An Adventurous Lunch

Joanna has now decided that steak seasoning, teriyaki sauce, and salad don't mix well. Judy was on lunch duty, and put what she thought was the balsamic vinegar on the table. It was in actuality, the teriyaki sauce (We're thrifty people around here. We use the old balsamic vinegar jar to hold the teriyaki sauce since it's much easier to handle than the gallon jug) I wish you could have seen Joanna's face. She absolutely LOVES balsamic vinegar and steak seasoning (who knows why!) on her salad. It's one of her favorite things. She took her first bite, and her face began to contort and scrunch up with absolute horror and disgust. Various adjectives followed in hot pursuit. (Believe me, this isn't an exaggeration) Unfortunately, I couldn't contain my laughter. I probably should have, because I then proceeded to spill all of the salt in the salt shaker onto the table. Thankfully there weren't any guests around. They would have thought us the most clumsy, disorganized (I mean really, who keeps the teriyaki sauce in the balsamic vinegar jar?) family they had ever seen.

I'm really proud of Joanna. She finished her salad, although it was done with much grimacing and irritation.

Of Ladles and Poetry

We were privileged to go and spend Sunday evening with the Harrison family. In the midst of the socializing somebody left the Harrison's ladle in our soup. We discovered it in our bowl upon returning home. Joanna used her creativity to alert Mrs. Harrison:

Walking into your house was such a pleasure

To see your smiling faces it was joy beyond measure

We talked, we sang, and we prayed

We ate food that we brought and some that you made.

And then to my surprise out you came with lighted candles

It was so kind and thoughtful that when we left we took a handle

What I am really trying to say…

Is that we took your ladle and hope to return it long before May.

Mrs. Harrison caught on quickly and responded with this:

Oh, what a joy your message was to read,

To delight in the fun of your fine poetic deed.

To remember the sweetness of being in His presence,

To share both in song and prayer filled with reverence,

To eat at the table spread with food and with love,

To laugh and to talk of things below and above,

We hope your return is far sooner than May.

A pleasure it would be to have you any day.

Just bring your smiling faces, each one a gem to us,

But, now, about the ladle, please don't make a fuss!

Add it to your kitchen, this would be our plea,

To have our ladle serving, a privilege it would be.

We have other ladles for serving up the soup,

So may it join the ranks of the Cole family troop.

We can't close this little ditty, before our thanks we share,

For Love's Abiding Joy, your friendship, and your prayer.

Apparently I didn't realize what wonderful poets surround me. We all thought these poems were neat. Now, how do we respond to her last poem with a poem of our own?