This site is an archive of ChiotsRun.com. For the latest information about Susy and her adventrures, visit the Cultivate Simple site.
Thank you for all your support over the years!

Eating Alone

November 29th, 2010

Mr Chiots is off hunting with my dad, hopefully filling our freezer with lots of venison for the year to come. As a result I’ll be eating alone all week. At least I have a ton of leftovers from Thanksgiving, so it’s quick and easy to warm up something while I’m working.

I find the quickest way to warm up dinner is to put it all in a small cast iron skillet and throw it in the toaster oven for 15 minutes. While it’s heating up I can do something else, when it’s done I eat right out of the skillet. The skillet will also keep the food warm for a while in case I’m in the middle of something and can’t eat right away. This works equally well for two, just divide onto plates, or share the skillet – not as romantic as sharing a milkshake.

Being an introvert, I appreciate solitude and quiet and I’m getting plenty of that this week. Perhaps this is why I like gardening so much.

Do you enjoy being alone or do you relish in being around other people?

P.S. For all you other introverts out there I’d highly recommend the book The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World, even if you’re not an introvert this book would help you understand your friends & family members that are.

25 Comments to “Eating Alone”
  1. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by mark mile, Susy Morris. Susy Morris said: Eating Alone http://goo.gl/fb/CZFaZ #aboutme #solitude […]

    Reply to Tweets that mention Eating Alone | Chiot’s Run — Topsy.com's comment

  2. louisa @ TheReallyGoodLife on November 29, 2010 at 7:11 am

    I think I’ve had less than a dozen nights apart from my partner in the nearly 9 years we’ve been together – and that’s probably for the best, I eat very strangely when left by myself! Mentally, I’m fine but I seem to forget how to put together normal meals, or I can’t be bothered with the effort, so I just eat whatever sounds good, whether it works together or not. For example, one dinner was a random piece of white fish, some mayonnaise and half a packet of Oreos. Or a bowl of tomato soup with a sweetcorn cob on the side. I’m usually very grateful when he returns!

    Reply to louisa @ TheReallyGoodLife's comment

    • Susy on November 29, 2010 at 8:34 am

      Mr Chiots and I were very similar – till he started hunting. I have actually forgotten to eat lunch the last two days that he’s been gone, not having someone saying their hungry makes me completely forget until I notice that I’m ravenous.

      Mr Chiots often will just eat popcorn when I’m gone (even though I leave food in the fridge for him).

      Reply to Susy's comment

  3. Jennifer Fisk on November 29, 2010 at 7:28 am

    I have been divorced for 11 years. I have to admit I’ve become habituated to living with my 3 German Shepherds, 2 Me. Coon cats and the farmette animals and I don’t know if I could go back to having a partner. I’m never lonely or pining for human interaction. I love having my boys and families come to visit but by the time they leave, I’m ready for my routine again. I do cook real meals sometimes but very often just have veggies or a sandwich for dinner usually in front of the local news.

    Reply to Jennifer Fisk's comment

    • Susy on November 29, 2010 at 8:46 am

      So true – one of the reasons we love living in a rural area is because we don’t like the hustle and bustle of that life. Whenever we head up to Canton to run errands we are so happy to be back in our quiet nook of the world. We’re hoping to buy a nice chunk of land in an even more rural area for this very reason.

      PS – love that you have ME Coon cats, they’re so lovely.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  4. Lisa on November 29, 2010 at 7:41 am

    I am an introvert retrained as a child to function in the extrovert world. I pass as extrovert and few would believe my Myers-Briggs scores firmly place me in the “I” group and not the “E” group. I too am divorced, now 2 years and had spent the prior 18 years cooking to meet another’s needs/preferences. I now eat far less, more healthy and only when I am hungry. And I think there is a difference between solitary and lonely. I was lonely for the last 10 years of my marriage, gut wrenchingly lonely. While I am alone now, I am not lonely.

    Reply to Lisa's comment

    • Susy on November 29, 2010 at 8:35 am

      I agree, I love solitude but I am not lonely.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  5. tj on November 29, 2010 at 8:26 am

    …I love the idea of the small cast iron skillet! I dunno why I never thought of that before – thank you Susy! :o)

    …Yes, I am an introvert. I love my time alone and honestly I never tire of it. I always stay busy either sewing, gardening, baking, reading, doing something with the house, etc… And it seems my personality/face/whatev’ draws people out of the woodwork that want to tell me their life story and share their life’s woes with me. I’ve learned to embrace it but have often felt I should’ve sought a career in counseling…lol :o)

    …I am def’ going to check out the book you recommended!

    …Enjoy your ‘me’ time!

    …Blessings… :o)

    Reply to tj's comment

    • Susy on November 29, 2010 at 8:37 am

      So funny that you say your personality draws people out of the woodwork, I have the same problem. Mr Chiots and my friends laugh at me because I seem to draw curiously strange people to me when I’m out and about, they seem to share all kinds of strange stories with me. I wonder if it’s an introvert thing?

      Reply to Susy's comment

      • Wendy on November 29, 2010 at 9:50 am

        This is so true! I am Susy’s (Mrs. Chiots) sister and even when she was a teenager – strange people would often come up and talk to her. Our family would often laugh about it. Of course on a LOOONNGGG overseas flight who would end up sitting by the drunk who wanted to slurringly strike up a conversation – but Susy! (Do you remember?) :)
        ~W~

        to Wendy's comment

      • Susy on November 29, 2010 at 1:34 pm

        Oh of course, just this past week some lady was chatting with me in the fabric store line about how her dad’s birthday was on the first day of squirrel season so they always at squirrel for her dad’s b-day. And she was talking about how rabbit meat is so pink when you skin them – I wonder what the people around us in line thought?

        to Susy's comment

  6. MAYBELLINE on November 29, 2010 at 8:59 am

    I want to be alone.

