in a galaxy far, far away. Whoops, sounds like Episode IV, A New Hope. I had a cat, and had just met the man who was to be my husband of nearly ten years (anniversary coming up in a few months). He could not visit me because he is deathly allergic to cats, so I had to find him his own place 1,000 feet from mine.
Let’s just say his gifts are usually meant to make HIS life easier or more fun. He did buy a gas mask so he could come over for dinner one night. I couldn’t stop laughing as all I could think of was James Earl Jones in Star Wars saying “Luke, I am your father.” That’s what he sounded like.
Washer and dryer and frig at his place so I could do his laundry (and mine without going to the laundromat) and cook.
The gas mask only lasted about ten minutes and we went out to a neighborhood haunt for dinner. Other “gifts” include a flat screen tv and a playstation III. Two controllers, one which has never been used in the past four years but finally made it out of the box because I wasn’t about to move the box!
This gift was because I wouldn’t go away for the weekend and leave my cat Mickey Mouse (real name Mick Dundee) alone. So my dear husband bought me an automated feeding system. Four trays so we could leave Friday night, go to Disneyland or wherever, and come home Sunday afternoon, no problem.
It was battery powered. I had to freeze two small packs, then pack the four trays with canned quality food (Innova, I used back then) and set the timer. Unfortunately one weekend the timer didn’t go off and that heavy feeding system was bashed around and ten feet from its original location. I felt terrible and fed him the minute I walked in the door. I also had a self-waterer that had been freshly scrubbed and filled before we left for the weekend. Also every dog in the neighborhood knew him. When they ran away from home I’d get a call and they’d be right outside looking at him through the window and asking him to come out and play/wrestle. He also taught himself to fetch, crumpled post-it notes from my to-do lists so aside for one missed meal, I was not needed.
We normally do not purchase gifts for each other for birthdays, holidays or anniversaries but I find my love’s tastes quite self-serving. Ceramic Santoku knife. Calphalon roasting pan with rack. For our wedding he spent days researching online and told his parents (who asked him what to get as a gift) we would love a food processor, but only a KitchenAid. I’m the cook and was not asked. Our counters now sport a blender, food processor and my 25 year-old 5 qt. stand mixer, all by KitchenAid!
Allow me to say that he comes into the kitchen only to get ice and Dr. Pepper. Has not cooked a thing since we met 11 years ago but he is eager to make it easier for me to cook for him.
Jim gave me sci fi movies. I gave him Jane Austen and Memoirs of a Geisha, for which I will never be forgiven. Excited I am to see Star Wars marathons on cable.
What would life be like without interesting stories and someone with whom to share them? Not one I want to be a part of. Thanks for reading, as always. Dee
Cooking with Dee 