Joy and Pumpkin Pie
I feel like I'm so much more organized since I started ready messages from Fly Lady, Marla. So I had planned to have my pre Thanksgiving dinner arrangements taken care of today so that tomorrow I'll just do the fundamental cooking. I would buy bread for stuffing, pare the apples and make Waldorf salad and bake the pie, --in the afternoon.
I bought the bread right after Aquarobics and the store wasn't crowded. I was right on track.
At home again, after lunch, I worked on the church newsletter, in the Publisher program, to get some practice so I'm ready for my next class on Monday. I stopped doing computer work at 3 and started the pumpkin pie.
That's when I realized that I didn't have enough shortening, and I had to go out and buy more. I knew my supply was getting low but I thought I had enough for one more pie crust recipe. I was wrong!
I left immediately then and went to the most economical grocery store, Save-A-Lot. To my relief, it wasn't crowded at all, though the parking lot was. People were doing what I was doing, grabbing a few last minute things and dashing off again. One man just behind me bought a gallon of vinegar! Just that!
That missed calculation on the shortening cost me the Waldorf salad today. But it's not going to be a big problem for me to make it tomorrow morning.
So, I made the pumpkin pie and oh! what joy I felt as I got the pumpkin ingredients all mixed together. Many times at home Mom and I made pumpkin pie together. I cracked the eggs, opened the canned milk, stirred the mixture for her. And then the tasting! We always had to taste it to make sure there was enough salt and just enough sugar, or maybe just another shake of cinnamon. Sometimes Mom mixed the pumpkin in a four quart pan because the big mixing bowl was used for the pie crust.
At the store this morning I saw that pumpkin pies were selling for $3. I was tempted to buy one. I even remarked to a friend that it seemed so simple to just buy the pie and she told me, laughing, "That's the only way to do it!" But I didn't buy it. I didn't want the easy way today. I wanted the real thing, and I'm so glad I made it myself. I can't explain the joy I felt as I thought of Mom and the pumpkin pies we made together.
As I cleaned up and washed up the utensils, I remembered Mom's rule. "You're not finished with the baking till you've washed up the utensils and put everything away again." It's a good rule. It keeps me from being swamped with a load of dirty dishes.
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