Driven to barking
Holiday weekend equals a reason for a holiday meal. Except. With a mobile family, scheduling is paramount. This time around, the only common moment for we five was today at suppertime. In anticipation, I awoke early and made my way to the nearest supermarket to fetch foodstuffs.
The menu: baked glazed ham with scalloped potatoes. The cook: me. I imagined an old style bone-in ham, but locally the style is called mechoui, and involves huge quantities of smoked ham prepared in a portable trailer that is towed onsite. I missed the cloud, but I did find a piece of meat worthy of the plan. Ditto for yellow spuds, a handmade Dijon and honey glaze and a cooking schedule that saw us at table at the chosen hour. The whole family, together for a brief communion of minds.
Not to forget the dog. My son is sheltering a spaniel, long term. Maggie travels well, but small canines have small craniums. That’s a kind way of saying that she isn’t the genius of the litter. Lots of barking, following people around and waiting to see if food will be offered. True, most dogs follow this endearing model of behaviour. I”m just not ready to offer her a place by my hearth for more than a few hours at a time.
Maggie and I spent the evening together. Not a quiet time. After a couple of hours, I was also barking. A cartoon comes to mind, where one dog is shouting “Hey!” and the other is answering “What?”. It never gets to the next section of dialogue.
