Macaroni Wishes and Cheddar Dreams

In ten days I will, in all likelihood, be sitting in my bedroom in Washington, D.C., unpacking and thinking to the 14 weeks ahead. I'll be plotting ideas, planning goals, and all sorts of things.

But I'm not doing that right now.

Right now, I'm tasting the Kraft Macaroni & Cheese that I just made with my youngest brother Ryan. The little kid was hungry and wanted some of "the cheesiest," and despite my sinuses being blocked to high heaven and my throat being so sore I can barely speak, I invited him to watch as I taught him the art of mac-n-cheez.

The ingredients, few. The complexity, well, there is none. It was just me, my brother, and a pot that would have boiled sooner if he didn't watch it so much. It was so much fun showing him each step; he gazed in awe while the noodles cooked, his mouth opened wide in astonishment at the steam released when I put them through the colander, and his eyes wide open with interest as we stirred in the butter, milk, and the cheese.

The final product was a bit watery for my tastes, but it was too much fun not to eat it.

In ten days I will, in all likelihood, be sitting in my bedroom in Washington, D.C., unpacking and thinking to the 14 weeks ahead. I'll be plotting ideas, planning goals, and all sorts of things.

And I'll be missing things like this.