My Friend Spot

This is my little froggy friend, Spot. The love in this relationship is pretty one-sided. He peed on me right after I took this pic. But I still love him anyway. And yes, I washed my hands.

Why I Do the Crazy Things I Do: Or, Why I Own Sixty-Three Boxes of Pasta

My BBQ Sauce Run

It occurred to me today that the coupons I ordered this weekend would net me sixty cans of vegetables. It then occurred to me that I should probably find it odd that I am going to purchase sixty cans of vegetables in one week. Except this seems normal to me. Maybe I'm just used to being weird. :)

Someone asked me not long ago why I had 63 boxes of whole wheat pasta. Well, the short answer is that it was 15 cents a box. But that wasn't the real question. The real question was, "Why do you feel the need to keep 63 boxes of pasta on hand?" That one had to give some thought. While the questioner was satisfied with my original answer, I began to wonder why myself. Yes, I have saved quite a bit of money using coupons, but really, does that justify that much "stuff"? 

Perhaps it is my Granny's influence. She always stored food. She did lots of canning and preserving, too. Probably partially the result of growing up during the Great Depression. She knows what doing without is all about. And, of course, when the garden produced, it had to be put by for the winter. She understood that having some today didn't mean you would have any tomorrow. 

I think we believe there will always be "stuff" at the store. If we want ice cream, we just go to the store and get it. Easy peasy. There may be no obvious reason why that would change, but what if it did? What if there was a shortage of ice cream? Then how do you get your sugary satisfaction? Or what if the price sky rockets because the cows go on strike. Do you pay through the nose for it? Or go without? Or go to your freezer and dig out the extra container you bought to have "just in case".  

Or what if, Heaven forbid, you lost your job. Or there was an ice storm that lasted for weeks. Or some other catastrophic event befell your family. It happens. It is terrible, but it happens. 

I guess that is the answer: Just in case. I own 63 boxes of pasta just in case. No real reason really. I just feel drawn to provide in that way for my family. And anyone else's. I can remember as a single parent that tension as payday approached. All the things I needed to buy and pay, including a well-paid but awesome sitter for Bri. Of course, it never failed that grandma would buy a bag of diapers or something else we needed at just the right time. She has always had a knack for that. 

So I will continue to buy things and squirrel them away. I will keep canning peach preserves and cucumber pickles. I will keep an eye on my pasta inventory. And if you are ever in need, I will feed you. Pinky promise.