recent rambles
Obviously, it's been an emotional few weeks, but life peeked in, as it does, and we keep going, as we do. A few memorable moments from recent times:
One the casting came out for LM’s spring musical theater class musical, Matilda Jr. a few weeks ago. The owner (who was my teacher when I was a child), had pulled both LM and I aside the week before and said what a great audition she had, which made us both feel a glow because LM had worked so hard in preparation. Wildly, she did not get either role she read for - but, she did get one of the leads! She’ll be the villain, headmistress Agatha Trunchbull. She had a moment of sadness (“But I’m not a mean person! Do they think I’m mean?!”), but came into excitement when she realized that she’d have 2 songs and a ton of lines. This will be a journey, haha.
Two the cast came off! (check out its final Tarbies trip below). We had a countdown of days going, but the Friday popped up when we had to head back to the orthopedic specialist. LM was happy to wear noise-canceling headphones when they cut it off, but then a little bummed when she found out she has to wear a brace for a couple of weeks. However, her mother is incredibly excited because 1. she can shower independently again!! and 2. the brace can come off when she's eating!!! We are both finding joy in that the brace will be but a memory for her winter dance recital the weekend after next.
Three I was supposed to test out all of my new-to-us Thanksgiving bakes a couple of weekends ago, but that did not happen. So, I'll be taking chance by the hands and attempting two new-to-me bakes on Thursday.
- First, Lil Momma requested "Bertucci-ish Italian rolls" to dip in oil instead of dinner rolls, so I'll be playing with a "biga", shaping, and hopeful success as bread is a key aspect of any holiday meal for me.
- The second is an apple dessert. My family is more about the pumpkin pie, but that is not my jam. I am all about apple pie (and have it for breakfast on my end of November birthday). Seeing as Thanksgiving is so early this year, I am breaking tradition and trying a mashup where you take cinnamon rolls from a can, flatten them, put them in a muffin tin, and then fill them with apple pie filling and cover in streusel. Worst comes to worst, I'll still get a breakfast pie the following week, so I feel like the risk is worth it? I guess we'll see....
That sounds like a delicious experiment. I have definitely pre-tested ideas in the past, but we rarely change anything about Thanksgiving so it's all pretty rote by now. Congrats on your kiddo for getting Miss Trunchbull! That's a formidable role for sure. Thinking of you all this holiday week.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughts! I know your Thanksgiving is a little different this year, but hoping you have some fun and happiness tomorrow (as well as next week)!
DeleteI had an ulnar fracture after a fall on my bicycle and wore a cast for about three weeks. I just remember how much my entire body hurt! I think I was sleeping weird or something because even though the cast was relatively small, my back and neck hurt and I was So Excited to get rid of that dumb cast. Yay!! Getting the cast off is definitely something to be thankful for this time of year.
ReplyDeleteOh, I can't imagine! I sleep in such a specific position that I think a cast would do me in. It's like when it was recommended that I sleep on my back because of neck and rotator cuff issues - it just wouldn't happen for me.
DeleteHold on here!!!! Is there a recipe for this apple dessert you're talking about??? If so, I want it (not for Thanksgiving- we're doing pumpkin- but I want to try it another time.)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to LM! I can't wait to hear all about this. WHen is the show???
I will share the recipe if it works, I promise! Fingers crossed as it's my main dessert for tomorrow as I don't eat pumpkin pie....
DeleteThe show is in June, so they'll work on it all winter and spring. She is so excited - I've had to say she can only listen to / watch Matilda on Wednesdays because it was already too much haha!
I never test my baking recipes. I feel rather confident that whatever I whip up or improvise will work. Doesn't always but. mostly. And I would always prefer apple over pumpkin. It. is not my taste and you won't get it here in Germany anyways.
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed by that confidence! I am the person who puts some batter into a ramekin to tests how my cakes might taste on the day (even if I already did a full test run)... My back up plans have back up plans, haha!
DeleteOooh I hope the apple recipe worked out and that you share it.
ReplyDeleteAnd yay on the cast AND the musical! Both good things.
It DID turn out! I am going to share in my post later today. I can't believe I had 2 untested recipes work on the day - it's wild!
DeleteOh Lindsey - I am just catching up on blog reading now and what a wringer you have been through! And how hard and bittersweet it must be when we are entering into the season of family and loved ones. It must be stressful and exhausting on so many levels.
ReplyDeleteSo I used to bake rolls - I actually like baking bread a lot - but then it got to be too much work what with all the proofing and shaping and proofing, so last year I said, "I'm not making rolls this year!" and then we got through Thanksgiving dinner and we all agreed that we should have had rolls. So this year we bought rolls and the 11 year old made one of those tubes of Pillsbury crescent rolls. I mean my rolls are definitely better, but buying them was so much easier.
Hooray for LM and her part in Matilda Jr.! That's HUGE!
Thank you so much, Diane <3 it's definitely a season for feelings; but, as I keep reminding my LM, feeling our way through change is all we can do.
DeleteI am a wannabe bread maker. In the last couple of years, I've started doing it for holidays (rolls on Thanksgiving, cinnamon rolls for Christmas, a challah for Easter), but I haven't gone "all in" on just a casual loaf for us to eat during the week. We'll see if that happens for me in the new year....
To be honest, we love the Pillsbury crescent rolls, too! LM loves a "pig in a blanket" (we call them "oinkers", sigh) and it's one of those things she's comfortable fabricating until the oven part, which is super helpful.
That's amazing that LM was cast for a lead role in the musical (I am sure she'll embrace her character eventually) and that the cast is off. Woohoo!
ReplyDeleteI usually only make recipes that I've either made before or feel they're close to something I've made before and therefore safe choice for when we have company.