Daryl Interviews the Good Flea

Howdy y'all! I had to start this post that way, since Daryl lives in New York City (git a rope!) and I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. There. That's out of the way.

Daryl was recently interviewed by the shy and retiring Willow. Wait. No. Daryl's the shy, retiring one. Anyway, turned out to be a meme, which y'all know I love more than chocolate covered salmon, so I had to play along. Daryl was kind enough to lob some softball questions my way. I'll post the rules at the end, in case you'd like to play, too! Be warned - I don't ask softball questions. Mine will be rather, um, off.

1. Do you think I would know you if I met you before we were introduced?
Why?

What exactly do you mean by this question, Daryl? Do you mean, now that we know each other in cyberspace and have seen each other's pictures, would you walk up and recognize me without introduction? Because if that's what you mean, then yes. I've posted a few photos of myself, both headshots and a couple waist-up shots, that would ensure you knowing me.

If you mean, would you know me before we ever met in cyberspace, I'd have to ask if you're clairvoyant. Because if you are, then chances are the answer is yes. If not, I don't think so. You might know my cows, though. They're cute, and easily recognizable.

2. What inspired you to be creative, to sew, cartoon, etc .. ?

I come from a very artistic, creative family. My mom's a phenomenal artist (any medium, including, icing, sculpting, sand blasting glass, quilting, embroidery, pencil, watercolor - the list is practically endless), my uncle makes beautiful furniture, my aunt has a degree in fine art, the other aunt is verbally very creative (and an optimist of the highest caliber). Their mother, my grandmother, is an artist. So I come by some of the creativity honestly.

The inspiration? I wanted to be like my mom, I guess. I wanted to be an artist too. It took awhile to realize that not having the same type of talent she does doesn't mean I'm not an artist. I had to find my own medium is all. Initially it was cartooning (only copying others' work), then sewing and smocking. I want to learn to weave next. Does anyone out there know how?

3. You cook .. do you have a special dish? Where did you learn to cook it (ie: did you taste it some where and try to replicate or did you get recipe from someone/place ?

I only cook of necessity. Three kids does that to a woman. That and being home on one salary and being very frugal. But a special dish? I just asked Maybelline and she's taking a while to think about it ... wait ... no ... she doesn't think I have one. (Oatmeal Head says I make a killer eggplant parmesan - which is true - and ham cooked in Coke.)

I've stolen a couple of my MIL's recipes that I like a lot. She's described them and I've reproduced them at home. Salmon with capers and brown sugar was a big favorite until it tried to kill the Hunny. How does someone eat salmon for years and then have their throat close up?

Another one I've only made a couple of times is my MIL's Christmas soup, or bigos. I merged several recipes I found online, paying attention to what I already knew was in hers and the flavors I was aware of, and have managed to pretty darn near replicate that bad boy. I have the recipe if anyone's interested.

4. You home schooled your children for a long time, did you enjoy it? Would you recommend it to others?

That's a mixed bag of emotions right there, that is. Depends on what day you ask. Today, is it? Um.

I homeschooled the kids for nine years. At first I thought I'd do it all the way to college. And my reasons were mixed. But I kept my options open every year. Kinda. The first five years were good. Really good. Maybelline and Oatmeal Head learned to read about the same time - she was five and he was four - using Hooked on Phonics. We moved on from there. Joined groups. All while keeping tabs on Little Guy, my little stealth bomber child. More trouble than a barrel of monkeys, that one.

When Little Guy started school, it all went to hell in a handbasket. It was only about a year ago we got the ADHD diagnosis (he was 10 and in 4th grade), so imagine me trying to educate three children, the youngest spoiled thing being over the top active.

Now imagine the mom-teacher who was raised to believe that phonics was the only way to learn to read. Little Guy, we officially found out last year, has phonetic awareness issues. Meaning he can't distinguish between vowel sounds. I figured this out on my own when he was nearly nine and I was nearly certifiably insane. Got a box of Dolch sight words and the kid went from a pre-k reading level to a third grade level in about six months.

Now imagine this same kid having the vocabulary of a graduate student. And the debate skills to go with it. Did I enjoy homeschooling my children? You tell me. I liked reading to them, which I wound up doing A LOT with Little Guy (to ensure he was being educated, since he couldn't read).

It turns out I wasn't the failure I thought I was. At eleven, this is Little Guy's second year of "real" school. We had a meeting with his teachers last week and he's doing beautifully in school. They all rave that he's the most motivated, positive kid they've ever taught, as well as intelligent. Whew!

Would I recommend it to others? I'm no homeschool Nazi and I certainly don't think it's right for everyone. But yes, if you're serious about it, I recommend trying it. Especially when they're young and the one-on-one attention will benefit them so much.

5. If you could live anywhere (with the $$ to do it 'right') where would you live? Why?

This one's easy! I'd live here in Tulsa! For more than 15 years I wanted to be in Tulsa and finally! Here I am! With my family - immediate and extended. The Hunny and the kids seem to love it here. It feels like home. I'd probably even live in this neighborhood and this house. I'd just fix it up more and rip some things out and replace them if I had more money. Myself, since I loves the home improvement projects! There's no place I'd rather be right now. Oh, and I'd add a sewing room. Heh.

Thank you, Daryl. I've really enjoyed this! Now on to the rules!

Here are the directions:
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the
questions).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview
someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask
them five questions.

Leave a comment! I'll get back to ya!

Until I write again ...

Flea