mayalaen | 50th anniversary

We don’t usually make a big deal of my parents’ anniversary.

They don’t have the best relationship, and it’s more like the three of us are all roommates instead of a married couple and their adult daughter living together, but today is their 50th, and even if the relationship itself is dead, 50 years is still an accomplishment.

We usually go out to eat early in the day on their anniversary, and that’s as far as we go for celebrating, but due to Covid, we haven’t gone anywhere since March 2020. Last anniversary we were all worn out from some family crap that was happening.

With 50 being such a big milestone, I told my parents I’d make them whatever they wanted.

Dad requested sausages, mom requested pork shoulder. They’re both mostly carnivores 🥩

Got the pork shoulder in the slow-cooker and I’ll pan fry the sausages tonight. I’m going to make mashed potatoes from scratch too, and I’ve got a head of cabbage ready to bake in the oven. The mashed potatoes and cabbage are things I wanted, but my parents like them too.

I’ve made box cake a few times since Covid, but we haven’t really liked them because there’s so much sugar and we really don’t eat much sugar or salt anymore. Everything is home cooked.

I found a cake mix from Sprouts that is supposed to be more natural, less sugar, and I’m making cream cheese frosting to go on it. Hopefully it won’t be so overwhelmingly sugary and we can enjoy it.

But already mom’s pissed about the guy who is supposed to be fixing our sprinkler system and lighting.

And my dad went and started using lotion on his ringworm three days ago because it was “sooooo dry and itchy” (if you didn’t know, ringworm-infected skin has to dry out, flake, and come off - if you keep it moist, you just let the fungus grow) so the ringworm got worse again just when it was starting to clear up 😡

My mom and I were going to invite him out to the kitchen to eat with us at the table tonight as part of the anniversary thing, but now we’re going to have to be more careful in case he’s grown some new ringworm spot.

A new spot is contagious until it’s been treated for a few days.

Oh and Charlie and Marissa informed me they want to close the shop for 4 days so they can go to a concert (yes, in the middle of a pandemic) in Texas, so not only am I worried they’re going to get sick, but I’m also upset my shop will be closed for FOUR DAYS.

That’s 4 days going into a weekend, so actually the shop will be closed a total of 6 days once you throw in Sunday/Monday (our regular closed days) before it’s open again.

I’m trying to chill and just go with it. I’m excited about the mashed potatoes and cake. My mom and I don’t eat white potatoes very often because it’s white carbs and that’s bad for her ca/ncer, so it’s even more of a treat 🎉