“William just called to say he got six stitches in his abdomen today at school,” said my husband, having searched me out in the Cyber Café of the cruise ship.
I was attempting to download my first video blog in international waters via satellite. Cool stuff. But apparently not as interesting as my son’s life back home.
Naturally, we were a gazillion miles away in the middle of the Pacific Ocean having a romantic holiday at sea when the crisis hit.
How long will it take them to get a helicopter out here, I thought.
“What happened? Did some kid stab him?” I asked. Not that I’m hyper-paranoid or anything.
It turns out that a hostile door with a broken handle and a bad attitude jumped out and bit him in the abs, “right where I’m getting a six pack” according to our son.
There are rules about running down school hallways and past doors with resentments at being over fifty years old and subject to the whims of tax-payers who hate to vote in favor of bond elections. Who could blame a door with that kind of baggage?
My dad, the retired gynecologist who happens to have innumerable surgeries in his experience, and my mom who is much more stable and practical than me, took him to the doctor in our absence. This is probably a good thing.
The last time one of our kids had to be taken to the emergency room, I made a scene. Okay, I’m sorry, but those doctors in the emergency room did not carry that kid around in their wombs for nine months. That’s all I have to say on the subject.
That night, after the decision was made that we could forego the helicopter, I dreamed that my son showed me the wound and, even though there was no sign of redness around it and no fever to indicate infection, I still had a terrible foreboding that all was not right.
The wound looked like a pirate had stabbed him.
Not that I’ve ever seen a pirate stab wound, you understand. Somehow moms just know these things. Especially when sleeping in a bed that is rocking to the gentle rhythm of the Pacific Ocean a gazillion miles away from her stabbed son.
When he showed me the wound upon our return, it wasn’t anything at all like my dream.
“Mom, you could see the fat hanging out where the gash was,” he told me. He assured me that it didn’t hurt a bit and he didn’t shed one tear. Apparently there are not that many nerve endings in your belly.
Which made me think of liposuction for myself.
Unfortunately, the guilty door with a penchant for stabbing people until their fat falls out is already repaired, so I’m out of luck.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Kids are surprisingly Resilient, Part 2
There were three of them. Broad in the shoulders, blond-headed, easy smiles.
Brothers. Big men on campus. Co-eds swooned at the thought of them.
Being a big man on the campus at the University of Texas, with a population slightly less than Tyler’s back then, was no small thing even thirty years ago.
Unlike some of the other uber-achievers at the university, these brothers were respected not only by their male friends, but also by the gals as real gentlemen.
Being a leader on that campus marked you as a future leader anywhere you decided to settle; the cream tended to rise to the top.
Many of the campus leaders spent summers working at Camp Longhorn. One of the first of the high-end sports camps, Camp Longhorn is the place where blobs were first invented right after WWII by the owner who was also the Longhorn’s winning swim team coach.
At least one of the brothers was a counselor at Camp Longhorn where he was a trend-setter, too. He was cool, tan, and in charge of the boats, spending his days pulling campers through the water and teaching them to ski. His joy was infectious. Any kid lucky enough to draw the straw for his boat knew they were in for a treat. He had a perceptive way of focusing on each camper and making them feel like the most special human on earth.
In my last year as a camper, we were scheduled to take a special field trip to some fabulous place that escapes my memory now.
The campers were all a-twitter about something else; a small detour in route to the real destination. The day of the trip, all the campers were squirming with anticipation.
The bus pulled up in front of a middle-class home on a shady, tree-lined street somewhere in central Texas.
We were there to take a break, get a drink, and to meet his parents.
His parents were the big event.
The thing that sticks with me most is that his parents were very clearly, tenderly, affectionately in love with each other. And his mother was deaf.
Yeah, that was in the days before our culture had run through half a dozen politically correct euphemisms, like handicapped, challenged, impaired or special.
Those parents welcomed a bus-load of sweaty camp kids into their home and both spoke clearly to the group, extending their affection to us. Fingers flew and hugs were exchanged as the mom waved goodbye to her son when we pulled away an hour later.
