Pictures are worth a thousand words

Will Wonders Never Cease

It's good to be home for the holidays

It is Sunday and we are halfway through our trip to SD for Christmas. It has been full of ups and downs. Hopefully we have more ups to come.

Sophie struggled with a slight cold when we boarded the plane from Louisville early Wednesday morning, but by Friday she was frighteningly lethargic, refusing and unable to look at us in the eye for very long and sleeping constantly. After an antibiotic, negative pneumonia test, and sleeping for 20 out of 24 hours, our little bird woke up quite nearly herself. Oh, we are grateful. She still has moments of just crying and we know she hurts... her head, her throat... as she fights off what remains of this nasty cold.

Even with the downs of having a sick little girl, our trip home has been fun.

My brother, Jeremy, and his wife, Stacey, and daughter, Ella, recently moved in to a new, beautiful house with hardwood floors, high ceilings, and huge rooms. We enjoyed a lovely dinner party at their house Friday night with their friends. Wine, cider, delicious food and great conversation reigned and we had a wonderful time.

Saturday noon, Grandma had us over for potato soup and when we got back, Sophie played and played with her Grandpa Tim. I will post the video of her discovering that lego's COME APART when I can.

That evening, the whole family went to a wonderful party at the home of Rick and Barb, parents of my oldest, and first, friend, Adam. The wine and cheese spread, along with Ouzo and Bourbon, made for a wonderfully fulfilling and rich evening. Growing up, I spent many a day in that house and, though it has changed in the 15 years since, its warmth and good energy is still very present and Barb and Rick are as welcoming as ever. They had the kind foresight to invite the friends Adam and I grew up with, and others we hadn’t seen in ages. Mom took Sophie home to bed so Roy and I could spend another hour or two, catching up. We have made plans to continue the conversations tonight and local haunt, Bake’s, and I am so looking forward to it.

We had a big dinner today, complete with crackers that contained musical instruments and crowns. Here dad and Roy are serenading Grandma with a flute and harmonica.

So with 4 more days in Freeman, I expect we'll just have more fun, more wine, and laughter. Fingers crossed for Sophie's continued recovery and the opportunity for Grandma Bix and Grandpa Tim to enjoy a healthy granddaughter.

Perchtoldsdorfer Potato Soup

A couple of weeks ago I got an email from my grandma asking what I remembered about our trip to Austria over Christmas. We went in 1989 to visit my grandparents while grandpa was on Sabbatical. He taught at Bluffton College after concluding his time at Bethel. This is what I wrote to grandma:

What do I remember about Austria? Ah yes, the UN Building and Jeremy being afraid of a terrorist attack. The Pumarin. Beethoven's 9th and the Ricola's outside all of the doors. My red hat with the feather and the best sausages and hot chocolate in the train station. I remember all the photobooths and sausage stands, the smell of chestnuts and the city. I remember the beautiful vest that was my christmas present that year and walking to the store with grandpa for Semels. Once, he opened his wallet and there was no money inside, so we had to go home. I remember the goosedown comforters and the skylights in the room where I slept. I remember Mook and Carol bringing Ferrero Rochett chocolates and thinking they were the most delicious things I'd ever ate. I remember lunch with your composer friend (Gottfried con Einem) and Jeremy and I ordered spaghetti. We ate almost none of it and he took the leftovers home to his cat. I remember quite a lot for being only 10! I think of that trip often and not a Christmas goes by that I don't smell Austria.

Yesterday I opened a Christmas card from grandma and discovered why she asked the question - this years' Christmas letter was a telling of the way our family, over that Austrian Christmas, acquired the most delicious potato soup in the world.

When Grandma and mom finally got this recipe, the ingredients were simply told to them by the chef and with the information, this soup was concocted. Most years, mom and I stand over the kettle, tasting, and deciding it needs more of this, more of that. But it always takes like Christmas.

Perchtoldsdorfer Potato Soup

1 generous ham bone
10 strips bacon
10 medium potatoes, finely diced
2 baseball size onions
Marjoram - 1t if powdered, 1T if fresh, 3t if dried
1 c. sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Boil ham bone in water, cool, and remove meat from bones. Total stock should come to 3-4 qt. depending on how thin you want your soup.