    Reply to MAYBELLINE's comment

  7. David on November 29, 2010 at 10:32 am

    I can function in either the introverted or extroverted worlds. If I had a choice I would choose the introverted world of peace and quiet but life has a way of injecting extroverted things like a daughter and grandson living in the same house. I definitely can’t get away with introverted peace and quiet. I think that in this retired season of life I would miss the human interaction but I can tell it sure is nice to have some introverted time when grandson Bradley is in school.

    As for folks pouring out their troubles to us introverted folks, I think it’s because we are good listeners and people can pick on that almost immediately. I’ve had folks spill out their whole life story of woes while standing in the checkout line. It’s just one of the things that comes with being introverted.

    Reply to David's comment

  8. Sense of Home on November 29, 2010 at 10:34 am

    I love being alone, which I sometimes feel quilty about. Good idea with the cast iron skillet.

    -Brenda

    Reply to Sense of Home's comment

  9. amy on November 29, 2010 at 11:31 am

    Introvert…..I am known in my inner circle as “The Hermit”….They joke but secretly they worry…….We live in such a go go society…..always looking to make connections…..I am to them an enigma….How could I possibly not get bored!…..I love solitude…..that is why I enjoy gardening, walking, mowing, yoga etc….It is funny on your mentioning of attracting all manner of people….My husband would say the same thing regarding me…..It matters not where I am…..grocery line…..Lowes…library….I always end up in conversation with someone…..learning more about them than I probably need to….I don’t mind too much…..I don’t understand why this keeps happening to me…..It never happens to my husband:)

    Reply to amy's comment

  10. Denise on November 29, 2010 at 11:48 am

    um, I am probably most an extrovert but that said – love quiet and time alone.

    I asked for some cast iron skillets for Christmas. Enjoy your time!!

    Reply to Denise's comment

  11. Michelle on November 29, 2010 at 12:03 pm

    I love alone time…like right now after my husband’s gone to work and the boys are off to school. They all went on a backpacking trip over the summer for the weekend and I was in heaven with the solitude. I got tons of books and movies from the library, made french onion soup and mushroom soup (two they would NOT eat) and was quiet for two days. It was bliss. I was happy to see them home safe, of course…but wondered when it would be the next time I had a weekend to myself.

    Reply to Michelle's comment

  12. Danielle on November 29, 2010 at 12:28 pm

    I love cooking with cast iron. I did a whole “cast iron week” this past year on my blog with recipes and such. There is nothing like cooking with it. We recently purchase a cast dutch oven and love that too. We’re also hoping to get some deer meat this year.

    Reply to Danielle's comment

    • Susy on November 29, 2010 at 1:30 pm

      Me too, I cook whatever I can in cast iron – I even use it to make my morning toast. I would LOVE to get a big Dutch oven for baking & cooking over the fire, and a nice enameled cast iron pot for soups – perhaps I’ll have one under the tree for Christmas.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  13. Vegetable Garden Cook on November 29, 2010 at 1:41 pm

    I will have to add it to my list. Thanks!

    Reply to Vegetable Garden Cook's comment

  14. Helen on November 29, 2010 at 5:12 pm

    I like time on my own as I need peace to collect my thoughts and to release me from stress. However, at work I prefer to have people around or I get lonely but maybe thats because I am stuck in an office whereas when I am in my own at home I can do what I want and go where I want,

    Reply to Helen's comment

  15. Leigh on November 29, 2010 at 5:46 pm

    I can very much relate to the introvert part. (And having popcorn for dinner when DH is over the road – he’s a truck driver.) Do you cover the skillet when you heat leftovers?

    Reply to Leigh's comment

    • Susy on November 29, 2010 at 6:07 pm

      I sometimes cover it, especially if I’m using the stove top instead of the oven. I often simply cover with a plate. Usually if I’m warming in the oven I don’t cover.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  16. Allison on November 29, 2010 at 11:14 pm

    I’m quite the introvert, which is funny because I’m a teacher. I love gardening with just my music and myself. The only person I’m really comfortable around all of the time is my husband. We spend endless weekends alone by ourselves, it seems like we have to force ourselves out of the house! I think it comes from being an only child. When I’m with my husband’s family, I get overwhelmed by all of the people!

    Reply to Allison's comment

  17. Seren Dippity on November 30, 2010 at 11:29 am

    Oh … I SO have to have my alone time. As much as I love my DH and my family I go bonkers without time and space to just unwind and follow my own agenda. Doesn’t matter whether its housework or gardening or reading or lately puttering on the computer. In my first marriage I used to get my alone time shopping; either browsing bookstores, walking the malls or even doing the grocery shopping. My present sweetie gets pouty at being left out of excursions; imagine that…. a guy who loves to shop. But that’s ok, it has become a together activity and my alone time has shifted to gardening and computer-ing. He goes away for the occasional fishing weekends and guys night out. He’s learned as my kids have that I’m much nicer to be around when I’ve had alone time.
    I can be extroverted as needed but don’t prefer it. I finally learned to stop being so defensive about it.

    I found a wonderful blog that discusses introversion vs extroversion and how introverts get a bad rap. Here’s a link to the initial post entitled: Introverts Unite! http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-introverts-corner/200908/introverts-unite-quietly

    Reply to Seren Dippity's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

Admin
Read previous post:
Quote of the Day: Dr Seuss

"Don't cry because its over, smile because it happened." ~ Dr Seuss I've been going through my photos trying to...

Close