Fries and Family for Writer’s Workshop

I’m writing two separate pieces in one post today for Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop. First, a poem inspired by the following prompt: Write a love poem to a favorite food. The second piece is about this prompt: Social media is an amazing way to reunite with old friends. Describe a good or not-so-good experience you’ve had with it.

Ode to French Fries

Oh, french fries, you’re glorious,
even though you’re calorious,
You simply are my favorite food.

Share you, I’ll never
Even though it will ever
Be said that I’m rude.

No ketchup, please,
I’d rather have cheese,
Or just sprinkle you with plenty of salt.

Although I just love your taste,
You really add to my waist,
Our love affair certainly must halt!

Skins on or nak-ed,
Fried, but not bak-ed,
Thick or thin, still I adore you.

After much consideration,
I’ll try moderation.
My love for you remains true!

If you wrote a poem to your favorite food, what food would you choose?

Mama's Losin' It

Facebooking My Way to Family

Basically, they thought I stole their uncle away from them. They were six and nine, and had had a doting uncle up to this point. Then suddenly, their uncle wasn’t as accessible any more. He became busy on the weekends, and visited less spontaneously. And when he did see them, he brought me along. They no longer had their fun-loving, rough-housing uncle to themselves. Instead, he was always holding hands and confiding in someone else: me.

I was a teacher, and I always got along with kids. I thought I would win them over instantly. However, it didn’t turn out that way. We got along, but our relationship was never “easy.” I disciplined them too much, unable to drop my teacher ways over the weekend. They resented me sometimes for just being there.

Their uncle and I married, and suddenly, I was their aunt. I don’t think they have ever called me “aunt”. I was just as bad; in the beginning, I referred to them as “my husband’s niece and nephew,” not “my niece and nephew.”

Along the way, they became teens. For some unrelated reason, I joined facebook. They friended me. We started chatting online. They commented on my statuses and I wrote on their walls. The relationships we had online seemed to be smoother and more natural than the relationships we had in person.

In my mind and in my heart, they became my niece and nephew. Just as I hope that in their hearts, they think of me as Aunt Ginny, and know that I’ll be there whenever they need me.

What Thanksgiving Looks Like

Since I live in the Midwest, Thanksgiving weather is always cold, usually damp, and sometimes snowy. The brilliant colors of fall are over; the landscape is a combination of grays and browns.

As my family gathers together at Thanksgiving, we light a fire in the fireplace. We eat Chex Mix, turkey, and green bean casserole. But the thing we enjoy the most during our Thanksgiving celebration is playing cards. This is what Thanksgiving looks like in my neck of the woods:

Groups of four, partnered up. Players arranging their hand, bidding, cursing, laughing. My memories of Thanksgiving are of my family playing 500. I’m hoping I get to play a loud, fun game of 500 this Thanksgiving.

What does your Thanksgiving look like? If you don’t live in the U.S., do you have a holiday which is similar to our day of giving thanks?

Today’s post is brought to you by Mama Kat’s Writer’s workshop, which is open even on Thanksgiving!

Mama's Losin' It