Anyone that knows me well will tell you I love journaling. It is a great way to process, remember, celebrate, grieve and much more. I usually have several types of journals going at one time. Right now, I have at least three. Life events, a prayer journal, reading and sermon notes and then a daily five-line journal that has answered questions of ‘when’ many times through the years. I love history and see journaling as preserving the life we live. My diary in grade school was just the beginning. I processed lots back then and recently came upon those books cleaning out our basement. (I have been cleaning out much since retirement.) One thing was clear about my teenage self, I worried a lot about a future that the Lord had secured. The best life I could imagine.
That brings me to this project and the ‘why’. For nearly two years, I waited on the Lord to answer the ‘when’ I would retire from my full-time, 35-year career. A career that I thoroughly enjoyed; however, the latter ten years were more time-consuming, which left little time for ‘extras’. Now, to be fair, the kids were grown and were living their own lives – college, marriage and starting families of their own. Grandson after grandson joined us the last eight years. They were the priority when it came to finding time for life outside of work. My husband, Terry, has a big job, as well. It takes him away many evenings and weekends eight months out of the year. Now that I am retired, I am finding out just how much time he spends doing what he loves.
As I notified the Board and the search began for my replacement, I was asked repeatedly, “What will you do next?” Often, that would be followed by, “You are too young to retire.” The expectation is I should “do” something. I started my public service career at a very young age so that is why the expectation. If this blog becomes a bigger project, I will share the miracle of how I moved to the public sector which allowed for Meatloaf Mondays. For now, I must stay on the topic at hand. MEATLOAF.
The ‘what’ was the question that started this project and eventually, the writing about it. I will start with being brutally honest. I do not like to cook. I have foodie friends who love it and get so excited about certain cheeses (Anne), or they continue to amaze me with the best dishes and no recipes (Jana). I do like to bake. I get pretty good reviews for about a three things…apple dumplings, peanut butter pie and chocolate chip cookies. However, in full disclosure I just execute that which has been perfected by my friend Cynthia and another expert baker Vickie. (Someday, I want to tackle Vickie’s awesome Black Bottom Cheesecake, but it looks intimidating for now. Cheesecake is likely Terry’s fav dessert but one project at a time.)
The chocolate chip cookies I gladly claim. Terry loves my cookies and says they are THE BEST. Are they? Or are they what he knows? Many years ago, he told me that a lovely lady he works with makes the best chocolate chip cookies. I was not to be outdone so I found my own recipe and doubled the Ghirardelli morsels. I never use another and have tweaked the recipe a bit over the years. A bag of each milk and semi-sweet morsels. Only real butter. Sift the flour. He has never again used another women’s name with the words ‘chocolate chip cookie’. Terry quit buying store bought chocolate chip cookies and snags a few for the freezer to hold him over until the next time I bake. Marriage to Terry is always interesting.
From the opening you can see I only excel at a few things in the kitchen. I fail miserably at so many others. The thought that spurred on this project: Does a person give a rating of “10” to a ‘so-so’ meatloaf because it is what they know? Or is it really THE best meatloaf? I think familiarity breeds that love. And maybe starvation for a home-cooked meal that my husband of almost 35 years did not get often. Especially, the past 10 years.
Meatloaf is a food I do not like very much. Mushed up meat often slathered in ketchup as a sweet topping. Really? Not something I have ever ordered at a restaurant or chosen on a buffet. I still wouldn’t. This story is not about me though. It is about my husband – the same man that weathered many nights of a quick dinner or no dinner. This story begins with a simple question from a reporter in early 2024. “What do you plan to do when you retire?” I really did not know yet, so I decided to be funny. Yes, with a reporter. I said, “Well, my husband seems to think I should cook more. He loves my meatloaf. So, I guess it will be Meatloaf Mondays at the Schnipke house.” It made the news clip, so the teasing began. My husband fully believed this was a promise for my rocking chair days ahead. I never even told the reporter that my meatloaf is not really that good. I am not even sure where I got the recipe. Maybe from a guest at my bridal shower? I truly think he loved it, because I never cooked and he likes meatloaf. The few times I did cook between 2015 and 2024, I would make this dish because of his reaction. Maybe once a year. I know, a terrible wife. Back to the story.
As my retirement drew closer, the joke grew, and Terry capitalized on his plan to secure meatloaf weekly. As he took RSVPs for the event he was hosting, he sent a secret text to our friends and family to bring no gifts but bring along their favorite meatloaf recipe. The night of the party, I was given a lovely apron from my friend Jana, who, by the way, is an amazing cook and loves a good joke. It read “Did someone say meatloaf?” “Okay”, I said, “they are serious about this meatloaf thing”. Terry then read a poem he wrote about my long-awaited retirement and 30 or more of our guests handed me their best meatloaf recipe. I could not believe it! Over the days that followed, I ended up with 42. How could there be that many variations of a dish our daughter Brooke would never try. She does not like most of her food mixed in dishes or casseroles. Her favorite dinnertime saying as a preschooler was, “I hate Daddy’s dishes!”
I kicked off this project on October 20, 2024, solidifying a 10 for ‘my’ meatloaf. Of course, I thought that was the way to go. We knew the standard for the weeks ahead. Terry was reminded of what he thought was perfection. I cannot remember the last time I made meatloaf, so of course; he was over the moon. Terry gets so excited the minute he hears we are having meatloaf. I know, he for one, will completely enjoy the next 40 + weeks of Meatloaf Mondays.
Let’s see where this takes us. Thanks for reading and most of all, sharing your recipes!