happy accident

 The other day, we had the happiest of accidents when it comes to cookies. I've been told that my cholesterol is a bit high (and by a bit, I mean dangerously close to 300), so I was on the lookout for recipes that were heart healthy. I have a big sweet tooth, so to me (especially without ice cream being a daily option anymore) that I find some way to satisfy my sweet cravings. 

I figured oatmeal cookies might be safe, but I'm not a fan of raisins. I reasoned semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips might do the trick instead. I found this recipe and got to work. 

Only thing was we didn't have any oats... or white sugar... and I already told you about the raisins. So, I adjusted the recipe, and it came out so good we are keeping it this way. Even Boy Beeton - picky eater that he is - liked it.

Lower Caroline's Cholesterol Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

2 egg whites

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup sugar in the raw

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup of applesauce

2/3 cup of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 3/4 cups steel cut oats

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Directions

1) Beat the egg whites with salt and sugars.

2) Add applesauce, vanilla, soda, and cinnamon.

3) Stir in chocolate chips.

4) Stir in oats.

5) Add flour and mix.

6) Chill dough for an hour.

7) Form into small balls (1 1/2 inch) and bake 12 to a sheet at 375 degree for about ten minutes. Remove from oven and let rest on a rack for a minute. Then, use spatula to transfer to a plate. Store airtight. Makes 36 cookies.

Another happy accident? A beach house. Well, not for sure, but we've been looking. 

We've always wanted to have a vacation house, especially with the luxury of our long summers thanks to our jobs. And, with Ella and now our two new - high maintenance beasts - it can be difficult to find a dog friendly place to stay. Having our own place - with a yard for them - would make traveling so much easier. And, as others have attested to, the pandemic really opened our eyes up to what we value most in life. Having a space to go with access to the outdoors is a big bonus, especially if we would have to return to remote work and school. (Fingers and toes crossed we do not!)

Why Chincoteague? Not sure if I ever wrote about our trip to Chincoteague several years ago, but shortly after Mr. Beeton got his PhD, we decided to visit and had a wonderful week. We hadn't been back until this past Easter when we decided to spend the holiday there. Then, we spent a week there this summer and had as much fun - if not more - the third time around. Chincoteague is close (and the drive makes it seem so much closer since the scenery is gorgeous), cheap, and charming.

How in the world is this possible? Mr. Beeton is a real estate genius. Not really, but he did make a good call when he encouraged us to buy this house. Most importantly, we love it, but it's also given us amazing equity; it's more than doubled in value since we bought it. So, we took out a HELOC out for a down payment and are taking it from there. We plan on renting to cover the mortgage which our real estate agent has assured us will be doable.

If it sounds like a done deal, it isn't. We did put an offer in on a house that we loved, but the woman who was selling - after verbally agreeing to our offer - decided to hold onto the house. I guess we reawakened her love of her home. 

We just got back from another visit where we looked at three very cute and very different places - some better investments than others. I'll keep you posted, dear readers. 

Keep sweeping.

Martha

Watching The Mysterious Benedict Society. 

sun on the carpet

The world has been moving way too fast lately, and I feel as though I haven't been able to catch up. The fall was hard. The spring was harder. And now, we're headed into summer, which I hope will just be nothing but lovely.

In these moments, I tell myself to breath. And, I hold tight to the little things.

Boy Beeton and I stumbled upon this Little Free Library on the way to a birthday party. These gems are scattered throughout our neighborhood, but this one was particularly sweet.

Mr. Beeton was reading poems by Charles Bukowski. I'd never read Bukowski, but I definitely had a clearly formed image of him from my graduate school days. I opened the book to this poem, which took me by surprise. Completely at odds with the poet I thought I knew and so expressive of my own feelings about parenthood. 

Marina
majestic, magic
infinite
my little girl is
sun
on the carpet-
out the door
picking a flower, ha!
an old man,
battle-wrecked,
emerges from his
chair
and she looks at me
but only sees
love,
ha!, and I become
quick with the world
and love right back
just like I was meant
to do.

Keep sweeping,

Martha

Read My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. Watched Carol. Watching Catastrophe. 

a wonderfully messy life

I've been reading Katie Roiphe's book In Praise of Messy Lives. I know I'm not supposed to "like" Roiphe, but I love the title of her book. And, since my own life - of late - has felt incredibly messy, I thought it might be comforting to read the words of someone who not only has a messy life but goes so far as to praise it.

The book, which is a collection of previously titled essays, was inspired by an article that Roiphe wrote for The New York Times on Mad Men. It's an interesting read about the phenomenon that is the AMC series, about Roiphe's mother, and about the pursuit of happiness. In reading it, I was struck by the closing passage:

In the 17th century, the metaphysical poet Andrew Marvell wrote, "But at my back I always hear/ Time's winged chariot hurrying near." He also wrote: "The grave's a fine and private place,/ But none, I think, do there embrace." Mad Men seems to be telling us the same thing, in its own stylish, made-for-television way: we are bequeathed on earth one very short life, and it might be good, one of these days, to make sure that we are living it.

