We’re entering a season that I really don’t enjoy. Not Spring, but that time of year when Rockford is ridiculously busy at work. We’ll be seeing very little of him over the next two weeks. I know there are still mouths to feed even when he isn’t here for dinner, but I have a hard time making things that require a lot of preparation when he’s not here. I’ve been puzzling over why that is while I’ve been writing this — is it because Poppy won’t eat anything? because Petey isn’t effusive enough in celebrating the food? — and I’ve determined that it’s because Rockford usually does the dishes after dinner, and I hate doing the dishes.

All this is to say: The meals for the next couple of months are likely to be even less work-intensive than usual. And that’s saying something. I’m going to try not to revert to all-frozen-pizza-all-the-time. But I’m not making any promises.

Monday: Grilled chicken.

Poppy is always enthusiastic about grilled chicken when I ask her what I should put on the menu, but she almost always refuses to eat it once it’s in front of her.

Tuesday: Ravioli.

The grocery store we normally go to only had cheese ravioli. When I asked Poppy if she’d like ravioli this week, she leaned into their freezer and said, “Do they have butternut squash ravioli?” I told her we’d make a special trip to the Fancy Grocery for the butternut ravioli. If she wants to eat a vegetable, I will go to great lengths to accommodate.

Wednesday: Scrambled eggs & veggie sausages.

This is one of the few things both of the kids will eat without complaint.

Thursday: Cheeseburgers.

Rockford may actually be joining us for this one.

Friday: Pizza.

I’ve gotten out of the habit of making my own pizzas. I doubt that I’ll get back into it this week.