Modern Day Cookout

Yesterday was a busy day. I got up early and made my "to do" list and headed out. My first stop was to the bank to get some money and then off to the grocery store. I had planned a cookout for the family. Summer days without an occasionally cookout would just not be right. Our cookout was scheduled for 4:30 p.m..

I had big plans to prepare a variety of culinary delights with little time to work with. The main focus was my famous potato salad, along with a barrage of delectable side dishes with grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. What more would you want at a cookout!?!

After I finished my early morning chores, I started to chop my veggies. Then, the distractions began. My phone started to ring constantly. The kids wanted to go out for lunch. The dryer bell periodically nagged me to come upstairs to fold the laundry. As I looked over my lists, I noticed I had forgotten some main ingredients. So, with kids in the car, we headed back off to the grocery. OK, so they convinced me that they needed an "appetizer" to hold them over until the cookout. So, I drove through McDonald's for some chicken nuggets.

Once I got home, my mom called and asked if I had gone to the bank for her. Oops. Back in the car I drove to the bank. When I got back home, I should have known not to check my email, but there was a seemingly urgent request to return the laptop I borrowed from school. So, I had to get into the car one final time to return the laptop.

By now it was almost 3:30. I found Katie hard at work in the kitchen. She had everything all chopped up, boiling, baking, or cooling, trying to keep this preparation end of my cookout on schedule. All I had to do was fry the bacon (one of the most important ingredients in my potato salad). Unfortunately, I got a glimpse of the expiration date on the bacon. It was two weeks past the date. Scratch my world famous potato salad.

By 5:00, not all that late, we took all the food we, (I mean Katie), prepared and neatly displayed the food on the serving table outside. I am sure it was at least 90 degrees and the sun was very bright. As we walked outside into what seemed like an oven and then back into the cool, refreshing air-conditioned house, we considered the possibility of eating inside. But, as I told Katie, we were having a cook-OUT, so that meant we had no choice but to endure the heat OUTside.

As I grilled, along with the hamburgers, I felt as if I were melting. Thoughts of the chilled air in the house was becoming more persuasive. Hey, wait a minute. All the kids were already in the house with their food. Only the adults, trying to indulge my fantasy of a memorable summer cookout were still outside, trying to hide their discomfort.

So, Katie and I carried all the food back into the cool kitchen. I think everyone was relieved that I had come to my senses. Everyone seemed much happier inside. I certainly was. I even think the food tasted better.

After everyone left, I started to think about the whole day. It was too busy with too much to do. I didn't count on all the distractions. Thank goodness for Katie and all her hard work.

I learned that I didn't have to have my potato salad for a cookout. In the past, this would be unheard of.

Finally, I considered the whole idea of a cookout. It is called a COOK-OUT. Not an EAT-OUT. Next time it is 90 degrees and I want to have a cookout, I plan to keep the grilling outside and the eating inside.

Or even better, I think I will have pizza delivered.