Monday, November 09, 2009
Wimping out
OK, so I seem to be wimping out on this Gourmet project. There are a few reasons: first, I picked the wrong issue. The June 2009 issue of Gourmet is centered around a huge Mexican feast for 30 people, and I realized (too late) that it was completely impractical for me to try to make most of the recipes unless I was actually planning to have a Mexican feast for 30, which I wasn't. Second, the season is now wrong for summer recipes, although I may try some of the grilled steak recipes now that I have 50 pounds of beef in the freezer. Finally, there are just too many mushroom recipes, and it bugs me that I'm not going to make them. I don't like mushrooms, so what am I supposed to do about a recipe for portobello burgers? Make it and give it away? I suppose I could do that, but I'm not sure if I'm quite there yet. Also, I am now addicted to my Quick and Easy Vietnamese cookbook, and I can't bring myself to focus on Gourmet. Vietnamese is so much more interesting to me right now. Maybe I'll try again next summer. For now, I'm taking some time to consider what "commitment" really means to me.
Ballet and hot lava
For some reason I've been finding it hard to write about Melina lately. I think it's because she's constantly changing - it's like trying to describe the flight of a dragonfly around a lake. Up, down, around, stop, go backward. Like trying to nail Jello to a wall, although that sounds a little too violent.
Melina has a few new friends that she's been hanging out with. Currently she seems totally in love with the neighbor boy Quinn, and wants to be with him constantly. She has been demanding to see her old friend Amanda as well, and yesterday she spent a few hours playing with her friend Josie. This sort of play is always full of ups and downs. At one point the friends will be hugging and giggling, or concentrating on their little made-up dramas, and the next moment one will declare that she (or he) will never, ever, play with the other again. It's kind of exhausting to watch.
Melina is also going through a "scared" phase. As in, scared to go to the bathroom alone; scared to get dressed alone in her bedroom; and scared for *me* to go to the bathroom alone. From what I've observed, this is a normal phase, but it is exasperating because it means that I can never get more than 15 feet away from her at any time. On the other hand, she is also in a very affectionate phase, full of hugs and kisses. She assures me that she loves me (and her dada) all the way up to Jupiter, around Jupiter eleventy times, all the way back down to the earth, through the hot lava, out through China, and back through the earth to our house. (Speaking of hot lava, I've noticed that four-year-olds all seem to be obsessed with hot lava for some reason. It comes up regularly in conversation).
Ballet class started a few weeks ago, and remains very popular. Melina was so upset that ballet class was over (after half an hour) that I signed her up for the ballet-and-tumbling class right afterward. (I was running out of ideas for things to do anyway). So now on Fridays we have about 2 hours of nonstop ballet, dancing, tumbling and random chaos. The ballet teacher teaches - get this - more than 30 classes a week. I think she said 39. I can't imagine. Each ballet class is like herding cats - gently chiding, guiding, encouraging, rebuking, drawing out, and generally leading a small crowd of mostly pink-tutu'd preschoolers who all have their own agenda. It's something to see. Melina loves it, except when she gets tired. She is also still taking swim classes, which she also loves, although I am getting tired of the routine. So hard to make everyone happy!
Melina has a few new friends that she's been hanging out with. Currently she seems totally in love with the neighbor boy Quinn, and wants to be with him constantly. She has been demanding to see her old friend Amanda as well, and yesterday she spent a few hours playing with her friend Josie. This sort of play is always full of ups and downs. At one point the friends will be hugging and giggling, or concentrating on their little made-up dramas, and the next moment one will declare that she (or he) will never, ever, play with the other again. It's kind of exhausting to watch.
Melina is also going through a "scared" phase. As in, scared to go to the bathroom alone; scared to get dressed alone in her bedroom; and scared for *me* to go to the bathroom alone. From what I've observed, this is a normal phase, but it is exasperating because it means that I can never get more than 15 feet away from her at any time. On the other hand, she is also in a very affectionate phase, full of hugs and kisses. She assures me that she loves me (and her dada) all the way up to Jupiter, around Jupiter eleventy times, all the way back down to the earth, through the hot lava, out through China, and back through the earth to our house. (Speaking of hot lava, I've noticed that four-year-olds all seem to be obsessed with hot lava for some reason. It comes up regularly in conversation).
Ballet class started a few weeks ago, and remains very popular. Melina was so upset that ballet class was over (after half an hour) that I signed her up for the ballet-and-tumbling class right afterward. (I was running out of ideas for things to do anyway). So now on Fridays we have about 2 hours of nonstop ballet, dancing, tumbling and random chaos. The ballet teacher teaches - get this - more than 30 classes a week. I think she said 39. I can't imagine. Each ballet class is like herding cats - gently chiding, guiding, encouraging, rebuking, drawing out, and generally leading a small crowd of mostly pink-tutu'd preschoolers who all have their own agenda. It's something to see. Melina loves it, except when she gets tired. She is also still taking swim classes, which she also loves, although I am getting tired of the routine. So hard to make everyone happy!
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Domesticity
OK, so I haven't posted in what, about four months? Let's just ignore that and move forward, shall we?
The season has turned, and with it, our attention turns to domesticity. It's always amazing to me how my life changes so abruptly around October. In the early days of October we still talk about attempting one last backpacking trip - trying to extend our summer adventures as long as possible. By the end of October the focus has completely shifted to Halloween, cooking, baking, and domestic construction projects (for Jeff). I suddenly get the itch to make cheese, limoncello, fruitcake, and chocolate chip cookies. I really wonder what my life would be like if we lived in place without seasons. I think I would feel completely at a loss with the sun shining and the palm trees waving outside the window in November.
As part of this sudden domestic energy, I bought an eighth of a local (<100 mile), grass-fed, organic, lesbian-raised cow. I figure it is pretty much the most politically correct meat I could possibly buy, although of course it would be more politically correct not to buy meat at all. But I do like a good hamburger once in a while. So now we have about 50 lbs of meat in the freezer in our basement: 12 lbs of hamburger, 3 huge long summer sausages, about 6 lbs of Octoberfest bratwurst, many different varieties of steaks, probably a few roasts, and stew meat and soup bones. I never, ever eat steaks, and I don't have the slightest idea how to make a good steak, so that will be a challenge. Also, I put in an order at Afton Field Farm in Corvallis (also <100 miles!) and bought three whole chickens, three pounds of ground lamb, some sliced ham, and some honey. Vegan we ain't.
I have mixed feelings about all this meat; one hand I know we would be eating meat anyway, so I might as well buy local meat from animals that until recently were quite happy. It is also healthier meat, since it is all grass fed and relatively organic. But I wonder if raising Melina around all this meat is going to make her into too much of a carnivore. She already knows (and seems completely unphased by the fact) that hamburger comes from dead cows and chicken comes from dead chickens like the kind we have in our backyard. (In contrast to my acquaintance whose daughter cried for half an hour and refused to eat meat after she discovered the facts.)
Whatever the outcome - either we get completely sick of beef and never eat it again, or we become dedicated carnivores with high Omega 3 levels - we will somehow need to slowly work through all of the little white-paper-wrapped packages in our freezer. I made hamburgers the other night as a first volley in the effort, and they were fantastic.
Speaking of chickens, our chickens are not laying now at all. Dolley looks really bad these days, with half her feathers missing and pointy quills sticking out everywhere. It has been raining nonstop for days and the girls are all huddled up in their coop looking miserable. At times like this I'm glad they have small brains.
The season has turned, and with it, our attention turns to domesticity. It's always amazing to me how my life changes so abruptly around October. In the early days of October we still talk about attempting one last backpacking trip - trying to extend our summer adventures as long as possible. By the end of October the focus has completely shifted to Halloween, cooking, baking, and domestic construction projects (for Jeff). I suddenly get the itch to make cheese, limoncello, fruitcake, and chocolate chip cookies. I really wonder what my life would be like if we lived in place without seasons. I think I would feel completely at a loss with the sun shining and the palm trees waving outside the window in November.
