Friday, June 9, 2017

Used to be Mine: Secret Subject Swap

Welcome a Secret Subject Swap. This month 11 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. Read through mine and at the bottom you’ll find links to all of today’s other Secret Subject participants.

Secret Subject Swap, a multi-blogger writing challenge | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


My subject is: What toy of your kids do you love to play with and what toy do you wish would disappear forever?
It was submitted by: Karen of Bookworm in the Kitchen.


I sort of have the same answer for both parts of this question. Only I'm not sure this item would really qualify as a toy. Well, sort of.

My kids are older now. When they were little there were all kinds of toys of theirs that I enjoyed. If not playing with myself, just to watch how much fun they had playing with them. Many made me jealous, I'd think "wow, why didn't we have this when I was young?" And then there were those toys that made me think "should I accidentally throw this in the trash or risk continuing my descent into insanity?"

As they hit their teenage years a lot changed. My older son was totally into skateboarding and I loved it. I loved the exercise, the friendships and the culture. But both of the boys were into computer games and game systems and I hated it. There were positive aspects but in general these were more solitary time-sucking pastimes. In fact, I had to make a rule that if they were playing online or on one of the game systems and someone came to the door or called, they had to go out and socialize. No, I don't care if you're about to beat the game, you're always about to beat the game.

Which brings me to the present, a current toy I love to play with and would love to get rid of. To explain, I need to take you back a few years. We were replacing one of our cars. At the time I was concerned that all of our cars, insurance and bills are all primarily in Hubs' name. It was decided that the new car would be bought and registered as mine. We hadn't found anything locally that interested us so one afternoon Hubs and the boys decided to go to a dealer about an hour from here to see what they had.

I stayed home to cook . . .


Spicy Sausage and Noodle Squares, wide noodles and hot sausages baked and sliced. Serve for lunch, dinner, or as a side dish | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dinner #lunch
Spicy Sausage and Noodle Squares

. . . or maybe just to have an afternoon of peace and quiet.

Imagine my surprise when they came home and announced that they had bought me a car. Huh?

But they had. And I loved it. A little red BMW.

Hubs primarily drove it at first as it had been his car we were replacing, but it didn't take long for that car to be mine in more than name only. You could call it a toy. You could call it whatever you want. I called it mine.

Until . . .

The day that the boys got their learner's permits I drove right from the DMV to the high school parking lot, got out and into the passenger seat. Both boys drove for the very first time in that car.

When College Boy got his license, he took whatever car was around whenever he wanted to go out, sometimes mine, sometimes Hubs', most of the time friends picked him up or came and hung out here. But PurDude? He was another story altogether.

The day he got his license he came home, too that little red BMW and that was it. It was his. If I had errands to do, I'd end up walking up to the high school, "borrowing" the (clearly no longer "my") car, and putting it back before school let out. It didn't take long for us to realize that I was going to need to just get another "my own" car.



Little red BMW was mine until my son got his driver's license | www.BakingInATornado.com
and there he goes in the car I used to call mine

When PurDude went off to Purdue, freshmen couldn't have cars. I was secretly pretty pleased. I had my little toy again.

Until . . .

Just a month later PurDude called to tell me that there had been a lottery for any unused parking spaces on campus not purchased by upper classmen. He'd entered and won one (well, he'd won the privilege of my paying for one). Which is how I came to spend my birthday driving "his" car. For ten hours. Up to him at Purdue where I, once again, said "good-bye" to it.


Crossing the Mississippi | www.BakingInATornado.com
crossing the Mississippi driving up to Purdue

For school vacations I fly PurDude home but once a year, over the summer, he drives. I have the car checked out and do any maintenance and repairs needed while it's here. And I drive it. It's never stopped being fun.

About the part where I wish the toy would disappear forever?

At the end of last summer, PurDude was driving up to school. College Boy was with him. They called to tell me that a board had flown up on the highway, hit PurDude's front bumper and plastered itself onto his windshield. Blinded, he had to find a way to pull over and take it off. So dangerous I still shake just thinking about it.

And a few months ago PurDude turned 21. I know he knows not to drink and drive, but once your kid turns 21, being drunk and using bad judgement can't help but be in the back of your mind. Especially when, heart in your throat, you answer his call at 2 am just to find out he'd pocket dialed you.

Last month PurDude texted to tell me he'd had a flat tire. He had changed it but now has no spare. he would be driving an hour and a half to the airport and then back again that month and then would be driving 5 hours to Cleveland for a summer internship. Crap. Need to get him a spare and everything is just so much more difficult from 10 hours away.

The next day he texted again: "so, I have a flat tire." Yes, the spare he put on was flat too. What's worse than a flat tire? Two flat tires. There has to be a joke in there somewhere.

At this point that car is old. Seriously old. And causing me some nervous nights. Maybe it's time for it to disappear forever, time for a new car. A tank might be nice and safe.

{{closes eyes, knocks on wood, crosses fingers, clicks heels 3 times and repeats over and over "please don't let me have jinxed that car, please don't let me have jinxed that car, please don't . . . }}

Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts. Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:



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Spicy Sausage and Noodle Squares
©www.BakingInATornado.com



Printable Recipe


Ingredients:
1/2 lb hot sausage links
1 TBSP butter
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped

16 oz wide noodles
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 (10 oz) package of frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
*Grease an 8 X 11 casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Boil the noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain well.
 *Cook the hot sausages on the grill, in a pan, or in the microwave. Cool, cut in half lengthwise, then slice.
*Saute the onion and red pepper in the butter until soft. Drain well.
*Place the spinach into a cloth, squeeze out as much moisture as you can.
*In a large bowl, mix together the noodles, melted butter, ricotta, parmesan, spinach, eggs, salt, onion, pepper and sausage. Pour into the prepared casserole dish. Make sure the ingredients are well distributed.
*Cook for about 50 minutes, until the top and sides are starting to crisp.
*Allow to cook slightly, cut into squares and serve.

