By Flag Day, which I only know because Liam came home from his play group with a small paper flag he'd colored red and blue and mostly red and held it up for me and said "Flag Day" with the authority of a person who has been told this important information and is passing it on. We put it on the fridge. It is still there.
The hospital had a meeting this week about the Delta variant -- data from other countries, early indicators, the variance from the original strain. I am a nurse in oncology and I have spent sixteen months in pandemic management and I do not catastrophize, but I am watching this information with attention. We are not past this. That is the correct understanding right now. We are through a phase. We are not past it.
Nora said "Mama" clearly this week -- not the general-demand sound she's been making but clearly, specifically directed at me. She was in her crib in the morning and I heard it on the monitor and I went in and she stood up and said it again and put her arms up. "Mama." I picked her up. I held her longer than I needed to. She has been calling Sean "da" for months. I had been told this is normal -- that "da" is an easier sound. That it comes first. That it doesn't mean anything about preference. But hearing my name from her mouth, clearly, with intent -- there it is. I am her mama. She knows who I am.
Cold noodle salad for the week -- sesame, cucumber, a little heat. Summer cooking that requires no oven. We are in the season of not turning on the oven.
This was the recipe I kept coming back to — cool, no oven, something I could pull together after a long shift with Nora on my hip and Liam’s flag still watching from the fridge. It’s not the sesame-and-heat version I scribbled in my notes, but cucumber salad with sour cream is its quieter, gentler cousin, and some weeks call for gentler. We are through a phase. We are not past it. Sometimes the food just needs to be cold and easy and kind.
Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 10 min (plus 30 min chill) | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Salt the cucumbers. Place sliced cucumbers in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat. Let sit 15–20 minutes to draw out excess moisture, then pat dry with paper towels.
- Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, white wine vinegar, dill, sugar, and black pepper until smooth and combined.
- Combine. Add the drained cucumbers and sliced red onion to the bowl. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated in the dressing.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Stir once more before plating.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 110 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 7g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 310mg