Ration books and memories

Posted on November 5, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

My mother lived through both WWII and the Great Depression. On rare occasions, normally when someone of her generation was present, she would talk about those times. She was a great believer in “use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.” (I hated that as a kid, when my friends were getting the latest cool clothes and I was wearing something she sewed. I had no appreciation then for the talent and love that went into that garment.)

She would talk about ration books and going without necessities. She didn’t smoke, but got coupons for cigarettes and would trade with her friends and family for things that she needed and they didn’t. She talked about gas rationing and how the farmer down the road, who got more gas than most, would let her take his car when she needed to go somewhere. I remember her getting so mad at me and my sister when she told us about a butcher in a nearby town who didn’t require the ration stamps but would take money instead, and we said, “MOTHER! You shopped the black market?” She was appalled that we would think such a thing of her! (We never brought it up again but once in a while shared a giggle about it.)

I never thought I’d see such times. I never really thought about it, I’ve never seen a time in this country when there wasn’t an abundance of goods and food, for those who could afford it. I understand that not everyone could, I’ve had days when I didn’t know where my next dollar was coming from, so it’s not because I grew up rich. I never walked into a store and saw empty shelves. I never wondered if I’d be able to buy food.

Then Covid hit. I walked into the grocery store that Friday after our oh so much wiser than the rest of us Governor closed all non-essential businesses. There were empty shelves. Not a piece of toilet paper or a roll of paper towels could be found, no meat, no eggs, no bread. I’ve seen that store when a blizzard was predicted, I’ve never seen empty shelves. I wanted to make lasagna that weekend. I couldn’t find noodles, I couldn’t find hamburger.

Things in that area have gotten back to normal. We’ve been able to buy everything we need, and some we don’t need. I never want to live that way again, wondering where I’ll get supplies so we can freakin eat. Eating is important here. Well, it’s important everywhere.

And now the election hangs in the balance and the man who may win has publicly stated that he wants to shut down the country again. Yesterday I went to the store. I bought extra stuff, canned goods, toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies. I won’t be caught short again. And if he doesn’t win, well, I have extra stuff and won’t have to shop if we get bad weather. If he does, God help us all

My fears are real and whether you love Trump or hate him, at least he didn’t try to destroy the economy. If you voted for the other guy, don’t ask me for TP, I’m not nice enough to share.

Posted in Corona virus, fear, politics | Tagged , , , | 21 Comments

Liver, no onions

Posted on November 1, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

When I was a kid, my parents would occasionally get pig’s liver and cook it with onions. Those were the nights I ate a peanut butter sandwich for dinner. My mother wasn’t one of those, “you’ll eat what I cook” type parents, if you didn’t want what she made, you were welcome to fix something else, but she wasn’t doing it for you. I graduated from peanut butter – I miss the days when that didn’t make me stop breathing – to canned soup to scrambled eggs and toast, etc. If you made a mess, you were expected to clean that shit up, too, she wasn’t gonna wash dishes that you didn’t need to dirty because you were a fussy pants.

Liver has always been on my “gag me” list.

I buy it for the Bear once in a blue moon – hey, we just had one! because he loves it. He hates Chinese food, so he has liver and I have Chinese and we both try not to gag at what’s on the other person’s plate. (Are you eating it? Then shutty your mowfee about it)

Enter Maverick. He is the epitome of Mr. Fussy Eater. What is caviar today is anathema tomorrow. I wish I could capture a picture of the look of disdain he gives me as he sniffs the bowl, and walks away as if I’ve tried to poison him with the very food he gobbled down yesterday,

When I was in NY, my niece in law was observed cutting up liver for her dog’s “leave it” treats. Hmm, I said to myself, because talking to myself is somethin I often do, and sometimes I argue with myself and lose but that’s a topic for another day.

