I’m stuck between wanting to do All the Things and None of the Things. Like, I feel a very strong urge to declutter, but then when it comes down to throwing things out, I feel the familiar, “Well, you might use it someday….remember that time you needed a whatsit for the whosit?” You know, that happens bi-annually or so. Better hold onto it.

But I am finding it a lot easier to let go of objects that may have a less than stellar association. Not that they have a bad memory attached, just that where the thing originated from is someplace I don’t care to remember. Anyway….

I finally broke out my air fryer today. It’s truly wondrous. I love it a lot. I can’t believe I’ve been heating up my whole oven for one measly piece of fish. Ridiculous. And washing two pots and a lid for steamed vegetables. I only use my microwave for baked taters and the occasional reheating of food. I typically use my secondhand (from Lisa) little red toaster oven, but funnily enough, it took forever to toast bread. And my toaster (secondhand from Lorie) lives at work. Anyway, my thoughtful aunt gave me the air fryer for Christmas and I was marginally intimidated —ok, that’s a lie. I was lazy— about learning a new gadget so it’s been residing in its box since Christmas Eve. No time like the present! It’s super cute, almost podlike, and it sounds like a rocket when it’s cooking. Chester hates it, as he hates most electronic devices, and had a pretty vicious, albeit entertaining, barking spell when I fired it up. It has a little running light on the screen that reminds me of Night Rider. When I was about ten, I owned sunglasses that did that. They were supercool. Well, anyway, I made a baked tater right off, then cooked my mahi and frozen vegetables at once. I’ve only remembered to use the convection setting on my oven a few times, so I wasn’t completely sure I was gonna love this thing. But lemme tell you. I’m THRILLED. I’m also very excited at the prospect of it defrosting food. I never trusted the microwave to do that, no sir. I had a customer at Co-op tell me years ago about a science experiment his daughter did with three bean seeds. All three bean seeds were planted in styrofoam cups with the same medium. They were all placed on a windowsill, ensuring the same light and temperature. They were all watered with the same amount of water at the same time every day or every other day, or whatever the plan was. Here’s the rub: bean seed #1 was watered with tap water at room temperature. Bean seed #2 was watered with tap water that had been brought to a boil in a pot on the stove, then allowed to cool back down to room temperature. Bean seed #3 was watered with water that had been heated in the microwave then brought back down to room temperature. Bean seeds #1 and #2 grew at the same rate, while bean seed #3 was stunted and pale. So you think on that.

So, if anybody is keeping track, my three favorite appliances are: my refrigerator, because it’s big and stainless and keeps my Mountain Dews very cold and is where all the good stuff originates, without it we could have next to nothing, then my KitchenAid mixer, because it lets me move on to the next task at hand while it works away without supervision and does a lot of the hard labor (like sausage ball mixing), and now the air fryer, because it’s efficient and fast. So fast, in fact, it has officially earned the nickname Flash. I wanted to call it Lightnin’, but that reminds me of my sweet beetlebug, and I didn’t want any confusion there.

I don’t think I told y’all about my new friend at the grocery store the other day. She excused herself to walk past me in the foreign foods aisle. (Don’t get excited, I was just getting taco sauce). She said, “This is my third tip, hopefully it’ll turn up this pass.” I didn’t comprehend what she’d said until she was several steps from me, so I didn’t have a reply.

Iran into her again, a few minutes later, a couple of aisles over. I blinked when the realization hit it was the same woman, still empty-handed. I stopped in my tracks. “What is it you’re a-huntin’?” I asked her, point blank.

“Barley!” She practically shouted, eager to have an accomplice. I was defeated.

“Did you try over by the flour?” I suggested.

“Yes, that’s where this one kid sent me.” (She was probably early seventies, so I figured the “kid” in question was probably approaching 30 and on his second wife and mortgage). “I didn’t see it.”

“Hmmm… you know who we need to find is one of those GoCart shoppers; they know where EVERYTHING is.”

“Yes. I know I’ve bought it here before!”

“I think Co-op sells it by the 50# bag….”

She squinted at me.

“Well, sorry I couldn’t help. I just knew I’d be able to save the day!” {me thinking back to the maraschino cherry lady of a few weeks ago}

“It’s ok, honey, thank you for trying.”

I went on my way. Sometimes I like helping people. I wonder if she ever found it. I wonder what she was making. I wonder if it was for eating, or a craft. I wonder if it was on Pinterest. I wonder if it was for her or a friend.

If I was a writer worth my salt, I’d have these answers for you.

If anybody asks, tell them I was a writer. That’s really all I’ve ever wanted to be. Sometimes I feel like one. Sometimes I feel like I’m wasting y’all’s time but I don’t reckon I’m forcing you to read it. And about every day, I have at least one encouraging message in my mailbox ❤️

A word on the snow and then I’ll go. Like the snow should. I woke up to another stinkin’ inch of the white fluff on my porch! I like snow fine, but I like Tennessee snow: that’s the kind that’s here for a day or two then melts. Then you get another one about a month later, and it lasts a couple of days and it’s on its way. This is NOT Michigan, and I am not happy. I have eaten everything in this house except my mini Nilla Wafers and their time is running out because I’m down to six golden Oreos.

I guess I should be thankful I don’t cohabitate. I saw a meme today that said, “this snow better hurry up and melt before everybody is pregnant or divorced” 😁 Funny….‘Cept it ain’t. Historically, this has not been a great day for me. One year, Delta lost my luggage that included five pounds of M&Ms from the Vegas store and my buckaroo Justin ostrich boots. One year, Chickalay gave me lemonade instead of sprite. One year, I fell. Another year I was snowed in.

Come to think of it, today ain’t been so bad. I’m going to bed before I change my mind or something transpires. I still haven’t finished this book. A little less conversation would benefit it greatly.

Better leave a faucet drippin’, y’all. 6 degrees by daybreak.

Love and all things air fried,

~Amy