What Stephanie said.

These may be the Ugly Shoes of the Week. But in case they aren't, the site suggests that you also buy legwarmers.

I'm with Stephanie, vw. Usually I don't like things that are too long, but I don't mind when it's a survey for a school project. Count me in!

Timelies. I was supposed to take the baby to a playgroup this morning, and it is so chilly, and this weekend was so busy, I can't make myself get motivated. Nothing that involves getting a toddler fed and dressed should start at 9:15 a.m.

Sail, the recipe was in The New Best Recipe: All-New Edition with 1,000 Recipes which was put together by the Cook's Illustated peeps. We got it from the library. I don't have it with me at the office, but as I can recall, here's the gist:

Season up and brown 2.5 lbs lamb (with 1 tbsp olive oil per browning session, you'll likely need to do in batches) and dutch oven type thing (stovetop and oven safe). The lamb recommended was boneless cubed shoulder meat. I don't know what we got at the store, but it was boness and cut up and lamb and said "stew meat" which probably was shoulder.

remove lamb, add a Tbsp of olive oil to pan, cook a couple diced onions till soft. add a few minced cloves of garlic, for like 30 seconds.

Add a mixture of three Tbsp tablespoons of flour (to make a roux), and spices- cumin (1.5 tsp), 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp cinnamon, .5 tsp ground ginger powder, and a shake o' cayenne if you're saucy like that.

After that gets worked in a bit, add a 2 and a quarter cups of broth slowly.

Then throw in a can of diced tomatos, a cup of rough chopped dried apricots, and the lamb with all its juices and stir in and makes sure lamb is covered by liquid. pop in the oven, which you have preheated to 300 degrees.

After an hour and a quarter, stir a can of drained/rinsed chick peas in there, cook another 15 minutes. Makes some couscous and enjoy.

It was Teh Yum. We halved the above recipe, and it made 2 good servings.

Who are the people who will pay $200 for baby shoes? Why do I think I would not like them?

I don't think I'd like them, either.

Welcome back to rotation, Ray!

We've got toddler gym this morning if I can get my ass in gear.

Who are the people who will pay $200 for baby shoes? Why do I think I would not like them?

Hmmm. If I'm paying $200 for baby shoes they'd better come with a fresh new baby pre-installed.

Timelies, all! I've skipped and skimmed shamelessly, since I've been pretty much computer free since Wednesday evening. I hope life is treating you all splendidly.

Oh, and Hec, wasn't Liz Phair singing for Game 2? I'm trying to figure out Game 1. Mom says it was a dude.

I think Josh Groban did the anthem. Liz Phair I know did GBA.

I'll do the survey if it helps.

I had a busy weekend. Friday (it was a three day weekend), we went for a trip to the ozarks.

[link]

Saturday, I got up got the kids fed and my tools together then spent seven hours doing volunteer work. After I got back, I took the kids out to give my wife a break. We first went to McDonalds for some ice cream, or really to play in the playground since it was damp outside. However there was a birthday party there with a clown and it turns out Leif is terrified of clowns. After McDonalds proved a bust, we went to the plaza and visited the bookstore there (with Escalators, a big hit for the kids). Emaryn was very impressed with how tall the buildings were and how close together everything was. I fear this kid hasn't gotten out of the suberbs enough. We got back right in time to rush off to dinner at the grandparents. Then it was time to put the kids to bed, do some cleanup of the kitchen, and go grocery shopping.

Sunday, I got up, made cinnamon rolls, got the kids fed and dressed for chruch. Went to church where I managed to stay awake through a we-need-money sermon. Then went home where my wife immediately took a nap while I made the kids and myself lunch. Then kept the kids busy and quiet until they got too wound up and we went to a park. Then back to the grocery store since my wife requested pancakes for dinner and the kids and I made dinner. More kid entertaining, story-reading, and putting to bed. Once the kids were in bed, I did some cleanup in the kitchen and discovered our disposal wasn't working. Then came bedtime where I got to hear my wife tell me was a horrible, terrible, no-good person I am.

Ah, Monday, time to unwind at work.

Oh, Gud. I'm really sorry things don't seem to be getting better. But I love hearing about all the stuff you do with the kids.

{{{Gud}}}

Monday is also the day to check in and hear what a wonderful, loving, very good person you are.

Gronklies.

Weekend=Teh Good. Shopping with Perkins, most successful. Achieved much flannel sheetage, stripey socks and backseamed stockings, tasty Thai noodles, and some of the finest coffee and chai products on the planet (note to ita: Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf sells big ol' tubs of Dutch process unsweetened chocolate hot-drink-mix powder), and much good conversation.

Dressing up and going out, also successful, until it was past 11 and Jill Tracy had just finished her set a bit ago and Voltaire was nowhere in sight and Hec and I were both weaving with semi-sick-person weariness, so we staggered home and collapsed. Pre-collapse, though, Jill Tracy was dark and lovely and hypnotic-voiced, and we met a charmingly hatted and veiled polka-dancing goth girl named Tara and her waltzing husband Chris, and a Dark Garden staffer named Janelle, and I might get to do some window display work for DG at Dickens Fair in December. So, yay.

But still. Wheezy and weary, and Emmett's mom just called to report that he still has a barking cough and needs to be picked up early on account of considerable not-wellness. Hec just rambled out the door for a half-day of work before retrieving poor scritchy-throated Emmett, and now I have to lumber into the shower myself. Monday=Teh Feh.