A'hoy There Mateys!

Dread Pirate Joe is (still) into pirates, but not as much as he was.... I rarely find him dressed in full pirate garb which includes the eye patch (that on occasion made him walk funny), the frilly white silk shirt (smallest shirt in women's from Goodwill), the knee high women's boots with a heel (the MIL bought for him to REALLY feel like a pirate) and of course the ridiculously expensive tri-corn hat (he had to have from the Pirate Festival)! Because whilst looking for material to build ye boat ye should look the part of a swash-buckling mate come to plunder! Ah good times, good times! Its been awhile (a few months maybe?) since he was obsessed with building the perfect pirate ship dressed to the nines. But come to think of it, he didn't travel too far off the path with his latest obsession: The Titanic.

Anyway, I can digress..... so in honor of "Talk Like Pirate Day" I, being the good Mom that I am (still holding out for the Betty Crocker Mother of the Year Award), scoured the web for some sort of Pirate Food to make for dinner. Because, well, I am all about a theme. So here's what I came up with:

Captain Morgan's Treasure

2	garlic cloves, chopped
2	inches piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1	medium shallot, chopped
1/4	cup oil
1/4	cupbutter
6	boneless skinless chicken breasts
	salt and pepper
1	mango, peeled and chopped
1	papaya, peeled and chopped
1	jamaican hot pepper, chopped (remove seeds unless you like it really spicy)
1/2	cup Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum
2	cups chicken broth
1/2-3/4	cup heavy cream

• Chicken Breasts Main Dish
  

1. Heat butter and oil in dutch oven, add garlic, ginger and shallot, saute until shallot is soft, 2-3 minutes.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to pan and brown, turning frequently.
3. Add rum, chicken broth, mango, papaya and pepper, bring to boil, cover and reduce heat, simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Remove cover and simmer until sauce is reduced ( I let it go to half) and add cream, heat through but don't boil.
5. Serve over steamed rice.

**UPDATE**
So it was a hit. No one got scurvy from eating it, anyway! In fact the whole crew scarfed it down like it was the first hot meal after a month at sea! Arrr! (Yeah, ok corny, I know.)

I couldn't find the Jamaican pepper, and since the kidlets don't enjoy the Alaskan and I's penchant for spicy foods, I left it off. I had to buy way more rum than I needed (they don't just sell half a cup of anything in that store), because (gasp!) it is the one type of alcohol not included in the so far unopened stash of booze in the liquor cabinet.

Dread Pirate Joe overheard me telling the Alaskan the recipe that I had picked for this occasion, and said, "You are putting rum in my food?"

Me, "Yeah, it what all pirates love...."

Him, "Do you have to put rum in my food?"

Me, "Joe, it's ok the alcohol cooks off and just leaves the rum flavor."

Him, "Oh.... so why do you have to put it in there then?"

Me, "Yeah good point, lets just drink it with dinner then!!!"

Just kidding! If you know me, you know that Rum and I don't get along (hence why it wasn't in the liquor cabinet to begin with). But a shot in Joe's Grog (eh, rootbeer) might be fun to watch and help him fall asleep sooner since I had so much left.....

Who me? NEVER!!! That wouldn't get me any points in the Mother of the Year contest, now would it! ;)

Plays Well With Others

Interacting in larger groups: not something I do well. I have the social skills of a gnat. Well, actually, I should pick another animal: one who likes to stay in the corner and "watch" others interact, not a bug that is relentless in fling around your head!

When I found myself 30, in the singles scene for the first time in my adult life, I thought the bars would be the place to be. But often (OK, almost always) I am out of my element. Sure, I like the J&C in my hand and the music playing. It's the whole interacting with people I don't know thing that is hard... I have really never been good at this, I guess. I can talk to people one on one. And if I know you well, I can talk for hours. But if I don't know you, I am quiet and reserved. And apparently stand-offish. It probably even appears that I am not having a good time. Not necessarily true, but certainly I can see why one might observe that. Yet, I try to get along and go along, but I have all too often ended up standing against the wall wondering why I do this. Don't get me wrong: give me a few drinks and I like to dance and can even let go of enough to have some fun. But carrying on a conversation with people I barely know: not so fun.

But I don't think this is about the bar, or even drinking. I think for far too many years when I was young and married we stuck together and alone. Socially, I ONLY interacted with him, or with a few close girlfriends, but almost always one on one. I'm just not good at the party scene because I have never really done it. And, also, I think I just don't do well in crowds. Too many people + too close together = anxiety. I prefer more intimate social situations. If there are more than a few people, or people I don't know, I fall very easily into the "Watcher" or "Listener". I don't always contribute, but this doesn't mean I am not enjoying myself. I just means I'm not as comfortable to talk or share in these situations. I prefer to sit back and listen. No harm on foul right? Yeah until you are the only one not talking. Then people wonder what the hell is wrong with you. Which is only a little better than what those who know me think.

Having friends who LOVE the bar scene (and I might add are very strong in this social situation) they seem perplexed by my shyness. This not talking is, well, not normal, because they know what a "Chatty Cathy" I can be. And since I am so quiet, I appear to not be OK. I HATE this! I get the: "Are you ok?" When I am fine. Just sitting back assessing, watching. AND, quite frankly, TRYING to learn how this is done. Silly to be 30 (something) and still trying to figure this out!

OK, maybe I'm a little hard on myself here, but what occurs to me is that I worry if people will like me. And in these situations, I play it really safe, and keep quite. Best to say nothing at all than to look like an ass. And apparently looking like a socially inept dufus is the better alternative?

Maybe

I'm strong, But I break
I'm stubborn and I make plenty of mistakes
Yeah I'm hard and life with me is never easy to figure out, to love
I'm jaded but oh so lovely
All you have to do is hold me
And you'll know and you'll see just how sweet it can be
If you'll trust me, love me, let me
Maybe, maybe

Someday
When we're at the same place
When we're on the same road
When it's okay to hold my hand
Without feeling lost
Without all the excuses
When it's just because you love me, you let me, you need me
Then maybe, maybe
All you have to do is hold me
And you'll know and you'll see just how sweet it can be
If you'll trust me, love me, let me
Maybe, maybe

I'm confusing as hell, I'm north and south
And I'll probably never have it all figured out
But what I know is I wasn't meant to walk this world without you
And I promise I'll try, I'm gonna try to give you every little part of me
Every single detail you missed with your eyes
Then maybe..... yeah maybe

One day
We'll meet again and you'll need me, you'll see me completely
Every little bit
and maybe you'll love me then

I don't want to be tough and I don't want to be proud
I don't need to be fixed and I certainly don't need to be found
I'm not lost
I need to be loved
I just need to be loved
I just want to be loved by you and I won't stop 'cause I believe
That maybe..... yeah maybe

I should know better than to touch the fire twice
But I'm thinking maybe, yeah maybe you might

Gremlins

"It's the most beautiful time of year!" Yep School's back! Look at these monkeys..... wait, not monkeys, more like gremlins. The sweet smiles are very deceiving.

The Egyptian's trainer hit the nail on the head. In a moment of self loathing about her body, he reminds her "It's ok, don't be so hard on yourself. You spit those 4 kids out like gremlins." tee hee. We got a laugh about this, but I had to remind her... " Our kids were Mogwai when we spit them out. Should have followed the care and feeding instructions that came with and they wouldn't have turned into gremlins!"