I was given a dehydrator a couple of months ago. I did some pineapple, which I keep forgetting to eat. 🙂 I planned on doing more and then stuff happened, school and Maverick and just no time. But I thought I’d give liver a whirl because my favorite trainer, (Ian Dunbar, look him up, he’s not bad to look at and his voice is smooth as Irish Mist) always talks about liver treats for dogs. I bought a package of presliced, frozen, liver at the grocery store, cut it up and put it in the dehydrator last weekend.

I’ve handled some gross things in my life – I have a dog, picking up poop is up there on the list of “things I never thought I’d do on a regular basis.” Let me tell you. Cutting up raw liver has shot to the top of the list of “the grossest things I’ve ever done.” It’s slimy, and wet and it moves around, and it’s just seriously nasty.

Once it’s dehydrated, it’s like beef jerky, with no seasoning. (I didn’t taste it but Bear did and said it was delicious) (Bear eats some weird shit) Maverick about lost his mind when I gave him a piece.

It’s our go-to treat for the park because apparently it’s even better than squirrels. So, yeah, nasty, slimy, gross stuff that it is – I bought more last week and proceeded to cut it up and load up the dehydrator once again.

And should the country be forced into another shut down, and supplies become hard to find (this is a very real fear, I clearly remember not being able to find toilet paper because, you know, Americans don’t panic) we can always eat the yucky liver!


*I’m going to cut it while still frozen next time.

**I’m also trying to dehydrate apples tomorrow (for snacks, not because of the election)

Posted in dogs, Maverick, my life, training | 10 Comments

There’s no place like home

Posted on October 31, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

Sometimes I’m not sure where home really is.

I moved here 17 years ago, in the midst of a terrible, confusing, dark time in my life. The only light was my Bear – he held the broken pieces of me safe and helped me to put them back together. And I built a life here.

But there are times. I go back “home” every year because I have family, and memories, and history there. It isn’t home anymore. It’s the place I used to live, and the place I still love, but not the place I’ll ever call home again.

I leave some tears behind each year, mostly at the cemetery, because I don’t think you ever stop missing your mom and dad, no matter how many years they’ve been gone.

I cry when I get home because this is where I know I belong.

And then the days become routine and I feel like maybe I don’t. I’m a stranger still, in a strange land.

And the weeks roll around, and it’s time for diamonds and dinner with four of the most beautiful, wonderful, people, in this crazy world. For a few hours, we eat and talk and laugh and do silly things and tease each other (please, don’t let the food be dry!) and then…………. I go home.

I am blessed to have two families. One by blood – where I grew up. One by choice – where I live now. My heart is home and I am so grateful for the joy that just bubbles up from a night of food, talk, laughter and love.

Posted in family, home, old friends | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Stress, stress and more stress

Posted on October 27, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

I’m crabby. I’m not sure if it’s the moon phase, the election, constant Covid crap, or just general annoyance with the world, but I’ve got a serious case of crabby pants the last couple of days. I’m tired, tired of people hating, people judging each other by whether or not they voted for a certain person – I was taught that was a nunya (as in nun ya bidness) – we did not talk about politics or religion in my family. I have no clue for whom parents voted, although I do know my father was not a fan of John Kennedy, not because of anything he did but because of Joe, the father. My parents may have spoken of politics when the kids weren’t around, but never in front of us that I recall.

I’m also tired of the mask debate. Wear one or don’t, just shut the hell up and stop the dueling “experts.” Anyone who’s done any kind of research into pretty much anything knows that you can always find an “expert” to back your theory of the way things should be. Don’t believe me? Go to any dog forum and ask what food you should feed your puppy, or better yet, bring up neutering. That one will get more crap thrown at you than you can imagine. (My own sister sends me articles that “prove” that I should have neutered Maverick at 6 months. Stuff it, I love you, but those go in the trash because MY experts say to wait. So there)

And then there are my darling students, who do not seem to grasp that A) I am not your previous instructor and no, I’m not going to change my entire teaching method because she did things differently, and B) “virtual” and “remote” learning are two very different animals. Virtual means you do it yourself, you are responsible, whereas remote means I hold your little hand and we have class, albeit on opposite sides of a computer screen. Also, I didn’t spend several hours creating content for you to tell me that there’s nothing in the class that explains anything.