Don’t ya wonder what challenges, like being hearing-impaired, do to the dynamics of a family?
I’m not saying that having a mom who was deaf made those brothers turn out to be the exceptional people that they were.
Personally, I think it was their parent’s hearts.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Brothers. Big men on campus. Co-eds swooned at the thought of them.
Being a big man on the campus at the University of Texas, with a population slightly less than Tyler’s back then, was no small thing even thirty years ago.
Unlike some of the other uber-achievers at the university, these brothers were respected not only by their male friends, but also by the gals as real gentlemen.
Being a leader on that campus marked you as a future leader anywhere you decided to settle; the cream tended to rise to the top.
Many of the campus leaders spent summers working at Camp Longhorn. One of the first of the high-end sports camps, Camp Longhorn is the place where blobs were first invented right after WWII by the owner who was also the Longhorn’s winning swim team coach.
At least one of the brothers was a counselor at Camp Longhorn where he was a trend-setter, too. He was cool, tan, and in charge of the boats, spending his days pulling campers through the water and teaching them to ski. His joy was infectious. Any kid lucky enough to draw the straw for his boat knew they were in for a treat. He had a perceptive way of focusing on each camper and making them feel like the most special human on earth.
In my last year as a camper, we were scheduled to take a special field trip to some fabulous place that escapes my memory now.
The campers were all a-twitter about something else; a small detour in route to the real destination. The day of the trip, all the campers were squirming with anticipation.
The bus pulled up in front of a middle-class home on a shady, tree-lined street somewhere in central Texas.
We were there to take a break, get a drink, and to meet his parents.
His parents were the big event.
The thing that sticks with me most is that his parents were very clearly, tenderly, affectionately in love with each other. And his mother was deaf.
Yeah, that was in the days before our culture had run through half a dozen politically correct euphemisms, like handicapped, challenged, impaired or special.
Those parents welcomed a bus-load of sweaty camp kids into their home and both spoke clearly to the group, extending their affection to us. Fingers flew and hugs were exchanged as the mom waved goodbye to her son when we pulled away an hour later.
Don’t ya wonder what challenges, like being hearing-impaired, do to the dynamics of a family?
I’m not saying that having a mom who was deaf made those brothers turn out to be the exceptional people that they were.
Personally, I think it was their parent’s hearts.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
How to Give Your Sweetheart a Gun Without Getting Shot
I have a friend who got a gun as a gift from her husband.
Yeah, it’s been several weeks since Christmas and they’re still married. Can you believe it?!
I suspect the sudden urge to purchase unregistered firearms and give them as gifts has something to do with the fact that the Democrats are back in power.
I am not kidding when I say that many East Texans are picking up unregistered guns at gun shows just in case gun control becomes a popular legislative topic again. (For more on Second Amendment rights see my column titled “Amendment #2: Guns,” posted on my blog.)
I asked my friend if she was disappointed that her gift didn’t come with more sparkle, the kind found in gifts of a more geological nature, like, say, diamonds.
She shared, with a twinkle in her eye, that she thought her husband was inviting her into his world. She was honored that he views her as his favorite companion.
Wow. I’m not sure who impressed me more; the wife who had such an understanding heart or the husband who took a chance and managed to communicate so well.
I found her attitude about the whole thing inspiring.
So, in case any guys out there are considering a gun for their sweetheart for Valentine’s Day, here are some suggestions on how to give a gift of weapons, without having it backfire.
-Do what my friend’s husband did and make sure she understands that being your hunting buddy means quality time together.
-Give her a card with those sentiments first, so she understands your intentions before she is holding an unwrapped, unregistered weapon in her hands.
-Hide the ammo, until you are positive she understands.
-If she points the new gun at you, run.
Better yet, give her jewelry first, before she opens the gun.
Call me materialistic, but I find it somewhat unromantic to be reminded about household chores or to suggest that I might want to hunt for my food. So, we have a new gift rule at our house, just in case my husband confuses rifles, vacuums, tools, or household items as gifts.
