“Didn’t I Buy……”

I refuse to admit it’s a sign of age. I had a stroke ya know!

I’ve been providing my wife with some comic relief the past few weeks. Well actually for the past 37ish years.

A couple of years ago I started cooking. I think I’ve told you before that my daughter Sarah suggested that I research a recipe every week and then create it to give me a new hobby. I now cook just about every night and Priscilla seems to be just fine with that.

I also started doing the grocery shopping a few years ago because she hates it while I don’t seem to mind.

Here’s how my week usually goes: on Thursday I make out my grocery list by going around to each cabinet and then the refrigerator and freezer to see what needs replacing. Then I sit down with the weekly flyer and make my menu for the week and write down what I might need for ingredients. We started with the weekly menu when the children were in school and playing sports. We needed to get a handle on things because we were eating a lot of fast food. It’s a system that seemed to work well so we kept it up.

The thing that Priscilla finds funny is that, a couple of times lately, I will be in the middle of cooking a dish when I say, “Didn’t I buy any _____ ?” Fill in the blank. This week it was cream of chicken soup. You kinda needed that for the recipe I was making. She laughs because: A.) I’m the one that planned the meal, and B.) I’m the one who makes the list. I guess it would seem plausible if I had planned it and someone else forgot it but, nope, all me!

I’m not sure how it happens. I usually decide what dish to make and then check the recipe to see what I need and then write it down on the list. I guess something gets lost between my thoughts, the reading of the recipe and my hand with the pen.

It’s usually something pretty significant too. One night I was planning a pasta dish only to discover that I didn’t have any pasta. Or one time I had the pasta but forgot the marinara sauce.

Oh and did I mention that I usually discover this when I’m in the middle of cooking?

Fortunately I live 3 minutes away from the grocery store. I always feel like the cashier knows what I’ve done when I’m there with the random jar of marinara sauce at the checkout. “Yup that’s all I need today. I’m THAT guy who always forgets.”

Priscilla will often say, “I don’t understand. Aren’t you the one that MAKES the list? Don’t you check?”

Oh well, I’m just glad I can still put a smile on her face.

I’m going to make some potato salad now. Let’s hope I have potatoes.