PC #38 – Living in the real world

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Bill Bennett

I’m into my third day of my fast now and I’ve been invited to a dinner tonight.

My daughter’s boyfriend has spent the last two days preparing the meal. And he’s invited other guests too.

Here’s the dilemma – I don’t want to break my fast, particularly as I’m nearly past the worst stage, the first few days.

Equally though, I don’t want to sit around a dinner table and be rude by not eating. Particularly as he’s gone to so much trouble preparing the meal. Also, I don’t want to make a fuss about the fact that I’m on a fast.

So I’ve decided that for tonight, I’ll break the fast.

I could easily continue my fast, sit around the dinner table and only drink herbal tea. But it would be ungracious to my daughter’s boyfriend, who is cooking this dinner especially for me.

There are times when we can be too fixed and rigid in our beliefs or endeavours, and forget that we’re living in the real world.

I will put my fast on “pause” and continue it tomorrow.

36 thoughts on “PC #38 – Living in the real world”

Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 6:50 am said:

Bill, I think that you’ve made the right decision. I would have asked if you were a guest of honour, in which case it would be incredibly rude not to eat. Once you accept a dinner invitation, you have kind of agreed to share the meal -unless you can make a deal with the host to maybe provide entertainment, or some such. Don’t eat anything abundantly rich, or just a tiny portion, drink lots of water to help flush everything through, and you should be able to get away with it.

If anyone would like to invite me for dinner, I promise to eat the meal.Just saying.

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- pgstheway on July 15, 2013 at 7:02 am said:
  
  Hi Sister,
  
  I think the same thing – and thanks for the advice about being parsimonious.
  
  Sometimes these things become attention seeking devices as well – which you have to be careful of. I didn’t want that.
  
  But I think the boyfriend is trying to make a good impression on me, and it would be very rude, and a slap in the face, to say that I wasn’t eating his meal.
  
  By the way, the meal is GOAT.
  
  Bill Sister.
  
  🙂
  
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  - Ingrid Folkers on July 15, 2013 at 7:11 am said:
    
    BAAAAA Bill, enjoy being parsimonious…that’s a new one for me. Be kind to the boy! Ingrid
    
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    - pgstheway on July 15, 2013 at 7:13 am said:
      
      ah ingrid –
      
      i eat my roget’s thesauraus for breakfast.
      
      🙂
      
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    - Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 7:35 am said:
      
      Ingrid, goats say maaaaaa, or meeeeeeeeeh ;sheep say baaaaaaaa 🙂
      
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  - Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 7:33 am said:
    
    Dear Sister Bill Sister
    I have eaten quite a bit of goat, some of which I raised myself.The key is to butcher the males before they get to the head butt stage, otherwise the meat can be very gamey. It needs to be cooked with moisture if its a braise or stew type of dish, or very quickly on a hot surface if its to be served like a chop. Cooked through but never overcooked.
    
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    - pgstheway on July 15, 2013 at 7:38 am said:
      
      Sister,
      
      goat butchering?
      
      You really ARE the most unusual Sister!
      
      Bill
      
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      - Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 7:54 am said:
        
        I’m reluctant to say this Sister Bill, but I’m afraid its only the tip of the iceberg.
        
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      - pgstheway on July 15, 2013 at 9:18 am said:
        
        There’s only one response to that —
        
        Yikes.
        
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      - Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 9:27 am said:
        
        🙂
        
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- Abbey on July 15, 2013 at 5:28 pm said:
  
  Sister…I would welcome you into my Whare (home) for dinner anytime.
  I would offer you New Zealand roast leg of lamb and a Kiwi Pavalova.
  (invented by Kiwi’s of course. ;-).
  
  And Bill…I agree with everyone..you made the right decision.
  
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  - Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 5:37 pm said:
    
    Abbey, if only there was a way, Id be there. I love lamb, especially. What a lovely thought! Thank you!
    
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    - pgstheway on July 15, 2013 at 5:38 pm said:
      
      New Zealand lamb is the best!
      
      Bill
      
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      - Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 5:57 pm said:
        
        I wholeheartedly agree! We can get it here, even in the village, but you need a bank loan to buy it.
        That being said,it is DELICIOUS
        
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Jenny Heesh on July 15, 2013 at 8:13 am said:

Hi Bill, Jennifer and Sister Simon –
Bill and Jennifer – good luck with the dinner. You’ll both have a great time – beautiful food, cooked with love.
Sister Simon – your advice is always like the lightest warm blanket that you wrap around Bill, Jennifer and all those who read and participate on this amazing blog – always exactly what’s needed – we all get to ‘share the blanket’. Thank you!
Have a good week everyone – Jenny

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- pgstheway on July 15, 2013 at 8:51 am said:
  
  Dear Jenny,
  
  Thank you very much.
  
