Continues: 20 Days Until that Driver's License

       Not a lot of swimming news from yesterday.  Matt swam the 200 Free and added time, so he didn't make it back for finals in the evening in that swim.  Hmmm....last evening was the combined birthday party for The Lovely Tess and the Heroic and Inspirational Hannah, beginning at 7 and ending at 11 p.m. 

      I said to the The Swimmer..."Well, there is some consolation in all this, Matt, now you will be able to arrive on time for the party tonight."  His reply (and I am thinking this is somewhat of a giveaway, let's see if you might agree):  "I know, I thought for a minute that I had somehow managed to qualify for finals and then I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that two kids in my heat beat me by just a tad." 

      My guess is that there was not a whole lot of effort being expended upon that 200 Free yesterday due to wanting very badly to be at that party with all his friends.  (Matt gives up a lot of things with friends to always choose swimming first, so we were not at all unhappy with this, I have to say...just found it amusing is all.) 

      He had a great time at the party, and while I sent Dixie with Mark to get a shot of Matt and Tess and Hannah to mark the occasion, he returned saying that Matt stood still barely long enough to say, "Good Evening, Mr. K., thank you for inviting me to your home," before he was off and running with some friends to join the party gathered in the lower level.  Rounding up the three at the end was no easier, so here is what we have from the evening's festivities:  one very cute fun photo of Matt and The Lovely Tess.  Happy Birthday, Girls!  You are both beautiful, inside and out! 

 

The Countdown Continues: 22 Days Until that Driver's License

       Well, The Swimmer is much happier today with his swimming performance at Zones. 

      Today he just swam the 200 Freestyle Relay.  He swam a really good leg of it and they placed second, earning another one of these fancy medals.  (You can click on the photo to enlarge it and check out the coloring on it.  I don't think he's ever gotten a colored one before...I can't remember ever seeing one before actually.)  Needless to say, he was very happy, as the boys are always all about the hardware. 

      The morning session was really long...relays finished at around 2:00 p.m. and he did not have to return this evening, so he's been lounging around the house resting up for the next two days, the 200 Free tomorrow, and the 50 Free and another relay on Sunday. I have to say, it is exciting to be a part of it all...I thought I was so ready to call it a day on the swimming season last week, but I am really happy that he decided to swim this meet and he is having fun meeting lots of new swimmers from various teams in other states.  Swimming:  it's what we do.

     

The Countdown Continues: 23 Days Until that Driver's License!

      The Countdown Continues:  23 Days Until that Driver's License!  So, what will be the benefit of that Driver's License?  Well, for instance this morning...instead of rising and shining at 4:30 a.m., driving to the Nat, hanging around during warm-ups for a meet that began at 8:00 a.m., I could have sent The Swimmer off and joined him at a much more reasonable hour, say something along the lines of strolling in at 8:00 a.m. or even slightly later.  And, instead of driving him back down for finals at 3:30 p.m., hanging around during warm-ups for a meet that began at 6:00 p.m., I could have sent The Swimmer off and joined him at a much more reasonable hour, say something along the lines of strolling in at 6:00 p.m. when the finals session began.  I am thinking this is a HUGE benefit! 

      Welcome to the 2008 Mega Zones:  USA Central Zones at the Natatorium here in Indianapolis hosted by Indiana Swimming.  Yes, indeed, we have nearly 2000 top swimmers swimming nearly 8000 events Wednesday through Sunday.  

      Here is a photo of Team Indiana, ages 13 and older this morning before warm-ups.  Matt is somewhere in there, you can click to make the photos larger...middle back with the reflective goggles perched on his head.  I always laugh at all the suits and what all the kids wear for warm-ups, an array of everything you can imagine, the boys wearing drag suits and the girls wearing two suits, one on top of the other, whereas for the meet, they are all very professional looking in their gear. 

