Time Warp

Time moves very differently in a hospital.
We would think that it slows down,
but the weird thing is that it doesn't.
In fact, time seems to move in these swift batches.
It's very strange.
I feel like it's been a few minutes,
but as I watch his monitors and listen to the hustle in the hallway,
time jets by.

It's surprising

because I would have guessed that it would just crawl by,
but nope.

It's this weird time warp, 

where you wake up, drive to the hospital, 

get updates, then sit and listen....

Repeat the updates, 

the sitting, 

taking care of mom while she takes care of dad,

Drive home, exhausted, them hit repeat the next day.

That's the other thing that has been so shocking to me.

I'm exhausted!!!

It must be the emotional toil of it all.

I feel like I've built three fences, 

had parent conferences, 

and had a grueling day of clearing a yard of blackberry bushes...

all in ONE day...

EVERY DAY!
IT'S CRAZY! 

But it's not surprising.

My dad means the world to me,

so each breath tells me that's he's ok,

and his strength is inspiring.

He wants to get up and walk as often as they see fit.

He wants to heal.

He wants to keep his strength.

I guess that's the difference between my SuperDad and some others,

he's a fighter.

And though the cancer kryptonite might weaken him for a bit,

it won't take he down.

With the help 

soon he'll be back battling evil...
like moles, weeds, growing grass.
:)

Thank you to Dr. La Rochelle,

all of the awesome nurse and support staff at Good Samaritan Hospital

for taking such good care of my dad.

I really can't say enough good things about the nurses here.  

They are IN-CRED-IBLE people.

Your care helps us as we transition home and care for Dad 

without all of your expertise.

Good thing you are just a phone call away.

Thank you!

Learning to Wait and Loud Talkers

Waiting...
I'm not good at waiting,
but I'm going to have to be good at it
for the next week or two.
Crazy, but my Dad may need to be here for 2 weeks.
I was aiming for 1.5 weeks,
but I guess we'll see.
For now, I'm just learning how to wait.

Looking around the waiting room,
most people are just on their phones...
I'm not much better,
because I'm on my computer,
but the main difference between my family and everyone else...
We're talkers...
LOUD talkers.
It always stands out to me
when everyone else is whispering or trying to read.
Not us...
We're talking,
LOUDLY.

I was just talking with my students about the volume
in which my family expresses all of their feelings.
Apparently we have a lot to say
and it happens to be so important that EVERYONE should hear it too.
Ha!  Not really.
I think it has something to do with the fact that we're so use to talking all at once.
In that case, you have to make something important loud
so that other people will pay attention to you.
Yep.  It's a talking battlefield.

Here in the waiting room it definitely stands out.
I think it's also because some of my family have trouble with their hearing.
There's also a lot of "huh" and "what" phrase that can be heard around us.
Go figure...we're loud and have to repeat what is being said...Geesh!
Don't you feel bad for the other people in the waiting room?
Yeah, there are moments when I do too.
At least they're not bored...
they can just listen to us talk about everything from
cars to politics to what's on tv or to purchase on QVC and then back to cars again.
Don't you wish you were here too?!
Nah, I wouldn't either,
but I'm so glad that I'm here for Dad.
And I'll wait for as long as it takes for the surgeons to make sure that everything is done well.
They can take as long as they need.

 I was tempted to tell the nurse to take special care of him,
but I think he already knew that by my face.
I gave the silent look of,
"Dude, you know that this man means the world to me, right?!
So you better make sure that it all goes well
because my life would not be the same without him!"
Yep, that look.
I didn't have to say anything,
because that look was enough.

And now I'll just keep practicing my waiting skills
and patience.
Thank you for all the LOVE!

February is for Dad

Sure,
people may think of February as Valentine's Day
and that is true too.
But for me, this February is all about my Dad.

You may know him,
you may not,
but what you must know is that
my Dad is the GREATEST!
You may think that yours is,
and I'm sure that he's awesome too,
but to me,
there's nothing better than my Dad.

My Dad is used a lot as an example of awesomeness
to my students.
In fact,
they probably feel like they know my family pretty well...
you see,
I brag about my family often.
You would too if you had family like mine.
Trust me,
you would.

It all comes back to love,
and my dad follows a simple rule...