31 comments:

  1. Two flat tires, what are the odds!!?? 😳
    I think the very first time I read your blog "your" red car was part of the story. Something about garage door openers.
    Ahem, how far away is high school? You walk, but he needs a car?
    I am the same way about gadgets and real life. When his friends call or ring the bell, it's "off the iPad"! But of course, we are not the best role models ourselves. I know of a certain friend who is loving her Candy Crush game 😇

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, two flat tires. We actually had them checked to be sure no one was slashing them but fortunately that wasn't happening.
      The high school was 1/2 mile, I didn't do the walking thing long, just until I got another car. And him driving to school was about so much more than how far the school was. Some day Colin will be that age and you'll see!

      Delete
    2. In Switzerland kids are only allowed to drive after they are 18, meaning past high school.
      I have an idea, though, what it's about.

      Delete
  2. Going to make that! For summer, I cook on the weekends, and put things in the fridge that everyone can grab for lunch or rushed dinners all week (me included). Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's actually a great idea. We all have different schedules 2 nights a week and making something on the weekend to put in the fridge for those nights is a great idea.

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  3. Replies
    1. Yes, but I have to admit that car is where it should be. He loves it and it's really been a great (and long lasting) car.

      Delete
  4. It's sad when your car is no longer your car...........Flat tires happen all the time. No omen there. Just a flat tire.
    Can't wait to try the recipe

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I do miss that car but it got better once I'd gotten a new one of my own.

      Delete
  5. I can see why it's your fave...and why you're ready to say goodbye.

    Maybe momma (or Purdude) will get a new beamer when this one peacefully gets transitioned to the otherside...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I already got a replacement car but I'm thinking once PurDude is out of school he'll buy himself a car that could very well be another BMW.

      Delete
  6. I must have a strange son. His first car (senior in highschool) was his grandmother's 98 Oldsmobile. Then, he finally traded that one in for a....drum roll. Ford Pinto. He had plans to restore it, but it never happened. Right now he's driving a beat up SUV with 185,000 miles on it (does his own repairs and he doesn't want a brand new car because they are so computeried). I try not to worry about him. And I so want a tate of your casserole! Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wouldn't worry about him at all, I think it's great to be able to understand how our mechanical items work. I hate the computerization of cars, it's pushed the rates of having even the smallest thing fixed into the stratosphere.

      Delete
  7. what a story--and what a great dish to have around when the grown kids come to visit. recipe sounds easy to make (tho I hate squeezing the cold, defrosting spinach; hadn't thought of using a cloth. thanks for that tip)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hope you try this recipe, we all loved it and you're right, it's really easy.

      Delete
  8. What a great twist on toys. I had a BMW years ago and loved it but I have a lead foot so that was scary. 20 years ago I switched to Jeeps and have driven them ever since. I'm safer LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had a Jeep too, when the boys were little. I really like the substantial feel of driving a Jeep. As you said, it feels safe.

      Delete
  9. A reversal here...I grab my daughter's Jeep when she's not using it! LOL! PS-the recipe looks so yummy!!! Lynne at lynnecobb.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha, maybe once he's out school and buys his own car I'll be able to look forward to that situation myself.

      Delete
  10. I have had a few cars that somehow became my child's car, felt like it happened over night one day it was mine the next it was theirs. Two flat tires don't happen very often and for that we are thankful

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, that's just how it went. One day it was mine, but the day my youngest got his license it suddenly wasn't any more.

      Delete
  11. I'm so glad I don't have to do those kinds of things anymore...wait, oh hubby just put brakes and rotors on daughter's car last week! Lol! He did make her come out and "teach" her how to change a flat in case she ever needed to in which she replied, "Mom already taught me dad. Watch and learn, 'Siri call Triple A'". Yeah, that's momma's girl!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your daughter is smart and resourceful, she'd get that tire changed. We actually have insurance that would cover having a tow truck come and change his tire but he changed it himself (well, the first one).

      Delete
  12. I've never bought a car. I've been lucky enough to have had 6 given to me! They were mostly on their last legs when I got them, but they got me from point A to point B and I was happy about it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not sure how you continually are able to have cars given to you, but I'd sure love for that to happen to me.

      Delete
  13. Yes. I too have had the nice new red car only to wave at it as it goes out the drive with one or both boys.
    My favorite toy they had as kids was legos and paintball guns!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha, I used to love those water guns on a hot summer day.

      Delete
  14. I used to have more of a problem with Evan and video games, but I appreciate it more now. He's honed his problem solving skills and uses games as a bridge to socialize playing online with friends or working on designing his own games with friends. I suppose there is a lot more creativity now than when your sons were younger. As much as I don't get Minecraft myself, building whole worlds is a great exercise in creating. And just like when I read easy-to-digest sci fi novels, it's a good escape too. And there are a lot I enjoy myself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, there's a lot of positive about video games, it's just difficult to limit the time. If I had let them, they would have played 24/7.

      Delete
  15. I am hungry, and this looks yummy. I am so not ready for Gigi to drive. Thank the good Lord I have twelve years to worry about that. Wait. 12? Only 12? How did that happen?! Oy. I am just not ready. I am the same as you... I often find myself thinking about how much better the toys Gigi has available are, than the toys I had as a child. At this point, for Gigi to have a car of her own, she will definitely need to save up and help to buy it, so I am hoping that means she will appreciate it more, and turn take better care of it. Fingers crossed. Loved your post!! Love this casserole!! Fingers crossed that you did not jinx anything!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nothing at all wrong with a kid working and saving her own money to pitch in towards buying a car. Same with college.

      Delete

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