I honestly can’t remember why but I was irritated with my wife. Our work/home life had been jumbled up due to COVID and I was feeling something was unfair or holding me back from my work.
It doesn’t really matter because luckily I caught myself in this negative thinking pattern. Stopped. Decided it was unproductive and asked the question, ” What would be productive?”.
I decided making my wife lunch every day for a week would be a small but not insignificant gesture of care.
My wife often laments that she doesn’t have time to watch TV. She has a series of Korean dramas she would like to watch. Every night when the house is all ticketyboo, she sets up in front of the TV, starts the drama, and… promptly falls asleep.
Her new job is mornings only. Since I’m working remotely I’ve done the basic morning chores by the time she gets home. She doesn’t really have anything she must do until our daughter gets home from school.
3 hours free and clear for Korean dramas. How often does a plan come together like that? Never.
And what would make it all just that much sweeter, I thought. A delicious, out-of-the-ordinary lunch ready for you when you came home. That’s what!
If you have the chance to help someone else, with little cost to yourself, you should do it. If that someone is your spouse then times that by 10.
Photo by Kristina Gain from Pexels.
Day One: Frittata
A frittata is basically a baked omelette. My cheese, onion, and bacon frittata turned out pretty well if I do say so myself. Plus, a bonus healthy green salad.
She was very suspicious. “Did you do something bad?”.
“I don’t need it,” she said.
“Well, I made it for you. I have to get back to work,” and I retreated back to my home office one floor up under some serious side-eye.
When I came down for a break I was thinking a bit of frittata would go down well right about now. “It was Oishi (delicious),” she said. “I saved half for Komi (our daughter) to eat at dinner.”
Yes! An opening double victory snatched from the jaws of defeat. 1–0.
Photo by Asnim Ansari on Unsplash
Danger! Busy morning plus our local supermarket is closed down - collateral damage of the COVID pandemic. I’ll have to get it done with what is in the house.
Luckily I had some pesto sauce so I made a fried ham, cheese, and spinach panini sandwich. Not too bad of a comeback.
“I don’t want it.”
“I want to eat the leftover Hayashi rice (beef stew).”
“Okasan (her mother) left me a bento too.”
She has a small bit. “It’s good but why are you making me lunch?”.
Hmm. One bite feels like defeat. 1–1.
Day Three: Defeat
Homemade pizza? Pork kimchee fried rice? Butter chicken curry?
“Don’t make me lunch.”
“I want to eat the bento Okasan left yesterday.”
Oof. 1–2.
Day Four: Gnocchi.
You didn’t think I would give up that easily did you? My wife is a tough nut but everyone’s gotta eat, right?
Fresh gnocchi and ham in tomato sauce with a little ground pepper.
“I made you lunch.”
“Again?!? I’m not hungry.”
“I’ll just leave it here.”
“It was good”.
I’m not out yet. 2–2.
Dana Tentis from Pixabay.
Dana Tentis from Pixabay.
Day Five: Shakshuka… NOT!
I’ve never made the North African dish Shakshuka before but it looks great.
Cook a tomato sauce with any ingredients you want. When it’s thick, make little valleys and put eggs into them. Add cheese or other toppings and eat with bread.
“What is this for?”
“I’m going to make you lunch.”
“Don’t do that. If I eat lunch, I’m not hungry for dinner.”
Boom. Defeat. I could only muster a 2–3 record over the week.
Overtime: The Weekend
Saturday, our in-laws came over for an all day party so no private lunch for my wife. I did sneak blue cheese and white wine onto the menu that was well appreciated.
Overtime Part Two: The Peanut Butter Incident
Sunday. Mother-daughter outing while daddy works from home, so no lunch opportunity.
“We are really rushing. Could you make me some toast?”
A chance!
Lightly buttered toast, a think layer of fresh peanut butter and blueberry jam perfection.
“Ewwww, what is this?”
“Peanut Butter? Why?”
At least my daughter was amused.
Lessons Learned
It seemed like such a good idea but it went down in flames. Only the Frittata and Gnocchi made it through.
But there were some bright spots to this experiment.
- 2 lunches eaten is better than 0!
- She appreciated the effort.
- My daughter thought it was funny.
- My mother-in-law thinks I’m pretty cool.
- I had fun.
Epilogue
I made the Shakshuka just for me. It was delicious.
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This post was previously published on Medium.com.
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Photo credit: Alex Loup on Unsplash