He loves my mom.
It's the kind of love that is dreamed of
and displayed in one form or another in movies.
Hollywood must have framed it after my parents.

It is that love that moves my family and
draws people together.
It grows and bends to encompass everyone around.
It's a love that withstands and strengthens through trials.

February will be a trial for sure.
Love will sustain and move us all through.
That is the one thing I know for sure.

This month is about love,
in my family will we be joining around a man
that is half of the duo that showed my brother and I how to love.

My dad is usually the strength,
but this month, we will be his strength.

He is the one who fixes things,
others will fix and maintain things for him.

My dad is the hugger and healer of hearts,
we will hug,
surgeons and nurses will heal.

Yes...surgeons.
I don't like to talk about cancer.
It feels too real
when that word is said out loud or written.
But it is real.
My Dad has cancer,
and has for awhile.
Though if you saw him,
you wouldn't really know.
He's a rock.
A pillar of strength.
And it's that strength that gives us all confidence
that he will heal and make history with his recovery.

By the end of February,
my Dad will be cancer free
and on his way to living it up at car shows.
Telling his ridiculous jokes,
and my mom will be giggling at his side.
I can't wait.
I want to listen to those stupid jokes for the next 30+ years with the constant accompaniment of giggles.

So as you celebrate love,
please send some loving thoughts to my Dad.
We are going to need all that we can get.

May happiness and love be abundant in your life,
Lori and the Murph too.

Side note:
I will not be having a Valentine's Bake Sale this year.
The most important thing, of course, is my dad.
I may start taking orders again in March.
Hugs!

My Dad and His Squishy Heart

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
I'm not sure who originally made that statement, but just like most cliche' statements, they're used because there's a lot of truth in it.

In my case, I know exactly where my love of animals comes from...my parents.  But in honor of Father's Day, I will focus on my Dad.

He might look all tough (nah), but he has the squishy heart of someone who loves animals.

Sorry Dad, the secret is out...though you can deny it, the proof is in your life. hehe

My Dad:

• carries a camera in his truck to take pictures of yards he likes, but also takes pictures of goats, llamas, and cute dogs.  Like this little cutie from the other day...looks a lot like Murphy!  Hmmm...reminds me of a little girl who would buy disposable cameras to take pictures of all her doggy "friends"...
• has let his daughter bring home stray animals her whole life (you too Mom!)
• understands that vacations include his daughters' dog.
• has been known to feed his lunch to animals along his route.
• is a carnivore, but can't think of where the meat comes from without losing his appetite.
• carries extra peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because there's a llama that LOVES 'em.
• always has a bag of dog biscuits to greet pups at the houses he delivers.
• he hates the moles that ravage his yard, but can't bring himself to actually kill them when he has a chance.
• makes squirrel houses and bird houses, and pretty much any kind of house to keep an animal warm and safe.
• couldn't put the cap on my chimney because there was a nest of birds in there. Actually, as annoying as they were, I couldn't do it either.
• keep the fence in his field low so that the deer family and their babies can jump over it easily.
• Loves his yard, but loves his gdoggy Murphy more, so he...

• wrestles with him on the floor,
• makes sure that the splashy pool has clean water,
• identifies and makes a plan for places that Murphy can dig (and not destroy his plants),
• has left the trench path that Murphy created 3 years ago throughout his yard (Murphy's own agility course),
• doesn't make the "pruning" of his plants a big deal...even though Murphy doesn't know what he's doing.

Thank you Dad for spit shining my show boots,
watching every horse show I was in,
and coming to each choir concert...no matter how many show tunes we sang. 
But mostly, thank you for knowing how important animals are to me and supporting me always.
I love you Dad, and your squishy heart!
Happy Father's Day!

Joe's Meat Palace

Okay...that's not the name, but it sure could be!
This is the type of restaurant that was created for a man like my dad.

Ox.
Simple name, but flavor, now that's a powerful, beautiful force in this spot.
It's a meatastic locale.
It's a meat-extravaganza!
It's a meat party in your mouth!
Meatapoluza!
Get it, the place is a palace of meat!
(And apparently of exclamation points too...geesh!)

Now, that all of the vegetarians have left this blog, I have the correct audience.

Meat lovers unite along MLK blvd,

to enjoy a culinary dream of local, beautifully prepared carne.

As you can see, I'm not afraid of a meal o' meat.

