The pleasures of the flesh

We eat a lot of chicken -- roasted whole birds, bone in/skin on thighs glazed and grilled, rotisseried game hens. Almost all of our recipes involve some wonderfully crispy skin, which Mother and Father both love. We love it so much that for years we did not let Alex even TASTE it, lest we should have to share. This is not very like us. We deny our children little. But SKIN????? So, tonight, we had the thighs. Usually Alex is content to eat off the bone. Gregg gave her her own thigh. She ate the skin and said, handing the now naked limb back, "I don't like this part. I want more skin." Gregg said to me, "Wait! When did she even LEARN about the skin." I hung my head in shame. I conceded that in a weakly giving and maternal moment I had let her taste the delicacy. She was instantly hooked. But, alas, HE was the one who gave her the thigh in all its glory, n'est ce pas?

Forget about your worries and your stripes

Those of you that read regularly know that my girls have been on a Jungle Book/Bare Necessities kick lately. They now run around the house singing the song. WE-elll, their variation:

Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your stripes
I mean the bare necessities
Old Mother Nature's recipes
That brings the bare necessities of life

They also sing, "Koona atata! Koon atata!"

Just one minute!

This is Greggie's current catch phrase. It is always said with her arm extended straight in front of her and her hand held out like a traffic cop yelling, "Stop!"

If she wants to nurse: Please, Mom. Just one minute. It's okay. Just one minute.

If she has my lipgloss and is running across the house: Just a little bit. Just one minute. I'll put it back. Just a little bit. Just one minute.

If she is jumping on the bed: Just one minute. I'll be careful. Just one minute.

Our cool visitor tonight -- a giant dragonfly!

Hat Painting

800-thread count

Yesterday I washed my sheets and hung them to dry on the line. When I carried them in they were crisp, fresh smelling, and sparkling white. Alex said, "I'll help you make your bed." And she did. She smoothed the fitted sheet as I pulled it around the mattress, tugged the flat up to the top and lined it all up (nice and anal like her mama). Then she said, "UUUUUMMMMM! These sheets smell good! These sheets FEEL good! UUUUUMMMM!" and climbed in and laid there smelling and rubbing them. Finally she said, "Mom, these are NICE sheets!"

I love her.

Romance Redux

So, tonight: teriyaki pork tenderloin, jasmine rice with walnut oil and slivered almonds, sauteed tatsoi, another attempt to have a lovely moon/candle-lit dinner.


Greggie, as usual, dressed for the occasion:





And somehow, back to this: