I Laughed at All of Your Jokes

The man made dinner.  Once in a great while, the other live human in the house will cook and when he does it's a grand treat.  It's unclear if the effort it takes to get him to do it is worth it but I'm not a good burger maker and that's something he does very well.  

My sister's and I joke about how we were the last of the generation of women that held jobs but also cook, clean and keep a house pretty much solely, outside of small tasks performed by the partner such as taking out garbage and changing light bulbs.  In turn, we were blessed with the last of the husbands that take it all for granted and somehow believe that they deserve it. 

It's a Rich Man's Game No Matter What They Call It

2nd day back to work and the ol' assembly line is picking up again, life is moving at a faster pace.  I, however, am not quite there yet.  On coming home exhausted P stepped up again and attempted an egg scramble that somehow tasted amazing.  This day marked New York City's first curfew in 75 years.  I was in bed by 8pm and had no issues with De Blasio's decision on this particular night.  This meant I would not be asked to work late, something I was super fearful of whilst the world was in turmoil.  But so many people would need to travel to work at night and let's face it, that would be people of color and that was a problem waiting to happen.  You only hoped it would be clear to law enforcement who was commuting to and from work and who was breaking curfew for other reasons. 

Well Who Am I To Keep You Down

I walked into the apartment at 6:30 in the evening coming home from a mucked up day at work.  Could I be dreaming, I smelled what could only be homemade beef stew.  P cooked dinner!  So my first reaction from my screwed up girl side, was jealousy that he could just make this amazing semi complicated meal so easily out of the blue.  And the backstory was that I had just made it but it was not the dream I had anticipated.  Quickly I get right because Wake up girl, someone made really good food for you!  And it was undeniable.  He did real good.  The thing about P is when he cooks, it's a special occasion so he reads recipes, he buys the good stuff, he makes it an event but that being said, he's also naturally talented at cooking, meat especially.  I've said this before but his family is rich in ability and often excel in their chosen ventures, which is lucky.  I'm not naturally talented at anything I've hoped to be so it's just a tiny bit frustrating.   He went to the good butcher for stew meat and bones, he bought wine and fresh vegetables.  He probably spent as much money as a big dinner out would cost but there is such a difference in textures with good beef that I for one could taste right out of the gate.  And in a slow cooked delight like stew, it does come through.  Compared to my penny saver beef stew from a couple of weeks ago, this was levels up in richness. 

Punk!

The Snow Falls Hard and Don't You Know?

Beginning of what will be a super mild winter.

P makes dinner!  This time a meatloaf that looked burnt at first glance but was so delicious with that corner brownie type of deal going on.  Inside, very moist and flavorful.  But for me the highlight were these incredible green beans and mushrooms.  He said it was just a little butter but they were heaven, almost as if they melded into one mooshroom because he had left them on low for an hour. Isn't it great when something tastes amazing by surprise or accident?  Just like it's such a shock when P decides to cook.  One day we'll look back on these times when he knew I was working or feeling blue and was thoughtful enough to prepare a whole dinner for us without having to be asked.  It's less rare now, and yes I blame myself for not starting our coupling on a more equal footing, but it was instinctual.  Maybe I figured I had something to offer without much effort at the time, thinking someday it may not flow so freely.  He might of just felt like making a meal tonight and maybe it had nothing to do with me.  He may have craved a descent meatloaf, since I'm not the best at cooking American dishes, nor Mexican for that matter.  But he did it, and it's completely appreciated.  We've weathered lots of winters both mild and bitter cold. 

There's Something Wrong with the World Today

I once shamed P in front of his sister and girlfriend for not helping with most chores or cooking even though he's quite good at making meat.  Enough so that there was a streak where he did prepare a few meals in a short period of time.  Like this one of steak, baked potatoes and salad.  What a treat for someone to prepare a meal for you.

I have maybe the last remaining remnants of the old Midwestern wife in me.  I was the last girl born at the tale end of the baby-boomer generation, and the start of something brand new.  In general I've always felt that I was living on the edge of an era, that I was like the closing crew coming in to shut shit down.  I predict that marriage roles are going to change drastically in the next years.  It already has for so many including us.  We've never joined our money, we split rent, and married 25+ years into the relationship living as roommates for large chunks of that time but yet I make the meals, clean, shop for food and furnish the apartment, make it home for the most part and he's always taken care of all the utilities, repairs, landlords, taxes, 401ks, garbage, heavy lifting.  He's like the back end guy and I'm front of house.  I guess marriage can be anything you make it but it's also a business arrangement with someone you love, run like the labor union.  It's just that now I think someone has to step in and renegotiate those women's contracts.