November 17 – “Recreation and the culinary arts”

And today we complete the olio of career choices we were exposed to during our all-too brief moments with Josh and Christi and their boys. 

We must begin with the culinary arts.  Now that’s a word that I have always wondered about, so I just looked up its etymology.  Culinary is derived from the Latin word that means kitchen.  There you have it.  Nothing fancy there.  Kitchen Arts.  That I can understand.  I am married to one of the masters in that category.  And my dear master of the culinary was involved in the next incident.  She was helping Christi out in the kitchen (imagine that) as they prepared food for the weary children and even wearier old-guys-who-play-with-children.  There’s bound to be a Latin word for that somewhere.  As they rattled pots and pans and did whatever it is one does in there, I heard what must have been culinese.  Chris posed this question to our hostess:

“Christi, when do you usually put the rice in, when the water is boiling boiling or just boiling?”

I must admit I have no idea what the difference would be between “just boiling” and “boiling boiling.”  That’s why I decided it must be a code word from the language of the Culinese people.  Christi obviously knows the language.  She answered immediately, “Boiling boiling,” and that was that.  Hey, who am I to question the intricate internal workings of another culture set?  The food was great.     

In our society that brags about a glut of free time and what to do with it, recreation has become a predominant career choice.  Personal trainers and city recreation supervisors have taken their places alongside the professional athlete as valid options for working in a field that honors, well, play.  Caleb took those career options to the next level.  He wanted to be near good ol’ Mom and of course Nani, so he was hanging out in the kitchen while they prepared the food.  I heard a somewhat muffled version of the oft-repeated phrase, “Daddy, come see me.”  Josh diverted his path and headed toward the bustle of culinary activity.  (How am I doing using my new word for the week?).  He was taken aback for a moment as he rounded the corner, for there sat Caleb … inside the open refrigerator.  Josh managed to ask, “Caleb, what are you doing in there?”  And Caleb answered, in a voice that reflected his absolutely calm demeanor, “I just coldin’ up, Dad.”  Oh, yeah.  All-new take on “just chillin’.” 

Psalms 37:39 says, “The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.”

Father, thank you for being there when we need you.  And when we think we don’t.  Amen.