Sunday, July 17, 2016

Spilt milk part 3 or how to not make ice cream

It's national ice cream day! So here you go...

The salt and ice had been placed in the metal container that was in the center. I poured the chilled mixture into the spout and hubby started turning the crank as I reread the instructions. If this didn't work we would be having fruit for dessert since the cabin is a 45 minutes from the nearest store and we sure weren't driving out for more supplies. Eight to ten minutes of cranking required to make soft serve delicious treat! I could see the metal ice container getting frosty. The milk, sugar, vanilla mixture was churning. I probably shouldn't have been so excited but you have to understand that hubby and I can't usually make something like this work. We would have either read the recipe wrong or put the doo hickey together wrong. But it was actually working and I was thrilled! I volunteered to take over the cranking for awhile. It turned kind of hard but I was determined. Hubby held the ice cream maker since while the cranking was going on it caused a little wobble. Suddenly while I'm cranking along I see the milk mixture pouring out of the maker, it's like I can't believe my eyes. I'm cranking while the ice cream maker is getting emptier and emptier! Soon there was spilt milk all over the kitchen table, dripping onto the floor. Ever have that moment when you've got all sorts of reasons to have a meltdown but it has nothing to do with a stupid ice cream maker but the idea of no ice cream is what puts you over the edge? Ok well maybe you had to be there. I suddenly bolt out to the deck, throwing myself against the rail. Sobs are coming out of my throat so loud that for all along the river canyon other weekenders can hear the crying carried by the evening breeze. I can hardly believe that there must have been something faulty about the contraption. No, hubby trying to console me says he mistakenly jiggled the lever that is used to open the bottom when you are ready to get the soft serve ice cream. I can't stop sobbing but I'm pretty sure it's not about the spilt milk or that I have to eat fruit for dessert or that now there's a mess all over the kitchen. I'm sobbing that I miss my sailor kid and have spent the weekend reminiscing about our fun times while he was a cute little guy and that I don't know when he and his new little family can join us from 3000 miles away for future visits. I did finally recover after a solitary walk down the road throwing some sticks and kicking some rocks, found some daisies to pick. And knew I wasn't going back to that mess, I didn't make it so it wasn't going to be me cleaning it up. Hubby comes and drives me back, the kitchen sparkles and we have our last night at the family cabin.
The End
So now you have the story of spilt milk. And you also now know how to not make ice cream.

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Spilt milk part 2

It was the silliest thing really, almost a kids toy actually but it was mine to be had for free from our friend's garage sale. A plastic hand crank ice cream maker. For a week I pictured of how fun it would be to have at our family cabin so all the generations might use to enjoy a frozen treat. We had the salt and I made sure to put all the supplies I would need to make ice cream on the shopping list. When we arrived for the long 4th of July weekend I just knew our last night's meal would include berry sundaes for dessert! Sunday arrived and I pulled out the instructions, recipe said " should chill for several hours for best results".

Stay tuned for the riveting conclusion!

Friday, July 8, 2016

Spilt milk, Spilled milk...

Now that almost a week has passed I think I can talk about what happened. Although the sign on the cabin wall says "what happens at the cabin stays at the cabin", since it's all about me I think I'm ready to share the story.

To be continued...

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Summer School

Taking a required 1 credit Library Resource online class this summer. So far not doing too bad on week number 2. Here's what I wrote as my student bio to get extra credit. See below, let me know what you think.

Hi, my name is Mona and I've been going to college since before most of you were born. I have worked a bit toward a couple certificates but then would quit when I either found the work I would do after getting said certificate was boring or I took classes from a less than steller professor and had to quit because they made me want to scream! So now after finally visiting a counselor for the first time in the 32 years of my student career I am hoping to get my degree in social and behavioral sciences when I'm 63 in the year 2019. Just in time to retire from my bank job, yay! Right now the joy of my life is my 5 year old grandson who lives with his mom and dad (my son and daughter in law) in Chesapeake Virginia so our vacations usually take this nana out there on visits with my husband who I could write a book about the love he has for that little guy! Well in fact we are collaborating on a children's book with the grandson as main character, "Carson Finds a Job". Hope all of you are enjoying the summer. As I always tell my son who's made two deployments to the Persian Gulf as a United States sailor, stay safe and sane! Good luck with class. Sincerely, Mona Mechling

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Chesapeake Forest

Sitting out in the twilight I got snippets of whispers from the wood nymphs. My mermaid friends staying in the gentle waves of the Atlantic were sorry we wouldn't have a visit this trip. They asked the shore fairies to pass word along the forest network to me with the salutation that we would meet again but understood that this was nana time with adorable grandson. The shy wood nymphs were hesitant to leave the safety and comfort of the higher leafy branches. But I did get some bold hellos from the frogs and squirrels who scampered, hopped and chattered through the day and night. Today I pack up the cozy Chesapeake cabin, memories and sleeping bags to be carried home to California. I send my goodbye to the elusive wood nymphs and hear a singing bird who will be sure to let my mermaid friends know I'll be back soon.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Flying...

I'm not a good flyer, not that I worry about crashing I just don't like being in enclosed spaces for long periods of time. And I'm always concerned that I will miss my flight, you know sleep through the alarm etc. Anyway, today I decide to drive the scenic rural route home and what happens as I'm flying along at 60+ miles an hour, a bird leaves the field next to the road and while trying to get air born hits the car and  in the rear view mirror I see it land a few feet behind me. Of course I rush home to the computer and google dead bird omen and maybe there will be a chant I can say for the soul of the bird. Well, mostly there are funny post about dead birds but I'm wanting to honor that this bird gave it's life against my front bumper. Plus since I'm about to get on a big flying machine I have to make sure I don't have any bad juju. Turns out that I found something nice that sort of makes me feel better, not a chant but I can make one up and I think I randomly have bird seed around of all things that I'll go to the side of the fence and toss in the air for luck. Here's the copy paste from a portion of a site I found during my googling. Might have been serendipitous that a bird and I crossed paths, right?


https://exemplore.com/spirit-animals/Birds-as-Omens-and-Signs

A Dead Bird

If you've seen a dead bird in the road or perhaps you accidentally hit a bird on the road, this usually feels like a bad sign. Actually death is typically a good sign showing us that an end to turmoil or pain is ending. This doesn't necessarily mean physical death, just a metaphorical death. Perhaps you're going through heartache of a break-up, perhaps you are struggling to find a job...this dead bird marks the end to your search and struggle. A new beginning is just around the corner.


Saturday, January 9, 2016

Mermaid posting...

Hi humans! We just wanted to say Happy New Year! That lovely holiday you all seem to enjoy so much with sparkling lights and pretty paper wrapped things called gifts to be shared with your loved ones has passed for another year. We keep tabs you know on folks we've had a good time with. The small boy with the tear on his cheek a few months ago (only for a few minutes though) got to have yummy cake and dance with his cousins at a big party. We like him alot, he's a fun guy so we'll watch from shore for awhile. He has a pretty mom (he sure thought she was extra lovely in her beautiful white dress) who likes lap time with her boy and loves that her new husband (quite dashing as a sailor man) is good at things like cooking their food on an outside machine called a barbecue. We might not seem to be around, especially if we've been invited to frolic with dolphins over near sand covered islands in other seas but we will be back. We like to be part of adventures with some of our favorite humans too...