Play is the exultation of the possible

So there I was . . . a kid; dumb, susceptible, gullible.  There was my older sister . . . in a word  . . . evil.  Okay, that may be over exaggerating only slightly . . . I wasn't all that dumb . .. . no wait,  yes I was.  Hehehe . . . Okay, okay to be fair she wasn’t exactly evil . . . maybe just a little bad.   Or perhaps she was simply jealous of her younger, cuter sister who would always be younger AND cuter . . . it's understandable.

So there we were . . . in the basement doing whatever it is that stupid, wicked little girls do in basements . . . probably playing house, or candy land or some other insidious game.  When all of a sudden . . . looming large . . . it was there . . . the clothes dryer.  With its gaping mouth enticing some poor young child with its sinister carnival ride possibilities. 

Really, from a kid's point of view, how awesome would that be?  It's warm and goes round and round . . . fun stuff!


Of course, being a silly dumb child, I didn't think about the fins poking out of the drum and how painful it would be as I tumbled around in there getting whacked and thwacked by them.  Nope . . . I didn't think of that at all.

Viciously encouraged by my older sister I climbed on in.  From inside I could hear my sister fumbling around with the operation knobs and then I was moving.  It quickly went from fun to owie, owie, ouchie OW . . . let me oooouuuuuuttttttt!.


From my perspective, I think she waited a tad to long to let me out.  


Bruised and battered but no worse for wear I climbed from the cylindrical torture chamber never to contemplate that particular adventure again.


Ah . . . childhood . . . good times, good times.

Crème Anglaise


1 Cup Half-n-Half

1 2-Inch Piece Vanilla Bean, Split

3 Large Egg Yolks

3 Tablespoons Sugar

Combine milk and cream in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring milk mixture to simmer. Remove from heat.


Whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Return custard to saucepan. Stir over low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Strain sauce into bowl. Cover and chill.

Play is the exultation of the possible.
Martin Buber