Yesterday a new Supreme Court Justice was confirmed. I happen to like the lady, I think she’s smart, articulate and balanced. Hey, anyone who can get 7 kids to sit still through hours of hearings has got something going on! And I get some of the arguments of those who don’t agree with her confirmation, although I don’t agree. (Merrick Garland would never have been confirmed because the Senate didn’t have the votes, they knew it and decided not to pursue it – that’s the plain and simple truth) It’s the people screaming about RBG’s legacy who are standing on my nerves.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg did not OWN a seat on the Supreme Court and could not pass it on to someone like a diamond bracelet left to a favorite niece. She could have, and probably should have, retired while Obama was still in office had she been that concerned about her successor. You do not get to decide who gets your job once you’re dead, and death bed wishes are wonderful unless the survivors don’t want to hear them, and there’s nothing in the Constitution that says anyone had to do so with her.

Much as I’d like to tell my Dean to make sure one of my favorite grandchildren gets my job when I’m gone, that ain’t how the world works.

I’m tired of election commercials. Joe, when you tell me to “take my word for it,” I laugh myself stupid. (Did you take Hunter’s word for it that there was nothing bad on the laptop so don’t worry that I forgot to pick it up, Dad!) I trust you about as far as I can see with my eyes closed. And all the local politicians, just stop. Sending me daily crap in the mail just annoys me and clutters up my trash can. Try stopping that shit if you’re so concerned with saving the forests.

I’m tired of Covid. I’m tired of the fear mongering from the media who seem to want us all to cower in our houses and never go out. Yes, the number of cases are up, because DUH the number of testing is up. I read something today that said the number of deaths is down! And I KEEP seeing that there’s a 99% survival rate. I’m seeing students who cannot learn, faculty who are at their wits ends and parents who are just totally at a loss. People are depressed, people are terrified, this is no way to live We need to get back to our lives. Stop it, just stop it. I HATE seeing people outside in the fresh air wearing a damned mask. Let those of us who are adults and have been making decisions for ourselves for a long long time continue to do so, back off, sit down, shut up and do your damned jobs – my mom and dad are long dead and I don’t need a freakin babysitter.

And finally, dear Maverick, it is NOT necessary to bark your head off every time the wind blows a leaf around or a squirrel farts in the woods. Nor is it acceptable to be a total jackwagon at the park when Mommah has NOT had nearly enough coffee.

Posted in Uncategorized | 17 Comments

Life is Peachy

Posted on October 19, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

Peachy is actually a dear friend of mine, and she just started a blog, writing about her life. She’s seriously awesome and funny, so you all need to go follow her – she’s also nervous about the whole thing so be kind.

K, here’s the link: https://itsmepeachy.com/

Do it!

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

Home is where the Bear is

Posted on October 18, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

A week away doesn’t seem that long when you say it. It’s just seven days, eight days, seven nights, who’s counting?

You plan and plan and make lists and agendas and then you pack and pack way too much – four books, none of which you’ll open – a diamond painting that you won’t touch – a Kalimba you won’t play – a deck of tarot cards you won’t shuffle. But you might. So you bring them. Because there might be a time when you’re all alone and you just want to read. Or play the Kalimba. Or shuffle the deck.

You won’t, but if you don’t have them, you won’t have pieces of home.

I started missing the Bear and the Little One the second day. Day One was driving, and family, and tired. Day Two was family, and visiting dead relatives, and going back to a motel room, and climbing into a huge bed all alone, and alone isn’t all that fun in reality.

Each day, I called home a few times, to check on the Little One, to tell the Bear I love him, to hear his voice. Each day, I cried a little when I said goodbye for the night. Each night it got harder.

I planned to come home on Monday. I came home on Sunday. I’m exhausted and facing a week of little time for myself and if I had stayed overnight in NY one more night, it might have been better for getting shit done, but it would not have been better for me. Or Bear. Or Maverick.

