Personal Narrative Essay : The Rustic Goat

In the summer of 2013 I moved in my dad’s house for the summer to learn how to cook. Moving from Cherokee, AL to Florence, AL was a stressful move. My Mother and I agreed it was best I learn from someone that has being in the field for over 15 years. The game plan was to go work with my dad a Dale’s Steakhouse with my dad all summer. I made sure I grab my notebook and plenty of pencils so I can ask him questions.

Ants are to hills as farms are to the family. For as long as the family had lived in Greenville, we have always had a farm, it was tradition. My grandmother and my mother took trips to the farm since they were 8 years old, the same age as me. Now, it was my turn to get accustomed to the farm life and all it had in store. My cousins, Jay and Jasmine, were coming with my grandma and I to meet my grandpa at the farm. Just as we always do everything was made into a competition whether it was: who would fall asleep first, who could eat the most, or who knew more about any given topic. Even in the cold arms of defeat I would not let them know I had absolutely no knowledge about the “Farm Life”. This is surely a day meant to stay in my memories for eternity from; the early morning preparation, the attack of the ants, and the watermelon .

Immediately following, In a pot varying from big to small, fill it 3/4 way water and set it on the stove to boil. Filling the pot 3/4 way with water will allow the pasta to cook thoroughly. If the pasta is cooked in less water and is partially cooked then it is 'Al Dente', pasta cooked this way will also work just fine. This is the first important step to cooking southern style baked macaroni and cheese.

After about 10 minutes of boiling take your spoon and check the pasta making sure they are soft enough to you taste be careful they will be hot if they’re not soft enough keep the boiling for 5 more minutes. While you’re waiting on your past grab your strainer and place it in the sink. Once you pasta is cooked take you pot from the heat and pour your contents into the strainer to get rid of the water. Next return you pasta to the pot add the sick of butter and 3 quarters of the stick of Velveeta cheese make sure you cut the cheese up into 1 inch squares. Stir all of the cheese and butter in until it’s all melted.

Joan seemed to accept this answer. “And how long have you lived here in Camelot?” she asked.

We changed out of our church clothes and into what we would be wearing for dinner. My Grandma and I entered the kitchen and began preparing her famous dish. Before we began, we gathered all of the ingredients. Our first step was cooking the macaroni. We boiled the entire sixteen-ounce pack of whole-grain elbow macaroni for ten minutes. After checking to ensure that the noodles were soft, we drained them in the sink. We put the cooked noodles to the side until we needed them again. We blended one egg, two cups of milk, one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of mustard, two ounces of butter, one teaspoon of black pepper, one half of a small onion blended, one teaspoon of corn starch, and one half cup of cheese together in the blender. Once the mixture of ingredients became liquefied, we poured half of it, half of the macaroni and a half of a cup of cheese into a pot. We moved the pot onto the stove and allowed it to simmer until contents of the pot became to bubble. Next we greased a casserole container. We moved half of our mixture on the stove into the casserole dish and layered it with cheese. Once that step was complete, we gently sprinkled some of the liquid mixture on top of the cheese. These steps were repeated twice until the entire casserole container was filed with two layers of macaroni noodles and the liquid mixture. Some people refer to this way of preparing Mac-n-Cheese as Macaroni Pie, due to the layers.

When the spaghetti is done boiling, drain hot water and place in cool water. In another pot, melt a stick of butter then pour the blended mix into the pot and let it simmer. Taste the mix, add salt, and pepper if you feel it needs some, then drain and put the spaghetti into the pot and mix it into the sauce. Pour 3-4 cups of milk and sour cream and let it boil for 10-15 minutes. Taste it once again add milk, salt, and/or pepper if you think it needs any then turn flame down to low or off. Let it cool for 5 minutes. Put cheese on top and let it melt. The cheese can stay on top or be mixed in. The cheese can be peeled off the entire block, chopped, sliced, or shredded.

The howling of coyotes, sound of heavy horse hooves on packed dirt, and the accelerated breathe of the horse and myself were the only sounds I could hear as we bolted through the meadow. As I tried to avoid every hole and uneven patch of ground, Marty, my horse, kept his eye on the predators through the trees. We trusted each other, took care of each other, and our bond was built on trust.

“I’m trying,” the Kidd snarled. “But this miserable bird wants to put his tail feathers in my face.”

Every year, the first week of pheasant season, my dad and his family drive up to northern Kansas and have a hunting trip near my grandma's. I would go every year, but a few years ago I had a brand new experience. I was thirteen years old and had just finished my hunters education certificate. That meant it was the first time I would be able to walk the fields with the older guys and carry a shotgun. I was extremely excited, but I tried not to show it.

Most people do not know who I am. How much pain I have seen. The suffering of innocent creatures. In all of the suffering, I have only seen three suffer far worse than others. Three elephants by the names John, Tonky, and Wanly. The elephants have always looked on people with amiable, shimmering, caring eyes. I would watch them play, run, and be free. The trainers loved them and cared for them. Till we set off a sleeping giant and all war broke loose. It rains daily and never stops. The screams of people, children just like you, and animals. I stay stuck, the wind only able to move me. I am forced to watch the pain. As I weep my tears flow into the cage of the elephants dancing for the families.

Although I can't say I ever haven't feared using a cutting torch, it feels a fair amount more comfortable now as I roast zombies from the inside of the agriculture shop. The last zombie I hit falls to the ground, looking a bit like an oversized, overcooked french fry, and suddenly, I've decided I'm no longer hungry. Although, I've got to say, using the nail gun is a lot more fun, as it has a more rapid fire, and it just so happens to be that as I was evading the first wave to get into the shop, I had used that to nail a few to the wall as it was still under the awning. As for the agriculture shop, I had set up my base here as soon as I saw the last of my teachers turn, because with two old classrooms, an easily sealable office, a bathroom,

It was a bright sunny Saturday afternoon on November 30th 2013 when my mom found me outside doing chores.

   In order to get started, get a pot that can hold water and a whole box of elbows macroni and a half a bag of frozen peas. Fresh peas are acceptable as well,  use as many as desired. Be sure not to spill the elbows noodles or those little peas. As the peas and noodles are enjoying a hot tub together start grating the cheese with a cheese grater or knife. Also be sure to put the strainer into the sink for when the macroni and peas are done. Be sure to check the peas and noodles that are boiling to see how they are cooking. The peas and noodles are done when they

Bang my eyes opened as I leaped out of bed. I ran at full speed to my brother's room and woke Miguel up and screamed Happy Birthday to him. We went and changed and went on our iPads before our parents woke up. It was all a hurry as we looked like buzzing bees zooming through the house, at around 10 past 9 we ran out of the house full of eager and excitement. Sitting in the car, we drove along streets, highways and whinny roads but when I though we would ever make it to the horse riding we reached. I hopped out of the car ready to get on the Horse but realised the first group wasn't back yet. The three of us played basketball, got a helmet and got ready.