Mother's Choice

Saturday night several of my piano students were involved in a school production of Annie. Of course I had to be there. John was working until roughly the time the play was over, so I took Heather with me and asked John to meet us before heading home. Annie isn’t my favorite play, but Heather adores it. It was all she could do to refrain from singing along with the cast. When the show was over, John completely forgot that he was picking us up. He would have driven home to an empty house if one of his coworkers hadn’t reminded him that the following day was Mother’s Day. Instead, he headed for the nearest convenience store to grab a last minute gift. As it was the only place (besides the pubs) open on a Saturday night, that’s exactly where Heather and I were waiting for him. Hope you had a lovely Mother’s Day, too.

Mother's Dream

All mothers are working mothers. The comic Phillis Diller once said, “It would seem that something which means poverty, disorder and violence every single day should be avoided entirely.” Then she added, “But the desire to beget children is a natural urge.” She was right, of course. The novelist Peter De Vries observed, “A suburban mother's role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after.” Comedian Groucho Marx said “My mother loved children. She’d have given anything if I had been one.” But I think my favorite quote about mothers comes from Mark Twain. It essentially sums up my own experience, both with my children and with my own mother: “My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.” Happy Mother’s Day!

Utah Block

Comedian Jeff Foxworthy said this about Utahns: If someone at Home Depot offers you assistance and they don't work there, you live in Utah. If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed the wrong number, you live in Utah. If 'vacation' means going anywhere south of Salt Lake City for the weekend, you live in Utah. If you measure distance in hours, you live in Utah. If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in Utah. If you install security lights on your house and garage but leave both unlocked, you live in Utah. If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit; if driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow; if you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, you live in Utah.

Mexican Star

I’m told Cinco de Mayo is a much bigger deal in the United States than it is in Mexico. As I’ve never actually been in Mexico on the fifth of May, I’ll have to take that on faith. It certainly isn’t, as many Americans believe, the Mexican version of Independence Day. I think that’s actually in September. Cinco de Mayo originally commemorated a victory for the Mexican army over the French in 1862. A more descriptive name for the holiday today might be “Hispanic Pride Day.” It’s a day for displaying the colors of the Mexican flag, whether you’re from Mexico or not. It’s a day for eating foods with tomatoes, chilies, cornmeal, beans, cilantro and the like. We had Chicken Enchiladas Tuesday, so I probably won’t be cooking Mexican food for dinner tonight. I am considering a Flan or a Tres Leches Cake, though. It’s been a long time.

Northern Star

My sons call today “Star Wars Day.” As in, “May the fourth be with you.” Actually, May 25 ought to be Star Wars Day. The original movie, “Star Wars IV: A New Hope” was released May 25, 1977. I was just days from my high school graduation when I first saw the film. I was absolutely blown away by the opening shot. It wasn’t just the soundtrack or the visual effects. Every movie I’d ever seen up to that point had begun by rolling credits. It was like reading the program before a play begins. But Star Wars didn’t start that way. The audience was just settling in their seats, a handful of popcorn halfway to their mouths, and suddenly we were all in space. A bit of back story rolled by and we were thrust into a heated battle. It's a bit trite now, but at the time it was ground breaking stuff.

Tea Rose

The pattern for this block calls for pink and green calicos. I thumbed through my stash and found I’m running a little low on pink. I made two quilts last year for neighbors with baby girls. I cut a pack of pink charm (5"x5") squares for a dear friend expecting a granddaughter. In a few months my next-door-neighbor will have her second child - another girl. I think I have enough charm squares left to make another scrappy pink baby quilt. But it’s clear I need to either be frugal with my pinks or go shopping for more. Shopping for fabric here isn’t nearly as rewarding as it is in the States. I can’t touch the folds rolling off their bolts. I can’t hold two prints together up to the light to see if they “like” each other. So I decided to be stingy with the pink prints I have. And I made yellow tea roses instead.

Spiderweb

I awoke this morning to spiders. Heather found one in her bedroom and complained loudly until I dispatched it. Her brother sent me a photo of black widows who’ve taken up residence outside his window. He also gave me news of Bin Laden’s death. The man who orchestrated the horrific events of September 11 is dead. I’m reminded of something he said: “I have sworn to live free. Even if I find bitter the taste of death. I’m fighting so I can die a martyr and go to heaven to meet God.” I’m also reminded of something General Norman Schwartzkopf reportedly said, “I believe forgiving them is God’s function. Our job is to arrange the meeting.” Not a Christian sentiment. But with spiders, a live and let live attitude is probably not the best approach. Like the black widows in my son’s window, they must be dealt with. The sooner the better.