I Officially Belong!

     I now officially belong!   I have my 6 section plastic dinner tray to prove it!   It makes for great food portions at our monthly potlucks. (A couple months ago a kind lady noticed that I had merely a round plastic picnic plate for my food.  She and others had a hefty, hardy rectangular 6 sectioned plastic tray for their food. She offered me one if I wanted one--they can hold so much more food.  She said she would get me one.  I didn't get one at the Christmas potluck because it got canceled due to road construction right in front of the clubhouse.) 
     Tonight's potluck is my story of the day.  The big question each month is---what to take.  Earlier in the week I sort of decided on a potato/carrot/ham casserole from a recipe belonging to my Aunt Emma.  That means it is probably 55 years old.  I even have it in her original messy handwriting (sorry, Aunt Emma) on a messy piece of paper (it wasn't messy 55 years ago).  I had the potatoes and canned creamed soup, but needed carrots and maybe ham.  (I have some frozen ham cubes but didn't know if they were still fresh.)   This morning I decided I didn't want to go to the store.  So....now what to take.   I had frozen hamburger that needed to be used.  A meatloaf!   For most of the day the three small packages sat out to thaw.  I mentally calculated how long it would need to bake, allowing for 15 minutes of "sitting" afterward; calculated how long it would take to prepare; calculated when I needed to leave for the club house. (It takes about 2 minutes to get there by car.)  Sure enough, by the time I got it in the oven it was 4:45.  With it being a larger meat loaf I figured it needed at least 90 minutes to bake.  I had to leave for the potluck by 5:55.  NOT ENOUGH TIME.  NOW WHAT?   I went to take a shower.  For a brief moment it entered my mind that I just wouldn't go the the potluck.  WHAT?  I could just stay home.  I put water on to boil just in case I decided to cook some tortellini to mix with spaghetti sauce. (Why didn't I think of that 4 hours ago?)  
    Sociability won out.  I cooked the tortellini, packed my plastic plate and fork and left for the  monthly potluck.  I was 2 minutes late and everyone was lined up and meticulously oohing and awing over the food selections.  To my delight someone called out, "There she is".  Music to my ears.  They were expecting me and wondering where I was since it was already 2 minutes past 6 o'clock.  Then to my added delight a lady came up to me with the coveted 6 sectioned plastic food tray, handed it to me and asked/said that I was the lady who didn't have one and wanted one.  Sweet belonging.  The rest of the next 90 minutes was complete satisfaction with the culinary delicacies and the comfort of knowing that I fully belong.  

     This has been a good "monthly potluck dinner" day in the life of Grandma G.

     "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."  (Psalm 34:8)