As part of this sudden domestic energy, I bought an eighth of a local (<100 mile), grass-fed, organic, lesbian-raised cow. I figure it is pretty much the most politically correct meat I could possibly buy, although of course it would be more politically correct not to buy meat at all. But I do like a good hamburger once in a while. So now we have about 50 lbs of meat in the freezer in our basement: 12 lbs of hamburger, 3 huge long summer sausages, about 6 lbs of Octoberfest bratwurst, many different varieties of steaks, probably a few roasts, and stew meat and soup bones. I never, ever eat steaks, and I don't have the slightest idea how to make a good steak, so that will be a challenge. Also, I put in an order at Afton Field Farm in Corvallis (also <100 miles!) and bought three whole chickens, three pounds of ground lamb, some sliced ham, and some honey. Vegan we ain't.
I have mixed feelings about all this meat; one hand I know we would be eating meat anyway, so I might as well buy local meat from animals that until recently were quite happy. It is also healthier meat, since it is all grass fed and relatively organic. But I wonder if raising Melina around all this meat is going to make her into too much of a carnivore. She already knows (and seems completely unphased by the fact) that hamburger comes from dead cows and chicken comes from dead chickens like the kind we have in our backyard. (In contrast to my acquaintance whose daughter cried for half an hour and refused to eat meat after she discovered the facts.)
Whatever the outcome - either we get completely sick of beef and never eat it again, or we become dedicated carnivores with high Omega 3 levels - we will somehow need to slowly work through all of the little white-paper-wrapped packages in our freezer. I made hamburgers the other night as a first volley in the effort, and they were fantastic.
Speaking of chickens, our chickens are not laying now at all. Dolley looks really bad these days, with half her feathers missing and pointy quills sticking out everywhere. It has been raining nonstop for days and the girls are all huddled up in their coop looking miserable. At times like this I'm glad they have small brains.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Gourmet Project: Shrimp Rub and Basil Caesar Salad
Before I start, I have to mention Cooking the Books, a website dedicated to "cook-through bloggers." Wow, I had no idea I was in such good company (or that there was a name for this type of effort). These are folks who are cooking their way through entire 1000-page cookbooks, and make my small effort seem puny by comparison... although I must say it's hard enough for me. I've been tempted to bail several times, or switch over to another issue of Gourmet (the August issue has some fantastic recipes). But since part of this effort is to practice the art of commitment, I am going to stick through it even if I have to give away the mushroom burgers I make... because I really don't like mushrooms.So yesterday, when it was 101 degrees outside and 91 in our kitchen, I worked my way through the shrimp spice rub (#6) and basil Caesar salad (#7).
The shrimp spice rub should have been easy, except once again I didn't read the recipe the entire way through (when will I ever learn?). I added all the ingredients together and then realized that the coriander was supposed to be toasted. It took me about 20 minutes to fish the coriander seeds out of the other spices (it is possible). After that, it was all downhill until I tried to figure out what to actually do with the rub. How do you rub slimy shrimp? Do you rub them before you grill them, or after? Turns out you just mix the shrimp with the rub before cooking them, just like a marinade. I'm not actually a huge shrimp fan (shrimp are insects, after all) but this was pretty good. I will use the leftover rub with fish - halibut would be good.
The basil Caesar salad was great, despite the fact that you have to make your own croutons (which is really easy, but I could have done without turning on the oven at all.) It calls for a raw egg, so I used one of our girls' eggs - Dolly, I think. I figure that if any of us were going to get salmonella from our chickens, we would have already done so.
All in all, a great combination for a hot day. We ate outside on the deck; Melina (as I expected) refused the shrimp and had a lamb patty with bread instead.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Gourmet project: Ketchup
I haven't given up on my goal of making everything in the June 2009 issue of Gourmet, although I've been sidetracked by a new Vietnamese cookbook I bought. I might have to make everything in there, too. Last night I made Gourmet's ketchup recipe for our work barbeque on Wednesday. It was pretty easy to make, although there were a lot of spices to round up. I'm not quite done - I still need to puree it. It is much more sweet and spicy than regular ketchup (more like a pureed chutney, which is probably how ketchup originally started out). If I made it again, I would add less sugar. I'm sure I'll get some reviews at the BBQ Wednesday.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Mexico
Our first adventure of the summer was a trip to Mexico this June. For some reason that is still not completely clear to me, we decided to go stay at a resort in Cabo San Lucas. We're not really the "resort" type - that is, I have always sort of looked down on people who stay in resorts as lacking adventurousness. But when you have a four-year-old, resorts start to sound a lot more attractive. And we had friends who recommended this one, so we went.
We flew into Cabo San Lucas (I refuse to call it "Cabo") on a clear, hot day. Almost every day there is clear and hot, so it wasn't unusual. When we deplaned (using a rolling stairway), I was struck by the sudden brightness and heat. We had heard that we would be tackled by timeshare salesmen as soon as we deplaned, but that wasn't the case. Looking back, I think we went out the wrong exit - or perhaps the right one. Anyway, I had practiced saying "we already have one" in Spanish (something like "ya tenemos una") but I didn't need to say it that day.
For some reason, on every single leg of our trip there and back, we were seated in the very first row behind first class. This happy arrangement meant that we were first off the plane and therefore first in line to go through customs, which is a huge time saver. Customs was painless in both directions; both Mexican and U.S. officials were cheerfully matter-of-fact and uninterested in our personal details.
After arriving, we went to pick up our rental at Europcar. Melina and I wandered around looking at the Mexican sodas in the refrigerated case and the ants crawling in the sidewalk. They were very fast ants, much faster than their Oregonian counterparts. Meanwhile, Jeff was exposed to our first (of many) timeshare pitches, and also his first experience handing over a little bit of cash under the table for a reduction in the weekly rental car rate. We ended up with a pretty good deal for our little red hot chili pepper car, although there was some confusion about whether we really had insurance. All the while, I was happy to fall back into that traditional gender role that says that the man makes the car insurance arrangements while the woman takes care of the child. It can be pretty convenient.
We drove into the city - first past mountains and big (saguaro?) cactuses, and then past a jumble of resorts, shacks, construction sites, and chain stores. There is an Applebee's in Cabo San Lucas. And a Home Depot (heaven forbid). And a Costco, which we went to despite my distaste for going to a Costco in Mexico (isn't that like going to a McDonald's in Bali? I mean, what's the point?). But we had a week of groceries to stock up on, and a Costco card, so it made sense. I was relieved to see that the Costco sold large quantities of tortillas.
And then we were at the resort - the Villa del Arco. It is a large, luxurious, brand spanking new place with several pools (one with a pirate ship in the middle, with a snack bar on it). We had to sit though another time share pitch, right off, which was annoying; but the staff were helpful and the place was beautiful. We had a one-bedroom suite, and Jeff's mom (who arrived the next day) had another one-bedroom suite next door. It was clean, spacious, attractive... not terribly soulful, or quaint, but very comfortable.
The next several days were spent mainly by the pool. On Monday we picked Jeff's mom up from the airport, made another trip to a grocery store (and endured another time share pitch from a persistent person working the tourists there), marveled at all the interesting groceries, and bought a bunch of milk products that Melina eventually refused to consume. The milk there is processed differently (like milk in Europe) and has a different flavor that Melina hated. She ended up eating a lot of beans, rice, and watermelon.
Melina absolutely loved the pool, though. It was very hard to get her out. She got very good at swimming underwater, like a seal, for about 10 feet; emerging sputtering, gasping, and flailing (and attracting a lot of attention); and then going back underwater for eight feet or so before finally petering out and needing help. Several times I had to explain to people that she wasn't drowning. By the end of the week she could go all the way around the pirate ship without a parent in the water next to her; she would just grab on to the side of the pool when she needed a rest.
