What Makes Grandparents Special

My children were lucky to have their grandparents nearby when they were growing up. I'm realizing that more and more lately, as my grandchildren are miles away from me, and I will only see them occasionally. I will never have the relationship with my grandchildren that my mother had, and still has, with my children. I was at the Y this morning and Laurie and I were having a conversation about the important role of grandparents. I've said it before, that I learn so many interesting things at the Y. What would I write about if I didn't go to the Y? I was telling Laurie that we had just returned from visiting our twin grandchildren, age 2 1/2, and yet I didn't feel like we spent much time with them. We enjoyed watching them play at the park, but there was not much time to talk to them and interact with them one on one. We decided that next time we will visit them at their home in LA. We can read to them, do puzzles, play ball, draw, and talk. We will get to spend more time getting to know them. My children were lucky that their grandparents lived just a mile away from us, and that they loved being involved with their grandchildren. My parents took care of my kids once a week, and boy, did my kids look forward to their time together. What did my parents do that made the grandparent/grandchild relationship so great? Nothing exotic, but the kids sure loved it. They might spend the morning playing "fireman" in the car. Or, they might mix up some homemade playdough. They could spend hours with playdough. Or, when the kids were young, a favorite pasttime was taking the pots and pans out of the kitchen shelves, then putting them back. Other things they might do is play hide and seek, play restaurant, or maybe take a deck of cards and build a city with cards. None of the things they did involved any special equipment, any extra expense, any driving. One of their favorite times was bed time, because that meant a made up story from grandpa. My dad was a wonderful storyteller, and bedtime was never a problem, because they would get 15 minutes of a continuing story. It might be a war story, a sea story or a jungle story, but my kids couldn't wait to get in bed and hear the next part of the story, and I know my dad couldn't wait to tell it to them. Most of the time spent with grandparents was spent at home, with nothing but their imagination and grandparents willing to play along with these childhood games. Do my kids remember trips to Disneyland, ski trips, even trips to Europe? Absolutely, but what they remember most fondly is the time spent with their grandparents, doing whatever came to mind. Today the task of grandparents is to keep these kind of experiences alive. It's easy to take kids to the mall, to the park, to a movie. It's much harder to stay home with them, encourage them to use their imaginations, be creative, enjoy a day without TV, IPads or phones. Laurie was telling me about her memory of going to her grandparents house in Canada and spending time with them in the summer, swimmming and fishing in the nearby lake. These are some of her fondest childhood memories. One of my fondest memories of my grandparents was a trip I took to New York, all alone, at age 10, to visit for 10 days. My grandfather took me to museums and taught me to play gin rummy while my grandmother took me shopping and out to lunch. In between I sang and danced for them, and made up skits with my cousin. Such a wonderful memory. Grandparents are special because they have 60+ years of experience to impart to their grandchildren, and because they have the TIME to listen. Parents are busy, busy, busy, always on the run, and don't always have time to sit down and just talk to their kids. As grandparents, we have the luxury of time, and as my grandkids get older, I can't wait to spend as much time as possible getting to know these wonderful little people.

Natural Food Show: Part 1

One of my favorite events of the year is the natural food show in Anaheim every March. This year I brought foodie friend Debbie along to help collect samples, taste, and evaluate new products. There were plenty of products to taste, and I couldn't have gotten through the show without her. In fact, I really didn't get through the whole show. We walked every aisle of Hall C, D, and E, but by that time we were stuffed from samples, tired from standing and walking, and achey from all the bags and food we were carrying. It was time to call it a day, drag ourselves back to the car, and head on home. Debbie did the driving (such a good driver as long as there's no paralell parking involved), I paid for parking, and Debbie said she'd treat me to lunch. LOL. Who could eat anything after sampling food for three hours? There is so much to taste, and being a veteran of five previous food shows I know to only eat things that are really appealing. Debbie followed my advice, but there is so much good stuff that you can't help but overeat. My overall reaction to the show is that the natural food business is alive and doing very well. Good companies that have been around for awhile are expanding into new products. Alexia, one of my favorites, now carries frozen corn, hash browns and other veggies. Pacifica, which began as a soup company (in the cardboard cartons), now carries beans and mac and cheese. Evol, which began as a burrito company, now carries flatbreads, ziti bolognese, and mac and cheese. Amy's is constantly expanding, and carries dozens of different frozen food entrees. Many new companies were present this year, and time will tell if they'll be able to make it. Each year brings a new "In" product, and this year it is chia. Chia was everywhere. Kale, another hot item, was found in many forms. Tea of every variety, Greek yogurt, vegetable chips and crackers, milk made from things like flax and quinoa, and palm oil were very popular. I will write two more blogs about the show, talk about the various products, what Debbie and I liked and what I recommend trying. All in all, an exhausting day of overeating, highlighted by the short time spent with my son Phil, who was one of the exhibitors at the show.

