Saturday, April 30, 2016

Waffles and Chili


Dad continues to improve. My brother and I spent all Thursday night and Friday morning with him, until the rest of the family arrived in his hospital room, when we went home to sleep for a few hours. Dad was intermittently awake during the night, and he and I had lots of conversations -- and most of them even made sense, which is remarkable, given the seriousness of his surgery and the level of medication in his body.

Finally, about 10 a.m., my brother and I left and went to the restaurant whose sign is casting that distinctive shadow on the parking lot to the left. Those of you in the United States will no doubt recognize it. I ate a gigantic breakfast of grits, waffles, eggs and toast, and I have never been happier.

Last night we had a less successful meal. We went to Chili's, where I had -- of course -- a bowl of chili. It most closely resembled something Olga would eat. So I have learned to avoid that particular chain's raison d'ĂȘtre.

Oh, and speaking of French, I wrote a carefully composed note to my French teacher yesterday morning, telling him I would not be in class today and why. I was pretty proud of it -- I used my tenses and I think I did it correctly -- and I posted it on our class discussion page online. And then I immediately realized we don't have class today anyway because Monday is a bank holiday in England. Merde! So I erased my carefully composed message.

(Top photo: My stepmother's staghorn ferns, which are decades old.)

10 comments:

Marty said...

After all that effort at composition, I think I would have posted the letter anyway!
I'm happy to hear that your father's doing so well.
And grits! I haven't had grits in ages, which is silly because there's no state law in Massachusetts declaring that I just couldn't make some!

Vivian said...

so happy your Dad is on the recovery road! Grits...yum!!!

Ms. Moon said...

That staghorn is amazing.
So is the Waffle House, when you need it.

ellen abbott said...

that staghorn is gorgeous. I have a little bitty one but it is growing. glad your dad is improving. and I haven't had a waffle in ages.

Sharon said...

Good to hear that the improvements continue. I'm sure your dad is happy you are there.

e said...

Nice to know your Dad's improving...Haven't had a big breakfast like that in ages...Best to you, Dad and family.

The Bug said...

I eat grits regularly, but I haven't had waffles in forever. I must remedy that! So glad your dad is doing well. And what is up with you & that French class?

jenny_o said...

Never had grits ... but I do like a good cornmeal muffin. Not the same at all, I know!
Glad things are going well there and you're getting some visiting time at least.

Red said...

Great that your Dad is doing well. All nighters aren't as easy as they used to be!

Unknown said...

I looked grits up on Wikipedia and it is not at all what I expected it to be. I imagined that it was going to be something with hard bits of corn, maybe mixed with bacon pieces and bacon fat, but it seems that it is similar to porridge or African polenta . So pleased to read that your Dad is recovering well from his brain surgery.