I liked the pool, too, but I preferred the ocean, which was just a few feet away. The water there was so warm and blue compared to the ocean here, and you could float like a jellyfish. Once I swam out about 50 feet (which made Melina nervous) and waited for the tide to wash me gently back to the shore. It took a while. We were in the Sea of Cortez, so there was no undertow and no riptide. No jellyfish or sharks to worry about either - or if there were, I just didn't worry about them.
Jeff and his mom had fun as well. Jeff spent a lot of time in the pool with Melina - alternating between the pool and the hot tub - and Barbara liked to sit by the pool reading a book and sipping a margarita. Thanks to a misunderstanding (having to do with a timeshare presentation Barbara attended for us), we ended up getting about six vouchers for free margaritas. There aren't many things more delightful than sitting by a pool under a hot subtropical sun reading a book about teen vampire love and drinking a margarita.
We took a couple of day trips - one to Todos Santos, one to San Jose del Cabo, and one to Lover's Beach (or Land's End), the point that divides the Pacific from the Sea of Cortez. Todos Santos is known as a cute little artsy village to the north, on the Pacific. It was cute and artsy, and for some reason most of the day was spent going around a single square block. First we had tacos, and then we went to a cafe and had smoothies (tamarind!), and then Melina had to go the bathroom several times (four, I think) - interspersed with window shopping for trinkets, and admiring a white cockatiel - and then we went to a church, and I bought myself a little silver necklace, and then it was time to go to the beach. It was a vast hot white beach with roaring waves and several interesting dead things (including a dead porpoise), as well as little crabs that dug holes in the sand. We stayed there for a while searching out treasures and then headed back down the dangerous narrow highway back to Cabo San Lucas.
Our trip to San Jose del Cabo wasn't quite so pleasant. I think it was my least favorite day, in part because it was extremely windy (the weather was being affected by a distant tropical storm) and I got a migraine. We went to Playa Santa Maria, which is billed as one of the best snorkeling beaches in the area. What we found, unfortunately, was a small, windy, shadeless beach crawling with persistent vendors and dwarfed by a huge, ugly, depressing construction zone - no doubt the future site of some exorbitantly expensive resort. It made me feel guilty for contributing to the development of this beautiful area. And needless to say Melina had to go potty several times, and there was nowhere to go other than the construction site. We did manage to snorkel, and saw some fun fish, but the corals were dull (if not dead). My migraine came on (though not a terrible one), and eventually we left to go to San Jose del Cabo. San Jose del Cabo is supposedly more "authentic" than Cabo San Lucas, and that may be the case, but it seemed just as touristy to us. We did find a good tacqueria where we had "queso fundido" (spicy meat mixed with melted cheese) and jamaica (a hibiscus drink) and tried unsuccessfully to get Melina to eat bean-and-hotdog soup. I'm pretty sure that's when I got the tummy ailment that affected me later.
Our two best days took place right around Cabo San Lucas. On Wednesday we walked down the beach toward town, and through the beach party zone. It was a crazy place, especially that day, when the distant tropical storm was sending up huge waves that would crash and roll right up to the beachside bars. People would scream and laugh and run up the beach whenever a wave came up. Meanwhile, announcers on loudspeakers were inviting people to have drinking contests with the bartenders and offering free tequila. It was probably around noon; we wandered though the crowd of girls in bikinis, vendors in white selling sunglasses and bracelets and fake silver and toys, drunk frat boys, tourists, water taxi operators, surf fishermen and children. Although it wasn't exactly my scene, I thought it was hugely fun. Eventually we wandered past the crowds and found a relatively protected beach where we could swim. We set up next to a local woman whose husband was fishing in the surf. Melina played in the sand with her Ya-Ya; Jeff snorkeled; I pretended I was a jellyfish.
My other favorite day was our last day, when we took a water taxi to Lover's Beach. We had been meaning to do this for days (we got free tickets out of the timeshare presentation), but the surf had been too rough and nobody was landing at the beach. We found that we weren't the only ones who had been waiting to go there, so we ended up going at 3:00 p.m. and only had an hour to spend there. (While we waited, Melina had her hair braided by a woman on the beach. I was astounded that she would sit still for so long. She still has some of the braids). When we finally got into our glass-bottomed water taxi and arrived at Land's End, I was impressed. It really is beautiful. The rough waves (still churned up by the storm) were crashing against the rocks; there were fish for Melina to see down below the boat; there were sea lions (which delighted Melina) - and the beach itself was beautiful, with huge rock formations and cliffs. We explored the beach, and then Jeff and I did some snorkeling. At first it was a little bit scary, because of the rough water, but once we got down below the waves, it was fantastic snorkeling. I saw angelfish, parrotfish, long skinny needle-like fish, a few small rays, schools with hundreds of white and grey fish, and small electric blue fish. We tried to sneak up on a floating pelican (not easy). I could have stayed in the water for much longer, but it was soon time to head back to the beach, and Jeff was cold. (Snorkeling is the only time I feel like I have an advantage over him in the body fat department. He gets cold in about a quarter of the time I do).
That night was our anniversary. First we went out to a favorite tacqueria with Melina and Barbara, and then Jeff and I went out together. We wandered around the tourist stores for a while, doing a little shopping, and went to our favorite restaurant (Mi Casa, which is a veritable museum of folk art with fantastic food to boot) and had the world's largest margaritas in their beautiful, private bar. Then we did more exploring, which was somewhat romantic (it is worth noting that the uneven sidewalks in Mexico, combined with margaritas, make for some interesting walking. I think every home and business must be responsible for its own sidewalk, because none of them line up. There is no coordination whatsoever). A chihuahua almost bit me at a coffee shop, which provided some additional spice to the evening. Eventually we headed home, not too late, because unfortunately we had to leave the next morning.
And just let me say that a hangover, plus a mild tummy bug, plus an airport and luggage and an energetic four-year-old, is not a good combination. I don't think there are many things more miserable than thinking you're going to throw up in the middle of a busy airport - except perhaps actually doing it, which I didn't. But I felt like I was going to all day long.
And finally, we were home. Tan, braided, sandy (just today I found a bunch of sand in the bathtub), queasy, tired, somewhat relaxed, but happy enough to be home. It was a fun time.
Note: I'll post photos when I can - they are on a different computer.
We flew into Cabo San Lucas (I refuse to call it "Cabo") on a clear, hot day. Almost every day there is clear and hot, so it wasn't unusual. When we deplaned (using a rolling stairway), I was struck by the sudden brightness and heat. We had heard that we would be tackled by timeshare salesmen as soon as we deplaned, but that wasn't the case. Looking back, I think we went out the wrong exit - or perhaps the right one. Anyway, I had practiced saying "we already have one" in Spanish (something like "ya tenemos una") but I didn't need to say it that day.
For some reason, on every single leg of our trip there and back, we were seated in the very first row behind first class. This happy arrangement meant that we were first off the plane and therefore first in line to go through customs, which is a huge time saver. Customs was painless in both directions; both Mexican and U.S. officials were cheerfully matter-of-fact and uninterested in our personal details.
After arriving, we went to pick up our rental at Europcar. Melina and I wandered around looking at the Mexican sodas in the refrigerated case and the ants crawling in the sidewalk. They were very fast ants, much faster than their Oregonian counterparts. Meanwhile, Jeff was exposed to our first (of many) timeshare pitches, and also his first experience handing over a little bit of cash under the table for a reduction in the weekly rental car rate. We ended up with a pretty good deal for our little red hot chili pepper car, although there was some confusion about whether we really had insurance. All the while, I was happy to fall back into that traditional gender role that says that the man makes the car insurance arrangements while the woman takes care of the child. It can be pretty convenient.
