Pets are Much More...

I usually go through FB. Today, I saw a picture of my niece’s dog, Sadie. Sadie became her dog after her father died. Her dad was my brother. I know how Julie must feel. Pets are special and more.

The night my brother died, I stayed at his house and slept in his bed with Sadie. Sadie knew something was wrong. She slept with me and gave me a lot of comfort that night. I needed it. Oddly, I slept well that night.

There were another times that an animal gave me comfort. The first time was when I took a kitten from our greenhouse because they were going to take her to the Human Society. The kitten was black and white and fluffy. I drove home with the kitten sitting on my lap, meowing at the highest decibel possible. At first, I named the kitten Fluffy but later changed it to Scraps, when it kept grabbing food out of my hand. Scraps comforted me when my marriage ended. She was my constant companion until she passed away.

The next day after Scraps died…I went into the greenhouse to work. I was sad and as I entered the greenhouse, I saw the greenhouse cat, Tonka sleeping in her bed. I went over and Tonka woke up and meowed. I petted her for a long time and looked at him, and then I went to plant in another greenhouse. Tonka followed me that day and slept on my work bench, close by. Every time I looked over and talked to him, he meowed, as if to say, "Everything is going to be okay." When the day was over, I petted Tonka and said, “You know. Thank you.”

Animals become substitutes. We have a special bond with them. They are like lightning rods. They seem to know when we are happy, down, or totally sad.

I am truly sorry for my niece’s loss of Sadie. Sadie was a pleasant reminder of her Dad; a close connection.  If I have any advice to give…give it time and then get another pet. They need a home; a loving home and they give back a hundredfold.

Food Truck

Mary's Sweets and More...

Sometimes I wish that I was younger. If that wish came true, and I woke up younger tomorrow, I would do something different with my life.  If I woke up in a different time, I would buy myself a Food Truck and sell baked goods from it.

I’m not a professional baker. I have been helping my daughter out in her catering kitchen for a few years. First as her cleaner. After a time, I helped her prepare her foods, maybe cut up the fruits, vegetables, and cheeses. As I got a little better, I was allowed to make the fruit trays, cheese and meat trays, and the vegetable trays. This played well into my creative vein and I have to admit I did a great presentation of whatever foods I displayed. There were also times that I made her salads, lasagnas, meat loaves. I would do this her way and follow her recipes and instructions

The last couple of years, I stepped up and have been baking for her catering events and for her downtown Deli. To be honest, I have to say that I enjoy working alone in her kitchen. Being alone helps me to concentrate on what I am doing. I enjoy baking the regular cookies and scones. I also like to try out new recipes for cookies, scones, cupcakes, and cake loaves. It helps to get feedback from her customers and find out if they enjoy the ‘sweets’. Occasionally, I get requests for certain different baked goods or for ones that I have never made. Usually, I find a recipe and try them out.

After working for someone else, I get why people want to be their own boss and why they launch their own businesses.

When I see a Food Truck go by, I envision me driving it and my name printed on the side – Mary’s Sweets and More.  Then I sigh and realize maybe just wishing might be enough. Maybe?

Spin This!

A few days ago, I went to a Spinning Class at the Cycle Bar with my two daughters. Since I would have gone to my own gym, this class would substitute for my regular exercise. Neither my one daughter nor I had ever taken a Spin Class, so it was new to both of us. My youngest daughter takes a Spinning Class a few times a week and loves it. She is really good at it.

We paid, got our shoes, and our locker. One of the managers moved our seats to what should have been the correct height and then locked our shoes in place in the pedals. I sat on the tiniest seat imaginable. The seat seemed as tiny as a head of a pin. Just kidding but eventually it would feel like I was riding on the head of a pin! I wondered why our feet were locked in. My one daughter said you’ll see.

I tried to get comfortable and kept shifting my butt around but to be honest…nothing felt comfortable. I decided to start pedaling, despite that the class hadn’t begun. I am not a novice to the bike. I used to have one as a kid. Not anymore. Every time I'm at my gym, I ride the exercise bike for 6-8 miles. But it is the shorter bike and I can regulate my speed and time. The shorter bike is perfect for my knees.