Pickled Asian Pears

I love fresh Asian pears. They're different from other pears, shaped and taste more like an apple. They're nice and crispy. So why would I want to take this perfectly delicious fruit and cook it, can it and pickle it? Because even though it loses is crispy apple like crunch, you've got something new. After pickling, you've good a tart, soft, yet sweet taste, which is delicious with all sorts of things. It's good on a charcuterie plate, or as a side dish with a sandwich, or it's great in a salad. Try it with bibb lettuce and blue cheese. Delicious. These pickled pears are ready to eat in just a few days, and will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks, although the color might turn. Ingredients 2 pounds Asian pears, or any other sweet, firm pear (3-4 pears) 4 (2-inch) pieces of lemon zest Juice of 1 lemon 4 slices pickled ginger (or several slices of fresh ginger if you don't have pickled) 11⁄2 cups sugar 11⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 cup white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons mirin Instructions 1.Select pears that are firm and on the small side. Peel, core and quarter. 2.Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger, sugar, salt, vinegar, and mirin in a medium saucepan off-heat. 3.Add the cut pears to the pan to coat them in the acidic brine. 4.Meanwhile, fill a second medium saucepan with water and bring it to a simmer. 5.Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pears to the simmering water, leaving behind as much of the brine as possible. 6.Simmer the pears until they turn white and are just cooked through but still quite firm, about 6 minutes. 7.Be sure not to covercook the pears. You don't want them mushy. 8.Drain the pears and transfer them to 2 clean pint jars (I used a single quart jar), packing them tightly and tucking them under the curved “shoulders” of the jar. 9.Bring the brine pot to a boil, uncovered, stirring to dissolve the sugar, about 2 minutes. 10.Once it’s boiling, turn off the heat. Divide the ginger and lemon zest between the two jars. 11.Pour the brine over the pears in the jars to cover completely (reserve the leftover brine). 12.Tighten the lids on the jars immediately and let them rest on the countertop for 1 day before moving them to the refrigerator. 13.The pears are ready to eat in 3 days, but taste even better after 5. 14.They will keep their flavor for about a month in the refrigerator, but the color will begin to change after 2 weeks.

To Go Organic Or Not

There are many reasons to eat organic fruits and vegetables, most importantly the lack of pesticide residue on or in your food. But organic is more expensive, although costs have dropped significantly in the past 10 years. The farming methods are different for organic crops, and the use of other plants or insects to keep plants healthy is just more expensive. If the cost were the same, I believe everyone would buy organic, but since it's not, here are some ideas. Buy organic foods from the Dirty Dozen list below. These are the fruits and veggies that take in the most pesticide residue from big corporate farms that spray everything. If you're going to buy organic, these are the things you should buy: The Dirty Dozen apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, nectarines, grapes, bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries, lettuce, kale and collard greens. Get the picture? Anything with a thin skin or no skin at all is going to absorb the toxic spray. Strawberries are one of the worst, because their texture allows for a high absorbtion of spray. The difference in organic and non organic can be seen in appearance also. Because they are not filled with toxins which prevent insects from eating them, most organics are smaller, not as perfectly shaped, but just as flavorful. Keep the above list in mind next time you consider what to buy. The clean 15, on the other hand, do not need to be organic. They have thick skins, and even if they are sprayed with pesticides, the skin protects them, thus protecting you. There is very little reason to buy organic produce from the following list: The Clean 15 onions, sweet corn, pineapple, avocado, asparagus, sweet peas, mangoes, eggplant, cantaloupe, kiwi, cabbage, watermelon, sweet potatoes, grapefruit, mushrooms. A few curious items on each list, which I will research at another time. Why are regular potatoes on the "no no" list, and sweet potatoes aren't? Why are asparagus on the ok list? They don't have much of a skin. Mushrooms are grown indoors under conditions that don't make pesticides necessary. If cost is an issue for you as it is for me and most everyone today, pick and choose what you buy organic. You certainly don't need to buy organic watermelon or bananas, but spinach and apples, maybe so.

