Le Madeleine

©Alex Wolfe Photography

©Alex Wolfe Photography

This is not a political post.

Happy New Year, thank GOD it's 2018.  Amiright?  I think a lot of us could agree that the world has been holding her collective breath since that orange narcissistic turd muffin was elected into the highest official position of the not so United States of America.  (Sorry muffins, you really don't deserve to be compared to he who shall remain nameless). 

  • I mean, there was the tax bill (Oy).
  • Budget cuts to the E.P.A because, ya know, why is everyone so obsessed with science?  Quoth the ass-hat "In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Year’s Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against. Bundle up!" (OY TO THE VEY.  Palm to forehead).
  • The repeal of net-neutrality.  (OYYYYY FUCKKKK ING VEYYYY).
  • Harvey Weinstein and the rest of 'em. (Jeeeesus).

I have to stop, because I'm starting to grind my teeth. 2017 was rough.  The kind of rough that makes you want to gorge a bunch of cake and eat a million cookies and never EVER stop.  And you can do that with this simple madeleine recipe:

It's sweet and nutty

Cakey with a crisp outer shell

Small like a cookie, so you can have a hundred

Delicious with a hot beverage, they melt on your tongue.

But first, let's talk about all the things that happened in 2017 that were SUPER, because now I'm depressed:

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and here we are a year and a bit later, living and loving together.

Fun fact: Jason was the final and gentle push I needed toward the math and science behind turning my granola into something sell-able.  I am grateful.

  • I met that guy up there ON ELECTION NIGHT (Talk about having all the feelings).
  • Doug Jones defeated Roy Moore in a stunning Alabama senate race.
  • A veteran Virginia state legislator who proclaimed himself the state's "chief homophobe" lost his bid for re-election in November — to a transgender woman. He'd sponsored a bathroom bill restricting access by transgender people to public restrooms.  More importantly, HER name is Danica Roem and she is FABULOUS.
  • Jessica and Derek Simmons saved nine people, including a couple of children, caught in a rip tide.  They  acted quickly and got 80 other people on the beach to form a human chain that could reach swimmers who were nearly drowning and brought them safely to shore.
  • Scientists made progress to treat Leukemia through immunotherapies and gene-altering methods, when at one time this type of cancer was an almost definite death sentence.  Today the survival rate for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia is more than 85%.
  • And one of my favorite memories of 2017 was the first (of many) peaceful protests across the U.S:  "The Women's March was a worldwide protest on January 21, 2017, to advocate legislation and policies regarding human rights and other issues, including women's rights, immigration reform, healthcare reform, reproductive rights, the natural environment, LGBTQ rights, racial equality, freedom of religion, and workers rights.  Most of the rallies were aimed at Donald Trump, immediately following his inauguration as President of the United States, largely due to statements that he had made and positions that he had taken which were regarded by many as anti-women or otherwise offensive. It was the largest single-day protest in U.S. History."

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And I was THERE.  It was absolutely amazing.  

Below are pictures that show the highlights of my day that day.  The picture of my dad, my sister and her best friend from high school is particularly meaningful to me, because in a lot of ways these peopled raised me, were my mentors.  Missing from the picture and from that day was my mom, Linda.  She couldn't be there because she was on day 28 at the hospital supporting my uncle while doctors tried to figure out what was wrong.  He had a lot of problems, the details of which are unimportant.  But I got to talk to them both that night and tell them how incredible it was and how much we missed having them (her, my mama, she my heroine and I her 'cookie') there with us.  He died not too long after.  Cause of death was an antibiotic resistant infection and, in his families opinion, loneliness.  I was so proud to know my mom stayed by her brothers side so he could go from this place feeling loved and like someone had his back.  I think that's something people really want to feel:

t h a t  s o m e o n e  r e a l l y  h a s  t h e i r  b a c k, no matter what. 

And so I got to march for her, and with her behind me.  Several months later I moved in with Jason, which meant I finally had the pleasure of dealing with my  ^%*#$@! storage unit.  In it, I found this old silver thingamabobber.  I almost tossed it, but it looked vintage and I'm a whore for used treasures.  I asked my mom about it and she reminded me it was Blanche's, my grandma. 

My sweet

sing-songy

always smiling

tough as nails

red-haired (did she really have red-hair?  In my memories...she has fiery red hair)

delicious grandma.

"Well what the shit is it?" I asked.  "For dusting powdered sugar on cookies," said mama.  AWWEEESSSOOOMMMMEEEE GRAMMA GEM!  Most of my memories of her are from when she was older and sick with Alzheimers.  But when I shake that duster I can smell and feel her vivacious younger self.  Blanche, and Linda, and Debbie and Ari, and Kate, and Hanne and Chloe and Jenny and Frances, and Eryn and the four Sara/h's (you know who you are), and Alissa, and Kali and Aimie and I know there are more:  you helped shape me into the woman I am today and I am so damn lucky to have known you and been loved by you. The reason for writing this post now,  is because we're on the heels of the next big march coming up Saturday, January 20th, 2018.  Grab your sister or your friend or your mom and GO.  You will not be sorry.  It's quite the empowering scene.

 

Now you can take your grandma's old sugar duster and lightly powder them to make 'em all purdy.  

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*Ok, it was definitely a political post.