Sometimes You Just Need Chicken Pie

My friend, Sally, is a good cook.  She cooks like I do.....often by the seat of her pants!  Actually what cooks like us often do is assess the contents of the refrigerator and the pantry to see what kind of meal we can concoct with the items on hand.....some that need to be used before they go bad or some that are just usual staples in the house.  In my case, it is often that I feel too lazy to run out to the store and buy this ingredient or that ingredient.  If you don't cook with a recipe other than what's in your head, you won't know that you are missing any ingredients!  This method works for me most nights.

Last night was one of these nights.  I have had a rough couple of weeks.  I have been busy, overwhelmed, and worst of all.....sick.  Last night was the first night I felt like I might want to get out of my easy chair and cook.  I had thawed out some chicken that morning not knowing what would become of it, and I had put some green beans on to cook.  You know, what my family calls the Southern style of green beans (as opposed to crunchy green beans).  These are the green beans you season and cook slowly all day long.  You continually have to add water, or otherwise the green beans soak up the water and stick to the bottom of the pan.  Anyone who has ever done this before can attest to the fact that it is not only a really horrible smell that lingers for a long time, but it often ruins your pan.....or you have to soak the pan for 3 days and then scrub the bottom until your fingers feel like they are going to fall off.  So, in order to cook Southern style green beans, you have to have time and you have to know you are going to be home most of the day.  Since I wasn't feeling well and I knew I wouldn't be going out, this seemed like a perfect day for some Southern green beans.
I looked at that thawed chicken and I remembered I had some of those wonderful Pillsbury roll out pie crusts in the refrigerator, so I set about making chicken pie.  Nothing could be much better than chicken pie and Southern green beans!  Comfort food.

As I was cooking this meal, I had to smile as I thought about Sally and how similar we are in certain ways.  Cooking and food being one of them.  I was visiting Shelby one time and it was a warm spring evening.  Sally and I were sitting in her kitchen talking.  She had made a chicken pie earlier.  It was cooling on top of the stove.  She looked at me as we conversed, and out of the blue asked if I wanted to eat some chicken pie.  Well, who could resist an offer like that?  We decided it would best be enjoyed on her front porch in the rocking chairs.  It was dusk and it was quiet and peaceful on that front porch.  We rocked.  We ate.  I told Sally how delicious the chicken pie was and we continued to rock, eat, talk a little here and there.  After a pause, Sally just said to me, "you know, sometimes you just need chicken pie."  I didn't laugh or comment, just nodded and said "uh-huh," in agreement.  It didn't need discussion.  I knew exactly what she meant by that comment.
Now, whenever I make chicken pie, or even THINK about making it, I think to myself, sometimes you just NEED chicken pie.

There is so much more in that comment that the actual eating of chicken pie.  Sometimes certain things, people, music, places, etc. are just something that you need.  You don't always know why you need it, but you know when that feeling comes over you, you will find a lot of peace and comfort in giving in to the need.

When I am home alone, sometimes I just need to open the sliding door and turn off all noise.  I love the sound of silence that is only penetrated by the chirping of a bird outside.  Silence in that moment is needed and appreciated.  It is hard to find moments of quiet.  I never needed them so much as I do lately.  I even find myself driving down the road and realizing the radio is off.  That used to be unheard of!  I am a music lover, and more often than not, my radio is on.  But sometimes you just need quiet.

Sometimes I just need to be outside.  I don't necessarily need to be doing anything, but I just want to be outside.  I spend a lot of time on my lanai.  I realized one evening it had been dark for quite some time as I sat out there alone.  I was reading on my iPad while Jim was inside watching TV.  The iPad has a back light, so I was able to read without any problems.  It was almost shocking when I looked up and realized how really dark it was.  Sometimes you just need fresh air.

Sometimes I really need to be with my daughter.  One on one.  I don't always have a reason or a plan but I know I just need that.  Our bond is unmistakable and it is very enjoyable.  I often say I need to have a Madeline fix.  There is some sort of special joy I find in those moments when we are together.  It's not only a mother/daughter thing, I think it's that we really like and enjoy one another.  We are never at a loss for things to talk about.....superficially or with a lot of thought-provoking.  We also can make our own fun.  If there is no plan, no where to go, we are happy to sit and chill and talk or play cards.  Life is easy with Madeline.  She and I are both complex people, yet our relationship seems so easy.  Sometimes you just need Madeline time.

Sometimes I need to pet my cat.  I mean really pet him.  I love it when he jumps up on the arm of my chair. I always know that means he WANTS to be petted.  He will sit there and I rub him and watch the fur fly around the room.  I always have to vacuum my dark carpet after these petting times.  But just the sheer pleasure both Leo and I seem to attain from these petting moments are priceless.  Sometimes you just need a cat in your lap.

