Sistering

We were driving home from our spring break getaway to sunny Scarsdale on Sunday and I heard Arthur say to Maze, "Good sistering!" after she shared something with Piper.  I could see the object, likely a fraction of a fig newton (aka "newton bar" - not sure how that one developed, but now it's part of the Baraf lexicon) exchanged between two tiny outstretched hands in my rearview mirror.  I'm pretty sure I had never heard "sister" used as a verb, but I liked it.  A lot.  I am a sister.  I know what it feels like to be sistered.  And today of all days, I need a little sistering.  You see, four years ago today my sisters and I became, well, orphans.  Our mom passed away.  Breast cancer that came back.  Elsewhere.  We had lost our dad just months before.  Tonight as I sit and write this blog I'm not finding my usual find-the-humor-in-just-about-everything voice.  In fact, I'm tearing up watching Dancing with the Stars, my mom's favorite show, which tonight is featuring BALLET DANCERS.  For those who don't watch the show - they never have ballet dancers.  For those who didn't know my mom - she was a ballet dancer.  Those who have suffered great loss likely share my appreciation of these not-so-concidences that pop up as we go about our days, that leave us either smiling or sobbing - but regardless of which - feeling wonderfully comforted in that moment of awareness where memories of our loved ones and our experiences in the present moment connect and the universe or God or god says, Gotcha!

So today has been full of Gotcha moments.  Like when I mentioned the song, "White Coral Bells" to my friend as we walked through some woods together with our kids and heard her say, "I know that song." Whah?  No one knows that song.  And then, low and behold, there they were.  Lilies of the Valley.  Ok, need for another biographical note:  my mom sang that song to us a lot and I sing it to my girls, so I thought that today of all days, it would be cool to try to find some lilies of the valley on our walk.  Gotcha.  There they were.

So why the picture of the Indian food?  A couple of days ago a friend who recently had a baby girl returned some serving dishes to me that I had given to her (filled with veggie curry) a few weeks back.  Tonight I refilled them with chicken in coconut curry sauce, ready to give to another friend who also just had a baby girl.  Sistering.  I learned it from my sisters.  Thanks mom.


The recipe:

One crock pot
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
one medium onion, chopped
one box (or can) chopped tomatoes
two tables tomato puree
one can coconut milk
one half-box chicken broth
two teaspoons each: ground coriander, chili powder, cumin, turmeric
two teaspoons chopped garlic, or more if you don't mind sweating garlic like me
salt and pepper to taste

Toss in the pot, stir and simmer all day, stirring now and again - about 7 hours on low seems to be just about right.  Serve over rice or with naan.