It is a bright, gray day with dancing shadows on buildings and lawns, and no rain puddles in sight. This is my kind of day. Breakfast was also slated to be my kind of breakfast. Mentally, a poached egg served on a bed of sautéed mushrooms and spinach was on the menu. With a watering mouth, I rolled out of bed. Every step for a culinary masterpiece was already in motion--at least in my mind.
Upon reaching the kitchen, I grabbed my little egg poaching pan, added the necessary amount of water, and turned on the burner. The water would be boiling soon. I then put a large skillet on the biggest burner, poured in some olive oil (extra virgin), and turned it on. While the skillet heated, I retrieved an egg, a large mushroom, and a huge handful of fresh spinach from the fridge. All was on schedule.
I proceeded to slice the mushroom and place it and the spinach in my now-hot pan. Stir, stir. Add a little salt and pepper, stir, stir. Oh, look, the water is boiling. I break the egg into the egg cup, place it above the boiling water, put its lid in place, and return to the spinach skillet. Great, its contents are perfectly cooked..
I had no sooner arranged the spinach-mushroom creation on my plate than I remembered I needed to set the timer for my egg. Soooooo, with my left hand I reach to my right, hit the handle of the egg poacher (which I had failed to turn away from the edge of the stove) and knocked it to the floor. (That step was not on my mental list) Leaping a mighty backward leap, I managed to avoid any boiling water headed toward my little, bare tootsies.
"Thank you, Lord."
Now, I no longer had a poached egg to place on my spinach. I had instead an egg yolk splattered on my kitchen floor, its vibrant yellow bleeding into its slimy, uncooked white as well as a cup of rapidly cooling water. An accidental masterpiece of color, texture, and form was wonderfully morphing into something even more beautiful. Art in motion! There at my feet was artwork at its finest, but how could I properly display the finished piece. It couldn't remain on the floor; however, dark wood did make a beautiful backdrop for my egg-scape. Finally, I did the only reasonable thing I could. The entire finished piece was absorbed into a paper towel or two or three, and carefully placed into the special depository under my sink. If you visit my Garbage (Gahr bawge) Can Gallery today, you will find Jan's "Eggstaveganza in Motion" displayed between "Chicken Bone Horrors" and "Salad Choppings". Today is the only showing of this particular exhibit.
Anyway, I digressed. The unscheduled pan flipping set off a flurry of floor clean up, more water heating, and a new egg retrieval. Six minutes later I set a beautiful, steaming, poached egg onto vibrant green, cold, spinach and mushrooms, poured myself a glass of V8 juice, and feasted on my culinary masterpiece. Aaaah.
When I got up this morning I had no idea the adventures the next hours would bring. I had anticipated my enjoyment of a delicious breakfast, but I certainly hadn't expected to experience living art taking form at my feet. That was a special bonus for this new day. But, better yet, a large portion of my kitchen floor is really, really clean now.
If I had chosen to describe my day in negative terms, it would have gone something like this.
What? Cloudy again, I don't need another cloudy, Pacific Northwest day. ANOTHER. Bah Humbug.
I'm going to starve to death if I don't eat pretty soon. Who made the handle on that pan so long? Man alive, there is nothing I dislike more than cleaning up broken eggs from the floor. Stupid pan. Stupid egg, Stupid day. Now I have to start all over. Grrrr.
Now to eat this stuff. I'm starving. Eeeeww. Cold spinach. Yuck. I should have settled for peanut butter toast, but probably would have messed that up too. I dislike burnt toast as much as I dislike cold spinach.
It isn't even noon and my day has been ruined. I think I will get back in bed.
Here is the difference between those two approaches to my day, my week, my life--
This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it*. Thank you for sunshine and CLOUDS. Thank you for spinach (both hot an cold). Thank you for eggs in the pan and on the floor. Thank you for un-burned feet, cleaning supplies, and a shiny, clean floor in front of my stove. Thank you, Lord. and may I continue seeing you in all parts of my days, weeks, and years. Oh Lord, you are good, and your mercy continue forever**.
Jan
*Psalm 118:24
**Psalm 110:5
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