FLORIDA!!!

With Winter continuing its unrelenting march into Spring, we had had enough. The cure for what ailed us....

FLORIDA!!!!!

Cold Shower

“I’m dirty!” the voice behind me said. My head snapped around, and there was my wife of ten years, on all fours, mischievous smile on her face, crawling down the hall towards me. “Take my sweater off!” she ordered.

I know what you are thinking: “Holy @#!$! RedPlanet!, That is pretty hot after ten years of marriage. That Deanna is some woman.”

Indeed she is. And indeed it would have been pretty hot, if she wasn’t holding a stuffed Mickey Mouse wearing a sweater in one of her hands as she crawled along, pretending to make Mickey walk, and had actually been talking to me rather than in Mickey Mouse’s high squeaky voice to the three boys I had in the bathtub at the time. And so it goes.

DaddyOs

I have a number of goals jotted down for the year, one of which, I will confide, is to create a new family dinner recipe. As background, we are often instructed in gatherings of my extended family simply to bring our “specialty.” Since peanut butter on toast is not a big seller at most holiday gatherings, I have long sought to create a signature recipe for these family parties. You know, the sort of dish that people would refer to as “RedPlanet’s famous (insert delicious specialty here)”. Almost all of my attempts have met with failure – everyone but me, for instance, has long forgotten “RedPlanet’s famous Welsh Rarebit.” Having abandoned my efforts, I am now focusing simply on coming up with something the immediate family can enjoy beyond my usual grilled cheese and tomato soup (I have successfully trained the now 22-month old twins to eat tomato soup with a spoon from a bowl and to say “mmmmm” enthusiastically after each spoonful).

With Deanna working late the other night, I decided to seize the opportunity to work up something pleasing to my crew of little dudes without regard for her usual demand that meals be “well-balanced.” My endeavor began modestly enough, with a giant can of SpaghettiOs with meatballs as my template. The twist, yes I ADDED hot dogs. What!, you say, SpaghettiOs come with either meatballs or hot dogs, not BOTH. Yes, friends, it was a new twist on an old favorite. Think of those old Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup commercials where someone with chocolate and someone with peanut butter collide and inadvertently combine the two, much to the world’s delight and amazement – “two great tastes that taste great together!” Owen was duly impressed as I set his plate down before him, delightedly exclaiming, “it’s a mix!” This dish, which will henceforth be known as DaddyOs, was enthusiastically received by all. Cooper even had thirds.

Perhaps I should pitch the idea to SpaghettiOs maker Franco American, as it has apparently never occurred to them. I can see the ad now: Guy eating a hot dog rounds a corner and runs smack into a beautiful girl carrying a large order of spaghetti and meatballs, hot dog pitches out of the bun and into her spaghetti (sex sells!) and viola, they fall in love AND have a signature recipe right out of the box. I suppose the guy could be eating a meatball sandwich and she could be eating SpaghettiOs with hot dogs, but I digress. Rest assured that this early in the year, I will not be content to rest on my laurels, and will continue my culinary adventures. Perhaps a little something with Spam. Hmmmm. Stay tuned!