      The next photo shows warm-ups where all the swimmers are swimming back and forth for 45 minutes or so like trout...today at the Nat they were using this pool, the instructional pools, and the diving well for warm-ups.  A lot of trout at this meet.  (Matt is in lane two just to the left of the lifeguard chair in front of Mickey with his red Indiana cap.)

      Matt swims four events (50, 100, 200 Frees and 100 Back) and he made relays also. 

      Zones are different than our regular meets.  For one thing, we do not swim for Carmel, we swim for Indiana Swimming:  Team Indiana.  You need some fancy times to qualify for Zones, so there are really no slow swimmers here this weekend, making the meet go fairly quickly...that and chase starts during the prelims...OH how we love chase starts!  (To give you an idea just how much, we were finished with four different events this morning in 30 minutes using only one pool...normally that would be like about two hours.) 

       So, who are the teams at Central Zones?  Well, the states of Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Michigan. 

      Wednesday night's relays went well.  Matt was on the 400 Medley Relay and they placed First and the 400 Freestyle Relay and they placed Second...fancy hardware for each swim.  (No photos, sorry about that as we just ordered them from the photographer and can't put those on here for copyright reasons.) 

      Here is a fun photo, from today, however, of Murph fulfilling his "timer" duties with this lovely little bit of flowery goodness around his neck, goes well with the hat, don't you think...not something one sees every day, or actually ever...and since Murph is a fairly regular reader here of the swimming news, I figured I would include this photo as he is immensely entertaining and I figured he would be entertained by this particular photo. They have a different theme each day of the meet:  today's was a Hawaiian beach theme...lots of Beach Boys music and all.  Matt wore a Hawaiian shirt and his reflective goggles...that was pretty much the most he was willing to play along.  The girls get into it much more than the guys at this age. 

      Today was, well...not so good.  Matt swam both his favorites, the 100 Freestyle and the 100 Backstroke, and added time in both.  (Photo at the right shows the Indiana guys all waiting a bit for the start of the meet, Matt and Ben seated on the podium in the middle, looking up at me.  Ben was at the Arizona camp with Matt in June.)

       Matt was seeded 3rd in the 100 Back and ended up adding three seconds, YIKES, and still qualified for finals this evening, but placing 16th, so that put him in the second heat with no hope of a medal as you can only get a medal if you are in the top heat in finals.

       In the 100 Free he added a second and change and didn't make it back for finals in that event.  One very disappointed boy, but on the way home, I told him that we really didn't think he would do ANYTHING this year, as it was his aging up year, and we were all figuring we would do a family vacation, he would get to go on the trip with Aunt Nan, etc., because he wouldn't qualify for anything, and that he should look all that he accomplished this year!  That made him feel better, but still the disappointment in the swims was running pretty high tonight when he returned for finals and he wasn't in the top heat.

       During finals in the 100 Backstroke this evening, he finished tied for 11th place, so that was a bit of an up-note as he swam 1.2 seconds faster than this morning.  And, now, this gal needs to get organized for that 4:30 a.m. wake-up call in the morning.  Hope you are having a great week!  (You know, really, you can all skip reading the swimming news if you want...I type it all up so I can copy it for the scrapbook,  but I can imagine the non-swimmer readers yawning fairly quickly during these posts.  It's an acquired taste and there won't be a quiz!)

Whisk Wednesdays

Matt and I are at swimming Zones from Wednesday through late Sunday night. Five days pretty much away from the kitchen other than the necessary preparations, I am afraid, so I am taking a break here this week, and next week I will try to catch it all up.

I look forward to reading your blogs and seeing what you all created, and I definitely am looking forward to getting back on track and cooking Le Cordon Bleu at Home. ~Kayte

Tuesdays with Dorie: Black and White Banana Loaf

       The Master Taste Tester around here says "Mmm, yum, this is really good."  Since he is the one I need to please, I say this week's Dorie recipe is another hit.

