Mae @ Rainydayinmay

Talk about presidential progress…

Published on May 25, 2012January 17, 2013 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay9 Comments

With so many pointing out Obama’s flaws and Romneys possibilities/flaws, I thought I would step out and do something I vowed to never do on my blog.

Talk politics.

With a son who is deployed, and a family (including myself) deeply committed to being proud Americans, I obviously have political interests and opinions. Granted, they may not be as passionate or informed as some, but they aren’t ignorantly lemming based either.

I believe in voting.

I believe that EVERYONE has the responsibility (not opportunity- RESPONSIBILITY) to vote.

People who shirk this responsibility deeply disappoint me.

On that note, I also believe in educating yourself (not what celebrities or well meaning friends tell you that you should do, but actually reading yourself) on the candidates (with ACTUAL facts) and their agendas. Then, I don’t care if you vote for Elmo- at least you came to that decision of your own mind…

Which leads me to the coming election…

More than anything I want a president who has a heart for ALL people, and who is honest. As we are referring to a human being though, we have to realize that entirely honest may not be very realistic. In any case, please allow me to nominate my pick for our next president:

George Clooney.

He DOES have a heart for people.

He uses his success to help so many, and surrounds himself with friends who (like them or not) do the same. If they can’t help them, they adopt them.

Just kidding. {I really am kidding. I think I am one of 8 others who think it’s awesome that the Jolie-Pitts adopt everyone.}

Anyway…

He has great roots, a great story, a great sense of self with just the right amount of humility.

He is dignified.

Some people would choose now to point out a bit of a womanizing pattern, but that’s hardly anything new in the White House so I won’t even allow it to defer my plan.

Where was I?

I don’t remember…

Anyway, just look at him! He’s a great guy who cares about people, uses his power for good instead of evil AND looks like that.

Worst case scenario- he turns into a complete monster. We could still look at him so as far as I’m concerned, we are in a win/win situation.

Back in the ER days, my mom used to say “George Clooney could park his boots beside my bed any day.” I remember groaning and saying “mom, he is SO OLD.” because I was 20, and he had grey hair. But now? Not that I am 36 he looks exactly the same, if not better…

So he’s magical too.

George Clooney for President!

VOTE CLOONEY! ;)

Raw…

Published on May 23, 2012 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay6 Comments

When a woman gives birth to a baby, bestowed upon her is this power that she can make or break the entire life of her child with one smooth move. That’s kind of a lot.

I don’t think most moms even realize it.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that a woman wouldn’t grasp the depth of such a truth until she has come to love a child whose entire life was shattered in such a way.

I have three of these such kids.

And the thing is, I know they love me. Loving me isn’t even the challenge. Allowing me to love them isn’t either. The obstacle is them believing that I could possibly find worth in them that is not based on their actions- and stick around unconditionally. That is the tough part.

And so, I have been going along loving them through the big feelings that are far too difficult to accept and comprehend- regardless of how old these kids grow. As they get older, we talk more openly about some of these things. As best we can anyway.

Life moves along. Good days, bad days; huge days, small days…

And then the post man brings me a letter from my oldest daughter that changes everything.

In it she tells me that she finally knows I am not going anywhere, no matter what disappointments she could ever cause.

It strikes me, the power in that.

The responsibility.

The gift… Because, it is a gift. To extend such faith in me when the very idea of faith feels ridiculous…

I am humbled and awed.

And more than anything I am incredibly grateful…

Etiquette…

Published on May 22, 2012 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay6 Comments

There is this little joke about being friends with a writer. It comically addresses how one should be careful, as they might end of a character in a novel.

Bwa ha ha, right???

I mean, we all know lots of interesting people and I would love to base some of mine as characters in some amazing novel.

If there is any truth to that, then being friends with a blogger could be doubly risky…

Except for the fact that it’s ridiculously uncool to divulge really personal issues about someone, behind their back, on a blog. I don’t care of you take the attitude of supporting them, or not. If you must bad mouth someone, on your blog (because it is your blog and maybe the bad-mouthable content actually has something to do with you) at least change their name. Change the details. Be discreet. Show some tact.

For goodness sake though, don’t ever (EVER, EVER, EVER) blog private/sensitive details about someone’s life, that does not involve you in any way, shape, or form.

