Monday Evening

   Scamp and Colby were the only ones at home when I came home last night. This isn't unusual. Once a week C and I work opposite shifts. Most of the time it is late when I get home, but Monday I got off about an hour early.
  The first thing I did was change clothes. It was warm out and I wanted to put on something more comfortable. I sat down at my computer to check my email. I read through the emails. I needed to schedule a needlepoint lesson and another appointment. I made a mental note to check my calendar. Then I went to Facebook. There were a few new posts and a friend request. Since the person requesting friendship was someone I actually knew, I accepted it. I looked at a few more things and then logged off.
   I looked at the clock, It was dinner time for Scamp and Colby. They tend not to be real tolerant of late meals so I went into the kitchen and served them their dinner. It was dinner time for me too, but I wasn't hungry.
  I sat down in the living room to read. C had bought a coffee table book about Chet Atkins. The book is about his career and all the guitars he has owned. I had started to read it and was having trouble putting it down. I have that trouble a lot. I decided to read for about 15 minutes and then I would make myself something to eat.
  Half an hour later I decided that I was hungry. Now I had to decide what to cook. My original plan was to make some chicken strips and tater tots. Before I left work I was on hold with a clinic that had information about good nutrition instead of hold music. It made me rethink my planned meal. I picked up some chicken and a bag of lettuce.
   I had been thinking about having chicken broth with Triscuits and cheese. That's my standard hot weather food. I wasn't in the mood for it. I was in the mood for chicken strips and tater tots. I figured that while the chicken and tots were baking I could have a salad. That would be healthy. I could lightly bread the chicken and since I bake it instead of frying it, it would not be too bad after all. The only unhealthy thing would be the tots.
   I cut up the chicken and lightly coated it with olive oil. Then I put the pieces in a bag of seasoned bread crumbs. The coating was perfect. I put the chicken on a cookie sheet and into the oven. The tater tots when on a second sheet and onto the bottom rack. The next thing to do was make the salad.
   While the other food was cooking I ate the salad and got out some honey mustard. I know that ranch dressing is not good for you. Mustard is better. I also like mustard. The chicken was ready first. I cut a large piece to make sure it was cooked through. It was. I put a few pieces on a small plate and put some mustard on the side.
   The chicken was pretty good. It could have used a bit more seasoning. I'll have to remember that for next time. I'd also have to remember to get some different mustard. The timer went off again, which meant that the tater tots were done. I took them out, put seasoned salt on them and put a few on my plate.
  Yum. I like tater tots. I'm not sure sure why. They are made of potatoes just like french fries, but to me they are better than fries.
  I brought the Chet Atkins book into the kitchen with me so I could read while I ate. I didn't understand most of the technical guitar terms he was using, but I liked reading it anyway. Maybe I'll have to get a Chet Atkins CD. I bet C would like it.
   The clock showed 7:15. Obviously I had lost track of time. I needed to get some instrument practice in and C would be home in 45 minutes. I finished the page I was on and reluctantly marked my place.
   I like to start with the dulcimer first. I had long ago become bored with playing the interval exercises. (Intervals are two notes played at the same time.) I thought maybe it would be more interesting to play them if I learned a song instead. The song I was learning to play was "Deck the Halls". I figured that by Christmastime I should have it down. My lesson books say that when learning a new song it helps to learn a section at a time and to start from the end. I spent five minutes playing the last section over and over again. I'm getting pretty good at it. I spent the other five minutes working on two hymns that C and I are arranging into a medley.
  It was time for harp practice. I debated just playing instead of tuning first. Guilt got the better of me. I got out the tuning wrenches and the tuner. I started with Margaret first since she is in the key of C and easier to tune. Then I tuned Eve. It didn't take me that long. I remember when tuning Margaret all by herself would take a half an hour. I must be getting better at it. I put Eve in the corner and practiced with Margaret. I'm working on sixth intervals which sound absolutely beautiful on a harp. I'm looking forward to triads, which are three notes played at the same time. The ten minutes flew by.
  It was almost time for C to come home. I sat in the living room with the Chet Atkins book to wait for him. When he had called on his last break he said he might want to take a short walk when he got home. I hoped that he would, the temp out was perfect. We could both use the exercise and I like walking with him. The phone rang. It was C on his way home. He still wanted to go for a walk. Yay!
   Another perfect Monday evening.....