Helene and Helen

 As I have said before, our "local" news is out of Atlanta. The storm is non-stop on the news reel. HeWho wants to be ready. Ready for what? From the path shown on all channels has it coming up the western side of Georgia and staying in that westerly direction. I don't think it will give us much trouble. It is already raining and we might get some winds. The only thing to be concerned about is a power outage.

We have a gas stove and 2 generators that will keep the refrigerators going. Geez, one generator will do the trick, but we are prepared. We just made the trip to Walmart to top off our drinking water supply. HeWho must have been hungry as he was perusing the frozen dinners and such. I pulled him away, suggesting we not buy stuff that would need to stay frozen. The bread aisle was wiped out.

Why does everyone rush out to buy bread in the event of a storm? Are they going to sit in a hidey hole and stuff bread down their throats? I am busy cooking a big pot of chili to go with our small loaf of bread. Seems like HeWho is making me anxious about the storm, too.

Watching, or rather listening to the news and now they are tracking a path close to Helen and we are not that far from Helen. Do you suppose Helene wanted to meet Helen? 

Speaking of bread, we don't eat that much bread so we have switched to half loaves. I took the last stale bread and made the most delicious bread pudding recently. The vanilla sauce was to die for with a touch of whiskey in it. Not a big pan, mind you. There are just two people here. While most people crave chocolate, I do not care for it. Bread pudding, on the other hand, is my cup of tea.

We ate some, about half of the casserole dish and the leftover pudding kept staring at me the next day. It beckoned to me and I would grab a spoon and "taste" it as I went about the day. My taste buds sang and I would do it again. I am not ashamed to say that I ate the rest of it for supper. It was so good, even if I felt a little sick afterwards. I wanted to lick the dish, but the canines were watching as I scraped it as clean as possible and then let them lick the rest.

Two days later, I was out in the garden, getting it ready for the colder weather. As I came inside I noted that the bottom of my big toe was achy. It felt like I had stepped on a rock and maybe bruised it. Didn't think about again until the next morning. It was throbbing and tender. I thought to myself, "Could it be gout again? No, of course not." I took a close look and it was red, swollen and hot to the touch. "Well, crap on a cracker!" my mind said to me.

HeWho wondered what caused the attack as he waited on me all day. It was the pudding with all that butter and sugar, not to mention the whiskey that was poured with a liberal hand. My own fault for being a glutton! He still brought me whatever I needed, as walking was painful. I drank cherry juice all day long as I remembered the previous attack and how bad it hurt to even stand up.

The cherry juice is a wonder! It was sore the next day and I couldn't wear a shoe, but nothing like that first experience. It tastes pretty nasty, but I will drink it again if I have to!