Bena Mae’s Kitchen: What is normal?

The past two weeks have been a roller coaster ride for my family and me. They started off with a change in my medication which drove me up the wall.
Then my son had a heart attack. But with getting to the ER in time, he was given immediate treatment which resulted in clearing three blocked arteries and orders to change his lifestyle which hopefully will add more years to his life. He’s home now, with a good prognosis and living proof that men are the worst patients in the world. Pray for his wife.
When things like this happens in a family it turns your world upside down. It makes everything else seem trivial. You start appreciating the small things you once took for granted. And you say to yourself, if only things would return to normal. But what is normal?
Normal may be many things to different people.  For me it’s usually associated with everything running smoothly around the house…when the computer works, when all my drains are running clear, when I’m able to find the TV remote, when I get the garbage out in time for  pickup, I’m fine. I don’t ask much. Just don’t interfere with my peace of mind and I’m happy.
But what is normal to some people can be quite insane to others. If they march to the beat of a different drummer, we may call them strange, eccentric. Galileo  was jailed for being misunderstood, even though history paints him as a genius. Others who were scientists, physicians, artists, writers, were ostracized and called weird and crazy. Yet they gave the world many inventions and medical knowledge we take for granted today. 
As well as works of art that we will enjoy forever.
So normal is a big umbrella that covers many different facets.  I’m  thinking of Steve Jobs who died recently of cancer.  Reading his bio, one would never guess that he would become the man who changed the  world and opened up communication and knowledge to enable someone like myself and millions of others. And it all started in the garage of his home. Think of that when you read this or when you sit down to write an email or click on google for information.
Before I get too far off the beaten track (Sometimes I have a tendency to wander) let me end by saying this:  Getting back to normal may not be as desirable as we think it would be.  It may be the “new normal” that we wouldn’t like at all.

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2007

Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter.
Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour  cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until  well combined.
Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.