Hotdog or filet mignon?

Would you rather enjoy a hotdog at a ball park or a filet mignon at a 5 star restaurant?

Obviously the choice is about more than just the food to be eaten.  One is not going to a 5 star restaurant to order a hotdog, right? And neither is one going to a ball park to enjoy a great steak dinner. Although ... lobster rolls at Fenway are a treat in their own right. Lol.

So, atmosphere and environment are important.  Ambience.

Comfort.

When sitting in a ball park enjoying a game a hotdog and cold beer are comfort foods.They are part of the experience that people look forward to and enjoy.  It’s one reason that Buck-a-Beer and Dime-a-Dog nights are so popular. The ball park experience is enhanced by eating a hotdog.

Yet, if a premier steakhouse were running a special for, say Five-a-Filet night they might draw a huge crowd, but the experience would be diminished, even tainted. Who wants to eat a nice steak dinner in a crowded noisy environment?  I do not. When I want a great steak dinner, I want the great service that comes with it in an elegant setting.

Can the same person who enjoys a hotdog at a ball park enjoy an elegant steak dinner a premier restaurant? Absolutely! I’m living proof to this.

As I sit in the comfort of my home, on this 48th day of self-isolation during the covid-19 pandemic, I have been considering comfort.  Right now, I am very comfortable in having had no close personal contact with anyone for 48 days.  I’m not particularly interested in eating a hotdog while watching reruns of sporting contests, but neither am I inclined to dim the lights, light candles and eat a self-prepared filet mignon either?

I am comfortable eating essentials in my own home. I have enough dry goods, canned goods and freezer meat to last a few weeks. Reruns on TV to watch and books to read. Music to listen to. Board games and cards.

My wife and I are empty nesters. We’ve been getting to know one another again these last couple of years. Some refer to this stage of life as dating their spouse once again. It’s true. I’m working harder on my relationship with my wife than I have in many years. Our children took tremendous amounts of energy and time to raise. They have each turned out very well. Our efforts on their behalf were worth it. That said, my wife and I took each other for granted during those years of raising a family.

Our arguments during those years were often grounded in a need of more attention from one another.  Still, we were comfortable if at times uncomfortably so.  Now, we are reestablishing an atmosphere of relaxed comfortability with each other ... and our individual selfs.

The relationship things that were important to us before we began having children are re-emerging. Different but better in most regards. A breath of fresh air breathing new life into our relationship. The child raising years were wonderful and neither of us would trade the experience for any other, but neither would we trade these years we are living in now.

There are times when a hotdog at a ball park is exactly what is called for and other times when an elegant meal at a fine restaurant is just the thing. We have had our hotdogs at the ball park and thoroughly enjoyed them. We enjoyed transitioning to more frequent trips to fine dining restaurants as our children grew into young mean. These days we been eating home cooking with takeout from varying local eateries once a week. Thankfully I’m a very good cook. Not trained at a culinary institute, but I apprenticed in my mother’s and grandmother’s  kitchens. Both were excellent cooks. We are eating healthy and well. Appropriately for the circumstances while eagerly anticipating a hotdog at a ball park and a filet mignon at a fine dining establishment.