In fact, I know that I'm my father's daughter,

because I can and do enjoy beef and pork in many forms.

But I am picky about it.

I want my meat to be happy. I like to picture the meat grazing in a grass pasture, mooing the day into being. I grew up knowing the names of the cows that were then served at the meals. Yes, it might sound strange, but they had a nice life. I want all animals raised for consumption to have a good, solid life before it's made into a gorgeous meal.


See, that's not so bad! Good life during and after...and man o' man...this was a tasty afterlife!


I had no real idea of the amazing meal that I was going to be gifted with that evening. But it is definitely going to hold a taste memory for me. For me, when I eat something memorable, it goes into my taste memory bank.

Locked away for me to pull as needed...it's also a good way to remember the places that must stay on my repeat business list.
Ox has a permanent spot there.
In fact, before I made it home,
I was recommending this restaurant where meat dreams are made,
to the one person who I know would love it...

...My Dad.
What can I say?
The man loves meat.
Not only loves,
but can appreciate a good meatastic meal.
So dad, this one was made for you.

And to get you making a reservation soon, enjoy a look at this meat spread. Delicious.

 

Now, if there is a vegetarian still here with me, don't worry, there are things here for you too.
The butternut squash soup was outstanding.
Plus, the sauteed mushrooms were perfect and I could have made a meal with just that and empanadas. Oh, I can't believe that I haven't mentioned the empanadas yet?!?
Mouthwatering. Period.

The crunchy, flaky crust reminded me of the ones that my host-mother in Spain would make. See, taste-memories...I hang on to those forever! I can still remember back to 1997 and those wonderful empanadas every Thursday...perfection.
Ox definitely got those right, along with everything else.

Perfect.
Delicious.




And the best part?
Okay, it's the best part for me,
was that the chef/owner Greg showed me pictures of his two beautiful mastiffs.
Anyone who loves their dogs that much, has to be good.
No question.
Loves their dogs = fabulous human = amazing contribution to the world.
Alright...I may have gone too far...
nah.
I'm pretty sure that I've got that one right.
Plus, my Murph agrees. I'm right.
Now, go! Scoot! Make a reservation!
Eat and live a food dream, in reality.
Cheers!

 Greg and Gabi

http://leeksoup.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/ox-restaurant-portland-food-adventures-hot-hot-hot/

Joanne Chang's Lemon-Raspberry Cake

There are so many things that my parents have taught me over the years.  They're two talented people, and growing up with them, I learned that you can do anything if you try.  Of course, you may have to do it again and again to do it correctly! Especially if it falls down or doesn't fit or....whatever else happens and usually does in our world.   :0)

Thanks to my dad, I can drill, sand, grout, paint, fix, and well, pretty much most things...except use a chain-saw or ax.  You really don't want to read that story! Yikes!  My toes DO NOT want me anywhere near those!  There have been too many close calls.

I don't know why I'm acting like a pirate that drills ;0P

Thanks to my mom,

Isn't she the cutest?!  She's going to die when she sees it! Ha!

I learned how to bake at an early age and I'm not afraid to try anything! That "try anything" attitude was put to the test with a Lemon- Raspberry Cake from Joanne Changs' Amazing Cookbook, Flour.

http://www.flourbakery.com/index.php?pageID=1

Joanne's Description-
lemon-raspberry cake (nf)

lemon pound cake brushed with lemon syrup, filled with lemon curd, crushed raspberries, buttercream

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was the most complicated cake recipe that I've ever tried...

four pages of instructions for lemon curd, buttercream, and the cake.

But I think that the end result was tasty...

Tada!

Happy Birthday to Kristi!

The leftovers...it was supposed to go to my mom, but well, she was too busy to stop by...after 5 days of staring at it in the fridge, I ate it.  And it was delicious!  I think when I make this again, and I'm definitely making this again.  I will make a lighter cake.  The pound cake was good, but it was a bit heavy for a summer dessert.  I think that even a simple angel food cake would work.  The lemon curd was Divine, and the buttercream, heavenly. 

If you're looking for a fantastic cookbook that will challenge the practiced baker, this would be a great gift! Yes, I didn't write, "practiced baker."  The recipes range from simple to complex, but the many of them would be overwhelming to someone that doesn't bake often.

Savor every moment,
~Lori