By the time the class started and we were off…I had already logged 10 minutes and 2.5 miles. My daughter told me before the class started to stop. I should have listened. We were riding and moving a knob for the tension. I was terrified of moving my hand off of the handles. There was no way that I wanted to fall over. I actually was able to use a towel to wipe my face and I even managed to open my water bottle, except I did spill some water on the floor.

When it came time to stand up and pedal…that was when I knew that I hated this class. I kept smiling and the only reason I stood up was because my butt was in pain. I needed some of my blood to circulate down there. I also needed to relieve my tushy. I stood up to adjust myself and then slid back down into my seat. It still wasn’t comfortable!

Forget using an exercise weight. I just kept focusing on the time and how many miles I had ridden. I kept staring at the screen above the Spinning Instructor's head that kept showing our positions in the class and of course I was dead last. By the time the bloody class was over, which was 45 minutes…I had been riding for over 55 minutes. I logged 12 miles and came in dead last.

The only saving grace was that I didn’t have a heart attack or pass out. I smiled and expressed how much fun this class was and how I wanted to return. I felt euphoric and even better when I saw all the cool messages that the staff wrote on my locker. I thought about returning the next Sunday and taking this class. I even pointed out all the cool clothes that I liked that were on display.

Who knew that it would take days for my right knee to feel normal and not be stiff?  But it was my butt and bottom that paid the price. The hell with the next class and with the nice people in the class and with the great messages that appeared on my locker! I was finished with Spinning Classes. I happily turned over my next class to my daughter who came in #13.

All I can say is God Bless you Becca…you and the rest of the class are crazy!!!!

Back to Baking

A new year is underway. I haven’t even bothered with New Year’s resolutions. Why bother. I won’t follow them. But I do make a ‘to do list' or a 'bucket list.' I just list things that I want to do throughout the New Year. Writing is on top of my list along with the gym, working at the kitchen and trying not to be crabby.

I’m working at the kitchen, just making the usual cookies, scones, cheese souffles, pepperoni breads, and cinnamon rolls.  It seems that for the next few weeks, everyone seems to be on a diet of some kind; trying to shed all those unwanted pounds.

I’ll just keep replenishing our baked goods and hold off trying out new recipes like introducing a new cookie or scone or cake loaves. I figure, give it a few weeks and then the customers start to buy and ask for some different baked goods. Then I will return to my baking mode and try out a few ideas and recipes because, let’s face it, by February, everyone is back to eating and sampling all those delicious sweets at Erin’s Deli.

A Random Memory from My Lips to my Daughter's Ears

In 1952, singer Patti Page’s hit song…How Much is that Doggie in the Window…was one of the popular tunes on the airwaves. I lived in Cleveland during that time. The song was playing on our car radio when my Dad turned it off. We were running an errand and I got out of the car and saw a toy store with a bear in the window, and made a bee line for it. The bear had brown fur and a green ribbon with tiny white stripes on it. I gazed at that bear and begged my Dad to buy it for me. My Dad was a sucker and I was his favorite daughter (only daughter) and we walked into the toy store and he bought that bear for me.

I didn’t need it wrapped or in a bag…I hugged it all the way to our car. To my surprise, its nubby tail had a squeaker in it and hence, I called my bear, Squeaky. Funny, when we turned the radio back on, the Doggie song was playing and my Dad sang…How Much is that Bear in the Window. He changed the lyrics and sang it for days that way.

When I went off to college, I took Squeaky with me. He would be a reminder of my home and my parents and he would be my safety net. When I got married, Squeaky moved with me to St. Louis and I had him for years even after some of my kids were born. Squeaky no longer squeaked, and the bottom of its feet wore off and I sewed some brown fabric on both. I had to replace his ribbon and I put him on the dresser in my first baby’s bedroom

Along the way, Squeaky got misplaced but in fact I am sure my then husband threw him away. But I still remember how I first saw Squeaky and how my Dad bought it for me and sang his own version of Pattie Page’s hit song. I would tell this story to my kids. I never thought anyone heard my story or even cared about it until this Christmas.