The rule is simple, if it goes on earlobes or feet, it is an appropriate gift, especially if it comes in gold, silver, or shiny.
I’m only writing about guns as gifts because I think my friend deserves the “Wife of the Year Award.” I think her husband knows it, too.
I’m pretty sure all his friends, including my husband, are jealous cus he has such a cool wife.
So, buy your sweetheart a gun for Valentine’s if you must, but while you’re at the gun store, be a sweetheart and throw in ear protection.
To go over those nice shiny earrings that came in the velvet box. Just in case.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Yeah, it’s been several weeks since Christmas and they’re still married. Can you believe it?!
I suspect the sudden urge to purchase unregistered firearms and give them as gifts has something to do with the fact that the Democrats are back in power.
I am not kidding when I say that many East Texans are picking up unregistered guns at gun shows just in case gun control becomes a popular legislative topic again. (For more on Second Amendment rights see my column titled “Amendment #2: Guns,” posted on my blog.)
I asked my friend if she was disappointed that her gift didn’t come with more sparkle, the kind found in gifts of a more geological nature, like, say, diamonds.
She shared, with a twinkle in her eye, that she thought her husband was inviting her into his world. She was honored that he views her as his favorite companion.
Wow. I’m not sure who impressed me more; the wife who had such an understanding heart or the husband who took a chance and managed to communicate so well.
I found her attitude about the whole thing inspiring.
So, in case any guys out there are considering a gun for their sweetheart for Valentine’s Day, here are some suggestions on how to give a gift of weapons, without having it backfire.
-Do what my friend’s husband did and make sure she understands that being your hunting buddy means quality time together.
-Give her a card with those sentiments first, so she understands your intentions before she is holding an unwrapped, unregistered weapon in her hands.
-Hide the ammo, until you are positive she understands.
-If she points the new gun at you, run.
Better yet, give her jewelry first, before she opens the gun.
Call me materialistic, but I find it somewhat unromantic to be reminded about household chores or to suggest that I might want to hunt for my food. So, we have a new gift rule at our house, just in case my husband confuses rifles, vacuums, tools, or household items as gifts.
The rule is simple, if it goes on earlobes or feet, it is an appropriate gift, especially if it comes in gold, silver, or shiny.
I’m only writing about guns as gifts because I think my friend deserves the “Wife of the Year Award.” I think her husband knows it, too.
I’m pretty sure all his friends, including my husband, are jealous cus he has such a cool wife.
So, buy your sweetheart a gun for Valentine’s if you must, but while you’re at the gun store, be a sweetheart and throw in ear protection.
To go over those nice shiny earrings that came in the velvet box. Just in case.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Tips for Raising Fiscally Fit Kiddoes
When our oldest was just able to talk, I emptied her full piggy bank on the floor of the den for the first time and helped her count the wealth she had amassed with the help of grandparents eager to spoil their first grandchild.
“Would you like to give some of your money away, dear, to share with others,” I asked enthusiastically, thinking that it is never too early to teach a child about generosity.
Encouraged by her positive response I asked the obvious question next.
“How much?”
“All of it!” she responded, scooping up the coins and bills in her baby arms with a big smile.
I almost fainted. It was a lot of money.
Over the years, we have emphasized a core set of ideas and then watched in bewilderment as all three kids interpret and develop their own personal fiscal philosophy; each one as unique as the individual we raised.
Principle #1- Give It Away. Yeah, I know this sounds crazy, but it is a basic truth that giving creates gratefulness in the giver.
Principle #2 – Define Wealth Accurately. If you have two feet and four shoes, you’ve got a wealth of feet and an abundance of shoes.
Principle #3 – Recognize the Source. As a young wife, often stressed out about how my young husband managed, or failed to manage, money, I learned that God was my Provider.
Principle #4 – Hard Work is Fun. Okay, not all the time. But, learning to make a job fun for others is a great skill and can be fun in itself.
Principle #5 – Skills are Acquired to Serve Others, not Glorify Self. As parents, it is so easy to crave success for our kids, especially financial security, forgetting that their ultimate satisfaction will be in the true success of loving others.
