Disorganization

I am often criticized for not shopping with a list. I really can't stand lists, and if I do use one I put things like, "lunch stuff" anyway. So on occasion I forget things and send my husband off to forage for my remaining items. Even if I need two items this requires a text message list. This week I forgot only staples that I don't purchase weekly.

So I asked him to go to our local market and buy the following (verbally no texted list):

1. natural peanut butter, creamy, the kids don't like chunky
2. jelly, low sugar, but not with artificial sweeteners
3. dried cranberries
4. natural dishwasher soap (I did not specify powder, but I only buy powder)

He came home with:

1. natural peanut butter, chunky
2. fancy jelly with loads of sugar but no artificial ingredients
3. two bags fresh cranberries
4. natural liquid dish soap
5. two containers ice cream
6. six-pack beer

Basically every single item was wrong. I was cracking up. He wanted me to go return all the stuff and get what I wanted. I'm so tired and refused to do this, even though it's about 300 yards away, but it's cold and rainy and I want to start the kids' bedtime (instead I'm writing this blog post). He insisted that the fresh cranberries were dried and wouldn't admit to knowing what a dried cranberry is. This is a man who has trail mix in his lunch every day. Often with dried cranberries in it.

"So, what does a dried cranberry look like?" he asked

"You know. Like a raisin," I said.

"OOOHHH," recognition sunk into his face. "Well you should have told me to get cranberry raisins."

Well I could have explained that a raisin is a grape but I chose not to beleaguer the point. At least he goes to the supermarket when I forget things., even if it is usually just an excuse to get ice cream or beer.

This was all after a relatively unsuccessful dinner. It was an amalgamation of vegetables I cooked earlier in the week, along with some ground turkey that Dave made, and some plain pasta. I got home and it was suddenly time to eat and I didn't have the wherewithal to pull it all together in a cohesive manner, which usually I am able to do. Even opening a jar of red sauce might have helped. I threw some shredded parm on things and called it a day. The kids were unimpressed and grumpy. Dave and I were happy enough (after a bit of a pumpkin freak-out on Dave's part) but I had even run out of olive oil, which is a problem. Perhaps that should have been on the list.

All in all, a pretty disorganized dinner time, despite my pre-cooking. This constant travel is really taking it out of me! One more trip then back to normal.

One thing I noticed though is that I have taken to eating "rabbit food" or at least roasted rabbit food. I can be perfectly happy with a lunch of a bunch of roasted veggies thrown together and re-warmed in the microwave. I couldn't possibly advocate anyone else eating the meal plans I've eaten this week. I don't know why I find the roasted salty oily veggies so comforting, but I do. Perhaps it's just the cold! And I can't tell you how many bowls of that plain pumpkin I've eaten. Usually I come up with some kind of unifying sauce, spices included, perhaps an ethnic themed flavor. Really my cooking is becoming pathetic. I think I have run out of brain space for the creativity that cooking requires. And while I'm fine with, and even savoring the roasted rabbit food, I must get back to some extra flavor in my cooking the sake of my family.