       This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, from the cookbook Baking:  From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, is The Black and White Banana Loaf, can be found on page 232, and was chosen by Ashlee from Year in the Kitchen.  

      The recipe was very easy, went together quickly, and I am still marveling at the wonderful way Dorie presents recipes in this book.   There are a lot of flavoring agents in this week's recipe:  vanilla, rum, banana, chocolate, nutmeg, lemon...and I kept thinking, "Wow, all these flavors sound very nice together, except, well, you know...I am going to try baking this one without the chocolate real soon." 

      

       That said, the recipe as presented, followed, baked, and served was a very big hit around here with the guys. 

       I followed it all exactly, no substitutions, no variations in cooking time, and apparently it turned out fine...another success.  We made the batter, halved it, making one half chocolate and one not, put big dollops of chocolate alternating with the non-chocolate batter, marbled them together, baked it for one and a half hours at 325 degrees, and it all came out beautifully.

       I tried a little bite of it where there wasn't any chocolate, and it was good.  Very good. 

      If you would like to make the recipe, you can click on Ashlee's site above and she will have it posted today at some point.  Sometimes it is good to try a recipe or two before you buy the book, and believe me, you will want to buy the book! 

      Next week's recipe is Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream, found on page 434, and chosen by Dolores of Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity.   

      Click here and then click on individual bakers' blogs at the site if you would like to see more of this week's recipe and the various ways people interpreted their quest.  Or, better yet, you can click and join us!  See you there.

The Countdown Continues: 26 Days Until that Driver's License!

       I think the deal is that they were supposed to toss the football and the person jumping off the board would try to catch it midair...but since it was his birthday, Adam and Colin thought they would toss two balls at once.   It's a guy thing.   

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Busy weekend.  Sharing two more photos from Saturday night at Matt's party.  (Jake, Alex, Matt, Colin, Adam with the cake.  And, no, that is not a Barbie cake...that is a regular 8" cake, the boys are just dwarfing it!)

      Last week at MNO, Katie W. celebrated her 50th birthday, so here's a fun photo of her with her "Over the Hill 50" gear.  The expression says it all...not too happy at turning 50, not too happy we made her wear all the silly stuff in a public venue.  Actually, she said, "Do I HAVE TO WEAR THIS??"  To which I replied, "Absolutely...you all made me wear it three years ago, so now it is only fair!"  She was a good sport.    

      The next photo from MNO is Debbie, who, when the waiter appeared to take our orders, ordered thusly:  "I would like a bowl of one or two scoops of ice cream and an order of french fries."  The waiter said, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"  She repeated it and he said, "Do you want that as a dessert, or now, or...."  To which Debbie replied, "Now.  I want it now.  The ice cream and the fries now."  Waiter:  "Is that what you want for dinner?"  Debbie:  "Yes, can't I have that?"  Finally, the rest of us intervened and said, "She's pregnant...just bring her anything she wants when she wants...she has six children under ten at home."  He laughed and as you can see, Debbie got her meal.  The waiter served us all, brought our checks, and Debbie said, "Oh, I didn't know we were finished...I wanted to order some more."  Waiter:  "Oh, that's okay, what would you like?" Debbie:  "DESSERT!  I really want a huge big piece of chocolate cake with chocolate icing."  The waiter looked like he thought she was kidding, and the rest of the girls chimed in, "You know what, we will all have dessert!"  I think the waiter earned his tips that night...I skipped dessert and had to make it an early night, so I am sure I missed a bit more.  Never mess with a pregnant woman...he was young...he will learn. 

      Sunday Matt ventured off to Allan F's house for a football afternoon and evening...our local pro team playing its first game of the season or preseason or pregame or semi-game or something kinda sorta along those lines, this is after all, not basketball or swimming, so I don't know the exact lingo, but I am sure you do, so we will go with whatever you think in this regard. 