Principle #6 – Serve Others and Success Follows. In this, my kiddoes have inspired me. With so many of their generation, their successes have proven to be a result of their commitment to serve others.
Principle #7 – Education is a Good Investment. Choosing college is often a sound financial decision, if you don’t overspend. Measure the return on your investment as you choose schools and majors; avoid debt like the plague.
Principle #8 – Save. Nothing beats an unstable economy like a savings account.
Principle #9 – Live Like You Mean It. If you are wondering if we let our toddler give away all her money, the answer is, yes. What’s a parent to do?
With all the gloom and doom lately, my hat is off to the East Texans I know; folks just grateful to be able to work and feed their family.
Or folks we read about in the paper; local small-town heroes; taking the little that they have and stretching it to help others in need.
Kind of like a toddler teaching mom to give exuberantly.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
“Would you like to give some of your money away, dear, to share with others,” I asked enthusiastically, thinking that it is never too early to teach a child about generosity.
Encouraged by her positive response I asked the obvious question next.
“How much?”
“All of it!” she responded, scooping up the coins and bills in her baby arms with a big smile.
I almost fainted. It was a lot of money.
Over the years, we have emphasized a core set of ideas and then watched in bewilderment as all three kids interpret and develop their own personal fiscal philosophy; each one as unique as the individual we raised.
Principle #1- Give It Away. Yeah, I know this sounds crazy, but it is a basic truth that giving creates gratefulness in the giver.
Principle #2 – Define Wealth Accurately. If you have two feet and four shoes, you’ve got a wealth of feet and an abundance of shoes.
Principle #3 – Recognize the Source. As a young wife, often stressed out about how my young husband managed, or failed to manage, money, I learned that God was my Provider.
Principle #4 – Hard Work is Fun. Okay, not all the time. But, learning to make a job fun for others is a great skill and can be fun in itself.
Principle #5 – Skills are Acquired to Serve Others, not Glorify Self. As parents, it is so easy to crave success for our kids, especially financial security, forgetting that their ultimate satisfaction will be in the true success of loving others.
Principle #6 – Serve Others and Success Follows. In this, my kiddoes have inspired me. With so many of their generation, their successes have proven to be a result of their commitment to serve others.
Principle #7 – Education is a Good Investment. Choosing college is often a sound financial decision, if you don’t overspend. Measure the return on your investment as you choose schools and majors; avoid debt like the plague.
Principle #8 – Save. Nothing beats an unstable economy like a savings account.
Principle #9 – Live Like You Mean It. If you are wondering if we let our toddler give away all her money, the answer is, yes. What’s a parent to do?
With all the gloom and doom lately, my hat is off to the East Texans I know; folks just grateful to be able to work and feed their family.
Or folks we read about in the paper; local small-town heroes; taking the little that they have and stretching it to help others in need.
Kind of like a toddler teaching mom to give exuberantly.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Leadership
Raising a boy changes everything.
Who knew?
I had a hint when, as a preschooler, our son decided he should demand tolls, stopping the neighbors as they drove by in their cars. He thought he was the sheriff.
Squelching that entrepreneurial urge took several intense discussions, not to mention panic attacks accompanied by throbbing heartbeats as I searched frantically for him all over the house only to realize with blind desperation that he was literally playing in the street. Again.
I’m sorry, but our girls never did anything nearly that dangerous!
Now that our son is taller than I am, it might be a good time to talk about leadership, right? Quickly, before he grows up and tries crazy ideas outside our little one-street neighborhood.
So, what kind of leadership inspires trust?
“I’ll take the blame now because it will be credit later,” my husband said years ago when we were faced with a particularly tough decision.
Here are some of the ideas about leadership that we’re exploring as a family these days.
-Do it first. Waiting for others to initiate is not leadership.
-Do it anyway. Looking over your shoulder to see if anyone is following, is not leadership. Waiting to see how others will respond is not leadership.
-Keep on doing it. Real leaders step out first. They step out alone. Then, if no one is willing to follow, leadership stands alone. Being willing to do what is right, alone, for a long time if necessary, that’s leadership.
