Years ago, on two occasions, I was invited to Mother's Day Tea. This event was held annually in Mrs. Nell's Four Year Old Preschool Class at First Baptist Church in Shelby, North Carolina. Mrs. Nell was and still is one of the most loving teachers in our lives. We were lucky that both Jay and David experienced her preschool class. Mrs. Nell didn't just teach the 4 year olds, she taught the parents of 4 year olds.
At the Mother's Day tea, young moms and fresh faced 4 year olds sat at tiny little tables in tiny little chairs enjoying tea and cookies while Mrs. Nell read The Runaway Bunny. This is a short, sweet children's book by Margaret Wise Brown with beautiful illustrations by Clement Hurd. The gist of the story is that no matter where the bunny goes, the mother will always love him. Being four can be so confusing - not quite in school, but not quite a baby either. The Runaway Bunny is a gentle nudge to the four year old that wanting to explore is a normal thing.
It's also a gentle nudge to the mother that the bunny needs and wants to explore. Mrs. Nell had found a sweet way of letting both the mothers and the children know that while children inevitably grow up, the bond of love remains. As safe as mother's love.
This memory came flashing back last weekend when I least expected it.
I flew to Texas to visit one of those fresh faced four year olds who is now fresh out of college and exploring the job of his dreams. It was the first time I'd had a chance to see him in his new surroundings and I was so excited.
Instead of tiny little tables and chairs, Marta, Colin, David IV and I sat in an outstanding, grown up, restaurant in Dallas, Texas called Sushi Shensei. It's hard to say Sushi Shensei even before a grown up beverage, but it's a wonderful place to eat.
We sampled lettuce wraps, sushi and amazing fried rice in a pretty pottery bowl. We had corn sake soup that you didn't eat with a soup spoon, but drank from a sake cup. We had Traditional Miso Black Cod served with sauteed boy choy. Black Cod is my new favorite seafood. It is similar in taste and texture to Chilean Sea Bass but, as I learned it is sustainable and not quite so expensive, so you can eat it guilt free. It also is not really cod but like a lot of fish has several names. It grows in the North Pacific and sometimes is called Sablefish.
Sushi Shensei served up more than a wonderful meal. When our waitress brought the bill, it was not in one of those typical bill holders, it was tucked into a children's book. It seems the owners of the restaurant are two families with children who had decided to present their bills in children's books. All kinds of children's books are there and it just so happened that the one with our bill was The Runaway Bunny.
This caught me totally off guard. I took one look at the Runaway Bunny book and held it up for David to see. He remembered and grinned. I remembered and cried. Not a sobbing cry, but just huge tears pouring over my eyelids like a waterfall.
They really were happy tears because I couldn't be more proud of him or more grateful that he wants to explore. I guess I can thank Mrs. Nell for that.
The waitress asked David and me to sign the book. Laughing but tears still falling I could barely see as I signed Sally Royster. We laughed harder when my grown up son signed David Royster, IV "The Rabbit".
So that night broke the ice of emotions and the rest of the trip was a whirlwind of new places and people.
Michelle, Barry, Marta and Colin have each offered a home away from home to David which has been a true blessing. Even Runaway Bunnies need a soft place to land.
Michelle is a high school principal and to thank her for her hospitality I invited her to dinner and to see Taylor Swift at the Cowboy Stadium. We went to dinner at the Flying Fish where we had another great meal of grouper, sauteed vegetables and southwestern rice and beans. She pointed out the sign pictured on this post which explains how the restaurant handles rowdy children. Every school principal in the country would probably love to deal with parents and children that way.
Michelle and I were both like proud moms as we watched David in action during the Taylor Swift Concert at Cowboy Stadium. Cowboy Stadium is an amazing place - sleek, clean, modern, huge. It is all about the fan experience. It was fun to see what David does at the stadium, to see how much he is learning and how much he enjoys his job - even with the long long hours and few days off.
Taylor Swift is a remarkable young woman. She can make a concert with 55,000 people feel very personal. She performed on two stages and at one point walked from one end of the football field to the other - through thousands of little girls in cowboys boots and dresses. She was shaking hands, blowing kisses and telling her fans how much she loved them. Everyone felt like they were up close and personal thanks to the giant screen in the middle of the stadium. It was a very entertaining show.
Marta and Colin had offered us the 'weekend spa package' at their beautiful home and we had a great time being with old friends in a new place. They showed us Dallas from 560 feet up in the air at Reunion Tower. Their sweet daughter Kelly, who is an executive pastry chef, gave us a quick tour of Ft. Worth. We loved Ft. Worth and we loved Kelly's amazing cakes and truffles too.
In Ft Worth we had brunch at the Brownstone Restaurant and I took a picture of the towering Blue Cheese Wedge with Fried Onions as well as Colin's favorite dish - the Sausage Hash. You know I love any dish that is served in a cast iron pan.
It rained that day which is a rarity in Texas this year, so we decided to head on back to the Holden 'spa' for dinner at home. Marta and I took a short trip to a fantastic grocery store called Center Market and came home with Black Cod for dinner.
While David and Colin rustled around in the kitchen fixing the Black Cod, stir fry vegetables and brown rice, Marta and I sat outside in the rain. In their hot tub. Holding umbrellas. And telling stories of children and motherhood. Marta should know about motherhood - she has five wonderful children and several grandchildren. But that's a-whole-nother beautiful, loving story in itself.
The day came for me to head back east but we had one more treat in the whirlwind trip. We met Michael and Sue for breakfast and enjoyed laughs and conversation and some Southwest Mijas which is breakfast in a tortilla.
As David took me to the airport we talked about many things and then hugged goodbye. Inside the airport I recieved a sweet text that he had enjoyed our visit. I texted back the last line from The Runaway Bunny - "Have a carrot."
No matter where those bunnies go, that bond is as safe as mother's love.
Black Cod
Since I didn't cook the Black Cod, I asked David how he and Colin fixed it. Here is David's summation. (Remember that David learned to fry squash, onions, peppers, etc the Lattimore way which is coating in egg/milk then flour/cornmeal, then frying.)
"Colin sort of reverse battered it to fry. Flour first, then egg. He put olive oil in the pan and cooked them with no cover on high heat."
Whatever the details are, Colin's lightly breaded and lightly sauteed Black Cod was excellent!
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