Daily Hits of Happy: November 20, 2019 - 68

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

November 20, 2019 - 68 - "Griddle Guy"

Griddle Guy rustles up breakfast for the gang
on a beach vacation.

I picked up a few extra pounds during my vacation and was thinking last night I'd like to get back to eating better.

I've been escalating my daily sugar intake for the past week. I know from experience that doing the beginner stage of the Atkins diet will ease my sugar cravings and get me back to actually wanting healthy foods.

So, I resolved:

'It's low-carb for me starting tomorrow!'

My very first thought this morning was, naturally:

  'Pancakes!'

Luckily, I know a super-easy way to make pancakes: All's I have to do is mention the word 'pancake' to Michael.

Me: "I wonder if Pierre could whip us up some breakfast?" (I don't actually know anyone named Pierre.)

I have pictures of Michael griddling.
I have pictures of the griddle on our stove.
I have pictures of Michael cooking at our stove.
...but none of Michael actually griddling at our stove.
But you get the idea.

Michael: "Huh?"

Me: "I hope you didn't give the chef the day off." (We don't actually have a chef.)

Michael: "Doh!"

Me (Going in for the kill.): "Shoot. I was really in the mood for some pancakes."

  Like me, once pancakes are mentioned the thought of them can only be dispelled by eating a large helping of them.

Unlike me, Michael actually likes to make them.

Michael: "Do we have any pancake mix?"

Me: "Yes we do!"

Like me, Michael likes to have pancake mix on hand.

Unlike me, he's unlikely to plan ahead and buy it.

We're a good team that way.

(If you define 'good team' as: people who enable each other's poor dietary choices.)

---

So then I just lolled about in bed appreciating the many pleasures of being home; one of them being Ella kneading my belly. ( s i g h )

Before you could say: 'Manipulative Wife', Michael came in the room with a steaming plate of pancakes.

Me: "Wow! I just now started to smell the griddle! Can't believe you've already got a batch
done!"

Michael: "Believe."

Me: "Yuuummmm!!! You're my hero!"

Michael: "I know."

Me: "And you put blueberries in them!"

(Michael even bought them!)

Michael: "I know."

And I proceeded to chow down on my delicious buttery, swimming-in-a-pool-of-syrup
pancakes. Yum! (Thank you, Michael! And: Thank You Universe! Life is gooood!)

---

Our beloved O'Keefe & Merritt stove.
Circa 1940-something.
Still going strong.

When we restored this house we looked for an old stove to suit the era of the house. We ended up choosing an O'Keefe and Merritt from the 40's. We bought it from our friend, Ralph, just up the street at Old Home Supply.

It only had one previous owner. The guys at Old Home Supply meticulously rebuilt it, and it's worked very well ever since. (Though we did have to use the neighbor's oven to cook a turkey the first year, as we bought a turkey larger than the oven would hold. I guess food for poultry now has more growth hormones in it, because it wasn't that big of a turkey by today's standards.)

I tell you all this because it explains Michael's griddle obsession.

The stove came with a built-in griddle. Michael's imagination was set ablaze by the possibilities of that griddle. (I'm pretty sure Michael was a short-order cook in a past life; pancakes and grilled cheese sandwiches are two of his crowning culinary achievements.)

Thus was born: (cue fanfare: Duh da da duuuh!!!)  Griddle Guy!

(And there was great rejoicing in the land.)

Michael loves to cook up breakfast on that thing. (And his family loves to scarf up his griddle creations.)

Thank you, Michael. You are very very appreciated.