The reunion was epic. There were tears of joy, and a face licked half off, but what the hell, it could use a good wash. My eyes are held up with toothpicks and I DO NOT CARE because I will crawl into my bed, close my eyes, snore so loud that I’ll wake the dead – who know better than to come round when I’m tired and not in the mood for shenanigans – and tomorrow will be full of joy because I’m home.

And home is the bestest place in the world.

Posted in family, home, Maverick, my life, old friends | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

An old friend I’ve never met

Posted on October 17, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

Eighteen years ago, I was a mess. My mom had passed away on the 11th, and my life had shattered. I had always been strong, I had taken care of both of my parents in their final years, I had done what had to be done, often with no help and no sleep. Bear took care of me. He kept me on this planet when all I wanted to do was curl up on my mom’s grave and die with her.

And so my days were spent dealing with the estate, dealing with sisters who were not co-operative, dealing with grad school and with bills. I escaped by watching soap operas. I would go online at night and chat with people in soap opera message boards.

A few of those people became friends. Our lives have changed, and most of us rarely watch the soaps, but over the years we’ve watched children grow up, parents die, job changes, all of life that happens in 18 years.

Tomorrow I’m going to finally meet one of those people. We’ve been part of each others’ lives for 18 years and it’s finally going to happen. I am beyond excited!

And then I’ll be on my way home. I’ve missed my Bear, and my Maverick, so badly that it’s a physical ache. I will spend some hours with my friend, and then I will get in my car and I will be home in three hours and the reunion will be epic.

Tonight I got to see my great nephews, two boys who can do no wrong and totally own my heart. I had lunch with a friend who is the polar opposite of me politically, and we laughed and talked and reminisced and had a great time. (It can be done, we have more in common than we want to admit these days) So I head for home with a heart full of memories and more to be made tomorrow.

Blessed be

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Culture Shock

Posted on October 14, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

Almost 20 years ago I moved from Upstate NY to south central PA. I had spent the past 10 years in academia and moved in with my Bear, who worked for Harley Davidson. Factory life and academia are like two different planets.

I’m a professor, but I also worked in a factory for several years. It’s something I think everyone should do at least once in their life, it gives you a very different outlook on life. I wasn’t totally prepared for the difference between academia and Harley, however. These were mostly guys who threw around profanities like candy, (I told the Bear I had never heard the word “mother******” as many times in my life as I had the first hour I spent with his friends. They were tattooed, bad ass bikers who lived up to the picture everyone has of a Harley rider (although our Vice President rides a Harley and is a gentleman). And they were some of the sweetest, kindest guys I’ve ever known, any one of whom would have taken a bullet for me. (I think they thought I needed protection because the “professor is good with books but real life, no common sense in that one!” )

After the initial shock, I quickly adjusted. I think they delighted in the fact that although they thought of me as a fragile flower (HA!), I could toss insults their way that would stop them in their tracks and send them into gales of laughter. (Insults were often their way of saying “I like you.”)

I still have moments of “what the hell?” after which I tell my husband, “I live in Redneck Heaven!” but for the most part, I take the differences in stride. I visit the relatives and get my uppitty back and then go home and get my redneck on. I am multi-cultural, I guess.

Then Covid hit. It wasn’t long before my circle of friends decided this was a bit questionable and we were not going to live in fear. We would be careful and we would be considerate of others – I wear a mask when required, even though I think it’s pointless – and we went on with our lives. There are stores that have closed, and some things are limited, but mostly, our lives are back to normal. I am not alone in feeling this way, most of my circle of acquaintances feel the same – we have simply gone on about our lives and ask not how many are infected, or exposed, but how many are sick, have symptoms, are hospitalized. (There’s a big difference)

I came to NY, knowing that things were different here. I talk to my sisters every week and have heard the stories and heard the fear in their voices. I was prepared for differences. I wasn’t prepared for people staring daggers at me because I didn’t have my mask on in the parking lot of a grocery store – I put it on before I go inside and take it off as soon as I come out the door. I wasn’t prepared for naked fear. We went to dinner last night, my sister told her friend we were going to a restaurant and the friend had a fit- how dare she be so reckless? Umm, there were like 10 people in the place. Today I commented to my sister that someone was cleaning all the tables and she replied that he was using the same cloth on all of them. Okay. I didn’t notice, and wouldn’t have been bothered.