We drove into the city - first past mountains and big (saguaro?) cactuses, and then past a jumble of resorts, shacks, construction sites, and chain stores. There is an Applebee's in Cabo San Lucas. And a Home Depot (heaven forbid). And a Costco, which we went to despite my distaste for going to a Costco in Mexico (isn't that like going to a McDonald's in Bali? I mean, what's the point?). But we had a week of groceries to stock up on, and a Costco card, so it made sense. I was relieved to see that the Costco sold large quantities of tortillas.
And then we were at the resort - the Villa del Arco. It is a large, luxurious, brand spanking new place with several pools (one with a pirate ship in the middle, with a snack bar on it). We had to sit though another time share pitch, right off, which was annoying; but the staff were helpful and the place was beautiful. We had a one-bedroom suite, and Jeff's mom (who arrived the next day) had another one-bedroom suite next door. It was clean, spacious, attractive... not terribly soulful, or quaint, but very comfortable.
The next several days were spent mainly by the pool. On Monday we picked Jeff's mom up from the airport, made another trip to a grocery store (and endured another time share pitch from a persistent person working the tourists there), marveled at all the interesting groceries, and bought a bunch of milk products that Melina eventually refused to consume. The milk there is processed differently (like milk in Europe) and has a different flavor that Melina hated. She ended up eating a lot of beans, rice, and watermelon.
Melina absolutely loved the pool, though. It was very hard to get her out. She got very good at swimming underwater, like a seal, for about 10 feet; emerging sputtering, gasping, and flailing (and attracting a lot of attention); and then going back underwater for eight feet or so before finally petering out and needing help. Several times I had to explain to people that she wasn't drowning. By the end of the week she could go all the way around the pirate ship without a parent in the water next to her; she would just grab on to the side of the pool when she needed a rest.
I liked the pool, too, but I preferred the ocean, which was just a few feet away. The water there was so warm and blue compared to the ocean here, and you could float like a jellyfish. Once I swam out about 50 feet (which made Melina nervous) and waited for the tide to wash me gently back to the shore. It took a while. We were in the Sea of Cortez, so there was no undertow and no riptide. No jellyfish or sharks to worry about either - or if there were, I just didn't worry about them.
Jeff and his mom had fun as well. Jeff spent a lot of time in the pool with Melina - alternating between the pool and the hot tub - and Barbara liked to sit by the pool reading a book and sipping a margarita. Thanks to a misunderstanding (having to do with a timeshare presentation Barbara attended for us), we ended up getting about six vouchers for free margaritas. There aren't many things more delightful than sitting by a pool under a hot subtropical sun reading a book about teen vampire love and drinking a margarita.
We took a couple of day trips - one to Todos Santos, one to San Jose del Cabo, and one to Lover's Beach (or Land's End), the point that divides the Pacific from the Sea of Cortez. Todos Santos is known as a cute little artsy village to the north, on the Pacific. It was cute and artsy, and for some reason most of the day was spent going around a single square block. First we had tacos, and then we went to a cafe and had smoothies (tamarind!), and then Melina had to go the bathroom several times (four, I think) - interspersed with window shopping for trinkets, and admiring a white cockatiel - and then we went to a church, and I bought myself a little silver necklace, and then it was time to go to the beach. It was a vast hot white beach with roaring waves and several interesting dead things (including a dead porpoise), as well as little crabs that dug holes in the sand. We stayed there for a while searching out treasures and then headed back down the dangerous narrow highway back to Cabo San Lucas.
Our trip to San Jose del Cabo wasn't quite so pleasant. I think it was my least favorite day, in part because it was extremely windy (the weather was being affected by a distant tropical storm) and I got a migraine. We went to Playa Santa Maria, which is billed as one of the best snorkeling beaches in the area. What we found, unfortunately, was a small, windy, shadeless beach crawling with persistent vendors and dwarfed by a huge, ugly, depressing construction zone - no doubt the future site of some exorbitantly expensive resort. It made me feel guilty for contributing to the development of this beautiful area. And needless to say Melina had to go potty several times, and there was nowhere to go other than the construction site. We did manage to snorkel, and saw some fun fish, but the corals were dull (if not dead). My migraine came on (though not a terrible one), and eventually we left to go to San Jose del Cabo. San Jose del Cabo is supposedly more "authentic" than Cabo San Lucas, and that may be the case, but it seemed just as touristy to us. We did find a good tacqueria where we had "queso fundido" (spicy meat mixed with melted cheese) and jamaica (a hibiscus drink) and tried unsuccessfully to get Melina to eat bean-and-hotdog soup. I'm pretty sure that's when I got the tummy ailment that affected me later.
Our two best days took place right around Cabo San Lucas. On Wednesday we walked down the beach toward town, and through the beach party zone. It was a crazy place, especially that day, when the distant tropical storm was sending up huge waves that would crash and roll right up to the beachside bars. People would scream and laugh and run up the beach whenever a wave came up. Meanwhile, announcers on loudspeakers were inviting people to have drinking contests with the bartenders and offering free tequila. It was probably around noon; we wandered though the crowd of girls in bikinis, vendors in white selling sunglasses and bracelets and fake silver and toys, drunk frat boys, tourists, water taxi operators, surf fishermen and children. Although it wasn't exactly my scene, I thought it was hugely fun. Eventually we wandered past the crowds and found a relatively protected beach where we could swim. We set up next to a local woman whose husband was fishing in the surf. Melina played in the sand with her Ya-Ya; Jeff snorkeled; I pretended I was a jellyfish.
My other favorite day was our last day, when we took a water taxi to Lover's Beach. We had been meaning to do this for days (we got free tickets out of the timeshare presentation), but the surf had been too rough and nobody was landing at the beach. We found that we weren't the only ones who had been waiting to go there, so we ended up going at 3:00 p.m. and only had an hour to spend there. (While we waited, Melina had her hair braided by a woman on the beach. I was astounded that she would sit still for so long. She still has some of the braids). When we finally got into our glass-bottomed water taxi and arrived at Land's End, I was impressed. It really is beautiful. The rough waves (still churned up by the storm) were crashing against the rocks; there were fish for Melina to see down below the boat; there were sea lions (which delighted Melina) - and the beach itself was beautiful, with huge rock formations and cliffs. We explored the beach, and then Jeff and I did some snorkeling. At first it was a little bit scary, because of the rough water, but once we got down below the waves, it was fantastic snorkeling. I saw angelfish, parrotfish, long skinny needle-like fish, a few small rays, schools with hundreds of white and grey fish, and small electric blue fish. We tried to sneak up on a floating pelican (not easy). I could have stayed in the water for much longer, but it was soon time to head back to the beach, and Jeff was cold. (Snorkeling is the only time I feel like I have an advantage over him in the body fat department. He gets cold in about a quarter of the time I do).
That night was our anniversary. First we went out to a favorite tacqueria with Melina and Barbara, and then Jeff and I went out together. We wandered around the tourist stores for a while, doing a little shopping, and went to our favorite restaurant (Mi Casa, which is a veritable museum of folk art with fantastic food to boot) and had the world's largest margaritas in their beautiful, private bar. Then we did more exploring, which was somewhat romantic (it is worth noting that the uneven sidewalks in Mexico, combined with margaritas, make for some interesting walking. I think every home and business must be responsible for its own sidewalk, because none of them line up. There is no coordination whatsoever). A chihuahua almost bit me at a coffee shop, which provided some additional spice to the evening. Eventually we headed home, not too late, because unfortunately we had to leave the next morning.
And just let me say that a hangover, plus a mild tummy bug, plus an airport and luggage and an energetic four-year-old, is not a good combination. I don't think there are many things more miserable than thinking you're going to throw up in the middle of a busy airport - except perhaps actually doing it, which I didn't. But I felt like I was going to all day long.
