Food for Thought

What did we eat when Dad and I would go boating? He would build a fire in one of the fire pits that were provided. He would get it hot enough, and we would roast hot dogs together, on a stick. Other times Mom packed bread, and we brought Lebanon Bellonia to eat. I am not sure of the spelling.

It is a Northern meat that has spices in it, and it is either likeable, or you don’t want it any more. It was a family treat to eat this. Mom would surprise us at times with this for Sunday, night supper.

We had special meals for Sunday nights because we stayed home. We had no services that night, and Dad always said it was a day of rest. Sure enough we had ice cream for supper at times. We made it in the maker and I had to crank it until it was more solid. Homemade ice cream is still a, treat. It is fattening, so I don’t indulge much. I haven’t made homemade ice cream in years.

What about hotdogs? Well, when I went with Dad to the Lake, we had to eat something, and stores were around, but their prices were high. He would treat me to ice cream, and we would buy hotdogs there. This way we didn’t have to carry them until we ate. We roasted hotdogs on the fire that Dad built. It was in one of their fire pits.

I love burned, hotdogs. I also love to put all kinds of things on the hotdog, and then eat those first. Pickles, potato chips, olives, and anything that goes well on the bun.

Since I am off bread, and potatoes, I eat a, sandwich baked in the microwave. I lay the lunch meat out, add cheese slices, and heat this. In less than a minute you hear something popping. The cheese has melted over the meat, and this combo is delicious. I add pickles after making this. At times I will eat a tomato with this.

Hobbies

Do you have any hobbies that you have done for a long time? I have two at least. I love to paint flowers particularly, and water, mountains, and at times portraits in a, lighter, paint.

I use Acrylic paints because they dry faster. I have heard of adding layers of paints at times, and adding things to make mountains to be realistic.

I have painted weeds, tall grass, and someone mowing. When it comes to mind for more than a day, I try to give a rendition of what I see in my mind.

I have done more boating as a, sport than most anything else. My father would make boats from a, kit, and from his imagination. He would plan it out, and build the boat. We had to test the boat, so he would carry the boat to the edge of the water, and we would head out into the unknown, water. At times it was too, shallow, and other times it was deeper than I was tall.

I do know how to manage in the water, so I wouldn’t drown if I did have to get out of a, boat in a hurry. Fold-boats are lightweight, and they can be carried if you are taller, and have some strength.

My dad exercised daily as a, habit. He had muscles, and so he could carry most of the boats he had. He did inherit one boat, or he found it on sale. This one was nice, and bigger. He had to put it on wheels, and drive it to the water.

I was mostly with him when he went boating. Dad never wanted to go solo. People have died out in the water, and he didn’t want to have his life threatened. He used common sense which was to invite me to go with him.

Mom was allergic to the sun, so if she burned, it was painful. Her skin was not easy to stay in the sun. She had blisters if she remained in the hot sun long. Mom’s hair was dark, red, and beautiful. She turned gray, and cut it shorter.

Parents come and go. My parents moved to a home near my sister. My dad died when a nurse inserted a tube and went to far with it. It made a hole in his lungs, and he died in two days. He was healthy enough to have lived to 100, and it was hard to sing while he was dying.

Dad was not always easy to get along with, but my memories of being out on the water are always with him there to paddle, or ask me to help paddle.

I learned to drive a, small, boat solo, but this was without company. I used the time well, to think, and pray, like he did. We didn’t talk much. He was in his element when he went boating. I wasn’t as much.

I had to watch for bees, and mosquitoes. The water was safe if a, big, bee would bother us for a, few, minutes. I know where my Dad is. He is singing with the choir that formed in Heaven. I expect to see him again someday.

All pastors need time every week to think, paddle a, boat, or go somewhere remote. Smile. I have good memories.