Paradise brings various thoughts to mind. For me, it’s a hot beach, cool ocean breeze and time away from it all.
Unfortunately, this year, there will be no great escape. Since my husband was involved in the international oil strike, we’ve decided we should allocate our money to other things and skip going on a big trip this year.
Of course, I’ve reasoned we can do all sorts of other fun things like spending time on the boat, biking and day trips. Somehow Grayson Lake is not quite the beach, but everything is always better somewhere near the water.
Another thing I like to do now that the weather is warm, and the days are long, is grill out. It’s relaxing to sit on the deck and be out of the kitchen for a change.
And it helps that my family loves for me to grill out too. I’ve quit asking the kids what they would like for dinner though, because the answer is always the same. And yes, we do need a bit more variety in our lives than cheeseburgers every night.
Now, I’m not actually sure if it’s the cheeseburgers they like so much, or the condiments that compliment them so well. This is still up for debate. But it seems everything – and I mean everything – tastes better with Ketchup. I’m thinking it’s in my best interest to invest in stock in the Kraft Heinz Company. But, nonetheless, if I want to please the people, cheeseburgers are the way to go.
And every now and then, I do need to try to win points with my famished mob. Yet, I caution you to only ask the question if you are truly ready for the answer. “What would you like for dinner tonight? We can have anything you want.”
I was already prepared for the answer that was coming, as I stared down into the hopeful eyes of my children. But then my three-year-old said, “I want a cheeseburger … in paradise.”
I laughed. Yes, apparently we created our own little Parrothead. Too bad we have to eat our cheeseburgers at home.
As we dined that night at the table, I noticed there seemed to be less noise and fuss than usual. Funny how that happens when you’ve advantageously occupied their giant mouths with food. Yes, they were chomping down their burgers and eating every bite (with Ketchup of course), and they smiled up at me. There is not much better in life for a mom than that.
“Mommy, you are the best cook in the whole world,” said my youngest boy.
Ha! I love how he really butters on the flattery, when he gets exactly what he wants.
But, I realized as I looked around the table, while we are not exactly on island time, I am, in fact, in paradise.
