Mom to the rescue

Yesterday was my brother's 40th birthday party. I met my parents at the subway station and we went together. As a family. Yikes. It was good to see my sister-in-law and my nieces and to hang out with the rest of my family. I don't get to see them very often, which is my fault, so it was nice to get a chance to catchup and see what everyone is doing. My mom and I sat together for the entire thing, and I helped her curb her jealousy at the sight of my step-father helping his ex-wife figure out how to work her camera. My mom tends to hold a grudge, much like a few people I know, and she knows how to say the right thing at the right time to enforce that. 

I ended up going back to my parents house for dinner and the boy met me there. We had a great time, except for me attempting to 'help' my mom with dinner. She was making one of my favourites: pork tenderloin in a maple glaze sauce. In order to make this dish, you sear the tenderloin in a stainless steel frying pan and transfer it to the oven to cook. When the pan comes out of the oven 20 minutes later, the meat is transfered to a plate and tinfoil tented over it to keep it warm. The sauce is made in the same pan and simmered until reduced. I was in charge of the sauce and as my mom took the pan out of the oven, she reminded me over and over that it was hot and that I needed a glove to handle it.

I was offended that she thought she needed to remind me. I had done this a bajillion times and didn't think I needed the reminder. I think you know the rest. Aloe on my fingertips for the rest of the night, followed by vitamin e spray that instantly took away the sting. I stood there for a few minutes after I had touched the handle; it was such a natural gesture I didn't think about how hot it was. I didn't want to tell my mom what I'd done because I knew she'd make fun of me.

She made fun of me alright, but not before she made sure I wasn't too badly burned. It was bad, but not hospital bad. This morning my fingertips are crispy and gross. It will take couple of days to heal completely but maybe this means I'm off dish-duty until then. Not so bad after all.