Maybe I Should Get A Cow

Sometimes as parents we do silly things.  Sometimes they are the right things, but we still wish we hadn't said them.  In our home this often surrounds introducing our teenager to new foods.  Jesse, at age 15, seems to think the extra large container of yogurt, which could feed me for two weeks of breakfasts, is a single serving container.

Recently, in a quest to eat healthier, Sean has become a fan of smoothies.  Sean's smoothies contain fruit, almonds, and soy or almond milk.  A few weeks ago, Sean suggested to Jesse he should try one of the smoothies.  An immediate convert was born.  Jesse uses milk.  Thank God he is back in school, because with him home the blender was getting constant use, and I couldn't keep enough milk in the house.  "Why?  Why would you suggest that to him?" I asked.

On Shabbat afternoons, when the blender is off limits, Jesse has figured out how to make smoothies sans blender.  Today, while Sean and I sat on our deck, aka Manitoba (but that's for another entry), Jesse kept poking his head out the door to ask about ingredients, I suggested he use ice cream.  I was thinking that if he had the ice cream idea he might leave us alone.  Even as the words were leaving me mouth I thought to myself, "Why?  Why would you suggest that to him?" Furthermore, it didn't work.  He kept appearing.  "Yes, you can use a soft plum.  No, you may not use the cheese.  No, really!  You may NOT use the cheese!"

I came into the kitchen later to find he had used two large bowls, our four-cup glass measuring cup, 3 spoons, the ice cream scoop, the garlic press, the lemon juicer, a whisk, a potato masher, the hand chopper, a knife, a pitcher, and four glasses, even though I thought he was making smoothies for himself and a friend.  Included in the smoothie, a full bag of milk, I don't know how much vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries, and only God knows what else.  No, he did not use the cheese, but they did eat a large number of cheese sticks.  (By the way, Jesse did put most of the dishes in the sink.  He'll be washing them tomorrow.)

May years ago, when Sean & I were first married, we spent our year in Israel.  During the year we learned a lot about Israeli society and the different types of communities that make Israel the special place it is.  One day a representative from a kibbutz came to speak to us.  He spoke about the different industries the kibbutz had tried until, finally, they bought a cow.  From there, financial success.  Sean turned to me, and to our class, and said, "Maybe I should get a cow."  It's a line repeated often throughout our marriage.

Today, standing in the mess of the kitchen, looking at how much milk, ice cream, and cheese had been consumed, Sean said again, "Maybe I should get a cow."  Anyone know where we can get one cheap?