Chutney

Today's post is chutney--sweet, sour, and not enough for a full meal.

I was reading on another blog about adopted children, lying, and trust. According to one theory, adopted children are so afraid that we will reject them that they lie to keep from having what they say rejected. If only I had a catalog of behaviors which pushed me away when I went into this.

Where did Wile E. Coyote get the money to pay for the Acme shipments?

The other night I was awakened by a large cat, most likely a bobcat, calling. I contacted the county parks, and it turns out that seven or eight years ago, a bobcat's existence was verified about five miles from here. The cats stay inside, the dogs are all large enough that a bobcat will most likely intrigue them and not hurt them (unless they go into dumb Lab mode, then they deserve it), and the kids stay in the mowed part of the yard after dark. The naturalist suggested we get a footprint, and so far I have discovered many Lab tracks and no large cats.

Our young doe is not afraid of us--she passed within ten feet of Rocky the other day. This is both thrilling and frightening to me, as not everyone would be as non-threatening to her.

I have signed up for a contest where I will spend no more than $25 per person per week on groceries for a month. Good thing these kids like beans. I can do this--serve healthy foods and do it frugally.

The economy here is bad, but people don't cut back on music lessons in this area, and my job is pretty secure, as we retrain workers who have been displaced. I am frugal, buying on sale, going to thrift shops and garage sales, particupating in freecycle, using things up. We have gone to a less expensive brand of dog food, but other than that, there isn't much difference in what we do. Kiki used to complain, as her friends' moms would take the kids to the mall to shop. We go to walk when the weather is too cold or rainy to do so outside or to shop the huge end of season sales. This week, though, after finding out that three of her friends' fathers were laid off and things had changed drastically, Kiki said, "I don't see any difference in how WE live." I explained that we didn't have the unlimited texting, cable television, and designer clothes to start with, so we won't miss them.

I think she got it.

On a similar note, we went to see the Grand Canyon movie at the IMAX theater. The Colorado River is drying up, and the end of the movie consisted of hints on how to conserve water. The kids sat there, impressed with themselves that they did all but one of those things already. That's what a sixty year old septic system will do for you.

Today my sister and I go to yet another plan of care meeting for my mother. Yesterday, I went to see my mother, and she recognized me. That is a bittersweet feeling, as she may be at any point in my adulthood, and yesterday she asked where my dad was. I told her, "It's Tuesday, Mom." Oh, he must be at work. He should be home soon.

When I left, I said, "I am going to the grocery store. Will you be okay here for a while?" Oh, sure, she said.

Every time I leave, I treat it like it will be the last time I leave her.