TREPIDATION

        Well… I took in the new can opener, and Joey and I found a place where it could be installed and not in anyone's way. We talked to One about it, and it was decided to leave the contraption there, and to let the shelter's own handyman install it. Joey said One would see to it. I wish ONE had said that, but he was busy with his social-worker duties and had more important things to do.

       It'll be interesting to see, next week, if anything has changed.

       Joey sent me home again with 5 dozen eggs (best if used by 6-2-11)—sigh. He wants egg salad for next Sunday. He plans to serve it on lettuce leaves with sliced tomato. I suggested a big pot of pintos and/or great northerns and biscuits to finish off the meal. Joey couldn't wrap his brain around the beans, but I assured him that home-style comfort foods are good, colorful, and nutritious.

       He made a 94 on his latest vocabulary test. Last week, I introduced Joey to the word "redundant." When I was 30-something and working as a typesetter, the snooty editor-in-chief of our little publication would often ask for my opinion of something she'd written, and as often as not, she was concerned about redundancy. "Do you think this is redundant?"

       I had no clue what that meant, but I wasn't going to tell her. "Show me," I'd say, pretending to read the lines she pointed to. "No, I think it's fine," I always assured her. She'd walk away looking so pleased with herself… and just for spite, I didn't look up that word for 2 or 3 years.

       So Joey loved the word. He asked his teacher if he could have it on next week's vocabulary list, and he's learning it. I hope he has as much fun with it as I have.

       We didn't cook today. There were leftovers aplenty, so we served them. I did make a batch of deviled eggs for the dinner meal… and 50 sandwiches for the lunch sacks.

       It's going to be a long time before Sunday rolls around again, isn't it?