hey look an update!

Made a really dirt simple thing that tasted great yesterday- Pollo Colorado in the crock pot.

This is the recipe in its entirety:

2 medium yellow onions, sliced
2 red bell peppers, sliced
3-4 chicken breasts
1 28 oz can red chili sauce

Throw the sliced veggies in the crock, stir to combine.
Layer the chicken on top.
Dump the chili sauce over the top, turn dial to 'low' and let it go for 6 or 7 hours.
Shred the chicken, toss back in pot, stir up.

We used it for tacos, but it'd probably work better with burritos, with rice to soak up the juice.

YUM.
As good as it was with canned chili sauce, I can't wait to try it with home made.

true customer tales

older gal calls about selling books.
we engage in a much longer conversation than the subject warrants involving much repetition of my basic point. Eventually she signed off with this bon mot:

"Well, I'm for sure coming into town tomorrow, only it's not for sure."

...


BREAKING NEWS!

As I was typing this post a barrel-chested fellow with an impressive set of ear-plugs strode in the door wearing a black tee shirt that read YOUR BLOG SUCKS in giant, hot-pink sans serif type.

Ah, Parenting!

This morning's learned debate:


me: *takes plastic bag full of empty candy wrappers away from baby*

fuss: WAAAAAAAH!

wife: oh just let him play with it!

me: Plastic bags are dangerous.

wife: it's not one of those kinds of plastic bags!

me: it's a plastic bag! it's garbage! He's got plenty of toys, he doesn't need to play with garbage!

wife: Oh shut UP! you are SUCH an asshole!

fuss: *finds bird mask on floor, runs off toward the bedroom laughing*

scene.

Wait it's nearly Halloween

Obligatory seasonal link!

sign o' the times

I realize I'm a terrible Luddite when it comes to the 'wireless revolution', not having a cell phone, not wanting a cell phone and being utterly bemused when be-celled dinner guests excuse themselves to the balcony to explain where they are and what they're doing to a friend they probably talk to 15 times a day (wait, what?).

Even so...

I'm grabbing a slice of pizza for lunch and I see what can only be described as a 'little boy', couldn't be more than 9 years old, TEXTING on a cell phone.

At first I thought he was playing a game on a PSP or something ("which would have been natural and fine", he said, spotlighting his prejudices,) but as I drew closer no, no handheld console, just a cell phone.

I'm not sure why, but texting seemed more alien to me than if he'd just been blabbing away. Even though I dislike talking on the phone and much prefer PMs or email. What's that quote? I contradict myself...so sue me?
Hmm, not sure I got it right...

thanks for nothing, Bobo!

Today as we were chatting about real estate he pointed out this comparable in Vermont. Quite an upgrade from my current funky layout mid-70's digs!

File under "highlighting the $$ value of temperate weather and coastal access".

How to tell I'm now a Man of Property: my first reaction to those pics was OMG it must cost a fortune to maintain!

True Customer Tales

Phone rings.

Nerdly sounding guy:
Um, er...yes. What...uh....books? It's when you exchange books for money? What do they call that?

me:
Buying them.

Guy:
That's it!

True Customer Tales

gal:
Uh, I'm sort of looking for something? Like, a box, with like five or six books in it? Like, a set? If it was about wine, that would be cool, but it could be about whatever?

me: ......

the other shore

On my drive to therapy the other day Pema was nibbling around the edges of a description of enlightenment. One approach was to think of 'real' life as cinema, and she noted the tendency of people to cast themselves as the lead, however incidental their role in the drama actually is.

This is a helpful insight to carry around the house with you, folded in a pocket or tucked in your hat band. Consult it when the bathtub is full of toys that need excavating before a morning shower, or when confronted by a teetering pyramid of dishes that materialized in the sink while you were at work.

The toys are there because someone else gave the baby a bath and was too busy wrestling the little python into his pajamas to tidy up. The dishes are there because someone else was struggling to satisfy the bottomless demands of his appetite.

It's easy to be unjustifiably annoyed by things like this that happen while you're off stage. The star of the show shouldn't have to worry about these incidentals, should they?
Well, except a family is an ensemble cast.