15 minute read
Her Technology
HER TECHNOLOGY + adjusting
MOM, TECHNOLOGY AND THE NEW NORMAL
‘Touch the screen if it’s gone black and it will come back,” I guide my mom through her first lesson (and mine) on the new tablet, purchased so that she can Zoom.
“Like this?” she tapped without any results.
“That was your fingernail. Use your fingertip,” I suggest.
The screen flashed on but quickly went black again.
“Maybe you have to swipe left.”
This time, the home screen came into view. But, now what?
Yes, now what? That burning question being asked in every language on the planet these days!
“I used to think about how difficult it must have been for folks to go from horses to cars,” Mom sighed. “This is much worse – on so many levels.”
BY JAN KURTZ
“The difference between then and now is the speed of changes,” I noted. “Now we’re adjusting every hour. This is a steep learning curve for everyone.”
On March 14, I traveled to Eau Claire to celebrate my mother’s 94th birthday on St. Patrick’s Day, despite the dark cloud of impending doom. The warning was clear. “Don’t visit your elders.” With that, my son and family wisely canceled, but I trekked on.
By March 15, events were being canceled.
In that unimaginable moment, there were no facts to rely on for decision-making. In the days to come, we channel-surfed through a bombardment of bad news. We foraged between the CDC regulations, the administration’s mixed messages and Dr. Fauci’s stern and straight science, hoping to find solid guidelines.
We learned new vocabulary: PPE, N-95 mask, surge, new normal, social distancing and senior shopping hours.
“Do you really have to grocery shop at 5:30 a.m., wear a mask, leave the bags in the garage, take a shower and wash your clothes?” Mom asked me on my first trek as a hunter-gatherer for the recommended 14-day-stay-at-home period. She looked at her recipes and made her list even longer.
I thought she would revert to a Depression days mentality that was passed on to me through my upbringing. I expected to see flour, sugar and canned goods on the list.
“What’s this about maraschino cherries?” I asked.
“Those are for the ice cream sundae,” she stated matter-of-factly. “If you’re going to put yourself in harm’s way, you ought to make the best of it.”
And so it was that, every day at precisely noon, she presented a fourcourse meal, served on the good China, with goblets for wine. “This is my normal,” she assured me. “I love to cook and we don’t have to starve just because we are quarantined.”
We carefully implemented the recommendations to put mail, newspapers and packages into the garage alongside our newly purchased groceries. We sprayed surfaces with the prescribed chlorine-water mix. We washed our
continued on page 38 Phyllis, Jan Kurtz's mom, continued to stay active during the early stages of COVID-19. Here, she is doing stretches in her chair yoga Zoom class. 15-3572_Ad Design Her Voice.qxp_Layout 1 7/6/15 8:26 AM Page 1 15-3572_Ad Design Her Voice.qxp_Layout 1 7/6/15 8:26 AM Page 1
15-3572_Ad Design Her Voice.qxp_Layout 1 7/6/15 8:26 AM Page 1 15-3572_Ad Design Her Voice.qxp_Layout 1 7/6/15 8:26 AM Page 1
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TOP: Jan Kurtz’s mom, Phyllis, presents a fourcourse meal, served on the good China, with goblets for wine. Phyllis said, “I love to cook and we don’t have to starve just because we are quarantined.”
BOTTOM: Phyllis (left) and friend Pam (right) enjoy a picnic in the “Garage Café” during COVID-19. continued FROM page 41
hands raw and heard that rubbing onions on them afterwards would keep them away from our faces.
My four-day visit became weeks. If I left her, could I return? Up until now, she was totally self-sufficient. She enjoyed grocery shopping “to get exercise” and scope out ingredients. She attended chair yoga, Bible studies and condo lunches. Her cloth library bag was full of the latest best sellers to take her through the week. What would become of her mental and physical health if cloistered inside?
Worry is a motivator, but often not necessary. I reasoned the tablet device would offer socialization. I wrote out instructions and held daily practices.
“Tap the link,” I began the lesson.
“What is a link?”
“That blue line,” I’d point and she would tap the screen as if it were on fire.
Lessons improved when a friend sent an Andrea Bocelli link of “Music of Hope” sung in the empty Duomo di Milano. Delighted, she touched again and again, enjoying the magnificent music. Motivation – the key to learning. Then, the melodious tenor changed to Carol Burnett cackling. Mom had discovered the black hole of unending YouTube entertainment.
On our first techno Sunday, Mom dressed up, including jewelry. We situated ourselves on the loveseat together, repeated the prayers and sang along with
Pastor Leslie, streaming the service alone from her office.
“Technology. Love it or hate it,” Mom moaned. “It’s so frustrating when I can’t make it work. This is too much!” she whimpered, remembering the “good old days” of a month ago.
A daily routine of stretching exercises, mealtimes, writing letters and FaceTime emerged as the weeks melted together in a dimension of time warps. While others hoarded toilet paper, wore sweatpants and binge watched old movies, Mom dressed in nice outfits, cooked new recipes, and kept her daily date with the newspaper’s crosswords.
On April 26, I finally left. I left her pantry full, freezer full, spray bottle full. We blessed each other with a drop of frankincense on our foreheads. We hugged because we could.
Since then, she has Zoomed her yoga, Bible class and church meetings, often exhausted when the codes don’t work. She set up a card table in the garage complete with a plastic, pink table covering and centerpiece to receive guests at a six-foot distance with a mask.
The robins, lupines, apple blossoms and mosquitos have returned.
