I have a new name: Beauty Calistra.
She sees beauty in all things. She is an Eladran. She is magical.
This is huge. I’ve officially been welcomed into the world of Dungeons and Dragons, a place formerly inhabited by my husband James (a true nerd jock) my kids and their cousins. On rainy Sundays they’ll get together, clear off the dining room table and set up for a D&D session. They all have their own 3-D dye-cast personalized figures. James is the Dungeon master. He calls it ‘operation get kids off screens while doing something I like to do’. It takes all afternoon, and they love it.
And I love it. While they play, I cook. Soups, stews, and muffins for the week. Whatever I feel like. I listen to podcasts. I cut vegetables and put them on the D&D table to balance out the party mix. It all works out.
But now I have a character too. I have to play.
It all started with the family calendar. As you know, I am endeavouring to create a weekly meal plan. This led to a family conversation about reading ( 2/3 kids don’t do it enough). “But we read while playing D&D,” they cried. So D&D was also added to the calendar. A family game, every Monday night.
Where’s the ‘oh sh*t’ emoji?
Questions remain: what does Beauty Calistra make for dinner? Does she make snacks? Does she do it happily, or does she buy pre-made stuff to shove in the lunch box or pull from the cupboard after school? I hope she, like me, does both. I hope she’s sassy, strong and efficient. I hope she has lots of energy, endless love and patience. I hope her 3-D figure is hot. These are my goals.
I’m starting with some new homemade snacks. This decision wasn’t out of personal gumption; I am making sweet potato jerky for a food styling job tomorrow. I think they’ll be a hit.
I’ll slide them on the D&D table.
I’ll tell them Beauty made them. If they don’t eat them, I’ll zap them with some kind of stick. Have I mentioned I don’t know what I’m talking about? I’ve never played D&D before. I’m no nerd jock. But I married one.
PS – you can find the Sweet Potato Jerky Recipe HERE, Courtesy of The Canadian Health Food Association.
PPS – Brown Sugar can be substituted for Maple Sugar, no problem.