Are You Having a Cookout?

{Our view of the back yard from the porch}

The weekend was finally upon us. The ever cherished, elusive, long awaited Friday afternoon had finally arrived. I made it through my work day in time to get back into town for a scheduled grocery pick up. Patient visits completed for the week, phone calls placed tying up all of the loose ends, community resource referrals made…even found a moment to stop for a pee break…you know…the typical Home Health and Hospice Social Worker day. As I sat in spot #21 staring off into space trying to shake off the week, the young man arrived with my gabillion dollar prize…two weeks worth of groceries. Pleasantries swapped, bar codes scanned, agreed upon car door opened and groceries piled into the car. Magic! The next comment got my attention. “Are you having a cook out?” I said “we are” with a smile on my face. It’s a very common question when we check out.

Love the life you live, live the life you love. ~Bob Marley

A fairly common assumption was made from the looks of what was actually a very common grocery list that happens literally every time I get paid. Meats, charcoal and beer. I mean there are veggies, snacks, toiletries and other household items, but why wouldn’t every single cashier or grocery pick up worker not assume we are having a cookout? This young man had no idea we buy this stuff every two weeks; had no idea that we cook that much meat on the grill each week. He had no idea we have a “cookout” numerous days per week. I have often said “every night is a Friday night at the Cox House”. And that’s basically the truth. We love hanging out on the back porch with a beer and a cigar, something yummy on the grill or in the smoker. It’s simply what we do. It can be just the two of us, part of the family, the whole family or just a friend or two. If it’s what we love, why not do it several days a week?

{The red rocking chairs where you can find my behind OFTEN}

The Bob Marley quote came to my mind. “Love the life you live, live the life you love.” I smiled inwardly and mouthed, “We’re doing it Bob, we’re doing it.” I definitely whispered it though so the grocery pick up guy wouldn’t think I had lost it. Ha!

What are the signs you’re ‘loving the life you live and living the life you love’? Are you? We definitely work to live around here; we don’t live to work. There’s definitely a difference. What are your thoughts? I think you should grab a cup of coffee…or a cigar… and see what you figure out for yourself. I challenge you to make some changes if you need to. I did. Life is too short folks! =)

~paula