Kitchens and Other Disaster Areas

"Have you learned nothing from me?" Mr. Ginley postulated.

Yes, I made it myself.

If ever there was an invitation to an eyeroll...

"You go to the store, buy a few bags of Chex Mix and put them in a big zipper bag," he continued. You bring your own bowl to put it in and, voilá. You've brought snacks that everyone thinks you made yourself."

"No one in my family is that dumb," I say, daring him to contradict me. "They'll know it's store-bought."

"Well, who cares? You go to all this trouble to buy the ingredients, and you're fretting about not having enough time to prepare it. Now you've got to make a cheese ball and Chex Mix, and it's your own fault, no sense feeling sorry for yourself."

Cue the second eyeroll.

Yes, he's right, of course. After working all day and finishing up a job for my side gig to boot, I really didn't feel like putting in more hours preparing snacks for the big shindig. 

It didn't help that the butter blew up in the microwave, and I had to spend another 10 minutes cleaning up the carnage. 

Or that I chose a too-small bowl to mix the cheese ball in (an error which was also called to my attention by Mr. You-Know-Who). 

The third strike was not being able to locate the nut grinder. I asked Mr. if he knew where it was. After searching through two cupboards that hadn't been accessed in years,  he located the nut grinder for me. My hero!

So let this be a lesson for me for next year. I'm writing it down tonight so I won't forget. 

Of course, I know if I do, someone will be on hand to remind me.

Say goodnight, Gracie.