Hiveberry Popsicles

Outdoor temperature: 79
Indoor temperature: 80

Yup, I'm pretty sure that my air conditioning has stopped working. I'm sorry, but what. the. hell. I never use my air. I was running it because I have hives. Hives that have attacked my face and kept me from fun things. Hives that were most likely caused because I ate Strawberries *gasp!* Are you for real? A berry that I have consumed as many of as I could, since the moment we met? And now, when I have just begun to have some hope that I will return to a non hive moment the freaking air conditioning stops working? Filter changed. Batteries replaced. Reprogrammed. Still not working.

I keep looking for a different way to look at this experience and am always looking for the humor in the moment. While poofy faced, I discovered I could make extra funny faces, that was fun-ish. I considered making a video of myself saying 'just put your lips together and blow' and trying to whistle (which I can't do when my lips aren't inflated, but that's besides the point), also entertaining. But I'm loosing steam. I'm hardly in a place to have to fight for physical health. I've been fighting uphill against a serious depressive episode for almost two years and I am tired. I could really use a break and face hives house arrest hardly seemed like a trip to the spa.

To distract myself from my super exciting weekend indoors, I took my sorry self to the kitchen and made popsicles. Yes, you read that correctly, this crazy girl has been pushed to the brink, she's making Popsicles because she can't bake right now. Screw you heat, I'll put a frosty spell on you! Always a bargain hunter, I managed to score a fancy Williams-Sonoma Popsicle mold for a crazy deal over 5 years ago. This was the first time I used the mold, it gets a huge thumbs up. It was easy to use and has a nice metal cover that holds the sticks in place. I basically made up a smoothie with yogurt, blueberries and orange juice and froze it in pop shape, nothing fancy yet. I also made an orange juice and berry (sans hiveberry) version. Both show great promise.

I think I'll add fun, seasonal freezer treats to my menu. You know you'd stop in for one, an ice pop would be a perfect accompaniment to a stroll on a summer evening. Here are some ice pop flavors that will be available: blueberries and cream, blackberry cantaloupe, cucumber mint, raspberry puree with a hint of jalapeno, lavender honey, and Concorde grape.

Hives, the mother of invention.

House arrest

The Saturday market was beautiful, the summer fruits are plentiful and it really feels like summer.

A few moments after basking in the glory of the last bite of my last pain au chocolat from Cafe Soleil, I got a wicked headache. Could it have been my body responding to the final chapter of the Cafe? I mean, I've just learned what my body thinks about over consumption of strawberries. Caused by faux drama or not, things began to go downhill quickly. It was the kind of headache that plants the fear of an on boarding migraine. I made it home, threw back naproxen, watered and salted myself. No improvement, I added orange juice. This couldn't happen today! I had a beautiful day ahead of me celebrating the love of two friends, their new baby and more wonderful recent life changing moments.

Flashback.

Enter "Novocaine lip," unfortunately, I remembered this feeling. I was getting face hives again. Convinced that I could conquer this and still go to the party I took more of the prescribed meds, a cool shower and covered my body in sunscreen. My face kept inflating and I began to look like a mole with super thick lips. I was thinking through my entrance at the party and how helpful a burka could have been. I was coming up with funny games we could play trying to contort my face in different ways. But over the next 10 minutes my throat began to feel an uncomfortable pressure, I had a few yawns, coughs and general panic inducing moments. I spoke with a friend, called urgent care, packed my bag with reading materials and went to the clinic. I found the most secluded seat in the waiting room which happened to be facing a receptionist. I overheard half of several phone calls: a rash, a migraine, broken ankle, a potential suicide and someone trying to schedule a massage appointment.

Thankfully, the drama pretty much ended when I arrived. I was seen way sooner than expected (by 2 hours), the doc gave me an inhaler and an express line pass to see an allergy specialist. So I went home, missing the party and reluctantly turned on my air conditioning. Sealing up my house in the summer seems like a sin.

Today my summer fun Sunday was to entail a visit to Jordandal farm with friends. I had also been invited to two wonderful brunches which I was already sad to be missing. Instead I am a puffy, splotchy, itchy mess. Windows closed and a chill in the air I am pretending that it is actually a miserably cold winter day. Snow cone anyone?

P.S. I've been told by multiple insiders that I need not fear and that Graze will take care of my pastry needs. I know they won't let me down.

A Madison Yankee

08.14.10 Grand opening celebration of
the new Madison Children's Museum

Last week my family was honored with a presentation about the history of Madison’s Block 99. This triangle of land is the location of the much anticipated new Madison Children’s Museum as well as the location of my Great Great Grandparents’ home and the location of the first Jackson Clinic.
As I learn about the generations that walked on the same Madison streets I walk today, I have been wondering what those family members would think about my life in Madison today. I truly celebrate this Independence Day. I am grateful to be a single, property owning, childless, petless, career woman free from so many obstacles that were faced by those before me.
I have been thinking a lot about sense of place and what home means to me. In a treasured account of the Jackson family’s time on Block 99, two of my Great Aunts wrote about holiday celebrations and shared the insight below. The father that is reference is my Great Great Grandfather.
“On the Fourth of July the father, pretending to be still an Englishman, always grumbled loudly that it was an insult for a Britisher to have to hand out hard-earned cash to buy fireworks for Yankees to celebrate their independence; and forthwith distributed nickels, dimes, and quarters. Though a loyal American citizen, he never lost his love for the land of his birth, and the least unfavorable criticism of England quickly brought him to her defense.”
This Yankee purchased her sparklers and snap pops without a grumble, rather with gratitude for those that came before me and afforded me the opportunities and freedom that I have today.