The ponderables

As I sit here, one of a series of large, problematic questions weighs heavily on my mind.  Should I blog, or should I do the dishes?  "Dishes?", you ask.  Dishes.  As I write, pie crust number two is blind baking in the oven and the French bread is proofing in the warming oven.  My kitchen is in a "Oh god, who let Lucille in here?" condition (Ms. Lucy could take a completely clean kitchen and in no time at all, have every utensil, every pan, and every baking dish sitting on the counter.  Genetics.  I claim genetics!), and the wise choice would be to stay on top of the dishes.  At times, apparently, wisdom can be trumped by desire!  I ask you:  Who wouldn't rather sit at the computer and demonstrate his cleverness rather than clean a kitchen?
Pie crust number two is out!  And it smells wonderful.  You can't even detect the aroma of the vodka I used to make it.  (I'll wait for that to sink in!)  Tomorrow night is the kickoff meeting the the 2013-2014 drama study club, to which I am an honorary member (due to a chromosomal difference) and to which my lovely bride belongs.  This group of 20 women meet once a month for the purpose of "studying" a particular play and enjoying each others' company.  I think B trumps A, but I'm just an outsider.  For the past dozen years, the kick-off meeting has been a dinner that my bride, her sister, and I prepare, and her sister and I serve.  Tomorrow's menu begins with blt bites (black cherry tomatoes stuffed with a cream cheese, bacon, mayonnaise filling), avocado salsa with lefse chips (!) and tortilla scoops, followed by two different kinds of lasagna, (one with meat, one not), the French bread that is proofing, an orange and cranberry salad, and lemon meringue pies (with a little chocolate fudge on the side!) for dessert.  (I know.  I know.  Lemon and fudge on the same plate?  Well, the fudge will be individually wrapped to be consumed at a later date, but come on...a meal without fudge?)  Early tomorrow morning I will give sight to the blind baked shells, put together the lasagna, and avocado the salsa.  Early afternoon I will bake the bread, joyfully wed the greens for the salad, make the dressing, and bake the lasagna.  Then we will pack everything up and take it over the Liz's house to serve.  Some would say we're crazy.  But speaking for myself, I'm in heaven.  To me, there is no better way to tell someone you love them than feed them good food.  Now, if I could only invite you to join us, you would know, too, that you are loved!  And you are!