Real Life Conversations

Setting: Living room, night, watching tv with Son, see commercial for eHarmony.

Son: Mom, if they have eHarmony, do they have eDivorces, too?

Me: Why did you think of that?

Son: (stands up in front of the television) Hi, I'm Dr. Clark Warren Neal, founder of eDivorces. Remember when you signed up to that online dating service and thought you'd find the love of your life? Remember how it was great for a few months and then you got married? Remember how he wasn't as great as you thought and actually he's really a meanie? Sign up now for eDivorces dot com to get rid of a person you never should have married anyway because you didn't know him well enough. (Son then begins dancing around the room in parody of the happy couples singing, "I'm divorced now! I'm done with you!")

Me: Out of the mouths of babes.

Setting: Husband, Girl Child, and Me in the car, driving home from eating Indian food, passing by a church with a billboard that reads...

Me: "Make Jesus your valentine"?

Hub: Wow. Boy. Not good.

Me: What's next, "Make Jesus your Easter Bunny"?

Hub: Or what about "Make Jesus your Jack-o-lantern"?

Me: "Make Jesus Your Veteran"? You know, this would not work with every holiday.

Hub: "Make Jesus Your President"?

Me: "Make Jesus Your Santa"?

(After laughter dies down...)

Hub: We're not that funny really.

Me: No. No we are not.

Setting: My sister in law's kitchen, whole family assembled, mother in law and I are discussing our trip to New Orleans in 2005.

Me: I think we flew on Delta.

MomInLaw: No, we flew on that other one.

Me: American?

MIL: No, we flew on Bob.

Me: Bob? There is no airline called Bob.

MIL: Well, it was something like Bob.

Me: Do you mean TED? Like in United's regional line?

MIL: Yeah, maybe it was TED.

Setting: Our apartment in California, circa 2001. My parents are down for Christmas and my dad wants to see a certain Navy movie that just came out.

My Mom: Do you think Roger would want to go to the movie with Dad?

Me: I'm not sure. What movie is it?

MM: Some movie about some war.

Me: Oookay...That's a little vague. Who's in it?

MM: Robert de Niro and that other guy.

Me: That narrows it down. Does the other guy have a name?

MM: Oh, what is it?......I know! Scooby Dooba!

Me: Scooby Dooba? Who in the heck is Scooby Dooba?!

MM: He's that nice looking young black man who was in that one movie with Tom Something about sports.

Me: Do you mean Cuba Gooding Jr?

MM: (smiling) Yeah, that's him. I knew you knew who I was talking about.

I am soooo not related to any of these people...

Soup, Mmmmm Good!

I love soup. Really really love soup. A steaming hot bowl of broccoli-cheddar? A mug full of real Oregon Coast clam chowder with a pat of butter melting on top? A trough full of spicy chili with a side of cornbread? All guaranteed to make my heart go pitter-patter. (And unfortunately, to make my stomach and thighs go "flibber-flabber".)

"Shoup? You has shoup? Whatchu talkin' bout, Willis?"

My great-grandfather was a cook in the Navy. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of going to his house for lunch and being presented with a huge bowl of split-pea and ham soup so thick you could stand your spoon up in it.

Soup is such a comfort food, such a pick-me-up and make-me-feel-all-is-well-again food. But if you are like me, most of the soup you ingest comes from a can. There are some really good canned soups out there (Progresso's Light Southwest comes to mind), but there is nothing that says home and hearth quite like a bowl of homemade soup.

Today, I made this recipe given to me at a Weight Watchers meeting. Quick, easy, and oh so good. And only 1 point a cup.

Try it this week, and let me know what you think.

Super Easy Potato Soup

3 cans chicken broth

1 pkg Country Gravy Mix

1 pkg (28oz) O'Brien style frozen potatoes

Mix the broth and gravy mix together in a large pot. Add potatoes. Heat until boiling, then bring down to simmer. Cook for approx 15 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through.

Eat and enjoy.

This would also be great with sandwiches or as a snack for kids after school to warm them up.





"Zacky eat all shoup! No shoup for Ali? Waaaaaah!"