Wednesday, July 22, 2015

What Is The Cookie Fixing Today?


7-21-2015

TACO TUESDAY!
Soft Shell Tacos (Meat and Beans)
Diced Canteloupe

Extra big batch cooking:
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Shelly’s No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies


When I first got married, my mom gave me a little 19th century handbook filled with all kinds of “grin and bear it” advise on how to be a good wife. She didn’t give it to me because she thought in any way that I would be a good Victorian-era wife – oh HELL NO sister! She gave it to me because she thought I was just the opposite (and most likely could use a little advise). Being a good daughter, and avid controversial reader, I read that book, front and back, and amazingly, after spitting wine through my nose at many a suggestion, I actually did apply a few of those little tidbits to my home life and marriage. (Granted I was divorced once, so hey, I guess there was a bit of a learning curve for me)

The first suggestion: Always have the house clean and tidy for your tired husband when he arrives home from his long day at the office. Ummm, yeah, okay, I do that, and frankly I do it damn well! However, when two farmers – my hubby and my son – come stomping in the door in their grease smeared boots and chaff-packed jean pockets and strip it all down in the bathroom – or better yet, they wash their hands in my clean sink – I must say that I have to question the sanity of suggestion #1. Which brings us right into suggestion #2.

The second suggestion: Never – no matter how busy of a day you have had cooking and cleaning, or how trying of a time you have had with the children, ever let on that you might have been doing anything in your day other than readying yourself for his arrival. Oh me oh my…me keep my mouth shut? Do ya know me?

According to the book – which had to be written by a man posing as a women - it is your job to provide a quiet, stress-free environment for him. Make sure to have his dinner ready, any messes that YOU, or YOUR children made, cleaned up, and of course, have a drink ready – in-hand –when he walks in the door. Remember, your problems can wait. They are minimal to the stress that he has had to endure during his long day in the office.

(And yes ladies… You may now take a moment now to wipe your own wine off of your computer screen.)

And, finally, and this is the one that sent me directly from my empty wine bottle right into his liquor cabinet for a straight shot of whisky: Always, always make sure that the kids are bathed, and in their clean clothes, sitting on the couch waiting patiently to greet Daddy the moment that he walks in the door. (My question on this: Is this before or after he slugs his burbon and water down his parched throat?) And then, after he is done saying “good evening” to the children, quietly, but effectively, shoo them up to bed so that your time and energy can now be focused on him. (Shoo them? I’m going to try that on all of my kids tonight. Go on now. Shoo.  I’ll report back on how that little gem worked out for me tomorrow!)

Oh yes, and lest us ladies forget, be sure to always, always light a scented candle to make him feel relaxed and at home. (This one I actually have done; and frankly this one does work magically!)

Oh my! Well, here is how my day went. First, I woke at 430 so that my friend Kris and I could sneak in our run. Before I left though, I made sure to have breakfast cooked for The Boss and our daughter who was heading off to work.

After our run, and a nice visit in the cool morning air, I came home to clean the kitchen up from breakfast, and begin to cook for the week. Today was a major cooking day as you can see from the list above. First I cooked 3 pounds of taco meat for dinner, (because I’ve agreed that Tuesday is and always will be in harvest Taco Tuesday!) and I diced up all of vegetables. Next, I cleaned said kitchen again and started in on making a monster batch of sausage gravy and homemade biscuits. I’m just hoping it last the week so I don’t have to make breakfasts “pre-run” anymore. After cleaning that up, Jack and I fed the pigs, I did some laundry, took Jack to the pool, and went to pick up the kiddos from work. When I came home, I started in making a huge (thank you Shelly!!!!) and I mean huge batch of No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal cookies. I think I ended up with like 5 dozen yummy little morsels and it took everything in my power not to shove an entire cookie tray full right in my maw. As it was I ate 3, but I did followed suggestion #2 and not share that weakness and guilt with my husband.

However, as I was cleaning up and putting dishes away again, my first thought was, “Damn, I would really like to pat a little flour on my face just like that lady in the Rice Krispies Treat commercial did so that everyone sees all that I have done today – after all, I already cleaned it all up!_ but these suckers don’t have any flour in them and, as the advise book stated anyway, this is not about my day, this is about his. But, I still thought about it anyway, and since the boss is still out this evening, I might just consider it before he gets home.

After all of that, and getting a glorious visit in with my grandparents whom I haven’t seen in way too long, I came home to help Jack with his first pig walk. Sorry to disappoint people, but Jack has really come a long way since last year. We – and for the most part he – actually walked those pigs almost all of the way out to the pond and back to their pen. It was super fun and relatively uneventful. It is sure quite a sight to see a young lad walking two pigs out in the grass.

Well, that is all for today. Pretty uneventful, and even if it was eventful, I already have my candle lit, the boss' sweats folded neatly on the counter in the bathroom so he doesn’t have to walk to his own closet to get them, the kitchen cleaned, and my smile plastered on my face. Who knew that I would ever turn out to be such a good Victorian Era wife?

Now, if you all only knew what that book said about sex! WoWzErS!

(Full disclosure here; my hubby had never, ever needed these tactics applied to him to make him happy. He is absolutely the best, sweetest guy around and a super unbelievable husband…but that being said we are only one day into harvest)

SHELLY'S NO BAKE COOKIES

JACK's FIRST PIG WALK WITH PORKY PIG



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