I have some regular visitors to my office. I rather like that. I watch them peek around the door to see if someone else is in my office.
“Is the coast clear?” or “Can I come in?” or “Is it all right if I say hi?”
Of course, I invite them in. It’s the best part of my day.
These days, I have a frequent flyer. I’ll call him Stan.
He’s a can-I-come-in kind of guy. “How are you, young lady?” he always asks.
Between you and me, I hate being called “young lady.” I’m not young. I may not even be much of a lady. And he’s younger than I am. Whatever.
“So what did you have for dinner last night?” He always asks that. I tell him. Even when it’s peanut butter and jelly. I think he’s looking for dinner ideas.
When I was cooking for my tribe, the hardest part was the idea.
If someone told me that tonight was meatloaf night, I would make a meatloaf. But coming up with the idea for meatloaf was something that taxed my brain.
So I started writing out a monthly menu.
Seriously.
My very first blog — 20-some years ago — included a page that was “What’s for dinner tonight.” I had a friend that told me that’s what she always went to first. For the idea.
I don’t even remember the name of that blog.
Sad, but true.
Why am I telling you all this? Oh, yeah. Stan in my office.
Stan comes in to talk. About this and that. About nothing, really.
And yet about everything.
“I love talking to you,” he said today. “You’re very honest.”
I don’t know how to be anything but.
“You’re strong,” he said.
I might beg to differ, but what good would it do?
“What are you having for dinner tonight?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” I replied, honestly, weakly. I really don’t.
I think there’s something unspoken in all these conversations.
I’m not 100% sure what it is, but I think it’s the honesty.
I’m not looking to BS anyone. My life is my life — full of mis-steps and mistakes.
Come into my office and I’ll tell you all about it.
And listen to you talk about your less-than-perfect life.
The coast is clear.
You can come in.
It’s okay if you want to say hi.
Hot Dogs and Marmalade 
Sally this speaks volumes!! I too had an open door and nearly everyone stopped by at least one a week, sometimes it was like Grand Central Station! I did have one rule – no discussing food before 9:00 AM!! I still make a menu and put it on the refrigerator. It makes it easy to plan the grocery shopping!!
My physical therapist calls me “young lady”; he’s younger than my sons. In fact, he could be my grandson. 😬
one of the best things about someone else cooking is not having to think up what to have.