A Creative Rut

I have had the pleasure of helping to judge a youth writing competition this week for work.  We instructed 3rd – 8th grade students in the area to write a 300-500 word story titled “The Lost Dragon of White Lake,” and right now I am so impressed with the creativity of the entries!  I don’t remember a time when I let my imagination run so wild, and it has been refreshing to jump inside a s head for a bit and enjoy the ride.  The stories have been so interesting that I have had a hard time writing in my own blog for fear of sounding…boring?  and predictable?  My life is anything but predictable right now.  But then again…as a parent, you can pretty much guarantee that at some stage you will be cleaning poop out of the tub (Thursday night), cleaning projective vomit off one of your only clean shirts that fits and looks decent (this morning), drinking too much coffee (every morning), heating up leftover leftovers for dinner (Thursday), and attempting to balance the needs of your husband (attention NOW) with the needs of your kiddos (attention RIGHT NOW) and your need for sleep.

The summary of this is that right now I’m trying not to fall into a rut, where life is predictable chaotic.   I’m missing those days when imagination was all that was needed for a good time, when my worries and stresses didn’t stifle my ability to enjoy the moment, and when I too could have written a kick-ass entry in the “Lost Dragon of White Lake” competition.  So perhaps I’ll try:

……..

Hmm, well, that didn’t go so well.  Maybe Dragons just aren’t my thing.

This meal was my thing.  And Austin’s – a great way to get a wee one to eat fish!

Cod in a Ginger Cream Sauce

1.5 T butter (the real stuff!)

1.5 T flour*

1 cup milk*

2 cloves garlic, crushed*

1 T fresh grated ginger*

2  fillets Cod (I’m guessing they were 5-6 ounces each?)

salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter over medium heat in a large fry pan.  Using a whisk, mix in flour till a paste forms.  Sloooooowwwwwly add milk, whisking constantly, till well combined.  Add garlic and ginger and mix well.  Turn heat to medium-low, and add fish fillets.  Cover and cook, turning once, till fish is flakey and cooked through.

*all measurements approximate and can be adjusted to your taste/desired creamy consistancy.  I don’t like to dirty measuring cups.

This served Lyndon, Austin, and I, with enough leftovers for Austin’s lunch the next day.

This was darn easy, but incredibly tasty.  We served it with bok choy that was sauted in garlic, ginger, and homemade pepper jelly, over some kashi pilaf.  Yum!

Oh Look, a Chicken!

I have a lot to finish at work before I head out to have this baby.  Class schedules to finalize and publicize, mailings to schedule, posters to make, volunteers and sponsorships to secure, grant follow-up to do, press releases to write, advertisements to sell, and even a few grants to write.  (I work at a non-profit art education center) This is kind of important stuff - the success of our summer session depends on it, and since I’m the only employee, if I don’t do it….yeah.  (hmm, maybe typing this list was the wake up call I needed.  HELLO JANELLE, GET TO WORK!)

Yet, I’ve having the focus of a two-year old.  My mom and I refer to these as our “Oh look, a Chicken!” moments:

I have the best of intentions – I start off on a task, but then my mind thinks “I wonder if the baby will have my nose (good) or Lyndon’s nose (….)” and then the phone rings, and someone asks me an unrelated question about work.  By the time I’m done dealing with the phone call, someone is standing in front of me to pick up artwork from the youth show that just finished.  I find their artwork, and sit back down…and it takes me five minutes to remember where I was.  Just as I’m getting back to work, I’ll get an email that requires my attention right away, and then I’ll have to pee.  While I’m up, I’ll realize I’m hungry and go to get a snack, and while I’m over getting a snack someone from the business office next door will ask me a question.  I’ll head back to my desk to get the answer, but realize that I’m out of water and will need a refill.  After I get my water, I’ll sit down and have to answer another email I’ve received.  Then the phone will ring.  Soon, my tummy is grumbling, and I realize I forgot to get my snack.  So I head back over, but then I’m reminded that I never answered the question the asked…

You get the picture.  An hour has passed, and what have I accomplished on my major “to do” list?  Nada.  And so goes the day.  I suppose this absent-mindedness is a classic pregnancy symptom, and coupled with my fuzzy brain from the substandard sleep that has been mine lately, completely understandable.  But I’m in need of some serious “work nesting” if this stuff is going to get done before the wee one makes his/her appearance!