      After dropping him off, Mark and I headed to the art museum to check out a couple of exhibits that are soon to leave...the Paris Posters exhibit (leaving August 24th in case you want to wander on down there to see the posters):  20 French advertising posters by such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Alfons Mucha, Jules Chéret, Pierre Bonnard, Felix Vallotton, Paul Berthon, from about 1890 to 1920.  Really nice...I told Shelley I could almost just hear Offenbach playing in the background with those Toulose-Lautrec posters; and we also saw the Kerouac exhibit, which was small but mighty. 

      Above-noted local football team owner happens to also own the original typed 120 foot manuscript of On the Road by Jack Kerouac and it is now on display for all to view at the IMA.  Actually, you need to go twice to view it all as on August 10th, they change it up a bit and while now you see the first 84 feet of the scrolled document, after 8-10, you get to see the last half of the scrolled document.  SO WORTH SEEING.  Really...just run in and see it.  Walk all around the special case, up one side and down the other...you don't have to read it all, but just stop once in a bit and read a little...note the typing and the very limited number of typos and cross-outs, and think:  He wrote this in 20 days...typed it all up on teletype paper as one ongoing work, in 20 days.  One of the most well-known books of our time:  20 days.  Okay...you get my drift...go see it.  Tell them I begged you to just go see it and stand in awe and wonder. Oh, and as a bonus, there is an accompanying photo exhibit with the photos of Robert Frank who did his own little touring around the same time and photographed it, as opposed to writing about it.  Very nice.   

      Oh, and, while you are there, go see the Egyptian exhibit before it leaves in September.  If you don't go and see these things, they will stop bringing them...please go soon! 

      I got sole possession of the Lincoln book Sunday night...yep, Mark finished it up (apparently he read on my blog how I was hoping he would and decided to make my dreams come true...he is good at that sort of thing). 

      And, speaking of books...this morning we went to the bookstore and purchased Matt's books for Guerin this year:  $602 and change.  Michelle and I gasped at the thought of the cost of these high school books, and yes, we get to sell them back at the end of the year, but not for anything near what we paid, of course.  Yikes.  (Alex is able to rent his at CHS.)  At the bookstore we ran into Kim and her lovely daughters, Kristin and Kaitlyn, so we planned Spring Break...nothing like getting it all thought out in advance! 

       In our driveway this afternoon, and, oh, the boy was not always this big...we all used to be able to look down on him with no problem...it happens...it happens so quickly.  Enjoy all your little ones while they are still little!  They grow up really quickly.   

      Okay, now you all have your photos that you have been begging for from the weekend...send some my way, too, okay?  Or maybe I will just have to come over and take my own!  The kids are all just growing up so much...I am missing so much not seeing them all the time.  Take pity on me:  send photos!

      Baking my Tuesdays with Dorie dessert while I am typing this, but you will need to wait until tomorrow for the unveil.  I will say that it is smelling very fine in here as it bakes.  The boys are starting to circle.

      As soon as I can, I am stacking up my six favorite pillows, getting into my jammies, adjusting my reading lamp just so, and finishing that Lincoln book!   Sleep well! 

 

The Countdown Begins: 28 Days Until that Driver's License!

       Each year we try to pick one day for celebrating birthdays, but it never happens like that as none of the key players can ever seem to gather on the same day.  Actually, it makes it sort of fun as it tends to make the celebrations go on a bit longer, and I am always all for that part. 

      And, so it was that Grandma and Grandpa Gerth celebrated with us on Wednesday at Lutz's Steakhouse (photo at left Grandpa, Alex, Grandma, and Matt), and then on Thursday, the actual day of the birthday, Matt and I headed out to Brunchies for breakfast (his choice) and then shopping (again his choice, but you probably figured that one out already). 

