I met a new friend who lives just down the street from me. (All the sudden I have all these wonderful neighbor friends... It's so nice!) A few weeks ago her and her Hubby and their kiddos were walking past our house when we happened to be outside, so we said hello and made introductions. She has two two-year-old little boys, which is perfect for us because the L. Pirate has been needing some playmates.
Monday we were able to get together and I found out that she makes her own bread, and even grinds her own wheat because it's so much healthier that way. I've "learned" how to make bread so many times in my life, I can't even count. I know I had more than one YW's activity that included making bread and I know that I have been to more than one Enrichment night where we've made bread, but until very recently it was something I never saw myself doing.
Recently I've had this complete attitude change. I used to me more of a "Why make it if you can buy it?" person, and now I'm learning how to be a "Why buy it if you can make it?" person. Yes, there's budget perks in this, and also huge health benefits in this, but it goes even further than that. There's something very satisfying about making things from scratch. For me it's like I'm really connecting with what I'm doing & not just walking through the motions of life.
So, anyway, making my own homemade bread has been towards the top of my learn-how-to-do-and-then-do-it list for awhile now. When she said she made bread, I was so excited and asked if she'd teach me & so this morning I hauled my new stand-up mixer (gifted to me by a friend who recently PCSed) and we made bread, beginning with the grinding of the wheat. (I'm a little concerned about inhaling wheat since the gluten thing. I think I'll wear a mask when I do it.) Anyway, I came home with a loaf of warm bread which made the Pirate and Hubby both very happy.
This afternoon I decided to put down the books and close the computer and spent some real one on one time with the Pirate. We read books and built a fort and played with the sidewalk chalk outside until it started to rain. It was wonderful. It kind of reminds me of that lesson where they put the rocks in the jar first and then fill in with the sand... I think I had my priorities right today. I should try for that more often.
4 comments:
Nothing like fresh bread cooking in the kitchen. I bet it was really good. I am not a very good bread maker even with my bread machine!! But I sure love homemade bread. I bet the little pirate loved spending the day with you. You are building memories. Even though he is young.
I'm more of a "why buy it when you can make it" person now too. I love making things from scratch and I kinda feel weird when people put that on a pedestal. I prefer knowing what goes into my food, why is that so exciting?
I don't do it all the time of course but it's my preference.
Sounds like a lovely day. I try to do the same, to enjoy the moments, treasure these days because they go by so fast.
I think I'll be making myself an object lesson - the whole rocks and sand thing. I need a permanent visual reminder of that!!
We got ourselves a Bosch for Christmas and haven't bought bread since. Well, one time when my back was out and I couldn't walk for two weeks, but I don't count that! :o) My kids get more excited for fresh bread coming out of the oven than for fresh cookies! I'll send you the recipe we have played with. It's got cooked oatmeal/9-grain in it, and it's so moist and delicious I could die and go to heaven every time I make it. And we've been making it for 9 months! We still go through a whole loaf within a half-hour of it coming out of the oven. :o) Good thing the Bosch recipe makes 6 loaves at a time!
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