I was at my youngest daughter’s house and she handed me a present. I opened it and found some vinyl records along with Pattie Page’s record…How much is that Doggie in the Window. When I saw it I was touched and amazed that my story reached one of my kids.

I guess my memory did touch someone and for that I am grateful.

Thank you Becca for making my day and my Christmas!

Congratulations OLSH Chargers on your WPIAL Win!

This past Sunday, I attended a football sports banquet for my grandson’s team. He played football at OLSH. The football program has only been around for eight years. The first couple of years they didn’t win any games or if they did it was a few. Last year, when my grandson, Matt, was a junior at OLSH, they won their division and but lost in the playoffs. This year, they won and were the Big 7 Section Champs and the Class A WPIAL Champs! They got to play at Heinz Stadium which was quite an honor and one that they will remember for the rest of their lives! In reality, not a lot of athletes ever get to play at a pro football stadium.

In the past two years, I pretty much attended and cheered on my grandson and his team with all the other families and fans. It was an awesome season. A number of Matt’s family and relatives enjoyed watching the games and cheering on the team. They came decked out in the OLSH school colors and even made signs, cheering on Matt and the team.

While attending the banquet, I was impressed with the football team especially the 15 seniors. I enjoyed watching them and listening to their speeches. I don’t remember everything that was said but I felt like I was part of their extended family. Since they were freshmen…and now seniors, they still were funny but they had matured quite a bit. They had grown into extraordinary and respectful young men.

Each senior was given an award and they were allowed to say something…share a memory or give thanks. Pretty much most of them thanked their parents. When Matthew got up, he not only thanked his Mom and Dad, he also thanked me. I was touched and moved by this. He had introduced me to a few of his teammates, one that night and others when we ran on to the field to celebrate some of the teams’ wins.

  

My praise has to go to the families who sacrificed quite a bit by sending their sons to a catholic high school. And for all their time that they extended with their driving to and from practices and attending the games…some at home and others far away.

Mostly, I was impressed by how my grandson has grown and matured. He also was a dynamo and a force to be reckoned with on the field. He was chosen to the 1^st Team All-Conference for defense. Being his grandmother…he should have been named Defensive Player of the Year…and a number of coaches would agree with me. Regardless of football…I am so proud that Matthew always asked me to come to his games and invited me to his banquet. He is not only my oldest grandson but we share something special.

Congratulations to the OLSH Chargers for a wonderful, dream year!

Thank you, Matt!

Pumpkin Scones

It took a while looking for the perfect Pumpkin Scone. I looked through a few baking books and magazines and finally found the recipe that sounded like a winner.

I made them last week using flour, sugar, eggs, butter, half and half, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger, and pumpkin puree. I increased the recipe and quadrupled it to make more scones making sure that I was precise and correct with my measurements.

After mixing the ingredients, I made long rectangle logs on the floured surface of the prep table and cut them into triangles, weighed them, and placed them on a sprayed parchment sheet on the sheet tray. Then I put the tray in the Walk In for the scones to get firm.

When everything was ready…I put the scones in the oven and rotated the trays every five minutes until the scones were golden and baked completely. I pulled the hot trays out of the oven and placed them on the cooling rack.

While I waited for the scones to cool down I made an a spiced glaze using powdered sugar, almond extract, half and half, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.

When it was ready, I glazed the top of the scones. Of course I baked a tiny scone and sampled it without the glaze. It was good but with the spicy glaze, it was out of this world!

The scone was heavenly! I could taste the spices and the pumpkin. What I liked was that it wasn’t too sweet. With the spicy glaze brushed on top of the scone, the pumpkin and spice flavor popped out. It was delicious and I plan on making more for Erin’s Deli. The scones will be sold at the Deli starting in October.