Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Dinner and one other thing....

Uninterested in shopping today I ventured into the kitchen wondering what was for dinner. Around 5:30pm. Idle I was, not trying to put stress on the cupboards or fridge. But with certain expectations, that they, my cupboard, would be there for me, I opened the fridge.
 
Top shelf, little of interest. At the back there is a large cup I got 4 years ago, with aluminum foil partially covering it. I remember seeing it some years before, I ignored it.
Second shelf, a bit more promise. There's this wrapped pork chop I'd taken out of the freezer a day or so ago (don't press me for exact dates). The next three shelves showed nothing of promise.

Cupboard....I see one of those packages of oriental noodles, the microwave ones, you know what I'm talking about.

Over on the table I see some basil a neighbor had given me maybe last week...it had dried! Great. Then I see the braid of Hmong garlic I'd gotten a week ago hanging on the wall. Then I looked down and saw the Thai chili's I got from them. Red, pencil-thin, 3-4" long, menacing looking. I'm there. I remember that in the fridge was an onion and a couple peppers, red and green. I've got a plan now.

But what to serve the sliced-thin slices of pork, 30 seconds in the cast iron "14 pan, the onions, peppers, etc
with?The examination of the cupboard had revealed the revealed thatcarton of one of those 'oriental' noodle soup....microwave 3 minutes, etc.Fine.

The noodle thingy went in the microwave, the sliced pork went in the heavy pan, and 5 minutes later.....






Anyway, to the real point of the post:

To those readers who noticed, I have two daughters, grown daughters. They live in Seattle, both living their lives. I have no idea how often the fathers of daughters talk to theirs after they are grown. I feel extraordinarily lucky in that both talk to me. It's a very rare, very, that I don't talk to them at least 2 times a week. Now, this may be because they are both checking to see if I'm still compos mentis, dunno.

Anyway, I called the eldest this afternoon, I don't remember what it was that I wanted to say, but that's unimportant. When she answered I heard laughter, hilarity actually, and the sound of two voices. Both of them, in a car, going someplace.

The rest of the 3 minute conversation was listening to them cackling at everything I said.

What a joy it is, to hear your two daughters together, outside yourself, together, living their lives. I did something right maybe. These two women are friends, sisters and more. Without me, they are still there, together.

That is a great feeling. When I'm not here, they still will be....together.

Quite grand, really.

11 comments:

  1. You're right that's a wonderful understanding. I hope you're proud in the self-fulfilled and joyous sense.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, proud, but these two are their own creations, and I can only take partial credit. They are mostly their own people.

      Delete
  2. Well done - both your dinner creation and your two longer-lasting ones.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dinner was largely me going into the kitchen and facing off the ingredients, I've gotta be the alpha in those situations, or I'm doomed to cereal.

      Delete
  3. You love it when we mock you, admit it! Snark is our Love Language, which we learned from you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah yeah, let's not bring up my foibles in public, ok. Geez....

      Delete
  4. I do the store cupboard dinner thing once a week.... These meals are generally better than the expensive ones I really prepare for

    ReplyDelete
  5. It's a wonderful realization, isn't it. :-)

    Pearl

    ReplyDelete
  6. That's exactly the feeling I had this summer at the beach watching my sons together. It fills me with joy and also reassures me to see them so close and know they'll have each other after I'm gone.

    ReplyDelete