Pinterest has been around for a few years, and although it’s going full speed ahead, it’s not as popular as Facebook. A lot of people still don’t know what Pinterest is, and others have decided they don’t have time for another social media outlet.
While it is another site to follow, or “keep up with,” to me, it’s not nearly as time consuming as Facebook or Twitter.
I have a Pinterest page, and I love it. Usually in the evening after everything is done and I’m relaxing, I sign-in to see what’s new and exciting.
One of my favorite things to search and scroll through is the recipes. There are old ones (ones I remember as a child) and a lot of new ones I’ve never seen. One of those – the recipe for today – is an old food fixed in a new way that we really enjoyed.
The website manager for the Daily Record (the parent paper of the Hamilton County Herald) is busy jazzing up our website with a lot of exciting updates and options. One of the updates is a link to follow my recipe column on a blog I will be editing. Yeah, I will – in my “golden years” – become a blogger! Who would’a thought? That’s another good reason to have a Pinterest page, though - they pretty much work together! So be looking for that soon!
Now I want to share a personal story with you – a story with a moral.
This past week, our youngest granddaughter, Gwynn, stayed with us. Gwynn will be three the end of July, and is a very typical 2-year old. She’s a bundle of fire, full of energy, questions, ideas, and love –and she manages to keep me going as fast as my little pea-brain can go!
Children are a blessing. I know you’ve heard that so many times, the meaning probably doesn’t even register. But really, you never realize what a treasure they are until you get older. Once you have them for a few days and then turn them back over to mom and dad, it’s easier to see what a blessing they are, and what fun you had with them, and what you are now missing on a daily basis. At least, that’s my sentiment.
I guess we’re so busy with the responsibility of raising and directing them when they’re young, it’s less often that we’re able to stop and consider exactly how blessed we are.
I’m not saying parents don’t or can’t truly appreciate their children when they’re raising them – far from it. My children are very loving, caring, and managing parents. But when you get older – you’re your children are grown and gone, and grandchildren have entered the picture – your outlook changes.
You see that all the little things you fussed over were really not that important. And you look back and wish you had done more. Especially when you see your child through your grandchild!
My regrets? I wish I had held my children more. Kissed them more. Played with them more. Read to them more. Sung to them more. Rocked them more. Let them sleep in my bed more. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. I wish I had been more as my daughter is with her children.
My daughter lets her children play and be kids. They run in the house. They laugh loud and squeal with joy. They scream and run, and have fun with each other – yes, even in the house.
I enjoyed my children and let them play – but I had rules. No running in the house. Pick up your toys. Clean your room. No fighting. No yelling in the house. It seems like I had a lot of “no’s.” Although my house was always clean and picked up, I have regrets.
My daughter will have no misgivings such as mine. Her house is clean, but there’s always an array of toys spread throughout the den and the kitchen. Her children are well behaved and polite, but they are allowed to play in the house. Their family enjoys themselves, and it shows.
For four days this past week, my house was fun. Gwynnie played and enjoyed herself with KK and Pa Pook. (Yes, that’s Don and me!) I allowed her tricycle in the house – and nothing was damaged! I played chase with her. I rocked her – a lot. Read to her. Sung to her. Let her sleep in my bed (some). No regrets.
The moral of this story? Make sure you’re living without regrets. Especially when it comes to the greatest gift in this life – children.
I have not yet posted my recipes on Pinterest. I’m more or less just looking through other people’s pages and pins. However, if you’d like to follow me, feel free – just search for Kay Bona. There can’t be that many out there!
Crash Hot Potatoes
12 whole new potatoes (small red potatoes)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes; cook until fork-tender. Generously drizzle olive oil onto a baking sheet. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet.
With a potato masher or fork, crush each potato until it’s slightly mashed, then rotate the masher and mash the potato again. Brush the top of each crushed potato with more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.