The Joy of Cooking

I make some mean toast. No, seriously. I actually know where the toaster is, and I can press down the lovely button that engages the heating element and in less than two minutes makes perfectly browned toast. Not too brown, and not too white either, but a great combination of the two, making for a flaky surface that reminds me of good quality biscuits. Yes, I make some mean toast.

When I was young I remember on a particularly interesting Mother’s Day my sister and I deciding we were going to make my mother breakfast in bed. It seemed so cliche we just had to be a part of it, creating a meal for my mother on a day that was not her birthday. It was my sister’s idea, really, but I chipped in with some random ideas that were summarily dismissed by the main chef. We got up early in order to create the masterpiece without my mother’s knowledge, both of us donning aprons that had seen better days, intent on getting the combinations just right.

It started with an omelet, which my sister claimed to be the best at making, and the only thing we made that really turned out okay. From there it got rather dicey, however, especially with what I was responsible for: the spicy fries. Now, my mother loves some spicy fries, like the kind you can get at nice restaurants everywhere, but at home we hardly ever ate fries. So, not only was it going to be a delicacy for her, but they were also designed to be a reminder of times and memories of us eating out at nice restaurants. It ended up being neither, and all because I got a bit heavy-handed with the spices. Continue reading “The Joy of Cooking”

Day One

Well, yesterday was the first day of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), so instead of foregoing a shave (long story), I spent the larger part of the late afternoon/early evening starting the next great American novel. Or just another novel, who knows? But regardless, I’m writing it, and it has begun. First things first. I … Continue reading Day One

Fissure

The line advances slowly Jagged and artificial As black as grim night Unending pitch dark She toes the line Tiptoe thin, fragile Spun like spiderwebs Silken in their mean And she dances lean Poetic in her moves Razor-thin and sharp Careful not to fall While the chasm deepens Between warring emotions Churning deep inside The … Continue reading Fissure

Tracing Scars

It is late evening and we sit together on the couch — she fresh from the bath and in her footie pajamas, me in my voluminous robe. She climbs into my lap and I notice the heavy lids that presage a sleep so deep no one will be able to awaken her for hours, but … Continue reading Tracing Scars

The 3 Days Conundrum

3 days until National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and I have absolutely no idea what my novel is going to be about. Okay, I will edit that statement. I have way too many ideas of what I think my novel should be about, and none of them are strong enough in my mind to drive … Continue reading The 3 Days Conundrum