It was the 4th of July and I was driving to Mountain Home to have lunch with Joyce, a friend of mine visiting from Florida. She was staying with her Aunt Helen. Helen and I have become friends via the mutual link with Joyce.
As I started down the main street of a small town on the way to Mountain Home, I was surprised to see people lining the streets waving and smiling. Being a friendly type, I smiled and waved back. Then the DUH factor set in.
They weren't here for my benefit, I was just going down the street seconds before the parade started. It was nice for a while to think the turn out was for me. Regardless, I lifted my head , smiled and waved, then continued on my trip. I'm sure they were all asking each other, "Who was that?"
Finally made it to Mountain Home with out any more crowd help. Was so pleased to see my old friend and to catch up. Mitch was there also. He is a friend of Helen's who has helped her a lot since her husband passed by doing "man" jobs for her. He is proud to say he will "work for food."
We all had a great visit but then dinner was served. Helen is in her mid 80's and is a marvelous cook. However. she has no conception of what a lite meal is. It was a true "groaning board." Fried chicken, oven fried potatoes, fried cabbage, peas and carrots, wonderful rolls, and individual salads that would have been a meal in them selves. My arteries seized just looking.
I should have tried to just eat the huge salad which contained all the basic food groups. I could have claimed new found vegetarianism but being a polite sort, I ate enough for a family of four to show my appreciation for all her work.
The drive home was painful with no parades to encourage me. I am still quite miserable and pretty sure I am good till Sunday evening before I need to eat again. If I am careful not to move much, I may survive. Sure wish I weren't so polite.
Since this is Skating Sunday, this is about all I have. I'm full, lazy and sleepy. See ya Monday
ZZZZZZZZ-- snort- drool- burp-- ZZZZZZZZZ
1 year ago
It does sound like a nice way to celebrate the 4th, even if you did overdo it a bit with food. I think you'll have to work it off today!
ReplyDeleteHA ha ha, Patty.... I guess I have over-eaten all of my life JUST to be polite. Didn't want to hurt the cooks feelings (even if the cook was me)... My mama used to say to CLEAN my plate for all of the starving kids in Indian and Africa. I cleaned my plate and everyone else's ---and still don't know if I ate enough for those starving kids... ha ha
ReplyDeleteCute post... NOW---get some zzzzzzzz's today on Skate Sunday.
Hugs,
Betsy
Helen sounds like my mother and grand mother. They never knew when to quit when cooking. Always had 2-3 meats and 5-6 veggies and desserts galore!! Glad you had a good time.
ReplyDeleteI think I enjoyed your meal more than you did. At least I certainly enjoyed reading your description of the day. I hope you're feeling better by now.
ReplyDeleteMy Lordy, that sounds pretty amazing! And Bless her that she still cooks up a storm! And what a sweet greeting on your way to Helen's...lol!
ReplyDeleteIn regard to my Gift Bags...We do have fun and all the stuff comes from one place--On-Line---ORIENTAL TRADING. It is a treasure trove of these kinds of things!
robin,
ReplyDeleteYou are right, I really should have been jogging up and down the road today and working it off. However, I chose fasting and sloth to follow gluttony. Might be an age thing.
Betsy,
Ah, you and I did our best for world hunger when we were kids. My group of starving kids were from China. Hope they apperciate what we did for them.
kenju
It is hard to hold these good cooks down to a snack isn't it? Of course, no one held a gun to my head.
George,
Welcome, Oh spouse of Betsy.Thanks for stopping by TNS. I am a huge admirer of your yard work. Now I will check out your blog.
OOLOH,
Oh, she can cook all right. Good thing I don't live closer.
Thanks for the link, I will bookmark it for they really have neat stuff. Your parties are always so clever.
Thanks for the excuse to be "polite" when my husband insists we eat at all-you-can-Ryan's, Golden Corral, or Western Sizzlin'.
ReplyDeleteHAH HAH. Interesting! Pig-out and Polite both begin with "P" but then if I was presented with such a meal as you had, I would be piggin' out to be polite, and oOh! would I regret it for days.
Will be in Springfield Mo. M-Th piggin' out at Shoney's breakfast bar, and probably every buffet up and down Glenstone Ave.
Since Medical Tower across from Cox N is new territory to me, we may find even more piggin' out places.
Like some of your other commentators, my Mother was a Depression survivor who routinely admonished I clean my plate--"Think of all those starving children in China." I thought a lot about them while I was piggin'out!
Overeating is something which causes me heartburn in the middle of the night,and that's not pleasant, so I try to be careful.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week, Patti!
Nitwit,
ReplyDeleteEating a lot at all you can eat places is just solid fiscal practice. I hate those places, you feel obligated to over do.
I am glad you were taking care of those poor hungry children also.
What were our mothers thinking?
Hope your trip to Springfield brings you happy news and a pleasant trip.
Reader Wil,
So that what what kept me up last night? Yuck. I am good all year, it is just those darn holidays that mess me up. You are smart to have will power.
A very amusing gastronomic adventure, Hope you are able to sleep it off! Funny thing this being waved and smiled at, I am getting a bit short sighted (as well as forgetful) these days and quite often have people giving me friendly waves as I walk up the street, usually from their cars. The car is a horrid invention in many ways, as low winter sun makes a glassy glare where the windscreen should be, and the interior is often in shadow (if you do peer that far)... consequently I usually have no idea who these friendly people are! I do wonder, with some anxiety, if I have my shirt on backwards, or my trousers inside out (or worse), and it is this that is attracting attention. Who knows, but this part of NZ is a friendly place!
ReplyDeleteKnow what you mean Peter. This is a small town where I live and waving can be a career. Just sitting on the porch can give you upper body work out as EVERY one who drives by waves. I love the friendliness. Sounds like NZ is like minded.
ReplyDelete