The Pleasure of Company

Finally! After a few dashed attempts, I made it to Sylvia’s new place and
‘family meal’. The hour plus in transit afforded me time to read a good chunk of Michael Pollan’s “In Defense of Food” and I was primed for thoughts about how we eat and relationships and how totally connected we are to sustenance of all sorts.

Sylvia and her colleagues are learning about independent living. This involves relationships too. Late afternoon started out at Ariel and Alison’s apartment where menu ideas where bantered about and a consensus was made (no small task with plenty of give and take). A turkey salad idea from Weight Watchers was decided upon, followed by the brainstorm of smoothies for dessert. Off to the market! Walbaum’s feels like Oz after a steady diet of The Park Slope Food Coop, but it’s all part of the adventure- and challenge ( I’ll save my rant on this one for later). We defaulted to chicken and made some berry adaptations for Samantha’s strawberry allergy. Then back. What fun! A flurry of peeling and chopping soon had dinner on the table. The informality of the occasion did not hamper conversation or exchange. It’s so interesting to think about how ordinary and how special things can be all at the same time.

I have enormous respect for the lives that Sylvia and her pals are forging. They are figuring out their relationship to just about everything.