The Seversons

Over the weekend, Eric’s family came to town.  (I could say “my in-laws” but for some reason that makes it sound not so fun when in fact it was extremely fun.)  Knowing that, politically speaking, the family was somewhat divided, we instituted a political moratorium: no discussion of partisan politics allowed.

It should be no surprise to anyone who’s ever talked politics with Eric to know that he was the primary violator of the moratorium.  The penalty for violating?  Having everyone yell at you, “Moratorium!” until you stopped.

To be honest, I have to admit that I am getting very anxious for the election to be over.  I will not be able to quit my addiction to political news cold turkey until there is no more political news.  But there is a limit.  The political news is spilling over into everyday friendly little blogs.  It’s a bit surprising to expect to see pictures of tots running around but instead to get rhetoric smacking down your candidate of choice.  Especially in California, where everyone I know there is talking about Prop 8.  I know I just said I’m addicted to political news, but I like it in its particular sphere.  Switching from cute pictures to partisan pushing grates on me a bit.  I recognize that my own readers are all across the political spectrum and I don’t want to cause the same blog whiplash.

So, my campaign promise to you: I will keep the blog politics-free.  Let me rephrase that.  I will have a partisan moratorium.  I can discuss, for example, the fact that I voted but not chat about who I voted for.  (This also allows me to follow up with my father-in-law that in my reading today I found out that when registering voters, you are required by law to turn over all forms, even those that are blatantly false.  Something I didn’t know during our conversation yesterday.)

In other news, I am trying to regain a sense of normalcy.  In the last three months things have been thrown out of wack by sickness, traveling, lots of celebrating, and company.  Abnormal is not necessarily bad (celebrating and company are decidedly good) but it is definitely not normal.  Today I am attempting to go back.  That means cooking and running to the library and working out and all the other things I usually end up doing in a day.  I know I’ve been saying this for the last several weeks but I really mean it this time!

Also, thanks to everyone who left food links in my last post.  They were greatly appreciated.  My last few weeks of cooking have gone incredibly well.  Until recently, I was always frustrated by Eric’s responses to food.  I expected to get strong reviews up front from the very first bite.  (I think that’s how my dad is, which may explain my expectation.)  But I’ve figured out how he works.  When Eric really likes something I make he’s not that vocal.  At least, not at first.  The true measure is how often he asks for it.  Which may explain why I’ve made Enchiladas Verdes and Calabacitas con Queso three times in the last two weeks.  Another reliable indicator is if he has six servings in one sitting, like he did with Homemade Sloppy Joes last week.  He also hasn’t stopped talking about Fish in Parchment, which he seems to think I invented magically on my own.  (Though it was my idea to add zucchini and yellow squash and switch out the orange for grapefruit.)  With family in town, I had an excuse to make cookies, even Black & White’s which are too chocolatey for Eric’s taste.  So all in all it’s gone quite well.  Tonight I’m thinking… Pasta with Peas & Parmesan?  And later this week I’m finally going to make Mark Bittman’s Tomato Paella I’ve been wanting to make for weeks now.  (But with some chorizo to spice it up for my chorizo-loving husband.)