According to the book I am reading, and is sitting on my nightstand, the name of that song is "Bumboat," but there's a version of it by the Irish Rovers called "Drunken Sailor," so maybe it's one of those amorphous songs.

I know a number of people have "drunken soldier" as the words.

Conversation fuel:

Ugly fonts Help You Learn?

I know it as "What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor?" (Shave his belly with a rusty razor....Throw him in the scuppers with a hose pipe on him...)

I didn't mention my tactic of singing my way through most of The Kingston Trio's songs, because I didn't think it would universally applicable. "M.T.A." is a useful song for this purpose.

Barb, I'm glad Plei helped with the smiting! You are not an odious woman or a bad writer - Ptui! I speet upon their stupidities!

That article about the fonts was interesting. I am changing all my classroom materials to Comic Sans....oh. I think I just heard Teppy shriek in pain.

{{{Barb}}} I'm glad Plei was able to smite them.

{{{barb}}}}

people on the internet are frequently wrong.

except for here, which is why i'm asking for very specific menu tips. I'm making a couple of dinner deliveries to a coworker who has breast cancer. She's already been through surgery which went very well and started chemo last week. Of course the chemo is doing terrible things to her relationship with food...so the list of things she normally likes (headliner: mexican food) is now down to mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. I was thinking of taking over homemade (but very mild) mac and cheese, maybe a little fresh fruit, and possibly unsweetened/unseasoned steel cut oatmeal for breakfast the next morning? If i make it ahead of time with extra water, maybe it would reheat alright? I just wish i could think of some similarly bland comfort food (no tomatoes, onions, garlic, or spiciness) to offer to bring for a little variety. (and of course i wouldn't just show up with something she's no ok eating...but i can email her ahead of time and ask: "would you prefer mac and cheese or ....?").

Any ideas?

Because everything tastes weird, sometimes it's best to eat something you don't normally eat. Acids are usually too acid. Sweet and salty things taste the most normal. Simple homemade chicken soup with noodles and not too many vegetables is good. I usually threw in some ginger, because it's effective against nausea. Miso soup was helpful. I usually just used the instant. Ice cream and custard are good. Ginger tea is good if she doesn't already have any. Sadly, chemo screws up the taste of coffee for at least part of the time. Bananas are probably the best fresh fruit. Good vegetables for me were sweet potatoes, squash and green beans. I love things like broccoli, but sometimes they tasted bitter.

(Also, tell her to take lysine and obsessively do the mouth care instructions.)

What about a quiche or frittata? It could be mainly egg and cheese. Herbs instead of garlic and onions, like a little thyme..

Pureed broccoli cheese soup. Twice-baked mashed potatoes with cheese and sour cream. Single packs of organic applesauce. Homemade frozen waffles or pancakes.

If she can handle cabbage, I find colcannon (boiled cabbage and mashed potatoes) to be very comforting.

I can't really answer the quiche or frittata question, because they don't appeal to me under normal circumstances. I'd avoid anything bitter like broccoli. The rest sound good, but don't make anything too rich.