Recalls

Ok so over the past few years the recall syndrome has become an epidemic. At first there were some real concerns with the recalled merchandise. I know I would not want my kids playing with toys that have lead paint or mercury. But yesterday we have a recall of a stroller because if you dont put the seat belt on the baby they can slip out and be strangled by the tray. Well put the F@*ing seatbelt on your baby idiot!!!!!!!! Really? Are we all just so ready to blame other people for our own misfortunes that when a piece of equipment is used irresponsibly the company who made it is to blame. Gosh I think I will go out and have a car accident and blame it on Toyota because they don't have a proximity alarm on the car. Sorry but ugh it is so stupid. There was a crib recall because when people reassembled they put it together wrong or didn't tighten the screws enough and the child could slip down the side and get caught. Not faulty equipment! And the highchair that had these little bumps on the back to store the tray... well apparently if one of these is broken you can get a nasty cut on your leg. DUH.We are living in a world where accountability is transferred away from the user to the companies that make stuff. All I see is user error. I feel terrible for the families who have lost a beloved child to one of these horrible freak accidents. I can only begin to imagine the grief they are living with. It is all to easy to blame someone else when you feel this way. But in most cases it was used wrong.
The only reason most of this stuff is recalled is because the manufacturers know people will use it incorrectly and they don't want to get sued. So to cover their ass recall it. Then if another child dies well it is not their responsibility. Sad. Sad when a child dies.
Anyway check your gear to make sure it is safe and please use it as directed by the manufacturers instructions.

Life and Death

Well, my daughters fish Shiny died today and thankfully I noticed and she didn't. So I did as any real coward would and ran to the store and got an identical fish before she figured it out. Now, we are not the coddling type when it comes to parenting but I just couldn't bring myself to see her reaction to the dead fish. I think at the age of four she understands the concept of death and she was abstractly exposed to it when we lost a baby half way into the pregnancy but she has never looked it in the face. She has seen the other side of the coin with her new baby brother. During my pregnancy she asked way too many questions which I answered truthfully and factually. She also watched videos of birth and did not freak out. She is smart that way.
I know that we absolutely have to be real and at some point a loved one will die or one of the dogs and I will regret not dealing with this sooner. The thing is I simply had not thought about what I would say in order for it to make sense to her. I also wanted to explain it without using fantasy or God. The age of four is an especially difficult one lending itself to many many hysterical fits of crying for no apparent reason. So to ensure a plain old Thursday I took the easy road. I am now having occasional fits of guilt for telling a huge lie mostly when I look at the fish. But so far there have been no hysterias and she didn't notice Shiny II is quite a bit smaller... yet! I guess this will be one of those stories we tell her when she is older and I hope we will all laugh together at how terrified I was...

The Best Dinner

When done right roast chicken is the perfect meal. Crisp skin, succulent meat, potatoes cooked in the pan, great leftovers. It is a perfect meal for a family on a budget. If you cook it like my grandma then you have a crispy delicious chicken with potatoes, carrots, pumpkin or butternut squash and onions all roasted together to a delicious, crunchy, roasty, deliciousness that cannot be beat. Then you make gravy in the pan and smother your food in it. YUM. But what I like about it is tomorrow, there will be chicken salad or enchiladas or even just plain cold chicken. Then you can use the carcass (I hate that word) and make soup. Yep 3 meals at least. Wow all from one chicken. It is like a super chicken. Someone once asked me if I could have any meal, any where and drink any thing what would it be. My answer was "the perfect roast chicken", Puligny Montrachet, anywhere in the south of France. I went in to great detail about all the other accompaniments and of course the wine but that is for another day. In a nut shell roast chicken is the best...

BLTs

There are many classic sandwich options out there in deli land but the BLT is in my opinion the best possible choice. It is beautiful in its simplicity. Bread, Bacon, Mayo, Lettuce and Tomato and that is it. What I love is how many ways you can make those things taste so good but this classic is also easy to ruin. There is the school of crunchy overcooked crumbly bacon (yuck) and the school of the bun... what, or the bastards who put cheese on it and even some people who don't want mayo (!). Well, I mean this in the nicest possible way but you people are wrong!
Stop it!
Recently I have been subjected to some of the worst BLTs ever... grrr its just not that hard. 4 things on a sandwich. But seriously could people please stop murdering the bacon. Cooked till slightly crispy but still chewy please. Otherwise it is like eating a sandwich filled with salad toppings. I have my way of liking my BLT on toasted wheat, thick bacon, good tomato and plain lettuce, and the best mayo available. That is just me. I can appreciate the bun(?) or white bread, or not toasted and even fancy lettuce but this thing with the bacon bits is not ok. In fact one of the best BLTs I have ever had was from the Burgermeister in Seattle which is on white bread and it is not toasted but grilled on the flat top with the bacon and burger grease... ummm so good, so good! So I can deviate from my standard but don't ask me to enjoy some crazy ass double decker monster with cheese on it. That is not a BLT. I now request a sign on the deli door declaring the condition of your bacon so I know where to go for a real sandwich.
So please stop effing with my bacon and enjoy your sandwiches bitches.