It Was Different

Fridays of Lent pose a challenge in terms of meals.  We try to observe the prescribed abstinence from meat so we have to be creative in terms of what we serve.

If we served oatmeal, muesli or cereals for breakfast, we might have a mutiny in our hands or very hungry children at the end of a schoolday.  So crabsticks replaced hotdogs / sausage in Chinese fried rice for breakfast one morning.   Tuna or egg sandwiches are acceptable lunch for the two young ones who normally bring burger or chicken sandwiches to school.  Dinner would likely be a toss up between fish fingers and tuna bake.

MacGyver had just arrived from the night shift last Friday making me in charge of the food for the kids.  Mushroom and cheese omelet found its way to the breakfast table even if there was some homemade breakfast sausage or skinless longganisa in the fridge.   For lunch, I asked what kind of sandwich they wanted -- tuna or egg.  Normally RD just brings a single sandwich to school but he was gearing up for a long day so he replied 'Both.' MyGirl replied with an enthusiastic, "Egg for me."  (I almost forgot, she LOVES egg sandwiches.)

RD went up to change his clothes while MyGirl finished her breakfast.  I pulled out the pre-mixed tuna with mayonnaise ready for sandwiches from the fridge as well as two boiled eggs.  I finished packing RD's tuna sandwich and started on the egg sandwiches.  After I had made one of the egg sandwiches, I had a bright idea -- add smoked paprika to the egg sandwich.  (Genius!)

"Do you want paprika on your egg sandwich, MyGirl?"  

"No, Mom.  Just put cheese."

"Should we put some on the one for RD?  Do you think he'll notice?"

She thought about it for a while then replied, "He'll notice that it's different, Mom.  Please don't put too much." (The loving sister speaks.)

I sprinkled some paprika on the second sandwich just as RD was coming down the stairs. If RD had been looking my way, he would have seen the mischief in my eyes.

As I cleared the dishes, I tasted the egg bits from the bowl.   My thoughts?  Oh dear, I might have added too much salt in that brew. 

That evening, I asked MyGirl if her egg sandwich was too salty.  She replied that it was fine.  So I moved on to RD, concerned over salt AND paprika.

"RD, how was your egg sandwich?"

He took a while to reply then finally said, "Ummm ... it was different."

MyGirl and I burst into laughter.

"What it different OK or different not OK, RD?"

"It tasted good, Mom, but it was just different."

I confessed that I had done a test on his sandwich and had added smoked paprika.  

Although he was happy with the egg sandwich, he was not pleased with the fact that I had experimented  on a day that he needed two sandwiches.  

"MOM!  Please don't experiment with my sandwiches on a Friday."

In hind sight, Fridays are the best day to experiment with his sandwiches because at least he could still fall back on the other sandwich in case my experiment was a failure.  

Don't you agree, RD?

P.S.  I love you.