[mccookgazette.com] Light Snow Fog/Mist ~ 24°F  
High: 36°F ~ Low: 16°F
Monday, Feb. 13, 2012
No snow, but enjoying a growl free morning (02/03/12)
I drug myself out of bed at 6 a.m. this morning, peeking out the window hoping to find 12 inches of fresh snowfall, only to see a dark drizzly rainfall and wet, but otherwise clear roads. Drat, no snow day for me. I suddenly was too tired to jump in the shower just yet and crawled back into bed, pushing the snoring six-year-old that had invaded my sleeping space over to the proper side of the bed...
Grant me stubbornness, I mean strength (01/27/12)
This week marks Declan's official graduation from his fear of the schoolyard playground. Gone are the days of him pestering me to walk with him all the way to his class line and wait until the bell rings. Yes, it is true, I did encourage him each morning to partake in the bustling whirlwind of activity around us and overcome his reluctancy to join the other children, but that doesn't mean I can't mourn the loss, for the both of us...
My mullet sporting hair critic (01/20/12)
Declan has been refusing to get his hair cut and I haven't had much of a problem with it, I miss the longer baby blonde he once had, but have had more than a few chuckles after seeing his hair once he removes his snow cap. I worry sometimes how he looks throughout the day at school and often catch myself trying to pressure him into a haircut, just to satisfy my insecurities pertaining to how he looks to other people. ...
Snips and snails and puppy dog tails (01/13/12)
Snips and snails and puppy dog tails McCOOK, Nebraska -- While on our usual drive home Declan began quizzing me about, of all things, zombies. "What are zombies made of?" he said. Having no idea where the line of questioning was coming from, I gave him my typically slow response, "Zombies? Zombies are pretend, they don't really exist," I said...
Sugar and spice and everything nice (01/06/12)
When I was a young man little girls were made up of sugar and spice and everything nice. Little boys, similarly, were made up of snips and snails and puppy dog tails, at least according to the wooden signs that hung in my bedroom back then. The statements seemed a little unfair to me even then, but if Mother in all her infinite wisdom, had hung them on the wall of my bedroom, they must be true...
Silverware is overrated (12/30/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Pronunciation has become Declan's most recent challenge and seems to be the basis for the majority of our humorous scenarios in the evening. The latest was when his Uncle Casey was attempting to instruct him on why using a fork at the dinner table was the preferred method to eat your vegetables...
Because, I am a big kid now (12/23/11)
Declan was giddy with excitement last night. Surprisingly, it wasn't in anticipation of the rapidly approaching Christmas day, but focused on being able to go to daycare. He was unusually difficult to calm down, after jumping under his covers at bedtime...
Sometimes, timing is everything (12/09/11)
I had a particularly hectic moment one evening this week that had me feeling entirely inadequate as a parent. We had just arrived home from my daughter's basketball game and I was beginning to stress out as the clock on my car informed me it was over an hour past Declan's bedtime. Fifteen minutes past his bedtime means it will be a fight to get him ready in the morning, but an hour, oh man...
Always pack your parachute (12/02/11)
The youngest of my four little brothers is in his mid-twenties and moved to McCook this past summer. He is single and has never had kids of his own, but being the youngest of six siblings has made him a very patient young man. He is great with kids in general and it has been both wonderful and entertaining seeing Declan and Uncle Casey bond over the last several months...
This isn't Sunday morning football, just lose baby (11/25/11)
Another holiday season is already upon us and although I feel like the weeks are racing by, Declan complains each morning on the drive to school that "Christmas will never get here! How many days is it now?" However similar the scenery may be, we are definitely seeing the world from different perspectives. ...
Waiting for my turn (11/18/11)
On the way home from school earlier this week Declan expressed to me his dread around the upcoming Thanksgiving lunch to be served at his school. "This week we have our feast and I am really scared," he said. I was certainly confused as to why he would be afraid of a lunch at his school that I would be attending and asked him to explain...
