Sliding in to July

Last week was a lot of first-world ill-fatedness--literally. I caught the stomach bug that the one child had, and while he was up and at'em and ready to go in 36 hours, six days later, I'm still working on equilibrium. Fortunately there was camp, and friends who helped, but I am ready to kiss that goodbye.

And that's really unfair; we had some great successes too. In our town, the entire third grade spends the month of May doing an African dance study. It's awesome. I know, it sounds like one of those, "Oh, Ok, I'll keep an open mind" kind of things but wow--it was amazing. It is still giving me a zillion pangs, reminding me what a kinesthetic learner my older one is, wondering if there is a school in the world where they teach math so he can incorporate it with motion while that young body is still growing and loving the movement. But the cool thing was, they offered a summer family class in African dance at an arts center near us, so we went. All of us. The youngest was very skeptical. The oldest was bummed he was the only boy but still couldn't wait to get started. So we are all learning kakilambe this summer as a family. I am so happy. And so are they. We also went to a diggery doo concert so we felt very multicontinental last week.

Other success: the kids finally got some swim practice in and both enjoyed it enough to want to move up to the actual swim team. This is excellent for several reasons. Daily practice = exhausted kids. Swimming = something they are both good at and that I can support fully.  Both hate competition and the season is half over--they may never get in a meet and we are all totally ok with that! And for this week, when I felt crummy--it kept them busy and safe while I was jogging to the nearest restroom on a regular schedule. I can't wait to see how this goes when everyone is well.

So, on to food. For the ill-fated town picnic (victim of the late afternoon thunderstorms that arrived without fail every afternoon last week), I tried something new with the old favorite corn tomato pie (sidebar) and made Catherine Newman's lemony chive dip, as I think she calls it. We had snap peas and asparagus and so it was an easy use for both. I used lowfat mayo, trying to get rid of it, and next time will try with full-fat because this tasted extra-salty to me (and I went light on salt). But it was quick and easy and light and yummy and a good easy dip, so hurrah.

Since I was backlogged with dill, I used a lot of it to make the corn-zucchini-tomato pie, and still more to make the salmon sauce I love. Note to self: when you make this sauce, just freaking triple it. Triple. I could drink the stuff. That doesn't say much for me, my restraint, or my palate, but there it is.

And since I had the creme fraiche, I made the broccoli pesto while it was in the fridge. I was unable to cook anything last week so I have a lot of room to make up this week.

Monday: salmon (trying again), rice, zucchini-corn-tomato pie leftover if there is any

Tuesday: Lego build! Out to dinner.

Wednesday: African dance taco night. Or broccoli pesto night.

Thursday: Happy 4th! Our block party is SO low key this year. No flyers, just random neighbors saying, Are we doing something? I think someone ordered the street barricades. Or not. Who can tell? I will have to have a burger for burger boy, and I have a lot of plain yogurt so probably the yogurt marinated chicken for the rest of us. We'll see how it goes.

Friday: Whatever we didn't do on Wednesday.

Wishing you a great week full of patriotism and things that make you happy!