Not the way it was planned

I invested my afternoon into food preparations, and some mighty fine soccer play by Peter. Let's see, I started out with making a chocolate pudding to use up some milk that was getting kind of close to the pull date. Then I cooked some potatoes to make twice bakes for dinner tomorrow night. I had J-bers for a couple of hours so he helped me empty out the skins so that I could refill them. He was great about putting the mashed potatoes back into the skins and I think he will take great pride in serving them tomorrow evening. Then I cooked up 3 whole chickens so that I could pressure cook them and get them into jars to cook tomorrow evening. And fixed dinner of spiced mashed potatoes, Meat Loaf and Carrots with the pudding for dessert. And how have my efforts been received....not at all. My one and only is certainly not one that you can depend on and I know that, but I thought he might at least make an appearance, I was wrong.

And why do I do what I do? Heck if I know, I guess it is just a habit that is hard to break. But I did have some wonderful mashed spuds and meat loaf for my dinner alone. And I am well on top of the family dinner for tomorrow.

Joyce made comments about eating alone and how sometimes she goes to D.Q. just so there will be people around when she eats and conversations in the area. I get it, fact is I really get it. Unlike Joyce I have been doing this alone stuff for many, many years so it is not as devastating for me as it seems to be for her. In my pretend world I would fix healthy nutritious meals and my family would enjoy them with me, then sit down afterwards (and during sometimes) for good conversation about all sorts of topics. Boy did I miss the boat on that one! It worked while I had kids at home but the minute Nancy left for school it all crashed. But as I said, I enjoy my own company so it is not all that bad and most of the time I really don't care all that much.

So tomorrow we will have a family dinner, wilted lettuce salad, twice bakes, barbecued chicken and conversation....sounds perfect to me! Might even make cup cakes! I love having the next two generations well represented and close, I miss those not close but I celebrate those that are close.