Long live Daylight Saving Time (11/11/11)
I never realized there was actually a debate behind the whole "daylight saving time" practice until shortly after my move to Nebraska. I had always assumed there must be some mathematical need for it, pertaining to our calendars or keeping the days bright and the evenings dark. Yes, before I was bald, I was blonde...
Waddling after the little ones (11/04/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Considering all the times that Declan has informed me that he "learned nothing today," I am enjoying witnessing his academic progress. It is pretty incredible when you consider just a few months ago he had practically no reading ability, yet now I regularly catch him sitting on the floor of his room sounding out portions of words in books...
Recharging the parenting batteries (10/28/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- As challenging as parenting is, it amazes me sometimes how quickly our batteries can be recharged. It just takes one precious moment to wipe out weeks of seemingly fruitless efforts. I received one of those moments earlier this week and of course it occurred at the most stressful of all parenting locations, the dinner table...
End the morning madness (10/21/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- I don't remember the mornings being so tough growing up. I am definitely missing something, not hearing someone's advice or forgetting some golden rule that will hopefully slap me in the face soon. It is a struggle to get the little guy through only a few basic tasks each morning; clothes, breakfast, teeth, shoes, jacket, backpack and out the door. ...
The chess match continues (10/07/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- I once referred to the "forbidden fruit snack" and Declan's insatiable craving for the candy that is oh so cleverly disguised as something else. I eventually won the war against the dreaded sugar-packed snack and can now safely maneuver my shopping cart past them in the grocery store, without my son turning into something akin to a raving cookie monster...
The hardest part of a kindergartner's day (09/30/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- My first parent-teacher conference is officially behind me. It was a great experience, of course, and as you might have guessed not without a little humor. Declan's kindergarten teacher knows him pretty well already, even with only a few school weeks under their belt. She talked about what a sharp guy he was and said that her concerns were not at all pertaining to his academic progress, which is of course a relief...
Alas, I learned nothing yet again today (09/23/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- I have found it is significantly more rewarding to write a weekly column on the food page, coupled with the gratitude that follows from local mothers for giving them their Saturday morning chuckle, than it is to write the local crime and City Council stories. ...
Slap out of it, will ya? (02/18/11)
Declan went through a phase recently, in which he seemed to be in a bit of a rut. Getting multiple "time outs" throughout the day at his preschool was not uncommon. His daycare providers are great about communicating with me and I do my best not to be defensive or discourage them from keeping me abreast of his progress, or lack thereof...
Daily routine doesn't need a Doberman (09/03/10)
Declan has finally returned home from his summer visit with his mother and we have spent the last couple weeks working our way back into a daily routine. He has been filling me in regularly in regard to one adventure after another he experienced. I have been doing my best to make being grateful a priority, he is getting time with his mother. ...
The temptation of compromise (06/25/10)
A fellow Mason once told me that, "a long time ago I decided that in order to teach my children the importance of honesty, I would have to lead by example." He made a conscience decision that to do this, he would have to be honest in all circumstances regardless of how difficult...
Always room for improvement (06/18/10)
I will never be content with my performance as a parent. Constantly critical of myself and always striving to be better, as it should be. Maybe it's because I have been in the position of being a single father with full custody of my son since he was an infant. ...
Pasta to the rescue (06/11/10)
I once asked Declan, during one of our afternoon car rides home, "What would you like for dinner tonight?" He shrugged his shoulders at me as I watched him through the rear-view-mirror and said "I don't know, you think it around in your head and let me know." I chuckled and then asked "Does that mean I can pick whatever I want and you won't tell me it's yucky food?" He nodded his head in agreement at me and said "yep, as long as it's not yucky food."...
Poppers can be more than good food (06/04/10)
My favorite BBQ recipe is grilled jalapeño poppers for two reasons. First off, they are, of course, delicious, combining a flavor as good as their deep-fried counterparts but yet far less guilt afterwards. Secondly, the preparation involved doubles as a great practical joke and I am always looking for an extra laugh. I discovered this the hard way, unintentionally victimizing myself first...