And finally, we were home. Tan, braided, sandy (just today I found a bunch of sand in the bathtub), queasy, tired, somewhat relaxed, but happy enough to be home. It was a fun time.
Note: I'll post photos when I can - they are on a different computer.
Some blog thoughts
I haven't written in a very long time. I find that more and more of my energy goes into writing Facebook updates and fooling around with Twitter, in part because of the instant gratification of getting comments (especially on FB). It seems so much more interactive than this blog, where I very rarely get a response to what I write. I suppose if I wrote more (or if I wrote about things of more general interest) I would get more comments. Either way, this blog serves more as a journal - first a journal of my pregnancy, and now of Melina growing up, and a journal of the non-Melina things that interest me. But of course a traditional journal is private, and this is public. I have a lot of mean-spirited, irresponsible, irrational, excessively deep and private thoughts that don't make it to this page. So I guess I need a handwritten journal as well. A private handwritten journal, a public blog, a breezy collection of FB updates, and perhaps a Twitter feed as well. That's a lot of recording.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Grilled skirt steak and arugula salad with Rocquefort and Catalina dressing, and Salvadoran grilled corn
Recipes 3 and 4 of the June Gourmet Challenge.Grilled skirt steak salad recipe here
Salvadoran grilled corn recipe here
This was a surprisingly easy and tasty dinner. I prepared the salad dressing and the corn dip in advance, while Melina was distracted, and the actual grilling of the corn & steak took about 10 minutes. Jeff and I both thought the dressing for the corn tasted like Burger King's special sauce; but I didn't mind. I love grilled corn - it is so much easier to prepare than boiled or steamed corn on the cob, and it's so good with a squeeze of lime and some salt and pepper. The steak salad was great, too. I don't usually go for steak, but this was good. Skirt steak is very thin and it grills up fast. It went very well with the Catalina dressing (which I would make again) and the blue cheese.
Melina liked this meal a lot. She is a "single ingredient" girl - she doesn't like when things are mixed together too much, so she basically got corn, steak, and bread. I think that's pretty typical for a 4-year-old. The chickens enjoyed the leftovers too - they go crazy for corn on the cob. So all in all, we were very satisfied. There was a minor drama when Melina spilled juice in her lap, but it was over quickly.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Another lead test
I got the results back from another lead test today. This one had me test the floor of the play room and the window sill in Melina's room. Interestingly, the test results said "No lead dust hazards identified in samples." Granted, the surfaces were pretty clean, but still I was surprised. Good to know, though. I guess I can let Melina eat off the floor after all.
Spaghetti with Smoky Tomatoes and Onions
Recipe #2 in my effort to make everything in the June 2009 issue of Gourmet.
Link to the recipe
This is a seemingly simple recipe that took about 30% longer than expected. Granted, I'm in a bad mood today, but I found it stressful to have to run back and forth between the grill and the pasta pot. Plus, oily onions are hard to grill because they fall apart and slip though the grill. However, Jeff liked this a lot. Melina only ate the plain spaghetti, along with a hot dog that I microwaved for her. (I was too busy with this recipe to make her anything remotely healthy).
All in all I thought this was too much work for the somewhat bland result (though if I were in a better mood I would just say it was subtle). I like the idea, and I think with double the garlic, double the basil, and double the cheese - and a healthy dose of salt and pepper - it would be better. But given the work and oiliness of it all, it was unsatisfying to feed to Jeff, who was distracted by an annoying computer problem, and Melina, who spent dinner time experimenting with how much she could burp (and say "excuse me") and get away with it.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Romaine, Grilled Avocado, and Smoky Corn Salad with Chipotle-Caesar Dressing
Link to the recipe
Although this ended up being a good salad, I started my experiment off on the wrong foot by completely forgetting to add the chipotle peppers. I put them in the microwave to thaw (because I keep leftover chipotles in the freezer) and I never got them out. I also forgot to add one of the avocados, but for two people, one avocado was fine. (This absentmindedness can be attributed to the fact that Melina was running around outside unattended, and Jeff was loudly sorting through the recyling in the kitchen while I was cooking.) The recipe said this would take 40 minutes, but it only took 20. It was a fine summer salad, but I think with the addition of chipotle it would be much better. I will make it again later in the summer with all of the ingredients.
A Culinary Challenge
Just for fun, I've decided I'm going to make every recipe in the June 2009 issue of Gourmet. I've thought for a while that this would be fun to do, and the June issue had so many good-looking recipes that I decided to go for it. It focuses on Mexican street food, grilled foods, tofu, and steaks, and it doesn't have many recipes that neither Jeff or I will want to eat. I will post links to the recipes (if available) and reviews as I progress through this issue. Rules: There is no time limit (though since a lot of these are grilled, I should do them in the summer) and I can occasionally substitute minor ingredients if needed.
Melina's boyfriend(s)
For the last three out of four weeks, we've been hiking with our friends Sibelia & Simon and their three boys. Melina LOVES these boys (she has said several times that she wants to move in with them). On our first outing we went to Lower McLeay Park and Melina had fun running down the trail at top speed with the boys. It made me a little nervous not to have her anywhere in sight, but Sibelia (who has retained her sanity up to this point) to me to just relax and know that Melina has the presence of mind not to jump off any cliffs. (Not that there were a lot of big cliffs around, but the trail did wind along a streambank). Pretty soon we came up on them all playing at the Old Stone House (a castle-like ruin) down the trail.
Our second outing was to Silver Falls State Park, where there really are cliffs, so the kids had to stay closer. On the safe parts, Melina and her friend S.T. (short for Siddhartha) raced each other up the trail. Apparently they had some sort of contest going whereby if Melina won, she got a pet (like a bunny or a kitten). Apparently she won three pets, which luckily have not materialized yet.
After our hike, we went to a restaurant in Silverton. Melina and S.T. sat across from each other, apart from the rest of us, entertaining each other by blowing bubbles in their milk and stuffing French fries into holes in the floor. (We discovered this part later).
Yesterday we went for a "snow hike" around Lost Lake on Mt. Hood. This was a 3.5-mile hike, which was pretty ambitious to begin with, but it turned out that half of it was still covered in deep snow. We managed to do it anyway. Melina and S.T. raced each other where possible, and the boys had fun whacking bushes with sticks. Only one person fell into a hole and nobody slid down the steep snow field we had to cross above the lake. By the end everyone's feet were soaking wet, and we richly deserved the ice cream bars we got at the little country store there.
The only drawback to all of this running through the woods like a wild animal is that now Melina expects that level of freedom whenever we go hiking with friends. It's a matter of teaching her that some people have different rules than other people do. I have a few friends who are very easygoing, relatively underprotective types (well, not necessarily *under* protective, but not overprotective) - and others who like to have more control. Finding a balance between these different parenting styles is a constant challenge.
Our second outing was to Silver Falls State Park, where there really are cliffs, so the kids had to stay closer. On the safe parts, Melina and her friend S.T. (short for Siddhartha) raced each other up the trail. Apparently they had some sort of contest going whereby if Melina won, she got a pet (like a bunny or a kitten). Apparently she won three pets, which luckily have not materialized yet.
After our hike, we went to a restaurant in Silverton. Melina and S.T. sat across from each other, apart from the rest of us, entertaining each other by blowing bubbles in their milk and stuffing French fries into holes in the floor. (We discovered this part later).
Yesterday we went for a "snow hike" around Lost Lake on Mt. Hood. This was a 3.5-mile hike, which was pretty ambitious to begin with, but it turned out that half of it was still covered in deep snow. We managed to do it anyway. Melina and S.T. raced each other where possible, and the boys had fun whacking bushes with sticks. Only one person fell into a hole and nobody slid down the steep snow field we had to cross above the lake. By the end everyone's feet were soaking wet, and we richly deserved the ice cream bars we got at the little country store there.
