Anything but Congee

Another chilly day - and another one to spend indoors! Mommy made us oatmeal this morning, and I can't say enough how perfect that was. It had raisins and brown sugar, and boy was it yummy. Madison loved the raisins!

This is the sort of weather that calls for oatmeal - doesn't it? It also calls for Cream of Wheat, and even good old fashioned Southern grits! But no congee. No, I think I'll pass on congee. What exactly is congee, you ask?

You're looking at it. This was Madison's diet for about a year in the orphanage. Doesn't it look just tasty? Go ahead, you can be honest.

Daddy tried some when we were in China and didn't think the most of it. I guess it is an acquired taste. According to my recent studies, "To make congee, white rice is boiled in many times its weight of water for a long time until the rice breaks down and becomes a fairly viscous white porridge. Congees made in other regions may use different types of rice with different quantities of water, thus resulting in a thicker or more viscous product."

Basically, it's this white mush. We had many opportunities to sample some congee when we were at various restaurants in China, but it only took one taste test for Daddy to squirm, and then feel really sorry for Madison. Think about it: she ate this stuff for a year! Of course, she didn't know any better. She didn't know that Mommy was a world away, just waiting for someone to make oatmeal for. But as Madison waited herself, each day she'd eat this "viscous product." I'd call it a vicious product. Yuk!

But I imagine people feel that way about children in the South. They probably think, "could you imagine having to eat grits all the time?"

Anyway, breakfast this morning was simple, but perfect! We traveled to the church afterwards to do a little work, and then made a massive trip to the grocery store. We didn't spot any congee, but we did fill that cart up! Madison had a great time identifying the fruits and vegetables, and their colors. Orange pepper! Yellow Banana! Green... what exactly is that thing? Oh, it's an avocado. Mommy picked up a few, because sometime soon we're going to have guacamole. That's one of those words that is just fun to say. Go ahead. Try it: guacamole!

Madison does this thing at the cashier, where she simply has to help out, taking the stuff from the grocery cart and moving it to the conveyor belt. She reaches behind her, and into the cart, and starts complaining if she can't help. Sometimes you literally have to reach in and hand her something, only to watch her hand it back to you seconds later so you can put it by the register!

Anyway, we got home, and Mommy got dinner ready for us. We could tell Madison was tired. It was an early night tonight as Mommy fed her milk, and soon she was sleeping in her arms.

I'm sure she was dreaming of anything but congee.