Sit down and eat

Welcome to Sydney's diner, where the master chef seems to firmly buy into the old adage that too many cooks spoil the broth.

Last Friday, when slick roads kept us home instead of running our usual errands, Sydney treated me to a lunch of shrimp and pea pods, followed by a sandwich, with an ice cream cone for dessert. Did I mention that everything was made from wood?

As I sat on her bedroom floor, watching her stir the contents of her wok, pots and pans, I asked if there was anything I could do to help her.

"Ummmm... (she stretched out the word as if considering her answer) No," she told me. "I'm the only cooker."