The only drawback to all of this running through the woods like a wild animal is that now Melina expects that level of freedom whenever we go hiking with friends. It's a matter of teaching her that some people have different rules than other people do. I have a few friends who are very easygoing, relatively underprotective types (well, not necessarily *under* protective, but not overprotective) - and others who like to have more control. Finding a balance between these different parenting styles is a constant challenge.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Lead: Next steps
NOTE: Please see followup discussion and correction here. My estimation of lead per egg was too high by a factor of 10.
So after a few days of obsessing about lead, talking about lead, and researching lead, I've come to a few conclusions.
1. We're not eating our eggs (at least, the yolks) until this thing gets cleared up. The 'total maximum daily load' that an adult should have for lead is 75 micrograms, and I figured out that one egg is about 54 micrograms. For kids under 7, the limit is *6* micrograms (and for pregnant women it's 25). So while I suppose Jeff and I could eat an occasional egg in desperation, Melina won't be getting any. Yolks.
2. I talked to my neighbor about having the lead paint safely removed from the side of her garage, and she seemed open to working on it together, so I'm going to research paint removers and follow up on that. Meanwhile the chickens are fenced off from that area. Once the lead paint is removed I'm going to remove at least 6" of topsoil in that area and replace it with compost. The soil could use some amending anyway!
3. I'm going to do soil tests on about 6 spots in our backyard to get an idea of where the lead is. I have my suspicions. Hopefully, it will be concentrated around the house, which it normally is. I'll fence those areas off.
4. I'm taking Melina to a naturopath (who is also a friend) to talk about ways to reduce lead in the body through diet and supplements. Apparently there are several effective methods out there.
5. I may still cook with egg whites from the girls, since egg whites don't take up lead at all. I will look into composting the eggs. Soil naturally has 50-100 ppm anyway, so adding an egg with 2 ppm isn't going to make a big difference. Also, someone told me you can make paint out of egg yolks. Maybe I'll take up a new hobby. It would be ironic if I had to stop eating the egg yolks because of lead paint and so I started turning the yolks into paint.
5. In about 3 months, I'll get Melina and the eggs tested again.
6. I'm going to stop obsessing now.
I'm heading out to Ithaca, NY for a few days to give a talk to seven undergraduates at Cornell (!). It will be good to have a complete change of scenery and focus on something besides heavy metals for a change.
So after a few days of obsessing about lead, talking about lead, and researching lead, I've come to a few conclusions.
1. We're not eating our eggs (at least, the yolks) until this thing gets cleared up. The 'total maximum daily load' that an adult should have for lead is 75 micrograms, and I figured out that one egg is about 54 micrograms. For kids under 7, the limit is *6* micrograms (and for pregnant women it's 25). So while I suppose Jeff and I could eat an occasional egg in desperation, Melina won't be getting any. Yolks.
2. I talked to my neighbor about having the lead paint safely removed from the side of her garage, and she seemed open to working on it together, so I'm going to research paint removers and follow up on that. Meanwhile the chickens are fenced off from that area. Once the lead paint is removed I'm going to remove at least 6" of topsoil in that area and replace it with compost. The soil could use some amending anyway!
3. I'm going to do soil tests on about 6 spots in our backyard to get an idea of where the lead is. I have my suspicions. Hopefully, it will be concentrated around the house, which it normally is. I'll fence those areas off.
4. I'm taking Melina to a naturopath (who is also a friend) to talk about ways to reduce lead in the body through diet and supplements. Apparently there are several effective methods out there.
5. I may still cook with egg whites from the girls, since egg whites don't take up lead at all. I will look into composting the eggs. Soil naturally has 50-100 ppm anyway, so adding an egg with 2 ppm isn't going to make a big difference. Also, someone told me you can make paint out of egg yolks. Maybe I'll take up a new hobby. It would be ironic if I had to stop eating the egg yolks because of lead paint and so I started turning the yolks into paint.
5. In about 3 months, I'll get Melina and the eggs tested again.
6. I'm going to stop obsessing now.
I'm heading out to Ithaca, NY for a few days to give a talk to seven undergraduates at Cornell (!). It will be good to have a complete change of scenery and focus on something besides heavy metals for a change.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
More lead results. Bad news.
I got our egg lead test results back today. Unfortunately, they were not good. They showed .2, .3, and .4 parts per million (see technical notes below).
I'm not really sure what to do at this point. These results are very depressing, considering that I have so enthusiastically fed Melina backyard eggs for the last 2 years. Her levels aren't overwhelmingly high (3) but they are still of concern, according to her doctor and the Portland Lead Line. It is upsetting that I thought I was doing something so healthy and it turns out that it was actually harmful - and it is also upsetting because I am very pro-urban chicken and I don't want to dump a big wet can of worms on the whole movement. So to speak.
I don't want to get rid of my girls, but at this point I don't have much appetite for their eggs and I am not planning to feed them to my daughter until I know they don't have lead in them. I can't even compost them because I don't want lead in my garden (which is in a raised bed with new soil). Lead is present in the shells as well, so I can't refeed the shells to my girls. So I guess the next step is to test my soil, figure out where the lead is (if possible) and either remediate it (replace the top foot of soil) or fence it off from the girls. All of this sounds really expensive and difficult (anyone have a small backhoe or a strong back that I can borrow?).
So does the average backyard chicken owner need to worry? From what I've read, if you live in a house built after 1978 or your chickens are well away from any source of lead paint and you do not live in a Superfund site, you're probably OK. If you're an adult, you're probably OK, though you shouldn't really be consuming lead either. If you have small children who you are feeding eggs to, you might want to get them tested. The place where I got mine tested (Wy'East) said that they had recently tested other backyard eggs that showed no lead at all.
Technical notes for people who are REALLY interested:
The lead level in my eggs was very similar to the eggs tested in the only academic study I'm aware of. Their highest egg yolk lead level was also .4 ppm (400 ppb), which lead them to conclude that "Eggs and chicken tissues containing significant concentrations of lead are a potential human health hazard, especially to young children. Repeated consumption of contaminated eggs from a family owned flock could provide a continuing dietary source of lead." As a control, they tested eggs of chickens that had not been exposed to lead paint, and their levels were much lower. Lead does not naturally occur in chicken eggs, so these levels *do* represent a problem.
I'm not really sure what to do at this point. These results are very depressing, considering that I have so enthusiastically fed Melina backyard eggs for the last 2 years. Her levels aren't overwhelmingly high (3) but they are still of concern, according to her doctor and the Portland Lead Line. It is upsetting that I thought I was doing something so healthy and it turns out that it was actually harmful - and it is also upsetting because I am very pro-urban chicken and I don't want to dump a big wet can of worms on the whole movement. So to speak.
I don't want to get rid of my girls, but at this point I don't have much appetite for their eggs and I am not planning to feed them to my daughter until I know they don't have lead in them. I can't even compost them because I don't want lead in my garden (which is in a raised bed with new soil). Lead is present in the shells as well, so I can't refeed the shells to my girls. So I guess the next step is to test my soil, figure out where the lead is (if possible) and either remediate it (replace the top foot of soil) or fence it off from the girls. All of this sounds really expensive and difficult (anyone have a small backhoe or a strong back that I can borrow?).
So does the average backyard chicken owner need to worry? From what I've read, if you live in a house built after 1978 or your chickens are well away from any source of lead paint and you do not live in a Superfund site, you're probably OK. If you're an adult, you're probably OK, though you shouldn't really be consuming lead either. If you have small children who you are feeding eggs to, you might want to get them tested. The place where I got mine tested (Wy'East) said that they had recently tested other backyard eggs that showed no lead at all.
