Thursday, April 2, 2009

The Lighter Side of the Legislative Session

It’s my intention in my blog to highlight some of the lighter sides of being in the Idaho Legislature. Of course, it is a terrible recession and it has not been a pleasant legislative session in a number of ways, but nonetheless there are some moments when I do find myself laughing.

Being away from Hayden Lake, despite it being winter, isn’t always easy. During the session I, like the majority of my fellow legislators, must find temporary long-term accommodation. You get used to having to find this sort of thing and if you’re lucky enough to find a couple that winters in the south, you can sometimes find a situation where you can stay in the same place year on year.

For the past three years I have now stayed in the lovely home of a retired couple who are fortunate enough to spend their winter months in Mexico. I’m able to move in and essentially have free use of virtually everything in their home.

This year has not been without incident, however. There have been two culinary fiascos that have transpired due to my own inability to remind myself that while I do indeed feel at home, I am not really at home.

The first was a smaller mishap and involved my desire to prepare the perfect BLT sandwich. This entailed me getting the freshest of bread, gorgeous tomatoes and butcher cut bacon. I wanted this to measure up to the high standards I try to set for myself, as is befitting a man of my girth.

When it was time to assemble the sandwich I noticed trouble. The mayonnaise I found in the refrigerator was spreading unevenly and, worse, appeared to have pockets of mold. Horror of horrors unanticipated, I had no choice but to surgically remove the offending elements and hope for the best.

While I could not dispel the concerns of what could have been a gastrointestinal disorder coming my way, I nonetheless launched into the BLT. The taste was good, but still different. I could not understand it.

The mystery was solved when I cleared the kitchen and took the squeeze bottle of what I had though was mayonnaise and found myself instead holding a bottle of Heinz Tartar Sauce. I could hear my wife’s words ringing in my ears, “Read the label!”

Congratulations to northern Idaho resident Rayelle Anderson, who was appointed by Governor Otter to the Bing-Raffle Advisory Board. I was happy to carry her nomination on the Senate floor and was pleased my nomination was seconded by Senator John Goedde of Coeur d’Alene.

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