Friday, January 29, 2016

A Social Responsibility

Since I am older than the majority of the people that browse this blog I feel oblized to, in my small way, prepare you for the age experience. Thus, please note the following examples:

Yesterday I received an email stating that my order for flowers had been shipped. What? I didn’t order flowers. Yeah I did—as a Christmas present for my sister-in-law. I had wanted to schedule the delivery for a few days after Christmas since she was going to be out of town for the holiday. Somehow I scheduled it for January 28th rather than December 28th. So we did Christmas yesterday. She was very understanding since she has known me for a very long time.

This morning as usual, I went out for breakfast. On the way I suddenly remembered that yesterday was Janet’s eightieth birthday and I had not remembered it. That really hit me hard for being so disrespectful. I was bummed out during the entire meal for being so thoughtless. It was made even more difficult as at the table next to me was a well dressed, petit elderly lady. I over heard the conversation and she will turn 91 in March. There is something extremely beautiful about women that have lived life well. After breakfast I had to stop by the grocery store because I am cooking the only thing that I cook—red beans. I was out of salt pork. Well, I wasn’t out but I was a little unsure whether or not I should use the last of the package I purchased some months ago. Yeah it was probably okay but Alcy has me a little leery of eating stuff months after it is out of date. I don’t normally give it much thought but the salt pork did smell a little funny. Now maybe that was just the way salt pork smells--I don't know because I don’t usually go around sniffing salt pork. But to make Alcy happy I’d buy a new package. At the store I wasn’t about to pay five bucks for another slab that would be half thrown away so I found a pack of diced ham. Don’t know if ham works with red beans or not but I’m going to find out. I dumped it all in.

Back at home as I was adding the ham to the pot of beans it occurred to me that I hadn’t had a birthday yet and my birthday is several days before Janet’s. Yeah, Janet’s birthday is next month. Now, let’s see if I forget it again. If I do I will try to remember that I have prechastised myself, or maybe not.

I had taken Gregory Heisler’s book 50 Portraits to breakfast and I wanted to write about it on the blog. So after taking care of the beans I sit down at the computer. Darn, I left my glasses in the car. As I headed for the door I scratched my head. Low and behold—there was my glasses. I went back to the computer thinking that I have to prepare my younger friends for what is ahead.

Now that I have performed my social obligations I can get started on my intended post. Now tell me again, what was it that I was going to post about?

ADENDUM: It is now a little after 2pm. I just walked into the kitchen to check the beans that I put on around 9am. Oh, the smell of onions in the air made my mouth water. I stirred the beans, but they seemed surprisingly hard. That shouldn't be. They have been cooking for five hours--without the crock pot plugged in. Maybe if I am up at midnight I can have a bowl of beans to learn whether or not the ham worked.

2 comments:

  1. Are you sure we're not related?? Sounds like a typical day in my life!! And btw, I buy the packages of salt pork, divide it up and throw it in the freezer since I only use it every month or two. No waste and you don't have to wonder what the funky smell is. Lol.

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  2. Well, as you probably know, I never plan that far ahead. Of course, if you read the Addendum, you will realize that I will be lucky if the ham doesn't spoil before the beans get cooked.

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