Back Chat

I was just remembering how funny my boys are. As we watch Nanny 911 and scrutinize other children and their poor parents. I mean poor, not as sympathetic, but as lame, bad, pathetic parents. An English family was particularly striking with their accents and 3 girls behavior that was worse than Veruca Salt on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, "Daddy, I want it NOW."
One girl was threatened with not having her friends come over and she saltily replied,"I don't like my friends anyway."
The Nanny dealt with them by sternly stating "No back chat". We love that phrase and use it often now.

Third Passion

Last but not Least
Thank you to my family for providing a wonderful holiday this year. We were able to see my family, my in-laws, and my own kids are the most wicked awesome on the planet. They give me much joy as I write down a tiny fraction of the so funny things they say.

I thank my dad for my love of words, my mom for the concentration to read in the midst of chaos and both my parents for my love of food. As I said the other night, there's not much food I don't like/love. Exception: liver and onions which my mother argues the human body needs to survive, at least once in a while. I prefer to get my iron in a pill.

Second Passion

I'm for reading with a dictionary close at hand. For instance, today as I was reading Ordinary Heroes by Scott Turow page 95 I came across the word "perspicacious". I still can't pronounce it but the meaning is to have acute perception or understanding.
I love the play of words on the page, and I journal interesting phrases, sentences often. I marvel at some writer's ability to take ordinary words and use them in totally unique combinations. I find the use of too many big words pretentious and annoying.

food, literacy, family

Three Passions
This is my first blog. I've never actually read a blog, but I decided to create one based on what I read in a magazine. I felt it might be a way to start that writing career I've dreamed about, to journal on-line, and to evoke a response (??) from other bloggers.

My passions are listed in the title. I'm thankful to Lisa Sullivan for sharing her "Bark" recipe with me over the holidays. I can smell it warming in the kitchen this minute. This treat which starts with Saltine crackers has not been introduced to west central Illinois, and I wanted to be the first to do so. I will bring it to work tomorrow. Here's the recipe:

1 sleeve Saltines
2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts

Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Fill cookie sheet with single layer of crackers. In sauce pan melt butter, add brown sugar, stir until dissolved, brown and bubbly. Pour over crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Pour a bag of chocolate chips over it and put back in oven for 1-2 minutes. Spread chocolate over crackers and sprinkle with nuts.

Now for the modifications: I was going to reduce butter to 1 1/2 sticks, but chickened out when I saw the size of the cracker surface. Had momentary thought to substitute brown sugar Splenda (mainly to get rid of what I bought) but dismissed that. I did go a little wild and used milk chocolate and carmel swirl chocolate chips and think that will turn out just right. I'll let you know.