When Marshmallows Hurt

My dear husband was truly a single dad since he and I lived apart during our engagement. He and his two boys have been living the life of bachelors for a couple of years now. Enter me. Female and a bit compulsive about organization. Don't get me wrong. My husband is a good dad. The dishes are washed, meals are on the table, laundry is done, sheets are clean, bathrooms are maintained - he really does a great job.

But then there is the pantry. The pantry drives me nuts. I like the soups to be lined up, the canned vegetables in a row separate from the canned fruit, etc. - I'm sure some of you get the picture! He on the other hand enjoys putting away groceries with the randomness that comes with just finding space for everything. It really does not bother him if pasta sauce ends up in the same row with the canned chicken. And, he loses track of how long something has been in the pantry so I really must check expiration dates.

Just before we were to be married I went over for dinner and I suggested to him that we clean out the pantry together. It quickly became apparent that a lot of food had expired. In his words "I sure bought a lot of food in 2008." But we were not deterred; onward we forged! When we got to the top of the pantry, he stood on a stool to reach the treasures he keeps on top - sweets, snacks, chips and other things that he enjoys.

I was sitting at the table and heard him say something and when I looked up I saw a bag of marshmallows being tossed at me. Let's face it, marshmallows are not dangerous if they land on your toe. They are soft and fairly light. Or, so I thought. These particular marshmallows, maybe circa early 2000, were like rocks. The bag hit my arm and yikes! I promptly yelled - "hey, marshmallows are not supposed to hurt!" This caused the boys to explode with laughter. My then fiance even eventually found the humor in the situation.
There is always a moral to every story and this one is no different. Remember, when marshmallows hurt it's time to clean out your pantry!

Wish me luck as we begin to merge our lives, stuff and pantry items this week!