Perfection

For years my husband has been trying to make me the perfect fried egg.  I've told him how I like it.  Not too underdone, not too overdone.  I've coached him about keeping the heat down and not seasoning it before it's cooked.  He continues to try and I'm sorry to say that he continues to miss the mark.  I feel like a heel for not hiding my feelings about his egg when he offers it to me.  He asks, with eyes hopeful, "how was your egg?" "Good but a bit overdone"  Is usually my reply.  I am nothing if not honest.

I think, no I know there have been a few bad meals I have dished him up over the years.  He never complains.  Yet somehow you just know when the mark has been missed.  Bless his heart he really does try to get my eggs right but usually I offer to make one for myself... and he knows why.  It's because I know how I like it.  I also know how I like my pancakes but that's another topic for another day.

He just wants to please me and is so eager to learn so the other day I gave him a few more clues to the way I like them fried.  I suggested keeping the temperature lower and cooking it longer.  Making sure not to crack the egg into a cold pan.  He came and showed the egg to me while I was getting out of the shower.  Looked okay!  He put it on a slice of toast for me.  I was in a rush and thought I might have to get the egg to go, but there was still a few minutes on the clock for me to sit down and eat.  I cut into my egg and watched it run all over the plate.  Too runny.  You know it's really hard to get it medium soft!  I'm not quite sure how I do it but I think it's the experience I've had at the skillet making eggs for so many over the years and my internal clock just knows when to say when.  I was honest about my egg.  But I was also grateful for the effort and I ate it anyways.

At least T still has something to look forward to perfecting in his future.  He has to have one flaw : )

What's New?

Since I have been slackin' and I need to catch up quick, here's a short list of what has been going down at my place.

!-Big Boy has heard back from 2 of the 4 colleges he applied to.  Both said yes!  Utah State and and BYU Idaho.  We are now in the process of nagging him to fill out scholarship applications.  Wish us luck!  We still have our fingers crossed for BYU Provo.  Only because that is where we have a lot of family.  It would be nice knowing another mother is close by to knock him on the head when he needs it.

@-T and I had a NYC get away!  It was just overnight but it was sure fun to get away.  We saw a broadway play (How to Succeed) and T spoke at the Vetran's hospital in his dress uniform.  Walking down the streets of NY with him in full uniform was a funny thing.  He got lots of sideways glances, one salute and a hearty "Thank you Sir!" from one man.  I was proud to be on his arm.  And he looked pretty handsome too : )  I had about 4 thank-you notes to write we returned.  So many nice friends pitched in to help out with my kiddos.  Even when Little Girl was at high risk for barfing during her overnight stay.

PS our edgy hotel had zebra print light fixtures!

the ceiling at Union Station where we caught the early train to NYC

#- I am in hyper-planning mode getting ready for Big Boy's surprise birthday party on the 10th.  He turns 18 on the 8th so I plan on a simple family party that day and a big surprise shindig on the 10th.  Our theme (because I must have one) is a tribute to red-heads.  Guests are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite red-head or wear a provided orange bandana.  We will serve carrot cake, mandarin orange salad, and ginger ale.  Orange jelly beans will fill our new jelly belly dispenser.  We're having a game of "name that red-head" with orange prizes.  An epic orange dart gun war.  It might be embarrassing for him, but it should be fun too.  We shall see...

$-T and I are coming up on our 20th anniversary.  We are trying to plan a get away but it hasn't quite come together yet.  It feels weird trying to plan something when we just got back from NY.  We were thinking about a cruise (but no longer- thanks Italian cruise ship captain for confirming my worst fears about a cruise).  Maybe a beach house rental, a bed and breakfast somewhere... any suggestions?

%- Notice how I have been using symbols instead of numbers?  Weird how I made that mistake with Number 1 and accidentally typed !  So I just went with it for the rest of the list.  I'm wacky.  Even stranger is the fact that some of the symbols actually went with my topics.  Look again if you're in denial and believe me when I say it wasn't on purpose.  I got nothing for % so I better end.  Have a great Tuesday.