  And yes, Sister Clare’s advice is always wise and caring.
  
  A light warm blanket indeed!
  
  Bill
  
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- Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 9:03 am said:
  
  Jenny, what a sweet thing to say, thank you!
  
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  - Jenny Heesh on July 15, 2013 at 10:24 pm said:
    
    It’s my absolute pleasure Sister… your major input adds so very much to what we all love so much about this very special and nurturing space … My love and light to you – Jenny
    
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Ingrid Folkers on July 15, 2013 at 8:30 am said:

I stand corrected sister, must have gotten lost in translation…. 😉

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- Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 9:05 am said:
  
  I only mention it because of your interest in, and skill with, languages.:-)
  
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kitkatknit on July 15, 2013 at 9:19 am said:

Yum, Cabrito!!!!!! If it is on a menu, it is always my first choice.

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- Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 9:30 am said:
  
  Do you think Bill’s had it before?
  
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- pgstheway on July 15, 2013 at 9:34 am said:
  
  Hey Kat,
  
  I’m with you – I love goat, normally!
  
  Particularly grilled.
  
  I think though he’s doing some kind of marinade� I only found out about this yesterday, otherwise I would have started the fast after the dinner!
  
  Bill
  
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  - Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 9:57 am said:
    
    So then Sister Bill, when you said;’Guess what’s on the menu, GOAT’, you were trying to shock me?
    
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    - pgstheway on July 15, 2013 at 10:00 am said:
      
      No, I would never try and shock a nun.
      
      ☺
      
      Only that GOAT is a tough way to break a fast, even a short one.
      
      Bill
      
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    - stevelangham on July 15, 2013 at 10:23 am said:
      
      Sister, I doubt that shocking you is high on his list anymore. You don’t appear shockable to me. Would love to read your biography. :-). Steve
      
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      - Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 10:48 am said:
        
        But Steve, it would probably put you to sleep!
        
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  - Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 10:04 am said:
    
    Depends on the marinade. And I think you would find us much harder to shock than you might think. The right marinade will help pre-digest the meat for you. Much easier to digest.
    
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Bhasma on July 15, 2013 at 9:56 am said:

Dear Sister Clare, surely you can’t just leave us hanging there … tell more, please!! I grew up in a small town in Denmark, where the butcher’s yard (cobblestone and all to catch the blood so well!) was just across the road from the admin building of my family’s business. Squealing pigs and all, full carcass delivered to our basement kitchen for processing for family meals for months … a world so far removed from where we’re at today – but obviously it’s not something foreign to you, if we substitute pigs for goats!!! Mind you, I’d bet there’d still be a few places along The Way, where that lifestyle is still happening and fasting would be the last on their minds. And, please, Bill, I’m so not being judgemental here, so please don’t misinterpret my comment … it’s just that, a comment!

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- Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 10:01 am said:
  
  There’s nothing more flavourful than a freshly butchered corn fed pig!And I love pigs. They are so smart, and charming-also really nice to hug when they’re still small! I can’t begin to count the nights I sat out in the barn farrowing under the stars.
  
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- Sister Simon Clare on July 15, 2013 at 10:45 am said:
  
  I don’t know where to begin!
  
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  - Bhasma on July 15, 2013 at 8:24 pm said:
    
    Well, Sister, maybe, just think about telling us a bit …
    
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kathyfoote on July 16, 2013 at 6:00 am said:

Does your daughter’s boyfriend know you are fasting? Did you start the fast before or after you got the invitation (LOL!). I’m sure the superb company you will provide at the dinner table will deflect any attention the small amount of food you will eat might have caused.

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- pgstheway on July 16, 2013 at 6:07 am said:
  
  Hi Kathy,
  
  I began the fast and the next day my daughter told me about the dinner.
  
  It was last night, and it was a great meal and get-together. My daughter’s boyfriend cooked a delicious free range hind quarter of goat and I broke my fast well and truly!
  
  As for me being superb company, I prattled on about the Camino, of course, and bored everyone senseless – except my wife who is long suffering…
  
  Bill
  
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  - Ingrid Folkers on July 16, 2013 at 6:28 am said:
    
    Bill, I was wondering how it went, so now you are on the wagon again?
    
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    - pgstheway on July 16, 2013 at 7:56 am said:
      
      Hi Ingrid,
      
      We have two days in Sydney with my daughter and her boyfriend. Jennifer, my wife, is cooking tonight. Roast chicken. But I will have to abstain.
      
      Yes, back to herbal tea and fruit juice.
      
      Bill
      
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