The secret pass is always open sesame (05/28/10)
Historically this has been the worst week of the year for me, the week prior to the beginning of Declan's summer visit with his mother. I will still miss him at almost an unbearable level over the next two months but this being his third summer trip to Colorado, it has gotten gradually easier each year. ...
When will I ever learn? (05/07/10)
Its the tail end of an exhausting day and I have spent the last 10 minutes making the most delicious looking (and still healthy - which has become quite the chore) turkey sandwich I have seen in a long long time. I tip-toe into the living room, a "No Food Zone," and turn on Sportscenter. I get one bite into my masterpiece, which does not disappoint and I hear a yell from down the hall. "Dad! Dad come wipe my butt!"...
A good T-shirt makes all the difference (04/30/10)
I knew this past Saturday I had chosen the right Saturday casual outfit when Declan patted me on the shoulder and said "You're cute, your hair looks cute in that shirt." In case you can't tell from my column profile, I don't have any hair. His compliment was based primarily off of the Superman T-shirt I had just put on but nonetheless, it was very well received...
Taking the quick way out (04/23/10)
Declan and I were watching a preview for that new movie "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," the preview featured one young grade-schooler attempting to educate his social misfit of a friend, on how move up the popularity ladder. The misfit, of course, misunderstands his friends direction on complimenting other popular kids, and very publicly tells a more popular classmate, "nice butt" as if it were an everyday greeting. ...
The 'burgerless' burger (04/16/10)
One of my favorite dinners is to fire up my Foreman® grill and heat a few frozen turkey patties. Place one on a small wheat bun with a slice of swiss cheese on it, add some fresh baby spinach, sliced tomato and a thinly sliced dill pickle and I am happy as can be...
The forbidden fruit snack (04/09/10)
It used to be easy to get Declan to eat his vegetables. I remember when he was two I could steam any frozen vegetables I had and he would gobble them up without hesitation. One tragic visit to my sister's house in which he was ever-so-innocently given a small bag of fruit snacks and it was all over. ...
Have you had your Jimmy John's® today? (04/02/10)
Declan has transformed into a finely tuned questioning machine over the last two weeks. In particular to posted signs and words. He will easily say "What's that say?" over 20 times in one visit to the grocery store. I am hopeful that this will turn into an insatiable desire to learn to read, and the sooner the better. ...
Quiche approved as both brunch and family event (03/26/10)
I saw the Crustless Quiche recipe and knew right away it was going on the weekend menu page. Declan had an absolute blast "helping" me cook it earlier this week, as I found myself unable to wait until Easter weekend to try it out. We substituted turkey sausage for the smoked sausage and did not regret it one bit...
Knowledge is our best defense (03/19/10)
In the past I only had to worry about "shade-tree" mechanics taking advantage of me, but this self-serving approach to doing business seems to be spreading like wildfire these days. I first noticed it when I was in Seattle and found myself having to stand my ground with my dentist, whose suggestions for an unnecessary monthly teeth-cleaning and replacement of fillings for "cosmetic" purposes eventually brought me to the realization that he wasn't offering me what I needed, but what my insurance would pay for.. ...
Our first Sweet and Sour Chicken (03/12/10)
This week I set my sights on a sweet and sour chicken recipe I found in a Pil Publications cookbook called "Chinese Favorites." My hope was to duplicate the dish I typically order when dining out. While the chicken in this recipe is not battered and deep fried, as you find in many restaurant versions of the dish, I found it just as delicious and guilt-free. ...
Bringing back the local menu (03/05/10)
For those that know me, you know that when I say "it is with great excitement that I take over as editor of the weekend menu page," it is said with the utmost sincerity. From my family members that know how easy I am to shop for each holiday season, cook books never get old to me, to my coworkers that must listen to my daily babbling about what I cooked the night before in my endless quest to find balance between healthy food and what my 4-year-old son, Declan, deems good food for him. ...
Bruce Baker
Dinner with Declan