a lesson from gertrude stein

Well the internet is back up. The storm yesterday took the cable out so I had to dial in to a very unstable connection. I bet every roadrunner subscriber was dialing in. Anyway, I was able to write a post and paste it in during the moment I was connected. Now I'm back. Bebeep.
Al and Jack left for camp in Talledega this morning. I had to have Jack at church this morning at 6:45, and then Allison got home from work at 8:45 and left soon after. So it's single dad with Will and Molly till Thursday night. Actually, since Al works all weekend, it really started on Saturday evening, but was unnoticeable until today, when I normally have her around. There is no food in the house. Can you imagine a guy with two kids and no food? I stopped and got cereal and milk this morning coming back from church. No, I'm not going to make them eat it 3 meals a day. There are other breakfast items I can make for lunch and supper. Tonight I made pancakes.
Last year when Al was in school, I made pancakes nearly every Tuesday night. The kids loved it! For a while. "Dad, please, no more pancakes." "You don't say that to mom about spaghetti, or burritos." "That would hurt her feelings." "Gee thanks."
So I haven't made pancakes for over a year. I know that because, evidently the electric skillet didn't survive the move. It's definitely not at this house.
So when Molly finished her dance lesson, she asked what was for supper.
"Gee, I don't know, how about pancakes?"
"Sure that sounds fine."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah."
When we got home, Will agreed too.
No electirc skillet. No prob. I'll use the big weird-bottomed frying pan. But wait - no ingredients. No prob. I'll improvise. Who knows what these guys will taste like, so I'd better create a diversion.
Why is it that pancakes taste better when they are disguised as something besides pancakes? I made flounder cakes, serpent cakes, windmill cakes... and served them up in my best Bubs voice, "My pancakes, come back flounder cake, I didn't mean what I said."
The kids loved them. Actually, after all that, they tasted pretty good too.
So the moral of this story is, a pancake by any other shape, still tastes as sweet. or...
Pancake is a pancake is a pancake is a pancake. But the question is, which is Shakespeare, and which is Gertrude Stein?
So, day 1 down. Tomorrow... egg shaped omelettes.
Hurry back Mom and Jack.