Daring?

One of Becky's friends came to visit over the weekend. She lives in Michigan, much closer than she has been to us for awhile. It's always good to see her and listen to her exploits at work and otherwise. She takes chances, including leaving school for her latest job and moving back closer to her roots. I am at an age where thinking of moving sends me into a catatonic state. So I don't think about it. Changing my haircolor took 10 years.

Becky tries to come up with interesting things for them to do together. This time, she decided the Scottish Festival at the Amherst Museum would be the place to go. Her friend was all for it, especially after she heard about the "hot guys in kilts" participating in the heavy games (or Highland games, if you prefer). The sound of bagpipes is one of life's special highlights and at the festival there are many. It's tough to get our fill of the pipers, but for one day we feel almost sated.

I feel like I get into terrible ruts as far as fixing meals is concerned. I think about it (actually quite often) and wonder how it happens. I love to cook, so that's not a problem. I like to experiment. But when I take into account our likes and dislikes, cost, do I for heaven's sake have everything I need on hand, then I fall back to our usual list of suspects. I worry the family won't like the new. I worry I won't like it either and that would be awful. So we eat pretty much the same things. It's a little different in the summer because I do grill, but even that gets rutty.

So back to Becky and her friend. Becky mentioned they would have haggis (a traditional Scottish dish of a variety of innards cooked in a casing) at the festival. After learning what it was, her friend said she'd try it. We have all been to many, many Scottish events and have never even thought of trying it. Her friend did and ate it all. I admire her bravado. They went to the Taste of Lockport on Sunday and her friend tried the chocolate ice cream with Guinness in it. New flavor, new idea. We have watched her introduction to chicken wings (that's Buffalo wings), beef on weck and didn't question it because they were foods we're used to. Why can't I make that pork chops with peaches recipe I saw? Do I dare? I'm going to follow the example of one much younger than I and step out and take a chance. One never knows where it may lead.... Besides, I've changed my haircolor 3 times in the last 6 months, maybe I'm ready.