Supermarkets Have Changed

You only have to go visit the new Whole Foods Market in Del Mar to see how supermarkets have changed. We used to think that when a supermarket included a wonderful prepared food section, or fresh hot soups, or hand carved sandwiches, that we had a SUPER market. Whole Foods has really raised the bar. To me, going to Whole Foods is like a kid in a candy store. Today I was not shopping, just looking, yet I still came home with a bag of groceries. Not just one kind of trail mix, but bins with at least 6 different varieties. Granola, same thing. An olive bar, a section of prepared fish spreads (delicious), and a produce section with much of the items coming from local farms. Cone shaped cabbage, every variety of the new superfood, kale, and many different varieties of swiss chard. Beautiful plastic cups filled with fruit, including one with fresh coconut. Their desserts and bread are baked in house. They are beautiful and delicious. They have a pizza oven, fresh made sandwiches, salad bar, hot foods to take home, and a huge selection of prepared foods. They also have a coffee bar, a gelato bar (12 different flavors) and a wine and beer bar. The latter really surprised me. The beer bar offers appetizers like sushi to go with your adult drink. I think they're trying to get a happy hour crowd. They also have lots of seating for in store eating. Leather booths inside, big patio outside. Do your shopping in the morning, stay for lunch. If the prices weren't so high I would shop at Whole Foods all the time. It's a feel good store, but you don't feel good when you get the bill at the end of your shopping trip. I shop there for specialty items, sale items, and things I can't get anywhere else. It's a great experience.

My Personal Journey

Another month has rolled by, a really great month at that, which leaves 20 more months until Ron's supervised release is over. February was a month full of lots of celebrations, a little sadness and lots of work. The celebrations included my neice Alison's birthday and my birthday. My celebration began on February 20 with a trip to Pizzeria Mozza in Newport Beach and ended with another trip to Newport Beach at the end of the month to meet my mom for lunch. In between there were 2 lunches with friends, and a lovely afternoon and evening with David and Tracy. Of course there was shopping for my birthday present from Ron at Lululemon. What a perfect gift for me. The sadness I refer to was February 2, which would have been my parents 69th anniversary. I guess we always remember those dates. Ron is working hard. It's tax season, so he has some accounting work to do. He loves to be busy. His job at Costco still exists, although for the life of me I can't figure out who buys air conditioning in the dead of winter. Soon he will be able to go back to umpiring. He continues to recover from the November 27 removal of what turned out to be a non malignant mole. After two weeks, when the wound started to get bright red and tender, Ron went to a wound doctor. He has been seeing this man ever since, and the wound is almost closed. In mid February he had a piece of pig intestine implanted into the wound. It was put there to replace the skin that has not yet filled in, and speed healing. We're almost there. One thing that I never focused on was something Ron and I talked about yesterday. Everyday Ron gets up and realizes he is accountable to someone else. If he wants to go to LA he must ask, if he wants to go to Balboa or Newport Beach he must ask, and he needs to have a good reason for going. We take our freedom of choice for granted, but when you're on supervised release, not only the way you spend your money, but where and how you spend your time, is the government's business. In other words, you've always got someone looking over your shoulder. For someone who has spent their professional life helping others to manage their money, it's hard to have this restriction. Ron takes it all in stride, and he has a very respectful relationship with his PO. He trusts that she knows he is doing all he can, and she knows that he's doing his best. We can't ask for more than that. It's hard to imagine a time when we'll be living without supervision.(I say WE because the PO looks at what I'm doing, earning, spending, too). It's been such a long time since Ron has lived without the fear of lawyers, prosecutors or creditors trying to get a piece of him. He feels happy now that all the legal stuff is behind him, and knows that it's just a matter of months before he will be free of any restriction. I never hope for time to pass quickly, because life is too short as it is, but I can't help hoping that the next 20 months pass uneventfully.

Famous Aphorisms

Ron was flicking through the channels a few weeks ago, when he came across the show "Pawn Stars." He loves that show for its interesting items, the history of said items, and the humor, and aphorisms of the old man. The father sits at his desk in the pawn shop, and comments on life. Some of his aphorisms are pretty good. Here are a few aphorisms by some more famous people that I particularly like. In case you don't know what an aphorism is, it's "a pithy observation that contains a general truth." "If you don't control your mind, someone else will." John Allston "I hear and I forget. I see and I believe. I do and I understand." Confcius "Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die tomorrow." James Dean "Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us." Justice William O. Douglas "Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die." "The important thing is to not stop questioning." Albert Einstein "Any fool can criticise, condemn, and complain, and most fools do." Ben Franklin "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." Martin Luther King Jr. "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Voltaire "It's better to be looked over than to be overlooked." Mae West "No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem." Booker T. Washington Hope these aphorisms give you something to think about today. You probably have your own favorites, maybe even some of your own. Do you have a favorite?