WIN SOME—LOSE SOME

       I think today's efforts were, for the most part, a bust.
       The planned menu was apple/carrot/raisin salad, deep-fried chicken patties on buns, and fruit. Joey ordered the fruit cocktail on Wednesday. When the order arrived, the fruit had been substituted with sauerkraut. We had no fruit, so we heated a can of black-eye peas.
       Joey had taken the huge electric food processor out of the high cabinet for me. He had washed it. There were five little boxes with five different slicing implements—julienne fries, slicer, dicer, grater, and mystery chopper. The machine itself is very heavy. All I had to do was figure out how to assemble it. If it isn't properly assembled, it won't work at all. That's a safety feature.
       It took about 20 minutes before I got all the pieces in their places and the "go" button cranked up the machine. I ran six, foot-long, 6-inch-circumference carrots down the bunny hole and into the container in about 60 seconds. Finished. Done. I could have fed an army in 10 minutes, but we don't have an army. It took a lot longer to clean up the equipment than to use it, but what a wonder it is. Joey and I talked about trying out the julienne fries wheel…
       Chopping the apples was drudgery, but it was required. Pretty soon, I had a huge bowl of salad. I put it in the fridge and made up 12 sack lunches.
       Along with our fresh menu, Joey had a number of leftover plates containing the sauerkraut, pork 'n beans, and a fat sausage in a bun. Personally, I was not drawn to either selection, and neither were our diners. The carrot salad was probably the least favorite, and so sadly because it had taken the most effort.
       Joey said he missed my bubbly, cheerful self. I said I didn't have a bubble to give. He said he'd give me one of his but it'd probably be gas…
       Best I could tell, the clients were a bit down today too. It is chilly and rainy, and the food—well—there was nothing to celebrate. Maybe next time.