Jane VerMulm's Blog, page 3

Comfort food at its finest

I have always loved to cook and bake, and even when we are
not distancing from others because of a viral epidemic, we enjoy lots of home
goodies. I thought I would share with you one of our favorite meals that I am
cooking today.

For those of you who are not from Northwest Iowa, or have
never known me personally, or anyone from that area, we have a specialty here
called chili and cinnamon rolls!

Don’t ask me how it started. I moved into the area when I was
in high school, and was surprised by this lovely combination as well. Somehow
the spices of the chili and the sweet, cinnamon deliciousness complement each
other to perfection!

My dear departed mother-in-law shared with me her recipe for
chili, which is quite mild. I usually add more chili powder, and added tomato
juice to the original typed recipe card, but this recipe is good, especially
for kids who don’t want too much heat in their chili:

Chili Soup

2 lbs. Hamburger

1 cup onion, chopped

1 large can tomato juice

2 cans red kidney beans

2 cans condensed tomato soup

1 cup water

2 cups chopped celery

1 Tbsp. Salt

2 Tbsp. Chili powder

Brown hamburger and onion together and drain grease. Combine
all ingredients and simmer for 1 hour.

That’s simple, right? Now for the cinnamon rolls: I don’t have
any special recipe for them, just from my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook, but
even purchasing rolls from the store works for this combo. Some people like to
eat the roll beside the chili, and some like to even dip bits of the roll in
the chili. It is completely up to you. As I used to tell my kids, don’t say you
don’t like it until you have tried it! Anyway, in my area, this, my friends, is
comfort food at its finest!

My work in poetry

I work several jobs, and one of them is as a Senior Center manager in
my town. I have worked there for a number of years, serving a state
subsidy meal at the Senior Center, and organizing the meals to be
delivered to shut-ins. I eat with the diners, do the dishes, and
sometimes provide activities.

When I first started, I was struck with the inspiration one day to
write a poem. Let me tell you about the inspiration. My husband and I
had recently purchased a home from an older couple who didn’t want to
move the old pool table in the basement, so we kept it. My teenage son
and his friends were very enthusiastic, bringing their own pool cues to
the games, and having a great deal of fun learning to play and hanging
out. I love that feeling, of hearing the shouts of despair at missed
shots and laughter, and knowing that the fun is something they will grow
up and remember.

At the Senior Center, there is a pool room, and the older gents
gather on a daily basis to shoot the breeze and a few games of pool. I
noticed soon after starting my work there that the sounds I heard from
the pool room were exactly the same. Shouts of despair and laughter and
fun sound the same when they are coming from men of 80 or young men of
16. That inspired me. The friendships I have formed with the senior
citizens in my community inspired me, and continue to teach me that this
thing called life is such sweet ride to be on with those we care
about. Here is the poem that I wrote:

I See You – by Jane Ver Mulm

I see you as a handsome
stranger.

Though the years have creased
your face,

For all the cares and
problems

Have left wrinkles in their place.

 I see you as a healthy young man.

Though your pace has slowed a
bit,

You use what strength you
have

To work where you see fit.

I see you as a small playful
boy,

Through the twinkle in your
eye

As you tease with silly
banter.

Years have never left you shy!

I see you as a busy mother,

Though your hands are gnarled
and worn.

They cared for loved ones
tirelessly

Day and night, from early morn.

I see you as a fair young
maiden,

When you reach to touch your
hair.

Though snowy now, and
thinning,

Vibrant tresses once grew there!

I see you as a small loving
girl,

When you smile with kindly
eyes.

Your patient, gentle
sweetness

Aging never can disguise.

Although my eyes are younger,

My life in a different place,

I like to see you in my mind

In a different time and space.

To know you walked my
pathway,

Before, when you were young,

Gives me courage and
inspiration.

To walk this life path ‘til it’s done.

I hope that as you see me

Through eyes that have been
here,

You remember what your life
has taught,

And treasure every year.

What happened to common sense?

