Did you know that worldwide, hummus and guacamole are more popular spreads than peanut butter? This past year the pitfalls of quarantine have likely had many of us spreading comfort foods we might not otherwise indulge! Use the COMMENTS section to share that THING you have spread the most and we will ‘talk about it’ in the next blog post.
For me, you guessed it. PEANUT BUTTER. On toast. With jelly. Over apples. (And, of course, off the spoon). The smell and taste take me back to times of safety and a worry-free childhood that recall a sense of stability and calm. It had been many years of clean eating without much, if any, peanut butter until September of 2019. Sometimes when you meet up with an old friend after a long hiatus, you remember how much you really missed them.
Her name was DORIAN. Her stats were formidable as the most intense tropical cyclone to strike the Bahamas and her forecast for the North Carolina coast was wicked. It was the first fall in my new role as Deputy Superintendent of District Support for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Our Boss, the State Superintendent, was determined to get into Wilmington ahead of this hurricane….this time, to be planted. You see, the year before, a particularly devastating hurricane season for North Carolina closed off I-40, the main artery to coastal Carolina, and it was days before the Boss could get into communities, assess damages and offer support to our school districts. He was adamant that he was not going to be derailed by Dorian. His “ask” for an additional team member to go was interesting. As I sat in that meeting and looked around at my colleagues with young families and children at home, it occurred to me that I should go. Like a bolt of divine lightening….my kids were grown and on their own, and other than a pet sitter, I could easily go. The more I pondered it after I said “YES”, the more I realized it was a payback of sorts. Twenty years earlier my family had experienced serious home structural damage during HUGO. We lost a car, a back porch and were without power for more than a week. During that time, our family and neighbors rescued us in so many ways that it felt this 2019 opportunity was my way of giving back.
My car loaded to the brim with bottled water (we drove separately so as to take as much water as possible) and a bag packed with sturdy boots and foods that would tide me over without power, I headed east. My family was a little stunned that this 60-something gal would do something quite this crazy….but as usual, they kept track of me and encouraged me once they got over the initial shock. Having just rekindled a relationship with an old friend (who despite this questionable deviation from good sense, would become my Covid Roomie and husband), I was ready for these inevitable questions. “SO, YOU ARE DRIVING INTO THE HURRICANE?” “ON PURPOSE?”
Thankfully, he understands me.
On September 6, after much fanfare, Dorian made her grand appearance in the Outer Banks, focused mainly on Ocracoke. Most of our coast escaped major damages despite the $40-50 million in roads and infrastructure impact. And hunkered down in a hotel room in Wilmington for 8 hours of loud and scary winds and rain, I turned to peanut butter. I mean sandwich after sandwich. While the winds toyed with the power, I kept making sure my devices were charged and my water supply was 100% AND I ate PBJ sandwiches!
They were absolutely delicious, a splendid feast…the taste and smell of my younger days. Playing in the creek in the summer, starving by lunchtime and stopping only long enough to retrieve the peanut butter and blackberry jam sandwich from the paper box at the end of the driveway. Working in our hot tomato patch during the teen years pruning, twine-ing and picking tomatoes…peanut butter and honey to the rescue. As a poor college student surviving in a dorm, mostly on macaroni and cheese- peanut butter was that sweet alternative. All of these memories came flooding back in that lonely hotel room while Dorian danced outside. It was as if there was no distinguishing between the soothing taste of a PBJ sandwich and the warm feelings from the memories they inspired. The storm passed but my reunion with PEANUT BUTTER was a thing.
Fast forward to early pandemic days when we grocery shopped for several weeks of hunkering down and sheltering in our homes. Toilet paper, Clorox wipes and paper towels became hard to secure, but there was no short supply of peanut butter. Thank God. The anxiety of the unknown and the very real threat to our safety required other comforts….and I returned to all of the ‘feels’ of my old childhood spread. From March through August, my colleagues and I worked remotely but around the clock. The work with our partners at the Department of Health and Human Services and the Governor’s Office was fast paced and high stakes. Our efforts to be responsive and supportive of our district leaders in the field were nonstop. Nights, weekends, holidays…..the work was not the same as so many frontline folks, but it was constant (and we felt compelled to do all we could to support those in the trenches). And so, we did. That frenetic pace coupled with high anxiety for the safety of my parents in their 80’s, my grown children working in the public, and my family and friends, increased my own fear. And that fear was aided in large part by my renewed addiction to peanut butter.
So, I ask you again, what did you spread TOO much of during this pandemic? Come clean….it’s OK. Share your anecdotes and your ONE spreadable thing in the comments!
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(R.I.P. Alex Trebek)
Your courage and dedication to the service of others is inspirational.
They should name a hurricane after you.
If I am being honest, for me, its cheese. I spread it, slice it, melt it and eat it on just about everthing. The pandemic has forced me into becoming a cheese eating machine. So much so that I am thinking of vacationing in Wisconsin…as soon as I can fit back into my good jeans.