Could we use, in other words, in these fine healthy times, just a little of the madness?

My grandmother died this past week. She was 94 years old, and this summer would have been her 71st wedding anniversary to my grandfather. The next day I had to go to New York City for a conference. Before we left, my colleagues/friends and I stopped to take a picture of ourselves at the Don Draper bench near the Time Life building. When I got home, I walked up the stairs, past this fabulous photo of my grandparents, read this chapter in Roiphe's book, and went to sleep.

To me, that's more than a little madness.

Keep sweeping,
Martha

Finished reading Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill.

five minutes more

Five more minutes of fame...

Keep sweeping,
Martha

Finished reading The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters and watched Obvious Child.

my five minutes

A student of mine made this little video for a class that she is taking on digital media. I thought I'd share it in case anyone is interested in learning more about my scholarship (or seeing my office).

Keep sweeping, Martha

warm woolen mittens

March has never been the easiest month around here. And this winter has been particularly hard. We've been slogging through, overwhelmed by ridiculous administrative work, preschool decisions, job interviews, and defense scheduling.

It's times like these that you need to focus on the simple things and breathe.

Sewing draft blockers

Roasting vegetables

Eating lots of "jolly soup" (i.e. homemade vegetable soup)

Newspaper wrapping

Coloring

Heavy whipping cream in coffee (accidentally)

Keep sweeping,

Martha

Watching The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

but a whimper

I wish I could say I ended 2014 with some excitement, but the energy level around here lately hasn't been conducive to merriment. I'm feeling positive about 2015, though, making resolutions at Bridget Jones's breakneck speed. Though my time - right now - would be better served working on my reappointment materials (which are almost - miraculously - done), I am going to follow in the footsteps of my truly inspirational undergraduates this semester and binge watch Vanderpump Rules. Forgive me.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer and Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham. Watched Gone Girl (!!!) and Girls: Season Three.

setting the summer sun on fire

If you don't know who Andy Cohen is, you should. I've been a fan of his as long as I can remember - or at least since Bravo began airing Real Housewives reunions. Mr. Beeton and I would laugh and laugh and laugh when Andy asked a ridiculously rude question that was supposedly sent in by a viewer but which was probably just something he wanted to know. He's cool like that.

We've also been seriously addicted to Andy's late night show - Watch What Happens Live. It looks like it might be filmed in his mom and dad's basement; he and his guests play outrageous games; and it contains a crazy combination of guests (Anderson Cooper and Camille Grammer, Rachel Maddow and Jenni Pulos, NeNe Leakes and Michelle Obama... okay, I made that last one up). The show is so wacky that it was spoofed on Saturday Night Live. (Just for the record, they are a little too mean to Andy for my taste in this one.)



Well, I found out the other day that Andy is having a contest. You see, another quirky aspect of Andy's show is that he has a bar on set, and in each episode, there is a different bartender. The grand prize for his contest, Raise the Bar, is to BE ANDY'S BARTENDER FOR A NIGHT! So, of course, I entered. You had to submit a written piece that was 200 words or less explaining why you are WWHL's biggest fan and why you deserve to be behind Andy's bar.

Top Ten Reasons Why I Deserve to Be Behind the Bar in Andy’s Clubhouse

10 – Because as an English teacher, I swoon every time you say, “Hello caller. What’s your name, and from where are you calling?”

9 – Because I make a mean Pimm’s cup.

8 – Because you took my D.C. housewives away. You owe me.

7 – Because I go to the Jersey Shore every summer, and I never wear sunscreen.

6 – Because I can’t wait to see your parents' basement. (That’s where you film, right?)

5 – Because my husband and I played drinking games to WWHL before you did.

4 – Because if I were a real housewife, my tagline would be – In this capital city, there’s only one president. Mazel! (Said in Heather’s voice.)

3 – Because last year, at age thirty-seven, I had my first baby, and I didn’t hire Rosie Pope.

2 – Because if you think Jiggy’s cute, wait until you meet my Westie, Ruby.

1 – Because if you didn’t pick me, you’d be MY jackhole of the week.

If you are a true Andy fan, you'll understand what I've written above. And, if you're not, then you won't, so you'd better tune in every week night on Bravo and get up to speed!

Keep sweeping, Martha

burning in my heart

For those of you who may not have heard, the DMV area found themselves smack-dab in the center of a heat wave these past few weeks. As a result, it's been too hot to blog. I've started several posts but haven't finished them. Today, however, it's a glorious 75 degrees and cloudy. I'm still recovering, though, so all you'll get from me is a top ten list, some photographs, and a short little video. Enjoy!

Top Ten Ways to Beat the Heat

10. Pick radishes. You've read about our past experiences with container gardening here and with our community garden plot here. Well, I think we finally got it right. We constructed our own little raised garden plots at the side of our house, and we've got radishes!

9. Read Ann Patchett and watch Weeds. No explanation needed.

8. Visit the National Gallery of Art. This D.C. site has lots to offer in a heat wave - air conditioning, gelato, Leo Villareal's Multiverse, and a nearly empty contemporary art gallery where little ones can crawl around until their heart is content.

