"I love You More Than I Thought"

I was caught off guard. The comment so resonated with me that I asked my grandson to repeat what he had just said. “I love you more than I thought.”, he remarked. We were all in disbelief.

At the time, I was in their kitchen, (visiting yet again), for a couple of days during a family medical crisis. I had been emptying the dishwasher, making myself useful. In the beginning, when the voice of another child had greeted me on the phone with a “Baba, do you want to sleepover?” I was surprised by both the invitation and young voice calling but happy to accept a most gracious invitation, a grandmother visiting her daughter-in-law, son and grandchildren.

Today's out-of-the blue statement by a four-year-old left me speechless. He smiled and corrected me when I used the word 'like' instead of love in my attempts to repeat to mommy and daddy what he had said.. His correction was one of surprise, too. His parents had been listening.

Christmas would soon be here though the magic of the holiday season has permeated the air for awhile. With family within reach, the feelings of love, joy and comfort are all around. On December 24^th, my husband died. He had been in hospital since the summer resulting from many medical issues facing him. Whenever he 'rallied', as he lay in the ICU, he would shock his medical team. Those moments gave his family hope. But alas it was not to last.

Being with family during these heavy times buoy us all as we grieve the loss of a life held dear. But those who have lost a child bear the deepest loss of all, a loss that can change the DNA of those left behind. I am grateful for having been chosen by him in the early years. I wasn't looking. He had been.I was simply working, going to school, changing careers and cities with him by my side. When children arrived, my new path was chosen. His career began.

“I love you more than I thought” came out of nowhere that day. His mom and dad were nearby. A new generation of kindred spirits seemed to be building in this grandson, one of many. Soon we will have 8 grandchildren: 4 boys and 3 girls, and one, soon to-be-announced. My world will begin to take shape once again but this time without him. I'm 'unbalanced' rfor the moment, doing everything and hoping I know what I'm doing. It 'ain't easy easy', made harder without my special boy, Mr. Wiggles who left us in early Sept. created joy in our lives. Ella fills that void now whenever I visit and hopefully a new sidekick will appear in the new year.

Wishing you all a happy new year with love – in all its forms – arriving in abundance. Thank you for reading the MomseyBlog. It is an honour that anyone reads what I have to write. I am not on Facebook or other social media platforms that showcase our busy lives. Time taken to illustrate my boring life is a waste of time - yours and mine- taken away from the precious lives we engage with children, grandchildren and other loved ones and pets. There is a trade off. 

The Elixir that is Chicken Soup

Recently I redesigned my recipe for chicken soup, again, the absolute miracle in the homemade soup category. It seems I have done that often over the years. This soup's magical healing powers cannot be underestimated or overlooked.

The power of the spice tumeric found its way into my chicken soup last year and continues today. During the winter months of colds and flu, any food that alleviates the harsh affects of illness deserves prominence on the menu. Chicken soup is my go-to-food. When paired with the spice, ground black pepper, the pepperine in this common add-in spice magnifies tumeric's power in the food into which it has been added. Yum!! Cardamon and ginger are new add-in favoritesi of mine; cardamon, for reducing blood pressure.

Recently, I made chicken soup in a flash, using thighs, this time, bone-in, chunks of onions, including the paper thin skin, coarse iodized salt, covered with cold water. Remove with slotted spoon when done. (Bones contain the marrow which adds incalculable flavour and health benefits.).... (Even scientists have stated that chicken soup has medicinal qualities, not fully understood, elevating its powerful food status.)

A chunk of celery, the bottom part which holds the celery stalks in place, was removed and added to the stock as it cooked on medium heat. High heat is not considered in making chicken soup as a cloudy broth can result in its wake. This was a new fact not known to me.

We've had snow and cold temperatures since the beginning of November in Canada so chicken soup is in monthly reruns, much like certain Rom-Com movies I have enjoyed, over and over again. My pressure cookers are in repair so the making of chicken soup takes longer at present. Not using the hydro unnecessarily, also helps keep the electrical bills lower. Cooking all things in shorter times simply makes more money available for other things not dependent upon electricity, taxes, for example!!

Carrots and celery, parsley, can be included to customize the soup. Since chunks of onion were used to develop the soup's essence/flavour more does not need to be added unless desired. Garlic powder, dill can be added as well as chives, marjoram leaves and other spices thus adding more flavour. I will make dumplings or spaetzle to adorn the soup as required, keeping these 'noodles' (00 flour, water or oat milk, eggs, salt) tender and not mushy.

Use a tiny spoon to drop batter into boiling water. for dumplings. Remove with slotted spoon and add nutmeg to cooked noodles/dumplings in a bowl. Use large hole grater to make spaetzle if a spaetzle maker, a simple kitchen tool, is not available. Keep noodles separate from soup when storing in fridge. Re-heat with soup as needed...... (Chicken parts or wing tips that are rarely part of the wing when purchasing chicken wings for dinner can be used.) Much collagen is found in these discarded parts).

Freeze some broth for later use, thus saving time and labour. Use the broth for making sauces or gravy, too. Gravy is my super food when it's homemade. Yum! Yum!