Thursday- May 13, 2021

Dear Marion,

  Pivot, change, angle. These three words came to mind as we had one of those weeks that can make you feel twisted inside and upside down. Breathe. Walk. Ride the bike. Take a hot shower and when all else fails chocolate. This time there were too many things happening at once and I needed a new strategy, a different perspective on what I was experiencing. I just needed to shift my thinking and nature rose to the occasion once again. Sometimes you just need to see things from a slightly different angle to welcome change into your life. Change is going to happen anyway,  it can be on our terms if we pivot and see from a different angle.

  I was remembering something funny you told me that I did as a 3 or 4-year-old. You said I walked into the kitchen so proud to bestow upon you my gift of a beautiful gold bouquet of dandelions. The funny thing was our next-door neighbor had the most incredible lawn. The grass was a beautiful green with a slight blue cast and it was thick like a carpet. No crabgrass or unwanted weeds and certainly NO dandelions...not a one to be found. There was a fairly steep angle to their front lawn and I remember the two sons who were probably 8-10 years older than me often digging up any unwanted dandelions and mowing the lawn which couldn't have been easy on that incline but it sure looked magazine perfect at all times. Much like us, yard maintenance was a family affair and all were involved in some way even the younger kids. You would have us out weeding too in your(sometimes overwhelming) rock garden, but never the lawn because if we pulled too many weeds it could cause erosion! Not that dad hadn't tried, it's simply that the neighbors on the other sides did not care very much how their grass felt underfoot so it was a constant battle against what blew into your yard. One season when we were small, I have a vague memory of turning over the dirt and then seeding fresh dirt. I pulled the grated tool that slid along the ground and churned the dirt with a rope that was connected to the tool and extended around my waist. We all took turns as it gave us a sense of inclusivity and accomplishment. The grass grew and it was watered and mowed regularly(in military fashion) but it never rose to the level of our one neighbor's lawn. Here’s the joy for me, I loved making wishes on those dandelions. Pulling it from the ground when it was in its seeding stage(post flower) and blowing on its billowy seeds, making a wish, and watching the seeds blow all around me was magical...and sometimes still is. It’s all perspective, thankfully each of us has our own angle or vision so that we can experience one another’s view.

  Podcasts have become a bit of an obsession for me this past year and it's funny to think I didn't even really know what they were or how to find them until last summer. I used to enjoy watching Katie Couric on the Today Show with you whenever I could, often we were on the phone and watching from our own homes. Sometimes you would fill me in on an interview or story as I was at work and missed it - it's hard to believe we survived without streaming and the many ways we can catch up on something we missed. I'm not sure why it took me so long to discover her podcast, Next Question with Katie Couric but I stumbled upon it last month and have enjoyed hearing her guide an interview or inform on a subject. Out of the many I have listened to I wanted to share the episode with Stanley Tucci. He is one of those actors that transforms himself into the character and I forget that he is Stanley Tucci. He has a traveling cooking show(‘Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy’: What’s on the menu) on CNN that I have wanted to see but as of yet, I have only seen a few clips and a book (Taste: My Life Through Food) that I would like to read. I remember seeing something on the news that his wife filmed him creating special cocktails, posted it on Instagram creating a huge following and a bit of fun for this pandemic year. During the interview, he was so charismatic and offered a fresh approach to viewing life and all of its complexity. He spoke with such love and honesty of his family, marriage, friendships, children, and interests that I felt rejuvenated and ready to take on more change with courage. 

  This week a friend challenged us to step away from desserts when trying a new recipe. She hit a soft spot as we have thought the same and this inspired your granddaughter to surprise me and make dinner one night. Just when you think your teenager has pushed you to the edge and you feel beyond frustrated they can turn and thankfully show you another angle. This may sound ridiculous but this delicious smell wafted through the kitchen promising dinner without any idea or request, I felt like I won the lottery. I’ll take that kind of I’m sorry for my teenage attitude any day. Your granddaughter found this recipe “Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast” at Cafedelites.com

Talk soon,

Forever Yours

Quotes:

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, no one thinks of changing himself.”

Leo Tolstoy

Russian Writer

1828-1910