So why the difference? I know that a lot of cases were in NYC, and my home town is close enough to the City that a lot of people came up when this hit – bringing it with them. I know that the hospitals in NYC were scrambling – something that we never experienced in PA. (To my knowledge) Are we just more rebellious in PA? Are we more questioning? I know that we’re more politically conservative outside of Philly, so is it that? I’m just baffled by what seems to me to be blind obedience to precocious rules and regulations that make no sense to me, and by the confused looks I get when I point out what seem to me to be glaring inconsistencies.

Do they want to live in fear? Do they want to live their lives hidden behind a piece of cloth that may or may not prevent a virus that has a 99% recovery rate? Am I a foolhardy idiot for just wanting to live my life?

I am confused.

Posted in Corona virus, family, home, my life, Uncategorized, vacation | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Old relatives and old stories

Posted on October 12, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

My cousin is 90 years old. She seriously doesn’t look a day over 89. (I know, I’m going to Hell)

She has been a part of life for all of my life and I didn’t really know her as a person until a few years ago. She moved a lot when I was a kid, so you never knew when she and her husband and two kids would suddenly pop in, broke and needing a meal or a bed for the night.

I asked some questions today, gently, about her past. I learned a few things that made me smile – she met her husband at a barn dance. But, she coyly told us, she didn’t dance with him that first night. She was dancing with another boy, so the next night, he wouldn’t let that boy near her and claimed every dance.

Picturing my cousin, who is frail and unsteady, as a young girl, dancing and flirting with the man she would marry and live with for 20 years (he died young) has made my heart feel sort of melty all day.

I wonder if her kids know this story. We left her with the promise to return next year although she said she couldn’t promise she’d be here. I told her to try!

Treasure the old ones, my friends, they have a story you should ask for.

Posted in family, my life | Tagged , | 11 Comments

Grading grading grading

Posted on October 11, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

It’s the last day of this brutal seven week mini-mester (not my term, I think it’s stupid) and I’m so grateful to have gotten through it, I may need a few adult beverages later.

I assigned a group project to my students this semester. I hate group projects. The only way they work at all is on a campus where the students actually live in dorms and can schedule meetings and get together and work together. For a community college like mine, they are a logistical nightmare. Also, they prove my point that socialism doesn’t work – you get one student who does all the work, one who does nothing, and everyone gets the same grade – and the ones who do all the work rarely rat out the ones who do nothing.

I digress. I created 8 groups and somehow have 10 papers to grade, so this is already interesting. I’ll find out who did something strange in a bit. I settled in with a bottle of water – it’s not advisable to consume adult beverages while grading because, well, it just isn’t. I’ve had enough coffee to get my brain working so I’m ready to read.

The first paper was absolutely amazing. Way to go, Group 2, you are totally getting bonus points! They answered all the questions, spelled all the words correctly and wrote an extremely readable paper! (Any time I don’t have to go “Whuuttt?” while reading papers, I get happy) (With or without adult beverage consumption)

Here’s my problem. It’s the first one I read!

Why is that a problem? Well. Here’s the thing – all others will now be judged based on the wonderfulness of the first. Yeah, not doing that – I’m taking a break and going to the cemetery to visit the parental units and coming back to this later when my head is cleared.

I’m not complaining. Well, yes I am.

Today is dinner with my sister and my nephew and more reminiscing and talk talk talk. And then back to the motel to have an adult beverage – of which many are consumed during my trips here because, well, I love my family. 🙂

Maverick is missing me badly and I’m missing him, and my Bear, as well. The reunion will be epic so stayed tuned.

Posted in family, home, Maverick, my life, teaching, Uncategorized, vacation | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments