frustration for breakfast

Puffed Pancake 2-6 servings, depending on hunger (of course, ours was 2 servings ...) 1 Tbsp. butter 3 eggs 1/2 c. flour 1/2 c. milk 1/4 tsp. salt Place butter in 10-inch ovenproof skillet and place in 400 degree oven. While butter melts, mix eggs, flour, milk, and salt in a bowl. Remove skillet from oven and pour mixture into skillet. Return to oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and puffy. Cut into wedges (or quarters, or halves like we did) and serve with syrup, fruit topping, or powdered sugar. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with how sorry I can feel for myself. That makes me really frustrated, which happened yesterday morning around breakfast time: I wanted scones. Simple, tasteful scones. Open fridge: eggs available, but no cream and not enough butter. Open pantry: flour. So close ... Open freezer: butter hiding somewhere behind frozen vegetables? Nope. Blast. Alas. No scones. Blast frugality. Puffed pancake instead. (It's actually one of my favorites, and my husband loved it and said it was exactly what he had wanted for breakfast anyway. I wasn't completely convinced, but he is a precious man and I do appreciate his encouragement.) I've been around enough to know that what I think of as a simple life is actually very comfortable, but that's no consolation when I want to make scones for breakfast and only have two of the required ingredients. And it's not a matter of a trip to the store being too inconvenient. We live two blocks away. It's a matter of a very tiny food budget. I have approximately $0.71 to spend per person per meal. That equates to mostly rice, beans, and eggs (in a tortilla, over nachos, or in soup) for lunch and dinner, and usually toast with an egg for breakfast. Sometimes bacon if it's on sale. We eat meat on special occasions or when we have guests. Cabbage was the only green vegetable we had for a while because it was so ridiculously cheap. I've started to be able to buy lettuce and tomatoes again, and we planted a garden so we can get lots of fresh vegetables in a few months ... but that was no consolation when I wanted scones. I'd love to make scones when I get the urge, but I guess I need to have something to look forward to when my husband graduates .... Sigh. Oh, frugality. I think I'm done feeling sorry for myself now. I'm glad I got this out. AND I'm thankful for my garden. And for potlucks (round two tonight!) because we have such lovely friends who make all this worthwhile ... 6.3.2009 Update: This isn't personal towards you. I just wanted to get it out. 6.3.2009 Update #2: Just as I'm bemoaning my poverty, a friend brings about 20 assorted bagels and loaves of bread from a local bakery to the potluck last night to give away ... God is providing for my needs, even when I'm grumpy about having needs.