I am a goals person. I like checklists, I like plans, I like feeling accomplished when I do something I set out to do.  Earlier this week, I decided Sunday would be the day I’d fulfill a good one.

My objective for this no-plans-at-all, gorgeous, blue cloudless sky Sunday was to use my very beautiful Marseille blue Le Creuset Dutch oven for The Very First Time. Now, Mike and I received this as a wedding gift from some of our favorite people and I adore it. But note–adoring a beautiful kitchen item and actually using it are two very different things. Truthfully, I am a little intimidated by the Le Creuset Dutch oven, much like when you get a beautiful journal and then writer’s block hits you–what could you possibly write that is worthy of its clean, smart pages? The Dutch oven is like that for me:

Every time I see it in the cabinet, in all it beautifully crafted majestic glory and heavy weight, I feel inadequate. Almost like it’s whispering to me, “Do you dare try to use me? Do you think you’re worthy?” Each time, I shudder and close the door. Soon, Le Creuset. Soon I will take you on. But right now I am going to order pizza.

So today, 2.5 years after our wedding, was The Day. I googled and landed on a dish that hit that rare but wonderful balance–easy enough for me to pull off AND worthy of the beautiful Le Creuset Dutch oven. Move over, Martha Stewart. I was ready.

I announced my Bucket List item at breakfast. “I am going to use my Dutch oven! It is happening today! Today is the day for Lamb Ragu!” Mike, the cook in this household, gave a thumbs up. At the grocery store, I selected the lamb stew meat based on the fact that the pre-packaged label read LAMB STEW MEAT and even though I am not Julia Child, I have always read at or above grade level, so I trotted home happily clutching my purchase.

At home, I confidently pulled out the Le Crueset Dutch oven and gathered all the ingredients. I could do this! I was not intimidated! I had a plan! Humming along, I unwrapped the meat and began cutting in the 2 inch cubes as required by the recipe. And that is when my dreams came crashing down. I hit something hard in the meat. Bones. Bones? Why were there BONES in my STEW meat? After a flurry of googling, I decided NO. Just no.

I loaded up Caroline into her carseat and drove like a crazy person back to the store. I marched over to Customer Service and pointed at the meat. “Ma’am! Look! There are BONES in this. This is for a STEW. Whyyyy? Why would they be there? Who wants bones in their stew?? Nobody, am I right??”

“Ma’am, lambs have bones.”

I blinked. And again. That was her response? A second employee–Carl–came over to inspect.

“Why are there bones in that?!? That’s stew meat. I’m with you ma’am. Who wants to eat stew with bones?”

Exactly. Thank you, Carl. Someone who speaks my language.

Relieved I wasn’t crazy, I looked down at Caroline, who glanced from me to the employees, her brow furrowed. Clearly she was deciding who was the most crazy. Then her face broke into a huge smile. She turned away, all bashful-like, and started playing with her pacifier. The light streaming in from the window hit her hair just right. She reached up her baby arms to me. What was I doing? This was a gorgeous day. Did I really want to spend it in my kitchen with any kind of meat, regardless of its bones status?

“Thank you, ma’am. You know what? I think I’ll just take a rotisserie chicken.” I wheeled the stroller out of there.

Le Creuset Dutch oven, you get to go back in your cabinet. But don’t get too comfortable–I am coming back for you. On a rainy, grey, snowy, you-dont-want-to-leave-your-house-for-4-hours kind of day. After all, I already have my plan. And I now know the butcher. His name is Carl and he knows how I feel about lamb stew meat.

Because when you have a no-plans-at-all, gorgeous, blue cloudless sky Sunday, you go play outside. With your favorite people. And eat a rotisserie chicken for dinner.