THE GROANING BOARD

The Boy is graduated, which makes me think, each time I hear the word, of graduated beakers from high school chemistry class. And not only graduated, he is home. So too is his maternal grandmother. And his Philosophy guru, a frequently ungruntled professor from Connecticut here for a visit.
So today, at the grocery store, as the cashier rang up the sixteen artichokes, and the 14 ears of corn, the woman ahead of me, gathering her purchases-- a bottle of wine and some sort of smoked sausage and a box of crackers-- asked me what all that was for... I assured here that there was nothing odd or amiss, just that we were a large family-- I think I used the word enormous, in fact.
But in truth, we're not that enormous-- just six, and a couple of visiting relations. Eight people hardly makes a throng, but it's true that at meal time the cooking is not the same as it would be for a single person or a couple....
Tomorrow we have the artichokes and the corn-- and grilled chicken too. Is it summer? At least at dinner time Friday it will be.