Fry diced bacon in large pan until crisp and remove some of the fat if desired. Add potatoes and onions and heat in hot fat over high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add stock and simmer until potatoes and onions are tender. Add ham. Add powdered or fresh marjoram shortly before serving. If using dried leaves they may need a slightly longer time for the flavor to blend. Just before serving add sour cream. Do not allow to boil after adding sour cream.

Merry Christmas, everyone. May your own traditions bring you happiness this holiday season.

Ludachristmas (yes this title is stolen from "30 Rock" but it's appropriate)

This Saturday we celebrated Christmas with the Cornett family. Sometimes I think I should make a family tree, a la "100 Years of Solitude" that non-Cornett's can refer to.

This years' Christmas was much more calm than in years past, even though there were oodles of babies underfoot, miniature remote control cars being raced, rabid Kentucky fans watching their beloved Cats get trounced by UAB (AGAIN! Are you KIDDING me?), and a table overflowing with all things sweet and delicious.

I love the Cornett family, and I love the Cornett Christmas. This event began at noon and Grandma and Granddad's amazing house in Midway. We ate, drank, and oh were we merry. It's amazing how infrequently we see even those family members who live nearby. But Uncles James and Charles and "their women" Robin and Vicki came up from Florida, and cousin Maria called in from Boston. Gifts were exchanged, babies were passed around and no one fell down the stairs or had any other major incidents. (Although I seem to recall something early in the day regarding Aubrey and Pa, but he's keeping mum.)

Roy and I stuck around the house chatting with some of the family as we waited for dinner. Sophie went to Granny's and Roy and I headed to 'The Quirk" in Midway for the annual Chrismas Dinner, sponsored by the Cornett men (the ones who have gone gray). A friend of the family recently bought this adorable little restaurant and book store and we had the place all to ourselves. We continued conversations started earlier in the day and new ones were started. The food was great and the atmosphere familial. Roy and I concluded our night with a final cocktail at The Black Tulip with Charles and Vicki.

I know there are people who don't get along with their inlaws, or who dread these family holidays. I am so grateful, so fortunate, to be part of such an incredible family.

(If you click on the album, you can see larger images.)

15 Months

Dear Sophie,
Tomorrow you turn 15 months. Here recently, more than ever, I have noticed that you are not a baby. You not only stood up without holding on to anything but you walked from the dining room to the couch without closing your eyes once. You quack, moo, woof, and aoh aoh aoh (seal noise) and can identify your belly button, nose, tongue, and ear. We've moved your bedtime from 7:30 to 9:00 over this last week in an effort to keep you from waking up at 5am. This morning you were up at 6:30, which is better, but yesterday you slept til 7. Let's keep working on the 7:00 rising time.



I love it when you disappear from the room and I find you sitting in your car playing make believe. I love it when you pull my hands from the keyboard to play your music box or start your windup toy. I love it when you cover me with the couch cushions and climb to the top to "surprise" me. I love how you ignore TV, except for the Fine Arts Channel, where you are fascinated by the ballerina's and orchestras. I love how you sing along to the music. I love how you read books in your own language and kiss and hug all your stuffed animals. I love that you, warm, caring, creative, silly, are my daughter.

my horoscope (too good not to post)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): To many Tibetan Buddhists, the snow lion is a symbol of fearless joy, which is a cornerstone of their spiritual practice. I trust that in 2007 you have learned a lot about this sublime quality, and I hope you will make it the basis of your daily rhythm in 2008. These last two weeks before the solstice will be an excellent time to integrate all the teachings you've absorbed about fearless joy, and to prime yourself to take your mastery to the next level. What other terms can you come up with to describe this superpower? How about "brave bliss," "aggressive happiness," or "fierce pleasure"?

www.freewillastrology.com

I woke up with this poem dancing in my head

These Days
By Diane di Prima

undisguisedly mirthful & given
to lavish dancing. Permanently
removed from concern abt my
kitchen. Love is a liquor that
warms the blood. It is useful
in that it stirs in me at dawn
& I see the mist burn off & the
waters still. Then the wind
rises. I don't call anyone, but
walk to the meadow w/ Rudi.
We float narcissus & stare
at whitened wood. When
we return, love is rousing as the
good Celebes coffee I brew
the stoneware cup tingles rough
under my fingers. Elton John
gives way to Monk when Alex
gets up. There are white caps
on the Bay & love is a taste
in my mouth, a fur
of light on my eyes.
Perhaps I'll call you later.
Perhaps I'll pump
over yr dirt road & visit
with the children.