Friday, August 14, 2009

The Laughter Won Out

My family arrived safely back home last night. Hurray!

Steve had called me earlier in the afternoon and said they could just go ahead and eat something on the road since they'd be getting home later than our usual dinner time.

However, it occurred to me that we will only have two more family meals together before Nathan leaves for school and I was loathe to give up even one of those meals.

So I said blithely, "Oh no, I'll just cook something and we can eat whenever you get here."

Unfortunately, when I said those words I had forgotten that I hadn't been to the grocery store in over a week and that my stash of ingredients for any sort of meal was dismally low. And so I scrimped and substituted ingredients and put into play some cooking creativity and finally managed to come up with a chicken pot pie. I figured that the pot pie would provide the bread, meat and veggies all in one dish and I could add a fruit salad and we'd be all set.

I usually use some canned and some fresh fruit when I make a fruit salad because buying several kinds of fresh fruit can be a bit expensive. But alas, all I had in the house was a can of peaches and a can of mandarin oranges. Can you see the problem there? TWO fruits of the same color! How unattractive is that?

I am very color conscious when I cook and am always adding paprika or parsley or some sort of little garnish to make food look nice. It just really offended every cooking sensibility I have to put out a fruit salad containing two fruits of the same color. Ick.

See? Don't you feel totally uninspired right now?



"Oh well," I said to myself. "It's the time together as a family that counts, not the color of the fruit." (Hey! I could print up t-shirts with that slogan.)

We had a wonderful reunion when they got home; Snowy was leaping and barking and running in happy doggie circles as soon as he heard the voices in the garage. I could just picture what he was thinking. "Hurray! I'm being delivered from the company of The Boring Woman!"



They started unloading stuff as I finished up dinner preparations. I got the fruit salad out of the fridge, took another sad and mournful glance at its monochromatic state and heaved a silent sigh. I thought, "Oh, if I only had some red grapes, or some bananas for a little bit of variety."

About that time I glanced over at the counter on the other side of the kitchen where Steve had put some bags from the trip. Looking into the first bag I saw a wondrous sight! Steve's mom had sent a few food items along and guess what two of those items were? Red grapes and bananas!

I just about did a Happy Grape and Banana Jig, right there in the kitchen.

Doesn't this look so much more appealing?




After we ate our chicken pot pie and multi-colored fruit salad, we talked and got caught up after our six day separation. And then (hurray!) it was time for dessert. Chocolate dessert!


Nathan was very pleased to see his very own personal portion of mousse and thought that he would add some whipped cream. Look at the intensity of his posture, the seriousness of his demeanor and the manic look in his eyes. This is very important work.



After he had added an impressive tower of whipped cream to his bowl, he got a sudden mischievous glint in his eye and proceeded to do this.





I was immediately torn between the desire to laugh hysterically and the desire to say something motherly like, "Nathan! That is NOT polite dinner time behavior! Put that can down right now!"

Just so you know?

The laughter won out.

I'm going to miss him.


3 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):

MaryH said...

The fruit salad was Magnificent with the colorful additions.

I am very sorry about your Dad. It does help to lighten the load and the sadness when you have siblings to share the burden. Lean on each other and you will know that the best decisions were made.

I, too, enjoy solitude (never have had the blessing of six solid days) - but especially on a rainy day or a very snowy, blizzard type of day - when there is no requirement to leave the house and what fun to watch the snow pile up, make a pot of soup or chili or bake something and not have to worry about shoveling, or slipping and sliding out of the driveway and into the street. Then I can just cuddle up and watch my yard become a winter wonderland.

I will keep all of you in mind and prayer this weekend.

Pam D said...

Hoooray for you, Becky! Where in the Bible does it say "Thou shalt not spurt whipped cream into thy mouth"? I don't recall that particular chapter and verse ANYWHERE in the Bible. I do seem to recall quite a few about joy and love, though. :<)
With all of the chaos, I know you'll miss that young man, but I'm so thankful that it worked out for him to continue this year. There are so many great possibilities that await, and I don't think this is a time when God is saying "Be still". He NEEDS Nathan out there working for Him, don't you think?
Loved the lovely, colorful fruit salad (fruit salad doesn't work well in monochrome!),and pot pie is a personal favorite. You sound like a wizard in the kitchen, always concocting something wonderful out of seemingly nothing.
Big hugs... BIG HUGS... love you...

Marysienka said...

I love supper/meal time in family :) This is the thing I miss the most here. As much as I need my moments alone, I really don't like to eat just by myself!

Hope you're dad is better.

and yay for The Great Fruit Salad hehehe :)

Renee