Not for me, Thanks

There are certain foods I like and eat often (sandwiches), some I like certain forms and types of, say sushi or tofu - and others I just can't stand - broccoli, tuna fish salad, zucchini. I can usually avoid them and they don't bother me too much. I'll often pick olives out of things I don't like, but they don't ruin a dish for me. I started thinking about all this last week when I had a conversation with people I work with about what they won't eat. Actually it was more about the ways they won't eat things. I can say I don't have any of these little eccentricities.

One woman didn't like to have jelly, or any other condiment for that matter touching the bread itself. Apparently if the jelly is in between peanut butter or the mustard is on the meat and not soaking into the bread this is OK. Another guy could not tolerate pickles in any way. If he gets a pickle garnishing a Cheeseburger platter he says the pickle "taints" all the food on the plate. I just move it out of the way and ignore it or give it to someone else. (I actually like sliced pickles on a hamburger, but not the pickle spear type- is that weird?) One woman I work with is legendary for not eating anything green- I'm sure this includes all manner of green vegetables, but I'm not sure if it extends to green hard candies or M&M's. What does she say to her grandkids when they don't want to eat their peas? I guess she doesn't cook them in the first place. I think someone else mentioned a problem with peas too, now that I think of it.

When we were growing up my brother insisted on eating his spagetti and meatballs separately. It was meatballs first then - clean off the plate and eat the spagetti plain. He has become more sophisticated in his old age, but he still eats tunafish salad all the time. Several other people in my extended family have a thing about nuts and raisins in deserts. They are relatively OK by themselves I think, but not in a pie or a cake. One uncle actually passed this concept down to his daughter. Another friend doesn't like food with "endoskeleton" as he puts it. Lobster and "exoskeleton" seafood are acceptable. He'll still eat it I think, but he won't like it- too much work I guess.

I hear that many people- otherwise normal, healthy adults- don't like certain foods touching
each other on their plates. Perhaps their mothers made them some bad combinations in the past. There is a character on TV who only eats white food. Then there is the young woman I've heard of who is afraid of mustard. Not just on her sandwich, but on the table at a restaurant too. Its like garlic to a vampire with her. Baseball games must be hell.

This year so far

This is the start of what has a chance of becoming a semi-regular feature here on the blog.
I tend to write about things of great importance in the world in general so I sometimes forget to tell you all about big things happening in my world of family friends and work.

It feels like the Holidays were ages ago, damn January is a long month. My Mom had a big birthday in January- I won't tell you how old she is, but she is eligible for Social Security now.
We had a small dinner party for her at Alex and Missy's house. Lots of good food and many people who had also been at her 40th and 50th birthday parties. We (the kids) got Mom an electronic picture frame- the kind you can load up with a bunch of JPEGS that cycle along in a slide show. The better to show off more pictures of her grandchild. Speaking of Rebecca, the really big news lately and definitely Mom's best birthday present was the news that Rebecca will be moving to Philadelphia this summer! She will also bring along her mother Abby and father Chip. It will be great to have all of them living here. I don't think all the siblings have lived in the same city at once for about 15 years. I hope they can find a nice house near me with a garage where I can park my scooter.

In other news, a long time fan of the blog told me some very happy, but not very surprising news. Not surprising because I ask her everytime I see her- "When are you getting engaged?"
Well she finally did. She is fairly private so I'll just go with her usual e-mail name- congratulations to "A" (and her fiance "F"). I worked with both of them in the past and I'm very happy that they've found each other.

More news of a family nature- long time friends of mine (I don't want to call them "old" friends because to me they are still both 22) had a second child- this time a girl. Heidi, Joni and little brother Julius welcomed new baby Josefina on February 6th. Maybe they'll move back to Philadelphia too. Joni - send me a cigar.

My Dad and his wife also had birthdays this past month, but we didn't have big celebrations this year. Dad says he wants a big celebration for his 70th, so we have a few years to plan it. Maybe with Abby moving to town now we will let her do all the work.