Dinner

J. called to advise he was on his way home while I was (still in my office at 6PM) attempting to craft an email that I had drafted and redrafted multiple times. I spend a lot of time doing that - writing emails to people to reply to various questions. I work hard at ensuring my responses are toned correctly, succinct, saying what needs to be said. I respond in the middle of my former boss' style - who was (and still is) the most eloquent e-mailer EVER - and my current boss, who responds mostly with a cheery yes, or no or a 'let's chat' to most emails. Both methods work fine. I'm sort of between them...not as eloquent as my former boss nor as succinct as my current. I get the job done. And I often wish I could say what I really wish I could say....but I don't 'cuz relationships take work and you can destroy a whole lot of work in a very short time with ill-chosen words.

J.'s question was 'have you given any thought to dinner?' and since I was 'crafting' at the time, I was a bit short with him - I mean, that question is asked by at least one, often two and sometimes three people EVERY FRICKIN' DAY OF MY LIFE since I've been married and on the list of questions I am most frequently asked, it ranks in the top third of my button pushers. So I respond with a 'I have not given it a thought'. And he reminds me that we have a fridge overflowing with left-overy goodness. So we had a leftover Smorgasbord. Sort of like our 'freezer smorgasbords' where we take all the partial bags of stuff - french fries, mini tacos, fish sticks, etc. that are not enough for a full meal but combined make a nice 'snacky' dinner - only even easier to fix since things just have to be reheated. Leftover creamy pasta I made for myself over the weekend (a recipe I tried from a blog - 'cuz I don't read enough blogs already so now I'm hooked on several recipe blogs which make me incredibly hungry but do get me to try making new things); leftover chicken and rice; a salad (not leftover) and leftover Pad Thai from Costco which we've both agreed was OK but not great. H. would not partake of any of these options - so he had Frosted Flakes. And is now baking chocolate chip cookies to complete the ensemble.

It was filling and quick and now there's a whole lot more room in our fridge. Which will take me about 5 more days of answering the 'what's for dinner' question to restock.

I have grand plans to create menus and start attempting to teach the kids to cook a bit. I would do it except they have no attention to detail and I'm afraid they'll burn the house down. Whatever they do, they won't do it again - I know making mistakes is a big part of learning. But risking personal property loss or personal injury is a very real possibility related to teaching boys to handle themselves in the kitchen and so far, the small attempts we've made are enough to send me running for cover and deciding they'll just eat cereal most of their lives. Or frozen waffles, etc.

That's it - a typically 'boring' day - just an average day in my average, but full life.

Happy Birthday to my BFF J. Miss you and see you soon for dinner!