Way back when, like a million years ago, man had to make a plan in order to survive.  That still holds true today, only the time line is much shorter.  Let me give you some examples from my perspective.

Picture a cave man, leaning against the back wall of his little abode, his woman staring at him, wondering just when he is going to get is lazy butt up and go get them something to eat.  The kids romping around in the rock and dirt floor, not caring one way or another about anything. (Not a lot of changes from then til now, huh?)

Well, his stomach begins to growl and he decides if he is going to eat he has to go out and bash something with his club, so up he gets and goes about doing just that.  Once outside he first has to find something to bash and then make a plan as to how he is going to get close enough for the bashing to begin.  This usually takes quite a long time to accomplish, but before dark he comes back with something and throws it on the dirt and rock floor for his woman to deal with.  He wants to eat!

For her part there is deciding how to process the bashed item and she alone must make the decisions  as to the need to cook it, or just eat is as it is.  However she decides will be just fine with “him and the kids”…let’s eat!

Later in the time line we find “him” busy working, making some money to buy stuff as he comes home from his busy day.  He enters the small house they call home and tosses the bags of things on the table for her to deal with.  She has to sort through it and try to decide what he was thinking when he bought the stuff.  It usually involves cooking and this is where her planning comes into play, fried, baked, boiled or some of each.  It won’t matter too much to him and the kids, they are just hungry and want to eat before too long.  And with one kid on her hip, she gets it ready as quickly as she can.

Still later, we find “him” coming home and upon entering the house gives her a big kiss, the kids come running and find his legs and wrap their little arms around them and yell up all the things that they did that day and tell him how much they love him and appreciate all that he does for them.  He can smell the good food already prepared for them and it’s in the oven keeping warm and awaiting his return from his laborious days work.  She was able to plan this meal way ahead of time because they have a freezer full of good meats and other food she can chose from.  Life is full of blessings and they sit right down and eat.

Today, we still have the freezer, a cold storage unit called a fridge, a microwave, electric or gas stove, ovens, toasters, slow cookers, BBQ cookers outside and of course the quick food place just down the street or the nice restaurant with the big menu to choose from.  We can eat there or take it home to eat OR phone in and have someone bring it to us!  SO very much planning has to take place it’s a wonder we get anything done!

Take me and Winemaker for example, this very morning!  We had drank our 3 cups of coffee each and I asked the every day question, “What would you like for breakfast”?  This time she actually named something besides “I don’t know”…she said “How about steak”?  BINGO!!!!  I can do steak!  In fact I could do steak every day!  The steak we have is mostly elk, and so out to the freezer I went!

Not too many years ago a decision to have steak for breakfast would have had to of been made “yesterday” or “last night”, but with the advent of the microwave we have the option to wait until we are ready to cook to thaw out the frozen goodies we have at hand!  A far cry from the guy with the club!

I often wonder how long those guys with the clubs lived, I’ll just bet if they lived to be 15 they were considered old.

Bears Butt

February 16, 2014