|
| |
The Windmill Project Newsletter
Nov. 2002
Hey… Have You Heard?
A family in Morris is starting a support group for families
who have children with Autism. The meetings will be held in Morris.
If you are interested, please contact Margaret McKinnon directly at:
320-589-2846 or
margaretmckinnon1960@yahoo.com
Calendar of Events
-Parent’s Only Lunch & Discussion
Morris Public Library
Saturday Jan. 11, 2003 12-3pm
-Local Family Retreat
RFC Morris
Saturday Feb. 1, 2003 4-8:30pm
-Regional Parent Retreat & Conference
Arrowwood Resort
Alexandria, MN
April 4 & 5 2003
Someone Once Said…
It isn’t life that weighs us down –
it’s the way we carry it.
-Elizabeth Potier
Days Like Ours
Chicken & Dumplings
1c. cooked, diced chicken (or turkey)
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1 can (10 oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 c. milk
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 c. frozen peas, slightly thawed
2 c. Bisquick Mix
2/3 c. milk
In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together chicken broth and cream of
chicken soup. Stir 1 c. milk and cornstarch together until dissolved and then
add to soup mixture. Stir or whisk continuously until smooth and begins to
thicken. Add chicken and peas until heated. Stir together Bisquick and milk
until soft dough forms. Once soup is at a low boil, quit stirring and drop
dumpling dough by (10) spoonfuls onto soup. Reduce heat to low and cook
uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover and cook for additional 10-20 minutes, until
dumplings are done. Serves 4
Life Lessons
As the holiday season approaches, my muscles start to tense. Not in a good way
that may
eventually allow me to meet one of my “New Year’s Resolutions.” Rather, this
seems more an exercise in futility if it is indeed exercise at all. It begins
in October, when the very first store puts up the very first Christmas
decoration. I believe they mean to inspire me…to buy my way through the
holiday…if nothing more…but inspire me none-the-less.
Suddenly my mind whirls with lists of “things to do.” Shopping, wrapping,
baking, mailing cards, school concerts, church programs, office parties, tree
trimming, turkey stuffing, family pictures, house decorating, caroling… “And
these are a few of my favorite things.”
All of this is meant to be fun. To inspire joy. To create the memories
lifetimes are made of. But the reality is that I sometimes believe standing in
one place and pulling my hair out may afford me an equal amount of “seasonal
bliss.”
To some extent we create our stress, and then our stress creates us. There will
always be things in this life that we have no control over; the diagnosis of a
disability or health problem, an accident, losing a job, the loss of a loved
one. Set those things aside and look at what you have left. Are there things
about your life you could change if you wanted to? Would you benefit from the
change, or would the effort involved to effect change outweigh the benefit?
Going financially bankrupt at Christmas does not bring one closer to capturing
the spirit of the season, so work out a reasonable budget and stick to it. Over
scheduling personal an/or family time can make a person grumpier than “Scrooge”
so be very selective of commitments to time. One idea can be to combine the
two, and allow time to be your gift.
An elderly neighbor of mine tells her children that she doesn’t want their
“presents” she wants their “presence.” So each year they choose a project to
work on for her at her home. They all show up on one day, to feast and work and
play. It reminds her of when they all lived at home with her.
My husband’s sister gets together with her mother-in-law and all the daughters
and grandchildren for a Holiday Crafts Day. Each family is responsible for
bringing the supplies for one craft project. At the end of the day, they each
have several homemade ways to decorate for the season.
There are numerous ideas out there to help you have a “reduced stress” holiday.
Find a few that will work for your family. Remember, do not try them all at the
same time. Trying too hard to relax can be stressful in it’s own right.
|
