THE BAKER

We have new neighbors in the other side of our duplex.

The man is an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) with a fire department.

The woman is a PA (Physician's Assistant).

Before they moved in a truck stopped at the end of our driveway one day as I was returning from the mailbox and the woman in the passenger seat rolled down her window.

I went to see what they wanted and quickly learned that they were the parents of one of our incoming neighbors.

As we chatted, I mentioned how I had spoken to the realtor who was one of the two people who helped me when I had my fall about six weeks ago and said "Wow! With my history it's going to be good to have all that medical help next door!"

When the woman expressed concern I told her that the fall was a very rare occurrence for me, that I was fine and, when she asked if I had trouble standing or walking, I responded "I'm a baker!"

I explained that my baking is only at home and only now and then.

A few days later the new neighbors moved in and Judy suggested that it would be nice to take them some homemade cookies as a welcoming gift.

Cookies which had yet to be baked, I might add.

But I've discovered a new (to me) recipe that is simple and chocolately delicious so I quickly whipped up a batch and later took a plateful over to their door.

I was met by a woman who I quickly learned was the mother of the other side of our new couple and when I presented the cookies, she exclaimed "Oh, you must be the baker!"

My "fame" had preceded me.

At any rate, Judy had moaned that the few cookies that I'd held back for us from that event had definitely Not Been Enough, said these were her new favorite cookie, and begged me to make some more just for us.

So this morning, I made a double batch and here's the weary "baker" with his product.

I said a double-batch which would be 48 cookies but if you had a drone flying over our counter you would see there are only 46 on that cooling rack.

And that's because SWMBO had already snagged two before the photo was taken.

One other thing - Judy and I have a disagreement about how much light is required for any project in the kitchen.

When I come in and see her working in what I refer to as near darkness I quickly turn on a light and say, snarkily, "There! Now you can see what you're doing!"

When I am in the kitchen I turn on every light including a very bright one over the sink that Judy refers to as "the floodlight".

After my efforts in the kitchen this morning I asked her to come in and take the above photograph for me.

When she was done she pointed out that "the floodlight" was lit and said "There's that light on again!"

My quick and somewhat mindless response was "I haven't turned it off yet!"

(I meant that I still had some clean-up duties in the kitchen.)

But her answer to my statement was "Well that's pretty obvious!"

Ain't married life fun?