My Wonderful Morning!

Today's blog was written by my Mom.  My son has the flu and I have several of the beginning symptoms so I really don't feel like writing today.  I think you will enjoy this though!

The snow and ice were pretty to begin with but after seeing it for several days, they are both getting old now. Sure, the sun is shining today.....right on the snow and ice! It is so cold, there is little chance of either of them going away very soon. So I am still cooped up inside......unwilling to venture out to shop or do anything else in this frigid temperature.


I decided to relieve my boredom this morning by making homemade bread. Since I am trying to eat healthy, I chose a nice oatmeal bread recipe made with fresh buttermilk and only a couple pats of butter. I carefully measured the ingredients, fully aware that a bread maker is unforgiving with variations in the recipe.

While the bread was baking, I decided to organize and file a vast pile of recipes I had cut out from various newspapers and magazines. They were pretty interesting to begin with, especially the lovely desserts. But after two hours of sorting through a multitude of recipes, however, I sternly imposed a rule for myself: If I cut recipes out, I must file them immediately! No more collecting and tediously sorting through stacks of recipes!

Now the aroma of the bread was wafting deliciously throughout the house. Nothing smells better than fresh, hot homemade bread! I was looking forward to my lunch of black beans with rice (cooked the day before), fresh mozzorella cheese topped with red pepper relish, and fresh bread! I continued to steadfastly work on my recipes. Occasionally I glanced at the timer on the bread maker and after quite a while, was delighted to see that it would be ready by noon.

I wearily continued organizing and filing the recipes while wondering why I ever started the entire process.

Shelly called to update me on Blake who has the flu and tell me she called the doctor regarding her own symptoms. Yes, flu-like symptoms! While we were talking, I noticed a strange odor and realized the bread smelled very different. In fact, it did not smell like fresh bread at all. More like a horrible burning stench! I ran to the bread maker and did the unthinkable.....lifted the lid before the time was up! I groaned as I saw the almost baked bread with a black coating all around it! I immediately asked Shelly, "How do you burn bread in a bread maker?" Of course, she did not know either. Now I've baked bread for years and I've never had a burned loaf! I've had loaves that were a little on the raw side, but burned?? I've even baked loaves of bread that tasted like sawdust, but never burned! And this bread maker is the top of the line! Perhaps I should have kept my cheap one....

Disappointed, I fixed my bowl of beans and arranged the rest of the meal. Just before I sat down, I thought, hmmm, hot sauce with the black beans sounds good. I reached in the fridge and viewed the assortment of hot sauces. There was the standard hot sauce, green hot sauce, Louisiana Gold but I finally decided on Texas Pete. I removed the lid and began to shake it. Too late, I realized it did not need shaking! Instead of dripping out like most ordinary hot sauces, to my horror, it poured out! Liberally! I looked helplessly as a small red pool of Texas Pete formed in the middle of the bowl of beans.

Now my mouth has just recovered from a long bout of breaking out from the chemo therapy that I take daily. Large portions of hot sauce was the last thing it needed. But by then, I was just exasperated and too tired to care so I just decided to eat it anyway....uncomfortably aware that my stomach would be the next part of my body to rebel!

I slowly ate my lunch.....black beans drowned in hot sauce followed by lots of cold water. I dined with the revolting smell of blackened bread in the kitchen. In fact, now an hour later, it is still permeating the house...even upstairs. Nauseating smell! The exhaust fan on the cooktop was very little help.

The snow and ice are still on the ground. The sun is still shining. Yes, it is still cold outside. But I may go for a walk, anything to take a break from the results of my morning! Yes, I will go outside....just as soon as I send an emergency email to the manufacturer of my bread maker and I find a bottle of Maalox!