Simple Pleasures

I mentioned last week that we had some sort of illness floating around the house. Fortunately, no one else got the particularly nasty version that youngest son had. He lost 15 pounds, and is still recovering a little each day. It's a good thing this week is spring break, because if he were back in school, he'd be struggling to keep up with things.

The rest of us had the weaker version of the illness--a little headache, a few muscle aches, a scratchy throat, with crankiness and lethargy. We all have appetite problems, too, at least as long as you consider little appetite for heavy foods a problem.

So we've been rediscovering the joy of simple foods. Two nights in a row we've had homemade soup for supper--chicken noodle last night, and tortellini soup tonight. I made corn bread to go with the tonight's soup, but last night the soup was only accompanied by crackers and cheese. And they loved it. You'd have thought I spent the whole day in the kitchen.

Youngest daughter and I have also rediscovered cream of wheat hot cereal. Every morning for breakfast, with some dried cranberries cooked in it. The boys have become very fond of Wheatabix. I bought a box on Tuesday and it's already gone.

As I write this, youngest son is hinting that a spot of tea would be nice, so as soon as I post this I'll be off to the kitchen to make a pot of Twinings Earl Grey Tea. He is also reading--something he likes to do, but hasn't had much time for, with his homework and basketball and trips and friends to keep him busy. Today he was searching the shelves for a good book--an adventure or something like that, he said--so I found him the first book in C. S. Lewis's space trilogy. Right now he's sitting in the wing chair in front of the fire reading it.

We've turned into a bunch of old codgers in pajamas. We just need our cups of tea to complete the look.