Conversation Starters

I've spent lots of time hanging out with Sophia and little Bam-Bam. He's putting on some weight and looking a little less like a pruny newborn. He's alert longer in the day, so I have been enjoying some quality time having staring contests with him while telling him how handsome he is. 

Fed, burped, and sleepy. And so is he.

Sophia has been recovering very well from the delivery, which makes me very happy. Bam-Bam doesn't have a massive head like Siân's littlest one, who fractured her pelvis (though I love that big-headed little boy with all my heart!). Sophia is loving being a mom to this little guy, but I know she still feels a bit overwhelmed--especially when Matt is gone at work. I told her that after she has two children, she will completely forget what she used to do when she had time for herself. In some ways, that's a blessing. It allows you to focus on developing healthy schedules for you and your kids without always pining about all the activities you used to enjoy when your time was your own. She's a natural at being a mother, and I am so proud of her!

 My youngest son, Gary, gave his first talk in Sacrament Meeting a couple weeks ago on Fathers Day. He did a great job and even cracked a joke using sublime comedic timing, which made everyone laugh. I may have written his talk, but I didn't write that joke. That was all him. For all of his talk, he spoke clearly and slowly enough to be understood while making eye contact with members of the congregation. You would not have been able to tell this was his first public speech. He looked comfortable and relaxed. He looked sharp in his new suit. Well done, kid! He did a great job, and he got tons of compliments. He even got another one today, a couple weeks later!

This kid keeps growing! He is at least six feet tall with another year or so of growing, so finding trousers that fit both his tiny waist and his long legs is a constant battle. He does enjoy reminding me that he is now much taller than I am.

Husband has completed his Great Garage Cleanout and turned it into an organized shop. He does wood and resin projects, and he figured out how to create plenty of work space for himself as well as space for all the things we need to store. He's amazing. We don't actually use the garage to park cars. It might be a double garage, but it doesn't comfortably accommodate large vehicles unless you don't intend to open the door and exit the vehicle once inside the garage, so the garage is more useful as storage/workshop space. 

During the garage cleanout, Husband brought a bunch of my things inside: mostly cloth and crafting stuff I'd forgotten about as well as some photos from college and my mission. I've been slowly working the crafting stuff I wanted to keep into my craft room, and I found some photo corners and scrapbooks to house the loose photos and keep them preserved.

One thing that came in from the garage was a jar I must have made back in our old house when I was in the Young Womens organization there. It is filled with slips of colored paper that have conversation starters printed on them.

Here is a sample of the questions:

"What would you do if you were invited to two parties at the same time?"

Easy. Give some excuse about being busy to both parties and stay home. 

"Should you have chores around the house? Why or why not?"

If I didn't have chores, no one around here would ever eat home cooked food, and men certainly don't see when bathrooms need cleaning! But I am grateful my mother and father made me do chores as a child despite how much I complained. I learned some valuable skills, even if one of them was how to sneakily pretend to vacuum the living room and get away with it.

"When have you felt lonely?"

The incident that first popped into my head was a time back when I was a senior in high school. My friend group was some of the youth from my ward, and none of us went to the same schools, and we were spread out over the entire city, so getting together was kind of a big deal. I looked forward to hanging out with my friends even if the boys drove me crazy sometimes. There was lots of laughter and teasing.

I had recently and finally recovered from a crush I had nursed for one of the young men, Peter (not his real name), and that was very helpful in this situation, because he had always been aware of my crush on him and was a bit smug about it. He kept calling and asking where my best friend, Kay (not her real name), was. I found out over the course of a couple calls that our other friend, Bertram (not his real name), was at Peter's and George's (not his real name) house (Peter and George were brothers), so the gang was all nearly together except that Peter wasn't interested in finding out if I could come over, he only wanted to know where Kay was. 

A bit miffed, I tried to call Kay myself. I think I managed to get her on the phone and I told her that Peter was looking for her. She was confused, but she thanked me and hung up. 

Hours went by. Kay wasn't answering her phone after I initially got in touch with her (this was in the time of land lines, kids, so if someone wasn't home to answer the phone, you had to wait and wonder). Peter never called back. I huffily spent that Friday evening by myself. It wasn't until several days later that I learned what had happened, and then I was exceedingly glad that I had thoroughly recovered from that stupid crush on Peter.

Peter either called Kay or Kay called Peter, but in any event, Peter invited Kay over to his house. She went over and hung out with Peter and Bertram all evening. After a few hours, Bertram left, and Kay ended up making out with Peter for quite a while. Apparently, Peter and Bertram had made a bet that one of them could get Kay to make out with them, and Peter won. 

That incident made me feel lonely. 

