Sandwiched
Like most kids, I adored spaghetti when I was a little girl. I was quite picky back then and liked a total of maybe eight foods. Spaghetti was definitely No. 1 on my list. Mom made it with ground beef, onions and good ol’ Ragu … just thinking about it as I type still makes me drool.
Many girls dream about their wedding day. I dreamed more about what would happen after my marriage was well established. I had just a small list of items that would come to fruition. I imagined two children. Jonathon and Jacob – check! I pictured a house full of animals like my sister had when I was growing up. Three dogs, two cats and an assortment of smaller creatures that sometimes wander in and out – check! I thought about a wonderful old house that we’d slowly restore and enjoy. Victorian worker’s cottage in Old Town Noblesville – check!
Finally, I imagined the glee and joy all four of us would have with a weekly “Spaghetti Wednesday” tradition. I dreamed that my husband and sons would come home after work or school to a house filled with the aroma of garlic and tomato sauce. They would sigh in delight and exclaim “All right! It’s Spaghetti Wednesday!” It would be just one reason why I’d be the best wife and mother ever.
That dream was shattered long ago.
All three of my men prefer Asian food. In fact, when you ask Jonathon to pick a restaurant for a special occasion, you can always count on his answer being Panda Express or Asian Grill. John spent some time in Japan both during and after his time in the Marine Corps, so he learned to appreciate and love their cuisine. And you won’t find a bigger sushi fan than Jacob. He has a sushi pillow, shirt and socks to prove it.
Fortunately none of us are picky eaters now so meal planning isn’t a big issue most of the time. John and Jonathon enjoy cooking and help out as well. The guys all think spaghetti is okay, but they’re not thrilled with the idea of having it once a week. In fact I get groans and eye rolls when I fix it one evening and we have it again a couple of nights later. But I’m not one to waste food and it’s hard to make spaghetti and use up all the meat sauce in one evening.
I’ve tried to vary the meal a bit by serving spaghetti with Italian sausage or meatballs instead. That helps, but the idea of Spaghetti Wednesdays always gets a solid “NO!” from all three guys.
I’ve picked up and glued some of the pieces of my dream back together and realized long ago that it’s just not gonna be the same. Instead I’ll have to settle for “Spaghetti the First Wednesday of the Month.” Followed by “Spaghetti the First Saturday of the Month.” Because … well, you know.