Resolving to be more productive

A lot of my friends and family have been talking about their New Year’s resolutions – now that the world hasn’t ended like the Mayans predicted. (I told everyone it was stupid to believe in that…)

Regardless of an apocalypse threat, I hadn’t given much thought to what my plans for 2013, beyond training hard for track and field and doing better in school, and all that.

But, this weekend, I started thinking about my lack of productivity this past year and maybe I should make a few resolutions. Like, I didn’t read as much as I should have in 2012. Or write. And I know those two things kind of go together.

And, after helping Grandma in the kitchen this Christmas, I think I might like to learn how to cook. Nothing fancy, yet, because honestly, our holiday feast took forever. But easy, healthy stuff. For kids.

Of course, I’m going to train hard, try and do my homework right after school, and help out around the house a bit more.

What about you? Have you made a list of New Year’s resolutions? Do you keep yours every year? If so…maybe you could give me a few pointers.

Gotta jet! Oh - and Happy New Year!

- Chase Superman Duffy

Feast your eyes on this!

Hold your horses, you’ll never guess what’s happened! Grandma is preparing her usual fantastic Christmas feast and she’s asked me to give her a hand. Yep, little ole me.

In fact, she’s given me a name. Sous chef, which I guess is a fancy word for the next important person in the kitchen. Grandma even bought me my own hat and apron. (I wouldn’t admit to wearing one normally, but she found one with Superman on it. My Grandma knows me so well.)

I don’t know yet exactly what’s on the menu, but  there are a few dishes I am sure of. There will be moist, tender turkey. There will be mouth-watering gravy. There will be stuffing made with chestnuts that were roasted over an open fire. (Just kidding, I think Grandma bakes them in the oven.) We’ll have mashed potatoes (skin on, because it’s healthier for Grandpa), and fresh whole grain buns, carrots, broccoli, and some kind of amazing desert.

Grandma says she’ll have a list of things for me to do. Like, peeling carrots and mashing the potatoes. I hope she shows me how to keep the turkey from going dry.

It’s my first time in the kitchen so I’m pretty excited. My sister isn’t going to be happy, though. The rule is, whoever cooks, doesn’t clean. A dish free Christmas? That might the most awesome thing on my wish list!

Who does the cooking in your house?

Gotta jet!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

- Chase Superman Duffy

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It's that time of year again

My mom has declared this “Christmas Card Weekend” – two full days of eggnog, holiday music, and hand cramps.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the family time. And the eggnog – and sugar cookies – are pretty fantastic, too. But we have a lot of family and friends and Mom doesn’t let us off the hook with a simple signature, or the wishes of Peace, Happiness, Health or whatever I’d wish for that person. Sometimes I have to write full paragraphs about what’s going on in my life, how school is, and so on, and so on.

It would be much easier, and faster, to send an e-mail. But Mom doesn’t agree with that.

At school, we learned how to make newsletter templates. I think after this year, I’m going to suggest we create a family newsletter to keep everyone in the loop. That way, we can all type in our yearly “update.”

Of course, we can still sign cards and drink eggnog. I just won’t have hand cramps. <grin>

Gotta jet!

- Chase Superman Duffy

The Christmas crafting frenzy has begun

Have you looked at the calendar? It’s December 7!

That means there’s only 18 sleeps until Christmas! I can hardly believe it. It’s coming up so fast – and there’s still so much to do. I haven’t even started my wish list or my shopping. I always get stuck on what to buy Grandpa and my Dad.

Mom and Grandma are a bit easier. They always want me to make them stuff. I kind of wish I’d taken pottery in school this year because Mom is always going on about never having enough vases for her fresh-cut flowers in the spring and summer.

My friend Sophie gave me a great idea, though. She said I should check out Pinterest. I took a quick look at the website last night and I’ve already made a list of the stuff I want to make for Mom and Grandma. Now I just need my Dad to take me shopping for supplies.

Pinterest was also great for helping me make my wish list for Santa. I just typed some key words into the search area – like “running”, “books”, etc. – and before long, I’d made a long list of ideas. Now I just need to make it a bit shorter.

Hey! Maybe I’ll make my own Pinterest scrap board – and teaching my parents how to use this tool, might make a neat gift too... Something to think about…

Gotta jet! Have a great weekend, and let the Christmas craft frenzy begin!

- Chase Superman Duffy

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A gentle reminder

Before I learned about blogging, I used to keep a journal. I filled it with all kinds of stuff – like my best track times (wow, have I ever improved), Christmas wish lists, notes for some of my stories (I have a crazy imagination), and sometimes, thoughts about my feelings.

Going through them this week, I found one from last year. Even though I’d already started my blog, I still wrote in my journal, mostly the more personal stuff. It was about this time last year that I learned my Grandpa has diabetes.

At first I was scared. I mean, I didn’t even know what diabetes was. But after I talked to my health teacher, I realized how much my Grandma does to help Grandpa keep his diabetes in check. He stays fit working on the farm, but in the kitchen, Grandma pays close attention to what she’s cooking to make sure Grandpa’s blood sugar levels are balanced.

Grandma says her cookbooks are filled with notes about how to adapt recipes to make them healthier for Grandpa, even things that are as simple as cooking potatoes with the peel on to add fibre and help control his blood sugars.

I got a peek at her cookbook. It’s as thick as a grimoire – and I bet there’s just as much magic inside. Maybe someday I’ll have the chance to see the whole thing.

It’s the end of November – and National Diabetes Month – but I’ll always have it on my mind. Reading my journal was one way to remind me of all the ways I can help Grandpa…including not eating the rest of my Halloween chocolates  in front of  him!

Gotta jet!

- Chase Superman Duffy