Many Books

We have so many books. I think we've kept every single book we've ever purchased from when the kids were infants. (Books we had before that are stored in boxes, in the basement.) Our bookcases were groaning under everything from Goodnight, Moon to Harry Potter.

Today's yet another rainy day and the kids were ordered to go through the various bookcases so we could donate books to our library and hopefully free up some space (for yet more books). There was much arguing over what to keep and what to give away. A lot of the really childish books went into the donate pile, but a surprising number didn't. Do we really need the complete Dr. Seuss set? Or The Velveteen Rabbit, board book edition? I mean, my youngest is 12 and my oldest is looking at colleges.

In the end, I let them hash it out, and we've kept a lot of their individual childhood favorites. And I understand this, as I still have all my favorite childhood books (although a much smaller number than they do). Somehow, however, despite the clean-up, there's still isn't much room on the bookcases. We haven't even started on the bedroom bookcases, either.

A long time ago, I purchased the book Parents Who Love Reading, Kids Who Don't by Mary Leonhardt. I was worried about DS15, when he was about 6 or 7. He seemed much less of a reader than the other two, and still has definite preferences (non-fiction, sports). One section of the book still resonates for me: if you want your kids to read, have lots of books around and be prepared for a messy house. So true, I think. And while my house is clean, the clutter of books in every room can make it look messy. As the kids get older, I realize it's been a small price to pay to encourage a life-long love of reading.

Sometimes You Just Need Some Pie

Sometimes you just need some pie. The last week was a tough one. DS12 feels fine but is still on very restricted activity. Try keeping an active 12-year-old boy still for a week. Never thought I'd say this, but thank goodness for video games.

Then, a relative died of cancer. I didn't know him very well, but I so liked him whenever I saw him. He'd been sick only seven months, so it was very quick and very sad. He was in his thirties. Cancer is so unfair.

So instead of stirring the local farm stand's blueberries into yogurt or a smoothie, I felt the need to bake something and pie was it (OK, I actually made two). I concocted a crumb topping instead of a two-crust pie, and all that sugar was so good (80/20 rule applies) and so necessary. The summer version of comfort food, for me.

Good thing it didn't last very long, or I'd probably crave some today. I've had sporadic migraines the last few days, and today's is pretty bad. Not unexpected, given the parade of H(ighs) and

L(ows) on the weather maps for the Northeast. We didn't have much of a summer, but now it's here in all its humid and thunderstormy glory. I hate to complain about it, but the resulting migraines really do stink.

Concussion!

You know, sometimes the Fates knock you down a peg. I'm paranoid about seatbelts, veggies, sports safety equipment. Two weeks ago, a teammate of DS12 got hit in the face by a baseball at a game. He suffered a concussion, broken eye socket, and a broken nose. He wore a helmet up at bat, of course, but his helmet did not have a face mask, which would have prevented all the injuries. (He's going to be OK.)

DS12 has a helmet with a face mask. He's one of very few who will wear one, the argument being that you can't see the ball well enough to hit it. Whatever. I've never played ball in my life but I do think you get used to whatever you have to. All my kids have worn mouthguards when playing sports--another way to prevent a concussion (it helps absorb the blow), as well as save your teeth. I admit to being smug about safety.

This past week, DS12 attended a basketball day camp at our local high school. On the last day, I got a call from the coach saying DS12 fell and hit his head. The coach thought I should get down to the HS ASAP. By the time I got there, DS12 had a headache and was nauseous. More worrisome, he had no memory of hitting his head.

Off to hospital we raced, after debating calling an ambulance (it was about 20 minutes away, and I knew I would pass several police details along the way so I was not nervous). At the hospital, he was diagnosed with a concussion. A CT scan showed no other brain injuries (thank goodness). We spent several hours there, and then returned home with instructions for no physical activity nor mental activity (weird) for a week. We will follow up with the pediatrician at that point.

So, how did DS12 get a concussion? According to his friends, HE TRIPPED OVER A BASKETBALL DURING A WATER BREAK. (He still doesn't remember and the coach didn't see it.) Sheesh. Oh, I KNOW I can't control everything. Our lives have certainly taught me that. But you know, I didn't really need a reminder.

A Decent Loaf of Bread

Why is it so difficult to find a decent loaf of bread? Why does store bread contain so many weird ingredients? Now that I'm into reading labels (and also to avoid nuts), I find myself disheartened in the bread aisle of most supermarkets. I've finally settled on Barowsky's Organic Breads, not because they're organic, but because I can pronounce most of the ingredients. Too bad they're so expensive (about $4.00-5.00 a loaf).

If we didn't have to worry about the nut issue, I could probably get bread at a decent bakery. Although I do not live in a city, there are some chain bakeries around.

Another option would be to get a bread machine and make my own. I haven't gone that route yet, mostly because while I do enjoy baking, if I had to do it, I would tire of it rapidly. While being self-sufficient sounds romantic, I'm sure it's exhausting. Also, I don't really have the counter space to house another appliance.

However, I have enjoyed baking the Easier No Knead Bread, especially in the winter. There's a whole grain version available in Mark Bittman's new book Food Matters that I will probably try this week.

Vision Problems after Brain Radiation

Eye problems can be one of the symptoms and result of brain tumors. DD17 has had some double vision since her surgery and treatment, but it worsened about two years ago. She now has prisms in her glasses, which so far have helped. We've dodged eye surgery for now.

