Monday, February 6, 2012

Marital Strolling

On Superbowl Sunday Matt and I went for a brisk walk in our neighborhood. The air was warm and caressing and stuff was in actual bloom.

We talked of soup.

Matt allowed as how he wanted more soup in his life. I observed that I make a whole darn lot of soup as it is. And he shared with me a wish for even more. So we considered the soup landscape and how I might meet his needs within it.

I rattled down a slight hill. "I think I now fully see the world of food through soup goggles," I said. "You just start with some fat and add the aromatics, and then you can just go anywhere. It's exciting!"

Matt strode along beside me. "I don't like celery," he said.

This opinion was so objectionable that I could not admit it into the conversation. "Yes you do," I said. "I put celery in everything." I swung my arms.

Keeping up a quick pace, he said, "Well, I don't like actual chunks of celery."

Still I pooh-poohed, "Oh yes you do! You don't like celery like Hank doesn't like butter. He just doesn't want to see it or know about it, but it better be in his oatmeal!"

Matt said, "Don't invalidate my dislike of celery."

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are, you're doing exactly that." We reached a flat stretch and he sped up. I scrambled to keep pace. He was right. I was invalidating his dislike of celery.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I should not do that."

I have this tendency to think I know best in some areas, and when I think that, I won't really even hear what other people say, I'm too busy organizing my rebuttal.

I'm working on this aspect of myself, starting with soup.

Then Matt made me jog up a huge hill.

The End.

13 comments:

nancyblackett said...

Golly, celery is a vegetable that divides the masses. I like it but I don't like the way it seems to go limp within a day no matter how I store it. Maybe you should show Matt this blog entry on it as "a malign and spiteful vegetable" http://www.theskintfoodie.com/1/post/2012/01/celery-a-malign-and-spiteful-vegetable.html

Amy said...

I can't believe you didn't say "Souperbowl Sunday"!! Low hanging fruit?

You guys are so funny, and I have no problem believing this conversation happened just as you say it did. What did celery ever do to Matt? Sheesh.

Sierra said...

I have had this same conversation with my husband. "I don't like celery." "Yes you do, you eat it all the time." "Yes, but in my head I'm thinking I don't like it!" So many men hating on the celery!

Michele R said...

We had a marital stroll on Sunday too! But we talked about how cocky son's baseball coach is.
Matt may miss celery if you left it out. It adds that special something to soup--esp. the leafy parts chopped up. I got an immersion blender and love it for making all that potato and celery creaminess. He may not know it is there. I don't think my hubs is a fan of the raw, stringy part of celery.

kathy said...

You could add celery seed to the soup so you have the flavor without the chunks! John and I have never conversed about soup. Ribs, on the other hand, has been the focus of many meaningful discussions.

swedisheik said...

This is why I read your blog.

Stefanie said...

For the entirety of your blog, I assumed "soup" was to be replaced with "Sex". Then I realized that you TRULY were talking about soup, and I laughed even harder. Love reading your blog. :)

Anonymous said...

Celery is tough. I have my own feelings abt it, growing up as I did where celery-salt is de rigueur on the hometown hot dog. As a soupmaker & also the purveyor/pantrykeeper, I prefer celery root. It keeps longer, mostly. Although, if you cut the celery stalks & submerge them, etc, the bun does ok. Fille recently refreshed my mind of the value of Ants on a Log & I found it pretty tasty. We eat soup almost every night & I'm bored of listening to myself blob, so maybe I will throw a spotlight on soup xo

Molly @thewaffler said...

Wait, we do know best....don't we? :)

Cassi said...

I want your life. Well, not that really hard part you went through, but this part --I love my husband, but we NEVER have conversations this funny.

gretchen said...

Maybe you can do with the celery what I do with the basil in Jude's marinara. I stick it in whole during the cooking process, so the taste gets in there really well, then I take it out and hide it from him before actually serving it, thus allowing him to believe that nothing green has touched his meal.

Wanda said...

Hi Becky, I am Aimee Woolwine's (Aimee Writes) mom, Wanda, and I love your blog (although not yesterday about Amy). I was diagnosed with cancer of the lymphatic system at 34 with two young children, so I feel for her. At 63 it is a vague memory except for the long term side effects of the treatments. All my love to her and your family!

However, that is not really why I am writing to you. I just read an article by my favorite nutrition guru that said that celery boosts testosterone! May be Matt can get on board for that reason. Love to all you family, Wanda

Becky said...

Wanda, thanks so much for commenting! Your daughter is a jewel, I just love her. And thank you for that tidbit about celery! Matt is so funny, he resists any science that he didn't unearth himself. Men.