Plans

Yes, I have them. They are never cast in stone.

Some plans are days, months, years before any action takes place. I just feel it. I bought this wonderful see-through wooden picture frame and was given a choice between a postcard Dad sent on a world-wide cruise or an autograph on the back from master chef Andre Soltner. What did I do? I framed a perfect photo of Dad for a day that he received honors for his service. I did the right thing, he died four years later and he’s looking at me every day, his eldest child.

The boat went into the trash and the Soltner autograph is part of a collage that details the menu, photos et all for the one time in my life I will ever cook at the James Beard House.

I know when a work engagement will go right or wrong. I know that my dog is dying, though my husband will not believe me. All I know is that I plan for things without thinking about them, sometimes years in advance. When the event comes to pass, I know I made the right decision to place that publicity photo of Dad in a pre-made, glass frame, facing my desk, and Andre Soltner’s piece amid my James Beard adventure in a very nice frame.

At the Beard house, my family was the largest in attendance so they got the open loft bedroom, with mirrored ceiling! I wonder what all the Catholic mothers and aunts had to say about that. I’ve no idea as I was in the kitchen. Next day we had all the leftovers and I re-made them into a brunch for 14 family members and 20 neighbors. I was exhausted but they deserved to share in my joy of graduation, plus food.

Brain and heart, I say. Perhaps it’s also my gut, Gibbs (NCIS). If I could ever have a cat again that would be the name but my dear husband is deathly allergic to cats, I would call him Gibbs. I only have female dogs and in delayed succession, one at a time. We did live out west for a while with old Zoe but were up in the mountains and never had polygadogs.

I’m seeing things now that will play out this week. I can’t even tell my husband about them. Dee

ps Thank you US, China, Thailand, Italy and everyone for reading. Send a note! Dee