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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Steak, Potatoes and Motor Oil…our first Deployment Disaster:


Who knew cooking was overrated?  Wanna know who?  Me, that’s who.  Cooking sucks.  All day long I’m thinking about food, and I hate it.  I’ve been married for over 10 years now and I can count on my fingers the total number of times I’ve cooked a complete dinner, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I was genetically denied the ability to cook; it just isn’t in me.  So here we are, the “cook” is away and I’m stuck here trying to figure out how to keep from accidently starving my children.

So the first night Steve was away, Katie Beth insisted on cooking.  We decided on spaghetti because I had watched my husband cook that enough to remember the basics.  So I stood by, patiently watching every move she made, praying that she didn’t burn herself.  I was a nervous wreck!  Quickly, I realized there was truly no need to worry.  Her dad had taught her well!  It was the best spaghetti I had ever eaten!..sorry dad, it really was better. 

Then came my turn to take a stab at the cooking experience.  I was flying solo, this time.  I had just gone to Costco and spent a small fortune on a variety of meat…because I didn’t want to have to piece-meal our dinners, no pun intended.  So walking through Costco, I just started throwing meat left and right…no real discrimination attached.  If it looked edible, it was going in! 

Steak and Potatoes…that was the choice I had made.  What a mistake!  I had called my mother the day before to verify the timing of baking a potato.  But what I didn’t realize was that potatoes come in a variety of sizes and the cook time actually does depend on its size.

I throw the steaks in a skillet, basically drowning in butter…because, what harm is butter going to do, right?  The steaks took a little longer than I expected but the timing with the potatoes worked out perfectly…or so I thought.  I pulled the potatoes out of the oven after 45 minutes, and they were nowhere near being edible, in any way, shape, or form.  I put them back in the oven and finally after another 30 minutes the potatoes were finally done.  Never mind the fact that the rest of the food was cold.  Do you know what happens to steak when it gets cold?  It gets tough and has this very undesirable texture!  Needless to say, neither of the kids really were interested in eating it; I really don’t blame them.  Katie Beth, the sweetheart that she is, attempted to tell me that it was the best dinner, but I know that she was just trying to make me feel better.  It wasn’t that great!...actually, it was bad. 

After dinner, my sweet neighbors, who also happen to be George’s babysitter, invited us over to have dessert with them.  We obliged, of course.  Walking back in the house is when we discovered the treat left for me by my dogs…courtesy of my husband, Steve.

Unbeknownst to me, dear Steve left a quart of motor oil right inside my front door. Because you know, that's where some people think motor oil goes.  Riddled with separation anxiety, the dogs evidently have a coronary and freak out on me. I have no idea how the hell they did it but somehow the cap blew off the container, shooting the ENTIRE bottle of motor oil all over my ceramic tile and hardwood floors! My house is a virtual slip 'n slide!

Oh Dear God! Give me a frickin' break, why don't ya! Does this crap happen to anyone else or is this punishment? Good grief!
It's too bad this didn't happen 15 years ago or else I'd strip down naked and have a ball! But now, not so much, thank you!

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