      I actually went to four different shopping venues...boys, it turns out, are just as keen on getting new clothing for parties as are girls of this age.  I actually like shopping at A.E. as I like that little eagle they put on their togs, the piped music is nice, and they have a comfortable seating area where one can wait and observe the fashions being paraded about.  After numerous try-ons, he found just the thing to wear to the combined 16th birthday party next week of The Lovely Tess and the Heroic and Inspirational Hannah.  The Lovely Tess is so called because I think she is a sweet, nice, and absolutely lovely girl.  The Heroic and Inspirational Hannah is so called because Hannah spent the entire year last year battling cancer and a more heroic and inspirational girl, I can't imagine.  The rest of the day was spent at swim practice, etc. 

      Friday the boys gathered to celebrate Adam's 16th birthday at his home...Adam's birthday being three days before Matt's.    

      Since the first grade, Matt, Adam, Alex, Colin, and Jacob (pictured here advancing around the table) have spent celebrating Matt and Adam's birthdays together, usually a day apart...one day at Adam's, the next at Matt's.  And, so it was this year, Adam's party last night and today, Matt's.  Eating, checking out Seton Fest, swimming, and fireworks all being part of the celebrating tonight.  We are marveling at how much easier it is at this age than many of the previous years when just keeping them under watchful eyes was a good deal of the night's activity.  It is fun to see the photos over the years as they all have grown up together, each year sitting at this table, each year growing a little taller, the table getting a little less fresh in paint and luster, but when talk runs to replacing it, I can't bear to think about it as it has served us well for so many years, so many good times, so many people who have gathered around it.  I don't part with things easily...this table and these boys will be together a few more years yet...I am in no hurry to relinquish either the table or the boys. 

      28 more days until the Driver's License makes it's appearance.  Normally most parents might be a little weepy at such an event, a little nostalgic at the thought of the child growing up so quickly, and I do admit there is a certain amount of that going on inside me, too.  However, the other side of me says, "NO MORE 5:00 a.m. SWIM PRACTICES FOR ME!  YAHOO!"  I am ready.  I am definitely ready.

 

Thursday's Favorites Fare (Oops...it's Friday!)

READING:  Team of Rivals:  The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin...still reading this one.

POOLSIDE READING:   Local mags...Celebrating our City of Carmel; Indianapolis Monthly.   

LISTENING TO:   Coldplay

COOKING THROUGH:  Le Cordon Bleu at Home (Le Cordon Bleu School of Cooking); Baking:  From My Home to Yours (Dorie Greenspan)

FAV NEW FIND:  Operation Baking GALS (Give A Little Support)...I always enjoy finding new ways to contribute, and this is such a fun one as I love feeding people.  Click here to find out more and join in the fun.

FAV THING TODAY;   July 31st:  Matthew Mark Gerth is 16 years old today!  It's always fun when there is a birthday happening.  In Indiana you need to be 16 AND 30 days before you can get your license, so he already has it marked on his iPhone that he is going in at 8:00 a.m. Saturday, August 30th for that driver's license!  We are celebrating all day...the birthday boy gets to pick the day's activities and eats.  Photo is Matt with one of his birthday gifts...I know it has a name, but I am not sure what exactly.  I just know that somehow or other it shows you how to get places when you are in a car.  I will find out, however, as he has hooked it up in my car for the time being until he gets his wheels at the end of August.  They are, as usual, trying to drag me into the 21st Century.  It's a slow go.  

GOING TO:   Well, Friday is date night Mark informs me as Matt and Alex will be at Adam's 16th birthday party, so that will be fun to see what he has lined up for that.  Saturday is Matt's birthday party and Seton Fest (our parish festival) is going on...two nights of fireworks absolutely wonderfully displayed in beauty right beyond our backyard, so we can always sit in comfort on the deck and have sort of a private viewing.  Very nice.  Oh, I hope date night involves getting back here in time for the fireworks!  (They are Friday and Saturday nights, but I like to see them both nights.)  Sunday we are free...and I think another museum trip should be a possibility.

PRAYING FOR:   All the swimmers who are traveling to Nationals and Zones, that they will arrive safely both there and back home.  Please join me.