Sometimes I just need to go to the beach.  I feel fortunate that I can jump in my car and be at one of several beautiful beaches in just a few minutes.  My favorite beach of late is Honeymoon Island.  It is so lovely.  It is a state park and is totally unspoiled.  The whole island is natural with no man-made anything in sight....with the exception of 2 snack bar/bathhouses and a couple of paved parking lots.  I love to go to the very end of Honeymoon Island.  Although it is rocky and not as much of a wide, pretty white sand beach as Clearwater Beach, it is breathtakingly beautiful.  You are in the Gulf of Mexico and you can see across to Clearwater Beach and all of the sights are just a reminder of God's splendor.  I see at least one dolphin every time I go. I love to watch all the water birds.  Of course, the sound of gulls just speaks 'beach.'  My favorites are the tiny little sandpipers.  I love to watch them at work and at play.  There are usually paddleboarders, sailboats and fishing boats going by in the water.  This has a great entertainment value for me.  I love to walk the unspoiled, rocky beach and search for shells.  That is one of my favorite past times.  I do this for hours until my neck is stiff and sore from looking down.  The pain is worth it because I always come home with lots of treasures.  My seashell collection is pretty unbelievable...but that is another whole blog!  I love going to Honeymoon Island because it is quiet and calm and not crowded.  Sometimes you just need nothing more than the peace you find in the sound of the surf.

Sometimes I just need to float in my pool.  I use my pool for exercise and my reward after my workout is some floating time, as I like to call it.  I get my pink float and stretch out and just go around the pool wherever the breeze might take me.  I was telling Jim the other night that it has become my daily prayer time.  I thought he might think I was crazy, but he actually seemed to understand.  It is calm, quiet and peaceful on my float.  I shut my eyes and I always start my prayers with the thankfulness of the moment and that I am able to enjoy it living in such a lovely area.  I never take that for granted.  From there, I just go into whatever things I need to turn over to God that day.  It really is quite therapeutic.  I don't think God minds that I am floating around in my pool for my quiet time of reflection, prayer and meditation.  Sometimes the only stress reliever you need for the day is to float.

Sometimes I just need to paint or to work on a craft.  My head is always spinning with ideas.  I know I could never live long enough to produce all the things that are floating around up there in my noggin!  There comes a time when I have to push the rest of my life's responsibilities to the side for a brief time and just embrace myself in some sort of artistic and creative project.  There is nothing that feels better to me than to be creating something.  I find it relaxing and rewarding.  The worst part of it is that time flies.  I often look at the clock in amazement while I am doing some of my arts and crafts.  I simply get lost in the moments and the time doesn't really matter.  Sometimes you just need creative moments.

Sometimes I need to doing something out of the routine with my husband.  As most people who have been married for 38 years, life can become 'comfortable.'  We love our daily moments on the lanai right before dinner time.  I don't think I will ever tire of that.  I need that time with Jim.  Sometimes we talk incessantly and sometimes we just sit and enjoy the sounds of nature together.  Jim mentioned last night that it was obviously summer.  We heard the cicadas and we were remembering how loud they can get in the evening.  Sometimes we sit out there and act like orchestra conductors as we mimic the sounds they make...the crescendos often sound just like an orchestra.  In addition to our routine nightly musings outside, sometimes we just need to break out of the mold.  On occasion we skip church on Sunday morning and go early to Honeymoon Island or Fred Howard Park.  Jim likes to fish and I sit in a beach chair and read.  We are each doing our own thing which is totally different, yet we are together.  I look up and watch him in the water fishing and I know he is in his 'happy place.'  He catches a fish and turns around to get my attention to show me.  Last time we went I had a big heron just standing by my chair.  I got up to get my phone so that I could take a picture and the guy just decided to jump up in my chair.  I just stood behind the chair and watched him for a while.  I couldn't wait for Jim to turn around and see it, which he did.  Sometimes you just need moments together but doing your own thing in your marriage.

Sometimes I need to plan a family gathering.  I need the hustle bustle of planning, grocery shopping, getting ready and all the noise as we all get together and talk at one time and laugh a lot.  Often my needs are quiet times, but those excited and noisy times are needed equally.  One of my favorite of these times is Thanksgiving.  The Yeltons come from Shelby and I have all my family over and sometimes other guests and it is a wonderful day.  I love everything from getting up and walking the Turkey Trot to watching the Macy's parade, cooking half the day, setting the table, asking the blessing, eating too much, telling stories and washing a mound of dishes!  It is a time of Thanksgiving, the happy noise of family together in celebration.  Sometimes you just need a little bit of chaos in your life!

I think often our urges and needs are not so much explainable.  That is why I 'got it' when Sally said what she did about the chicken pie.  I don't think we were necessarily hungry.  The need wasn't to satisfy that.  It was to satisfy something much deeper in our souls.  I think we were subconsciously realizing the comfort of home, lazy times, friendship, and shared memories and likes/dislikes.  I feel that sharing a chicken pie, rocking in our chairs and having some unspoken 'conversations,' was a much needed moment of relaxation and a testament to friendship and to home and family.  Sometimes you just need chicken pie.

Although chicken pie can't satisfy all of our needs, it might be a good place to start.
And memories are made of this.

Sometimes you just need chicken pie.