-Communicate. Leadership requires the mental and emotional discipline to find the best way to communicate your vision. Communication often takes creativity and endurance.
-Listen and be reasonable. People will have objections and fears. They just will. Especially if you are doing something that requires a different perspective. Telling people their perspective is wrong is not leadership. Listening to and respecting other people’s perspective is not only informative, it is essential.
-Cultivate a heart’s desire to serve others. In order to do the right thing, it is necessary first and foremost to be selfless in wanting what is best for others.
I always tell my kids if you find yourself in the minority, make sure you are on the right side of the moral equation.
Why? Because, people seek out justice and they resist injustice. Because other people will respond to an appeal to their conscious. But only if your perspective has integrity.
Integrity requires unselfishness.
In the moment of temptation, when we are all tempted to compromise our core values and go with the popular trend, a true leader will trust his own moral compass without regard to the personal consequences.
And there are always consequences.
Kind of like a grown up version of letting the neighbors pass the house without paying a toll. Yeah, it’s just the right thing to do.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Who knew?
I had a hint when, as a preschooler, our son decided he should demand tolls, stopping the neighbors as they drove by in their cars. He thought he was the sheriff.
Squelching that entrepreneurial urge took several intense discussions, not to mention panic attacks accompanied by throbbing heartbeats as I searched frantically for him all over the house only to realize with blind desperation that he was literally playing in the street. Again.
I’m sorry, but our girls never did anything nearly that dangerous!
Now that our son is taller than I am, it might be a good time to talk about leadership, right? Quickly, before he grows up and tries crazy ideas outside our little one-street neighborhood.
So, what kind of leadership inspires trust?
“I’ll take the blame now because it will be credit later,” my husband said years ago when we were faced with a particularly tough decision.
Here are some of the ideas about leadership that we’re exploring as a family these days.
-Do it first. Waiting for others to initiate is not leadership.
-Do it anyway. Looking over your shoulder to see if anyone is following, is not leadership. Waiting to see how others will respond is not leadership.
-Keep on doing it. Real leaders step out first. They step out alone. Then, if no one is willing to follow, leadership stands alone. Being willing to do what is right, alone, for a long time if necessary, that’s leadership.
-Communicate. Leadership requires the mental and emotional discipline to find the best way to communicate your vision. Communication often takes creativity and endurance.
-Listen and be reasonable. People will have objections and fears. They just will. Especially if you are doing something that requires a different perspective. Telling people their perspective is wrong is not leadership. Listening to and respecting other people’s perspective is not only informative, it is essential.
-Cultivate a heart’s desire to serve others. In order to do the right thing, it is necessary first and foremost to be selfless in wanting what is best for others.
I always tell my kids if you find yourself in the minority, make sure you are on the right side of the moral equation.
Why? Because, people seek out justice and they resist injustice. Because other people will respond to an appeal to their conscious. But only if your perspective has integrity.
Integrity requires unselfishness.
In the moment of temptation, when we are all tempted to compromise our core values and go with the popular trend, a true leader will trust his own moral compass without regard to the personal consequences.
And there are always consequences.
Kind of like a grown up version of letting the neighbors pass the house without paying a toll. Yeah, it’s just the right thing to do.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Kids are Surprisingly Resilient
We all have times with our kids that try our soul.
Just when I think I must be the world’s worst parent, I find that it is surprisingly hard to ruin kids. Somehow, kids seem to make a come back even after the most challenging predicaments.
I am amazed at how resilient my own kids are.
Even when, along the way, I have wanted to give up, the kids hang in there with me and together we navigate the process of becoming mature together.
Talking to my mom always reminds me again of how resilient the Primer kids were.
For instance, as a junior high kid, I got in the habit of sneaking out in the middle of the night with a few friends. We would wander around the neighborhood, experiencing a sense of freedom, until fatigue and boredom set in, driving us back home to our nice, warm beds.
This went on for several weekends, until a friend’s mom found out and reported to my parents.
