Day 15: Mom’s Soup

The better news is that John Prine is reportedly stable in a Nashville hospital, though he’s not out of the woods. Thanks, Sydney, for making sure I knew his progress report. That guy is a fighter. He’s beaten cancer twice, and now this. Here’s a video of him a million years ago, doing one of my favorite songs: That’s the Way That the World Goes Round.

I got a call from my next-door neighbor, telling me that his daughter is going to Safeway and did I need anything? She’s concerned about my going myself, since I am old. I’m touched by the offer. I love seeing good stuff in humanity, yet I have a hard time spotting it, especially these days.

I’ve been talking with Ma every day or two. She’s holed up in Delaware and, unlike me, is doing lots of virtuous things, like cleaning. Yesterday she decided to attempt something she rarely does: making soup. She simmered the chicken carcass while laboriously dicing vegetables and mincing herbs. Two hours later, the broth was finished. She carefully carried it over to the sink and poured it through a strainer. There was only one problem: she neglected to place a receptacle under said strainer, so all the savory liquid went right down the kitchen drain.

I was telling Molly how much I’ve been having fun watching The Good Place. I just started Season 3. One episode I particularly enjoyed was when the characters arrive in Hell via steam train and are greeted at the platform by the station agent with this message: All passengers, you all suck and you’re ugly. One character wonders if there’s a gift shop nearby. This is Hell, their demon guide replies. Of course there’s a gift shop!

This bit from my Coursera Bugs 101 online class is interesting:

During the Carboniferous period, around 350 to 300 million years ago, the skies were home to dragonflies with wingspans measuring almost 75 centimeters [29.5 inches]. Meanwhile, another giant arthropod, a type of millipede known as Arthropleura, grew up to 2.6 meters long.

I would not want to run into an 8.5-foot millipede. And can you imagine how big the spiders must have been?

The fog finally burned off so I took a short walk in the neighborhood, passing by Vicki’s house, and, lo and behold, whom should I see but the woman herself, in her garden. (I had my long lens on, so she looks closer than she actually was.)

5 comments

  1. You left a comment! All by yourself! Which proves you’re *not* an idiot! And your escapades gave me such pleasure, so it was all worthwhile, right?

  2. then perhaps i’m the idiot here who can’t leave messages. so sorry “mom” about the soup. it would take me forever to get over it, but i have done things like this before with noodles.

  3. That is sweet about the neighbor-offer! That has been a good aspect of all this: the small bits of decency and kindness it has fostered, when they happen.

    I think that Granny’s sink-sprites will very much enjoy the fine broth, and it was very thoughtful of her to make sure that they were taken care of in this lean time.

    I am so glad you’re enjoying The Good Place still! Yay.

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