Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Someday Maybe He'll Wrestle An Alligator

It's nearly four hours since I left home and I've yet to get the call that Carter cut off his hand so I'm supposing it was okay to let him use the box cutters. After all he was being supervised by the babysitter and it's not like we gave him an axe for Chrissake.

It went something thing like this:

"Mom, will you set up a play date for me? (our babysitter) says it's okay if one of my friends comes over."

"No, that's not such a good idea, Carter."

(If the babysitter only knew the hell that could be raised.)

"Why don't we cut out the doors and windows for your recycled city?"

My husband brought home three appliance boxes for the project and they're just waiting for the creativity to flow.

"Can I cut out the boxes?"

"I'll cut them out."

"Oh, why can't I? I've used boxcutters before."

"When?"

"Dad let me use them. He lets me use them all the time."

"Are you serious?"

"Okay, he let me use them one time."

"I'll wait and you draw the doors and windows and I'll cut them out."

Heavy sigh: "Okay, I'll go get a sharpie."

He comes back and starts to draw an elaborate matrix of windows and doors. There's no way I'm going to be able to cut them all out before it's time for me to leave. Finally the babysitter offers to do it. Great.

"Mom, can I please I cut out the cardboard?"

"I'll watch him," the babysitter offers.

So I said yes.

That's right. No! Hell no to the play date. Yes! Why not? To using the box cutters.

Lesser of two evils folks. Lesser of two evils.

When I came out one last time to check on him he was cutting out small windows and holding the instrument dangerously close the blade.

I played with a real bow and arrow when I was eight years old and I only got shot in the head once. You can't even tell now.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

We Have Too Much Cabbage

Yes. That's right. Bet you can't even guess how many is too much can you? I bought a share in our local CSA (right down the road from where we live) and there has been a head of cabbage in our basket every week for about a month or so.

This week's came with the following note: These are indeed large. Do not be overwhelmed.

How much coleslaw can a body take? We're about to find out. Or I could freecycle it. Lest you think I jest - people give away food, used cosmetics, and dryer lint all the time. Waste not.

Ring a ding ding

Oh look how cute this is. I want it. I'm thinking of how much fun the kids would have if they managed to wrest it from my clutches.

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Alton Brown Breaks Down the Apple Pie

This morning we eat a beautiful juicy peach and I've been thinking about peach pie ever since. I'm currently planning a pie-making day. It takes time to make a good pie and if you don't believe me, this episode of Good Eats confirms it.





Question: Does anyone have a grandmother, aunt or relative of any sort who has a pie bird? Have you ever heard of pie bird?