It took a while for Kay to tell me what happened, and I felt some betrayal at the whole thing, even though I didn't care for Peter romantically anymore (this was just one of the many types of things that helped me overcome my crush). Kay had known about my crush for a long time, and she had even had a crush on Peter's brother, George. I don't think our group really recovered after that. Kay moved with her family to another state at some point that year. The rest of us drifted apart as I wasn't close friends with either Peter or Bertram on their own. I also started dating a boy who didn't know any of them. I went off to college and made new friends, though Kay and I did stay friends for a long time. Distance made it difficult, and Kay and I eventually lost contact--probably when I went on my mission. I was never really mad at Kay, but I was disgusted with Peter and Bertram for quite a while. It gave me a little satisfaction that Peter could tell I no longer had a crush on him, but I mostly didn't care. We were still friendly when we saw each other, but the old gang was no more.

Now that I've written it out, I can forget all about it. I guess I still had some angst to get over if that incident popped up in my memory so fast, hahaha! I'm in my 50's and that happened when I was 18, so that's a little embarrassing.

"What is your favorite thing about yourself?"

That despite how discouraged I get with my weaknesses and my lack of talent in areas where I want to be talented, I keep plugging along, even if it takes me a while to buck up and give myself some grace. 

Case in point: my piano teacher suggested a piece for me to play for a recital in August. He handed me Chopin's Etude, Opus 10 No. 3, otherwise known as Tristesse. I laughed and laughed, but he was serious. He thinks I can do it. Based on his belief alone, I have stuck with it. I have dreamed it and breathed it. It's always playing through my head (which does make concentrating on other things hard sometimes). I wouldn't have kept going with it if he didn't say he was sure I could do it. I'm still terrible at it, but I have improved quite a bit, and that has brought me a lot of joy. I don't think I would have pushed myself that hard on my own because I would not have believed it was possible for me to master it. 

Even if I don't perfect it well enough to play at the recital (I do have a backup piece), I have been able to forgive myself for not being good at it sooner. 

Okay, that is entirely enough about myself. Sorry. The need to write does push me here, and the desire to not expose too much sensitive information about others in my life means I write about myself most of the time. Thanks for your patience, dear reader. I hope your day is going well and that you have something to look forward to that brings you joy, even if it's two parties you've been invited to.

Another Adorable Grandson to Love! Also, My Updated Bulgogi Fries Recipe

 My newest grandson, Patrick (or Bam-Bam, as he will be called from now on), made his appearance into the world very recently. The delivery was long but normal, though Sophia's epidural leaked twice, which caused her legs to go completely numb while she still felt most of the final pain and pressure of delivery. Unpleasant, yes, but she will still consider having more children, so that's a win.

At nine pounds, this little guy is as strong as he is handsome. 

He's little, but he's already throwing hands! 

Bam-Bam's dad is a weight lifter and long-time jui jitsu student, so Bam-Bam practicing his fighting skills both in and out of the womb seems par for the course. Also, doesn't the little guy look just like his dad? 

Right after he was born, Bam-Bam spent a good thirty seconds just holding his head up and staring at his beautiful mama. He continues to enjoy staring at his mama every chance he gets.

Matt and Sophia went about forty-eight hours without sleep before the delivery, so I have spent lots of time after they got home from the hospital holding my beautiful, amazing little grandson so they could nap and take showers or get in a workout (Matt). Bam-Bam is still sleeping most of the time, but when he is awake and alert, you can tell he's got all the cogs and wheels turning. He's a smart kid. Yes, I'm biased, but I have not been wrong yet about any of my grandsons being very bright. 

Speaking of my other grandsons, Siân brought her three boys over yesterday to hang out for the afternoon. They have really been missing me and Husband even though we have visited their new house several times (we often accidentally drop in at nap time). We spent a fun afternoon with them, and the littlest one was my little buddy the whole time because he's still a Nanna's boy. Nicholas, the two-year-old, absolutely adores his Grampy, so he and Husband spent a lot of time "playing" board and card games and chasing each other around, shrieking with delight. 

I asked Husband what I could cook him for dinner for Father's Day. That's about all I can offer in the way of gifts because Husband is very hard to shop for; fortunately, Husband is happily satisfied with having his favorite meal cooked for him. He asked for my version of K-Pop fries, which is his current favorite. 

I've previously posted the recipe I've used for our version of these Korean-American fusion fries, but I've changed it up a little bit since then. I thought I would post the newest version here. The inspiration for this recipe comes from a restaurant called Bumblebee, a Utah-based Korean-American fusion fast food place (which isn't at all like Cupbob). Bumblebee used to have three locations, but the one closest to us has since shut down, which is a shame. I don't know if the other two are still in operation.

Bulgogi Fries

Flavorful bulgogi beef sprinkled over crispy-creamy roast potatoes, smothered in melted cheese, and topped with fry sauce, unagi sauce, and green onions.

