Thursday, February 08, 2007

Home Sick, Makin' Gumbo

Yesterday, right after lunch, my voice began to vanish. By fifth period, (my last class of the day) I was down to a squeak.
This morning it was even worse, so I stayed home. It's tough to do my job without a voice ... picture a bleeding mullet tossed into a school of hungry blacktip sharks.
Something like that.
So I stayed home and here is what I did.
Got up at 5:00 AM to make substitute teacher plans, because the show must go on.
Called in sick.
Went back to bed until 8:00 AM.
Tickled the puppies and gave them some breakfast.
Fed the pig.
Fed the chickens.
Started gumbo for supper ... this took a while.
Watched the pocket gopher flinging dirt from it's tunnel from the kitchen window.
Dashed out for picture.
Got pictures of dirt ... no gopher.
Got pictures of gumbo events.
Almost burned the roux ... stupid gopher!
Poked around the blogosphere.
Did a load of laundry.
Worked on my class plans for tomorrow.
Worked on my National Board certification.
Drank gallons of hot green tea.
Did another load of laundry.
Which brings me up to now.
I'm thinking the gumbo will fix me, but just to be sure I ate some homemade fresh (not cooked)salsa for lunch. Lots of good, colorful phytochemicals in that stuff.
What food do you crave when your sick?
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17 comments:

MinorcanMeteorolgist said...

When I am sick, I ALWAYS crave these three things uncontrollably:

Milkshakes
Orange Soda
Grits

I maintain that a bowl of grits is THE best comfort food ever created.

kathy a. said...

mac and cheese is the best comfort food. but chocolate mint chip ice cream has healing powers.

amarkonmywall said...

Potato soup. Mashed potatoes. But I made fresh gazpacho yesterday-so good. Listen- you are way too busy for someone who is supposed to be napping and quietly watching the Young and the Restless ( A show I pride myself on never having seen- not once.)

Speaking of the young- I sent you a note on your young lady and her wonderful accomplishments. Such great news.

The gumbo looks great. Especially the garlic and sausage. Feel better

Anonymous said...

I tried leaving a snarky comment yesterday, but recently your blog has not been accepting my comments. Are you testing some blocking feature? Did this comment appear?

Lightnin said...

When I'm sick I crave anything Thunder will cook for me! He's the best chef around these parts! In fact he's cooking at friends house this weekend! He's so in demand with his cooking!

Anonymous said...

I hope you are feeling better today. I echo Vicki. Mashed potatoes, but only homemade, none of the boxed ones. Get better soon!

Deb said...

Homemade chicken or vegetable soup, with hot sauce and lots of garlic. But that gumbo looks great. Do you use that food processor much? We picked one up at the thrift store almost brand new and I haven't really figured out what to use it for yet.

Hope you're feeling better!

Anonymous said...

What a busy day. At least you gave your voice a rest!

I really don't crave anything when I'm sick, except vicks, Motrin and hot tea, and I had all 3 last night! :)

Hope you're feeling better. Liked the gumbo pictorial...excellent idea!

Paintsmh said...

Oh man, that gumbo sounds good.

Alan said...

Dang, now I'm craving grits.

Breakfast for supper it is then!

Last night I made a big pot of chicken soup using the remains of a chicken I roasted last Sunday.

Good luck with the cold. It's been a bad winter down here for ear/nose/throat.

.....Alan.

roger said...

love the collage. i was conditioned as a child to get white rice and ginger ale, not served together, when sick. now i go for chicken soup.

robin andrea said...

I agree with vicki. You sound much too busy for someone who should be resting. When I'm sick I crave chicken soup. I know I'm really sick when I don't have a glass of wine with it!

R.Powers said...

HTeen,
Hey, I like all of those too!

Kathy A,
Mac first, then ice cream :)

Vicki,
Watch the Young and The Restless on TV? Did you forget I teach middle school ? ;)
The gumbo was good, but I better quit posting about gumbo before some psychologist points out an unnatural gumbo fixation.

Pablo,
Note to self: Deactivate midwest snark control feature. There, that should take care of it.
Really, it's not me ... I wasn't allowed to post at POP's a few days ago, then the next day it worked.

Lightnin,
It's true, he'll make someone a wonderful wife someday.
heehee


Cathy S,
Ditto. Potatoes come in different color skins, but never boxes!


Deb,
I use it regularly and am always amazed that it hasn't worn out.
It is spectacular for whipping up a quick salsa cruda, chopping up mixed veggies to saute with rice for a quick pilaf, or turning whole nuts into bits and pieces.


Laura,
I hope you are feeling better too! The collage's become necessary as blogger/picasa refuse more than one pic per post lately.


Paintsmh,
It was spectacular! Having some for lunch too!

Alan,
This is revenge of the germs. Everybody else around here has had a cold or something this winter and I was bragging that it couldn't get me.

roger,
what is it with Moms and ginger ale? you'd think it was some kind of miracle drug.
Schweppes, Canada Dry, or Vernors?

Robin,
No wine!
Oh my!
I crave chicken noodle soup usually, but I happened to have the many ingredients for this gumbo and I thought the spice would break the chest congestion.

threecollie said...

Homemade soup is always good (whether you are sick or not)...and the boss has this concoction he makes of lemon juice, honey and hot water that is wonderful for a sore throat or croupy cough or any of that respiratory tract stuff.

SophieMae said...

7-Up (or a reasonable facsimile thereof), squirt of lemon juice and a spoonful of sugar. Well, I don't actually crave that. I crave thick, warm, gunky things like pizza or stew. Or grits! YUM-O! The gumbo looks like just the ticket. That's the Southern LIving recipe? Gotta look that up. Hope it worked wonders for ya.

Mega-congrats to the two beautiful friends! Amazing story there!

kathy a. said...

7-up is the wonder drink for recovery on my side of the family, although husband's side favors ginger ale. but you have to have bendy straws. [this is such an important requirement that i have 4 partly-used packs of bendy-straws, although the kids are 18 and 19 now. how'd that happen?]

R.Powers said...

ThreeCollie,
My Mom (from PA) had this concoction when we were little...honey, lemon juice, and a tiny dollup of whiskey for coughs.

Sophie,
Thanks Sophie! You will love that gumbo recipe, page 20 of the 1994 SL annual book.

Kathy A,
We are of the ginger ale wonder soda side too, but bendy straws sound fun.