The View From Mrs. Sundberg's Window

Lives of Radical Uniqueness

December 8, 2008

Listened to the show Saturday and it was not bad. It had been one of those lovely December days where you try to fit it all in and you actually pull it off. Not only did I clean the house and bake a chocolate-cherry cake, but I made sesame beef for dinner, we put up and decorated the tree, and the kids festooned the house with Christmas — statues and garlands and candles and books. By their bedtime, it was done, and I had in me that feeling of lovely completeness, of everything where it ought to be, if only for a while.

Anything left to do was optional, so after the kids were tucked in, I sat down on the floor by the tree to make my Christmas list. I could hear Mr. Sundberg coughing upstairs; he's had an awful cough all week, and at last it had slowed down a bit so he could rest. Between decorating the church for Advent all morning and hunting for the perfect tree all afternoon, I believe he may have worn himself out. He fell asleep right in the middle of the Hanging of the Lights, and woke up only after the kids tried to roll him from the couch onto my back so I could haul him upstairs and tuck him into bed. It was their idea and they were giggling like all getout and we almost had it just right when he teetered and went rolling on off my back onto the living room floor.

Of course, he wanted to know what in the Sam Hill was going on and then he started hacking away and walked on upstairs on his own. "Who's 'Sam Hill'?" one of the kids asked me. It's another word for "hell", I said. "Why doesn't he just say that in the first place?" Well, I said, there's nothing wrong with being predictable, but it's not a bad thing to be a little bit mysterious or quirky or unique. Some people take it to the next level and seem to make it their prime directive. They live lives of radical uniqueness. Not that that's a bad thing, either. Be who you are, is what I say. It's the one real way to live. I imagine you'll live longer, too.

Some Really Fine Broccoli Salad
Around this time of year there are so many rich and sweet foods around, I get to craving something a bit on the healthful side, and this salad is really something. Mmm.

5 cups broccoli, trimmed

1 cup each: sunflower seeds, craisins (dried cranberries),

shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup fried bacon crumbles

Toss above ingredients together in a large bowl.

Dressing: 1 cup Miracle Whip, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 2 T red wine vinegar

Add dressing just before serving salad.

Enjoy!

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