Today’s
post is a monthly writing challenge. If you’re new here, this is how it
works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for
someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once.
All of the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own
set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s
participating knows who got their words and in what direction the
recipient will take them. Until now.
At
the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring
this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they
used them.
I'm using: base ~ executive ~ pants ~ spotlight ~ venture. They were submitted by Rena of The Wandering Web Designer.
I was going to make it stop.
I had made an executive decision. It was a risky venture, but it had its base in love.
Let me just say here that I'd made executive decisions before. Many, copious, countless, innumerable decisions, bless my executive heart. They didn't always go well, as you may have guessed. It's my fault, I'd made a mistake, raised them to think they had choices. My bad.
This time I was determined. I'd try everything. I was flying by the seat of my pants, throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what would stick (and, believe me, if throwing actual spaghetti had a prayer of working, I would have done that as well). I wasn't just relying on the decision alone, hell no, I was calling in the reinforcements. There would be an all out campaign involving reasoning, begging, endless persistence, sleep deprivation (OK, maybe not that one, but you get the idea), and yes {{sigh}} I was not ashamed to resort to bribery.
Starting with food, of course. I had brought out the hit list of favorite recipes, like Baked Hot Wings, Baby Backs, Fiery Shrimp, and even Crusted Prime Rib. You read that right, I was at the Prime Rib level of desperate (yes, that's a thing). And there were some new recipes to share too, ones I'd developed while he was gone, spotlighting his favorites, like marrying his love for THE Best Pumpkin Pie with his love for coffee, resulting in my Espresso Pumpkin Pie.
Breakfasts too, like my new Canadian Bacon French Toast, and these Hint of Vanilla Everything Bagels:
Hint of Vanilla Everything Bagels
But, as with pretty much all of my executive decisions when it comes to my stubborn, headstrong boys (who, admittedly are now actually adults) inevitability inevitably inevits (yeah, I may have just made that word up, but it fits, right?).
One week ago, I had depleted my repertoire of machinations (damn, I need to expand my supply of mom tactics) and the time had come. The ski mountains were calling. Well, as was work and responsibilities. My youngest packed up his car, some meals and supplies I'd put together for him, and once again headed to Colorado.
Yes, there were tears, and yes, I waited until he was gone (well, mostly). There may have been some shameless hanging onto his shirt as he dragged me with him towards the door, but no need to dwell on that. Now there's a lot of woeful looking at the empty room he'd inhabited, and the spot in the garage where I'd gotten used to seeing his car, and that forlorn looking (although that might just be me projecting) empty chair at the dinner table.
Each member of my family is a big presence in our home. Conversely, they leave a large whole when they're gone. But I don't want you to think that I'm spending each day focused on his absence. I
in general, but especially in this era of Covid, am cognizant of, and actively appreciate, how very lucky I had been, not only to have had his
presence at my table for Thanksgiving, but in this house for an entire
month.
We are the Blessings. And I am counting mine.
Here are links to all the other Use Your Words posts:
Hint of Vanilla Everything Bagels
Ingredients:
3 tsp sesame seeds
3 tsp poppy seeds
2 1/4 tsp dried minced onion
2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1 1/4 cups flour, divided
2 1/2 tsp baking powder, divided
1 tsp salt, divided
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
2 tsp butter, melted
Directions:
*Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
*Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
*Mix together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, minced onion, garlic salt and Kosher salt. Set aside.
*Whisk 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt, then spread onto a kneading surface.
*In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt, then mix in the Greek yogurt. Turn out onto a kneading surface and knead for 5 minutes (will be sticky).
*Divide the dough into quarters and roll each quarter out to about a 9 inch log. Make each into a circle with a hollow center, press the ends to seal, and place on the prepared baking sheet
*Gently brush the tops of the bagels with the melted butter, then sprinkle with some of the seasoning. Store the remaining seasoning into a jar for use another time.
*Gently brush the tops of the bagels with the melted butter, then sprinkle with some of the seasoning. Store the remaining seasoning into a jar for use another time.
*Bake for about 25 minutes, the tops will be browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.
