Chris Erskine

Chris Erskine

Beguiling Diversions

OK, what’s so wrong with beguiling diversions? They’re rare, but are they wrong? And is fussing over my kid’s meals a beguiling diversion?

Chris Erskine's avatar
Chris Erskine
Aug 26, 2026
∙ Paid

I nibble as I cook, which makes fasting before a routine blood test a little extra challenging, for I’ll mindlessly plop a chunk of cheese, or a nugget of buttery toast, into my mouth just because. Even a sliver of avocado, just out of habit.

I could probably plop 14,000 calories a day in my mouth before remembering to chew.

I’ll remind you that most people in our family stay very sharp until well into their 30s. And I’m twice that.

Honestly, I’ve been a little disoriented since they started putting those backup cameras into all the cars. Now, pulling out of the hardware store leaves me dizzy.

Back to cooking for a moment …

Never admitted this to anyone but you: On occasion I have scraped the mold off an otherwise decent piece of bread and served it up.

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Chris Erskine.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 Chris Erskine · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture