I went grocery shopping with Mom this afternoon. It was not a major expedition, but I wanted to get out of the house. The grocery stores here have self-service checkout aisles. It seems a reasonable idea; I wonder why I haven't seen such a setup in California?

When we came home, I made a late lunch of ramen noodles with broccoli and green onions for my parents and me. The onions and broccoli were both a little old, but the spice packets that come with the ramen noodles make such a salty, strongly seasoned broth that the freshness of any added vegetables makes little difference. It's the type of meal I'd make for myself in California, if I wanted something simple and I had some old vegetables. Both Mom and Dad said they liked it. I'm not surprised. They're the source of many of my food habits, after all, both in the preparation and the consumption.