Common sense, as defined on Dictionary.com, is “sound practical judgment that is
independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native
intelligence.”

Now, it is
not my intent in this blog to throw stones at a wasp nest like what is “normal”
intelligence. I want to look at the seeming lack in so much of our world of
“sound practical judgment,” or one could say, simply, logical thinking.

It seems people often don’t know how to think. The world is full of people telling us what to think. Let me illustrate using
one of my pet peeves, the advertising industry. The advertising industry tells
young parents, for example, that they need to get so much stuff to be a good
parent! Everything from diapers and wipes to toys that will practically educate
your child by itself!

Apply some common sense to the situation.  Yes, you need diapers. Does it make more
sense to buy disposable diapers or cloth diapers that you can wash? Weigh your
options, compare costs, decide what is most practical for you. THINK before you
follow the path the advertiser wants you to follow!

I was a stay-at-home mom, and because I had a washer and
dryer, and time, I used cloth diapers most of the time. I bought disposable for
traveling, and for when we were away from home. It was cost effective for me.

Another place where I see a lack of logical thinking is in
social media. I am on Facebook, and sometimes you can tell that things are
meant to be a joke, but often you can tell that people are not applying any
thought to things.  I recently saw a post
(probably a phishing scheme of some sort) proclaiming that an amazing
occurrence was happening only in this year! Mathematic geniuses could not
figure out why this was the case, and it would only happen once in this
century! If you add the year of your birth and your current age, it would be
2019! Amazing! (Please note my heavy sarcasm!) I am no mathematical genius, but
I am smart enough to know that my birth year plus my age is always going to be
the current year!

Now, these are just a couple of examples. Logical thinking,
or common sense can also be applied to much weightier decisions, and I fear
this is not being taught in many families, schools, or places of worship. Do
people take the time to apply common sense to things like, for instance, race
relations? This is where we get into all the biases that are passed from
generation to generation without thought. Is there something that you think
about a certain race that hinders your common sense? Think about what you would
say or feel if someone thought about you in that way. If you would be outraged,
that is a good indication that it is a bias, and not true. Nobody likes to be
lumped together with a certain group and judged that they are always the same
as everyone else. The only race we are a part of is the human race!

I hope that I have passed on to my children, and anyone that
knows me, that common sense means using your thoughts to look at all sides of a
problem, weigh the options, logically make observations, and basing decisions
on thoughtful consideration rather than just what everyone else is doing.

Jane Ver Mulm – “A Matter of Fact Lady”

“A matter of fact lady.” My grandma on my dad’s side was called this by one of the relatives at her funeral. It has stuck with me because it was so true.

My grandma grew up in a time that was not easy in our country. She was only a girl when her mother died, leaving her to be the cook and maid for her father and brothers, who were farmers. She married, gave birth to five boys and two girls, and raised them through “The Dirty Thirties.” Two of the boys went through basic training in order to fight in World War II, but both were killed in separate car accidents before deployment.

My grandpa and grandma went separate ways when my dad was a teenager, but never divorced. Grandpa kept supporting Grandma throughout his life. During her life, Grandma faced many hardships, but she opened her heart to her family and friends. Ready with a cup of coffee and a word of wisdom or advise, a warm chuckle and a playful smack on a grandchild’s behind, and an attitude that life was to be enjoyed.

I was one of the younger grandchildren, and by my time, Grandma didn’t cook or bake as much as she had earlier in her life. She passed on her rhubarb pie recipe, which I still use, and my parents tell me that she was a wonderful cook. I do remember that her simple meals were delicious, even if they were just hamburgers, vegetables, and potatoes. And I remember her homemade syrup over pancakes!

Grandma took each day as it came, and made the best of it. She was a “matter of fact lady,” and as an adult, I have aspired to be like her. I think many in her generation were. When I am faced with a difficulty, it helps me to think about what my grandma would have done. I hope that this blog will become a place for me to share something of myself, and hopefully help some of you on your journey.

My grandparents and their children – ca. 1944