But, should I?
Phyllis, Jan Kurtz’s mom, joins a chat room, embracing technology in the age of COVID-19.
Jan’s roots are in the north country, but Spanish continues to add extra dimensions to her life’s journey. Since retiring from teaching Spanish, her travels cycle between family, the Wisconsin cabin and the occasional foray across borders. She is writing a book about the surprising places and unexpected adventures opened to her by virtue of speaking Spanish. Find her writings at: www.janetkurtz.com.
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HER TABLE + ingredients
HOW DO I COOK WITH THAT?
RECIPES BY SUE READY
CHICKEN APPLE SAUSAGE SHEET PAN MEAL WITH ROASTED VEGGIES AND COUSCOUS
Cook’s Notes: A healthier alternative to traditional sausage when using chicken and apple sausage. They are gluten and nitrate free with no added hormones. Some delicious add-ins include: butternut squash, sweet potatoes and broccoli. Serve the entree with a side of parmesan garlic couscous or your favorite rice. It’s an ever ready special that serves four.
Cooking Tips: I added the broccoli in the last 5 minutes of cooking time with dried cranberries. This avoids the broccoli getting mushy from being overcooked. Reserve one teaspoon of the olive oil /syrup/spice mixture to toss with broccoli. Quartered Brussels sprouts can substitute for broccoli but they will need the full cooking time with butternut squash cubes and sweet potatoes.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1/4 teaspoon each thyme, parsley, rosemary, cinnamon 1 package (12 oz.) chicken and apple smoked sausage.
Cut each link into fifths. 2 cups each broccoli florets and diced sweet potatoes 1 cup butternut squash, cubed 1/2 large red onion, cut into slices 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced 1 large or 2 small Honeycrisp apples, diced or another crisp apple (could substitute two Bosc pears) 1/3 cup dried cranberries or cherries Optional 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone pad. In a bowl whisk together olive oil, maple syrup and spices. Reserve 1 teaspoon of liquid for broccoli. Add sweet potatoes, butternut squash cubes, sausage links, red onion chunks, garlic and diced apples. Mix well and spread mixture out on a baking sheet. Roast vegetables and apples until tender, about 15 minutes. Mix broccoli florets and cranberries or cherries with reserved liquid. Cook 7 minutes longer.
CREAMY TORTELLINI SOUP WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND SPINACH
Cook’s notes: One of the best things about this soup recipe is its versatility with lots of options: Italian sausage or turkey sausage, green beans, peppers or cubed yellow squash, chicken broth or beef broth, cheese tortellini or tri-color tortellini, spinach or cabbage, spices. Prep ingredients ahead for easier assembly. This hearty rustic soup works well for a main meal and also is one of those soups that tastes better the second day. Pair the meal with artisan or French bread. Recipe serves 4.
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup onion, diced 1 tablespoon garlic cloves, minced 3/4 pound Italian sausage or 2 cups cooked meat 1/3 cup each diced carrots, celery, sweet red pepper 1 cup zucchini, diced 1 32-ounce container of chicken broth (low sodium and fat free) 2 fresh tomatoes, diced and drained on a paper towel 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano 1 teaspoon each dried Italian seasoning and parsley 1-2 cups torn spinach leaves (remove stems) 1 9-ounce package fresh or frozen tortellini 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
DIRECTIONS:
In a soup pot, brown sausage and drain off fat. Crumble and set meat aside on a paper towel. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute onions 3 minutes. Add in garlic and saute 1 minute more. Turn heat to low and add in zucchini, peppers, carrots, celery. Cover 6 minutes, stirring a few times. Change heat setting to medium low and add to the sauteed vegetables tomatoes, spices, cooked meat, canned diced tomatoes and broth. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add in tortellini and spinach leaves, cook uncovered about 10 minutes, until pasta is al dente. Stir in yogurt. (I used Fage brand which is thicker than other Greek yogurt products)
Note: Leftover soup on the second day will need more broth as the tortellini will have absorbed some liquid.
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ICED OREO COOKIES
Who knew Oreo cookies could get any better? Iced Oreo Cookies are a kid-friendly holiday cookie recipe. It’s a creative idea with lots of decorating possibilities.
Cook’s Notes/Tips: Classic Family Favorite Oreo Cookies work the best as Oreo Thins fall apart in the dipping process and Double Stuff makes the cookie too sweet. I used one half package of melting wafers at a time following melting instructions on the bag. Use two different microwavable coffee cups with a large mouth one for dark chocolate and one for white with two different spoons. One melting wafer package makes about 15 cookies. Recipe inspiration http://somethingswanky.com/.
INGREDIENTS:
1 package Oreo Classic Cookies, any flavor 1 package each chocolate and white melting wafers Decorating supplies 2 coffee cups and 2 spoons or tongs
DIRECTIONS:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Melt one half bag of chocolate in a coffee cup according to manufacturing directions. Dip one cookie at a time using a spoon or a small tong. Be sure to coat both sides well and place on the baking sheet. Decorate immediately as melting wafers set up quickly. Place completed baking sheet in freezer for one hour to set icing.
Sue Ready is a freelance writer for several local publications, a poet and former middle school teacher. She is the president of the Northwoods Arts Council in Hackensack and chair for the Annual Northwoods Art and Book Festival in August. She blogs at http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/ with recipes, travel adventures, book reviews and The World According to Bella stories. Sue writes a food column for the Pilot Independent in Walker, Great Northern News and Lakes Area Living Magazine.
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