What a week. I’ve felt like I’ve been sprinting from one small emergency to the next in shoes that weren’t meant for it. Some things got sorted, others kept spreading, and a few problems I accidentally made worse. On top of that I spent about three hours a day live on the radio, ran on very little sleep and a lot of phlegm. Not always my best look, but we carried on.
Yesterday was W’s first playschool Valentine’s party. The notice home suggested bringing a small snack “such as hummus and pita.” I love hummus and pita, but I found myself parsing that phrase like it was a secret message: did that mean no pink cupcakes? Would sugar-cookie hearts be frowned upon? Was a tray of cut vegetables implied? I spent far too much time worrying over what the instruction allowed, then finally decided on popcorn. It felt festive, appeals to kids, and avoided common allergies like nuts, dairy and eggs.
W wanted pink popcorn, and that might have been adorable if I’d had an hour and a box of raspberry gelatin. Instead I tossed the freshly popped kernels with a bit of melted butter, a touch of olive oil and a generous grating of Parmesan as they came out of the hot-air popper. I would have added cracked pepper, but this was destined for a roomful of three- and four-year-olds.
The party was an absolute delight: preschoolers bursting with energy as they taped paper hearts into one another’s pink and red bags, then settling in a circle to sing “You Are My Sunshine” in their slippers. I nearly melted into a snotty, happy puddle watching them play in the mini wooden kitchen area. The parents there were a lovely mix of moms and dads—seven of each—which felt wonderfully balanced and made me appreciate our little community. The food table was mostly homemade treats, plus one batch of Rice Krispie squares made by a dad who happens to be a chef; yes, even chefs make sprinkles-clad Rice Krispie squares when they have adorable little girls.
Earlier in the week I baked peanut butter and bacon cookies to bring to the radio studio. I’d heard about peanut butter-bacon cookies and wanted to try a simple version. I used my go-to peanut butter cookie base—1 1/2 cups peanut butter, 1 cup sugar (white or brown), 1 egg white, rolled into balls, pressed with a fork and baked at 350°F for about twelve minutes—and stirred in chopped cooked bacon that was languishing in my fridge. The results were an entertaining experiment: many people loved them and only a few were put off. They weren’t pretty—they looked a little rough around the edges—but they tasted interesting and memorable.
Dinners? Those daily reports I used to write about what we ate have been sparse lately. Most meals have been rescue items from the freezer, though Mike did make a batch of dough while I was at work today. I turned it into a late pizza around 7 p.m. W, being W, stuck his chin to the hot metal of the baking sheet just seconds after I’d pulled the pie from a 450°F oven. He got a red welt under his lip, so the rest of the evening was spent cuddling him on the couch with a cool cloth while we watched Shrek. Not the best for him, but a calm way for us both to end the night.
And on the fundraising front: Blog Aid is in its final stretch. I’m genuinely blown away by the generosity people have shown. We’ve decided to wrap the project up tomorrow—Friday, February 12th—to align with a government-matching program for donations to aid organizations working in Haiti. If you haven’t ordered your copy yet, there are only a few hours left to do so. Every purchase helps.
Huge thanks to West Canadian Graphics and Blurb for helping make this project possible, and to Cathryn Ironside and the twenty-seven food bloggers who contributed photos and recipes. The response has been incredible—we sold another ninety copies since dinnertime.
It’s been a week of small crises, small joys and plenty of imperfect but meaningful moments. Between playschool parties, experimental baking, late pizzas and fundraising, I’m reminded that the days are full of little stories worth remembering, even when I feel like I’m just barely keeping up.