Technical notes for people who are REALLY interested:
The lead level in my eggs was very similar to the eggs tested in the only academic study I'm aware of. Their highest egg yolk lead level was also .4 ppm (400 ppb), which lead them to conclude that "Eggs and chicken tissues containing significant concentrations of lead are a potential human health hazard, especially to young children. Repeated consumption of contaminated eggs from a family owned flock could provide a continuing dietary source of lead." As a control, they tested eggs of chickens that had not been exposed to lead paint, and their levels were much lower. Lead does not naturally occur in chicken eggs, so these levels *do* represent a problem.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Our lead results
So I just got back the results from our blood lead tests. They are good - my level was 1 (which is the lowest you can get) and Melina's was 3. Three is not particularly high (10 is the threshold for "high") but it does mean she's coming into contact with lead somewhere, which is not surprising given all the stuff she puts in her mouth and eats off the floor. The doctor recommended doing a followup test in 6 months or so to make sure her levels aren't going up.
I also found out my cholesterol was a bit high (because I had eating a big fat slice of cheese pizza a few hours before the test, and a hamburger the night before, no doubt). My cholesterol has always been low so I'm not too worried about it. Melina's levels of everything were good except that she was a bit on the low side for iron, so we will work on getting spinach & beef into her.
So this is a relief. I still plan to get our eggs checked to see if that's where Melina's lead is coming from, and just out of curiosity. I won't worry about eating them myself.
I also found out my cholesterol was a bit high (because I had eating a big fat slice of cheese pizza a few hours before the test, and a hamburger the night before, no doubt). My cholesterol has always been low so I'm not too worried about it. Melina's levels of everything were good except that she was a bit on the low side for iron, so we will work on getting spinach & beef into her.
So this is a relief. I still plan to get our eggs checked to see if that's where Melina's lead is coming from, and just out of curiosity. I won't worry about eating them myself.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Olallie's Birthday
Yesterday we had a small private party for Mr. O's tenth birthday. Jeff had some work stuff to do so it was just Melina, Olallie and I. Melina and I made a pavlova (no egg yolks!) and I gave Olallie some kitty junk food. We also gave him some kitty toys which he sniffed and then ignored. (I'm passing them along to Jess's cat). I think he had a good time. At least, he did while he was eating his cat food. Not sure if he enjoyed Melina and I chasing after him to force him to enjoy the festivities. The pavlova was great, too.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Unleaded chickens
...Or, "One more thing to worry about."
Recently it was brought to my attention that chickens pecking around in the backyard of older homes can be a lead hazard. In particular, they like eating paint chips. Since reading this, I've noticed that our neighbor's garage has peeling paint, which I tested yesterday - positive for lead. For the past few days I've been obsessively researching lead, lead poisoning, lead uptake, and lead removal. I've learned a few things.
There haven't been many studies of this issue. One study (easily Googled) found that chickens that had been eating paint chips had lead in their egg yolks ranging from 20 ppb (parts per billion) to 440 ppb. There was no lead in the whites, but lead did concentrate in the shells (which we don't eat, but which I have been re-feeding to my chickens). So, what does that mean?
The FDA sets an acceptable limit for lead in candy that is frequently eaten by children. (The limit is in place because lead is so prevalent in our world that setting the limit at zero would be prohibitive). Their limit is .10 ppm (parts per million). In contrast, the most highly leaded egg in the egg study had .44 ppm, exceeding the FDA limit.
Lead is particularly a problem for children - in part because they absorb more lead, they retain it longer, and they are developing. Apparently 99% of the amount of lead absorbed in an adult’s body will leave the body through waste within a couple of weeks, while only 32% of the lead absorbed by children’s bodies leaves as waste.
It is interesting to note that average blood lead levels for both children and adults have dropped more than 80 percent since the late 1970s. "This is believed to be the result of removal of lead from gasoline as well as from other sources such as household paint, food and drink cans and plumbing systems."
In addition, proper nutrition provides protection against lead, which may be one reason that lead poisoning is prevalent in low-income neighborhoods where there is a combination of poor nutrition and peeling lead-based paint.
So am I worried? Sure. One study notes that "Elevated blood lead levels are associated with lower IQs, impaired growth and neurological development, and behavior problems." However, lead often doesn't produce any symptoms at all. Melina certainly doesn't have any of these symptoms, but I'm planning to get her lead levels tested anyway - something I should have done when she was younger anyway.
In addition, I've fenced off the area around my neighbor's peeling garage wall, so our chickens won't be tempted to dine on paint chips. I've looked into having the paint removed (safely), but it would cost around $800 so I want to know if we actually have a problem first. I'm considering getting a few eggs tested for lead - it costs $30 an egg. I doubt they would come out absolutely "clean" so at that point I would need to decide at what point the nutrition from a fresh egg balances out trace amounts of lead.
I have to say, all of this is just such a bummer. I love my chickens and I was so happy thinking that I was doing something so very healthy for my family. At this point, I haven't eaten one of their eggs in a couple of days. I think it's probably fine for Jeff and I to eat them, but I am hesitant to give them to Melina (although I suppose an egg-white omelet would be OK, since the lead is all in the yolks). Or maybe I'll just start making lots of meringues and Pavlovas until I know whether our eggs are safe to eat.
Recently it was brought to my attention that chickens pecking around in the backyard of older homes can be a lead hazard. In particular, they like eating paint chips. Since reading this, I've noticed that our neighbor's garage has peeling paint, which I tested yesterday - positive for lead. For the past few days I've been obsessively researching lead, lead poisoning, lead uptake, and lead removal. I've learned a few things.
There haven't been many studies of this issue. One study (easily Googled) found that chickens that had been eating paint chips had lead in their egg yolks ranging from 20 ppb (parts per billion) to 440 ppb. There was no lead in the whites, but lead did concentrate in the shells (which we don't eat, but which I have been re-feeding to my chickens). So, what does that mean?
The FDA sets an acceptable limit for lead in candy that is frequently eaten by children. (The limit is in place because lead is so prevalent in our world that setting the limit at zero would be prohibitive). Their limit is .10 ppm (parts per million). In contrast, the most highly leaded egg in the egg study had .44 ppm, exceeding the FDA limit.
Lead is particularly a problem for children - in part because they absorb more lead, they retain it longer, and they are developing. Apparently 99% of the amount of lead absorbed in an adult’s body will leave the body through waste within a couple of weeks, while only 32% of the lead absorbed by children’s bodies leaves as waste.
It is interesting to note that average blood lead levels for both children and adults have dropped more than 80 percent since the late 1970s. "This is believed to be the result of removal of lead from gasoline as well as from other sources such as household paint, food and drink cans and plumbing systems."
In addition, proper nutrition provides protection against lead, which may be one reason that lead poisoning is prevalent in low-income neighborhoods where there is a combination of poor nutrition and peeling lead-based paint.
So am I worried? Sure. One study notes that "Elevated blood lead levels are associated with lower IQs, impaired growth and neurological development, and behavior problems." However, lead often doesn't produce any symptoms at all. Melina certainly doesn't have any of these symptoms, but I'm planning to get her lead levels tested anyway - something I should have done when she was younger anyway.
In addition, I've fenced off the area around my neighbor's peeling garage wall, so our chickens won't be tempted to dine on paint chips. I've looked into having the paint removed (safely), but it would cost around $800 so I want to know if we actually have a problem first. I'm considering getting a few eggs tested for lead - it costs $30 an egg. I doubt they would come out absolutely "clean" so at that point I would need to decide at what point the nutrition from a fresh egg balances out trace amounts of lead.
