True Story

Tonight I went out with a couple of my teacher friends for dinner.

As you know My Car is out of commission. And my friend Jess offered to take me home. She asked if I wanted to come out to dinner with her and our friends.

So we went over to Panera for dinner.*

My Friend Jess is dating Mike - Mike is Dave's brother - Dave is married to Nicole - Nicole is also my friend. It all comes together in the end. And feels a bit like 6 degrees of separation. Somehow I now feel the need to mention Kevin Bacon in this post.

Anyway... I was enjoying a delicious half roast beef sandwich and small bowl of tomato soup. We were all having a normal conversation when Mike (Who was also enjoying a roast beef sandwich) mentioned that he would like some horse radish sauce - I said I would go get some for the table.

I walked up to the counter and there was a man sitting near where I was standing. I ask the girl behind the counter for the horse radish sauce and see one of my former students. I say hello to E - tell the girl behind the counter that I know him because, he was a former student. Then the man sitting near the counter says strikes up this conversation -

Random Guy - So you're a teacher
Me - Yes
RG - You teach around here
Me - Yes
RG - High school teacher (nods his head in a weird way) - so does he get extra credit if he gives you extra sauce?
Me - No, he's a former student... (Please imagine the awkward silence that then took place)

I get back to the table and share that I think that a strange guy just tried to flirt with me. We all laugh at the table and continue on with our meal. Then the strange thing happened. Mike was trying to pour some of the horse-radish sauce on his sandwich when the tiny plastic cup holding the sauce flew out of his hand and went flying across the table. All. Over. Me.

I was laughing so hard that I couldn't speak. It was like it happened in slow motion. I saw it headed towards me and I couldn't react in time. Jess had to help clean me off. I don't even know how it was possible but I had horse-radish in my pocket, on my shirt, on the collar of my shirt, in my hair, on my leg. I was spicy and awesome.

The moral of this story is - well... I'm not sure what the moral of the story is.

So........ Happy Friday tomorrow!

*Stop what you're doing and go there for dinner or lunch or brunch or linner** ASAP - your brain will overflow with joy at the deliciousness.

**Linner is the meal to be eaten between Lunch and Dinner.

The tale of Lizards and Chili

But not Lizard Chili - cause that would just be gross.

Yesterday I go out to feed the pup and I notice something in her mouth. It looks like a dark piece of bark (which she has been known to treat like a toy), so I didn't think anything of it. Then I noticed that her piece of bark had a leg, and talons, and it was missing a tail. EWWW! I nearly dropped all of her food - because like a good dog she tried to give it to me. Her poor little face said "here mom I got it just for you, aren't you proud". No Tonka - I'm not proud - I'm slightly grossed out and do not want my day to start with Lizard guts all over my leg.

I went back in the house and she proceeded to run around the yard with the lizard and show it to every tree, piece of bark, and then sat on the top of her house with the lizard hanging out of her mouth like a prize.

At one point in the day I looked outside to see if she was still carrying it around. She didn't have it, so I figured she had buried it in the yard. All was well. She came in the house - had a nice little chew on her bone and off to bed we both went. She has an amazing dogloo that she loves and will only sleep in there - which is okay with me because I don't need a dog in my bed.

Again - I go to feed the Tonka-roo and after pouring out her doggy breakfast I see none other than the dead lizard. It's in her bed. She had taken it into her house and was cuddling with it like it was one of her babies. Again - I'm slightly grossed out. Not as much as the day prior because she was not trying to rub it on my leg. But there is the dead lizard - now what do I do - I proceed to go tell Bren that while I'm out today he needs to get rid of the lizard. Thank goodness I have a great hubby, because when I got home, the lizard was disposed of.

And now for the Chili portion of our tale. Tomorrow there is a Chili for Charity event. It's an annual event at school. I have entered for three years now - and never won. But I'm hoping that this is going to be my year! I'm calling it Parsons' Chuck Chipotle Chili - I got the most beautiful chuck roast yesterday at Henry's. And I will be adding three different types of beans. (Black, Pinto, Red Kidney)

I made a rub this morning and seared off the meat and then put it in the crock-pot. The rub was made up of the following - I eyeball everything, don't really measure, so I will never be able to duplicate this again.

Worcestershire - a couple of good glugs
Soy Sauce - twice around the bowl
Coriander - one and a half handfuls
Cumin - one and a half handfuls
Chili Powder - two handfuls
Tabasco - couple of good glugs
Honey - just a smidge
Cinnamon - even tinier smidge
Three chipotle peppers - it comes in adobo sauce - cut them up so they are in tiny pieces

Once the meat is in the pot - de-glaze the pan with a cup of water and then pour that all over the meat in the pot. Let cook for many many hours. Skim off the fat (chuck is a fatty meat - it makes it very tasty but there will be some skimming involved).

Add the beans and keep cooking away. If it's not thick enough take some of the warm cooking liquid and add some flour stir it up and add it back to the pot.

I really REALLY hope that I win, but only time will tell. And about 50 people who have tickets to the event tomorrow.