It is the most vile form of gossip. It’s hateful. It’s ugly.

It’s wrong.

Seriously.

I am honestly horrified that this sort of thing actually happens.

I’ve heard stories, but only recently saw it. All I can say is that I threw up a little, in my mouth, and will never think of it’s author with any respect again.

Let’s have some class, ya’ll…

Summa, summa, summa-time…

Published on May 21, 2012January 17, 2013 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay6 Comments

Being on the cusp of summer time, it seems like a grand time to bring back the Rainy Day in May summer book club! {woo hoo, applause, yeah!!!!}

If you were around last year, you probably remember that we had an EPIC summer reading. Each of the three selections (May-June, June-July and July-August) were very noteworthy and memorable because each of those three darn books were HORRIBLE.

So yeah, this summer i did MUCH better research.

Here’s how it works…

On the last Monday of every month, I will announce a new book, and that Friday we’ll kick off reading it.

Then, we read the book.

we can discuss it, throughout the month, either here or on FB/Twitter, or via email. Or in person, if you have local friends reading with you. It’s pretty simple really.

I usually do a post specifically about the book we read (and to discuss it) the third week of the month.

On that note, here’s our May-June book:

Rooftops of Tehran, by Mahbod Seraji

Here is the Amazon link, and what Goodreads readers are saying…

So, please join us- I’d love to hear what YOU think!

An adventure in peanut butter…

Published on May 18, 2012January 17, 2013 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay6 Comments

About a month, or so, ago I attended a fund raiser/dinner to send a team of people to Thailand. Various individuals had donated miscellaneous items to be auctioned, and after weeks of wracking my brain about what i possibly had to offer- I decided on cheesecakes.

Six, actually.

a cheesecake a month, for six months.

Because, of anything I’ve ever done or attempted to make- cheesecakes are what I do best. I have perfected it to the point that I do honestly believe i could make any kind of cheesecake.

At any rate, my dear friend fought hard to win the bid for the cheesecake-a-month package and so, when it came time for her to request her family’s first cheesecake- the pressure was on to NOT disappoint them.

The only request she had was peanut butter.

{Confession: I love peanut butter. My son LOVES peanut butter. How in the world have i gone all of this time and NEVER made a peanut butter cheesecake? RIDICULOUS! I have made well over 30 flavors of cheesecake and peanut butter never crossed my mind.}

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

{PB cookie crust, PB cheesecake, topped with bananas and a Nutella sauce}

crust-
10 peanut butter cookies
1/4 c. ground peanuts
1/4 c. unsalted butter

preheat oven to 350.
Butter the bottom and sides of a spring form pan.
Crumble cookies, mix with ground peanuts.
melt butter and add to the gooey mess.
Press down, onto the bottom of the spring form pan.
Bake for 12 minutes.
It should look like a giant, golden, buttery cookie.
Let cool.

Batter:
24 oz. room temperature cream cheese.
1 c. sugar
1 c. half and half
3 whole eggs (the picture of two is misleading. sorry)
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. vanilla
2/3 c. creamy peanut butter

with an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese until it’s smooth and well whipped.
Add sugar and beat until smooth, scraping the sides of bowl when needed.
Mix in half and half.
When well mixed, add the eggs- one at a time- beating for a full minute between.
Mix in lemon and vanilla and mix until smooth.
Add peanut butter and mix until well incorporated.
{Coolest thing about cheesecake. You can’t over aerate it.}

Meanwhile, wrap your pan WELL in foil. You want it tight, with no possible water breaches from the water bath.
Fill your kettle and boil.
Get your deep roasting pan ready, you’re almost done!

poor your heavenly, peanut butter batter onto your crust.

Place it in the roaster and surround your pan with the boiling water.

Place it in the center of your oven and bake for 60 minutes.
Then, turn your oven off and prop the door open with a wooden spoon for 90 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool completely. (important)
After that refrigerate overnight. (the longer the better, so I recommend about 8 hours at least.)

I simply sliced bananas on top and made a quick nutella sauce to drizzle. Very easy. topped with a few chopped up peanuts.
(And I am so sorry about the final photos being crummy iPhone shots. i forgot my camera on delivery)