Jolly Jelly

by The Bard of New Mexico

silverdolphin12@hotmail.com

Lydia peeked into the saucepan and satisfied herself that it was at a good rolling boil. Then, she dropped in a few eggs and set the egg timer for 2 ½ minutes. She explained to her friend Jill who was sitting at the bar and watching the proceedings, “I'm going to let you vent, but only when I say 'go'. When the timer rings, your rant and our breakfast are done.”

Lydia waited until there were 45 seconds left. “GO!”

“My husband's arthritis is acting up again, I had a fight with my son and told him to live somewhere else, my dear friend had emergency surgery and might actually die, and my roof is leaking.”

There were still 20 seconds left. “Anything else?”

“Don't you think that's enough?”

Lydia frowned. “Just one of those would be enough. But we can discuss it after breakfast.”

There were two plates already loaded with bacon and two pieces of toast per plate. When the timer rang, Lydia slid poached eggs onto one of the pieces of toast on each plate, then got out her special homemade jelly.

Jill read the label on the side. “Jolly Jelly?”

“Yeah. It's apple jelly with cinnamon and spices in it. It always makes me feel jolly.”

Jill sheepishly took a heaping spoonful. “I need all the help I can get.”