Can you imagine! A parent’s worst nightmare is to have your child, drifting through the neighborhood in the middle of the night, a sitting duck for being kidnapped while you are sleeping. Good grief!
My mom and dad stepped up and dealt with me in the most humble and serious way.
Of course, as parents, we don’t always know exactly what our kid’s perspective is.
I was actually relieved to be caught and eager to get back to sleeping a full eight hours a night. But, if my parents had pushed me, I would have rebelled, just for principle’s sake, I guess. Fortunately, they expressed their love for me and let me know that what I was doing was dangerous for me and scary for them.
I bet they thought I was a lost cause.
Looking back, that incident taught me a lot about dealing with my kids in a way that appeals to their conscious so they want to do what is most sensible and healthy.
Later, as an adult, I went back and thanked the mom who had the courage to call my parents.
Just think what that mom had accomplished as a parent! Her child refused to go out with us when we showed up in the middle of the night at her window. Her daughter had the maturity to recognize the danger and felt comfortable telling her mother the next morning.
In spite of mom and dad's trials, the Primer kids all came out fine and dandy.
And we’re all law-abiding citizens, too. Not that there was ever any question about my sister, you understand.
I guess good parenting comes down to this: Hanging in there and being honest about our feelings of inadequacy.
Oh, and it’s not a bad idea to get a burglar alarm. That way, mom and dad can get a good night’s rest.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Just when I think I must be the world’s worst parent, I find that it is surprisingly hard to ruin kids. Somehow, kids seem to make a come back even after the most challenging predicaments.
I am amazed at how resilient my own kids are.
Even when, along the way, I have wanted to give up, the kids hang in there with me and together we navigate the process of becoming mature together.
Talking to my mom always reminds me again of how resilient the Primer kids were.
For instance, as a junior high kid, I got in the habit of sneaking out in the middle of the night with a few friends. We would wander around the neighborhood, experiencing a sense of freedom, until fatigue and boredom set in, driving us back home to our nice, warm beds.
This went on for several weekends, until a friend’s mom found out and reported to my parents.
Can you imagine! A parent’s worst nightmare is to have your child, drifting through the neighborhood in the middle of the night, a sitting duck for being kidnapped while you are sleeping. Good grief!
My mom and dad stepped up and dealt with me in the most humble and serious way.
Of course, as parents, we don’t always know exactly what our kid’s perspective is.
I was actually relieved to be caught and eager to get back to sleeping a full eight hours a night. But, if my parents had pushed me, I would have rebelled, just for principle’s sake, I guess. Fortunately, they expressed their love for me and let me know that what I was doing was dangerous for me and scary for them.
I bet they thought I was a lost cause.
Looking back, that incident taught me a lot about dealing with my kids in a way that appeals to their conscious so they want to do what is most sensible and healthy.
Later, as an adult, I went back and thanked the mom who had the courage to call my parents.
Just think what that mom had accomplished as a parent! Her child refused to go out with us when we showed up in the middle of the night at her window. Her daughter had the maturity to recognize the danger and felt comfortable telling her mother the next morning.
In spite of mom and dad's trials, the Primer kids all came out fine and dandy.
And we’re all law-abiding citizens, too. Not that there was ever any question about my sister, you understand.
I guess good parenting comes down to this: Hanging in there and being honest about our feelings of inadequacy.
Oh, and it’s not a bad idea to get a burglar alarm. That way, mom and dad can get a good night’s rest.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Instant Soup Ratings: For Chilly Days, Part 1
Nothing chases away a chill this time of year like a steamy bowl of soup.
I think cooking will probably be part of my life again when I get the hang of this balancing act called working mom. But for now, well, I am discovering that cooking is no longer an option.
So, I put my crock pots into the work force, too.
Yes, I am the proud owner of not one, not two, but a grand total of four, count ‘em, four crock pots. No one is paying me to say it, but I love crock pots. They appeal to the part of my soul that longs for efficiency and control.
