Oatmeal

As a child, I hated oatmeal. My mother would tell me it is good for you, it will stick to your sides. On cold winter mornings she would tell me I needed something warm in my tummy. As a last resort, she would tell me to think about all the poor, starving children in China who would just love to have the nice oatmeal. I would think so why don't you send it to them. I would not dare say that out loud.

 

As an adult every so often, I would buy a box of oatmeal. I usually bought the old fashioned variety that had to be added to boiling water and stirred for a certain length of time or else it would be very lumpy. Cleaning the pan was always a chore. It was so hard to get every last trace off the pan. It stuck to the bowls and spoons too. Usually I would not finish the box of oatmeal and would end up throwing it away.

 

Then the instant varities were introduced. They were much easier to prepare, but I didn't think they were as good as the old fashioned oatmeal. I usually eat cold cereal. I like the kinds that come with freeze dried fruit. I buy big boxes at Sam's Club. The last time I needed cereal Sam's did not have any with freeze dried fruit. I bought a big box of instant oatmeal. It contains 55 packets and has six different varieties. I have eaten oatmeal the last two mornings. I still do not like the stuff, but I am not going to let this big box go to waste. 53 more days to suffer.