Nosebleeds and Cynthiatore
Rascal is in disgrace.
He chewed his way through the string of a new Assassin’s Creed thingy that Owen had saved up for and just gotten. When Owen saw the destruction he began yelling at Rascal and then the yelling and screaming got louder. I had been hoping to stay downstairs and ignore the whole thing but it sounded like it was getting dangerous so I headed upstairs, because our calls of “WHAT? WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?” were being ignored. The stress of the disaster had given Owen a bloody nose. There was blood everywhere, Owen was still yelling at the cat and general hysteria prevailed. I can never remember what we’re supposed to do with a bloody nose. When I was a kid you were supposed to tip your head back. So, in the midst of all the chaos I was screaming across the hall to Leo, “GOOGLE NOSEBLEED, GOOGLE NOSEBLEED!” He yelled back, reporting that Owen should tip his head forward and pinch his nose for 10 minutes. I shepherded Owen into the bathroom, mopping up blood as I went. Ernie brought up some ice and I attempted to get everyone calmed down. Of course, just as this all was starting Ernie and I were supposed to be leaving for a work dinner…one in which you really shouldn’t be late. I texted frantically and eventually Owen stopped bleeding and we took off.
Man.
This morning Owen got up and announced that he wasn’t going to school. We eventually got him out the door but I won’t even begin to try to explain what went on between those two things.
I don’t know if I’m up for this.
Did I really agree to the teenage years?
On a brighter note I made an amazingly good dinner the other night if I DO say so myself. Owen wanted some leftovers from the night before (who am I to argue with that?) and Leo doesn't eat meat so I realized I could do whatever the hell I wanted with our chicken. Of late Owen has been complaining about my cooking. Sigh. Anyway, I thought I had capers but we couldn't find them but I did pull out a tub of kalamata olives from the refrigerator. I took some chicken thighs, just salted and peppered them, and put them skin side down in my big yellow pot. Meanwhile in my cast iron pan I started sauteeing a chopped red onion, a couple of tiny leeks, a green pepper or two chopped and one poblano which gave just the teensiest bit of heat. To that I added several cloves of garlic chopped finely (I'm SO glad Ernie is starting to be able to chop again) and rosemary. I let it go a bit and then chopped up the two green tomatoes from the garden that had finally, begrudgingly turned red. I threw in the tomatoes and about half a cup of chopped kalamata olives. I had also microwaved a few small golden potatoes. I turned the chicken thighs over, nestled the potatoes in with them, and poured everything over it. I cooked it, covered at about 350 for mmmmm......half an hour maybe. Then I took the lid off and let it go a bit longer till everything was getting browned on top. We served it with some beautiful mixed greens....the last of Sola Gratia.
Good LORD but it was good. Good enough that as we ate we tried to remember exactly what we had done so we could do it again. I suppose it was kind of a chicken cacciatore type thing. Ernie coined it Chicken Cynthiatore or something like that....but he was tired so I will forgive him.
Onward.