Five Things: Issue 253
Lenten greetings
Last day to get the March Blizzard of the Month
Last weekend Chris and I did a little staycation downtown. For a while, I didn’t understand the point of staycations, why pay money just to sleep in a different bed? But it was so refreshing and fun and relaxing. And the sheets were clean, but I didn’t have to put them on the bed, and that is worth it to me. Sometimes its nice to pay to sleep in a different bed.
The vibes are pretty good overall, in the midst of a busy season, being kicked in the ribs daily. Grateful for it all.
My mom visited two weekends ago and helped organize our basement. It was the gift of a lifetime. There was something nice about having my mom, who gets why I’m hanging onto my recorder from 3rd grade, but also gets why I’m willing to part with a yoga mat that had funky stains, there with me. We touched everything. Did a big take it all out, go through everything, put it all back. She vacuumed up an ungodly amount of dust and debris. I played Hot Cross Buns on the recorder.
I hope today is beautiful for you.
Number One: Do not skip the mustard
My sister made this breakfast casserole over Christmas and it was so so delicious. I finally got around to making it a few weeks ago. And for four good days, I had eggs as a part of breakfast before I needed to freeze what was left over.
There a couple of things that make the difference: pre-baking the potatoes (I used half the called for butter), and the mustard. I didn’t have dry mustard, so I just mixed in a teaspoon and a half or so of Dijon. Di-lightful.
Number Two: Placentas!!
Before getting pregnant the main things I knew about placentas were that dogs eat them, and that sometimes people eat them too. Then right after peeing on a stick I read this NYT article about a burn victim whose face was restored thanks to a donor placenta.
It is honestly bonkers, in the positive. Basically this woman had horrible, horrible burns all over her body. She was unrecognizable. Doctors placed donor placenta tissue over the burns on her face, and she is back to her beautiful self!
The article sent me down a rabbit hole of trying to figure out if I could easily donate my placenta after birth, and the short of it is, it would be more complicated than it’s worth in Kansas City. No where local manages donations. And the companies I could ship to only accept placentas from planned c-sections (not the current plan) and there is currently more supply than demand. I mean, it’s a good thing that there are more births than there are people in desperate need of restorative tissue. But, I’m hopeful that as the science develops, donating will be easier/more the norm.
Current plan is to thank the placenta for its service, and then send it on its way to biohazard waste. I briefly thought about burying it in the backyard, but Chris aptly pointed out that we have a dog that loves to both dig holes and roll in dead things.
Can you imagine the dinner party story though? “So we had to bring our own cooler to the hospital… we thought ‘a whole foot, sure that’s deep enough’… planted Spanish Lavender over it… next thing you know we’re using the Burt’s Bees dog shampoo to get placenta tissue out of that really thick hair on her chest… the smell…”
Number Three: Chance Peña and James Taylor
Since going to the Eras Tour two years ago, to the day, I have been in kind of a Taylor Swift rut that I have been happy in. But I’ve been needing a little something other than The Black Dog as the weather has shifted.
I discovered Chance Peña’s “The Mountain is You,” on Running Point (would recommend, on Netflix) and really like his library. He has a certain “would have played at Common Grounds in 2012” energy to him. Good kitchen music.
I’ve also been revisiting James Taylor. Truly, easy listening. His greatest hits album was one of six CD’s in my mom’s car growing up, so there are some songs that I somehow know every word to.
Number Four: Merlin Bird ID App
I know I wrote about this recently, but I really do commend the Merlin Bird ID app to you. It is so fun to sit on the front deck and collect bird sounds. Send me a pair of binoculars and I’ll have a whole new personality.
Number Five: Setting it on the Cross of Christ
We’ve been saying the following blessing from the Kenyan Book of Common Prayer at the end of church during Lent. I love it.
All our problems
We send to the cross of Christ.
All our difficulties
We send to the cross of Christ.
All the devil’s works
We send to the cross of Christ.
All our hopes
We set on the risen Christ.
Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you and scatter the darkness from before your path: and the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always.
Amen.
Bonus: Ice rollers, not just for your face
I can’t explain it, but I have had this craving for putting my feet through a pasta maker - not in a harm way, in a deep massage/compression way.
Next best thing: using the ice roller on my swollen feet at the end of the day. It feels so nice.