Serves 5-6

5 lbs roasted potatoes (recipe below), or 1 2-lb package frozen seasoned fries

2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese

14-oz or 16-oz package frozen Philly cheesesteak-style shredded sirloin, or 1 pound ground beef

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 cloves minced garlic

1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger, or 1 tsp dry ground ginger

1/4 tsp red chili flakes, or to taste

Fry sauce (recipe below)

Unagi sushi sauce (optional)

Sliced green onions 

1. Begin preparing the roast potatoes about 90 minutes before you want to eat. They are worth the effort! Alternatively, get the frozen, seasoned french fries into the oven and cook according to package directions about 20 minutes before you want to eat.

2. Brown the Philly cheesesteak meat or ground beef. Mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and chili flakes in a bowl and add the mixture to the meat when it is almost done cooking. Let simmer on a low heat until everything is ready to assemble.

3. When the potatoes are done, plate a portion and top the potatoes with some cheese and hot bulgogi meat. You can let the heat of the other ingredients melt the cheese or you can stick the plate under the broiler for about 30 seconds to one minute to melt the cheese and crisp the meat a little bit. Top with plenty of fry sauce, some unagi sushi sauce (optional), and sprinkle with green onions. Eat immediately!

Roast Potatoes

5 lbs yellow potatoes, like Yukon Gold 

Salt

2 tsp baking soda

Oil

Garlic powder (do not use fresh garlic, which will burn and go bitter)

1. Preheat oven to 425 deg. F.

2. Fill a large pot with water, leaving enough room for potatoes to be added. Heavily salt the water and bring to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, peel and wash potatoes. Cut them into large chunks (quarter larger potatoes and halve smaller potatoes) as they will lose a lot of volume during cooking.

3. When the water is boiling, add the baking soda and carefully add the potato chunks.

4. Let the potatoes boil until they are barely fork tender. Drain them, rough them up a bit so they get a little mushy on the outsides, and put them into a large bowl. 

5. Stir in some oil (a couple Tbsp or so), salt, and garlic powder. 

6. Oil a jelly roll pan (12" x 17"), a full-sheet pan, or two cookie sheets using a cooking brush. Pour the potatoes onto the pan(s) and separate the pieces as much as possible (crowded potatoes don't get crispy on the outside). Put them into the heated oven for 25 minutes.

7. When 25 minutes are up, pull the pan out of the oven and flip the potato pieces. Turn the oven heat down to 375 deg. F and cook the potatoes for another 30-35 minutes. Serve hot.

Fry Sauce (fry sauce is truly a Utah thing, and many restaurants offer their version of fry sauce)

1 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup ketchup or BBQ sauce (BBQ sauce makes a slightly sweeter and smokier fry sauce)

Salt and pepper

2 Tbsp dill pickle brine or tamed jalapeños brine (the liquid in the jar)

1. Mix all ingredients together, adding salt and pepper to taste. Adjust ingredients to get the flavor you like best. I use a mixing cup/bowl with a spout so I can pour the sauce into a squirt bottle for even distribution across the fries. 

I also made a white Texas sheet cake, which Husband requested specifically. 

Playing House Yet Again

 Summer holidays are here, and none too soon!

Sophia is heavily pregnant and ready to pop. Her little boy has accommodated his parents' health insurance concerns by remaining cozily in the womb until June, when Matt's insurance coverage from his new job kicked in. Thanks, Baby Patrick! He can come any time now, and Sophia is ready for him to quick kicking her so hard from the inside. The baby has dropped, and Sophia has been having irregular contractions for days now, so it could happen very soon!

Siân, Nathan, and their sweet little boys have moved into their rental home in The Big City. Fortunately, the home is a good fit for them with three bedrooms and a very large main floor containing a front room, a large kitchen, and a large family room. We already had our first family gathering there for Siân's birthday. Unfortunately, I no longer get to see and play with my darling grandsons every day. Fortunately, there is the Marco Polo app, which keeps us connected and lets me see their adorable faces and hear their adorable messages to me. 

Siân sent this picture of the littlest one's new facial expression he's been practicing. It looks like a few more of his teeth have finally popped through!

With our home much less populated and so sadly quiet, Husband and I and the boys (Joseph and Gary) have done some furniture shuffling. All four girls are married off and in homes of their own, and I am now the only woman around here (and I have an entire craft room all to myself), so the family room has been turned into the ultimate man cave: a 70-inch TV, all the game consoles, two reclining couches, a dart board, the board games collection, and a drinks fridge. We will also put in a bed for guests, and I want the long wall under the HVAC soffit to be lined with shelves for food storage, in front of which I will hang a nice curtain to keep things neat and tidy. 

