Chapter Fifteen: Horsing Around

I am hesitant to share a lot of personal information in such a public space, considering breaches in internet privacy and the inevitable moment I say something I regret. People, if I've learned anything it's that the internet never forgets. You might notice the absence of names for my husband and children in these posts, for that very reason. I'm not at all saying my internet use is the most careful, but there are some lines I've drawn. But here's a little tidbit:

Hats (or fascinators) are required Derby attire

Chapter Fourteen: Overcoming Adversity

After my trials of last week I was very happy to be back in the kitchen. My oven decided to stop working (in the middle of baking bread!) and so I wasn't able to post a recipe last week. I'm so happy to be back to it this week though!

Every Easter, my family has always had the tradition of making Scotch Eggs. It's a great way to use the hard boiled eggs that were dyed, hidden, and found! If you don't know, a Scotch Egg is a hard boiled egg wrapped in sausage and coated with crumbs. I've seen several places deep fry theirs, but I've always baked them. Usually they're served with hollandaise sauce, but my family has always made a white gravy. 

Chapter Thirteen: Pie Planning

I've had a huge pie block. Like writers block, but with pie.

I had a crisis mid March, that derailed me around  Pi Day, then the next week I had an event that consumed my time but also my headspace, then I got sick. Ive been reeling from a sinus thing for a week when my tough-love husband told me (twice) to get off my butt and do this or call it a failure. I'm not giving up and I'm not giving excuses.

Chapter Twelve: Math Problems... or Just Problems

This week (when it was meant to be posted on March 20) I was going to commemorate both PI Day on March 14th and St. Patrick's Day on March 17th. I like to start drafting my posts in advance and this is what I had down already for my blog:

3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751 

Thanks to Archimedes for our celebration of Pi Day! 


But life doesn't always go as planned.

This week has been a really hard week all around. I started it with a complete emotional breakdown about finances (who can't relate to that?), Husband went out of town for four days to a conference, and frankly, I have felt creatively and emotionally drained all week. I blame it all on Wednesday (being the Ides of March, that we should be so keen to beware.)

So instead of a pithy post this week, it's a list of apologies as to why there isn't a pie this week.

My anxiety got the better of me. There were a few days where my stomach was so tied in knots that I wasn't able to eat and making it to the end of the day without shedding a great many tears seemed an unreasonable feat. I count myself lucky that I don't suffer from depression, because if this week is what my life would feel like daily I couldn't cope.

So this week, there isn't a recipe. There aren't pictures of my kids or a beautiful slice of pie. There isn't a long explanation about process or interesting facts that I dug up. This week, I'm laying myself bare before the internet community that I'm not perfect. Really, there isn't a soul who walks this world who is. My hope is that admitting my imperfection will make me more driven to work on the things that tie my stomach in knots.

Chapter Eleven: Who Runs the World?

On my honor I will try to serve God and my country, to help people at all times, and live by the Girl Scout Law.  -Girl Scout Promise

At this very moment, my daughter is at a Girl Scout meeting. This is her first year and she rocks the blue Daisy smock like a pro. It was a little selfish on my part because Husband and I hunt for Girl Scout cookies every year at this time… but no longer! We have an insider now, and as a result, ordered so many more boxes of cookies than we need. But it does need to be said that I am proud of her initiative and excitement about scouting. Especially coming of the International Woman's Day high, I see the need for this organization to promote confidence in women of all ages and teach all kinds of skills.

Chapter Ten: Pop Culture Piedom

There are two pop culture characters I'm feeling particularly entwined with since starting my blog. They're both from much beloved screen things. The first is Jenna Hunterson, the pie-making maven in the movie (and now, Broadway musical) Waitress. The second is the regenerative Ned, the pie-baker of The Pie Hole in Pushing Daisies.

What I think I admire from both of them is that they can make sweet delights from difficult circumstances. Jenna creates pies in her minds eye to cope with a loveless marriage, an unwanted pregnancy, and crises of conscious. Ned brings life from death, baking it into pie and enriching lives (sometimes by solving crime) with sweetness and quick wit.

Chapter Nine: A Little Help From My Friends

A few weeks ago as my daughter was watching me make a pie, she asked when OUR pie making day was and I realized that for a month plus I had been a little remiss in proper parenting. She and my son both love pie day, in part because it's fun and in part because they know at the end of pie day they get pie. I started baking thinking this was for me, as a new experience throughout 2017. Then I realized it was as much for me as those around me because they got to enjoy the fruits of my labor. But I hadn't really considered it being for my kids, hands on. Bad mommy.