The Kid is Alright

My post yesterday was not premature. Alastair and his mommy went to the doctor today and got cleared to keep the brace off. The next time he has to go back is in 4 months for an X-ray. I spread the news at work; everyone was very happy.

I'm glad, but I've gotten so used to the brace that it doesn't seem a big deal. The biggest relief is that our son is improved. Must be the old Boy Scout in me. Always leave the campsite in better shape then when you got there.

Of course I'm relieved that Alastair doesn't need surgeries (for this ailment) and traction. I feel satisfied that my wife and I did our jobs as parents and strapped that harness on every 12 hours.

Let's hope we have the same fortitude when he's 14 and needs help with his math homework.

Cute stuff

Tomorrow, Alastair goes for his next and possible final check up at the orthopedic clinic.

He may get out of his brace for good. For the past 6 weeks, he's been in the brace for 12 hours a day. It makes life much easier. He is floppier without the brace, but easier to change and get in his car seat.

So for posterity, here are some pictures of Alastair.

Road work

I've been riding my bike the 4 miles to work for most of the days in the past two weeks. There really is something nice about waking up before the rest of the building, climbing into some shorts and pedaling for 30 minutes. You notice things, both pleasing and gross.

First thing after my shower, I suck down some water and gaze at my sleeping wife and 2-month -old son. They are so peaceful. Exhausted, but peaceful. I sling on my backpack, go to the disgusting basement and haul my bicycle up the 1/2 flight of stairs. In my basement, there is a locked storage space that looks like it houses some detainees on the wrong side of the Geneva convention. Real pleasant. Then I'm off.

The fresh breeze often smells of the lake first thing in the morning. Trust me, this is nice. After a few minutes, I start passing some beautiful houses. There is a dead squirrel next to the curb in front of one house. On Monday, the squirrel had no visible wounds. On Tuesday, its brains started leaking out of its mouth. On Wednesday, I see no change and chuckle to myself. Thursday and Friday go the same way: me glancing at the ex-squirrel, thinking "Hey there" and proceeding through part of Delaware Park, nodding my hellos to the assorted early AM types.
The weekend passes and I don't see my fellow commuters, or the resident on the curb. There must of been a party at the mansion over the weekend. Cars parked on the side of the road. BMW and Porsche SUVs. Just like one of Gatsby's parties. Bright lights, big headlights, and unfamiliar faces. Do you think the driver that rolled over Rocky realized what he did?
The rest of this week was spent looking at a squirrel that was passed through an old laundry machine. The one on Tom and Jerry where the cat comes out looking like a gray fruit roll-up.
It took until Thursday to get Rocky scooped up. Maybe someone said something at the last party.

I don't look too close to the curbs anymore.

I look for the diamonds of broken glass, the stealth shadows of pot holes, and a semi-famous musician that lives on my route who walks her baby.

Escabeche from Belize

Man, I made this great recipe from one of our favorite and most used cookbooks: Extending the Table. This book is recipes collected from around the world by Mennonite missionaries. If you don't mind little excerpts about the "sacred nature of food," then this is a great cookbook for you. Many of the recipes are made with beans, rice, and small quantities of meat; cooking more, with less. Eating this way is more socially and environmentally conscious, not to mention economical. These three goals are things my wife and I are struggling to achieve. Do we go out on a whim and spend $30 on burgers and beer at our favorite tavern? You bet. But we know we shouldn't.

Here's the recipe from page 82 (my personal notes appear in blue text):

Schlabach, J.H. (1991). Extending the Table: A World Community Cookbook. Herald Press:
Scottdale, PA.

Belizean Chicken Stew "Escabeche"

In a large soup pot, brown in 3 T of oil:
2-3 lb. chicken, cut in pieces (When I butcher a whole chicken for something like this, I cut the breasts in half against the grain of the meat. These "quarter-breast" pieces are about the same size as the thighs. This gives you 8 serving pieces: 2 quarter-breasts, 2 whole wings, 2 thighs, and 2 legs. Keep the skin on, but remove any large pieces of fat. See below for notes on chickens. I recommend seasoning the bird before browning.)
Add:
2 qt. water
1-2- cloves garlic, minced (or pressed)
salt and pepper to taste (I salt and pepper the chicken before browning.)
3 whole cloves (I used about 5. This adds a warm, flavor that is different, but not unfamiliar)
2 t. dried oregano (or more)
1/4 c. vinegar (I used cider vinegar, but use anything except balsamic.)
2-3 whole chili peppers (I used two fresh serrano chiles and one dried ancho chile)
Bring to a boil, then simmer until chicken is tender, about 20-30 minutes (don't forget to cover the pot)
Meanwhile, cut into rings:
1 lb. onions (I doubled the onions)
Soak in warm water 30 minutes (The onions, not you). Drain and add to other ingredients. Cook 2 minutes. (Remove the chiles) Serve with (corn) tortillas and/or Belizean Potato Salad (p.113).

The book then cites their field sources. If you need to know, send me a comment.

This is a great, cheap recipe that feeds an army. I heaped bowls with onions made milder by their soaking while retaining some crisp texture. Be mindful of the whole cloves; they are unpleasant to bite down upon. The chicken was juicy and flavorful. The broth was slightly spicy with a distinct clove aroma. Give each person one portion of chicken and bring on the warmed corn tortillas!

For the leftovers, I separated the solids a liquid. Once the broth is cold, the fat comes to the surface and solidifies, making it easy to remove.

Notes on whole chickens
These days, a whole chicken weighs a lot (at least 5 pounds). When a recipe calls for a smaller amount of chicken parts, I usually reserve a half-breast. The whole breast is the two halves, joined the the middle. One half-breast is what we usually eat as a portion. Every time I cut up a chicken, I freeze a boned, skinned half-breast with the tenderloin removed. So, we have a stockpile of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and a bag of chicken tenders (for stir frying). We also have a lot of chicken backs and giblets for making stock.

C-ya