I have to say, all of this is just such a bummer. I love my chickens and I was so happy thinking that I was doing something so very healthy for my family. At this point, I haven't eaten one of their eggs in a couple of days. I think it's probably fine for Jeff and I to eat them, but I am hesitant to give them to Melina (although I suppose an egg-white omelet would be OK, since the lead is all in the yolks). Or maybe I'll just start making lots of meringues and Pavlovas until I know whether our eggs are safe to eat.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Two plus three
Melina amazed me today by knowing that if we have two cars and we add three more, that makes five. And then she knew that if you had four cars and you took two away, you ended up with two. But then she figured that four plus one equals six, so we're maybe not in genius territory, but still I was pretty impressed. PLUS she graduated from Penguin to Otter in swim class the other day. Just a few observations by a proud mama!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Bread disasters
I've been into making my own "five minute artisan bread" lately. The first couple of times it was great, but then I entered some sort of disastrous bread vortex where no matter what I did, it turned out strange and horrible. One time I added too much water (it's hard to pay attention to a recipe when you're being interrupted every 30 seconds) and it turned into this moist, sticky glop that actually broke my pizza stone. Another time I didn't add enough water and it ended up being a dense, lumpy brick. Another time I didn't cook it long enough for some reason (although I did it exactly the same as I had every other time) and when I cut it open the interior was still raw, like some sort of disgusting white flour truffle. And then there was the time I didn't mix the dough well enough, and I tried to make naan, which ended up being like a lumpy sponge soaked in butter.
Tonight I made it again. I forgot to add the water at the last minute to create steam (for a crispy crust), and it was sort of flat and dense, but at least it was tasty and cooked all the way through. Dipping it in olive oil helps.
The most annoying thing of all is that no matter what I do or how I do it, it always seems to come out lopsided. I've seen my friend Sue's perfectly round, shapely "boules;" in comparison mine look like they've been sat upon by a large pig. I just don't get it.
Tonight I made it again. I forgot to add the water at the last minute to create steam (for a crispy crust), and it was sort of flat and dense, but at least it was tasty and cooked all the way through. Dipping it in olive oil helps.
The most annoying thing of all is that no matter what I do or how I do it, it always seems to come out lopsided. I've seen my friend Sue's perfectly round, shapely "boules;" in comparison mine look like they've been sat upon by a large pig. I just don't get it.
Gardening begins
So I planted my first seeds during a warm spell this February - mostly arugula, plus some snap peas. So far, nothing has come up, but I'm giving it time. I bought a grow light and two little cold frames from Ikea, and I have a few tomato starts that I move around depending on the quality of the sunlight. I'd like to grow some corn this season (maybe in Jess's back yard) and I'm thinking of installing another raised bed, though I'm not committed to the idea yet. I'm also itching to get another chicken, but I think the carrying capacity of our backyard has already been reached, chicken-wise. Also, they are at peak egg production now so we don't really need any more eggs.
Melina seems mildly interested in the garden's progress. I asked her if she wanted a garden of her own and she said she wanted to plant oranges and bananas. Hmm. Maybe I can interest her in some cherry tomatoes, snap peas and strawberries?
Melina seems mildly interested in the garden's progress. I asked her if she wanted a garden of her own and she said she wanted to plant oranges and bananas. Hmm. Maybe I can interest her in some cherry tomatoes, snap peas and strawberries?
Monday, January 26, 2009
The "pretend Sanju"
Yesterday we went skiing with Melina at Teacup Lake, and while we were in the warming cabin we met up with Melina's preschool friend Sanju. Melina was in a pretty bad mood, but I was surprised that she wasn't more friendly to Sanju and that they didn't seem to want to play with each other. In fact, they both seemed really shy and surprised to see each other out of context.
Later, in the car, Melina said that that was the pretend Sanju. Because obviously the real Sanju lives at the preschool and never goes anywhere else! This would explain the reticence. It's funny how preschoolers find ways to explain new situations. I wonder what will happen when Sanju tells Melina she went skiing yesterday!
Speaking of skiing, yesterday was one of our most difficult ski outings with Melina. She was grumpy, and it was unusually cold - around 19 or 20 degrees. We bought handwarmers and toe warmers for her, but the handwarmers were "uncomftible" so she kept trying to take off her mittens. No matter how many times we explained that her hands would get cold if she took off her mittens, off they came. Finally she resorted to holding the handwarmers and keeping her hands inside her sleeves.
Toddler mittens are a big pain in the neck. To be insulated enough, they must be so bulky that the kid can't grip anything well, including ski poles. Melina always has to have her ski poles, but she can't hold them with mittens on, so there's no way we can win. And then when she is in a good mood and her hands are warm, she entertains herself by trying to clear all the snow off the trail (good luck) or stopping every 10 seconds to clean the snow off the top of her skis. This is especially fun - and exasperating - when it's snowing hard.
Meanwhile, we are continually passed by five- and six-year-olds who are already adept at skiing. So apparently it does pay off, but this has to be the hardest year!
Later, in the car, Melina said that that was the pretend Sanju. Because obviously the real Sanju lives at the preschool and never goes anywhere else! This would explain the reticence. It's funny how preschoolers find ways to explain new situations. I wonder what will happen when Sanju tells Melina she went skiing yesterday!
Speaking of skiing, yesterday was one of our most difficult ski outings with Melina. She was grumpy, and it was unusually cold - around 19 or 20 degrees. We bought handwarmers and toe warmers for her, but the handwarmers were "uncomftible" so she kept trying to take off her mittens. No matter how many times we explained that her hands would get cold if she took off her mittens, off they came. Finally she resorted to holding the handwarmers and keeping her hands inside her sleeves.
Toddler mittens are a big pain in the neck. To be insulated enough, they must be so bulky that the kid can't grip anything well, including ski poles. Melina always has to have her ski poles, but she can't hold them with mittens on, so there's no way we can win. And then when she is in a good mood and her hands are warm, she entertains herself by trying to clear all the snow off the trail (good luck) or stopping every 10 seconds to clean the snow off the top of her skis. This is especially fun - and exasperating - when it's snowing hard.
Meanwhile, we are continually passed by five- and six-year-olds who are already adept at skiing. So apparently it does pay off, but this has to be the hardest year!
Chicken update
The chickens are doing well (unlike Sue's poor chickens, who all got eaten one night by a raccoon). During the recent cold snap I started lighting up their coop with a heat lamp, and perhaps as a result we started getting eggs again. It's nice not to have to buy them. The chicken coop upgrade is still incomplete; I'm waiting for warmer weather to finish putting the siding on, but the chickens already seem to appreciate the extra space.
Mouse in the chicken feed
The other day when I opened the chicken feed bin I was startled by something brown flinging itself into the air. I shrieked (to my embarrassment) and slammed the door back down. Then I slowly lifted the lid. It was the cutest little brown-eyed field mouse, and it was desperate to get out of the land of plenty and back on the ground. It must have been very well fed. I showed it to Melina, who said "It's so cuuuuuuute!" Jeff happened to be wearing work gloves, so he came over, admired it, scooped it out, and sent it on its way. I can't imagine how it got in the bin in the first place - it would have to jump pretty high, but having owned mice in the past I can attest to their high-jumping abilities.By the way, this is not the mouse, but it looks a lot like it.
Swim classes
Melina is still taking swim classes. She's actually getting to where she can swim about 10 feet under water, but she can't raise her head up to breathe unless she's standing on something, which is a problem. Still, it's impressive to see her swimming along under water like a little penguin.
The woman in the TV
The other day I thought it would be fun to see if Melina would do an exercise video with me. I put in the Bollywood Workout, which has a lot of fun jumping and spinning, but I noticed that she kept hiding behind me. So I switched over to a yoga video, and then a Kundalini dance workout, but Melina was acting strange and shy the entire time. Finally I asked, "Do you think those people are watching you?" She nodded. "So you think there are people inside the TV?" She nodded again. I tried to assure her that there weren't people inside the TV watching her, but she insisted there were. I tried to explain that real people couldn't fit inside the TV, but it didn't matter. As of today, she still believes there are women dancing inside the TV. I asked her later where they went when the TV was off, and she said they went to sleep. It's really hard to explain how a TV works to a three-year-old.
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