She also developed a weird and rare side effect from the brain radiation (the neuro-opthomologist was very excited when he discovered it two years ago and even took photos for a presentation at a medical conference.) Ocular neuromyotonia (ONM) causes one eye to get "stuck" looking to the side, while the other eye returns to center. DD17 can "unstick" her eye OK so far, but it does unnerve her and she tries to avoid doing anything to cause it to happen in the first place.

It's painful to see the physical impairments caused by brain tumors. Most of DD17's are not really noticeable unless you are looking for them, and DD17 is certainly "luckier" than most (you just have to spend some time in a hospital to realize just how lucky you are). But it still hurts when you remember giving birth to a perfect little baby and wonder why your child has to be the one to get cancer and deal with the aftermath.

Tomorrow we have a hospital visit to see the neuro-opthomologist. It all comes crashing back every time we go back into the hospital, even though our visits are farther and farther apart.

Staying Ahead of Dinner Hour

I realized the other day that I forgot to write a Gratitude List. Oh well, maybe I'll do it sporadically. This blogging is supposed to be fun, and I don't need any pressure for the fun parts of my life. I tend to impose a rigid schedule on myself (and others) just to feel organized, but I'm trying to learn how to relax.

We are in the thick of summer baseball, and with most games at 5:30 p.m., dinner hour is shot. If the game is "away," there is no time for a meal beforehand, maybe just a snack or sandwich. We generally don't get home until 8:00 p.m., so dinner needs to be ready to eat at that time.

Yesterday, I prepared dinner early in the day to be reheated later. I made two spinach frittatas since I had a lot of eggs. I like frittatas (or even crustless quiches), since they are easy and very versatile. You can add whatever ingredients you have on hand, and they are good hot or cold.

I also roasted a mixture of cubed eggplant and sweet potatoes, tossed with a little olive oil and kosher salt. Very simple and very good.

In the end, however, a round of severe thunderstorms cancelled all ball games around here so we ended up eating dinner at a decent hour. Bonus for me: it was already made!

July 4th Weekend

Our July 4th weekend was quiet and very relaxing. DS15 ran a local 5K and we had a cookout at my parents house. Oddly enough, there were no fireworks locally on the holiday itself, just on the 3rd and maybe the 5th. DS12 is in a baseball tournament, so our nights are busy with that.

The weather has been glorious for the last two days. Bright blue skies, warm air, and no humidity. It almost feels like September around here.

It looks like we missed strawberry season due to all the rain. I stopped at our local farm to pick up a quart of strawberries for the July 4th dessert, and the farmer's wife told me U-pick was about over. Blueberry season starts soon, however, so we have that to look forward to. Picking blueberries are easier than picking strawberries, anyway. Less bending since cultivated blueberry bushes are high. While wild blueberries are "healthier," cultivated blueberries are much easier to get. In the off-season, I keep bags of frozen wild blueberries in the freezer (Wyman's), so we get the best of both worlds.

Wouldn't this post look great with some closeups of strawberries and blueberries? I never seem to be organized enough to take photos ahead of a post...and I don't think I'm a good enough photographer. Maybe that's a goal to work towards...

Just add Veggies

We love pasta in this house. I cook a lot of pasta. Lately, I've been cooking 2 or 3 pounds at a time, just to have some leftovers for summer lunches. But even though I try to use mostly whole grain pasta, I often feel I have to bump up the nutrition a bit by adding some vegetables to the dish. I know the kids and husband feel I've adulterated the pasta when I do this randomly, but I am a kitchen bully. If I'm doing the cooking, I get a say in what goes into the dish.

Another issue with pasta is that my over-40 body can't take all the carbs anymore. I gain five pounds overnight if I eat too much pasta for dinner. So by adding vegetables to the dish, I'm accomplishing several things at once:

• Everyone gets extra nutrition and fiber in the meal.


• I've tricked myself to get fuller on less carbs.


• It stretches the pasta dish so I get even more leftovers for the next day or two.
  

Tonight I'm adding some sauteed summer squash to our pasta. Sometimes I'll add zucchini, diced or shredded, directly to the sauce before cooking. I like adding shiitake mushrooms (potent cancer fighters as well as immune-system boosters) but my husband doesn't like the taste. Eggplant and even carrots are good, too.

This works with all kinds of sauces, like marinara or even a meat sauce (a much heartier meal).

Food and Mood

This incessant rain in the Northeast is starting to affect my mood. June is usually one of the sunniest months around here, and it's been dark and wet for weeks. Now we're into July, and while the holiday weekend looks more promising, right now we're dealing with flooded roads and numerous thunderstorms daily. I don't know how people in Britain (rainy, right?), or even Forks, Washington :-), can stand the weather.

I find I have to make more of an effort to eat well and exercise when the weather is gloomy. I read once that some of the northern European countries have less overall depression because of diets high in cold water fish and consequently omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help balance mood. And while I love fish, it's not that popular in my house so I can't make it that often.

So, I'm being diligent about sprinkling ground flaxseed and walnuts (stored in a bag in the corner of my freezer, away from DD17, who is allergic) on my oatmeal or yogurt. Both flaxseed and walnuts are high in a type of omega-3, and I do think they help with mood. Making an extra effort to reach for the fruit instead of the chips is a good idea, also. You are what you eat, and ensuring a daily supply of those helpful vitamins and minerals through good food choices is a lesson I'm trying to instill in my kids, though I'm not always successful. I guess we're all works-in-progress.

I've also been forcing myself to exercise, and that definitely helps. No matter how much I'd rather not exercise, I'm always glad I did once it's over.