FRIED NOSTALGIA

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 237

How-you doing there, blog friends?

I love weekends, in part because the wifey and I get to rest a bit; and in part, because I get to do what I love: gather with the church. But that gathering part is tomorrow. Today is a rest and ‘do whatever we want’ kind of day.

So, we get up (duh), and knowing it was gonna be a scorcher, I wasted no time and went to the gas station to fill up my “can”… ’cause the lawnmower was out of juice, the gas can was dry, and the yard desperately needed a trim. And there, of course, at the filling station I run into the usual bunch: the C-Store congregation, all in full-blown heckler mode. “Just you wait till church tomorrow, gents…” I snarked back.

(Y’all will just have to join us for worship to hear the backstory and see how this all plays out).

Anyway, after mowing the lawn (and sweating out five pounds due to the humidity), I finished up my sermon, then said to the wifey: “What do ya say we take the pups on a C.A.R.R.I.D.E.—one’s gotta be careful because boxer dogs can spell, ya know—get stuff for taco salad, then grab a quick bite?” Little did she know this fluffy friar was craving some fried nostalgia from our childhood days.

Minutes later, with Gus Gus and Arlo in the back seat, we were on our way to New Ulm. First stop: Walmart. I dropped Danielle off at the door, parked the car, and played on my phone while keeping the doggos cool in the air-conditioned Sorento. Before I knew it, she was back in the car, and we sped off to stop No. 2.

By then she knew the gig was up; her hubby was craving a Big Mac and one of those old-school fried apple pies.

Now, don’t go lecturing me or nothing. You love them too. I mean, what’s not to love about molten apple pie filling encased in a fried filo-dough type of shell? Sure, in no way are they healthy, but this is Ronald’s house we’re talking about. McDonald’s hasn’t stayed in business because people want a salad.

Nah! The people—and in that, I include myself—want greasy burgers, crispy stringed taters fried in tallow, Shamrock Shakes and fried apple pies. Heck, sometimes we all get naughty and wanna down a few chicken nuggies too. We just don’t wanna know what’s in them. Hahaha!

The Big Mac, it was okay. In normal fashion, I couldn’t eat one in the car without slopping some sauce right down the front of my Hawaiian shirt.

(Thank goodness for Dawn detergent, a toothbrush, and Shout with OxiClean.)

After sharing the fries with the boys, I opened the box containing that fried nostalgia, and umm… it was just like I remembered from my childhood days—one million calories down the hatch.

I know I’ve been on a bit of a nostalgia kick lately. Not sure why. Maybe I’m just getting old; possibly my spirit knows something my mind yet doesn’t; or perhaps Jesus is about to come back. (Wouldn’t that truly be wonderful?) Whatever it is—I’m sure it’s just the first—the taste of fried nostalgia was the cherry on top of a wonderful day of rest.

Now, honestly, I don't know if I’m overly thankful for the apple pie. It is just dessert, after all. That said, I’m grateful for the time to hang with my wife of 34 years and the pups, and to ride backwards in time while sucking down some liquid pie filling, encased by all that fried crusty goodness. And while I’m not sure a McDonald’s fried apple pie can be classified as “daily bread,” it sure was wonderful to enjoy.

Anywho… what are you thankful for today? See y’all on the flipside, and hopefully at church too. 