I made a sandwich for dinner the other night. I never do that. OK, not never, obviously, but rarely. Like twice a year. And it wasn’t because I was feeling lazy. I love spending time cooking dinner almost as much as I love eating it. Plus I get to sip a Manhattan while cooking :-).

I’m feeling trepidatious. I was awake for a good part of the night worrying about you. Actually not so much about you personally, but about how you, the people of Lincoln County, will receive my column.

I admit that I tend to overreact when I see that something has befallen an animal that I’m pet-sitting, anything from hairballs to heat stroke. There are a few reasons for this. No. 1: I love all animals and I don’t want to see any animal in any sort of pain. No. 2: it’s not my pet and someone is paying their hard-earned money for me to care for their pet. I don’t want to feel that they’re not getting their money’s worth. And No. 3: I have worked at several veterinary clinics and I have seen firsthand what can happen if what starts out as a manageable medical situation gets out of control.

This week I want to take a moment to highlight yet another upcoming Community Read program. On Thursday, July 19 at 11 a.m., the proof will literally be in the pudding as both amateur and professional chefs compete in their own categories for fabulous prizes, fame, and bragging rights at our Community Cooking Contest. The theme? Italian food, in honor of our Community Read book, “Blood, Bones & Butter,” by Gabrielle Hamilton.