It’s the story of how the HeLa cell line began and more importantly who Henrietta Lacks and her family were. At some point in the story one of Henrietta Lacks’ sons says something along the lines of

“Our mother is the most important woman in the world and we can’t even get health insurance.”

Indeed, I thought this book was going to be a science book — a story of who, what, how these HeLa cells came about in the lab. And it was a book like that. But it was so much more. Turns out its a social justice story: a story of a poor, black woman who happened to have cancer and what happened to her family. It’s a great read, but it does raise lots of scary questions.

Last month’s read was: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. Another heavy book, about a prisoner of war. Also a good read, but leaving behind the problems of making you think about issues.  I think I’m ready for a little short, fun book. Do you have one to recommend?

Now I need a photo, then I can stick it on pinterest and it can go viral……Back with a photo.

Recipe: Moroccan Harira

Soak ½ lb dry chickpeas.

Cover 1 small chicken (or some thighs, or some lamb meat, or both) with 3qt water. Add salt, pepper, half a lemon and some smashed garlic. Cook until meat falls off bone, discard lemon, separate meat and stock.

Add the following in this order to simmering stock:

Chickpeas

1 large onion, minced

½ tsp black pepper

1 ½ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp turmeric

pinch saffron

* Pause and cook until chickpeas start to come around

½ pound green lentils, rinsed and picked over

* Cook until tender

Small can tomato paste (I use tetrapak box)

Meat, diced

Handful broken vermicelli

2 fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced

1 small bunch each, cilantro and parsley, chopped

Thicken with flour or cornstarch and water

Can substitute rice for pasta if desired

Serve with a squeeze of lemon

I know I’ll get questions about this so I’ll just answer it:

You may note that I tag this with “dingo”, that means I got this recipe from Jo who’s a part of an online running club/sorority/mom’s group/career support group that I’ve been a part of since 2003?. Long story short, we named the group “Chasing the Naughty Dingos”.  You may recall Naughty Dingo from Richard Scarry books.

A few weeks ago we tried a new recipe:

balsamic vinaigrette, greens, prosciutto-wrapped figs and feta.

No pictures to share, but very tasty. A few of my favorite items, all wrapped into one. I bought some more figs and stuck them in the fridge and I’m sad to report: they molded before I could eat them (4 days).

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.

Drawing from that inspiration, I give you our walk this week.

Not yet my dear child, not yet.

You need more sleep (and I need time to write).

Quickly turned off lights, muted music,

Hiding downstairs.

Ah relief. Dear child returns to bed for some more sleep.

(Me in the messy basement with the giant bookcase).

Our youngest has not been as interested in reading or even in listening to stories as our oldest. She’s turning a corner. Just this summer (age 5.5) she started asking about more sight words and recognizing the sounds letters make. But she told me she *couldn’t* read — she didn’t know how. Over the summer her writing has made it clear that she’s learning by a different path than her big sister. She’s learning through sounding out, something Erin never did. She wrote a note this spring when she was in trouble that said, I’m sorry for throwing the cup.  I wish I had a picture of it to share.

So I reassured her when she said she couldn’t read that she would learn in kindergarten. Yesterday was Day 1 of kindergarten and she brought home a scholastic book order. She mentioned that I consider buying the Rainbow Magic Fairies box set for the big sister of a kindergarten friend. We are familiar with Rainbow Magic. They are poorly written, but like crack cocaine for little emergent readers who really want to read chapter books. So…. I told Leah Lu I’d buy her the whole box set when she learns to read, after she successfully reads one of the books.

Amazon’s image. Don’t truly look inside. It’s drivel. But hey, if it gets this reluctant reader on board I’ll move over a few books on the bookshelf. Just don’t ask me to read those damn books out loud. No can do.

She’ll get there. And then we can move on to better literature.

“You is kind. You is smart. You is important.”
— Kathryn Stockett (The Help)

Yes, that’s the message we want our children to hear. The maid tells it to the child over and over again because the mother does not. Mom’s too hung up on her everyday social life to parent her child.