Comfort Food During Hard Times in America

Today was mostly an "Isabela" day. Aside from my "cover-my-grey" hair appt., Isabela and I spent the day at my mom's house, then a few hours at the park with Paigie and Ms. Jane and then back to my mom's. My mother asked me to leave Bela there so that her husband could spend time with her and make her a big pot of menudo! Yum for Bela. My mother encouraged me to go out, I told her I was planning on sleeping. Sammy is still having long nights at work, meaning, it's just me and Isabela every evening. He is not getting home until after Bela's bed time. I have been a bit tired and sad, to say the least. However, I took her advice and called Sammy up to invite him on a date...just the two of us...dinner and a movie.

It's 8:35 pm., still no Sammy.It's pretty clear that I have been stood up. As much as he wants to be here, he is involved in a big project at work. Clearly, I can't be upset. Just disappointed.

But, that's not what has me perplexed at all right now. As I searched for dinner in my pantry I searched through cans finding something I could connect with and make my tummy feel so good. After a couple of dozen cans, I found the most nostalgic contender, Campbell's Vegetable Soup, all the way in the back. But, before that, I had a can of sliced peaches. Was I content? You bet! As I was gently slurping my soup as I watched the end of the Vice-Presidential Debate from last night's live broadcast, I realized how indicative the S&B 500 index has been in terms of how Americans are reacting to today's financial crisis. This week, Campbell's Soup Company was the only company that made money while the other 499 plummeted! Why? For the same reason I have retailored our spending habits (in the last couple of weeks). For starters, I have yet to fill my fridge with food after the losses from no electricity because of Hurricane Ike. After seeing how much of our frozen food our neighbor saved for us with his generator and how fully stocked my pantry was, I began a mission to actually eat our food. We have to move beyond that habit of wasting food just because we don't feel like eating it at the time, being spoiled about vast fresh choices. Of course, I have restocked with essentials like milk, eggs, lunch meat, turkey sausages for Bela and fruits, but nothing else, no fun extras, no nice cheeses, etc.. (until maybe this weekend) I am actually really freaked out. Obviously, I have really internalized it because otherwise, tonight, as I so easily would have done before, I would have ordered a hot, gourmet pizza to tantalize my hunger. But, I didn't. However, I know I am only making things worse for our markets by not spending. Thankfully, we are not in a position in which we are struggling financially, or worried about job retention, but I am very worried about retirement...paying for Bela's college...and especially, not losing more of our current nest egg. Saving more money around here will be more of a priority...just in case!

I am worried. I am upset. Living in Houston with Post-Hurricane Ike and the whole economy trumoil, it's messy. But, I am hopeful things will turn around soon and that the$ 700 Billion Bail-out Plan will serve a worthy purpose. But, for now, I am glad that Campbell's Soup will be here for the long haul, as it always was for me growing up!

Now, it's time to hit my wine case!