Mom Camp

Last year while two of my grandkids were attending the local university's sports camp, my daughter and I and my cousin's daughter held our own camp.

We called it "mom camp" because two of us were moms and we were definitely looking for a break. The third got sucked in by proximity, and is the better for it.

We all enjoyed it so much that we're about to do it again. The cousin's daughter arrived today, timing her plane's appearance for the few minutes between thunderstorms. Clever girl, that one. And she and I are making plans for the week.

My daughter and granddaughter arrive on Saturday. Mom camp will officially begin on Sunday once the kids are deposited at kid camp.

But we're getting a head start. We're lining up books to share and DVDs to watch and places to go and recipes to make. Last year we tackled several out of Jeremy Jackson's Desserts That Have Killed Better Men Than Me.

And let me tell you, Michelle Styles -- and whoever else is listening -- that book is definitely up there among the Twyla Tharp books that you should own.

Maybe not on the same subject. But Jeremy is a man who loves his recipes.

And I gather that, just as Twyla hails the cab everyday as a part of her routine, Jeremy takes his turn in the kitchen with regularity.

Judging from the recipes we made last year, they are worth the effort. If you want a break from Twyla or Save The Cat or writing your own manuscripts -- or doing whatever you're doing -- Jeremy's book is worth a look.

We are also deep into watching the second season of Foyle's War. Yes, we know the fifth season is on television right now. But we can't ever seem to get an hour and a half at the right time when people aren't calling on the phone or the local weather demons aren't busily scrowling warnings past so much of the screen that you can barely see Michael Kitchen (who should not be missed).

So we are watching the DVDs. Great stuff.

So . . . we've got recipes. We've got DVDs. I've got some good books which I'll share with you as I share them with the rest of the mom camp gang. We'll go to the museum one day and shopping nearby one day.

Anyone got any really great suggestions? We'd love to hear them.

If you had a whole week to do what you wanted -- within reason and you can't travel for it -- what would you do?