The Man Cave: a work in progress or manly perfection in its austere simplicity? The boys want to add a coffee table that will serve as a board games table in front of the couches.

I want shelves all along this wall for food storage, and I will cover the food storage with curtains to hide it away. 

This basement room has been a bedroom or an office multiple times in times past. It is now going to become the exercise room. We still have a couple more pieces of equipment to move in here and to mount a TV.

On the main floor, we have thinned the amount of seating and changed the furniture around a bit. I'm going for an English country vibe, but I, admittedly, have more mid-century modern furniture than overstuffed sofas and a hoard of chintz. 

I am not a great photographer with my phone -- sorry in advance!

We replaced the TV cabinet that was moved downstairs to the Man Cave with a mid-mod dresser that Siân and Nathan didn't want to take with them. It's a little worse for wear, but I plan on trying a refurbishment on it to re-stain the wood and replace the terrible drawer pulls someone installed in the past. The chair in the foreground looks more blue in the photo than it does in real life (where it is much more green). Those chairs are way too bling-y and modern to be English country, but they are comfortable and I can slipcover them if I want. The tchochkes on the dresser are awaiting a new home (Husband's grandfather's mining lamp, a couple old bottles from England, and a Toby mug I found on our last trip). You can see Husband's Cadillac of massage chairs lurking in the background. It will stay where it is because there is no way we're attempting to move that super-heavy behemoth up- or downstairs. Husband uses it all the time anyway, so we will leave it. I was experimenting with floral arrangements, so I spray painted some truly hideous thrifted early-2000's tall metal vases with matte copper spray paint and added some fun fake flowers.

With the two two-seater couches gone, we were able to pull the living room seating in a little closer and cozier. We don't have a coffee table, so we've been using TV trays for laptops or snacks. I will be hanging floor-length drapes on both living room windows. The wood slat blinds are fine for blocking light and creating privacy, but I want some billowy fabric to make the scene even cozier. 

Marmite the Dog approves of the blue-green chairs. I found the rug at an industrial supply discount store, and when we got to the register, it turned out that all rugs were 50% off that day. What a nice surprise! It isn't as large as I'd like, but I've checked into layering it over a much larger sisal or low-pile rug and choked at the cost. I plan on re-covering the throw pillows, and that's where I can bring in some chintz. 

The entryway situation is still cluttered. I have a full bookcase plus more stacks of piano music; the coat closet needs to be sorted out so shoes and the vacuum cleaner can easily fit in there; I will get rid of that side table; and we have two white-painted rattan chairs that were Husband's grandmother's from the 1930s. They are neither pretty nor sturdy, but they are family heirlooms gifted to us by Husband's parents, and I'm not sure what to do with them. My thought for the music books was to surround the closet door with custom shelves and put the family tchochkes on a shelf above the door for display.

The cabinet at the top of the basement stairs was made by Husband's great-grandfather and brought to the States when his parents moved here in 2012. They gave it to us when they moved to Indiana, and MIL gifted me some of her mother's china and some other special plates. I also have the ivy salad plates from my own grandmother's collection on display. We don't have a window by the front door, which is so annoying, so we hung a round mirror to be a sort of faux window and bounce some light around.

Husband is currently crafting a cabinet room divider for me. I don't love open-concept, and I want something to break the view from the living room to the kitchen/dining area. It will make the living room more cozy and also increase storage on the kitchen side. Husband thrifted a cabinet and a set of shelves that were roughly the same size, and he has been working on putting them together and making them look like a cohesive unit. I'll post the pics when it's done and installed.

We were laughing yesterday that we will never have the problem of living in a space that is static and dated. We are always changing things up to fit the current situation, and that is fun because we get to use our imaginations and ingenuity to come up with new ideas on a tight budget. The older we get, however, the harder it is to move all this stuff around--but that is where our sons and sons-in-law come in super handy.

I have been taking piano lessons for a few months now, and the lessons have really helped me play better. My teacher, Michael, is a wealth of knowledge. Michael is also a close neighbor, which is very convenient. He completed a degree in music theory in addition to piano performance, and music theory is something I have been studying on my own. It's not an easy thing to learn, and sometimes I ask a question and we get so involved in the answer that we find the lesson is over before we know it. I have to set timers so we can also include piano playing instruction as well; but even with those diversions, my playing has definitely improved as he helps me fill in technical knowledge gaps and change bad habits. My improvements have been a true joy for me. 

My voice has not healed at all, and though I have been invited to go back to the choir as a tenor (wouldn't that be weird!), I think I will stick with piano and cello for now. 

We have plenty of indoor and outdoor projects to keep us busy all summer, along with the anticipation of welcoming two new grandsons. I am so excited to meet them!