How 'bout a TV Dinner?

Way back when I was much younger, my mom developed severe back pain and ended up having a pretty serious surgery (for that time).  I can remember her having to crawl to the bathroom. It was debilitating for her.  I think it was something with the disks in her back.  I was young enough that the details didn't really matter at the time, my mom was miserable and couldn't get out of bed without extreme discomfort, and I knew she needed some sort of help.  No other explanation was needed.

My mom was going to need surgery...which left the Quackdaddy in charge.  Suddenly the Quack, who pretty much stuck with the man-of-the-house-role, became Mr. Mom.  The Quackdaddy's number one meal has always been pancakes. And while I do love my pancakes anytime of day and often, I don't think I'd like them everyday...and I didn't back then either.  I remember thinking that my brother and I were going to be stuck with pancakes for supper every night for the two weeks or so that mom was recovering.  Little did I know, my dad had something else in mind.

I can picture it vividly, going downstairs to the upright freezer, opening that heavy door and seeing a stack of the bright red rectangular boxes, probably about 20 of them, stacked side-by-side, just waiting to be baked in the oven.  The Quack had fixed all mealtime woes, he had purchased a great supply of Banquet TV dinners for us to choose from.  (He loves to buy in large quantities.)

My favorite TV dinner was always Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes and corn...and until a couple years ago, I still ate them as a treat every now and then.  I know that after my mom's recovery, my brother and I didn't think they were such a treat.  Now days, they're about a dollar a piece and you don't have to bake them in the oven, you can pop in the microwave for a few minutes.  Heaven only knows what the meat really is.  Oh, man, is it weird that my mouth is watering for a TV dinner?