In the absence of steel-cut oatmeal, a hand reaches over the seat in front of me

This morning, I looked for the steel-cut oatmeal, but could not find it. Yet, I was determined to eat steel-cut oatmeal - because it is good for you, it is cheap and, especially when you add berries and walnuts into the mix, it is delicious.

Not quite as delicious as breakfast at Mat-Su Valley Family Restaurant, but still delicious.

And I can't afford Mat-Su Valley Family Restaurant right now. I expect to receive a check by the end of the week and then I should be able to afford a few breakfasts at Family, but right now I can't. Just yesterday, two purchases went into overdraft protection.

So I was determined to eat my steel-cut oatmeal.

But the steel-cut oatmeal jar was empty. I already knew this, because I had emptied it yesterday, when I cooked my healthy and economical breakfast. When Margie filled that jar a couple of weeks back, there had been oatmeal left over, which she had put it in another jar. According to my understanding, she had then put the second jar in the hall-way pantry.

But I looked in the hallway pantry and could not find it.

This did not worry me that much, because Margie is forever putting something somewhere, after which she tells me where but when I go to look, I cannot find it. So I consult her and then it is quickly found - sometimes, right where she said it was, sometimes in a completely different place.

Anyway, I wanted my steel-cut oatmeal. She is in Anchorage, babysitting Jobe, so I called her up and asked her where the second jar of steel-cut oatmeal was.

Indeed, she answered, it had been in the pantry, but she had emptied it into the steel-cut oatmeal jar on the counter while I was traveling. 

This meant there was no more steel-cut oatmeal.

This left me with no choice but to go to Family Restaurant.

I did. I ordered ham, eggs over easy, hashbrowns lightly cooked and 12 grain toast, to be dropped and delivered only after I had finished the rest of my breakfast, so that I could lather it with strawberry jam and eat it slowly, while it was still hot, sip coffee and see if I could prepare my mind to face the day.

As I thus enjoyed this breakfast that I could not afford but that circumstance had forced me to buy, this little hand slipped over the top of the empty seat facing me.

I have too much to do today to fool anymore with this damn blog, so I will let this one image, and this exceptionally exciting and important story, which ought to win me a Pulitzer if not a Nobel, do it.

Comments

[Michelle]

The Polar Bear post and the Fat Cat is Back post (oh, and 5 studies of Jobe and the Whalers) put such a smile on my face you are due for another donation. I'm waiting for paypal to fund. :) It's my pleasure to support your blog because I'm a political fiend and damn if all the stuff I read is so depressing. Your blog gives me that moment of zen that is much needed.