♥️♥️♥️
I took to my new bed during the pandemic and spread out like a sloth. I’ve dealt with depression for many years and the weight of Corona with all it’s many stresses just pushed me deeper under the covers. Also, my fatigue and pseudo heart issues brought on by a very low vitamin D3 level went on for months without diagnosis. It was easier to be slovenly when you had no energy and fatigue consumed you. What gave me new life was the discovery that my heart, my gut and other areas were much healthier than I had thought. This happened, though, after much prodding by Drs. and PAs and lab technicians and a short stay at Mission Hospital for a heart catheter. Discovery can spread optimism, but you have to bear the journey to results.
I love your spread of optimism despite the hurdles to get results. ♥️
Bev, Your life stories and connection to love and leadership warm my heart. Can’t wait for the next episode about spread!
Im still thinking about what I spread… mostly I just spread as a person eating too much. Hunkering down to work on that now but mostly I spread Ketchup on fries. You know my intense love for them. They are like a bad relationship I can’t break up with (but they need to go) 😆
On another note in life I think I focused more on spreading self love and grace. The pandemic psychologically has had us worried about our health, ability to keep connected, and just what we value. Ive had to take a step back multiple times to reassess and just remember that busy isn’t better. Ive had to say that slowing down țo speed up is okay and spreading grace for others to do the same. I don’t think any of us will ever be the same as we eventually come out of the pandemic but spreading grace is something I want to do more for others and myself. Thanks for giving me a bit of a moment to self reflect, Bev.
Now I should have guessed the ketchup and fries…..serious comfort food. Giving grace….we all need to practice that spread💜
Food for thought. Pun intended.
Bev, I love this story. As I reflect on the pandemic and “the spread”, I must confess to maintaining a healthy supply of homemade pimento cheese. I spent the lock-down at our lake house but my oldest son would come every weekend grandchildren in tow to bring me groceries that I could not get here….and my grandson would always ask for “minnow cheese” as soon as he hit the door. The lockdown was hard for so many folks and I saw it first hand in my educator friends. I am fortunate to work for a publishing company that stepped up to help schools nationally during the pandemic at no charge. My assignment was to support teachers in a local rural district. I met with teachers virtually twice weekly to introduce and support use of our products with students. We shared new features designed for the sudden upheaval in our traditional school worlds. My heart broke as I watched teachers cry in frustration….kids they could not contact, homes without access to internet because the infrastructure does not exist, fears for the safety and well-being of students in difficult situations….:and together we found the power of Grace. I asked my friends to extend Grace to themselves, and to take care of themselves as well as extend Grace to their students and families…..Grace is a powerful thing to spread.
“Minnow Cheese”. Priceless. I leaned into it myself😂 So grateful you are still working your magic in supporting educators…..that calm and caring approach you share is so important in this moment 💖
I feel so much better about eating my peanut butter, honey and cranberries sandwiches after reading that my inspiration and health guru eats peanut butter too! I love your stories!
You are so precious and kind….and now I MUST try your concoction of PB, honey and cranberries 🥰
Hi. What a great story. I thank you for sharing. I never touched peanut butter until I was pregnant with my first child. Come to think of it, it was never available in my youth. Your story made me realize this. 🤔 And now I love it so much (JIF extra chunky) I do try to fit it (sometimes as a cheat) into my daily calorie count. Anyhoo, you’re a lovely storyteller and I look forward to following your blog.
Oh yes, JIF Extra Chunky….AND pregnancy hormones!!!! Nice to meet you and thank you for the kind review!
I have worked remotely many, many days during the past year and have eaten more peanut butter and honey sandwiches than I can count!
I am with you, MGB!
Love your blog and courage! You have been quite the inspiration.
As news of the Covid spread… my anxiety took over as well as my stress eating. My Covid spread was Pepper Jelly & Cream Cheese on saltines. I went from a size 4 to a 10 😱 when our local grocery ran out of my favorite ( Stonewall Kitchen Hot Pepper Jelly ) .. Lyle had to order it online🤣 I do have my Pepper Jelly addiction under control as I am slowly getting back to clean eating.
Love that pepper jelly/cream cheese combo!
Dr Emory, I (and a number of my colleagues) spread CONNECTION like it was going out of style, almost literally! From building online chats and live streams to daily phone calls for mass notifications, I found the drumbeat to be challenging but also a comfort.
We hit a sweet spot for a serious stretch where the “Good Morning Vietnam” vibe settled in, and maybe other districts and PIOs found this as well. This was a rare and precious time when we got positive vibes for a daily mass message.
But the same played into life too. Trying to build bridges never felt so intentional and so crucial. By the same token, some of that muscle group is now feeling pretty tired. Having worked it the same way for so long, it’s time to install a more holistic regimen in place.
Thanks for the stories. Hope spreads too.
Wow! Connection! So true. So vital. Such a service. I hear you on fatigue but your efforts are key to recovery! Hang in there👊🏼