Pizza Dough - Take II

 If I can't dance... I don't want to be part of your revolution.

-Emma Goldman

There are so many things I would love to learn to do and strangely enough, the more difficult it is to accomplish even one new task in a day (due to very interested and 'helpful' toddlers), the more new things I want to learn. The scene when I am trying out these new endeavors is always hilarious mixed with a bit of impatience and a lot of chaos. Like when I decided I must have a cover for my sewing machine and must make it right before dinner. The energy is always bordering on spastic at that point (not just for the kids) but my better judgment was not functioning enough to consider that the timing might be less than perfect. So, being still very much a novice at sewing, I pulled out a few patterns, tried to make at least some sense out of the measurements and dove in. I laid my fabric out on the floor of our rather small home and started measuring. Now I am not one who enjoys working with numbers, but sewing is not a craft that likes estimates. Since I needed even more concentration, I had to borrow from my patience. Let's just say when I had the measuring tape and ruler just right and then Eamon thought it would be fun to ride his little bicycle across my ready to mark fabric, I was not able to find the same humor in it that he did. Of course that inspired big sis to see if she could use the fabric (that must have no purpose on the floor other than to be played with) as a sled for her little brother. Argh! "Smile Meg, it's cute" I unconvincingly tried to tell myself. I made it through that, somehow measured and cut the fabric, then as I was running it through the machine, Nuala wanted to help and in her creative little mind thought that if she pulled the fabric out (ie: away from and out of the machine) that she would be doing mommmy a great service. So, now I have a jammed machine, perhaps a broken needle, hungry kids, a completely trashed living room (ok, entire house) and no sewing machine cover. Well, I guess the beautiful uncovered machine my dear husband got me LAST Christmas will collect even more dust for a few more days. Or I could just throw a blanket on it. Yes, that's what I'll do. And make dinner.

Well, the machine did get it's cover. Not perfect (or even hemmed at the bottom yet) but still it's done and I like it.

Despite all this, my interest in learning and trying new things has not waned. What I am finding though, is that my patience is (slooowly) increasing. Usually I get a little stressed when trying something new (who wants to put time and energy and materials or ingredients into something that turns out sucky?) I focus a little too much on having an end result that looks like I have been doing this all my life (like at my second guitar lesson when I asked my teacher if I was ready to learn to play some Dave Matthews songs. He smiled kindly and just said, 'let's work on learning a chord or two first.")

Lately, I am working on getting to that pro level in 10-20 YEARS instead of minutes. Why let stress get in the way of trying a new craft? And now that life is even more full than ever before, and getting to be an expert at something is going to take many, many attempts due to many, many foiled plans ("mommy, come quick, Eamon just pooped all over the floor and now he's trying to step in it!") I guess I just realized that there is no better time to start. Crazy, I know. And it's very important to view failed results as successful attempts. I don't want my kids think that trying new things means mommy goes crazy and yells at us! I want them to see life as one big long learning process. And a fun one!

So, I made some pizza dough yesterday. I thought it sucked. The yeast was old. The dough barely rose. It was stiff. BUT, my kids loved it, and my husband did too. He even made yummy fried dough with powdered sugar with the leftover dough this morning. I am at it again today. Much more relaxed and even enjoying the process. I even managed to do it while both kids 'helped' on our one-tiny-counter kitchen.

 

Today, the dough looks better and I am more confident. Maybe it won't be perfect, but it will be made with love and acceptance. THAT is the goal. Unless I am able to try new things in the spirit of love and acceptance, then I really should wait. Who needs mommy all stressed and grumpy? Surely not mommy! And if this dough isn't just right, there's always tomorrow. Though by then I will probably be in over my head in some new and brilliant plan!