The following instant soups are NOT designed for crock pots, but being desperate for supper-time relief, I tried them in the crock pot anyway. 10 spoons means I got a kitchen-pass that’s as simple as filling the crock pot with water and opening an envelope.
-3 spoons. Wyler’s Mrs. Grass Hearty Soup Mix, Homestyle Creamy Chicken with Wild Rice. I put in 8 cups of water and tossed in the mix, stirred it around and left it all day. It was too thick at supper time, so I added another 2 cups of water and threw in some sautéed chicken breast, diced. My husband and I could eat it, but my son switched to instant mac and cheese instead. Sad, but true, mac qualifies as a food group at our house.
-8 spoons, at least. Williams Country Store Home Style Soup Mix, Tortilla Soup. It was so good that you could buy two bags, set out garnishes like grated cheese and fresh cilantro and serve it when friends come over to watch a basketball game. It is necessary to add chicken or beef to the pot, especially for company.
-9 spoons, our family’s favorite so far. Bear Creek Country Kitchens Minestrone Soup Mix. I took out the bowtie pasta before I put the rest of the mix in the pot. I added raw carrots, celery, and mushrooms, and two 4 oz. raw chuck steaks. Twenty minutes before supper time, I cut the cooked steak into chunks and added the bowties. The soup was so good even my son had nice things to say, right before he boiled the macaroni.
-9 spoons. Alessi Traditional Zuppa Toscana Tuscan Whitebean Soup. I started with the 4 ½ cups water, added the mix and 4 cups of chopped raw carrots. By evening, I had a scrumptious, tasty soup, perfect for family, maybe even for company. It didn’t need any additions; not even the carrots, but they were good, especially if you like something chunky in your smooth, thick, well-seasoned base.
Hopefully, this list will save you a little time at the grocery store and in the kitchen, buying more time for what we all love: to savor the flavor of family.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com
I think cooking will probably be part of my life again when I get the hang of this balancing act called working mom. But for now, well, I am discovering that cooking is no longer an option.
So, I put my crock pots into the work force, too.
Yes, I am the proud owner of not one, not two, but a grand total of four, count ‘em, four crock pots. No one is paying me to say it, but I love crock pots. They appeal to the part of my soul that longs for efficiency and control.
The following instant soups are NOT designed for crock pots, but being desperate for supper-time relief, I tried them in the crock pot anyway. 10 spoons means I got a kitchen-pass that’s as simple as filling the crock pot with water and opening an envelope.
-3 spoons. Wyler’s Mrs. Grass Hearty Soup Mix, Homestyle Creamy Chicken with Wild Rice. I put in 8 cups of water and tossed in the mix, stirred it around and left it all day. It was too thick at supper time, so I added another 2 cups of water and threw in some sautéed chicken breast, diced. My husband and I could eat it, but my son switched to instant mac and cheese instead. Sad, but true, mac qualifies as a food group at our house.
-8 spoons, at least. Williams Country Store Home Style Soup Mix, Tortilla Soup. It was so good that you could buy two bags, set out garnishes like grated cheese and fresh cilantro and serve it when friends come over to watch a basketball game. It is necessary to add chicken or beef to the pot, especially for company.
-9 spoons, our family’s favorite so far. Bear Creek Country Kitchens Minestrone Soup Mix. I took out the bowtie pasta before I put the rest of the mix in the pot. I added raw carrots, celery, and mushrooms, and two 4 oz. raw chuck steaks. Twenty minutes before supper time, I cut the cooked steak into chunks and added the bowties. The soup was so good even my son had nice things to say, right before he boiled the macaroni.
-9 spoons. Alessi Traditional Zuppa Toscana Tuscan Whitebean Soup. I started with the 4 ½ cups water, added the mix and 4 cups of chopped raw carrots. By evening, I had a scrumptious, tasty soup, perfect for family, maybe even for company. It didn’t need any additions; not even the carrots, but they were good, especially if you like something chunky in your smooth, thick, well-seasoned base.
Hopefully, this list will save you a little time at the grocery store and in the kitchen, buying more time for what we all love: to savor the flavor of family.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:/checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com
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