7. Follow up visit to art gallery with a visit to RDF. After strolling around the art museum, we stopped off at RDF for some hummus, beer, and white sangria. A great halfway stopping point between the museum and the metro.

6. Trek out to Tysons Corner. We window-shopped, played at Barnes and Noble, and dined at Gordon Biersch. Unfortunately, a lot of other people had this same idea. As a result, Tysons Corner wasn't much cooler than our living room.

5. Learn new tricks. We thought we could make this video go viral by replacing our silly jabbering with "I'm so mad at Pepco!"

4. Drink Pimm's Cups. This drink really is the ultimate heat wave drink. Combine a quarter of a cup Pimm's with three-quarters of a cup of ginger ale. Add ice and a slice of cucumber.

3. Make baby-friendly popsicles. There are so many creative sites out there with recipes for popsicles! I made mine with yogurt and frozen blueberries, and I put them in the rocket pop molds that I bought at Whole Foods. Yummy!

2. Make your own country club. Combine one inflatable pool with one goofy grin. What heat wave?

1. Get a haircut. Yup. We finally did it. A few tears were shed (mine, not his), but around these parts, it's a hundred percent cooler.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. Watching Weeds: Season 7. 

Happy day-after-birthday to Fairy Godmother M! We love you lots around here.

tuesdays with

Tuesdays have always held a special place in my heart. My love of Tuesdays started in graduate school when Tuesday night would bring yoga, a trip to a special coffee shop on Main Street to order a latte from one of the two baristas I had a crush on, and end with Gilmore Girls. Then, Tuesdays became about quizzo with a rag tag team of Delawareans. When I moved to D.C., I tried to keep my Tuesdays special, which was easy. In a city this big, you can always find a Tuesday evening yoga class, and without discerning taste, you can usually find a Tuesday night television show to obsess over.

Today feels like one of those Tuesdays. Maybe it's because I got a full six hours sleep last night (thank you, Mr. Beeton!). Maybe it's because I've finally had a significant breakthrough on this book project. Maybe it's because it's May, filled with birthdays and my first Mother's Day. Maybe it's because we have reservations to go to Mintwood for baked Alaska. Maybe it's because I found the perfect birthday gift for Baby Beeton (thank you Young House Love!). Maybe it's because the sun is shining. Maybe it's because I've got bookclub tonight. I'm not exactly sure what it is that's given me this feeling, but I know I want to hold onto it.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Richard Russo's Straight Man.

the feminine mystique in a mad, mad world

I've been thinking about Betty Draper a lot lately.

As most of you know, Mad Men returns tonight after a 17 month hiatus, and throughout the week, the actors and actresses have been appearing on the morning talk shows to promote the new season. The other day, Matt Lauer (poorly) interviewed Matthew Weiner, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, January Jones, Vincent Kartheiser, Jared Harris, and Kiernan Shipka. Of course, Betty Draper's mothering was a point of discussion. Lauer noted that it's bad, and Jones balked. But, Weiner stood up in her defense.

I've always wondered about people's strong reactions to Betty's mothering. My students hate her, even after we talk about the 1950s, read sections of The Feminine Mystique, even after I ask them to imagine being in her position. I guess it's hard for them to do. After all, they are (mostly) 18-year-old, over privileged white students with iPhones, Louis Vuitton "bookbags," and internships on the Hill. They point to this video to defend their critiques.

And, I'll be honest. I didn't really understand Betty in full until I became a mother, even if I was a bit more sympathetic than my students. Intellectually, I understood her plight (after all, I did teach Women's Studies classes at the University of Delaware), but emotionally, I didn't connect until Baby Beeton arrived. Then, I realized how I struggled to care for Baby Beeton with kindness and patience when met only with screams, how hard it can be to take a shower some days let alone set my hair and make sure my nail polish and toe polish match, how difficult throwing something together in the crock pot can be, how lonely I felt even when my husband would be home long before Don Draper ever made it back from the city.

I was glad that Weiner defended Betty a bit. After all, her life is filled with difficulties, and while she is far from perfect, I think a lot of her characteristics are understandable given her situation. Admittedly, I was concerned for her further character deterioration in Season Four, afraid the writers were listening too hard to my students (after all, villains can be fun... isn't that why we all love to hate Thomas?). One of the reasons Mad Men is so successful, I feel, is because the characters are all flawed; they are round, not flat, and I hope that sentiment is remembered in Season Five and that Betty is fleshed out once again.

So, when I put on my Betty Draper inspired, houndstooth shirt dress that I found at Polly Sue's for our premiere party tonight, I won't be thinking about the Vulture video. Instead, I'll have this image of Betty in my mind. Because after all, doesn't this scene really say it all?

Keep sweeping, Martha

bliss

I know I should be writing right now about our fabulous trip to Rochester (and it was fabulous)... but, Mr. Beeton is at school, working on his plants, and Baby Beeton is asleep (knock wood). That means right now it's me, Ella, a big bowl of yogurt, granola, and honey, and an episode of Bethenny Ever After. See the title of this post.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Origin by Diana Abu-Jaber.