Spiderman Blues

What a day! Usually when I don't post, it is because I my brain is full of frustrated ornery thoughts that I don't want to throw on others. Today was one such day. First, it was a trying day teaching a particularly wiggly music class. One little four year old kept leaping off the sofas onto the other children. "Spiderman. I want to act out Spiderman!"

"I know Spiderman is cool honey, but wait till you hear about Mozart! He wrote the Don Giovanni Opera."

"Hi-Ah!"... he landed in the middle of the cluster of children and sent them flying then engaged one in battle."

"Ah, but Don Giovanni was a wicked criminal. Did you know he killed someone? Oh, wait till you hear about the ghost!" I had him now. The attention lasted till it was time to learn about crescendos.

Later... leaping and karate kicking with his ribbon streamer, "Gotcha! I'm Spiderman!" Little girls cry as their streamers get yanked and their shins get kicked. Sunshine pouts and runs upstairs because she doesn't get the pink streamer. Little Mother has friends over and decides we are too boring and goes in and out, causing the class to chase to the door and ask to go out to join the fascinating world of the big kids. Some little children run into the road with their streamers, others try to get the dogs to chase them and eat their streamers.

"We are moving our streamers in legato, not staccato. Smoothly class. Show me legato!"

After such brain drain, I forgot a dress rehearsal for one of my daughters. As I rushed into Kingsbury Hall one hour late with my daughters, one half dressed, and all looking like orphans, the director chastised me for my general ineptness. Meanwhile one of my children pulled the door stops from all the doors leading to another chastening from another venerable artisan. I drove home in rush hour traffic to no dinner... literally growling as I slammed on and off the brakes. I walked straight in the house, upstairs to my deck and breathed in and out and tried to meditate.

Happily, my sweetheart read the signs of an impending volcano and offered to make dinner, which is a rare occasion at the castle. As I vented my frustrations on the weeds, my sister-in-law, Becky arrived, full of help and happiness. Becky is funny, animated, caring and totally sweet. The best thing about her is the way she makes me feel. When she leaves, I feel like a really neat and interesting person. I once heard that a truly beautiful woman is not the one that you notice when she walks in the room, it is the one who notices you. I buy it. One hundred percent. Becky couldn't have looked more beautiful.

Between my husband and Becky, I prepare for bed a happy woman. To celebrate my happiness, I want to share my favorite desert for this time of year, Sticky Rice with Mangos from my favorite Thai restaurant. I wait for the Champagne Mangos to come to Costco, then I feast on sticky rice until I am sick. So here is to helping others through their ornery days. May we all do it with sticky rice.

Sticky Rice with Mangos

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 mangos, peeled and sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the rice and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. While the rice cooks, mix together 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, 3/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil; remove from heat and set aside. Stir the cooked rice into the coconut milk mixture; cover. Allow to cool for 1 hour.
3. Make a sauce by mixing together 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook till thickened
   
4. Place the sticky rice on a serving dish. Arrange the mangos on top of the rice. Pour the sauce over the mangos and rice.